#i have a physical copy of it. i know i do. with the fancy white box and the manual in it and everything

[priestofberath]

Are you telling me my entire life I've been seeing these sick-looking Spore creatures with robot limbs and have never been able to figure out how you unlock them, and it's because the robot parts are from an expansion pack I never had, and that the reason I never had it is because it was exclusively released via promotional code on fucking Doctor Pepper bottles in 2010?

I thought the creatures that had these parts were the coolest things on the planet when I was a kid because they were rare and cool looking and I couldn't make them. I refuse to believe that my family bought 0 bottles of Doctor Pepper in 2010 did we just not have the promotional ones ???? Fuck

[esmiara]

As promised, let me introduce you my two beloved BSD OCs:

Who are they?

Basically, Lewis and Antoine are two friends traveling around the world to discover exciting places while avoiding various government forces (more on that later). Though not related to the main story of BSD, they do know about organisations like Port Mafia and the Agency, mainly from what they heard in the streets and read in the newspapers since they arrived in Yokohama. However, they do prefer to not get anyone involved in their issues, nor do they really want to get involved in anyone else’s.

Lewis Carroll

Based on the author of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis was a man in his thirties with a fancy mind. As a child, he once had a wild imagination feeding his ability Wonderland (again, more on that later) but due to social and family pressure, he got forced upon a path of logic and perfection, now making it hard for him to think outside the box. Thus crushing his past self involuntarily and putting chains on his own mind in order to protect himself from outside complaints. As an adult, he became a plain math teacher for children, with a quite boring life. That is, until he met one certain child in London.

Their meeting

“Draw me a sheep.” said the unknown child out of the blue.

Lewis was stunned. He didn’t knew what to respond at first to this child, which he thought was one of his students. But when he put more thought on it, he didn’t looked like any child he had at the time. Who might have been this strange blond kid with unkept clothes? He decided to learn more about him, worried he may have lost his parents somewhere. However, as they talked, he quickly understood he didn’t had any. He simply didn’t knew about any “parents”. Actually, he didn’t knew much about the world itself either.

“Draw me a sheep!” repeated the child after a while of interrogative discussion about who he was, where he came from etc....

Lewis gently asked why such a demand, as he didn’t want to offend this possible lost orphan.

The boy fell silent. Then spoke again, a sad emptiness darkening his young blue eyes.

“I want a warm friend to bring with me” he simply responded.

Their exchange may have been succinct up to this point, but it was clear to Lewis that he was no normal child. As the boy seemingly didn’t have a name, Lewis gave him the name of one of his most beloved book’s author. The character of that one book simply reminded him of the boy.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

More based on the Little Prince’s main character than the actual author, Antoine was an enigmatic individual with the physical appearance of a young boy. Nobody knows of his real age, not even himself. However, most may have theorized that he at least was around for at least a few decades, if not centuries perhaps. One day found and caught by the french government in his - supposedly - hometown, he had no memories of his time before then, except for some vague fragments. He mostly remembered about this laboratory he was brought in, with a lonely room where he would occasionnally meet strangers dressed in white. Despite the many uncertainties surrounding him, Antoine was still of great interest for scientists. He didn't seemed to physically age at all. Could he hold the secret of cells regeneration or even immortality? They soon found out he did age but at a very slow pace, thus looking unchanged for many years.

Curious about this plausible new ability, they decided to make him meet a young girl, who would share his room from now on. This one girl was quite arrogant at first. Antoine didn't really like her attitude but she was the only other person he could befriend. So they did. They soon became friends. Then they learned more about the truth, may it be this girl's past, snatched from her orphanage to become a lab rat as well, or the whole reason why she was here with him in the first place.

It was all because of the young girl's ability. One that would let her copy another one and make it her own. They apparently wished to make a copy of test subject B612′s power in order to "save it” somewhere and be able to experiment on it without having to risk the boy’s life. But things didn't turned out like they wanted as the girl began to crumble under some unknown sickness. Her body couldn't handle Antoine's ability, so it seemed, and she quickly became unable to move. So she made a promise with Antoine:

“Be my eyes and explore the outer world, okay dumby?” she said, with little breath she had left.

A promise reminiscent of the one where they would explore and see the world together. One where he would do so if she couldn't follow, to make her dream come true even when she became a star.

Their abilities

Little prince

No one really knows the details about Antoine's ability. Everything we know for sure is that his body has a very long lifetime, yet not immortal. He is destined to die of aging one day and is still weak to any wound like anyone else. However, we did notice Antoine's body starts to produce a faint glow whenever he gets sick or when his life is in danger in general. Not that it really helps at all though.

Wonderland

Lewis' ability is a bit complex and confusing, much like Alice in Wonderland's whole world.

In theory, Wonderland is quite simple: it allows its bearer to create anything he thinks to be a nonsense, something that is normally impossible. It could be seen as an area surrounding the user, in which he can create anything he wants, as long as it meets the proper requirements (being a "nonsense").

However, as the whole definition of "nonsense" depends on the user's mind, one could have a hard time creating anything. As such, what could be a nonsense to someone isn't necessarily one for Lewis. He is still quite a peculiar man after all.

A strange man, but with many restrictions on his mind and imagination. As he was forced to think with logic for the most part of his life now, he can't stop asking himself about the specifics of one’s question. Where a visible nonsense would occur, Lewis' mind would subconsciously ponder over what could make it truly real or impossible. If he can't get proper answers to those questions, then it can't happen either.

The beginning of their adventures

As they became much closer as people who somehow understood each other, Lewis began to be more friendly with the child, rather than looking like a mere adult talking to a little one. He saw himself in his struggles. He saw a young mind, much like his own a long time ago, slowly getting crushed by adult's expectations and limiting his own thoughts. He couldn't let the same thing happen twice when they still had a choice. So he encouraged him to get creative and let free of his imagination, with no worries about exterior opinions.

One day however, they suddenly got caught off guard by militaries sent by the french government as well as some members of the Order of the Clocktower, there to retrieve the unknown child for their own purpose instead. It was at that time that Lewis was finally able to make use of his ability once more after so many years. Inspired by Antoine’s naturally spoken nonsense, he unleashed Wonderland in order to escape. This also put a permanent stop to Lewis’ normal way of life, as he now was as searched for as Antoine was. It was time for a involuntary trip around the world, it seemed. But this time, Antoine wasn’t alone anymore.

[jennyfromthebes]

hii!! i really love your mountain goats patches, and i was wondering how you make them?

Hi! I'm so sorry this has taken me a little while to answer haha, I've been putting it off because I wanted to give a nice in-depth response.

My patches are all original designs that I make as linocuts and then print onto fabric! I use a Speedball lino carve tool that has several different carving tips, easy carve rubber blocks, and screenprinting ink, and I print onto regular cotton fabric. Screenprinting ink is thicker than the type of ink you're supposed to use for block printing, but I've found that I have to be pretty heavy-handed with the ink to get clean prints on fabric, and screenprinting ink has worked better for me in that regard (plus, it's technically machine wash safe as long as you heat set it).

More specifics/some process photos and a timelapse from my latest tMG patch under the cut!

I don't know if you're looking for specific technique advice, but here's some of what I've figured out after a year of making my patches:

I usually make my design digitally and then use tracing paper to transfer it. If you trace it onto tracing paper using pencil, you can then just flip your tracing paper pencil-side down onto your block and use a little bit of pressure to transfer the pencil markings. This process also simultaneously mirrors your design so that you carve it backwards and then it prints forwards.

Before transferring my design to the block, I like to do a wash with an alcohol ink on the carving surface, so that it's easier to see my carving.

I usually trace the larger details of the design with sharpie, but for the smaller details trying to trace them will often just mess up the lines, so I leave those in the transferred pencil and carve them first to avoid smudging the transferred lines.

I also carve my entire block using the smallest tip on my carving tool, which does take longer but I vastly prefer the really precise control that it gives me! After I have the entire design and an outline around it carved, I'll use a craft knife to cut off a big blank margin around the outside of the design.

For printing a batch of patches, because I typically do a lot at one time, I usually cut out all my fabric before starting to print. I ink the block a little bit heavily, but I keep a close eye on any excess ink around the edges of the design and clean the block off as needed. I don't have any fancy equipment for making prints, I pretty much just put a sheet of paper down on my work surface, put down a piece of fabric, press my block face down on the fabric and use a large book and some pressure on top of the block to make sure the print transfers well. It's taken a lot of practice to figure out how to get prints to turn out well and I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning!

[image descriptions:

1 - a digital drawing, black lines on a light green background, of a ring of keys with a large key and a plastic motel keychain with the words "practice being brave".

2 - the same design, copied to tracing paper.

3 - my hand holding a pink rubber lino block with a blue ink wash on the surface and the mirrored design in pencil.

4 - the same block, fully carved. it fits comfortably in my hand.

5 - the block with a ruler held up against it to show the scale of the text, the entirety of the word "practice" is about 1 1/4" wide.

6 - the design printed in black ink onto light green fabric.

end IDs]

[video description: a timelapse of a white person with dark hair and glasses at a desk carving a linocut block. the shot is stationary and mostly focuses on the block, which is a design of a key ring with a keychain and the words "practice being brave". end VD]

This shows more or less my entire process; the design went through many iterations over the span of a couple weeks, but once I got it nailed down I did the entire rest of the process in one night - just the carving alone took about two hours. I prefer to write text physically not digitally, so the text in the digital version is basically just in the correct alignment so I can freehand over it on the physical copy. This being my most recent design (for now, I'm hoping to knock out a new one before next show in three weeks) is by a pretty big margin the most precise and detailed one I've done!

Thanks so much for your interest in my process!!! I've got absolutely no formal training on doing linocuts, just stubbornly figuring things out through reverse engineering and trial-and-error process, so I have no idea how this measures up to anyone who does do it with any expertise. Hopefully this was helpful in some way/answered your question! 💛

[blackwidownat2814]

Lift Me Up (J.Seresin)

Pairing: Jake Seresin x reader, Jake Seresin x GN!reader

Word Count: 1294

A/N: There was no prompt or request to make me write this. I wrote it to help a friend. They recently lost someone very near and dear to their heart, and I hated that I couldn't be there to help them grieve. So I decided to do the next best thing. I wrote about our favorite naval aviator helping them through this horrible time. I've never written a gender neutral reader before, so I consulted with a couple people to make sure I did it properly. Thank you so much @jobean12-blog and @nuggetynoodle!!

TW: death of a loved one, dealing with grief, angst, a little fluff (because our beloved Jake tries to lift our spirits)...

‼️⚠️I do not give permission for any of my work to be copied, translated or reposted anywhere else but on my own blog and AO3.⚠️‼️

This is for you, my dearest @buckysdollforlife.

Masterlist

You blinked yourself awake that morning, not immediately remembering what you had to do later.  When the memory hit you, you almost physically recoiled, the sadness hit you like a punch to the gut.  The emptiness in your chest was like nothing you’d felt up until this point.

He must’ve sensed you were awake, because you felt his arm tighten around your waist as you were assaulted by the memory of the last couple of weeks.  You were so grateful to be able to lean on him during this entire thing.

“How are you feeling, darlin’?”

“Is this a nightmare, Jake?” you asked him quietly and without turning around to look at him.  “Is that why everything sucks?  Am I still asleep, stuck in some never ending hellscape?”

Jake pulled you back, tighter against his chest, resting his chin on your shoulder and leaving a trail of soft kisses.

“I wish I could say yes.  I wish I could say this was all just a nightmare and you’ll wake up in a world where she’s still here.  I’m sorry that I can’t.  I’d give anything to give her back to you.”

You turned around in his arms and placed a hand on his cheek.

“I know you would.  That’s why I love you.”  You gave him a small smile and leaned in for a peck on his lips.  “Thank you for everything you’ve done during this whole thing.”

“You don’t have to thank me”, he said with that cocky smile only Jake Seresin could give.  “You’re my person.”

You were still somewhat numb to the world by the time your aunt’s funeral came around and you had intended to simply dress in black, but Jake convinced you to have a bath and surprised you with your favorite bath bomb from LUSH.  As you sat soaking in the glittery blue water thanks to the Intergalactic bath bomb, Jake washed your hair and scrubbed away the tears tracks on your face.

You still dressed in black, but wore a cardigan with yellow and blue flowers, your aunt’s favorite.  When you were finished getting ready, you sat on the edge of your bed to watch Jake finish getting ready.

“You don’t have to dress all fancy, you know.”  Jake looks at you in the mirror and smiles.

“I know darlin’...”, he replies as he slides his belt through the loops of his dark blue pants, making sure the clip was on the correct side of the buckle.  “...but your aunt always said she loved a man in uniform, so I wanted to do this for her.”

“Jake…I just fixed my face.”

“Now, sweetheart, ya know there ain’t nothin’ ‘bout that face I’d fix, right?”

“Ok, wow, Mr. Texas”, you said with a laugh. “Your accent is sometimes almost non-existent and sometimes, just super strong.”

“It happens.”  He flipped his shirt collar up and turned to face you, holding his tie.  “Would you mind helpin’ a guy out?”

You stood and took the tie from him, placing it under the collar, and tied it in a Windsor knot.  When you finished, you carefully took his coat from the hangar and held it open for him.  After he slid his arms in, you smoothed the shoulders out and helped him adjust the lapels.  

“Thanks sweetheart.”  You unzipped the protective cover of Jake’s white service cap and handed it to him.

“Lookin’ good lieutenant.”

“You ready to go?”

“Do we have to?

“We do.”

“Let’s do this.”

The funeral had been lovely, a lot of the parts of the ceremony had been chosen by your aunt, like the music and flowers.

She’d also asked for the reception following the funeral to be held at the Hard Deck, as she’d fallen in love with the place after you took her there to meet the Daggers a few years ago.  Penny was more than happy to oblige.

After thanking everyone for coming, and having a few bites, you wandered outside and sat in the sand to watch the waves crash.  You felt the tears start to fall as you remembered the last time you were here with your aunt…

It was a gorgeous day.  Your aunt was perched in her beach chair, you next to her, as you both watched the Daggers play their weekly scheduled game of Dogfight Football.  Jake screamed out as he scored a touchdown, pointing at you with the ball and a smile.

“Hold on to that one, Sweet Pea.”  You turned to look at your aunt with a smile.

“I plan on it.”  You both smiled as you continued to watch them all play.

“He’s going to be the one you’ll need to lean on when I’m gone.”

“Please, don’t remind me”, you replied, trying to hold back tears.  “I don’t want to think about that right now.”

Your aunt took your hand in hers and pulled it towards her, placing a kiss on the knuckles.  The Daggers cheered loudly as Coyote ran down the beach and scored a touchdown.  Jake jumped up and down next to his friend as he celebrated.

“Oof, that boy sure is something”, your aunt said, with a bite of her lip.

“Nah”, you replied, smiling at Jake’s cheers with his team.  “He’s everything.”

Jake watched you sitting in the sand from the back deck of the Hard Deck.

“How’re they doing?”  Startled out of his thoughts, Jake turned to see Rooster, Coyote, Bob, Fanboy, Payback, and Phoenix standing around him.

“Not well, but that’s to be expected.  Their aunt meant a lot to ‘em”, Jake replied.  He looked back over at you and saw your shoulders shaking.  “Excuse me guys, it seems I’m needed.”

He hopped off the back and headed towards you.  When he made it to you, he sat behind you, a leg on either side, pulling you back towards him.

“Let it out sweetheart, I’ve got ya.”

“It’s not fair Jake!  She didn’t deserve what happened to her!  She’s going to miss everything, like if we get married or have kids or when you get promoted and all the awesome places I promised to take her if you happened to get stationed somewhere exotic.”

“You wanna marry me and have kids?”  You smacked him on the leg.

“That’s what you got from all that?”

“I’m sorry darlin’”, he said as he squeezed you tight.  “Please continue.”

“I just miss her so much.  She was so special to me.”

“I understand, I felt the same way when my grandma passed.  I didn’t think I’d ever be okay.  I don’t think I’m okay now, and it’s been years!  If I talk about Nana Seresin, I will start crying.”  He kissed you on your temple.  “I am by no means an expert in grief, but what I know is that it will get better, no matter how cliché that sounds.  One day, that stabbing pain you feel will dull, and it’ll be just like a bruise.  You’ll be able to think of her and all the memories you’ve got of her without crying and look back on them with happiness.”

“When will that happen Jake?”

“I don’t know sweetheart.  It’s different for everyone.”

“What if I forget her?”

“You won’t.  You know why?”  You shook your head.  “You’ll never forget her because a part of her will always live on in you, and everyone’s hearts she touched.  The squad will never let you forget because they loved your aunt too.  We’ll help remind you every day.”

You sat up straight and turned to look at him and placed your hands on his cheeks, running your thumbs over them.

“When did you get so smart, Lieutenant?”

“I’ve always been this smart sweetheart.”

“Cocky bastard.”

“And don’t you forget.”

PS: I'm real sorry if I made you cry my friend!

[girlaux]

I recently got a new laptop (used, but it was a display model), and I can finally fulfill my anime DVD authoring dreams I've had for a few years now. It's complicated, but it's so much fun getting all the files together and making the cases, and my reward at the end is another DVD for my collection! But there's so many series that I want to make a physical copy for, and there's pros and cons for both. So far, I've sharpened it down to two series, because I wanna play them on my CRT tv.

First series is Sugar Sugar Rune, a series I've never finished but own merch for. I have a raw rip of the series that came with soft subtitles that are just formatted in the cutest way.

Maybe I just don't watch enough anime, but most of the fansubs I see are classic Black and White Arial burned on the video. So if I could get these subtitles onto a disc without any alteration, I'd die happy! And along with that, the quality is very good, probably the best it could look without AI upscaling (which I don't plan to do). Overall, not a lot of work for me besides finding stuff for special features, designing the cases, and authoring the actual discs. Maybe I'll run into issues with the subtitles but whatever. I'll figure it out.

The second series is Patalliro, a series I actually have finished and even have favorite episodes of. I don't have merch for it like SSG, but that's because it was STOLEN!!!!! Very long story. And it's the series I've always wanted to burn on a disc, right from the very beginning of my authoring fascination. In fact, it's exciting to think about, because I have rips of the series that are in very lovely quality (compared to what I've seen get passed around). Walk with me for a moment...

The left is the episodes available online on your *usual* sites (ahoy matey, whatever), whereas the right is my files. It's not the biggest quality bump in the world, since I believe Toei has only remastered this series up to 'High Quality SD', so no 1080p goodness here. But no compression, and the noise on the picture makes me all fuzzy inside.

My only issue is the subtitles. As far as I know, there are no SRT files floating around for this series that I just need to download and put into my authoring program. I need to manually make subtitles for all 49 episodes. Which is whatever, like I can make them fancy like the SSG subs and copy the aarinfantasy subs. I just don't wanna rewatch a full series to do these subs :(. I'm lazyyyyyy.

I also need to find special features for my discs. These are for my personal use, but I wanna make them as cool as possible, ya know?? Less 'I just put episodes on a disc and called it a day' and more 'I'm doing this out of the love in my heart'. I have a few commercials for both series that I'll be using, but I haven't been able to find anything like interviews or stuff in that nature. I'm mostly taking inspo from my Geneon and ADV DVDS here. Not sure if anyone is going to reply to this, but if anyone does, I'd appreciate input! Especially if you're familiar with either series, or DVD/BluRay authoring! That is all.

[mercerislandbooks]

Thoughts On Summer Reading

As someone who's on social media—specifically the book part of Instagram—a fair amount, I hear a lot about how different people read. Some read the next book they plan to read, have five more books lined up after that, and for the most part they'll get them read in that order. Others read whatever strikes their fancy whenever it strikes their fancy. I am a mood reader at heart, but one who wedges in that library book that she's had checked out for months which she DID really want to read at the time so now she better stop in the middle of her other six current reads to rush through it in time to return it tomorrow... which is exactly what I'm going to resume doing once I finish this blog post. So maybe I'm a mood reader with "obligatory books" hanging over her head. 

Part of being a mood reader is the fluctuation of what I want to read each season. For the fall, witchy books like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Spells for Forgetting, Wild Is the Witch, and The League of Gentlewomen Witches. In the winter it was mostly science fiction by Becky Chambers. But the most talked about season in the reading community has to be summer. Summer reads, beach reads, vacation reads. Light books that you fall into and out of like a summer fling. This fits the traditional idea of summer reads that we all know and love, but the genres included in summer reading lists have expanded over the past few years. We at Island Books put together a shelf full of summer books for every reader, surrounded by sticky notes with suns and right next to our Staff Picks shelf.

Last summer, all I read was romance. Intense feelings crammed into a book I could read in a day. The happy ending, the guarantee of peace and satisfaction. I picked up several fantasy books and put them down again immediately—any effort to learn about a made-up world felt like too much. This summer, rather than a specific genre, I've been catching up on my backlog. I finished the Anne of Green Gables series for the first time and found it delightful. I listened to The City of Brass and all of its sequels while traveling. I read the first two books of The Borrowers, finished the Seafire trilogy, and sped through books two and three of The Thursday Murder Club. I finally pulled out my two-year-old copy of Red, White & Royal Blue and devoured it in twenty-four hours (just in time for the release of the movie on August 11).  Although it's a completely different path than I took last summer, it's been so fun to discover these books for the first time and then discuss them with everyone who already loves them. I look forward to seeing where my mood reading takes me next summer.

Things that make a good summer read (one list does not fit all):

Not too heavy (physically); needs to be light enough to bring on vacation

Not too heavy (content-wise); needs to be light enough to read on a beach

Characters that draw you in

A plot that grips you

Romance

Intense action

...And the list goes on and on.

Bonus points for reading a book that's set on a beach...on a beach. The perfect summer read is so varied from person to person that the most important criteria is to pick up a book that interests you. I look forward to hearing about what you loved as we talk books over the counter.

—Becca

[pngboomer]

Things that help with focus/productivity, while I'm thinking about it.

This is by no means a comprehensive list but as someone who struggles with keeping up with workflow (especially going back to college), and balancing taking real breaks and how my brain works/keeps up with tasks, I've tried a lot of different apps, methods, and other such stuff -- especially stuff targeted toward ADHD brains and such.

So here is a non-exhaustive list of things I've tried and my rough opinions on them. A Disclaimer: I prefer handwriting things and tend to lose or forget things if they are on a screen. So please take any application/browser use with that grain of salt.

Notion

Calendar, wiki-maker, to-do list tracker, automation and innovation that excites. I get very overwhelmed in Notion, there's so much you can do there, but I get the interest in how it works and such. I use it to track my reading list (a snippet shown below) and a few other things that I don't really want to put somewhere else (because the tables on Notion auto-format, which is nice), so it's like a good 4/10 for me.

Obsidian

The markdown file creator and organization vault system. It's daunting to get into, a bit confusing at first, but there's a ton of videos on how to get started and how to get organized and it's so nice to have everything link together in a way that follows a legitimate train of thought. You will have to force it to be your second brain, but I like it so much better than other note-taking apps. 9/10 (it is so terrifying to get into). Bonus, though, look at my baby:

Google Calendar

yanno, one of the OGs. I want to use Microsoft calendar but that application has crashed every device I have tried to open it on. Google Calendar is good for organizing events, doing all the stuff calendar's do, and setting up recurring events and editing them with little hassle. I don't work in a team or need anyone to look at my calendar's except me, so I can't speak to that functionality, but I know it's used by a lot of people for that reason. 7/10 just because I only recently learned how to customize colors.

Microsoft Calendar

just to be fair. It would be an amazing application: integrated to-do list that is in-app, a very clean weekly look, sticky notes, all of it is hooked directly into the window you're looking at your emails at, it can auto-set reminders on a separate tab for you. Except, again, it has crashed every single piece of technology I own, including my university desktops. Just from opening it. 2/10 for wasted potential. If it works for you, I am so happy for you, but I cannot get it to work for me and that's what I'm focused on here.

Bullet Journaling

Another classic. Ryder Carrol was on something else. Quick, efficient, a great way to use up the notebooks you bought that you swore you'd use and then didn't touch for months because it "wasn't the right thing to use it for". You don't need the special dot-grid book, you don't need fancy fucking layouts. You just need a pen, some kind of notebook, and a list of things you need to get done. I love being extra about it, but there's no reason to. It's a good planner, I like having a physical copy of my life to look at and organize my thoughts with, and it's fun to do. 9/10 for easy onboarding and versatile creativity.

Various "Calendar/tracker/etc" Apps

I've gone through the gauntlet on these. Productivity apps that "plant a tree" so long as you don't use your phone so you can get stuff done, group calendar programs and browser applications, minimalist to-do lists on your phone, maximalist to-do lists on your phone, Habitica, etc. Fully ymmv on any of those, I do recommend checking out the to-do lists if you need them, but unless you have a team to manage, you don't need a calendar that isn't Google/iCal/Microsoft realistically.

Sticky Notes

Bad. Terrible idea. I hate doing it, I never remember them, and it feels wasteful. If it works for you, I'm so happy for you (genuine), but I hate it. 1/10.

White Board

Like a physical one. Full opposite of Sticky Notes, I'm not gonna lie. It's delightful, I love having it, it's not wasteful in the same way, and there's a satisfaction to erasing shit off that board. If you can afford a big one, get a big one. I have a desk one and I love it it's so nice to have. 10/10 no notes.

There's not a lot else I can think of at the moment, but thank you for reading if you've gotten this far. I do have YouTube recommendations if you would like to learn to use (say) Obsidian or Notion. I also have videos on formatting Google Calendar.

[monty-glasses-roxy]

So.

Seen your golden roxy au and desided to make my own version of it but with a twist.

(( not copying your golden roxy but here my little au idea ))

Big question is.

What if there was a more fancy pizzaplex that was built after the normal one and closed before it

Like say this deluxe high end pizzaplex was for the ultra wealthy. And has to have a special golden pass. To even go to.

There a much fancher glamrocks freddy that has golden pin strips.

A glamrocks chica that had a gold and silver color lin strips but look fairly the same to chica.

Monty has a bit if a upgraded. Instead of a big thought guy he has a suit and tie and is a absolute gentleman. (( instead of the other Monty ))

There bonnie the bunny who run the adult only bar. Instead of a bowling ally. He look fairly the same but has a very nice suit and mox drinks for the guest of the pizzaplex.

And foxy he not a cowboy nore a pairt. He actually a highly talented jazz player In bonnie bar.

Magle in this restaurant is actually well kept and it one whole instead pice playing next to foxy in the fox jazz bands.

Lolbit is there to for the commercial relief.

And golden roxy area is set up just like the normal pizzaplex. But the race track is nothing but gorgeously made from gold left to marbel construction.

Golden roxy has a few helper in her raccing area but she has a Salon but has a very fancy water fountain. In the middle of the race track.

Go kart are a lot better quality then the normal pizzaplex ones (( they are like something from a pro go kart racing seen type quality and even having white walls go kart tires on them ))

But now going to dj music man he identical in every way bit has a crap ton of gold (( most rich folk say fazbare cheap out on that area ))

And the mini music mans are hold as well.

And fazbare day care well.. it just the same but is up to code and has everything work out and no issues.

By day there at least 459 day security guard that are ready for war.

By night

There right at 243 night guard that are human and not machine.

Plush adding the scarcity staff butt that roam day or night this pizzaplex is a fortress compared to the normal one.

And know what.

There no mimic under this one so it perfectly safe.

I feel like this could be passed off as a FazCasino style thing? A FazCasino would be wild honestly.

Don't worry about 'stealing' Golden Roxy btw. First, I don't think I'm the one that came up with that I just ran with it I think and second, we are two different people, we're never going to do the same idea in the exact same way. We can all have a Golden Roxy if we want one!

May I suggest diversifying the colours a bit? Gold everywhere might make the gold less rich and wealthy feeling and more like a common choice for this stuff. Marble is a good idea that's posh as fuck. Maybe add dark wood too? That always seemed pretty posh to me. Ice scupltures, elaborate water features, actual living plants that need caring for instead of fake ones and maybe glass statues and ornaments and shit too?

If you're going for 'rich person with more money than sense made this' then the place is probably overly detailed in every single way, with professional paintings on the walls instead of posters to advertise and the entire structure of the place being as inconvenient, but pretty to look at, as physically possible. Chandeliers might be a good idea too honestly.

You could probably really push the boat out with the technology side too? It does even have to be good technology or a huge advancement in the normal Pizzaplex's tech, but so long as it looks the part, the place will get a reputation as the poshest, most technologically advanced entertainment plex in the country.

I dunno, just spitballing here in case I say something cool

Anyway, this is a cool idea! I can't imagine Fazbear putting that much money into something this overly fancy on this scale. The gold is probably not real gold and stuff, ya know? I can see them doing it on a smaller scale though. Especially if it's like a private establishment for the elites the board room members associate with. The animatronics are probably somehow treated worse in there though... you know how rich people be :(

But they really do love feeling like they're part of an exclusive club only they can be a part of. So long as there's no one that isn't at least a millionaire in there, they're probably happy! It's a cool idea!

[iamdelighted]

There are a lot of things someone can do to feel empowered in these times, but as someone with chronic illness and very low energy—who also feels on the verge of being pulled under right now—I wanted to share some things that I’ve been doing that feel like small acts of resistance. Things that I can do mostly sitting down, and are actually often fun. Maybe someone else can get some use out of this too.

—Enjoy queer media, BIPOC media, and any other media you like that would make white evangelicals picket in front of your house. It feels good to keep reading and watching the kinds of things the new regime is trying to eradicate. If you can afford it, it’s also really nice to buy physical copies of things when you can. It feels good to own my fave queer media and know that someone can’t take it from me without physically coming into my house.

—Create things that would make them call you a pervert. Write explicit fics and novels. Make art about sex. Draw vaginas in your spare time. Whatever is calling to you. You don’t have to share it anywhere if you don’t want to, just enjoy making things and existing as a “pervert” in a society that wants to wipe you out.

—Refuse to spend your money on the trash items being marketed to you. This is not a judgment for the times when you’ve got no choice. Sometimes I have to buy the $5 plastic item at Walmart. Do what you have to do to survive. But in a world that is making worse and worse items and trying to get you to consume at a ridiculous rate, doing what you can to avoid it feels like an act of resistance. So when possible, hold out for the second-hand item that’s made of actual wood. See what’s around your house that you can use instead. Shop from small businesses when you can. If you’ve got any disposable income, have fun seeing how many ways you can subvert the system by choosing differently than they want you to, or by not buying anything but necessities for awhile.

—Make stuff. Whatever suits your fancy. Draw, paint, embroider, refashion your clothing, make a mobile out of trash, repaint a toy car, write a poem, make a moodboard for your favorite characters. Do something within your energy means that gets you out of your mind and out of the doomscroll for awhile. Creating stuff has all kinds of good benefits, but now I also like to think of it as one small choice I can make to not give my attention to things that want me to despair.

—Lean into the relationships in your life that feel good. Now is not the time to suffer fools. It feels SO GOOD to lean out of the relationships and spaces that want you to conform to them, and into the relationships and spaces that fill your soul up and celebrate you as you are. Instead of draining you, they will fill you with energy and resolve. Yes, there are people and places that we have to deal with, but we can choose not to give them any more time and attention than they absolutely require.

—Remember that your mind is your own. We live in a time when privacy is hard to come by, but you know what? Nobody has figured out how to read our minds yet. I take tremendous comfort in knowing that the thoughts and worlds in my mind cannot be taken from me. This holds me together.

[tsaasuri]

Prinsipe Teñoso and Prinsesa Flocerfida upholding the status quo on lookism and classism [OP-ED] [EN]

Previously, it was discussed how Prinsipe Teñoso and Prinsesa Flocerfida's love story demonstrated how Prinsesa Flocerfida wasn't superficial and how she was rewarded in the end for her heart. That was a generous assumption of authorial intent. Even a writer for a peer-reviewed journal interpreted the moral lesson of the original korido (narrative ballad) as "El missatge del conte és, per tant, que la justícia s’imposa al capdavall i no importa l’aparença física perquè es produïsca l’amor, sempre que existisca noblesa de cor." ("The message of the tale is, therefore, that justice prevails in the end and physical appearance does not matter for love to occur, as long as there is nobility of heart." (Google Machine Translation))

However, I'm not of the same mind. If physical appearance didn't matter, why was her reward for marrying a man with facial disfigurement a transformation of said man to the appearance of a matinée idol? If class didn't matter, why was her reward for marrying a beggar a marriage to a prince and access to a magical kerchief that can grant her any fancy dress or adornment? While it appears* true she made no demand from her husband when all she knew of him was that he was a beggar, the minute she found out she was a rich prince of a distant land, she changed her way of flirting. All of a sudden, she's insecure of her daily commoner clothes and needed to be wooed by lavish gifts. All of a sudden, she cannot attend public functions in humble clothes. If only someone—ahem a dashing prince—can provide these to her as tokens of affection. The author's inability to disconnect from their personal biases undermined the moral lesson they tried to impart.

*(The current remaining copies of Prinsipe Teñoso (1954) has some minutes missing.)

A fairy tale which successfully delivered the message "looks and socio-economic class aren't everything" was Shrek (2001) dir. by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. Spoilers ahead.

Donkey: What's your problem, Shrek? What you got against the whole world, anyway? Shrek: Look, I'm not the one with the problem, okay? It's the world that seems to have a problem with me. Shrek: People take one look at me and go "Ahh! Help! Run! A big, stupid, ugly ogre!" Shrek sighs. Shrek: They judge me before they even know me.

In the movie, ogres weren't that different from humans except for their appearance and a somewhat different lifestyle. Shrek the ogre bathes in mud, for example. Both Shrek and the human princess Fiona, who's forced by a curse to turn into an ogre at night until such was broken, were deeply troubled by being deemed ugly by society. They both felt they're fundamentally unloveable. Shrek had a bounty on his head for simply existing and Fiona's fiancé, Lord Farquaad, once he saw her ogre form, with haste called her "disgusting" and wanted to imprison her for life.

Fiona: Oh, no. This is all wrong. You're not supposed to be an ogre. [...] I have to be rescued by my true love. Not by some ogre a-and his pet.

Fiona was indoctrinated with the idea that "true love" has a very specific "look" as "princesses" do too. True love "looks" like two white humans fitting the euro-centric beauty standards. Fiona was taught to despise another part of herself, one that doesn't fit those beauty standards, all her life. While she didn't intend Shrek to be in the crossfire of her self-hate, it grazed him nonetheless. However, Fiona re-calibrated herself to not other Shrek as the masses (including her) did to him and herself and she was surprised that she actually got along well with him.

After the spell was broken and Fiona took "love's true form." She stayed as an ogre.

Fiona: I don't understand. I'm supposed to be beautiful. Shrek: But you are beautiful.

Shrek didn't have a "love at first sight" moment with Fiona, enamored by her beauty as a human. He fell in love with her over the course of time, charmed by how they got along and her kindness. So, she was beautiful to him no matter what. Similarly, Fiona learned to dispel the thought that "true love" only has one look or form. In the first sequel, Shrek was willing to transform himself into a white man if it made Fiona happy. It was a moment of insecurity for him. Fiona assured him that she loved him as he was, an ogre, no matter what anybody else said. In the first moving picture, Fiona was also not blinded by Lord Farquaad's riches and her heart was still tugged on by Shrek. She was also seemingly content to live in the one-storey house Shrek had at the swamp. While it was likely taught to her true love was supposed to be a prince who will sweep her off her feet and they'd live happily ever after in a castle with servants and lavish meals, she enjoyed her humble marriage with Shrek just fine*.

*(Shrek apparently has so many sequels now so this impression is constrained to the first moving picture only.)

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

And beyond that, consider marriage signifiers that aren't just a ring on the left ring finger. Not all cultures have the means for metal rings with fancy jewels! It's also not very practical if your bride is expected to do a lot of physical work later, a fancy ring on the hand is likely to be damaged. For my own writing, I've made cultures that all use different things to show they're married. Special piercings. A tattoo. Intricate hair jewelry. Etc.

Lots of irl cultures have different traditions, so go look at them for a bit of inspiration. I think the tradition of using henna to paint intricate designs on the bride's hands is really neat! So in many of my own fictional cultures I have included some form of face/body painting into the traditional wedding preparations. Not henna, exactly, and not all on the hands, or just on the bride. I'm not copying a real life tradition but looking at it and saying "you know, I think that's neat and I think I can make a similar concept work for my fictional cultures".

Consider their spiritual beliefs as well. Marriages are a legal contract, but they're also frequently tied to religious practices. If it's a fantasy setting, why not add some magic into the ceremony?

And if they're not human, how does that change things? Perhaps wolf people would include a special hunting ceremony where the couple must take down a large prey animal together to prove their bond. Maybe a plant based people species will cut off a part of themselves and graft it into their partner's body. There are so many interesting and unique possibilities beyond "shiny rings, white dress, ceremony with a priest and spoken vows".

Extremely nitpicky but I hate white wedding gowns in fantasy, especially when they make absolutely no sense in the setting. No, that culture in the far north that prioritizes function over form and mostly wears heavy furs would not have the means, ability, or desire to make a sleeveless ivory silk gown with a semi-sweetheart neckline. Please be sensible about this and use your creativity instead of just slapping a Kleinfeld wedding gown into a medieval fantasy setting.

[realm4m3]

Virtual Sketchbook Section 3

DESCRIBE PHYSICAL QUALITIES (THE FACTS)

What is it made of? Oil on Canvas

How big is it? 148x260 in.(375.9x660.4cm)

(Include details as if you were using words to help a blind person “see” it.)

What colors and shapes are used? Gold, black, purple, white, red, a cross, patterns, light colors

What subjects (if any) are represented? There is a king in a throne with his imperial crown, his counselors on the benches, a man who is description the scroll and some angel in the back.

How was the work designed? Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant uses scenes from the 6th century for his work, he also copied costumes and jewelry from ancient sources.

Is it balanced? Yes, it is symmetrical, and everything is even

What is emphasized? Rhythm? Proportion? A king that is distinctive with the rest as he is on the throne with black clothes and gold crosses while the other is in different clothes, being lower than him. They all have fancy clothes besides the one man that is reading the scrolls, the patterns on the wall are very similar. Have a total of 7 people, like a judge there.

Contrast? Does it have unity and variety? Yeah, the difference are the people clothes, showing higher power compared to the one man, and how the king has 6 counselors.

THIS PART IS ALL ABOUT YOU:

How does the work make you feel? It makes me feel pleased with the time and effort that was put in into this art. The details are clear, and it was a great experience to see it in person.

How or why does it evoke these feelings? Normally, I or some see these pictures online and don’t really know how it would be if you were there. The fact that someone did this back in the day without that much technology or none is impressive, especially because of the size it is.

NOW RESEARCH:

The person that is in the picture is known as emperor Justinian I. He is also called Justinian the Great; he was the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) emperor during the time of 527 to 565. He is also best known for his efforts to strengthen the empire and to normalize Roman law. The artist is named Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant, he was born in French, in 1845-1902. He studied at a place called the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse, he was also a pupil of Alexandre Cabanel. This would later influence him strongly in his early artistic development, “He learned anatomy, drawing from the ancient statuary and the composition of history painting. His brilliant studies were rewarded by the great painting prize he shared with his friend the painter Jean-Andre Rixens.”

THINKING:

What movement is the art work associated with? An Eastern Roman emperor named Justinian I. The artist made it large on purpose, in hopes of winning a grand medal but never did.

Example: If it’s from the Renaissance, who commissioned it? If it’s a portrait, who is the subject?

What does the artwork say about the artist that made it? The person is very talented and gifted. It also shows that he was passionate about the artwork.

Can you tell what the artist was trying to say? He was trying to hit big, and he achieved it since it is incredible. I can see that he was going for the Roman empire in this art.

How clearly does the artist get their message across? It is very clear on what he was aiming for, you see a king with his counselors, and someone reading from the scroll. It is big, large, and very hard to miss.

THE LAST (most important) PART:

How much talent we had back then and the power we can do with our mind. Were able to create such fantastic pieces of art and display it around the world, make people be amazed that someone did that. Now a days, you won’t be able to see such similar artwork or designs anymore. We have stuff like banana tape on the wall making up to 100,000, if not more, which is ridiculousness. The reason why I choose this painting was because it stands out among the rest, I really like how it was, the color choice, how big it was compared to me, and when it was made. This inspires me to do better in my artwork and to achieve great things like this.

[riizebabie444]

your future spouse’s love language

hi! i'm pearl and i’m so happy you chose this reading ♡ today’s reading is all about the love language of your future spouse and how they express it. this is my first pac on this blog so I hope you enjoy!

♡ disclaimer ♡ please remember that all tarot readings posted on this blog are for fun and entertainment; you should not refer to these readings as a replacement for advice or guidance on serious matters.

reblogs are appreciated, as is feedback! find more pac’s in my masterlist! check out my paid readings and exchange readings! and donations are greatly appreciated ♡

© lueurais — please do not copy, steal or repost anywhere.

♥︎ pile 1 ♥︎

♡ love language ♡

quality time + acts of service

♡ how they express love ♡

i immediately see that this person is not a touchy–feely type; they don’t particularly enjoy or feel comfortable with physical touch, especially the type you might expect in a relationship. so, physical touch is definitely on the bottom of the list of their love languages. however, they do like holding your hand and burying their face in your body. and it is clear to me that quality time is very important to them.

this person loves deep conversations; i’m hearing, in particular, the half–full/half–empty debate. i believe it is of importance to them and may be a deciding factor in whether or not they want to pursue you. they seem like the type of person who would use this debate or others like it to judge other people. but regardless, i think they are genuinely a philosophical person; they love talking with you, getting to the roots of your brain and heart, finding out how you feel and why you feel those things so they can know you better.

i think they’re quite a sensitive person; i have reason to believe that for some of you reading this, your future spouse may have grown up with separated or divorced parents, or a broken family in general. this reflects a lot in how they allow themselves to love. they don’t like touch or pda because they very rarely saw it with their own parents. they also may have not received a lot of attention as a child, and this is why quality time is important to them.

i’m seeing art very prominently, so either them or you could be artists. i said quality time and i definitely think expressing yourselves together creatively would be fun to do. maybe art dates, or walks in nature and under the stars to gain inspiration for art. and other activities like pottery class or bouquet making, they might take you to a wreath making class do you can make one together for your home in the holidays; if there's anything fun and creative to do, they want to do it with you.

they have a rough edge that is hard to crack through. but they are driven and if they are serious about you, they will put in the effort. i’m seeing acts of service, like always paying for meals and bringing/making you coffee and driving you to where you need to go. it would also be hard to read their facial expressions, but they are soft for you on the inside and you will know this because of all the little things they do for you.

♡ symbols and signs ♡

clouds, paint/drawing/art, crying, the letter s, a white horse or other white animals (such as a dog or cat), heterochromia, gemini, 5, tree, stars, 32, mythology, leo/5th house, opiuchus, dark brown hair, roses, water signs.

♡ cards ♡

the artist, knight of swords, the lovers rv, five of cups rv

♥︎ pile 2 ♥︎

♡ love language ♡

acts of service, gift giving + quality time

♡ how they express love ♡

from them, i am getting the image of an angel who gives. they are a generous person; they like giving to support you. whether it is extravagant gifts or simply helping you in giving you what you need to get by. i see both ends of the spectrum — for some of you, they will be able to give you expensive and fancy things, and for some of you, they will not be as disposable with their income but will still give to you because they care about you.

gold is popping out a lot, so maybe gold jewellery or other gold gifts, or maybe they like gold wrapping paper. and it is not subjective – it can be anything deemed precious, like gold. but i also see they are quite moderate, so they prefer to give gifts with deep thought and meanings to them rather than going straight for the most expensive and fancy looking item in the store.

i see this person with a lot of fears and anxieties in regards to the relationship they have with you, and they may also worry you feel the same way. and it’s normal to have these feelings at some point in a relationship. so, i think they’d be urged to give more gifts when they have those worries. they want to appeal to you with generosity which could turn into an unhealthy habit, so keep an eye out for those who this resonates with.

bringing you water on a hot day — this image feels really clear. maybe those of you reading this live in a hot country, or really like hot weather. i see the sun bright in the sky and they’re worried you may be dehydrated or suffering from heatstroke, so they will always make sure you are drinking enough water, especially during hot weather.

and carrying on with the topic of sun, there’s a scene where the sun is touching the horizon. perhaps you guys went to watch the sun set after a date. gold rays are coming in strongly, so it might be your guys’ thing – watching the sun set or rise and leaving the curtains open in your home so the rooms can fill with warm, bright light from the sun. consistency is important to them, so little routines like these that you both enjoy makes them feel so special and they love being reminded that you are there to experience these moments with them.

♡ symbols and signs ♡

sagittarius, water signs, flowing water, nightmares, sun, jupiter, marigolds, sunset and/or sunrise, 10, wings, studio ghibli, unhealthy habits, summer, 444

♡ cards ♡

temperance, nine of swords, knight of cups, seven of wands.

♥︎ pile 3 ♥︎

♡ love language ♡

physical touch, quality time + words of affirmation

♡ how they express love ♡

with two kings here, i definitely see they are very vocal and confident with their words. they seem like the person who always speaks their mind, whether they are expressing happy thoughts or bad ones. that also means they will make it clear when they are upset or angry, but it also means they will clear any doubts you have and make sure you know that they love you.

although, for some of you, i see that your future spouse could be the type who falls silent when they are angry, but even in this case, they will eventually tell you what the issue is and make it clear that their feelings for you don’t change so easily.

in particular, i hear “you’re the best!” and grabbing your head and kissing you on the forehead. “i’m so lucky,” “i couldn’t have figured this out without you,” and “you look great in that outfit,” are what i’m also hearing. i think for some of you, your future spouse will be the type of person who has a catchphrase, like “i’m impressed,” or something along those lines. this is just what i heard, but it could be anything, and they will tend to use it to boost your confidence, and also when they are trying to flirt with you.

they obviously love to spend time with you, but i think they will particularly love holidays with you. i’m seeing quiet villas in countries along the equator, maybe that resonates with some of you. for others, i see the coast. peaceful getaways are like a goldmine to them; they may not happen a lot but when they do, they have the best times of their lives with you.

and holding hands is so prominent. just hands in general. even if you’re holding something else in your hand, they will take it and replace it with their own hand. physical touch like cuddling and kissing would take place, but for them, touching you with their hands is what fulfils them. it’s the fact that you are real and touchable so they always need that reality check to ensure you’re really there. and if you like all the touching, then they will do it tenfold. holding hands, or their hands roaming all over your body; whatever it is, they will almost always have their hands on you.

♡ symbols and signs ♡

323, twice (kpop girl group), coasts, nice hands, black birds, italy, blue skies, 11, magpies, graduation, purple gown, olives, pastel colours, chameleon, green, greece

♡ cards ♡

ace of swords, two of wands, king of wands, king of swords

[sunasjellyfruit]

Haikyuu boys love language

Nekoma edition.

Karasuno, Aoba Johsai.

Characters: Lev, Fukunaga, Yamamoto, Kenma, Yaku, Kai and Kuroo.

English is not my first language so feel free to correct me.

Lev Haiba.

He's so cute, i can't think of him as someone whose love language isn't words of affirmation. But he's also a bit clumsy and blunt, so one day he can be like "oh no baby, that shirt is horrible, please take it off" trying to be nice and helpful (without thinking that his words might have hurted you) and the next moment after looking at your eyes he would say "well you know what? You always look pretty so don't worry" and then he would kiss your forehead. And he always compliments your style or how you look early in the mornings, so at least you recieve a positive message every day. Oh and Lev is so energetic and cheerful that if you ever feel sad he would try to share his happiness with you by telling you how special you are and how important your actions are.

Shohei Fukunaga.

He's seem to be quiet and supportive with his teammates, and I don't know why but gift giving suits him. And I haven't chosen this because I think that he would spend all his money on you, but because i think that he loves little details. It can be a flower he saw on his way to school that reminded him of you and he took it to give it to you later, or a beautiful ring that his little sister taught him to make with a white stone and some golden wire. And he loves to bake simple recipes like special coffees or cookies and then he would bring them to your next date as a surprise.

Taketora Yamamoto.

He's very similar to Tanaka so words of affirmation would have been the safe option, but once he gets an s/o im sure that he can't keep his hands to himself, he has to touch you (basically physical touch hehe). The moment you two are together, he would first hug you, your arms are so comforting and you are so warm, he loves it so much. Then he would kiss you softly while he mutters a quiet "hello beautiful, how are you today?" (i love him so much omg im so sad rn). And it has become an habit that when you two are sitting together you will rest you head in his shoulder while he has an arm around yours, or gently holding your waist just to squeeze it from time to time to make sure that you're not falling asleep.

Kenma Kozume.

He's my favourite character, im gonna take this to a personal level. We all know that he's reserved and he might be seen as someone cold, while in reality he really cares about others. This is what makes me think that his love language can be either acts of service or quality time. He's not the biggest fan of cuddling or going to fancy dates, but if you two end up in his room, under a blanket and playing videogames then he's definitely having the time of his life. And if you're ever having problems with whatever, he'll be there for you without even thinking about it. You can pass a certain leven in a videogame? He's there to teach you how. You need help with some homework? He's not gonna give you his homework for you to copy it but he will help you and explain it to you so you understand the subject. And if you're ever bored you can call him with the excuse that you don't have anything to do and he will start a list of "things that y/n can do instead of calling me" (don't worry, the first one is visiting him with a videogame for you two to play)

Morisuke Yaku.

Quality time. And he does love dates. It's actually his favourite activity to do with you, take you out wherever you want. If a new film has just been released, then you two are buying two tickets to be the first watching it. And if a new café has been opened then he's taking you there to see how the place is, if the cakes are tasty and all those things. And the best dates are when you try hobbies that the other enjoys. For exaple if you like drawing or painting, Yaku will prepare a date in the park with some food, the perfect ambience for you two to spend the afternoon painting and sharing what you're doing (even if it ends up being a disaster, he loves everything you do). And if you ask him to teach you some volleyball, you have his entire heart, as he would take the opportunity to play (or teach) you while at the same time practice with his teammates. Don't worry, he has told Kuro and Kai to not be very hard with you.

Nobuyuki Kai.

He's calm and polite, and in my opinion words of affirmation suits him pretty well. As the vice-capitan, he's used to encourage the others to give their best and to cheer them, so when he's with you he can't help but to act similar. But he genuinely likes to praise you, because he adores how your face turns red and how you smile as if it was the first time that he mumbles a "I can't believe how beautiful you are". And there's no other person who listens to you as attentively as Kai does, especially if you're talking about something that he thinks is important (which is basically everything that you say). If you're ever stressed about school he's gonna be there for you, checking if you're all right, asking you if you need anything and reminding you that he's there for you.

Tetsurō Kuroo.

As he's the capitan and a third year student i think that he doesn't have much time, but he still loves to spend time close with his s/o. That's why i would say that physical touch and quality time are his love language. He loves having you near, being able to pull you close and hug you when he's stressed, or hold your hand when he feels like he needs some support. I also find him as someone who can be a bit jealous, but because he doesn't trust other people, so having an arm around your waist is also common for him. But behind doors he's a big soft boy who only wants to give you lots of kisses and affection. And when you two finally have some time for yourselves, and when you finally can have a proper date he's taking you to the most amazing places, even if that means going out of the town. But if you two are too busy with studies, the team, school in general or just your personal problems then Kuroo is more than happy to just have a small date in your house where he can help you to memorize various study topics if it means that he can have you sitting on his lap and with his hands on your thighs, or resting his chin on your shoulders just to slowly kiss your cheek if you answer correctly.

[amothersmagik]

Merry Meet!

So, I am climbing up on my soapbox today. I see it asked all the time: "where do I start?"

And every answer seems the same: Research!

Great! But what does that mean? How and where do I research?? ... Starting out in The Craft is both easy and extremely challenging. Prior to the internet, research meant knowing or hoping to randomly meet other Practioners who could guide you. Or, if you were brave, checking a local library. At that point, starting was hard because getting access to information was hard.

Now we have the internet. And the problem exists in reverse. There is now SO much info available that it can be overwhelming at times. It certainly was for my nerodivergent brain. So I have typed up a "brief" summary of my process so that mayhap it will help others::

Research research research! There is so much out there and it can be so overwhelming. How i personally suggest you start? First, accept that you dont need fancy tools and ingredients to be a successful Witch You are enough as you are.

From a research aspect:

1. Look up the major types of spell work. (Candle, Kitchen, Jar, Offering, Sigils, Simmer Pots, Intention Spells, Oils, Sachets, Sprays, etc). This will give you an idea just how broad actual Craft and spellwork can be. Also, it will strike some examples of what to research and give you an idea what you will be most interested in. For example, I primarily love jar spells, sigils, and simmer pots.

2. Make a list of a couple types of spells or works that interest you. Like healing, self love, cord cuttings, etc. This will give you a list to work of to then build your research plan/database.

PLEASE NOTE, I PERSONALLY RECCOMEND THAT YOU DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY OF THESE SPELLS YET. I AM SUGGESTING YOU MAP THIS ALL OUT SO YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BREADTH OF THE CRAFT. It will also help you decide what kind of Crafter you will likely be. Personally, I am eclectic, and grey with very white leanings. I am not actually Wiccan, though the Wiccan aspect plays a huge role in my Craft.

Huge massive tip in looking stuff up? Using google or your fav search engine, type "metaphysical properties of____" or "magickal/magical correspondences of____" or simply "_____ Correspondences" and you can either read the articles and links or simply look through the images section. Though not everything will have extensive info available.

3. Pick a random spell. Anything. Now RESEARCH what doing that spell would entail. This will give you an idea of what kinds of things to research and where you want to put your emphasis.

For example, I wanted to do an anti anxiety spell. So I researched that. Discovered I have a flair for sigils. Then quickly realized I am an AVID Jar spell kinda gal 😅😁 So I then went searching for jar spells for  anti anxiety to see what would be required. Then realized how many different ways there are to do one. Which lead me to research crystals and herbs to find what ingredients to use for what. Which lead to me making my own comprehensive hard physical copy (alphabetical, might I add) of all the herbs and plants I could find and their many uses. Did the same with crystals. Then candles and their color meanings. Which lead to color magick research.

(..... It has now been 3 years since I went looking for that anti anxiety spell and I haven't performed it yet. I HAVE found so much peace within myself as I have settled into my Craft by learning. Because remember, witchcraft is NOT always JUST about performing spells. Anyway... back on topic)

I quickly realized how much info there was out there to learn and how to go about it.

Id also research the sabbats and all they entail.

Research deities for future knowledge. Though I suggest waiting on actual deity work until you are further down your path  but that is a personal preference.

Research cleansing types and methods.

At the end of the day, your path and your Craft is your own. Follow your intuition and instincts. Follow your heart and soul. And do as much as you can to research something before casting. Google is your friend. Also, i have a list of books. If you want it, just as a place to start, let me know :)

Once you start spell craft, I found it easiest to start with Sigils, once I got the hang of those, I moved on to simmer pots and candle magick (easiest ingredients to get ahold of for me). After getting comfortable with those, I moved on to Offering Spells. Then Jar Spells. I have more or less stopped there in my actual spell progression, as I have found I excel at and greatly enjoy Jar Spells. I have also ventured into oil rollers, sprays, sachets, etc. And I occasionally do rituals, like cord cuttings or ritual baths, but have not overly ventured in those directions. As such, I research as needed for those types of spells.

Shadow work and observing the Sabbats were also a huge learning opportunity for me.

People always say "do your shadow work" and it took me forever to realize they mean working on yourself. Facing your inner demons. Accepting your faults and working to correct those you can. Accepting yourself for who you are and learning to love yourself and be happy with who you are.

Researching the Sabbats and how the many cultures celebrate and honor them gave me another way to research and learn and then work that new knowledge into my craft. People jump over a fire during Beltane. Why? There is a good research topic for you. Yellow flowers, why are they important in the spring? Why are apples associated with fertility. What kinds of activities are engaged in for Samhain? Why?

And along the way of these activities and researching, you will find yourself learning things that can help you elsewhere. Like learning about the color green and its importance at Beltane will later help you in health and fertility spells.

I think I started actually performing spells about 1/4 of my way through all this research. Once I had a good enough basis to understand the materials I was working with and knew my energy and magic enough to feel comfortable and confident in my workings.

I still perform lots of research regularly, but have reached a comfort zone in my Craft where I don't do big things every day, or even every week, but I work my craft in in little ways, sometimes even unconsciously. I have found I am happy, comfortable, confident and at peace with my self and the life I live. And a stable and reliable Craft is a great addition to that peace, if not outright the building blocks for it in my case.

My inbox is open if anyone has questions. Wants to chat. Wants a new witchy friend. Etc. As a Polyamorous, Pansexual, Christian Druidic Mother and Wife who is 420 friendly...... I am an open book with nothing to hide and virtually no judgement left in my brain. I don't care who you are. Do no harm, take no shit and we will be a-okay :)

Merry Part and Blessed Be

[monster-bait]

I just finished Run Run Rabbit. Well done. Super amazing. I remember reading your og posts for these stories that you are now publishing. When you would post little snippets. I am so excited to be able to actually get your books.

Now how does kindle unlimited support you?

Do you get more compensation for your work if i buy your book?

I'm curious as to the best way to support my favorite content creators. Aka you.

Aaaaaa, you're so sweet!

When I posted the Run, Run Rabbit snippet on patreon earlier this year, I had no idea the way Grayson and Vanessa were going to take over my brain, lol! I have a deleted scene from the book going on Patreon (as soon as I clear a deadline on my desk that needs to happen, like...today) and I'm going to be posting a short of their Bora Bora vacation with my newsletter!

As far as author compensation - this is a question I'm asked a lot, and we talk about it often enough on my discord server, but I'm not sure I've ever really answered the question here.

Authors ARE compensated for both ebooks and KU.

For a 280 page book (which is about 50k-60k words) the KU payout is approx $.0045 per page read, which comes out to $1.26 a book, if and only if the reader taps through every single page all the way until the end.

Authors make approx $2.50 on an ebook purchase from a book of commensurate length, if the book retails at $3.99 (almost all of my books retail for $2.99-$4.99)

The same book in paperback, if printed in black and white with no fancy interior needs, that retails at $12.99, will net an author about $4.50

(please note all this is approximate)

Assuming the reader is only interested in digital books, the absolute most wonderful way to compensate your authors is to borrow the book though KU FIRST, flip through until the end, and then purchase the ebook for your permanent collection once you've returned the KU book.

Buying books directly from the author is the best way to support, but I totally understand that's a big commitment of both funds and space for physical copies. Patreon, merch, etc are all ways of support as well, obviously!

Most authors I know, myself included, really don't care HOW a readers consumes our work - as long as you're not pirating it, which is both stealing directly from us, and threatening our ability to put books into KU in the first place, or reading and returning your ebooks. If someone reads one of my books through KU and then leaves a rating on Amazon, that's enough to make me happy!

💖💖💖