#i'm trying to make things more accessible/easier to read

[certifiedsexed]

hi so i was hoping for like a gut check on this because maybe it's weird and if it is i want to stop.

so im trans and autistic, and because of that im a little behind on understanding masturbation and my body. ive been trying to read up on it and im trying to learn how to masturbate. one of my friends and i were talking about it, and he asked to see some of the webpages i was looking at (shoutout to you and planned parenthood). but we were looking through them and one of the links went to scarleteen.

and he said it was weird and kind of perverted because im an adult (24) and thats for teenagers. i said that i thought it was okay because its not like im interacting with teenagers and theyre pretty good for teaching me i thought because i like the clear writing and the easier words and also its just a webpage. but the more i think about it the more freaked out i get. like scarleteens one of them and also teen vogue and some other ones because those are just what come up a lot of the time for learning more.

so what do you think? is it bad? because my friend and i ended up not sure. but if its bad i'll stop i dont want to hurt anyone.

Hello! Let me see if I can help.

So, there's nothing wrong with using resources designed for children when you're an adult, for the most part.

You're not taking resources from children or even interacting with children [though that's not even necessarily an immediate issue, depending on the situation], you're just using an accessible website with a lot of information on things you might've missed.

It can be very hard to find websites with accessible language, especially when you're new to a subject and there should be no shame in using something designed for people younger than you if it's helpful and its not hurting anyone.

I don't quite understand where your friend is coming from, to be honest. Using "perverted" and "weird", both harsh terms for something harmless, to describe this doesn't really make sense to me.

But I understand that it's upset you, understandably! So let me be clear:

No, there's nothing wrong with what you're doing. Using Scarleteen and websites like Teen Vogue are both perfectly fine, regardless of your age. They're targeted towards children, but children aren't the only ones who can use them.

It absolutely hurts no one for you to read their articles and learn. In fact, it's a good thing you're learning from these websites and showing them to other people you know. That only helps websites like that.

It's not bad in the least, Anon. I'd encourage you to keep using them, especially if they're helping you learn easily. That's literally awesome! [I'm honored to be among those you're learning from! <3]

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. <3

[katebeckets]

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ⟡ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

companion to my tag/reblog page to make the sections easier to read. feel free to tag me in any of the things below using #emilyblr.

──────── ・ ship list

TV SHOWS — — — — — — — —ㆍ⟡

BODY OF PROOF — megan & peter megan & kate BONES — booth & brennan angela & hodgins CASTLE — castle & beckett GILMORE GIRLS — luke & lorelai rory & logan HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER — barney & robin ted & tracy barney & quinn THE MENTALIST — jane & lisbon rigsby & van pelt wylie & vega PRIVATE PRACTICE — charlotte & cooper addison & jake RIZZOLI & ISLES — jane & maura SUITS — harvey & donna TIMELESS — lucy & wyatt rufus & jiya THE X-FILES — mulder & scully

MUSICALS — — — — — — — —ㆍ⟡

WICKED — elphaba & glinda

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ⟡ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

[getvalentined]

An open letter to @staff

I already submitted this to Support under "Feedback," but I'm sharing it here too as I don't expect it to get a response, and I feel like putting in out in public may be more effective than sending it off into the void.

The recent post on the Staff blog about changing tumblr to an algorithmic feed features a large amount of misinformation that I feel staff needs to address, openly and honestly, with information on where this data was sourced at the very least.

Claim 1: Algorithms help small creators.

This is false, as algorithms are designed to push content that gets engagement in order to get it more engagement, thereby assuring that the popular remain popular and the small remain small except in instances of extreme luck.

This can already be seen on the tumblr radar, which is a combination of staff picks (usually the same half-dozen fandoms or niche special interests like Lego photography) which already have a ton of engagement, or posts that are getting enough engagement to hit the radar organically. Tumblr has an algorithm that runs like every other socmed algorithm on the planet, and it will decimate the reach of small creators just like every other platform before it.

Claim 2: Only a small portion of users utilize the chronological feed.

You can find a poll by user @darkwood-sleddog here that at the time of writing this, sits at over 40 THOUSAND responses showing that over 96 percent of them use the chronological feed*. Claiming otherwise isn't just a misstatement, it's a lie. You are lying to your core userbase and expecting them to accept it as fact. It's not just unethical, it's insulting to people who have been supporting your platform for over a decade.

Claim 3: Tumblr is not easy to use.

This is also 100% false and you ABSOLUTELY know it. Tumblr is EXTREMELY easy to use, the issue is that the documentation, the explanations of features, and often even the stability of the service is subpar. All of this would be very easy for staff to fix, if they would invest in the creation of walkthroughs and clear explanations of how various site features work, as well as finally fixing the search function. Your inability to explain how your service works should not result in completely ignoring the needs and wants of your core long-term userbase. The fact that you're more willing to invest in the very systems that have made every other form of social media so horrifically toxic than in trying to make it easier for people to use the service AS IT WORKS NOW and fixing the parts that don't work as well speaks volumes toward what tumblr staff actually cares about.

You will not get a paycheck if your platform becomes defunct, and the thing that makes it special right now is that it is the ONLY large-scale socmed platform on THE ENTIRE INTERNET with a true chronological feed and no aggressive algorithmic content serving. The recent post from staff indicates that you are going to kill that, and are insisting that it's what we want. It is not. I'd hazard to guess that most of the dev team knows it isn't what we want, but I assume the money people don't care. The user base isn't relevant, just how much money they can bring in.

The CEO stated he wanted this to remain as sort of the last bastion of the Old Internet, and yet here we are, watching you declare you intend to burn it to the ground.

You can do so much better than this.

Response to the Update

Under the cut for readability, because everything said above still applies.

I already said this in a reblog on the post itself, but I'm adding it to this one for easy access: people read it that way because that's what you said.

Staff considers the main feed as it exists to be "outdated," to the point that you literally used that word to describe it, and the main goals expressed in this announcement is to figure out what makes "high-quality content" and serve that to users moving forward.

People read it that way because that is what you said.

*The final results of the poll, after 24 hours:

136,635 votes breaks down thusly:

An algorithm based feed where I get "the best of tumblr." @ 1.3% (roughly 1,776 votes)

Chronological feed that only features blogs I follow. @ 95.2% (roughly 130,077 votes)

This doesn't affect me personally. @ 3.5% (roughly 4,782 votes)

[louisa-gc]

how to start reading again

from someone who was a voracious reader until high school and is now getting back into it in her twenties.

start with an old favourite. even though it felt a little silly, i re-read the harry potter series one christmas and it wiped away my worry that i wasn't capable of reading anymore. they are long books, but i was still able to get completely immersed and to read just as fast as i had years and years ago.

don't be afraid of "easier" books. before high school i was reading the french existentialists, but when getting back into reading, i picked up lucinda riley and sally rooney. not my favourite authors by far, but easier to read while not being totally terrible. i needed to remind myself that only choosing classics would not make me a better or smarter person. if a book requires a slower pace of reading to be understood, it's easier to just drop it, which is exactly what i wanted to avoid at first.

go for essays and short stories. no need to explain this one: the shorter the whole, the less daunting it is. i definitely avoided all books over 350 pages at first and stuck to essay collections until i suddenly devoured donna tartt's goldfinch.

remember it's okay not to finish. i was one of those people who finished every book they started, but not anymore! if i pick up a book at the library and after a few chapters realise i'd rather not read it, i just return it. (another good reason to use your local library! no money spent on books you might end up disliking.)

analyse — or don't. some people enjoy reading more when they take notes or really stop to think about the contents. for me, at first, it was more important to build the habit of reading, and the thought of analysing what i read felt daunting. once i let go of that expectation, i realised i naturally analyse and process what i read anyway.

read when you would usually use your phone. just as i did when i was a child, i try to read when eating, in the bathroom, on public transport, right before sleeping. i even read when i walk, because that's normally a time i stare at my screen anyway. those few pages you read when you brush your teeth and wait for a friend very quickly stack up.

finish the chapter. if you have time, try to finish the part you're reading before closing the book. usually i find i actually don't want to stop reading once i get to the end of a chapter — and if i do, it feels like a good place to pick up again later.

try different languages. i was quickly approaching a reading slump towards the end of my exchange year, until i realised i had only had access to books in english and that, despite my fluency, i was tired of the language. so as soon as i got back home i started picking up books in my native tongue, which made reading feel much easier and more fun again! after some nine months, i'm starting to read in english again without it feeling like a huge task.

forget what's popular. i thought social media would be a fun way to find interesting books to read, but i quickly grew frustrated after hating every single book i picked up on some influencer's recommendation. it's certainly more time-consuming to find new books on your own, but this way i don't despise every novel i pick up.

remember it isn't about quantity. the online book community's endless posts about reading 150 books each year or 6 books in a single day easily make us feel like we're slow, bad readers, but here's the thing: it does not matter at all how many books you read or what your reading pace is. we all lead different lives, just be proud of yourself for reading at all!

stop stressing about it. we all know why reading is important, and since the pandemic reading has become an even more popular hobby than it was before (which is wonderful!). however, there's no need to force yourself to be "a reader". pick up a book every now and then and keep reading if you enjoy it, but not reading regularly doesn't make you any less of a good person. i find the pressure to become "a person who reads" or to rediscover my inner bookworm only distances me from the very act of reading.

[gwenhysteria]

nerd!abby x reader

cw: cunnilingus (aa!recieving) , smut DUH , some plot idk , established relationship , lowk shit writing , pet names (baby)

you were watching abby read her book. her arm was slightly draped over your body, and your leg was atop of hers. you were running your fingers tips up and down her toned stomach.

"when will you be done?" you whined, getting impatient and desperately wanting her attention. "i'm not even close to being done, baby." she whispered, focused on her book with an annoyed tone hidden deeply in her voice. you rolled your eyes, eventually learning that no matter what she wasn't just gonna stop reading.

you pressed your palm straight down onto her stomach and rubbed instead of just dragging your fingers. you felt how toned her abs were, how her arm locked you into place close to her.. you took all of her in and your hand slowly dragged down to the top of her pants.

you smirked to yourself and it was like a light bulb popped up in your head. you threw her arm off you, and she looked at you weirdly, but decided to not say anything. you sat up, not even trying to be subtle about it, and sat yourself between her legs.

the dropped her book onto her chest and cocked an eyebrow at you. "just keep reading your book, abs." you told her, and she, for some reason, listened. you smiled slyly and fiddled with the waistband of her sweatpants, getting your fingers under. you pulled them off her, and she bucked her hips to make it easier for you.

you leaned down, faced with her cunt, and licked a little kitten lick up her folds. she spread her legs wider to give you more access, and she sucked in a breath. “shit, you drive me insane..” she spoke under her breath.

you put your hands steady on her big hips and went all in. you flicked your tongue on her clit and she groaned. her big hand found its way to the back of your head and shoved you farther into her cunt. you fingernails dug into her flesh while you repeatedly lick her pussy like it’s your last meal.

“fuck, make me feel so good, baby.” she managed to moan out, bucking her hips into your face. your tongue swirled against her entrance. your saliva and her juices ran down your face and made your lips and chin wet.

her thick thighs tightened around your head as she sensed her high coming. and before she even knew it she was releasing all over your face. you moan into her cunt and lap up every drop of her cum.

her thighs release you from her grip, and you sit back up. “gosh, you couldn’t wait til i was done with one chapter?” she asked, laughing. you shook your head and grinned. “no.”

you crawled up on top of her, face-to-face and caught her mouth into a kiss. her lips were soft, and you moved you hands to caress her cheeks.

sorry this is saur bad and the shortest thing to ever be written ever… can you tell this is my first time writing smut?? i bet u can, anyways request puhlease <33

[brideoftheemperor]

So you've played Space Marine 2 and want to get in on the Warhammer 40k lore but Holy Shit Where Do You Begin?

My introduction to warhammer was through the now forever hiatus'd YouTube parody, "If The Emperor Had A Text To Speech Device". While not entirely comprehensive or unbiased, it presented enough of the lore to me in managable bite sized pieces that I could then move on to the next step: reading the books.

I've seen posts about people being afraid to be considered a "tourist" bc they don't even read the books and I got two things to say to this. 1) who gives a shit what others in this fandom thinks? And 2) while it's not required, I think some of you would get joy out of actually reading the books. Also I find it kinda strange when people won't engage with the media but then complain they don't know what's going on. Engage with the media!

"But Holy Bride! Where do I even begin?! There are over 50 books in the Horus Heresy alone!" Do not fear my little trembling trebbles. My first advice is 1) don't get caught up in reading order. There are too many legions and too many characters. My first warhammer reading experience was Know No Fear. Then after reading the unremembered empire/ deathfire novels I moved on to A Thousand Sons. Now? I'm reading The First Heretic. It is okay to jump around in a story that you already know how it ends.

Secondly, there are audio dramas and audio books that make reading and consuming the media a tad easier and they're very well produced! Buying them direct can get expensive so try to find other sources but I mean, if you have the money I say go for it!

I really enjoy this franchise, even if it can be doofy or annoying to me sometimes and I'm glad that more people are getting into it. But like, you do sorta need to take the steps to get into it! Warhammer is not an accessible beast by nature, which is why even 4 or so years after GamesWorkshop releases a zero tolerance policy on fan animations, I am Still pushing and recc'ing if the emperor had a tts.

Get acquainted with the lore, then pick a favorite boy or legion, and just pick up a book! They're usually pretty short and are a leisurely reading level.

Or don't! The choice is yours but remember that you only get so much information from wiki's and lore dumps and it really is better to engage with media through your own perspective rather than the perspectives of others 🌹

[miguel-owhora]

thinking about the little silly ask i sent @thegnomelord, so have this small drabble while i wait for my food to come :3

CW: 18+ , crack treated seriously , monster!reader , himan!ghost , monsterfucker!ghost , implied size difference , anal sex , implied belly bulge , alien bodily anatomy , a little au , not beta read

FEMS, MINORS, EMPTY BLOGS DNF.

Simon can't breathe. Not in the, 'I'm being buried alive' type of way, no, that's a different feeling he wouldn't wish on his worst enemies, and just the thought of having dirt clogging his nostrils and pressing down on his body nearly has him tapping out—no. This type of suffocating is good; it nips at Simon's body and makes the world around him hazy, in a way he imagines weed to feel.

Half his body is hoisted over a counter, your larger body pressing up against his back. You're heavier than he is, larger, with a body that's not quite Human—which isn't all that different to the other passengers on the spaceship. Something about diversity and being a collection of different intergalactic species.

A set of your arms grip at his waist, another hand gripping his thigh and holding it up, blunt claws digging into his flesh, the other playing with his cock and effectively blocking it from being crushed against the counter. The position gives you easier access to his hole, making you thrust your cock deeper into his hole.

A particular thrust against his prostate has him groaning, ripping him out of his thoughts and clenching around your cock. He tries not to think about how weird it looks, how tentacle-like and bioluminescent it looks, how... non-Human it is. Not when you let out a garbled sound that's a mixture of a gibberish series of clicks and a croaky moan that's a little too guttural.

"You're killin' me, Si'," You groan, slumping your weight against him, grinning when Simon grunts from the sudden weight. It only drives your cock deeper, and Simon sucks in a sharp breath when he swears he can feel you in his stomach.

"Fuckin' hell, you heavy bitch." He growls, trying to ignore how he feels a low rumble vibrate somewhere from your chest, feels you shudder with amusement. He hates how he doesn't have to even look at you to know how you're feeling, just based on your body language. You nuzzle the back of his nape, slick and smooth scales making him shudder almost uncomfortably, before he feels you bite into the juncture between his shoulder and neck.

He nearly shouts when you suddenly pick up the pace, gripping him tightly as you jackhammer into him. But all Simon can do is moan. Loud and whorish for the entire crew to hear. His cock jerks against your hand, a familiar sensation building up fom the repeated pounding against his prostate.

"Shite!" He moans, ragged and gruff, clawing desperately at the wall as his legs tremble. His orgasm crashes unexpectedly, a string of gargled Human curses slipping from his mouth as he clenched around your cock and cums all over his stomach and your hand. His body shudders through it, legs giving little jerks and twitches. Spit dribbles down his chin, mouth hanging open as low, ragged groans slip out. He feels sweaty, the spare closet far too small to fit both Human and alien.

And speaking of alien...

Simon's eyes blink open when he feels something just... pop inside his ass. It's not a big thing, more like popping those jelly candies he's seen Americans eat before. It's small, almost subtle, and Simon has an inkling suspicion it's something about you and your weird alien body when you grind into him, slowly and deeply, as you ride out your orgasm.

After a couple of heartbeats, when only your soft pants and the even softer subtle whir of the mechanics of the ship, Simon speaks. He doesn't look at you, instead narrows his eyes at the wall, as if to test you.

"[Name]," Simon begins, voice back to its normal tone and volume, as if he wasn't just fucked. "What was that?"

Your body doesn't react, but you do slowly begin to pull out. "What was what?"

Simon rolls his eyes and glances over his shoulder, dark eyes narrowing at you. "You know what."

You're grinning, slit eyes watching him. Your stupid whiskers twitch with amusement—and there goes Simon knowing how you're feeling solely on your body language, fucking Christ—and your too sharp teeth glint with spit.

"Don't worry about it, Si," You purr, and with a slick pop, you pull out. Both Human and alien groan simultaneously, with the man wincing as he felt your cum slip out of his loose and puffy hole.

Simon glances down at your cock, and catches a glimpse of it sheathing just as you begin to pull up your suit. The Human huffs and glances down, and Simon nearly gawks at the sight, eyes widening.

"Why the fawk is your cum glowing?!" Simon's voice is higher than normal, filled with surprise.

Neon cum, a cyan color, dribbles out of his ass, dripping down to his inner thighs. It glows, as bioluminescent as the tentacle dick hiding within your sheath, a more slimier and slicker substance than Human cum.

"Simon, Simon, Simon," You gave his ass a nice squeeze, and retracted your claw when he smacked you away. You grinned, sharp teeth flashing in a wide grin, unnatural and too wide. Your voice is a low purr, smooth and slick, deceitful in every way.

"Don't worry about it."

[cassowariess]

Look, I'm not a Gaiman fan, I've just been keeping up with the tag for updates about the allegations, and I have to say I'm deeply disturbed at how many young people I've seen say things like: "I want to kill myself" over the possibility of Good Omens 3 being cancelled.

I'm not going to scold you, but I cannot stress enough that this is not a normal response to have about a tv show, let alone any form of media. So as someone who lost a family member to suicide last year(for reasons unrelated to fandom) here is some advice I hope you will heed. Some of this advice is geared towards people with hyperfixations as I know the neurodivergent brain works differently.

First of all, for the future:

Do not put all your eggs in one basket.

It's going to become more and more likely in the future that you will be disappointed in someone who created something you loved. That's why it's important to have multiple things going in your life that keep you tethered instead of projecting all your emotional well being on the status of one thing. I know hyperfixations cannot be chosen, but extra interests can, so you need to cultivate a bunch of them. Go for walks and keep a nature journal, learn a new skill with free videos online (there are also communities built around certain hobbies like knitting etc so there's the possibility of making new friends too). You might not feel better right away, which is why it's important you do these things as a routine (such as once a week or more). It will flex and strengthen your emotional muscles.

It's not always possible, but have at least one of these interests be something that has nothing to do with being online. Maybe there's a book group in your town. Check local boards or listings for activities. Once again, there's the opportunity to make friends.

If you're stuck online, watch a movie with your online friends in Hyperbeam. Do this every week and pick a movie from a list of films everyone has chosen. Pick entertainment that has nothing to do with your fandom. Roll a dice for each week's movie.

If it is available to you, access therapy.

I realize this is not always possible due to costs or waiting lists depending on what part of the world you live in. Sometimes there are free groups that talk about depression. I live in the UK so unfortunately I don't know how prevalent this stuff is in the USA or other parts of the world, but your local council might have leaflets about community services and activities that are good for your mental health too, like community gardening once a week.

You don't need to tell the groups about why you are specifically upset, but you can tell them "life feels dull and pointless" which is why you're reading this, right? But the more you talk to people and try to do activities around other people, the less dull and pointless it will feel. I know it's hard to drag yourself outside, but it becomes easier the more you do it.

Talk to friends in your fandom, but also talk to friends that have nothing to do with it. I've been in enough fandom spaces to know how insular fandom can get and maladpative coping mechanisms some people can share that actually make things worse, not better. Go talk to some normies once in a while. Your fandom friends will still be there.

Finally, some suicide prevention hotlines, should you need them.

Link to international phone numbers and resources.

Look after yourself, remember people love you and remember, it's just a TV show. There will be other TV shows and other joyous things in your life, and next time you will have more of them. <3

Signed,

A fandom old who is not in your fandom.

[brucewaynehater101]

As someone who is partly deaf, I love that deaf Tim stuff. But hear me out for something that could work for either of them. What if on complete accident when both the Bats and Rouges hear about Tim's disability, the Rouges are the ones who do a better job with not looking down on Tim. Yes they add things to help him, like for Deaf Tim Joker would also use ASL as he monologs to make sure that Tim can understand him or with Blind Tim Riddler makes puzzle rooms themed around telling the difference in textures or he reads all the riddles out loud.

Meanwhile the Bats are. They *tried* ok? But they keep over compensating because they worry about Tim. Unlike the Rouges who don't pull their punches, during training the Bats do start pulling punches and going a little easier on Tim. Dick keeps trying to do things for Tim that Tim knows he can do. Bruce keeps taking him off cases that involve in person investigation. Damian keeps saying things about how all tasks should be left to him because clearly he's the superior one (if it's early Damian, later on when they're on better terms he wouldn't be as assholish about it but also keeps trying to take over tasks for Tim)

I'm really really glad that you vibed with the AU.

As far as your additions, I 100% agree. Having "good intentions" for people can still be harmful and frustrating. That's why, in these AUs, Tim tries to hide his disability until he's able to prove his efficiency. It's dealer's choice whether the Bats choose to acknowledge the evidence or are still doubting his capabilities.

I think the fic from the OG post has a scene where Babs, Cass, and Tim meet up to discuss the microaggressions they face from the Bats due to their respective disabilities. The sequel definitely has cute interactions between Damian and Tim. Damian refuses for anyone to treat his "rival" as weak or incapable. Peak siblings energy.

The funny part I find about this would be the Rogues accommodating Tim's disabilities just so they can defeat him. If Joker learned ASL for Tim, he'd probably research the hell out of how to look intimidating and scary while doing it (since, depending on Tim's hearing loss, Joker can't effectively utilize the vocal tone skills he's trained to be terrifying). Riddler would treat it as another puzzle and mental exercise (his Riddles would likely increase in accessibility for multiple disabilities as time progresses. He wants to challenge folks by their thinking abilities, not by their ability to test within the constraints placed on them. Perhaps, after his research and new implementations, he even starts targeting schools that unfairly places confines on their students [from both a socioeconomic standpoint and from improper accommodations]).

Anyways, I would love a fic that highlights some of the Bats' treatment of Tim and how not to interact with folks of different disabilities. Stuff like infantilizing, doing tasks for the person without permission, assuming what someone can handle, and disregarding them. It'd be cool to watch Tim try open communication (asking boundaries and what level of assistance the person desires) with all of them. For some, that's all that's needed. They have a clear guideline of "that shit was not okay" and the lines of communication are open for them to ask clarification in the future. For others, they listen to Tim, agree to change, and still pull that shit. I personally vote for Tim getting petty.

I feel like Babs and Cass would be the ones to understand the most that Tim can do anything he sets his mind to (he's so incredibly stubborn that he'd probably even be able to steal LexCorp from Luthor if he was motivated enough. He most likely even has plans already drawn for it ready to implement at any point). Duke would probably understand how others' perceptions of Tim affect him.

I also kill for Tim utilizing WE resources to bring aid and accommodations based on more specific audiences (such as how kids in the foster system, LGBT youth, and those with disabilities [both mental and physical] disportionately make up the homeless population).

I'm rambling a bit because sociology is a passion of mine. I'd get a higher education on the subject if I had the money.

Anyways, I love considering such perspectives in fanfiction. Let me know if there's other stuff I should add to this AU!

[spiders-hth-is-an-outlier]

A lot of things that seemed weird to me about the current culture of reading and writing became more clear to me when I realized that an awful lot of people are perceiving both reading and writing as tools to get at the thing they actually want, which is a good story. That's why they think it makes sense to read by skimming past dense text and only focusing on dialogue -- that's a "hack" that will get you access to The Story in a mostly comprehensible form, so why not save yourself time and work? It's why people set up speed-reading challenges, because why not consume ten stories instead of five -- that's more! And it's why people, or this type of person anyway, are excited about AI tools that outsource the labor of turning an idea (the concept of a plan, if you will...) into A Story. A Story is the goal for these people, on either the production or consumption end. Generate story, transmit story to audience, rinse, repeat. Whatever makes that process easier, more efficient, and yeah, more accessible is definitionally an improvement.

I don't think people who are this kind of reader or writer (it just took everything I had not to put "reader" and "writer" in quotation marks -- I'm really trying to be fair-minded here!) actually understand the experience the rest of us are having with reading and writing. Taking in a good story can be -- I'd say usually is -- *part* of that experience, but we're also engaging with text in other ways at the same time. We're mining it for types of meaning that extend beyond the story (all those dreaded Themes and Symbols that your mean English teacher banged on about!) We're reading those long paragraphs for the artistry of them, for the musicality, for aesthetic pleasure. We're investigating not just *what happens in the story,* but who the storyteller is and what they're revealing to us about the way they perceive the world.

When we get frustrated about people "not reading it right," we're probably being obnoxious busybodies (you can, in fact, do whatever you want forever!), but we're not doing it because of the joy we get from looking down on other people. It's more like we're watching people be served a delicious roast chicken, and then cut a couple strips of skinless breast meat off the bird, throw the rest of it in the trash, and talk about how they're such foodies. You didn't even eat it! You barely touched the thing! There's so much waste. And it's even more appalling when the chef throws most of the dish out before it even leaves the kitchen.

So obviously I'm not framing this very neutrally, but like, it *has* all become a little easier to process in my head now that I understand what kind of meat the Booktok types are actually hungry for.

[esotericpluto]

your psychic abilities

from left to right; intuitively choose the pile you feel more connected to. To make it easier, you can take a deep breathe, close your eyes and ask for guidance to your deities or guides. These are all general messages, so just take what resonates and leave what doesn't. This reading is timeless. If it resonates, feedback is always appreciated and motivates to keep doing pick a card readings. You can donate here.

pile 1

I'm getting clairvoyance 100% for most, if not all of you who chose this pile. If you are not yet aware of your clairvoyance, this means you still have some a bit of stuff to go through in order to develop it, but that developing the early stages will be quite easy for you.

Clairvoyance can come in many forms. For some of you, I feel like it will come mainly in dreams. You will be able to see entities trying to communicate through your dreams, you will see a lot of dream related symbolisms delivering you messages and guidance or straight up seeing the future through it. If it has ever happened to you to dream about something, even if small, than that happens, that is a sign of your clairvoyance.

For some of you, I'm also getting that you might develop it to see images related to your messages or straight up seeing some images of your future that will be sent to you by your guides as warnings, so pay attention to that.

I see some people may be able to see auras or even, in some cases, when developed enough, to see spirits. For people who will be able to see spirits, this could be only through your mind but I do feel like a small minority here might be able to see them as they would see another human being. For those people, I recommend using protection spells/sigils and protective elements and to try to keep your energy clear. Learning how to control the ability will take a while, but it should be done to protect you as seeing spirits all the time would not be the healthiest for you.

I feel like a good way for you to develop this will be starting guided meditations and guided visualizations exercises. Trying to astral project and lucid dream for some of you can also be really useful, especially if you have the dream related abilities. Looking at art and trying to interpret it, as well as scrying in mirrors, water or crystal balls can also help you develop these skills. I feel like for some of you, putting your feet in salt water can also really help.

I see some of you will be able to help people with their past lives too, by accessing them and seeing them.

pile 2

I see your powers are talking and potentially hearing too for some of you. The hearing would count as clairaudience.

The talking here feels like you have a true power to heal people through your words. You might be able to communicate with animals and/or make them understand you somehow, the same can go for children and babies.

I see like some of you are able to guide lost spirits to the afterlife with your words and prayers, so you can use this ability to help them.

Overall, I feel like your prayers and affirmations are really powerful, almost working like a charm or spell. You should research about chants, prayers, affirmations and incsntations as they will help you a lot and manifest the things you want very quickly, even if all you want is something like protection. Your gift also works for others, so you can use this anility to help others.

I feel like you can work on developing your hearing senses. You might be someone with a good hearing in general. You will be able to channel messages from your guides and other people's guides and these messages will help you. Trust the messages that you receive as they will keep you safe.

You might also hear some interference in technology or music stopping/not playing properly when spirits are around. You might also sometimes hear frequencies or music that isn't coming from earth. This is also a way for spirits to communicate with you.

Some of you might also be gifted in speaking publicly or know how to use words very well when talking to other people in general. I feel like you know how to get what you want out of conversations with people and easily make them feel understood and calm.

Some of you also have this gift extend to nature, trees, flowers. You might have a green thumb because of this, as your energy and words can help plants grow beautifully. Have you seen that experiment of how plants grow when you talk positively towards them vs. how plants grow when you talk negatively to them? This is similar to it in a way.

Ways for you to develop these gifts would be listening to music, not neccessarily the music you always listen to, but those vibrational music videos you can find on youtube, as it will help you a lot to clear your mind and allow entities to talk to you. Volunteering at an animal shelter could also really help you, as well as spending time with nature. I feel like meditating can also help you a lot amd you could use those "communicate with guides" meditations, as that will train you to communicate with them and receive messages. Looking at yourself in the mirror, for some reason, can also help, especially if you affirm good things while doing so.

pile 3

I see most of you can be really talented when it comes to telepathy and able to know what someone else is feeling/thinking. Clair wise, I'm feeling clairsentience and claircognizance the most here.

I also feel like some of you are really talented spell casters and witches. You would really benefit from channeling strong spiritual energies or settong your intentions through spells or general rituals/offerings.

I am seeing many of you can teach people how to improve themselves or other valuable lessons in life. Some of you could even have a karma bringer quality to you and a lot of wisdom that was granted by guides and ancestors who protect you.

I feel like with your intuition, clairsentience and claircognizance, you might be really good at figuring out people's intentions and true personas and are rarely ever wrong about it. You are good with energies and usually are able to decipher them with time. Some of you could also be mediums and communicate with spirits or really good astrologers.

I feel like some of you could be great at divination and tarot reading, so that could be something to consider or work on expanding. I feel like you will find some decks that you really connect with, I mainly am seeing a deck with a black cover and maybe with witchy vibes, but it might change for some of you.

I also feel like some of you will feel some affinity with aquatic animals, maybe even with mythological ones like sirens, selkies, mermaids. This could also mean that you have a great talent for charming and seducing others using your energy.

I'm feeling like readings books about spirituality, psychic abilities and divination will help you a lot to take the first steps to develop this. I feel like lighting up a candle and focusing on the flame until you feel in a trance can also help you to achieve deeper meditative states and your intuition. For some of you, this can also be done by looking into the sea or water in general. Plants can lift up your mood and energy, so consider getting a plant if you don't have one yet. You can also try telepathy exercises and reading for people to train your abilities.

[centeris2]

unfortunately I have been seized by the uncontrollable urges aka here is my SSO Quality of Life* Wishlist!

*as in small things that would/could impact daily play, rather than massive projects or overhauls

Cap frame rate to 60fps and enable players to cap their games lower. There is no reason why SSO should be trying to hit 100+ fps, the graphics nor the engine demand that sort of quality. SSO isn't a competitive or combat game, even the 'PVP' element it does are based on time, not player interaction. Players can not impact each other's gameplay at all (aka no collisions, physics, etc.) Not to mention it'd help my computer calm down if it wasn't trying to hit infinity frames per second.

Increase the shilling rewards in low density and hard to reach quest/race areas, like Mistfall and South Hoof. If the shillings I earn barely cover the fast transport and riding there takes a few minutes I'm gonna not go there. Increasing the rewards would increase the activity in those areas. You don't need new content (although South Hoof, Mistfall, and Dino champs would be great), but if the races and dailies there each paid out 100+ shillings and 250 or more horse XP they'd be more enticing to visit.

Change the trailer list into a trailer map. If it's a map pop up with all the trailer locations you'd click where you want to go. Seems easier.

Run two champs at the same time. I've wanted this back ever since they stopped doing that, and I miss it. One can always be running in the free to play area, and one can always be running in the Star Rider area.

Fix the UI at the top center of the screen, it's messy having timers and pop up alerts in the same spot. I can't read them if they're literally on top of each other.

Transparency/opacity settings for windows/UI elements. Why is the chat box transparent? Why is the quest log transparent? Why can't I make those opaque so I can read those easier without the game behind the windows occasionally making that text difficult to read?

Make the champ rank window accessible everywhere. As far as I can tell it's only visible if you click on a schedule board at a champ area or when you finish a champ. Why isn't that something you can look at wherever, so you can check your progress? It can be part of the High Scores pop up, like the champ schedule, since it's already part of the champ schedule boards at all the champ grounds.

A way to 'wishlist' items in shops. With everything being like 9000-max shillings you can only buy one item at a time, which is annoying if you figure out an outfit or a bunch of items you want to buy, but you have to remember what they are (or even what shops they are in).

If you go over your shilling limit the excess goes to your inbox OR you get the excess shillings, but you have to spend them before you log off or you'll lose the excess. So you get a popup telling you that you hit max shillings and if you try to log off you get another pop up warning you that you'll lose those shillings if you don't spend them, are you sure you want to log off and lose X shillings?

[floufli]

I just watched like an hour of theories and explanations on love and deepspace lore to try and understand the timeline to actually make the fic at least believable.

What did i get from that hour ?

A massive headache thanks to xavier parts (philos wtf are you doing) and depression (thanks zayne and raf)

The more info I have the more I get confused over how tf did things get so entangled to begin with.

The little we know about Sylus isn't helping at all so I'm pulling all the most cracked up shit to try and explain wtf is going on when I didn't even read all the plot accessible in game bc lazy.

The moment I thought I had their past figured out I heard Philo's ass coming my way to destroy my hopes and dreams.

I hate time-travel with my entire being that's the only thing I can assure. And without Philos my writing life would be easier.

[grison-in-space]

it's been really interesting seeing your posts about harm reduction as a social policy, because I did vaguely know it was used on a macro level, but all of my personal interaction with the term has always been on a micro level, like therapists suggesting less risky forms of self-harm; that's an interesting and probably frustrating case of linguistic drift

Almost certainly! I don't think I've encountered it without the collectivist aspect very much, but then I'm usually running into it either in the context of activism or in the context of public health (or public policy). It's typically a philosophy I associate with collective practices and initiatives, not with individual choices, which might come down to a few different idiosyncrasies:

I like infectious disease, public health, and public policy a lot and have occasionally flirted with the idea of hauling my career in that direction a few different times in the past. I've never actually done it, but I still read in the field occasionally. So I'm used to thinking about problems from a lens of "with the resources available, what way is best to minimize bad outcomes and maximize good ones?"

I actually did train as a population geneticist and evolutionary biology before finding myself dragged into neuroscience and decision-making, and I still naturally think at the population level rather than at the individual level. I got really into phenotypic plasticity for a while, which is the field where you try to understand how and why, say, a juvenile organism who can develop into two different forms chooses which one to grow into. That amplified that tendency: you can think of a single decision as a unique moment in time, but you study decision making by aggregating hundreds or thousands of tiny decisions made by tens of animals over many trials. So: populations again. Really, you could sum both of those up with "I happen to be a scientist who spends a lot of time thinking about complex population level behaviors."

As an activist*, I associate arguments based on harm reduction with arguments based on expediency and efficacy: given X resources, what can we do as a community to achieve Y outcome? Implied in that argument is the understanding that Y is not going to happen unless my co-activists and I gear up and donate time and expertise (even if it's just knowing Microsoft Excel and being willing to be awkward in public) to make it happen. Even if Y is something like "how do we reduce the odds that kids in our community commit suicide?" It's the sort of thing that you say to recruit other people to help you do more of an activity that is important.

Harm reduction also ties very deeply in my head to the disability justice principle of the right to accommodation in pursuit of access. They're both philosophies that I would use to guide my choice of actions or my moral assessment of a situation, but I'm not sure I would characterize either as primarily a structure to motivate personal moral judgements, see what I mean? Both are political ideologies as much as anything else, and they exist beyond me.

I love that it's an aspect of the concept that you hadn't encountered before, though, and I really do encourage you to dig into it as a topic! I find it interesting and useful to learn about other people's political and activist successes and failures, and I think crucially I love the element of evidence based examination I see in harm reduction approaches to complex problems. It's very easy to get hung up on proxies for desirable or undesirable behaviors and try to inflate those proxies without referencing the actual deeper goal that inspired looking at proxies in the first place. If a behavior is risky and therefore undesirable, and so we find a way to make the behavior less risky, you get a lot of pushback from people who stopped at "the behavior is undesirable" and are now outraged that you are making that behavior "easier". Harm reduction exists as a philosophy to make it easier to identify that kind of mistake, so that we return our analysis to our true values (people don't get hurt) rather than our proxy values (people don't do risky behaviors that could hurt them).

*explaining things on the internet is not a primary form of activism unless I am making an effort to modulate my tone, presentation, and communication with a specific goal in mind: if I'm in Teacher Mode, if you will. Right now, I am not in Teacher Mode, I am fucking around with my vape in my back yard and engaging in a reasonably satisfying autistic lecture to the Internet, which is where I get to bring out the fun profanity. You can tell because a few hours ago I addressed someone as "fuckstick," which is not the kind of thing that is generally effective when I am wearing my activism hat. I am way more friendly in activism mode. (This is because I learned how to do activist work in the context of asexuality awareness, which means that I have been asked in almost every imaginable kind of awkward situation about my masturbation habits in environments, and at that point you get really, really good at performing friendly accessibility.)

[hananoami]

˗ˏˋ ♡ 𝓪𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝓵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝓾𝒑 𝗐/ 𝓢𝒚𝒍𝒖𝒔 ♡ ˎˊ˗

I know it's only been three days since v2.0 -- Opposing Visions -- began, but I've already raised my affinity level with SYLUS by a substantial amount thanks to all the new memories that were added into the wish pool and resources that I've been saving. I unlocked his companion on July 15th and since then we went from affinity level 1 Crush to level 50 Lover status! As of writing this I am now half way to done to reaching his Devotion level. Only 50 more levels to go before that ring is mine... A lot of those affinity points came from obtaining and leveling most of his new memories. You also earn points for doing things for the first time with him. I would go into detail, but it might be easier for me to just say there's whole list that you can easily access in game under [With Him > Memos] that reward you with 500 exp per. Not to mention listening to all of his audio stories in By Your Side and Falling For you as well as reading his Anecdotes, Land of the Lost. Forgive me for the mega thread that is going to happen... I'm not entirely sure how I want to go about this. I generally try to take a screenshot of each level up notification as a personal keepsake with the love interest, but Sylus has at least 50 screenshots. Each affinity level unlocks something new and there were even some collectibles that came with special notes. I guess I'll just go in order an recap as many levels as tumblr will allow me to upload in a post. The main post, this one, features a screenshot of the first time I've started gaining affinity points after I unlocked him in Main Story [Long Awaited Revelry] 1-8. The second screenshot is my current affinity level. I will elaborate more on their respective rewards unlocked in later threads to make it easier to follow along with. I am aware that there are hunters who do not wish to see spoilers. While it is not story related, his affinity levels and rewards are new so I will be tagging my post with spoiler warnings. If you wish to avoid them please mute and block the following: #love and deepspace 2.0 #love and deepspace spoilers #lnds spoilers

[phoenix-eclipses]

Casting Love 0.12 -- Next Project

Kenma and you made minimal changes to your website before you submitted it in time for Wednesday. Your professor had spent that class speaking to each partnership about their ideas, giving a last chance to make any changes they wished for before heading to the next partnership.

He had let you all out fifteen minutes early that day, promising next class he'd reveal what your next project entailed.

Kenma and you didn't speak much after class, simply waving to one another before taking your separate ways. And then, it was time for the next project to be revealed.

You sat next to Kenma as normal. You waved and he greeted you back with a small nod before returning to his phone he had been staring at before you entered the room. It didn't take long for class to start and your professor to stand before your class again.

"I'm sure those who have looked deeper into the syllabus have noticed your final project involves going to the small fest our business department holds to pretend to sell the service your company offers to your peers, professors, or any other guests. Every project we are doing prior will prepare you all for that fest.

"This specific project we are beginning is preparing items you may want to pretend to sell. Of course, they don't need to be the actual item if it's something not made yet or something you do not have access to, but something that may share similar aspects to what you intend to sell. For those who are not selling something physical, prepare more advertisments for the item, potentially photos involving your service.

"With that, I shall give you the rest of glass to toss ideas back and forth. If you need feedback, I will be sitting at my desk. Either come ask me, or send a message if you don't wish to walk over here."

Immediate chatter broke out into the room and you turned to Kenma who let out a small hum.

"Do you know what'd be the easiest things to prepare for our company?" he asked, grabbing out his phone which he had pocketed when the professor had started.

"The glasses. I don't think we have to worry about getting the specifically colorblind ones, maybe just reading glasses or even just the ones people get for cosplay? So we don't have to spend as much on them."

You pulled out your laptop, pulling up your shared document with notes. Said notes including a list of possible soulmate links that could become an issue for the public. You put a note with the colorblind soulmate about preparing glasses before looking at the other links.

Kenma leaned over, glancing at the list with you.

"Maybe foundation?" he offered.

"What for?"

"I know some people don't like having the writing of their soulmate visible. And it could include several links," as he spoke, he reached over and highlighted a few of the different ones you guys had written down. "Having someone's name, both your lover's and your enemy's, the first words, oh, and the first contact. I had someone in my middle school who's first contact was a hand right on their cheek so she used to try and cover it up."

"Right! I didn't even think of that, most of the people I know with those links have them in easier spots. But even then, I guess having it out in the open isn't for everyone," you nodded your head before collecting all those links together and writing down foundation for them.

You both spent the rest of the class thinking of as many affordable items you guys could prepare before sending your list to your professor who sent back a simple thumbs up at your list making you both sigh.

Before class was dismissed, your professor stood before you all again.

"The festival is during the Friday before Finals week. As you all know from our syllabus reading, that is your final and you are not required here during the set time for finals. I want these items to be shown to me, whether it be through photos or physically, in four weeks. This is so I can guarantee you are making progress and also can give feedback if there are any ways you can change them visually to fit your companies more.

"This four weeks is not offered so you can wait until the day before and scramble to find items but instead if you need time for them to ship here or need the time to visually change objects before I see them. On that note, you are dismissed."

You and Kenma started gathering your things. Before you left, you glanced at him.

"Do you want to meet up soon to gather a list of items we should order? So we can get them together and then have time to gather the money neccesary to pay for them."

He gave you a small nod. "We can do that after your classes on Thursday, if you want."

"Sounds good with me! See you Wednesday then."

0.11 -- Masterlist -- 0.13

Notes

Finished my first week back and with it comes a chapter for you all! (the crowd goes wild)

Things are starting to not really be filler chapters and be something

Like oo who's this him you're talking about hmmm

Also to make it make sense, you do have A card, it's just like all things paid with it need to be food in some manner or else it'll just decline (hence why you can go to the cafe so much)

Also yay new project! I've been like making a list of potential projects to include because again, I don't really know anything about business classes as a psych major but WHO CARES

Taglist

@staygoldsquatchling02 @walllflowerrrsss @oyasumeii @rinnylvr

@bi-bi-papillon @ris-krispie @madiexuberant @giocriedpower

@lunavixia @singleandlonely @yuminako @from-mae

@3lectraheart @kodzusora @skycasin0 @scinclaitnoir

@itsdragonius @d3ly-p4v @anqelkoz @kodzubaby

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