#i'll learn this craft someday

[companioncrow]

i deleted the aboutme bc i don't like the way it looks when pinned on mobile :( one of these days i will make a Web Site. somehow. i need to figure that out

[jasmines-library]

could I request a batman and Damian x daughter/sister reader who has native american heritage from their mom's side and since meeting their paternal family as an adult often gifts them things like traditional handicrafts like beaded lanyards, ribbon shirts, card holders, brooches, beaded moccasins, moose hyde gloves and even a beautiful beaded hyde jacket (that she dyed black🤭) and it gets to the point where they're rooms and even the cave is full of little items made by them. Also, it'd be cute if she teaches Damian how to do traditional crafts and even shows him how to cut up & make dry meat because they never had a younger sibling to teach it too and got excited upon meeting Damian.

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

Note: I hope this is okay. I also hope i did my research right, but please correct me if im wrong!

⛧ BATFAM MASTERLIST ⛧

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

"What you got there?" Damian asked as he entered the dining room. You were sat at the table by the window where the lighting was good, craft supplies sprawled out in front of you as your trained hands worked.

You held up the delicate fabric up to him. A handmade ribbon shirt, with neat patchwork sewn in. You had been working on the project all day, trying to perfect it. You liked to make them gifts, and they liked to receive them twice as much. Each thing you made them was intricately crafted by and and with a great sense of love and care. Weather it was a beaded lanyard to hand their bits and bobs from, or a brooch, or something larger like the ribbon shirts you liked to sew, they treasured each and every thing. You also felt a great sense of pride giving your family the things you made; it made them feel included in your culture that you were so proud of. Damian's absolute favourite was the black hyde jacket that you had gifted him.

Your family adored your gifts and culture so much that it had gotten to the point where your trinkets were scattered all over the cave, adding a homely and personal touch to something usually so dark and dindgey.

"It's for Tim." You said, placing the shirt back on the table to examine your work.

"It's beautiful." Damian said, looking it over. "You'll have to teach me someday."

your face lit up. "Really? you want to learn?! I'd love to teach you!"

"If you're willing to teach me, yeah."

you scooted your chair over to the side making room for him to pull up another before reaching over for your craft box, filled with beads and delicate feathers and strings to weave and craft with. "Come sit! i'll show you."

Damian took a seat beside you watching closely as you demonstrated how to craft something. He watched keenly, repeating your movements, though with slightly less expertise, though you were sure that in no time, you would have another set of hands to help you craft.

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

BATFAM TAGS

@hearts4robs @xxrougefangxx @hell-o-kittys @harleycao @batfamsstuff @alicedawitchbish @killxz @rosecentury @lara20aral

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

[ravenwriter16]

Star's Don't Shine They Burn, Info!

I wanted to post about each of the MAIN characters in my fic! SOOOOOOOOOOO, HERE WE GO!

Y/n:

YOU are THE main character of my fic. I won't get too deep into your past (Spoilers) but what you should know is that you are a Mage, you had a crappy childhood before being found by the three Automatrons, and a MAJOR incident caused you to finally run away from your Royal Life with Sun, Moon, and Eclipse.

You ran away, caught a one-way boat out of the capital, and hitchhiked a wagon. There you meet a 'Straight-to-the-point' Ogre, who lets you stay with him for a price.

There you learn all kinds of new skills, skills that don't require magic. For eight years you live a peaceful life, taking over the land while the Ogre-Ivan-went off to travel the world.

You also have a stutter that only comes out when you're very scared or uncertain of something.

Sun:

Sir Sun is your (ex) Dad. He's one of the three emperors that rule over the land.

He can wield Mana, just like his two husbands can. He mostly uses it as during combat, either as a defense or an offense.

Sun is the leader of the Celestial Guard, an order of Knights he founded when he was crowned emperor.

He LOVES to do arts & crafts with you. As well as teach you how to use a sword, how to size up an opponent, and how to use your wits during a battle. He also encouraged you to be adventurous and would often get you both in trouble

He was the one who lead out scouting missions himself to find you when you ran away. He's also the one who finally tracked you down after meeting with an informant

Some things he would say: "Out a bit more elbow grease into your swing, Bunny! There you go! Look at you! A born natural!" "You're doing great! Just DON"T LOOK DOWN!...AND DON"T TELL YOUR PAPA OR FATHER!!" "It'll all be okay in the end, sweetie...Someday you'll see..."

Moon:

Mage Moon is your (ex) Papa. He's also one of the three emperors.

His mana is more potent than Sun's and his knowledge of the Mystical is second to none.

Moon is the Head Mage of the Academy of Mana, where he also leads an elite group of mages called the Order of Lunara. All mages that serve in the order are trained by him personally.

He was the one who found you in the first place, sensing an unknown and unheard-of power in you (Which I will explain in later chapters). After a few more trips to your run down home, he decided to take you to the palace, were you met Eclipse and Sun.

Moon was also the one who taught you to read and write, as well as how to control your Mana and cast simple spells, such as creating a small flame, or making something levitate.

When you ran away, he locked himself in his study, trying all kinds of spells and runes to see if he could find you or any trace of your Mana from any complicated spells you might have used.

Some things he would say: "The pen is mightier than the sword...But a Mana infused Stone Golem trumps any pen you use." "Shh, it was only a nightmare, Starlight. I'm here and I'll never let any nightmare touch you again. I swear." "The pain is only temporary...Know that this hurts me more than it hurts you...It'll be okay...just a few more minutes..."

Eclipse:

Alright...This Automatron...is basically the one in charge of the WHOLE empire. He's the main emperor because he does ALL the Royal stuff. He doesn't have an order he teaches or guards he trains.

He just does all the paperwork and goes to meetings and such and such.

His Mana is WAY more potent than his husbands. And his knowledge on the dark arts is astounding. In his free time, he even does small experiments, jotting down results in one of his many journals.

He instantly fell in love with you when your first met. After that he immediately called you his heir and gave you everything and anything you could need and desire.

You would mostly spend your days with him, since Sun and Moon were busy with other people and Eclipse was bored with paperwork.

You both would have tea together, go shopping in the city market, settle down in the library and practice your reading. You would learn everything there is to know about being a princess and he even taught you how to dance and play instruments.

When you ran away, he went...well MAD. He searched for you high and low, paranoid that someone would know where you went, or was keeping you prisoner. He would imprison and torture anyone who he thought was keeping you from him.

Multiple times Sun and Moon had to calm him down when he took thing sway too far. Like attacking a visiting royal for no reason.

He was fuming by the fact that he couldn't go out there and search for you himself, but his husbands convinced him to stay and run the Empire.

Some things he would say: "One, two, three. One, two, three. Excellent work Starfire! At this rate you'll be the best dancer in the entire Empire! HaHa!" "I know, I know. I'm sorry I can't play with you right now, love. But I have to look over these reports...hm...Why don't you sit down at the piano over there and play me one of your songs?" "I. Regret. NOTHING! Everything I have done; I have done for YOU!" That's enough of my info dumping! Hope you've enjoyed!

[the-obnoxious-sibling]

Do you have any shuggy fanfic recommendations? I already read and rearead (and reread) yours one piece ff…

i can certainly give you some recs!

everything's hosted on ao3 and set in the one piece universe; i do read modern/mundane AUs but i'm always really picky about how an author adapts a ship's canon history into an AU, so i've yet to find one that really grabs me except that one college AU i forgot to save a link to… i hope i'll find you again someday…

for all my life i’ve watched from afar, i’m too afraid to try by Badopportunities - complete, 18k

this is probably my favorite shuggy fic i've read so far. a canon divergence in which shanks hunts down ace instead of whitebeard to warn him off the blackbeard hunt directly, and just so happens to find ace while he's hanging out with buggy's crew. love the outside POVs on shanks & buggy before their history was common knowledge, love their dynamic while trying to keep that history secret, love the optimistic way the story ends.

uncharted waters by vestigialmoods - complete, 41k

a long, multi-POV sorta kinda get-together—this one written after we knew the warlord system was being dissolved but before we learned about cross guild. buggy tries to figure out what to do now that he's lost government protection; shanks is encouraged to go for what he wants for once, instead of passively letting fate decide his path. features very fun characterization for both crews, and a really well-crafted scene that deals with phantom limb pain and sexual tension simultaneously.

in the deepest depths i lost myself, i see myself through someone else by Badopportunities - WIP, 36k

it may be gauche to rec multiple fics by the same author but Badopportunities has yet to steer me wrong! this is set during the timeskip, while buggy is searching for an island to claim as his warlord base of operations and shanks is trying to look after former whitebeard territories. they clash. uses one of my favorite lines for a childhood friends-to-lovers ship: one of them says he's single because he's having trouble finding a partner with “similar life experiences.” iykyk

currently incomplete at 4/5 chapters, last updated in 2022… but they just posted a new chapter of their other shuggy wip (which i also recommend, buggy time travels and saves ace & uta) this week, so it feels like anything's possible!

I'll See You in My Dreams by doublejoint - complete, 4k

shanks keeps dreaming of being older, on a ship with only buggy for company, wearing matching rings and sailing for who knows where. i love how efficiently and effectively this fic explores his thoughts on these dreams over the years—are they visions of the future, his secret desires, bad gas? the ending is very sweet.

We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together (and other lies Buggy tells himself) by Transformatron - complete, 11k, explicit

i am not much for smut (being ♠️🏳️‍🌈 and all), but occasionally one gets in the mood, and this fic has some intense emotions to go along with the intense, kinda kinky smut. shanks has found out about cross guild and comes to see buggy, not convinced that this is a safe, sane, and consensual situation buggy's found himself in. they fight about it, and then… 😳

there is background established buggy/crocodile/mihawk, but crocodile and mihawk aren't present for the explicit portion of the fic.

i like lipstick on my neck by kiriya - complete, 20k, explicit

if i'm recommending smut-with-feelings, i have to rec this fic. genderbent butch/femme shanks and buggy run into each other in east blue, post-roguetown and pre-canon, and spend three chapters bickering, drinking, and… you know. absolutely fantastic characterization, buggy is an awful little gremlin and shanks likes her very much despite herself.

i don't know if the fic was inspired by this art or if the art was inspired by this fic, but either way… if you read the fic you should look at the art. that butch shanks is just. absolutely inspired.

[ambitionsource]

If magical madness, character development, and quirky questing is the game, then Arcana & Ambitions is the name. Welcome to a new fantastical alternate universe inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, where our favorite ensemble cast is preparing to face challenges -- and capers -- unlike anything they've confronted before. This story world has everything: hard-fought found family, themes and motifs, Charlie-centric religious allegory (I'm not saying he's A&A's Jesus / Moses / etc., but... I'm not not saying that?), tragic nuanced but hopeful RL backstory, magic as a metaphor for queer identity...

Also, Mr. Puff is a 12-foot tall dragon. Did I mention that part?

So much lore to unravel, epic legends to share... and this is just the beginning. Prepare your satchel and grab your lute, friends and vagabonds alike, because the adventure starts now. Welcome to the world of A&A, created for Meg as part of AMBITION Secret Snowflake 2024.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

CREATOR NOTE: Happiest new year, Meg! So... um... here's the thing. As you know, I have been all over the place these past few months. Life crazy, brain melty. So I told myself upfront I wasn't going to write something this year. But then, after a helpful and very fun brainstorm conversation with Lena (@dunsbar I owe you several life debts), I got this idea. I figured I'd make some notes, make these little trading cards, boom done. Cute idea, incorporates the blorbos and their complex dynamics (platonic, romantic, and otherwise), features fantasy and D&D which you love, so slam dunk. Only then... I got inspired. And then I got very inspired. And suddenly I had buckets worth of lore and several campaign ideas and a whole overarching plot for the entire "series" of A&A and there was just absolutely zero way for me to comprehensively complete all of that in, you know, a month or so. To say I overwhelmed myself would be an understatement.But this AU was also always intended to be a living document of sorts, in the spirit of D&D, where we could grow and play in the narrative together. So despite the fact that my proofs aren't completed and I've written like 5K words of scraps here and there nowhere near a coherent reading experience (though rest assured, I will share them with you), please accept this gift as a long-term investment. This is a promise, from me to you, that I will continue to sketch out this story world and play in the story sandbox with you -- and the rest of AAAGC, of course -- for many moons to come. This is my destiny, and hopefully yours, if you'll join me as a recruit. Thank you for opening your heart to the world of AMBITION, to my silly, story-weaving (sometimes out of control) brain, and gracing me with your friendship. Here is to many more campaigns to come. 💜🐉 Love, Maggie (And maybe someday I'll finally learn how to actually DM. This is a good starting point, right? AMBITION truly solves everything).

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Like any good D&D-type universe, there will be several quests to embark upon, but every journey has to start somewhere. For A&A, that's OBLIVION.

(And of course, there's music. Follow the playlist on Spotify!)

Synopsis and general description proceeds under the cut.

In this whirlwind first campaign, we follow Charlemagne "Charlie" Gardner, a human from the humble, pious fishing town of Haverfort. He'll be quick to tell you he's a very normal guy, fully content to live out the rest of his days as a quiet monk in the order of Charles Magnes studying the ancient texts. At least, that was the plan, until one little detail derails everything -- he has sorcerer blood in his veins, and thus magic at his fingertips, which chooses to present itself at the most inopportune time. In a community where use of magic is seen as sinful and strictly frowned upon, Charlie finds himself exiled before he can blink, even despite his insistence that he has no intent to use this new power. As far as he's concerned, it doesn't exist.

Charlie can problem solve though, so he crafts a new plan as his ostracism begins. He'll travel across the continent of Yew Nork in search of his older sister, Bridgit, who mysteriously also disappeared from home around her 20th orbit. If he can find her and bring her home, he figures, maybe they'll both be allowed to rejoin their town. Only one problem: the world out there beyond Haverfort is big, and full of curiosities and dangers Charlie has never even thought of facing before.

Not to mention it's lonely wandering on your own. Very, very lonely.

Lucky for him, it won't be long before he encounters new recruits to join his campaign. First there's Schippy, the seemingly average wild mutt-like critter whom Charlie elects to share some food with and immediately earns his devotion in response. Then he meets Dylan Orlando, a lively half-elf bard from Green Witch Village who is happy to partake in a little adventure (and more than eager to make a new friend). A trip through the vast canopy of the Brook Lynne Forest introduces Asher, a (reluctant) young tiefling druid who perpetually wears a pair of goggles he tinkered together himself, who only agrees to go along with them to Grand Central East marketplace to run an errand for his pixie friend, Jade Green. Once that's done, they'll go their separate ways again...

But things are only about to get wilder, with several compilations arising once they get to market. For one, Charlie's powers keep acting up the more he tries to suppress them, basically giving himself shock therapy on accident; Asher doesn't seem much better about his own tiefling abilities, which he's so scared of he also avoids using his druid powers (like being able to turn into a phoenix -- Bird Bones -- which is pretty damn cool if he'd actually use it). They're being tailed by this shadowy figure apparently known as Snapback, who seems intent to murder Charlie once he's done having a little fun with him (which hex knows why, but perhaps the ghostly shade woman who helps them out of a sticky situation in Tekkie Hollow can shed some light despite being surrounded by the darkness...)

There's the fact that Charlie has been having strange dreams, corresponding with a beautiful (who said that), bold figure compelling him to embrace his abilities who, oh yeah, apparently turns out to be a patron deity, AKA a literal god. Or what about the looming threat of Hell's Cauldron in the distant west, where the daemons of the dark world lurk and are certainly putting their mischievous fingers on the scale in what started as a small hike for a reunion that has now spiraled into a matter of gods and gravity far beyond Charlie's comprehension? Don't forget the worried whispers of The Oblivion, a monstrous force that has been terrorizing the continent in the west for well over a year and leaves utter ruin in its wake?

But like any epic saga with themes and motifs, the truth is never as simple as it seems... and we're about to start peeling back the layers in Ambition & Arcana Part 1: OBLIVION.

[itgirlgyu]

COLGATE CRUSH | choi beomgyu.

pairing: beomgyu x fem!reader ft. huening kai.

genre: fluff, crack.

summary : because of your undeniable curiousity, and lack of survival instincts you end up meeting the junoesque artist, choi beomgyu, and his oddities.

word count: 1.4k.

warnings: illogical made up professions, there's some violence (one line), reader is very curious, beomgyu thinks he got rizz.

"this is how i might end up dead someday."

you had no concrete idea how you found yourself in front of a building undergoing construction; especially when it looked like there might have been a case of aggravated assault etching the history of the eerie institution.

the very first thing that you can recollect was probably the chime of the ice cream man that lured you into an empty alley lined up by the blossoms blessed by spring, and the gentle breeze of nonage, and once you had got your hands on the vanilla cone, you kept wondering into the strange place. curious eyes marveling the unfamiliarity of the street, until of course you found yourself standing in front of the said building.

'if i see no sign from the heavens preventing me from entering this sketchy building then I'll probably still be alive,' is what you thought right before you nearly got trampled by two idiots in a razor scooter with one of them holding a giant rock in his hands, yelling some things along the lines of, "ill bash his head in with this!"

you may have been lucky enough to get your feet trampled over that death vehicle, but that was not the case for another person walking along the road. the man, victim, laid on the floor while holding his feet as some brilliantly colorful curse words flew over his mouth and the two offenders, standing there while profusely apologized to the man.

this would have been a supposed sign from god if you were gifted with the blessings of being self aware—but since that had not been the case for you, along with the fact that your bad luck had bled onto the other person— you were pretty sure of the fact that instead of warning you of any impending danger that awaited you depending on your action, has been warded off successfully.

so you step inside of the damned property; breaking off the sheath of protection, and entering the land of foreign, filled with nothing but cement, and broken debris of bricks. there had been nothing new to explore, plus the added anxiety of hurting yourself at every step increased the pace of your heartbeat; and you couldn't deny the fact that it didn't excite you.

amongst the mucronate end of iron rods sticking out, and half made walls your eyes captured something—a single panel of windows installed. it intrigued you as you approached it cautiously, stepping over the sharp objects laid on the dirty floor, your eyes focused on the peculiar scratching on the glass. the crack swirling into an enchanting ornate design as if it had been crafted by hands, and not born out of a misjudged trifling accident. the broken rays of sun streaming through the gaps of the cracks casting a riveting image onto the floor with you as its muse, compelling you to move closer to learn more about it's unrivaled individuality.

"its so beautiful," you couldn't help but wonder out loud, as your fingers dipped into the clementine shadow the drowning sun casted onto your fingers through the art before you, carefully enough not to go close to the sharp edges of the charmer.

"isn't it?" you twirled around almost immediately to the owner of the voice, and maybe turning around that fast might have not been the best idea as your lungs empty the air out of your system—or that might have been the breathtaking beauty of the mystery man before you with the healthiest long hair you've ever seen, and the most precious lips.

"uh-" you paused, words failing you as you fumbled in front of the beautiful stranger, but maybe the god was actually on your side today. instead of scowling at you for trespassing, or coming off as a creep, he actually laughed at your awestruck expression, as he slightly adjusted his bangs. alluring bruises, and adorable band aids covering the expanse of his winsome hands stirring awake the incessant need to know about the beautiful stranger before you.

maybe his eyes caught the way your gaze followed the movement of his hands, and he somehow smelled of your curiosity as he put on a bewitching smirk, and took a step closer.

"I'm beomgyu, i actually am a professional window scratcher." the beautiful stranger, beomgyu, introduced himself, putting forth his hand for you to shake. you gently put your hands in his, providing him with the confidence to sneak in a squeeze before he lets go.

there's exactly two thoughts swirling in your head: first was the pride that swelled in your heart for recognising art when you first saw it. you're just one step away from becoming the next best socialite at this rate, and the second one was the fact you were almost flirting with one of the prettiest men you've ever come across who is actually the creator of the art as well!

"you-" you stumbled on your words as your eyes widen to hide your excitement—calming the high pitch in your voice you turned around to point to the art, and face him, " you made this?"

beomgyu nodded, the halcyon lines of his eyes tugging at the ends of his lips, as the cheeky smirk melted into a smile dipped in fondness. unbeknownst to the both of you, he took another step closer to you.

"oh i forgot to introduce myself," you chided yourself, and gave him your name.

"that's a pretty name," he commented, "for a pretty girl."

you could assume that he had the full view of your blushing cheeks by the way his lips tugged at the corner. you tried to hush away all the butterflies that started to emerge into your stomach at his silly comments you know he doesn't even mean.

"im being truthful, you're the most beautiful girl I've laid my eyes on," He comes in closer, and closer—until there's only a shy line of invisible distance between the two of you, taunting you for it's presence. even though it feels wrong, you feel like it's the right thing to do, so you look up at his starry eyes, through your eyelashes to show your approval.

words held not much of importance of the strings of your heart tangled, and you could feel beomgyu tugging yours as he gently grabbed the sides of your lips and pulled you close to him.

what you had not expected from this comely artist to have the stinkiest breath that you ever had the misfortune to smell. you tried your best to hold your breath as he moved closer to you. the unbearable stench of filth assaulted the inside of your nostrils—you could hear the sizzle of your nose hair burning off in the acidic smell of his breath—but you persisted for your new found love, well until he opened his mouth, that's when the world blacked out as the lack of oxygen, and the insufferable smell of his mouth knocked you out of consciousness, and to some degree, your misery.

"if you're afraid to come closer to your loved one because of the fear of something like this happening," huening kai, korea's best mc appeared into the camera holding a mic to his mouth, as he pointed at your unconscious self, and a hyperventilating beomgyu holding your pinky with his own as he cried your name, praying for you to wake up.

"don't worry because we have the perfect solution!" huening kai held up a packet of colgate next to his face, staring straight into the camera with a grin with a similar voidity of the black hole—might not be wholesome but at least it sucks you in!

"colgate—no need to be afraid to fall in love!" huening kai explained, and threw the packet at beomgyu, who caught it and brushed his teeth immediately. as soon as the paste touched his teeth, it's as if life was breathed into you by some miraculous spells. your body jolting forward, as you lovingly gazed at beomgyu and the foam in his mouth, almost dripping as he shook in happiness to see you conscious. you giggled at his excitement, and scooped some of the foam that was holding onto it's life by his chin and put it back into his teeth.

"i was so scared of losing you," beomgyu cried out, splattering you with the foam, but you didn't mind as his minty fresh love coated your skin. coloring you ivory in his love—this time you closed the gap between you two and smelled the scent of love directly from the source.

" i will never leave you."

"curating love stories all around!" huening kai yelled, holding up the the colgate as he wiggled his squatted body to come to the center of the camera in order to block you and beomgyu, "colgate!"

"AND THAT'S A WRAP!"

NOꕀT. ִֶָ E : COLGATE SPONSOR ME?!?!!?

i know ive been awfully ia that's why i really wanted to comeback with a writing as awful as this,, but this idea! is so dear to heart because my favourite writer and my best friend came up with this and i just had to write it!! sometimes ill get her on tumblr one day for sure!!! PS the pedestrian the two dumbasses ran over was yeonjun, and the two dumbasses were soobin and taehyun. taehyun being the one with the big ass rock.

PERM〞TAGLIST— @impureperhaps

©ITGIRLGYU—feedbacks are so so so appreciated and ill love you forever!!

[berglietz]

he and Caspar had a mutual fondness for weaponry that bridged their differences (and made holiday gift giving quite an easy affair.) "Caspar! I knew I'd find you here."

their mutual settings often were found on the training grounds or the fields out back, where anyone could jog and take to the crisp morning air. old reliable, as he'd like to call it. in many such cases, he wondered if he ought to learn more about Caspar off the field—though there were intricacies that Ferdinand could only find when they were in the thick of combat. "I had noticed that your plate armor wasn't tailored to you and beared no special insignias— where would a noble be without distinction, hm?" unveiling a chest plate that was crafted to his size and embelished with copper-gold insignias. simple, but gallant eagle wings curved elegantly across both sides, showcasing a piece that was specially crafted to be refitted onto his usual armored suit.

"you are to make a name for yourself out there, so you should stand on every battle field presenting as your best self. ha! i can only imagine the look on your enemies faces now."

he didn't think Caspar needed the extra ribbons and frills (and by Seiros, he would be ashamed of himself for wasting precious lace), so instead, he accompanied the piece with an incredibly soft cloth and oil. "i'm an enthusiast when it comes to weapons maintainence, so if you ever need advice on upkeep, know that my door is always open to you. the year ahead of us is long, but it shall not be arduous if we put both our minds to it!"

"have a very happy yuletide, Caspar. I am quite fortunate to know you."

It's no wonder that Caspar's friends easily know where to find him—his morning routines started long before he'd come to Garreg Mach. He's already trained in the shadow of Fort Merceus's walls for years, under the steel gaze of the sculpted cuirass that hung proudly outside the armory.

You want to wear armor like that someday? His father gestured toward the dragon's head that formed the shape of the chestplate, years before his early training memories. You'd best get working on growing into it, boy.

Distinction is something to be earned. That's what he's always known, at least. But here Ferdinand stands, glowing golden in the morning light almost as brightly as the gift he offers.

"Ferdinand, this is..."

Caspar laughs helplessly, holding the armor to his chest. Even atop his regular clothes, it molds to his body more perfectly than any he's worn before. He drags a rough thumb across the sharp line of a flight feather.

"...D'you know how to size armor up if you need to? This is way too nice, I'll feel terrible when I outgrow it!"

[coolfireguy73]

I love your art style so much! If it's not weird to say, I aspire for my art to be like yours someday :)

Two questions:

1. The way you add different element to your traditional drawings (Different paper, colours, or materials is amazing. I'd love to hear about that process if you're willing to share

2. For the cryptid AU, it seems like everyone kept some remnants of their weaponry/knowledge. You've talked abt Engie purposefully not using his buildings, so I'm curious about what might have happened to the Medigun/s

Thank you for indulging my curiosity, I hope your day is good :)

First off: sorry to reply so late !!!

I wanted to reply to your question properly and take my time to share my process, so I waited until I had time to do so.

Anyway:

First question

I've filled up a lot of sketch books over the years and on of the problems I had was the emptiness of the pages.

I used to draw very small and like... one drawing per page.

I always loved how scrapbook looked, but was never able to fully integrate it in my sketch books (I'm still working on it)

Until I saw what David Armsby sketch books looked like. I mean, they aren't really sketch books but they included drawings and they looked so good ! They made me realize I could totally do something like that !

I started really trying to implement scrapbooking things in my sketch books one or two years ago. And I really should have stared sooner.

So, how do I go about it.

1. Colored paper

Usually when I start a new page I just draw what I have in mind. Then I'll glue pieces of colored paper in some of the empty spaces to draw on top of. Like this page for exemple:

I first drew Old medic in the center, then glued the two red papers and drew on top of them. Doesn't really matter what drawing will go on top of which paper. The whole point of this is to make the page seem more full and busy.

There are two other ways I use colored paper. One, I draw directly on the colored paper, then glue it in my sketch book, or I cut it depending on the size of the drawings:

And two, I already know what I will draw and I want to use colored paper to add to it, for exemple those Medic faces:

Then, you can use all of those on the same page:

Note, you can use all kind of paper, all colors, texture, motif, etc... You can also glue colored paper on top of different colored paper, go nuts, I'd recommend looking at scrapbooks for inspiration. Or any core and aesthetics you like really.

Also, I haven't used then yet but I bought thoes:

These are just craft packs I found for cheap. They provide really cool paper I can use in the future. I also have a pack of normal colored paper.

2. Hate space

Try to fill the page as much as possible.

I've learned to hate every small inch of blank space on each page, if there is any I will try to find a small drawing to make or a doodle or glue more paper etc...

And if I don't find anything I'll come back to it later.

I'm still struggling with this part 😅 

3. Stickers and tape

Another thing that can help you fill your sketchbook are stickers and colored tape.

If you don't have any idea of what to put to fill a hole it's very easy to just stick a sticker there.

The tape, I use for places a piece of paper would be to big (I usually write the date on it)

All in all, Just put whatever you want. You can add glitter, glue seashells and flowers and leafs, or candy wrapper even, the choice is your's really.

You should be proud and happy about your sketch book. It's yours, have fun with it !

Second question

I'll be easier to replie to this one 😅 

Most of the weapons were left at the base, like Sasha and, yes, Medic's medigun.

But that's normal, Medic was sent to a mental hospital, I don't think they would let him bring his medigun. Same for Heavy, he just went to get back medic, he didn't really need Sasha.

Sniper and Demoman still have their weapons because they were already quite affected when they left and already acted somewhat aggressively so, naturally, they brought their weapons whit them.

Hope this answers your questions, and again, sorry to reply this late 😅 

[bookshelf-in-progress]

Bugging you to write... Anything Arateph. Even if it's not right now, I'm holding out for someday.

Per usual, just as some ideas for this universe started to take writeable form, I lost all motivation and inspiration. To try to make up for this, I'll share a little bit of Arateph lore. I was going to write this as a sort-of short story, in the form of a letter from Queen Marastel to the infant Auren, recounting the day she chose his name (before the naming-day ceremony), but I couldn't get the voice down, so instead I'll just summarize.

By the time Marastel became pregnant with Auren, she had developed a lot of skill with the naming tongue. However, since she'd never been able to use any of the names she developed for her nine stillborn children, she and Jemrauth barely dared to discuss names for this tenth child, beyond some basic ideas.

When this tenth child miraculously was born healthy, Jemrauth finally asked Marastel if she had any ideas for names.

Marastel did. She had been crafting names with intricate layers of meaning for years, and when this child was born, all her experience allowed her to craft the perfect name almost instantly.

"His name is Auren," she told her husband.

The beauty of that name can't be captured in English orthography. Words in the tephan naming tongue have three to four layers of sound that can be spoken simultaneously thanks to the more complicated tephan vocal cords, and they can blend and interact with each other so that the different layers of meaning comment upon and deepen each other.

(Most names don't do that. A lot of mothers just choose from a large collection of pre-crafted traditional names with the layers of meaning already firmly in place. It takes a lot of time and talent to learn the naming tongue well enough to craft a complete, unique name).

King Jemrauth responded with awe, "That's not a name. That's a poem."

It was. There are few tephan names that reach the level of high art. This, most scholars agree, was the pinnacle of the artform, a perfect blend of sound to create worlds of meaning out of a single word.

The name's top layer of sound, and most basic meaning, was "first star." The underlayers brought in worlds of meaning expressing that this child was a gift of bright hope in the midst of despair, for both the king and queen and for the entire world.

But it also had a more personal meaning, which the king instantly recognized, and the queen quickly pointed out: "The light doesn't end when the sun sets."

Jemrauth's name, thanks to his mother's slip of the tongue during his naming ceremony, meant "sunset." No one thought anything of it at the time, but after his elder brother and sister both died, leaving an inexperienced third prince on the throne, and his father died unexpectedly young, and he and his wife struggled for decades to have an heir, the name came to be viewed as a curse, a prophecy that the line of kings would end with Jemrauth. This child's birth is proof that it will not, that Jemrauth has not doomed the world, and the light will go on after Jemrauth is gone and hope still exists in the world.

The question then turns to virtue names. According to tradition, they have to pick two or three of the Great Houses to give the prince virtue names on his naming day.

Marastel, naturally, wants her family, House Kepha, to bestow one of the names. Unfortunately, Kepha is considered the lowest house, and even decades after her marriage, the other Houses still resent that House Kepha got a queen on the throne. If she chooses House Kepha before other, higher Houses, there will be outrage and political turmoil. But at their age, they can't count on having other children that House Kepha can name.

So Marastel has the idea to invite all twelve Houses to give virtue names. It will make the birth of this long-awaited child into a grand celebration, and twelve virtue names will show that he's expected to be something magnificent and worth the wait. (Marastel figures she can help the child bear the weight of all those names.)

It sounds like a fantastic plan, a perfect opportunity to show the glory of the crown and celebrate this triumph that has finally come after so much suffering.

Of course it goes wrong, but Marastel didn't know that at the time, so for at least a few days, her child's name was nothing but a joy to her.

[novemquadragintillion]

I'm reading LotM for a second time, and am currently in the beginning of arc 2 ~

I'm enjoying it WAY MORE currently!! I think one of LotM's weaknesses as a story is that the author gives us way too much information in the first arc. There's so many names of people and titles of stuff! I was so confused the first time around!! I had finished the story with lots of information holes related to lore. It was like having a puzzle that's 3/4ths finished, with 1/4th of it being loose puzzle pieces. (I loved reading it nevertheless). Rereading LotM, however, is like finally placing those remaining pieces together 💛 (or at least most of them). Info like the Nation of Evernight have become a lot more clear to me now.

So I'm enjoying it so much more. It's so exciting when you know what will generally happen!! I'm like "THE FIRST MENTION OF INCY BOY AND 0-08!!- OH THERE'S AZIK!!! *sends Azik a hug*- OH THERE'S LENAVUS. I hate Mr. Lenavus, all my homies hate Lenavus.- OH THERE'S TRISSY!!!!!!- " etc etc. And oh gosh the Tarot Club!! I love seeing the Club's development again.

I'm also remembering bits of how I used to feel about certain characters. I haven't realized until now how great Frye is. I hadn't paid much attention to him during the first time. Now, I just wish he was more of a major character in the story. Meanwhile, I remember I thought that Leonard was an antagonist and would become Klein's enemy in the future. I was so wrong 😂 But I understand why I thought that. Klein and Leonard are passive aggressive and suspicious of each other in the beginning lol

Every time the story shows Melissa, Benson and Klein planning for the future, like going to Desi Bay and famous restaurants after they save up, I feel so sympathetic...

The scene of Old Neil's death did not fail to make me cry again... And with Dunn Smith...

Things are more clear and I'm so happy that I decided to read it. I wish there were physical copies in north America. (Btw I love Hong Kong's LotM cover art so much ❤️ If LotM is published in America, I hope the art is similar!)

When I read LotM for the first time, I had taken notes on the story and my thoughts and feelings in a notepad app I have. So, while I'm rereading, I'm also reading the notes I had made previously, and it's been fun to compare 😂 I will continue on!! Meanwhile, I'm slowly keeping up with CoI <3 there's so much chaos happening there... I'm taking notes on it as well. Maybe I'll reread CoI someday too!!

(I've been thinking.... I feel like Circle of Inevitability kind of... misses certain feelings I get from reading LotM 1. Seeing Klein learn how to set up rituals, him finding intricate ways to keep items on him and do certain things like visiting Sefirah Castle, we don't see those details barely in CoI. Klein had to carefully choose what to keep with him, because sometimes he didn't have time to go to the Castle, and he had to keep a lot more secrets compared to Lumian, it feels like. I enjoy how we get to see Klein using particular candles and daggers to set up walls of spirituality and crafting charms and experimenting a ton. Also, I think LotM focused more on sealed artifacts/ items, while CoI focused more on evil god Beyonder pathways. I like the artifacts more~ I still like CoI overall, don't get me wrong (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠))

[gubbles-owo]

In my tradition of semi-randomly promoting ops simply because I like them: Vulcan!

Extremely focused and passionate blacksmith, her kit is fairly simple yet fun, plus she got that tgirl swag. Gameplay-wise, she's obviously great for soloing a lane, or going at it with a partner for assistance. S1 is alright but watching her bonk shit with her S2 is always a treat.

they're dating, ur honor (i'm still a lil new to the game to know what counts as a crackship in arknights, but crackships are best ships get on my level or fuck u <3)

Okay, so, I'm not gonna do this justice, but I'm gonna have a shot at it anyway: Vulcan is a weaponsmith. It's practically her sole interest, as her file states that she hyperfocuses on her craft all day, and tends to get irritated if you pull her out of it. Her voicelines really hammer this in (hah). Soooo she has ADHD or some kinda incredible focus ability. Well damn can I relate. She not only forges her own gear, but also helps design and repair gear for fellow operators, so she proves to be a pretty valuable resource for Rhodes Island. Her operator record shows this in action, and I have to say, the care and consideration she demonstrates for her peers are way sharper than I would've expected.

Goddamn, she really understands the importance of both the tool and the person bearing it. Even the most reliable tools will begin to fail someday, and you can choose whether to submit their bound purposes to prioritize preservation, or give up some part to fix up or even improve them. Neither is a wrong answer. It depends largely on the person behind the tool. These things can be special. But this fuckin exchange right here though...

"She liked my machines, but she insists on only using things she's made with her own hands." Cut to me reading this earlier today, still partway through writing my own damn matrix transformation functions in C so I can move the damn camera/objects properly in 3D space on the Nintendo 64. I could easily pop open one of countless git repositories for open source 3D projects and yoink their matrix transformation functions for myself. It's free real estate. So why in the fuck am I burdening my feeble mind with cranking out complicated math shit that has already been done before? "Because there's meaning behind it. It's part of my roots." I want to understand exactly why this thing works. I want to try things far beyond my perceived capabilities, come to those realizations myself, and hopefully learn some shit along the way. It doesn't really matter whether or not I succeed, and even if not, there's no shame in seeking assistance from others. But it's in my nature to meticulously learn every aspect of the things I love. It's simply how I operate. I will hyperfocus on that shit all day. Just know I'll feel cranky if you try to pull me out of it.

smiles i want to protect (or support).png

[awesomsaucesom]

⸙｡𖦹°‧ Introduction post ‧°𖦹｡⸙

Hiii so even though I don't really post on here often, I decided to make a little introduction, so here it is!! My name is Alina, I'm 16, and here is some more about me:

Likes:

Bugs 🐛🐞

Science 🧪🥼

The colour green 🍏🐟

Crafting 🖼️🖍️

Being a fangirl 🌞🪲

Reading 📚🗝️

Dislikes:

Loud spaces 🌪️⚡

0% milk 🥛😦

Being too hot or too cold ❄️🌡️

Cream soda 🥤🍦

When my computer is slow 🦥🕳️

Elon Musk 🤢👎

I'm in SO many fandoms, (maybe someday I'll get around to listing them idk) and like I said above I spend most of my time either reading or doing various crafts such as:

fiber art (crochet, knit, embroidery) scrapbooking, painting (gouache is my favorite, I'm still learning oil and I dabble in watercolour and occasionally acrylic), sewing (either my own stuff or upcycling thrifted clothes :P), jewelry making (bracelets, hair clips, any other ultra specific accessory I find on the internet), and more that I'm not super fixated on atm.

Aaand that's most things you need to know about me!! You can also find me on instagram at @/alina.pas_

[scyllas-revenge]

when I saw all your wips i was paralysed by indecision because they all look sooo good but I will say Christmus in Connecticut or if someone's already said that the matchmaker fic!

I've already been asked about the matchmaker fic, but the Christmas in Connecticut one is one of my favorites! (even though I haven't actually made progress on it in at least a year, lol)

Since you asked about it, I'll assume you're familiar with the movie, but for anyone who hasn't it's this beautiful film here:

which is THE fake dating story. It's got so many levels of fake dating XD In fact once I realized how much fanfic potential it had I knew I needed to write a LOTR Christmas In Connecticut AU.

It's a Farawyn fic, with such a convoluted premise that I'll just paste in the fic summary here:

After the War of the Ring, Faramir is injured and exhausted in both body and spirit. Knowing that he’s never had a happy home life, Boromir sends his little brother on a much-needed holiday in Rohan for Yuletide. After all, there’s no better place in Middle Earth to experience a peaceful, cozy, nurturing household. Everyone in Gondor has heard about the elegant, refined Lady Eowyn, who famously oversees the Golden Hall’s sumptuous kitchens, tenderly cares for the refugee children of Edoras, and maintains a stable, thriving home in Meduseld alongside her loving husband. The problem? Eowyn might have lied about a few things. And under no circumstance can Faramir find out.

I swear I'm going to write this thing someday! Every Christmas when I watch the movie I get newly motivated XD Anyway here's a slightly longer snippet of the first chapter:

“I step away from my loom and take in the enchanting view from windows of the Golden Hall. There is nothing like the Riddermark for sheer, wild beauty. I have never seen the ocean, but I have heard tell that our rolling hills are much like the rolling blue waves of the sea. “As I look out over our golden sunset, a cool, gentle breeze wafts through my window, and I smell the elaborate Yuletide feast our kitchen is preparing—" “A cool, gentle breeze?” Merry exclaimed. With an enormous shove, he forced the shutters closed against the howling winter wind, his chest heaving with the effort. “They’ll never buy this in Gondor, you know.” “They will if I can help it.” Eowyn adjusted the parchment in her hands, her fingers smudged with ink. She had learned to write several years ago, but she had never exactly been good at it. Certainly her writing was not very tidy, like the snippets of script she’d seen from Gondor. But it didn’t matter—her letters would be rewritten time and again by more elegant hands in Minas Tirith, shared among the highest circles of noblewomen in the White City. Copies of Tales of the Golden Hall were being spread all along the coast of Gondor, last she’d heard. The thought made her heart flutter with pride. “Well, go on then,” Merry urged. “Alright: I make my way to the kitchens, where our servants are hard at work crafting the rich courses I planned. Freshwater fish and eel will serve for our first course, braised to perfection. Flashing in the firelight as though they still live, they rest on a bed of hearty winter vegetables, which are perfectly sliced to resemble the gleaming stones of a riverbed. Next comes a flock of whole-roasted pheasants, stuffed with apples and cloves. As bewitching as these dishes are, however, our third course blows them all away: a boar so large I half-fear the table shall buckle under its weight. Its skin crackles pleasantly as—" “A boar?” Merry interrupted again, snorting. “A whole flock of pheasants?” Eowyn shrugged. “These letters are meant to show off the Riddermark’s strength. Its resilience. Gondor need not know we’ve been half-starving since the war ended. They cannot, if we wish to increase trade with them.” “If you were half-starving last winter, you must be fully starving now.” “We’ll get by.” She studied her writing nervously. “Does it ring false? I can rewrite it.” “At the pace you write?” Merry laughed. “We’d be sitting here until spring comes.” He yelped and dodged the empty inkwell Eowyn threw at him.

[circle--of--confusion]

What’s a crafting project (be it knitting, crocheting, painting, or even something you don’t yet know how to do) that you’d like to accomplish someday?

Oh gosh there's so many things.

I got an idea to modify a cabled skull knitting pattern to look like one of the Papa's paint designs. There's a chart for a standard skull and I wonder if I can just alter some parts. I'd want to make either a sweater or a cardigan with it.

I also really want to learn tambour embroidery! I'm not sure what I'll use it for [I had a cosplay in mind that would utilize it but then the creator of the thing I was inspired by had to go and be creepy so it's no longer happening lol] I have some tools for it, I just need time when I'm not doing 5 billion other crafts 😅

Thanks for the ask! 💜

[leian-studies]

Hi!

My personal account and primary blog (therefore with the one I'll interact) is leian-22

This is a studyblr and this post is my intro. You can accompany me through this difficult, yet intriguing, part of life!

.....................................

You may call me Leian

I'm 22. Currently studying a career in Biology, but I'll finish it this summer and plan on doing a master and Phd in neurosciences.

I am vegetarian. Love flowers, dogs and riddles. As hobbies, i like painting (specially with oils) but you can always find me crafting things of any kind. I like reading too, specially books about crimes etc, mystery kinds, that make the reader think.

I also play the viola and piano

I would love to learn about many sciences by myself, but right now i can only hope to have time for all that someday

[u2fangirlie-blog]

50 Things for My 50th Birthday - Now With 10 Bonus Things!

50 Things for My 50th Birthday

A continuation of my 40 Things for 40 List, with 10 additional entries for 50. Plus 10 Bonus Things!

Originally written December 2013 on my 40th birthday. It's a list of bits of wisdom I wish I had known when I was younger. Every item has a story behind it. I don't know if this is original, intelligent, humorous, creative, interesting, or valuable to anyone other than myself. But it means something to me.

Maybe someday I'll write an annotated version of the list with the stories for each one. Then that would turn into a book. Maybe it's better to give short snippets and remain mysterious than to overshare everything. December 2023.

40 Things for my 40th Birthday: 12/2013

1. The Universe has a sense of humor which manifests itself as irony. Take time to stop and notice the big glowing neon signs that point to irony.

2. Karma, like gravity, is a force of nature. It does not discriminate. It balances your actions and consequences like balancing an equation.

3. It’s better to be single and alone than be in a bad relationship for the sake of being in a relationship.

4. See the patterns and interconnections - streams, veins in leaves, flowers, moss, agates, geodes, galaxies, calendars, time – it is beautiful and awesome.

5. Every day is different. If today is shitty, tomorrow will be shitty in a different way.

6. Look for the positive. Thousands of things go right every day.

7. Have a good work ethic. Do your best, but don’t let perfectionism interfere.

8. Know your history. Remember your ancestors and family. You could not be who and where you are without all of their hard work.

9. Don’t bite the hook.

10. Don’t feed the troll.

11. Remember Professor Remus Lupin’s Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons – Ridiculous, Expecto Patronum, and Chocolate.

12. Learn crafts – sewing, knitting, beading, etc. – it enriches life. It’s fun to give surprise presents to people.

13. Dream out loud at high volume. Turn it up to 11.

14. No good deed goes unpunished.

15. The Platinum Rule: Treat people how they want to be treated.

16. Always have 2 weeks’ supply of socks and underwear.

17. Invest in good bras. Your back and boobs will thank you later in life.

18. Always wear comfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you later in life.

19. Don’t waste time in front of the mirror. Save money. Cosmetics are optional.

20. Do not fester. To fester is bad. Don’t bottle things up for years. When you eventually explode, it only frightens, confuses, and pisses off the target of your nuclear blast, and innocent bystanders may be injured.

21. Don’t confuse lust for love. Lust and love are not the same thing. Don’t allow physical attraction to obscure reality. Ask questions. You might not like the answers but ask anyway.

22. Beware of charming men. They use sexual energy to get attention and evoke a reaction, like using glamour magic. The feeling is fleeting. It’s nothing special.

23. Don’t wait by the phone or the computer. When a man says, “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he probably won’t. He might intend to call, but he doesn’t know which tomorrow he means – 24 hours, 6 months, 8 years later. Don’t take it personally.

24. Diamonds are not a girl’s best friend. You don’t need a ring. A loving relationship is the real treasure.

25. U2 is the greatest rock ‘n roll band and “Achtung Baby” is the greatest rock ‘n roll album in the entire Universe.

26. You are your own worst enemy. You are the only enemy you will ever have. Stop listening to the Itty Bitty Shitty Committee.

27. You are your own best ally. You are the only ally you will ever have. Never betray yourself to others or to yourself.

28. It is what it is.

29. Chill the fuck out.

30. On the subject of Big Girl Panties: Pull them up. Deal with it, whatever it is. They can be She-Ra Princess of Power, Wonder Woman, or Tinkerbell Underoos. In times when you can’t pull up your Big Girl Panties, get some Coping Skills so you can deal with it. Use Coping Skills until the problem is solved or the situation subsides. Repeat as necessary. Coping skills will eventually become the New Normal way of dealing with it.

31. Learn as many life skills as you are capable of doing - housekeeping, home repairs, yard maintenance, gardening, cooking, car maintenance, etc. Be as self-sufficient as possible.

32. Know when to ask for help. Offer to help others too. Know when to hire professionals to do the job.

33. Felines are the best animals ever in the history of all species on Earth. Being a Crazy Cat Lady is wonderful. It’s the cats who are crazy.

34. Read everything. Read constantly. Develop highly effective writing and verbal skills. Clear communication is essential.

35. Book smarts, diplomas, and degrees are not an accurate measure of intelligence. Common sense, ability, skill, and experience are most important.

36. No one likes an insufferable know-it-all. Don’t correct others even if you are right ��� unless it is a life-or-death situation.

37. Practice mindfulness. Orient your perception to the meta level.

38. Be grateful and express gratitude.

39. Be compassionate, sympathetic, and empathetic – even to people you dislike or who dislike you. Everybody hurts. Everybody has bad days. Understand that.

40. Remember the reason why you had your ears pierced on your 30th birthday. Enjoy the small pleasures of life: favorite foods, scents, sights, sounds, clothes, jewelry, and all the pretty things. These are what the dead remember and desire the most.

50 Things for My 50th Birthday: 12/2023

41. Toxic Situations: Know when to get out on your terms while you still have options. Leave before they force you out. Otherwise, you could be left scrambling and everything is worse.

42. The Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42, obviously. (Thanks to Douglas Adams.) 42 is the atomic number of molybdenum. 42 divine beings, with Osiris, Ma’at, and Thoth in the Hall of Truth, judge souls before they enter the afterlife in Egyptian mythology.

43. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, motherfucker, do you use them? You spent 2 years in Fight Club. Strive to be skillful every day. The core skill sets are mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Remember your values. Remember Wise Mind. Remember Radical Acceptance.

44. Gaslighting: Discussing problems is complaining. Telling the truth is causing trouble. Explaining yourself is making excuses. Asking questions is undermining others, making others look bad, or challenging authority. Challenging hurtful comments is not knowing how to take a joke. Expressing emotional needs is neediness. Expressing emotions is seeking attention. Showing confidence and intelligence and using an above-average vocabulary is being a bitch, being a know-it-all, or flexing your education and experience.

45. You need people whether or not you like it. Remember the pandemic lockdown. Remember working from home for a year and a half. You thought you trained your whole life as an introvert for that historic moment and would be excellent at it. No. It was objectively bad. It was a disaster. You need people. Be a better daughter, sister, and friend to the people in your life.

46. People change for better or worse. People will drift in and out of your life. People grow apart. This is a natural part of life. Accept it.

47. Magical Thinking: It’s one thing to know better. It’s an entirely different thing to do better. This is stupid behavior. It doesn’t matter how smart you are, how hard you work, or how good your intentions are. It’s never going to work out how you want it to. It’s never going to get better. And no one cares. Accept responsibility for your part in it. Don’t make excuses. Do something different. Do better. Change.

48. “Do or do not, there is no try” is fundamentally bad advice. Yoda’s lesson led Luke to black-or-white thinking. What would Spock or Picard teach Luke about learning a new skill? Get up and do it again until you can do it or find another way to do it.

49. Everybody is sick of your shit. Everybody, including you, is sick of your shit.

50. On the subject of Giving a Fuck: You either give too many fucks or you never have enough fucks to give. You need to practice, as the internet meme says, “moderate fuck distribution.” Ask yourself when you truly feel like you have zero fucks to give, are you completely out of fucks? Can you have a fuck debt, have a negative number of fucks? Or does something magical happen? Like a mint in the bottom of your purse, like loose change between seat cushions, like a potato chip under the fridge, there is always one more fuck to give. Like a free play token or an extra life in video game, one more fuck will magically appear. That one magical fuck will be dirty, hard, bitter, and broken, but it will be there when you need it. That one magical fuck can be saved or given as needed until you can replenish your regular supply of fucks.

BONUS CONTENT: I have more than 10 things to add to the list of 50 things.

Life is unpredictable. I don’t know if I’ll live another 10 years to continue the list, so I’m writing 10 Bonus Things. Everyone loves free bonus things!

51. “If I don’t do what my parents want, they will be mad at me.” WHAT? Did you just say the quiet part out loud? Every decision in your life is based on it! How can you be in the fifth decade of your life on this planet? Are you even an adult?

52. You can’t be needy if you don’t have needs. Meet your needs for yourself. No one else will. If there’s the slightest stink of neediness on you, people will abuse and reject you.

53. Don’t have expectations of others. Don’t engage in wishful thinking. Stop wanting people to demonstrate their feelings or care for you in the way you want. They won’t. It’s never going to happen. If you ask for what you want, then you are needy or attention-seeking. Accept what they offer as they give it, even if doesn’t meet your expectations, even if it’s nothing. That may be the only thing they can offer or the only way they know how to express it.

54. Most of being an adult is lying to everyone that everything is okay and that you are fine, when in reality your life is an unbearable mess, and you are not anywhere close to being okay.

55. Nothing you do is ever good enough for others. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. It never changes.

56. “Use it or lose it.” You refused to believe it until you quit using it and you lost it. You don’t need to look in the mirror to see it. How does your body feel? Get up, girl, and use it.

57. No one gets out of here alive. Prepare for your death. Don’t leave the burden of your funeral plans, estate, and debts to your family, friends, or strangers. If you worked on projects or created things with other people, include it in your will. Your legacy, and that of others, literally could be thrown away. If you don’t tell people what you want, they will get it wrong. Then you’ll have to come back and haunt the fuck out of those people.

58. There’s no escaping your past, especially with family. They remember everything. Every obnoxious thing you did as a teenager. Every time you freaked out. Every time you had a bad day. Every mistake you made. Every mental health breakdown. It doesn’t matter how hard you work to change and overcome your problems. You’ll always be that past worst version in their minds, and they’ll hold it against you forever.

59. Your family is never going to forgive you for getting a degree in English. It’s always going to come down to their misperception that you are nitpicking and correcting them when you’re not. They’re going to throw it in your face like a glass of ice water.

60. Remember the “Litany Against Fear” from Dune. You memorized it when you were 15 years old. It still works.