#is it great quality? no not really. but i'm really happy with how its looking

[you-are-constance]

hmm... dinner time or hyperfixate on my animatic for another 6 hours time 🤔

[livelaughloveluffy]

comfort - black leg sanji

a/n: happy halloween!!! here's a treat for you! 💗 this will be a new fic series, and who else would i write for first but my dearly beloved sanji 😭 (i cant remember if i used this picture before but i literally love it so much i cant be bothered 😭😭 his hair just looks so fluffy and soft 😭😭😭😭😭)

a/n: guys... i know i said i wasn't going to do the whole songs paired with fics thing.... but like..... in honor of a new ethel cain single being out tomorrow i feel like i absolutely must pair this fic with this song 😭😭😭

nothing but fluff here 💗

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when he comforts you:

-sanji's first instinct when it comes to comforting you, is to pull you tight into his arms, your face buried into his chest, one arm wrapped around your waist, rubbing soft circles into the smalls of your back, and the other hand placed on your head, gently stroking your hair. it's his secret to getting you to take deeper breaths because he knows you'll be utterly consumed in the scent of his cologne, now wrapped around you like a warm blanket

-he'll softly murmur in your ear phrases like ; "i'm right here, mon amour", "everything will be okay", "i'll stay here for as long as you like mon cheri. i'm not going anywhere."

-when the two of you can't be alone, he'll always have a reassuring hand on you, whether his hand is on your thigh with his thumb rubbing slow circles into your skin or placed on your back. or when he's trying to be more subtle he'll hold pinky's with you.... he'll always find some way to touch you, its nice to have a physical reminder that he's right there and not going anywhere

-when you don't really want to talk, he'll softly hum... the same way he does when he's concentrated on the meal he's preparing, or when he's just content and happy.... a song only the two of you know, since you're the only one ever close enough to him to hear it

-this man gives literally the best advice.. however, he only does so when you explicitly ask for it. his advice and perspective is really pragmatic and understanding, he always considers every possible point of view and takes lots of time to consider your dilemma before he offers an opinion

-if you're sick, injured, or on your period; he's catering to your every need. comfort foods and cravings are made without you even mentioning them (he totally tracks your whole cycle to stay ahead of the game, even if your irregular he somehow always knows) cuddles are frequent and necessary, he's on top of meds always giving them to you at the same time, making sure you take them, even when you say you don't need them or want them, his soft gentle voice is oozing with affection as the words "you'll feel better if you take them, mon amour". you're never alone, ever. when he can't be in your room or in bed with you, he'll carry you to the kitchen, make you wrap your legs around his waist and put arms around his neck, and he'll hold you while he cooks, taking extra care to make sure he's not bumping you against the counters. sanji's 100% an acts of service type man, so he'll do anything and everything, and no amount of protesting will change that.

when he needs comforting:

-he finds a great deal of comfort in cuddling, just the physical closeness of you; your warmth, your soft perfume, everything about you really eases his mind. sanji prefers cuddling while facing each other, he'll bury his face in the crook of your neck with your hand gently tangled into his soft blonde locks. his hair is his ultimate reminder of safety and comfort, so with your fingers softly playing and intertwined in it, he can breathe a bit easier.

-my baby absolutely melts with words of affirmation, this man thrives off of praise, so when he's feeling down gentle reminders of everything you love about him, how much you love him, how amazing he is, helps him remember exactly how lucky he is to have you

-quality time is an absolute must. the last thing sanji wants when he's upset is to be alone, so even if he doesn't really want to talk, just having you by his side is more than enough. the absolute farthest you could be away from him is 10 feet, anything more than that, and he'll just come and get you, wrapping his arms around one of yours and gently cling to you

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a/n: god, i love sanji more than life itself 😭😭😭

a/n: enjoyed this fic? here's my masterlist!!

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

Semi-Final Two

Propaganda...

Mr Knightley (2009):

Johnny Lee Miller as Knightley is JUST SO. I mean the way he says "if I loved you less I might be able to talk about it more" IS JUUUST. The dance scene. The tentative shy smiles. The fact you can see in his eyes the entire time " I am completely in love with this woman. She'll never love me back BUT I DO NOT CARE I'LL LOVE HER FROM A DISTANCE ANYWAY" IS JUUUUUUST

We need to appreciate Mr Knightley more for both his snark and for those soft eyes just so full of love for Emma

GIF by dearemma

I was just going to send in the actual dance but the little panic he has when Emma says she knows his secret is just soo charming. There was some thread on twitter a few years ago about how a romcom man's most important quality is knowing how to look at a woman and JLM is just the master of it in this Emma

I really feel like the pictures say it all. He stands there, head tilted to one side. He is listening to you. His posture is relaxed. His gaze open, frank, candid. He's not trying at all. He just is.And that's why he is Knightley.

GIF by night-unfurls-its-splendour

Some propaganda, not just for Jonny Lee Miller, but the general interpretation of 09 Knightley. I have some excerpts here from my review of the 09 adaptation:

What I really think is great about the 2009 interpretation of Mr. Knightley is what an easy and comforting presence he is, without being apologetic when he scolds Emma. I think this is communicated especially well by how often we are actually shown Mr. Knightley taking his almost-daily walks to Hartfield, how smoothly he comes and goes, and how happy Emma is every time she sees him coming up the path (usually, just at the perfect moment when she needs something to put her back to rights.)

Here is Emma, feeling lonely after Miss Taylor's wedding. And in the background, walking up to Hartfield--there's Knightley. He's always been there for her, and he always will be.

And also this Mr. Knightley is as understated as ever, but I wanna highlight this outfit and why I love it: This is Knightley’s first appearance in the series and it’s the perfect establishing shot that shows the viewer everything they need to know about Emma and Knightley’s relationship and how it has always been. He sort of materializes, out of focus in the background, but Emma immediately knows he’s there. And to accentuate how much Knightley is part of her home and scenery, his clothes (similar shades of pale tan, white and minty green to the wall behind him) almost camouflage him and make him seem at one with the moulding of her home.

Additionally, Jonny Lee Miller captures Knightley’s playful qualities, and his exasperation is so endearing

GIF by christophernolan

GIF by sashajames

GIF by christophernolan

I can’t be the only one tickled by this Knightley’s frustration with Emma! JLM FTW!

Jonny Lee Miller is mesmerizing in any role he inhabits. It’s 2009 Knightly all the way.

no but can you actually go vote for mr knightley he was FOUNDATIONAL for 16 year old me my favourite portrayal of my favourite austen man cannot fall at this hurdle!!!

He is my ultimate Austen Dream Man, I'm with him until the end. Honestly this adaptation is my very favorite of them all (P&P 1995 is a VERY close second) because it made me fall in love with Emma as a story? Honestly no other adaptation or indeed even my reading of the book made me love it quite as much. My crush on JLM goes back to 1995 and I do think he is one of the better actors of his generation - his range alone is just impeccable. The fact that he can go from Sick Boy to Mr. Knightley to Sherlock to Jordan Chase is really something. Of all the actors I know, his range is the most impressive. But i love how bright and sunny this adaptation is. The colors, it is as vibrant as Emma should be! The Kate Beckinsale Emma is dark and terrifying to me, not at all suitable an adaptation. I like the Paltrow Emma a lot, but it's got the same issue the 2005 P&P has for me -- it's just too short. This is tonally just right, and the casting is lovely, and JLM is just at his dashing best. His face is so expressive, he is so capable of communicating so much without saying a word. His open jealousy of Frank Churchill is delightful to watch. His face when Emma tells him his secret is out at the ball! JLM is maybe the most underrated actor of his generation and I LOVE that he has been multiple Austen heroes. I maintain that in a future adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, an older JLM would make an EXCELLENT Mr. Bennet. He would convey the right amount of grumpy but fond beautifully.

Look. Do people realize JLM hates wearing period clothing AND hates dancing? And yet in Emma he's sashaying around in pink jackets looking amazing and is THAT convincing? That's called BRILLIANT ACTING!!

A tiny bit of Mr Knightley 2009 propaganda but I love that they put in that bit from the book where he looks like he's going to kiss Emma's hand when he's saying goodbye but then he hesitates and doesn't and I just...it's such a tiny detail but conveys so much!

GIF by myforeverworldofmovie

It’s the only Emma adaptation that really hits the romance notes well. Knightley’s crowning moment of awesome really feels like it (when he rescues Harriet from humiliation) and his subsequent dancing with Emma does make you feel a shift in their relations. Love this adaptation. - This Knightley and Emma in particular are equals. They quarrel, not because he’s telling her off, but because they can have an argument because they know each other, trust each other and care about each others opinions, and there is never a sense of domination of one over the other. This adds so much fire to the romance, and it’s so unusual for a romance of that era (or even one written today!!). - Emma is rich, clever and beautiful and as powerful as a woman of her age and situation could be at the time and she married Knightley for no other reason but because he’s her best friend and his company for the rest of her life will enrich her. - He even leaves his house to move in with her!

Captain Wentworth (1995):

Ciaran Hinds has that perfect ruggedness yet friendliness to his face that makes him the perfect charming Wentworth. And all of the longing that he manages to convey in his eyes is so hot.

Wentworth may be angry/resentful with Anne but in general he is charming and the best friend you could ever have. Ciaran gets the pleasant parts of his character and brings them out, while keeping a guarded coolness (protective camouflage) with Anne.

GIF by molinaesque

I dunno if this counts as propaganda or not, but Ciaran Hinds has a face that looks like it was jackhammered out of a shale cliff.

If a line like 'I am half agony...half hope' comes out of a face like that you know that man has a soul for poetry.

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in

F. W.

I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.  

This is propaganda for the next round because I need my boy to be a finalist! But this letter is all the persuasion I need to know that he is a winner

Ciarán Hinds in this is a whole other level of "a good man" He makes Anne's decision at the end so much more perfect.

[stitchposts]

OK, so while I sew a lot, I've always thought of embroidery as something I Just Can't Do Properly, because I was bad at it when I tried to learn it, while other crafts I've picked up easily.

And then I realised what had happened.

Mother often offloaded me on her three great aunts when I was a kid and they had the tools, knowledge and supplies for knitting and dressmaking, and soon figured out that teaching me to Make Things was a great way of keeping me quiet.

And they'd all done a lot of embroidery when they were young, beautiful tablecloths and things, BUT they'd stuck to more practical things as soon as they were out of what passed for school then, so they didn't have the stuff for doing embroidery, so when they tried to teach me it was with a crappy kids' kit with a plastic hoop that couldn't hold its own shape never mind the fabric and a blunt needle, so no wonder I sucked at it.

What would be your recommendation for someone getting started?

Hey there! Damn, that's pretty insightful for you to realize and it makes a lot of sense. I'm happy to help you get started!

My usual recommendation from absolute zero is to just buy a kit with everything you need from a reputable vendor. Since you have a crafting history I think you're good to not be overwhelmed by the stuff you need to buy. You'll need:

a pattern

a hoop (plastic are totally fine, just not the kids ones you used)

non stretchy fabric (I like kona quilting cotton for beginners, it's a name they can search for easier, is widely available, and good quality without being expensive)

embroidery floss (dmc, anchor, or cosmo are available worldwide depending on where you are and are high quality)

embroidery needles (larger eyes, sharp tip)

scissors

way to transfer your pattern to your fabric

Transferring a pattern is as simple as using a window as a tracing pad and copying the pattern from the paper printout to your fabric using a washaway or heat erase pen. You can also use chalk. There are fancier ways to transfer, let's keep it simple for now though.

I like patterns that casually integrate a large amount of stitches into a design. The ones that are like, carefully laid out sections of DO A BACKSTITCH 5 TIMES. DO A CHAINSTITCH 5 TIMES. DO 3 FRENCH KNOTS - those don't teach you anything in a way that matters. it's not enough repetition to make the stitches stick in your mind nor is it integrated learning to see how stitches look in situ in order to get a grasp of how to use them for your own art.

To learn to do stitches, I like the Royal School of Needlework stitch bank. Other stitch banks online don't give the historical citations for their stitches and often make shit up just to look more impressive or have options not on any other site. Yeah, of course other sites wouldn't have your made up stitch name.

DMC's free patterns are high quality, tell you what threads to buy, and are aimed at all skill levels. I'm linking the list of the ones I personally think are good for beginners to learn on under a cut here because this is getting long!

Blue Hill - wreath with blue flowers

Etoile Constellation - celestial star/moon/sun tableau. Ignore the call for etoile threads tbh and just use the number codes for the plain colors

Etoile Magic Star - tri-toned shooting star. Ignore the call for etoile threads tbh and just use the number codes for the plain colors

Strawberries - a scattered ditzy design with strawberries, leaves, and flowers

Lemons - a scattered ditzy design with lemons and sprigs of flowers and leaves

Oranges - a scattered ditzy design with whole oranges, orange slices, and sprigs of leaves

Raspberries and Roses - a scattered ditzy design with raspberries, roses, leaves, and flower bits

Toadstool - an amanita mushroom scene. This one's really fucking popular online, you see it a lot.

Jellyfish - uses a variety of stitches to give texture to the titular sealife

Octopus - uses a variety of stitches to give texture to the titular sealife

Seahorse - uses a variety of stitches to give texture to the titular sealife

Shrimp - uses a variety of stitches to give texture to the titular sealife

An Hee Jin, Toucan - cute lil toucan on a branch with leaves and flowers

Flying Snakes - snakes but theyre circus performers. lean into the whimsy. life is short.

Woodland Bear - forest scene with a bear. Lots of french knots for the trees, still a beginner pattern. Get that practice in.

[sc4llywag]

Since I got Tumblr and have free range to rant however I want, its time for the Assassin's Creed main characters and how they walk post!!!

With each of the games, they change the main characters walking animation to fit their vibe and I need to be able to study them beheehe

Desmond

I don't have too much to say about Desmond's other than his is simple and similar to Ezio's and Altaïr's and I like to think that this is due to the bleeding effect(it happened to me too I walk like the assassin's all the time) his is a little more confined and he keeps his arms closer to himself so he's very typical in the way he walks

Altaïr

In his walk he has a sway to his hips and steady hands(probably to keep himself ready for any assassination), but goddamn the SWAY I never noticed it.

His shoulders also sway with his walk and I love how fluid he is in general, this ties back to his robes for me and how flowy they are to show the grace of an assassin in high profile but when low profile they stay to his sides and he's all in the shadows and I REALLY love that about him.

Ezio

This gif is all I could find so i can't really remember if Ezio's walk is different in Ac2 from Altaïr's because ubisoft is the king of recycling things but whatever. He still has the outward stance but I do notice his head is pointed low to try and keep himself hidden(shadows shit be like) but ofc hes holding the apple here so it's hard to tell if he's trying to swing his arm a lot lol, anyway body language is important to Ezio so hes very good at looking broody as well as fluid in his movements

Connor

(Walk Cycle Research | PKlover4078)

My man my man my man my man😍‼️‼️

The way Connor walks with his hands stretched out and then clenching his fists every moment because he's always ready for a fight goddamn this MF could take me in an alleyway and I'd be happy. I'd like to note with this gif, it doesn't show his slow slow walk and I remember it pretty well, he has a slight cautious aura in his walk, he's really careful in his foot placement(I think) and he's super awesome and I love him a lot. Since we have him running I'd like to talk about that too. He has such an efficient sprint it's so mesmerizing, he keeps his head low and just fuckin vrooms across the colonies<3

Aveline

You can barely see her here bc the damn community doesn't care for Aveline much but I like her even tho I haven't played Liberation, I enjoy the way she walks in a proper manner and she's got that strut the runway strut is everything. I also like how she has a wider swing in her arms, more carefree and comfortable.

Edward

This is such a great quality gif thanks so much Ac fandom!!

Anyway, I really love the difference in Edwards walk compared to the rest of the assassins because he's a pirate, he hasn't had the teaching of grace and secrecy. Therefore his walk is staggering in his footwork but still proper bc he's a sword fighter and very good at it. In a longer gif you'd be able to tell but his footing is a little messy, showing that drunken sailor pirate personality shows in his walk. He has a close arm swing due to him always needing to be close to his weapons, ready for a fight(like his grandson<3)

Haytham

I can barely see how he's walking but I'm pretty sure he had his hand on his sword hilt which says so much abt his character, again always being ready for a fight. He has a very straight posture due to his pompous nature, quick in his form to be efficient because why walk if you don't look proper and efficient?

Shay

Ok he's a Templar and so is Haytham but fuck you I love them.

His walk is so GOOD his walk has a heavy step and he's very prominent, got that straight posture again, not much to say about his arm sway other than the added shoulder sway, love that for him bc he's just so intimidating.

(For reasons I'm not doing Arno, Evie, Jacob, Kassandra, and Eivor since I haven't played their games)

Bayek

Bayek's walk is very different from every other assassin and that makes me love him so much more. He feels very carefree and relaxed but when in combat good lord does he go off!! He puts more sway in his arms than his hips and that's probably why he has a combat centered walk, like Edward.

If you've reached the end thank you for reading my rambling ass get over excited over walk cycle animations :) follow for more rambling!!

[kathaynesart]

Replica Holiday Special Winners!

Happy Holidays everyone! It's that time of year and you know what that means! Time to announce the winners for the DTIYS Replica Holiday Special Cover!

I received so many wonderful submissions. Far more than I had anticipated! They were all so unique and creative and it was an absolute joy to look at each and every one of them! I really underestimated however how difficult it would be to choose with them all being so unique from each other. In the end, I decided to gauge the top picks on how well their cover captured the "essence" of what this Special is going to be like! Without further ado, here are the winners.

HONORABLE MENTION - @matchstique

Buddy! I love this piece so dang much! It has so much character and perfectly displays the wacky hijinks we can expect as well as the huge amount of stress our poor boys are under during these trying, pregnancy times. The movement and colors work so well and make me excited for what comes next! Seldom do I see pregnant females shown as the badasses they are, but you have gone and turned Cassandra into an absolute icon with this piece! Bless you!

3RD PLACE - @thegunnsara

Sara, the shear amount of craft you put into your art is STAGGERING. Every scuff on Raph's shell and wisp of smoke screams of a quality I can only hope to attain someday. I literally want to be you when I grow up! That said, the concept of this piece is also fantastic. One of the things I'm must excited about for this Special is getting to see Raph and Casey as they were and witnessing the strong bond they share. I love them dearly and this cover captures their strength and tenacity so perfectly. Gods among men.

2ND PLACE - @cupcakeslushie

Slushie, this cover is so damn fun and dynamic that I can't stop looking at it! Your attention to detail and composition are masterful and the fact that you could fit such a bombastic battle into such a limited space speaks to how crazy talented you are! You also do a wonderful job of retaining both the intensity of the apocalypse but also that playful edge that Rise always manages to retain! It's definitely the cover that would catch my eye on a shelf and make me want to turn the page to see what happens next!

1ST PLACE - @abbeyofcyn

Cyn, the moment I saw this cover, I gasped! It's funny because this is both a piece I could have totally seen myself doing had I done the cover, yet crafted in a unique way I could have never come up with on my own! On top of that, this slick composition scratches my little designer brain juuust right. The use of the hands motif is such a great element because to me, it encapsulates the conflicting themes of family/parenthood with the drama of what it means to be human. On top of that, having each character as one of the digits both connected to and encircling Casey is such a wonderful touch that really drives the symbolism home. Somehow, you managed to peer into the future and perfectly capture how the finale of this special is going to feel. Thank you so much Cyn for such a wonderful piece!

~~~~~~~~~

Now that I think about it, looking back on these winners as a set, all four them actually do an amazing job as individual covers for each of the four "acts" that will make up this special. That was not at all my intention, but it kind of worked out perfectly for that. Gets me all emotional!

I also definitely want to put a spotlight on the other amazing submissions, many of which made it SO close to the top slots! I was going to post these pieces individually but I was worried people wouldn't then go to their blogs to view the covers, so instead have a compilation and links to the full versions! Please check out everyones amazing covers and give them some love. They all worked really hard and it means so much to me. Thank you everyone!

@dreamundraws - LINK @honeylief - LINK @gemini-forest - LINK @memorydarkness - LINK @skullythefriendlyskullface - LINK @v-albion - LINK @its-wabby-stuff - LINK @yris-latteyi - LINK @reagi-df - LINK @chaoscontrol50 - LINK / LINK @murasakibonnet - LINK @hitwiththetmnt - LINK @xandriagreat - LINK @karonkar - LINK @sunydays - LINK (sorry my dear, yours did not appear on my hashtag reference at first! D: But still love it!) @quailaz - LINK @delicatechildwitch - LINK

Thank you again all of you! You all did such an amazing job!

[midnightmah07]

Happy birthday to my oc: Perse Achillea!!

"As a lover of art myself I am very much looking forward to this museum's centenary... Come. I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff to see."

"It's foolish to try and open yourself to someone like that, poor girl's gonna get her heart broken... Not that I care. It's her fault anyway."

Happy birthday to my baby, Perse<33 I didn't write any vignettes because I didn't feel like writing BUT I made voice lines and a duo magic dialogue between her and Cater<33

Voice lines:

🪻: I wasn't prepared for just how absolutely grand and majestic this place is... Wow.

🪻: wha- hey, stop tugging on my sleeve, I don't want you getting my jacket all wrinkled, 'kay?

🪻: goodness me... Wait here, I think Mimosa (Cater -> mimosa is a type of flower that means "I hide my feelings") forgot his phone's flash on.

🪻: the King of The Underworld is so similar yet so different from Idia... Heh. I assume he was probably way more pleasurable to be around though (laughs).

🪻: imagine falling for a 'hero' whose only quality was his strength, talk about poor taste in men... The King of the Underworld's assistant should've been ashamed. But then again, I don't think I have the right to talk.

🪻: is that...? (Sighs) please don't tell me Aster (Kalim -> aster is a flower, its white version means "I love you more than you love me!") is trying to convince Ortho to drag us to another party after this... I cannot eat nearly anything because I'm vegan...

🪻: have you seen Dahlia (Vil -> dahlias are a type of flower that symbolize perseverance and determination) around? I want to take a picture of him and the Fairest Queen's portrait. It'll be my most prized possession.

🪻: this outfit is so absolutely stunning! I really do hope they let us keep it, I would love to wear it once again.

🪻: hm? You saw a painting of hyenas overpowering The King of Beasts...? (Smirks) oh, please do show, I would just love to share such image with Calendula (Leona -> calendulas are a type of flower that symbolizes insecurity, jealousy and anxiety).

🪻: Mimosa got me these really cute stickers of The Great Seven. I wonder where I should put them...

🪻: oops, sorry 'bout that. Weak ankles and stuff.

🪻: all these paintings are so detailed... What? You're curious about my art abilities? Nah, most I can do is a stick figure, my strength is in acting.

DUO:

Perse: let's go, Mimosa!

Cater: at your service, Persie!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hey headmage, remember the Tsums that came to school...twice? Well...look at this

*shows Crowley Tsum in hands*

What should we do?

Enter; An Unkindness of Ravens.

“Oh my, if it isn’t a mini-me!!” Crowley exclaimed. He excitedly scooped up his Tsum self from you, marveling at the strange creature. "Salutations, mini-me!"

The bean-shaped being perfectly fit in the palm of his hand. It matched his dress in every way, from the mask to the feathered cape and crisp suit and tie, all crowned off by a top hat on a mop of dark, loose waves. Bright yellow eyes blinked up at the new onlooker.

"Fufu, look at how handsome it is!" Crowley gushed, scratching the Tsum behind a tiny pointed ear. The Tsum shook with happiness and leaned into his finger. "But of course, anything made in my likeness is sure to be brimming with the same charm as I!"

“It fell from the sky and bonked me on the head while I was walking up the path to Ramshackle,” you explained. “It was right after got back from grocery shopping at Mister S's Mystery Shop and the Tsum started to go through my..."

"Aren't you an adorable thing! Yes you are!" Crowley's voice had taken on a high pitch--the sound of a doting parent to an infant or a beloved pet. "I'll bet you're as gracious as you are cute! Cootchie cootchie coo!"

"Um, headmaster? Headmaster? Hello-oooo, are you paying attention to anything I'm saying?"

"Hmm, what?" Crowley startled, registering you for the first time since entering his office. His tone, suddenly dismissive. "Yes, yes, I am listening and taking your report very seriously, Prefect!"

"Great, so you'll take it off my hands for me. it's been a real troublemaker, and I don't know if I can deal with and everything else on my plate."

"A troublemaker? This little fellow? Preposterous! Why, he wouldn't cause trouble for anyone." Crowley patted the Tsum on its head (which blended with its rounded body). It seemed to smile at him, bouncing in place. "Perhaps you might be able to assist me with my oh-so important administrative work? There are some documents that need to be reviewed and signed."

He lowered the Tsum, allowing it to hop onto his desk, where a few papers laid. You watched in silence as the Tsum explored its new surroundings. Poking, bouncing, prodding. His inkwell, the quill.

Anything but the documents—which went completely ignored.

The Tsum turned away, disinterested. It preoccupied itself with taking in the shininess of a nearby candelabra.

You raised an eyebrow at Crowley. It really is exactly like him.

"I-I'm sure he's taking his time! What matters is the quality of work produced, not the quantity nor how quickly is it completed!"

As he protested, the Tsum padded to the edge of the desk and stared over its edge. Then it tipped over, diving into an open desk drawer. The Tsum's rump stuck up in the air, happily wiggling as it swam in a sea of wrapped cookies and candies.

The headmaster let out a distressed squawk. "W-Wait, don't go in there! That's my top-secret snack stash...!!"

He yanked the Tsum out by a stubby foot, dangling it like a ragdoll. A macaron was in the Tsum's grasp, rapidly vanishing into its nonexistent mouth as if being sucked in by a vacuum. Crowley's eyes bulged.

"I tried to warn you," you shrugged. "It finished a whole loaf of bread from my groceries before I fished it out. Speaking off..." You extended a hand, palm up. "I'll need more monthly allowance to replace that bread."

His jaw dropped. Not at your misfortune, you suspected, but at the idea of having to shell out more money.

"Wh-What! Why must I be responsible for such a thing when I'm not responsible for the damage to begin with!?"

"You called it a 'mini-me'," you pointed out, "so take some responsibility for 'yourself' and make things right."

"I-I know I may have said that on impulse, but upon closer inspection... In what way does a Tsum that acts carefree, shirks work, and stuffs his face resemble me?!"

Uh, in every way...

"In any case, I am far too busy with my duties as headmaster to put aside time to monitor this hooligan," Crowley declared. The Tsum writhed in his hold, reminding you of a pathetic worm speared on a hook. "However, it happens that I know of a proven beast tamer who is perfectly suited to keeping him in check!"

His gaze settled on you, and your stomach sank.

Crowley grinned, approaching you and placing the Tsum on your shoulder. It immediately nuzzled up to you, nestling in the crook of your neck.

"I'm counting on you, Prefect!" he chirped, giving a strong, encouraging pat on your back. "My expectations for my students are quite high, and you are certainly no exception to that rule~"

Typical kiss-ups, both the Tsum and the real Crowley.

[shslbunnylover]

★★★600 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨 (𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙩𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙮 1: 𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙭)★★★

Character: Melissa Schemmenti

Tag list: @inlovewithgreta

Trigger warnings (DL, DNI): Smut, praise, mommy kink, sexual themes

Genre: Smut

Word count: 1.7k

...

...

You groaned in frustration as you laid down on the comfy bed of the hotel you were in, your eyes pricking with tears as you looked around the room. You had gone to Boston for a conference for English teachers that were also authors in order to learn more on how to explain the process of writing to our students, and you desperately missed your girlfriend.

It has only been 4 days, but you and Melissa hadn't had intimate time or even just quality time with just the two of you for weeks thanks to each of your own busy schedules, and you hadn't even masterbated for that time period.

'...I know she said not to touch myself while I was gone but...I don't know if I can handle his anymore...!' You thought, sliding your hand down into panties and beginning to tease your folds with two of your fingers.

But before you could even start to get off to the thought of your girlfriend, your phone began to rang,

"Ugh...!" You groaned, grabbing your phone with your other hand and answering the call without looking at the caller ID. "What the hell do you want? I'm not interested in what you're selling and I'm a part of the church of Satan," You said with an annoyed tone,

"Wanna try that again hon?" You heard your girlfriend's voice say with an understanding chuckle, causing shiver to sent down your spine.

"Mel!" You beamed, your voice changing to a more cheerful tone as you began to toy with the spongy insides of your wet hole. "I thought you'd be busy grading now that Ashley left!"

Melissa smiled in response, undoing her beautiful red locks from her ponytail and sitting herself onto her own bed.

"I finished already, they had an assembly today so I got everything done," She replied, looking down at her milky skin that was covered by her fluffy grey robe.

"Oh that's great!" You smiled, moving your pointer finger to your clit, causing a small whimper to escape your lips.

Melissa raised an eyebrow at your whimper, but brushed it off as just a phone glitch.

"Yeah, so how's the conference going pretty girl?" The red head asked, "Did you get to present your shirt stories like they said you would?"

You gush at how much she pays attention, blushing even more at the nicknames.

"It's going good, I miss you way too much though..." You replied, sighing as you removed your hand from your soaking pussy and grabbing your vibrator that you secretly brought, hoping to get off to your girlfriend's voice.

"I miss you too hon, but just a few more days and you'll be home and it'll be a three day weekend, so we can be together then," The older woman replied, biting her lip in slight frustration as she started to hear slight buzzing.

"Yeah, I guess Janine is right this time on looking for a bright side," You chuckle, a slight moan escaping your lips as you place the toy onto the entrance of your wet hole.

Melissa smiles, somehow not getting what you're doing.

"So did you get to do that presentation?" She asked, taking off the fabric that covered her body as she began to change into some silk pajamas you got her for Christmas.

"Mhm! I was really happy with it, they said that my writings were so well composed!!" You smiled, your eyes rolling slightly back into your head as you turn your vibrator up really high.

"That's amazing Amore! I'm so proud of you, I knew your writings would impress everyone!" Melissa replied, to which you only reply with a quiet moan

Now Melissa knew was going on.

"Oh...? So you really miss me that much huh?" She smirked, slipping her pointer and middle finger into her own pussy that had become covered in its own slick from the pent up sexual frustration.

You blushed at the realization that you had been caught, and you nodded with another whimper.

"Yes Mommy, I'm sorry for interrupting you," You mewled, turning up the settings on your vibrator, only for your girlfriend to interrupt you.

Melissa doesn't mind your lewd interruption, in fact, it honestly made her even happier. "Lowest setting, now," She demands, still allowing for the kindness she always had around you to be present in her voice while still being controlling as she slid two fingers into her own wet folds.

You sighed once again in frustration and you turn down the vibrations to a painfully slow speed, causing more pleading moans to escape your lips. Your whole body being laced with goosebumps as you toss off your clothes that were only making you more frustrated.

"Words Amore, you know that if you had used them earlier that pretty and needy hole of yours could have already cummed by now," She smirks, her own moans escaping her as she speeds up the pace of her fingers.

"Mommy...P-Please let me cum, I haven't touched myself or even orgasmed in two weeks!" You plead, eyes pricking with more tears all thanks to your dominant girlfriend's teasing.

Melissa sighed, internally cotemplating whether or not to tease you,

"Sorry Y/n..." She smirked after a minute, "But your pussy is mine to control, you know this. But if you're a good girl and don't disobey mommy, I'm gonna let you cum,"

Silence is the only thing heard on your end of the line as you try to hold in your moans as to not let Melissa hear just how desperate you are for your girlfriend who wasn't even touching you.

"Words Troia," She said sternly, making your throat release more lewd noises and words that got Melissa even more turned on,

"I'm sorry Mommy, I'll use my words like a good girl," You whimpered, choking out the words as you moaned loudly.

Your hair stuck to your forehead thanks to the sweat caused by your bodies pleasure. You buried your face into your left forearm as it rested on your left knee, your right arm working with the vibrator as your right leg spread to give you more access.

The redhead's stern tone faded slightly, and she quickly felt her own pussy clenching around her fingers as she slipped yet another one of her slender digits inside of her.

"That's what I thought," She mumbled through her own groans of pleasure, "Now turn it off until I'm done,"

You whined into the phone, throwing your head back as you dropped the vibrator, turning it off as your thighs rubbed together to try and create those same vibrations.

"Okay..." You stuttered, silently praying Melissa would finish quickly,

Melissa sped up her movements and she gripped her phone tighter as she heard you speak.

"Try again Amore," She said, the stern tone coming back to her voice.

You nod in submission, eyes letting the tears of frustration run down your face.

"Yes mommy," You correct yourself, choking the words out yet again as you silently cried out of the feeling of emptiness and need that filled your body.

"Good girl~!" The red head moaned, cries of pleasure leaving her throat as she moved her thumb to her clit as to ride out her upcoming high.

"Please finish mommy, I've been patient..." You muttered, your vocal volume being too quiet to hear.

The woman on the other end's moans filled your ears, making you squirm in your bed,

"Fuck- Y/n~!! I'm gonna- Im gonna~ Fuck Y/n!!" Melissa screamed out, her body falling back onto her pillows as she slid her hand out of her pants.

"Did that feel good?" You ask, always wanting to make sure your girlfriend felt good,

"Yes baby, it did..." The green-eyed woman replied with a husky and worn-out voice, "Grab your toy and turn it up as much as you want Amore," She added.

You never moved faster, scrambling to grab your vibrator and shoving inside your tight little hole.

"Mmm...Mommy...!!" You squeaked, placing your phone on speaker and tossing it next to you as you viscously began to palm your breast.

Melissa smirked, she had you wrapped around her finger.

"Yeah baby, I'm right here, keep going, beg for release," She said a little louder in comparison to her voice before after catching her breath.

A string of profanities left your mouth mixed with petnames for your girlfriend as you whined in pleasure.

"Please mommy! I'm close! Please I can't hold it anymore!" You cried, tears streaming down your face as you heard your older girlfriend chuckling on the other end.

"C'mon baby, hold on for a few more minutes," Melissa cooed, adjusting her clothes and cuddling herself into her bed to get comfy.

"I can't~!! Please mommy! I've been so good~!!" You moaned, legs shaking violently as your love juices began to leak faster out of your pussy.

The red head smiled softly and she chuckled before speaking once again.

"Alright Amore, go ahead and cum,"

You let out a loud cry as your fluids spread all over your hand, your body sinking down into the mattress below you as you sucked all your juices off your hand.

"Thank you Mel..." You muttered out, eyes glistening with tears you weren't aware you had shed,

"No problem sweetheart, are you okay? Need water?" Your girlfriend asked, slight concern in her voice as she hears you pull the blanket over your body.

"No I'm okay," You smiled, picking the phone back up and putting it to your ear as you relax from your orgasm.

"Alright hon, you should head to bed," Melissa said softly, looking over at the clock that read 11:47pm.

"I should...but I don't want to leave you..." You muttered,

"I'll be here in the morning, alright Hon?" She reassured you, smiling softly.

"Okay Mel...see you in the morning," You replied, hanging up the phone as you two exchanged I love yous.

Maybe just calling wasn't so bad after all...

...

[luxiaosh]

" we will do our best to deliver a story every month so that users who do not participate in or cannot participate in guild PvP (player vs player) can enjoy it. after episode 7, there will be an episode with seasonal elements, followed by the Season 1 finale. the production of season 2 has also been decided. thanks to all of you. thank you very much.

we have heard requests for a loop-type story event, but with the current system, we can only produce one episode per month while maintaining this quality. we don't even have the capacity to supervise other stories. in the future, we may have more time as we accumulate know-how, but for now, we would be happy to do our best with the current policy. we apologize for our lack of ability, and we appreciate your understanding. " okay, i think this is a more accurate translation that i took from twitter.

anyway, this ad really got me. i always wondered how they would continue the game's story after the end of episode 7 and if it would be the kind of arc for each character like most otome games try to bring. but as said, tokyo debunker is still developing and until april i thought it wouldn't be as big a deal as twisted wonderland, obey me ! and even lovebrush chronicles, but man, i can say that it exceeded my expectations in terms of design, choice of voice actor's ( i can hear jade and tohma ), construction of the characters and the mc, and the manga / comic panels, which is my favorite part of the game.

and, in fact, i really believe that tdb has great possibilities for growth even with its flaws such as the use of artificial intelligence in most scenarios, but what i want to say is that yes, i am happy that there will be a continuation of a 2nd season because we know that tdb and all its elements is really great that it deserves a continuation and to give us, fans of the game and those who are part of the fandom, answers to our speculations and our favorite characters.

whatever comes, it's good to see that the industry is doing its best and i'm looking forward to pvp and more recognition being added to this game that has since held a special place for me ! ! <3

[cerenemuxse]

my 2x5 ramble because of this post

"Even though you weren't the engine on the poster, you are still really useful." - Edward didn't have to tell him this, YET HE FUCKING DID. Other engines wouldn't DARE say anything because all they think is "This'll only rub his ego," but Edward doesn't. He sees the layers of complexity that make up James and addresses it so subtly. He KNOWS that somewhere within that vain red engine, James feels guilty for what happened and he's quick to express that.

Others would brush it off or take his apology and move on, but Edward doesn't. He "gives" James a space where the latter can also be satisfied with how he was able to make up for his mistakes.

And do you know where ELSE Edward says something of this degree, of this reassurance, to James?

"All in Vain"

"You do look splendid tonight, James!" - He didn't HAVE to tell him this. No one asked him to. James didn't even prompt something to say this. No one prompted Edward to say it.

Had Edward not said something, James wouldn't be in this spot. I've talked about this before but because its so important to these two, no matter the type of relationship they have, platonic or romantic. (To me, this is very much platonic but it provides a starting point for these two.)

Both of these instances come off as "See? Everything turned out okay! You're still a really useful engine!" (JtSB) and "Oh, everything turned out okay! This is great! I'm happy for you" (AiV) respectively. The tones are different but the intentions are the same. These compliments are hidden reassurances, and James understands them. He appreciates them.

I say that the tones are different because of previous context within both episodes, coming down to how James is able to make up for his mistakes.

"James the Second Best" - James was present and the one to ask for a chance to make up for his mistake.

"All in Vain" - James was not present when Edward told the Mayor and Sir Topham Hatt about James' predicament. He doesn't know how the conversation went down. He doesn't know what exactly was said. So when Sir Topham Hatt says, "But! Edward told me all about what happened," James looks reasonable frightened. And when James leaves to go to the works? Edward just... stares at James, as if he's rethinking whether or not telling Sir Topham Hatt about James' situation was such a good idea.

(His expression is hard to tell because of the shit quality. That's just what I'm able to make out.)

English translation is in the parenthesis. It's a direct translation.

CLIP 01

JAMES: Lo siento, senor... (I'm sorry, sir...)

SIR TOPHAM HATT: Pero- Edward me dijo todo lo que paso. (But- Edward told me all about what happened.)

CLIP 02

JAMES: Si, senor. Lo siento, senor. (Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.)

And here's the kicker: They're both unaware of what they're feeling respectively. James doesn't know that Edward meant well. It FEELS out of place but when you think about how often James was in a situation where he gets in trouble because others told on him, it makes sense.

In that SAME season, the same thing happens in Pouty James, where Sir Topham Hatt finds out about James' attitude towards others BECAUSE the other engines told him.

(And what if Edward was one of those engines? A bit of a stretch considering Edward was assigned James' passenger work, but its plausible. And again, James doesn't know who exactly told on him like we do, but unlike us, he has an idea of who it was, thinking they all had the same intention: getting him in trouble and reprimanded. Keep in mind, Edward's said nothing to James when the latter returned to the sheds, absolutely pissed off, when James was being made fun of, and the following morning, so its possible that this gave him the idea that Edward could possible be the same way as the others.)

Meanwhile, Edward left in a spot where he starts to wonder if telling Sir Topham Hatt about James' situation was such a good idea. He has good intentions, but now he wonders if James knows that. Sir Topham Hatt clearly does. The other engines might or might not. But what about James? What about him? When the other engines start laughing as James leaves and knowing how James takes in that sort of reaction, the way the problem was handled was now something Edward was beginning to regret.

Edward had good intentions. He didn't mean for James to get into trouble or be laughed at. Yes, the situation was silly but to James, it meant a lot. Being given the chance to transport an important passenger has always been something James enjoys, more than most other engines.

So for it to all go down hill over a small inconvenience is heartbreaking. Even after James tries to make up for the mistake, he has to wait to see if his "make up" did something. But when he gets his answer, its too late. Could he have let his thoughts consume him during the long hours of waiting for Sir Topham Hatt's reaction to the situation?

James is a character who will do what he can to make up for his mistakes, and that's something Edward wants James to know that is valued of him. Edward knows that the best he can do is to provide a space for James to be able to do so, or in this instance, agree to help out.

Final Note: Oddly enough, most of their (on-screen) interactions are in James-centric episodes/stories.

(RWS) James and the Top Hat

(RWS + TVS) Troublesome Trucks

(RWS + TVS) Trouble in the Shed

(TVS) James Goes Too Far

(TVS) Keeping Up with James (also Edward-centric)

(TVS) James the Second Best

(TVS) James Works It Out

(TVS) Tickled Pink (implied tho. this is what made me think about their interactions in the first place)

(TVS) James in the Dark

(TVS) All in Vain

(TVS) James and the Trouble with Trees

(TVS) Pouty James

(TVS Annual: 1985 + 1994) James' Rest Cure

Stories that aren't James-centric but are Edward-centric.

(RWS + TVS) Old Iron

(RWS + TVS) Edward's Exploit

(RWS + TVS) Edward and the Cabbages

(TVS) Edward the Great

(TVS) A Shed for Edward

There's episode I haven't added since its like- 1 second of interaction or not Edward or James centric. but here's a list anyways (i also need it for reference hsagjk)

(TVS) Edward the Really Useful Engine

(TVS) The Beast of Sodor

(TVS) Hero of the Rails

(TVS) Misty Island Rescue

(TVS) Journey Beyond Sodor

Thomas Noisy Book: Edward's Fire

there's definitely more that i haven't mentioned but these were just the main ones i could find and remember

(from here on out, this is my HC so feel free to just disregard)

this snippet is more HC heavy. for context: Edward wasn't exactly the best engine at the time of James' arrival. stuff happened that led to mistrust and tension between the two until 1931, when my version of "Pouty James" takes place, where Edward starts to understand James, and vice versa. Emily's also involved but she's not important rn.

The second time James took Edward to the works was after the events of "James the Second Best," which they talk about aomething thats bothered James. "Why exactly are we friends?" and "But we're so different." are what's been bothering James since Old Iron. James: "Does it not hurt?" Edward: "…Pardon?" James: "Does it not hurt when… What I've done?" Edward: "To think about… yes…, it does. I'd ask you the same thing." James: "You haven't hurt me-" Edward: "You know well I have, dear."

just something about this episode makes me think that it got James rethinking their relationship. Like, are they really friends? Considering how James is, I think he's the type where he needs the status of a relationship to be clarified but that's just me- :p

the following is my timeline

from 1925 to 1930, it was a rocky start.

1930 had a ton of stuff going on in general but basically:

James: "you're picking favorites!" Edward, in denial and a bad mental space because the last of his baby sisters was scrapped: "No im not!" (they're talking about Thomas. Edward is picking favorites but isn't picking up on it. He is struggling. James wishes Edward would've treated and cared for him the same way he does to Thomas.)

1931 is the first piston rod breaking incident where james is present

(1931) they began to understand each other (Pouty James rewrite) but aren't necessarily friends

(1952) Old Iron is what sets off the beginning of their friendship (or at least fixing it)

Keeping Up with James follows right after.

(1953) James the Second Best

(1962) Cold Iron is when James finds out Edward lied about Glynn. Also when edward reveals some of his pre-NWR history to him and Emily.

(1963) "He Squawks!" James discovers that Edward does in fact squawk. ("Haha, seagull," James.)

Edward fell first. All in Vain 1968 but realizes in "Like Snowflakes in December"

because of my HC, these two are in a limbo of sorts from "Pouty James" to "Old Iron." "Keeping Up with James" is an example of what their dynamic was after "Old Iron"

They start getting along but they haven't exactly defined that they're friends. it's a weird spot that neither addressed but they were both aware of it. "Old Iron" was just the spark that was needed to get the ball rolling for these two. "James the Second Best" gave them the chance to address it.

that's my two cents on these two surrounding "James the Second Best," but it turned into a convo about "All in Vain." Had i not thought about this episode, I don't think I would've noticed the similarities in my first point about the hidden reassurance thing.

[reasonsforhope]

One of the things that I really appreciate about this blog is that now, every now and then, when I hear about some new awful thing in the world, it will be in the context of "and this is what people are doing to fight it". That's so much less paralyzing.

(If you have any sources to recommend for experiencing more of that, me and my mental health would be further indebted.)

Ahhh, I forgot about this message, sorry! Been a hectic couple of months.

I absolutely have more sources!

One of the biggest is the media collaboration The Solutions Journalism Network, which focuses on just that: closing the massive gap between people reporting on problems and people reporting solutions.

I have a giant bookmark list of sources for this blog, for good news stories and hope, so here's a bunch of links! Roughly in order of how good I think they are (in terms of size of stories, previously uncovered stories, good editorial standards, accuracy, detail, number of stories, etc. etc.)

We're gonna start with the ones that do good news ONLY, because sometimes you fucking need that, and then below I'll link some excellent sources that have a higher than average number of quality pieces on good news, even though they also publish other stuff too.

Good and hopeful news sources:

Future Crunch - If you only read one of these sites, read this one!!! It's a MASSIVE biweekly roundup of international good news stories with really high quality reporting--a lot of UN and WHO and major NGO reports as their sources. I cry from hope at LEAST 30% of the times I read this, and tbh it used to be like 100%, about a year ago when I started realizing that hope for the planet and for humanity was something that was REASONABLE TO HAVE.

Reasons to Be Cheerful - Fewer stories, but FANTASTIC quality of reporting, especially on fantastic local stories, many of them in international communities, that you've definitely never heard of before

Positive.News - Good coverage and especially roundups, mostly Europe-focused.

Good News Network - This one is awesome for the high number and approachability of its stories, but unfortunately also includes more "That's not news that's just a heartwarming anecdote" and "That's not good news it's actually dystopian" pieces than I'd like.

Jane Goodall's Good For All News - Really awesome focus on international issues, a lot of news from Africa, a lot of news about youth organizers and youth-led projects, and a lot of focus on how helping the environment and helping communities are inextricably connected. Yall Jane Goodall is doing SO MUCH amazing work out there even at her age, and most people also have no idea.

Good Black News - Mostly posts on music and entertainment, and doesn't post all that often, but they're great.

Good Good Good

The Good News Hub

Only Good News Daily

( ) for Tomorrow - Directory of grassroots solutions to all types of issues and "proof that no solution is too small to have an impact"

A Plus - Dedicated to uplifting stories in video form. I'm sure they're awesome, I just don't rly use them bc videos can set off my sensory issues

The Happy Broadcast - Illustrated good news tidbits! I haven't been using them much but it looks like they've (recently?) added more text and sources to each image, so I might change that. Illustrations are pretty cute tbh

Sources that publish a lot of good news, but also other not good stuff:

Euronews.Green - Environmental section of European news org

Yes! Magazine - Excellent solutions-focused journalism, excellent focus on BIPOC content and underrepresented communities

TheMayor.EU - EU-focused, discusses a lot of good projects and cool local developments/programs

Grist - Solutions journalism, fantastic corage especially on environmental issues

Mongabay - Billed as "News & Inspiration from Nature's Frontline," they are amazing and have some of the best goddamn reporting I've ever seen. They mean "frontline" very literally: there's a TON of pieces about and by and interviewing communities on the front lines of environmental conflict, especially developing nations and Indigenous communities world wide. That said there's also a lot of bad news on nature's frontline still, while they report a lot of amazing and powerful good news, make sure you're in a resilient mood when you visit this site, because some of the stories are also pretty upsetting.

Indian Country Today and Native News Online - two of the leading news orgs for Indigenous communities in the United States. Kind of like Mongabay in that they have a lot of good news stories from Indigenous communities that often no one else is reporting on, but also plenty of coverage of things that are definitely not good, so better to read when you're in a resilient mood.

If you have any good news sites/sources you'd like to add, please drop them in the replies or comments! I'm always looking for new good news sources (though I def don't always have time to use all of them, rip!). Plus, let's support these sites by giving them some traffic!

We could all use more ways to get some more good news.

[grissomesque]

i saw your tags on a post about questions to ask as a job applicant and you said only 3 job applicants reached out to you directly and that it really helped them. i was wondering how an applicant should reach out? i never really know what to say

Hi Anon! I love this question, because good hiring practices and quality of work-life are things I'm pretty passionate about. To give a little extra context for whether I know what I'm talking about, in addition to being a hiring manager I am also c-level at a mid-sized production company, where I hire for everything from entry-level contract jobs to specialized creative positions.

We post our job ads on Indeed, and we are able, through their system, to toggle on/off direct messaging and/or phone calls. We keep the phone calls off because we're inundated as it is, and really need to redirect those inquiries to whoever is on point for this hire, usually the department head. That leaves applicants with the option to send our Indeed account a direct message, which reroutes to my email inbox.

Rarely, some highly motivated applicants will go to our website, find our main email address, and send a message that way. I actually prefer the first option because then I don't have to get my admin staff to forward me the emails, but I operate on the assumption that not everyone knows Indeed as well as I do, may not know that direct messages are being closely monitored, and so I appreciate the effort even so.

What kind of things do I love to hear? NOT that you've wanted to work in my entry level position since you were a kid. I do not want my ass kissed. That's a waste of everybody's time. Work is work, and we all get that here. So the best introductory message is short and sweet and no-bullshit, and its primary function is just to get your name top of mind when I'm looking at a pile of thousands of probably-mostly-qualified* applicants:

Hi, my name is [X], I've just applied for [position], and I wanted to take a minute to reach out to you directly and introduce myself. I think I'd be a great fit for this position and would love to talk more about my experience with [x]**. My availability for [time period given in ad] is [x, y, z]. Thank you [or your preferred sign off here]!

When I get a message like that, I stop sifting through the pile and go look at their application right away. Because it tells me several things:

1) They're paying attention to the jobs they're applying to, and their requirements - many people are casting a wide net, whether or not they're truly qualified, and expecting hiring managers (or AI, which we do not use, ever) to weed them out.

2) They're interested enough in the job to take a few extra minutes to get my attention. I'm less likely to be wasting my time offering an interview to someone who's going to ghost me later. If I'm hiring, it's because I'm very, very, very busy and need someone ASAP.

3) **Just a couple of keywords or phrases here. Whatever the job is, vs whatever your transferable experience is. Leadership, creative skill set, efficiency and organization, whatever. This demonstrates attention to detail, an understanding of the job on at least a surface level, and that you actually read the job description (yes: people don't read it).

4) Offering availability in advance helps so, so much with scheduling interviews, but also tells me, again, that this is a motivated applicant.

*Always, always, always submit everything you've been asked to submit. The first thing I do is filter out any missing fields. That's usually the cover letter. A full half to 2/3rds of applicants drop off immediately when I filter out missing cover letters. I know that's unpopular. I have reasons for wanting a cover letter, on which I'd be happy to expand, but I won't here since this is already so very long.

Bonus round: It's important to me that I hire someone who wants to be here. I don't mean you want to be at work all day more than you want to do something else. I would rather be writing outside on my deck. I mean you need a job, because we all need a job, and I don't want to hire someone who is going to hate this job. That's bad for everyone - you most of all! That's more likely to come up during the interview than here, but still worth keeping in mind.

I hope this helps! Good luck out there!

[aclowntiny]

Hiiii!!! First I wanna say how much I really like your work! Also, I stumbled upon our Seventeen and Enhypen as Hogwarts students, but saw you didn’t have it for Stray Kids 😭 I know they’ve mentioned in 2019 what house they think they are, but you seem to have a much better understanding of the houses and I’m very curious to see what you would think their houses would be.

I was wondering if I could request a similar sort of headcannon for them 🥹 Thank you!

Heck yeah! Can't believe I didn't do this sooner tbh but I love this so here we are 😌 I agree, not necessarily that I'm the best at the job, lol, but that people just go for very generic ideas of the houses (Gryffindor is cool, Slytherin is evil, Hufflepuff is nice/silly, Ravenclaw is smart) rather than the true reflection of where they'd be hehe! Like Ravenclaw is actually also known for being artistic and eccentric, Slytherin for strong determination, Hufflepuff for acceptance and breaking tradition, Gryffindor for being the other self-sacrificing house. So sometimes people just say "I'm a Gryffindor because I'm a good guy!!!" anyway rant over here's the actual content we want🤣

🏰 Stray Kids as Hogwarts Students🔮

Bang Chan

☆ Some kids got sorted instantly, but with one Christopher Bang the Hat took longer. Muttered to itself a lot as it waffled between his qualities, dubbing him hardworking and courageous and ambitious and loving. He couldn't help but flush under the hat's words, almost not hearing when its voice finally bellowed "Gryffindor!”

☆ Being Pure-Blood was only ever a phrase on a family tree for Chris. Who one’s ancestors were, what they looked like, or how much money they had said nothing for their value- only their choices and character did that.

☆ It’s only a formal class for one year, but he adores Flying. The feeling of freedom and getting to have some time outside is heaven for him. Defense Against the Dark Arts is another favorite for the similar reason of being able to get active and challenge himself, even literally facing his fears.

☆ Astronomy is very cool to him, but he finds having to fill in the same charts week after week a bit repetitive and not the best use of his time, frankly.

☆ Gryffindor’s Quidditch captain! He plays Keeper, working with great patience and synergy with the rest of the team to keep the goals clear.

☆ Blessed is the only word Chris can think of when he realizes how many happy memories he can pull from- not everyone can say that. As the word comes to mind, his wand lights up, producing a shining silver wolf standing majestically, protectively, before him.

Lee Know

☆ "You're an interesting one," came the Hat's comment upon touching Minho's head, "you've certainly got your priorities...whatever those are. A unique mind for sure. Better be Ravenclaw!" Some of Minho's friends had teased him as a Slytherin, so he was a bit surprised. Not that he would let his house define him entirely.

☆ He hates the reputation and unnecessary pressure that comes with being a Pure-Blood. It’s stupid and not worth debating in Minho’s mind. The only benefit is just the resources and opportunities he might get, and it’s tempting to turn those down on principle. Money and status don’t matter to him at all and there’s a part of him that wants to ‘sully the bloodline’ just for the hell of it! Luckily his parents don’t care either.

☆ Potions whiz. One of the few who actually get it and enjoy the calm, precise art and its beautiful results and wants to go N.E.W.T. with it. He’s also great at Care of Magical Creatures, naturally focused on the well-being of animals and other living things over his own excitement or whims.

☆ Having a fear of heights, Flying is not it for him. No thanks. He passes, but barely, and in his mind it’s not a skill he plans to use.

☆ Naturally, Minho opts out of Quidditch signups, but instead joins the Gobstones club because he thinks spraying the losers with stone juice is funny. Also gets invited to the Slug Club for his Potions skills and influence.

☆ No one is surprised when Minho closes his eyes, focuses, and boom! Produces a little glowing cat bursting from his wand with a few swipes of its paw to groom its nonexistent striped fur.

Changbin

☆ "Quite a softie underneath it all, eh?" Beneath the weight of the tattered Hat, Changbin strikes a bit of a pose. "Got a lot of ambition, but you've also got a lot of...that. Hmmm..." The Hat muses for a few more moments. "At the end of the day, this one’s a Slytherin!” Pride flows through Changbin’s veins- he doesn’t care for the reputation of producing dark wizards, the potential snobbery. All he cares about is showing his ambition to be the best if he puts his mind to it.

☆ He’s a Half-Blood, but both of his parents are wizards so his familiarity is much more with the Wizarding World. He wants to understand Muggles better to connect with them, too, as well as Muggleborns.

☆ Taking Muggle Studies helps with this and learning about another culture is quite fascinating to him- technology especially is amazing, like that’s what people do instead of magic? Wires of captured lightning? Sounds pretty magical to Changbin. He gets into tinkering with technology because of this. Another class he enjoys is Defense Against the Dark Arts. Changbin loves feeling ready to protect himself and others, so that’s the class he spends the most time practicing and taking notes in. He always thinks of his friends and his sister as he does so.

☆ History of Magic is boring, though, Changbin wants to cast some spells! At the end of the day, where certain spells come from don’t matter to him as long as he can use them. However, the idea of showing up in a ‘great wizards’ history highlight one day is appealing to him…

☆ His strength comes in handy serving as one of Slytherin’s two Beaters. The other teams are lowkey afraid of the Bludgers Changbin sends their way because they know how hard he hits!

☆ Bets are flying on what his Patronus animal would be, a pig or a rabbit. Pig is the most popular choice, mostly in jest, but shushing them all Changbin focuses all the great joy he’s expressing…and out leaps a rabbit! Not just any rabbit, though, but the massive, fluffy form of a Flemish giant rabbit that has everyone laughing and Changbin grinning, reaching out to it.

Hyunjin

☆ Nearly the second the Sorting Hat rests atop his head, it's shouting 'Ravenclaw!' Hyunjin himself can't be surprised, really, not when he's heard talk of the great artists in that house. In fact, pride glows in his chest as he joins his table that the Hat could see that in him.

☆ The Hwangs are an old wizarding family. Hyunjin has a lot of opportunities because of this, but fights against the idea that he could be any better than anyone else because of a name. Rather, he is often seen lifting up Muggleborn classmates and highlighting struggled of other magical people.

☆ Ancient Runes comes naturally to Hyunjin, something about his eye for detail, symbols, and decoding. Language is an area of interest for him so that class is like a beautiful puzzle. Astronomy grants Hyunjin so much art inspiration as well as time to relax and appreciate the gifts of nature and their inherent magic.

☆ There's no one class he hates, but like a lot of students Hyunjin has a harder time focusing on all the information getting dumped on him in History of Magic.

☆ Hyunjin’s extracurriculars include the Muggle Art club where he hones his painting skills and the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, where he plays as the team’s Seeker.

☆ Expectations fly as everyone wonders what the next Hwang’s Patronus will be. Will he get a stag, the majestic animal associated with famous wizards? An eagle, symbolizing his house? Not at all, in fact what Hyunjin summons is a beautiful, delicate silver dove that lights upon his shoulder.

Han

☆ “Don’t be so shy, kid, you’ve got heart.” “Really? Thanks bro.” “Yes, that’s what I’m talking about,” the Hat chuckles, “this one’s a Hufflepuff!” Jisung’s eyes go wide. He wasn’t expecting to get Hufflepuff, but if the hat says so, well, who is he to fight it? It’s nice getting the kindest house, too- maybe he’ll make a lot of friends.

☆ As a Half-Blood, the heavy weight of prejudice never really fell on Jisung. Half-Bloods tended to fall between the cracks as having already been sullied, just middle ground. As he witnesses bullying more and more, though, his passion grows to somehow help others and remind people that nobody can help who their ancestors married.

☆ Charms are quick, snappy, spur-of-the-moment but effective in a pinch, and Jisung likes that. It's fun and he can cast charms as quickly as he cracks a joke or comeback! Ancient Runes brings him a lot of inspiration from history and other languages that he loves to bring to his songwriting.

☆ Flying, thank goodness, isn't enforced every year! It scares him, frankly, and he'd much rather stay on the ground where he belongs.

☆ Because flying isn’t his favorite, no way in hell is he doing it with giant leather and metal things trying to smash him. Nope. However he’ll happily watch and commentate, hence him taking the mic and giving very entertaining descriptions of everything that happens. He’s also in the Frog Choir, always trying to get them to perform one of his compositions.

☆ Jokes around that he’s going to get a massive Patronus animal like a bear or a lion, but once he sees the embodiment of his joy skipping from his wand as a little quokka, he can’t even be embarrassed, just smile!

Felix

☆ "Well, you're just a delight, aren't you?" Felix couldn't tell if the Hat was being sarcastic, but still he chose to respond in kind. "I try!" At that, the Sorting Hat chuckled. "Yes, this one's a Hufflepuff for sure!" His sister had told him as much, but Felix couldn't complain- he liked the idea of being a Hufflepuff!

☆ Felix is a Muggleborn, so he takes in every step of starting school with wonder…though it is a bit overwhelming feeling like everyone’s speaking another language sometimes. But then again, magic candy! Brewing potions!

☆ Absolute wonder at Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Felix is so gentle and good with every living thing, they practically request he be the one to handle them and that makes his heart burst with joy and honor! He also loves Potions, thinking the idea is so classic and cool, plus despite what most students say it’s kind of relaxing to him.

☆ Transfiguration dropped lower on his list when they started using living subjects. Sure, the idea that anyone and anything can grow and change and exist in many forms is really inspiring, but those poor mice and birds!

☆ Slug Club inductee part two! Even though he’s a Muggleborn with no direct influence, Felix is such a good student and avid potioneer that he’s a shoo-in. He also plays Quidditch as Hufflepuff’s Seeker.

☆ Felix isn’t sure what animal he’ll get, but he certainly isn’t expecting multiple! The entire class is shocked when a whole brood of chicks tumbles forth from his wand, eliciting shock and charmed coos alike.

Seungmin

☆ "This one's a bit of a surprise now," the Hat commented upon being set atop Seungmin's head. Seungmin couldn't help wondering what that meant and if it was bad, how to prove the Hat wrong. "No, lad, all you just did was prove my point. Looks can be deceiving, after all. Slytherin!" He wasn't sure what he expected, but that might not have been it. Sort of made sense, though- he could have fun with that!

☆ He can’t help wondering if the Hat chose as it did because he’s a Pure-Blood, taking Salazar’s old favors into account. Then again, he did just throw a cheating Gryffindor under the bus in class…

☆ Thinking logically is no trouble for Seungmin, so Arithmancy isn’t a bad choice for him. Connecting relationships between numbers and their power just makes sense to him- eight is his lucky number, after all. He also frequents the Potions dungeon, but that’s mostly just to brew the photo solution that grants his personal art projects motion!

☆ Defense Against the Dark Arts is a fun and active class, but it's boisterous and people take the duels too far sometimes.

☆ Frankly, he didn’t have time to join the Quidditch team due to his other extracurriculars, being an avid Frog Choir singer and the Hogwarts paper’s photographer.

☆ Everyone is sure the student everyone sees as a puppy will get a dog for his Patronus. Imagine their surprise when he casts a tanuki! Cute and cunning, no one can deny it matches him perfectly in the end.

I.N

☆ He forgot the Hat could read his thoughts. “So you want a house where you can show your talents and look out for people, huh?” Flushing, Jeongin just nods with a faint, bashful smile. “Well, better be Gryffindor, then!” He’s surprised, thinking maybe he’d have gotten Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff- he isn’t particularly brave, is he? “Trust me, kid, you’ll find your way,” the Hat promises, and do its eyelike folds wink?

☆ As a Half-Blood, he has knowledge of the Wizarding World, but also life outside of magic. Having one Muggle parent means one person getting yanked into the world of wonder, after all! Jeongin is proud to understand both sides of his world and guide his friends on how Muggles really live.

☆ Details don’t escape Jeongin, so he loves drawing star charts for Astronomy. Transfiguration is another favorite of his for similar reasons: he enjoys the focus, the idea that he can reshape objects into something greater or something new. It feels symbolic, poetic.

☆ Potions stresses him out because it's so easy to burn things or measure wrong; even if little details usually fascinate him, he can be a bit clumsy with the required finesse.

☆ Joins the wizard chess club, art club, and plays Quidditch- what can’t our baby bread do? Jeongin becomes Gryffindor’s Seeker, one especially known for turning the tides of the game for his team completely!

☆ He can barely contain his excitement that day in Defense Against the Dark Arts when it comes time to cast Patronus charms! He wonders if his animal will look like him and he certainly gets his wish when a charming little desert fox pops forth.

[imaginethezeldaverse]

Hello!! I've never done an ask before, so I'm hoping I'm doing this right!

I'm currently obsessing over Revali right now... And I was hoping you could share some romantic headcanons about him! I don't mind what it's about... I just want some fluffy content about the silly bird man...

Preferably SFW, if that's alright!

And also, thank you!! I've seen your other Revali stuff and I'm really grateful you shared things about him!! I've found he isn't as popular as I thought, so it's good to find such high-quality content about him!

Hope you have a great rest of your day/noon/night!!!

No worries about the ask - you did everything completely right! Sure thing, dear, I'd be happy to give you some romantic Revali headcanons:

He's very quick to learn your favorite things. Mostly just by studying you! He has very keen eyes and when he can see that you react well to foods or scents that you really enjoy, he commits them to memory. While not a master chef, he will make the efforts to make your favorite dishes or even do something like procure an item you enjoy but needs to be replaced.

A very playful bird, but only with you! You make him comfortable, enough to bring out the impish side of Revali, which is a rarity. Whenever you tease him or ruffle up his head feathers he pecks gently at you, the end of his beak nipping at your hands in an affectionately jocular way.

Makes you a charm out of one of his wing feathers. The royal blue plumage is so beautiful against its soft cream-colored flecks. It reminds you of how majestic he looks when he's mid-flight. You carry it around your wrist whenever you can.

In much hotter climates, he shields you from the sun's harsh rays with his wings. A very small detail, but he doesn't like the idea of too much sun hitting your head and potentially making you too uncomfortable so he tries to keep you cool by covering you.

Has a hammock at the trees around the entryway to Rito Village that he enjoys resting with you in. When you two are snuggled up together, every once in a while he takes to humming. Sometimes it'll be a tune he recently heard a random bard play, sometimes it'll be a favorite song of yours that he keeps tucked away in his memories for occasions just like this.

[rontra]

some more failteacher yuri asks... go here. go in the roundup ❤

princedetectives asked:

the failteacher yuri comics youve been making are so so great i love lesbianism so much. genuinely its really impressive the quality of it and the storyline youve set up <- just realized ive been anticipating the next comics like a weekly manga or something

HELP that's funny i'm flattered you're so invested!!! the season's hottest ongoing 😭 i love lesbianism too god bless us all . thank you!!

cuddlebearable asked:

"what are lesbians into" with the fucking focused-ass look on her face fucking killed me it is so funny and the "good luck with that" really nails it down oh my god thank you so much for sharing these failgirl lesbians with us

Anonymous asked:

every time I read a new chapter of failteacher yuri I whoop and holler so loud the earth beneath me rumbles. thank you so much for the comic, your art and humour and writing are immaculate

YOU GUYS ARE SO SWEET!!!! HFHBG THANK YOU... i'm happy you think its funny 🥰 no matter how many Taking It Seriously episodes we have...there will always be silly women getting into Situations<3

Anonymous asked:

I just want to say that you’re a fucking genius. I think failteacher yuri might be the greatest invention ever created. Thank you for bringing this to us <3

i guarantee someone else has had the idea that they should kiss before me but it is my honor to flood their tags with my gray ass canvases 🫡 thank you for reading!

aokozaki asked:

Timeline Divergence occurs when Miss Toriumi requests Becky on the same night that would've been Operation Maidwatch. Joker, Mishima, and Ryuji get some other maid who immediately notices they're underage and calls it off > Joker never sees her again because there's no chance encounter helping them out at school > They never make a "deal" forming a Confidant > The role of Temperance Arcana will be played by that one student who sits behind Joker and doesn't mention the cat or lockpicks or sleeping in class "Look man, I'm not gonna ask" (← virtues of temperance and grace)

👆 this is pretty much the exact handwave going on here yeah. ASSUMING the plot of p5 is even happening in the background ofc (???) <- has no plans to address this

but if it is, yeah pretty much the paths just coincidentally never intersect due to Hermit Meddling. i cant believe ms toriumi from p3 intercepted our confidant 😭 I LOVE THE STUDENT BEHIND YOU GAG THOUGH THATS SO FUNNY HDFHJBGKJM MINDING MY OWN FUCKING BUSINESS #TEMPERANCE #BALANCE #MODERATION #HARMONY

"this is the computer. you're not getting that" (kawakami voice) its so fucking over