#his name is Mikołaj

[xshrimpcake]

another baby!!

[wszczebrzyszynie]

In your older art (when he was a rabbit breeder named Nikita I think) Mikita seems much more… smiley than he is now. The first time I saw him (I think 2022) I remember him being gay + aro instead of aroace. I adore this character and I would love to know how he changed/developed over the years!

Oh gladly. I adore this topic. Mikita is my oldest one (8 years old now!) and i have quite a lot to say and show about him, so ill put it under the read more. For some reason the picture formatting is completly broken when i do it. Thank you for the kind words

Mikita went through quite a lot name changes now that i think about it, at least compared to my other ocs; it went hand in hand with his ethnicity mostly, as he was i believe polish first, then polish/lithuanian and only since... 2020? belarusian (which i agree is definitely... a pipeline, but theres no deeper meaning behind it; for the 70% of his life the world he lived in was 100% fictional, and at the beginning even fantasy-like). His first actual name (not "rabbit breeder", which was the title used for him in the original story instead of a name. Names were a modern au thing) if im not mistaken was Fryderyk, then Nikita, and then Mikita. That name change did probably happen around 2022 because a Belarusian belarusianized his name for me and I liked it so i changed it. Very nice of them it makes much more sense in the current story

Years 2016-2020-ish he was gay (but not aromantic) and also dating Mikołaj; frankly i do not remember when exactly that changed, but he and Mikołaj are some of my oldest still in use ocs and they were always a package deal of sorts. Last time i drew shipart of them was in 2021. I think it might have stopped around the time i realized i am aromantic? It was a very important moment to me and the second it clicked i realized most of my ocs were secretly aromantic all along too. It was pretty funny now that i think about it

Personality wise he was a bit insufferable. Well he used to age with me (like most of my ocs) so he was very much a 15 year old. Very bratty and unempathetic to others, actively manipulative and overly ambitious. He used to smile a lot yes it was very in character then and i think it makes him look more annoying so it stays. Well either way i made so much art of him in that time i actually canonized it as his younger self in canon, now that hes older. I think thats a fun choice and i still like his old design, so its good to reuse it. Art from 2020, 2021 and 2023. I think current Mika would hate his old self a lot

Frankly when it comes to my ocs the big shift from that more dystopian completly fictional setting to more historically grounded one happened at some point and i dont remember when that was. 2020-2021 ish possibly. Its hard to remember because it did not happen from day to day; i think i abandoned these ocs original story for months before i made that choice? and even then i dont remember how current DNS or such a clear idea for it came to be, especially considering that it changed basically every single character drastically. Its weird to me but i suppose that knowledge is lost. That being said i think it does coincide with the creation of Przemek, who quickly became one of my favourites, so maybe theres that. I dont know. Well either way its a very good thing that it happened

[tomorrowusa]

Sadly, a majority of Americans are almost completely ignorant about Eastern Europe. They probably don't know the difference between Budapest and Bucharest. (Spoiler: They are capitals of two non-Slavic countries in the region)

When Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, Americans were surveyed on the location of Ukraine on an unlabeled map. Just 16% got it right. This map shows one dot for each response.

Yes, a couple of people thought Ukraine was in Memphis. Not sure what's up with those many folks who thought it is in Greenland. Maybe that's why Trump tried to buy it from Denmark.

In history in US classrooms almost nothing is mentioned about Eastern Europe that happened before the 20th century. This short list of items is typical.

A few (usually exotic) personalities like Ivan the Terrible, Vlad the Impaler, and Peter the Great.

Copernicus (real name: Mikołaj Kopernik) sorting out the Solar System. And that is actually more science than history.

The Siege of Vienna (1683). Vienna is not exactly in Eastern Europe but the siege was lifted by Polish King Jan III Sobieski.

A passing reference to Tsar Aleksandr II freeing the serfs – but only because it happened within two years of the Emancipation Proclamation.

So if you know almost nothing about the location and history of a country, you certainly won't understand its importance to international peace and security.

And that's the case with Ukraine which Putin sees simply as a piece in his country collection in his effort to restore the decrepit Soviet Union in all but name.

As Brendan Simms writes in his linked article up top...

It is worth reminding ourselves what is at stake. If Putin is not defeated and forced to withdraw from Ukraine, this will endanger much more than just the viability of that country. It will enable the Russians to reconstitute their forces facing the Baltic states and Finland, constituting a threat that we will have to face without support from Kyiv. The Ukrainians are thus fighting not only for their own sovereignty but our security as well. Their army is one of the best guarantors we have against future Russian aggression. All they ask is our help. We should give them what they need.

About those so called "red lines" we hear about from tankies and Trumpsters – those lines apparently don't really exist.

Robyn Dixon and Catherine Belton at the Washington Post write:

Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion keeps crossing President Vladimir Putin’s red lines. Kyiv’s lightning incursion into Kursk in western Russia this month slashed through the reddest line of all — a direct ground assault on Russia — yet Putin’s response has so far been strikingly passive and muted, in sharp contrast to his rhetoric earlier in the war. On day one of the invasion in February 2022, Putin warned that any country that stood in Russia’s way would face consequences “such as you have never seen in your entire history,” a threat that seemed directed at countries that might arm Ukraine. If Russia’s territorial integrity were threatened, “we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. It’s not a bluff,” he said a few months later in September. “The citizens of Russia can be sure that the territorial integrity of our Motherland, our independence and freedom will be ensured — I emphasize this again — with all the means at our disposal,” making a clear reference to Russia’s nuclear weapons.

In other words, Putin has been bullshitting.

Ukraine’s Kursk incursion “proved the Russians are bluffing,” said Oleksandr Danylyuk, a former Ukrainian intelligence and defense official, now an associate fellow with the Royal United Services Institute, a think tank in London. “It shuts down all of the voices of the pseudo experts … the anti-escalation guys.”

Vladimir Putin can bluff only so much before people see that he's full of shit.💩 We're already past that point. His imperialist fantasies make him think that he's back in the Soviet Union and all he has to do is say something bellicose to get whatever he wants.

There are now Ukrainian troops on Russia's soil and over 133,000 refugees fanning out from the area telling other Russians of what's really going on near the border without censorship from Russian state media. The weaker Putin looks inside Russia, the sooner his invasion will end.

As I've said before, give Ukraine whatever weapons it wants – except nukes. Ukraine is doing NATO an enormous favor by keeping Putin at bay.

[jellymeduza]

1250 followers gift - take a peek at my medievalish fantasy game (part 4/?)

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

And in today's edition we pay a visit to the noble house of Watch.

This household is pretty crowded. Its inhabitants are members of Dunceville's nobility and knights. They work in military and in law enforcement.

They live in a close proximity to the city gate leading to the forest and the cemetery. The job of protecting the realm oftentimes comes at the cost of live.

Victoria Watch (the woman in the middle) died of old age, heartbroken by the loss of her sons - Corporal (on the left, with the sword) and Private (on the right). She was Zbyszko's sister and Little Eye's wife. Her personality was 4/7/8/3/3, evil, bookworm, loves the outdoors, snob, brave. She had 4 points of mechanical and 5 points of body. Her aspiration was family.

Corporal died a death of childless single in a fire accident as he was trying to save poor citizens. His personality was 4/7/8/3/4. He had 3 body points. His aspiration was popularity.

Private was killed by Brother Beggar as he was trying to arrest him for theft. He left two sons: Warcisław Sawa (his illigitimate son with Lilith Sawa, a drama student; his family doesn't know of Warcisław's existence) and Mikołaj Watch (his son with his wife Berta). Following the untimely demise of his brother, Private decided he wasn't going to die childless as Corporal had - his lineage was at stake. He found a lover - Lilith Sawa, but he knew his family wasn't going to approve his choice of partner, so he wooed a lady of noble birth - Berta Samurai. His affair lasted until he got married. Soon Mikołaj was born, but he didn't have a chance to get to know his father, as Private died when Mikołaj was an infant. His personality was 6/2/4/7/6, loves the heat, light sleeper, virtuoso, adventurous. He had 3 points of body skill and 3 points of mechanical skill. His aspiration was family.

Little Eye (the elderly man in black armor) is Victoria's husband and father of their sons: Corporal and Private. He's lost almost everyone - his wife and both of his sons, leading to his dire state of mind. Now he looks over his only (to his knowledge) grandson. His personality is 2/8/2/6/7, hot-headed, unlucky, evil, eco-friendly. He's got 4 points of mechanical skill, 4 points of body and 5 points of creativity. His aspiration is family.

Berta (née Samurai, ex-townie, the dark-skinned woman) was married into noble family. She feel sorts out of place, even though the Watchs are friendly towards her and Zuzanna is very supportive. When Private died, she sought comfort in arms of another men. She had an affair with Caligula, shortly before his banishment, which resulted in pregnancy. Terrified, Berta managed to hide it from her new family and dropped the infant at Caligula's hut in exile doorstep, leaving only a note with girl's name: Jocasta Samurai, giving her daughter her maiden name. Her personality is 4/4/4/7/6, loves the cold, loves to swim, loves the outdoors, socially awkward, artistic. She has 4 points of mechanical skill and 4 points of creativity skill. Her aspiration is family.

Mikołaj's (held by Berta) personality is 9/10/8/7/1, good, brave. He's a son of Private and Berta, and grandson of Little Eye and Victoria.

Zbyszko (the elderly man in light-grey armor) is a brother of Victoria and husband of Jagienka. He's Janko's father. His personality is 3/3/3/8/8, light sleeper, hopeless romantic, hotes the heat, good sense of humor, socially awkward. He's got 7 points of logic skill and 4 points of creativity skill. His aspiration is family.

Jagienka (the elderly woman in dark blue dress) is Zbyszko's wife and Janko's mother. She's a dutiful woman, who cares for her family's reputation. Her personality is 5/3/7/3/7, workaholic, animal-lover, good, technophobe. She's got 5 points of cooking skill and 4 points of logic. Her aspiration is family.

Janko (the man with long black hair) is Zuzanna's husband and the father of their children: Wanda and Dominic. His personality is 0/6/3/8/8, hates the outdoors, snob, absent-minded, light sleeper. He's got 5 points of body and 4 points of logic. His aspiration is family.

Zuzanna (the red-head) is a shieldmaiden that married a knight, Janko. She's the mother of Wanda and Dominic. She sympathises with Berta as she knows how difficult it is to move in and start a new life with new family. She's friends with queen Fiona Claudius and Jagna Spy, and hopes to marry her daughter off to one of princes. Her personality is 6/5/8/3/3, loves the cold, natural cook, hopeless romantic, workaholic, loves to swim. She's got 4 points of mechanical skill and 6 points of body skill.Her first aspiration is family and secondary is popularity.

Wanda (the girl with horn hairstyle; DO NOT even think of pronouncing it the English way, my ears bleed every time I hear someone say "Łonda" 🤮. Wiki tells me it's ˈvanda, fyi) is a daughter of Janko and Zuzanna, and granddaughter of Zbyszko and Jagienka. Her personality is 1/10/4/10/10, absent-minded, loves the cold, workaholic. She on friendly terms with young Claudiuses and young Dariuses.

Dominic (the boy held by Zuzanna) is a son of Janko and Zuzanna, and grandson of Zbyszko and Jagienka. His personality is 3/7/10/7/3, genius, loves the cold.

Next up: the magical house of Magic. 🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♂️

part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9

[chicago-geniza]

ALSO:

"W monarchii austro-węgierskiej – w skład której wchodziła Galicja – powszechne spisy ludności przeprowadzano w latach: 1857, 1869, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, zawsze w dniu 31 grudnia. Wyniki powszechnych spisów ludności w Cesarstwie Austro-Węgierskim z lat 1890,1900 i 1910 z danymi dla Galicji opublikowano w wydanych w 1912 roku przez Biuro Centralnej Komisji Statystycznej w Wiedniu dwóch zeszytach Die Ergebnisse der Volkszählung vom 31.Dezember 1910. Rezultaty spisów ludności Galicji, które odbywały się w latach 1880, 1890, 1900 i 1910 drukowano w roczniku Ősterreichische Statistik i w Statystyce miasta Krakowa."

Habsburg Galician census was always conducted on the same day!!! December 31st

This means when Bohdan Zahorski, in Kraków, says he is a married Roman Catholic with a wife called Stefania (born April 25th, 1889, Kraków, Galicia), and Stefania appears again in the Jewish tome of the Kraków census as Ernestyna Leser, UNmarried, religion: Jewish (born April 25th, 1890, Kraków, Galicia), these discrepancies do not reflect the passage of time and a marriage in the interim; they were both recorded on the same day

It also supports my hypothesis that Stefania and Bohdan, who met in 1909, got a civil marriage some time in 1910 between his PhD thesis defense; Mikołaj Zahorski's letter to Reforma publicly "disowning" his son, disavowing his actions, etc.; and the end of the year

Stefania's last name is changed in her university records in 1912, and Eva Podgórska says she spent a couple of years as the mistress of the Zahorski estate, but it didn't suit her

Did she...take a leave of absence??? And return to the city later? To the flat on ul. Studencka, what Bohdan called his "Kraków address," also listed on the 1912 (iirc!) ad for secondhand hunting equipment, & the same street Stefania calls by name re: "ostatni prawdziwy stół" in the letter to her nephew just before her death?

I should be getting some of her UJ records in the new year and I have a summary of Bohdan's, which should illuminate the timeline

[cursedunicornofeast]

The mentioned poet is (to oh me my suprise) the Adam Mickiewicz (hence the name) and the biggest contender to the title of the polish national poet. The suprise came from the fact that Mickwiecz himself created the legion for the italian revolution in 1848 - he, rather infamously, did not participate in any way in the polish uprising mentioned ( the November Uprising in 1830).

In the manifesto itself (I found it!) there was a single point that can be summarised to "to women, life companions, equal rights in everything". Altough, the radicalism came from Mickiewicz's favourite idea of Messianism (that Poland was 'The Christ of Europe' and was killed and would rise again to 'unify all in God) (no, I'm not joking that was his favourite philosophy) and the idea of panslavism (the unification of all slavic nations) (which he was not liked for as the November Uprising was against russians and russians were generally hated)

The legion itself counted at its biggest around 200 people, although apperently a total of about 500 people has passed through it during its existance. Mickiewicz himself left the legion after around 2 months and passed the authority to Mikołaj Kamiński. They fought mostly in Lombardy and Genua. Apparently, the legion wasn't very famous or succesful in fighting but was still liked by the italians. The legion lasted around 15 months, in which they also tried helping in the hungarian uprising and then disbaned.

Tho APH Poland still had very good reasons to be in Italy ! One of the most famous polish legions were the Italian legions during Napoleonic Era; they're even mentioned in our anthem! Polish legions were also very active during the springtime of nations, as many believed that fighting alongside others will help our own cause laster. . . or just wanted to fuck with Austria

so, yeah, overall you do have (my) polish approval (tm)

The Mickiewicz Legion was a group of Polish radical revolutionaries who went to Italy (Rome, Milano, Genoa,…) in order to fight after the Polish revolution failed. Their leader was a feminist poet with an interesting hair style. I couldn’t find many sources on them so most of it is Wikipedia, so if I have some Polish followers who can give me more info that would be amazing!

[photo-snap-stories]

PL:

Kamienice Przybyłowskie, Kazimierz Dolny

Kamienice Przybyłowskie powstały w 1615 roku, w południowym narożu kazimierskiego rynku. Ich nazwa wzięła się od imion właścicieli, zamożnych braci Mikołaja i Krzysztofa Przybyłów, którzy przyozdobili kamieniczki wizerunkami swoich świętych patronów. Zrośnięte ze sobą domy mają identyczny układ fasad: przyziemie z podcieniami o trzech arkadach i piętro z trzema oknami. Fasady są bogato przyozdobione płaskorzeźbami przedstawiającymi ludzi, zwierzęta, ornamenty roślinne i linearne, chrześcijańskie i mitologiczne, średniowieczne fantazje i renesansowe groteski. Wszystko to przeplatane obficie łacińskimi sentencjami filozoficznymi. Obydwie kamieniczki były ponoć polichromowane, o czym mogą świadczyć widoczne do dzisiaj ślady.

Starsza z kamienic, „Pod Świętym Mikołajem” nosi nazwę od płaskorzeźby św. Mikołaja umieszczonej pomiędzy oknami pierwszego piętra. Na ozdobnych pilastrach w narożach budynku widnieją płaskorzeźby św. Jakuba i św. Tomasza. Po 1772 r. budynek pełnił rolę ratusza.

Kamienica „Pod Świętym Krzysztofem”, wzięła nazwę od gigantycznej płaskorzeźby pośrodku fasady, ukazującej św. Krzysztofa, przenoszącego przez wodę małego Jezusa, który siedzi mu na ramieniu. Na pilastrach w narożach budynku widnieje postać Judyty i Salome. Dach budynku zachował się w pierwotnej formie, tzn. jest wklęsły.

Obecnie w Kamienicach Przybyłowskich znajdują się pomieszczenia Urzędu Miasta oraz Banku.

EN:

Przybyłowski Tenement Houses, Kazimierz Dolny, Poland

The Przybyłowski tenement houses were built in 1615, in the southern corner of the Kazimierz market square. Their name comes from the names of the owners, wealthy brothers Mikołaj and Krzysztof Przybyła, who decorated the tenement houses with images of their patron saints. The adjacent houses have an identical arrangement of facades: a ground floor with arcades and a first floor with three windows. The facades are richly decorated with bas-reliefs depicting people, animals, plant and linear ornaments, Christian and mythological, medieval fantasies and Renaissance grotesques. All this is interwoven with Latin philosophical maxims. Both tenement houses were apparently polychrome, as evidenced by the traces still visible today.

The older tenement house, "Under Saint Nicholas", is named after the bas-relief of Saint Nicholas placed between the first floor windows. The decorative pilasters in the corners of the building feature bas-reliefs of Saint James and Saint Thomas. After 1772, the building served as the town hall.

The tenement house "Under Saint Krzysztof" took its name from the gigantic bas-relief in the center of the facade, showing Saint Christopher, carrying little Jesus through the water, sitting on his shoulder. The figures of Judith and Salome appear on the pilasters in the corners of the building. The roof of the building has been preserved in its original form, i.e. it is concave.

Currently, the Przybyłowski Tenement Houses house the City Hall and the Bank.

[stroadkill]

A side project of mine,

After a near-death experience leaves bartender Mikołaj Troka in shambles, a ghost of his former self named Nauszka wakes up next to him. She is affectionate, loving, everything Mikołaj once was. Seeing Mikołaj in pain, Nauszka makes it her goal to help him in any way he can. The only issue is that, despite her good intentions, Mikołaj will never return Nauszka's compassion, and will do anything in his power to get rid of the ghost who looks so much like him.

[wszczebrzyszynie]

I'm actually very curious how the first version of your universum was like (when Mikołaj was still called just Gravedigger and stuff) 👀

Oooh we have a veteran here. I havent refered to them by professions in like... 2 years now? If not more

The best way i can describe it is les miserables but uhh... written by someone whos only ever heard two songs and seen a few animatics. And also inspired more by the 1917 revolution and not the french one (at that time i wasnt really... into history much, i just wanted a big grand story lol).

The main characters of that were Mikita (who at that time was polish and I THINK called Fryderyk? His profession was rabbit breeder. Mind u this is the version from like... 2016-2019), whose design i actually reused as his younger self (which fits! He was 14-15 at the time), Piotr (a character who does not matter at all rn lmao currently hes Elizas younger brother and Dominiks father. He was the lumberjack) and Jermoła (a character that also doesnt matter much but hes dear to my heart. He was the confectioner (?) and i think latvian? I dont remember his name). I wont go into details because its embarrasing as fuck and if u remember u remember, just trust me it wasnt really good (not a bad thing i was like... 12 when i made it). One plotpoint was that Mikita had to hide in Elas attic for a while, then i grew up and suddenly gained conciousness abt it all being kind of lame and way too ambitious to handle, so i scrapped ALL of it and after a a few months of the characters living in the void it slowly started becoming the foundation of todays dns

Enjoy some old 2020ish designs + their new ones for comparison

[vohannesvotrov]

4, 10, 15, 20 - Mikolaj (don't have the accent sorry), Stanislav?

how dareeee u not have the accent !!! unforgivable <3 tysm love

not my best answers ever, but i am on the trainnnn and so that is my excuse

What experiences shaped who they are?

Mikołaj: Easiest one to identify would be his arrest at age 12 – it was him and his mother struggling to survive, and imprisonment would result in him abandoning her (their relationship is shaped by love and duty, and he has a very large sense of owing his mother for everything relating to his survival). Upon his arrest (for the ‘crime’ of defending himself when attacked by military boys), he’s given an option: imprisonment or enlistment. Enlistment is wholly coercive – it provides everything he doesn’t have, such as money, education, shelter, food, etc. It was the easiest decision he’d made, but its consequences are forever.

Stanislav: He’s shaped by small and pathetic acts of resistance, testing the limits of an overworked and autocratic bureaucracy. His means of resistance are similar to others trapped in the thralls of coercive capitalism, and can lean in the self-destructive directions. Stanislav doesn’t have a set schedule, he will let his hair grow beyond a regulation haircut, he will stay up too late, he won’t train, he’ll fuck other men, he will show up to work late. All of these things are in direct resistance to the culture forced by the military academy, but it’s the least he can do to feel like he is still himself and not simply a puppet.  

What are they trying to achieve?

Mikołaj: He wants to protect those he cares about, and also redeem himself. These goals are intertwined to him – protecting others and keeping them safe (such as Gabriel, his mother, Stanislav, etc.) is a small step at redemption, at counteracting everything he’s been made to do. And that’s part of why he does defect, because it gives him a chance to do something other than destruction.

Stanislav: His goal is smaller, and somewhat selfish, but understandable – he wants to survive. Though he is essentially a bureaucratic cog in a violent machine, he wants to survive and experience good things where he can. This is a large reason why he is not defecting, nor taking far more radical action – his survival requires the appearance of a good little soldier.

What do they want?

Mikołaj: These are kind of the same as above, but something he won’t truly admit to himself is that he does want to survive for selfish reasons, he wants to care for and be cared about by others, and to find who he can be beyond what he’s been forced to be. A whole part of his story going forward will be him trying different hobbies so that he can learn to enjoy something, and to create something good.  

Stanislav: He wants safety, but he also has a lingering love for Mikołaj that often overrides his goals of safety or survival. The two of them had something when they were younger, and it was one of the best parts of his life, and he wants that back even as it becomes less and less likely.

What do they look like?

Mikołaj: Something that can’t be inferred at all by his name is that he and his mother are Palestinian! His name was changed to a Polish name for assimilation purposes, which occurred after he was conscripted, since he’d been assigned to a Polish military academy. So his skin tone is medium-brown, his eyes are a very dark brown, his hair is black, thick, and curly; and has a dancer’s build. His mouth, jaw, and eyes are sharp, and his nose is large and hooked, which is only intensified by the number of times his nose has been broken.

Stanislav: Stanislav has a classic movie star type handsomeness, with light brown skin and a wide smile with perfect teeth. He and his family are ethnically Tatar, and hailed from Russia. His eyes are a medium brown, he’s built like a hockey player, is kinda short, has thick brown hair, a full mouth, and a very square jaw.  

[dracwife]

Hey! I am curious about how is your process creating your s/i(self inserts)

heya nonny! ill try and answer this as best as i can.

in short, i don't really have one. BUT i do have some consistent things i "do" when trying to make an s/i for certain media. i'll use my latest cod s/i as an example!

putting under a cut because this is a loooong answer.

first things first, i pick an aesthetic i like. generally, this tends to lean towards "retro" or horror-themed aesthetics. i do this because honestly making aesthetic boards really help me in developing a design! it helps me get a general "vibe" and often when im searching for images to use i get things like clothes/faceclaims/etc. that will help me :) i did this first and foremost for my latest s/i!

i found lots of classic "hollywood" aesthetics, because my f/o in this case relies heavily on this aesthetic combined with classic horror/exploitation movies.

once i have a general idea in mind, i move on to gritty details. i tend to plan things like their occupation, age, maybe where they're from, and most importantly how they meet the f/o in question!my s/is tend to be either scientists (because i am a forensic biologist), or some sort of writer (because i love writing). this is my "jumping off point," generally.

tying it back to my recent s/i, i wanted my s/i and f/o to meet "on the set" or through the filmmaking aspect of my f/o. originally had the idea to make my insert some sort of scriptwriter or editor. i decided, however, it would make more sense for my s/i to be an actor, because wyler is a director, and i wanted them to be a sort of "dynamic duo."

since wyler is a villain, i wanted my s/i to be a villain as well. so, i've got the occupation and how they meet -- so now, it's a matter of how the end up together. because they are both villains, i thought about the fact wyler uses "real violence" in his films. since my self insert is an actor and stars frequently in wyler's films, it's not much of a leap to say my insert probably is a murderer or serial killer of some sort, in secret, and that's why he doesn't much mind the violence he's often faced with.

i ended up going with a simple backstory: mikołaj is a polish born actor (another trait i often incorporate is my own name and heritage, which is why they share names so often!), who starred in many low-budget horror/splatter films. willard became a fan of these works, and admired mikołaj's performance. unfortunately, after an accident on set, mikołaj suddenly quit acting, and it was rumored he had a hand in the death of one of his co-stars during a scene gone wrong.

once i've got a basic "backstory" down, i add the details as i go.

i wanted wyler to admire mikołaj because of his history, and reach out to him. so i checked off the "why/how they meet box" with that, as well as rationalize their relationship to myself, if anything. i tend to go with the idea of a long-term or pre-established relationship in my selfships, so i don't really worry much about the "development" of the relationship. i just kind of...assume they're together. the most i really do is "where they are now versus then."

example: mikołaj was originally an actor in wyler's films, but as time went on and they got closer, he started acting less and more just...spending time on set, and became a producer, for the sake of "being there" if that makes sense. it gives my insert a reason to exist so i can be flexible in his actions/motivations.

WOW... alright so now all the written stuff is done, how about the visual design?

well...i have even less of a process, if you can believe it. i usually just take myself and...draw. my selfinserts are all just....me. you can see my curly hair, nose scar & shape, and glasses in almost every insert of mine, because it's just me. sometimes i change the hair, and the outfits i find to be trivial. usually i just pick something period appropriate. those aesthetic boards from earlier are helpful here.

and then i just kind of...draw. that's all, really. i wait till i have an idea in mind, then i'll draw it.

so yeah, it's a weird way to do things, but it works for me.

[bookworm555]

“What do you want from me, Felicjan?” Niele was tired. Tired of the Competition and its intricacies, tired of the underhanded tricks some contestants used to get ahead--at her expense, of course, always at her expense--tired of the strain on her mind. She was at her limit. And the terrifying thing was she knew Felicjan knew it, too.

For a moment, shame flashed across Felicjan’s sharp face, though it was replaced with his usual smirk so quickly that Niele assumed she imagined it.

“Nothing,” he finally said, tilting his head. “Though you are good for a laugh.”

Niele’s heart sunk, and the tears she tried so hard to suppress finally fell from her eyes.

“I mean, look at you!” the blond continued, gesturing towards her. “You consistently rank low in the contests and in the popularity polls, though your stupid little friendship with Timothy does boost you up higher than you deserve. Leech.” He curled his lip. “You drag your teammates down; Triinu is always coming to your rescue, and though Mihails is weak as well, at least he isn’t a shivering mess like you! They’d be better off without you.”

“Stop it!” Niele hated how her voice cracked, but she couldn’t let herself be insulted anymore.

“Finally growing a backbone? Took you long enough! But it’s not good enough.” Felicjan stepped closer, and Niele instinctively took a step back. “You still look like the poster-girl of a domestic violence ad, with that pathetic face and quivering lip. All you’re missing is the black eye.”

He raised his hand, and Niele flinched, squeezing her eyes shut. Felicjan never struck her before, but she figured her luck finally ran out. She opened her eyes when she felt nothing.

“Oh man! You thought I was going to hit you? Seriously?” Niele realized her tormentor only lifted his hand to tuck some hair behind his ear.

Felicjan’s harsh laughter made her face burn in embarrassment.

“Oh please, if I hit you, and that spread around, it wouldn’t make me look good in the rankings at all! So as much as I want to, I won’t. At least not until the Arena matches, that is. Consider yourself lucky.”

With another curl of his lip, Felicjan spun around, leaving Niele alone. She didn’t realize her shaking legs gave out until she felt her knees painfully hit the floor. But this time, she didn’t bother getting up. She curled her arms around her stomach and sobbed, wishing that things were different, that she was never chosen for this accursed game. But most of all, she cried because Felicjan was right. She was holding her team back, no matter how hard she tried.

-From ‘2072′

Poor Niele D: (I feel bad for her kjahdfjkasd)

This honestly makes Felicjan look like a massive jerk. And he definitely is, holy crap. Yeah, he’s being blackmailed into bullying Niele, but at the same time, there was no need for him to make his insults so personal. At this point in the story, the power he has over Niele has gone to his head, so while he was hesitant to play this role in the beginning, he’s now not even pretending. 

He eventually redeems himself, but the damage is done, and Niele is always wary around him, even after he apologizes.

Also...Felicjan in no way represents the attitude of his country in general, in terms of how they see him. Despite having high rankings due to the audience liking the drama he causes, after awhile, they catch on to Niele’s genuine emotional distress and letters/online comments from his country start coming in that express their disappointment in him. (He even receives a letter from his parents and twin older brothers basically lecturing him and telling him they raised him better XD). This is what really gets him off his high horse. (And luckily, the organizers of the competition see that their little blackmail scheme is no longer working, so they let Felicjan drop the jerk act without harming him or his family.)

(Fun fact, here are the names of Feli’s family, for future reference: Mother: Fryderyka Father: Mikołaj The twins (20 yrs old): Jurek and Mirosław) 

(Okay, drawing angsty/emotional stuff is so hard X’D. I feel like I definitely expressed Niele’s emotional/psychological pain through writing better than the mini-comic.)

Also...Niele gets a nice, soft moment in the next part of the scene (because I felt bad cutting it off at a sad moment X’D), which I’ll add here under a read more:

Mihails walked into the common room, hoping to snag some sweets before training. But all thoughts of sugary snacks disappeared when he saw Niele slumped over on the floor, clearly crying.

He rushed over to his friend instantly, sitting on the floor beside her. Reminded of all the times she comforted him, he gently pulled her into a hug, wrapping his thin arms around her.

Immediately, Niele wrapped her own arms around him, crying into the front of his sweater. Mihails gently smoothed the back of her hair down, and made sure her low ponytail wasn’t tangled. 

After awhile, the crying ceased, though Niele still rested her head on Mihails’ chest. When she was ready, she pulled away from the embrace, though Mihails still kept one arm wrapped around her shoulders.

“What happened?” he finally asked.

“Nothing.” Niele furiously wiped her eyes with her sleeve, blushing. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing!” Mihails knew her tone well, as well as the defeated look in her eyes. It was the same look he himself had after his father was done taking all his frustrations out on him. Mihails hated that look on himself. He hated it on Niele even more. “It was Felicjan again, wasn’t it?”

Niele said nothing, though it was confrmed by her eyes narrowing, and her body stiffening.

“It’s not right, how he treats you. Not right at all.” 

The brunette continued to stay silent, though she lunged forward and fiercely hugged Mihails again.

Neither said anything until Triinu walked in, looking for Mihails. She knelt down next to her two friends, sending a silent, but questioning, glance Mihails’ way.

“Felicjan,” he mouthed.

Triinu’s eyes narrowed, a steely glare replacing the previous confusion. “I’ll handle this.”

-

Aaand here’s another section from the next chapter. Just because I like it XD

Risto, like the others, gathered around Felicjan’s destroyed spot in the boys’ lounge. While Lorand winced at the torn-up chair and papers strewn about, Risto couldn’t bring himself to feel sympathetic. Not after he witnessed time and time again how Felicjan treated Niele. He thought the burnt feather with the note ‘You won’t rise again; watch your back’ scrawled in black ink left on the boy’s desk was actually quite clever, though admittedly meanspirited.

But, due to Felicjan’s jerkish nature, Risto inwardly shrugged and moved on with his day. Especially since he had a clue about who was the culprit, though he would never voice it aloud. He would never betray her, not over Felicjan Koslowski.

As the day went on, Risto found himself bumping into Triinu in the dining hall, who handed him a plate of nisu, smiling. 

“I saw they had nisu today; I figured I’d get you a plate before Vivica ate it all.”

“Thanks!” Risto took the plate; she knew him so well. “Did you hear about what happened to Felcjan’s lounge space?”

“Oh yeah! I heard all about it!” 

Risto grabbed a piece of the bread, popping it into his mouth. “Whoever did it had to be really bold. And good with computers, in order to bypass the security system on the door. Maybe it was someone on staff, since they’d only need a keycard to shut off the cameras; they wouldn’t have to hack into the system.”

“Yeah, probably.” Triinu smiled again, grabbing a hunk of bread off Risto’s plate, though this time, there was a glint in her eyes. “Imagine that, someone hacking into the Competition’s security system.”

The two shared a knowing glance before splitting the rest of the bread.

-

Basically:

Risto: Someone hacked the system! Wow!

Triinu:

(Also omg, she looks like Triinu in that image, too XDD. That makes it even better kajsfkjdf)

Also, nisu is a Finnish sweet cardamom bread that is served with coffee or tea.

[sovcrcigns]

(   hazal  filiz  küçükköse ,  cis  woman ,  she  /  her   )     **     ♔     announcing  zofia  bolesława ,  the  queen  of  poland !  in  a  recent  portrait  they  seem  to  resemble  hazal  filiz  küçükköse .  it  is  a  miracle  that  she  survived  the  last  five  years ,  considering  they  are  poised ,  sagacious ,  and  vindictive .  i  hope  the  plague  has  not  changed  them .  they  are  against  working  with  the  other  kingdoms .

why  henlo  AGAIN ,  i  hope  ur  not  sick  of  me  yet  ;p  i’m  back  again  with  my  lil  queen  of  poland ,  i  hope  you  lot  will  like  her !  anyways ,  you  know  the  drill :  show  this  some  luv  n  i’ll  swing  by  for  all  of  the  plots  n  things !

F U N D A M E N T A L S .

full  name  :   zofia  olesia  bolesława.

title(s)  :   queen  of  poland.

current  age  :   thirty - two.

date  of  birth  :   november  fifth.

gender  identity  :   cis  female.

pronouns  :   she  /  her.

nationality  :   polish.

religion  :   catholic.

birthplace  :   warsaw ,  poland.

orientation  :   heterosexual.

spoken  language(s)  :   polish ,  turkish ,  french ,  latin ,  english.

C O N N E C T I O N S .

mother  :   apolonia  kowalska.

father  :   jakub  kowalski.

sibling(s)  :   franciszek  kowalski ,  and  mikołaj  kowalski.

significant  other  :   the  king  of  poland.

other  notable  family  members  :   nesrin  bolesława ,  and  ece  bolesława.

child(ren)  :   none.

pet(s)  :   none.

P S Y C H O L O G Y .

positive  traits  :   ardent ,  intrepid ,  graceful ,  imaginative ,  observant.

negative  traits  :   blunt ,  obstinate ,  deceptive ,  guileful ,  impetuous.

strengths  :   charming ,  sensitive to others ,  imaginative ,  passionate ,  curious ,  artistic.

weaknesses  :   fiercely  independent ,  unpredictable ,  easily  stressed ,  overly  competitive ,  fluctuating  self - esteem.

zodiac  :   scorpio.

mbti  :   isfp  —  introverted ,  sensing ,  feeling ,  prospecting.  

alignment  :   lawful  neutral  —  the  judge.

enneagram  :   type  one  —  the reformer  (  the rational, idealistic type :  principled, purposeful, self-controlled, and perfectionistic.  )

temperament  :   phlegmatic.

intelligence  type  :   intra - personal.

disorder(s)  :   none.

addiction(s)  :   none.

vices  :   temperance ,  diligence ,  gratitude.  

virtues  :  greed ,  wrath ,  pride.  

P H Y S I O L O G Y .

eye colour  :   hazel  /  light  brown.

hair colour  :   dark  brown.

height  :   five  feet  seven  inches.

weight  :   fifty - five  kg.

build  :   of  average  height  and  slender  build.

scar(s)  :   none.

tattoo(s)  :   none.

dominant  hand  :   right.

allergies  :   none.

P E R S O N A L I T Y .

she’s  pretty  lethal  underneath  her  doe - like  eyes  and  fluttery  eyelashes.

can  be  hella  calculating  and  vindictive  so  do  not  cross  her.

she’s  all  sweet  smiles  and  charming  words  until  her  expression  turns  sharp  and  deadly ;  it’s  a  tactic  to  entice  then  pounce ,  if  you  will.

definitely  uses  her  looks  to  lull  people  into  a  false  sense  of  security  —  a  trap  for  them  to  fall  into  as  she  lets  them  believe  she  is  harmless  and  innocent  but  she’ll  always  end  up  going  in  for  the  kill  with  razor - sharp  words  and  a  headstrong  stance.

she  gets  bored  pretty  easily  and  it’s  usually  nothing  personal  but  if  it  is ,  you’ll  never  be  left  in  the  dark  as  she’ll  make  it  vividly  clear  to  you.

she  is  actually  very  kind  and  compassionate  beneath  the  surface.

if  she  cares  about  you ,  she  will  try  her  best  to  make  you  happy  and  genuinely  wishes  to  see  you  succeed.

has  an  extreme  soft  spot  for  children.

adores  jewel - tone  colours :  sapphire  blue ,  ruby  red ,  amethyst  purple ,  citrine  yellow ,  and  emerald  green.

due  to  her  dulcet  singing  voice,  her  father  often  referred  to  her  as  his  precious  little  songbird.

can  probably  drink  any  man  under  the  table  —  blame  it  on  growing  up  in  a household  full  of  men.

one  of  those  people  who  just  excels  at  everything  she  tries  her  hand  at.

has  a  very  high  pain  tolerance  which  is  kinda  freaky.

the  only  thing  she  is  actually  truly  terrified  of  is  spiders.

can  probably  murder  with  her  eyes.

a  sun  goddess  even  if  she  was  born  in  the  winter.

gal  loves  flowers  so  bring  her  flowers  n  she’ll  be  happy. 

H I S T O R Y .

currently  under  construction !

[mast7r]

attempt two at the family headcanon post no one wanted.

the evans family.  lily’s father is from a squib branch of a pureblood german family, though they had been located in poland for some time. they were at least four generations removed from the last wixen in the family.  mikołaj and violetta were a little too young, not really in love, when they got married but it was more of a shotgun wedding than anything ; they moved before petunia was born. while they changed their name from evers and only really spoke polish at home, trying to fit in with the working class area of cokeworth, it was mostly petunia who tried to erase her past if she wasn’t wielding it like a weapon. in her desperation to blend in with the middle class area she and vernon moved to, she lied about her family entirely from dismissing her sister as a black sheep and referring to her father as nicholas. her attacks on james as harry grew up were mostly motivated from her own insecurities regarding her background, projecting them on him instead. she also wielded her roman catholic background, despite not actually being all that religious, against harry growing up. 

the potter family, is obviously a lot more complicated in history.    the puthers, a pureblood family from northeast india married with a small but respectable pureblood family from [redacted until i can find more family background for chance] in the mid-sixteenth century. it was purely political, due to the moves of purebloods across britain in helping the muggle colonisation efforts. it was in the eighteenth century that the puthers moved to britain, marrying into the peverell family somewhat early on. because of the inbreeding they kept close ties to the puthers, though they began to go by potter instead,  and rarely married into any british family due to involvement and support of the empire. the general practice of the family was that the heir would remain in britain while the younger sibling(s) would decide with their betrothed where to live. the potters typically married with purebloods outside of britain, usually through the puthers arranging via their trading business. when it came to james’ parents, his father charlus married dorea black who was a very distant cousin to the main branch, her branch of the family coming from the black’s habit of fucking around and finding out around the world. 

[herb-whump]

Summer Job

I'm dying its 2 am god help me

Taglist: @albino-whumpee @torture-as-lovely-as-you

Let me know if you want to be tagged in other stories than Don't get far away Precious or not cause i do not know shit about taglists

CW/ manipulation and abuse mentions and threats, slight rape mention

Mikołaj went to sleep finally, squeezing himself next to the mattress on the hard floor. It wasn't pleasant, and he always woke up a little cranky afterward.

- Honey. - A familiar voice woke him up for good. It was his mom, softly smiling at him - I made breakfast... it's not much but you still gotta eat something.

- Okay... - Mikołaj sighed, blushing a bit. His mom still treated him like a little boy sometimes.

He sat down at the table next to his little brother. There wasn't much for breakfast. Some buns bought on the end of the day sale, with cheese and tomatoes, and cheap black tea to drink. Mikołaj looked down at the cup, the water was muddy, it wasn't of the best quality around these parts of the city.

- thank you, mom... For the breakfast - he smiled a little and the woman nodded. - I have to go to work soon so I probably won't eat a lot.

- But it's Sunday, I thought you would stay home today. - Magda frowned - You already work too hard during the week. You should get some rest.

- I was hoping we would go hang out today...! - his brother pouted, not happy.

- Mom, Tymek, I have to, and it's not a big job either. I will try to be back sooner today, I promise.

Magda wouldn't push her son anymore to stay, so she just sighed with a pained expression.

He ate one bun and drank the tea as fast as he could. Got a change of clothes and left the house, with a simple "I love you" while leaving. A man from another block of flats said he will pay him for repairing his shower. The man was an acquaintance of his. While they weren't friends, they talked a bit, and Mikołaj accidentally confessed to having this dire situation with money.

He knocked on the front door, to soon be greeted by the man. His name was Josef, and he was a middle-aged man, with short brown hair and round glasses. A kind face and from what Mikołaj could gather, he was a father to two kids, and after a divorce.

- Here you are! I was waiting for you. - Josef chuckled softly and invited the boy inside, showing him what was wrong with the shower, which Mikołaj started working on almost immediately - You know Miko, You need quick money right?

- Yeah, kinda... - Mikołaj bit his lip. - stupid shower head...

- Listen here, I know this guy, he has a work agency. He mostly hires young strong men like you, you work abroad, and earn much more this way. Usually only for about a month or two.

- w-wait really? - Mikołaj stopped for a bit. It sounded... A little shady to say the least. But he did worse things and if a kind father is recommending this, maybe it's actually a good opportunity. - Can you give me the guy's number? I will call him today if I can.

- Sure thing Miko. - The man smiled.

After finally fixing the shower, Josef wrote down the man's number on a piece of paper, paid Mikołaj, and sent him home. But before he returned to his mom and brother, the boy sat down at a secluded bench in the local park. He stared intensely at the number Josef wrote down. He was still debating if he should call it. But he didn't have many options at this point. He slowly put the number in his phone and rang.

- Good evening, how can I help you? - the voice belonged to a young woman, it was calm and soft.

- Uhm... Good evening. I've heard of job offerings in this agency. My friend, Josef recommended I call.

- Ah! Yes, yes! Of course! So you will need to send us your resume and talk in person of course - The woman explained everything

Except what the job abroad actually was. But Mikołaj didn't think much of it. If it made money and wasn't prostitution, he was in.

It was some time for the in-person meeting to happen, but it wasn't at all what the boy had imagined.

The man sitting before him was not much older than Mikołaj himself, 30 at most, but Mikołaj gave him 26. He had dark black messy hair, medium length. Brown eyes and wore sunglasses on his head. Golden chains on his neck and other expensive jewelry. He looked rich, to say the least. Not to mention the place of the meeting. Almost empty office room, in a freshly built business complex. Most of the spaces in it were just put out to be rented.

- Hi Mikołaj. - The man spoke up with a giggly, yet deep voice - You can call me Vasya. You're just going to sign those papers and you're hired for the month. If all goes well maybe we will hire you for a month more. - He slid a few papers on the table.

- N-no questions? I thought this was an interview... I mean don't get me wrong please, I'm just really surprised. - He chuckled nervously, slowly looking down at the papers.

- No questions. I think your resume said enough and just from looking at you, I think you will be a great fit. We need healthy, strong young men. It will be a physically taxing job but you wrote you did many jobs like that.

- I guess... - With shaky hands he took the papers in his hands, trying to comprehend what he was actually signing. But seeing the pay, stated at the end was enough to make him stop reading, and just take the pen. He signed it, never asking any more questions. This much money will get them a better flat and food for sure.

Even if the job was gross or heavily taxing, he will bear it. It's only a month, right? And if it's great, he can work for two months. That would secure their life for a long time.

He came back home with the news and a smile on his face. He burst through the door and hugged his mom tight

- O-oh dear! You got the job I presume. - his mom laughed and tousled his hair with a gentle expression. - I'm just sad you're going to be gone for a month or two.

- Mikołaj! So you're going? Is.. it bad I kinda hoped you wouldn't? You go out every day almost...

- I'm sorry Tymek. I really am. I promise after I come back, we're going to move to a nice place and I'm gonna spend much more time with you. - Mikołaj smiled softly, trying to comfort his little brother.

- I suppose... But you really promise, right? - he noded - Okay. Please call us every day though!

- I will. They will come to pick me up by bus the day after tomorrow, so I have to start packing soon. - the brown-haired boy hugged them both again and went to the other side of the room to search for a bag to pack.

The departure day came soon. It was a warm June morning, Mikołaj was standing at a bus stop near his house, waiting for the work bus to come. Clutching his bag in his hand, he looked up at the bus stop screen for the time. It was a little late, but when he looked away from the clock, the bus was coming from the other street. It stopped and opened its door.

- Mr. Kasperczyk? - The bus driver looked at him suspiciously - Show your ID

- Sure. - Mikołaj nodded and showed his ID, the driver promptly inviting him on board.

He walked into the bus, full of young men, probably not much older than himself. Some sat alone, sulking or sleeping, some laughed together in pairs. Seems normal enough. Mikołaj sat down in an empty seat and tired, pressed his head between the window and the seat, slowly falling asleep, still clutching his bag.

He slept through the whole journey, only the familiar face of Vasya, seemingly his new boss, waking him up.

- Wakey wakey sleepy-head. You all have to settle in your rooms. - He smiled. He had a charming aspect to his demeanor, but it kind of made Mikołaj uneasy. He nodded and stood up.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to treat Vasya, so he'd rather avoid him.

- I will visit all of you in the evening after dinner, okay? - Vasya waved them goodbye and jumped right back into the bus. Was he on it the whole time and Mikołaj didn't notice? Maybe.

The boy looked around. The building was clearly a worker hotel but didn't look too cheap. It looked cozy, and the receptionist informed them they had all separate rooms. She also gave them the keys, and information regarding breakfast and dinner hours. It was all provided for. Mikołaj got a room on the second floor. He opened the wooden door, to see a comfortable-looking room, it was small, smaller than their already small flat but it was more than enough for him. The bed had a birch wooden frame, it was made, and covered with a soft beige blanket. Next to it was a big window and a nightstand, and a wardrobe, all made from birch to fit with the bed. The bathroom was also private. the door was on the right of the entrance, it was also pretty tiny, but it had a shower, toilet, and a sink, all relatively clean, so what more could he ask for?

Mikołaj put the bag down next to the bed and sent a quick text to his mom that he got there safely, and first taking off his shoes, he laid down on the bed. It was soft... and so comfortable. He cracked a little smile, he will buy a similar bed for himself when he gets back for sure. No more back pain and cranky mornings. He could lay in this bed for an eternity... almost forgetting what he was actually here for. Work. Physical work at that.

He rolled around on the bed until dinner time came around. It was probably the first time in forever he would eat an actual dinner, usually, it was just lunch, sometimes breakfast. The boy jumped from the bed and stretched a little.

- Foood... - He smiled, his belly growling from just a thought.

The dining room was pretty small, for sure all of the workers from the bus did not end up in the same hotels. He looked around. The tables were for two, max five people, and it was a buffet. A buffet... all you can eat one. Ah, how he wished it was like this every day at home. Or that at least he could share with his family but alas.

The buffet tables were filled with food, it wasn't the most expensive kind, but it made mikołaj salivate at the mere thought. Sausages, bread and a toaster for it, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and different jams, cereals, and porridge, fresh fruit, coffee, tea...  It was a feast for Mikołaj, and afterward, he returned to his room, full, completely forgetting the visit from Vasya was supposed to happen. So he was relaxing in his room until a knock snapped him out of the light mood.

- Yes?

- It's me. I said I'd come. - It was the man's voice, giggly as always. Mikołaj opened the door and let him in. - You probably want to know what is the job right. - he chuckled a bit, and closed the door, yet still positioning himself as if he was guarding the door.

- well... Yeah, and when do we start? - Miko sat down on the bed again, staring intensely at Vasya. - It's not like prostitution is it?

- No, we wouldn't trick you into prostitution, oh my! - Yet his face looked suspiciously calm. - But you would be surprised what people pay for nowadays. Good money! Tell me little Miko, you're probably used to being beaten up huh?

Mikołaj's face turned white, and he gulped, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. He knew just from looking at him, didn't he? Or was it the giant barely healed wound on his eye the giveaway. Either way, the boy didn't like it one bit.

- What do you mean? - He finally spits out, not looking at Vasya anymore.

- It's simple, people pay for getting one of you, for ten hours, to do whatever they like. The rules are simple, no fatal injuries or rape, or else they deal with me and that's not going to be pleasant. I'm not a monster, I wouldn't let random people actually hurt you! - He said with a grin. - If customers like you, you get paid more usually. You can also agree to do sexual things but you don't have to. It actually doesn't pay that much around these parts.

- So you... You send us to be basically abused for ten hours and you pay us for it. What... What the fuck is wrong with you?

- Careful with those words, pretty boy. - the grin disappeared from the man's face, sending a chill down Mikołaj's spine. - You don't have a choice anymore. You signed your fate away for at least a month! If you break the contract, this family of yours will probably end up on the street soon. Time is ticking, you better do something. I'm giving you a generous offer!

- Sh-shut it. - He bit his lip. Vasya was right, they were on the verge of homelessness. - Okay. It... it's only one month.

- If they like you and you agree maybe tw-

- I know! Fine, holy shit, I will do it! Just... Send the money directly to my family alright?

- Will do that. I hope you stay for longer little Miko! Ah, you have an appointment already tomorrow, at noon, you will be escorted by a taxi from here. Good night and good luck! - He smiled and left the perplexed boy in his room.

[jbeverywhere]

Myths about Poland and Poles

It’s time. Let me explain you some things. I hope this post will be a nice Polish culture lesson.

I asked some foreign friends what they think about Poland and Polish people, what had they thought before going there, how it was different at the end, etc. And also I added what I usually hear and drives me crazy 🤦‍

1. Temperature

Polish person: “It’s cold” ; Foreigner: “but you’re from Poland..”

And what? I’m Polish and I don’t feel cold? Aha. I think this is the most annoying answer which I hear a loooooot of times.

People have really bad image of Polish climate especially when they haven’t stayed there for longer time. So we have 4 seasons (+ 2 transitional ones).

early spring - March and April when the weather is going crazy. One day is snowing and -10⁰C, another day sunny and +15⁰C. You never know :D So if you go to Poland that time - be prepared for that, take different kind of clothes.

spring - May - first storms, during Juwenalia always rains, but the first week last years was really sunny and warm - perfect for Polish barbecue opening season :D

summer - may be hot as f.ck or colder and rainy. Many storms especially in August. Nights are much colder than days. But - surprise- temperature around 30⁰C is normal. And because the nights are colder you can sleep well - you won’t melt in your bed.

autumn - colder nights, leafs are brown, it may be really beautiful. More rainy days but still can be sunny.

early winter - October/November - crazy like early spring - may snow, may rain, may be sunny. You feel the winter in the air.

winter - yes it’s cold, but outside. Inside the buildings - it’s warm - surprise. For example I don’t have special pyjamas for winter nights because in my room is around 20⁰C. You go outside you put winter jacket and boots on. May be even -20⁰C (omg wow omg) but then you enter the house and t-shirt is enough. For example in Spain - I’m dying. Winter in Barcelona and in the flat for 3 months 12⁰C - IN THE FLAT. I opened the windows to put some warm air. In Valencia maybe not that drastic (probably it depends on the flat as well) but still I slept with 1 duvet, 2 blankets and the warmest pyjama ever xDDD So please, don’t tell that I’m from Poland and 12⁰C in the room should be perfect. Please.

So in Poland it’s like from minus extreme to plus extreme - variety! I think I like it, I just don’t like that the weather changes immediately. But the most important - inside the buildings - nooooo extreme. It’s pleasantly. So please don’t say to Poles that we should be used to the cold temperature. It’s personal not national thing, I love when is warm and I’m “more ok” with the summer in Valencia than Valencianos (they should be used to that hot no? XD exactly).

2. Music

“Omg la polaca knows reggaeton songs”

“OMG there is Polish reggaeton” 

Ok. Music is a difficult topic. But yyy yes, in Poland they use to play reggaeton (fortunately or unfortunately). For example - in Warsaw and Krakow there are clubs: Teatro Cubano - where there is only reggaeton and some latino rhythms. So if you love to dance to this kind of music, don’t worry, you will find a perfect club for you. 

I really like Polish music, especially now I think it’s really good one. But I like others as well, I have Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, even one German song in my playlists because - why not - variety! And reggaeton I like for the energy and dancing rhythms. Also I like it as a “culture”, for me it’s interesting and fascinating - I can talk about it hours! :D

3. The look

“Polish people are blond with blue eyes” XDDDD hehehehehehhehehehehehhehe

I’M NOT BLOND - first thing to note. The sun in Spain makes my hair lighter but still is not blond. In Poland there are different types of hair and skin. We are not so white. And blue eyes are not thaaaat common. Brown, green, blue, grey - but also not that brown like Spanish ;) AAAAAND - surprise - we can be tan! Wow! xD There are people who have really white skin and the sun changes it to red, but mostly Poles are tan in summer and even I would say that we love to be morenitos ;) What is funny for me (here we have the Spanish myth) that I’m more tan than many Spaniards. So let’s repair the myths: Poles may be tan in summer Spaniards are not tan at all (the Latinos yes - but also not always!).

4. Location

OK. It’s geographic lesson time.

What I heard once: “For me everything what is on the right from Germany is RUSSIA” omg. Where is my patience. omg. Please, think before saying shits like that. It hurts.

We are not that small in Europe. We have 7 neighbors, OWN language which is not Russian (it’s juuuust a liiiiittle bit similar, like some words). I can understand somehow Slovaks and Czechs but Russians - few words. AND IMPORTANT - we have Latin alphabet! Not Cyrillic like Russia. We are Slavic countries, our language is from Slavic family, Slavs love each other (in their way of love ;* ) but each of us is different and we exist, we are not Russia - note that in your head.

5. Religiousness

This is difficult topic. Yes, we are mostly Catholics and we don’t hide it. But not everybody. Many people are very religious - and I respect that. It’s kind of beauty, traditions and everything. It builds the culture. The problem appears when someone forces others to own rights. When religious is an argument in the politic world. And this I agree - in Poland we have a problem with that. But when you visit Poland don’t show your aversion to the religion. Respect it and be curious - then you can discover many nice things, interesting traditions and some kind of passion. I love to talk about our traditions and you can see it in my posts about Christmas and Easter.

6. Safety

This is more region problem than country problem. I mean, everywhere you go - you can meet bad people. In Kraków there were “bad times” but it was long time ago. When I was living there I felt really safe. Many times I came back alone and I’ve never had a strange/dangerous situation. And I always passed so many police during the night. So I think in big cities the government cares about the security. 

Just don’t enter any places where you can meet pseudo-fans of football and don’t scream any football team name. This I see still as a problem in Poland. But I don’s say that going to the matches is a bad idea.

7. Food

This I’m writing thanks to the opinions of those who visited Poland and tried Polish cuisine. So what I heard, that some Erasmus were afraid about the food, that it may be a bad quality and not tasty, but theeeen - surprise! - Where are you from? - from Poland - oooo soplica!!!! (ok, this is not food) - żurek! - pancakes - placki ziemniaczane! - PIEROOOOOGI <3 

So if you haven’t visited Poland yet, you haven't tried Polish cuisine - be prepared 😋😋😋

And you have me to ask before!

8. Language

Hehe Ok, it’s not the easiest language in the world. But it’s not an impossible one! So if you are planning to spend in Poland even only few days it’s nice to use: - dzień dobry - good morning - dziękuję - thank you - przepraszam - I’m sorry/excuse me - proszę - please/you’re welcome - do widzenia - goodbye - dobranoc - good night

Poles will appreciate a lot! We love when someone is trying to say something, and we know that it’s not easy. 

And! I know some people who stayed to live in Poland and their Polish is - wow! So as you see, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE ;)

9. Character

Hmmm I heard that some of you were afraid that Poles won’t be friendly but then again surprise. Well, I think we are nice people xD We are for sure hospitable. There is always a bottle of vodka and some cookies for a casual visit.

English is not our native language, more and more people can speak it but still not all (well like in other countries). But we won’t leave you without helping you when you ask. Gesticulating, speaking slower and louder (because this changes everything xD) - there is always a way to communicate and express yourself. 

So smile and don’t be afraid of us, especially me, I don’t bite! :D

Meme to sum up

10. Famous Poles

I think you may know many but even you don’t realize that. So let me remind you or introduce you Poles who have changed the world.

- Robert Lewandowski - football player in Bayern Monachium

- Jakub Błaszczykowski - was a football player in Borussia Dortmund

- Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) - Heliocentrism, stopped the sun, moved the Earth ;)

- Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin - composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era

- Marie Skłodowska Curie - (note: her first surname is Polish. And in many places they skip it -.-) - physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and the only woman to win the Nobel prize twice, and the only person to win the Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields

- Tadeusz Kościuszko - military engineer, statesman, and military leader who became a national hero in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and the United States.

- Pope John Paul II - Karol Wojtyła - the first non-Italian pope since the 16th-century, the second longest-serving pope in modern history, one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. Etc, etc. We are really proud of him and you can see that - everywhere there is his name, a looot of monuments etc.

- Lech Wałęsa - statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who served as the first democratically-elected President of Poland.

- Andrzej Wajda - film and theater director. Recipient of an Honorary Oscar, the Palme d'Or, as well as Honorary Golden Lion and Honorary Golden Bear Awards.

- Roman Polański - film director, producer, writer, and actor. There was a quite big scandal with him - no comment.

- Robert Kubica - he became the first and only Polish driver to compete in Formula One.

- Anja Rubik - supermodel, activist, philanthropist, and businesswoman.

- Adam Małysz - former ski jumper and rally driver, one of the most successful athletes in the history of the sport.

- Wisława Szymborska - poet, essayist, translator and recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature.

- Robert Korzeniowski - the best walker in the world, he won 4 gold medals at the Olympics (Atlanta, Sydney and Athens).

- Izabella Scorupco - actress, singer, and model. She is perhaps best known for having played Bond girl Natalya Simonova in the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye. 

- Justyna (Justi, JB) Biel - Polish butterfly with Latin blood, author of this (and the other) blog. Known by you, one day by others as well.   

and much much more!

11. Alcohol

Yes, I know, I shouldn’t forget about the most important - vodka. Yes we drink it, yes, on the parties, birthdays, etc. Yes, shots. We drink shot of vodka and then one/two/many sips of juice/coke/water/etc.

But come on, I don’t get why it horrifies you. Like vodka is 40%, rum, whisky, gin - all which you drink is also 40% and for me has even worse taste (especially gin, uff please don’t offer me that, never). Or tequila! Madre mía.

We don’t drink vodka with the dinner, like many people do with wine. Wine is also kind of alcohol I would like to remind.

And yes, we love beer a lot. And normal glass of beer is 0.5l - we don’t have smaller ones.

So, I hope... since now when I ask you to drink vodka on the before party - please, don’t be afraid and drink it with me, I’ll appreciate it! 

Ok. I think that’s all. I hope that since now your image of Poles and Poland is much better - the correct one. Here you have everything in one picture xDD