#i love you blue green gold

[vacuously-true]

Come on look at this 😭 don't you get it 😭

people looooove to act like the ocean is so special and sexy. "ohhh it's so wide open you can see seven miles to the horizon!" yeah illinois is like that too. "you can see the curve of the earth!!" i've seen it over harvested cornfields in illinois. "but there's waves on the ocean!" corn has waves too. there's even eldrich creatures as yet unidentified by biologists living in the corn. you're not special, ocean. you're not special.

[yo-yo-yoshiko]

Fun little wind downs. More like before!

[sysig]

Stop being so pretty already, gosh (Patreon)

[marchsage]

i read this really good fic, it's a good day (sweet like honey), and dropped everything to draw something for it <:3

[bunnygirl678]

There are not near enough AUs in the Reguri fandom.

The last time I was active in a fandom was almost 10 years ago wiht 616!Stony (steve x tony but like the comics not the movies) and there were every AU imaginable and that was just for the comics side not even if you include the movies (which tbh i wasn't a fan of) I was so spoiled and didn't even know it, now here I am having read through the entirety of the English and Spanish ao3 collection of finished works, what am i supposed to do now???

The answer is...come up with more AUs.

I'm going to write this one once I get a few more fics out of the way, but here goes.

Formula 1 AU (note this is more pokespe than the games so you get the hyperactive red and the tsundere Green)

-Red and Green are childhood rivals/friends having raced in the gokart circut together before they both got drafted for formula 1

-at first they're on the same team but Red keeps winning and Green always places second, i mean it's still podium but Green wants that W

-red is seriously just happy getting to race with his bff/crush, green just wants to fucking win something on his own

-professor oak is like a famous engineer or something who used to race back in the day (think carroll shelby) and everyone compares Green to him constantly and he hates it

-and like Green can do his own repairs cause he’s skilled af

-its the end of the season and despite racing for the same team red and green are neck and neck for first only a few points away from each other

-red wins ofc, green is devastated, he contemplates retiring then a rival team scouts him and promises the best of the best, he just wants to winnnnn

-red is super sad because his favorite thing was racing with green not against him, and he's got this little (big) crush on green and now he has to constantly race against the man of his dreams

-also there are still pokemon, and battles and stuff, but like Green/Red just do cars now lol

-so the question becomes, does red win again the next season, do red and green pull their heads out of their asses and realize they're in love? Do i add this to my WIPs today or tomorrow?

-find out in like 7 months!

I have like a metric shit ton of f1 knowledge cause my ex-husband's family is involved in the business, i can't say more cause i'm not gonna out myself on here lol, but i feel like this would be fun to write

[robertsbarbie]

videos that talk about if you have this undertone or this eye color of this hair type you can’t wear this color at all make me so mad 😭 it takes ANY fun out of make up and it’s also simply not true! you can make almost any color work for you depending on placement and tone as well as by acknowledging that it doesn’t matter and it’s what you like! it drives me crazy

[girlscience]

I hate getting into something that has a canon(ish) sapphic couple, but I only end up caring about one of the two women 😭😭😭

[ladyimaginarium]

Manifestation Moodboard: Interfaith Christmas, Hannukah & Yule!!

[alien-enjoyer]

the bogos binted 👽✨

[sirfluffyknight]

Made myself a ref sheet

Currently cursed to only draw 3/4 head views

Give me a week and I'll learn how to draw him looking forward in a non-cursed way

[yesyourstalker]

Candy: hi guy! This is candy!! You're favorite girlyyyy!!!!! So I recently got a job at Rock shock at Barnacle & Dime Mall!! I'm so excited because I am partnering with them and sharing a location! I get to have my own little piercing station inside the store!! He's even letting me paint it pink. Isn't it cute!! It's a business inside of a business. I love it ....... Some you probably already recognize me as piercing princess on Inkstagram!.. I was at wahoo world boardwalk and worked with ink tank tattoos...... Unfortunately the partnership is over....they went back home to Gillsdens..aww It's not the last time we'll see them tho.......haha. Anyway usually I answer your questions on how to take care of piercings and treat infections but today I want to do something different. So recently I got a new client and that client is my boss!!! And you allowed me to do a piercing for him

Neta: hey Candy....

Candy: hi Neta...... so what did you want me to do today?

Neta: I was thinking of a tongue piercing buuuut how about some ear piercings

Candy: ohhhhh couple ear piercings so we talking about an industrial or maybe we can do a rook *gasp* we can do a daith piercing!!

Neta: yeah that sounds great................ hey Candy can we talk off camera.

Candy....... You don't want me to film in here? I understand... I should have asked first

Neta: no, no filming is fine It brings in people plus I watch you all the time....... I just kind of want this conversation about my ear piercing to be a private thing.

Candy: ok yeah That's no problem.

Neta:..........*sigh* ok...... So it's very obvious that my ear is kind of........ jacked.......and .....it how do I say this...... it holds a lot of trauma and bad memories..... Sometimes I struggle to look at it .......when I had long tentacles I used to hide it but now I'm not able to do that anymore and I've been getting a lot of stairs at it and I feel....... ummm........*sigh*.........I just want it to be easier to deal with..... I don't want to look at it and automatically associate it with my past and want people to look at and focus more on the body modifications instead.......you know

Candy: .......... Oh.... ok it's whatever you want and what makes you comfortable..... my clients come before my content....... I'm happy to provide a safe space and am honored to be a part of this journey of healing you're going through......

Neta: thanks candy I'm fine with you filming, I just needed to have that conversation....... thank you.

Candy: It's no problem..... ok.......1...2....3.....ok guys so first we're going to start with the left ear!!................I was thinking of maybe we can do 3 piercings that travel up the soft cartilage of the ear and then add a piercing on the flat and end with a rook....... mmmmm....... On the Right we can do similar but instead of 3 piercings on the soft cartilage I'm going to stick with 2 and an industrial piercing! How does that sound Neta?

Neta: yeah...... that sounds great. Let's get to it

Candy: great!!

[After piercing session]

Candy: ok we're done........ What do you think?...... Usually I like to film my client's first reactions but I feel like maybe this one should be..... personal

Neta:........................................... Wow ah ha .......... I love it!......... I can-i can actually look at it......I can fully look... at myself....... Candy.... thank you....

Candy: aaaaaaaaaaaa! It looks so good!!!....... you're welcome!! You look amazing! Some of my best work!!........am I crying??.... it's fine....What do you guys think? It's cute right?

Mahi: looks nice.....and painful

Neta: yeah the rook part hurt like shit but I think it's worth it.

Mahi: you didn't get the tongue piercing?

Neta: I did. I just got on the bottom. See......laaaaa....

Mahi: damn I should have gone that........ You look so different in the first time I met you. Are there any more changes that you're going to do?

Neta: I might stop dying my hair and keep it yellow...... I think I'll be good as a natural gold

Mahi: ehhh I don't know. Let me see you being green..... It would suit you though

Warabi: yeah, I would match your personality. A dumb bubbly gold bimbo

Neta: ha. Ha. Shut up

Candy: Oh my cod yes we would match!!

Mahi: I don't think Phoebe would recognize you though

Neta:ah man you're right guess I'm keeping it green...

Mahi belongs to @fish-at-fish-fish-resort

[jlf23tumble]

Ok so I have a crack theory for you and I'm so fucking greatful for the anon option because Taylor fans would probably kill me for this. I never liked her much, but for whatever reason I listened to her entire discography recently too and I was like wait a damn minute so often. My theory is that she didn't write some of her songs, at least not alone. I think she bought some songs Harry and, or Louis wrote (more H imo) that were too telling. Esp Great War. I know what she said what the song is about, but I just don't see it. I think it's a bit too dramatic and my theory is that it's about bg and Belfast. Overall there is a lot of compasses, roses and blue greening going on. Paris is also so Larry. I'm absolutely aware that my brain might be mush and makes up connections where there are simply none. But funnily enough I simply can enjoy her songs just imagining they are about H and L and since it's open to interpretation anyway it works for me. Oh and when you listen to Labyrinth on headphones it sounds like they sampled Harold saying "oh" and I have no idea what to do with that. But as I said, I might just go crazy.

This is so beyond crack theory that it's around the bend to fucking unhinged, mein GOTT! And hell yeah, Taylor fans would kill you because you're gonna suggest someone who writes incredibly detailed, emotional (oft times hella gay for ladies) lyrics is gonna somehow buy watered down vague songs, and from these two men in particular no less? That concept alone wins a prize, but the overall pipeline of typical 1d fan "I never liked her much" to listening to her entire discography and being able to tolerate ONLY because you're gonna just apply a larrie lens to every song she's ever written, even the ones that some people think could be referencing her own miscarriage, it's just...it's mind-blowing in terms of crack theory land is what it is! I'm still stuck on Great War being somehow connected to Louis being a dad and/or Liam having the shits and/or a major anxiety attack in Ireland, that is some GOD-TIER wilde!

[welcometoteyvat]

 xingqiu, gold accents, ginkgo leaves, the light golden color tea gets in sunlight

hu tao, also gold accents, mahogany wood, smoky things, spider lilies unfurling in the dark. but it would be cool to edit her art so it’s more high contrast (darker outfit and hair) with stark black plum branches against winter snow 

chongyun, white, clouds, wisps of chill wind. fluffy things and a big fur coat

majority red palette ningguang would also be cool

and of course, zhongli with gold orange. old man can’t beat the geo lord cor lapis soulmates (ambiguous relationship) with azhdaha allegations

[physalian]

How to Make Your Writing Less Stiff Part 3

Crazy how one impulsive post has quickly outshined every other post I have made on this blog. Anyway here’s more to consider. Once again, I am recirculating tried-and-true writing advice that shouldn’t have to compromise your author voice and isn’t always applicable when the narrative demands otherwise.

Part 1

Part 2

1. Eliminating to-be verbs (passive voice)

Am/is/are/was/were are another type of filler that doesn’t add anything to your sentences.

There were fireworks in the sky tonight. /// Fireworks glittered in the sky tonight.

My cat was chirping at the lights on the ceiling. /// My cat chirped at the lights on the ceiling.

She was standing /// She stood

He was running /// He ran

Also applicable in present tense, of which I’ve been stuck writing lately.

There are two fish-net goals on either end of the improvised field. /// Two fish-net goals mark either end of the improvised field.

For once, it’s a cloudless night. /// For once, the stars shine clear.

Sometimes the sentence needs a little finagling to remove the bad verb and sometimes you can let a couple remain if it sounds better with the cadence or syntax. Generally, they’re not necessary and you won’t realize how strange it looks until you go back and delete them (it also helps shave off your word count).

Sometimes the to-be verb is necessary. You're writing in past-tense and must convey that.

He was running out of time does not have the same meaning as He ran out of time, and are not interchangeable. You'd have to change the entire sentence to something probably a lot wordier to escape the 'was'. To-be verbs are not the end of the world.

2. Putting character descriptors in the wrong place

I made a post already about motivated exposition, specifically about character descriptions and the mirror trope, saying character details in the wrong place can look odd and screw with the flow of the paragraph, especially if you throw in too many.

She ties her long, curly, brown tresses up in a messy bun. /// She ties her curls up in a messy brown bun. (bonus alliteration too)

Generally, I see this most often with hair, a terrible rule of threes. Eyes less so, but eyes have their own issue. Eye color gets repeated at an exhausting frequency. Whatever you have in your manuscript, you could probably delete 30-40% of the reminders that the love interest has baby blues and readers would be happy, especially if you use the same metaphor over and over again, like gemstones.

He rolled his bright, emerald eyes. /// He rolled his eyes, a vibrant green in the lamplight.

To me, one reads like you want to get the character description out as fast as possible, so the hand of the author comes in to wave and stop the story to give you the details. Fixing it, my way or another way, stands out less as exposition, which is what character descriptions boil down to—something the audience needs to know to appreciate and/or understand the story.

3. Lacking flow between sentences

Much like sentences that are all about the same length with little variety in syntax, sentences that follow each other like a grocery list or instruction manual instead of a proper narrative are difficult to find gripping.

Jack gets out a stock pot from the cupboard. He fills it with the tap and sets it on the stove. Then, he grabs russet potatoes and butter from the fridge. He leaves the butter out to soften, and sets the pot to boil. He then adds salt to the water.

From the cupboard, Jack drags a hefty stockpot. He fills it with the tap, adds salt to taste, and sets it on the stove.

Russet potatoes or yukon gold? Jack drums his fingers on the fridge door in thought. Russet—that’s what the recipe calls for. He tosses the bag on the counter and the butter beside it to soften.

This is just one version of a possible edit to the first paragraph, not the end-all, be-all perfect reconstruction. It’s not just about having transitions, like ‘then’, it’s about how one sentence flows into the next, and you can accomplish better flow in many different ways.

4. Getting too specific with movement.

I don’t see this super often, but when it happens, it tends to be pretty bad. I think it happens because writers feel the need to overcompensate and over-clarify on what’s happening. Remember: The more specific you get, the more your readers are going to wonder what’s so important about these details. This is fiction, so every detail matters.

A ridiculous example:

Jack walks over to his closet. He kneels down at the shoe rack and tugs his running shoes free. He walks back to his desk chair, sits down, and ties the laces.

Unless tying his shoes is a monumental achievement for this character, all readers would need is:

Jack shoves on his running shoes.

*quick note: Do not add "down" after the following: Kneels, stoops, crouches, squats. The "down" is already implied in the verb.

This also happens with multiple movements in succession.

Beth enters the room and steps on her shoelace, nearly causing her to trip. She kneels and ties her shoes. She stands upright and keeps moving.

Or

Beth walks in and nearly trips over her shoelace. She sighs, reties it, and keeps moving.

Even then, unless Beth is a chronically clumsy character or this near-trip is a side effect of her being late or tired (i.e. meaningful), tripping over a shoelace is kind of boring if it does nothing for her character. Miles Morales’ untied shoelaces are thematically part of his story.

Sometimes, over-describing a character’s movement is meant to show how nervous they are—overthinking everything they’re doing, second-guessing themselves ad nauseam. Or they’re autistic coded and this is how this character normally thinks as deeply methodical. Or, you’re trying to emphasize some mundanity about their life and doing it on purpose.

If you’re not writing something where the extra details service the character or the story at large, consider trimming it.

—

These are *suggestions* and writing is highly subjective. Hope this helps!

[thecupidwitch]

Spell Bags

What Are Spell Bags?

Spell Bags are usually small bags that contain a range of ingredients linked to the intention of your spell. They can sometimes be known as different names, or have slight cultural differences. For the purpose of this post I will refer to a spell bag, but they may also be called spell sachets, charm bags, and in some cultures, mojo bags (please do your own research). You can also make spell jars, which are pretty much the same, only you use a jar and not a bag.

Bag Colors

Gold - wealth, protection, the God Silver - prosperity, the moon, the Goddess Yellow - healing Orange - travel, communication, messages Green - nature, growth, prosperity, abundance, friendship Blue - peace, calm, wisdom, benevolence Purple - wisdom, wealth, grandeur, mysteries, justice Red - success, romance, strength, protection Pink - love, healing, friendship Black - absorbs negative energy

How to Make a Spell Bag

Think about your intention for making the spell bag… Why are you making it?… What do you want to get from it?

Think about ingredients you want to put into the spell bag and their correspondences… What ingredients will fit into your spell bag?… What specific ingredients are associated with your intentions (for example, what herbs are used for protection)

Collect your bag and ingredients, and focus your intent on each of them. You may also want to write a magickal chant. This can be simply read out, or written down to leave inside the spell bag.

Assemble your spell bag.

Spend time either meditating on your intention, or reciting your magickal chant.

Find a place to put your spell bag. This may simply be on your altar, or in your pocket. Alternatively, there may be a specific place you want to put it (such as by your bed for a sleep spell bag, or in the corner of your room for protection).

Tip-Jar

[nightingale-prompts]

Batboy Meets Batfam

First | Previous | Next

"Relax Batty, it's just one dinner." Dick parked the car inside the Wayne family manor's garage.

"But I hate billionaires. Can't we just go to Batburger and go home." Danny whined slumping in his seat.

"What's so bad about it? He's your grandfather now." Dick asked.

"The last billionaire I met was the only other of my kind. And he was awful. Tried to kill me, clone me, marry my mom, kill my dad, ruined my life. That last one was something he achieved." Danny's wings materilized and wrapped around him as he sulked.

"I know it's hard Danny and I can't promise no one will ever try to hurt you like that again but I can promise I'll stick by you. I can also promise to kick the butt of anyone who tries messing with you." Dick said ruffing Danny's black hair that popped out from under his leathery wings.

"Still don't wanna go." As Danny said this he began to shrink.

Dick sighed, he had learned recently that Danny was a shifter of some kind. It was useful to hide his identity but he would also use it to get out of doing things. When Dick told Danny to clean his room or study Danny would shrink to the size of a toddler and say "Im baby" to get out of it. Dick is ashamed to admit that he's let Danny get away with it because baby bat pictures are precious and worth their weight in gold. He has a wallet full of pictures now.

But Dick has to put his foot down this time.

"Danny being little won't get you out of this. Do you really want to meet your new family like this?" Dick asked.

Danny huffed and turned in his now ill-fitting hoodie the size of a 3-year-old.

"Alright come on." Dick gave up scooping the toddler-sized teen under one arm and walking into the manor. "Alfred still has Bruce's old baby clothes somewhere."

"Ahh!"Danny yelped.

"What? Don't want that? If you show up as a baby, they will think you are one. You know Tim Drake is going to be there. He's going to be in the same school as you. Do you want him to think you're a baby?" Dick said holding the kid at eye level.

In surrender, Danny grew back to his normal size.

Dinner was oddly quite as everyone studied Danny closely.

Barbara was the least concerned as he talked about work with Dick and pushed Danny a bowl of strawberry salad. She wanted good aunt points. Danny would love her the most.

Cassie studied Danny's features. It was almost creepy how much he looked like Dick. She'd believe it if Dick was his biological father. Except for the eyes. Danny had a very particular eye color they were blue in the center but kind of had a green ring on the iris. The condition was called central heterochromia and it's rare.

Damian wasn't glaring like he usually would. He looked almost wide-eyed at Danny but remained silent.

Jason was absent as always apparently he was moved by Dick's announcement.

Then again Danny was supposed to be a surprise.

Tim and Danny seem to strike a cord immediately. Danny despite how silly he was the teen was very intelligent. Tim wasn't as subtle as he wish, mostly because Danny cornered him in conversation.

"So you're more used to living in a small town?" Tim smiled politely.

"Hmm? I didn't say that exactly. I said Im just new to the city." Danny responded.

"So you're from a different city? Metro or Star?"

"Neither, It's nowhere you'd know. Not really notable."

"You're going to be family soon, of course i want to know."

They went back and forth for a while. Tim was probably irritated after finding nothing about Danny's identity. And that meant Bruce was probably suspicious as well. Dick had to bet that Bruce's overactive paternal instincts would overwrite his need to investigate.

"So Danny, have you heard of the new vigilante in Bludhaven? The one they call Batboy?"Bruce asked wiping his mouth with a napkin as he ate.

This was the question Danny was waiting for.

"Of course! Have you seen the pictures on social media! Everyone is talking about him. Like, he has wings like a bat. Do you know what I'd do to get that power?! I mean he's not Superman but come on its so cool. We don't have metas-Is that what you call them? Yeah, metas. We don't have them where I'm from so I didn't think I'd ever met one. Dick said he met him the last time he saw Nightwing and promised to get me a picture but he didn't and he said he forgot." Danny put on a pretty convincing fanboy routine.

"I see. So Dick told you he's friends with Nightwing?" Bruce probed.

"He didn't need to tell me. Nightwing found me after I ended up in Bludhaven. I was pretty banged up and he parched me up and took me to the police station. I tried to leave but he told me that Detective Grayson would look out for me." Danny said digging through his salad to pick out the fruit and nuts.

"What about your parents?" Bruce asked softly.

"Bruce," Dick said in warning.

"Its fine...my parents didn't want me anymore. I can't go back. They'd probably kill me. But it doesn't matter anymore, they aren't here." Danny said stiffly feeling uncomfortable for saying a bit of truth.

They say the best way to lie is to have a bit of truth. Danny disagreed. The best way to lie is to have no truth, so they can't tell the difference.

Dick pulled the teen closer as Danny pulled his hands inside this hoodie hiding one of the burn scars on his arm but just enough to show that they were there.

Bruce didn't say another word.

Damian seemed to make his mind up at some point and joined in the conversation.

"Do you eat meat, Nightingale? I've noticed you haven't touched anything with it." Damian sounded oddly cordial.

"Ew, no. I don't eat meat. My friend always said meat was murder and taught me about how evil slaughterhouses were. We once raided a local farm to-oop. I forgot there are detectives at the table. I promise I'm a law-abiding citizen and not an eco-terrorist...anymore." Danny smiled too innocently.

Damian nodded in understanding. They had found common ground. That still doesn't mean he liked Nightingale. But he couldn't fight him since he didn't seem to know anything about their vigilante lifestyle.

Damian had to begrudgingly admit that Danny's presence was welcome. Soothing even.

It didn't matter. He and Drake still had bigger plans. Finding out who this "Batboy" was. They just needed Dick give up some information about the bat metahuman.

Tim had his suspicions that it was Danny but Batboy had stark white hair with black streaks and green eyes. Not to mention wings.

They would have to agree to disagree.

"Danny you have to eat something other than fruit. Eat the rest of the salad." Dick tried to sound stern but caved almost immediately when Danny pretended he didn't hear that.

Bruce internally sighed. Does he step in and help or let Dick figure it out. How does one be a grandpa to a non-vigilante who you can't threaten with no patrols?

*Bonus*

Danny when he see fruit.