#it was just a note to self to remember to incorporate the thing i needed to remember

[eggsistential-breakdown]

Team Tulpar!!!!!

Highly self indulgent silly Mouthwashing Superhero AU

Led by the esteemed Captain Cosmos, superhero conglomerate Pony Express's Team Tulpar's latest mission is to guard a top-secret mega-important warehouse in the deep recesses of space against raiders and ne'er-do-wells for one year, until Pony Express's client can install a more permanent solution.

Unfortunately, a mysterious accident destroys their only way home and grievously injures their captain. Team Tuplar finds themselves stranded on a faraway asteroid, with only battered pieces of their ship and their all-important super-forbidden warehouse charge to sustain them.

God is not watching.

Notes below the cut, not set in stone:

Pony Express

Known for its cheap and widely available distribution of superhero teams

Common option for emergency time-sensitive threats to capital or goods

Less common option for actual life-threatening emergencies

Superhero teams function pretty much just as security details for hire

Allows a little more individualization than canon Pony Express because of superhero branding

Hence the slightly personalized horseshoe logos and outfits (also for fun)

Going under because of the widespread adoption of automated comprehensive security systems

Dragonbreath's security system just broke down and they're hiring Team Tulpar to safeguard their wares until the Earth shipment of replacement and upgraded parts can arrive in one year

Curly

Gave him a bunch of powers that would be cool in space but ultimately useless against the crash

Edna Mode disapproves of capes for being impractical and dangerous so he's getting one

Debated briefly keeping Curly as his name because it's technically space related but I think it would be a bit too morbid to use as a space related superhero name in universe

Insists his team calls him Curly even on missions

Dissatisfied with his role as a glorified mall cop

Anya

Legally, spacefaring superhero teams need a healer

Legally, Anya cannot be classified as a healer

Pony Express was pretty much the only superhero company willing to take her

Still studying for med school

Her healing powers boil down to keeping you from getting worse and offloading stress on your body in hopes that it can heal you

As long as she's around things at least won't get worse :)

Which is how she's able to keep Curly alive after the incident

May or may not be using her powers to stall her own pregnancy

Definitely the glue holding everything together in canon so wanted to emphasize her importance in keeping everything from going to shit

I'm the iffiest on her superhero name ngl

She can call herself a doctor she deserves it

Tried to throw stripes in her design to reference her canon turtleneck

Daisuke

Useless ray of goddamn sunshine

Basically a very bright flashlight

If he focuses very hard he can create lasers

Can cast movies for entertainment but only as well as he can remember/imagine them

First in his family to have powers, parents pressured him to join a superhero team

Parents also got him a slightly fancier uniform hence the golden accents

Couldn't imagine him without the shirt so he's keeping the shirt

Incorporated a little Swansea yellow

Also wanted him to have a visor to be cool he gets a visor

Swansea

Assigned mentor to Daisuke

Registered his name back in college. Claims it's too much of a hassle to change it now

Keeps shields/helmet/armor? up for the entire time from when the crash happened to when Daisuke dies

He shows the most arm in canon so you bet your ass he's showing the most arm here as well

My friends suggested this name

Wanted him to still get to wield a big-ass axe

Jingleballs

Crashed the ship into the warehouse with Curly in it while Anya, Swansea, and Daisuke were double-checking the warehouse

Wearing a little half cape in part to mimic Curly, in part to try and give him a similar silhouette as his canon short sleeves

Powers pretty much just hurting people and taking from them

When strealing powers, can only use them at 20-40% of the capacity of the power's true owner

"Borrowed" Curly's powers a lot when they were younger under the pretense of Curly should experience gravity for uhh reasons

Had the phrase "there's something 'off' about this guy" when creating his name, also kind of a play on "first 'off'icer", also turning other powers off

Wears the mask and hood up when he wants to obscure his face. Usually happens outside of missions

Misc

Warehouse sits on an asteroid because it's cheap

The crash happens right after a raid, Jimmy accuses Curly of collaborating with raiders

A little less certain that no one will find them, but the crash destroys the location beacon of the warehouse and knocks the asteroid slightly off course

Team Tulpar's ship is a lot smaller, there's no cargo hold

It's also currently partially wedged inside the warehouse and stuck in place with sealing foam

Space is essentially split between the ship with food/medical supplies and the warehouse (mouthwash)

Less of a clear division of roles other than Anya as healer and Curly as leader

I like color coding characters

Had this rattling around in my head for five days please take this

[coinandcandle]

Offering Ideas!

Offerings can be so difficult to keep up with, but here are a few examples of some daily--or even weekly--offering ideas! These can be used for gods, spirits, ancestors, or any entity, really!

What is an Offering?

An offering is generally something that is offered as a religious sacrifice or token of devotion. This could be a physical item, a digital item, or an action.

Non-Physical Offerings

These are often easier to do, if you can remember to do it! Personally I have to have a reminder on my self care app to tell Lugh and The Morrigan "good morning" and "good night" every day. Here are some other non-physical offerings you can do!

Greetings. Just a simple "hello" or some other pleasantry at the beginning and end of each day.

Pray. Either improvise it or use one that you recite regularly. It's a bonus if you created the prayer yourself!

Sing. Again, you could create your own song if you'd like. This also works if you'd like to play an instrument.

Dance.

Recite Poetry.

Exercise. Dedicating your exercise is a great way to incorporate offerings into a more regular routine!

Chat. Sometimes if I feel like I'm not able to do much else, I will try and chat, almost in the way one would speak to an old friend while catching up. I know some folks who make whole discord servers specifically to talk to their deities or spirit pals.

Write a digital note on your phone. This one is simple and easy and you can do it anywhere without worrying about other people overseeing/hearing.

Meditate. Meditating with the sole purpose of it being an action as an offering is a good way to not only help you feel connected, but can help you throughout your day, too!

Physical Offerings

These involve a bit more work, especially if you're trying to make sure your pets or children don't get into them! But if you have a space you can place an offering, even if it's on a countertop or the topmost part of a bookshelf, then here are some things you can do.

Or consider doing a libation instead--where you pour out a drink instead of leave it out!

Drinks. Alcohol is a pretty common offering but can be rather expensive. Try milk, juice, tea, or coffee. Hell, even your favorite energy drink or sparkling water can be an offering!

Food. Set a portion of your meal aside as an offering.

Tending to plants. If you have a dedicated plant (or multiple!) then tending to them can be an offering in an of itself.

Candles or Incense. This one is as old as...well, candles and incense, I suppose! You can also use an LED light for this if needed!

Cleaning. This is especially good if you're doing it as an offering to house spirits. Also good for deities that reign over homemaking and the sort.

Pick up litter. This is a good one if you're trying to get in touch with local nature spirits.

[sparklyjojos]

I finally read the Umineko VN last year and had the funniest possible experience:

Finished Episode 1. Sat down with a pen and paper and meticulously solved the epitaph in a way that incorporated tons of Japanese wordplay to arrive at another thematically appropriate kanji wordplay riddle, the answer to which pointed to a specific location. Was completely incorrect.

(under read more because massive spoilers for Episode 1 and one technically Ep3 spoiler re: the "village" and someone's name)

My base assumption was: the names of the victims, in particularly kanji wordplays, are needed to solve the epitaph--a classic trope of shinhonkaku where the longer the case goes on, the more punny 'clues' are given, with the solution being either an admission of guilt or a clever misdirection.

I also figured out that the "village" refers to the 'ri' in Maria's name and that the river is the family tree (you can imagine my satisfaction when they actually brought it up two episodes later), so even more hints that you should be looking at the family's weird names.

My thinking process:

First Twilight - four people with their faces smashed in + two people with only half their faces destroyed. Human face = their identity = their name. You pick the six "chosen as sacrifices", therefore the four full names and halves of the two remaining names. Anagram time! Unfortunately I lost my notes and don't remember the entire thing I figured out, but the only truly important syllables were "on" (音) from Shannon and the "goh"/"gou" (郷) from Gohda.

Second Twilight - tear apart the two who are close. Well, how can you signify that two people are close in the first place? You can use a possessive: Eva's Hideyoshi, or Hideyoshi's Eva. In Japanese, you use the particle 'no': X の Y. The thing separating the two names who are close is therefore... the particle の itself, "no"!

Third Twilight - praise my noble name. The self-explanatory answer here is just "Beatrice".

Fourth to Eighth Twilights - gouge the head, chest, stomach, knee, leg. Similarly to the First Twilight, this means choosing parts of the victim's names. If 'head' signifies the beginning of the name and "leg" is the end, we get in order:

[K]inzou K[a]non Ge[n]ji Nan[ji]o (the hiragana is 'ji') Kumasa[wa]

Ninth Twilight - the witch shall revive (or, as is the trend in this solution, her name will be revived). How? By simply reading everything we just came up with until now--and answering the resulting riddle:

'OUGON NO BEATRICE' KANJI WA?

"What are the kanji of Beatrice the Golden?"

There are a thousands possible solutions, but the important thing is to notice that the name ベアトリーチェ, Be-a-to-ri-(i)-chi(e), contains a certain word.

For example, something like this:

TORII CHI (E) = 鳥居地へ

"[go] to the torii grounds".

You know, like the suspiciously missing torii gate that was foreshadowed near the beginning of the game? Woah, I can't believe I actually found the location of the treasure! (wait what do you mean it's wrong)

[almostthirty-diaries]

YOU NEED TO GET A HOBBY.

A list of all my hobbies to inspire you to get yourself one too.

Journalling - This is something that is so integrated within my daily routine these days that, I don't even really class it as a hobby anymore. It's more a thing I need to do within the day. But that's because, I'm an obsessive person, and it makes my little brain feel like the sparkle emoji, any time I know I have written a little something for myself. But a normal person can enjoy journalling too. It comes in many forms, and is so personal to the individual that, you really can make it anything you want it to be. 

Photography - I've enjoyed taking photographs ever since I was old enough to understand how a camera worked. I remember going on holidays when I was younger and being the dedicated 'holiday photographer' with a little cheap disposable camera. Digicams are making a comeback and so is physical media, so there's no better time really to pick this up as a hobby. Make it whatever you want it to be. Go and see the world through a lens. Take a picture of your pet. Photograph the sunset. Enjoy everything. 

Videography - On a similar note to the photography hobby, videography is a fun one too. These don't have to be shared anywhere but can be as an extra element if that is something you would like to do. Ive made videos on and off for over 10 years (ish) now. I'm obsessed with the home movie feeling. The nostalgia of being able to watch everything back. And between old media and new, it's fun to find an edit that brings both together when creating a video. 

Sudoku - I used to never say I enjoyed these but now, I don't care. I LOVE DOING SUDOKU PUZZLES!!! I know these are not for everyone but anything you can close your mind off to technology is a good hobby to incorporate into your life. And I am very competitive with a sudoku puzzle. Not with anyone else, just myself. There's something so lightweight and self rewarding about finishing a puzzle. 

Reading - One of my biggest and most prominent hobbies within my life. And I'm sure a lot of people already have this as one of their hobbies too. People go wrong seeing reading as a blanket where everyone is under the same one. No. Reading is very individual. Yes the act of reading is all the same but, what you read, how you read and when you read, will be very personal to you. And once you find the reading routine that works for you, it's unstoppable. 

Writing - Another hobby that is very individual. But even if you never share a single word with someone else, writing is such an effective hobby. You can be writing something completely make believe and out there but, it will stimulate and help you mentally. Even writing this post is making me feel like I'm getting something out, and off of my chest. Even though I'm not really. And you do not have to share your writing. Keep it to yourself. But write, and see what happens. 

Gaming - A fun one for all. And one that you can definitely make into whatever you want it to be. There are such a wide range of games out there that you can choose from and have fun with. This is the type of hobby that will pass time on very quickly and allow you to experience a little bit of escapism. The one thing I would say about this hobby is not letting it over run everything else. It can become very addictive and that can become unhealthy. 

Drawing - I feel like drawing is something that everyone can enjoy but not many people do because they are expecting too much from themselves. And I myself have been guilty of that before, too. If you are drawing for a hobby, which is the intended purpose here, your drawings don't have to be anything special. They can be literally scribbles on paper. But they are for you and whatever you want them to be. This is also a nice hobby that you can use if you are wanting to learn a new skill. Some artists are just born but all artist come from practice. Everyone has to learn, and that could be you. If not, you can just keep the scribbles simple. But have fun. 

Puzzles - I wanted to add this to the end of the list because, even though a couple varieties have been mentioned by me already, there are so many more puzzle varieties out there and I just wanted to be able to say this. Doing puzzles are not only a good way to pass time, and a good  hobby to have but they are also stimulating for the mind. Some examples include: wordle, mini crosswords, Rubik's cubes and so many more. These can be physical or digital. You can even find little brain teaser puzzles in many shops and online. There are so many different ways you can use this hobby to your own personal advantage.

[elysianightsss]

Limerence | Three

C H A P T E R T H R E E

limerence / lim-ê-rêns / (noun)

“Obsessive romantic attraction towards another person”

Summary: In which the owners of Jujutsu Incorporated, the Ôgami brothers, are suddenly interested in you.

Pairing: Alpha!Sukuna x reader, Alpha!Itadori x reader, Alpha!Gojo x reader, Alpha!Geto x reader, Alpha!Nanami x reader, Alpha!Kenjaku x reader

Status: Ongoing.

Genre: werewolf au, soulmate, polyamory relationship, angst, fluff, omegaverse, a/b/o dynamics.

Warnings: smut, violence, mentions of knotting, heats, ruts, insecurities, some descriptions of reader’s body, mention of possible ED, omegaspace, domdrop, swearing, blood, depression, suicidal thoughts, possessiveness, obsessive thoughts, Alpha tendencies.

Chapter Warnings: Omega’s being abused and killed, swearing, scent description, size difference - I’m not sorry Kenjaku is the biggest Alpha here and I’m not willing to argue about it, dark themes, Kenjaku kills someone but what else is new, self deprecation, anxiety attack, pup - yes that’s a warning.

Masterlist | Chapter two | Chapter four

Taglist: @better-imagination-9 @tiredjuniper @jjkz @honeybeeboobaa @cherryblossomdelusion @dependsonthedream @alluresenses @qardasngan @imcamboaf @ondragonhonour @misscaller06

Taglist is open.

————————————————————————

Previously on Limerence:

“I can’t do this!” You screeched hands gripping at your hair in frustration, “why would I of all people be gifted six alphas?!” You cried desperately wanting to know the answer. Gifted. He guesses that’s a good sign, at least you thought of a mate as a gift rather than a curse.

You blink up at both men and realise, your living room has never looked so small, they take up so much space. With just two of them the place is tiny, how’s it going to look with six of them? Your mind bounces around, worry still present and spinning you into a tizzy, yet you practically preen when Kenjaku’s eyes travel over you like he can see underneath your clothes. It makes a tense feeling in the pit of your stomach start to form, a feeling you’re not familiar with.

You suddenly wanted to be wrapped in their strong arms, you note that they both look like the warriors the news makes them out to be. Huge, brawny and very attractive. How were they yours? How were you worthy of this? And how were they going to ever love you when they find out what you did?

The world had changed a lot since 2013, the year werewolfs came into existence. Before they were just made up, thought to only exist in really bad movies paired with an emotionless vampire, that or Reddit forums.

Mass panic ensued with the werewolf epidemic but the world did what it had to and adapted. Around nine months later, Alphas began presenting. And the whole world literally went to shit. Going from humans to werewolves was one thing, everyone’s DNA literally changing yet people adapted. The world was still in the early stages of adaptation when suddenly men’s personalities, needs, desires, the way they think, eat, sleep. All of it, changed by becoming Alphas.

Their instincts were out of control. Being confused and unable to understand what was happening to them. However, trying their best, they continued to live their lives as usual. And as if it was a series of cruel tricks, the last trick was played on mankind, omegas began presenting. Once again things changed.

It had the Alphas going crazy. Omegas were pushed into heats the longer they spent around undated Alphas in an attempt to push out their pheromones so their mates could find them. This only made things worse. Dazed and delusional Omegas coming onto Alphas were beaten black and blue, some were killed. The Alpha’s inner wolves becoming angered by an Omega who wasn’t their mate trying to breed with them, this was left unchecked for far too long until Kento created Jujutsu Incorporated in 2017.

Kento remembers the exact moment he decided he was going to do something about the destruction that had befallen the world. The news was playing on the television, he and his brothers watching intensely as the news anchor reported that in the last week twenty seven Omegas had been abused and fourteen had been killed by unhinged Alphas. Kento ignored the jagged inhale from one of the pink haired men on the other sofa watching too, instead he got up and headed straight to his study. The idea had come to him and he had to write it down, he had to plan.

The company’s main purpose was to train Alphas to hone their werewolf instincts and abilities. For man to create a peaceful bond with beast in order to control them so the abuse of Omegas would be stopped. At first it was only worried parents sending their newly presented aggressive sons to the training compound thinking it was some sort of correctional facility and in a way it was.

Soon grown men decided signing up, then men who had committed crimes against Omegas were court sanctioned to go. Before long it became mandatory for every male who was of age to be sent there and trained. Now every year when Alphas present they are instantly signed up to be sent to Jujutsu Incorporated.

Seven years, fifty two awards, millions given by governments all over the world and some failed attempts from other companies to try and recreate what they made, later, Jujutsu Incorporated saved the world and they are thanked everyday for it.

-

While Sukuna and Kenjaku tried to calm you down and reason with you to meet the rest of the pack. Kento, Yuji, Suguru and Satoru were slowly, but surely, loosing it. The longer they were away from their mate after the bond snapped into place, the more aggressive they became. Their body temperatures rising, all their sweet scents turning sour as the stress increased.

Since Kento caught a whiff of your sweet vanilla-cinnamon scent on Sukuna’s clothes, he couldn’t get the sweet smell out of his head. He’d give anything to bury his face in it. It would be so much better than the awful smells surrounding him at this very moment. Baring in mind that on a good day Kento’s scent was usually the sweetest chocolate fudge cake, but with the growing need to have his mate with him not being sated, it had spiked to a burnt over cooked type smell. Yuji’s went from honeyed strawberry milk to wet dog. Suguru’s went from a delightful caramel coffee to rotten food. Satoru’s went from freshly baked cookies to sewers on a hot day.

The office reeked.

Kento felt the tension in the room, worry crawling up his throat as he had the realisation he might have to scruff one or two of his pack mates if they don’t calm down soon. There are several ways that pack alphas can control their packmates, with pheromones is one of them, but scruffing is easily the most effective. Scruffing is distinctly pack alpha behavior. The inherent dominance in one alphas pheromones over another is essential for a pack alpha.

He remembers growing up he was never really the leader type, instead he was rather shy and withdrawn. He didn’t have many friends nor did he wish to make any, much preferring to be alone with a good book. Kento became even more withdrawn when his father died of a heart attack. It was a shock to the system and instead of the brothers banding together to help one another grieve they all mourned alone.

When Kento made the change into a werewolf he loved it, becoming a werewolf only amplified who he already was yet somehow when he discovered his role as packleader he stepped into it like he was born to lead. Kento figured out his role in the pack when Yuji and Satoru were scrapping each other and it got a bit too violent. Without meaning to he used his Alpha tone on the boys and they instantly stopped to obey him. It was strange, the brothers tried to use their own Alpha tones on each other though the experiment had no results. Only Kento could do it.

Another reason Kento loved being a werewolf was that it brought his broken family back together as one. As a pack. They lived together, ate together, trained together, shifted together and ran together as one. It gave him a profound sense of love and happiness that he was able to have his brothers back in his life, though there was always something missing. You.

Kento had to pacify his desire to run out of the room straight to you. He was sick of waiting. His wolf just wanted to bring you to their house and give you everything you could ever want. You would never need to leave the nest he would lovingly watch you build. You would be provided for, protected, and sated, all while you’d have prettiest smile on your face. His wolf chirped happily simply thinking about being in your presence and caring for you. He was eager for you to be here with him.

And as if by magic, the office doors opened Sukuna strolling inside with a shit eating grin on his face, Kenjaku not far behind with the cutest little omega clinging onto the sleeve of his arm. You were here.

It wasn’t the sweet the way you were basically hiding behind his brother that disarmed him, it wasn’t even the way your pretty wide eyes stared up at him with a spec of fear shining in them. But smelling you in person, fuck, breathing in your invigorating scent the way he needed to, letting it swirl around him and leave him feeling hazy and high, all his thoughts disappearing. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced before.

You do have to admit it was a rash decision to come here and meet the rest of the pack, it took a lot of convincing and encouragement by Sukuna and Kenjaku before you hesitantly said yes. And it was very hesitantly. The whole car ride there was silent, Kenjaku sitting in the back with you as Sukuna drove to Jujutsu Incorporated Headquarters. Subconsciously your omega was drifting towards the stoic black haired Alpha. Your Omega knowing that Kenjaku’s wolf was the scariest one out of the two just meant he was the best to protect you. His dominant aura was something you definitely didn’t want to mess with. So when you arrived and you were unsure wether you wanted to get out the car or not, all he had to do was offer his hand and send you a look and you were scrambling out of the car quickly grabbing onto him. He looked down at you letting out a grunt of disapproval when you let go of his large hand but seemed satisfied when you gripped onto the sleeve of his black leather jacket instead. You found yourself looking up at the big Alpha for his approval before you could stop yourself, even when you shook your head at yourself and looked away it was too late. Kenjaku had already grunted out a good pup that made butterflies erupt in your stomach.

The praise had you holding onto his jacket the whole walk to the elevator, the whole elevator ride and all the way into the office where you now stood trying to use Kenjaku’s big muscular body to hide from the four new pairs of eyes trying to catch a glimpse of you.

The fact that you, such a fragile small thing compared to him, was using him as a shield instead of running scared from him was baffling. Kenjaku was never a very nice guy, even as a child he was dubbed as the emo kid who you should never approach. Always getting into fights at school and that was before his father died, Kenjaku only go worse when he did.

And when Kenjaku became a werewolf he was even more violent than before, his vicious tendencies heightened along with his senses. He remembers all the bar fights, forest fights, street fights he go into finding a thrill within the rage. The night more vivid than all the fights though, was the night he killed another Alpha. And liked it.

It had been an accident, the man had started a fight with him and he was clearly drunk. Sober Kenjaku had only tried to defend himself but after pushing the drunken werewolf away he kept going, it snapped something in Kenjaku and he saw red. He beat the man to death and his wolf glowed with pride, the primal instinct to be the top Alpha male coming to light. He didn’t want to like it, but he did. That night he had buried the man in the forest with his bare hand, hours later he returned home caked in dirt, blood and sweat. He confessed to his brothers what he had done.

From then on he trained with Sukuna who taught him control over his wolf and his aggressive side, spending years dedicated to learning to control himself, still Kenjaku is easily the scariest and strongest Alpha in the pack. That’s why he was made The Ghost, The Shadow, The man behind the scenes who takes care of troubled Alphas. Also taking care of any crimes or accusations against the company.

The Killer Alpha. And you were choosing him to cling to, to protect you, this had his chest puffing out with pride. The little Omega and the big bad Alpha.

You were completely stuck to Kenjaku’s side as you started to let your anxiety turn your mind against you. These men were your mates? They all wanted you? Impossible. You couldn’t do this. Fuck sake, you had taken a big step coming here and you were just back to where you had started an hour ago. A numb feeling taking over you, your brain’s way of saving you from the stress of this situation.

The big man you were clinging to was towering over you with worried eyes as your short panicked breaths filled the room. “Princess?”

“Is she okay?”

“Are you okay?”

“Bunny you good?”

You were clearly having a moment of panic, not answering any of them. Their questions making you more antsy by the second. Everything felt like it was upside down at this very moment in time. Like the world was spinning.

Your other hand came up to grip onto Kenjaku’s jacket, desperately trying to use it to ground yourself. “Fuck I-“ you shivered, stumbling over your words as your couldn’t breathe properly.

“What is it pup? Hmm, what do you need princess?” Kenjaku remembered your reaction to the pet name from earlier instantly stepping into roll as the Alpha you needed surprising his brothers though they all knew with you around now, they’d be displaying sides of themselves they’ve never seen of each other before.

“I-I can’t,” you shook your head falling to your knees, Kenjaku fell with you holding you up, “I. I c-can’t, I can’t, I can’t do this.” You hiccuped at the end of your broken sentence, your fingers gripping so tightly onto the Alpha while your whole body shook.

“I know.” His words had your head shooting up, tear filled eyes meeting his, “but I’m going help you. If this is too much, then we will only do what you’re comfortable with. We just want to make you happy pup.” His body made him say the words, and he was glad it did. You were nodding as you listened, eyes focusing on every detail on his face while he spoke, his brown almond shaped eyes, sloped nose, the light freckles under his eyes, his plump lips.

“I don’t know how.” There was a hidden meaning behind it and all six alphas desperately wanted to know but they knew now was not the time. They could wait. Right now they had to focus on calming you down, getting you to relax.

Kenjaku felt his heart ache at the sight of your wobbly bottom lip all jutted out, you tear filled eyes and red face. You were so precious. Then and there he swore to protect you at all costs, even if he had to sell his soul, as long as you were safe. That’s all that mattered to him. “It’s okay pup, I’ll show you how.”

[digitalgirlguide]

Beyond Bubble Baths: A Realistic Guide to Wellness, Hygiene Hacks, Energy Cleansing, and the Art of Setting Healthy Boundaries

self-care as we know it has been reduced to retail therapy and splurging on skincare and the the essence of true well-being often gets lost in the noise of buying stuff.

you're not alone, i'm guilty of this too.if i'm sad i buy thing. i'm happy? i buy things.

and not saying that self care can't be buying yourself things because you feel like it but that's not a true reflection of self care.

self-care is a disciplined commitment to becoming the best version of yourself while tuning into your body's needs.

so what does realistic self care look like?

Take a few minutes each morning to set intentions for the day ahead.

practice gratitude by writing 3 things you're grateful for or using some of these prompts:

What are three things you are thankful for as you start your day? Consider the small details that often go unnoticed.

Recall a specific moment from today that brought a smile to your face or warmed your heart. Describe it in detail and express gratitude for that experience.

Think about any unexpected surprises or acts of kindness that came your way. How did they make you feel, and why are you grateful for them?

Before your next meal, reflect on the journey of your food from its source to your plate. Express gratitude for the nourishment it provides your body.

Organizing your day/week:

Plan with Purpose: Start your week with a glance at your calendar or planner. Note any upcoming deadlines, appointments, or social events. (A little prep goes a long way!)

Prioritize with Intent: Identify your top priorities for the week and break them down into manageable tasks. Tackling the most crucial items first ensures a sense of accomplishment. (Check off those big to-dos, and watch the momentum build!)

Time Blocking: Allocate specific time blocks for various activities. This technique helps maintain focus and prevents the day from slipping away in a blur. (Time blocking = your new productivity bestie.)

Flexibility is Key: While planning is essential, leave room for flexibility. Life throws curveballs, and being adaptable ensures you can navigate unexpected changes with grace. (Embrace the spontaneity – it's the spice of life!)

Self-Care Slots: Intentionally carve out moments for self-care throughout the week. Whether it's a short walk, a cozy reading break, or a meditation session, these are non-negotiable appointments with yourself. (Because self-love is a crucial part of productivity.)

Schedule regular social activities to stay connected: Meaningful connections are the backbone of a healthy support system. (Humans need socialization – it's science!)

Hygiene tips for mind and body

Begin your day with a cleansing ritual that extends beyond the physical. Consider practices like meditation (Remember, a cluttered mind can be just as burdensome as a cluttered space.)

Incorporate energy cleansing techniques into your routine, such as using crystals (clear quartz, black tourmaline, amethyst, rose quartz, selenite) to clear negative energy from your surroundings. (Just as we dust and declutter our physical spaces, it's important to cleanse the energetic residue that accumulates throughout our day-to-day lives.)

Recognize the importance of setting boundaries and restricting access to yourself when necessary. (You're not obligated to be constantly available to others, and it's okay to prioritize your own needs and well-being.) Surround yourself with people who uplift and inspire you, who make you feel good and encourage you to be your best self. (Life is too short to waste time on relationships that drain your energy and diminish your spirit.)

Embrace a straightforward yet consistent skincare routine. Cleanse, moisturize, and shield your skin from the sun – simplicity meets effectiveness.

Practice regular handwashing to ward off germs, especially before meals and after restroom visits. (Your hands will thank you, and so will your immune system.)

Simple ways to show up for yourself everyday

Practice self-compassion and forgiveness, recognizing that perfection is an illusion and mistakes are opportunities for growth. (We're all human, and it's okay to stumble along the way.)

Listen to your body's signals and honor its needs, whether that means nourishing yourself with wholesome food, getting regular exercise, or allowing yourself time to rest and recharge. (Your body is your greatest ally and deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.)

Embrace moments of joy and playfulness, indulging in activities that bring you laughter and delight. (Life is meant to be savored, not endured.)

let's reshape the narrative of self-care into a journey of discipline, mindfulness, and attunement to our inner voices.

[angelstarsystem1111]

✨🔮 Witchy Self-Care for Every Kind of Babe 🔮✨

🌙 Moonlit Meditation

Find a quiet spot under the moon, whether it’s your backyard, a park, or even by a window.

Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine the moonlight washing over you, filling you with calm and clarity.

Syncing with the moon’s cycles—new for fresh starts, full for release—can help you align with nature’s rhythm and your own intuition.

🍵 Herbal Tea Magic

Brewing tea isn’t just cozy; it’s a ritual. Choose herbs that match your mood—lavender for calm, peppermint for focus, or chamomile to unwind.

While your tea steeps, stir with intention. Think about what you want to manifest or let go of.

Sip slowly and visualize yourself absorbing all that grounding, earthy energy. Bonus points if you use a cute witchy mug!

🛁 Crystal Baths

Make bath time a ritual by adding crystals like rose quartz for love, amethyst for peace, or citrine for positivity.

Pair them with bath salts or essential oils—lavender, rose, or eucalyptus are always a win.

As you soak, picture the water cleansing your energy, leaving you refreshed and glowing.

✨ Daily Affirmations

Start your day by speaking affirmations out loud. Try things like, “I am powerful,” “I attract abundance,” or “I am exactly where I need to be.”

Write them on sticky notes or a chalkboard in your sacred space for daily reminders.

Remember, your words are spells, so speak with confidence and intention.

🍃 Nature Recharge

Spend time outside, whether it’s a forest, park, beach, or just sitting barefoot on the grass.

Breathe in the fresh air, feel the earth beneath you, and let yourself connect with the natural world.

Collect little treasures like fallen leaves, stones, or shells to use in your craft later.

🃏 Tarot or Oracle Check-Ins

Make pulling a daily card part of your morning or evening routine. It doesn’t have to be complicated—just ask, “What energy do I need to focus on today?”

Reflect on the card’s meaning and how it applies to your life.

If tarot feels too structured, try oracle decks for a gentler, more intuitive approach.

🕯️ Cleanse Your Space

Use sage, palo santo (ethically sourced, please!), incense, or even sound like a bell or singing bowl.

Walk through your space with intention, clearing out old energy and inviting in peace, creativity, and joy.

Bonus: Add fresh flowers, crystals, or seasonal decor to make your space feel sacred and cozy.

🖤 Journaling Magic

Dedicate a journal to your witchy thoughts. Write down your dreams, gratitude lists, affirmations, or spells.

Not sure what to write? Start with a simple prompt like, “What do I want to manifest this week?”

Journaling is a powerful way to reflect and connect with your inner magic.

🌟 Witchy Glamour

Incorporate magic into your daily beauty routine. Enchant your perfume with intention, or bless your lipstick for confidence.

Create a quick self-love spell while getting ready: “With each stroke of this mascara, I see myself clearer and brighter.”

Witchcraft isn’t all candles and cauldrons—your personal style can be just as magical.

💖 Connect with Your Tools

Spend time bonding with your crystals, tarot deck, or altar. Cleanse them, arrange them, or simply hold them and tune into their energy.

If you have a grimoire, update it with new spells, correspondences, or reflections on your practice.

🕊️ Be Gentle with Yourself

Some days you’ll feel like a goddess ready to manifest the world; other days, you’ll want to curl up and rest. Honor both.

Self-care isn’t about being perfect—it’s about showing up for yourself in whatever way you can.

✨ You are your greatest magical tool. Keep your energy radiant, your spirit aligned, and your vibes immaculate. Blessed be, beautiful souls! 🌙

[theglowsociety]

New Routine — Transform Your Life in 21 Days

Building a new routine in 21 days requires intentionality, patience, and commitment. It’s not about overwhelming yourself with drastic changes, but about creating a rhythm that feels achievable and aligned with your goals. Each day matters, and every small action builds momentum toward lasting transformation. Here’s how to make those 21 days count.

In the first week, focus on laying the foundation. Start each day by setting a clear intention. For example, if your goal is to adopt a healthier lifestyle, your intention could be as simple as “I will prioritize movement today” or “I will nourish my body.” When you wake up, visualize the day ahead. Picture yourself successfully completing what you set out to do. This mental rehearsal trains your mind to align with your goals. Then, incorporate your new habit in a way that’s simple and approachable. If it’s about fitness, set aside ten minutes for a short walk or a quick workout. If it’s about mindfulness, spend five minutes practicing deep breathing or journaling. These small, consistent actions build the momentum you need to stay on track.

During the second week, the focus shifts to building consistency. This is often when motivation begins to waver, so it’s essential to remind yourself of why you started. Keep your environment supportive of your new routine. If you’re working on healthier eating, stock your kitchen with nutritious options and plan your meals ahead of time. If you’re aiming to improve productivity, create a dedicated workspace free of distractions. Take note of how you feel after each day—more energized, more focused, more at peace. These positive reinforcements will help anchor your routine and make it feel rewarding.

By the third week, your routine begins to feel more natural. This is the time to deepen your commitment. Increase the time, intensity, or depth of what you’ve been doing. If you’ve been meditating for five minutes, try stretching it to ten. If you’ve been walking, consider jogging or incorporating strength training. This progression keeps you engaged and prevents boredom. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small it seems. Reflect on how far you’ve come and recognize the discipline you’ve cultivated.

Throughout the 21 days, practice self-compassion. There will be moments when life gets in the way, or you fall short of your plans. Instead of giving up, view those moments as part of the process. Recommit the next day with kindness toward yourself. The most important thing is to keep moving forward.

After 21 days, your new routine will start to feel like a natural part of your life. You’ll find that you’re not just building a habit—you’re building confidence in your ability to make meaningful changes. Whether your goal is to improve your health, boost your productivity, or cultivate inner peace, the foundation you’ve laid over these 21 days will carry you forward. Remember, it’s not about perfection; it’s about progress. With consistency and intention, you have the power to transform your life.

[ancientcraftnoccultism]

Beginner Class - Cleansing 101

Ancient Craft & Occultism

Cleansing 101

___

By KB

Introduction

Welcome back to class! We occasionally need to rid ourselves of any negative feelings, stresses, and issues. Now that we've covered how to connect with our personal energy, how do we keep it up hygienically? Many places of employment may advise us to leave our personal issues outside the building, but if you're really struggling, it may be difficult to do. We're going to cover the basics of cleansing and how to incorporate it into your life!

What Is Cleansing?

Purification, often referred to as cleansing, is the process of removing and letting go of negative energy as well as energy that is just out of date, stagnant, or no longer helpful to you. This is sometimes referred to as "energetic hygiene" because it's something that can and should be done on a regular basis rather than just after a bad experience. When the energy is off and you know it's time for a refresh, you might perform a cleansing ceremony or ritual. It's all about getting rid of the old to make room for new, energizing energy to flow. Cleansing assists in preventing the energy of the people who pass through a space or object from lingering for an extended period of time.

Why Should I Cleanse?

Well, it's simpler to maintain something than to have to fix it when it breaks, just like physical cleaning or other sorts of cleanliness. You know it's better to brush and floss your teeth twice a day than to need a root canal, right? Cleansing functions similarly. It's much harder for bad or unwanted energy to enter your environment in the first place if you frequently cleanse it. It's also simpler to let go of negative energy when it does occur or when it manifests.

It's also crucial to remember that this applies to your house and spaces as well as your physical and energetic body. It's simple to pick up on someone else's negative attitude, anger or grief, or lack of motivation since many of us, especially those of us who are more intuitive or empathetic, can be quite sensitive to the emotions and energy of others. A pretty effective approach to make sure you're always in your own energy is to cleanse yourself. A fantastic approach to accomplish this is to take a bath or shower at the end of the day, either by themselves or in conjunction with more energetic routines.

How To Cleanse?

There are various ways to cleanse, and we're going to cover a few of the most popular ones. As always, these suggestions aren't the only methods of cleansing or purification. I encourage you all to research other methods of cleansing and purification.

Physically Cleanse

Physical spaces and objects absorb and hold energy, just like they do with smoke, or other harsh fumes. It's important to keep physical hygiene and cleanliness of a space and of self in order to prevent stagnant or unwanted energies from interfering.

Smoke Cleanse

This is probably one of the most popular ways to cleanse. Again, please do not confuse this with Smudging, which is a completely different topic and ritual. This is exactly as it sounds, where you use the smoke of an herb or incense to clear the metaphysical aura around you and the space you are in. When you waft the smoke around, much like how atoms and particles begin to dissipate when heated, the smoke acts as a way break apart unwanted energies and allow the energy to return to neutral, and free flowing. It is important to note not to do this while pets are around.

Water

Just as water physically cleans, it also metaphysically purifies as well. Although, not everything would be ideal to be cleansed with water, such as certain crystals, paper items, etc. Always do research, as chemical reactions ARE a thing and CAN be dangerous.

Earth

Much like with grounding, earth naturally cleanses and purifies. Burying an object in earth for several hours can remove and transmute unwanted energies.

Light

Both illuminates in the sky provide wonderful light to cleanse with. Our ancestors knew of the sun's power to kill harmful bacteria, and the moon's intensity to bring about rapid change. It aligns things on a molecular level.

Sound

Since everything is a frequency, it only makes sense that sound would aid in purification. Bells, drums, and other noisy instruments are particularly wonderful for cleansing large, open spaces.

[notesfromnowhere]

"Creating Comfort: My Journey in Room Decoration"😻

Decorating my room has always been a personal journey, reflecting my taste , style , interests, personality, and passions . Over time, I’ve managed to transform my room into a cozy space that feels uniquely mine. Here’s a detailed look at how I transformed my room into a vibrant, cozy and inviting space.❤

Finding Inspiration 💟

The journey began with inspiration. I explored Pinterest and Instagram, took notes on what connected with me. I realized I was drawn to give my room an aesthetic look which will feel natural to me. Keeping in mind these ideas , I set out to create a coordinated look that felt both personal and inviting.

Colour Palette ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤💖💗💓🤍

With the ideas in mind, I selected a colour palette. I wanted a scheme that would create a warm and welcoming environment . After much deliberation, I settled on the combination of white🤍 and pink 💗together. White will bring a sense of purity, cleanliness, and simplicity and Pink will add warmth and delicacy. Together, they produce an inviting atmosphere and the best choice for my space intended to relax .

Furniture Selection 🪑🛏

Coming to furniture , I aimed for stuff that were both functional and stylish. I placed an iron bed frame that creates an aesthetic look and is quite affordable and easy to maintain . I also added an open wardrobe rack as it created a visually appealing display . I organized my clothes by colour making it easier to find what I need.

Lighting 💡⚡

Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood. I opted for warm, soft lighting to create a cozy atmosphere. A string of fairy lights draped across the curtains and mirror to give it a graceful look and a bedside minimal lamp that serves as both a functional light source and a stylish decor piece. I set up curtains on the pink and white theme to soften the look of the room .

Personal and Final Touches💟✨

The finishing touches made all the difference . To make my room truly feel like my own, I knew I had to include personal touches. I added custom neon sign indicating self-love 💗and also a few inspirational quotes to the wall. I incorporated scented candles🕯 that refines the overall atmosphere. A few carefully chosen decorative items, like a bunch of plushies 🧸 added sweetness and warmth, and few other random decorative items of pink colors. And i just added one more thing that i have loved since my childhood, and it holds a great significance in my heart, it is a dreamcatcher, almost identical as the one i had gotten as a first ever birthday gift from my brother.💟🎀

Conclusion 😸

Decorating my room has been a fulfilling journey of self-expression and love. Each element contributes to the overall vibe of my space. Now, my room is more than just a place to sleep, It’s the space where I can relax and recharge . If you’re considering a room makeover, remember to take your time, experiment with different styles and make it a reflection of who you are. Happy decorating ! 😊

Inspirations

Results

[samobservessonic]

Oh, now this is interesting. Looks like we’ve got our first appearance of Nigel Dobbyn’s art! I didn’t know this was coming up so soon, but I immediately recognised his art style, as he was a regular artist in the comic by the time I was reading and I remember his art in the Knuckles and Tails solo stories. We won’t be seeing him make an appearance in the regular StC until issue 65, according to the wiki, so this is a preview of what we’ve got to look forward to. Apparently, Kitching was a good friend of Dobbyn and really pushed for him to be brought onto StC, even going as far as to give up paid work so that Dobbyn could illustrate a later Knuckles story instead of him Sadly, Dobbyn passed away in 2019, but I’m looking forward to appreciating his solid style and rich colours in these comics

After receiving a tip-off about some danger from a civilian, Sonic & Tails head off to check it out, with Tails having a moment of self-doubt that Sonic doesn’t entertain. I should note that, because I got my reading order slightly muddled, this story obviously takes place before Tails’s disappearance in issue 42, but it was a similar time, as Tails mentions here that Robotnik is still in power into the new year. StC was pretty good about trying to match plot events to a loosely real world schedule, so if it was new year in our world, it’d probably be new year in the StC world, too

Damn, those look like some fancy gold-trimmed Motobugs! Get those things to an auction house!

Even when plummeting into the water, Sonic doesn’t want the world to know he has flaws

Sonic gets caught in a whirlpool and it’s up to Tails to save him, but these trooper badniks have appeared to load up on hostages for Robotnik and that can’t be ignored either

Tails opts to save the people, worrying about whether he’s made the right choice

But Tails made the right call. Sonic used a lull in the whirlpool to escape and destroy some badniks, as well as showing off the air bubble mechanic from the games while he’s at it

The victims have been saved thanks to Tails and, as Sonic rejoins them, he assures Tails that he made the right call. I like this - even if Sonic is blunt and has slipped up with Tails many times, he still cares about him and reassures him when needed. StC Sonic certainly isn’t the monster that some make him out to be, he’s just snarkier than modern Sonic. His heart is in the right place

We finish the story with a bit more sentimentality, before it gets too mushy for Sonic and he bails, leaving the other Mobians to enjoy their new year

And thus, Sonic the Poster Mag draws to a close. Reading this using online scans years later, I am missing a key component to these mags, which is the posters themselves. Without that novelty of the comics being printed on the back of the posters, this really is just another comic strip to me. So, while I’ve enjoyed them, I can see why they’d just want to incorporate these back into the main StC. I did like how, for the last few issues, they got into this routine of each issue being a chance to focus on the dynamic of Sonic and one other character, to give them more of a chance to shine. We had Amy, Knuckles and Tails. If this had carried on, I’d have liked to have seen Porker and Johnny get the spotlight as well, but that wasn’t meant to be

But perhaps my favourite detail about the Poster Mag is that, thanks to them, we know more about the beta version of SatAM than we ever would’ve known without it. While StC itself did include a few images, it was the Poster Mag that gave us a good look at Princess Acorn and Team Freedom, from which StC itself got their redesigns for Porker and Johnny. It’s a puzzle piece of Sonic history that I’m glad we didn’t miss out on

[selfshipping-shapeshifter]

Ignoring all the serious stuff that happened recently, here's a few nice little updates that also happened:

I can't remember if I ever mentioned this but I've been writing a self shipping fanfic that's a Beauty and the Beast AU for Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarves where Prince Average is the Beast and I'm Belle and so far I have the prologue fully written (but depending on how I write something later I might change the end of the prologue a tiny bit to add something for later) and I have a lot of Chapter 1 written (I'm at the point where Gaston appears)

I have to completely rewrite my Hazbin Hotel fanfic (for the Helluva Hotel fanfic I've mentioned before) but I have multiple ideas that incorporate the show and I started writing a bit of Chapter 1 but I need to completely change my demon design because I don't want the whole "shapeshifter" thing to be too op since the only other shapeshifter is Lucifer and I don't want people going "ummm your self insert is a Mary Sue... :/" (not that there's anything wrong with Mary Sue ocs as long as they aren't badly written but I don't want people to say my oc is too op or something (also making demon designs for my self insert are fun)

I hung up some posters on my own and cleaned up my room a bit and felt ✨responsible✨

I've been playing Animal Crossing New Leaf a lot recently (ever since the beginning of January and I skipped a few days so now it's sometime in March) and I've gotten a lot done which include:

- Upgrading the museum to have a second floor and also donating a bunch of bugs and fish and fossils (and paintings whenever I get them) and I got the silver tools for the fishing rod, shovel, net, and slingshot

- Opening a cafe, becoming a regular there, and starting a part-time job there (Brewster likes me! :D)

- Upgrading my house a bunch and buying all the rooms, having a secret storeroom, expanding a few of the rooms, and upgrading the outside to have a castle exterior

- Got the froggy chair everyone's obsessed with when one of my villagers gifted it to me a few days before moving away (I missed her so I built a bench where her house was)

- Opened up Kicks, Shampoodle, the Garden Shop, the Dream Suite, and Club LOL and expanded Nookling Junction to T.I.Y. (I'm in the process of trying to get the fortune telling shop open to finish town square)

- Dyed and cut my hair every day for two weeks straight so I unlocked all the boys hair styles so I can have the hairstyle (and color) that matches my real hairstyle as close as possible

- Got a perfect score on my town so I built a flower clock to celebrate

-Got all the Pavé furniture which was annoying as hell cause I had to play all day just to catch a bunch of stupid colored feathers but hey I got a bunch of bells out of it

- Got a bunch of fruits from the island tours and made it so the island is easier to catch expensive bugs

- When the villagers first moved in I sent them all a welcoming note and a gift and I managed to convince all but one villager to stay in town (though today one of my villagers told me he was moving for the second time after I convinced him to stay so I won't convince him to stay again (and also I want to see a new face in town) so he'll probably be moving unless he changes his mind again)

And I think that's it really

[albertbutyoucancallmebert]

@stuckinuniformdevelopment

(prev) Teddy nodded in agreement at Bert’s insult. “God complex bastard.” He stopped to think before he answered. Which would worry Bert more: Teddy being reckless or him being forced to act reckless because he was blackmailed into it? Eventually he decided against the latter. Bert already thought his self-assigned mission was as foolish as knowingly drinking motor oil without knowing how Teddy had been losing control. “Do you remember the Glornist you caught spying on me? Well, fortunately for me he had been suspicious about that bishop. So I managed to form an alliance with him.” As Teddy spoke he pulled out the original copy of his summoning notes and briefly flipped through it. “The first thing Revenard Mike wanted me to do was to spy on their summoning ritual. That was because that demon wannabe incorporated a way to make the clergy pass out from smoke inhalation into his ritual. Between a gas mask and fire resistance potion I was able to stay conscious.” “I didn’t plan on taking such a big risk. Or at least, not until my position was firmly established. Yet I couldn’t turn that opportunity down when my only other way to sit in on a major ritual was to become a full-time Glornist.” He paused to roll his eye. “As if I’d quit my job for that. They’re intolerable enough when I only have to see them a few times a week.” Then he muttered under his breath, “…And I’ve just managed to get them to stop sneaking into my lab…” Teddy handed his notebook to Bert. “I wrote everything I could down during the summoning ritual. So, well…” He awkwardly chuckled as he snuck a glance at Bert. “…tell me if you need me to decipher my handwriting.”

Bert silently listened to Teddy. He’d sure been busy with these Glornists, huh? As much as he’d rather not be hearing this from his dear friend, he was still quite interested to be hearing insider reports about the Glornch. 

He took the notebook and looked through it. Teddy must’ve never seen Bert’s handwriting, huh? There was a reason he typed everything. Regardless, he was a pro at reading chicken scratch. But there was one word that was messing him up.

“Xr… Xryx… Whatever. Is that the supposed demon?” He pointed to the scribbled sketch of Xryxllittian.

“HAH! He wants to turn himself into one of those? What a waste of looks!”

… He continued flipping through the notes, pretending he didn’t just say that out loud. 

[stuckinuniformdevelopment]

@albertbutyoucancallmebert

(Previous) Bert paused for a moment to comprehend what Teddy just said. He tilted his head and held his chin. “...Hah? Become a demon? Possessing magic isn’t enough for him? He needs to achieve divinity too? Prick.” He then turned his head toward Teddy, half his eyelid raised. “If this is so secret, how do you know about it?”

Teddy nodded in agreement at Bert's insult. "God complex bastard."

He stopped to think before he answered. Which would worry Bert more: Teddy being reckless or him being forced to act reckless because he was blackmailed into it?

Eventually he decided against the latter. Bert already thought his self-assigned mission was as foolish as knowingly drinking motor oil without knowing how Teddy had been losing control.

"Do you remember the Glornist you caught spying on me? Well, fortunately for me he had been suspicious about that bishop. So I managed to form an alliance with him."

As Teddy spoke he pulled out the original copy of his summoning notes and briefly flipped through it.

"The first thing Revenard Mike wanted me to do was to spy on their summoning ritual. That was because that demon wannabe incorporated a way to make the clergy pass out from smoke inhalation into his ritual. Between a gas mask and fire resistance potion I was able to stay conscious."

"I didn't plan on taking such a big risk. Or at least, not until my position was firmly established. Yet I couldn't turn that opportunity down when my only other way to sit in on a major ritual was to become a full-time Glornist."

He paused to roll his eye. "As if I'd quit my job for that. They're intolerable enough when I only have to see them a few times a week." Then he muttered under his breath, "...And I've just managed to get them to stop sneaking into my lab..."

Teddy handed his notebook to Bert. "I wrote everything I could down during the summoning ritual. So, well..." He awkwardly chuckled as he snuck a glance at Bert. "...tell me if you need me to decipher my handwriting."

[xiaokuer-schmetterling]

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EDIT: further notes on my quest for accessible podfic bc i made it into a ch in my notes-to-self-podfic-guide-https://archiveofourown.org/works/62233522/chapters/169902325 -- and also! some research notes i haven't incorporated into the ch yet

hello! thanks again for tagging me!

i volunteered to beta the above post bc i have sensory processing issues associated with my audhd and partial hearing loss in my left ear. and it was such a learning experience!

so lol my feedback was mostly smth like:

oh snap, i never have "clean" tracks when i add music bc the way i include music and sfx into my podfic (extremely low budget product lol lots of care but very limited financial and equipment resources) is to play the music on my phone or headphones while recording on my e-reader. so i'm gonna have to think about that

and: oooooops just realized that my brand of chatty, live-reacting, completely unedited podfic is not accessible to people with the processing issues mentioned in the post. and also! i realized concretely (whereas i was only vaguely aware before) that my auditory processing disorder is just about flipped compared to the experiences described above

(short version: i use loud music to help myself focus; my issue is that if i'm tracking too many overlapping voices and random noises i get overwhelmed and distracted from my tasks)

i think i also said smth like. ooops i am not actually the target audience for this post. and that's bc initially i chose not to edit bc i only had my e-reader for record, upload, post. then i got my new-to-me iphone SE and so that gave me some more sfx/music options but i liked the way the e-reader recordings sounded better (um. for lack of a better desc, my e-reader recordings feel "warmer" and more "friendly" than things i recorded on my phone). anyhow i can't run audacity on my shitty little chromebook ( /affectionate ) -- tho when roomie passed on the chromebook laptop it made posting to ao3 and uploading things to archive.org for audio hosting MUCH easier

and i've recently been made aware of online editing tools? but imma be really real rn: i really really struggle with "perfectionism" and so my chosen coping method/management strategy for that behavior regarding my podfic is to not allow myself the opportunity to get stuck in a "product refinement loop" at all.

i pick the fic to read, i read the fic aloud while recording, and then i try to remember to immediately convert to .mp3 and send to my gdrive via cloudconvert.com afterwards.

[this part got a bit RANTish and a teensy bit off topic so feel free to skip this paragraph] while recording, i am also allowing and encouraging myself to share my thoughts and real-time reactions as freetalk/meta bc gfdi i do have opinions sometimes. i am a performer and storyteller not a text-to-speech program AND I DON'T HAVE TO PRETEND THAT I AM. i am not a machine or a bot and i think therfore that it's okay for listeners to hEaR mE bReaThinG and i am allowed to have emotions and opinions about things and furthermore i am allowed to SHARE MY THOUGHTS/EMOTIONS/FEELINGS in what should be a safe fandom-oriented blorbo enthusiasm sharing space. I AM ALLOWED TO EXIST AND TAKE UP SPACE AND BE EXCITED OR SAD OR MAD OR ALL THE EMOTIONS AT ONCE BC THAT SHIT IS COMPLICATED AND I DON'T HAVE TO MASK MY AUTISM IN MY OWN FUCKING PODFIC-- [end RANT]

so i will probably continue avoiding audacity & similar software, which means i need to ponder on other ways to make my podfic more accessible. or perhaps include a note or specific tag to the effect that none of my podfics were processed as recommended for accessibility in the post above so actually i have decided to use audiomass.co to do post-processing for accessibility on my recordings, which is basically to remove 'unnecessary' super high and low frequencies in the track and then do the compression step--will not be editing to remove any content tho

i think i also said that i seem to recall having "overhead" a discord convo in the mdzs podfic server about how some people have to/choose to download the podfics they listen to for funsies and do post processing on the files in a certain way, to make it enjoyable for them to listen to? maybe that's something i could gather more information on towards the discussion aspect of, how can a potential podfic/audio fanwork listener remove barriers to enjoyment and make podfics more accessible to themselves should they wish to listen to an audio production that for whatever reason was not edited with an ear towards accessibility by the person who posted it 🤔🤔🤔

UPDATE! found this advice for peeps who have particular needs and want to make sure any given podcast that they have downloaded meets their preferred listening criteria: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/tap005-my-secret-audacity-recipe-for-great-audio--"the audacity to podcast" article on chris's compressor

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EDIT--i was inspired by the original post to make a similar psa but about visual accessibility of podfic covers and gifsets with text--https://www.tumblr.com/xiaokuer-schmetterling/785205953261977600/neurodivergentlow-visiondyslexia-friendly-fonts

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end post

Making Your Podfic (especially with Music and/or Sound Effects) More Accessible and Listener Friendly

So you're planning to make a podfic with music and/or sound effects, and you want to think about ways to make it more accessible? Awesome!! This will guide you through some steps you can take to make your podfic more accessible, some of which will also make for a more pleasant listening experience for listeners without accessibility needs, but the focus will primarily be on accessibility. Some of this will also be applicable to podfics with multiple recording sessions without music or sound effects, but again, that's not the focus.

What's the number one thing you can do to make your podfic with music and/or sound effects more accessible to those with noise sensitivity, auditory processing conditions, who are somewhat hard of hearing, or other auditory accessibility needs?

MAKE A CLEAN VERSION, with NO music or sound effects! This can be a very easy change to your process for most people! After editing out mistakes and doing your audio clean up but before you add music or sound effects, simply export your audio. Upload it wherever you upload your final version, drop in a second link to the no music/sound effects version, and that's it! Of course, this may not be trivial for some people, depending on your individual process or other factors. I hope you will decide that it's worth doing anyway. As someone with audio accessibility needs myself, I can tell you it makes a HUGE difference. There are podficcers I love who I can't listen to some of what they've recorded because there's no version without music/sound effects, or sometimes I can only listen on a good day. There are fics I love where there's a podfic version, but I will never be able to listen to it because there's more music/sounds effects than I can handle. This one change will make people like me VERY happy and will expand your audience!

Secondly, especially if you've got a lot of audio dynamics (really quiet whispery bits and also really loud shouty bits), be sure to use the Compressor tool. Long story short, the compressor makes the actual noise level of the quiet bits louder and the loud bits quieter, while still leaving the impression of whispering or shouting. In other words, keep the emotion, but don't force your listeners to keep changing the volume on their headphones/speakers/hearing aid to be able to hear what you're saying or avoid getting their ears blown out (very useful for other listeners too, especially people listening on headphones or in the car). A quick overview of how to use the Compressor settings (this is for Audacity, which is what I'm most familiar with, but most audio editing tools will have something similar):

Threshold: how loud do you want to go before starting to make things quieter?

Make-up gain: after compressing the loud bits down, how much do you want to make everything louder to make up for it?

Knee width: how quickly and starkly do you want the compression to apply? At 0db, this will be a very sharp change. Lower levels will lead to less sharp changes

Ratio: for the loud bits that are getting compressed, how much compression should be applied? The higher the Ratio the more the loud parts of the audio will be compressed.

Okay, but maybe you want to ALSO make the version with music and/or sound effects more accessible, since that's your vision for the podfic and you want as many people as possible to be able to experience it? Great! PLEASE still make a version without music/sound effects as noted above, because even doing everything you can won't be enough for everyone. But it's also great to do what you can to make your music/sound effects version accessible for those that are able to enjoy it with some changes. So….what are some things you can do?

As much as possible, avoid putting music or Foley over your words. For people with audio processing issues especially, it can be very difficult to parse words when there's background music (and especially background music that itself has words).

If you're going to have music or Foley over words, make sure the words are significantly louder than the music. You can use the Analyze Contrast tool (in the Analyze menu in Audacity) to compare the relative loudness of two selections.

For music or Foley between words (like in a section break), make sure it's not too much louder or softer than the sections that come before and after. Again, use that Analyze Contrast tool to compare selections.

You can also use Analyze Contrast to even out the sound between recording sessions!

For sound effects that modify your voice, go only to the point where your voice still sounds very intelligible to you. Someone with auditory accessibility needs will likely struggle with intelligibility well before someone without those needs.

Hope this was helpful!

(This is written from my perspective as someone who has audio accessibility needs, as well as being a podficcer myself. Beta help and additional thoughts from @writerproblem193 @keriarentikai @xiaokuer-schmetterling and others not on Tumblr. But this is not The Definitive Guide To Accessibility or anything, so please add your perspective!)

[nogoodanswers]

Got tagged by @all-of-her-light in a fic wip ask game, but I don't actually know anyone on here so I'm just gonna use this opportunity to list out whatever wips i can find in the mess of my folders lol

(Will sort by fandom bc otherwise it'll be a mess; also put under a readmore bc whoops I started yapping)

RWBY:

No Good Answers (oh hey it's the name of this sideblog, surely that means it gets frequent updates right, surely I haven't relegated it to yearly updates due to not knowing how exactly to continue it right)

reality.shift (technically this one is sorta set in the same AU as nga, but the main difference is that it's merged with another AU that I never ended up publishing online

Oh hey speaking of which)

To Soar Above the Clouds (this is an OC-focused rwby fic that I started in like 2020 but never ended up putting together into something coherent)

bonk (technically set in the same AU as the previous one, but I wanted to mention it bc 1) the name, and 2) it's smut lol)

Genshin:

Strange Travels (the first fic I published on ao3, and one I haven't touched in a long time; revisiting it isn't off the table, but it started off as me wanting to do a meme idea and ended up not even getting to the meme idea (yes, the premise isn't the actual meme idea in question), so idk)

Duality (this one gave me a headache in terms of figuring out the logic of how it'd work, so I never ended up finishing it

I might end up incorporating it into another wip, though, but that'll have to wait until the onk section)

Totally a Hu Tao Character Study (thought up before we got some hu tao lore in the whichever version lantern rite event, and probably never seeing the light of day bc of that)

Side note but I also have a document here for a self-imposed hard mode challenge that I never ended up doing bc who has time to play genshin for more than 15 minutes a day (I do, but only bc the current abyss is kicking my ass and I'm stubborn enough to keep on going back for more)

Call Of The Night

You Have 1 New Voice Message From: The Night (so uh I might have forgotten about this, to the point where I couldn't heckin find where I saved it in my folders

Basically what happened was I read through the call of the night manga (though i dont remember where i stopped at), had some brainworms about the setting, took the concept of the manga, moved it across the world and threw some OC's into there

...yeah, I'm not revisiting this one

Maybe I'll go back and reread the manga though, who knows)

OnK:

Intertwined Fates (this is canon to me and you can't stop me /j

Okay but for real so many of my onk fic ideas use this as a base instead of canon so maybe I should use /hj instead (which, of course, means handjob, as you do)

I had more written here but tumblr decided not to save so I'll leave it at that)

Genshin Isekai AU (pretty self-explanatory, but did I think about doing this bc 1) hu tao'a jp va is the same as Ai's, and 2) there's a playable character in the game called gorou?

100% I won't even lie to you

Oh yeah so no spoilers but the genshin wip I mentioned could fit into this without too much trouble I think, so if I can progress far enough in i.f. to then get this out (bc I don't wanna spoil stuff that'll happen in i.f. by posting this first) then maybe that'll be a thing that happens too)

Reunion (this is actually a onk x rwby isekai au, but it's actually just the title of the first chapter bc I didnt think that far ahead, and also I need to get far enough in i.f. first for the same reason as the genshin isekai fic)

Last Chance (oh hey it's that fic I posted then abandoned bc I couldn't get the idea to fit together properly

If you've read my OnK Drabble December 2024 fic (specifically chapter 25) then you'll have an idea of what I was trying to go for)

I am NOT in love with the Hoshino Twins! (Again, if you've read my OnKDD2024 fic you'll have an idea of who exactly totally definitely 100% isn't in love with ruby and aqua here lol)

See (i don't remember if I've talked about the idea behind this fic on tumblr or elsewhere (maybe discord?) before, but what I will say is that 1) there will be smut in this fic, if I actually get to writing it, and 2) it will be the least interesting part of the fic for me to write lol (though if I, yknow, actually use the smut to explore the ideas I am interested in, then maybe I will get around to writing it after all)) EDIT: oh hey turns out i did end up writing this, here's the link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67237336

tsuki ga kirei, desu ne? (If you know what this is referring to, then... you won't have any idea what this fic is actually about lol

I actually have two versions of this fic, one being a comic but drawn with words (that I'll probably never do lol, at least it's interesting for me to think about), and one being a more conventional fic)

Aside from that, I have, like, so many fic ideas in my main i.f. document that haven't graduated to actual wip in a separate document status, not to mention some of them are inherent spoilers for i.f. through existence alone, so that'll do for now

This took a lot more time than I realized, whoops, but it was nice to take a look at some of the documents I haven't touched in a while

That being said, I stayed up way too late writing this, so off I go to bed now