#if you can't handle things online then its not wise to be there

[jesterchan]

THIS!!! THIIISSSS!!!

People need to realize this more! I'm tired of seeing people shred creators because of their TRIGGERING content appearing in their feeds!

People need to STOP being sensitive on social media in general. The internet is a SHARED SPACE! The only safe space on a platform is YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT!

Listen, I don't like proshippers, lolicons, or other icky people. But as long as the platform allows these types of content, it is YOUR JOB to avoid it! Blaming people because their content appeared on your feed is IMMATURE and RUDE!!

You don't get to tell people what to post and what not to post, as long as their content doesn't break the platform's rules, that's OUT of your control!

If you can't handle most of the content on a certain Social Media platform, then it's not wise to go to that platform.

Policing a ship is one of the MOST CHILDISH things I have seen online!

I personally do not like certain ships or proships but I can't wipe them off of existence. I have no choice but to tolerate the existence and set a boundary against the content of these ships. That applies to EVERYONE including ME!

On the internet, you will hear opinions you don't like, other people aren't required to think like you and no one is obligated to make you feel safe, validated, or catered to.

YOU are responsible for your feelings, words, and actions online!

If you can't handle the basic rules on the internet, then LOG OFF and later on, come back with a BETTER BRAIN!!

The internet is not a safe space and NEVER will be... if a person's content bothers you THAT much, use the block button and use the block tags to prevent that content from showing up in your feed... As long as the social media platform allows the content, use your block tools to get rid of the content!

End of rant!

The Three Laws of Fandom

If you wish to take part in any fandom, you need to accept and respect these three laws.

If you aren’t able to do that, then you need to realise that your actions are making fandom unsafe for creators. That you are stifling creativity.

Like vaccination, fandom only works if everyone respects these rules. Creators need to be free to make their fanart, fanfics and all other content without fear of being harassed or concern-trolled for their creative choices, no matter whether you happen to like that content or not.

The First Law of Fandom

Don’t Like; Don’t Read (DL;DR)

It is up to you what you see online. It is not anyone else’s place to tell you what you should or should not consume in terms of content; it is not up to anyone else to police the internet so that you do not see things you do not like. At the same time, it is not up to YOU to police fandom to protect yourself or anyone else, real or hypothetical.

There are tools out there to help protect you if you have triggers or squicks. Learn to use them, and to take care of your own mental health. If you are consuming fan-made content and you find that you are disliking it - STOP.

The Second Law of Fandom

Your Kink Is Not My Kink (YKINMK)

Simply put, this means that everyone likes different things. It’s not up to you to determine what creators are allowed to create. It’s not up to you to police fandom. 

If you don’t like something, you can post meta about it or create contrarian content yourself, seek to convert other fans to your way of thinking.  

But you have no right to say to any creator “I do not like this, therefore you should not create it. Nobody should like this. It should not exist.”

It’s not up to you to decide what other people are allowed to like or not like, to create or not to create. That’s censorship. Don’t do it.

The Third Law of Fandom

Ship And Let Ship (SALS)

Much (though not all) fandom is about shipping. There are as many possible ships as there are fans, maybe more. You may have an OTP (One True Pairing), you may have a NOTP, that pairing that makes you want to barf at the very thought of its existence.

It’s not up to you to police ships or to determine what other people are allowed to ship. Just because you find that one particular ship problematic or disgusting, does not mean that other people are not allowed to explore its possibilities in their fanworks.

You are free to create contrarian content, to write meta about why a particular ship is repulsive, to discuss it endlessly on your private blog with like-minded persons.

It is not appropriate to harass creators about their ships, it is not appropriate to demand they do not create any more fanworks about those ships, or that they create fanwork only in a manner that you deem appropriate.

These three laws add up to the following:

You are not paying for fanworks content, and you have no rights to it other than to choose to consume it, or not consume it. If you do choose to consume it, do not then attack the creator if it wasn’t to your taste. That’s the height of bad manners.

Be courteous in fandom. It makes the whole experience better for all of us.

[sketchfanda]

A Little Moxie Love:Gavin's Mom has got It Going On!!

Springfield was that kind of town in a sense if you were to ask certain different people their opinions about it. Those who were born and lived there couldn't imagine being anywhere else but they sure as hell will complain about its problems. America's trash hole, the worst city around, just among the few nicknames and terms which came to mind with this pissant little town. For one woman of course Springfield and its issues were the least of her worries.

Now our lovely little ditz here, let's call her oooh I dunno Cakes, as in because she looked like a real piece of hot cakes, i mean you see that ass she's got packed away in these jeans?!! Anyways Cakes here was just parking her mini-van after having just returned from a grocery store run as she unpacked and began to haul her purchaes inside. A deadpan hum thinking of course Gavin or Caitlin wouldn't be bothered off their lazy asses to come around and consider helping her out. But really what else could she expect from those two, especially Gavin?

Well besides his being his usual pain in the ass self, calling her an idiot and what not but chalk it up to the choices she made in her youth. Choices that she was still dealing with the consequences of as she opened her front door to step inside, calling out her return to her kids, puzzled yet unsurprised to get nothing in the way of a response. No doubt Caitlin was busy chatting away on the phone or Gavin was likely being a rude little shit on one of those online games of his. One of these days she swears that attitude of his was going to get him in a hell of a lot of trouble.

Little did she know of course at this very moment, a hell of a lot of trouble had come Gavin's way in the form of the killer for hire misfits known as I.M.P., Yeah let's just say someone in hell had wanted to see that little shitstain and his sister dead.....well a lot of someones, christ it'd been a whole group that if they had them line up, it would've gone around the block, twice!! Long story short, it was a direct enough kind of job, get into the living world, find the two spoiled rotten brats and murder their asses!! It just so happened Mama Hotcakes had come back home just as they were in the midst of disposing of the bodies as the upstairs bathroom looked as bloody and messy as a slaughterhouse as Loona stood by the door keeping a lookout. Her ears twitching, nose flaring as she picked up the sound and scent indicating they had a witness situation pending.

Loona:*looks up from her browsing on her phone as she peeked out the door, looking back to her co-workers as they hunched and loomed over the blood filled tub.* "Hey Blitz, we got a situation. I think the mom just came home so ya know, fyi, she sees this shit? She's gonna freak the fuck out..."

Blitzo:*dressed in hazmat wear, as were Moxxie and Millie as they were hacking up the bodies and using bleach, salt and acid to melt them down. The clients were very thorough and distinct in how they wanted these little shits handled.*"Oh come the fuck on!! I thought we had her routine down!!"*waves around Gavin's skinned off skull, identifiable by his greasy shithead hair with its rat-tail pony tail. Moxxie giving him a deadpan glance behind the visor of his helm.*

Moxxie:"No, sir we didn't. You just said we were gonna go in and quote unquote ''Fuck these little rats up and let God sort them out!!". This wasn't all that well planned out in advance, we got lucky their mother was out at the time..."*Somedays it's a wonder their organization saw business with a former circus clown running things. Not that he would be bothered saying that to Blitzo's face, he was NOT in the mood for another of the former circus kid's wise-ass remarks about his manhood or lack of. For anyone who's been reading this story so far all very well know he wasn't lacking, no sir he was packing!! But I digress...*

Blitzo:"Okay criticism noted and ignored Moxxie, can't be helped so good on you for volunteering!!*That set off a few red flags in Moxxie's brain. Just his luck, his employer was once again looking to go along with a gut impulse instinct. he had to think and act fast. Otherwise this job might go more south than that whole springbreak fiasco, he was NOT a possum thank you!!*

Moxxie:"Wait volunteering for what?"*As he passed on some parts here and there to Millie who dunked them into the tub and stirred away. The chemicals working their way into melting down bone, viscera and skin. Pretty soon there'd be no bodies to find and Gavin and his sister would be likely already down in Hell pending punishment. Hey equal opportunity damnation, right?*

Blitzo:"Why running interference and distraction of course! Get out of those duds, pour on the charm and distract that Karen long as possible. I think this is gonna take us a while, knew that guy who sold me this bonesaw was lying. Cut through a human femur in 30 seconds my horny little ass!!

Moxxie:"but sir-!!"*Despite efforts otherwise, Moxxie couldn't even get a chance to protest as Blitzo pulled the hazmat suit off of him and threw him out into the corridor outside of the bathroom. Looks like the boss made up his mind so now he had to keep Cakes from being a witness by any means necessary, Millie shooting him an apologetic glance while Loona just shot him a thumbs up. Well this was likely to go one of two ways, the most likely being she sees him and mistakes him for a possum. Which would result in her screaming, wailing on him with a broom and try to kill him but time to see how fortune smiled today.*

Sighing as he shrugged his shoulders, the imp made his way to the stairs to go intercept the single mom, who paused half way up on her journey there as she indeed laid eyes on him. An awkward silence occurring naturally as the pair stared at each other, the imp certainly had to say, far as suburban moms went, this gal was more than easy on the eyes that was for sure. You couldn't really tell she'd even had two kids. But of course a part of his brain did remind him that it was time for the other shoe to inevitably drop as she finally spoke up.

Cakes:"Are you the gigolo I was expecting?"*That question seemingly out of nowhere threw the imp for a loop that was for sure. He wasn't sure how or why, of course, unaware that indeed the MILF had indeed been expecting such a thing. Until he remembered that indeed, they had on their way here from Imp City to the living world, wound up falling from the portal in the sky on top of some guy who looked like a male stripper. Leave it to Blitzo to be hasty reading the dimensional travel spell but least he had the bright idea to just tie the guy up and leave him behind the bushes.*

Moxxie:*Deciding he had to whatever was necessary, just shrugged and decided to go along with humor her presumption. It wasn't like he could pass for a Gigolo anyways but not according to Millie and a few others who'd think he put legit ones to shame. She'd likely think it was a prank or the agency pulled some false advertising then likely go Karen on them and call to complain, asking for the manager to provide her a refund. Speaking up as he finally replied.*"Yeah sure that's me alright...baby..."

Cakes:*Not noticing Moxxie wince at that cringey bit of cheesiness feeling like his sack of shit old man there (Seriously Crimson go fuck yourself), seemed to perk and bright up.* "Well wasn't expecting you so soon that's for sure. Weird costume but hey kind of a turn on. Doesn't seem like my kids are home so let's not waste anytime since you're here on the hour."*That threw the imp for another loop, she seriously believed him? Blinking as she scrambled up the stairs, grabbing and pulling Moxxie by his hand, following behind her due to momentum. And getting quite a view of her backside, seeing how tight those denim jeans hugged her legs, especially around that applebottomed ass of hers. Which only helped to distract him as he found himself taken into what he could only assume was her bedroom.*

Moxxie:"Oooh crumbs...."*Was about all he could manage to say as the milf didn't bother to lock her door, assuming it was just the two of them with her kids out and nobody else to bother them. The imp knowing full well said kids were dead and being disposed of by his co-workers in the bathroom. It was a miracle they didn't leave much of the house looking like a crime scene as he watched the single hot mama kick off her shoes and ditch her leather jacket and lime green cap. Showing off she had quite the toned body no doubt from a lot of exercise and yoga a woman her age would be into before she suddenly picked him up and placed him back flat on the bed.*

Cakes:"Now that I get a better look at you, you may not look like the kind of guy I'd see in sports illustrated but youu definitely are too cute to pass up."*The blondey quipped playfully and sensually, looming over the small imp making him feel cornered. He had to admit, this wasn't as scarousing fear boner inducing encounter like that whole fiasco with Martha before he found her peeling off his coat, followed by undoing and removing his shirt and tie. The milf purring as she found his comapct frame to be rather toned and nice to the touch.*"The whole bodypaint cosplay is a neat gimmick too, especially the horns, now then let's see what you're pack-"*Whatever Cakes was about to say was halted as she finished getting off his pants and bxoers, eyes widening and jaw dropping at the sight of Moxxie's erect length and girth.*"....Oh....My...God..."

Moxxie:"Uhm....should've warned you I'm kind of a grower...."*The imp tried to explain and reassure the hot mama before he gasped and groaned at her suddenly grasping his cock. Stroking it in her silky palm and fingers as her expression of shock gave way to awe followed by rising ecstasy. Biting her lower lip sensually as she rubbed her denim clad thighs together, feeling a goddamn waterfall flow between her legs as any and every man she'd been with prior became fading memories. The imp stud soon finding her plant licks and kisses on his shaft from tip to base, outright worshipping his balls with her tongue as she lubed him up with her drool before soon practically making herself suffocate as she proceeded to perform fellatio.*

The blonde bombshell just couldn't help herself, like some switch had been flipped inside her brain, setting her off into a bitch in heat mode that made her want to suck and blow on this cock. Rubbing her denim covered camel toe as she felt her pussy radiate with stickyness and warmth as if calling for her to get on letting this shortstack stud fuck her. Rut her like he wanted to put a baby in her and for the Love of all that was holy raise them right this time!! A thought that got louder in volume as her eyes burnt with a rising lust and she took in inch after inch of this long, thick womb hammering veiny piece of pussy pounding heaven, his sounds of arousal music to her ears.

Whatever doubts or hesitation Moxxie had before about having to, as Blitzo put it, run interference pretty much went south thanks to the intense thirsty blowjob this hot sexy mama was giving him. Her saliva practically drowning his shaft as her tongue lapped up his flowing pre as She unknowingly ticked off a few boxes in Moxxie’s sexual checklist. It was a little fact that only a few select women knew about Their favourite alpha male and it was that the raw desire and pleasure provided by a bitch that was clearly horny for him really turned him on. And this tall, blonde drink of water was really making him want to primal on her…and of course that was what he proceeded to do!!

Cakes:”OOOOOOOOH Fuuuuuuuuuuuck me fuckfuckfuck oh fuck me daddy fuck me fuck me hard!!”*Was about all the single mama that could definitely give Stacy’s mom a run for her money could say in between moaning and screaming in ways that there was no way the whole neighbourhood couldn’t hear them. That is when she could remember to use words let alone form sentences as many a female passer by or neighbour of varying legal sexual age and prime felt turned in and so envious, wondering why they couldn’t get that lucky. Making the men some of them had feel shameful and inadequate while the sexy bitch in heat continued to get pounded by Moxxie’s natural sexual lethal weapon doggy style, biting the grasping the sheets of her bed for dear life. The clapping of her asscheeks against that jackhammering imp’s pelvis as his length and girth ensured no other man was ever going to cut it when it came to satisfying her.*

Moxxie”Seeet unholy whore of Babylon…”*The imp couldn’t help but mumble, grunting as he continued to hammer away into the blonde bombshell’s pussy. Her naked body glistening with a sheen of sweat as the bed shook and creaked from how intense and wildly they were fucking. Knowing at this point that it was clear it’d been way, WAY too long since this woman had actually been sexually satisfied, so of course even it meant having to plow away until his balls ran dry, she had to so well fucked that she felt like she’d see God!! Or at least be knocked out long enough for the others to finish up with getting rid of the bodies and make their escape.*

Fuck her he certainly did, from massaging her juicy hips as she rode him cowgirl style, hearts glowing in her eyes as her bimbo airhead like brain became flooded with pleasure, to having this imp continue to rock her suburban mom world as he pinned her in between a mating press and a piledriver, working her insides like some erotic butter churn. And she was loving every damn second of it that she was actually forgetting she had kids for the time being, christ she thinks she mayve actually been falling in love, or was it just lust? Not that it ell mattered right now as the pair went at it in ways that were putting pornstars to shame, seconds going into minutes which woild become hours unaware they were being watched of course. Millie and Loona watching on with voyeuristic delight as their stud once again gave another needy slut a taste of vitamins Mox, the hellhound catching videos and pictures on her phone.

Blitzo:*pokes his head out from the bathroom door, steam coming out as as he worked away on the disposal and cleaning of the evidence.*”Hey is Moxxie done yet? The little shits’ corpses are pretty much non existent and I’ve been cleaning this bathroom of evidence so much the bitch coild be able to see herself on the floor!” *Yes indeed the disposal had been long since completed, the bathroom sparkling clean bar the equipment gathered up in the corner. The head honcho of IMP not quite picking up the telltale sounds of Moxxie’s ongoing sexual marathon with the brats’ hot mama. Somedays the guy could be denser than Mammon’s rotund stomach.*

Loona:*Rubbing her soaking wet thighs together, tail wagging as she and Millie continued watching the live porn show. Already thinking of her own oending fun times with her imp daddy after this gig that’s for sure.*”Oh yeah, the bitch is really…putting up a fight, he’s really got to go John wick on her….”*She lied unconvincingly BUt given being deadpan snarky and monotone tended to be her default mood set, of course her adopted dad would fall for it. He was the kind of guy you’d be able to sell a boat in the desert to.*

Millie:”Oh yeah it’s a violent fight, who knew a soccer mom could be so vicious….”*Leave it to Millie of course with that sincere country accent of hers to add to the bluff. Licking her lips at watching the air headed hottie’s thicc, toned tits and ass jiggle and shake as she became an addict for her man’s dick. Somedays coming to the living world was always fun because you never knew what sexy slurs and bitches could get lucky meeting her husband. It was hot and sexy as all fuck.*

Blitzo of course ought that load of tripe easily enough, shrugging his shoulders as h decided to give their crime scenes another clean over, including the brats’ rooms. Helping himself to looting some of their stuff of course, some living world material could sell for a mint back in hell, especially in the greed ring. The foursome finally making their escape after Moxxie finally called done on his “interference run”, clothes a bit messy due to hastily dressing back up. Sure he was a mess but not compared to Cakes, who was left in what remained of her bed, soaked with sweat and sex juices and a blissful smile on her face.

She’d almost wake up thinking it might have been a dream had it not been for the business card Millie had left in her night stand. Which of course provided Moxxie’s cellphone number and email, sealed with a kiss by the wrath shortstack hinting that her little gigolo wouldn’t and didn’t need to be a one off. Suffice to say, the sexy single mama was already looking forward to it, as she had herself quite an enjoyable shower, playing with herself as she fantasies about the gigolo who rocked her world. Wearing fresh set of her usual ensemble as she looked herself in the mirror, dare she be narcissistic but damn she was looking better than usual.

So much so that she got an idea as she took some naughty selfies, one flashing a tit and the other mooing the camera with her bubble butt as she sent them to Moxxie, adding his number to her contacts. This was definitely going to Something to talk about with her gal pals as she got out and drove out in her ride. Idly wondering, why did she have a mini-van……ah well. Yes indeed Moxxie had fucked her so well she forgot she was even a mom…..at leas for maybe another 9 months assuming he didn’t leave a bun in her oven. If not then well that could be arranged. For IMP it had been just another job…for Millie, it was her man once again proving he was an absolute unit stud.

[mionghairearracht]

Oh shit yeah huh... do you think part of the reason why so many teens are anti fiction is because of the mandatory reading in schools so when they get on the internet they don't know how to exercise the choice they now have.

ALSO please check out "does the dog die" for mandatory readings as it has an extensive list of trigger warns and I hope it will help take the edge of atleast!

so like preface that we're on the end of a 4?5? day migraine and not the best with words right now. also pretty much any time you is used it's the general you

honestly we think the whole "force kids to read triggering material with no support or warning" is probably the cause of a ton of media related issues not just people* not understanding that the can disengage with triggering material, or that reading things can trigger you and that's completely independent of morality on anyone's part**

like the whole "you need to keep engaging with current events even if your triggered and/or burnt out" is basically what many people where taught for years directly and indirectly in school and by many authority figures.

kids and teens are constantly told their boundaries around media don't matter and that those bounderies can be violated for education. thus a shit ton of people thinking that the proper way to educate on current issues being expose yourself constantly even if you are triggered is a pretty natural consequence.

this also ties into the whole "people can't do media analysis" yeah no shit. if you are spending most of your time and energy dealing with the effects of being triggered by the thing you are supposed to analyze, you probably aren't actually learning much about the media or how to analyze it, that's what happens when you're triggered repeatedly

and yeah no shit you're going to think analysis is bullshit if your experience is "the thing i was forced to trigger myself into breakdowns to do" because that's fucking bullshit and a disgustingly normalized experience.

basically i think the lack of choice, respect for the bounderies and triggers of kids/teens, and the normalization of what's basically emotional abuse under the guise of education has fucked shit up

also does the dog die is great, i think we actually made a post about it a while ago thanks for reminding us of it

for books specifically we hightly recommend storygraph***. its a book tracking app that has an extensive inbuilt trigger list that users can add with reviews and there are a ton of books from bestsellers to indie and self published on there.

if you want to start reading but worry about triggers its a great resource.

and since this is long enough already, tangents/context notes are under the read more

*in our experience this effects people of all ages, and despite the idea of teens being particularly pro-censorship our experience is that its more a case of specific fandoms just having more young people in general and thus more young people who are pro-censorship (and those people being extremely loud and aggressive in general) driving/drowning out others; and the fact that a lot of pro-censorship groups online vs. offline are pretty different demographics wise and having issues with one doesn't guarantee experience with the other

**often people are taught that not being able to handle certain topics is basically a moral failing or willpower issue of their part, which is not true. this can lead to thinking that the moral failing actually came from the topic that hurt them, also not true.

the real problem was being forced to engage with it to the detriment of health under the threat of varies penalties, but that is a huge complex problem which isn't as easy to grasp or readily apparently

*** we really recommend it if you are a reader or looking for information on books in general not just triggers. its much better then goodreads imo and as a bonus you can actually filter out certain warnings from being shown in recommendations.

[simplyfy9]

Crypto Integration in Traditional Finance

Cryptocurrency integration in traditional finance is like adding new flavors to an old recipe. Imagine you have your regular banking and money stuff, and now you sprinkle in some digital magic called cryptocurrency.

So, what's this crypto thing? 

It's like money, but it lives online. You can't touch it, but you can use it to buy stuff or trade with others. Now, traditional finance, which is like the old-school way of handling money, is starting to mix with crypto.

Banks are getting curious about cryptocurrencies. They see them as cool gadgets that can make money things faster and cheaper. For example, instead of waiting for days to send money to another country, you could do it in a few minutes with crypto. It is analogous to mailing an email rather than a letter.

Investors are also joining the crypto party. They're buying digital coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, hoping they'll become more valuable over time. It's like collecting rare Pokémon cards, but these are digital and can make you money.

But, just like adding hot sauce to your food, mixing crypto with traditional finance has its challenges. Some people worry about the safety of this new digital money. There are also concerns about bad guys using crypto for shady stuff.

Despite these worries, integration is happening. You might soon see your regular bank offering services that involve cryptocurrencies. It's like having your usual ice cream with some exciting new toppings – a mix of old and new that makes the money world a bit more interesting. So, get ready for a blend of traditional finance and crypto – the money world's new flavor.

Explore how cryptocurrencies are increasingly being integrated into traditional financial systems.

Cryptocurrencies are becoming buddies with traditional money systems. Picture your regular bank, and now think of it teaming up with digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It's like the old and new shaking hands.

Banks are warming up to crypto because it's like a faster and cheaper way to do money stuff. Instead of waiting for days, you can zip money across borders in minutes, just like sending a quick text. Investors, those folks who like making money grow, are also jumping on the crypto train. They're buying these digital coins, hoping they'll turn into financial superheroes.

Even big companies are saying, "Hey, crypto, join the party!" Soon, you could be able to pay using cryptocurrency instead of just cash. It's like having a cool friend who knows all the latest tricks.

But, there's a bit of caution, like trying a new game for the first time. Some worry about safety, thinking, "Is my digital money secure?" Stopping the bad guys from exploiting cryptocurrency for nefarious purposes is another topic of discussion.

Despite the worries, the blend of regular money and crypto is happening. Your bank might soon offer crypto services, making the money world a bit of a mix – like a tasty fusion of old-school finance and the exciting digital future.

Discuss partnerships between traditional financial institutions and blockchain projects

Traditional banks and blockchain projects are teaming up, creating a kind of financial dream team. Imagine your old-school bank working side by side with these tech-savvy blockchain experts. It resembles Batman and Robin teaming up.

Banks want to tap into the superpowers of blockchain because it makes things smoother and faster. Blockchain, which is like a digital ledger that records transactions securely, can help banks do their money jobs more efficiently. It's like having a super-fast computer assistant.

On the other side, blockchain projects are eager to have the banks on their side. Banks bring experience, trust, and lots of customers. It's like joining forces with a wise elder who has been around the financial block.

Together, they're creating new ways for us to handle money. Payments can become quicker, and transactions can be more secure. It's similar to switching from a dated bicycle to an incredibly quick electric scooter.

However, just like any superhero team-up, there are challenges. They need to find the right balance and make sure everyone's on the same page. But as they work together, we might see a financial world that combines the best of both – the reliable old banking ways and the high-tech blockchain innovations. It's like having the best of both worlds, making our money experiences even better. Cryptocurrency helps by simplyfy how we deal with money in a modern and digital way. Imagine cryptocurrency as a kind of online money that isn't controlled by any government or bank. It's like using WhatsApp to send messages, but instead, you use cryptocurrency to send and receive money online.

Now, here's the cool part: cryptocurrency uses a special technology called blockchain. It's like a digital ledger, a secure record-keeping system where all transactions are stored. Think of it like a digital book that keeps track of every penny you spend or receive.

The most well-known cryptocurrency is Bitcoin. People buy and sell Bitcoin, similar to how we buy and sell things in a market. The transactions with Bitcoin are securely recorded in the blockchain.

One of the great things about cryptocurrency is that transactions happen quickly, and they aren't subject to the rules of any specific country. However, it's essential to be aware that there are risks involved, so it's crucial to understand how it works before using it.

In summary, cryptocurrency is a modern and innovative way to handle money, making transactions faster and more accessible in the digital age.

[luesmainblog]

Hi there, is there a link to your about page that people can access via the tumblr mobile app?

you can try my direct About link but I don't know if it's readable on mobile, I'm a strictly desktop user and I've been here since before the site became mobile-centric, so I genuinely don't know what's accessible and what isn't :( my phone can't really run the tumblr app half the time, so it's not something i'm able to check for.

honestly it's nothing that isn't pretty much covered by "i'm here i'm queer get used to it" or looking at the political stuff i do reblog. brief summary being i'm nb, aspec, anti-terf, anti-swerf, anti-cop, and anti-harassment. longer summary: I do my best to be an ally to jewish and muslim folk, but i am very under-educated in that area. same applies to mental illnesses. i was around during The Ace Raids(period of tumblr history where the site went extremely anti-ace for, at the time, no discernable reason. now we know it was general anti-queer getting its hooks in early.) and i watched the birth of the mogai community and the bi v pan debate. as a result my attitude towards identity is "you're the expert, just use whatever label suits you best and i'll believe you about it". i respect older/"outdated" identities and do my best to learn about queer history and incorporate that knowledge into my views. i can get kind of anti-christian at times due to the general trauma of living in the united states and watching "religious belief" become the excuse for massive levels of abuse and control, but i do respect people who use that belief to help people and push positive change. i view Missionary Work(i.e. going to another location and doing charity specifically to spread the word of your religion, like the god damn mormons are constantly doing) as inherently colonization and fundamentally do not understand people who consider it to be a good deed. i am against arranged marriage, but respectful to those who are comfortable in theirs. I support poly marriage(i am poly myself), and i think we need to severely change how disability aid is handled so that disabled people can marry who they want without losing their coverage and don't have to literally count pennies to make sure they're not over an insanely low limit. i can get kind of loud about intersex people's existence and rights. I support landback, but i am under-educated in native issues. I consider neurodivergency a positive thing, but i also acknowledge it as a disability. i consider the political lesbians of the 1960s to have been infiltrates and traitors, as their beliefs were foundational to modern TERF rhetoric. I don't have a DNI(if some asshole decides to follow me they're gonna see exactly what i think about them very quickly, and if they stick around anyways, maybe something i post will shake their beliefs a little), but TERFs, SWERFs, nazis and MAGAs get blocked on sight. harassment will also be blocked and reported. I am a strong believer in online anonymity; i don't think it's wise to share your age, sex, race or location unless it's something you WANT people to be aware of. I also don't think it's a good idea to share your face, but i don't harp on people who do make that choice unless they're underaged(and even then it's gonna be a very light 'hey maybe this is a bad idea'). double points on location, stop telling people where you live. that should NEVER have been normalized.

i'm also into a lot of fandoms, and i don't usually tag unless asked. current tags: NSFC(not safe for crystal, basically any mention of death will be under this), Facepaint, Spiders, Cats, Horrible Things, Important, Signal Boost, For My Wife, Frosty, Crinket, and Awesome Music. if you dig too deep into that last one you'll find some OLD tumblr culture. i also try to tag for content warnings like abuse, flashing lights, and sexual assault.

in short, i think other people should be able to exist how they want to as long as it's not inherently harmful to others, and i love to learn more about the world and spread that knowledge. i'm gonna see if i can make this my pinned post, this is honestly a better summary of what you're gonna see on this blog than my about page is. also, not the most important thing, but I do have memory problems, so i usually use Likes as a way to show myself i've already reblogged/seen something. ff to block if this ain't your rodeo, and welcome aboard if you stay!

[gear-project]

guilty gear strive feels like its receiving a good deal of criticism lately gameplay and design-wise, and the net code problem definitely doesn't help. with new games like sf6, mk12, and tekken 8 on the horizon, fighting games are taking steps forward as a medium. do you think guilty gear will motivate to evolve via patches and new content moving forward, or will it end up falling by the wayside?

As I personally see it, from my point of view that is, Guilty Gear Strive was built by an entirely new generation of game developers compared to past games, so you can't really make a strong comparison of this "version" of GG to previous iterations without taking that in to consideration.

In some ways, this version of GG is highly experimental compared to past iterations.

Guilty Gear Xrd, even with its limitations still BASED ITSELF on previous games, not just in frame data, but in design and mechanics.

It built itself off what existed, so it had a firm foundation to go on.

For Strive, while there are some things that are similar to previous titles, has thrown out the idea of "building up on what came before" and instead making something that is both new, simple, and engaging for those who are unaccustomed to fighting games.

In terms of emphasis, the game does well to show what can be done to make a game easy to understand AND play…

What it lacks in complexity and single-player engagement are still issues they are working the kinks out of, as they have said in previous Developer's Backyard entries and Interviews (see the GG Interviews and Developer's Backyard tags for details).

In terms of netcode and network issues… there were a lot of unforeseen events that occurred, but they are doing their best to mitigate this for the sake of all players who support their game.

In some ways, this game was FAR better managed than previous titles for that very reason… so even if there are netcode problems, the fact they are managing it instead of struggling with crunch and delaying things (or ignoring issues altogether), PROVES they still have a potentially capable team to work with on future content.

I want to remind you all the importance your voice has in impacting the growth of Strive as a game.

The role fans have to play in all this is to PROVIDE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK and remind them what sort of games we are aiming for!

This isn't just a game meant solely for Tournaments of E-sports... it's a game meant to engage both new and old fans alike...

It's also a cross-platform crossplay access game... so the intent is that everyone can access the game no matter their platform of choice (but of course, that comes with technical hurdles they themselves have to overcome).

From my point of view, I still believe this game has the potential for growth and development... rebalance of the roster not being the LEAST of what they are capable of!

There's lots of things they plan to add... and although I cannot see what the future holds, at the very least, this game SEEKS to be a LOT of things that we've hoped for from previous GG titles...

Again, in terms of single player content, I don't think it's that fair to compare it to games like Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 11, which had much longer development cycles AND RESOURCES to work from.

ARC System Works is actually much smaller than other big name fighting game developers, believe it or not... so just getting as far as they have is a REALLY BIG DEAL.

Even for upcoming hopeful games like Tekken 8 and Mortal Kombat 12, you can't really predict how they will handle single-player features, as even Tekken 7 struggled to give much in the way of content to players who don't play competitively online "as much".

At the very least, Guilty Gear Strive has ALREADY made a name for itself as a game that can be recognized by mainstream gamers the world over... and that is saying something that no previous GG title accomplished...

So you could say that this Guilty Gear title STRIVES to reach the Sky, in terms of the limits of what a GG game is capable of...

And if you're gonna reach for the Sky... it should be HIGH...

[gattsuru]

Weird thing is it seems bizarrely incompetent.

The owners of the .ai TLD (Anguilla) are notorious for pulling domains back (without refund) for wide varieties of content

the owner(s) of the domain name bought it through NameCheap or a reseller buying through NameCheap (which is... better for small personal sites, if that).

But they don't have much on the DNS: no cname, no MX (meaning they can't receive e-mails), no DKIM or SPF (meaning they can't send to almost anyone).

The weird location problems are cloudflare being cloudflare; you get the 'best' Cloudflare cache, rather than the originating server. Normally the solution is to check DNS histories, but they've been using Cloudflare since at least May.

It's running NGINX (yay!), but an ancient version (1.18, which was outdated in late 2020) on Ubuntu (fuckers). Probably just a side effect of running Ubuntu LTS on a server, but this is why you don't do that on a serious machine.

The password prompt being funky is just because they used rather the wrong input 'type' HTML tag. That only effects rendering on the client, so don't use that to trust whether a site is doing something naughty with your info. (And don't trust this site with any of your passwords used elsewhere.)

Browsers not treating it as a normal sign in could be downstream of that, or because of the way it handles two different pages for e-mail and password. There's ways to fix the latter, but I'd have no idea where to start with this jank.

They have SSL set up (probably for to get boosted in search), but it's using Google Trust Services, which you shouldn't:

the code looks like what I'd expect a self-taught first-year web dev student to put together, and not even in a 'they used an LLM's output directly' sorta way. It's not generic, it's just weird. Inline script tags near the end of the html document, but still in the body tags? What?

the images are in jpg format (does save bandwidth, but pretty harsh impact on image quality for these types of image. Maybe done to removes a lot of model information that AIGen tools put into the PNG Chunk info, but you can do that with a imagemagick script)

B/c of the that, I can't say the model for sure, but maybe a finetune for StableDiffusion 1.x? That'd be iffy choices in May: by now Flux.1 absolutely shreds these things, in particular often eliminating many of the 'AI telltales'.

It's got no online presence beyond bots. Even AIgen discords I'm in don't seem aware of it, it has no social media presence under its real name, so on.

The theft methodology is bizarre. Using img2img as a way to avoid getting caught by artists for something even aiGen proponents see as art theft has long been a concern and possibility, but like... this is pretty clearly lifted from this tumblr user -- there's absolutely no way that those tag combinations happened by accident. But process-wise, did they try to throw one image into CLIP interrogator, run a different image and resulting prompt through img2img at a low denoising ratio, and then just slap it up directly? That's slower, more readily detected, and gonna look worse than just running from a raw prompt, or the CLIP prompt itself! And here it's obviously worse than the source images or a new prompt.

((The resolutions for images are also odd, especially if they had to use image upscaling to make it work. That clone above is 1200x1200, for example, where the original image is 1000x1000. Low denoising ratios can sometimes let you get away with weird stuff, but that looks more like someone who either doesn't know what they're doing or set up a script with some weird assumptions.

Giving the site a normal prompt 'required' a 'sign-in' for the 18+ (hah), but produced a 896x1152 image, which is... not what any direct model usage or upscaling does as a default. The prompted image did not show up on the front page.

On the other hand 'login' is preserved... kinda, as a single cookie with a 'k' and 'uuid' value, with an expiry date of one year. Weird way of doing that, and not even in a security-problem sense. Passwords are checked, even though it doesn't give an error if you put in a wrong password -- which means they're being stored on the server, and I absooooolutely would not trust the dev to have implemented proper salting and hashing of those passwords.

They're probably using a style LoRA and/or preprompt on text prompts. An intentionally bad prompt didn't get a garbage output of the sort I'd expect from SD1.x or SDXL. Which is at least something, but means they're gonna hit token limits pretty early.

Normally, I'd say e-mail harvester scam, but the lack of confirmation e-mail (or way to send a confirmation email) means that whoever's running it is going to get a lot of e-mails that don't exist. Scamming people for password reuse is a little more plausible and would explain the lack of e-mail confirmation (low friction!), especially given the lack of other sign-in options, but the lack of other social media presence is weird.

Might just be some tech novice that thinks he or she has an idea they could eventually monetize, and no ethics on the way to get there -- it does notably say "beta" in a few spots. But then the social media spam and overt tag and image theft makes even less sense: even if they could come up with a model to sell imagegens (or ads to sell...), users wouldn't get anything like these outputs they're promoting.

It's Time To Investigate SevenArt.ai

sevenart.ai is a website that uses ai to generate images.

Except, that's not all it can do.

It can also overlay ai filters onto images to create the illusion that the algorithm created these images.

And its primary image source is Tumblr.

It scrapes through the site for recent images that are at least 10 days old and has some notes attached to it, as well as copying the tags to make the unsuspecting user think that the post was from a genuine user.

No image is safe. Art, photography, screenshots, you name it.

Initially I thought that these are bots that just repost images from their site as well as bastardizations of pictures across tumblr, until a user by the name of @nataliedecorsair discovered that these "bots" can also block users and restrict replies.

Not only that, but these bots do not procreate and multiply like most bots do. Or at least, they have.

The following are the list of bots that have been found on this very site. Brace yourself. It's gonna be a long one:

@giannaaziz1998blog

@kennedyvietor1978blog

@nikb0mh6bl

@z4uu8shm37

@xguniedhmn

@katherinrubino1958blog

@3neonnightlifenostalgiablog

@cyberneticcreations58blog

@neomasteinbrink1971blog

@etharetherford1958blog

@punxajfqz1

@camicranfill1967blog

@1stellarluminousechoblog

@whwsd1wrof

@bnlvi0rsmj

@steampunkstarshipsafari90blog

@surrealistictechtales17blog

@2steampunksavvysiren37blog

@krispycrowntree

@voucwjryey

@luciaaleem1961blog

@qcmpdwv9ts

@2mplexltw6

@sz1uwxthzi

@laurenesmock1972blog

@rosalinetritsch1992blog

@chereesteinkirchner1950blog

@malindamadaras1996blog

@1cyberneticdreamscapehubblog

@neomasteinbrink1971blog

@neonfuturecityblog

@olindagunner1986blog

@neonnomadnirvanablog

@digitalcyborgquestblog

@freespiritfusionblog

@piacarriveau1990blog

@3technoartisticvisionsblog

@wanderlustwineblissblog

@oyqjfwb9nz

@maryannamarkus1983blog

@lashelldowhower2000blog

@ovibigrqrw

@3neonnightlifenostalgiablog

@ywldujyr6b

@giannaaziz1998blog

@yudacquel1961blog

@neotechcreationsblog

@wildernesswonderquest87blog

@cybertroncosmicflow93blog

@emeldaplessner1996blog

@neuralnetworkgallery78blog

@dunstanrohrich1957blog

@juanitazunino1965blog

@natoshaereaux1970blog

@aienhancedaestheticsblog

@techtrendytreks48blog

@cgvlrktikf

@digitaldimensiondioramablog

@pixelpaintedpanorama91blog

@futuristiccowboyshark

@digitaldreamscapevisionsblog

@janishoppin1950blog

The oldest ones have been created in March, started scraping in June/July, and later additions to the family have been created in July.

So, I have come to the conclusion that these accounts might be run by a combination of bot and human. Cyborg, if you will.

But it still doesn't answer my main question:

Who is running the whole operation?

The site itself gave us zero answers to work with.

No copyright, no link to the engine where the site is being used on, except for the sign in thingy (which I did.)

I gave the site a fake email and a shitty password.

Turns out it doesn't function like most sites that ask for an email and password.

Didn't check the burner email, the password isn't fully dotted and available for the whole world to see, and, and this is the important thing...

My browser didn't detect that this was an email and password thingy.

And there was no log off feature.

This could mean two things.

Either we have a site that doesn't have a functioning email and password database, or that we have a bunch of gullible people throwing their email and password in for people to potentially steal.

I can't confirm or deny these facts, because, again, the site has little to work with.

The code? Generic as all hell.

Tried searching for more information about this site, like the server it's on, or who owned the site, or something. ANYTHING.

Multiple sites pulled me in different directions. One site said it originates in Iceland. Others say its in California or Canada.

Luckily, the server it used was the same. Its powered by Cloudflare.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what to do with any of this information.

If you have any further information about this site, let me know.

Until there is a clear answer, we need to keep doing what we are doing.

Spread the word and report about these cretins.

If they want attention, then they are gonna get the worst attention.

[brunosreviews]

Magical Girl Site Review

Hello!

In the spirit of the anime (which is what I'll be talking about since I just started the manga), I'll start with some trigger warnings. This anime has TWs for: bullying, family-based abuse, murder, blood, gore, and general nastiness. You might want a good stomach to handle it. I'll be keeping it almost 100% spoiler-free, and I'll warn you clearly if something is a spoiler. There's a TL;DR at the end, too :)

I went into this anime so blindly that I didn't even bother with the opening for the first 7 episodes (which I actually recommend). I'd only heard it was "trauma/gorebait" and "really bad," so I expected absolutely nothing. It surprised me for the better, although I can't say it's a perfect show, or recommend it freely. It's got a very specific target demographic, which I happen to fit. You'll fit it too if you like Magical Girl Raising Project (the light novels especially) or like Madoka but tend to darker types of media. Or if you're traumatized and indulge in fucked up content to cope. Overall, if you don't mind messed up concepts being thrown at you on a twice-episodic basis minimum, you'll be mint. I love horrible things, so it's fine by me.

I won't go episode by episode, although there's only 12, but I'll say the first one was hard to watch. I see why people find Aya Asagiri a whiny MC, but I just felt really, really bad for her. The situations she has to go through have and continue to happen to people, and it's horrifying to think about. That goes for most of the girls' backstories. When the plot starts going (I remember it happening in episode 3), things quickly pick up, and you're thrown in a strange world where the show will constantly ask "wouldn't it be funny if..." and then executes its magic. You could absolutely make a drinking game out of it, it happens like three times per episode, and sincerely once you're willing to suspend your disbelief (which I'll admit, does come easy to me), it's incredibly fun.

The plot feels like a telenovella, in the best way, where the magical girls are directly involved. The concept of the show is also great, and many have given it its due respect, even if they disagree with the execution: a strange site that gives magical weapons/trinkets ("sticks" is a stupid word) to miserable girls to feed off their despair. I also thoroughly enjoyed how clear the toll for using the weapons was, although I wish it would have been a little more consistent, although it's consistent enough, and it does up the stakes.

Character-wise, I was happily surprised once again. Aya gets built up slowly but surely: she's more than a random punching bag, unfortunate soul. It was heartwarming to see Tsuyuno and her bond, and I loved how the show let them have their genuine emotional moments without undercutting them with a joke or with some shock gore. Before you comment THE controversial spoiler, I will get to it at the end of the review, so I urge you to be patient.

I also deeply enjoyed the other magical girls. Nijimin was perfectly introduced, and I loved her instantly, as well as Kosame Amagai and her group. Something else to note: canon trans girl character (Kiyoharu Suirenji)! I saw someone online saying the show was transphobic. As someone who is trans himself, I believe that you must not have actually watched the show if you say such things. Her character, although it didn't get much screentime, is really fun, and her interactions with others were a blast to watch.

I have to confess: I love Kaname Asagiri, or "the brother" as I called him for most of the show. He's Light Yagami if Light Yagami were more of an abuser, and also didn't need the Death Note to go batshit. I was pleasantly surprised when they gave him screentime. He's a horrible, delusional, narcissistic human being, yes, but he is hilarious and only becomes more so as the show progresses. Not only that, his japanese VA gives it his all: he clearly cares about his performance, and he stands out as one of the best VAs of the show.

Speaking of VAs, I must mention Nana's (or, Mx. "Poor unfortunate souls" site admin). He immediately stood out to me since I recognized him from voicing Mayuri in Bleach, and he barely changes his delivery here: it works wonders. Every line he delivers is perfect, unsettling, scarily playful, and terrifying. I replayed scenes just to hear him say the lines again. This VA is one of the reasons I loved the show.

I enjoyed the show's ending, and I was flabbergasted when (minor spoiler) they genuinely played a beach episode seriously, but I can't even pretend to be mad with how much enjoyment I got out of it. I won't comment further to keep it spoiler free.

The writing of the show is not the best. There's a lot of exposition dumps, the dialogue doesn't stand out positively most of the time (the contrary), and the "wouldn't it be funny if" twists could get tiring. They didn't for me, but I'm biased, and I see how they could be annoying. Despite this, the concepts, drama, and characters are enough to keep the show afloat for me. And while it is very edgy and bleak, I appreciated that they know when and how to tone it down, prioritizing the emotions of the scene over pointless shock value.

I've also seen people complain about the designs of the magical girls, which, again, is a very fair criticism. Clothing wise, they're bland, and the "sticks" look silly. The eyes changing is a nice detail, as well as the little sign they get, but that's about it. Could be better. I fully believe Magical Girl Raising Project has the better designs by far: I find almost all of them if not all to be outstanding and gorgeous (again: read the light novels, please, the anime does not do any of it justice!).

The powers were also quite bland, and except for Nijimin's, none stood out to me. They were all pretty eh, but I didn't really mind. Once again, MGRP has the superior powers by far (much more creative in idea and in execution).

Lastly, a few words on the tone. While I know people find it too bleak to care (and I understand why), after the first two episodes, I had a fucking blast. It's a surprisingly funny show. Also important is the fact that for a while, you have to treat it like a horror show where magical girls are incidental, not crucial. This changes later on, but is worth noting. While things are dark and bleak, the humor and suspense make it worth it for me. And no, I didn't mind the really dark comic relief on the brother. He is pathetic, and I like making fun of him.

Now, THE manga spoiler everyone brings up (this is not in the anime!). Yes, apparently Aya and Tsuyuno are long lost twin sisters, and apparently they continue being girlfriends after realizing this. My opinion on it: The twist is cheap, but I don't give a fuck about the incest. It makes sense for characters as damaged as they are to continue together after realizing. I'm not scared off by fictional incest. You do you, though.

-

So, TL;DR (finally!): If you like dark magical girls, traumatic backstories, have a strong stomach for depressing shit, and can put up with its very real cons, this show is very worth it. I watched it in two night sessions, and it got me genuinely excited. I can't recommend it easily, but if it appeals to you in any way, I think it's worth giving a try.

Thanks for reading this far into the post! Please tell me what you thought of the show or my opinions of it!

Much love,

Bruno.

[angeltism]

YEAH BEING ON ANON FOR A WHILE WILL BE FUN and i did stay up like a lot last night but don't worry about it im actually super used to doing that LMAO alright ALRIGHT TIME FOR THE QUESTIONS oh lord you cant add a read more in asks. uh. sorry to all aqua followers HSJSHSJHS

1- i think we share like a Lot of fandoms actually! basing this off of your extended media you know rentry btw. UHM im a huge huge fan of prsk, honkai star rail, tbhk, bsd, milgram, vocaloid, undertale/deltarune and i think that's it? i wont go into much detail about other fandoms im in because one specific interest of mine could give away the whole answer to my mystery to some of our shared mutuals JSHSHSHDH but aside from that one im also into enstars bandori and some other rhythm games! not really sure what else to add to that list honestly i forgot everything i have ever liked in my life, i also have many irls from those medias :3

2- honestly? i have been having the biggest labels crisis of my life these past few weeks so pronouns aren't something i really have the ability to specify rn, just use whatever you feel like at the moment and i will be more than happy! curious to see what your perception of my gender ends up being so i can get closer to an answer to my, uhm, current dilemma! HSJSHSHJSJSJ

3- OH UH ITS ALL VOCALOID I THINK i can't really say i have specific artists i like outside of that... maybe will wood and that's, really it. aside from just those two its all specific songs from different artists yeah. BUT IT'S DIFFERENT WITH VOCALOID BECAUSE I CAN KINDA DISCERN WHICH PRODUCERS I LISTEN TO MORE! also some utaites i listen to like a looot, one example is Ado! onto vocaloid producers my favorites ever are Syudou (producer of Usseewa!) and Van De Shop (producer of Pheles!), aside from those two i listen to like a lot more just not with that much frequency (its mostly just one specific song or songs i like from those producers. yeah)

4- i have like a gazillion but lately i have grown very attached to periwinkle blue!

5- FOR LIKE A MONTH OR SO? I HONESTLY DONT REMEMBER JSSHSJSSHJSH as for the reasons... in many ways i realized we are like extremely similar (mostly with the yearning and the love and all that yknow) and that just made me start feeling more and more attracted to you because hey! she gets almost all of the things i experience! and well here we are now

6- i can confidently say fried chicken is my favorite food in this whole wide world, as for sweet stuff im kinda. basic. yeah its chocolate HSJSHSJSHDH

- 💌 anon (honestly sometimes i get scared i might end up not pressing the anon button and then ruin the whole surprise. eek!)

LMAOOOO it's ok the mewtuals will forgive uu . they have to or else /silly j

although WOWW OMG YEAH WE DO SEEM KINDA SIMILAR ?? W taste in media and music and colors (<- loves blue . is it obvious ehe) and wowow for like a month . . . wowowowow . . . . that's honestly impressive n kinda endearing wow <3

also i'll purrobably be defaulting to they/them i suppose since idk . for me . i can't rlly assume genders esp for beings i know online ? like my brain soorta can sometimes but other times just . nope . n i can't rlly think if uu give me more masc or fem or just neu vibes . . . like loveletter anon is loveletter anon . to me . y'know . but i hope uu figure out uur identity soon , lol , i know questioning can be kinda eeeh to go through (<- started calling myself genderqueer/multigenderqueer to avoid trying to find out any specifics bc i'm just Me and i'm just Queer Of Gender and other than that idfk lol)

also fried chicken is so good . . . i can't rlly handle bone-in stuff bc of my sensory issues (icky gross for my brain) but flavor-wise it's soo good omg . i just have to like , cut/rip it off of the bone before i eat it . and chocolate is a simple but rlly good pick honestly . it's like 90% of the sweets i eat bc ice cream takes freezer space , baked goods need to actually be made , etc etc . . . ooo wait i'm curious do uu like dark , milk or white better . purrsonally i like dark n milk :3

[globallyfulfill]

Temu Dropshipping Demystified: Your Ultimate E-commerce Hack

Hey Tumblr community! Have you heard of Temu? It's the latest e-commerce marketplace shaking things up in the online retail world. Think of it as a treasure trove where you can snag clothing, electronics, beauty products, and so much more at prices that make Amazon do a double-take. Temu claims to offer deals up to 90% lower – yes, you read that right!

Why Temu Stands Out

Unlike the ubiquitous AliExpress and DHgate, Temu carves its niche by primarily targeting the US and Western markets, offering an impressive range of 29 product categories. Most sellers on Temu are direct from China, meaning you get access to a vast network of manufacturers and wholesalers.

Dropshipping with Temu: A Gray Area

So, you're thinking about dropshipping with Temu? Here's the lowdown: Temu's policy on dropshipping isn't black and white. Officially, they don't support it. You can't register as a seller and dropship directly. But, if you're crafty and committed, there's a workaround. You can buy products from Temu, repackage them with your branding, and sell them in your store. Just remember, repackaging is key to avoid your customers associating their unboxing experience directly with Temu.

Why Repackaging is a Smart Move

Repackaging might sound like extra work, but it's worth it. It's your chance to create a memorable unboxing experience and reinforce your brand. Plus, it helps avoid customer dissatisfaction when they find out the same product is cheaper on Temu.

Temu's Advantages for Dropshippers

Super Cheap Products: Temu offers wholesale prices, perfect for sourcing on a budget.

Bulk & Exclusive Discounts: Look out for their massive discounts and special offers.

Wide Selection: From fashion to tech, there's hardly anything you won't find.

Shipping Deals: Temu offers free standard shipping on most items, with reasonable rates for express shipping.

The Flip Side: Challenges with Temu

Slow Shipping: Sometimes, deliveries take longer than promised.

Customer Service Hiccups: Users report less-than-ideal experiences with Temu's support.

Inconsistent Orders: Be wary of receiving items that don't match the listings.

Quality Check: Are Temu Products Worth It?

The answer is mostly yes. The quality is generally good, but due diligence is always a smart move. Check reviews, order samples, and vet your suppliers carefully.

Setting Up Your Dropshipping Store with Temu

Choose an E-commerce Platform: Shopify is popular, but there are other great options too.

Design Your Storefront: Reflect your brand's image and target audience.

Add Product Listings: Quality descriptions and imagery are key.

Set Competitive Prices: Factor in all costs to find the right price point.

Market Wisely: Identify where your audience hangs out and target those platforms.

Partner with a Fulfillment Provider: Consider a service like GloballyFulfill to handle logistics.

Final Thoughts

While Temu isn't your straightforward dropshipping platform, it's a goldmine for those willing to think outside the box. With careful planning, creative branding, and smart marketing, you can leverage Temu to build a successful online store. Happy selling, Tumblrpreneurs!

[eolewyn1010]

Talking about Encanto - Mirabel

I've actually found a few people stating online the movie shouldn't have been about Mirabel because family member x is more interesting, and I'm really not on board with that. I mean, I also wish the rest of the family will be explored in further material, but on cost of Mirabel's story getting shoved aside? Seems like it kinda abandons the premise of the movie, doesn't it?

Not that I'm not biased here because I think Mirabel is an awesome protagonist. To my own surprise, I love her - even though she shares a lot of characteristics with Frozen's Anna. They both are quirky, energetic, cheerful, dancing half of the time (I need me a swooshy skirt like Mirabel's), unswervingly loyal, have issues with their sisters, try to repair family bonds that were damaged years ago and had them be left alone with a trauma at some point, all of that. But while I saw Anna always as a bit of a brat and found her a little annoying, Mirabel is my precious darling babygirl. And I can't quite put down why I feel differently about the two of them. Is it because Mirabel is fifteen and has an overall intact family (well, not emotionally healthy, but, y'know, she's not orphaned and isolated from her sole remaining family member) and thus I don't feel her cheerful, hype attitude is as misplaced and age-inappropriate as it is for eighteen-year-old Anna who has severe reasons to not be cheery at all? Or maybe because Mirabel is so relentlessly snarky even just via silent facial expressions? It might also be because Anna is sorta pushy with Elsa and lacks Mirabel's amazing ability to listen.

This family needs so much therapy, but really? The actual miracle is that Mirabel didn't lose her temper or mind at some point over the past ten years and asked her Abuela sometime earlier what is her fucking problem. Especially given that Mirabel absolutely has the temper for it, see her flipping-out contest with Isabela. Have I already talked about how much I love their arc? I have? Shame. Because this is so strong, character-wise. Consider the point from where they start out: While Mirabel is definitely not to blame for the conflict, her handling the situation is not exactly stellar. She's pressured to apologize when she wasn't the one who ruined the proposal, so she's sarcastic and angry about it and starts to insult her sister because... well, she doesn't actually want to embrace Isabela; she wants to save the magic, and getting her to a hug is just means to an end. So there are actually two tipping points here; first is Isabela's development, and the other is Mirabel's, overcoming her grudge to acknowledge her sister for who she is instead of who she has always perceived her as.

Which, honestly? Is tough work after what she's been through. The part where no one calls her to join in on the photo, not even Antonio who otherwise adores her, not even her parents who would usually never forget about her? That hurts so bad. I've read people say that Mirabel would be in the right to have the movie be her villain origin story - good thing then she isn't villain material. (Isabela would make an excellent Evil Queen tho.) What's making things heavier is that there's 1st, Abuela, who influences 2nd, the other Madrigals, who are 3rd, the center of the entire town, giving the basis for all of them disregarding her in some way. I still wanna kick the not-special special guy. And those impudent kids who are like, "if I were you, I'd be really sad", picking up on the mindset that Mirabel is somehow incomplete, even if she doesn't perceive herself that way and would be fine if she were included like the rest. I see where the disability / ableism metaphor gets its steam.

What's really unfair about this is that the townsfolk, just like Abuela, have different expectations of family Madrigal than they have of other people, than they have of themselves. They are non-magical, but they are allowed to be non-magical. Inside the family, this is a flaw that it isn't for the rest of the world. That's what you get for elevating people to godhood status - and what isolates Mirabel to some degree from the town's people as much as from the family.

I wonder if the situation had been better if the magic hadn't fucked up her ceremony so badly. I mean, I already got into the problematic aspect of making this a public spectacle for everyone to gawk at, but that was really something - making an already existing glowy door disappear on touch? What the fuck, Casita? Drama much? Even if Mirabel didn't get a gift, I feel there's an unnecessary cruelty in denying her a room of her own. I do like the nursery; it's definitely a room Mirabel has made her home and shaped, but it is consistently called the nursery, not Mirabel's room. She shares it with five-year-old Antonio, until he gets a room of his own while fifteen-year-old Mirabel stays where she is. That is demeaning, on some level. I wonder if she gets an own room when Casita is rebuild. Or are you telling me that she's forever condemned to babysitter duties for Dolores' babies, for any of the next generation her cousins and sisters might produce? What if Mirabel falls in love; would she be the only Madrigal to get kicked out of the house to live with her partner and maybe kids elsewhere? Eeehh. This was really poorly-thought out. And it doesn't quite fit the otherwise very close relationship Mirabel of all Madrigals has with Casita.

But something more about the room, it has the same hand-decorated, self-made feeling about it that Mirabel's clothing has. That is such a specialty of hers, that she makes things her own without being naturally, magically gifted for anything in particular. I love that about her sewing; it isn't a talent, it's a skill. Perhaps that's why they managed to re-build the house, because they have a family member among them who always had to do things the mundane way - and is shockingly capable of keeping up. She might not be as strong as Luisa or as much of a vines acrobat as Isabela, but have you seen her best both Bruno's room and his in-walls parkours on the first go? Playing with super-powered siblings and cousins all your life had to pay out somewhere along the line.

And her not being put into one specific role has paid out for them as well, with slotting Mirabel into the memetic role of the family therapist. That is, because she's not stuck with one very narrow task field, she has all that energy to invest in the happiness of the people around her, helping her mother in the kitchen, setting up decorations for the party, giving her little Antonio a pep talk, listening to Pepa and Félix telling their stories, digging until she gets to the ground of Luisa's and Isabela's issues. Getting Alma to talk to her sincerely, and moving past her behavior to forgive her. And Bruno, of course, the other family weirdo. It's pretty clear that even Mirabel finds his mannerisms weird, but the bad reputation Bruno and his visions have in town don't keep her from asking his help and offering him help, namely to bring him home, in return. Because she's been on the other side of this; she knows what it feels like to be othered. I love her bonding time with Bruno.

On that note, I'm not sure I get the family relationship switching fics out there that make Mirabel Bruno's daughter. I mean, whatever, but I don't see the point when all of the family members of the parental generation treat all of the kids as if they were their own anyway. Would it actually make a difference for Bruno if Mirabel were his kid instead of his niece? Would it make a difference in Julieta's and Pepa's behavior, in Félix' and Agustín's? I don't feel it would. They are just this big family bunch with Mirabel in their middle to glue it all together. Gosh, I love the finale with the door and the photo and everything. Who needs subtle when you can have it all in a big colorful rush and it's just so good?

[joseph-marc-blumenthal]

6 tips to protect your finances from Warren Buffett

COVID-19 and the resulting recession have affected everyone, including 90-year-old investing legend Warren Buffett.

His huge conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The pandemic “has negatively impacted almost all of our operations, although the impact has varied significantly,” the company said in its most recent quarterly earnings report in early November 2020. But even with the troubles, Berkshire reported an 82% jump in net profit for the July to September 2020 quarter. So billionaire Buffett seems to be handling the crisis well.

You can too if you follow his example. Here are the takeaways from Buffett's six wise deeds to help protect your money while the virus continues to rage.

1. Use low-interest rates

Buffett has become one of the richest people on the planet by taking advantage of the opportunities that have opened up. During the pandemic, he pointed to fantastic opportunities for borrowers thanks to the Federal Reserve's response to the COVID crisis. The Fed "did the right thing" by cutting its key interest rate to near zero in response to the virus, Buffett said. Other rates fell like dominoes across the economy.

“This is a very good time to borrow money, which means that now is not the best time for loans, but it’s good for the country that now is a good time to borrow money,” he said during the last meeting of Berkshire shareholders. Hathaway in May 2020.

How You Can Be Like Buffett: If you're a home buyer or homeowner with a solid credit rating, pick one of today's ultra-low mortgage rates while you can.

2. Be vigilant

It's not for nothing that a native of Nebraska, Buffett is called the Oracle of Omaha. Last March, the multibillionaire told an interviewer, "I always felt like there would be a pandemic someday."

In 2019, he warned his Berkshire shareholders in a letter that the world was facing a "mega disaster," a kind of "complete surprise" that would overshadow the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Michael.

Buffett wrote that the monster disaster would result in huge losses for his company, but Berkshire will be ready to go the next day, he said.

How you can be like Buffett: You, too, can be prepared for anything - by buying life insurance to provide financial protection for your loved ones. Sales of policies for family breadwinners have surged due to deaths from COVID. You can easily go online and find several life insurance offers tailored to your family's needs.

3. Don't store balances on your credit card.

As layoffs soared during the pandemic, some Americans were forced to accumulate more credit card debt. Turning to credit cards due to financial hardship is one thing, but Buffett says some people use plastic as a "money-box for raiding."

During a virtual meeting of shareholders, he spoke about a friend who got into an unexpected situation and asked for advice on what to do about it. She had a credit card debt - at 18% per annum.

“If I owed money at 18%, the first thing I would do with the money I have is pay it back,” Buffett told her. "You can't live your whole life borrowing money at these rates."

How can you be like Buffett: When credit card debt gets unbearable, the first step to getting rid of it is turning it into a debt consolidation loan. You will simplify your bills and cut interest expenses to pay off debt faster. Instead of 18%, you can pay only 5.95% per annum in the USA.

4. Do your homework with stocks.

The coronavirus crisis is devastating entire industries, including retail, dining and entertainment. Buffett decided that the damage to one particular industry would be greater than he could bear as an investor.

“The aviation business - and I could be wrong and I hope I am wrong - has changed a lot,” he told his shareholders.

So he explained why Berkshire sold all of its airline shares.

Buffett says people were discouraged from flying, so "the world has changed for airlines."

How can you be like Buffett: Investors who did their homework were rewarded during the pandemic as the stock market climbed to new all-time highs. Several stock investment portfolios will help you make the right choice. One solution will allow you to invest extra money in a portfolio that automatically adjusts to the ups and downs of the market.

5. Stick to a long-term plan.

Warren Buffett is confident that the US economy will recover from the COVID-related recession.

“Basically, nothing can stop America,” he said during an online meeting. “In fact, we have not encountered anything that closely resembles this problem, but we faced more serious problems. American miracle, American magic has always prevailed, and it will repeat itself again. "

But Buffett also said that no one knows what will happen, so investors should brace for a potentially long recovery. He says they will get "good results" if they hold the stock in the long run.

How You Can Be Like Buffett: Financial planning services are more affordable and convenient than you think, and can help you focus on your investments. Today you can discuss the path to your long-term goals with a financial planner at a financial consultation.

6. Ask for help if you need it.

Buffett says the coronavirus has plunged the US into an "economic war," and many small businesses have fallen victim. He called on Congress to provide additional assistance.

“We have stopped a lot of people in this particular provoked recession and others are thriving, and I think the country owes these really millions of small entrepreneurs,” Buffett told CNBC in December.

The COVID-19 rescue package, approved in late December, included $284 billion in new small business loans with "paycheck protection." Now President Joe Biden wants to provide $15 billion in grants to more than 1 million hard-hit businesses.

How you can be like Buffett: If you are a business owner or breadwinner with financial difficulties, look for sources of relief - and take advantage of what is around.

This means, for example, that if you have federal student loan arrears in the United States, do not make payments until October, when the government moratorium is scheduled to end. Private loans can be refinanced at today's sharply lower interest rates.

[mifunebooty]

Tagged by @hensons aka i tagged myself to have something to do today

1. What do you prefer to be called name wise?

Cherry, baby

2. When is your birthday?

October 15!!!

3. Where do you live?

Austin, Texas, baby, good luck finding me! *jumps out the window and starts running*

4. Three things youre doing right now? texting my friends, watching pbs on amelia earheart and on the couch with napping lady

5. Four fandoms that peaked ur interest?

Idk if im a fandom person as a whole or ever but i guess I'd say 1) old hollywood, it was a huge ass thing over here when i joined and tbh i did get involved in drama and shit but im a new bitch now 2) *brad pitt voice from snatch 2000/01* dags 3) im not in any fandom bc im honestly detached at a certain point and just vibe so I'd say movies and tv like idk if hannibal is a fandom like ..... Its a tv show of media's most famous cannibal like im just here bro

6. How has the pandemic been treating you?

Like absolute shit, baby! Cant go out, can't appropriately find a job, can't go on campus, can't handle my brain doing online classes like I'd take off a decade of my life to go on campus again and im so lonely, i get why Will did all that going back to Hannibal bc nobody held or touched him in 1-2 days

7. A song you can't stop listening to right now?

Sauvecito sauvecito by laura leon since i added it to my hannibal playlist (coming tomorrow or Saturday)

8. Recommend a movie

Megamind

9. How old are you?

22

10. School, university, occupation, other?

Physically i have 2 more semesters at acc until i transfer to UT and unemployed but spiritually awaiting until covid ends so i can become a class traitor and suck up to a rich bitch up their nepotism tree and leave all of this shit i dont want

11. Do you prefer heat or cold?

Heat

12. Name one fact others may not know

Not to snitch on myself but im an excellent forgerer

13. Are you shy?

I look like it but im not at all siehsmowaoziheks its the libra sun gemini rising, every class i took on campus i became very easily the person most verbally involved in the class

14. Pronouns?

She/they

15. Biggest pet peeves?

People who interrupt me while im talking and currently my google chrome app being a piece of shit and crashing very easily

16. What's your favorite "-dere" type?

What the fuck is a dere

17. Rate your life 1-10, 1 being crap and 10 being the best

Currently it's 5/6 (4 when i look at my spanish grade), id like my fucking money back!! Hope it'll go back 6-7 next semester and an 8 in my dreams bc im being realistic

18. What's your main blog?

Esto

19. Side blogs?

None, all of you will witness all sides of my teeny weeny brain and pathetic mood swings

20. Is there something about you people need to know before becoming friends?

Yes, my love is undying and you'll break my heart if you dont feel the same way and I'll support you wherever you go and as long as ur opinions and actions aren't harmful, i love and respect and support you. But also know my opinions are always on 24/7 and i hope you're sexy as me and respect and support me too

Tagging @thequeercowboy @theocseason4 @sluttynurse @johnnysilverhand @valwiggin @warm-pleatherette @sadhaw @zatanazatarra @buddyhollyscurls @jrpg @fruitybehaviour @kristina100000

[tangerinegod]

Hello! I am sorry to bother you but I am a senior getting ready for college this year. I am in the US and I wanted to major in the same thing you did, do you have any possible tips for me? I still haven't even looked for colleges that would be best for animation majors so I figured if you were up to giving out any tips/saying any basic ideas if you wanted to/if you had the time to then maybe I'll have a better idea! I apologise for if I sound weird! I'm tried to word it correctly but I can't 😿

hi!! i’m totally down to share my experiences! someone else also had some questions so i’m going to put them all together in this post haha, hopefully this helps! it’ll get pretty long so apologies ahead of time but art school is a lot to think about so i wanna be as helpful as i can around it, its a lot of time and money. I’m gonna put it all under a read more cus it is really really long!

i wanna start off with the fact that I had the privilege of attending school in a financially stable environment, my parents were/are really supportive so w merit scholarship i only came out with around 20-30k in debt and i also had housing support my entire time in school. they were ok with me focusing on academics so i didn’t hold a retail job unless i was out of school like summer/winter break. Ofc though i regularly take commissions/do merch/cons to try and pay for all bills that arent rent cus i did want to be financially independent where it was possible. I also did try and work during the semester but everytime i did my body would deff start to breakdown from the fact that i didnt wanna compromise schoolwork with jobs.. so just read ahead know this experience is from a student who was able to attend focusing only on school work for most of the time!

the biggest thing is knowing art school is not required to become a professional in either freelancing or industry! there are a huuuge amount of online tools and classes these days that provide the exact same education and for cheaper too. i think it depends on what experience you prefer/can handle/want but it’s definitely possible to make art/animation art your living without higher education. the thing that college will for sure give you though is the ability to meet deadlines, work even when you dont want to, and connections with peers+teachers. i think the connections part is invaluable because you’re basically coming out with a network of people you already know and who know you! 

also its good to know if you want to attend/can handle art school! it’s a lot of time and energy and students get burned out really fast. the best piece of advice i got before going was ‘if you draw every single day, even if its for only like 5-10 minutes or a doodle for a whole year you should be fine’ consistency is super key because you’re attending school to draw, and you’ll have to create work for stuff you aren’t excited for at some point or another. burnout is extremely real and the only reason i didn’t experience it was probably because i got super into drawing naruto fanart again inbetween sophomore and junior year! it helped give me something to draw seperated from school which is the only thing i was drawing for since i had entered rip. a heads up id also consider myself a workaholic so i fit in ok with the ‘art school’ environment but it is suuper unhealthy. if you are fantastic at managing your schedule then it’s definitely possible to take care of yourself! freshman year i got 8 hours a sleep a night and only pulled all nighters for some second semester finals at the end. sophomore year + up though i ended up prioritizing hw over sleep and like for sure, definitely shortened my life span. there’s another q down below where i’ll go more into detail but ya, be careful w ur work balance!

another tip especially for animation is knowing for a fact what type of animation you’re looking to go into, and what the school is offering. I didn’t think i’d get into art school at the time so i only applied to two places + decided if i didnt get into either id attend community to get credits out of the way while building portfolio. honestly? i did not do a lot of research LOL but like i did end up having the chance to tour and stuff! just know that each school will have a very different curriculum. The main differences are schools that prioritize 3D (cg animation, cg modeling, ect) and 2D/traditional (hand drawn, ‘oldschool’, digital or traditional based) this is a huge difference so make sure you do research for it! in most cases a 2D/traditional program will also offer 3D since it’s at the forefront of the industry animation wise rn. My school taught 2D but like hand drawn on physical paper 2D, frame by frame. while it was a good experience it’s super outdated because digital tools make it way faster + easier! i’d recommend looking for a program that is digital 2D over traditional 2D. 

if after your senior year covid is still affecting campuses in the US to keep them shut down i’d recommend attending a community college to get credits and then transferring into school. one of the negatives is paying money for gened classes when ur not there for them; if you can get them out of the way sooner and cheaper there is absolutely no negative + you could graduate earlier or use the extra time for better work or to work a job! 

these are all the general tips i think i’d give on like a broad basis of attending or not to think about? let me know if u have more q’s! someone asked q’s im answering below that go more into personal experiences + work culture so heres those:

- how many hours a week do u spend studying, in class, otherwise making art? like how much of ur life does it consume?

I was basically working on art.... 24/7! since i wasnt working a job at the same time i crammed as many credits as possible into my schedule so on avg i did 18 credit semesters (around 6 classes) art classes go for 6 hours and non art go for 3, so i’d spent around 30-35 hours in class a week! hw wise it varied on the class but combined it would be around 35-50 hours a week... im guessing? on average studio classes would have 8-10 hours of hw, maybe 5 for a light week, and gened classes 5 hours w them all combined. or this was probably how things were before junior year? junior+senior year i had thesis + everything else ontop.. i’d spend around 30-40 hours on thesis a week with other classes ontop of that bc my film was super long cus im a dummy! 

- is it hard going to art school n realising that altho u were probably quite talented… so is everyone else? Like. all of a sudden. ur not special and everyone seems as good as u, you know? More generally, how do u deal with comparison?

kinda?? i think instead of the idea of like you vs others it feels more of like a competition at first to be the best. this varies hugely on school culture though; my animation year was really friendly with each other and get along extremely well, so my answer to this is v different than some others who attended different schools. i think that the idea of ‘comparison’ only lasts a portion of the first year because at some point you realize that it’s not a who’s better as much as its a ‘these are my coworkers’ type thing? like healthy competition 100% because we’re all working to improve but i think most of us learned pretty early on that viewing each other as peers going into the same workforce helped a lot. also at some point everyone develops their own style/starts to develop their artistic preferences so there isn’t a way to compare whos 'better’ anymore? i dont think there ever is tbh because style is appealing based off of an individuals preferences. If anything realizing everyone else is also amazing makes you wanna work harder ig? or thats how i felt! it’s inspiring to be surrounded by so many people who create such amazing work. 

- is there a lot of workaholic culture? all nighter culture?

100000% there can be a workaholic and all nighter culture. i know people who avoided it and thats honestly fantastic because i fall super easily into that pit. sometimes i’ll pull all nighters on a personal project just because i really want to finish it... i am definitely considered a workaholic all the way through and its not healthy rip... i’d estimate at the worst i was pulling 2-3 all nighters a week and only 4-5 hours of sleep on the nights i didn’t? that was only for one year tho, after that i was like yeah ok this is really bad for my health in the long run LOL so i tried to cut it down to one all nighter a week and around 5-6 hours of sleep the rest of the week! by senior year my decision to cram in full semesters paid off and i was able to consistently get around 7 hours of sleep a night + no all nighters minus finals since my schedule was lighter despite thesis 😭 while there is that culture i don’t think people view it as like a badge of honor or something to be proud of anymore which is good, we mostly view it as a flaw of the art school system and something that needs to be fixed!!

- are you glad u did it? how did u know it was what u wanted?

i am glad i did it! i’m definitely in a limbo right now of if it was worth both my time, money, and my parents money rip but i think with what i got out of it i definitely wouldn’t be as far skill wise or knowledge wise when it comes to the art industry. i would say it was only worth it for be because i had so much support going in though so i was able to focus so much on improving. if i had only been able to put in part of the effort and not make full use of the resources provided i would honestly have a different answer.. 

i knew it was what i wanted when i realized i really couldn’t see myself pursuing a different profession happily! despite all the bumps and stuff im fully in love with drawing still and feel honored that it’s a field that can provide a living. my second profession choice was to go into culinary school? and third option i think going was into music cus i was also a band kid hehe.  

- how do u cope with ur hobby becoming ur job? how do u deal with art going from something u do for fun to something u do on command constantly?

i think seperating work art from personal art is important! in my case im doubling naruto into being personal work so i have something to fall back onto that isn’t work related. its been a hyperfixation for 12+ years? so drawing it at this point is just like personal art imo. some people have hobbies outside of art and only draw for their job! i think after attending classes for so long the idea of hobby turning into job feels extremely natural? also i enjoy doing it so thats a huge plus! 

sorry this is SO long but i hope i answered your guys’ questions! if you have more just lmk!

[creek-cryptid-deluxe]

This needs to be addressed:

I'm on reddit regularly. Today I saw something as I was scrolling that deeply disturbed me & I feel needs to be addressed.

For those not familiar with reddit's format, let me explain. The website is basically a host to multiple forum style 'subreddits' that are based around various interests where you can post photos, videos, gifs, links to websites, links to articles, or just good old fashioned text.

Some subreddits are very broad (r/aww is pictures, videos, & gifs that are adorable & make you say "awww") & some are extremely niche (r/picturesofiansleeping was created by a dude where he just posted random pictures of his roommate, Ian, sleeping because the dude could fall asleep anywhere). Each subreddit is it's own community with its own culture & rules, while also being a part of the reddit community as a whole & abiding by its overall culture & rules.

Below is a screenshot (with the username redacted) from a post in the Ehlers-Danlos subreddit, which I scroll through from time to time just to see what's there, but not regularly because the overarching culture there is not one I want to be a part of (& what I'm about to show you here is a perfect example of why).

So a photo of Joaquin Phoenix filming a scene for the movie Joker is making the rounds with the caption above it, stating that he dislocated his knee filming that scene (not written is that he continued to film after the dislocation) & demanding he be given the golden globe. Given the quality of that performance, even prior to knowing about his knee, I agree that he should have a golden globe for it.

What I take issue with is the fact that that was posted to r/ehlersdanlos with the title "My knee dislocates 5-20 times a day. Where's my reward?"

So let's chat about why this is ABSOLUTELY unacceptable, despite the fact that I see similar sentiments throughout the chronic illness communities.

First of all, this person is 100% exaggerating. I'm not one to doubt anyone's claims regarding their health but as someone who has had knee dislocations since I was quite small, it's not feasible. Subluxed knee 5-20 times a day? Eh, still not really believable. 5-10 subluxations? Sure, maybe. But no way is this person having 5-20 full knee dislocations in a 24 hr period.

Exaggerating like this actually really hurts credibility & not just for them as an individual. I'd be will to bet that if they are stretching the truth that casually in an inconsequential post online, that they do it in real life to medical staff as well. If the medical professionals that we all rely on for care hear enough exaggerations from specific demographic groups (say... women under 25 with an EDS diagnosis), then eventually when they see a patient that fits that criteria, there will be an unconscious bias & assumption of exaggeration. Then it hurts the chronically ill community as a whole.

Second, this person is minimizing & invalidating Mr. Phoenix's (i spelled his first name once & was quote proud, but it is not happening again) injury simply because... why? Because he is able bodied? Because the poster is chronically ill? Those things don't cancel each other out. This is the bit I see FAR too often.

There is this weird line of thinking that is prevalent in the chronic illness community where some chronically ill people think that because other people aren't chronically ill, any illness, pain, or injury they go through isn't as valid as their's is. Lemme just hop up on my soapbox here to say...

📢 THAT LINE OF THINKING IS FUCKING BULLSHIT📢

I've seen it first hand via my aunt. She is diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She has all the hallmarks of EDS, but despite me getting diagnosed & telling her she needs testing, she is weirdly attached to her current diagnosis. Any time my cousin (who is 3 yrs younger than me) is sick or hurting, my aunt says something about how much worse she feels. Cousin says she has a headache? Aunt: "Now you know what I deal with 24/7." Cousin has a stomach virus & can't stop puking? Aunt: "That's literally my life 4 out of 7 days of the week."

When The Spawn was in middle school, right after I had started to trend downward health wise, I noticed her wincing & holding her head a lot. I asked what was up & she said she had a headache & it had been hanging around for 3 days now. I asked why she didn't tell me sooner so I could help & she told me that she knew it was minor compared to what I deal with, so she didn't feel right bringing it up.

I immediately sat her down & had a long talk explaining that just because I am dealing with the dumpster fire I was given does not at any time mean that whatever she is going through isn't every bit as important, painful, or difficult for her & that at no time do i want her to have to handle it alone. I made sure she knew that no matter what was going on with me, I am here for her because what she is going through is important & valid. I've only had to have that talk 2 more times with her.

I've had to have a version of this talk with a few friends & my dad, as well. I'll see my dad wince or hear him do what I call "The Dad Huff" & I'll ask what's up. Dad: "I know I shouldn't complain to you because it's nothing compared to what you deal with but..." BRO i am EXACTLY who you should complain to. I know tricks that could help with a myriad of physical ailments PLUS i have a whole ass Walgreens in my bathroom.

My point is that as a whole, chronically ill people need to stop invalidating healthy, able bodied people's illnesses or injuries. PERIOD. It's not a fucking suffering competition. What? You think if you keep invalidating healthy people & boasting about how much more sick or more injured you are that at some point a guy is going to leap out of the bushes & hand you a gold medal & a giant check for suffering the most?

No.

Also, you'd think if someone was suffering that much, in that much pain, was that ill, that they wouldn't want anyone else to feel even close to the way they do & would be happy to help or be genuinely distressed/concerned for the other person's wellbeing.

So fuck off because people who do this shit just sound like they lack empathy, compassion, and other generally human qualities which implies they have no fucking soul.

Just be supportive of one another, able bodied, disabled, chronically ill, chronically healthy, or whatever. Just be kind to people. Fuck.

[ariarosies]

BROKENNESS: A Portal to New Beginnings

Ever since we were born, we view life as something we can't explain and handle without having a hard time. We believe that sometimes the events in our lives are in harmony with what we truly desires; and sometimes in turmoil, but do you really think that it's typical for us to feel this way? You may not agree with me but my answer is yes, it is. Because I do believe that there's nothing perfect in this world but a great solution for every mistake we have committed, as well as for future errors.

According to The Journey Online Team (n. d), Life brings many heartaches that can lead to inner brokenness. Many people we meet are suffering within. Some have learned ways to deal with their suffering while others have simply found ways to hide it. Now, I want to ask you a very simple question. When you hear the word "brokenness" what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it about feelings or about money? Money, as if you'll be able to immediately utter that "OMG, I'm broke. I wanna cry. I’m nearly running on empty" with matching teary eyes and playful voice. Is that it? Okay but kidding aside, it may be one of its example but I wanna focus more about our feelings and some serious scenarios which clearly lead us to feel emotionally broken. So, let's start! In life, we are all aware that we have no control over everything. We cannot say or simply decide about how long people and things should last; and obviously, we have no power to determine what will happen tomorrow. Some events are blessing and some are unexpected. And If you're being asked, have you ever experienced getting dumped/ rejected by someone you loved? Have you ever lose someone, a pet or even an object who and which became a big part of your life because of some valid or invalid reason? And lastly, have you ever fail at something you've really wanted for a long time? If yes, then you surely are aware of the feeling of being broken because those are just some of the reasons why we are deeply hurt. Specifically, the most common one. And just to clarify, I'm not here only to remind you of those awful moments in your life but to help you understand and overcome those without easily giving up. And that is by choosing and pushing yourself to always look on the bright side of life rather than dark side. Through this, we can see and understand the beauty of an unpleasant event that have been taken place in our lives. In additional, we can also understand here the reason as well as the purpose why it all occured; and most imporantly is for us to realize that something that's already broken is not just a waste but a new oppurtunity for us to make something good with it which can be compared to broken breakable tools which are used to make a new artwork.

In conclusion, it only tells us to believe and have faith in God. It teaches us to surrender ourselves to Him. It's like He's telling us that everything happened for a reason and for awesome purposes in life. Through brokenness, He's slowly molding us to become the better version of ourselves. He's helping us gain a deep understanding and wise enough to restore the things that were broken and not to return to the way it was before because that thing is already impossible. Through this, I hope you've got something to put in mind. I'm not forcing you to believe me that having positive mindset is the best way to overcome brokenness but I want you to know that I'm speaking based on what I have experienced in life because I was once broken too and have been strengthen of the boldress of my faith and challenges in life. I fell apart, got broken and deeply hurt but over time I learned to recognize new oppurtunities and just consider and accept what just happened in the past for me to be able to move forward and face a better future ahead of me.

"The prayer that prevails is not the work of lips and fingertips. It is the cry of a broken heart and the travail of a stricken soul."

-Samuel Chadwick