#i have so much to improve on still but the journey is super fun and rewarding

[neverendingford]

.

[myebi]

And another year in the mix!! I originally wasn’t planning on posting these but frankly, I felt bad breaking my own tradition. My tumblr & instagram feeds are like my album, I’d feel sad not getting to look back on my review and my thoughts a year or more down the line. 2023 was busy and frankly a nice year in retrospect, but I don’t know if it’s me not having pushed myself enough or the Covid effect still making me feel like everything is going by super fast, but man did it go fast - and December’s already here and I don’t exactly know what to do with myself haha. I’m definitely a lot happier than I was in 2022 despite new complexities though, I feel full of resolve and drive and that is such a nice feeling.

Art wise I feel like my art is on its way to improvement, like it’s liberating itself somehow. I’m so ready to test things out and experiment and just lean into making it more expressive, more dynamic, more heartfelt in general. I’ve never loved my characters as much as I do now and I’ve found true friends in them (genuinely, these little guys won’t ever leave me, ain’t that a comforting thought) - and of course, irl, I’m so happy to have found such reliable and fun friends to cherish to navigate through the years together 🫶

I have cool things happening in 2024 so I’m just so excited for this new breath of fresh air. Fire!! Motivation!! 🔥

To all of you who follow my work and my journey even if it’s from far away, who make my art exist through you, thank you. Artists or not, you’re valued and precious and I’m so happy that you’re here. I hope that my account remains somewhere nice and that the silly shapes in my art keep making you think “Those tangents right there look awkward as hell but hey, it’s weird ass Mye Bi” afjshhfhd

I drew something fun for tomorrow, see you then for that post 💛 In the meantime, happy holidays!! May you and your family keep hope and health close, and my thoughts are with Palestine and Ukraine.

[omghallucinations]

enhypen jake: that's enough slices!!!

two grand trines? like. two??? you need that much ease and luck??? girl could u give some of that to jay or sunghoon or ateez mingi? just a little bit of that easy-going-ness and optimism? life's a soup and i'm a soup spoon??? and like boy oh boy that fire trine and air trine really like. envelops his scorpio sun in fire wind.

jake has Layers. the top layer is fun fun cute adorable sparkly hugs. the bottom layer is vague existential wandering and desperate need to self-soothe with attention overthinking and the idea of Romance as he's trying to find out who he really is. :)

jake:

truly unprecedented amounts of luck and charm and easy communication and things just working out for him somehow

buoyant energy intelligence warmth generosity and optimism

kind of unpredictable in his reactions and weirdly unknowable in a way bc his life is a Journey to Become His Own Person and find peace and deal w his own Stuff internally (because tbh his subconscious goes crazy)

tendency to Fall In Deep Love with people in about 30 minutes, trust them too much want to merge every aspect of life but then he'll eject himself from the relationship out of fear 1 week later (also the ejection is always something like, oh i have to go tour, or something like that, never actually jake being like "let's break up bc i'm not feeling this"--very libra mars of him, he might not even realize it is him who is orchestrating it all and just be like "oh i have such bad luck" lol)

on the contrary he has so much luck i'm a little worried that he won't ultimately face up to The Shit (a scorpio sun's calling)

let's all thank mars and saturn for saving jake's grand trines from the lazy allegations

trine town baby

ok these are our trines--those big triangles. there are grand trines because they make the whole triangle instead of part of it. the yellow is his air trine red is his fire trine.

jake came into the world with a ton of luck--access to money, access to good education, access to opportunities, super likable and charming. this does not mean he always had it easy tho his moon and sun have some pretty clear "felt rejection as a kid" aspects. but still as he grew up he could "get away" with stuff, like he may have snuck out one night or left expensive shit somewhere it could get taken, whatever, but things would always pan out for him anyway.

i see all the time like ah a trine is a "good" aspect, unlike a square which is a "bad" aspect and tbh i disagree. every aspect has pros and cons man! they also change so much depending on the planets involved! but generally...

trine pros: ease, enjoyment, ability, talent, everything flows naturally, luck, aspects of your personality and upbringing etc merge together well trine cons: can be complacent, don't really take initiative to improve beyond their natural talents without the influence of squares or other factors?, potential to ignore problems or tolerate things just bc it's easier and other things are going well for them

when mars or saturn is in a grand trine you're more likely to get shit done than if they aren't. jake's air trine is not um. complacent at all

jake's fire trine... it's very fun and adorable and full of life!!! but that's where he can let things go more than he probably should

trines can also kind of be compulsive--jake's fire trine shows his desperate DESPERATE NEED for attention and action and creativity and his air trine shows how he NEEDS to talk and communicate and learn to be alive. but because nothing is forcing him to change any unhealthy habits, he often... doesn't, lmao. he is ambitious but can be a little bit too easy-going on the day-to-day, and he doesn't always... look at his compulsions in the face?

grand fire trine: clap!! clap!!!!

jake is SO warm you can feel the warmth!! see it!! he radiates it!! a little campfire!! so sweet and charming! a fire trine in fire houses!! fire houses are about being and becoming, which as a leo rising is his whole deal!

however he does not know how to plan, look before he leaps, or actually take purposeful initiative as much as you might assume. a square is do-do-do, a fire trine is here to party and enjoy themselves.

his grand fire trine gives him this unshakable optimism about life--on a deep level jake truly feels like everything will work out. he may worry in the moment, but he is able to take these risks because he can feel the way life is pushing him forward--the forces that help him along (heyyy jupiter in the first house). he takes big risks and people might be like, wow so brave!! however he genuinely doesn't really realize something could go wrong lmao. it does not occur to him. why would something bad happen???

his fire trine does have like. almost an awkward vibe with some of the planets? all of them do not necessarily mesh. the element, they are united. the planets themselves...

jupiter: wants to fly the nest and experience life and be free

pluto: deep intense need for safety and caution, wants to dig everything up and start over, wants power to protect itself

moon: on pluto's side mostly, because she also wants emotional security in such a big way

jupiter and pluto are like "hmmmm... idk about you...." to each other, and pluto can really intensify the moon's needs. jupiter softens this a little bit and makes it more cute and fun and less AHHH I NEED ATTENTION RIGHT NOW OR I WILL DIE. CLAP!! CLAP!!!

although... that is also very much a factor. i cannot lie here. he really, really needs applause to feel emotionally safe.

here are the players:

jupiter in leo in his first house (17)--there's this really optimistic sweetness and innocence about jake and he is so fun to be around. he does have a charmingly me-me-me-ness but that honestly doesn't come from a self-centered place, he just can't help it (he has a lot of empathy too bro he just also relates things to his own experiences!). he's a leo rising with jupiter in the 1st dude what do you expect? he's a star!! he is the moment!! he can't help it that he's popular!! anyway he radiates this really pure and good-natured and generous aura

pluto in sagittarius in the 5th house (16) -- he needs attention SO BAD, dude. SO BAD. he will die if people are not paying attention to him. lack of attention genuinely feels unsafe. he needs to be creative, and perform, and express. especially with his leo rising/leo jupiter in the 1st, he probably was someone venerated (royalty??? idk) in a past life and subconsciously is like i need the same amount of attention and feedback or i do not exist. jake is awesome to work with if he's on your side. if he isn't. look out. (pluto widely conjunct his south node here also shows that the past life pull here is Strong)

moon (3) and lilith (13) in aries in the 9th house: the moon is most important because that's a real planet, followed by lilith, who is also part of the moon so. the 9th is a searching, traveling, sagittarius house--jake feels safe when he's experiencing new things, learning new things, going new places, traveling. with lilith in aries he um. maybe thinks other people are taking the lead and doesn't notice how much he is actually the one taking the lead or making things go his way? lmao?

in a trine, all the energies get each other. they have similar priorities. that vein is strong. jake wants

- to shine - excitement - to Find Himself and Express Himself - he does not want to think about consequences or anything too heavy

the more exact an aspect, the stronger it gets, so jupiter/pluto is extra strong. they may not totally see eye-to-eye but they both know they want/need more and they want/need attention and creative control. jake has so much creative energy and interest and ability at his fingertips all the time and with jupiter involved, it can really have a big impact.

air grand trine: knows a little (a medium) about a lot

a fire trine in fire houses and an air trine possibly in air houses are u kidding me.

jake loves learning, but in a very chill way. he doesn't feel like he has to compete all the time, this is not compensation, he just naturally gets things and is interested in things. he feels super confident and comfortable in learning situations and environments, he feels very comfy communicating, he's super curious, he likes chatty and stimulating environments. he probably did well in school without much angst about it.

the air element is very bounce bounce bounce very fun fun fun but the planets in jake's air grand trine are.... not very bounce bounce bounce not very fun fun fun :(

mars (medium fun fun fun)

uranus (... depends on ur idea of fun fun fun)

saturn (not fun fun fun at all)

mars is in detriment in libra (passy aggy libra is not aggy aggy mars's comfortable vibe)

saturn is in its fall in gemini (saturn wants everyone to grow up and make good choices and gemini... does not... want that... .... )

uranus is at home in aquarius so she's chillin.

libra aquarius and gemini are all vibing like crazy. the planets... are... um... well they are all very a Lot.

their conversation is more like

libra mars in the 3rd: the best way to survive and thrive is to make sure everyone is having a good time, man. keep the peace. keep it chill. keep it fun keep it flirty. if i want a fight i'm going to provoke you into it and then i'll be like omg why would you fight me, now i have no choice but to end u, omg

aquarius uranus in the 7th: where is my weird significant other i ghosted the other day it's back on baby (all relationships are full of change but also the way i'm learning about myself too!! let's get super deep and then never talk to each other again!! or maybe we will?? i am super comfortable with the way things change idk! change is part of life!!) OR aquarius uranus in the 8th: hahahahahahaha i try to control my emotionally compulsive tendencies and sate them by acquiring weird power and exploring weird shit but somehow they always come roaring back hahahaha maybe it'll work this time tho

saturn gemini in the 11th: i want to be friends with everybody but also keep to myself COMPLETELY. i wanna chitty chatty everywhere and also.... only talk to people i work with? i have six friends and that is enough for me man. also i feel like... existential... ? i have so many Thoughts and Philosophies? i feel paralyzed by The Ideas and Science of Humanity sometimes??? or saturn in gemini in the 12th: ... hahah.... ... ever feel... some kind of unsubstantiated judgement from the like... universe?? haha... i am so overwhelmed by the concept of saturn (maturation, judgement, work, etc) it's like a gaping hole ha ha??? i mean on the bright side i can really make my imaginative and interesting ideas reality and have them relate to humanity tho bro

basically jake has an incredible talent for air sign stuff but um. uranus and saturn are like... ever heard of intellectualizing ur emotions? ever feel... a void? you might want to fill by exploring your own psyche and being of service to others?

mars bequeaths Action and Energy on his trine-mates, so jake has a real ability to Work Work Work, and break the mould but in a harmonious way, a way that doesn't freak people out. uranus is also a very Thinky Thinky planet so it's also action and intellect, handshake emoji.

some tremendous gifts!!! now let's look at some... . other things...

4th house placements: hello it's me, ghosts from your unconscious

here's what we know about jake's possible subconscious Stuff so far

sort of a past life royalty thing, there's a sense of needing special treatment in some ways bc that's normal to him

needs to perform or he feels he will die

Over-intellectualize, Profit

puts up this situations that he doesn't love bc everything else is going well for him and he's like, this is fine

4th house and scorpio are both very karmic bro. it's like, any signature here means you are gonna spend time Finding Yourself and Dismantling Subconscious Complexes. scorpio is constantly like, omg should i break from the chains of my past and transform??? no no no instead I should cling to the bones of my compulsive desires. wait unless...

water houses are like "i am full of memory... of the emotional ghosts of the past!" anyone with these placements is gonna have to do some exorcisms of the subconscious and jake is one of these!

his chart ruler the sun conjunct mercury is in scorpio in the 4th house, as is his venus at 0 degrees (more later)--he has a real deep deep yearning for safety and security and nurturing. he needs to be nurtured and to nurture. he also um. he needs to detach himself from the things he like unthinkingly accepts that he learned from his family. on some level he truly is struggling for recognition and acceptance--but tbh this is mostly his own stuff he'll have to untangle bc people really like him. this will all get easier when he's older.

it Loooooks like... his family really prioritized things looking nice and looking good and not um... emotional... nurturing? or parts of his upbringing were good and positive, but he did feel some kind of rejection from his parental figures (sun square uranus and jupiter/moon square chiron and saturn) that has led to some emotional rigidity/fear (moon aspects) and ummMM recklessness??? (sun aspects).

scorpio venus at 0°: uh oh i am also retrograde and in detriment do you want to get married

normally a planet at 0° explodes the sign energy in a very obvious way, but venus is (a) retrograde and (b) in detriment in scorpio so that's not exactly how it manifests. we're boosting venus the planet and some parts of scorpio, baby, including the ability to radiate sexuality! we're boosting Making Mistakes and taking A While to get things right!!

he probably struggles in relationships a bit right now. with his 7th house aquarius uranus and neptune he likely has no idea what he really wants at this point in his life--neptune, also opposite his ascendant, keeps things really foggy--and feels an intense need to get oUUTTT when he feels trapped. he has a lot of positive indicators for a stable relationship later in life but he really is gonna have to sort through those intense unconscious things before he can really be truly open with someone else.

neptune conjunct his descendant and his 0° scorpio venus show this intense romanticism that doesn't always like... align with reality. aquarius neptune loves the idea of people/a relationship--and scorpio venus loves the kdrama of a relationship. i miss fighting and kissing in the rain ass. his scorpio venus wants to merge deeply with another and his neptune conjunct descendant does not... do... boundaries... at all. so this can be a problem.

hahaha jake do you find the love of your life on instagram twice a month and then not say or do a single thing and then see something in their story that makes you be like "nah" as a defense mechanism? bud.

libra mars conjunct IC: angy but so buried nobody knows

mars conjunct IC (the line on the bottom of the MC) is already like "lots of anger, HIDES IT FROM EVERYONE" and libra mars is that x a million. libra is such a hilarious sign bro. "ladies do not start fights but they can finish them" but also ladies do not start fights overtly, they just set up the dominos in such a way their chosen opponent will start the fight themselves. with mars in the 3rd it's super gemini super fun also, libra in a gemini house, very chatty very communication. less dark than mars in the 4th lmao.

your IC is at the bottom of your chart--so people don't see this about him and jake does not value this about himself, but jake can tap into mars (and his air grand trine also) as foundation or fuel.

jake has this incredibly boiling reserve of energy and life force and anger--

in libra it could be anger at injustice

and/or passy aggy kind of anger from repressing his own needs and letting people walk over him sometimes

and/or sometimes it's also about a family situation, his 3rd house shows a super mentally active family environment and libra IC/scorpio 4th shows that maybe some things were not... spoken about....

either way jake has insane amounts of willpower lowkey--even if he lets a lot of things go day-to-day, ultimately he's gonna get what he wants (but in a cutesy and demure way so it doesn't look like jake is pushing for it).

because mars is in detriment in libra, this foundation can feel really confusing and weird. jake probably seems really excessively tolerant of everything even if he's actually not and he really wants things to be fair and gets pissy if they aren't.

round up!!

for his big players...

jake is a jupiter lad bro. jupiter loves this kid

sun!! his chart ruler and his deepest self. i feel like repressing your sun makes the sun more powerful lmao and players #3 and #4 really are doing their best to hide her

fire trine (pluto/moon/jupiter)

air trine (mars/uranus/saturn)

mars conjunct ic oof

whatever the hell is up with neptune and venus

u know i was more worried about him avoiding his scorpionic Issues when i first looked at his chart, but now i'm like... yeah life is gonna bring those issues to you to deal with babe don't worry.

but aww this kid is so cute dude. don't get me wrong he has a lot of past life baggage and shit but he's genuinely a cutie. snaps for jake, everybody.

[felkithecreator]

Do you have revalink fic recs?

Oh do I ever. (Please don't take the numbers that I use too seriously, they're not to really judge the quality of work or anything it's just level of enjoyment for me and my particular tastes)

My favorite Revalink fic of all time is Pinesong by aperplexingpuzzle!! Honestly it's just an absolutely amazing work, and personally I think it's one of the greatest post-calamity Revalink stories written. Link and Revali bond on Vah Medoh after Revali's been freed and exists as a spirit, and while Link struggles through the rest of his adventure. Absolutely recommend, 10/10.

Finding Link by Umbreonix is another one I'd absolutely recommend. It's so silly and just - the characterization of Link and Revali is so fun. Link goes missing after the defeat of Calamity Ganon, and it's up to Revali to find him and potentially bring him back. Honestly Umbreonix's other Revalink work Beating about the bush is also phenomenal - that one's unfinished, but it's also great if you want to read something silly. It's a modernized/human version of Hyrule, which is super interesting as well. All That Glitters is hilarious as well. Recommend them all around 8.5/10.

Linger On by ICanFlyHigher is one I genuinely loved as well. It's been a while since I've read it, but I do know that the vivid descriptions of combat and fighting, and just - the immersion of it is so impressive. So I'd really really recommend this one. It's basically just Botw, but you're really put in Link shoes + that extra touch of Revalink. Again, haven't read it in a while, but 9/10 recommendation from what I remember.

I Lost Myself by self_indulgent_authorship is amazing as well. I love reading from Revali's perspective, and just - the take on Link and Revali getting to know each other after Link's lost his memory is so interesting and refreshing. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like a bit of Zelda-bashing, but I think this fic handles it well and it didn't feel as if it were over the top or anything. 9/10 recommendation.

Snow filled days by SharkPinata is a great one if you're just down for a fun time!! The author kind of took a concept/idea and ran with it, and the plot grew later - and it shows, a bit, but honestly that's part of the fun with this fic. A great thing about it is you can also see the author's writing style improve over time as they write (I desperately hope that the same can be said about my fics too), so it's fun in that aspect of well. The concept is that Link isn't a knight, and just lives in Selkie's Spot in Hebra - where Revali regularly comes to visit him because they're each other's only friends. 7.5/10 recommendation.

Shades of Blue also by self_indulgent_authorship is just fucking amazing. It's the normal botw journey, but you get so much more intricate lore and flashbacks than the OG game - one where Link and Revali knew each other before they became champions - and it's so so so so good. I genuinely think it's one of the greatest Breath of the Wild fics out there, regardless of Revalink. 10/10 recommendation.

Come Morning Light by misscoconi is great as well!! I haven't read it in a long while but I do know it's one of my favorites. It's very sweet - and it's where Link and Revali begin a shared sleeping arrangement. (Meet Me Halfway is the sequel, also very good.) 10/10 recommendation.

The Longest Night by tirsynni is amazing. It's a relatively short fic, and it's unfinished, but it's still just - great. Trigger warning for some things, I'd definitely recommend reading the tags first, but like, I love. It's an interesting exploration of Link's psyche, and Revali's response to it. Honestly, anything by tirsynni tends to be amazing. 8/10 recommendation.

The Effect of the Illusion of Truth by GeryutheTzakandi!!! This is genuinely one of my favorite fics ever - it's so silly and funny and just an all-around good time. Small warning in that it's unfinished and hasn't updated since 2022, but like - I'd still give it a read because what is there is a fun time. It's a fic where Revali and Link decided to get married so that Link and Zelda don't have to. (And no, the two of them were not previously dating.) 10/10 recommendation.

(Another good one by GeryutheTzakandi is Deftly avoiding saying exactly what you mean - this one's hilarious, and Revali is surprisingly self-aware.)

Inertia by sincosma is a great exploration of how Link's amnesia affects the relationship between him and Revali - and what promises they made pre-Calamity. The memories are so interesting yet heart-breaking to read - but the happy ending makes it very much worth it. 9/10 recommendation.

A Seed of Song by Ginneke is adorable. I'm always a sucker for child fics/baby acquisition fics, especially if they're done well, and, well - this one is definitely done well. It's very cute - it's unfinished, but I still think it's worthwhile to read what's been written so far. The drama of Link not wanting to marry Princess Zelda is also very interesting. 7.5/10 recommendation.

Under the Stars by peterpiez is one of my favorites!! Honestly because it's one of the very few Revalink Linked Universe fics to exist. There's very little active Revalink, given most of it is just Link mourning and being retrospective in response to the lives and loves of the other Links, but I still really enjoyed. This is also unfinished, and I don't see the author ever updating it, but I still would recommend giving it a go.

The Last Song on the Wind by Inked_Jael is another incredible fic. There's so much worldbuilding, and insight to Link's thoughts, I just love this one so much. It's super interesting because it explores the politics and the different cultures of Hyrule. I know second-person style can sometimes throw people off, but I think it works really really well given the story - and also if you keep in mind that it's about Link, just... please read this. Their work needs more love. 10/10 recommendation.

a moment's respite by cottonmouthcandy is another one of my favorites. It's a bit of a sad read, because it's pre-calamity and you know what's coming for the champions in the future, but it's a story where you get to just enjoy with them their little vacation at the beach. It's just sweet, and nice. It's been a while since I've read it, though, so those are more just the vibes that I remember rather than the content of the story itself. 9/10 recommendation.

the wind through the flowers by HopeStoryteller is also just a silly, fun time. The boys go Modulga hunting. 7.5/10 recommendation.

I have more, and I would continue, but I kind of have a class in six hours and I need to sleep before then, so uh... yeah. I hope this satisfies you question!! But honestly please spread the love to these authors their works are just absolutely amazing.

[autisticlifelessons]

Tips for boosting driving confidence in Autistic people

For some autistic people, myself included, driving anxiety can be really detrimental to your ability to get around and be independent. However, this year (10 years after starting to learn and 9 years after passing my test lol), I have been working hard to improve my confidence and whilst I still have a ways to go, my anxiety isn't nearly as bad as it was and I've driven places I would never have dreamed of this time last year.

The following tips are aimed at autistic people, but I think they'll apply to anyone who considers themselves a nervous driver.

Practice makes perfect! - if something makes you super anxious, the natural thing to do is avoid it if at all humanly possible, right? Well, it might make you feel relief in the moment, but over time this just reinforces your anxious thoughts and can make it harder and harder to break the cycle. As much as it sucks, the key thing is to just. keep. driving. Start with just short journeys on familiar roads and build it up from there. The more situations you encounter the more your skills will improve. For various reasons - including issues with visual processing and sensory overload - it's natural that some autistic people take longer to feel comfortable and confident at doing something, so just keep working at it and you'll slowly but surely notice a difference.

Leave yourself plenty of time - being late is a massive trigger for me, so if I find myself in a situation where I have to drive somewhere in a tight time frame it really freaks me out. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go, so you know you have wriggle room if there's unexpected road closures or if you make a wrong turn. This is especially important if you're going somewhere unfamiliar as you will probably already be anxious about this. Plus, if you arrive early you will have some time to regulate/decompress yourself in preparation for whatever you have planned.

Set out your boundaries - Ok driving alone but having people in car with you sends you into a flat spin? That's fine - say no to passengers for a while and then if you feel ready have a trial run with someone you know will be kind and supportive. Equally, if you find having someone in the car with you is reassuring, that can be a big help - just be sure they understand you are feeling anxious so they don't pressure you to go routes you aren't ready for. Also, some people are overconfident in their driving abilities and may try to get you to do things that are unsafe - don't listen to them! Trust your own judgement.

Set a goal - having something specific to work for can help motivate you and give you a measure of your confidence improving. Maybe you want to drive to an out of town shopping centre, or take a road trip with a friend? Just make sure your goal is realistic and you give yourself a big pat on the back once you achieve it.

Practice self compassion - driving is stressful for some people and that's totally ok. I've accepted that while I can safely get from A to B, I'm probably never someone who is going to want to drive for fun. Remember, you are in charge of your life, no one else. Whilst I'm ok driving short distances, if I have to go to another city I would always opt for public transport if at all available. I know it'll make the whole thing much less stressful for me (and is better for the environment, too). Also, if you've been trying for a while but driving just isn't for you, that's totally ok, too! It sucks that the way our society is built means not having access to your own car is inconvenient at best, but remember we all have different strengths and weaknesses, and deciding not to drive doesn't make you a failure. You can bet the minute I can get hold of a (reliable and affordable) self-driving car, my life will be made so much easier!

And there you have it! I do hope my tips brought you some comfort or reassurance if this is something you've been struggling with. Remember, these tips are what have helped me personally - I am not a driving (lol) or medical professional, and I certainly don't claim to speak for all autistic people.

Your support is hugely appreciated xx

[jinwoosbabyboo]

I've read your L&Ds stuff lolol AND MAN they're so accurate & super fun/engaging to read!

I really wanna know, how are you so good with coming up with ideas?? How do you write so well/how did you get started on writing?? I really want to learn how to write well!

First off I love your username 🤣 and I’m glad you find my writing fun to read I try my best to make it as pleasing as possible.

So I come up with ideas by just everyday life thinking like hmmm how would the lads men react to this or hmmm I could make this a story. I have a very active imagination and I’m a maladaptive daydreamer so that’s probably a big part of it.

I gained traction pretty fast on here so the other half (damn near the majority) of all the prompts on my blog are from 🩵my lovely followers🩵 who send in requests. You guys keep expanding my imagination and I can’t thank you enough for that 🫶🏾

How did I get started writing? My mother was an English teacher up until I was about 8 years old so she introduced me to reading and writing heavy growing up. I was always reading above my actual grade level.

I wrote my first “story” when I was in 3rd grade and I’ve been writing ever since. I’m also an avid reader; I love falling into another world through books.

That feeling I get from reading is what I translate into my writing. My writing on here is more fun and goofy than actual literature. I do write Novellas in my free time but I will probably never show them to anyone because I heavily critique my writing so much ☠️

Learning to write well is a journey and you’re always learning. I'm still learning ways to improve my writing. If you’re looking to start writing stories here’s a few tips I can give you.

‼️DISCLAIMER I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL‼️

These are just a few things I’ve learned. If you disagree that’s fine this is just what I’ve learned.

Avoid run on sentences

If you have a sentence that is getting a bit long find a stopping point and add a period. If you feel like it absolutely needs to be one sentence then break it up with a semicolon.

Break up your paragraphs

Long paragraphs with no breaks can make a reader gloss over your writing

Find your writing style

If you’re too busy trying to imitate the writing style of someone else you’ll find yourself stressed when trying to write your own work

Describe imagery

Tap into your readers imagination; describe what they’re looking at and what’s going on in great detail - build a world in your mind so you can help build one in their mind - if you have a hard time building the world in your own mind your reader will struggle as well.

Word vomit! Trust the process!

WRITE THOSE ROUGH DRAFTS - it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make any sense just get those words onto the page you can edit and revise later every piece starts rough get those rough drafts written and go from there.

Avoid repetitive sentences, words, & over explaining

For example “I reached over the fence to grab the flower that was on the other side of the fence” You see how at the beginning of the sentence it’s already been established that whatever the character is reaching for is on the other side of the fence. That’s just a quick example.

Study grammar and use a dictionary

There are many ways to describe just about anything and you don’t have to stay inside a box of simple words to do it.

Lastly, it sounds corny, but have fun.

If you want to write you should enjoy it and it’s just words on a page that you can edit and revise.

Happy Writing ✍🏾😘

[intrepid-fictioneer-7]

I've come to the conclusion that, in my humble opinion, Higashide is the writer in TYPE-MOON who makes the best ships involving Heroic Spirits.

Which might sound really weird. After all, the central couple in Fate/Apocrypha is Sieg/Jeanne d'Arc, and it's a pretty divisive one. No offense to those who like it, but it's always a dynamic I thought made no real sense narratively and didn't have much chemistry. Sieg on his journey of self-affirmation and personhood didn't need a romance (except maybe with Astolfo, with whom the dynamic is much more fun). Jeanne, the historical figure who rejected a marriage proposal, wore male clothing, and whose famous nickname refers to her celibacy, getting into a romance just never vibed with me (especially when it felt like the parallels/relationship between her and Shirou Kotomine were far more relevant). Add to that the ending copying Last Episode without what made LE have a strong impact, and it makes the whole even less appealing.

But despite that, Apo is also the work where there is the surprising ship of Shirou Amakusa and Queen Semiramis of all people: the semi-legendary Assyrian queen credited with making one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world falling in love with the young charismatic Japanese Christian who rebelled against the shogunate and failed. It's a very strange crossover ship between two people who never could have met if not for being brought back and it somehow works in being endearing.

(Achilles and Atalanta kinda count I guess, but it's a one-sided ship with little reasoning, that I care so little about, and is eclipsed by the more compelling foils each get, Chiron for Achilles, Jeanne for a Jackie the Ripper-driven mad Atalante.)

Higaside having grown and improved as a writer by the time of FGO, what followed this growth was him not doing a repeat of Sieg/Jeanne, but writing better ships mostly involving Servants. Asterios the Minotaur and Euryale the Gorgon; last Byzantine emperor Constantine IX and fictional Popess Johanna; heck, you can even see the relationship between Mordred and Dr. Jekyll this way (it also works as simple close friendship). Being characters from usually completely different mythologies and historical cultures, there is care done to make it clear why they fall for each other and as a result these couples are very different from one another instead of being the same formula everytime. In a game where a lot of (female) Servants are made to fall for the last Master of Chaldea for sometimes very little reason, these are a breath of fresh air.

For all my problems with her, Sakurai does something similar, though her ships are usually people who canonically were together in their legends: Sigurd/Brynhild, Aslaug/Ragnar Lodbrok, Julius Caesar/Cleopatra, Ozymandias/Nefertari, Tomoe Gozen/Kiso Yoshinaka, etc. They can be one note and there is a repeated thematic tendency of hers of writing "inhuman woman discovering humanity by falling in love", but they tend to be very cute and I easily understand that these people are in love even beyond death, so I root for them to reunite. Higashide also has "canonical" pairings, but the results are more muddled here: Siegfried and Kriemhild are adorable as a divorced couple where there are clearly still feelings, no matter what the tsundere wife says. But Rama and Sita are just...there. I understand the point of their separation, but it's not very engaging and Rama essentially disappeared after the American Singularity, while Sita was yeeted to Arcade. A mark against Higashide, but not as bad as Sieg/Jeanne and overshadowed by the numbers of better ships he wrote in FGO.

And there's Orion and Artemis, where I'm split. Super Orion and LB Artemis was really good and poignant. Orion the teddy bear and ditzy Artemis are a realy bad joke that overstayed its welcome.

FGO prioritizes Master/Servant relationships, both because the last Master of Chaldea is a blank slate for players to self insert into, and also because human×Servant is the type of ship Nasu specializes in (Shirou/Saber, Rin/Saber, Kuzuki/Caster, Caren/Angra Mainyu, and to a lesser extent Bazett/Cu, Yukika/False Assassin, and Ayako/Medusa in FSN; Fate/Extra as a whole; Ritsuka/Castoria in FGO). But even there Higashide made better choices than when he penned Sieg/Jeanne. Charlotte Corday is a surprisingly well-done choice for her archetype, it seems like it's going to be another Kiyohime but no, he actually makes her a good character you get attached to.

And then there is Kadoc and Anastasia. Words cannot describe how much I love them, how their personalities clash and complement each other in the best way, how aesthetically good they look put next to each other, etc. And it's not even just that we got a MasterxServant relationship outside Ritsuka, though that helped.

Basically, Higashide has become my go-to source for good ships, especially intra-Servants ones where Ritsuka is not involved and characters are allowed to not orbit around their Master. Sakurai also provides in that last aspect, but Higashide is doing that and also giving that crossover flavor you see in things like that one Cartoon Network ad with Johnny Bravo and Velma, and that works really well for me.

[tzipporahs-well]

Hey it’s @flangstynerd AKA @scinerdwrites but on a new blog. There’s been a lot of changes in my life in the past couple years, and as a result I wanted to make a new blog for jumblr. Several of my friends are on here and I got inspired just to reblog their stuff :D

What’s Changed:

I converted to Reform Judaism from Catholicism in May of this year. I’ve been doing this conversion journey since November 2021, but I didn’t want to announce it to the internet until everything was done and finalized. After 2.5 years, everything is finally official.

I plan to be slightly more active on tumblr than I have been previously. I named my blog based on my Hebrew name (Tzipporah), and how I wish to provide a treasure trove of info.

I would say my ideals of practice are some kind of cross between Conservative and Reform Judaism.

I’ve acquired some chronic illnesses and disabilities over the years. My body has been tough to me for the last couple years.

I have a Jewish podcast that has several eps already now. Our podcast has a tumblr blog, but please dm me for more info for safety reasons.

What is the same?

I’m still Chinese, Hmong, and queer (pronouns: they/she). I’m still culturally Italian as an adoptee. Those are not going anywhere lol.

Still have several varieties of neurodivergence (autism, PTSD, anxiety, psychosis, some kind of unclear mood disorder). My brain likes playing it rough. I have healed a lot of trauma, but the other stuff is still a wild ride.

Still don’t plan to be super duper active as I have a scientist day job. But if I ever see a great jumblr post from one of my friends or otherwise, I’d be happy to reblog.

Still hold a lot of nerdy interests: Disney fandoms (Tangled the Series, Encanto, etc.), classic literature (Shakespeare, 19th century European literature), certain manga/anime (Fullmetal Alchemist and Death Note)

Still can be quite critical of the things I enjoy.

About Me (Jumblr Edition):

Favorite Torah character (first 5 books of Moshe only): Tzipporah (I relate to her so much as someone who came into the tribe and a nontraditional wife; the bridegroom of blood scene is iconic)

Favorite Tanakh character: King Shaul (very relatable for me as I feel like I struggle from similar challenges as him: mental health issues, low self esteem, and paranoia) followed close behind by Esther (she’s a role model for me, and Purim is my favorite holiday)

Favorite Jewish Holiday: Purim (relatable message especially for these dangerous times; also a lot of fun while still being a relatively low stress holiday)

Hamantaschen vs. Latke: hard choice but I have to go with traditional poppyseed hamantaschen. They’re older (~1500s) than the potato latke (late 18th to 19th century) and store better.

Areas of interest: Jewish history, Tanakh discussion, Jewish culture (food especially; I love cooking and baking), Jewish learning (especially more about Jewish life in Israel)

What Jewish value can I improve on? Chesed; I find it hard to always express loving-kindness, and my impatience and temper can get the better of me. I’ve been trying to improve on these for the past two years but 5784 has been especially trying.

What Jewish value is very important to me: Ahavat Yisrael; it is important that we as a people stay united. United we rise, divided we fall. I admire all legitimate Jewish streams (side note: Messianic Judaism is not a Jewish stream)

Important note: If something says #goyim don’t touch, listen and obey! Don’t even try with the antisemitism.

[secretlythepits]

It’s been a minute.

Thanksgiving was ok. If my husband isn’t here next year— we will have to travel. It would be too sad to do it with just us. That is a bridge I won’t cross early.

Christmas is strange this year, mostly because we have teens. They are at the age where they want to choose clothes and shoes, so we are going to do the super fun task of taking them shopping and then wrapping up what they chose. They have phones, computers, and beats. I’m sure they would love a gaming system, but it would be bad for our family life. I don’t feel like wasting money on stuff that will get a nice reaction on the day, but that they don’t need or even really want. I thought of a special present for each of them. My dog lover will get a gorgeous art piece of his dog, something I know he will keep for life. (Be still my heart. This boy loves his dog so much.) My other son will get a nice piece of jewelry: a chain or earrings. He borrowed his dad’s clothes and watch for an event and is ready to start. having nice things. My husband wanted nothing but made an Amazon list. I will get something from that and his usual treats. Sometimes I wish I were more consumerist, but I’m just too practical and environmentally conscious.

II am the one getting a big present this year. My husband surprised me by insisting on buying me a replacement engagement ring. My old one has issues so I’ve been wearing my mom’s wedding band instead. We never had extra money so I never even hinted at a new ring. Occasionally, I searched on my own, but I never said anything. This came out of the blue and was so sweet.

I am receiving it.

I remember getting a spa day as a gift when my kids were babies and I had trouble relaxing during my facial. I had to command myself: receive receive receive. I silently chanted that mantra as I took deep breaths. Sometimes it’s easier to give, but participating in both sides of the exchange are important. Receiving something allows another person to give. To be in the energetic flow, we have to let things come and go.

I am not getting a diamond. I want a pink stone, maybe a pink sapphire. And rose gold. A jeweler is creating options. My husband took me there on Saturday and it was romantic and exciting. It felt like the old us. I’m not sure that we are in love anymore, but we do love each other. That’s what this ring says. Wow. A ring to begin and a ring to complete.

Talk about a circle of life.

Other than that, I have been steadily working on micro habits to improve my life and they are working. My curriculum is almost done. I’ve been exercising moderately, but it’s had a huge effect on lowering my pain and facilitating sleep. I am excited about launching my career but a bit daunted by the task of launching a business. One step at a time.

Tomorrow I am starting a daily workout challenge. It’s just 45 minutes a day, but I can make strides to lose a little weight and start seeing results before the new year. That’s motivating to me.

To be clear, I will not forgo Christmas cookies or sourdough bread. I will work out more and eat healthy meals. That’s it. I have a right to enjoy eating.

I also scheduled my annual well woman exam exam for Christmas Eve morning. It was the earliest appointment I could get. I sure know how to celebrate the season. It’s never-racking to me because my husband’s cancer is HPV positive. I’ve always tested negative, but viruses are sneaky, deadly bastards.

The kids have taken me on emotional journeys with their schoolwork lately, but I realized that I just need to detach. I personalize their failures too much. They are figuring things out and I know failure is a part of the process. I can’t go up and down with them. I feel jerked around and react forcefully, trying to make them stop. But there is no other way for them to learn except living and failing and trying again. They are entitled to grow at their own pace. My friend once told me, “Does shouting at a seed ever make it grow any faster?”

I’m not sure if it’s being 50, but I’m having an easier time staying level. There are a lot of very big things to worry about right now, but I’m just—not. I’ve never been able to opt out before. But from this vantage point it seems like a choice to go up and down, because I know that ultimately things will be how they are and I’ll figure out how to live with whatever that may be.

That’s life in a nutshell. Now, as my mother would always say: I am off to do great and wonderful things.

[verbforverb]

Book Thoughts 2024

Tagged by @docholligay, everything in italics one hundred percent stolen from her. Anyone else who sees this can do this if they're interested, but maybe @sinni-ok-sessi if you feel like it? (challenge mode: only one patrick o'brien, super challenge mode: only one with a nautical theme.)

Best three books i read this year, that are new to me. In no real order. In so far as I think they have craft, in addition to me enjoying them.

Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier

Orlando, Virginia Woolf (don't look at me)

A State of Freedom, Neel Mukherjee / Forest Dark, Nicole Krauss, tying because I couldn't choose between them, and they occupy a very similar space in my reading. I would probably say the Mukherjee is better done from a craft sense, but I felt more of a connection and also a greater ratio of enjoyment to intense bleakness from the Krauss.

Book I expected to love and hated: Hyperion, Dan Simmons. I don't think it's a bad book, but I did not enjoy it at all.

Book I expected to hate and loved: The Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson, although "expected to hate" is a bit of an exaggeration - if I read something I usually expect to get something out of it. Expected to be far more annoyed by and less interested in than I was, maybe. And "loved" is also a bit of an exaggeration for 'had a pretty fun time, far more thought provoking than expected, still said "Neal what the fuck" intermittently.'

Three recommendations for when you're drinking on a plane:

Moonraker, Ian Fleming (surprisingly fun romp, brought the Tranby Croft affair to my notice where it now haunts every piece of britlit I read, probably improved because my expectations were very low after Live and Let Die)

Spectacles, Sue Perkins (just a fun time, and very touching in places)

1Q84, Haruki Murakami, because you can let the plot do what it does without caring how much sense it makes, and no-one will care if you sometimes have to close the book to stare into space and mutter under your breath such things as "what the fuck, dude, why" or "please stop" or "you've met women before, right? or like, people?" (I read this on an international train journey and I wasn't drinking but wish I had been. but I'll tell you what, I wasn't bored.)

Book I will absolutely reread: I did already reread both Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon, but maybe The Hunter, Tana French.

Book I found overhyped: The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison - I didn't hate it, I thought it was ok. Everyone else seems to absolutely love it. Maybe because I saw it billed as court intrigue, for which I need a book to have much more court and much, MUCH more intrigue.

Author I read the most this year: Dorothy Sayers

Favorite author I discovered: If this is "favorite author whose work I hadn't read before", Dorothy Sayers and Virginia Woolf, but it feels a little weird to talk about "discovering" them. If we're meaning "favorite author I'd never heard of before", probably Nicole Krauss, though I've only read the one of hers so who knows.

Reread that was better than I remembered: I don't track rereads, and also don't think I did much rereading this year, aside from some Dorothy Sayers and a couple of poetry collections, and those not with enough of a gap to forget anything about them. So not sure of an answer for this. I'll come back to this if I remember something.

Reread that was worse than I remembered: As above.

Book I would have bled for and died over if the cast had been all/mostly women: His Majesty's Dragon, Naomi Novik. Now, I enjoyed it reasonably well as is. But I think I could have gotten properly deranged about it if, as well as a universe where the Napoleonic wars are fought with dragons, we suspend our disbelief one step further and also have there be lesbians instead of institutional misogyny.

Favorite nonfiction: Portrait of a Marriage, Nigel Nicolson (don't look at me!!!!)

The worst three books I read this year, in that I think they utterly lacked craft, in addition to me not enjoying them:

Elephants Can Remember, Agatha Christie

On Basilisk Station, David Weber, which I'm being extra harsh on because I think I could have really enjoyed it in a trashy scifi way had it been maybe 20% better written.

Live and Let Die, Ian Fleming, although it did bring us the immortal line, "According to the CIA she's a corker."

[crystalreydraws]

Greetings, fellow Jamil enjoyer ✨️ I'd love to hear what's your story behind rediscovering that enthusiasm to make personal art again? Well basically, anything you'd like to share further about your creative journey. You caught my attention when you said you were feeling lost for years, because that coincidentally describes my predicament with digital art right now! 😅 Anyway, all the best with your drawing, and may your passion continue to motivate you to create to your heart's content! 🌻✨️

I nvr expected anyone to be interested in my story😳

Well, to put it simple, I started feeling lost around the time when I started work as a junior concept artist that once told my boss, "One day I want to be involved in anime-styled projects!"

⬇️

That day haven't come yet. Instead, I keep getting jobs that I don't enjoy cuz I'm too bad at it.

I felt like shit cuz, imo, I keep disappointing ppl.

I felt like trash compared to other artists.

I felt like I was wasting time if I wasn't practicing color & lighting.

I felt ashamed of my personal artstyle cuz it's no use in my current job.

I stopped drawing in my free time cuz after stopping myself from drawing what I like, I didn’t know what to draw anymore.

I was hiding all my likings in weeb shit too cuz at this point I thought I was a embarrassment. (I nvr decorated my desk either.)

⬇️

Things started to change when I was given time and chance to do a small anime-styled portfolio project with a colleague. It’s like leaving a testament to whoever discovers this project, telling them that yes, someone is dead ass serious about anime style.

After that, I took a long break from my company. Staying home, I'm like, "That last portfolio I did I love it so much, I want to do it again"

"Fk it, now no one can judge me imma draw what I want. I will use my best skills even if companies may not need it."

Did some character design & fanart in free time, showing more anime-styled works on ArtStation.

"Instead of pushing everything to average, imma push what already had best in me to 100, so ppl see me, they can see what I’m best at, not just someone average. I want ppl to see that 0.0001% rare job they will immediately think of me."

"I should be proud of my art more to make a career out of it."

Self love, embrace more of my likings by decorating my room with my own art, more pkm & twst merch right👏 on👏 the👏 table👏 not in the drawer anymore.

⬇️

Finally, time has come. Got a great opportunity. Found back confidence, went back to company to start working on it (this time my office desk is decor with pkm 🥰).

It was super hard & stressful as fk, but I never felt this alive before, it feels good to get feedback on something u truly want to improve. 1 compliment can make me go "I can do this, I still have way more to go."

At the same time, double hair down Jamil has dropped & I'm feeling myself to draw in free time again. Now, every morning if nothing to rush, I will arrive early at office & draw personal art, which is most of the recent drawings u guys are seeing right now.

That's all of my story✨☝️

In short, the main reason me feeling lost years ago is because I keep doing jobs I don't enjoy & I thought my personal artstyle is worthless to my job. I also keep comparing my weakest point to other artists' strongest point (which is a no no)

The key that get me back to personal art again is finding self confidence by knowing what's the best in my style, embrace it, and starting self love.

"I only draw personal art for myself, not to impress anyone. I enjoy my art more than anyone. Even if no one ask for this I still had fun drawing this." Remember this!✨

Moral of story is keep drawing in the way you truly desire, especially in your free time. It's the only way u can "revenge" on ur current state. If you have no drawing intention, how bout starting off finding artstyle goals on Pinterest? Color goals✨ shape & lineart goals✨design goals✨ Discover good arts that makes you jealous & go " That's so cool I want to do this too!"

The most important thing is, not every art pieces need to hit everything perfectly. Monday u can do 1 piece focus on shapes. Tuesday u can do another 1 piece focus on color. Wednesday anatomy. Thursday lighting. Let 1 subject become the main focus. It's ok to hit only 1 subject perfectly. Let that 1 become the strongest point in this drawing is enough.

Oh gosh this is getting too long.

I hope you enjoy drawing again. Wish you an amazing new year☺️

[softseaside]

It’s finally time for my art summary and I decided to throw my art vs artist 2024 in here as well! I also made two alternative versions for the art summary and art vs artist thing because…well…I think these summarize my 2024 perfectly sdkjskdj

I’m always really thrilled to make these art summaries at the end of the year and reflect on how the year went down. One of my main goals for 2024 was to finally launch the first chapter of my webcomic. Unfortunately, I got some health problems in the beginning of the year and after that, I started to dm my very first D&D campaign and…well…accidentally got obsessed with Blauauge, one of the OCs of the campaign that I completely lost focus on all my art goals skdjskdjsd

Homeboy ruined my 2024, made me forgot to work on my comic and made me start drawing sm*t ksjdskdjsd Jokes aside, DMing is really fun and made me try a lot of new things and expand my creativity. Artwise, 2024 was really, really fun for me, I forgot how much fun it is to be completely immersed in something and I just had so many ideas and thoughts and feelings and love about this blue tiefling.

While I’ve struggled a lot in the beginning (and still do) because I felt super cringe and ashamed to be so obsessed with a character no one knows/cares about, I slowly started to understand that I’ve always been doing art for myself and only for myself and that’s what I like most about art. It’s okay that not everyone is as hyped as me about my OC and the most important thing is that I have fun. Nontheless, I’m super thankful that people actually started to be interested in him so thanks everyone for sticking up with my unhinged OC brainrot 🫶💙 Let’s see how long it will stay since my mini campaign will end soon and we’ll continue our main D&D campaign again. So maybe 2025 we will finally be free of the blue himbo tiefling lmao.

Blauauge brainrot aside, this year I was able to gather a lot of experiences at tabling at artist alleys (8 in total!!!). I had so much fun, I learned so, so much and I met some really cool people and even made some friends. It was truly an amazing experience and I feel like I grew alot. That being said, I also realized that being a convention artist is EXTREMELY time-consuming and takes a lot of energy. Combined with my full-time job and dming, I barely had time for my other creative projects like my comic or my youtube channel and I feel so exhausted.

Looking at my goals from last year, I achieved one of them (attending more artist alleys) but for the other goals, I completely neglected youtube and I don’t feel ready for an art shop at all RIP + I really wanted be better at the fundamentals and I guess I got a bit better at anatomy because of Blauauge (and Blauauge sm*t) so I guess that kinda fits LMAO?? I also start putting more effort into backgrounds for my comic and I’m thinking more about composition while drawing but it’s still a long way for me and I really have to actively study because I feel like I’m at a step in my art journey again where I feel kinda stuck. However, something that really surprised me is that put a lot of my attention on my coloring and I find it way more enjoyable than last year. Also, just a side note, but I’m halfway done with my internship/apprentinceship and I am kinda proud of how much I’vee improved at graphic design and my branding, hehe.

Next year, I’ll TRY (lmao) to attend less conventions. I’m also on a good track working on my comic again SO THIS YEAR, I PROMISE TO GET THAT FIRST CHAPTER DONE!! and I’ll also try to make another youtube video again and maybe even start livestreaming? (no promises lol)

Thanks for liking my art and wishing you all lots of energy for 2025! 💙✨

[dreambunnynotes]

daily check-in: dec. 11th

hi lovely friends! i missed my check-in on sunday and i was going to skip monday's because i had the mentality that i could just 'start again tomorrow,' but better habits are built today, not later! i'm trying to find ways to encourage myself to be disciplined and this is one of the ways i'm showing up for myself. monday felt like a huge success in terms of discipline and hard work without pushing myself, and i feel really proud!

please note: in this post i celebrate my lack of rest on monday because i often default to rest without discipline, so personally this was a success in developing a healthier work/play balance, focused on the 'work' part of things. however, everyone is in their own journey with self improvement and i absolutely do not advocate for overworking oneself generally - i believe that a good work/play balance is essential, i am just personally working on the work side of things so that is why i am proud of my lack of rest today!

accomplishments:

i followed through on my work obligations even though i felt super tired and wanted to reschedule; i have so few work obligations these days and i need the money so it felt really good to not cancel even though i wanted to. i only had to cancel one appointment at the very end of the day because i was starting to feel sick (everyone i know is getting a cold or flu these days) but i pushed through earlier in the day for every other appointment and still listened to what my body needed at the end of the day, which feels like a huge success for someone who often cancels her obligations!

i found a new way to enjoy tasks that normally stress me out, which is to listen to a podcast my sister recommended while completing mindless tasks. it made the tasks fly by and made doing them actually fun!

i put in a few hours of work on a project that has a deadline, even though i wanted to spend time doing leisurely things. i feel really proud of myself for accomplishing what i did!

room for improvement:

this is less about today specifically and more about the past week, but i should have gotten started on the project that has a deadline much earlier; i need way more time than i thought i would, which is of course chalked up to time-blindness. i need to find a way to give myself earlier deadlines; last night i researched how to create a sense of urgency for adhd brains and i think i've figured out a way to do this for myself. so, despite my flub in starting the project late, i am proud of myself because i was the one who sought out a deadline for the project in the first place and it has helped me lots!

still need to get to bed earlier; typing this at 12:30am is no good 😭

hohkaaaaay, i am SLEEPY (edit: posting this during the day after i slept lol). i seriously need to get my sleep schedule figured out, but i'm taking one step at a time. i'm calling this day a success, being compassionate to myself for where i made mistakes, and looking forward to another beautiful day today! have a wonderful evening and take care of your lovely self 🥰

[illustratedartist]

Do you have any advice on drawing bodies? Or any advice for drawing in general?

So I combined these two questions, since they're pretty much the same, I hope no one minds, and thank you so much for the questions!!

ART TIPS! 

DISCLAIMER: These are just MY opinions and what I typically do and in NO WAY certain rules you have to strictly follow. Art is about having fun and expressing yourself! <3 ALSO ALL ART IN THIS IS MINE THAT I DREW THANK YOU

One thing I started doing about a couple years or so ago is the Silhouette test! Its a huge help when it comes to making poses, because you want the viewer to see what’s happening clearly.

Its also a GREAT way to check if characters look different enough from one another, and be able to tell who is who! Its a common practice when making characters and having a lineup of them! Take my rouge designs for example!

Another great tip for me at least was using the GREYSCALE over an artwork to see the values, as well as limit my color choices. Its always good to see a large variety of shades in an artwork, because it breaks things up easier for the viewers, and overall helps with dimension in an artwork!

Of course you don’t have to do this, but its a life saver when checking for your light sources, and making sure everything matches up nicely. While also helping to make sure the things you want as the focus dont get lost! Having a limited color palette can also help with making sure things don't gettoo complicated! You don't want the viewer to get overwhelmed with what they’re looking at and losing track of the focal point!

A good way to get some more flow into an artwork is through the LINE OF ACTION. Which is just an invisible line you can draw through a character and clearly see what they are doing, and see the MOVEMENT in it! 

(I could of done something a bit differently here with Knuckles' arm to help with the flow better ^^")

Its super useful and adds a lot of life to a still image, and its always good to try and push yourself with different lines of actions as well! (Something I myself have to improve on haha!) I always like to think of my artwork as taking a picture of something happening in the moment, it helps me with coming up with more interesting compositions!

These are just a few examples I could think of on the fly, I could go on and on, but I'd probably never answer it this at that rate LMAO!

But remember art is FUN and you should enjoy what you create. of course you should learn the fundamentals, and do studies as well, and ALWAYS have references nearby! But its up to you on how you do that, or when :) Always try to push yourself bit by bit with each new artwork you do, it doesn't have to be something HUGE. But you should see yourself learning something with each artwork you do!

I hope I helped in some way! I'm not a professional, and there is still so much I have to learn as well. But its not a race, and everyone's art journey is going to be different.

[moonxpalace]

SatoAi timeline

Ok, here is the "masterpost" I promised to get a overview my future Pkmn AU. I have this timeline in mind whenever I draw Ash and Iris as teenagers/ adults.

Travelling companions through Unova and beyond: This remain unchanged. Ash and Iris are 10 years old, while Cilan is 15.

Alola/ world champion + Unova champion: While Ash has traveled to Kalos, Alola and Galar to grain more knowledge and get stronger as a trainer, Iris remains mostly to herself as she travels wherever the wind takes her. She does train under Clair in Johto, though! And Drayden takes her under his wings and helps her improve her battling skills in Opelucid Gym. Iris is hesitant to become the new Opelucid City gym leader (she kind of doubts herself as a trainer). When Axew evolves into Fraxure, Iris confidence boosts. She decides to keep battling in Unova's many tournaments, and in the end she becomes champion. She is super happy to discover Ash has become champion in Alola as well. After Drayden finally convinces her, she decides to send him a letter for a battle request. Here they are between 11 - 12.

Close friends: As Ash and pikachu continue their endless journey, Iris also decides to take her Dragon Master goal more seriously. Through the ages of 12 - 16, Ash and Iris start getting closer by deciding to visit each other region (when they have time!), through letters and social media. Ash discovers Iris is the only one who knows the stress of being champion/ being in the limelight personally. They love to talk together, laugh and vent whenever things are tough. Ash' Dragonite and Goodra escpecially LOVE Iris, while Bayleef takes a long while to warm up to her. Cilan is the one who notices Iris may have a thing for Ash, while Ash doesn't really get why he feels so "weird" around Iris. After catastrophic first date at the Striaton cafe, Ash walks Iris back to her hotel. Iris thinks Ash is just being nice after the wild events at the cafe, but when he admits everything was fun and asks shyly if she wants to go out some other time, she happily agrees. And that's when they start being an item!

Dating: At age 16 both are still champions: Known for their incredible battling skills and bond with their pokemon. Ash and Iris are still going strong, with only their family and friends knowing. Neither likes attention, so they try to keep their relationship private. If they do hold hands or flirt in public, it's mostly in Pallet Town or the Village of Dragons. Unfortunately the paparazzi is always on their case.

Officially dating: Ash and Iris makes their relationship official at age 18 (and the media has a blast). Iris has given Ash the spare key to her apartment in Opelucid City so he can pop up whenever he has time. Iris prefers to sleep in trees and spend her time out in the forest, anyways. She only has an apartment because Drayden insists so. Drayden is not too happy to find Ash slouching on her couch/ bed whenever he visits.

Proposal: Ash proposes at age 19. Neither really make a big deal about it, but oh boy, does Delia, Cilan and Dawn get overly excited about the wedding of the century. Ash and Iris careers still eats up most of their time, so they take their sweet time with the wedding ... until Iris discovers she's pregnant. Ash sort of panics, even if Iris says it's not really a big deal. Even despite her protests, Ash makes sure the wedding takes place as soon as possible.

Oliver: They have Oliver at age 21. Iris is relaxed about the whole ordeal, while Ash is lowkey worried about their current situation. Ash has moved in with Iris in Opelucid city, and while Drayden and Delia help out as much as they can, he would still like them to settle down a place more rural. Ash doesn't want Oliver to grow up in the middle of the city with all the pollution and the cars speeding by. A year and a half later, they buy land next to his childhood home in Pallet Town. The garden has plenty of space for all their Pokemon, which fits them just perfect.

Lillian: Lillian comes along three years after Oliver. Unlike Oliver, she is a stubborn little baby that refuses to sleep. Thankfully she mellows out after a few months. Lillian adores Oliver and follows him around much to his annoyance. She also likes the limelight a lot and is not camera shy at all. Both kids are close to their parents' pokemon, especially Pikachu, who they refer to as "uncle Pika"

Ash still as his gimmicks from before, while Iris obtains the Dragon type Z-crystal ( @zeldriszezinho 's idea btw!!! Thank you for letting me borrow it ^^)

[foxxyrola]

Step 0: Learning to Learn

The biggest challenge in my self improvement journey begins with a question: "How in the nine hells am I supposed to sit my ass down and learn anything? My body just keeps pacing around, looking for yet another distraction. iwi"

Don't get me wrong, I desperately want to apply myself, just struggle in the initiation. And the follow through. I would take a few lessons in learning Godot for game making, then move on to something else, new and shiny. I'd learn all the Hiragana, but then not touch the Japanese language for weeks. All ambition, no action, or something like that.

Being fed up with this, I do get moments where honestly I sometimes just have to, well... Do things! Anything. I'm desperate for the dopamine hit of accomplishing something non vidya gayme related. I have to plant my ass in a chair (even if it takes an hour of pacing before I can even settle down), and give myself something to focus on as if it's life or death. I'd journal when I can. Watch some informative videos without absorbing much of it. Get stuck passively on self help YouTube and all that.

Well... It seems I got something out of it. Lately been looking into Cybersecurity (just a surface dive, like most of my dives are) and in addition to learning a little about certifications and stuff, I discovered that Coursera is a good place to find some lessons (for free too mind you, as long as you don't need their certificates or whatevs) not just for coding, but for many other things.

This is one of these (free) courses that I found: https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

Yup, learning how to learn. Seems cheesy. Almost blew it off and didn't take it. But hey, night shifts give me a bit of free time each night, so chooms, I jumped in about a week ago and without a doubt, I certainly do not regret it.

So far in the first week of the course I watched all the necessary videos, and passed the simple quizzes for week 1. The course establishes two modes of thinking every human uses: focused and diffuse. Focused being when you think deeply on something you know how to solve already, following established prestructured neural pathways. Diffuse on the other hand being that abstract association you get when you passively sift through your brain, in sleep and relaxing, and when you're not actively looking for a concrete solution but rather let your mind wander and put things together.

Now, I've heard about routine and pomodoro techniques and taking breaks to space out learning, but it seems that with this course, something clicked. Applying the things I learned by taking personal summary notes afterwards and both actively and passively thinking about what I've just absorbed, I suddenly felt fulfilled.

I started a self care routine (nothing super much yet, just 2 hours of unwinding and exercise and meditating before bed among other things) by setting up a schedule in an app I found called RoutineFlow. Yeah, I'm not getting it consistently yet, but every day I try to at least take a step to do what I gotta do, that little push that'll help me work through stuff. I just want to get myself to do the basics so that I can grow from there.

Then I encountered my first obstacle: taking notes. The Learning to Learn course has optional materials: readings, interviews, all that fun scop. I go through fairly passively til I encounter one material. A short paper with notes on note taking from Harvard. Some 30 pages. I know I need this, I know I need to sit down and do this as it'll help.

But I couldn't do it. One day, then another day, then the weekend passes, and now I'm back at work again on Monday. My legs are restless, can't seem to sit down and do things.

So I start writing this blog. Immediately afterwards... I still can't do it.

I walk around, pace, try and sit down... Another 30 minutes passes before I open things up and begin taking notes. I literally force myself to sit, set a 25 minute pomodoro... Ok now just gotta focus in this time. Come on I can do it...!

Oh hey I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it! I start learning the material, taking some Cornell Notes on it(a good way to review notes and test yourself die to its structure) as soon as the time'l ran up, I take a break. Wow! That actually wasn't so hard. The hardest part was just sitting down and telling myself that this is what I wanna learn.

So over my free time at work over a few 25 min sessions, I learnt the importance of taking notes in my own words, reviewing them often but not cramming all at once, and testing myself on my knowledge.

It was just that first step. But hey, the more I do this, the easier it gets! Consistency, that's the name of the game. I may not have learned any new coding skills or any new words or anything, but the experience has been a most important one.

Anyways, as I finish this up, it is now time for my morning self care routine. Feeling accomplished, I think things can only get easier if I keep setting aside the time and rewarding myself consistently.

Just gotta put my ass in the chair.