#if anyone on Tumblr mobile gets this far in the tag

[monty-glasses-roxy]

Just had the idea of doing a Roxy askblog that's based on it being a secret blog she's not allowed to have and every so often if someone asks her something she just says stuff like "To the Fazspy reading this, I'm not the real Roxy." to try and throw the staff off her trail lmao

Will probably never make a blog like that, but it could be kinda funny. Maybe I bring the idea of an 'ask Roxy anything' game back where I draw the answers for it instead so it's not a whole ass blog dedicated to Roxy being a sneaky lil shit on the internet

[lacefuneral]

ok i've seen some posts about the tumblr alternative cohost but none that were actually helpful so!

(disclaimer: i am very new to this website. users who have been there longer can and should chime in with additions and/or corrections)

Cohost Introduction Post

What is cohost?

Cohost is a fledgling website that is essentially a tumblr clone, but with its own culture and site-specific features. It is also very much a work in progress. You are encouraged to talk in the cohost forum to suggest changes for devs, report bugs, and upvote other people's suggestions. This website WILL grow and change over time. And as such, I do not know if/when the information I share here will be outdated. Edit: To answer an ask I received, anyone can join cohost without an invite. It used to be invite-only. It is not this way anymore.

Is "adult content" allowed there?

Yes. Cohost is not on the app store, meaning that it is not subject to Apple's specifications. You can post illustrations, writing, and photographs (cohost does not support any video formats at this time, just gifs). Cohost has an elaborate filtering and trigger warning system (moreso than tumblr), and you can disable adult content for your entire account or for individual tags. I actually don't engage with the adult content at all on there. Visual CSEM (both real and fictional) is specifically forbidden (although frankly I think the guidelines could be stricter wrt written content. Still, does seem to handle this better than AO3 does, going as far to say that written content about real minors is forbidden.)

How are minors protected?

The minimum age to join cohost is 16, and requires proof of parental permission to join. Users who are under 18 are automatically age-gated and cannot view adult content.

If cohost isn't on the app store, how is it used?

You can, of course, use cohost on a computer, but it is designed with mobile in mind. Opening the website on any IOS browser, clicking "share", and then "add to home screen" will install an app for you to use. The same can be done on an android. There is a guide here.

How does cohost work?

First, you create an account. Then you wait for approximately two days (read: weekdays) for the account to be activated. This is done to prevent spam bots. In the meantime, edit your profile. List some interests, your pronouns, your other social media links. Give yourself an icon. Note: icon and banner file sizes are small. You may need to shrink and compress images.

After the two days are up, make your first post! Write a basic introduction (with what you feel comfortable you feel sharing) and list some interests you like, maybe some hobbies, media, etc. And then tag this post with "#welcome to cohost". This will let existing members know that someone new has joined, and they may initiate conversation and/or follow you.

Next, go to the search and type in "The Cohost Global Feed" and click on the tag. Bookmark this tag. This is essentially one giant community space where you can find random users. (There is currently some discourse on the website as to whether this tag existing is a "bad thing" or not because "cohost isn't supposed to have a global tag". Just ignore that lol). Next, go back to search and type in things you like. TV shows, maybe. Video games. Music. Anything. See if people have posted in the tags. Follow them. Comment on their stuff. Click "like" to bookmark the post if you want to.

Most crucially, make sure that you bookmark the actual tag so you can look in that tag again later without having to manually type it each and every time. Also, you get a feed called "bookmarked tags" which allows you to scroll through all of them at once, which replaces the "for you" feature other websites have.

You can "share" a post (called "rebug" in user slang) which serves the same purpose as a reblog on tumblr. In a rebug, you can add your own tags or comment in the body of the post. Cohost users do not talk in tags as much as tumblr users - they tend to prefer to speak in the body of a rebug, or in the comment section (replies). At this time, you cannot view all reblogs. But you can view all comments in the comment section. Any post that is rebugged will preserve the tags of the OP, with any additional tags added being attributed to you. Rebugs are named after the website mascot Eggbug, a purple bee-like insect.

Posts are called "chosts" - and shitposting is called "shitchosting." Two examples of global shitposting tags are "#css crimes" - which is when a person does goofy things with the HTML/CSS editor to make colorful text, fake chat windows, and such - and "#shitchosting" which is a general shitposting tag. I've also seen people use tags like "#random".

If a post makes you laugh, check out the OP's profile. See if they post frequently, and if you have any common interests. If you realize you want to block or mute someone instead, you can.

You can send asks just like on tumblr, but your inbox must be manually opened first. So remember to do that.

How do I look at my own blog?

This is one of my gripes about the UI. You would think, intuitively, you would click here (at the top of the screen). But you would be wrong!

It is ACTUALLY under the sidebar menu, called "Profile." And I'm not the only one to to complain about this. (To get back to your dashboard, by the way, you click on the cohost logo.)

Are there sideblogs?

Yes! Each sidepage (sideblog) has its OWN set of likes AND followed pages (blogs). This allows you to easily switch between multiple sets of dashboards. A lot of users use this to have a SFW dashboard and an adult content dashboard. But it works like tumblr, too. You can have a side page/dashboard for whatever you'd like. Maybe one of your pages is for programming. Maybe another is for photography. You switch between your pages by clicking the arrow next to your icon/username at the top of the screen. ("Ohhhhh.... THAT'S what that's for.")

What's the userbase on there like?

Mostly programmers. Trans people. Furry artists. Plural systems. Furry trans plural programmers. Certainly a lot of shitposters. The website is trans-run and, as such, has zero tolerance for TERFs. Everyone seems pretty friendly from what I can tell. And there's very much a culture of "follow someone randomly based on their vibes" that doesn't happen as much on tumblr. Tumblr is more like "I really like this TV show, I'm going to follow 40 blogs about just this interest." Because the cohost community is so much smaller, there is a lot less content overall, especially fandom content. You can't follow 40 fandom pages because your fandom tag has a total of 3 posts, all made by one person approximately a year ago (well. for me anyway).

Cohost, then, actually has much more in common with real-life socialization. You seek out people with interests that may be very different from your own, and to find a common interest is very exciting! Unlike tumblr, you are encouraged to tag as much as possible. This allows your posts to be seen, to find common interests. And, of course, don't forget to look in "#Welcome To Cohost" too! You may find some new friends there.

What file formats can I post in?

Currently, I am aware of basic image formats working (like jpeg, png) animated gifs, and mp3s. You currently cannot upload videos to cohost. I believe the reason is not related to server costs, but rather as a way to curb the uploading of copyrighted content.

How does cohost make money?

There are no ads, and yet, as far as I am aware, cohost is operating comfortably. There is, however, an entirely optional "cohost plus" that is $5 USD a month. Currently, there are a few perks, but not enough to convince me.

What if I think something about cohost should change?

Cohost has a forum where users can submit ideas for features and other users can discuss/upvote those ideas.

Here is a list of posts made for newcomers to read:

[wolfsbane-if]

Wolfsbane FAQ

For anyone who can't access the FAQ page through the Tumblr mobile app, I've copied and pasted it below:

1. Where can I play the game?

Right here!

2. Is there a Discord server for Wolfsbane?

Nope! Wolfsbane doesn’t have a Discord server or CoG forum thread associated with it; all info and content will be shared right here.

3. How often does it update?

Wolfsbane was initially updated on a per-chapter basis, but my plan now is to hopefully finish the first draft of the game before updating the public demo again. Wolfsbane was last updated on June 28th, 2022, and currently contains the prologue and first four chapters.

4. Regarding asking about future events, plot points, choices, or outcomes:

As a general rule, I don’t discuss future game content before it happens in the game itself. I’m the sort of author who feels a story out as I write it, and the nature of WIPs means that things are very subject to change and I don’t yet know what all I’ll be able to deliver on, so I prefer to not publicly commit to anything ahead of time. For that reason, I’d prefer to not receive any questions asking if a certain event/outcome will happen, if the MC will be able to make a certain choice, or if a character will ever do or experience a particular action or feeling. I don’t have an answer for asks of this nature because I simply don’t know, and even if I have an idea in place, I’d rather not discuss it before it appears in the story proper, lest things change from how I’ve envisioned them along the way. While questions about future happenings in the game are off limits, however, I alternatively welcome asks regarding general worldbuilding, hypothetical scenarios, and characters and events as they were in the past or are in the present. Asks about worldbuilding are tagged #Wolfsbane Worldbuilding Thank you for understanding!

5. Who are the ROs?

So far, no one. I feel that the label of RO carries with it certain connotations, such as each character getting a similar amount of spotlight, development, and time with the MC; but Wolfsbane is not primarily a romance story and I don’t know if looking at the characters through that lens would be beneficial for setting expectations. My intent is for Wolfsbane to be a story about characters and their experiences rather than a dating sim about love interests, and for now my focus is on developing those arcs asymmetrically and without romance being the intended culmination. Elements of romance and romantic feelings are touched on throughout the story, but not in the way that is typical for IFs.

6. Is Wolfsbane genderlocked?

Nope! The MC isn’t locked to a specific gender; there just isn’t an option to specify it in-game because it hasn’t actually come up at all. I’ll be sure to include a choice of male, female, or nonbinary if/when it becomes relevant, but feel free to imagine your Wolfsbane however you please.

7. How tall is Garamond?

Height chart can be found here!

8. Do you accept NSFW asks?

I don’t necessarily mind asks with NSFW topics, although I do ask that they please be actual questions I can discuss as opposed to just sharing NSFW thoughts/fantasies. I’d also prefer they be kept in line with the content level of Wolfsbane itself (eg: sex is mentioned but never particularly detailed). If you’d like to filter NSFW content out for yourself, the tag I use is #nsfwolfsbane.

[xxavengingangelxx]

A Brighter Side of Grey 1/?

This is for my lovie @bellgraves. :) This is a continuation of my fic As the Rush Comes.

Summary: A female mercenary got a lot closer to killing Graves than anyone else had. So Graves put her in her place. After leaving her for dead, he was almost certain she was gone. So what happens when he catches her making another attempt on his life?

Warnings: Violence, drugging, kidnapping, all the things that come with writing about dueling mercenaries. If I need to add anything, let me know. Eventual smut, possibly enemies to lovers, I haven't decided :)

I have no idea where this fic could end up so let's all of us take a ride and see where it takes us! I didn't get a chance to proofread so please excuse any mistakes.

--

The first thing you remember…no the first thing you feel is pain.

Horrible pain.

Not being able to breathe like you should be able to. Instinctively you reach up to what’s blocking your airway.

Tubes.

Tubes that were making you gag.

Your right arm appeared useless so you used your left arm to try and pull the tubes out of your throat.

Someone tried to stop you from doing it but you shoved them away and finally yanked the tube out of your throat.

And you gagged, dry heaved over your hospital bed.

And when you did, you felt fire across your ribs.

More people came into your room and were shoved down, strapped down like a mental patient…

You gasped awake.

Another night, another nightmare.

All thanks to Phillip Graves.

You sat up in bed and grabbed your phone, seeing it was 2 in the morning. These nightmares had been going on every night sometimes multiple times a night since you’d regained consciousness.

You were almost ambidextrous before but now your right arm was at 75-80% mobility thanks to the spiral fracture Graves had inflicted when he broke your arm.

So you used your left arm to toss the covers off. Life had been pure hell since Graves had almost killed you. You might have been medically fragile when you got discharged from the hospital but that didn’t stop your boss from beating the shit out of you for the failed mission.

A year, your boss had said,  you have a year to stop faking this injury shit, find Graves, and kill him. Bring me his dog tags with his blood on ‘em.

You were almost certain that beatdown had take away mobility from your right arm too. You ran your fingers along the scars where the hospital had to cut your arm open and add screws and metal plates.

You had gotten an apartment with a garage because you were told it was going to take you months to recover. You dressed in shorts and a tank top before heading to the garage as you normally slept naked.

You got into your garage and looked upon the masterpiece you had been putting together in the last year. The entire wall of the garage was Phillip Graves. You’d been obsessed with tracking him down so for the last year that was all you had done, track Graves as much as you could.

You’d used string and thumbtacks to track his movements with as much detail as you could but you were still missing some pieces. Luckily paying a highly ranked military officer overlooking PMC contracts was finally able to pin Graves down to your home country.

As far as you knew, he was back in the States which would make killing him easier. You wouldn’t have to worry about a third-world enemy capturing you or a fake passport so you could focus all on Graves.

The map on your garage wall was taller than you, making you need to get a stepladder.

Graves was supposedly taking an R&R with his company in Houston, TX which was perfect because no matter where Graves went in Houston, there were sure to either be empty buildings or some other way your could hide high up and snipe Graves.

Sniping would be the lowest risk but the lowest reward. You wouldn’t get to see him die.

The highest risk highest reward would be to allow yourself to be captured, pray Graves didn’t kill you outright, and lay low, get information, gain his trust, then kill him before leaving with dead Graves’s dog tags and interior information about Shadow company.

I don’t care how you fucking do it, you recall your boss telling you after you reeled and almost whimpered from the pain the beatdown he’d given you for failing your mission. Get it done. Be his fuckin’ whore for a year and then kill him. Snipe him. Get it done or go ahead and pick out your headstone.

You’d be able to prove yourself and provide information on Shadow Company. Your boss wouldn’t see you as a failure anymore and you’d get to live.

Weeks of trying to make a decision was interrupted by a text from you boss, simply saying, Two months left.

You’d tracked Graves down to Houston but it was proving difficult to find him in a vulnerable position enough to take him out with a sniper rifle.  He was too heavily guarded to simply approach him and attempt the hit.

That night you fell asleep and finally slept for more than 5 hours straight because you finally had a plan. You’d make a pathetic attempt to hurt Graves and you were certain his boys would jump all over you…but they wouldn’t kill you…not until Graves gave the order.

And if Graves did give them the order at least you’d die quick rather than slowly and painfully at your boss’s hand.

***

Today was Graves’s last day in Houston or so you’d been told from intel. So you needed to move quick.

It hadn’t been too hard to find the fancy hotel where Graves and his Shadows had been staying. So to make sure you wore a cloth mask similar to the one you wore when COVID had been rampant. You’d died and cut your hair. The only part of you left unchanged by a large margin was your height.

You walked into the lobby and eyed some of his men, each carrying heavy military backpacks or duffels as they loaded their Tahoes and Suburbans in the back parking lot of the hotel.

You were walking down a hallway as you tried to find a way up to the roof when you saw him.

Graves himself. The Shadow himself. Shadow-01. A legendary mercenary and the CEO of his own private military.

Before you new what was happening your breath caught in your throat. Were you panicking? Afraid? He was leaving his own hotel room, military backpack securely on his shoulders. You thought he was alone when you saw what you’d describe as a dumb bimbo whore walking out of his hotel room after him.

And then fear turned into…jealousy?  Why the hell did you care who Graves slept with?

But it was definitely jealousy burning in your chest.

So when she walked away while Graves was getting the last of his belongings from his hotel room, she brushed your side and that was all you needed to shove a knife right into her ribs.

She started to cry out but you delivered a sharp karate shop to her throat to where she couldn’t speak. Next you delivered a blow to her solar plexus, so she’d be quiet for at least the next minute while she gasped for air. You used your gloved hands to shove the knife in her hand, making it seem like she had either done it herself or done it accidentally.

You turned the corner when Graves closed his hotel room door, keycard in his hand.

“You trip, darlin’?” He drawled as he walked closer to his female friend. When he tried to help her up, he noticed she was bleeding heavily from her side. And that she was gasping for air.

“Holy shit,” Graves actually sounded surprised. “What…what happened?”

And you smiled for the first time in a year because you were proud of yourself that you’d managed to startle Graves.

After finding a stairway that led to the roof, you busted the lock on that door and made your way to the top of the building.

It was cold, windy up on the roof and you were glad you’d worn layers. Layers were mandatory anyway because you needed to change the clothes you’d entered that hotel in. But first…

An attempt on Graves’s life. Not a real attempt but you certainly had to make it look real.

It didn’t take long for you to build the short-range sniper rifle you’d brought with you.

You had to wait longer than your would have liked as the police and an ambulance showed up. Then the coroner. Whoops, you thought. You hadn’t meant to kill her.

Good riddance, bitch. He’s mine. And you had no idea where that thought came from.

Graves finally exited the hotel towards the back parking lot.

Through the scope you saw he looked…shaken, unsure of what had just happened.

And that made you smile a second time.

You had counted the number of men Graves had with him as they loaded up in the parking lot.

Three were missing.

You frowned into the scope, trying to see if they were already in the vehicles.

Nope. No one was in the vehicles yet.

So where were they?

Maybe in the hotel?

You were about to take another look through the scope when it suddenly darkened around you. You thought it was nothing. It was a cloudy day so maybe the sun had slipped behind the clouds.

But you were suddenly dragged backwards, away from your rifle and across the rough material of the roof.

You reached for a knife down your shirt and sliced into that motherfucker’s hand hard enough that he hissed and released you.

Shadows. They probably swept every location for threats before their boss made himself visible outside.

You knew another thing that might shock this Shadow enough to where you had more time to react was to remove your mask. You were certain Graves had warned his men about you.

And you were right.

Once you lowered the mask, you saw the Shadows's eyes widen. “You’re dead,” he gasped.

You were about to tell him, Tell your boss to finish the job next time when you heard a footstep behind you. You turned and had no time to react as a Shadow used his rifle to strike you across the left side of your head.

And then…

A sharp, stinging pain followed by falling deeper and deeper into a black hole.

***

You woke up when the vehicle you were in hit a sharp bump in the dirt road. You tried to take a breath but it was difficult. Your mouth was duct-taped shut and your hands being bound behind you didn’t help.

You felt someone tear the long sleeve of your right arm followed by a muffled, “It’s her,” you guessed they were identifying you based on the scars Graves knew he left on your body.

Then you heard Graves’s familiar drawl say, “Drug ‘her. She can’t know where she’s going,”

You tried to move but your body felt heavy and wasn’t responding to your brain’s commands. The sensation reminded you of how you felt coming out of another surgery to repair your arm. Whatever they were using to drug you was strong. And no matter how hard you fought it, you lost consciousness faster than you would have liked.

***

You woke up on a cement floor. The duct tape had been removed from your face but your hands were still bound behind you. It was causing significant pain in your right arm.

“What’d I say would happen to you if I got ahold of you?”

And when you opened your eyes you saw him standing in front of you, larger than life, in the same uniform and vest he’d had on the night he almost killed you.

Phillip Graves.

And that was when your breath caught in your throat again and your heart started skipping beats.

[nyanpasuuna]

inspired by some tags i just wrote on a poll reblog:

anyone else feel conflicted about the direction tech, software, and the internet are heading?

like, appreciating recent conveniences but not wanting the "old" ways to die in favor of them?

i use the tumblr mobile app for 99.5% of things on this site (only opening browser tumblr if i need to see more in-depth stats or attach a file from a proper computer), my blog doesn't have a custom theme, i use algorithmic dash, i prefer the mobile app for especially the quickness and snappiness of reblogging and downloading full-res images compared to browser, and i just in general prefer to do my mindless scrolling on a mobile device, leaving the proper computer setup for productivity/gaming/watching stuff/listening to stuff/etc

but at the same time i will wholeheartedly defend blog customization and the algorithm-less experience as core aspects of what makes this place what it is, even if i don't participate in them myself at least as of now, and i strongly disagree with everything nowadays being forced into a secluded app when it could've just been a website

do you feel this is hypocritical, an attempt to have a cake and eat it too? do you feel this is "i disagree with what you're saying but i'll fight for your right to say it"-core?

or, the analogy i used for this elsewhere last night: like being a (yes i know this metaphor has been disproven but) frog in slowly boiling water, noticing the warmness and enjoying aspects of it, but still having a way out if you just jump out

where in this analogy the slowly boiling water is the direction of the internet, the warmness is the conveniences like not needing to menudive and know what a folder is to download an image, and the jumping-out is just you switching habits from the "new" to the "old"

what i'm scared of here is three possible outcomes:

the water is allowed to reach the boiling point and you are, quite literally, cooked (this is the timeline where user freedom and common knowledge of tech skills take a huge hit in favor of corporate profit)

the frog jumps out of the boiling water and into a container of liquid nitrogen, i.e. the enshittification is stopped but the pendulum swings so far back that we lose what to many is core functionality for purely ideological reasons (i call this the cohost timeline)

a lid is put on the boiling pot prematurely, taking away the frog's ability to leave before outcome 1 is achieved, causing it to sense something is up, leading to the frog protesting against the situation it's been placed in, with unpredictable results (the reddit API changes timeline, a very possible near-future event for tumblr as well)

and that's before you get into the whole thing about how things look

i'm probably one of the least bothered people i know when it comes to the look of modern redesigns, i think a lot of them look quite cool actually, but that is HEAVILY contrasted by my preference for the displaying of accurate statistics and precise information, needing search functions to do EXACTLY what i tell them to, etc.

because 9 times out of 10 those redesigns always take a little slice of user agency and precision with them, and that's not what i want at all

so i'm basically left here with the only people who Get Me on this topic being those people who theme the shit out of their linux installs for aesthetics, because they get how this stuff is supposed to be: personalized. customizable. tailor-made by you for you.

people should be allowed to choose their level on this stuff freely

someone wants to build their own gaming PC from individual parts while another just wants to plug in a console that works out of the box

someone wants to get a specific type of car and mod it a specific way for a specific motorsport while another is content just getting from point A to point B with public transport

so please, defend this diversity of options and experiences on the software side as well, everything should NOT be an app

[queenpolyweek]

QUEEN POLYWEEK 2023: COMING TO YOUR CITY!

Welcome to the annual event of poly!Queen featuring our favourite Brits as special guests. No entry fee, no small print. Just a celebration of your creative outpour!

WHEN AND WHERE?

From 5th through 8th May! (Fri-Mon)

Post your fanfic to our Ao3 collection Queen Poly!Week 2023 and @ us on tumblr on any of your creations so we can reblog and share! Additionally, you can use the tag #QueenPolyWeek2023.

WHO IS WELCOME?

Anyone! We applaud any form of artistic creation and will take a good look at all of the entries. Fanfic, art, mood boards, edits, playlists, you name it. You have an old sketch you’d like to include? Do! A fic idea miraculously fitting one of the prompts? Share! Write an epic or a haiku, we’ll love both! As long as it focuses around polyamorous Queen, it’s welcome here.

Note: if you would like to stay anonymous during the event, worry not. We’re here to answer any (further) questions in our inbox, respecting your boundaries. Ao3 and tumblr Asks both have an anonymous function, easy to be utilised. Discreetness is a given.

Find this quick guide on how to post anonymously on Ao3. If you prefer tumblr, you can always DM us and we will share your creations on your behalf, top secret.

WHAT IS POLY?

We want the event to be respectful towards all, which means being mindful of the nature of polyamorous relationships. That being said, any pairing that includes three or more partners is more than welcome. See more information and guidance, kindly provided by last year’s organisers.

Our rule: your work must circle around a minimum of one of the Queen boys.

OT4 is a classic. But it’s not a must.  Feeling ambitious and you’re good at juggling multiple characters at the same time? Throw in the roadies and maybe even canon lovers and see where that wild road leads you. Or maybe you’re more of a OT3 person. If you want to write a Dom/Debbie/Roger, you totally can. Draw that Brian/Tim/Crystal you've been thinking about for ages now. It’s called niche for a reason.

However, be mindful of your audience. Focus lies on Queen and the entourage.

Note: platonic or friendly themes are naturally as strongly encouraged as romantic ones. Give us a solid poly narrative to feast on and we’re sold.

PROMPTS?

You bet. We have fashioned a few amazing categories into prompts for each day, there to inspire or give direction if you're lost for ideas. Follow them, don’t follow them, combine different days or all six at once — the world lies at your feet.

Day 1: Fri, 5th May

London/Trident Studios

When you’re young and you’re poor and you’re crazy

Style: Urban fantasy

Poly prompt: Last one to join

Hanahaki disease*¹ AU

Moving a piano

*¹ need a crash course in Hanahaki disease to refresh your memory?

Day 2: Sat, 6th May

Countryside/Ridge Farm Studio

Couldn’t sleep at night ‘til you were mine

Style: Magical realism

Poly prompt: Polyamory negotiations

Bakery AU

Getting sunburnt

Day 3: Sun, 7th May

Munich/Musicland Studios

We’ll give you grounds for divorce

Style: Cyberpunk

Poly prompt: Feeling left out

Zombie/(Post-)Apocalypse AU

Receiving flowers

Day 4: Mon, 8th May

Montreux/Mountain Studios

We went to Bali, saw God and Dali

Style: Noir/Mystery

Poly prompt: Confusing people with unorthodoxy

Art dealers AU

Feeling old

ADDITIONAL RULES?

To ensure a fun environment surrounding this event, we kindly ask you to mind the following set of rules:

Support creators! They provide you with their lovely skills and do it for free. Make an effort to leave kudos, comment, like, reblog — play your part in keeping fandom alive.

Tag your work appropriately! If necessary, include trigger and NSFW/18+ warnings. Ao3 provides you with their information and tagging system upon creating a new draft. Find this helpful guide for more detailed explanation.

The same applies to tumblr posts! By manually adding a :readmore: cut on mobile or clicking the "Add read-more link" symbol that appears on the far right of an empty paragraph on desktop, you make sure readers can evade any triggers or NSWF/18+ content. Please also use this function if you post a longer fanfic.

Do not engage with hateful feedback! You don't owe them a minute of your life. If you find ugly comments under your work, delete them. If you feel you want to inform us about it, please do and we'll support you through it. For prevention, Ao3 has options for comment moderation and visibility to users under "Edit My Works"/"Post New" > "Privacy". You can always choose to moderate your comments. 

As the audience, do not supply negativity of any sort! We do not tolerate hateful feedback or comments about anyone involved in the event (i.e. creators, Queen and associates, specific pairings/tokens). Do yourself a favour and read tags and warnings before opening any work. If necessary, click away. Don’t Like, Don’t Read is an easy way to coexist in fandom. Self-govern your consumer experience on any such platform and your life will be less stressful, promise.

Do not interact with NSFW/18+ content if you're a minor! If you want to consume it regardless, we can’t stop you. However, please do not leave any comments or feedback, or otherwise announce your presence to the creators as it might make them feel uncomfortable.

We encourage all of you to participate. No need to feel shy to share, after all, it’s a judgement free zone! Don't worry if you don't manage to finish your contribution in time, we also accept late entries. The Ao3 collection will stay open for a while and you can always find us here. Just don’t forget to @ us!

If you don’t have time to create, you can still participate in the event as a patron of fine arts. Trust us, your feedback is as important part of the successful event as are all the creations. 

We wish you all the motivation and inspiration! Have fun and be active!

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us!

Hosted by @carrrothead-vol2 and @of-streetlightfancy

[bucketofboxes]

Pinned post: Hii! Welcome to my art blog. Please read this post before following my blog. Thank You!

Here's my Carrd:

About:

I'm a multi fandom artist that sorta just draws when I feel like it. You'll mostly find Rain World & UTDR art here.

All art & posts on this blog are meant to be sfw. I do not & will not create or post non sfw art or content.

I go online by "Crayon" or "BucketOfBoxes" & nothing else.

My preferred pronouns are "he/him" & "they/them", with no preference for either.

If I fail to tag something properly or post something upsetting, please inform me.

Other blogs:

Side blog: [bucketboxarchive] (For other art that I don't feel like posting here.)

Interests:

Main Interests (Stuff that you'll likely be seeing on this blog.): Rain World & Undertale/Deltarune.

Other Interests (Stuff that you'll see on my blog once in a while.): LittleBigPlanet, Mother/Earthbound, A Hat in Time, Plants vs. Zombies/Garden Warfare, Ori Games, Sonic the Hedgehog, Viva Piñata, Slime Rancher, Super Mario, WarioWare, Splatoon, Cuphead, Lego Games, The Amazing World of Gumball, The Amazing Digital Circus, & Star Wars.

Art Permissions:

You are allowed to use my art in: PFPs, & Banners as long as you give credit. (eg: PFP by BucketOfBoxes)

You can't repost my art (with or without credit), sell my art, use my art for marketing/merch, or use it to train ai.

For other uses of my art, please ask me through Discord @`bucketofboxes or through Tumblr DMs.

DNIs:

Racists, Sexists, Ableists, Xenophobes, Homophobes, Transphobes, Pedophiles, Zoophiles, Magas, Zionists, Bigots, Terfs, Proshippers, & anyone who is generally mean or hateful towards others. DO NOT INTERACT!!!

Info:

About:

I've been a self taught artist for about 3.5 years, though I have tried drawing before that. (It's been a slow process.)

I use Ibis Paint Premium on mobile to draw my art.

I don't really have a schedule of when I post stuff, so expect art & other stuff to be posted at weird times.

Tags:

General Art tag is "#my art"

Base Art tag is "#bucketofboxes"

Doodle tag is "#bucketboxdoodles"

Talk tag: #cryn speaks

Request tag is "#art request"

Ask tag is "#asks"

Reblog tag is "#reblog"

Final Words:

Please try to be nice to others on this blog, I don't want people to get upset when trying to enjoy my art.

Thanks for reading this far! I hope you enjoy what you find here!

- Crayon

[celestialmint]

Twitter alternatives (WIP)

Collecting some pros and cons (with sources if I can find them) for various platforms. I'm neurodivergent, this is how I cope with my stress, figured I'd share if it helps anyone! I'm looking for a place that vibes with my values (LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled, anti-hate, NSFW friendly, and preferably has boundaries against generative AI stealing art/writing etc.).

I welcome any comments/sources that people have as so many of us are trying to figure this out!! Updating as I find more options/learn more

Tumblr:

My experience: I used Tumblr back before the NSFW ban and am just coming back this year, I find it easy to use and filter content I do and don't want to see. But I struggle to feel a sense of community here (I haven't talked to anyone directly through this platform in the years I have used it, though I do appreciate the silly tags on my art!! keep them coming!)

Pros: As far as I'm aware (I used the site back in the popular days, so I'm just coming back to it): does not use posts for gen AI, does not ban queer/bipoc/disabled content. Many fandoms have a large base here.

Cons: cannot post NSFW, anything vaguely near NSFW can be flagged even if it is not sexual

Twitter:

My experience: I have been on Twitter for about a year, I've found a bunch of mutuals and enjoy interacting with people there. But I can't support the direction M*sk is taking things and don't want to post my art on that platform anymore.

Pros: Large user base/far reach including international, can post NSFW but it can sometimes be limited in the algorithm

Cons: M*sk, shadowbans/bans of LGBTQ+ and BIPOC content, arbitrary bans/flags for NSFW, will use posts for AI, bots, hate speech, and harassment of marginalized groups are getting worse

Discord:

My experience: I've used discord for at least 7 years and use it daily as my primary form of communication with friends (and my husband one room away).

Pros: Large user base, most gamers have it, easy way to communicate on mobile and desktop, fun bot integration

Cons: Hard to find your people, most servers are closed systems that you don't know exist, and being in dozens of servers can be difficult to keep track of/keep up with. Each server is run by a person and could disappear without any notice if they rage quit and delete it, the rules are also up to that person. It makes it hard for artists to get a broader reach unless they have their own userbase from another platform feeding into it. Mentions of using user content (VC?) for AI training. They combined the dev for iOS and Android and the mobile app has been AWFUL since then (constantly says connecting every time I go to the app, often have to close and reopen it to send a message).

Bluesky Social:

My experience: I'm on the waitlist (supposedly? Didn't get an email confirmation and just waiting for the past week).

Pros: Built by the previous CEO of Twitter so in theory knows how to build a platform, lots of people seem to be heading that way if they can get an invite code. There were previous worries about it using content for AI, however as far as I can tell it uses content for tagging/moderation the same way that Tumblr does, and NOT for generative AI, " Bluesky does not own rights to your User Content" (From their TOS). Supposedly allows NSFW but can't find a source on this.

Cons: Waitlist of indeterminate length/hard to get an invite code. As shared in my comments, there have been issues of harassment and racism that are not being moderated properly to protect POC users. There have been issues of racist slurs being used in usernames, which in theory got patched out with code, but took a while for them to respond, which does not bose well.

Misskey.io:

My experience: Seeing a few mutuals go over to Misskey.io, I have only clicked on a couple of their posts to see what the platform looks like.

Notes: Uncertain about much about the platform. A lot of the posts are in Japanese (and I'm rusty reading kanji!)

Cons: There are mentions of being Anti-LGBTQ+ or at least not wanting people to post LGBTQ+ content there (1, 2, 3).

Mastodon:

My experience: I don't have an account and have only clicked there once for this post, see below

Notes: I have no personal experience with this platform but people online keep mentioning how hard it is to set up and use (even those who work in programming). I just went to the site's explore page from a google search. The first post it showed me was anti-red state/political parties legislating/tracking marginalized groups (ok), but with a picture of Nazi's front and center uncensored or tagged/flagged as far as I can tell (that was a shocking welcome to the site, might have just been my bad luck, not sure what kind of content is usually posted there). My husband who is into following political content says that people looking for that content are more likely to go to Mastodon from the accounts he follows, rather than art/fandom (from his experience).

Threads:

My experience: I do not have Facebook and will not join this platform.

Pros: Lots of people already have Instagram accounts, so it should be easy to join Threads

Cons: They will collect every scrap of data they can on you and sell it. From your purchases, to health, to location, you are the product.

Pillowfort:

My experience: Only seen mutuals talking about it, do not have an account myself

Pros: According to wikipedia: "The website was launched in 2017 and is currently in open beta. As of October 2020, the site had more than 100,000 users. The website is popular among fandoms, the LGBT community, and adult content creators." Allows NSFW content. Looks a lot like Tumblr so should be familiar to use. They have a demo login that allows you to check out what the site looks like before making an account. They say they are "planning" (search for Stance on AI in the FAQs) to prevent bot scraping, however they believe "AI and AI Generated Images are a topic that is much more nuanced than we previously believed" and do not take a firm stance on the topic yet.

Cons: They do not have a mobile app, though it is mentioned in the FAQs as planned. They limit image uploads to 2MB, you have to pay $2.49/month to upload up to 4MB. Anything submitted over 2MB up to 10MB will be resized down to 2MB.

Notes: On the FAQ they mention "In order for Pillowfort to remain online we need money to cover our various expenses such as hosting & data fees, staff compensation, etc. We do not receive any funding from corporate investors or venture capital because we are committed to keeping our user experience a priority." For better or worse, it is not run by a large company, they mention working on getting volunteers for moderation, the site feels like a work in progress.

Spill:

Notes: Having trouble finding details on this one, don't know anyone personally on it to ask.

Pros: Black owned

Cons: Currently a waitlist, not sure how long the wait is

[rpclefairy]

Hi I’m thinking of setting up a RP account but have no idea where to start, would be for an OC. Do you have any advice? Thanks 😊

posting publicly in case anyone else can think of other advice, please comment! ocs have never really been my thing so i don't really have experience with them, it's totally possible i'll miss something.

the only things you really *need* per se are a rules page and an about page.

on your rules (or guidelines or whatever you want to call it) you'd write all the "terms of engagement" you can think of. topics you will not write, your preference in writing style or length, if there are any fandoms or characters you won't write with, whether your blog may feature nsfw content, your alias and age range, etc.

on your about page you'd list all of your character's information. name, age, place of birth, personality, stats, physical description, etc. you can format this however you want, there are tons of templates floating around tumblr.

since you'll be writing an original character i would also include a biography and universe description if possible so people can get an idea of what the universe your character's from is like.

the unnecessary extras of rp blogs would be anything aesthetic. icons, graphics for promos, post dividers and the like. those are for fun and but you don't really need them and most people don't care if you're iconless tbh! as long as you use clean formatting (not eye frying colors, not multiple spaces) you're good!

an extra that i would consider technically a need is xkit rewritten. you'll need it to trim posts, but if you're a tumblr user in 2023 you likely already know xkit is necessary to make this site functional rip.

i highly recommend using carrd to make your pages since tumblr pages on your blog are not accessible from mobile! google docs has some issues with not displaying properly on mobile as well, but google sites does work and it's also free. carrd is the option that works best on mobile so far though, and you can use it for free.

lastly, i'd look around indie rp tags and check people's blogs for inspo and reference! you'll organically get the hang of how people generally arrange their blogs if you look at them. you'll see that generally people make a pinned post with a description of their blog, a link to their carrd / pages, etc. if you click on those pages you can see how they format their about and rules. you don't have to copy everything everyone does though. if you don't vibe with the general aesthetic people use or how they format certain things that's alright, you get to pick and choose!

ultimately the best part about indie roleplay blogs is that you're independent from everyone and everything else so you get to set up your account however you want :)

[mouseratz]

I'm still learning to use co-host but if you make an app shortcut (both chrome, Firefox, and Safari all seem to have this functionality) it gets a LOT more convenient to use on mobile! there's a guide on the site but it wasn't obvious to me until i fucked around for a bit and noticed it.

it's still an adjustment, but I'm enjoying it so far- everything I've seen works, but it works differently than most social media due to the lack of, like....it doesn't just show you stuff. you have to look for it. you gotta follow a lot of tags and anyone who has an interesting page to see anything (and for your followers to see anything, you've got to reshare it). However. I do kind of enjoy how uncluttered this is, it does remind me of older sites I used when I was a kid, and how easy it is to just....stop seeing something if you didn't like it lol. plus not for nothing they have NSFW posts which is the true old Tumblr experience.

[the-ark-awaits]

Hello all you may remember me from such bangers as 'show me the proxies in marble hornets' and 'and another thing'

oday um here to talk about how we've fucking regressed as a fandom since creepypasta and marble hornets on ao3 got. presumably merged as a fandom tags bc sorting for exclude crossovers still shows creepypasta fic. in fact doing that just now to confirm this, the very first fic on the list was creepypasta.

so obviously this is a huge pain in the ass for anyone who wants marble hornets fanfic and only marble hornets fanfic. you cant even remove creepypasta fics with exclude crossover, youd have to do it manually with filtering options not everyone knows how to use. and we shouldnt have to yknow? you should be able to go in your fandom tag on ao3 and find only that fandom and crossovers (which should be easily filtered out by exclude crossovers) same as here on tumblr crosstagging is a huge issue but the worst part of it is that the continuous crosstagging in recent years has caused the fandom tags to be merged (not fully as shown by the fact that the numbers for amount of fic in each tag is different) but enough that they're considered the same universe by ao3 which is. blatantly untrue.

creepypasta is a catchall term for internet short stories made by a community, marble hornets is one single webseries online. fuck the creepypasta fandom wouldnt be what it is without huge swaths of shit stolen from marble hornets (like yknow, the pages, the operator symbol, masky and hoodie) but that doesnt mean they are marble hornets fans that doesnt mean theyre making marble hornets content. that would be like saying that since fnaf and batim are kinda similar and the fans have an overlap that means theyre the same and should be tagged the same. they arent, and shouldnt be yknow?

also apologies this isnt the best post im kinda fried rn and im stuck on mobile

that not withstanding its fucking depressing. this did not used to be an issue. thr only fics tagged with both were generally easy to ignore or a real honest to god crossover, but now i swear you look at the mh tag on ao3 and the majority of the recent fics are crosstagged crp fics with giant tag lists that tack up the whole page and tag anyone who is so much as mentioned

and maybe this is a step too far here. but i really think this is bc of tiktok. the people crosstagging posts and fics seem to be the same type to complain avout the 'ao3/tumblr algorithm' not favoring them. but there is no algorithm, just annoyed fans who have to dig for their actual content because people dont have common decency anymore. theres an etiquette you need to follow for shit like this. like how would you feel if like. i dunno. fucking... genshin (just an example of a large fandom or whatever made a character cameo out of like jeff the killer and suddenly all the crp tags were filled with genshin posts not even related to or barely mentioning the character, just ti try and get more clicks?

youd be pretty fucking annoyed having to scroll past all that to find actual creepypasta content huh?

thats the same issue happening here, and honestly i think its a huge issue. for obvious reasons but also bc its so much harder to find mh content now that im sure its incredibly disheartening to be a creator in the fandom rn and foe the past few years. you work and make content for your rather small fandom and its buried under barely related shit, its gonna feel bad yknow? especially when that content gets more clicks bc. frankly theres more creepypasta fans than mh fans just bc of what creepypasta is format wise. its collectively made shortstories. you can like one or two and bc a crp fan, its not like that for mh

this is going kinda off my starting topic but anyways if theres any ao3 tag wrangles following me or who see this.

please for the love of god i beg of you to do anything you can to unmerge those tags i will do anything ill get receipts proving they're separate things please unmerge the tags im dying here

[phoenix-is-the-hottest-thing]

Hey a little psa for the new adult fandom folks from Twitter

If you don’t want minors to interact with your posts or some of your posts, “minors dni” in your bio isn’t going to be a good way to achieve that.

When seeing posts, people’s descriptions don’t show up unless you look for them. When a “minors dni” banner is on a post, it’s usually at the bottom, so the potential minor has already seen the content, and even if it’s at the top, they will have to scroll past it anyway.

Here are some solutions you can use that will actually achieve something:

Manually block any minor you find (very effective but time consuming. annoying for people who eventually age out of your dni.)

Say minors please block on the post itself (relies on the minors listening to you, can get old real fast, but at least it’ll actually be seen)

Tag posts you don’t want minors to interact with something consistent (doesn’t need to be nsfw; I’m just talking about anything you want them to know not to interact with). I use #lemons because I’ve been reading fic for way too long and I think it’s funny. (this relies on others filtering this tag themselves, thus giving them agency in the situation. That’s what I aim for but if you don’t want that, add another solution— just keep in mind some adults won’t want to see that content either, and maybe you’ll want to find those posts later yourself, so it’s good to do this regardless)

Tag the post #nsfw, which is probably going to do something weird like take it off search or automatically give it the mature community label. Pretty sure those posts are hidden from minors. (honestly they’ve changed it a bunch of times so try your luck or don’t.)

Use a readmore and warn for what you’re about to show above it. On mobile, type :readmore: and newline; on web, it has its insert button like photos or links, which is a squiggly line. (this is great for suggestive pictures or whatever else you wouldn’t want someone to catch a glimpse on while mindlessly scrolling. It doesn’t stop anyone from interacting though.)

Use community labels to signal mature content. This will automatically hide the post for minors, and allow adults to either also have it hidden (default), blur it, or leave it alone. This can be changed in your settings. Note that, even labeled, pictures of sex acts are still forbidden on tumblr due to the Apple Store and payment processors being run by puritans people who refuse to tolerate that kind of content in case they accidentally get caught up in sex trafficking. Twitter only got an exception because it was big enough that they thought it was more profitable to turn a blind eye. Tumblr is being made an example out of, having been threatened and taken off the app store over this. (In other words they did not remove nsfw content to bully creators. It was at gunpoint.) You will have to link this stuff while only showing a more sfw picture if you want to share this content, privatter style. I don’t think non previewed linked content is monitored so it should be ok??

There’s probably other ways I haven’t thought of. A combination is great!

Additionally, you can make a blog password protected (a priv, basically), post privately (only visible to you) and disable reblogs on a post (tagged people can still reblog I believe).

If other people find your post inappropriate, they can also submit it to be reviewed as mature content, and it’ll get forcibly labeled if tumblr rules they’re correct. As far as I know, unless it’s something that’s illegal, tumblr posts won’t get removed in any way— only the pictures tend to get replaced by “this picture was violating content policy”. Some blogs I believe can also get marked as mature? I’m not sure how that works.

So! Depending on what you need and want with your minor dni, you have a bunch of solutions to pick from, and by all means get creative if you can think of more.

Happy posting!

[valkyrie-night-103]

The one and only anon fan coming at you to ask about terms of surrender

Hello, wonderful anon!! Thank you so so much for your continued support! Like I said before, I am available on tumblr and discord, feel free to DM me or friend me on discord (I’ll put my tag in my bio) if you would like to talk more about fic!

I have been DYING to talk about this one, it’s my main project right now. It went from a concept that I was going to write a little one shot about to a multi-chapter fic that currently consists of 7 chapters of varying lengths, totalling 20,000 words, and is about half done!

It’s got a lot of twists and turns and I really don’t want to completely spoil it for anyone, but if you like the golden lovers, getting-back-together fics filled with domestic fluff, emotional conflict and betrayal that isn’t between the main couple, with a dose of murder, revenge and most importantly, wrestling— this is the fic for you!!

Content warning for self deprecating thoughts, depression, just general emotional burnout.

Disclaimer, mobile formatting is awful.

Below the cut is a sneak peek of the first chapter! There is a prologue but I think the first chapter gives you a better assessment of the story direction, whereas the prologue kind of lays the groundwork and gives context for chapter one, but is not strictly necessary. This way is more exciting!

Chapter One : the road to ruin (and we’re starting at the end)

The segment goes as planned, for the most part. He tells the fans he’s going away for a while. That he needs time to recover, to recuperate, to finally rest. When they’re off the air, he embraces both Matt and Nick, an arm around each of them. He holds them at arms length, and smiles at them warmly. He hopes it reaches his eyes.

Naturally, Cole encroaches on their little moment. He opens his arms for a hug, but Kenny has already stuck his hand out for a stiff and awkward handshake before he can step closer. Cole’s barely concealed annoyance at the blatant snub makes him feel a little bit victorious, and he’s kind of in need of that right now.

Cole’s grip is tight as they shake, other hand also clasped around Kenny’s. He makes direct and prolonged eye contact, and though he’s probably not aware that Kenny finds eye contact awkward at the best of times, it still really annoys him.

Although, there’s something not quite right about those eyes. Adam Cole has always had bright blue eyes, but in this light they’re almost glazed silver. They’ve looked different since they brought him back, he’s noticed. Even when he laughs, there’s something menacing there.

Kenny had known even at the time that he was an amateur at anything spiritual, Cole was bound to come back a little bit wrong, but right now it’s so stark and obvious, staring him in the face in the most literal sense. It just gives him the creeps, and some part of him feels like he should have listened when Malakai said every ritual has a consequence somewhere down the line. That he shouldn’t have put the warning in his face down to his generally menacing presence.

“I’ll see you guys around.” He says, a lie that he knows will come back to bite him. It just feels right, like he’s meant to say it.

He takes a few steps back, not wanting to look away, before finally finding the courage to turn and go. Once he starts, he can’t stop, and though his dodgy knees protest with every step he walks faster and faster until he’s running, and then he runs, far enough away to breathe again.

He pulls out his phone and books the flight on his way out of the hotel. He waits to board, and he looks through his chat history, scrolling through old conversations. It’s nostalgic in a melancholy way. Time moves so strangely, he feels like he’s lived a lifetime since leaving to start AEW.

On the journey, he tilts his head back and tries to relax. Sleep is off the table, but maybe relaxing is a more attainable goal. His mind wanders and meanders, he feels like he’s chasing nothing, searching for something he’ll never find.

He goes through the motions after touching down, and he already feels like he’s come home. Japan has been his home since he first flew out there to wrestle for DDT, some 15 years ago. He remembers it so clearly, and sometimes he wishes he didn’t, because it hurts to recall a time where he believed in himself, owned who he was and would never trade it for anything.

He’s not really thinking about where his feet are taking him, but he doesn’t need to. He knows where he’s going.

As his mind often does when unoccupied for any period of time, he wonders what Kota thinks of him now, just as that sign had asked.

When Kota is alone, looking out at the skyline of his hometown, does he think of him fondly? When his name is mentioned, does his face twist in irritation or soften with fond familiarity?

Either way, it’s a little late to be having these doubts on the man’s doorstep.

[loftec]

@juliakayyy tagged me to do one of these, thank you!

name: Elin

your birthday: May 4

where in the world are you? Sweden

when did you join tumblr? About ten years ago, maybe eleven.

do you have any sideblogs? Yes, 6

mobile or desktop? Desktop & tablet, I took the app off my phone

your perfect sleeping conditions: phone charging in the far corner of my room so I have to get up to get it, two pillows, duvet up to my ears and feet out, no fear. Also The Boy's latest habit is to curl up next to me and tolerate me having a hand near him as we fall asleep.

a movie you think everyone should see at least once: I don't think I have it in me to say there's something everyone should see, considering how truly stupidly cranky I get when people tell me I "have to watch" something.

what shoes do you wear the most often? Sandals in summer and... I have to get new shoes, soon. There's very little left of the sole on last year's shoes. They were some kind of black stretchy fabric shoe?

find the book closest to you. turn to page 7. what’s the 7th word? from

describe your keys to me: 5 of different sizes just to my own building, three to my parents', bike key, measuring tape, lanyard, and earplugs.

what’s your favorite snack? Licorice and popcorn

one of your aspirations: Too many, but one is to maybe one day have like, a printing studio in my home? But then I'd have to have a home to have a printing studio in and that sounds like a lot. (I rent and I like renting.)

and finally, tell me a random fact about yourself:  When I was but a wee bairn I saw a "how it's made" type of segment of a kid's show where they talked about how plates were made and after that, whenever someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say product designer. No, actually, I would say the Swedish word which is "formgivare" - giver of form! Which is an even sillier thing for a 6 year old to say. Also sometimes I'd say tiger handler.

✨✨✨✨

also doing the Picrew - because I am procratinating the sincerely fuckton amount of work I have to do this week, and I liked that this one had eye baggage as an option, behold: a bog fish

Tagging anyone who wants to do it! If you do it, tag me so I can snoop on your answers : 3

[northwestofinsanity]

Interesting development tonight while trying to make Tumblr work a bit better on my phone while my tablet doesn't want to work with it -I figured out how to fix my blog URL from redirecting to in-dashboard view (tumblr.com/[user URL]) on my mobile browser, regardless of which URL format I use ...and I believe it's a workaround for the issue of Tumblr's login wall popping up in blog-view even for people who have chosen in their settings to keep their blogs viewable to everyone by being able to have your blog work in [User URL].tumblr.com format on mobile.

For anyone who wants the ending point first before the context, TL;DR -it has to do with THIS. If you're curious or need the visual of what exactly the difference the "Use Default Mobile Theme" setting makes, and why it might be a problem, context follows:

So, for about a year now, the picture below is how my blog -and most other users' who use the basic Tumblr theme instead of a custom blog -comes up on a mobile browser:

It displays under the dashboard header, like I opened it from a post, and the URL stays in the dash-view format - tumblr.com/[user URL]. I could tap on the highlighted, second link for my blog page I had enabled with [user URL].tumblr.com, and it would *still* revert itself into dash view, and the previous URL. Also, this rendered my blog unviewable to anyone without an account, as the login wall would pop up in short order after loading -and I do in fact have friends who I occasionally share some of my Tumblr posts with, but they do not have or want to make an account. (Yes, you may ask me "why not just go with a completely different custom theme so that it has to load properly?" -Well, I do have "custom theme enabled" selected -as one known step for allowing public view -but I stick with the "Official Tumblr Theme" because I like the simplicity and accessibility of it, and I've had a lot of menus not display right or be confusing to find on other people's custom themes, and while it's their choice to use what they like for their own blogs, I want *my* blog to be accessible and easy to navigate, for my own sake as well as anyone else. And it's not like this has always been a problem with my blog theme, right? So, why should it be?)

But then I also realized that I have a few users I follow using the Tumblr official theme for at least their mobile site who still had it loading the way it used to for me, and switching properly to [user URL].tumblr.com, and bypassing the login wall as far as I could tell. Now that I've finally figured out how to switch back after what changed about a year ago, when I tap on that second link on my phone browser, it looks like this:

Look! It's the proper URL with the blog search bar at the top. I can share my own posts with my friends who don't have a Tumblr account, and they can *see* it without the login prompt blocking it up if their using a phone. Better yet, I haven't quite figured out this part, but ever since "featured tags" became a thing, my phone mobile browsers won't let me search anything other than featured tags on the search bar in tumblr.com/[user URL] view -I could tap "enter" all day after typing it in, and it just doesn't register or go anywhere at all, and I've yet to get any answers from help requests on that... (Note: I can search blogs on in-dash view just fine on desktop -that's only a glitch on my phone). But that search bar at the top in the proper URL view works like a charm for anyone lucky enough to be dealing with that same glitch, and is so much easier than having to manually type in search or tag URLs for non-featured tags.

So, that brings us to what changed:

I started digging through my blog and theme settings for *anything* that would possibly fix this, and was even about to resort to switching to a custom theme with the simplest layout possible if necessary (Again, I've had the "custom theme enabled" toggle on for as long as it's existed, as a known step for bypassing the log-in wall despite also allowing public views on blogs.) Then, I finally noticed an "Advanced" panel on the very bottom of the editing tray that led me to the solution

The toggle for "Use Default Mobile Theme" was enabled on my advanced settings -something that did not exist when I designed my blog in 2017. (And aside from a minor tweak to my blog description, that theme has remained the same from that very night forward). As it states, "This will override your theme with a special layout optimized for browsing on mobile devices like iPhone and Android". What it doesn't say is that it will ALSO override the switch to [user URL].tumblr.com, and keep your blog opening in in-dash view on mobile browsers, regardless of your other view settings. As soon as I found that and toggled it off, one of my greatest headaches with using Tumblr on my phone over the last year was cured.

Now, I still can't navigate easily on other users' blogs who have that enabled, whether by choice, or by not knowing how to fix this issue, but again -their blog, their choice. Throwing this out there for anyone who's been as perplexed by this as I have been and might not know you *have* a choice.

[shilothewhite]

Finally saw the tag @crazy-fruit (tumblr mobile is weird sometimes, sorry ^^')

RULES: answer the questions, then tag some folx you want to get to know better/catch up with.

Last Song: I'm not sure what the actual last song was, but I've been listening to Doc Holliday a lot lately. I really enjoy that weird Country/Rock Mix.

Last Show: It's been a while since a show really captured me, but I guess the last ones I finished were The Legend of Vox Machina and Harlem? Sometimes I just start watching something and then lose interest within the first two episodes, so it's a bit hard to say xD

Currently Watching: Kinda in between shows right now, so nothing truly..I guess you could count Der Schwarm, which I started watching because I remembered liking the book back then. (And sort of some weird geman soap opera about a Hotel that I watched because I was bored as hell, jokingly/casually started shipping two characters and apparently I'm gonna continue, because I'm old and that's my life now).

Currently Reading: Just finished Menschen, Göttern gleich (Men Like Gods) by H.G. Wells and I'm about to start Der Name der Rose, 'cause I only know the movie so far. And I'm trying to finally finish The Horus Heresy series xD

Current Obsession: Oh god..nothing I would count as an obsession? For some reason Motherland: Fort Salem has been on my mind for a while now, which is why I kind of lost my writing flow (gotta get back to my lovely niche german crime show soon ^^'), but I wouldn't call it an obsession really

Unrelated Obsession: I mean, I didn't even have one, let alone two? :D How about a potential future obsession: my flatmate is trying to get me to start painting miniatures for the Warhammer 40k tabletop game (mostly because he hates painting), and there's a solid 50:50 chance that I will either hate it or become obsessed with it xD

Since I mostly just lurk around, I don't really have anyone to tag, sorry :/ (yay socially inept/shy people ^^)