#i prefer connecting to people through texting much better than through in person

[szampers]

personal notes from before the szpd epiphany nr. 3. More info in tags

Actually. I am the social nightmare

I really can't tell whether I'm a solitary animal by nature or by nurture. Both probably. Putting someone like me in a school environment is like forcing a fish to live on land. i may have changed schools for the better but this is only making it clear that I've always been like this. A solitary fish.

I guess the appeal in typing is that you get to connect with someone while being alone at the same time, and your thoughts get displayed right in front of you. It feels more precise

[aragonlediagon]

Shingyoku lore post [LONG POST]

I made this as a little introduction to my Shingies's personalities headcanons. This is a post for those who wished to know about it because I cant recall making a proper post for that. Orochi and Toru are personal names I give to "the human-like forms" of the Touhou HRtP boss Shingyoku. Fair warning were very much entering OC territory here.

Or rather, this is a resumed introduction. I wont go into details too much here, as Id prefer to share it in a different format. For 2025, Ill introduce it through a series of posts starting from the very beginning of this story, each part with a drawing to go with it, because I think it will be better rather than one post with a massive wall of text.

My direction for Shingyoku is to do a mix of the "2 distinct entities" and "same person/shapeshifter" routes. Usually headcanons pick one of the two takes. I came up with a story which is very headcanon heavy and can be read by people who know nothing about Touhou as it barely refers to its codes or established figures.

(Its important I first state that they lived during edo Japan (early to mid 1800) and not Gensokyo.)

Orochi is from an upper class family. Her family were merchants from west Europe who found success and settled down in Japan before strict laws established regarding oversea traffic. Being the 2nd child, the focus of attention was pushed onto her older brother who would later lead the family. Orochi spent her early childhood raised by her retired great grandfather who gave her a taste for adventures telling of his past oversea travels. He would however pass away of old age, and Orochi would get entrusted to a shrine her family has a long, great partnership with, the "Shrine of Borders", which is the central location of this story, the shrine getting this name due to its location next to mountains speculated as housing entrances to underworlds. Her family often sending funds to the shrine, as their connection had started decades ago at the contruction of large gates said to prevent intervention of the supernatural from said underworlds.

Toru's backstory is long and complicated, as he's a part of the shinto god of the moon Tsukuyomi who landed on Earth, and the unfolding of events which led to this happening needs a post of its own since it dives a lot into shinto mythology. But basically, he landed on the grounds of an isolated fraudulent shrine led by fanatics, and ended up running away with a miko who had already questionned their doings. But later on, due to how harsh life would be at this time for a single adult and a child in the countryside, she wouldnt be able to provide him care and entrusted him to a shrine, which coincidentally, was the Shrine of Borders.

Both of them arrived at the shrine at about the same time (they were 8 years old). Toru was adopted by the shrine's head priest, Orochi was raised in a nearby village by retired mikos, but they got their traditional training at the shrine together. They quickly became very close friends (even if they fought a lot at first).

They underwent their initiation rite in their early teen age. They would communicate for the first time with a deity, "Shingyoku", who claimed to have been in a deep slumber for a very long time, the arrival of the pair wakening it. Shingyoku had no body of its own, but the pair would allow it to join the physical world of the living once they'd each reached enlightement. Orochi and Toru would report it to the head priest, who wasnt familiar with the name "Shingyoku", the Shrine of Borders having a long history of struggles communicating with the local god. In this story, Shingyoku makes it clear that its the deity of the shrine's pond and not the borders gates despite what HRtP make you theorize due to the boss's location; in this take the gates are purely human made. Because Shingyoku had no body of its own, it would try to possess people to use their bodies as a vessel, but because it had only weak powers, it could only possess for a short amount of time like possessing Orochi or Toru to communicate with them, or small animals, its favorite being the pair's pet koi fish from the shrine's pond.

For a couple years, the story focuses on Orochi's and Toru's daily life and duties at the shrine, but is relatively mundane, as I said is detached from Touhou codes and doesnt take place in Gensokyo, so it rather refers to history at that time with a small hint of fantasy with occasional intervention of the supernatural, youkais's appearance following more how they were depicted in art of the time. People also dont have magical abilities, there are no such things as bullet battle and spell cards. Orochi is skilled at some martial art due to a personal intensive physical training; Toru acquire healing abilities only due to his godly nature. They would share tasks and complete each others with what theyre best at.

Once in their early twenties, Orochi was summoned back to her family's home to lead as her older brother perished in battle (indicative to more events happening at the time approaching end edo). She would take Toru as her spouse, but as they would grow so much stress from the marriage's and leading's expectation coupled with the shut in life, they would end up running away without a word 4 years later.

They would escape and live isolated in the mountains close to the Shrine of Borders so they could be remotely close from Shingyoku, where they would dedicate their lives serving their god.

A decade later, they would reach enlightement, but passed away as their mortal bodies couldnt handle it (and the harsh living conditions).

Shingyoku, still using the koi fish's body as a vessel, swam up the mountains to reach the pair whose spirits parted from their bodies and fused into one. Shingyoku absorbed the fused spirit, acquiring the pair's powers, allowing it to transform into a dragon before setting the pair's body on fire (to spare them a trip to the Yomi, the "shinto hell", which has a capital importance later in my whole story but isnt part of Orochi's and Toru's story).

*I use "fusion" as an umbrella term, but as explained here, its not a straight up fusion of the 2 people's body fusing into one. Here the deity and the 2 shrine officiants are distinct people, the officiants serving the deity, and the deity later absorbing the officiants's spirits to acquire their powers after reaching enlightement. Shingyoku the deity shares no DNA with Orochi and Toru, the body of the koi fish, which then transforms into a dragon, ended up being its official DNA. The separation is capital for the following part of the story which focuses on Shingyoku's life after joining the physical world of the living. But this will be for an other post, as the focus here was on the miko and the priest.

[thestarryshepherd]

Hello, I am Starry you might know me from my TikTok StarryEyedShepherd. The reason I started my TikTok is because I have always had an interest in religion and when I dwelled in HelPol I got really invested in the history of it. Ancestor worship is one of the center points of Hellenic Polytheism and although they aren’t my blood ancestry, they are my religious ancestors, so for me it was basic respect to try and reconstruct to the best of my ability ancient Greek religious principles and just generally religion to the best of my personal abilities. I have been wanting to be a professor of classics for a bit and since I read academic texts and try to do my research to the best of my abilities I thought I could share some of my knowledge based on that. I had an incredibly optimistic outlook on TikTok in the beginning and was overly sweet with people who I really shouldn’t have been with. However I started to understand sadly that TikTok was no place of education and barely anybody was interested in hearing about the religion and instead preferred to see people make up fun stories of how their supposed spouse god had been planning a romantic time together. The only evidence we have of godspousal or anything similar was purely ritualistic and not to be taken as literal marriage. Note that it was also done (as far as all historical sources we have available to us) in Athens by the queen of Athens at the festival of Anthesteria. This was a very special woman as well as most of the rituals done in association with the cult of Dionysos were not usually to do with “the usual way of doing things”. From my perspective it’s disrespectful to claim to have slept with a god and to have romanced them. “But what about the myths?” Well Hesiod tells us that the gods have pulled away from humanity and we are living in the age after the age of heroes called the “Iron Age”. He describes this as an age where the gods will have forsaken humanity. This makes sense when put into the context that this happens right after the brutal events of The Iliad where the gods realize that their involvement with humanity is doing more wrong than good. “So does this mean that they aren’t with us anymore?” They are with us just not to the same extent. People claiming to be able to speak clearly the word of gods are charlatans. We know this again through Hesiod’s description and through the fact that even the Oracle at Delphi who was our main connection to the gods was only able to speak in jumbled words and not in correct coherent sentences. There had to be a man next to her to translate her sayings to put them into semi-coherent sentences. This is also why Tarot is so general and not hyper specific, at least IF you believe in divination through such means as some HelPols don’t and I can understand why. I made my opinions regarding these very clear on my TikTok. In the defence of the people who went on to attack me for such opinions I will say that I was not too kind with people who thought in such ways. I was going through an incredibly horrible time irl and well this can make people much more prone to saying things in all the wrong ways. I called someone who had godspoused Hera “delusional”. In my defence I did not name names and whenever I made videos I have continued not to. It is not my purpose to humiliate someone on the internet however to question to what extent they have basic understandings of this religion especially when to me such things seem incredibly disrespectful. However, I see now that even trying to have a conversation with such people or bringing attention to them only feeds their victim complex and the fact that ultimately they do not wish to learn about the religion. A group of people who are TikTok godspouses especially didn’t take kindly to my statements and have kept making videos, and sly remarks about me in their comments sections. Helpol tiktok is so incredibly toxic and ahistorical I’m honestly not sure if Tumblr is better in this regard I have heard it is but honestly my hopes aren’t very high. Please prove me wrong.

[ultrajtb]

Okay so my biggest problems with how the Steve Saga base color steves were designed are that they don’t match and they aren’t as vibrant as I’d like, sometimes even looking kinda muddy. Green and Yellow especially.

So I’ve redesigned all 5 to ease my brain, and will be adding descriptions of how I’d change them lore-wise (excuse me if the ideas seem jumbled, I’m not very good at compiling my thoughts coherently)

First there’s Red Steves

In terms of design I basically just brightened it up and made it shinier

The original lore had them be incredibly dumb. While it’s a fun gag, I would prefer if they were closer to average

So in my idea of a streamlined Red Steve, they’d still be pyrokinetic with anger issues, but they wouldn’t be boneheads. The original had them using redstone as a power source, but it was never really explained, so to expand on that, their ability to create fire demands they consume mass amounts of fuel to function. So lots of food and burnable items can help them. Alternatively, redstone blocks contain a similar level of energy that they will feed on to fuel themselves more efficiently.

Next Blue Steves

Honestly the best of the original designs. Once again, basically just brightened it up and made it shinier to match the more overhauled ones.

So, these guys are hydrokinetic as well as the smartest, strongest, and wisest of the 5. Not much I want to change there. I do want to add on to them that they have a level of hubris comparable to the SCU Red Steves, which does lead some to less than desirable fates

Now the first majorly changed design, Green Steves

The original green steve design always bothered me because it was the most different from the other base colors. In short, it’s just way too bright. The green just doesn’t really pop. So I actually darkened it a bit so that it matches the other colors better.

We never really learned much about the green steves in the steve saga. From what I know, they were all fairly timid and pretty weak.

Obviously I’d like to at least tweak that. So my ideal version would have them be Chlorokinetic, meaning they can create and control plants. I feel this could give them a bit more character by having them be more connected to nature.

Now for my personal favorite of the redesigns, Yellow Steves why doesn’t tumblr have a yellow text option 😭

My gripes with the Steve Saga design are that it has a lot more contrast than the others, has weirdly colored highlights, and is just a sickly shade of yellow. So I fixed the contrast and highlights up and made it a more golden yellow

These guys were known for being electrokinetic speedsters in the original. Honestly I like that about them, don’t really wanna change anything there. I do think it’d be interesting to make them drawn to metals because conducting electricity, and weak to resisters like wood since electricity can’t flow through stuff like that. They’re the only ones who actually fight using lighting. The other 4 will at most have lightning while using their own abilities, but won’t be able to use that lightning for actual combat

Lastly, we have Purple Steves

So the original was missing some highlights, and I didn’t really like the shade of purple. Pretty easy fixes

The power these guys were known for was being able to teleport basically anywhere at will. Pretty cool power, not gonna change it.

Personality-wise we only saw one in the series and he was brain damaged for most of it. I think a good general trait for them is that they don’t like staying in on place for long, both because they lack any real attacking abilities and they just instinctively want to teleport to new places as a means of avoiding people who’d want to harm them.

Lmk your thoughts and what you think I could do differently with the ideas or if you have your own that you think could be cool to add. I will be keeping an eye out and will add anything that I like (with credit obviously). I have some more complex thoughts for the upcoming prominent steves so keep an eye out for that.

Have a good day/night!

[rafesfavoritegirl]

waves between us

chapter 4: tidal echos

𓂃⋆.˚ Aurora reflects on the end of her relationship with Rafe, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. After isolating herself, she gets an urgent call from John B about Jj, who's struggling after a fight with his father. When she arrives, an intimate moment with Jj forces Aurora to confront her feelings and the blurred lines of their friendship.

word count 2.6k

content warnings: underage drinking, physical injury, emotional distress, breakup, toxic relationships, emotional vulnerability, and implied romantic tension

Knowing it was over between us left me in a strange state of limbo—caught somewhere between relief and reflection. I wasn’t upset, not really. The shock of it all had numbed me, but deep down, I’d seen this coming from miles away.

I sat there, letting the truth settle over me like a heavy blanket. Our relationship had always felt like it was teetering on the edge, never solid, never quite whole. And he knew it. I knew it. Maybe we both had for longer than either of us wanted to admit.

Still, the ending left me wondering. Not just about him, but about myself—the choices I’d made, the moments I’d let slip away, the things I held back when I should have spoken up. He deserved better; I could admit that now. He deserves someone who was fully present, fully invested in what they had. And I… I’d been picturing someone else the entire time.

The guilt gnawed at me, but it wasn’t enough to erase the truth. I was never fully in it with him, not the way I should’ve been. Maybe that’s why I wasn’t shattered. Maybe that’s why, as much as I hated hurting him, I felt more free than broken.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I stared at the world outside the window. It was quiet now, the kind of stillness that begged for clarity, for new beginnings. For once, I let myself feel it.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

A week had passed, though it felt more like a blur of empty days and restless nights. I hadn’t seen anyone, hadn’t answered a single call or text. My phone was littered with missed calls—Sarah, my mom, even a few from people I hadn’t talked to in awhile. Word must have gotten around. People were starting to grow concerned, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

I preferred to be alone, tucked away in the quiet space I’d carved out for myself. The silence felt safer than facing the questions, the pitying looks, or the inevitable “are you okay?” I wasn’t okay. Not really. Knowing that it was officially over between Rafe and me weighed heavier than I wanted to admit.

I didn’t miss him as my lover, not exactly. That part of our relationship had always felt fragile, like a glass vase waiting to shatter. But I missed him as my best friend. I missed the late-night talks, the way he could make me laugh when no one else could, and how he could read my mood with just a glance. It wasn’t the romance I was mourning—it was the connection, the bond we’d built over time. And now, that is gone too. It felt like losing a part of myself.

I tried to bury those feelings, but they kept creeping back, like shadows in the corners of my mind. The ache of it was constant, a dull pain that I couldn’t shake. I felt stuck in a loop, like I was floating in this strange limbo where time didn’t move forward. Nothing felt real, and yet everything felt too sharp, too much.

I caught glimpses of myself in the mirror, and I barely recognized the person staring back. My hair was a mess, my eyes hollow from nights spent tossing and turning. Even the smallest tasks felt monumental. Eating, showering, getting out of bed—it all took more effort than I had to give.

The world outside my door moved on without me, but I couldn’t bring myself to step back into it. Not yet. Not when it felt like I was still trying to piece together who I was without him.

As I try to take a nap, the buzzing of my phone abruptly pulls me from the edge of sleep. Groaning, I reach for it, wondering who could possibly be calling. When I see John B’s name flash across the screen, I freeze for a moment. It’s unexpected—he never calls me out of the blue. Curiosity and confusion swirling in my mind, I swipe to answer.

I stay silent, waiting for him to speak first. His voice comes through, rushed and uncertain. "Hey, Aurora. Sorry to call you out of nowhere, but... do you think you could stop by?"

I frown, suspicion creeping in. "Uh... why?" I ask, my tone hesitant.

On the other end, I hear faint crashes and muffled noises, like something falling over. John B’s voice grows more urgent, and there’s a distracted edge to it. "Shit," he mutters, clearly not directed at me.

He exhales sharply before finally explaining. "I don’t mean to worry you, but can you come? It’s important. Jj... he’s not doing good."

The serious tone in his voice strikes a chord in me, and without hesitation, I sit up. "I’ll be there soon," I say, ending the call.

I spring into action, rushing to the bathroom. Turning the shower on, I step under the water, letting it wash away the grogginess. My movements are quick, efficient, scrubbing and rinsing in record time. I dry off hurriedly, brush my teeth, and throw on a pair of denim shorts and a hoodie. Pulling my hair into a messy bun, I grab my keys on the way out.

My heart pounds as I rush downstairs, my mind racing with possibilities. By the time I slide into my car, the urgency in John B’s voice is still echoing in my ears. Without wasting another second, I start the engine and head straight to his house.

As I pull up outside John B’s house, I barely take the time to put my car in park before rushing to the front door, which is, as always, left slightly open. Pushing the door, I step inside and immediately take in the chaos. The living room is a wreck��pictures scattered on the floor, glass shattered everywhere, and crushed beer cans littering the space. My heart sinks as I cautiously make my way to the kitchen.

There, I find John B sweeping glass off the table, his movements deliberate but tense. “What the hell happened here, John B?” I ask, worry evident in my voice. My mind immediately jumps to the worst—another fight.

Relief washes over me when I glance at John B and see no visible bruises or injuries. He sighs, straightening up for a moment. “Thanks for coming so quick,” he says, his tone tinged with weariness. “Jj got into it with his dad again. y'know, yelling, fighting, all that crap. But then... I guess his rage turned into something about you.”

He pauses, his words hanging heavily in the air, then continues, his voice softer. “He wouldn’t talk to me, so I figured he would talk to you.”

His expression is sincere, his eyes steady as he looks at me. I nod, swallowing hard. “Where is he?”

John B finishes clearing some glass, tosses it into the trash, and walks back toward me. “He’s out back by the bonfire. No one else is out there, so don’t worry about that.”

I glance toward the backyard, noticing the faint glow of the fire against the dark sky. “Thanks,” I murmur, meeting his gaze briefly before heading toward the sliding door.

As I step outside, the cool night air greets me, carrying the faint crackle of the fire. My eyes land on Jj, slouched in a chair, a bottle of vodka in his hand and another resting by his feet. He looks utterly defeated, like the weight of the world is pressing down on him. His shoulders are hunched, his head slightly bowed, and even from a distance, I can tell he’s been crying.

He doesn’t look angry—just lost, like a wounded animal trying to figure out how to heal. My chest tightens at the sight, and I take a steadying breath before walking toward him.

He acknowledged my existence with a fleeting glance, but he refused to say anything. The silence between us was heavy, oppressive, and neither of us seemed willing to be the one to break it. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” I said, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

He looked over at me, his eyes sharp, and scoffed, the sound dripping with disdain. “Like you care,” he shot back, his tone bitter and edged with something deeper.

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my frustration in check. “What are you even doing here?” he continued, his words laced with bitterness “Shouldn’t you be off with your perfect little boyfriend, Rory?”

His words stung more than I wanted to admit, but I refused to let it show. Instead, I crossed my arms, leveling him with a look. “Right. Because you know so much about perfection,” I said quietly, the weight of everything unspoken hanging between us like a storm cloud. 

“You know what? Fine. I’ll put down the bottle,” he said, his voice sharp and mocking. For a moment, I thought he might actually mean it as he looked at me, holding the bottle out like he was going to hand it over.

But then, just as quickly, he let it slip from his fingers. The glass hit the ground with a sharp crash, shattering into pieces. I let out a startled jump, my heart racing as the sound echoed around us.

“Jayj,” I said, my voice a mix of frustration and worry. My eyes darted to the shards scattered dangerously close to the fire. The thought of alcohol and flames combining was enough to make my stomach twist. Without thinking, I crouched down to start picking up the broken glass, desperate to prevent an even bigger mess.

“Don’t do that,” he said, his voice softer now, almost concerned. “You’re gonna get cut—”

He didn’t even finish the sentence before I let out a sharp wince, feeling the sting as a shard sliced into my hand. Blood welled up immediately, crimson against my skin.

“Spoke too soon,” I muttered, my tone more irritated with myself than anything else.

Jay stepped toward me, his earlier defiance replaced with something more hesitant. Kneeling down, he reached for my injured hand, gently cupping it on his own. His touch was surprisingly careful, almost tender, as he examined the cut. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension between us shifting into something more fragile, something unspoken.

Jj guides me toward John B’s room, his hand gently holding mine to keep the blood from dripping onto the floor. His touch, though rough and calloused, is careful, almost protective. When we reach the edge of the bed, he helps me sit down before disappearing into the bathroom. The sound of cabinets opening and bottles clinking echoes faintly, and within moments, he’s back with an armful of supplies—wrap bandages, cotton pads, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

He sits down beside me, his knee brushing against mine as he settles in to tend to the wound. I watch as he pours the alcohol onto a cotton pad, waiting for it to soak through. His movements are steady, but I can tell from his glassy eyes and slight sway that the alcohol he’s been drinking is still coursing through him.

“This might sting,” he murmurs softly before pressing the soaked cotton against my hand. The sharp sting of the alcohol makes me wince. Jj notices and whispers, his voice low and soothing, “It’s okay, it’s almost over.”

His words are calming, though his hands tremble slightly as he works. Once the wound is cleaned, he tosses the bloodied cotton pads into the small trash can by John B’s bed and turns his attention back to me. Carefully, he unravels the bandages, his fingers brushing lightly against my skin as he begins wrapping my hand. His touch is firm but tender, as though he’s trying to make up for something with his actions.

When he finishes, he ties the bandage securely and finally looks up at me. His blue eyes, usually full of mischief and defiance, now hold an unusual softness. “I’m sorry,” he mutters, his words slurred and heavy. “For everything.”

The vulnerability in his voice tugs at something deep within me. Without thinking, I lean forward and wrap my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. His body stiffens at first, but then he relaxes, his arms hesitantly circling around my waist.

“It’s okay,” I whisper, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions brewing inside me. “Talk to me. I’m here.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper, “me and Rafe broke up.”

Jay’s eyes flicked to mine for a brief moment before he looked down at the floor, a soft laugh escaping his lips. It wasn’t mocking—it was something else, something almost amused. He tilted his head, the corner of his mouth curving into a smirk as he spoke.

“Is that right?” he murmured, his tone low and teasing, like he was testing the waters.

I swallowed hard, suddenly hyper aware of how close he was, still holding my hand gently in his. His thumb traced absent circles against my skin, and the space between us seemed to shrink, the air charged with something I couldn’t quite name. His eyes lifted to meet mine again, this time lingering, his gaze intense and unreadable.

Jj leans in without hesitation, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that’s both urgent and consuming. The intensity builds quickly, his passion unmistakable as his hands begin to explore with a deliberate, lingering touch. One hand tangles in my hair, his fingers threading through it gently, while the other slides confidently over my side before coming to rest on my chest. His palm presses against me, his thumb brushing over the curve of my breast in a way that sends heat coursing through me. Each kiss deepens, more passionate and needy, as the energy between us grows heavier.

Without breaking contact, he guides me backward until I’m in the middle of the bed. His movements are fluid yet filled with purpose, driven by a desire that feels impossible to resist. In one swift motion, he tugs his shirt over his head, the fabric falling carelessly to the floor before he climbs over me. His hands find the hem of my hoodie, lifting it over my head with an easy confidence. As the cool air brushes my skin, his lips follow, pressing heated kisses over my chest and trailing slowly down to my stomach, leaving a trail of tingling warmth in their wake.

"Jayj, you're drunk," I manage to whisper, my voice breathy and uneven between kisses, a weak attempt to inject some sense into the moment.

"Yeah, so?" he murmurs, his lips barely leaving my skin as he responds, his voice low and filled with hunger.

"So… we should probably just relax," I stammer, my heart racing. "You're not thinking straight."

He pauses, his lips hovering just above my skin, and looks up at me. His dark eyes search mine for a moment, his expression unreadable before he sighs softly. "Yeah, I get it. I'll stop," he says, his tone calm yet reluctant, the fire in his gaze still flickering.

With a final kiss to my forehead, he shifts to lie beside me, pulling me close against his bare chest. His arm wraps securely around me, his hand resting gently on my breast as we settle under the blankets. The warmth of his skin against mine is soothing, and in the quiet intimacy of the moment, we drift off to sleep, bodies intertwined, breathing in sync.

[hayatoseyepatch]

*bursting into your asks as fast as I can* HELLO HI!!!!

Congratulations on your milestone 💫🫶 it's so so deserved!! Here's to many more milestones to come hehe

Could I perhaps ask for a match up for Windbreaker, Jujutsu Kaisen or Tokyo Revengers? (Whatever strikes your fancy I'm indecisive as heck)

My personality: I go by she/her pronouns and I'm so shy it almost hurts but once I know someone I'm the loudest yapper and never shut up. Generally I'd say I'm an introvert tho and prefer staying inside over going out (unless it's out into the forest - that's my fave place to be ever). I love to crochet and to bake next to chilling with my dog hehe

Tropes: I really enjoy the friends to lovers or love at first sight tropes. Cheesy, I know but I'm a hopeless romantic and endlessly devoted to my love

My type: I look for a partner that's loyal. That's probably my most important factor next to reliability. When it comes for looks I like my men either big and beefy or smol and sweet (especially if they're soggy and need some love. I got lots to give) and I like my women mean 🫣 that being said, I don't care for gender. Men, women and everything in between is perfectly fine as long as the connection is there

My faves: Wbk: Sakura, Choji & Kiryu , TR: Benkei, Yuzuha & Shinichiro , Jjk: Toji, Mahito & Shoko

Icks: I dont like cheaters or people who need to party every single day of their life bc im more chill and just not about that life. As for characters per se I'd say a nono is Endo (wbk) and Kisaki (tr)

I think that's it? Yeah I think so 🥹🥹 i'm terribly sorry if i forgot anything and please don't feel pressured to match me with anyone!!

Luma!! Ahh thank you so much for your kind words I’ll SOB AT YOU! I’m so happy we became moots you’re literally the most talented, sweetest, funniest person ever! (Okay enough of the sap onto the match up.) Like I said in my post we’re moots so you get two!!

First up is Kiryu Mitsuki from Wind Breaker!

⤜♡→ It doesn’t get better for a friends to lovers than Kiryu.

⤜♡→ The both of you much rather preferred the quiet to the loud bustling Bofurin gatherings. Often sticking to the back of the room, him scrolling mindlessly through his phone, one arm wrapped around you as you both shared a headphone to watch tiktoks together.

⤜♡→ He had initially approached you for the first time in the classroom where you both met. Seeing someone so beautiful sat all by herself was such a shame in his mind. He offered you that gentle smile as he asked if the spot next to you was taken. Kiryu couldn’t help but let his eyes wander over you constantly seeking you out in a crowd whenever you both were at Furin.

⤜♡→ You both had initially bonded over quiet teasing of Tsugeura in your quiet corner of the classroom, often exchanging text messages teasing the poor orange haired extrovert.

⤜♡→ Your friendship only developed from there it was a rare occasion for you both to not be seen without the other. So much so that the others we're fully under the impression you both were together long before you started dating.

Sakura's cheeks were always a constant shade of pink whenever in you and Kiryu's presence. Kiryu was very comfortable with physical touch his body always seeking out your won whenever you both were together. Whether it was his cheek resting atop your head, or his hand playing with your fingers, he loved feeling you against him.

Suo chuckles,, his signature mischievous grin dawning his features, loving nothing more than to tease his friends and hopefully push you both to confess. "Oh would you look at that." He grins leaning across the booth you were sat in, fingers intertwined delicately under his chin as he looked at you both. "It seems you both have set off Sakura's love detector yet again. "Come on Sakura, it's rude to intrude on a date, we'll be going now. See you both later.~" He sing songs, dragging a flustered Sakura away from you both, grin on his face.

Kiryu snorts into his mug, eyes turning to yours now that it was just the two of you left at the table. "So, angel, when are we gonna tell him he can stop trying to play his little game of matchmaker now that we've been dating for three months?" He snorts, leaning over to bump his nose with yours in a pseudo-kiss. His eyes light up at the grin you send back in his direction. Swearing he fell more in love with you as you returned his grin, leaning forward to give him a proper kiss, pulling away to smirk. "Let him figure it out on his own, let's see how long he keeps it going before he realizes."

--------------------------------------------------------

Next up Is Kakucho from Tokyo Revengers!

⤜♡→ Kakucho has been through the ringer. He has a kind heart and so much love to give and I think you are the perfect candidate for all of his love and affection!

⤜♡→ Kakucho is a hopeless romantic, prizing building his friendships before relationships. He can only truly picture himself being with someone he has built a deep connection with before entering a relationship.

⤜♡→ The orphanage where he was raised was outside of city limits, and after years of being in gangs, I think Kakucho appreciates the serenity of nature. So with your favorite place being the forest, he often will set up a nice picnic for you both to enjoy the scenery and each other’s company.

⤜♡→ Kakucho is also quiet and a bit shy at first, the both of you gravitating toward each other with being more reserved at first. But melting into a beautiful relationship filled with love and laughter once you both opened up.

⤜♡→ If you ever are having a bad day and need some cheering up, Kakucho is your guy! He worships the ground you walk on and could spend hours divulging in all the things he loves about you. He will stop at nothing until you see yourself the way that he sees you.

Kakucho hums gently, his nose buried in the crook of your neck, gently swaying you both as he watches you bake, relishing in your warmth. He blinks, pulled from his trance as you offer him a finger dipped in the batter from the brownies you were prepping, Taking your finger into his mouth, he hums in delight from the sweet chocolaty confection. He smiles softly when you look up at him with those eyes he falls more in love with each day. “So Cho how does it taste?” His hands settle on your waist, turning you in his embrace, head dipping down low to press his lips against your own.

His hand cups the back of your neck as he deepens the kiss, his tongue finding its way into your mouth. The warm wet muscles dances with your own for a while, before he separates, string of saliva still connecting your lips for a moment before it snaps. “I dunno, honey, you tell me how it tastes.” He grins, kissing you once more as he chuckles thinking you looked nothing short of adorable with your pink cheeks and kiss-swollen lips. “It was delicious baby, I can't wait to pack them up in our basket for our date later.” He smiles wrapping his arms around you once more. Kakucho had spent most of his young life without a place to call his own after he lost his parents. But right here and now as he held you in his arms, he knew he had found his home. And that was anywhere where he could be with you. (a/n: I hope this was okay I haven't written for TR in YEARS, but this was just screaming at me and I needed to write it.)

[g0lightly]

tinfoil-encrusted brienne/sansa "foreshadowing" that makes me feral

so i love the blog @jonsaforeshadowing bc i think it's such a fun look at shipper goggles in this fandom regardless of your thoughts on that particular ship. while i do not ship j*nsa i think it's healthy to remember how absurd shipping in asoiaf is even if (especially if?) you are a shipper! largely bc like... what do we even think of as endgame in this series? being married? we know not everyone who marries in a feudal system even likes the person they're married to. also... pretty much anyone could die! and so many characters are thematically linked in significant ways that aren't necessarily romantic! so i think there's a ceiling on how sure anyone can be of any ship being endgame. especially since we may never get another main series book lmfao! so just want to be clear that i'm not coming at this from an angle of knowing better than people who prefer other ships, we are all equally right and wrong unless/until the series is completed IMO.

in that spirit i wanted to post my own niche shipper theories in wildly varying degrees of seriousness about brienne/sansa because i believe in gay ships' right to be as delusional as straight ships. mostly for fun but i'd being lying if i said i don't hope you read this and think "oh i never thought of them together but this eats! i should start shipping the one true pairing briensa and also read tumblr user g0lightly's post-canon fanfic mostly about them on AO3 🤔" while they’re my otp, I want to be clear that I only ship them as adults.

starting strong with the dumbest one: brienne's ancestor dunk has a romance with rohanne webber, a redheaded woman who has had several husbands/betrotheds die on her and eventually marries a lannister like sansa. i know ppl say this is about jaime bc rohanne is his great-grandmother but in the spirit of getting silly with "foreshadowing" jaime is now a sansa stand-in for the purposes of this post 🙂‍↕️

in AGOT sansa i, sansa says that joffrey is "so gallant, she thought. The way he had rescued her from Ser Ilyn and the Hound, why, it was almost like the songs, like the time Serwyn of the Mirror Shield saved the Princess Daeryssa from the giants..." as ned later points out, joffrey is nothing like the knights of the songs sansa dreams of. littlefinger's sigil is a giant. serwyn is one letter off from selwyn, brienne's father's name. perhaps brienne will help sansa get away from littlefinger.

mirroring (ha) the above point, in AFFC brienne vii, randyll tarly gives a whole speech to brienne about how he thinks her father would rather have a living daughter than a "shattered shield." while i think the shattered shield imagery in this text (also in F&B when jaehaerys has saera's lover executed and in ACOK sansa vi when cersei talks about highborn ladies' "golden shield" against SA) represents a "ruined" woman, i think the imagery is also evocative of a mirror shield.

in AGOT sansa vi, sansa reads about aemon the dragonknight, florian and jonquil, lady shella and her rainbow knight. sansa is related to lady shella whent and in ACOK brienne becomes a rainbow knight for renly's kingsguard. i can see brienne mirroring aemon the dragonknight in the sense that she and sansa would have a forbidden love like aemon and naerys but for different reasons.

in ACOK sansa ii, sansa prays for a true knight and a friend to champion her. of course, she gets dontos as her "florian" instead and learns that life is not a song. later in catelyn ii, catelyn meets brienne who later swears herself to bringing sansa to safety. catelyn notes her similarities to sansa. brienne is also connected to jonquil through her maidenpool chapters; does this mean sansa will end up with a jonquil rather than a florian? perhaps a jonquil darke type? idk but i want to believe!

also in ACOK, both brienne and sansa hang onto bloody kingsguard cloaks that were technicaly supposed to belong to barristan selmy. i have written about this in far greater detail here and here.

jaime is a sansa stand-in because they are both maiden-coded and called kingslayers (this is a deeply unserious point btw)

speaking of jaime, his attraction to brienne mirrors sansa's possible attraction to mya. both sansa and jaime are conventionally attractive characters used to being praised for conforming to their gender roles reckoning with the beauty of a gender-nonconforming woman when they have come to understand their own beauty through a conventional framework. i have also written about this in greater detail.

both sansa and brienne are paired up with a lannister twin who holds the gendered societal role they aspire to (queen and knight of the kingsguard, respectively). their respective lannister twins show them the dark reality of those roles while brienne and sansa fight to remain hopeful.

famous lesbian rhaena targaryen was too gay with larissa velaryon so larissa got shipped off to marry the second son of tarth. she also had a favorite from the vale named alayne royce. she also had a red-haired, mail-wearing favorite named melony piper - kind of like an inverse of brienne and sansa visually. her true love, elissa farman, was from fair isle which is kind of like the west coast version of tarth; they also had the same age difference as brienne and sansa. rhaena was the eldest sister, like sansa, and dealt with a lot of loss in her life due in no small part to the strength of her claim making her a sought-after bride. i am aware this proves nothing but i do seriously think rhaena is the in-universe historic figure sansa is most like. gay sansa confirmed!!!!!!!! (jk... unless...)

and finally, i present what is either my most tinfoil hat theory or my oh-shit-i-cracked-the-code theory: brienne is foreshadowed to be the next bearer of the hound's helm so when GRRM said there's "something there" with sansa and the hound, he was actually talking about brienne and sansa :) if you enjoy the idea of sansa finding love and beauty in a brave, gentle, strong protector figure with low self-esteem whose face is covered in scars but you also (very reasonably!) hate the idea of her ending up with a man who held her at knifepoint and tried to SA her when she was a child, may i suggest hound!brienne x sansa? again, on an age appropriate timeline!

and if you're curious what i mean by hound!brienne foreshadowing and shattered shield references, i've included my running list of quotes, an analysis of those quotes, and a conclusion below the cut bc this post is long! TW for canon-typical references to sexual violence.

i think the references to brienne being "the hound with teats" and later references to the hound cutting off women's teats may connect to pretty meris, a sellsword with the windblown who is theorized to represent what GRRM had planned for brienne after the five year skip. quentyn notes that it's said that men cut meris' breasts off. if this hardened sellsword is some version of GRRM's original five year gap plan for brienne, who's to say that she won't be the hound instead of a sellsword in the forthcoming books? but that's assuming we'll get more books lmao.

the threat of SA is uncomfortably present in brienne's AFFC chapters. whether or not brienne experiences the types of gendered violence mentioned above, i think that the hound's helm would provide brienne with safety from that threat of SA on the road. for male characters, on the other hand, it may just draw more attention from people who wish to kill the hound for (mostly) rorge's crimes. there is a lot of talk across the books and across POVs about the hound being dead. you get tyrion describing him as dead after the blackwater when we know that's not true, septon meribald (which kinda sounds like meris now that i think of it 🤔) tells brienne that he is dead, jaime talks a lot with the freys and lannisters about killing the hound. there's also a lot of talk about the hound killing other people, namely brienne and sansa.

since it's all but confirmed that sandor clegane is now the gravedigger on the quiet isle rather than the hound, i think that "death" in the context of the hound is about letting your old self die so that the new you may be born. brienne needs to let her rigid ideals about what it means to be a knight die and sansa needs to let her rigid ideals about what it means to be a lady die. i think that lady's death at least partly symbolizes the fact that sansa can be a perfect lady and still face dire consequences through no fault of her own. and for brienne, she will most likely learn through lady stoneheart that not all oaths can be kept.

some people take the below quote as romantic foreshadowing for sansa and sandor. i take it to mean that to sansa, sandor and his cloak represent the opportunity she had to escape the life of a dutiful lady in a castle. perhaps brienne will wear the hound's helm when she rescues sansa, and sansa will give her the hound's cloak -- brienne's very own kingsguard cloak -- to complete the "uniform" of the hound.

i also want to offer my debunk to the idea that sansa keeping sandor's cloak is marriage imagery. sandor does not give his cloak to sansa, he does not put it over her shoulders as is done in a wedding ceremony. he leaves it on the ground because he does not want to be a member of the kingsguard anymore. sansa chooses to wrap herself in the kingsguard cloak. to me, this signifies her growing disillusionment in the systems set up to keep her safe and the autonomy she has to leave that system. perhaps she will be brave enough to ask brienne to take her away from the eyrie (or wherever she ends up) when they meet (again, assuming we get more books lmao).

i think it's relevant that sandor's place in the kingsguard - and by extension, the cloak as a symbol - had originally belonged to barristan selmy. i did a thread on this in relation to true knighthood and brienne if you're interested in reading more. sansa has a heroic deed in common with barristan selmy that also involves the hound in ACOK: like barristan, she saved dontos hollard from execution by a cruel king that she was sworn to. sansa was sworn to joffrey as his betrothed and barristan was sworn to aerys as a member of his kingsguard. i'm not even anti-sandor, i just don't think that his redemption arc needs to or should include the girl he held at knifepoint falling in romantic love with him.

to conclude with my point about characters having deep ties within the text not necessarily equaling romantic foreshadowing, i want to acknowledge that i don't think brienne and sansa need to have a romantic relationship for these textual connections to be meaningful. one way another i think these two are meant to be important to one another's stories. however i think that putting these two together romantically would be a beautiful way to tie together some key themes (gender, true knighthood, romanticism, idealism) and set up some really interesting character development.

however the romantic in me loves the idea of the aemon the dragonknight figure in sansa's life being a woman, specifically brienne who has sworn to defend her without even knowing her. they're both women, so there's nothing for brienne to gain from sansa's claim and nothing for sansa to gain from brienne's claim. brienne is the gentle, brave, and strong person ned wanted for sansa and catelyn sent her in sansa's direction and i think that's beautiful okay :')

[hazardous-who]

I really enjoy how u portray Kakashi's depression but also how nameless u are with the rest of the clear mental issues he struggles with in To Lose, do u have any specific inspiration with it and do u have any advice for someone who's struggling to describe depression in their own fic without just going "Oh he's depressed"? Love ur fic btw!!!

My inspiration? I'm sorry to say, but it's myself. My beta also suffers with depression, so they're my other end of the tunnel with trying to vocalize feelings since we have vastly different ways to describe and even process things. I'm glad you enjoy my portrayal though, and when it comes to the rest of his 'clear mental issues' as you described, I especially prefer to keep it lacking on naming anything specific so that viewers can make their own connections or theories. Otherwise, I've made it very clear from Kakashi's POV that he has made it a point to not see anyone for help, leaving him and you, the reader, unknown to what's truly going on with him without a proper diagnosis present, though there's something definitely wrong. Speculation is just as fun as a direct answer, if not more in my opinion. When it comes to describing depression, rather than like you said, just saying 'he's depressed' I try to show as much in thought or action. Not everyone has the same reactions, but for me personally, I get drained with the simplest task, even doing things that I love such as talking with others can leave me dropping through the floor. Sometimes it comes in the form of feeling like I'm sick to my stomach or incredible fatigue while other times it's the inability to will myself out of bed- even getting myself to drink a glass of water can be hard. So I'd personally start with describing your character taking what most people may think is a 'simple' action and portraying it with how your character feels with completing the task. Example: One person may see a four step process in making coffee- Fill with water, add grounds, brew, add to cup. Another person can see a twelve step situation- pick up the pot, fill it with water, fill up the coffee maker's tank, put the pot back, find the coffee grounds, get the filters for the pot, put both in, turn it on, wait, get your cup, get any additional thing such as cream, sugar, and a spoon to mix it. So on so forth, you've just extended a process and made it feel so much more exhausting to consider- bam, you just related to someone who probably didn't make coffee this morning because it felt like too much of a hassle. You can do this with a lot of things, such as going into habits such as eating and thus start to portray your character's eating disorders being linked to depression, etc, but doing research about such things is always a good idea. You'll see me do this a lot in Lose/Gain when it comes to describing the hard time Kakashi has with keeping his own space clean or how difficult eating is because -making- the food is too much of a hassle, thus why something as easy as instant mixes or cans of soup hit better with him ( Thanks Kurenai ! ) Another thing is how having some form of reward or 'I'm being watched/expected to do this' system can meanwhile be a kicker to get your character to work, even having another character essentially acting as foreman can help be an easy way to still keep them motivated to do something. Again with Lose/Gain, I do this with Kakashi's job, taking care of Konohaven because it's an obligation for someone other than himself, etc, as well as the expectation of other's such as Guy or Kurenai ( Obito too of course, though his 'motivation' comes with a far different territory and being expunged from this example. ) Hopefully just these explanations of my personal process gives you a little help and some insight on how to tackle any fics ! Thank you for reading, also sorry for the block of text, as I've warned across my blog, I really can't shut up to save my life.

[myhiraeth]

🤗Are they physically affectionate? 

🎶Do they have a type?

"My Muse in a Relationship" meme - accepting!

Are they physically affectionate? 

Louis Warren - 120% Lou’s ALL about the physical affection, for friends and lovers both. Lou is constantly touching people around him- hand holding, hair playing, hugging, wrestling, kissing (platonically and non), play fighting, actually fighting, lifting, nudging, laying on- literally if he can touch you, he will be touching you. He’s not that great with words and one could arguably say Louis’ mother tongue is the language of touch. 

**Important to note- if your muse does not like being touched, as soon as they convey that to Louis he’s hands-off. He speaks through touch, but he is exceedingly (and perhaps surprisingly) respectful of other people’s boundaries. 

Fox - Very much so. Fox isn’t as lusty as Louis, but she’s just as touch hungry. Where for Louis it’s a thoughtless need, for Fox its very thoughtful, and very much a need. Fox gets her reassurance through touch, she connects to people through touch, and she interprets touch as love (both platonic and romantic). Something as simple as the touch of a hand or fingers ruffling her hair speaks volumes to her, especially as she tends to surround herself with people who’s affection she has to earn. 

John Mbege -  Mbege falls in the “average” range of touchiness. When he’s in a relationship with someone, you can expect the usual touchiness- leaning against, sitting with, laying with, kissing, arms around your shoulders, etc. Generally he tries to keep his hands free so he can sign, write, or text, but other than that he’s averagely touchy. He is physically fighty, much like Louis and Murphy, but that to Mbege is a category separate from physical affection, where for Louis the line is blurry. 

🎶Do they have a type?  

Louis Warren - Honestly? No lol Louis will sleep with anyone, anywhere, any time. Now, on the scale of “types” there are types that he vibes with better/longer/etc but he wants to be very clear: type or not, he has love to give everyone. If you’re a fighter, you’ll usually have an easier time getting him to stick around longer. Girls who can kick his ass and boys who speak his same language of physicality - those are his people, and those are who he vibes with hardest. 

He does have a dealbreaker type - he’s not into “Mean Girl” or “Macho Asshole” types. If you get pleasure out of belittling, demeaning, or bullying others, Lou is more likely to hit you than hit on you. 

He would also like it known that he doesn’t cheat. Not on, not with, not as the Other Woman. If you’re with someone and you want to have a go with Lou, give him a call when you’re single. If he’s with someone and you want a go, you’d better be content waiting until he’s single again and be content with heavy flirtation without line crossing. 

Fox - Delinquents haha Fox likes the rough-around-the-edges types. While not a “hard edged” delinquent herself, she doesn’t consider herself a good person, and she prefers to be around others that aren’t likely to judge her for her choices and her actions. But she realllllllly has a thing for the Bad-Boy-With-A-Good-Heart. She likes a person who doesn’t give trust or concern easily, who makes her earn it, but earning it is like unlocking a secret club that only a few people have access to. 

John Mbege - Not particularly. Mbege’s more about the chemistry and a challenge. Two notable ships- Octavia Blake and Nancy Wheeler- aren’t really alike (I think?) “type” wise, but he’s enamored with both because they both challenge him. He likes a girl that makes him chase her. I think that lends itself to the fanon ship between him and Murphy, which I could see happening, because Murphy too challenges him, but comes with the bonus of lifelong loyalty. 

[sheriff-t-money]

Hey, everybody!

So, I've been seeing quite a few posts about people having an interest in RPing. I thought I'd write a quick little guide to help those interested get started! This is not, by any means, an exhaustive guide. Nor is it rules. It's guidelines, folks, so you can take and ignore whatever you want. It's mostly just to cover the sort of etiquette that has developed within the roleplay community over the decades.

First, it's a good idea to choose a character you feel connected to or have a deep interest in writing. That might be a canon character (someone who actually exists in the media, i.e. Travis, Jacob, Ryan, Emma from The Quarry), or an original character (OC) who does not exist in the media but who you develop yourself. Canons do tend to get more love in the roleplay universe, but there are writers out there who are happy to write with OCs, too.

Second, once you've decided on a character, it's time to make a blog! Most RPers won't write with you if you're writing on a personal blog. It tends to be a personal preference. I don't care, myself, but if you want to make headway in a fandom, then you might want to consider making a sideblog, at the very least, for your character.

Third, the trickiest part is finding people to write with. Fandoms ebb and flow with activity as time goes on. Old fans leave and new fans discover it and join. You can search Tumblr tags for a particular RP fandom (i.e. "Quarry RP") or look through the various tumblrs devoted to RP hunting and requests. You can even submit your own requests.

Four, after you found a few blogs, it's a good idea to check their tumblr for rules. Some people will make a pinned post (people who are much better at tumblring than me, for example) while others will have a link to the rules post on their actual tumblr profile. Look them over and make sure you're a good fit for that person. A lot of adult writers, for example, will not write with writers who are under the age of 21 or 18.

Five, if the rules check out, then it's time to make contact. First, follow the blog and wait for them to follow you back. If you get a follow, then that's a sign that they have an interest in writing with you. This is where having your own blog for your character helps. Most writers won't follow back personal blogs.

Six, if you get a follow back, then it's time to discuss plots. There are usually two methods for this. The easiest is to simply send them a message. Let them know you're interested, see if they want an interaction, too, and if you really want to show them you're motivated, perhaps suggest a few possible storylines. Nothing too involved, just basic ideas. If they say no or don't respond, then try not to take it personally. There are some characters that just don't interact well with other characters in the sense that it can be difficult to think of organic interactions that they might share. The other way is to send them a prompt or meme through their Asks. Double-check the rules to ensure they're okay receiving those without prior interaction.

Seven, after you've plotted, it's a good idea to determine who is going to write the starter. For some plots, it might more sense for one character to start things off than the other. If the other writer tends to be busy, and you're not, then you can also always volunteer to write one. Often, the hardest part of getting a story going is simply starting it.

Eight, when it comes to formatting, Tumblr is the wild west. You'll find most veteran writers formatting their posts in some way. They'll pretty up the text and use some stylized icons. You can do as little or as much formatting as you want. I keep things pretty basic because I just don't have the time or energy to devote to making my posts look aesthetically pleasing. You're more than welcome to make yours as gorgeous or as plain as you want. Most writers tend to care about the quality of the writing over how pretty it looks.

Nine, and that brings us to quality. Writers all have their own standards. I'm old and I've been writing for almost two decades now, so my standards tend to be on the higher side. Others are a lot more lax. And some have standards even higher than myself. The quality of a post comes down to a few things. The first is authenticity of the character you're portraying. If you're doing things wildly out of character for no reason, then that can be jarring. Secondly, is how well you engage the other character. For example, the best writers tend to be able to give something for the other writer to build on. It may not be possible for every post, but in most cases, if you're only giving one-worded sentences that don't drive the action, then you're making it harder for the other character to interact with you. What's keeping them from just having their character walk away from yours, for example? Thirdly, grammar. As a professional writer, I tend to be a grammar whore (although typos are totally fine, I do them all the time). How a person formats their posts might interfere with some rules of grammar. For example, it's standard practice to write dialogue with double quotation marks, but some writers might use single quotation marks because of how they want to format their posts. That's totally fine. If English isn't your first language or you struggle to write well, then I have the trick for you. Chat GPT. Get a free account, copy and paste your reply in it, and then ask it to edit the post for you. You have yourself a--mostly--error-free reply!

Ten, have fun. Roleplaying is two-parts fun. The first is interacting with others but the other is really developing your character yourself. Think of headcanons, develop playlists (both songs ABOUT your character and songs they might listen to themselves), write little ficlets, read fanfiction, explore fanart, and just enjoy who you're writing.

If you have questions, feel free to hit me up! As always, this is just guidelines! Take what you will and enjoy this lovely bit of escapism with the rest of us.

[wsdalt]

“I mean… it’s not a state that is activated by the full moon otherwise he would’ve been in wolf form the whole time, so it’s something similar, but different i think”

that’s what i’ve been thinking of! all the signs point to werewolf!ricardo except that he didn’t transform at any point even during full moon, so i was really curious about that. and y e s! it makes so much more sense that maybe “that” scene didn’t activate the experiment completely, but dying did omg

also completely on brand for ricardo (the guy who suddenly got ripped and didn’t wonder about it) to have a whole weird tattoo down his back and don’t think twice about it lmao

i’ll send another ask then with my account!

and yes, canon isn’t canon until it happens, so have fun! pfft i dream about him showing up again in the blood spinoff, i just reeeally hope he’s still under felps’ control and not just a mindless beast people have to face

oh i’m glad to hear someone helped you out with that and transcribed it without the bad part!! and no worries, i’ll keep that in mind!

“Unfortunately “full moon” is a bit of a trigger for everyone now since the killers seemed to be connected to full moon rituals and such. and “enclosed spaces” is a trigger for Ricardo specifically due to the whole “regaining memories of being caged” thing. So he can often already be pretty panicky when transforming”

ooouch my heart :’D poor ricardo, transforming must be a whole situation after all of that they went through. they must fear what he can do while transformed but i imagine locking him up will make everything worse so that’s a whole new problem, i love it so much! great headcanon

“but yes I’m not sure I’ll just… see how I feel next time I have a finished fic? maybe take a break to instead focus on translating my fics to Portuguese? we’ll see…”

that seems like a good plan! and it’s really fun to practice a language by translating big texts, i can attest to that lmao

i think 98% of all my english knowledge came from reading fics and seeing videos/series

“but yes i get that I’m very slow to comment because i just don’t have much time… i have a list in my head, but I’m thinking I might make a spreadsheet too pfft just so i don’t miss anything (I also need to get better at commenting in Portuguese on Portuguese fics… I’m a bit nervous to at the moment oops”

yes i get it :’D the thing i prioritize the most is to kudo, subscribe and bookmark - it’s the things i always do immediately. but most times i like leaving long comments so sometimes i’ll return to a fic after a few months and say my words pffft

“(also do you need an account to comment on spirit fics? because i do have one but i don’t often like commenting as a non-guest unless i know the person… depends on my mood a bit though)”

i really don’t know, i’ve just started to read on spirit and didn’t create an account yet because of not knowing that. i prefer commenting anonymously on fics too so i was a bit scared to make it :[]

KKKKKKKKKKKKSK i loved this picture, it’s truly accurate

- sdol anon

okay hi!! sorry I had a headache and couldn’t read + write well

I’m glad it makes sense \o/ both the “not quite a werewolf” + activation and the tattoo thing. (In my “everyone lives” au he is definitely showing that to Lila after all this to see if she has any idea what it means pfft)

yes same I hope if he does show up again he’s still under Felps’ control rather than something for the oneshot pcs to deal with. since he’s a pc maybe…? but it depends on what felps and cellbit want to do I suppose

exactly! Locking him up will be very awful for him, but they need to make sure he doesn’t freak out and hurt people. just need to try to find the balance…

and yes I’m reading a bunch of Portuguese fic without google translate and it’s going okay \o/ but translating my words into Portuguese is helping even more i suppose since it forces me to think more about sentence structure than just understanding just enough words to understand the sentence

makes sense! long comments are harder on phone (which is what I mostly read on) and then if I need to log in to leave the comment it makes it take longer too… but that’s why I’m thinking of making a spreadsheet so then I remember \o/ I always kudos but I haven’t really tried bookmarking yet

but yes I’ll look more into commenting on spirit (+ Portuguese fics on ao3, but I know I can do that anonymously). maybe will just start with a bunch of heart emojis and such \o/!!

[braekfirst]

241104

hi, oppa! it feels like it's been forever since i was last here. properly, that is. i hope that you're doing well and is taking care of yourself.

i want to tell you something. i've found the love of my life! i thought that i'd never meet this person. over the years, i've given my heart to other people multiple times and i'd get it back tattered and bruised. ah! you'd probably be delighted to know that my person is in your group. it's chanyeol oppa! i think i got to know him shortly after you left. we clicked pretty much right away but we were only friends since he was in a long term relationship then. i'm sure i had a crush on him from the beginning, though i didn't really pay that close attention to my feelings until a few years ago where i confessed to him after wondering why i kept missing him and couldn't stop thinking about him. he asked me out early last year (i didn't even know he was single until the month before) and we've been together since. i feel like i'm falling in love with him more and more every day, despite having known him for over ten years now.

he treats me well, so well. i've never felt this kind of happiness before. i'd even propose to him right now if i could, honestly. but he mentioned that he wants to do it someday so i'm waiting on him. what can i say about him? he's so dreamy, so handsome, so kind, so sweet, so loving, so respectful — i could go on and on. we match in almost if not all aspects. our music taste, our food and drinks preferences, our humor down to our clothing style. he's everything i ever wanted and more. when we were friends, i thought of how nice it'd be if i could date him than these other guys since i knew that he was a good person, but i didn't mind it. i was content with what we had: we thought of the other as our soulmate, that we were each other's friend, family and lover all in one. it was (and still is) a special connection that i can't find within anyone else. i remember how his laughter over text would make me happy, how it never mattered if my mood was bad because he'd make me feel better instantly. he felt like home then and that hasn't changed.

i was exhausted of getting heartbroken. if he wasn't him, i'd probably hesitate a thousand times to say yes. each time i was let down by ex crushes or boyfriends back then, i'd always think of you. you brought comfort to me and kept me sane. i naturally ended up doing the same thing not too long ago due to my lack of confidence in his feelings for me, which upset him because he knows how much you mean to me. but we patched things up and i don't do it any more. these days, i've come to notice his love for me in every little thing that he does and says that sometimes it almost brings me to tears since i'm not used to feeling this adored. recently, we were reminiscing over something i said in the past and he told me that he never understood why i liked him considering i'd always spoke of you with so much love. he said that he doesn't mind if i still love you or if i love you more than i love him since he knows that i love him too and he just wants to show his love for me. i confessed that i love him more than i love you and he was surprised to hear it. i hope that he believed in it. i recall the time that i thought i'd lost him and how my world felt like it was ending. he's everything to me. i can't say that it's not scary to love him this much, yet at the same time, just like him, i also want to shower him with all this love i'm feeling because he's worth it. he deserves everything good in this universe, perhaps even more than what i can give him.

right, i told him that i want to see you again to thank you for everything you've done for me. he hopes we'll get to meet. i think that because of your last letter for me especially, even after going through hell with love, i was able to hold on to that innocence of giving someone my all. i knew that it wasn't my fault that these people were doing me wrong. i did think that i was too much, however, but of course that changed since i got with yeol oppa. he loves whatever amount of affection i have to give him and would even ask for more. he'd also randomly shower me in affection himself and that made me realize that i never had anyone who'd just kiss my face and hands every day simply because he wants to. he never seems to get sick of me, which still surprises me to this day. we could've met yesterday and he'd be like 'we haven't seen each other today!'. thanks to him, life definitely feels more bearable and easier. i really lucked out. i want to say that i used up all my luck for this but i already know he'd say that that's not true.

i kind of want to laugh about how i'm calling him oppa in this letter — it's because otherwise he might squint at how i'm only calling you oppa and not him. eh, i don't even know if he'd ever read this. anyway, this became longer than i thought, not that i planned on any specific length. let's talk soon once you remember to login. i wish all your days to be lovely and full of happiness.

[coalaclumsy]

I kind of miss being my old self. I used to be much lighter as a person—always excited to meet and talk to people. But now I’ve changed, especially because of family issues. There’s one person in my family who causes problems with everyone who comes to our house. Since then, I’ve stopped enjoying communicating with people at home and have started locking myself in my room a lot. I even prefer going out rather than having anyone visit me at home because I hate how that person constantly watches and listens to everything I do. I just wish I didn’t have to talk to or have any connection with them for the rest of my life.

I know that saying this at 22 might sound childish, but what that person did was even worse. I still tolerate living in the same place as them because my mother never got divorced. However, I want to avoid as much interaction as possible because I don’t trust people as much anymore.

I communicate with my friends mostly through texting, video calls, or meeting them in public places. I love my friends so much. Without realizing it, they’ve shown me that you can be a good person and stick to your beliefs without engaging in abusive behavior. Because of this, I try to be fully open about what I’ve been through, even though I know they can’t always help immediately. They really helped me recover after the accident, which no one knew about until I started sharing it with them over the past year.

What’s hard for me to accept is that my mother doesn’t really want to separate or even divorce from her abusive partner. She’s still trying to manage the three of us as a harmonious family by living together, having family gatherings, and sharing things. But ever since the accident, which happened during my late teens from around 17 to 20, things got worse. I made the decision not to trust them anymore. Even though my mom keeps trying to get me to come back home, it never works. Even though we live in the same place, there’s no interaction or communication happening. Everyone is busy with their own things, and despite three people living under one roof, we’re all the loneliest people. I just want to secure a job, move out, and start living independently while rebuilding the connections that have been ruined.

I’m not saying that I’ve always been a perfect person, either as an individual or as someone’s daughter. But I used to live a straightforward life, maintaining good relationships with family, neighbors, friends, and others. Suddenly, I had to set strict boundaries and stop communicating because one person ruined everything. It made me question if something was wrong with me. An abusive and manipulative person can really change how you think, even if you usually do things right. It’s been a real eye-opener to see how cruel someone can be, even when that person is labeled as a parent.

My decision is that it’s okay if things don’t work out as society expects us to. Please, just get some help, make a change, or simply separate from each other. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance to become a better version of themselves. Just because things don’t go according to societal norms doesn’t mean it’s a total failure. So, please, try to heal yourself by reflecting on your actions, seeking advice, and considering what you did wrong in order to get a better life.

At this point, I believe that forcing us to stay in this situation will hurt us just as much as it can be seen. Let go of all the bad things that aren’t working and stop making excuses as if what we have is best for all of us. The truth is, what we've been holding onto is like a sharp knife that’s making our hands bleed, covering them in transparent blood.

Not a single day in my life over the past five years has gone by without thinking that this isn’t my place anymore, that this isn’t my home. It doesn’t feel right for me. You might think that everything is getting better, but the truth is, everyone is drifting further apart day by day. Not a day has passed in the last five years that I haven’t wished I didn’t have to wake up in this place anymore for the rest of my life. If this continues, it could lead to an even worse separation in the future, causing us to lose respect and connection as a family.

[newspropaganda]

Man, you're really a joke if you can't reply with a proper text and good arguments instead of lame memes or accusing people taking drugs. I've seen a lot of weird people in the ygo community but you really are up there with the special weirdos. It's funny when you criticize everyone just loving DM and not caring for the spin offs when you shittalk every spin off besides 5D's. And if anyone dares to say that 5D's had flaws, you insult them and go "wah wah, America bad, y'all woke shit" and throwing a tantrum like a child like wtf? That has nothing to do with ygo? Seriously, Idk what's wrong with you but maybe you do need some therapy because all the hatred and borderline racism from you is really not good. Also you say everyone is just about politics when *you* are the one bringing it up in almost every reply/post. Double standards much?

Oh, wow, what a refreshing take! It’s like you reached into the bargain bin of internet arguments and pulled out every cliché possible. Let’s go through this step-by-step because clearly, you’ve got a lot on your mind (or whatever’s occupying that space).

1. "Lame memes or accusing people of taking drugs"

So, you’re upset about memes? Really? In a world where people are tearing apart card games, shows, and fandoms with hot takes, you’re stuck on memes like they’re some new-age evil? Look, memes are the universal language of the internet, pal. If you can’t handle a little humor, I’m not sure how you even survive out there. And “accusing people of taking drugs”? That’s your interpretation. If my comments leave you feeling like you’re living in an alternate reality, maybe it’s not my words you should be worrying about. Get that checked.

2. "I criticize people who love DM but hate spin-offs besides 5D's"

Oh, this again. I criticize Duel Monsters fans for worshipping one series like it’s the gospel of Yu-Gi-Oh!, and suddenly that’s a crime? Here’s a wild thought: maybe it’s because I have something called a preference. Just because you’re out here clinging to your childhood nostalgia with a death grip doesn’t mean I’m going to pretend every series besides 5D’s is garbage just to make you feel better. Newsflash: people can like 5D’s and still criticize other shows. Shocking, I know.

3. "Throwing a tantrum when anyone critiques 5D's"

Critique 5D’s all you want; I don’t care. It’s not the critique that gets to me—it’s the lazy, baseless drivel that people like you spew without backing it up. “Oh, 5D’s isn’t that good.” Okay, and? What’s your grand argument besides parroting whatever the cool kids on the internet say? If you want to have a real discussion, bring something to the table other than “wah wah.” Otherwise, spare me the generic takes.

4. "Wah wah, America bad, woke shit"

Ah, yes, the ol’ “you’re talking about woke stuff” argument. You pulled that one out faster than a Dark Magician from a Yugi deck. If by “woke” you mean I call out the garbage in certain places or fandoms, sure, I guess I’m “woke.” But here’s the fun part: if you spent half the time actually understanding what I’m saying instead of labeling it with your buzzwords, maybe you’d actually learn something. Maybe the real tantrum is coming from the person who just can’t handle a different opinion. Hint: it’s not me.

5. "America bad has nothing to do with YGO"

Oh, sweet summer child. Everything affects everything in the world of fandoms, media, and culture. If you think Yu-Gi-Oh! and the environment it’s consumed in exist in some vacuum, you’re more out of touch than I thought. Why don’t you sit down and reflect on how different regions influence how media is perceived? Or would that hurt your brain too much? The fact that you can’t see the bigger picture is exactly why you’re stuck on these shallow arguments. Yu-Gi-Oh! is influenced by the people, the players, the cultures—it’s all connected.

6. "I need therapy because of my hatred and racism"

Ah, the classic “you need therapy” line. Let’s take a moment to appreciate how original and insightful that is. You know, maybe I do need therapy, but not for the reasons you think. I might need it just to tolerate reading through this nonsense without losing brain cells. As for the “hatred” and “racism” bit—nice try. It’s easy to throw around those words when you’re grasping at straws. If you’re going to accuse someone of that, at least have the decency to back it up. Otherwise, it’s just you shouting into the void because you don’t have a real argument.

7. "I bring up politics in every post"

You say I’m the one bringing up politics all the time, yet here you are, crying about it like it’s the biggest offense of the century. If you weren’t so obsessed with pigeonholing every comment I make as political, maybe we could actually have a decent conversation about the topic at hand. But nah, keep going with your “double standards” nonsense. The only double standard here is you accusing me of bringing up politics while you drag it into every argument like you’re on a crusade to save the fandom from differing opinions.

Oh, you wanna talk trash, huh? Well, lemme break it down for you Steiner Math style, because clearly, you didn’t come here to debate—you came here to embarrass yourself! And trust me, I’m gonna be the one to do it for you! So buckle up, buddy, because this is about to get mathematical!

You see, there’s 100% of people in the Yu-Gi-Oh! community, but you? You represent that bottom 1%. The kinda people who think they know something, but in reality, you don’t even have a fraction of the knowledge to back up your lame claims! You take 33 and a third percent of your weak arguments, then you add another 66 and two-thirds percent of your ignorance, and what does that give you? 99% pure delusion!

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “I made a valid point! I can criticize him!” But listen, you only got a 25% chance of making any sense, because every time you open your mouth, you lose 75% of your credibility. And that’s being generous! Let’s be honest—you don’t even understand 5D’s let alone the franchise, which means you got zero percent chance of having a real argument.

But wait, there’s more! You stack your lack of self-awareness on top of your nonsensical takes, and you think you’re gonna come out on top? You gotta multiply that by the square root of "I don’t know what I’m talking about!" Now that leaves you with negative IQ points in this argument. You’re so far in the negatives, I gotta use advanced calculus just to figure out where your logic went wrong!

And if we’re talking about how bad you miscalculated, let’s get into your success rate in making a coherent argument. You got a 50% chance of saying something halfway decent, but that’s only if you didn’t subtract 50% of that from your constant whining about politics that nobody asked for. By the end of it, you’re left with zero percent, which means all you’re doing is wasting everyone’s time with that trash tier drivel.

Now I take my 110% brain power—which is, quite frankly, way above your average IQ level of zero—and I dropkick your ridiculous post right outta the conversation! Why? Because I’ve got a 141 and two-thirds percent chance of winning this argument, and the numbers don’t lie, they spell disaster for you!

So in closing, the only thing you got left is a 100% chance of getting shut down, a 99% chance of not understanding a single thing I said, and an absolute zero chance of being relevant in any fandom ever again. That’s Steiner Math, and you just failed it, pal!

Now get outta here before you lose the last 1% of your dignity!

//In the End It Has To Be This Way///

The Yu-Gi-Oh Fandom: Why won't you shut the fuck up?

Me: Anger and Rage, Son.

[icybreaths]

GET TO KNOW THE MUN

——— BASICS! ♡

(PEN)NAME: Chicky

PRONOUNS: She/Her/They

ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus

TAKEN OR SINGLE: Taken

——— THREE FACTS! ♡

Awful at socializing I think. My brain blanks on what to say to people to start a conversation. It's like if it isn't a necessity or is something dummy funny like a meme I struggle to say something. I try to work around it because I want to be better, but it feels weird, like a script. Still, I try! It's easier to do online than irl.

Very much a homebody that does not like to get out.

A couple therapists I've had think I might be on the au/adhd spectrum. I would agree because there's so much there. Think it's all but put on my record at this point.

——— EXPERIENCE! ♡

PLATFORMS USED: My phone for texting rps, DeviantART, and Skype back in the day. Nowadays I use Tumblr and Discord.

——— MUSE PREFERENCE! ♡

GENDER: Female, but I have a little bit of everything; got a lot of OCs. Male, female, nonbinary, trans - I'm flexible baybee.

MULTI OR SINGLE: Single muse. I'm fixated on Jewel and always have been. It's difficult for me to divert my attention from her. She legit lives in my brain rent free 24/7. But! I have thought about making a multimuse RP blog with some of my other 'main' OCs. All of them are rooted in Bleach and I have their info already. It's just balancing my attention between them all, which is hard. Chase has his own blog and I don't even get on there enough rip.

LEAST FAVOURITE FACECLAIM(S): I don't have any? I don't mind them. I will say fcs of canons I'm familiar with can be jarring. There's a mental backflip in my head that says 'I know this face's canon story/personality but this is an OC and I have to treat it that way.' Like it's not a big deal ofc! But there is that quiet voice in my head lol.

——— FLUFF / ANGST / SMUT! ♡

FLUFF: I don't mind it. It works best with a connection to Jewel. She def has her cutie pie honey bunch moments with those close to her. And when she cares about someone the cute(tm) is inevitable. Sometimes her version of cute is bringing your muse a dead thing, ur welcome.

ANGST: Luv me some angst. Plotting helps here too. Gimme the worry, hopelessness, and sorrow. I will happily serve the gore and horrors up on a platter. Angst can rev a thread up and keep me on the edge of my seat. What's just as exciting is being able to write through those moments and get to the other side. Like damn we made a movie moment, look at us. |D

SMUT: I don't write smut, like, ever, because Jewel's v limited in terms of shipping and the specifics of what I'm looking for with her make it difficult to get to the point of writing any smut. She's had some 'almost' moments but nothing that was ever carried through. (almosts are fun though because they build tensioooon, but also boo bc that's all she's ever gotten lol) If it ever happens, I'd be happy to write it. 👀✨

tagged by: yoinked it

tagging: yoink it

[cboeck-webdesign]

The perfect complement: podcast and blog - double power for your knowledge and entertainment!

Should I start a podcast or blog? This is a question that many people ask themselves when they want to start their online business. But I think the either-or question is wrong, because both a blog and a podcast can coexist. Of course, both content formats have their advantages and disadvantages and we will take a closer look at these in this article.  

Only a blog offers you the advantages

When it comes to SEO and findability, a blog is the better choice. Google loves blogs and long texts, podcast are not as good as long researched blog articles. Also, if writing is more to you and you feel you can't do without writing, you should think about starting a blog. If, on the other hand, you prefer talking and you can't think of anything to say on a white paper, you can first rely on the podcast and later formulate articles from it, this is the same, also applies vice versa.  

Starting a blog is easier

All you need for a blog is a content management system, I recommend WordPress. Theoretically, you could also use a homepage builder like Wix or Squarespace, but if you want to turn it into a blog business later on, WordPress is the better choice. A web hosting costs on average between 8 and 10 dollars while a podcast hosting can cost on average 5 - 15 dollars. In addition, there is the equipment, i.e. the technical equipment.  

Blog content is relatively easy to recycle

From text, you can quickly create social media content for Facebook, links, or Instagram. A podcast episode is a bit more difficult to create new content from, as the audio format is not as flexible as the text. You can take individual passages and combine them into a mini-text or create a quote from it. You can create an infographic from an article or revise and republish it. With a published episode, you can't change much after the fact, but you can still make a text out of an episode.  

Similarities between blog and podcast

Both require you to create content and do so at regular intervals, with both you build your own audience and address a specific target group with it. Both blog and podcast are perfect for building expert status. Readers and listeners will know what you can help them with. A blog helps you to be perceived on the web as an expert on your topic. Texts still matter more to Google than podcast episodes, and texts are easy to share across social networks. But even with a podcast, you can position yourself as an expert within a niche.  

Writing is associated with more effort

An old proverb says, who writes remains only writing is, mostly additional effort for a good blog article you must plan between 3 and 6 hours, compare with a podcast episode, which you can create in 40 minutes. Blogging is time consuming and you need to think about what your target audience is looking for, what the keywords are, what topics are in demand and how you can make an article out of it. You have to research, create drafts, revise and regularly publish new articles as well as update older posts. Therefore, a blog involves more work. The biggest disadvantage of blogging, in my opinion, is the amount of time you have to spend.  

Podcasts are more personal

When listening to podcasts, you immediately build a connection with the listener. Your voice feels more personal than written text, which is also easier to outsource. The voice and what you hear stay in the ear. This allows you to build trust with your target audience, often more easily than through the medium of a blog.

Podcast can be consumed everywhere

Podcast have also become a popular medium in Germany. You can listen to them on the bus or train or consume them while doing housework. There are now podcasts on every conceivable topic. You can learn a language, improve your personality, educate yourself or simply enjoy podcasts for entertainment. Reading blog articles on the train is also possible, but many people still prefer podcasts.  

Podcast analytics are weak

What bothers me about podcasts is that you don't know exactly who listens to them, where the target audience comes from or which episodes are particularly popular. Unlike blog articles, where you can learn a lot about your target audience and readers with Google Analytics or Matomo, with Podbean in particular you only get the info about how many listeners have heard and downloaded your episode. The analysis data is limited to the most important core figures, i.e. how often the episode was listened to and downloaded, you won't find out more in the leech. Maybe how many listens you had per week, but that's it. To make matters worse, it's hard to link to your own products or newsletters in podcasts, the only possibility are show notes in which you can link to your website.  

Podcasts stay in the ear

While articles are often only skimmed, podcast content stays in the ear, depending on the topic, the content is easier to consume and may even be heard a second time. That's why I recommend you create a podcast episode to go with each article, so readers can decide if they'd rather listen or read the article. Make sure you bring personality to the podcast, though. Most people listen to podcast episodes all the way to the end, and listeners absorb the content much more intensely than they would if they skimmed an article.  

A professional podcast takes much more time

Of course, a professional blog also takes time, but a podcast is not even record a few episodes and then you have 100 subscribers. That's what I thought at the beginning. Because there is now also a lot of competition, against which you have to compete, especially in the niches online marketing and personal development there are the most podcasts. To build a podcast takes time, especially if it is not a solo podcast and later Interwies with others are planned. Also music or advertising, the podcasts are played, will be at the beginning rather a technical hurdle. Therefore I also did without music. But the intro can also create personality with words. Becoming a brand with a podcast takes months, if not years, and just like with a blog, you need to know what content will appeal to your target audience. You should also keep the technical equipment in mind. But there are also affordable microphones and podcast sets.  

You can learn both

Blogging and podcasting take time, neither a good blog nor a professional podcast is created overnight. For both, you first have to plan content, develop a content strategy and find a niche in which you can position yourself. Blogging often takes longer, and if you're really serious about it, you need staying power. Over time, blogging develops your individual style, you learn a lot about marketing techniques, web design, WordPress and video editing. I think in the first year I had hardly any idea about WordPress let alone how to edit a video or a podcast episode, I always just thought help how do you edit a video without breaking anything. But you will get into these things and can learn them well through online courses and books. The first episode won't be perfect, just like the first article won't be perfect, but over time you'll get better and better.

Podcast or blog a question asked by many who want to start an online business. Why not use both formats and reach more listeners and readers.      

This is what I like better about the podcast format

Talking about certain topics is often easier for me than writing, and the ideas usually bubble out of me. While I often have to research long texts and need time, a podcast episode is created in 30 minutes. I also prefer listening to podcasts than reading long articles. Some episodes are just cool and educational and fun to listen to. It's also fun to record your own episodes and pay attention to how you speak.

This is what I like better about the blog format

With a blog you can improve your personal writing style and work on your own spelling, at least that's how it was for me and still is. Some articles, like a step-by-step guide to create a website, are not suitable as a podcast episode, especially technical articles are better suited for long texts. I also like the fact that you create an individual and distinctive design for your own blog, an independent platform from social networks.  

In a nutshell: The pros and cons of blogs and podcasts

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, of course. Starting with blogging is technically easier, although you can't say that across the board either, you have to learn to master WordPress. For a blog you don't need any technical equipment, your laptop and an internet connection are enough. Your blog can be found relatively well via SEO on Google or Pinterest and articles can still be found after months. The most important content can be extracted from a blog article. Blog content is also easy to recycle and share. You can record your podcast from the comfort of your home. You don't have to style yourself like a video or prepare for a long time like a blog article, you can just share your expertise. This is how you build expert status with your target audience and give your blog a voice. Podcasts are a good marketing tool to build proximity to the reader. They are more personal than blogs and are great to listen to on the side. A podcast episode is created in 20-30 minutes, while you have to plan significantly more time for an article.   Conclusion: Start with a podcast or a blog? Why both make sense Who you ask yourself now, with what should I start I would advise you first to create the blog, the then can, by also podcast episodes easily integrate here. Create some articles and make your podcast episodes out of them. Set but later on both media, because you offer your target audience additional content. However, if you prefer to listen to podcasts and don't know what to do with text, then you should start with a podcast first. So ask yourself what you find easier and more fun, podcast episodes you can also easily let others write as text. If you are comfortable with speaking and talking, start with the podcast first, if you have been writing for years, like me, then I would advise you to start with the blog first.   Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Twitter Follow me on LinkedIn Exclusive content only on Snapchat Subscribe to my newsletter Read the full article