#i have more reference i found on Google and pinterest but tumblr only lets me put 10

[marie-12205]

After i decided to draw kaiko as a nightfury i went to search for reference ideas on how would i draw her and paint her but the thing is i realy cant choose on one designe because they all gave me good idea but i cant put them all.

Some are for color placement and other's are for design ideas.

[jbbuckybarnes]

Advice for getting started & making friends 💕

Since Tumblr ruined the original answer post to the ask: Hi!!! Thank you. I’ll go a little more in-depth with the answer and I hope you don’t mind.

1. Always know that no matter how good or bad you think your writing is: There are Wattpad books that were made into movies, so there will always be someone that will like what you write.

2. Tagging. Is. Important. Even though Tumblr is incredibly bad with its tagging system it’s always good to use tags so people following them can see your work. Try not to tag stuff wrong though. Did that a few times without noticing it and people were not happy about it. Understandably so.

3. Also always have warnings on your works and if there is something trigger warning worthy put it in the tags of the post with “xyz tw” and/or “tw xyz”. Also put age warnings in case you write 18+ content.

4. Utilize the option to block tags in case you wanna follow someone but you don’t wanna see certain fandoms/celebs. That also works for trigger warning tags.

5. Don’t feel bad about low reblog numbers. I have this amount of followers now and most of my works get 3-8 reblogs.

6. Don’t be afraid to tag some friendly bigger blogs in your first works. They might love what you do a lot. I, personally, am always up to be tagged in stuff.

7. Join writing challenges. Usually 50% of the bigger blogs have some kind of writing challenge going on. Those are great to get exposure and find other works to interact with. My current one is HERE.

8. When it comes to making friends it really depends. I think interacting frequently is a good start, but I found actual Tumblr DM’s to be the most helpful. Write your favorite writers that you liked a particular piece of their work or if you know you both have another shared interest, you can send them a Tumblr post about that. Example: I send baking enthusiasts cool looking food posts. But sometimes even DM’s don’t lead anywhere. Some people on here just don’t really want to make friends.

9. Interact with people’s personal posts. You’ll learn a bit about them from those. For example: I know that @buckyland​ has a cute cat and prefers greenery in pots and not vases (lmao).

10. Self-promo: I made a Discord server for MCU writers and it’s still going steady. Link for that is in my bio. We’re always excited for new people on there.

11. Asks are a great way to support writers beyond reblogging. Ask games are a great way to interact. Sending Requests is also appreciated by most people having open requests.

12. Decide if you want your own asks to include anons or not. But be prepared that if you enable anon asks, that you might get some dumbass spewing bullshit in there every few weeks (at least if you interact a lot w others). Vividly remember my first hate for interacting with my favorite writer.

13. Depending on how much you write you can plan your fics ahead. I, for example, publish most of my chapter based works once a week and only start publishing once they are at least 75% written. Others have ongoing works but I feel like the consensus on it is mostly “wait until you have a good idea of the ending or a rough outline.” @captain-kelli for example, writes her 'Call Sign: Renaissance’ series as an ongoing work but knows where it’s going and plots it out accordingly.

14. Know where to get inspiration. I personally have just trained myself to create everyday. Fiction, non-fiction, art, graphics, etc. It’s a good habit to have, but if you don’t have it you might wanna start an inspiration list or a side blog where you spam all your inspirations. Pinterest also is a good place for that.

15. Research how to link something in the mobile bio to put your masterlist there. There is this wonderful error Tumblr has, where you can’t change your profile on mobile or those links will vanish, so be aware of that. Just save that HTML code in a document lol.

16. Speaking of documents. I suggest writing your works in Google Documents, since it has a document history to refer to in the awful case of someone stealing your work. Preventative measure.

17. If you want a specific theme for your blog on desktop, you can DM me, I have tons of resources saved on another blog of mine.

18. For a nice mobile theme, you can visit @whimsicalrogers, search for headers and icons on Tumblr or request them from talented people per ask or DM. *cough* I make some too. *cough*

19. Oh, I also almost forgot this, but ALWAYS put a “Read More” break after more than 500 words in your posts. On desktop it mostly works in the normal editor, but there are also HTML codes in case it doesn’t work or you are on mobile. Basically, learn a few HTML basics for Tumblr in general, they always come in handy when this hellsite decides not to work.

Bottomline: Don’t be afraid to interact with your nickname being there front and center. Let yourself get seen. If your fandom blog is a side blog you can link them to each other in the bio like I did.

PS: The main reason why I got so many followers very quickly was for writing 31 smut pieces early on and tagging them well. Please know that follower count doesn’t mean much on here as long as the algorithm is trashy. Stick with interacting with people you wanna befriend and don’t let yourself get down too much over little reblogging.

But, of course, always try to find and reblog new people. That keeps the community alive and also spreads your name a bit, as well as the names of others.

If you need more advice or have any questions feel free to DM me or another blogger you trust.

To all my fellow bloggers: Feel free to leave more tips under this post. I’m sure I forgot at least one thing lol-

[mamascauldron]

Waking Witchblr: Teacher’s Tuesday

Hi, @wakingwitchblr​ & all!

Let me start off with this: I am not a teacher/mentor in terms of actual practice (though I can point people in the right direction: experienced practitioners and reliable sources).  This post is probably a little different than the intended purpose of Teacher’s Tuesday, but I hope it’s alright.  

This one is all about research for one’s Craft and Path.

For transparency’s sake: 

I have only two years of actual Craft practice at current.  I’d classify myself as a toddler or kid Witch in terms of experience. (Can I be Kiki?! :D )

I am a newly devoted Celtic Pagan/Polytheist.

I searched for my spiritual path for somewhere between 15 and 20 years, starting as a kid who realized Christianity wasn’t for me.

For the vast majority of that time, I was some form agnostic or atheist, with no spiritual anything in my life. (Note: you can be these and a Witch, I just wasn’t.)

I am an educator: world history for grade 10 and writing for college students.  

I am an academic: I have 11 years of university, most of which required consistent research.  Needless to say, I’ve developed this skill immensely.

I am a white person whose ancestral line, as far as I am aware, is based in Western Europe and the British Isles.  

OK!  So, now you know where I’m coming from.  Take everything I say with all of the above in mind.  

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

Know Thyself

Many thanks to the Greeks for this, as it certainly encapsulates a key part of the research process.  These questions are good for the beginning of a new research project, but also necessary as you progress to reflect upon what you’ve learned so far and where you yet need to go.

Here are some questions to consider when you are starting:

What do I already actually know about the subject?  Not “what did my friend tell me” or “what did I see on Pinterest”, but what have you actually looked into yourself and studied?

In terms of spirituality, morality, and ethics: what do I value?  For example, many of us (rightly) value respecting closed belief systems and avoiding the appropriation of beliefs and practices.  Another example: Am I open to New Age and more modern religions/practices such as Aura readings and Wicca?  Or am I seeking something older, something documented in history?

What resources do I currently have access to for learning?  Google has a host of possibilities, and you may even be able to find scholarly works on Google Scholar.  Those of you in university or public schools also likely have access to research databases via your library.  Your public libraries may even have books or ebooks via apps that you would read or listen to; don’t forget about Interlibrary Loans!  & lastly, you may have a local metaphysical shop, Druid’s circle, Pagan group gathering, et cetera.  Take inventory of your resources.

Photo by Alfons Morales on Unsplash

The Funnel Approach

There are a couple of ways that I’ve seen people recommend breaking into Witchcraft and Paganism.  The first is picking something that piques your interest (e.g. candle magick) and researching that topic in depth.  The second, I don’t see all too often.  I call it the Funnel Approach to research, and it’s something that I’ve learned to do as a scholar and teacher.

It’s exactly how it sounds: start very broad, then narrow down to your focus.  It’s the approach I’ve been using for my spiritual journey over the last few years and it has served me well.  A note: to do this properly does take time and energy.  It’s an investment in your journey and patience is necessary. 

It is also important to note that you can do this multiple times as your interests and needs shift -- nothing is set in stone.  Ever.  In fact, if you find that you’re stagnant and not learning or growing, I recommend reflecting on yourself.  Everyone can learn something.  Everyone.

Here’s how it worked for me so far:

I answered the Know Thyself questions above in a journal to better understand what I learned in context with who I am and who I wanted to be.

The broad start: using those questions, I cast a wide net for resources about various practices, focusing on introductory-level books.  Examples of what I read include Scott Cunningham’s Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner and David Beckett’s The Path to Paganism.  I value respect for closed cultures, so I found sources from those cultures and determined what practices I was uncomfortable with in terms of appropriation.  Reputable works regarding other spiritual paths weren’t just books, but blogs, myths, scholarly papers, podcasts, et cetera from well-known, experienced practitioners who are considered elders in their practice.  Bonus if they, at any time, examined who they were in context with their practice in a critical way.  *see my ‘for transparency’s sake’ note above for an example.

After reading, I decided that I wanted to pursue Celtic Paganism in some form and that my Craft would likely resemble more folk magic with a smattering of newer concepts that I felt comfortable with.  This is when I started writing out what types of Witchcraft were appealing: I made my list for further research in each.  

At this point, for each topic I wanted to learn, I sought out experienced practitioners (some even here on Tumblr!) to follow and learn from.  This is also where I actually started to do things.  Trial and error.  Read more.  Try again.  Record how it goes.  Et cetera.  Some ideas were abandoned as not suiting my philosophy or goals, others were discovered and explored during the process.

Now, I have narrowed down who I am and what I want my Craft to look like.  Like all good research and practice, I will repeat the steps as necessary while I grow.  As you learn more, you’ll probably find yourself struggling with the Socratic Paradox:

I know that I know nothing.

Photo by Lysander Yuen on Unsplash

Recording Your Research

As you do your research, you need to record your notes.  Ok, well, not need, but I strongly recommend it unless you have an extraordinarily good memory.  You can do this however you’d like, but here is what I do:

I have digital bookmarks for sources and/or saved PDFs if it’s from a database.  Major notes/thoughts that were really impactful are handwritten in my Book of Mirrors (a super messy notebook where I am just throwing down necessary information for my journey) with information about where to locate the source I have saved.  Books have little colorful flags in them to mark a page that I found particularly important.

I am also starting to do an annotated bibliography, in a sense.  For each source, I try to find out more about the author/creator.  How many years have they practiced?  What is their standing in the community they are a part of?  What is their cultural lineage?  Where do their ideas, practices, or philosophies originate from?  

As I complete research on a topic, I’ve started drafting final pages for my Book of Wisdom, which is meant to be a reference book for my Craft.  It not only includes information, but each topic will contain notes about where it came from and its context.

Is it a lot?  Yes.  But it is thorough.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Wrapping Things Up

This is by no means an entirely exhaustive ‘how-to’, of course.  If I were to really write out every single step I’ve been taking, it would be a literal book!  However, my hope is that it helps Baby Witches and Pagans take their first step(s).  I see a lot of “where do I start?” posts.

If anyone has further questions regarding how to do research - about any topic!!! - please feel free to get in touch!  I do this professionally, but don’t mind helping my community out if I have the time.  

If you found this helpful, you can buy me a coffee (literally, I want to go out for coffee for once, haha).  

[mysticsparklewings]

Behind the Screens

Oh, look, a reminder of why I don't do detailed backgrounds often! Okay, okay, this is actually an entry for projecteducate's All Mediums Contest: From Logos To Art. It sounded like a fun challenge, so I thought I'd take a stab at it. (Hopefully obviously) My primary logo choice/inspiration was the Instagram logo, largely because I had a strong visual idea for it in my mind right away. However, if you look closely there are logo inspirations hiding in there, too.  Some of them I think are more obvious, while others are more subtle. In case you'd rather try to find them on your own, I'll list them in small text so you can skip to the next paragraph and not be spoiled. Moving left to right, top to bottom: Outside the window is the Twitter bird, tweeting away; Then we have a literal FaceBook propped up against the window, and next to it a "Ko-Fi" Coffee cup; below the window we have a chair, the SnapChair, based off the SnapChat logo/ghost, which I am particularly proud of. On the right side of the art, we have a globe with some plastic bits that's inspired by the Google Chrome logo; then a PinBoard as a reference to Pinterest; and side-by-side on the table we have an Apple-apple and a Tumblr-tumbler. Fun fact: Because of that apple I now know there are in fact real apple species that have white skin, the most common among them seeming to be the "white transparent" variety. You'll notice all the logos have something to do with the internet/computers/social media, and though I did think about sneaking in a couple of other logos like Dominos or the NBC Peacock (since those logos have good visuals), I ultimately decided it was better to stick to a more cohesive theme. This is also where the title came from, as the idea is this is the reality behind the screens of a perfectly poised Instagram photo. And therein lies the further theme/message you can take away from this; Notice how the figure is holding the camera so that we can't see their face at all, like a mask. And how the other logos have crept into the rest of the scene, in a way that a lot of them you probably wouldn't notice as internet icons if it wasn't pointed out to you. Both of these are realities for a lot of people. On the internet, we put on a facade like a mask. We control the narrative of what people see of us. And our online presence and habits sneak into our lives in ways we might not notice right away. Both things happen for better or worse, and they can and do happen to anyone, regardless of who you are. To that end, I consciously tried to make the person holding the camera little androgynous, so that it could be a boy or girl, but since this is me we're talking about I'm pretty sure it leans more notably on the feminine side.  And it doesn't help that for the positioning of the hands I had to use reference photos of myself when I couldn't find quite what I was looking for online. Speaking of which; to make the art I started out with a traditional sketch of the figure and the background bits that were inspired by logos, except for the Pinboard and Kofi/coffee cup. And it's kinda funny because I wanted to base the camera design off of one of the newer instant Polaroid cameras (as that seemed the most fitting to transform into the Instagram Logo camera), and fortunately when I was taking the reference photos my phone is sized just so that I could use it as more or less a stand-in or base. This worked out even better because it meant I could just take the photos in front of a mirror instead of having to set a timer and hope I could pose correctly from a distance.   I scanned the sketches in, and then came the trickier part: That background. Especially since a lot of the concept here relies pretty heavily on it. I used a lot of reference photos I found online for this. I did have a basic, rudimentary sketch of my own that I made without any references, but I knew to get the lighting and perspective right I was going to need some actual photos to go off of, and I don't personally have a room that looks like what I had in mind for this. Based on these photos, I did end up putting the shelves over the pinboard, as opposed to putting the pinboard higher on the wall, but other than that and some slight adjusts to the perspective, my general idea for the room stayed the same. And, given my tablet situation, I gave myself a bit of break and decided not to do perfectly clean, solid linework for anything other than the human figure and the camera they're holding. The camera kinda had to have clean lines for this to work, and I thought the figure would stand out from the background better if they were done with clean lines. (And I'm pretty sure I was right about that.) For once in my life, I mostly started in the back and moved my way forward. The walls and ceilings, then the window, then the shelves and the stuff on them, then the banners over the window. And my process reminded largely the same throughout: Loosely line the object, give it a base layer of color, then go back and shade/lighten as necessary. And I was using semi-realistic colors, though I knew they were going to get largely disguised later on when I did the all-over overlay to really drive the Instagram logo inspiration home. Naturally, all the stuff on the shelves was a largely more annoying undertaking than I'd anticipated, but it wasn't quite as bad as the multitude of books I had to do for World in a Book. It's not even that drawing in a bunch of objects like that is hard, necessarily, it just takes a while to get through if you want it to look right. Anyway. Once all of that was done, I took a break to work on the figure and camera, getting the lines done and then moving on once again. Then it was the other logo bits' turn. Once I had them all lined and properly arranged/placed (as they were drawn as separate, individual items from the rest of the scene), I colored each one using the actual logo colors first, then went back to shade them, and then fiddled with some adjustments to bring the saturation down a little and make them blend a bit better with the overall tone. I would end up having to undo some of this after I added the overlay, and as otherwise with that in place some of the logo-inspired things would've either blended in too well or stood out way too much, depending on which one it was. (The camera is a bit of an exception here as instead of getting proper shading, I opted to line it only and just use my home-made gradient inside of it. Once those were taken care of, I back-tracked to color in the figure. Which went similarly to everything else, save for this time I'd use multiple layers for the shading/highlights until I was happy with it, then I merged all that onto a layer about the base color. And then, because I have one solid blue-gray base color for them, I then went back and separated the hair, skin, and shirt with their own unique colors. That was all the coloring done, so I moved on to filling all the blank "photo" spaces I'd left everywhere; the pinboard, the tumbler, even a little picture on one of the shelves. For this, I simply used my own artworks as that seemed like the fastest and easiest way. I just went through my gallery, found pieces I thought would fit properly, then copy & pasted them in and adjusted them to size. A few I did a little perspective warping on just to be thorough, but nothing too crazy. Finally, then I could move on to arguably the most important part: The overlay. Actually, aside from the overlay making the whole image look a little bit too dark, a little too saturated, that went a lot smoother than I thought it would. I just had to turn the saturation down a bit and bring the lightness up to fix that. Or, that's what I thought. I must've saved this thing 6 or 7 times thinking it was finished before spotting this, that, or the other thing (usually related to lighting or shading) that needed to be fixed. First, it was just fiddling with the overlay layer because it still seemed too dark overall, then it was tinkering with shading in various places, and then I decided to drop the ko-fi cup in there because it felt like that spot on the windowsill needed something else and I really wanted just one more logo reference. And then the bottom left corner I thought I fixed earlier now seemed too dark, so I had to un-fix/re-fix that. And of course, even after all that back-and-forth, I thought I was finally, finally done when I noticed the black checkerboard squares on the SnapChair were too dark of a black compared to the blacks/darks elsewhere in the photo, especially considering how light the area around the chair is. I'm sure I could've left it alone and it would've been okay, but my own brain wouldn't let me. So I fixed it! It's not even that noticeable of a difference, but it makes my brain feel so much better knowing it was indeed fixed. Fortunately, after that (at least for now) I stopped noticing things to tweak/fix. It's still not completely perfect, but the things I could continue playing with are at least to my satisfaction to the point I'm comfortable calling it finished. Though, honestly, it already feels like this description should be a lot longer when I think about the 3-4 days I spent working on this.    It was a lot of work, but just like I thought it would be, it was fun and I'm really happy with how it turned out. It was a real challenge as far as shading and perspective go, and obviously, for as strong of an image I had in my head when I started, it wasn't exactly a cakewalk to get it there. A lot of the lines are rough up-close, but they don't look so bad when there's so much else going on in the picture to distract from them.  Maybe I'll try the "softer" lines like this more often. I do know one thing, though, I'm going to be avoiding detailed backgrounds for a while. They always take a lot out of me. ____ Artwork (c) me, MysticSparkleWings I do not own any of the logos that inspired parts of this artwork ____ Where to find me & my artwork: My Website | Commission Info + Prices | Ko-Fi | dA Print Shop | RedBubble |   Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram

[saturatedcoffee]

How to put Roleplaying on your resume

And other skills you’ve picked up along the way.

I’ve gotten so many discord messages since my last post, both from other rpers who include roleplaying on their resume and others who are hesitant to. So, for those of you who want to be able to use this as a marketable skill, or want to know how you can improve your current resume roleplay listing, I’m here to help.

Please note - I am not a professional resume writer, just a broke ass twenty-something who was written too many resumes. The examples used below are generalizations taken from my personal resumes that have resulted in me getting the job. Use your best judgement, but, if in doubt, feel free to shoot me a message!

Also, I am primarily a forum roleplayer. While this can be used for other forms of roleplaying, you may have to change more of these examples to better fit your experiences.

Tips for your basic roleplay writer

As your basic roleplay writer, you excel at mostly one thing - writing. Perhaps you’ve picked up other skills along the way, like graphics or coding, or you’ve become familiar with software like Google Docs. These are all important skills you use professionally, so be sure to include them in the Skills section of your resume. Employers often refer to these as “soft skills” and it’s extremely difficult to find employees that have those skills and actually demonstrate them, so these can really help you stand out.

But the most important thing is to be able to include some examples. Find your favorite roleplay post and include it in your portfolio. Gather together your best moodboards, signature graphics, or avatars. Link to your resource site galleries or your rp tumblr tag. Demonstrate that you actually have these skills and that they’re more than just words on paper.

Here’s an example of some of the things I list in the skills section of my resume.

Skills

Writing: website content, blog articles, social media, coding markup, collaborative articles, 

Software & Languages: Google Drive, Microsoft Office, WordPress, Invision Power Board, Tumblr, Photoshop, Gimp, Pinterest. CSS, Javascript, HTML, JQuery

I also include three of my favorite roleplay posts I’ve written, and I’m building up a coding tumblr to showcase the things I’ve coded for rp, which I will include on future resumes. While hobbies sections of a resume are very outdated, this is a subtle way you can include this particular hobby. And employers generally like you more for it!

Tips for your roleplay staffer

Staffing a roleplay is, or rather should be, a whole different ballgame from being just a roleplay writer. Because, if you’ve staffed your roleplay the right way, it has now become a well of marketable content you can actually show to your potential employer. You have actual proof of your management skills and abilities you can link a live version to, even if the site has since closed. Don’t take that for granted! That kind of content is very valuable to a potential employer.

And now, aside from listing your abilities in the skills section of your resume, you have the opportunity to list your staffing experience in the list of jobs you’ve had experience with. Because your web forum is, essentially, a brand, and staffing is your job.

Aside from listing basic rp duties, if you do social media for your rp, or even advertise for it, those are marketable skills. If you use particular software to make things for your rp, like maps or timelines, ads or trailers, include that. Each rp is different, and there are many different forms of roleplaying. So tailor the below example to your experiences and include achievements that are relevant to you.

Web Community Administrator - Site Name and link, 2017-Present

Wrote, edited, and maintained all web manuals across web pages

Moderated community engagement & content across platforms to enforce community rules and regulations

Consistently maintained brand voice across publications by creating style guidelines and consistent posting rules

Collaborated with community members on site content to create engaging SEO statistics

Built a successful user and readership base by building advertising strategies across multiple web platforms.

Tips for your roleplay coder

I am partial to the rp coder, specifically of forums, because I am one! Being able to code anything is such a skill these days, and employers like it a lot more if you tell them you do it for fun. Even if you’re not applying for a coding job, it’s another fun fact about you that makes you stand out.

If you’re a coder, I would suggest having a portfolio of your work somewhere. Either on a resource site they can access as a guest (codepen is great for this) or a blog, forum, or website they can see your work on. 

Here are some generic examples of things you can put on your resume, but tailor them to your specialties!

Web Forum Designer - Site or Portfolio name/link, Date-Present

Designed interactive web templates and mobile-first layouts to increase web accessibility

Maintained multiple web forums via back end control panel of Invision Power Board

Increased user engagement by ##% by designing intuitive interfaces

Built brand style guidelines to improve brand recognition, increasing website hits by ##%

Tips - and disclaimers - for everyone

The best tip I can give to anyone about writing a resume is to tailor each resume to the job you are applying for. Use keywords used in the job listing. Use terms like KPI or ROI where necessary. Use specific examples of the things you’ve done in concise sentences. Where you can, avoid being vague. Show your worth. Link examples!

The examples I used above are very generic and are meant to be used as a place to start from for everybody. I cannot stress it enough that you still need to tailor these examples to your experience and skills. For example, if you designed interactive web templates, link to your coding tumblr tag or resource gallery. If you wrote and maintained web manuals (see site rules, plot, member groups, etc.), link to that forum or those pages or put a (see below) and include them in the examples you send along with your resume. Use percentages where appropriate and include trackable data where you can to help illustrate your positive impact on that site.

However, when putting your resume into website instead of uploading it as a .pdf or .doc, this can be difficult. So use your best judgement.

How to tell a potential employer you roleplay while in an interview

So now that you’ve gotten through writing your resume, let’s assume you got the interview! Congratulations! You used your skills to stand out a little bit from the 800 other applicants that put in for the job. But you still have to make an impression out of the 20 other suits coming in for the interview. *Gulp*

I’ve found that the easiest way is to mention it when they ask you the infamous “Tell me about yourself” question. This question is your elevator pitch, so work it in in a way that’s quick and will make them want to ask you more about it later. Don’t make it the focus, just drop in a line and move on. For example:

“I’ve been working in media for the last five years, but I would like to focus on web media in particular. I’ve been writing for websites in my free time for the last decade, and found this is the area I’m most passionate about...” I’ll let you imagine how the rest of that elevator pitch goes.

Now my interviewer will probably ask me about all this experience I have writing for web that’s not exactly spelled out on my resume. But I’ll have those experiences, either listed in my skills section or as a job listing, to refer them back to.

So now you’re probably wondering, when they do ask you about it, how to not be weird about it. Because rp is...actually really weird I mean the amount of sex I write about is unreal, yo. But you really only need get into the basics. Tell them you enjoy writing, and that you enjoy writing collaboratively. And through that passion, you’ve learned how to effectively manage web communities or taught yourself CSS. When you talk about your passions in an interview and how they’ve lead you to pursue professional advancement, you really stand out. You become “that girl who loved writing so much she became this dope ass graphic designer” or “that guy who loved writing so much he became this insane web developer.” It shows not just passion, but a breadth of skills and curiosities and gives you much more potential to grow within a position than other candidates.

While talking about your roleplay experience, offer to send them examples of your work when you get home. The amount of times I’ve mentioned my creative passions in an interview and had the non-creative interviewer want to know more is too damn high. But not only does that give you the opportunity to send a thank you email, but gives them something to click on and remember you by. Which is a make it or break it part of most interviews.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk

That’s all the advice I’ve got for you, kids. I apologize for it being so vague, but I wanted this to be usable by the largest amount of roleplayers it could be. If you have questions, or want to know how it could be used to highlight your own skills more, feel free to drop me an ask or friend me on discord and shoot me a message! I’m always happy to offer some suggestions to you.

And if you’re already doing all of this, why don’t you share your own experiences? How has using rp on a resume helped you? What other tips do you have? And how can others make the most of their experiences to help them?

[alecjmarsh]

How I Make Story Mood Boards

Written by request!

First, here are some mood boards that I have made. I’m linking them so I can refer to them and give specific examples--I would advise having them open while you read. 

Loud the Waves Roar   |   Winter Song   |   Yellow Rose   |   Tirsa

Before You Start

As soon as I start developing a story, I come up with a tag for it on tumblr. Sometimes it’s the name of the story, but if I don’t have a name, I call it “project—keyword.” That way I can save anything that might be relevant until I have enough of an idea about the story to start an aesthetic. Sometimes by the time I’m ready, there are some real gems there.

Finding images

This is really difficult and usually takes me a couple hours. I start by simply searching for anything that might be vaguely relevant to the story. For Yellow Rose, some of the terms I googled included: woman, 1930s film star, witch, witchcraft, dustbowl, storm, 1930s, cabin, gardening, farmer, field, vintage car, wolf, werewolf, guitar, musician, folk music, Bonnie & Clyde. Be creative with your terms, and scroll through a few pages of results.

Google tends to return a lot of stock photos, so I also use tumblr a lot, and should use pinterest more, but sometimes google image is good enough

Find actors who resemble your characters. Bonus points if the actors have been in movies set in a similar time period.

Remember that images can be cropped and filtered. If you only need a hands, try looking with terms like “gentleman” or “teacup” or “praying” or “shirt cuffs” or something that might have a hand doing something interesting in it.

Sometimes, finding the right image is a lot of work. The guitar image in Yellow Rose is one I found, cropped, and then put through like 6 Photoshop filters before I thought it looked sufficiently vintage (and I still don’t love it.)

Save everything you might use in a folder. You’ll be surprised what you end up keeping at the end. Each of the mood boards I linked has 25-30 images saved in the desktop folder.

Words (optional)

I like to put words on my aesthetics! For Yellow Rose, I took lyrics from a Laura Marling song. The album Semper Femina is basically the soundtrack for that story. I think for the Winter Song words, I searched “relationship” or “romance” on tumblr and scrolled until I found something I liked. I pick out words fairly early in the process because I need to know how much space they’ll take up.

While doing the layout, I also decide if the words should go over an existing image or on a solid colored background, which can take up space if you don’t have a lot of images, or put emphasis on the words if that’s what you want. That’s what I did in Tirsa’s mood board, since those words are so indicative of her journey.  

Layout

I look at the images and pick out a couple that I know I have to have. That helps me decide how to arrange the other pieces, and then the other images usually get picked to fill in the gaps. You can see from my linked boards that I like playing with shapes.

There is nothing wrong with a standard set up! It’s non-distracting and lets you focus on the images instead.

Some classics are a 3x3 grid of square images or a 2x4 table of images that are wider than they are tall. Both are going to be automatically balanced and easy to read.

On tumblr, images placed side by side get automatically cropped into the same dimensions. This keeps things balanced along a vertical symmetry line (the same on the left and right). If you’re working in Canva, photoshop, or another photo processing app, you’ll have more options

Yellow Rose: For this I started with the concept of a 3x3 grid. The wolf and the herb pictures were square, and the photo of the girl was nearly square, so it made sense to crop everything else that way. Instead of doing a perfect grid, I decided to put the wide image in the middle because it really captured the feeling of the wide sky being swallowed up by dust clouds. It went in the middle to keep the top and bottom balanced. The top row is Florence, and the bottom row is Rosa, so each of the girls get the same amount of images.

Winter Song: Winter Song is primarily a romance, set against a political backdrop. I knew that Irina, as the POV character, had to be more prominent than Viktor in the layout, so I put her up top. I loved that image of Emmy Rossum and knew I had to have it, so I found two images with similar proportions to go on either side of it. This mood board also tells a story as it goes down. The top row is Irina as she arrives in St. Karlsburg. The words show the change in her life that catalyzes the story—meeting Viktor. Then there are two images to show the political unrest in the city. One is a riot of peasants and one is a marching army, but both show crowds in mirror images of each other. (It’s possible I flipped one of the images to create this effect). The bottom row shows her personal life—her writing, her lover, and the long conversations they have together over tea.

Cohesion

Now for all the fiddly bits that really make the post come together. To make it look like a single art piece and not some images pulled together from google, they need to look like they came from the same source. The first thing I do is crop the images super carefully. I do the cropping first because sometimes it turns out an image won’t fit in with the others once it is cropped.

I build my aesthetic posts directly in tumblr, which is kind of janky so I have to be careful. You don’t have to do this, but I like being able to click on each image and look at it separately.

Next is color. I think it’s important that every image have a similar color feel, or that certain images are intentionally bright for emphasis. I do this by playing with saturation sliders and filters in the default photo editing software on my PC.

Part of color cohesion should be in your mind from the beginning, so you pick images with lots of blues and greens (as in the case of Loud the Waves Roar) or something like that. It makes your life easier later.

Yellow Rose: Sometimes a color choice is genre motivated. Yellow Rose is entirely sepia toned because (1) it’s set during the dustbowl and (2) it’s a metaphor for Florence’s state of mind.

LTWR: Sometimes color is setting motivated. Loud the Waves Roar is much brighter than my usual mood boards, but medieval courts were just Like That, and also it is set in a country that is tied to the sea, and blues and greens help emphasize that.

Winter Song: Sometimes color is more symbolic. All of Winter Song is slightly desaturated because it’s set in a fantasy world based on the 1910s, but there is more variety. I desaturated the city street to make it sit right with the other two images in the top row—if it was too bright, it would draw the eye and look like the most important image. The pictures of the crowds are intentionally sepia toned to look like vintage photographs or newspaper clippings (Irina is a journalist). The bottom row, Viktor’s row, is more brightly colored both the draw the eye and to show that that is the main focus of the story.

Tirsa: Tirsa’s mood board is mostly reds (her hair/blood) and green (gives a botanical/medical feeling), so I desaturated the blue sky so as not to unbalance the rest of it.

I love mood boards that are mostly desaturated except for two images in similar color that create a balance and draw the eye. Not every image should be equally important, because that exhausts the eye. Pops of color, or text to break up the images, keeps the eye interested. There’s also some color theory that goes into this, as too many different colors can look garish or cluttered, so picking a couple complementary ones and desaturating the rest can be helpful. Go with what looks right.

Once everything is laid out, I try to walk away for a little bit and come back to it with fresh eyes. Do the pieces still fit together? Do the right images draw my eye? Do I understand the essence of the story? Do I like it?

If the answers to all these questions are yes, it’s time to post.

OH AND PLEASE CITE YOUR SOURCES!!!!

[mvsicbookfrxndom]

I’m back

Okay lovely people, especially the soccer fandom that has stayed with me...

Before I even say a single word, I need to address this. My inbox currently contains 99+ messages. Yes, you heard that right. So if I have not responded to your message in literally months, that is the reason. I deeply, deeply apologize, and I want to stress that I will try to make time for everything and maximize my  time management skills in the future. I have detailed the other reasons for my disappearance below as well.

Now that finals are almost over and I have adjusted more to my new school, I am able to pay more attention and put more effort into my account. These past few months I haven’t been on tumblr at all, and lately I’ve only been liking posts instead of reblogging them or even *gasp* creating my own posts. But I have arisen out of the ashes like a phoenix to say that I will now try to put as much effort into maintaining this blog as I can! I am determined to make it work and balance out my schoolwork, extracurriculars, and social media accounts!

To give you all a glimpse into my life and my responsibilities...

I go to a VERY difficult school with a ton of schoolwork.

I spend most of my time after school participating in a variety of extracurriculars.

It’s a residential school, and the WiFi goes off at 11:30...and I don’t have a hotspot.

Did I mention the workload??!

Not only that! I have other social medias that need maintaining as well.

Facebook (for school)

Instagram (basically to keep up with soccer & Habesha cultural stuff)

Snapchat (to keep up with news of people in my school)

This account (for obvious reasons)

Wattpad (I’ve barely logged on in so long)

Reddit (I LOVE REDDIT OKAY)

Quora (gotta help people get them answers amirite)

Quotev (which is hella dead)

Pinterest (gotta look at them pics)

Imgur (refer to parentheses above)

AO3 (which is basically dead because I haven’t found time to write fanfiction AT ALL)

A fucking DEAD Discord account that to be fair I never use anymore

etc.

My typical day looks like this:

Wake up, go to school, etc.

Call my mother for at least 15 minutes a day. If my sister is able to call me, that’s basically an hour out of my schedule right there.

Finish homework due the next day.

Check texts to see if my parents/in person friends have texted me.

Check Facebook and Messenger to stay in touch with school things.

Watch Snapchat and Instagram stories for the latest topical news.

Usually, by the time all that has been finished, it is already 11:30 and my time is completely gone. It makes me so mad.

After doing all that, I start working on homework due the next day. The grind pretty much never stops. I’m pretty sure it will only stop after finals, and even then only temporarily. However, I am so willing to grind my ass off in order to reclaim my life.

I’m so profoundly upset and saddened by the number of online friends I have lost due to the mental, physical, and psychological stresses that have been put on me ever since I entered school. They think the reason I have disappeared is because I don’t care about them, but that is not it at all whatsoever. I love them far more than I could ever love myself. My love for them is so deep and I wish I could cut out my heart from my chest so they could see it bleed for them. I hope they know who they are as they read this, if they read this. It has been such a difficult adjustment in my life for me that I’ve basically cut off all ties just so I can stay successful. My grades have been slipping and I’m so terrified that I won’t be able to pay for my college education because I can’t get scholarships with Bs on my transcript because of the astronomical amount of competition. In general, I’m just...really scared.

My mental health has severely deteriorated ever since an incident occurred to me over the summer, close after the end of school. I think that is why the World Cup and soccer had such an effect on me - I was so lost, and needed something in my life that would make me happy and make life worth living again, and that was soccer, right there in its beautiful glory for me to fall in love with and feel love again. However, I am determined not to let the darkness win. I HAVE to fight back. It is the only way I can reclaim everything I have lost.

Here are my goals for the future. I want to share them with you all. So that they’re out there in the world and I have no choice but to commit.

Finish ALL my homework and STUDY.

Start a YouTube channel containing my song covers.

I put these in bullet points because these are running goals, so they’re in progress.

Send my sister all of her photos. I’m an asshole for making her wait this long. I’m an asshole for making all of you wait this long.

Respond to all 99+ inbox messages I’ve received. (I’m so sorry, all of you. I will reply, I swear. Just give me time. I know you already have.)

Respond to all my Wattpad messages.

Respond to all my emails on all of my accounts and clean up all of my email accounts, especially when it comes to writing emails to my business card people plaguing my phone!

Organize all of my photos and upload them to either my Drive or Google Photos so I can blissfully mass delete them and gain a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and indescribable joy.

Eliminate all of the open incognito tabs on my phone.

Organize both of my Google Drives, especially their folders and individual docs.

Clean up my Spotify ffs!!!

Finish my Very Long Fanfic Project.

Write other fanfics that I’ve been planning to write for such a long time, before I either lose inspiration or forget about them altogether. Making sure they are oneshots and not Very Long Fanfic Projects so they’ll, like, actually get written finished.

Reorganize and revolutionize my tumblr page so it is more clean with better tags. Also maybe change its HTML/CSS up so it’s more lit.

Fix all of my old Wattpad accounts, the ones that weren’t my main account. I feel like some people were counting on those.

Finish all of my old fanfics. Every single one that I started and never quite completed (on AO3 AND Wattpad).

Resurrect my Quora, Quotev, and Reddit accounts from the internet grave. They are pretty much my ultimate failed experiments.

Begin doing research on internships, colleges, and career choices, as well as interests and hobbies or stuff you’d like to learn how to do.

Start writing my own original works - including, but not limited to - books, short stories, poems, songs, raps, editorial articles, essays, and film scripts.

Finish Mr. Robot, Hannibal, and Sherlock.

Watch SKAM Austin.

Start watching movies.

As you can see, this is a very long ass list. I know it will take a long time. I know it will not be easy. But sometimes, writing things down and realizing how difficult they will be to accomplish is the first step in actually fixing them. I hope I can.

thanks for coming to my ted talk everyone. please dm me if you have any questions with what i said above. i love you all.

[ed-edward-blackbeard]

long-ass fucking questionnaire

yoooooooo, I did it all.

I’m starting this at 1:15 in the morning.  Let’s see how long it takes me to finish.  cause I’m a masochist, apparently.

1: My name? do I HAVE to?  Okay, it’s Kelly.  But I really hate it, so usually I go by Kel.  A few lucky ones get to call me Kelly, but only because I love the way my name sounds when they say it.  There, my dirty secret is out.

2: Do I have any nicknames? A plethora.  Artie (after the fish), Fluffie (long story) Jellybean

3: Zodiac sign? The most Libra Libra that has ever Libra’d.

4: Video game I play to chill, not to win? I don’t play video games.  But I play a few online games, so Doctor Who: Legacy

5: Book/series I reread? The Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward (Series) The Harry Potter books Morgan Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan (series) Good Omens (Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett) Watchers (Dean Koontz) Insomnia (Stephen King)

6: Aliens or ghosts? I have nothing against either.  But I enjoy writing about ghosts more.

7: Writer I trust enough to read whatever they write? Stephen King

8: Favourite radio station? NPR, strangely enough.

9: Favourite flavour of anything? Lemon.  I still thoroughly enjoy chocolate, but my radiation therapy changed the way it tasted.  

10: The word that I use all the time to describe something great? Awesome.  Both with and without the addition of the adjective “fucking”

11: Favourite song? My standard answer is, ‘Everything Louder Than Everything Else’ by Meat Loaf, because I truly love that song, but lately I’ve been on a Game of Thrones kick, and i’m stuck on “The Rains of Castamere” by Sigur Rios and “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” because it’s such a Jaime x Brienne song.

12: The question you ask new friends to get to know them better? Bold of you to assume I have friends.

13: Favourite word? sycophant, gestalt, melancholy

14: The last person who hurt me, did I forgive them? After about, oh, ten years or so, yes I did.  It’s a new thing for me.  usually I hold grudges until the end of time.

15: Last song I listened to? “Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin

16: TV show I always recommend? Current:  American Gods, Better Call Saul Cancelled/ended:  Hannibal (NBC), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

17: Pirates or ninjas? Drink up me hearties, yo ho!  Yo ho, yo yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.

18: Movie I watch when I’m feeling down? Usually something from the Disney/Pixar Ouvre.  Except UP.  UP makes me sob in the first ten minutes, so no.

19: Song that I always start my shuffle with/wake-up song/always-on-a-loop song? Du Hast, Rammstein.

20: Favourite video games? Puzzles and Dragons, Doctor Who: Legacy, Dragonvale

21: What am I most afraid of? Snakes, without a doubt.

22: A good quality of mine? I’m creative

23: A bad quality of mine? I don’t think before I speak, so i sometimes don’t end up saying what I mean to say and hurt/offend in the process.

24: Cats or dogs? Bi-petual with a preference to cats

25: Actor/actress you trust enough to watch whatever they’re in? Bruce Campbell.  Alien Apocalypse, anybody?

26: Favourite season? Winter

27: Am I in a relationship? No, although I do love someone very much

28: Something I miss? Being a kid, with all the possibilities of my life still ahead of me

29: My best friend? @mummyholmesisupset and @silvarbelle.  they tie.

30: Eye colour? Hazel-greenish, with a little bit of sunflower around the pupil

31: Hair colour? Normally, a pretty chestnut brown.  sometimes I bleach it or dye it.

32: Someone I love? @silvarbelle, she’s my sister-from-another-mister, and I will throw hands for that bitch in a heartbeat.

33: Someone I trust? @mummyholmesisupset because she’s earned it a hundred times over.  @silvarbelle because I love her like family.

34: Someone I always think about? My grandmother.  she died when I was seventeen, and I still miss her.

35: Am I excited about anything? My birthday

36: My current obsession? Gam of thrones, Doctor Who, Hannibal, the MCU

37: Favourite TV shows as a child? Thundercats, Scooby Doo, 60s Batman, My Favorite Martian, the Monkees

38: Do I have someone of the opposite sex that I can tell everything to? No, thank God.

39: Am I superstitious? Not overly, but I do have a few.

40: What do I think about most? Writing

41: Do I have any strange phobias? Is arachnophobia strange?

42: Do I prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it? Behind it, dear God.

43: Favourite hobbies? Writing, reading, pinning things on Pinterest that I absolutely mean to do but probably never will

44: Last book I read? Watchers by Dean Koontz, and I’m in the middle of Fear by Bob Woodward

45: Last film I watched? Backdraft.  “You go, we go.”  

46: Do I play any instruments? Not since band class in the early 90s.

47: Favourite animal? Cat.

48: Top 5 blog on Tumblr that I follow? ???????  I don’t think I do.

49: Superpower I wish I could have? Manipulation of probability

50: How do I destress? Writing, watching Netflix, watching Mythbusters

51: Do I like confrontation? Like it, no.  Good at it, yes.

52: When do I feel most at peace? When it’s quiet and the only noises are the clicking of the keyboard and my cats’ purring

53: What makes me smile? Cute animals, stupid puns, comments on fic

54: Do I sleep with the lights on or off? Off, except for my TARDIS nightlight

55: Play any sports? Fuck no.

56: What is my song of the week? Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

57: Favourite drink? 1% milk.

58: When did I last send a handwritten letter to somebody? A few months?  It was to @mummyholmesisupset in fact.

59: Afraid of heights? Desperately so.

60: Pet peeve? Anchovies, people who don’t use coasters, and men who smoke in public places.  (yes, it’s a movie reference.  And if you get it, I will send you a shiny nickel)

61: What was the last concert I went to see? Black Sabbath’s Theater of Madness

62: Am I vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian? Fuck no.  I am, in fact, omnivorous and diabetic.

63: What occupation did I want to do when I was younger? To be Daphne Blake in Mystery, Inc.

64: Have I ever had a friend turn enemy? Yep.  Not fun.

65: What fictional universe would I like to be a part of? Hannibal’s.  I’m not rude for the most part, so I have a pretty good chance at surviving.

66: Something I worry about? My future.  Cancer has shortened my life span, my relatives are all 65+, and I am an only child with no children of my own (Thank Christ)  I haven’t worked since 2004 (been caretaking sick parents) so I’m concerned.

67: Scared of the dark? I love the dark, so no.

68: Who are my best friends? @mummyholmesisupset  @silvarbelle

69: What do I admire most about others? That they can do things, very well, that I can’t do.  What that is varies from person to person

70: Can I sing? Not very well, but I don't let that stop me...

71: Something I wish I could do? Write professionally.  I love writing fanfic, but I'd kill to be a real, published author.

72: If I won the lottery, what would I do? Pay off bills, go back to college, buy myself a car (pickup, Ford F-150 with fog lights and automatic steering), pay off my mom's bills, hire an aide to stay with Mom, move to my favorite city and hire a winter-time driver because I can't drive for shit in the snow/ice.

73: Have I ever skipped school? Nope.  Often wanted to, never have.

74: Favourite place on the planet? Asheville, NC.  Technically, it's Montreat, which is right outside of Black Mountain and is a township unto itself.  It's also home to Montreat Bible College, established by Billy Graham, and the Chapel of the Prodigal.  It is also home to Lake Susan, one of the most quiet and beautiful places on God's green earth, and I would live by that little lake if I could.  I have photos in my Google Drive, I need to share them sometime.  You'll see what I mean.  But I love Asheville, too, downtown and all.  

75: Where do I want to live? Asheville, NC.  Except I can't drive in the snow and ice, so there's that.

76: Do I have any pets? I have two cats, Samhain Murray (Sam) and Margaret May (Maggie, Maggie May, Margaret Ann)

77: What is my current desktop picture? On my laptop, it's Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) from Gotham.  On my tablet, it's the Superman logo.  On my phone, it's my cat, Sam.

78: Early bird or night owl? Night owl, given that it's 2:30 AM and I'm still working on this.

79: Sunsets or sunrise? Sunsets, please.

80: Can I drive? i don't know, can you?  I can.

81: Story behind my last kiss? I kissed my cat on his cold wet nose because he was headbutting me and so I kissed him.

82: Earphones or headphones? Earphones, sadly.  I prefer headphones, but headphones are uncomfortable because I wear glasses.  So, earbuds.

83: Have I ever had braces? Did you?  I don't know.  Did I?  Yes, I did, I fucking despised them.

84: Story behind one of my scars? in late 2004, I started getting very ill.  I couldn't keep food down, I was puking all the time, pale and everything, so I went to the ER and found I had a mass the size of a basketball growing in my abdomen.  I was shipped to the local cancer center because of the cancer markers, and at the tender age of 27, I got a hysterectomy.  I was cut from my navel to my diaphragm, old school, because the mass was twenty-four pounds.  Benign, thank goodness, but it had started to go necrotic and I was well into blood poisoning (the reason I was puking and sick all the time).  I still have the scar, and always will.

85: Favourite genre of music? instrumental celtic.

86: Who is my hero? I don't know that I have one, as such

87: Favourite comic book character? SUPERMAN, BABY.  SUCK MY DICK BATS

88: What makes me really angry? Mistreatment of people and animals.  Abuse of people and animals.

89: Kindle or real book? Both have their benefits, but I love the weight and feel of a real book.  I love the portability of a Kindle.  

90: Favourite sporty activity? Marathon TV-binge

91: What is one thing that isn’t tight in schools that should be? There's NOTHING RIGHT in schools

92: What was my favourite subject at school? Creative writing

93: Siblings? Nope, my parents saw their mistake and decided never again.

94: What was the last thing I bought? A pair of Sperry deck shoes with Han Solo and Chewbacca on them.

95: How tall am I? 5'6

96: Can I cook? yes, I can.  perhaps not well, but I can cook enough to feed myself and my mom.

97: Can I bake? Yes, I can.  I'm a SLIGHTLY better baker than a cook.

98: 3 things I love? Writing, my cats, Christopher Reeve

99: 3 things I hate? So many things.  Um, spiders, snakes, creepy clowns

100: Do I have more girl friends or boy friends? at the moment, girl.  when I was in school?  boy.

101: Who do I get on with better, girls or boys? General rule?  Boys, or girls that are kind of not-ultra-girly.

102: Where was I born? North Carolina, that hotbed of conservative bullshit.  I'm actually ashamed to admit that's where I'm from.

103: Sexual orientation? I'm working on figuring that out.  Let's call it bisexual for now, and I'll update you as it happens.

104: Where do I currently live? North Carolina, sadly.

105: Last person I texted? @mummyholmesisupset

106: Last time I cried? Today.  I was watching WALL-E on STARZ, and UP came on while I was finishing dinner.  By the time Ellie was miscarrying, I was bawling.

107: Guilty pleasure? I'm not really guilty about my pleasures, but I do have a soft spot for mind-candy romance novels.  Like Johanna Lindsey, Nina Bangs, Harlequin, etc.

108: Favourite Youtuber? I hate Youtubers.

109: A photo of myself. uh, no.

110: Do I like selfies? fuck no.

111: Favourite game app? Doctor Who: Legacy

112: My relationship with my parents? It varies from moment to moment.  My dad never really understood me, and after he got sick and was in a coma for awhile, it changed him.  so there was never really a chance for him to try.  My relationship with my mom is... complicated.  Sometimes we're BFFs and finish each other's sandwiches, and other times, we hate each other's guts and would gladly murder each other and bury the bodies in the backyard.

113: Favourite accents? Spanish, English/Scottish, all the Asian ones (the gentleman that runs my local Chinese restaurant speaks Cantonese and Mandarin both, and I could listen to that all day.)

114: A place I have not been but wish to visit? London, Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Scotland, Italy, Greece, New York, Japan, Los Angeles

115: Favourite number? 15

116: Can I juggle? Nope

117: Am I religious? Eh, not really.  I go to bible study mostly because I have half a crush on the preacher.

118: Do I like space? YES.

119: Do I like the deep ocean? Not so much.

120: Am I much of a daredevil? NO

121: Am I allergic to anything? Ciprofloxacin, IV contrast dye, Mobic/meloxicam, Zofram/ondansetron, and a ton of fragranced products (I have sensitive skin that breaks out at the drop of a hat.)  

122: Can I curl my tongue? Yep!

123: Can I wiggle my ears? Nope!

124: Do I like clowns? Yes, if they're cute.  NOT PENNYWISE, I HATE PENNYWISE.  But I love Tim Curry's Pennywise.  But that's because Tim Curry is awesome.

125: The Beatles or Elvis? Elvis.  I'm an Elvis chick.

126: My current project? "By Inches We Fall," a Game of Thrones fanfic that's Jaime Lannister x Brienne of Tarth.  I'm also working on some Christmas projects involving spray paint and recycled K-Cups

127: Am I a bad loser? Horrible loser.  I hate to lose.

128: Do I admit when I wrong? sometimes.  depends on who I'm talking to, and the tone of the discussion.  if it's a civil discourse, yes I will.  If we're shouting?  I'm not backing down.

129: Forest or beach? Forest.  A forest doesn't leave sand in your butt crack.

130: Favourite piece of advice? Mind your own business and you won't be minding mine

131: Am I a good liar? I used to be.

132: Hogwarts house / Divergent faction / Hunger Games district? Slytherin/what the fuck is a Divergent/12

133: Do I talk to myself? i do, and sometimes I answer

134: Am I very social? HAHAHAHAHA NO.

135: Do I like gossip? sit by me and pour that tea, bitch.

136: Do I keep a journal/diary? I do, on paper, and you'll never read it.

137: Have I ever hopelessly failed a test? i failed every physics test I took in high school.  after becoming a Mythbusters stan, I retook an online physics test and passed it.  

138: Do I believe in second chances? depends on the situation and the person, but generally not.  i have been known to give them, though.

139: If I found a wallet full of cash on the ground, what would I do? oh man.  I'd like to say I'd turn it in untouched, but.  I also know I've got medication pay for (mine and mom's), her insurance to pay for (i'm uninsured), groceries and gas to buy, so in all probability?  I'd keep the cash but return everything else.

140: Do I believe people are capable of change? No.  People are who they are.  they might change what they think or what they believe in, but who they are?  No.

141: Have I ever been underweight? AHAHAHAHAHA NO

142: Am I ticklish? ...there's no good way to answer.  If I say no, you'll tickle me to prove it.  If I say yes, you'll tickle me.  But yes, I am.  especially my feet.

143: Have I ever been in a submarine? WTF?  No.

144: Have I ever been on a plane? Once, and never again

145: In a film about my life, who would I cast as myself, friends and family? Rebel Wilson as me, America Ferrera as @mummyholmesisupset, Kristen Bell as @silvarbelle, Jessica Lange as my mother, and I can't think of anyone else.

146: Have I ever been overweight? Always, am currently, though I'm working to lose it.  I've lost about 50 lbs in the past year, so I'm doing okay

147: Do I have any piercings? Three in my right ear, two in my left.

148: Which fictional character do I wish was real? Hannibal Lecter.

149: Do I have any tattoos? nope, but I want a couple.

150: What is the best decision I have made in life so far? .....i haven't made a single good decision....

151: Do I believe in Karma? it bites me on the ass often enough, so yes I do.

152: Do I wear glasses or contacts? Glasses, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to switch to bifocals next time

153: What was my first car? 1979 green Dodge Aries K

154: Do I want children? If they're furry and four-legged, sure.

155: Who is the most intelligent person I know? um, probably my uncle with two frigging masters degrees

156: My most embarrassing memory? I met John deLancie at a Star Trek con once, just coming down the stairs from his room to the con floor.  And I fell all over myself talking to him because I was like, fourteen or something and he was tall and handsome and genuinely happy to be tthere and I was basically every fangirl's nightmare.

157: What makes me nostalgic? watching old TV shows I loved as a kid, or reading books I haven't read in years.

158: Have I ever pulled an all-nighter? Yep

159: Which do I value more in others, brains or beauty? brains.  i'm practically a zombie.

160: What colour mostly dominates my wardrobe? Purple and fuschia equally.

161: Have I ever had a paranormal experience? Not as such, no.

162: What do I hate most about myself? Everything?

163: What do I love most about myself? I like my hair.

164: Do I like adventure? only the ones in books.

165: Do I believe in fate? not really.

166: Favourite animal? Felis cattus

167: Have I ever been on radio? nope

168: Have I ever been on TV? nope

169: How old am I? 42

170: One of my favourite quotes? "Lock the door.  And hope they don't have blasters."

171: Do I hold grudges? you bet your bippy I do.  (what is a bippy and why are you betting it?)

172: Do I trust easily? No.

173: Have I learnt from my mistakes? I hope I have.  But I suspect I haven't.

174: Best gift I’ve ever received? A single cupcake and a rosebud, given to me by the nurses at the cancer treatment center because it was my birthday and I was having radiation and felt absolutely shitty.  so they surprised me with a little cupcake and a rose for my birthday and it made me feel better.

175: Do I dream? Yep.

176: Have I ever had a night terror? Yep

177: Do I remember my dreams, and what is one that comes to mind? I remember some of them, like the Continuing Adventures of Roxy, the Pink Police Poodle.

178: An experience that has made me stronger? My breakups.

179: If I were immortal, what would I do? Sleep a lot, read even more, learn everything that I never had before.

180: Do I like shopping? I do!

181: If I could get away with a crime, what would I choose to do? Bank robbery.

182: What does “family” mean to me? family is a group of people, not necessarily related by blood, who have chosen to band together in love and support of each other.

183: What is my spirit animal? According to my meditation quest, it's a wolf.  But I'm not really comfortable saying that because it wasn't a real vision quest, I'd have to go to the res for that (i have Cherokee blood on my father's side) and I haven't.

184: How do I want to be remembered? As someone who tried to be good.

185: If I could master one skill, what would I choose? Woodcarving.

186: What is my greatest failure? I dropped out of college in the 90s, when I had an accident that broke my ankle.  I never went back.

187: What is my greatest achievement? five-year survivor, cancer-free!

188: Love or money? Money, sadly.

189: Love or career? love

190: If I could time travel, where and when would I want to go? Am I an observer like the Doctor?  If yes, then I would go back to the Globe Theater and see all of Shakespeare as it was originally performed. Am I living there, stuck?  Future, please.

191: What makes me the happiest? Writing.

192: What is “home” to me? Where I lay my head.

193: What motivates me? How I feel, what I see, something that fascinates me.

194: If I could choose my last words, what would they be? Wake me up when it's over

195: Would I ever want to encounter aliens? Depends on if they're hostile or kind.

196: A movie that scared me as a child? The Dark Crystal.  I love it now.

197: Something I hated as a child that I like now? V-8 juice

198: Zombies or vampires? oooh, both.  But vampires.

199: Live in the city or suburbs? Suburbs

200: Dragons or wizards? Dragons all the way, man.  I love dragons.

201: A nightmare that has stayed with me? Its always the same.  I'm being chased by someone/something, it's always getting closer, and it sounds like a loud, roaring motorcycle.  And I'm always running or racing through the Black Lodge from Twin Peaks (the place with all the red curtains and the black/white zig-zag floor.  That place freaks me the fuck out, and ever since the show aired, it's been in my nightmares)

202: How do I define love? Love is not love, that alters when it alteration finds, nor bends with the remover to remove; O no, it is an ever fixed mark, that looks on tempests and is never shaken.

203: Do I judge a book by its cover? sometimes.  I've found great books in the bargain bin that way.  I've also found a few stinkers.  Come to think of it, I've found a few people that way too.  Some great, some stinkers.

204: Have I ever had my heart broken? I have.

205: Do I like my handwriting? i do, actually

206: Sweet or savoury? Savoury

207: Worst job I’ve had? Market research interview administrator.  I was one of those assholes that flagged you down in the mall and made you watch a commercial or a movie trailer, or try a snack product and then asked you a billion and five questions about it

208: Do I collect anything? Funko POPs, Superman memorabilia, Star Wars and Star Trek memorabilia, penguins, mooses

209: Item of clothing or jewellery you’ll never see me without? my dragon ring, my pocketwatch

210: What is on my bucket list? I don't have one

211: How do I handle anger? Depends.  I sometimes hold it in, but most times I blow like a firecracker.  hot and hard, and then I cool off.

212: Was I named after anyone? my dad's uncle Kelly, and my mom's father Ray (i'm Kelly Rae)

213: Do I use sarcasm a lot? me?  sarcastic?  Perish the thought.

214: What TV character am I most like? Dobie Gillis.

215: What is the weirdest talent I have? I can twirl just about anything like a baton and not drop it

216: Favourite fictional character? Ashley j. Williams

3:24 AM.  Son of a bitch.

[the-da1-blog-archive]

Controlling a Scroll Addiction with The Fibonacci Series

20 years ago, I began collecting all the Fashion Magazines put out for recycling, on my street in Brooklyn Heights.  I was flipping through everyone - every page, in search of inspiration for my Artwork.  I had thousands of magazines and had spent an incalculable number of hours flipping cover to cover.  Often times I was searching for some specific reference picture I knew I would never find, and other times I didn’t even know what I was looking for - but I would know it when I found it.

This consumed hours of my week that would be better spent doing more disciplined and deliberate work.  What was going on in my head was no mystery to me… I would stand in an uncomfortable position when I flipped because I never intended to spend an hour on that activity, but it became an hour, I was uncomfortable, aware and yet I couldn’t put it down.  And here is why…

I would think, “what I’m looking for might be on the next page, so I can’t stop now”.  At the very least I would need to get to the magazine’s back cover before walking away.  I knew flipping pages was an addiction.  A mini addiction and it had to stop.

Today, this is a massive problem with the internet - With all the rabbit holes specifically designed to be addictive.  Let me name a few:  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Spotify, Reddit, Tumblr, Netflix, Bumble, Tinder, Plenty of Fish, Amazon, Google, and worst of all, Fast fashion websites and apps designed to keep you scrolling endlessly for clothing you don’t even need.  All perfect examples of the many places we waste our time.  Sprinkled throughout our day and consuming our nights, these mini-micro addictions control our lives.

So how do you stop yourselves when you realize you are stuck in the endless scroll of an internet rabbit hole and willpower isn’t enough to break you free?  I have developed a simple technique that really works.  All you are going to have to do is memorize a number sequence.  It is a sequence that you should really know anyways because it is a gateway pattern at the core of all things modeled by Nature, which is a lure leading to a path of powerful discoveries.

It is called the “Fibonacci Series”, also known as “The Fibonacci Sequence”.  If you want to learn more about it that is up to you, but when it becomes a mini-micro addiction, here is how I use it to stop myself.

You will only need to remember the first few numbers of the Fibonacci series: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,13.

Note: The way to remember it is very simply to add 1 + 1 = 2   Then continue this pattern. 1 + 2 = 3,  2 + 3 = 5, and so on… 3 + 5 = 8 and 5 +8 =13

In this particular case the series is counted out in reverse: 13, 8, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 0 In the figure below this is represented by a progression of squares.  You can see that it has a crescendo effect.

So here it is, step by step -

1. Recognize you are caught in a mini-micro addiction and resolve to stop.

2. Give yourself 13 actions. (An action is, for example, flipping 13 more pages, or viewing 13 more pictures, swiping 13 more times, and you can always count out 13 seconds) Counting down from 13,12,11,10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

3. Now try to put down the device, but if you can’t…

4. Allow yourself 8 more actions, counting out loud helps - 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

5. Again, Try to stop, but if you really can’t…

6. Give yourself 5 more actions, counting 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

7. If you still can’t put it down…

8. Give yourself 3 more actions, counting 3, 2, 1.

9. By now you definitely know you have an addiction, so just finish the sequence…

10. Give yourself 2 more actions, make them good! 2,1.

11. Now you have 1 remaining action and you are done…

12. But because this method is cool, you get 1 more - but that's final (thanks Fibonacci Series).

13. Now it’s time to walk away… you are at 0.

Why this works so well… This sequence is taken from Nature and it governs the growth of all things from flowers to our own bodies.  We have an innate respect for it whether we know it or not… We find it very unsettling when this pattern is left unresolved, or unbalanced.  By memorizing it and implementing it for the purpose of stopping bad habits, it will tend to grow on you.  Before long it will be more important for you to complete the pattern and resolve it than the need to continue meaningless addictive activities.

We all suffer from micro addictions.  You will save so much time and live a more deliberate, pointed, and purpose-driven existence if you learn to control them - Spend your time doing things that have more meaning.  That being said, share this method with the people you love so they can make the most of their time on this planet too.  Good luck