#i have already invested so much time and energy in this process

[hauntedwoman]

u ever get so anxious that if u move u might throw up

[theambitiouswoman]

Why you don’t feel pretty (It’s not about your looks)

Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt like something was just off—like no matter what you do, you still don’t feel beautiful? The truth is, it’s not really about your looks.

So many of us tie our beauty to external validation, seeking approval from others without even realizing it. If your confidence depends on how others see you, you’ll always feel like you’re chasing something unattainable. The people who seem the most beautiful aren’t the ones with perfect features but the ones who move through life with effortless self assurance, embracing their own unique features.

It’s easy to look at certain girls and think, She has it so much easier because she’s beautiful. And in many ways, it’s true—pretty privilege exists. Attractive people often get treated better, receive more opportunities and have an easier time socially.

The women who benefit the most from pretty privilege aren’t just attractive—they own their beauty. They expect good treatment, they carry themselves with confidence, and they present themselves in a way that makes people take notice.

Ever notice how some women who aren’t conventionally “perfect” still get a ton of attention? It’s because beauty is an energy. If you constantly shrink yourself, avoid eye contact, or assume people won’t be drawn to you, the world picks up on that.

And then of course, there’s comparison. Social media makes it impossible not to feel like you’re falling short. Perfectly lit, edited, and curated images trick us into thinking that beauty should be effortless. But even the most stunning women have insecurities. The difference is, they don’t let those insecurities define them.

Sometimes, feeling unattractive isn’t about your reflection at all—it’s about how you experience yourself.

Do you take care of yourself? If you’re running on empty, constantly stressed, or neglecting your needs, it doesn’t matter how flawless your makeup is—you won’t feel beautiful.

Do you feel valued by the people around you? When you feel overlooked, disrespected, or under appreciated, it wears on you, making you feel smaller and less significant—even if nothing about your appearance has changed.

Are you holding onto past hurt? Painful experiences can shape how we see ourselves. If you’ve ever been rejected, ignored, or made to feel "less than," it’s easy to carry that hurt into the present. But your beauty isn’t something that can be taken away. The moment you decide to release those old narratives, you start seeing yourself differently.

Feeling beautiful is a full body experience. It’s not just about looking in the mirror—it’s about how you show up in your own life.

Instead of rushing through your morning routine, turn it into a ritual. Light a candle, play music and actually enjoy the process of getting ready.

Wear clothes that make you feel good—not because they’re trendy, but because they feel like you.

Take slow, confident steps. Speak clearly. Look people in the eye. These small things change how you perceive yourself.

When you start treating yourself with love, your mind follows.

So many people put life on hold, thinking, I’ll start doing things when I feel prettier. But confidence doesn’t come from waiting—it comes from living.

Go out. Travel. Meet people. Try new things. Stop waiting to look a certain way before you let yourself experience life. The more you engage with the world, the more you realize that beauty isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being present.

Treat yourself like someone worth taking care of. Move your body, nourish your skin and invest in your self—not because you have to but because you deserve to.

Stop waiting for permission to be confident. Walk, talk and carry yourself like you already are.

Focus less on how you look and more on how you feel. When you feel good, you look good.

The moment you stop chasing beauty and start owning it, you’ll realize—you already are.

[bambambwi]

Back in the Spotlight?

context ; you had to cover a song for the 2024 mbc music festival.

"you agreed to WHAT ?!" you said both shocked and anxious at your staff.

"You can’t back out now." one of your staff members insisted, their tone firm.

“We already made the decision, you’re performing, and that’s final." another added, arms crossed as if to shut down any argument before it could begin.

You swallowed hard, anxiety creeping in. It had been a long time since you last performed as an idol, and the thought of stepping back onto that stage made your chest tighten.

With a deep breath, you exhaled sharply through your nose. “Fine. At least tell me what song I’m covering.”

“Move, by Taemin.”

You froze.

“…You’re joking” you said flatly, searching their faces for any sign that this was some kind of prank. But the silence that followed only confirmed the worst.

Letting out a slow sigh, you ran a hand through your hair, trying to process it. Like it or not… this was happening.

"Move, huh?” ji yong leaned against the frame, arms folded with a knowing smirk. “Not a bad choice.”

Your head snapped toward him. “You knew?”

He shrugged, pushing off the doorway and walking over to you. “I may have been the one who suggested it.”

Your jaw dropped. “You-...” Words failed you for a moment as you pointed at him in betrayal. “Why would you do that?”

ji yong chuckled, completely unfazed. “Because I know you can pull it off.” His voice was calm, steady, like he had no doubt in his mind. “And honestly? I think it’s about time you reminded everyone just how good you are.”

You wanted to argue. You wanted to protest. But the way he looked at you like made it hard to fight back.

Letting out another sigh, you muttered, “You’re lucky I like you.”

ji yong grinned. “I know.”

You spent weeks preparing and practicing for this performance, pouring every ounce of energy into perfecting each move. Move wasn’t just any song, it was Taemin’s. And of course, that meant it was hard.

The fluidity, the control, the precision,it demanded everything from you. Every practice session left you exhausted, muscles aching, mind racing with thoughts of whether you could really pull this off.

But backing out wasn’t an option. Not after how much time and effort had already been put into this. 

ji yong attended your practices from time to time, offering quiet observations and the occasional smirk when he caught you messing up. 

At first, it was just him watching from the side, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. But eventually, he started stepping in. Adjusting your posture. Helping you refine the details.

“You’re overthinking.” he murmured one evening, placing a hand on your shoulder to steady you. “Just feel the music.”

Easy for him to say. 

Still, having him around his guidance, his reassurance made it easier. Like some of the weight on your shoulders had been lifted, even if just a little.

And then, just when you thought his involvement couldn’t get any deeper, he decided to help with your stage outfit.

“This isn’t just about the performance.” he said, casually flipping through a rack of clothes. “It’s about the presence. how you own the stage before you even start moving.”

You gave him a flat look. “Since when were you my stylist?”

He grinned, “Since you agreed to perform.”

You sighed, but a small smile tugged at your lips. Your boyfriend was into this more than you were.

It was cute, the way he carefully picked through the outfits, tilting his head in thought as if he was styling himself. 

“You know...” you teased, crossing your arms, “I feel like you’re having more fun with this than I am.”

ji yong didn’t even hesitate. “Of course I am! If you’re gonna be on stage, you might as well look good doing it.”

You shook your head, but you couldn’t fight the warmth spreading in your chest. Maybe you were still nervous, but with him so invested in every little detail, it was starting to feel less like pressure and more like excitement.

The day of the performance had arrived. You sat at your vanity desk, staring blankly at your reflection, hands resting on your lap. The nerves settled deep in your stomach, making it hard to focus on anything.

You barely noticed when ji yong walked in, but you felt the warmth of his presence as he stood behind your chair. Then, his hands found your shoulders, grounding you.

“It’s going to be okay..” he murmured, his voice steady and reassuring. “You’ll do just fine.”

Before you could respond, he leaned down, his face close to yours, and pressed a soft kiss to your cheek. When you turned to look at him, he was smiling, calm, confident, like he had no doubt in you at all.

And somehow, just that small gesture made it a little easier to breathe.

You let out a slow breath before standing up, turning towards him, your arms naturally found their way around him. You stayed like that for a moment, letting the warmth of his embrace calm the nerves buzzing under your skin.

Neither of you spoke. You just rested against him, feeling the way his hands gently rubbed your back in silent reassurance.

Then, a knock on the door.

“It’s time.”

You exhaled, pulling away just enough to meet ji yong’s gaze. Without a word, he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours, a soft, lingering kiss that felt like everything you needed in that moment.

When he pulled away, his eyes were full of quiet confidence. With a final squeeze of his hand, you turned and walked out. It was time to take the stage.

ji yong stood backstage with your staff, his eyes fixed on you as you performed. He watched intently, a quiet smile tugging at his lips, his hands occasionally giving out small, appreciative claps.

The staff members around him exchanged glances, some quietly giggling at how adorably invested he was.

“Look at him.” one whispered, nudging another. “He’s like a proud boyfriend, isn’t he?”

“He really is!” another murmured, grinning at how ji yong seemed to be fully caught up in your performance.

Were you even nervous? The way you commanded the stage, your every movement exuding confidence, left no room for doubt. Your presence was unmatched and effortless. It was as if you’d never left the spotlight at all.

As the performance continued, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. He’d known you had it in you, but watching it unfold before him was something else. he was just lucky enough to be there to witness it.

Once you were done, the transformation was subtle, but ji yong noticed it immediately. You shifted from the fierce, captivating presence you had commanded on stage to your usual, shy self as your staff hurried to fix your hair and makeup for picture time.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of you. Even as they worked, adjusting your hair and touching up your makeup, ji yong’s gaze never wavered. He was mesmerized by the way you effortlessly slipped between the two sides of yourself.

Despite the quiet change, there was no denying that you still held him, and everyone else, captivated. Even in moments like these, you were unforgettable.

ji yong stayed back, not wanting to disturb you or your team as they took pictures. He admired you from afar, content to let you shine in that moment. but the staff members nudged him.

“Come on, take a picture with her.” they urged with a grin.

How could he refuse? You looked absolutely stunning today, and he wasn’t about to miss a chance to capture this moment with you.

With a soft chuckle, ji yong slipped into position beside you. His arm naturally found its way around your waist, pulling you closer as you leaned your head against his shoulder. You positioned your hands into a heart shape, your smile bright and warm, radiating everything he loved about you.

Once the staff finished taking pictures, ji yong didn’t let go. Instead, he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer as he leaned his head against your neck from behind. The weight of his embrace felt comforting, like a safe haven after the chaos of the performance.

“You did better than expected.” he mumbled, his voice warm and filled with admiration.

You stared down at the ground, a soft smile playing on your lips, but you didn’t respond. His words were more than enough, he didn’t need a reply.

Before finally letting you go, ji yong pressed a gentle peck to the side of your neck, lingering there for a moment. “I’m coming with you, I don’t feel like saying goodnight just yet.”

You didn’t argue. You were perfectly fine with the thought of spending the rest of the day by his side.

Later, you found yourself snuggling on the couch with ji yong, the soft hum of the TV in the background as you scrolled through your phone. The adrenaline from the performance was finally starting to fade, but the excitement lingered, especially when you noticed the pictures from your performance flooding the media.

Every swipe seemed to bring another shot of you on stage, your fierce energy captured perfectly in every frame.

ji yong noticed the photos on your screen and let out a chuckle, his arms tightening around you a little more as he leaned closer to see.

“Guess the whole world saw you kill it today !” he said, his tone with a hint of pride.

You smiled, not knowing whether to feel embarrassed or flattered by the attention. 

“Guess I did..” you said, your eyes still glued to your phone as you scrolled.

[bloomzone]

Hello, I love your blog, I wanted to ask you advices on how can I stop being envy of someone I am close to

hiiii !! I appreciate ur love thank you sm I know it’s tough when someone close to you seems to be living the life you wish you had, and those feelings of envy start to take over. It’s normal to feel that way, especially when you're emotionally invested in the person and their success. But if I say u can use those feelings to fuel your own growth and transformation. Instead of letting envy hold you back why not turn it into motivation to become the best version of yourself? :

HOW TO STOP BEING ENVY

💌 . Be honest with yourself. Ask yourself: what exactly do I envy? Is it how people treat her? The way she looks? Her confidence? Her life? Break it down. Because when you understand it, u can face it. You might find it’s less about her and more about something you're not giving yourself.

💌. Take space even if it’s uncomfortable. You don’t need to cut her off or be weird. But stop obsessively checking her Stop replaying conversations in your head. That constant comparison is draining your energy. And if someone or something makes you feel small every day, it’s okay to pull back. Protect your peace this is nooormal

💌 . Get real about what you want. Stop focusing on what she has and start asking yourself what you really want in your life. It’s easy to get caught up in someone else’s success, but the truth is, you’ve got your own version of greatness waiting for you . Look inside and figure out what’s missing. If it’s confidence, build it. If it’s achievement, go after it ect ... Take action not out of jealousy, but because you deserve to feel that same success. You’re not behind, and you’re not stuck. This is your moment to create the life you want. So let the envy push you, not hold you back.

💌 . Focus on gratitude. Shift your focus to what you already have and what’s going right in your life. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we don’t have, that we forget to appreciate the blessings we already hold. Every day, find one thing to be thankful for no matter how small cuz trust me eeeveryone have something that other don't have and you have something that maybe she don't have be thankful girlie !

💌 . Find your “why.” Envy can sometimes come from not being connected to your purpose. Ask yourself, "Why do I want the things I want?" When you know your “why,” it becomes easier to focus on your own goals and stop comparing them to someone else's journey.

At the end of the day, you are you, and that’s the best thing you can be. We all have moments of doubt, jealousy, and comparison it’s part of being human it's not weird at all. But don’t let those feelings define you. They’re just signals telling you where to grow, where to focus, and where to pour your energy this is ur sign to get ur life together cuz life isn’t about outshining someone else it’s about becoming the best version of yourself, at your own pace imagine being controlled by sm1 else ?? This sound bad right ! . You have everything you need to be successful, to be happy, and to live a life that’s true to you. Stop looking at others for validation or measuring your worth by their standards , ur time is coming, and it will be so much more meaningful when it’s built on your own journey, ur own strengths, and ur own story. So take a deep breath, trust the process, and keep moving forward ur greatness is waiting, and no one else can take that from u. The only competition you have is the one you have with yourself it's u vs u and every day you’re winning. U are ur own muse ! 🪄 🍀

@bloomzone

[tarotlexa]

PICK A PILE READING- should you reach out to them?

welcome back my loves, this is a timeless reading about whether or not to reach out to the person you're thinking about right now (could be a romantic, platonic or business connection or whatever). questions i'll be including in this spread are going to be about your energy/their energy/the relationship's energy and so on.

as always my loves, this is a collective reading so take what resonates and leave what does not. much love <333

⠀.　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀✦ ⠀ ⠀　　　　　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀* ⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀✦⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　　　　.　　　ﾟ .　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　✦ 　　　　　,　　　　　　　.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　.

.　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　✦⠀　   　　　,　　　　　　　　　*

　　　　　⠀　　　　⠀　　,

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　 　　⠀　　　⠀.　

　　˚　　　⠀　⠀  　　,　　　　　　.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　.

　　　　　　*⠀　　⠀  　　　　　⠀✦⠀　

　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　.

　　　　.　　　　.　　　⠀

　　　　　　　　　　　.

　　　　　　　

　　　˚　　　　　　　　ﾟ　　　　　.

　.⠀　　⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀,

　　　*　　⠀.

　　　　　.　　　　　　　　　　⠀✦

　˚　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*

.⠀ 　　　　　　　　　　.　　　　　　　　.

　　　　　✦⠀　   　　　,　　    　　　　　　　　.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀✦ ⠀ ⠀　　　　　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀* ⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀✦⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　　　　.　　　ﾟ .　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　✦ 　　　　　,　　　　　　　.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　.

.　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　✦⠀　   　　　,　　　　　　　　　*

　　　　　⠀　　　　⠀　　,

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　 　　⠀　　　⠀.　

　　˚　　　⠀　⠀  　　,　　　　　　.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　.

　　　　　　*⠀　　⠀  　　　　　⠀✦⠀　

　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　.

　　　　.　　　　.　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　.

　　　　　　　

　　　˚　　　　　　　　ﾟ　　　　　.

　.⠀　⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀,

　　　　　✦⠀　   　　　,

pile 1: you are feeling very positive about this connection, probably even thinking that you've won them over. i love the confidence! they feel pretty good about you too even if your connection feels rocky at the moment. there's a sense of warmth, you're someone special to them but the connection itself is shrouded in uncertainty or miscommunication. should you reach out? if you do, expect defensiveness or resistance. they may not be in a space to respond how you want them to or they might be guarded about something. justice advises you to really ask yourself if this is a balanced connection. are you reaching out because you genuinely want to? or are you hoping for validation? the truth will come out anyway. if things feel unclear, let them show you their energy first. overall i’d say to wait it out instead.

pile 2: you're putting in effort with this person, taking it seriously and maybe even overthinking it a bit. meanwhile they're more detached and in a flow state energy. there's a clear mismatch, you're steady and they're floating around in an ocean of idgaf-ness (sorry). right now the relationship is imbalanced, one of you is more committed or emotionally invested than the other. should you reach out? if you do, expect things to shift but very very slowly. it's a slow process of rebuilding or recalibrating. tread carefully since there's potential for disappointment if you're expecting too much from them. this might not be the right time, unless you're really really patient about them. they're not in a place to give you stability right now, don't expect an instant fix.

pile 3: you might be sitting on the fence on your feelings about this person or you've been overanalyzing whether reaching out is a good idea or not. either way you're stuck in indecision while they have already formed a strong opinion about you. they're expecting you to reach out. the relationship right now is in a tower moment, something big has shifted and there's a major change happening between you two. should you reach out? SURPRISINGLY, YES. if you reach out it could lead to stability, understanding and even a long-term connection! there's potential for a happy resolution, close or even a major step forward. this connection is not done, there's more to this story.

as always, thank you so much for reading! i hope that this helped you out in making a decision. have a wonderful day/night <3333

comments/feedback/reblogs appreciated but not expected!!

[voxceleste]

hiiiii you’re one of my favorite fic writers ever and i admire you so much. i wondered if you had any advice for other writers of how to improve? especially for someone who has been writing for years but feels like they’ve hit a point of stagnation/knows they’re “good” at writing but feels like they’re just not hitting their full potential. also, if you had any advice for the differences in working on shorter pieces vs longfics, any guidance or methods that worked for you would be so appreciated!! your work has been very genuinely inspirational to me and i hope you have a great day <3

thank you for your kind words! <3

mileage varies more with regards to writing advice than maybe anything else, so it's possible none of this will work for you.

a common framework in education theory/neurobiology/psychology/etc is that there's a goldilocks zone between comfort and frustration wherein most learning happens. games studies has a similar idea, that a game has to be mentally engaging enough to keep the player invested without making it so punishingly hard that they quit.

writing is pretty much free. unlike most other creative mediums, the scope of a project has no relationship to the value of the materials or tools needed to produce it. you're only limited by your own energy, time, and effort--which can be formidable restrictions, to be fair, but it's not like being a filmmaker, where good-quality equipment and collaborators simply take more resources to afford. writers should take advantage of this. we're really lucky in this way.

the best thing you can do to improve your writing is to attempt projects that feel a little too big for you, or that you're not confident you can pull off. it doesn't have to be "big" in terms of length; a short piece could qualify if the style, tone, structure, subject matter, etc is outside of your comfort zone, but in my experience this has often looked like longer and more complex projects. then again, i love writing long stuff, so take it with a grain of salt--some people just don't, but you mention wanting to try your hand at longfic, so i assume it's relevant. the point is that in order to grow your skills, you have to stretch them.

past fic projects that stick out in my mind for having pushed me to grow as a writer:

story with 4 POV characters, alternating POVs at a regular cadence, where goings-on in each section would affect the other chapters

story with a real-world historical setting that required research wrt material culture as well as timeline/"who was where when"

story that blended a codified and formulaic genre template (het romance novel) with seemingly incongruous story elements (protag being a passively suicidal closeted trans woman and ex-evil mastermind)

the common denominator is having a very specific story i wanted to tell about these specific characters, and digging my teeth into how to do that in a way that felt specific and not just a recycling of common fanficisms… though in all cases, there were at least one or two other fics i looked at for inspiration, if only in a distant way. (those fics, in turn, are often what i'd consider examples of "fanfic that is also just good, ambitious writing," whether or not they would stand alone as original fiction--but that's a different post that's already been made by others.) (they are also full of tropes and are very fanficcy in their own ways!) i had to put a lot of thought into how to approach them in a way that was most true to what they wanted to be in my heart, and usually had one or two specific touchpoints of non-fanfic media that i used to get my bearings, which is a good habit to get into whether or not you're interested in branching out into original fiction writing.

with regards to the transition into longfic writing… writing processes are idiosyncratic and whatever advice i give you has a good chance of being totally useless. it'll probably involve a lot of trial and error, unfortunately. some tidbits:

the worst thing a story can be is boring and this is doubly true for long stuff. i would always rather an author turn the dial a little too far than not far enough to be impactful

can't overstate the utility of a good beta reader as well as a good cheerleader or two to whom you can dump your 2am story thoughts and troubleshoot your plot issues

start the story at the latest possible point in time; many a longfic idea dies on the vine because the author thinks they have to do way more setup than is actually required. this doesn't mean you have to open in medias res with an action sequence, but if you're opening on something more quiet or "expositiony," you should know *why* you're starting there, and should be able to draw up that scene vividly and characterfully

putting a little bit of effort into fleshing out your setting and side characters can help you a ton if you write yourself into a corner. if you're stuck, it's hard to come up with a story element from nothing when your story revolves around two floating heads in featureless rooms

the period between being 1/3-2/3 done is the actual fucking worst. it's miserable every time. the story is no longer a beautiful shining thing in your head, it's an ugly blob of misshapen clay, and you haven't seen it all start to come together yet. it's not you or your project, it just sucks and there's no way out but through

trust your idea! trust your own ability! trust the magic that can be worked in the edit!

if you bite off more than you can chew with a project and aren't able to finish it, or you're disappointed by how it turns out, that's really disappointing and difficult, which i don't want to downplay. but it's not wasted time, even if no one else sees the results of your work. that effort and experience will make you a better writer.

other advice that may or may not work for you:

read a lot of fiction; read fiction that is not fanfiction, especially; read outside of your usual genres/favourite authors; read authors who are known for unusual or singular styles. challenge yourself to write something imitating one of their styles, even for a page or two. what are the characteristics of a paragraph by octavia butler? how does she approach sentences? how is that different from a similar length of text by victor hugo?

read about writing craft, not from bloggers but via well-regarded books. even if you don't agree with all the advice (which you probably won't) or it's not all directly relevant to you, these texts will address fundamentals that apply to almost all kinds of prose and prompt you to develop unglamorous good habits. steering the craft by ursula k. le guin spends each chapter on an element of writing, such as sound & rhythm or punctuation, and includes exercises to put her principles into practice. on writing well by william zinsser is a classic--its focus is nonfiction, but much of the advice is widely applicable. both of these texts are full of example excerpts from great english prose stylists. books like this aren't likely to introduce groundbreaking new ideas so much as train you to become more consciously aware of elements of style you may be less attentive to than you could be.

your only hard limitation as a writer is your own creativity; drive your stories like cars in GTA. you're here for a wild time, not a long time, and if it blows up you can just get a new one.

[celebrityworshipsyndromee]

do you have any tips for beginner models or advice on what agencies are looking for? people tell me I should do it bc I have the height/physique but nothing about my face really feels unique or eye catching :/ and I'm worried it will trigger my body image issues.

This is probably going to sound crazy (especially coming from me bc I am like quite average and probably fall into the category of street cast / nodel) but I just would just seriously just not do it unless you’re like effortlessly stunning, effortlessly stick thin and 5’11 upwards.. because there is so much mental pressure, people will criticise you, it is not a sustainable profession and just not a sustainable thing to invest energy into. If you come from a wealthy or celebrity family that can support you I can see why you would do it.

You can always just try and submit yourself to an agency and see how you go doing it for a year but most people will demand a lot of your money (travel, etc) and time (available for random days, needing to be available and then being dropped last minute) and you just have to consider the impact on the psyche. It took up so much time I could have devoted to other things, and also made me feel depressed, ugly and fat when I was like in my physical prime of 21-now lol. You get bombarded with photos of yourself from every angle, it really makes you obsess over your body, if you already have body image issues it would probably make them worse - that’s my experience at least.

I was told I was too big multiple times, agents asked me to lose weight, I was told my eye bags were ugly (something I was born with lol) I was put on hold to be a runway exclusive for Louis Vuitton, and then optioned for miu miu (neither eventuated) I was picked up by an agency in Paris but during the interview process they sent me back to my airbnb to change clothes because I wore a dull burgundy top they thought was “too colourful and distracting” the industry is all mind games. I was asked to strip down to my underwear in Milan in a room of 14 bookers and 2 male models, and when I refused and said it made me uncomfortable and suggested we do it in a private room, they immediately told me they would be touch and sent me away. None of this is profoundly bad or even particularly interesting or whatever, it’s just the question of is it worth being low-grade insulted/degraded on a daily basis? What is it for? Most people never make it big, and even if they do it kind of amounts to nothing.

You have to be a certain type of person to remain unphased by it, I certainly am not, and at 16-24 I think most girls entering the industry do not know what kind of person they are and lack the self awareness to understand what they’re getting into.

[literary-lesbo]

The Scientist and the Superhero

MedWhumpMay Day 2: Sleep Deprivation Summary: Lena is overworking herself, Kara steps in to get her home Word Count: 1.1k

AO3

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Lena squinted at her laptop, the digital words blurring together against her best wishes. She was exhausted, bone tired, a living corpse. Whatever you wanted to call it, Lena was that. She had been running on empty for days, working alongside Supergirl to defeat her brother while running her company. 

Her investors were being pushy, they wanted her to speed up production time on their latest piece of technology and wouldn't listen when she said that it would be dangerous to do so. Over the last week, she’d thrown so much money at the problem. She was fighting with people who already believed her to be a monster, there was so little that she could do to get people on her side. 

Of course she had tried to speed up the process, but there was no way to do that without putting people in danger, whether it was her employees or the people of the city. She wouldn’t risk life to make a profit, something that the investors didn’t understand. They were threatening to withdraw support and pull all future funding. Lena was rich, but she still needed their vocal support for her company to be able to accomplish anything. Without backup from a third party, no one would ever trust her or her inventions. 

It had been a while since she’d had a real meal, even longer since she’d gotten a good night's sleep. Her stomach growled at the thought of food, she filed a mental note to fix that as soon as she could. Granola bars probably wouldn’t cut it anymore.

Lena stretched quickly, glancing over at her coffee maker debating if it would be worth it. She already had a mug sitting on her desk, but topping it off wasn’t out of the question. Generally she preferred coffee, but it didn’t seem to be touching this exhaustion. Perhaps she should’ve invested in energy drinks for her mini fridge, more caffeine seemed to be the solution.

“Focus luthor.” She grumbled to herself, forcing her eyes back down to the laptop screen. Her lack of sleep was making her spacy, that was not a good headspace to be working on something so delicate. She needed to get the wording just right, her nightly dose of political nonsense. 

A quiet echoed through the office, barely making her look up. She was used to her assistant checking up on her in these late nights, or perhaps it was the food that she had ordered hours ago. Had she been in a sharper headspace she might have found it odd that it never showed up. 

“Lena? You’re still here?” Kara’s voice wafted through the dark office, covering up the sound of Lena’s frantic typing. She had rewritten her email four times now, this was just not working. She was too tired to deal with this right now, she couldn’t fight off Kara too. 

“Just for another hour. What do you need?” Lena hummed, sounding distant and hollow. She hadn’t seen Kara outside of business dealings for nearly two weeks now. They had lunches scheduled, but she kept having to reschedule them citing work as her excuse every time. The guilt was eating away at her, she hated cancelling on Kara. 

“Nothing, I saw the lights on up here and I got worried. It's almost one in the morning, Le. How long have you been staying here this late?” Kara asked, walking over to perch on the edge of Lena’s desk. The CEO smiled softly, too tired to bother with any professional mask. Plus, this was Kara, her best friend. The one person she could count on no matter what. She didn't need to worry about appearances with her. It didn’t occur to her to ask why Kara was out so late. 

“I’ll just say it’s been a long week.” She felt it was a close enough descriptor. She had signed an NDA with the DEO, otherwise she would have told Kara all about her work with Supergirl. She imagined how cook Kara would find it, gushing over her favorite superhero. Perhaps in several decades when the contract had expired Lena would let her in on the secret government work.

“Let me take you home.” Kara murmured, watching Lena’s eyes slip closed only for her to wrench herself back up and keep working. She couldn’t watch this happen anymore, frankly she had let it go on too long. Kara held her breath as she saw the gears turning in the Luthor's brain, afraid that if she breathed too loudly she would shift the decision towards the negative. 

Lena let out a soft sigh, checked her watch, and shut her laptop. She leaned back in ehr chair, blinking rapidly to keep herself awake. This was going nowhere and the idea of being home, in her bed, away from the public, was tempting. She had done a lot of damage control, at least one investor was almost definitely back on her side. He was powerful, he could help to convince the others. She wouldn’t be sending this email until the morning anyway and she needed to proofread it with fresh eyes. Maybe getting a few hours of sleep wasn’t a bad idea. 

“Just…just give me a second to get my stuff together.” Lena finally breathed, her shoulders slacking as a wave of relief washed over her. Kara nodded silently and stood, surveying the office with hands clasped behind her back. She was continuously amazed by the ability for the space to feel so sterile with someone in it every day. Not that she would share that with Lena, it would probably come off as offensive.

“You don’t have to come, my driver will pick me up.” Lena mumbled, wrapping her coat around herself like a hug. Kara smiled gently and placed a hand on the small of her friends back, watching for any change that meant the touch was unwelcome. When none came, she began leading Lena out. 

“Humor me, just for tonight. Let me make sure you get back safe.” Too tired to argue, Lena nodded. Something about Kara’s presence was comforting and full of warmth. She trusted no one as much as she trusted the reporter. Trust meant the world to Lena and it was not something she gave away lightly. 

For tonight she would “humor” her friend, but she couldn’t pretend that her presence wasn’t welcome. It was nice to know that she didn’t always have to rely on herself. She had people she could turn to. And in the morning, she would write the most carefully worded ass kissing email she had ever produced. It would take all of her pride, but that was the life of the powerful CEO with the egomaniac, murderous, evil older brother.

@medwhumpmay

[regulusrules]

FIC RECS: Tore apart my sanity edition

Missed doing those, especially that the brilliance of this fandom is quite endless. You'd think you've read everything, then a fic comes and makes you stare two ceilings above. I think we all have PhDs in ceiling reading at this point.

1. through storm and hellfire by @prattery.

Look, I know I scream a lot about fics, but this time it's so rightfully, I swear. There is something about this one that just unravels you so fully, so reverently. It was a spiritual experience; reading this fic. Anything written by this author is a spiritual experience. If you're new to my blog, you will soon know that I fall apart for such beautiful prose so easily. And the way Arthur was written here.. holy lord in the sky. I haven't survived this fic as of yet (weeks later). It was not Merlin who got kidnapped here; it's our literal hearts.

2. you hold a knife at my throat (i tell you exactly where to cut) by @nextstopparis.

All I can say is that I found this one on the night of my final MA exam and risked failing because I stayed up till dawn reading it. And guess what? I'd do it a hundred times over. Because this fic killed me 🤩 With a knife knowing exactly where to cut 🤩

Whenever it's Protective!Arthur that is as much consumed by Merlin's safety as Merlin was with his, then know I am absolutely and utterly gone. And everything that comes with Arthur teaching Merlin how to wield weapons and its close proximity trope. Oh boy. I was literally killed, I'm telling you.

3. Of Course Falling in Love is Awful. Why Else Would They Call It a Crush? by watchriverdale.

Respectfully, how does this marvel of a fic have less than a thousand reads?? If I may, it's one of the best AU - Canon Divergence that I've read in so long! Merlin being an actual physician, Arthur making silly excuses to go visit Merlin and it ending up for him falling head over heels, BAMF elements of both, just everything! Absolutely AMAZING. And the full circle at the end; what an icon.

4. The Walls of Camelot by spqr. (@andthepeople)

I'm literally not joking when I say my brain function grew and developed more after reading this fic. It was so fully-fledged in a way you don't find in literal published books. The amount of creativity and research combined in this fic.. WOW! You just literally live the war with them, all emotions entangled, all thoughts experienced. I think I had the hardest time processing that the fic ended more than anything else because of how invested I was in the story. I didn't want it to end. It was a wonderful, wonderful ride.

5. I suppose that I look different (without the robes and crown) by WingedWolf121. (@lancelotofthelake)

You know when fic writers begin to narrate Arthur through Merlin's eyes and describe him as golden? That is what I would say as the overall feel of this fic. I felt it radiating gold and beauty. It was unmatched, truly. From the AU idea to its execution.. I was hooked all 18K. I'd give it 18K kudos of my own alone. And the way it was written !!! Please. Any Arthur who just loves Merlin a tad too much is unparalleled. And when the same energy is returned by Merlin >>>

Oh and lastly: “Ask me who you were there to me, Merlin.” I'll leave you at that.

+ 1: My heart is readily yours by yours truly.

Have I mentioned how much this one tore my own sanity apart while writing it? (yes. yes I already have like a thousand times, tell me to shut up about it already). But it's for good reason. I am a changed human being after this fic. For better or for worse, I'm still not sure about that.

[kvetchlandia]

Time For...

One of My Occasional Rants.

So, we in the United States are on the verge of a presidential election. I'm sure all of you lovely people already know that. This particular election is beyond ghastly and grim in its implications. You have one candidate who is a representative of the long term status quo and another who is more dangerous not only to the people of the United States but to the people of the entire globe than my own meager command of words allows me to express.

I'm no particular fan of Kamala Harris. As a lifelong socialist, I see her as a candidate of capitalism, and a socially moderate one at that, essentially a Clinton Democrat, the sort of Dem who would have been a Republican 60 years ago. In other words, the sort of candidate that under normal circumstances I'd never consider for one moment voting for. However, her opponent is a veritable monster; a multiply convicted felon; a man found civilly liable for sexually assaulting a woman and then libeling her after his conviction; a serial liar of astronomical proportions; a man who is supported by open fascists and KKKers; a man whose own open racism and antisemitism is decades old; a man who bragged on television about assaulting women; a man who coddles autocrats and openly aspires to be one; a man who urged his brownshirt wannabe followers to commit a putsch against the legally elected government then referred to those putschists as "heroes" and has promised, if elected, to pardon those convicted of their violent crimes; a man so self-interested that the only thing he really accomplished during his previous presidency was to give himself (and, as an after effect, his fellow billionaires) a whopping tax cut, paid for by raising taxes on the working class; a man who bragged about depriving women of their right to control their own bodies; a man void of culture and knowledge and one so ego-damaged that his own aides admitted that they had to place his name in huge all caps in his daily briefing books to get him to even skim them, since the only thing he was interested in was himself; a man who completely botched the response of the United States to the COVID epidemic and who then recommended to his followers that they inject bleach and that they shine lights on their bodies to cure the virus while he, when he contracted it, of course got state of the art medical care; a man who will reshape the courts, as he's already done to the Supreme Court, so that they're little more than a voice of medieval religious obscurantism and political reaction and a man who has already promised to use the military to quash demonstrations against him and his policies and to go after those who have or who continue to oppose him. I could go on and on, but you get the point. If Trump is elected, which is a distinct possibility, that's the end of American bourgeois democracy, always a limited and partial thing at its best.

Trump has promised to drill for even more oil and to end this country's investment in alternative sources of energy, thereby all but ensuring that complete environmental collapse due to global climate change will take place in the next few decades, if not sooner. It's already an ongoing process.

If Trump is elected, he's promised to deport more than 10 million people. That, of course, is nearly impossible, but that won't stop him from trying. Should he really undertake that blind, racist endeavor, it would of course be politically and morally wrong, but it would also cost trillions of dollars to do (where would they be placed before they were loaded on trains and deported? Camps would have to be built. Who would guard those camps? Tens of thousands of people would have to be hired, trained and armed). And then, of course, the American economy would collapse, since it's those people who do so much of the work that keeps the economy running. I don't see many Americans lining up to harvest the fields or work in the garment sweatshops for starvation piece-work wages, nor do I see many Americans willing to work at the tough, usually non-union, low skill construction jobs that keep the economy rolling. Needless to say, those millions of deportees won't be buying any of the commodities they now purchase on a daily basis to support their families. Bye bye, profit.

All of this is well known. None of it takes any research to uncover. The voting age population has lived through it and everyone is aware of it. Nonetheless, and this just boggles my mind, the polls keep telling us that the race is a toss up. That means that tens of millions of people either don't care or support the horrors that Tump embodies and stands for. That is truly frightening. I'm not convinced that Trump is a fascist, for a number of historical and analytical reasons that I'm sure none of you are interested in, although a number of his supporters are members of fascist organizations. Fortunately, as of right now, the United States still doesn't have a mass fascist movement and I don't see one developing soon, for reasons related to why I don't consider Trump a fascist. He is, though, openly disdainful of the bourgeois democracy that is represented by the American status quo and he's both expressed his desire to be a dictator and has said he made a mistake by leaving office in 2020, despite losing the election (which he pretends was rigged, although he damn well knows it wasn't). If he's re-elected, the only way he'll leave the White House is when he's rolled out on a gurney. Yet this is all OK with millions of Americans. I don't like to draw inappropriate analogies with the catastrophe that befell Germany starting in 1933, but it's hard not to see similarities despite the very significant differences. One of those similarities is the passivity of that part of the population that might not be hardcore MAGA cultists and worshippers of their bloated demigod, but will nevertheless vote for Trump, for whatever reason they cite. That's how Hitler came to power and many of those passive non-nazis had no problem when the Nazis began the roundups of Jews and political opponents of the regime. As a person who has long been politically active, I don't think I'm being at all paranoid when I say that I fear, soon after a re-elected Trump took office, that we would quickly start having those midnight knocks at the door and disappearances into the night and fog.

OK, rant over. Now I've managed to depress and terrify myself even more. I need a stiff drink.

[breelandwalker]

so, I know you've been vending at a lot of different craft fairs and witch markets for awhile now (sadly, too far away for me to attend!). would you happen to have any tips for someone looking to do the same at their local fairs? thanks!!!!!! ❤️

Sure! To start, brush up on three things - networking, recordkeeping, and people skills. Get an idea of what's going in on your area, talk to the organizers, see what the particulars are for the events. Here are some questions to ask:

What's the venue like? (indoors, outdoors, parking, accessibility)

Do I need to bring my own table and chairs?

Is there electricity / wifi available?

What is the table fee?

When is the event and how long does it run?

Is there a theme or target audience?

Is there advertising being done for the event? (Signal boost!)

Based on the answers you get, you can start putting your stock and setup together.

Do as much as you can WAY ahead of time. If you need to make things, start now. If you need to buy things, give yourself at least a month before an event to make sure everything arrives in time. Get yourself a 6-foot folding table and a comfortable folding chair or camp chair for events where they're not provided by the venue. Sign for Paypal, Venmo, and Cashapp as well as a card payment processing service like Square to give your customers the most payment options possible. And of course, plan to carry some small bills for cash patrons. (You don't need a register or cashbox, a simple bag of appropriate size will do. I literally use a pencil case that says Resting Witch Face. Works great.)

You'll want to get some displays for your merchandise. The type will vary depending on what you have, but it should be simply and sturdy and preferably easy to pack in and out. Vertical visibility is important at these events, so if you can find some kind of stand or tiered display, that will help you get noticed. I'd also suggest some simple clear plastic standups that you can put a printout price list and a basic sign in. A table banner helps people notice your table from afar and you should definitely have business cards to hand out with your shop info and socials. (I use Vistaprint for both.) Decorations are nice, but don't overload the table with them. They should augment your setup, not overwhelm it.

You may also want to get an 8x8 or 10x10 popup canopy and canopy weights if you plan to do outdoor events. Also, GET A COLLAPSIBLE WAGON. Best investment I ever made was a $45 collapsible wagon. It fits in my backseat and makes hauling things in and out of venues SO much easier.

Keep track of everything you spend related to your endeavors, including event fees, supplies, stock, setup items, displays, signage, business cards, and gas and food on the day. Keep those receipts - you can deduct them on your taxes later to offset your earnings. (Because registering as a business can be a pain and comes with fees, but if you don't do it, you may owe money for not collecting sales tax. Put aside some money for that tax bill, just in case.)

Prep your setup and stock the night before an event. Check your merch, charge your card reader (and bring a fully-charged auxiliary power pack and cord, just in case), make any updates to your inventory or pricing that you need to. It really cuts down on stress when you're loading up if you know you've already get everything set. I suggest reusable shopping bags or clear plastic bins to make things easy to haul, plus they can double as storage.

Plan to leave as early as you need to in order to account for traffic and pit stops. Pick an outfit ahead of time so you don't have to dither over clothes. It should be something appropriate for the event and the weather that looks neat and clean and is easy to move around in, including comfortable shoes. (Look to other vendors for examples.)

Make sure you bring water, snacks, and anything you'll need to get through the day, i.e. medicine (headache pills and stomach medicine at minimum), energy drinks, a fan for hot days, an extra layer for cold ones, etc. Get to the venue as early as the organizers allow. The more time you have to park, load in, and set up, the less stressed you'll be. Make sure things are arranged in a way that's accessible and makes sense. Place signage where necessary to explain items and pricing.

GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE THE EVENT BEGINS. TRUST ME.

During the event, you're gonna have to do a LOT of socializing, so prepare for that as best you can. Try to stand if possible when there's a lot of foot traffic so you're more noticeable. Be personable - you don't have to grin constantly, just try to keep a pleasant expression and greet people as they pass, especially if they look in your direction. Don't be afraid to invite passersby over if they pause to check out your setup. Welcome them in, invite them to check out your stuff, and let them know you're happy to answer questions. (And ALL questions are good questions. There are no dumb questions. Even if the question is the dumbest thing you've ever heard or it's the fifteenth time you've been asked that day.) Chat and banter a bit where possible. If you can get people smiling or laughing, they're more likely to stick around and possibly purchase your wares. Make sure as many people as possible take your card when they leave.

Yes, you will be exhausted when the event is over, even if you're a naturally outgoing person, and you'll still have to break everything down, haul it out, load your vehicle, and drive home. If you happen to have somebody who can help you out, that really comes in handy.

In any case, know your own capabilities and personal limits and plan for that when you're deciding where to vend. If a venue is too far away for your comfort or doesn't have what you need or the table fee is too high (be wary of any thing over $75 for a single day event), don't sign up. If an event is too long or too far outside your target audience, don't sign up. If you don't have an appropriate setup or don't have the stock / can't get it in time, don't sign up. If something about the event or the venue or the organizers rubs you the wrong way, DON'T SIGN UP. Talk to other local vendors to get an idea of where to go and what to expect. Most will tell you right away what works, what's good, and what to steer clear of.

This is all just the basics. You'll learn a lot more when you start to vend, as far as what your individual needs are, where to go to find reliable business, and how best to connect with local venues and customers. Keep records of everything you do (spreadsheets are your friend!), network with organizers and other vendors, and practice that sociable game face.

And trust me - if a disorganized introvert with social anxiety and ADHD and absolutely NO sales experience can figure out to do this, I think pretty much anyone has a chance.

Good luck!!!! 😁

[yannaryartside]

SYD DEREVES AN ACTUAL MENTOR

One of the funniest excuses Sydcarmy deniers use to say the relationship will not make sense is because Carmy is supposed to be a "mentor" for Syd. The reason why I think that is funny is because Carmy has not been her mentor for a whole second in the series. I speak about this as someone who had art mentors and teachers:

A mentor is supposed to be able to see the raw talent in their students and guide them to polish it and discover their artistic voices. The key to the whole situation is the word "guide." They are an external observer, providing clues, instruction, and evaluation but not pushing their voices so the students will become like them instead of following their own artistic impulses

Now, if I am honest, I don't think Carmy has been a mentor for a single character in the show. Maybe he recognized Tina and Richie's potential by sending them to places where they could learn new skills based on their previously displayed talents. But the only one actually supporting Marcus in his journey is Sydney, it is not like Carmy ever stopped to ask Marcus if he had any doubts about the fancy pastries he was making. Sending Marcus to Coppenage was Sydney's idea, which makes me wonder if he ever thought Marcus was ready for an experience like that or if he just approved it because he trusted Sydney's judgment. Besides recipe overview and leader of the kitchen flow, Carmy is not a teacher, and certainly not someone who has invested time in guiding people through individual creative processes.

Carmy has acted more as a counselor/motivator. He comforted Marcus on his mistakes. He has encouraged Sydney on her menu ideas (s2 only, we will talk about that later). He showed his belief in Tina's talent by gifting her the knife.

But he has not been a mentor, in the sense that Sydney's artistic voice is forever silenced by his lack of interest in deep collaboration or exploration of Sydney's unique talents. She provided a couple of recipes of her own creation, with some of his suggestions. But all of it has more the tone of a partnership than an actual mentorship. They were supposed to have equal weight on the menu before Carmy called it quits; he even let her suggest ingredients and finishes. He values her opinion. He is not trying to teach her things, if anything, he hired Sydney with a solid idea of her talents and used them to put keep his shaky shop afloat.

In season 1, she had to put all of her energy into guiding a staff that Carmy had previously failed to dominate, and it is not like it was easy, but she managed to put everyone on the same page. When it was time for her to show her skills in providing a simple and efficient menu idea, Carmy made a whole effort to introduce a complicated plate to the staff. It is almost like he is competing with her, but again, we will talk about that later. Needless to say, nothing in s1 was mentorship at all in my opinion. She managed with all the skills she already had. Even Carmy mentioned that managing the staff was something she had previously done but didn't like to do, and Carmy never provided them with support or advice, is almost laughable. The story repeats itself in 2 when he ignores how much she needs her presence at the restaurant; he was supposed to be a leader, and he wasn't.

Probably the thing that Carmy has taught Sydney the most is how much he believes in her, wich helps her to belief in hersef, even if his behavior rarely provides her with support for her to flourish as an artist. In 2, she picked up Carmy's work like crazy, which is not a space to create; she was merely surviving and going through a real creativity crisis.

All of this to say is that I really hope she gets the opportunity to shine in another place, even for just a bit, and maybe get another mentor, someone who recognizes her knowledge of chemistry and encourages her to explore her voice, a resolution to her creative block in s2. This is not something bad or something to think Carmy failed Syd; artists and mentors can be a rare match, and maybe because Carmy never wanted a student, he wanted a friend/partner, and ironically, he is not very good at that dynamic either. God, when defining their relationship, Syd is the first to say "partnership," I don't think she expects him to "molde" her or mentor her. Equal creative weight.

They have introduced other chefs that I think could be the mentor Syd actually needs. I am partial to Olivia Coleman's character because I think they have a lot in common. But these other two will be cool, too. Or any other chef they could introduce.

To finish here, I will say the only type of "teaching" I will like Carmy to give Sydney, will be of this nature:

Anyhow, thank you for reading. Nor credited gifs in order: @chefkids, @songkangsbottomteethcirca2020

[seafoamreadings]

week of february 11th, 2024

these are written predominantly for the *rising* signs but they are also intuitively "channeled" enough that they should work for any dominant energy you have! (try your sun if you don't know rising, or more advanced readers can try moon, anywhere you have a stellium, etc and see what works best for you!)

aries: mars into aquarius makes you (more of?) a genius. really! but you can't expect to just know everything all at once. little downloads find their way into your brain without you knowing how you know them but it doesn't change the fact that you know. not everyone will listen, but at least you know.

taurus: this extremely aquarian week puts your reputation and public image into focus. it may clash with the way you actually intend to present yourself or the way that you see yourself. if you find that's the case and you're not happy about it, it is safe to make changes to either arena, although uranian involvment does mean things not go quite according to plan. ultimately it ends up in your favor most likely anyway.

gemini: air sign vibes continue to increase dramatically this week. it's especially aquarian so ideally your focus is on haute intellectual pursuits; the mental equivalent of junk food and tabloids is all well and good but it simply won't suffice this week.

cancerians: if you've been wanting to try your hand at the occult or something that is a bit socially taboo, this week is the right time for it. especially by the weekend, but you could start early and build up. alternatively pay off debts, take out loans if necessary, invest, etc. if that suits you!

leo: if pluto entering aquarius did a number on your partnerships, increasingly aquarian vibes help you get back out there, and/or heal things, and/or come to terms with how much you love being on your own, or whatever the case may be; there's also a good chance of new love or commitment entering your life in the next three or four weeks.

virgo: if you haven't already started such a process, tear down your entire daily routines, diet, and/or exercise plans and rebuild. don't forget either step! it isn't going to work to try to start new on a pre-existing foundation, and it isn't going to work to tear something down that isn't working without replacing it with something better.

libra: the steadily (actually rapidly) increasing air vibe does a lot for your fun and romance. don't stifle it with obligations and responsibilities; do what you absolutely have to do, and then do more if it lights you up truly, but other than that, do what brings you bliss this week. especially if that involves any form of flirtation.

scorpio: you're one of those lucky signs with, arguably, two chart rulers. they are mars and pluto, and they meet up with each other in your 4th house, aquarius, today. if you have planets or angles in the first few degrees of scorpio or last few of libra, this can be quite challenging and i suggest being very careful to avoid accidents for possible violence, but for the most part this can be empowering to you, especially if you channel the vibes into your physical home as a sanctuary or, in this case, more of a lair.

sagittarius: if you can participate in any sort of positive activism or a cause you sincerely care deeply about, this is the best time to do it, especially the closer to home you can keep it. at the same time, be cautious as accidents and even violence are probably more likely under these influences.

capricorn: the world order's shift from earth to air really finalizes and hits home this week. you're out of the spotlight in some way, but it probably suits you. maybe it is more like escaping from a search light.

aquarius: yet more ingresses into your sign are poised to occur. it is mostly beneficial for you. the only caveat is that when mars conjoins pluto, you will be more prone to bodily or mental harm or injury. so go the extra mile to care for your corporeal form and enjoy the aura of magnetism you're to be granted.

pisces: when things pile into aquarius, the sign right before yours, for most people it's a simply aquarian time. for you though, since that's your 12th house, it's... almost piscean. be sure to do your shadow work, dream practices, and any other suitable 12th house activities this week with both mars and venus joining the party in that part of the sky.

[cheshirecatuniverse]

Todoroki Falling for You

featuring: Daruma Ikka! Reader (She/Her)

notes: my works can be gorey, violent, and other mature themes!

For you and Todoroki to meet it would have to be purely by chance.

One of the first times Hyuga had decided to align with Sword was at the fight between Kohaku & the Mighty Warriors. You were buzzing with eagerness the whole ride there.

So much so that Ukyo and Sakyo kicked you to the back of the car. Sitting on the trunk of the car wasn't as bad as it sounds. You had a solid grip, so you wouldn't fall off.

Sakyo even lit you a hand sparkler for compensation. Yay! But honestly, you don't know how Hyuga falls asleep on the hood of the car.

You had a lot of energy for the fight. You pushed around to make sure you were at the front of the action. At one point, you literally dove down on a group of guys and smiled at the sound of broken bones. Everything went by too fast for you, the need of adrenaline driving you to fight with Sarah. It seemed like you were the only person around to keep up with her.

When the word spread that Kohaku lost you groaned. No! What the fuck? You had to sadly wave Sarah goodbye, you really thought you could win. Bring back some pride for Daruma Ikka.

Sulking dramatically, you found something on the ground. Eh, who brings glasses to a fight?

"Hyuga look," You waved the pair of black glasses around, "Nobody stepped on these."

"What does that have to do with me?" Hyuga dismissed it with an eye roll, "Get in the car."

Laying on the trunk of one of Hyuga's cars, you wiped the lenses with your red sleeve. You didn't wear them but looked through them for a couple of seconds before rubbing your eyes. Man, someone had to be blind to use these.

"I think you have something that belongs to me."

You sat up, processing the Oya High uniform faster than the guy's actually face. You grinned, fiddling with them before throwing them into his hands.

You watched how quickly he glared at you, "So you're the weirdo who brought glasses. Have you ever thought about contacts?"

He inspected his glasses carefully. Then putting them on when he realized they were okay, "Not going to take advice from a Daruma girl."

"This Daruma girl saved you a lotta money," You remarked, hopping off the car, "Are you challenging me? Do you wanna fight? Cause I still wanna fight-"

Hyuga shut that shit down with a yell. You were back to sulking, but not before you told Todoroki, "Bye, school boy."

The next times you'd meet it would be the times Sword would get together. Which typically would be in a urgent or bad situation so you wouldn't get much time to talk to Todoroki.

You would, however, tease him as many chances you got. Even if it was just flicking his forehead as you were walking with your group or jump scaring him mid-fight.

Then there was another time at a Sword fight that he had forgotten his glasses. But the Oya High trucks had left already.

So when there was another time that you were bored at the Daruma Temple (which was the next day) you walked over to Oya Territory.

You snuck in the High School, even with your bright red jacket.

When you found Todoroki, you popped out of nowhere.

You made Tsuji and Shibaman scream.

Todoroki could tell before you pulled your hood down it was you.

"I'm telling you," You huff putting his glasses down on a desk, "Invest in contacts."

He actually smiled at you with his hands in his pockets, "I'm fine with these."

Todoroki would never tell you he left his glasses behind on purpose.

Because you are younger compared to a lot of the guys from Daruma you tend to get bored a lot.

Since meeting Todoroki, you go to the Oya district a lot. You get to do a lot of things you don't normally do, like CAT CAFES.

As soon as you saw the cats from the window, you gasped. The look on your face had Todoroki opening the door, waiting for you to go in first. You look at him with a "Really?" and he just nodded.

Before you know it you're going out with Todoroki almost daily.

He likes having you around, but it would take him a considerable amount of time to truly get close to you.

You text Todoroki a lot. Starting with a 🥹 emoji.

It gets to the point Hyuga asks if you're dating him, you scratch your head and say no of course.

But you do notice how you like to grab onto his arms more than anyone else. When he laughs at a joke, you squeeze his bicep in happiness.

You notice how often your stomach seems to flutter whenever you're around him. Still, you don't connect the dots.

Todoroki walks on the roadside of the sidewalk when you're together. He's slick with it to, you don't even notice.

If you're ever surrounded, guys trying to take you down, on instinct, you shield Todoroki. Which his heart gets all mushy for, until you punch someone's teeth out, then he's reminded to fight.

Todoroki knows he treats you differently from the rest of his friends, but it takes a long time to realize. He likes you.

At the realization, there are some days where he skips on hanging out with you. But then he misses you and immediately starts talking to you again.

You know how girls like to give guys their scrunchies? You gave Todoroki one of your red and white bandannas. He has it neatly folded in his pocket forever and ever.

Any event, occasion, achievement, you bring the fireworks. Murayama leaving Oya? You made sure you got at least a dozen huge fireworks. Todoroki won a fight? 20 huge fireworks, and 10 small ones tonight and some poppers to top it off. Hand Sparklers, just for when you want to feel happy.

When you go shopping anywhere you're always looking for science books or journals. Anything that looks like a world wonder or cool for Todoroki because you knew he'd like that sort of thing. You really like how happy he gets each one you get him.

Sometimes, you help Hyuga take his cars over to a Daruma-friendly shop and work on them yourself. Once, you told Todoroki, Tsuji, and Shibaman to come over so that you all can have lunch after.

What Todoroki wasn't prepared for was how hot you looked working on a car. Oil stained white tank top with some old grey sweats and your signature silver chain around your neck to top it off.

You've called Todoroki multiple times, he doesn't answer immediately to your surprise.

"Todoroki?"

Tsuji has to elbow him in the ribs to bring him back to life.

"-Hrgnh, um yes?"

Okay, so you don't really have any friends outside of Daruma and Oya, but since meeting Todoroki and the rest, you actually feel more confident. When you mentioned trying to talk to people from your own school, Todoroki is really supportive. Encouraging to not let any anxiety or insecurity to get the best of you.

One time, you two were out at a cafe. You insisted on buying and getting the drinks this time. Which, Todoroki fought for a good minute until you said this was for passing the exam he was working so hard to study for.

While you were waiting for the drinks you ordered, a girl went over to flirt with Todoroki. You didn't even notice until you had both drinks in your hands and you turned around.

The girl could not stop giggling, and you couldn't help but notice how disinterested he was the whole conversation. Todoroki looked almost uncomfortable.

You felt hot, like a weird burning fever in your chest. Not staying still any longer, you walked over, right behind her. Todoroki's eyes immediately brightened up at the sight of you. The poor girl thought her endeavors were working and tried reaching for his hand-

"Wow! I totally don't remember inviting you with us," You smiled stiffly and eyes on fire.

She turned around, silently scoffing as she got up. You immediately sat down, sliding Todoroki his coffee. Her eyes focused on your bright red Daruma Ikka jacket, silver chain, and the bandanna hanging out of your pocket.

"Thug," She spat out and flipped her hair before walking away.

Oh. That may have hurt a little more than it should have.

"Then I guess I'm a thug too," Todoroki tried to cheer you up.

You forced out a laugh, hating the way your eyes stung. Todoroki wasn't having it, he grabbed the bottom of your chair and dragged you closer to him. He moved his arm around your shoulders. That strange flutter in your stomach came back.

[lesbiancolumbo]

lesbianculumbo, do you have any words of wisdom??? I feel like I’ll never find a new job. I’ve had mentors and career coaches review my resume and cover letters and I’ve implemented their suggestions. I rarely get interviews, but when I do, I get to the second or third round and then I’m never chosen. It’s been like 2 years and I feel stuck in my current fuckass job. But also starting to think maybe I don’t have the skills to move on. Really losing hope here. Not to mention each time I get rejected I take it more personally than the last…I don’t think I can handle another rejection atp.

i think the first thing is to remind yourself as you continue going through this process is…. it feels very personal to you, because you have invested a lot of time and emotional energy into it, but at the end of the day, it’s not personal at all. and i don’t say this to chide you, or to go “grow up! no one is thinking about you this much!” but rather - for me it’s a kind of relief when i get so worked up and taking things very personal to remind myself that for the other people involved, that is so rarely the case. it grounds me. it sucks, don’t get me wrong! it sucks so much, and i’ve gotten rejected many times, but it’s not personal. the fact that you’ve gotten past the initial screens tells me you ARE skilled. otherwise they would have just said thank you for your time and moved on without you.

i think it’s more likely that there are just a lot of people right now struggling to find work because there are a lot more people looking for jobs, and also with the state of the world rn, there’s so much uncertainty that impacts who is even hiring and why. most of my friends who are looking for work right now are struggling too - and they, like you, are very skilled. so if anything please take some comfort in knowing that it all kinda sucks right now and you’re not alone in how you feel and what you’re experiencing.

on the practical side of things… i don’t know what field you’re in, so i can’t really give anything specific. if you think you could handle their feedback, the next time you get a late stage rejection, you could ask why they went with the other candidate and see what they say (but be warned they might just give a canned response). your mentors and coaches have given you a lot of advice on the resume and cover letter, but maybe they could give you interview pointers if you think (or are given feedback) there’s something in interviews you could be doing better. i’ve done mock interviews (as both the preparer and the interviewer) before and it really does help, those things are so nerve wracking.

another thing you could try (if you aren’t already) is leveraging any network you may have, or networking to grow out your network more. i find more and more these days that it’s easier to get advanced in opportunities if you know someone (which sucks, is the worst, etc, etc) but that’s a avenue you could explore also. lord knows i’ve been to a million networking events. i have a friend who is being laid off due to budget cuts, and she straight up asked us, her network, to help connect her to someone who could hire her, and we all knew people we could tag in. it never hurts to try and leverage people this way.

you could also see what professionals in your field have by way of skills - is there a certificate class you could take in the meantime that might pump up that resume even further? over my job hunting years i’ve taken many of these certificate classes lol - my advice is never pay for one out of your own pocket tho.

i hope any of this helps but mostly i want you to be kind to yourself right now. unfortunately, these are extraordinary times and i would very much like them to stop being extraordinary, but the fact that you’ve kept going through the rejection is a sign of your resiliency. you are skilled! i hope something amazing comes through for you - i’m crossing all my fingers and toes.

[yupuffin]

No but I'm actually so salty about just how deeply entrenched amatonormativity is into our society, about the tendency to underestimate just how harmful it is to aroace people, and about how widespread the misconception is that simply being queer is enough to combat it when the process is really quite a bit more active than that.

There are so many financial, social, and other privileges I'm effectively locked out of due to being aroace -- something entirely out of my control -- even in a primarily queer social circle.

I have to work a strenuous full-time job, to the detriment of my health, in order to make ends meet, due to not having a spouse with whom I can split most costs of living and/or who is willing to help cover some essentials (such as unexpected medical bills) so that I can afford to dedicate less time and energy to employee work and more to (potentially monetized) hobbies.

Socially, I will never be any individual's "default" or "go-to" person, as that position, from an amatonormative standpoint, is reserved for spouses and significant others. Even if I did take matters into my own hands to fight amatonormativity and personally delegate such a person for myself, that relationship would be inherently unequal, balanced against me, so long as that person also subscribes to amatonormativity, even if they aren't currently partnered. My bids to socialize are subject to the availability of the other party, dependent on whether they've already committed to a significant other they will, by default, prioritize more -- and because I'm not part of their in-group by default, anything I want to be included in for certain, I have to expend the time and effort to assemble the plan myself, which is not the case for anyone who can count on being included on anything their partner plans for or with them.

These are just a few of the countless impacts of amatonormativity on my daily life -- and the thing is, on their own, as numerous as they are, they're not particularly harmful. As an aroace (and possibly not yet schizoid) adolescent with no desire whatsoever to find a life partner, I was optimistic, figuring it wouldn't be too much of a problem so long as I maintained a robust network of platonic relationships to serve as the equivalent of the material and social safety nets enjoyed by those with partners -- and in theory, this works excellently. In practice, though, such a situation is exceedingly rare and difficult to execute; in my adolescence, I gravely underestimated the sheer abundance of people who are either partnered or actively seeking partnership, or who misunderstand that combating amatonormativity, like other forms of allyship, is a process that must be conducted actively and deliberately, rather than something that can be done simply by existing and maintaining the status quo, so to speak, even as an aroace person. As an adult, I struggle greatly to locate, much less form a relationship with (assuming we're even compatible, platonically speaking), anyone available and willing to invest in to the relationship to the degree that our priorities will be effectively mutual.

Being aroace and unpartnered in an amatonormative world, thus, is a paradox, as I'm less financially and socially available than those with dedicated life partners due to lacking support I would typically get from such a partner, to which the system operates under the assumption I have access.

Exacerbating the isolating effect of amatonormativity is the tendency to be often labeled and thereby dismissed as merely petty, jealous and/or insecure, implying that the obstacles I experience due to being aroace and unpartnered are entirely internal and simply need to be overcome, rather than direct effects of an amatonormative society with tangible detriments to my quality of life -- implying that, were the emotional aspect resolved, the aforementioned practical disadvantages would likewise disappear on their own (they wouldn't).

And now I'm pondering the relationship between placement on the aroace spectrum and schizoid personality disorder, because whereas the former is usually listed as a symptom of the latter, I'm starting to think that, in reality, the relationship is more reciprocal than that. For example, I think it's fair to say that I choose social isolation and solitariness as a result of being schizoid to about the same extent that I'm isolated into a schizoid lifestyle as a result of being aroace, for the reasons listed above.