#it’s good for the ecosystem of the tank lol

[zolo-san]

‘bout to start cycling the fish tank

the fish tank being the op fandom on tumblr

[scionshtola]

btw re that poll you are all my beloved funny smart mutuals 💕

[mod2amaryllis]

MOD MY FRIEND IS GETTING SHRAMPS THEY ARE MAKING A SHRAMP HAVEN (NOW /REF) IN THEIR BIG TANK THEY FOUND AND THEY WANNA MAKE IT A NO-FILTER ECOSYSTEM W GOOD PLANTS AND STUFF AND MAYBE SOME NEON TETRAS WHAT ARE UR THONKS AND ADVICE O GREAT FISHY ONE, BEARER OR CHILD AND SHRAMP KNOWLEDGE

OHHHHHH!!!!!!!

hang on though. revealing my shame. I've tried to start a shrimp colony 3 times and every time they REFUSE to breed and eventually die off.... once i have a little extra money for shramp i have a well established 5g I'll try ONE MORE TIME ON cuz i do love watching those little buggy guys...... so I'm not a shrimp guru 😔

BUT I WILL ADVISE. I've had neons and obvs I'm a planted tank freak :3

neons are tough cuz they actually get bigger than you think, i started with like 8 in a 10g with my very first tank and once they got fully grown they definitely didn't have enough room, I'm now like ok if you're gonna get neons or similar sized schooling fish you should get as many as possible (like 12-15 minimum) and in no smaller than a 20g long. i stand by that. if your friend wants a little schooling fish they should instead look at nano rasbora species!! i had 10 strawberry rasboras in my 5g and it was great (bigger is always better but these fish are sooo small they were ok). chilis and phoenix rasboras are also great. you could fit a bunch in a 10g no problem!!!

now with general tank stuff. i recommend starting with a sponge filter before trying to go no filter, because no filter needs a lot of time for plants and bacteria to establish before it'll work well. but the best place if you're aiming for no filter are floating plants and fast growing stem or runner plants. for floaters i like salvinia (avoid duckweed if possible but it'll probably manifest anyway, at which point just resign yourself to it lol), for stems i like rotala or cabomba (you can constantly trim and replant, self generating plants!), and for runners i like vallisineria (looks like grass and is always visually gorgeous). for the absolute end all easiest plant experience, throw in some guppy grass. no planting required just throw it in. it'll grow like crazy into big lush bunches. ultimate easy plant.

the longer you just let the tank go establishing itself before adding the shrimp, the better chance they have. then when adding them, you wanna add as many as possible at the jump, like 10 at least. it's also best (and usually cheapest) to see if a hobbyist is selling shrimp on local markets. that way you know they've been bred in hopefully your same quality of tap water, so transition should be easier.

WISH YOUR FRIEND THE BEST OF LUCK ON THEIR SHREST (shrimp quest)

[shrineofdolls]

life updates in no particular order:

caught a house slug who has a split in its mantle, named them Splithead. I put them in a 5 gal tank with a coffee cup for them to hide in ^_^

later i caught another house slug who i named zoomer (because they are fast and very alert compared to Splithead). i also caught 2 roly poly and a bunch of tiny millipedes and two smaller slugs (who are different species possibly) and placed them into the tank. I'm creating an ecosystem,

i decided that my local ikea's food is terrible quality so i made my own swedish meatball meal (mashed potatoes, meatballs, petite peas) and it was incomparable. homemade is god.

i guess I'm pretty good at crane games

I've been neglecting head>heelz to play mario golf and wonder (ummmm lol...) and i am Alright at golf but Terrible at platforming.

IM GOING TO FINISH THIS COMIC I WILL I WILL I WILL I

i like that digital circus thing thats been going around that's pretty cool i think clown type characters are growing on me but also the doll girl's name (ragatha) is fucking hilarious and I keep saying it

[maple-writes]

There is such a RANGE of how people treat fish and aquariums its insane and so many people don't know what they don't know when it comes to keeping an aquarium. Even just filters alone. I've known people who otherwise know a decent amount about caring for other kinds of animals have no idea what the filter actually does in an aquarium and think that if the water looks clear that means it's clean and healthy and have no idea about ammonia or the nitrogen cycle as a whole. I distinctly remember at my old job we got an Oscar in (someone couldn't take care of it anymore) while I wasn't there and they set him up in a tank (that was a bit small) with a fresh, "clean" filter and had no idea why I immediately ran and tested the water. Like no wonder he wasn't looking very lively the ammonia and nitrites were incredibly high and he could have died. Luckily we had a lot of other, well established aquariums that I was able to swap some filter media with but damn.

I feel like so many people think of fish as short-lived, almost temporary pets or something that is more of a decoration than a living thing in a tiny ecosystem and that probably lends itself to the over-maintaining of aesthetics over aquarium health. I keep having to explain to people that no, it's not a good idea to scrub everything in the aquarium all at once, no it's not a good idea to be regularly replacing the filter media for a "clean" one, no an algae eating fish like a pleco is not a must-have to "clean the tank" and also they grow longer than this fish tank is anyway, no you don't need to take out 100% of the water every time you do a water change, no an airstore with bubbles does not filter the water, yes you need a filter and so on and so forth. AAAA

Maybe because fish are easy and relatively cheap to buy and people like things that look "clean" and "tidy" and carry that over to their fish tanks without considering what a small, mostly closed system needs to thrive. And I can't even blame them for not knowing all this because fish seem to be the kind of pet that people think they know how to take care of because they're considered easy pets, and both media and some pet stores themselves perpetuate the idea of tiny, often gimmicky aquariums that are nowhere near suitable for a lot of the more popular fish.

Anyway, I'm super into aquariums and fish in general and I could ramble on about this stuff all day so I'll cut myself off here lol.

the aquarium hobby honestly drives me insane sometimes. coming into it as a guy who knows a lot about ecology (even tho i started my first tank less than a year ago), it immediately struck me as odd the sheer amount of cleanliness so many aquarists demand of their tanks. like constantly vaccuuming gravel, or killing snails, or freaking out about "pests" and insisting that everything be quarantined and washed and sterile before throwing it in the tank

like. you're creating a little microhabitat. there has to be a better way than ripping it apart every week because you -checks notes- think bladder snails are ugly

[snail-care]

BIOACTIVE VIVARIA Part 1

Aight, this took much longer than I expected but here we are. Bioactive vivariums are excellent. The point of a BioVs (I'm shortening it now lol) is to recreate a tiny ecosystem within your pet's enclosure. The best benefit, in my opinion, is that your clean up crew/custodians (small bugs I'll explain in part 2) are detritivores who will consume decaying material and waste products from your pets. Essentially, you will not have to clean snail poop out of the tank. A naturalistic miniature ecosystem will also encourage the snails to enjoy natural behaviours like burrowing!

Supply list;

Tank or enclosure

Small (2-4cm diameter) pebbles or clay spheres

Fly screen or other tough mesh fabric

Substrate (my favourite is coco peat/coir mixed with a handful of perlite and a handful of coco bark/chips)

Leaf litter (oak, maple, beech etc)

Custodial creatures (isopods and springtails)

Plants and decor, if you so desire.

Setup

BioVs take a bit of setup. You will begin with your first step; a drainage layer.

Snails and slugs need a damp and humid environment. A side effect of misting them regularly is that substrate can become waterlogged and swampy. The decay of waste products will turn from aerobic bacteria (the bacteria you want, these guys need oxygen to live and function) to anaerobic bacteria (not so good. these guys are very smelly and can give off their own potentially harmful waste products) if the substrate becomes too swampy.

This is avoided with your drainage layer!

Head to a hardware store or a pet store, hardware stores are usually the cheaper option here, and buy a nice bag of pebbles. 2-4cm in diameter is roughly what you want here. You can also get these small clay spheres, but theyre harder to find. Spread them on the bottom of the tank or enclosure in a nice, even layer. The depth of this layer is up to you, but I would make sure it's at least a couple cm to make room for excess water.

Place a piece of fly screen large enough to cover all the pebbles on top of them. If you wanna get fancy you can find a firmer plastic mesh, but a fly screen works just fine. use another 8 pebbles to hold the edges and corners down.

There you have it, that's your drainage layer. This is where excess water will travel to, rather than swamping up your substrate. You might want to acquire some kind of syringe or pipette to get water out of there if too much is in there but I don't bother. If there's a pool in my drainage layer I just don't mist for a while and let it wick up or evaporate.

Your next step is your substrate. You have a bit of a fork in the road here, as to whether you want a planted vivarium, with live plants, or simply a regular viv, with decor as you choose. If you want to plant your vivarium, you will need to create a few layers. I would do a gravel layer, a coco peat/coir layer and a top layer of some sphagnum moss. I'm not very experienced in planted vivs so I will leave that at that, but there are many excellent tutorials online.

For a plain vivarium, I made a simple mix of coco coir, perlite, and a small handful of coco bark/chips. The perlite and bark help create air pockets to keep the soil aerated. Fill the tank with your substrate to a depth of your choosing. For snails, the minimum depth would be deep enough for the largest snail in the tank to entirely bury themselves.

Next, some leaf litter as a topper. Leaf litter simply refers to fallen leaves that have dried and begun to decay. Oak, maple and beech are some safe leaves, and you can often find bags of these in reptile or insect keeping stores, in person or online. If you collect leaves from outside, make sure it's a good distance away from roads to avoud pollution, that there are no pesticides or herbicides around, and that you freeze the leaves for 48 hours prior to putting them inside the tank to avoid unwanted hitchhikers. Try to shake off any bugs on the leaves before freezing them to avoid unnecessarily killing them. You don't need to completely cover the top of the substrate with leaf litter, but you will need at least a section, as some of your clean up crew are very fond of leaf litter and use it as a nutrient source.

Alright, I don't want this post getting 4km long, so this can be part 1 of 2. In the next part, I'll talk about the lovely custodial/clean up crew/janitorial critters used in BioVs, how to find them, and how to keep them healthy! Thank you very much for reading!

Part 2 here

[harlequinmoss]

Miharu and Yoite Aquarium Date 🐟

This exists within my good ending au. I started it earlier this month and wanted to get it out by the end of the new year, and now I get to say it's in commemoration of Yoite's birthday so it ended up being good timing lol

Happy birthday Yoite 💖

...

Light from the fleeting winter sun fades as the door to the aquarium shuts behind Yoite and Miharu. In front of them sits a ticket counter illuminated by a fluorescent bulb in the ceiling, and beyond that, a glow of deep blue water bounces off the hallway. 

"So what are we doing here, anyway?" Yoite asks as he follows Miharu up to the line for the ticket booth. He adjusts his hat as they walk, pulling it further down on his face, allowing him to hide from the others around them. 

"Yukimi is writing an article on this place and wants me to take the pictures. He said it'd be a good solo assignment…" Miharu responds.

"But I didn't want to go alone." Something the heart wants to say but can't. 

Miharu glances up at Yoite for a moment before adjusting the strap of the camera bag to fit more comfortably on his shoulder. When the time comes for them to pay, he unzips a small pouch from the bag and hands over the money Yukimi had given him for the trip. Funnily enough, it ends up being the exact amount for two people, as if Yukimi predicted he'd bring Yoite with him. 

The pair walk down the dark hallway to the first exhibit in which various river fish swim behind a thick glass wall. The tank is an enclosed ecosystem with large rocks at the bottom, a few algae-like plants, tiny fish the size of tadpoles, and larger carp and snappers as well as a couple more elusive catfish. 

"What do you need pictures of?" 

"Yukimi said he trusts my eye at this point, so whatever I want, I guess. He does want a candid photo of people at the touch pool for the front page, though."

"Okay…" Yoite nods and pauses to watch the fish, locking eyes with a catfish swimming past, now deciding to follow that one in particular.

Meanwhile, Miharu unzips the main pouch to the camera bag, removing the camera as well as a lens Yukimi told him to take with. He leans against the wall, carefully unscrewing the current lens and fitting the other in its place. After fitting the strap around his neck, he turns the camera on, lifts it up to his face, and adjusts the settings to better pick up objects in the lighting. 

Carefully, Miharu scans the enclosure for anything interesting, and he hones in on the same catfish as Yoite. Miharu adjusts the zoom on the lens, framing the shot so that the fish, peeking out from a cluster of long kelp-like plants, is slightly right of center frame. He presses firmly down on the shutter before moving the camera away from his face a few inches to review the photo. 

Too exposed. Dissatisfied, Miharu adjusts the settings and tries again. Luckily, the fish does not move from it's spot. He takes a photo using the same framing and checks the shot. Better. 

Miharu glances up at Yoite, ready to turn the camera to show off his work. He finds Yoite mesmerized, smiling softly with his eyes aglow, reflecting the deep bluish-green water. Miharu feels something he can't quite explain. His chest is heavy, yet light at the same time, his heart warm with fondness and yearning. He lifts the camera up to his face and takes a photo of Yoite's expression to capture the moment. 

"This is my first time visiting an aquarium." Yoite says as he breaks his concentration to look down at Miharu. 

"Oh, yeah?"

Yoite nods. 

"There's something calming about watching the fish swim back and forth. Or maybe it's the sound of the water filter in the tank…"

"I'm inclined to agree," Miharu says as they start walking down the hall toward the next exhibit. "Something about it puts my heart at ease."

What follows are a few more large rooms full of tanks of freshwater fish. Miharu takes one or two photos at each of them, sometimes unsure of what would be good for the article. He does take a rather compelling photo of a pike facing the informational plaque of itself, almost as if showing it off. However, most of their time is spent simply looking. Sometimes their hands touch, and their fingers interlock, both of them gazing into the tank and not at each other but somehow knowing what the other is feeling nonetheless. 

Sometimes one or both of them will get lost in it, forgetting the reason for their visit entirely, only to be brought back by an excited child commenting on the fish or the sound of someone's shoes clip-clopping across the linoleum floor and breaking the silence. Only then do they look at each other, smiling, letting out a nervous chuckle, and letting go of each other before moving on to the next area. 

Eventually they reach the room with the touch pool. Multiple, in fact. Along the walls is a river system that raises and lowers in height. It houses various creatures from sea urchins, to starfish, to mollusks. They are sectioned off into different groups where attendants can control the crowds, answering questions and ensuring that the creatures do not become agitated by the interactions. In the center of the room sits a larger touch pool with rays and horseshoe crabs. 

This room is the most crowded, and although the attendants do their best to limit the noise, it is also the loudest, with overlapping murmurs filling the room. Yoite visibly tenses and goes to stand at an empty side of the room. Miharu follows while holding his breath, also a bit overwhelmed. 

"Sorry, it's pretty loud, huh? I'll take pictures quickly and then we can move on to where it's less crowded, okay?"

Yoite nods and turns to the touch pool behind him to distract himself until Miharu returns. This one is rather small, only housing one or two snails that are currently tucked into their brown spiral shells. The aquarium attendant in charge of these snails catches Yoite looking and moves closer in case he'd like to interact with them.

"Neat, aren't they? Those are apple snails. They're resting now but you can usually find them feasting on plants and algae inside the tank." 

"They're pretty small…" is all Yoite says in response. He doesn't even turn his head to look at the employee. 

"Yep! Most of them grow around two to three inches. They have a big appetite, though. Would you like to pet one? It won't mind. All we ask is that you touch it gently with one finger and sanitize your hands afterwards. We have a wash station on the wall over there." The attendant says as she motions her hand over to a wall with a sink and paper towel dispenser. 

Yoite looks down at his gloved hands. He never got used to having them off. The dark stains were unbearable for him to look at, a grim reminder of his past and the fate that befell him. Even now, with the spots beginning to lighten and fade, the sight of his own hands is enough to make his stomach turn. He rarely even takes them off to sleep. Other than baths and the occasional vulnerable moment around Miharu or Yukimi, there they stay.

"Ah...no thank you." Yoite murmurs as he once again pulls his hat down in an attempt to hide. 

"Oh? Alright then. Let me know if you have any questions!"

Yoite nods, then stands there in awkward silence as he awaits Miharu's return. To his relief, he does not have to wait long. 

"Ready to go?" Miharu asks as he approaches. He outstretches a hand for Yoite to take, trying to take his attention away from the floor. 

"Yes…" Yoite says calmly. He gently takes Miharu's hand and follows him into the next room. 

This exhibit is the largest by far. The room, modeled after a sunken ship, is surrounded by glass from all sides. Even the ceiling and floor contain "holes" where the ship is broken and cracked, allowing an opportunity to see the creatures from every direction. Beyond the glass, saltwater fish swim through a deep enclosure filled with plants, large rocks, sunken treasure chests, and other items such as a large ship's wheel to add to the immersion. Because of a clever lighting facade, the tank appears to go as far back as the eye can see, as if it were a real ocean. 

Miharu takes a moment to admire the room while Yoite immediately walks over to an empty spot in front of the glass. Miharu quickly follows. They both look out at the water, among schools of fish, sharks, and an eel resting halfway inside a large clay pot. The wood in this room naturally absorbs the noise, causing it to be much quieter than the one before it, and the pair relax while observing the natural motion of things.

"I'd like to stand in there at the bottom of the tank. Or sit on that rock over there…" Yoite says after a few minutes. 

Miharu lets out a small laugh. 

"You'd need one of those diving suits. The pressure at the bottom could probably crush you."

"That's how it felt using Kira, kind of."

"Really?" Miharu breaks eye contact with a fish to look up at Yoite. 

"Yeah. It was like a buildup of pressure inside my chest and then it'd explode out through my hand. I'd imagine being surrounded by thousands of gallons of water is fairly similar to how it feels right before releasing the ki."

"Oh...is that why you want to stand down there?"

"No. I just think it'd be nice to be one with the fish. Maybe I would wear a diver suit, though...so my clothes don't get wet."

Miharu smiles and nods, letting out a stifled sound from his throat, relieved. Relieved that he didn't miss it somehow. 

"You've never talked about that before. How it felt using Kira, I mean…" He says after a few moments of thought. 

"Really? It must not have come up. It's definitely a weight off my body, not being able to use it anymore." Yoite stares out at a hammerhead shark circling in the distance. "Sometimes I think I still could, if I tried. But I don't want to. Don't want to harm anyone else. It's tiring, anyhow…"

"Yeah…" Miharu reaches over to grab Yoite's hand, squeezing it in his own. "I think I understand. Sometimes with the shinrabansho I'd feel like I was drowning. Kind of like the pressure without the release, I guess."

"That makes sense." Yoite turns to look at Miharu. "Do you ever regret giving it up?"

Miharu shakes his head. 

"No. I think everyone is better off with her...wherever she is now. I do miss Kouichi and Shijima, though. But I know that they're probably happy, getting to be a family and all."

Yoite smiles and nods. 

"Things turned out alright in the end, didn't they?" 

"Yeah…they did." Miharu smiles and leans his head against Yoite's arm. 

The two stay like that for a while longer before continuing on to the last room, a narrowing hall that exits to the gift shop. 

"Oh, I forgot to take any photos back there. There should be more than enough for Yukimi, though." 

"Yeah. I think the one of the jellyfish is my favorite. You're very good at this."

"You think so?" Miharu asks as he scratches an itch on the back of his neck. "There's not much to it. It's just nice to have something to focus on. Hold on. Let's stop here…"

Miharu pulls Yoite off to the side so that they won't be in the way of the other patrons. He leans against the wall, carefully unscrews the lens, and replaces it with the original before turning off the camera and putting it and the extra lens back in their proper places in the bag. 

"Okay. We can go now. Unless you wanted to look around the gift shop?"

"No, I'm alright, thank you."

Miharu nods and leads the way to the exit. Both are met with the chill of winter as they step through the door. They stay close to each other as they walk toward the bullet train station. However, not even each other's warmth can stop their hearts from meowing when the icy wind blows through them. 

"It's been a lot colder lately. My heart goes 'meow' almost every day now." Yoite mumbles from behind his scarf. 

"Yeah. Mine too."

"It does something similar when I think of you sometimes. It's hard to put into words, though. It's more fluttery, maybe? Like I'm falling from a high place but being held up at the same time. Or rather, I know I'll fall safely onto soft cushioning. And it's not a cold feeling, it's warm..."

"Really? That's funny. I think I've had the same feeling. But only when I'm with you." Miharu smiles to himself as he leaps over an icy spot on the sidewalk. 

"I wonder what it means." 

Yoite watches to ensure Miharu makes it across safely. He does, and then turns backwards to face Yoite. 

"Let's hurry back to the station. I'll make us some lemonade when we get home." He says as he turns around again and allows Yoite to catch up to his position before continuing to walk. 

"That sounds lovely…" Yoite smiles. His heart warms his chest with the same indescribable feeling he'd just tried to put into words. 

The feeling carries him to the station until they board the train back to Banten and they can warm themselves with the insulation and controlled heating that comes with the ride. But Yoite knows that feeling can carry him anywhere. As long as he's near Miharu he'll be warm. Warm and safe and loved. 

[elf-indulgent]

Tagged by @beachgothgay

Rules: Tag 10 people you want to get to know better (I don’t interact with that many people on here lol, also feel free to ignore if this isn’t your thing 😘) 

Relationship status: In a relationship since May last year

3 fav foods: This is hard but off the top of my head it’s Flamin Hot Cheetos, chimichangas, and lentil and sweet potato pies

Song stuck in my head: Alone by Heart

Last song I listened to: WAP

Last thing I Googled: well the last interesting thing was ‘is a fish tank an ecosystem’ (it is!)

Time: 11:50 am

Dream Trip: Iceland, Japan, places w hotsprings lol

Anything I want: (I’m interpreting this as asking about a random thing that I want so in that case) to keep my good grade streak going

tagging: @hiphopocliedes, @bluesuedeclogs, @dunewizard, @circusheart, @theongreyjoyyyy, @bearasnorusrex, @socialistcokehead

[terriblebicho]

Context: saw a bunch of planarias in my tank, thought searching about it on google would be a good idea.

"Planarias are pests that are more likely to appear when you overfeed in your tank, much like detritus worms." Do you not know what an ecosystem is?

"You need to use a dewormer to remove them." How about not feeding as much and syphoning the substrate once in a while? There I saved you some money and the possibility of losing all of your invertebrates to Fucked Around With Toxic Chemicals Disease 👍

*paragraph with extremely anal redaction about how they can be parasitic but not actually but actually maybe yes (they're not btw) and also leave a trail of deadly slime everywhere they go (citation needed)*

"Actually they don't do anything really that bad unless they're in a shrimp tank lol they just look icky" what was all that other shit for, then? Was that padding? Was it that selling planarias as horrifying nightmare-worms even though they do literally nothing would make more people read and scroll through more ads? Come here I just want to talk-

They also claim they eat small snails and snail eggs but the ones in my tank seem to be on a strict vegan diet because bladder snails won't stop kicking my ass.

There are aquarium websites out there that will just say ANYTHING

[a-little-book-wormy]

Thank you so much for the tag, @just-some-bibliophile

1. Nicknames?

Well, my name is Elysse and I don’t really have any nicknames but then again my family calls me Eese, or Geese lol 

2. Name?

Oh gosh, please don’t stalk me haha but my name is Elysse Paterson. So annoying though because both aren’t spelt how they normally are. 

3. Zodiac?

Pisces, that is why I am so emotional 

4. Favorite musician or group?

Oh gosh, impossible question. I have WAY too many.

5. Favorite sports team?

Winnipeg Jets (Hockey... I’m definitely Canadian eh)

6. Other blogs?

Oh gosh okay, I have so many here we go. 

@godsxandxgoddesses (Ancient History)

@finding-badgers (Yellow/Positivity”

@le-petit-peche (Plants/Greenery) 

I have a few RP blogs but I am just starting them and dont wanna put them out there. It’s mythological themed. 

7. Get asks?

Once and a blue moon yea

8. How many blogs do you follow?

Uhhhh I have no idea and i have no idea how to check really...

9. Tumblr crushes?

Nope, I don’t really talk to people ‘:) haha 

10. Lucky numbers?

I dont have any lucky numbers really... I do have clinical OCD so I do have a numbers issue... They are 5,6,13,30 dont know why but it can be quite bothersome when I am having an episode

11. What are you wearing right now?

Pyjama shorts and a tank top 

12. Dream vacation?

I have many dream destinations, Romania, Peru and all of Italy (Mainly where the ancient Romans/Greek people lived), Germany (because I wanna feel my ancestors home land) and Scotland (For the same reason)

13. Dream car?

Okay.. No one judge me please but a 1967 Black Chevy Impala because supernatural. First time i saw that model and it is absolutely gorgeous. I mean c’mon.

14. Favorite food?

Spaghetti and Americanized tacos... could eat them forever! Not to brag but im having tacos tomorrow and i couldnt be happier.

15. Drink of choice?

Gingerale or Fresca

16. Instruments?

Nope, used to play clarinet and the guitar but i sucked at both and hardly played.

17. Languages?

Fluent in English. I used to be in French emersion (Canadian things) but i wasn’t good at it and left. Then I tried German in high school but again wasn’t good at it, now i am learning Latin. If you can guess haha... i’m not good at it HOWEVER, I have to be fluent in that field for my career so even though I did 2 years of it, i’m sure i’ll get better. Me thinking i’ll never succeed in another language will only make it true.

18. Celebrity crushes?

Hmmm. Angelina Jolie, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, Andy Biersack honestly I love so many.

19. Random fact?

The one I always say to this is I have a thing called Horners. It is where my pupils are permanently two different sizes. Sometimes it is hard to tell and other times it is soooo obvious. My right pupil is always bigger than my left 

20. Favorite ecosystem?

Uhhhh I have no idea. I guess somewhere where it isn’t too hot? If it is more than +15 celsius I die inside. 

21. Favorite cat species?

Siberian 

Tag list:

Ohhhh I am the worst that this... I dont really have any tumblr friends so uh here it goes. 

@oldfarmhouse @junglewave @plantsarefriendssometimesfood @fleur-aesthetic

@yellow-is-my-aesthetic @greekgodsaesthetictime @greek-myth @bookklempt

@bookaesthetics @green-grunge @plantsaretakingover @plantskies @booksquotescoffee

Feel free to tag yourself!!

[bluebrine]

ask meme time

tagged in by @a-humble-goblin​! C:

name: i go by Blue here!

nickname: ..... well, Blue again! (or whatever shorthand of my URLs ppl have used in the past... i never was enough of an active poster anywhere to get real nicknames given to me lol)

zodiac: as piscean as a pisces could be! 🐟

height: 5′8 (the shorty of the family.... curse you, 6′5 brother!!)

languages: monolingual english speaker here. shoulda kept up with spanish from high school, but alas :( looking to learn latin for taxonomic purposes someday though!

nationality: american- but more specifically, tennessean! ⛰️ ~good ol’ rocky top...

favorite season: the cool seasons! ^^ fall and winter are the best. the rain and wind of spring is also nice though! (basically anything except the sweaty-ass days of southern summers are alright with me lol)

favorite flower: oh boy. uh. i like a lot of plants... this one’s a toughie! it changes depending on what’s in season tbh. right now its the sweet little things we call ‘field pansies’ around here. they’re one of the first things to catch my attention on these early, sunny spring days

proper name is Veronica peduncularis, or ‘creeping speedwell’. sadly its not native to my area though :(

favorite scent: literally nothing on earth smells better than onions & garlic frying on the stovetop. full-stop. a fool-proof way to lure me into any trap, would 100% work in any situation

favorite fictional character: this changes depending on what i’m fixating on atm, but i’m on a dishonored kick rn, so it’s my girl lizzie stride! B) i’m always a sucker for mean-ass, violent gang ladies and she checks every box on my list tbh (and those TEETH. woof)

coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: hot chocolate babey!! B) i’m just here for tasty sweet drinks- i don’t care for tea or coffee at all. i have to add an ungodly amount of cream & sugar anyway to make ‘em drinkable. (also, caffeine literally does nothing to wake me up. its a cruel fate for my eternally tired self)

average sleep: i’m on a senior citizen’s sleep schedule... usually in bed by 9:30-11:00, & up at 5:00-6:00. a big leap from my early days of bed at 4 am, and pulling all-nighters..... i don’t think i could physically do that nowadays lmao

dogs or cats: hmm, cats slightly more probably? they’re more relaxing to be around, which is nice. love both though! (i have no pets atm, but looking to adopt some pigeons in the future! 🕊)

my old cat louie was my baby though. not sure any other cat can one-up his grumpy ass, but one day i’d like to have another cat with me. (he looks polite here but he was a total butthole, don’t be fooled!!)

number of blankets: 1 (one) big-ass weighted comforter (20 lbs)

dream trip: i would love to see the pacific ocean some day! 🌊

blog established: uh, i know it was the summer before i started high school...? oh god. i was a baby. who let me on here

random fact: the american persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a tree with fruit so popular in its native ecosystem, that it also goes by such delightful names as possum apples, deer candy, or sugar plums!

(bonus tmi fact: most of the seeds i’m propagating this year were found as the aftermath to some happy possum or coyote’s fall meal. but hey, according to this paper, the digestive process of these mammals actually boosts germination rates! go nature)

current time: 3:30 pm! a lovely overcast afternoon on this fine weekend of mine

favorite musical artists: Ulvesang, Black Hill, The Crane Wives, The Oh Hellos (... my favs are really just what i’ve been listening to recently lmao)

stuck in my head: gimme gimme gimme! by ABBA :y

last movie i saw: hmm... that would have to be knives out! saw it with em after we were gonna go laugh at cats, but missed it by like 2 days :( knives out was fun tho! hadn’t been to an actual theatre for a while, so the experience was nice. got to split one of those giant buckets of grease-corn, which was amazing

last thing i googled: .... technically, it was ‘fish emoji’ for this post. before that it was ‘american wild persimmon seed germination’ because i just got mine outta the fridge and into the pots for the spring! hope to have an ok amount sprout... i’d like to see these guys fruiting in a few years! (2 seeds per section- assuming a success rate of 25%, i might get 12 trees out of these! we will see)

lucky number: don’t really have one? i like the evenness of 8, but i don’t take any real stock in lucky numbers

currently wearing: the usual- tank top with comfy shorts!

dream job: working on my paleontology degree right now- trying to make this dream real soon! 🦕

favorite foods: pasta with cream sauces. literally anything that fits that definition is my fav. best combo i’ve made so far is something with grilled chicken, sautéed mushrooms + onions + garlic, and a cream sauce with spinach /chef’s kiss/

instruments: none! ain’t got a musical bone in my entire body 

favorite song: i possibly can’t pick this, but i’m listening to Curses by The Crane Wives right now!

[imaginaryari]

Happy Storyteller Saturday! What are some superstitions your characters grew up with? Old wives tales about throwing salt over your shoulder, what food to eat on new year's to bring good luck, nursery rhymes and songs like not stepping on cracks? Tooth fairies, Easter bunnies, bloody mary--what strange stories did your OCs believe in as kids? Do they still believe now?

im late answering this but i had a few bad days ^ ^ thanks for sending this tho i had recently been working on something like this.

tank: good luck is coming if you can see the moon (is usually overcast at all times). the water still calls to some and you shouldnt always answer. Beware of dark corners (this is just rule of thumb and light is super important here. also scary stories for children about shadow ppl). “betta splash” = better to land in the water than on concrete

inferno: gods/godesses for sunlight, earth, and lava watch over the city but thats about it. instead of sunshowers they say the light goddess is crying

solace: some believe the monsoons were punishment for something (perhaps for the owners of the old tech being reclaimed by nature). others think they are a gift. nursery rhymes about what grows in what season. some kids used to believe the greenhouses were haunted since they were smart buildings and would speak with a warped voice unprompted (gardening ghosts lol)

cryos: not really any here. (yet...)

expanse: its more so the other cities who believe they are “mythical.” a meteorite hit the desert a very long time ago creating the crater the city was built into. left them with an interesting ecosystem. at the end of the year the “old year” is thrown into a bonfire. gotta give up something to thrive in the new one. 

[bespectacledbookworm]

Goldfish Diary, Jan/11/23

So I've bred Ambrose and Ursula, and I'm about to buy back that lil goldfish I got for free that I sold. She's a red and white oranda, but her spots are smaller and more intensely red than Ambrose's.

I think... I'm contemplating a stock tank outside. Probably will set that up in the summer, if I still have a job by then (contract work is fun! But unpredictable... oof). If not, then I think my 75 gallon will be overstocked with like 6 orandas. However, I am working on making it an "ecosystem/walstadt" tank. If I get enough plants and the right substrate/light combo, maybe the amount of plants could help keep my parameters stable, even with 6 orandas. A second project i'm working on with this tank!

I'm also contemplating purchasing another goldfish for breeding purposes... I just read a paper on breeding and genetics, and it appears that a kirin or calico oranda is more likely to birth a variety of different goldfish colors. But I really wanted to try breeding an Ambrose-shaped blue oranda... unfortunately, if I want to try breeding for this fish, I'd need to keep my tank stocked as minimally as possible. I already plan to keep three babies... depending on how their color develops in the next few months (i'm really hoping that one of the ones I want to keep stays a bronze color. If not, oh well. The first generation never ends up how you want, its usually the second or third...)

The dream is to become a goldfish influencer on instagram and make money selling goldfish and doing brand deals with Seachem or something, lol. The dream I need to focus on right now, though, is the Ambrose- shaped, Ursula-colored Oranda with the butterfly-ish tail. Actually, let me add a picture of the tail here:

It's not really a butterfly tail: the traditional butterfly tail lays more horizontal to the fish body. This tail is more erect, but it has that triangular shape. Here's the traditional butterfly tail for reference:

Thisis one of Zhao's Fancies' fish. The tail lays flat, see? It's typically a top view goldfish.

To be honest, I'm not sure if the tail of my juvenile fish can really be called "Butterfly tail". Maybe I've got it wrong and it's closer to just a normal fantail. I see other tail types like rose, orchid, peony... Maybe it's closer to a rose tail?

Another question to research!

Oh, and one more thing before I leave this post: After watching a great video on different substrates without CO2 injection, Ive decided that my plain sand gravel is not good enough. I plan to add Fluval Stratum to my tank.

okay bye! Until next time!

[dailydolphinsuitjotaro]

Some aquariums don't treat dolphins very well whyareyousupportingthem.

“I think it’s unfair to stop supporting ALL aquariums, and zoological parks as a whole just because many seem to be profit-based organisations. But…”

((I’m assuming this is about my first post where I joked that Jotaro was forced into wearing a dolphin suit for free admission forever to his local aquarium but anyway please read the rest of the jumbled mess of a mildly ic opinionated essay under the cut. お願いします!))

“But first, let’s talk about dolphins since you brought them up. The Chinese White Dolphin is a favourite of my blog’s moderator. There’s approximately a 2.5% annual decline in their populations within crucial habitats in the Pearl River estuary. Even under the most ideal conditions, other experts can only agree that the species would be able to survive for another 40 generations. However, it is far far less than ideal. Besides organochlorines, heavy metals and other pollutants in their oceans, coastal development destroying habitats, vessel collision due to increasing marine traffic, underwater noise pollution, and overfishing are other factors rendering propagation in the wild … difficult, to say the least.

This is not a new situation. The Baiji dolphins which inhabited the Yangtze River had suffered similar circumstances and were considered to be functionally extinct in late 2006. It is also considered to be arguably the first dolphin species in history to be driven to extinction.

But back to your question, I am most definitely against any aquariums and zoos that use the animals in their care solely for entertainment and profit, especially if said animals involve species that have high cognitive potential with relationships and social identity being intertwined in how they survive normally in the wild. I also believe that despite the rapid degradation of habitats, I think captivity breeding isn’t the best method for conservation—especially for large marine mammals such as dolphins—as it has its own host of barriers, such as ensuring the starting population is genetically viable, keeping them alive in the long-term, and acquiring sufficient accommodation to house them in the first place. Reintroducing captive borns into the wild is also a difficult task due to likely lacking immunity to wildlife diseases and needing to be reintegrated into wild populations’ social structures. In fact, the few efforts for captive breeding of a similar breed of Pink Dolphins haven’t proved very successful in Singapore’s Sentosa. Capturing a viable starting population is also dangerous as catching methods can gravely injure them.

The most ideal situation for conservation of dolphins and cetaceans would be to first conserve their crucial habitats. So no, I don’t wholeheartedly support dolphinariums or marine mammal parks that insist on sketchy breeding programmes often accompanied by daily 20-minute dolphin performances.

Nevertheless, it is not an ideal world. Unless governments are willing to expand protected zones for these creatures and compromise for sustainable development, more and more may believe captive breeding should unfortunately be considered their last hope.

For example, if I had to grossly simplify the debate on whether the Chinese White Dolphin should be bred in captivity or not then whichever side you support would ultimately be whether one valued the species’ survivability in captivity in terms of their recorded average life spans and infant mortality rates compared to those in the wild over their quality of life, that is, enjoying freedom and a “good life” in animal welfare terms. 

I dearly hope that captive breeding will never be considered a necessity for the propagation of these magnificent creatures, but if there comes a time when we do find the Chinese White Dolphin to be functionally extinct in the wild, I will do whatever I can to try to keep the species alive if there are still any in captivity, and hopefully one day reintroduce them back into Hong Kong waters once sufficient protected zones are established.

Regardless, I can’t deny that captive breeding has or is forecasted to have a great positive impact for other species, marine or terrestrial. For example, captive breeding programmes for salmonids have succeeded in maintaining neutral genetic diversity for several generations (albeit with trends in reduced fitness in offspring), which may be sufficient for whatever dangers in their natural habitats to be removed. Conservation efforts in European and American zoos for the breeding of King Penguins have also proved successful, which is quite a breakthrough as climate change in the Southern Ocean is likely to cause drastic wild population declines in the future. And, while not a marine animal, the Arabian Oryx conservation effort is another significant example.

Still, my overall conclusions for captive breeding in aquariums and zoos is to think of them not as the final solution but a possible plan B until the factors contributing to their initial decline can be addressed. (Though there is the issue with ‘rehab’ animals deemed unreleasable by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums but that’s something to discuss for another time).

Anyhow, aquariums also benefit marine conservation beyond breeding programmes such as research into diseases along with the development of vaccinations, rehabilitation (as the second anon mentioned) and overall responsible promotion and education of marine conservation. Also, it’s unrealistic for facilities to “empty their tanks” and dump their captive born into the wild without meticulous plans for safe and proper transition. Good grief, let’s not forget a similar incident in America where tens of thousands of minks were …forcibly released from a farm only for most of them to likely die of starvation and negatively affect the surrounding ecosystem.

Many marine biologists can say their interest was born from visiting aquariums when they were young. Moreover, there are studies that looked into the positive educational impact of zoos and aquariums in the most recent volume of the Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, which you may read. Their ability to expose youth to the wonders of marine life is important, though I’d prefer if they weren’t so plentiful and more were NGO non-profit based.

If it helps, I generally judge an aquarium by at least the following criteria:

Prioritize and support human entertainment with dolphin, whale, seal, penguin, etc. shows (especially if they have little emphasis on education)?

Entirely profit-based with very little budget allocation to conservation or research efforts?

Support untrained customers touching and petting captive animals?

No ties to legitimate academic institutions and research projects?

Saying yes to any of the above means it’s likely not that great of an institution, which is, unfortunately, probably most of them. It’s likely your local aquariums do break one of these criteria, but campaigning to shut them down entirely doesn’t have to be the only option, perhaps they can change with enough pressure–unless they are absolutely unforgivable that is.

What I’m saying is that every conservation facility, zoos or aquariums, are unique in their level of ethics and should be considered individually. Responsible zoos and aquariums that prioritise facilitation and promotion of conservation of animals are very much needed in the current era. Elizabeth Kolbert, author of ‘The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History’, had suggested we are amidst a sixth mass extinction event and that 20-50% of all flora and fauna on earth will be lost by the end of the 21st century . Unfortunately, this one being different than the others with human activity playing a significant part. While it would be ideal if animals could thrive on their own in the wild or protected areas, that is ultimately not so …easy for most endangered and threatened species, to say the least.

Apologies if this comes across as very vague as this is mostly my own ramblings from the top of my head. Relevant links below if you’re interested:

Study on captive breeding of Salmonids

Study on captive breeding of King Penguins 

Study on the effect of the zoo setting on the behavioural diversity of captive Gentoo Penguins and the implications for their educational potential

Study on impact of in-school zoo education programmes

HK Dolphinwatch

I recommend JZAR if you’re interested in zoo biology and related fields. I believe all their articles are open access so do check them out.”

((DISCLAIMER: I’m NOT an expert nor do i have formal education in marine science. I’ve been interested in it since I had the pleasure to see a Chinese White Dolphin during a local dolphin watch tour by the HK Dolphinwatch when I was a wee child a decade ago. There were over 180 dolphins recorded in 2003 but the numbers have since declined to 87 in 2010 and 47 in the last year. Ocean Park, which is basically the only large marine mammal park–and conservation facility on the side–in Hong Kong, has shown interest in breeding them in captivity but ofc there’s a lot of criticism to that, most of which I agree with but god the whole situation is really distressing and idk what we can do because the government sure isn’t gonna do anything like expanding protected zones or enforcing regulation on marine traffic through those zones. In fact, the new zhuhai bridge and other runways they’re using our tax money for is most certainly making the whole situation worse lol god just kill me take me instead of the dolphins i’ve had enough of this world))

[its-alumina]

A list of accomplishments in the past year that I am (somehow) proud of

1. Completed my physical set of my favorite book series Artemis Fowl (this takes first place because, I dunno, accomplishment.)

2. 15+ anime series finished this year (not quite sure with the number), including that long-ass Naruto. Most of these series have been watched in 2.5/3.0 speed, in an effort to train my Sharingan to read subtitles effortlessly (it worked!)

3. To date, 100+ poetry (or non poetry) typed in a notepad file titled "poetry" in my computer, all expressions of my feelings, thoughts, opinions, self. Here's to not losing the will to write shit and keep adding things up in that stuff.

4. Still don't know how to play any instrument (but no one's got me beat in "air" drums), yet I've still got some lyrics written down and recorded, hidden somewhere in the pc and waiting to be completed songs (to date, out of 20 song ideas, only around three or four are complete with verse, chorus. The voice is still not good tho.)

5. Not really anything yet, but the Aluminaverse is growing ever so slightly, with new concepts, characters, and plotlines being added bit by bit. The writer, however, is lazy trash, and is barely even writing any story. Whatever will happen next, no one fucking knows.

6. 21 (turning 22) and still employed, for some reason. Not that I'm complaining.

7. 21... and still a v$#%£& (seriously whut).

8. Still doesn't give a fuck about politics.

9. Regularly eats junk food.

10. Has a collection of Smart C+ bottles at home.

11. Now curses instead of tearing up whenever a The 1975 song comes up (still blocked them though.)

12. Has a set of reactors in shitpost Facebook account.

13. Recently liberated and free from toxic workplace.

14. Support game is not that shitty, thank goodness. Might play tank soon. And as always, a shitty carry.

15. Can play as Impostor really well.

16. Now plays League of Legends.

17. Still lies between teeth.

18. Maintains a healthy balance of suicidal and happy thoughts (an ecosystem).

19. Was able to post a good amount of tumblr posts to keep alive for another half year of inactivity... or three.

20. M e m e k n o w l e d g e e x p a n s i o n

21. Laughed a lot, even in crisis.

22. Was able to educate for a good two or three months

23. Slytherin supremacist after all this time.

24. Probably got drunk only twice (in which in one of them I'm drinking solo and it didn't *didn't* end well. I dunno, I've done lots of stupid stuff during quarantine)

25. Am a part of history being a part of growing fanbase of fave artists.

26. Still toxic when it counts.

27. Still crazy when it counts.

28. Still funny when it counts.

29. Still serious when it counts.

30. Still a simp when it fucking counts.

31. Light novel coverage is admittedly... less than expected (only 10 or less read so far this year, but at least it's something.)

32. Made a handful of character designs (drawing style's still shitty, so meh)

33. Reached One Piece chapter 999, a historic moment.

34. Had at least 15 crushes, of varying degrees (but now simps for only one. I just wish that she'd simp back or something). *Update: I don't think she would, but meh, what else can I do about it lol. At least I s i m p*

35. Stans the same artists more and more every day.

36. Overthinks less now (this doesn't make much sense semantically).

37. Vengeance still hot, grudges still strong.

38. Met quite the awesome online friends, and boy, was I glad that I met them.

39. The same favorite song, which is a testament that I am motherfucking loyal. (Lol).

40. Less bitter about terrible things, less judgmental of terrible ideas.

41. Still wanna commit genocide on terrible politicians.

42. I think I speak English better now, and that my grammar is a *little* better.

43. Has learned a little "konnichiwa" language.

44. Manages to be kind, because the Doctor said so, because kindness counts more. Would try to be more kind.

45. Loves self more now compared to then. Can stand up to self better. Can speak for myself more often now. Can do things for the sake of me and no one else most of the time.

46. Been gay/bi/pan at least three times (no kidding)

47. Was able to grow out my hair into a bird's nest mess lmao.

48. Tore off toxic friends off of my system like it's nothing, and forgotten about trash people not worth remembering.

49. Haven't shed a tear yet again, except for that one damn scene from Violet Evergarden and, of course, No Game No Life: Zero, but most definitely not for some damn human being (going strong).

50. Still alive, against all odds, chances, and dumb fuckery that Life and the World throws at me, and will do so again next year.

The year may have been terrible, but it's not lacking its rewards and lessons. Here's to a more hopeful year. Cheers!

Ps: Bad Side of 22 soon.

Pps: there might have been more to add, but this is a rushed list, and these are all I can think of. SML!

[paintpencilink]

I'm a Bird secondary so here goes!

Skills

(This is going to be a very weird resume.)

Major skills

Writing--especially long-form fiction. Been writing novel(la)s since I was ten. I also write nonfiction sometimes.

Art/Design--favorite mediums are pencil, ink, acrylic paint, and oil paint, and I'm working on getting better at digital art and graphic design. Digital tools handle differently than traditional ones, and I'm not as used to them, but I've made some cute stuff recently!*

Technology--this is vague because my experience is kind of broad. I studied programming for years before burning out on it. I made an online store for my mom using WordPress and on my own hosting, set up the encryption, and did all the graphic design. I've used each of Windows, Mac and Linux (Linux is my favorite and I'm pretty comfortable with its command line) as my main OS at different points. I'm good at fixing computer problems. I built my desktop computer from parts. I have a GitHub. I was never very good at/interested in networking (sysadmin stuff), though; I tried to learn about it but none of it stuck very well.

Cooking--I understand a lot of the chemistry behind cooking, so I'm pretty good at making up recipes. I never follow existing recipes exactly. Oh, and I have a special place in my heart and my repetoire for Japanese food (no, I don't just mean maki rolls).

Psychology--I just read a lot related to this, as a general topic.

Minor skills

I'm less dedicated to/experienced with these, or it's been a while.

Knitting

Ukulele

Baking

Plant care

Minor clothing repair

Candle making

Basic lockpicking--I'm not great at it because I buy the locks I practice on, and they get expensive

Niche aquarium stuff--not so much anymore, but I used to be really into natural planted tanks, aquascaping, and basically making a really pretty slice of an ecosystem in a box.

French--I took this in high school and I was really good at it, I had a good teacher and was conversational for a while. I can still sorta read it.

Photography--I can put my camera in Pro mode and know what the settings are doing, which makes me a slightly better than average photographer.

...and probably a bunch of random crap I'm forgetting about, and will continue to forget about until some unsuspecting person mentions they have a problem with some weird little thing I've studied, and then it will flip me into Infodump Mode.

(Speaking of which, if anyone actually needs or wants to know something about one of these topics, you're welcome to ask.)

That's enough for now I think ^^ I wanna sleep lol.

---

*Here's a recent digital piece of mine. I started off doodling fluffy Ghibli-style hair and it wound up cute so I finished it. (Please don't repost. Reblogs are fine of course.)

Secondary Appreciation Post!

Reblog this with awesome stuff about your secondary--feel free to talk about your secondary models too!

This post is for bragging about cool stuff you've done and swapping stories. Don't hesitate to talk about your accomplishments! (Your stories will end up helping other people Sort themselves, so don't hold back!)

If you're having trouble getting started, here are some prompts which may or may not apply to you--pick and choose the ones you like, or just tell the story you already have in mind :)

Lions

Tell us about a time you got through something because you were just too stubborn to quit.

Have you ever had that "collecting an army" experience, where people saw what you were doing and suddenly decided to join you?

Do you have any funny stories about getting into situations that only a Lion could possibly wind up in?

Have you ever gotten weird reactions to your methods from other people?

What's the most impressive thing you've used Lion secondary to do?

Badgers

Tell us about something fun you did with your community.

What work have you dedicated yourself to? Why is it important to you? Do you have a story to tell about it?

Have you ever found yourself doing a REALLY odd job for someone?

Who's the most "out there" person in your network? Have you ever called on them for help?

What unexpected things have happened as a result of people trusting you?

Birds

List off as many of your skills as you can. (This might take a while. You've probably forgotten you have a bunch of them.)

Tell us about your projects, things you've built or big topics of study. Infodumps welcome!

Tell us about your stash of resources. Do you have an ideal workshop you'd like to have?

What are your favorite books? Have you ever gotten so attached to one that you carried it everywhere?

What experiences have taught you the most?

Tell us a story about using your skills to get out of a tough situation or to help someone.

Snakes

What's the best recovery from a bad situation you've ever managed?

Tell us about a time you just walked into a situation cold--no preparation--and you just went with it. How'd it go?

Have you ever surprised someone with your code-switching?

Have you ever pulled a clever prank on someone, or come out with some ingenious piece of bullshit?

Are you a persuasive person? Tell us a story about talking someone into something.

Burned Secondaries

(no, I didn't forget you! you still belong here!)

What's the most unlikely success you've ever had?

Have you ever gotten into a situation where you saw a flash of something that might have been your old secondary? How did that feel?

Which secondary do you wish you had? Have you ever tried out its methods?

Tell us about something you did that turned out awesome.

I have lots of cool people following me so I expect to see replies on this post! Long posts are very much welcome! Y'all better start bragging or I'm gonna start tagging :p