#laser cut box

[foone]

why are printers so hated? it's simple:

computers are good at computering. they are not good at the real world.

the biggest problems in computers, the ones that have had to change the most over the time they've existed, are the parts that deal with the real world. The keyboard, the mouse, the screen. every computer needs these, but they involve interacting with the real world. that's a problem. that's why they get replaced so much.

now, printers: printers have some of the most complex real-world interaction. they need to deposit ink on paper in 2 dimensions, and that results in at least three ways it can go on right from the start. (this is why 3D printers are just 2D printers that can go wrong in another whole dimension)

scanners fall into many of the same problems printers have, but fewer people have scanners, and they're not as cost-optimized. But they are nearly as annoying.

This is also why you can make a printer better by cutting down on the number of moving elements: laser printers are better than inkjets, because they only need to move in one dimension, and their ink is a powder, not a liquid. and the best-behaved printers of all are thermal printers: no ink and the head doesn't move. That's why every receipt printer is a thermal printer, because they need that shit to work all the time so they can sell shit. And thermal is the most reliable way to do that.

But yeah, cost-optimization is also a big part of why printers are such finicky unreliable bastards: you don't want to pay much for them. Who is excited for all the printing they're gonna be doing? basically nobody. But people get forced to have a printer because they gotta print something, for school or work or the government or whatever. So they want the cheapest thing that'll work. They're not shopping on features and functionality and design, they want something that costs barely anything, and can fucking PRINT. anything else is an optional bonus.

And here's the thing: there's a fundamental limit of how much you can optimize an inkjet printer, and we got near to it in like the late 90s. Every printer since then has just been a tad smaller, a tad faster, and added some gimmicks like printing from WIFI or bluetooth instead of needing to plug in a cable.

And that's the worst place to be in, for a computer component. The "I don't care how fancy it is, just give me one that works" zone. This is why you can buy a keyboard for 20$ and a mouse for 10$ and they both work plenty fine for 90% of users. They're objectively shit compared to the ones in the 60-150$ range, but do they work? yep. So that's what people get.

Printers fell into that zone long, long ago, when people stopped getting excited about "desktop publishing". So with printers shoved into the "make them as cheap as possible" zone, they have gotten exponentially shittier. Can you cut costs by 5$ a printer by making them jam more often? good. make them only last a couple years to save a buck or two per unit? absolutely. Can you make the printer cost 10$ less and make that back on the proprietary ink cartridges? oh, they've been doing that since Billy Clinton was in office.

It's the same place floppy disks were in in about 2000. CD-burners were not yet cheap enough, USB flash drives didn't exist yet (but were coming), modems weren't fast enough yet to copy stuff over the internet, superfloppies hadn't taken over like some hoped, and memory cards were too expensive and not everyone had a drive for them. So we still needed floppy disks, but at the same time this was a technology that hadn't changed in nearly 20 years. So people were tired of paying out the nose for them... the only solution? cut corners. I have floppy disks from 1984 that read perfectly, but a shrinkwrapped box of disks from 1999 will have over half the disks failed. They cut corners on the material quality, the QA process, the cleaning cloth inside the disk, everything they could. And the disks were shit as a result.

So, printers are in that particular note of the death-spiral where they've reached the point of "no one likes or cares about this technology, but it's still required so it's gone to shit". That's why they are so annoying, so unreliable, so fucking crap.

So, here's the good news:

You can still buy a better printer, and it will work far better. Laser printers still exist, and LED printers work the same way but even cheaper. They're still more expensive than inkjets (especially if you need color), but if you have to print stuff, they're a godsend. Way more reliable.

This is not a stable equilibrium. Printers cannot limp along in this terrible state forever. You know why I brought up floppy disk there? (besides the fact I'm a giant floppy disk nerd) because floppy disks GOT REPLACED. Have you used one this decade? CD-Rs and USB drives and internet sharing came along and ate the lunch of floppy disks, so much so that it's been over a decade since any more have been made. The same will happen to (inkjet) printers, eventually. This kind of clearly-broken situation cannot hold. It'll push people to go paperless, for companies to build cheaper alternatives to take over from the inkjets, or someone will come up with a new, more reliable printer based on some new technology that's now cheap enough to use in printers. Yeah, it sucks right now, but it can't last.

So, in conclusion: Printers suck, but this is both an innate problem caused by them having to deal with so much fucking Real World, and a local minimum of reliability that we're currently stuck in. Eventually we'll get out of this valley on the graph and printers will bother people a lot less.

Random fun facts about printing of the past and their local minimums:

in the hot metal type era, not only would the whole printing process expose you to lead, the most common method of printing text was the linotype, which could go wrong in a very fun way: if the next for a line wasn't properly justified (filling out the whole row), it could "squirt", and lead would escape through gaps in the type matrix. This would result in molten lead squirting out of the machine, possibly onto the operator. Anecdotally, linotype operators would sometimes recognize each other on the street because of the telltale spots on their forearms where they had white splotches where no hair grew, because they got bad lead burns. This type of printing remained in use until the 80s.

Another fun type of now-retired printers are drum printers, a type of line printer. These work something like a typewriter or dot-matrix printer, except the elements extend across the entire width of the paper. So instead of printing a character at time by smacking it into the paper, the whole line got smacked nearly at once. The problem is that if the paper jammed and the printer continued to try to print, that line of the paper would be repeatedly struck at high speed, creating a lot of heat. This worry created the now-infamous Linux error: "lp0 on fire". This was displayed when the error signals from a parallel printer didn't make sense... and it was a real worry. A high speed printer could definitely set the paper on fire, though this was rare.

So... one thing to be grateful about current shitty inkjet printers: they are very unlikely to burn anything, especially you.

(because before they could do that they'd have to work, at least a little, first, and that's very unlikely)

[hellenhighwater]

Okay, I'm in the research and resource-compilation stage of this Laika project. Dimensions on this are going to be specific enough that I will have to fully mock this up before I can start on the ceramic part of things (though I suppose I could work on Laika herself; we'll see). Rough dimensions on this are looking like probably 24 inches tall, 12-14 inches wide, and 6-8 inches deep.

The upper half of this piece would be relatively straightforwards, from a construction standpoint--layers of ceramic and glass to make a flickering star backdrop for Laika like the one I have in my living room clock of the world. I may do some kind of visible element of the rotating disc layer--maybe do a laser cut sheet of metal with engravings, or some kind of cloisonné with colored enamel illustrations? Doesn't really matter at this stage, that's decorative problems to be figured out later. Tech here: rotating motor, LED backlighting, and some laser cutting.

The bottom half of this is where things get thorny. Laika's capsule had a tiny, 6 inch window* that she presumably could see out of. I want to find a little silver porthole of approximately the correct size, and embed it in the front face, looking into the depths of the piece, where I'm thinking I will rig up a screen looping video footage of Laika herself (a bit limited, since there doesn't seem to be a lot of video of her; little of it in color and all of it the sort of resolution one would expect from 1957), ideally edited so it's sort of scaled like she's in the capsule. Then, screen brightness and venue light levels permitting, I think I want to try for a pepper's ghost effect, in the space between Laika and the porthole. If I can get the light levels to work, which will be tricky, I would have the pepper's ghost show a view of the earth from orbit--that wide, low, curved horizon, moving from light to day, almost like you're seeing a reflection of Laika's view, hovering transparently in front of her. This means I need to trawl the digital archives of various space programs for appropriate footage (thankfully they have TONS of free use video and photos, but there's an almost overwhelming amount to trawl through.)

I think I can get away with just using digital picture frames for my video displays, which may be easier than raspberry pi's. We'll see.

The very bottom would be the rolling reel for a tiny embedded music box, playable in the bottom corner. Details very rough still!

*at least according to my very preliminary research; books shall be arriving in the mail this week.

[joehillsshark]

listen👂 grian🌾

nobody🫥 touches👉 my bush🪴

you're done✅️

it all started🏁 when grian🌾 touched🖐 my redstone🔴

he played⚽️ himself like a xylophone🎹 set on automatic🚗

doc👨‍⚕️ monster👾 is a savage👹, with technical👨‍💻 skills🔧

and crazy🤪 vocal🎤 acrobatics🤸

i’m a legend📖 of the nho, with etho, beef🍖 and double o🅾️🅾️

docmc is coming🚶‍♂️ for4️⃣ you sevenfold7️⃣

got rendog🐶 and other firemen👨‍🚒

to douse🚿 the flames🔥 that you shoot🌠 at this leviathan😈

iskall can🥫 try again🔄

yo🇪🇸

you think💭 i'm in hiding😶‍🌫️, i'm just biding my time⏳️

putting pen🖊 to paper📃, coming up⬆️ with rhymes

we’re the star-studded⭐️ group👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 that got together👫 just to crush🥰 you

once☝️ we start something you know🧠 we're gonna see👁 it through💘

i'm the knight⚔️, the soldier🪖 who brings the fight🤼 at first1️⃣ light🔦

y'all had to incite✊️, so now i gotta indict👊

you're guilty👩‍⚖️ of getting murdered💀 with words📝

y'all are out-gunned🔫, go home🏠 nerds🤓

wohoo

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

if you think🤔 you can stop🛑 the symmetry↔️, that's false👎

g team🇬 is dialing☎️ for help🤝, but i'm ignoring😒 their calls📵

and when their bodies🐖 dissolve🫠, you’ll know that false’s🚫 on a killing🗡 spree👯‍♀️

try to stop my pvp🛡 and perish painfully😵

i'm the queen👑 of hearts❤️, heads🗣 and body parts🦵

your diamond💎 armor👕 can’t compare📊 to my martial arts🥋

i'll send a poison☣️ dart🎯, to make you breathe🫁 your final breath🌬

g team's name🏷 will be the only thing left🚷

yeah

caffeinated☕️, animated🎆, redstone innovator👨‍🔬

my behavior's crazy😜, can’t phase👨‍🎤 me, impulse⚡️ is never lazy🛋 (uh)

tango💃, why would you betray💔 me, now my scope🔬 is aiming (what)❔️

better run🏃‍♀️ for cover📔 from all the ghast👻 balls🔮 that i be taming🐈 (what)

without a sound🔇, without no hesitation🙅‍♀️, my creations🎨 are amazing🤩

better watch⏱️ your step🪜 or the g team will end up blazing💥

who's the better team?⚖️ there is no controversy😎

but before it's said👄 and done you'll be begging🙏 us for mercy💗 (all-right)

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

x🩻 gone give it to ya🎁, i'm gone give it to ya😼

x❌️ gone give it to ya😳, what ❓️

lyrical boxing📦, dropping💧 blows💨 on all my foes

and the g team they're looking👓 unclean🤢 needing some sunscreen🧴

getting burnt🕯 by words to hurt🤕 this herd🐑 of nerds

it's absurd🤯 how my rhymes got them injured🩸

danger⚠️, danger☢️

i got lasers💄 to cut✂️ 'em up like razors🪒

it's flexin'💪 season❄️ and i got flavor👅

their weak😫 defenses🥅 like trenches and fences🤺

that these dense heads🙄 are presenting🖥

they're presenting them alright👍, they're not very good🙌

i could walk👟 over that, i could jump🕴 over that

i could use an ender pearl🦪

i could use my elytra🪽

come on g team, jeeze✝️

yo, i don't know what to say🤷‍♂️

um, let me think🧐

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

now i'm back🔙, got some things i wanna say🦜 (yeah)

whats the letter✉️ that starts the alphabet🔤, ay🅰️

ladies🚺 gotta get in line〰️, the diggity's be on the way🌌 (cliff)⛰️

cleo🧟‍♀️ dont know who she freaking 🥴with (ooh)😯

all the signs🪧 say to notify🔔 her next⏭️ of kin👥️

this diggity🐕 dog be dropping📍 bombs💣, nothing but hits🤜 (ay)

spit💦 that rhyme again (brrr)🥶, 'cause the message📨 is

i can mumble😐 rap and still🚹 be the best🏆 there is (woo-ah)

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

hermit gang, hermit gang🐚

oh you wanted me👨 to do a verse🆚️?

i'll have to check✔️ with g team-

i mean uh🤐, i'd have to😬, i'll have to check with my schedule📅

and see if i can...see👀 if i'm able to do that sort of thing😅

i'm a busy guy💼, got lots of ....things to do😮‍💨

yeah, i mean, i just don't know🤥 if its a good idea💡 for me to be part of this song🎶 really...

[msfantasy-comics]

The Wayne Twins

Twin!Damian Wayne x Twin!Reader

Summary: a requested story on how Damian and Reader are twins. Talia gave up reader to Bruce, but kept Damian secretly. Damian arrives in and finally meets his father and sister.

A/n: Honestly I was so stuck with this request so I kinda just left it with an abrupt end, I tried my darnedest.

Damian has a strong held belief that his family dynamic is incredibly messy. Future psychologists will use the Al Ghul Family as a case study in their research… figuratively of course, no one can know of the Al Ghul family- let alone their issues.

Damians swears he’s not just some angsty pre-teen cursing his family for being the worst. His grandfather is the head of an elite assassination and expects him to take over the family business… killing people. Try having a narcissistic mother who started training her newborn before the umbilical cord was even cut and kills you at any given point as part of your training only to bring you back to life in the Lazarus pit... yeah, it’s messy.

Even worse. Try having a father, who no one dares to speak of. Did Damian’s father abandon him? Or is he dead? Does he even know about Damian? Does he even care?

Damian wasn’t sure. And it was clear that no one was going to supply any answers.

If Damian wanted to meet his father, he’ll have no choice but to seek him out. It was evident his mother was never intending to share any information for the foreseeable future.

Finally.

After months of unrelenting search, Damian finally uncovered the truth.

Bruce Wayne, Gothams wealthiest man is his biological father. And really, Damian isn’t surprised his father is so accomplished, it’s all simple genetics.

But the real cut-throat realisation came when Damian realised that Bruce was unaware of Damian’s existence, and that Bruce had other adopted children in his place.

Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake and Y/n Wayne.

As the rightful heir, there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing others gain what is rightfully yours.

But it wasn’t until Damian stood at the front door of Wayne Manner had he realised with great certainty that Y/n might actually be a blood relative.

Ignoring the fact they look nothing alike, Y/n had similar features to Bruce, or maybe it’s that Y/n had the same mannerisms as her father. Considering she was pictured with Bruce since a baby, it’s natural to pick up the same behavioural mannerisms as the person who raised you.

“Okay kid- how’d you get over the electric fence, laser sensors and bypass security cameras?” You drawl taking a slurp of your boxed juice as you stare out boredly at the unexpected visitor.

“Kid?! We are the same age!” Damian defends as you look down at him from the tip of your nose.

“Hmmm- sureeee…” Your condescending tone grates irritably on Damian’s nerves.

“I am here to reinstate my rightful place as father’s legitimate blood-son.” Your face sours as you stare down at Damian.

“Oh yeah? Who’s your mother?” You snort decisively. There’s no fucking way you’d even entertain such a claim.

“Tahlia Al Ghul.”

Well shit.

[bloomzone]

2025: #10 take care of your mind

your brain is the most powerful tool you will ever own. YOUR BRAIN IS MORE POWERFUL THAN UR PHONE, LAPTOP ... . Yet how many of us actually take care of it? How many of us think twice about what we feed it, how we use it, or how we let it rest? u don’t rise to the level of your dreams you fall to the level of your mind. And if your mind isn’t sharp, disciplined, and protected, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

✒️..You’re probably wondering: “What does it mean to take care of my brain?” It’s simple but not easy. First, let’s talk about what you’re consuming EEEEVRY single thing you watch, listen to or read is planting seeds in your mind. Are you planting weeds or flowers? Scroll endlessly on social media, filling your brain with nonsense, comparison, and negativity—guess what? You’re planting weeds, and they will grow. Your thoughts become your beliefs, and your beliefs become your actions.

THE TRUTH IS you are what you allow into your mind. If you keep surrounding yourself with negativity, if you keep replaying the same self-doubt, if you keep absorbing content that doesn’t serve you don’t be surprised when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or anxious. You’re not broken you’re just fueling yourself with the wrong things.

"So, what do you do?"

1. Detox your mind. Cut out the noise. Start filtering what you consume. Unfollow accounts that drain your energy. Stop watching content that makes you feel small. And for the love of everything pookie stop engaging in drama—it’s not worth the space it takes up in your head.

2. Feed your brain the right fuel. Read books that challenge you. Listen to podcasts that inspire you. Surround yourself with people who uplift you. And no, this isn’t just some feel-good advice it’s about wiring ur brain for growth. The more you surround yourself with knowledge, positivity, and action-oriented energy, the more your brain starts working for you instead of against you.

3. Train your focus. Your brain is a muscle. If you don’t train it, it gets lazy. Meditation isn’t just for monks it’s for anyone who wants to build laser-like focus. Start small—two minutes a day. Sit down, breathe, and let your mind rest. Because a rested brain is a powerful brain.

4. Protect your energy it mean it’s about who you let into your space. People can either fuel your fire or extinguish it. If someone in your life constantly drags you down, you need to set boundaries. Your mental energy is sacred. Guard it fiercely.

🪧-FACT BOX !

『When you kick unhealthy habits to the curb, your brain actually starts to thrive! Imagine cutting out constant stress it’s like a weight lifted off your mind, lowering cortisol levels and giving your memory and learning a boost. Eating betteeeeer and healthier cuz those omega-3s and antioxidants help reduce brain fog while also cranking up serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good chemicals that keep you motivated and happy. Regular exercise is like a power-up for your brain, releasing endorphins and encouraging the growth of new neurons. It’s like giving your mind a fresh start every day (try to wake up early and do any type of exercise and u will see how well ur day will roll) Sleep is another secret weapon—by getting enough (6-7 or even 8 )you’re helping your brain detox and organize memories, keeping everything sharp. And let’s not forget about avoiding things like alcohol and drugs—this keeps your brain’s reward system in check and prevents it from burning out or killing you lmaooo .. All these changes together supercharge your brain, boosting focus, creativity, and mental strength. Your brain will thank you!』

@bloomzone ❕

[icanbetrustedwithnukes]

items taken from both eric harris and dylan klebold’s residences, credit to petsalamander on reddit (items may be repeated):

Taken from the Harris residence:

Sony 8MM video camera, green Steno book, piece Steno paper w/computer information, two glass test tubes w/plastic caps, eight 1½" x 2" mirrors, metal pieces, magnets, four boxes pellets, 9mm bullets, paper bag w/2 metal boxes w/nails, canvas bag w/shot, two boxes match sticks, broken jar w/metal pieces, floppy discs, misc. documents, Gateway 2000 CPU, misc. components and cables to computer, misc. discs, NEC 3FGX computer monitor, HP 682C printer, contents of trash, paperwork of Eric Harris, poster, "DANGER" sign, batteries and packaging, Micronta tester, heavy duty lamp bulb, two pieces of PVC pipe, Sony micro cassette recorder, two 2.5 gallon AMF oil containers, roll duct tape, cardboard box, papers, videotapes, micro cassette tape (Maxell), roll black electrical tape, baggy of broken glass fragments, photographs, bank account information, knife and tool, Dylan Klebold's papers, one shotgun barrel w/fireworks shell tube, roll electrical wire, 4 fuse, detonation cord, nails, end of rifle barrel, blue case w/shot, purple case empty, wire connections, plastic dish w/small rocks, misc. electrical parts, cigar box w/ shotgun shells, firecracker fuse, 1 firecracker, misc. electrical components, duct taped papers, five Doom books, receipts, card, school books and papers, two handwritten notes on Day Planner paper, two Schematic and note, fireworks, small rocket engines, 8mm tape, 1 empty shell case, 2 slugs, empty case w/ wood, stock of gun, PVC end cap, box playing cards, metal rods, 2 Morse code, electrical parts, US Calvary magazine, packages of ignitors, fireworks catalogs, tools, igniters, Anarchy cookbook document, bottle of Jack Daniels, glove, web straps, black BDU's, black torn t-shirt, two lighter fluids, gray file case, shotgun shells, detonator fuse, ball bearings, fuse cord, notebook, CDs, magazines, wood target, black toolbox marked "explosives" and contents, papers w/names and numbers, wood plaque, yearbooks, Black Cat bag, Black Cat paper, Maxell CD, diagram, folder w/papers, Hobby Lobby bag, Klebold label, bag shotgun shells, knife box - empty, gun box - empty, notepad map, yearbook '98, voodoo doll, match sticks taped, laser disc, calendar, stuffed bear w/CO2 cartridge, bullet, laser pointer, calendar, five cut fingertips from black glove, torn calendar page, three pictures of suspect, graduation announcement, five pages graduation list, Marine info packet, spool wire, Quick Tite glue, class schedule for Eric, report card in State Farm envelope, two '96 and '97 CHS yearbooks, medicine bottles, handwritten note

Taken from the Klebold residence (a considerably shorter list):

misc. wooden matches, batteries, newspaper article, homemade brass knuckles, misc. paperwork, misc. piece of radio and shotgun wadding, 8mm tape, electrical components, micro cassette, micro cassette recorder, lighter fluid, knife, shotgun shell casings and boxes, four 9mm, report card, BB's in dispenser, plastic case w/BB's, cassette tape and paper, shotgun barrel, metal tube, two pictures, documents and mail of Dylan Klebold, Acer CPU marked "Larry Brooks," Daisy CO2 BB pistol, BB's in box w/BB pistol, Remington mag bullet, Apple CPU, Newsweek magazine article, yearbooks and notebooks, scopes, wiring, two ladies watches, UMAX Astra 1220U scanner, mini tower CPU, catalogues, keyboard and mouse, NEC MultiSync 3FGX monitor, inert grenade, dish, turquoise suitcase, discs, two black t-shirts, film negatives, alcohol bottle, wall decoration of KMFDM (spelled in the police report "KMFDDM" which I find amusing), coat liner and belt, destroyed Coca-Cola can, CDs, black nylon bag, seven VHS tapes in bag, Marilyn Manson CD and electrical wire w/Alligara, three papers in bag, rubber hose, jar of black colored powder, broken electronic pieces, pipe w/end caps, two Daisy 856 BB rifles, twelve misc. floppy discs, can of Zippo lighter fluid, pink and black box containing BB's, misc. items

[thecrabbybarista]

We should talk about The Lords in Black I'm gonna do that right now because I wanna talk about their trope subversion and symbolism and shit.

So obviously The Lords in Black are a subversion of Cosmic/Eldritch horror and I'm gonna explain how using an ant metaphor

So the classic ant metaphor for cosmic horror is to imagine that you're an ant encountering a piece of human technology, right? I believe it's usually a circuit board. The whole point is you're witnessing something deeply incomprehensible and unfamiliar.

The ant metaphor for the Lords in Black is: imagine you're an ant and a teenager starts burning you with a magnifying glass.

It's still incomprehensible, but not in the way the complexities of a circuit board is. If you were suddenly stricken by a scalding beam of light, the only way you could rationalize that is that it was an act of a god. You and your ant colony would invent and fear this god.

The Lords in Black each represent a kind of strange and inscrutable cruelty that the modern world offers, the cursed lasers that cut into our souls, from places we have no power over.

Wiggly is obviously the idol of capitalism. Animalistic desperation, commodity fetishization, and the exchange of money, products, and emotions. All of the things that the other Lords represent stem from elements of capitalism, hence why Wiggly is THE Lord in Black, the leader of his brothers. What Wiggly offers will never be enough. He is what leaves you always unsatisfied.

Nibbly is the idol of the consumption of human beings as products. Obsession with self image and presentability, trends of all kinds, and the beauty and fitness industries. People in the modern age are desperate to be consumable, and some would go to any lengths to do so. This is an attitude that especially impacts women, who feel that they need to wear make up every day just to earn respect. And when we feel the need to change to be respectable, the need to look appealing and to be consumable, the bourgeois eat well. Our quest to look special makes us like any other customer, filling. It's no mistake that the two leads of Honey Queen are women desperate to be noticed and respected. It makes them all the more eager to be eaten.

Tinky is the idol of infinity and repetition. Dead end jobs, middle class suburbia, and the inability to escape one's circumstances. It's no coincidence that the first time we see Tinky is at a wedding, a ceremony dedicated to eternal commitment, or that he's associated with CCRP, a company in which most of the workers do useless busywork all day. When you look at the life you have ahead of you, it can feel crushing. Will you ever have a real career to be proud of, or will you be stuck at this job until you die? Will you ever not struggle to make rent? Will you really love your spouse forever? What if you don't? Isn't it just easier to continue the routine than to address the problem? After Ted is driven to insanity by the Bastard's Box, after he discovers that he can't escape the person he's become, he becomes homeless, one of the most terrifying eternities a person can find themselves in, fully dependent on random acts of kindness to survive while your situation drives you further into insanity.

Blinky is the idol of the panopticon. Gossip, public drama, and unwanted attention. One of the first things Blinky does on screen is sexually objectify a girl who's fresh out of high school, and this plainly displays a consequence of living in a content driven world. There is constant scrutiny and interpretation given to your every action. At any moment, you could have over a thousand eyes on you, whether you want them there or not. The panopticon we live in captures us in moments of time, and turns the person we were in that moment into an object deserving anger, embarrassment, lust, admiration, judgement, or anything else a watcher might assign. But Blinky also targets another fear, the fear that we feel when we can't see the danger, and cannot protect ourselves or those we love. Alice's anxiety that Deb might cheat on her when she's not around are made manifest in Watcher World, and Bill's frustration at not being let into Alice's life are used against the family. We are inclined to both want and fear the panopticon. We hide, and we seek, and we expose.

Pokey is the idol of tyranny. Complacency, sedation, and obedience. The world revolves around the few and uses the many in service of this. We are all expected to fill some role in service to the rich, to work for a corporation and to buy the products of those corporations, and when we cannot fill these roles we are at risk of starving, or being kicked out of our homes. We must join them in their quest for profit, or die. But we must also accept their pacifiers or we will be driven insane. We must choose between complacency or despair in confronting our place in the world as a pawn, as an ant in the colony. Isn't it easier to accept the comforting lies? Your job is important. Corporations give people what they want. People in power deserve their power. People in power are using it well. We are happy. America is great.

These are the magnifying glasses that are being used to torment us, that we cannot make reason out of, that we've made dark gods out of. But this isn't the first time humanity has encountered scorching light from the heavens. When the people of ancient Greece witnessed burning rods of light, falling viciously from the heavens, they invented Zeus.

But we know where lightning comes from now. We know the science behind electricity and its place in the world. We know what keeps lightning away and what attracts it. We can protect ourselves from it.

But there's an important difference. Lightning is natural. It's existed long before we have and it will continue when we're gone.

The unorthodox cruelty of being alive today is not natural. We cannot logic our way into surviving it because it does not operate under a sound logic. But we can make things a little more bearable by focusing on what is sound, understandable and natural.

There is humanity. There are families friends and lovers who would go to the ends of earth to protect each other. As long as we have this humanity, we have hope.

That's why Miss Holloway's deal with the Lords erases her from living memory after her temporary deaths. To have the powers that she does she gave away the power most important to have under the Lord's rule: human connection. The only real thing we have left.

Alice and Bill escaped Blinky's manipulation through the love they have for each other

Emma survived the longest out of any character in tgwdlm because of the genuine hope Paul gave her of a better future

Lex snapped Tom out of Wiggly's control by reminding him of what his son really means to him

Ted couldn't escape Tinky's plan for him because he was too jaded to make a genuine connection with a woman.

Linda was eaten by Nibbly because she didn't have a loving connection with her father, because her father always made her believe that she was never good enough, because this mindset led her to take for granted the connections she did have in her life.

The world no longer cares about us. We have to care for each other. It's the only thing we have left

[jujuicykaisen]

Can you do a drabble or fic about a reader just resting against Nanami's big fat tits?

YES.

Characters: Kento Nanami

Contents: gn!reader, loving descriptions of Nanami's chesticles

Kento Nanami

The train swayed back and forth as it surged along the tracks, carrying you and hundreds of other commuters away from your offices and stores and factories back to your little boxes of peace and privacy. The day weighed on you. It hadn’t been a bad day, just a tiring one. One of those days that seem to last forever, and like the clock starts swinging backward whenever you look away from it.

Clinging to the handrail, standing at an awkward angle to avoid the flying elbow of the woman next to you as she lifted her water bottle to her mouth for the third time in the past minute, you gazed out of the window. The buildings smeared together in an abstract blur as your mind turned to one single, pure, crystallised image for comfort.

A muscular chest, straining the buttons of a crisp, teal blue shirt.

Kento…

That was what you needed. That was your goal. The shining beacon that would lead you home like a candle in the darkness. 

Nanami’s tits. 

You alighted from the train with a sense of renewed vigour, striding from the station and along the nice, suburban streets. Neighbours, who knew you as “that nice couple”, nodded at you as you passed. You jerked your chin up and down in the rote movement of social niceties, already fishing in your pocket for your house keys. 

Nanami would be home by now. He always texted you on the rare occasion he had overtime. The man was thoughtful like that. He was probably sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, his tie removed and the top button of his shirt undone, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. 

Your key scraped against the lock before you managed to wedge it in, twisting it and pushing the door open at the same time. You shuffled into the genkan, dropping your bag, hanging up your coat, tossing your keys into the dish on the hallway table for that specific purpose. You shook your public armour off like a dog coming out of a muddy puddle, and padded up into the house.

“Honey?” His voice echoed toward you. You heard the clink of one of the cut crystal glasses against the table, and knew he was about to get up and come to greet you.

“Don’t move!” you said, barrelling through the living room door. “Stay right there.”

Nanami raised an eyebrow at you, his fingers still splayed around the rim of a whiskey tumbler. He looked exactly as you’d imagined him, right down to the colour of the shirt he’d ironed that morning. His book was still held in one hand, finger tucked between the pages to mark his place. 

“Is everything all right?” 

“Yes,” you said, stumbling toward the couch, your gaze laser-focused on his shirt, on the landscape of muscle beneath it. 

Crawling onto the couch, onto his lap, you buried your face against those heavy pads of pectoral muscle, made smooth by the layer of high quality cotton shirt buttoned over the top. The warmth of his flesh seeped through the cloth, soaking into you. Nuzzling into his collarbones, you let loose a gusty sigh. This was exactly what you needed. 

Nanami stared down at the top of your head, even as one of his arms moved to wrap around your waist, holding you securely. He waited a moment for further explanation. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah,” you reassured him, rubbing your cheek against his firm chest. “This is exactly what I needed.”

Nanami watched you rub your face against him like a kitten, still somewhat bemused. He lifted a hand, the blond hairs on his arm glinting in the light, and ran his fingers over your head, smoothing your hair. If you were going to act like a cat, he might as well treat you like one. You let out a low hum of contentment, listening to the steady thud of Nanami’s heartbeat through his shirt. 

“Mind if I carry on reading?”

“Nuh-uh. Carry on.”

“Mm, thanks.” He picked up the book, holding it open in one hand, returning to his reading. His other hand ran slowly up and down your back, the heel of his palm running against your spine. It paused briefly. “Don’t motorboat me this time.”

“...no promises.”

[ghosts-bandwagon]

poly!soapghost with an adhd reader PLS 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

YES BITCH!!!! Hardcore me af (pls sandwich me between those men I beg-)

Let’s be honest here, Ghost is on top of everything, Johnny, god bless him, but he’s lucky he’s cute and that’s all I’m gonna say

If you tend to be forgetful, don’t even sweat it because Ghost remembers it

You guys are doing groceries and before you left your house, you heavily emphasized getting more salt since you ran out

The three of you went up and down the aisles collecting everything you needed with along with some treats

You’re standing at the register making idle chitchat with the cashier while Soap helps bagger load everything in the cart, you barely noticed Ghost had disappeared

Until he showed up at the last second with a box of salt and that’s when it hit you

You could barely get the thank you out before he cut you off with a laugh, “You’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached.”

On the other hand, Johnny makes sure you’re taking care of yourself

When you’re nose deep in your books, games, paperwork whatever it is, it’s a rare moment of laser focus

It’s so intense, you lose track of time and the world falls away

You’re taking notes when all of a sudden a plate with a sandwich on it is on your notebook, it takes all your willpower not to snap at your momentum getting interrupted

Then you look up and see Johnny’s face with an apologetic smile, he knows how you get and he feels bad for interrupting you like that but can you blame him?

“Thanks babe, but I ate a few minutes ago.” You sighed giving his hand a supportive squeeze,

“A few minutes and 6 hours ago, yes.” He chuckled, he felt a little bad seeing the shock on your face but it was a cute look

“Fuck, are you serious?”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, come on, let’s eat and you can get back to it, yeah?” When you look around him, Simon is sitting at the couch with a plate in front of him and the tv remote in his hand, already turning to your favorite show

All in all, don’t sweat the small stuff, they’ve got you babe.

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[spoilers below cut]

WOOHOO we got another (assumingely) silly episode today, and the first one in pride month!! I do mean "assumingely" bc going over the math, I'm personally not expecting to get into the next arc right now. Maybe I'm wrong, who can say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And about the Switch 2 already? fair enough 😌↕️ hope the people did enjoy their switch day

*cries in broke*

(the following is my live reaction:)

the intro, my beloved 💙

OH, are we getting a 4 and Tari episode? :D

at least you guys didn't preorder and have your receipt stapled to the box (and unfortunately the screen)

PFFT THE GAMER CHAT,,, it's so silly as a concept. like, screw discord ig, let's use this instead

sorry but 4's dance walking in was adorable *makes it into gif*

IS THAT STEVE? HI STEVE!! and also Waluigi!! (it's insane that Steve and Hatsune Miku are both in the new sonic racing game, I still can't believe it)

2000? That can't be it

A "gamer tax"? they really must want that pool huh

yeah, she right tho. until probably switch 3 comes out or something

Bob?

nuhnuhnuh, hang on. that's a switch 1, I could tell from the packaging alone. Which is funny, considering that there's been people complaining that the design isn't distinct enough from the first when packaging for the other consoles, eh. it's been like this for years (<- geeking out as a graphic designer, don't mind me)

SAY WHAT NOW? 30000?

it really is costing an arm (and a leg) for this one, huh?

CLENCH, he's back again from the manga episode!!

yep yep, what did I say? it's the old switch but it is a good scam for the people who are desperate, I give it that

Oh, Mario did? I'm already locking in my guess why

I WAS RIGHT. mostly bc y'know he stole it, BUT IT STILL COUNTS

L I N T

I mean, I'd say that's a fair compromise :)

ah yes, mario kart world *cries in no moneyz*

ok but like. can we have a moment to just this

they sat ^^ sad but they look so cute, especially 4

Clench: "You look like someone trampled all over your hopes and dreams." Real 😔

SMG4: "That's stealing." *WHEEZE* the delivery on that line tho, it got me

"blue dude" :)

wdym y'know a guy?

3, LET'S GOOOO!!

I didn't think we were gonna get the star trio + Tari & Clench this episode, this is great!!

also manicure? that was so real of you, 3 (not that we would ever see you with your gloves off but ), always having a day to self-care

ALSO also Clench, since when did y'know 3 like that? what did you guys play cards one night and Tari was just dragged around asleep? that kinda fits actually

Saturdays huh? WAIT HANG ON

so Saturdays really were just "Special SMG3 time", 3 having a self-care day for himself

and honestly, you gotta respect it 😌↕️ everyone really should have one of these bc of burnouts and such

sorry wha? oh yes, right. the review. let's keep going.

just 3 squishing 4's face -> (1) that's cute and (2) 3's all the 4 lovers specifically, just wanting to squish him with so much cuteness aggression (and that unfortunately includes me 💙)

This is good news. we can finally be C O W /ref

close enough, welcome back wotfi 2023

AGHLK:J Tari's just here for the ride

ooh, duckie :D

close enough, we got our "Tari's tech powers sends Crew into the video game"/laser tag episode, chat!!

(also love at 3 & 4 are just standing by the edge of th screen and tari not bc she's taller)

WE GONNA FUCKIN BALL

welp, that was easy (and well Mario isn't experienced in using a wheelchair)

I can't believe that the SMG4 universe got the bananza game earlier than we did smh /lh

GET LIGHTING, 3

that works too

"cheating"? oh 4, this is mario kart we're talking about, it's WAR

OOP parental controls works, nice job Tari ^^

4's so happy, look at him :)

wait, did 4 break them out? or gamer chat? 🤔 bc both work here for SO many reasons

😦 nvm yeah, if people are willing to buy Mario Kart at a high price, all the other games get a pass

Tari: "Maybe we should hold off." *dramatic gasp*

YES TARI, the point is to hang out with friends. yes, even gamer chat

AWWWWW 3 🥹 like yeah, dude, you're part of the Crew. you got friends

PFFT the "touch grass" bit again

*record scratch* hey now, wait a sec

since when did we have a fountain? and the flower bushes? the cherry blossom trees?

a pond?

now, don't get me wrong. this is very sweet, just look at them :)

very nice, especially with the sunset, but we didn't have this before????

FERRIS WHEEL CAMEO 🫵 (sorry, it's a me thing, don't mind me)

wha? did my computer break?

WHAT THE FUCKKK??!? it was all FAKE?!?! HUH???

I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG, I could FEEL it

NO TARI NOOOOO JUST DROP THE CARD

welp sacrifices had to be done

"broke af" *points at self*

Congrats to daliahzayyen for your art being featured in the end credits 🎉 ofc, we got so much art for 4's birthday, they had to show it

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

Oh man, this was such a cute episode ^^ I seriously didn't expect this kind of dynamic with the character roster we got but I absolutely LOVE it. And even Clench got a role too!! I really did love the slapstick humor and the comedy in general, just the right amount of silly I needed today :)))

But the animation tho? THAT was so good! And I do know bc certain animators came in to work for this one, knowing their style and all. Like Braden (also known as BS6), he worked in the emotional scene in SOTC where the kids did the first choice of choosing between their parents. And I also know bc I came across one of his videos of him creating the sonic 3 scene, with 3 & 4 (which I'll go ahead and put it here for yall)

Or like Star, who apparently did some VA for Ness in the last episode. Like, Team, yall are crazy talented overall!! And I really do like sharing the behind-the-scenes stuff bc (1) I've always liked that kinda thing, and (2) it shows how much passion and pride it comes to the production of it all. Even for a "silly little meme" show, it means a lot that care was put into it. I can probably go on and on, but let's keep things in track haha

Anyway, yeah, a great episode and I very much enjoyed it as a 4 lover with some moments. But can we talk about the ending? Like WTF WAS THAT? Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it. But like, HUH????

Were they in a simulation, or a dream? For Tari, at least? And why? Now obviously, it could just be as simple as "an unexpected ending for the episode". I can accept that.

But yall already know I'm not normal with these kind of things. Could it be that Tari "imagined" it (depending on how you wanna see it) just so we wouldn't feel guilty in paying the tax? bc apparently, she was conscious so to speak in making that choice to begin with. It does remind me of the Christmas episode, with Tari unable to say no to her friends bc she's afraid of losing them, and how (in my mini-theory) 3 reading her story brings an interesting perspective as to why he doesn't get too close to his friends.

Maybe this ending is the same thing, but it's also to 4. After all, 4's been with Tari the whole time and was at the start. And with the goop!4 references showing up and all, it might connect. That 4 might imagine that things are doing to well and happy until the reality shatters for him and he realizes he only imagined it bc he wouldn't feel guilty what he's gonna do OR might do something with terrible consequences.

Eh, granted, this isn't that great of a mini-theory. That's just me needing theorist nourishment :P. But it seriously brings up the good point, being that one of these days, we're gonna have an episode we think it's normal but it turned out to be fake all along. Well, anyway that's all from me. Hopefully, I'll get out of the void soon, but remember: numbers always go first!

istg we might be in a simulation or smth. huh.

[redflagshipwriter]

Nest Swap 3 (baby Tim wakes up in Red Robin's life)

This was without a doubt the best day that Tim Drake had ever had. It was probably the best day any Drake ever had, actually. He was never going back to elementary school. He would use a laser on anyone who tried to take him there. There was probably one here, actually. He set off looking for one.

He found a notebook and a clicky pen with six different colors that he used to take a note about everything he found, to get his thoughts in order. After he had inventoried all the coolest stuff in the secret hideout, he went back upstairs. He was yawning too much to do a lot tonight and anyway, he had to be up in the morning to help Miss Fox. He had important responsibilities to uphold, just like Mom.

Going to bed presented a little bit of a challenge. He dug through the drawers to borrow pajamas, nose wrinkled up at how terrible these clothes were. Most of them were boring. They were way too big, of course. It troubled him.

He dug under the sink and found some super concerning things. He looked in a plastic box in the bathroom closet and eventually found a package of spare toothbrushes. Tim felt a little gross about borrowing toothpaste from a stranger's tube, but he didn't see a way around it. He brushed his teeth, washed his face with something he found in the main bathroom, and took a fast shower.

Tim stood in the main bedroom for a while, pursing his lips. It was where he found all his cool stuff, but it was probably personal space. “I think it would be presumptuous to sleep here,” he decided. He gathered up the electronics and their cords and hauled it all into the next bedroom.

He crawled into bed and tucked himself in. He was out in a matter of minutes, even though the hallway light was still on.

He woke up when he woke up, because he totally forgot that he didn't have an alarm set here. Oops. Tim had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he crawled across the bed to check the time.

It was 9:34 already!?! He was late for Miss Fox! Tim scrambled to open up the email- and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank gosh,” he said. He put the phone in his pants pocket and shuffled to the kitchen.

The weight of the phone pulled the pants down to his knees.

“Ugh!” Tim shouted, because he could. He took the phone out and hiked the pants back up with one hand. He kept complaining, because it was fun. “Terrible pants,” he scolded them. “Falling down, in this economy?” His voice went up way too high when he quoted his dad's favorite complaint while reading the news. Tim cheerfully waved his hands around and channeled his Mom next. “As per my last email!” He ended it with a foot stomp.

Wow, that one was fun. He felt powerful. He decided he was going to use that one today. Tim put the phone and tablet on the table and made sure the volume was up. Then he tried to find breakfast. He knew alllll about breakfast, and so did the guy who lived here.

Usually Ms. Mac made it if his parents were gone, or Dad made it if they were home. But Tim knew the formula. For breakfast, you pick a piece of fruit, a carb, and two drinks. If you're fancy, you have a hot serving of protein.

And Tim? Tim was fancy.

He picked a banana out of the fruit bowl and cut it up with a big chopping knife he found sitting in a wooden block, like kitchen Excalibur. He forgot to take the peel off first, so that was annoying.

For drinks, he found a carton of milk that actually smelled pretty bad. “Boo,” Tim said sadly. He poured it down the sink and then got out a can of Zesti. It was grape, so it was probably the best substitute for fruit juice available.

You also need a hot drink for breakfast, so he made a whole pot of coffee and bounced on his heels while it dripped, feeling very adult. He looked at the coffee packaging for a while, lost in thought with his tongue sticking out slightly between his lips. It had a great picture of an atrocious cat thing on it, and said it was AUTHENTIC FANALOKA COFFEE. He liked the cat. It looked like it was designed by an evil scientist who had never seen a cat.

Tim didn't know what Fanaloka meant in this context, though he surmised it was the cat’s name. He moved on with his day.

It was harder to find a carb. There was cereal, but that was yucky without the milk. He found two bagels, but there wasn't any cream cheese! What was wrong with this guy?

He eventually gave up and toasted a bagel. Morosely, he got out butter. Maybe that would be good enough.

The piece de la resistance was bacon. He found a package of it in the freezer. It was all frozen. It was way too hard for him to take off two strips.

His first thought was to cut it up with Excalibur and then fry up just a little. But the fry pan was super duper heavy. So he just microwaved the whole thing for 5 minutes.

It smelled great!

The bagel in the toaster was actually really cold then. He heated it one more time and then frowned at it when it came out too brown. “You get what you get and you don't throw a fit,” he grimly quoted Ms. Mac, and climbed up the tall stool to sit at the counter. He buttered the bagel. Like, he buttered it a lot. Maybe that would help.

It was still kinda hard to eat. He peeled open the bacon and fished some out with his fork. It was all wiggly. Tim tried it. “That's good,” he said, pleased. He had another strip of bacon. Oh! The coffee!

He hopped down from the stool and ran over to find a mug. He filled it with coffee and tasted his creation. Hm. He had another sip.

“It tastes bad,” Tim said contemplatively.

Did that mean he used too many beans or too few beans?

The only way to find out was experimentation. He dumped out all the coffee, threw away the wet beans, and made it again with like, twice as many beans. He went and ate his banana and about half of the bagel while the coffee percolated itself. Then he tried the coffee again. He took a slow sip. His nose wrinkled. “Maybe this coffee is just disgusting?”

Mom always gave it to him with sugar and milk, like how she had it. Obviously the loser who lived here had let his milk expire (Mom would never) so Tim gave it up as a bad job.

His first email arrived with a ding during breakfast. Tim opened it with a slightly greasy finger and read it while he gnawed at the bagel.

Hmm. Miss Fox was concerned about something going on in R&D and she wanted him to replicate an experiment by the notes the scientist was using. She didn't want to bias him by telling him her suspicion, so that was all the information she was giving him.

Tim used one hand to laboriously type back an okey-dokey message, in business language.

When he finished eating he dumped everything in the sink. That was probably good enough. He grabbed the phone and the tablet. Then he went to bother the fish, so that he could use the laboratory downstairs.

The phone buzzed while he was going down the stairs. He felt it against his chest where it was stuck between his body and the tablet. Hmm. It buzzed again. “Just a minute,” Tim said crossly. It kept going off! Wow, that was so annoying.

As soon as he got downstairs he put down the tablet and scowled at the phone. He was getting like a billion messages from someone named Dick. “I am WORKING!,” Tim said to himself as he typed up and sent the same message.

Dick sent like 42 crying faces. Tim groaned and scrolled up to see the last couple of messages, just in case they were important.

Uh.

“These messages don't look important,” Tim said, raising his eyebrows at babble about how Dick missed him and he hadn't checked in last night and “the family” was afraid that he had fallen in a hole or been eaten by a lion. Apparently someone called Dami had drawn up what they thought that might look like, in case they needed to show the police. Dick had included it as an attachment.

Tim clicked on it, curious even though he knew he really shouldn't open attachments from weird people. These were definitely weird people.

It was a really good picture. He told Dick as much and then blocked the number. He needed to get stuff done today.

[saturn-wisteria]

How obsessed and hyper-fixated are you with your fanfic characters?

Me:

BOOKBINDING!

Ominis and Phineas now sit on my shelf along with my other books ♡

This was my first time binding fanfic, and no better choice than my own, "Take Me To The Lakes" (AO3 / Wattpad)

update (March 30): New cover art by the amazing @rinthecap 🩵

More photos and the step-by-step after the cut! (+ the appendix with Taylor Swift songs in a stylised lyric book)

I'm all about my crafty hobbies. I've been eyeing bookbinding for a while, and the algorithm finally convinced me to dive into it so I'd have a reason to procrastinate on writing

Having written a shorter fic ("Lakes" is roughly 35k words) gave me the perfect opportunity to start with something simpler.

The main tutorial used is the one by NeatFreakGeek on Tiktok.

Step 1: The typeset

I used the base template file by NeatFreakGeek, which already had the settings for printing in formatted book signatures.

With the basic body of the document formatted and ready, I started the personalization: choosing the fonts, spacing, sizing etc.

For the quote at the beginning, I chose one of the lines I wrote for Ominis + the wisteria.

For chapter headers, I chose the Gemini constellation. (In the story, Ominis and Phineas got their middle names from the stars in the same constellation, Castor and Pollux.)

I also made the chapter titles with the HTV to give it an extra glow.

Sight is overrated. Phineas makes all my senses the very essence of life itself.

Since the story was rather "short", in order to have a thicker spine, I added an appendix with the stylised "lyric book". This was probably my favourite part of typesetting!

Step 2: The textblock

With a little lot of trial and error and more mathematics than expected, I printed each signature at a time, then folded each at a time, making sure it didn't get mixed up across the signatures. My printer does front/back automatically, but to print the commissioned arts as borderless, I gave myself a headache, printing it separately and manually. This step could have been done considerably faster with a laser printer and b&w content only :)

Next, it was sewing and glueing. I won't go into detail here because the video tutorials are way better at explaining. All in all, with the right tools, this was done rather easily and with barely any mistakes, so I didn't have to print anything again, thankfully.

Step 3: The endpapers

I got a scrapbook 12x12in block in this abstract colours. I had many different ideas on how to match the theme, but I ended up choosing these colourful patterns that align with how Ominis perceives the world. Then, I added the quotes from the story.

The endpaper of the front got this sky-like print to go with the dialogue Ominis and Phineas have when they are children.

P: How would you know what blue skies look like? O: I don't know. And I don't mind not knowing.

The endpaper of the back is in green x blue shades, colours that are also a big part of the story. For the quote, I chose one of their last lines when their relationship is established.

P: Ominis, you always care too much about the others... but who takes care of you? O: No one ever did. P: Let me care for you. Please. Let me love you, Ominis Gaunt. O: Will it make any difference if I say no? P: Absolutely not. O: Will it make any difference if I love you back? P: Fucking absolutely yes.

Step 4: The cover! (Yes, the most interesting part!)

This was the most challenging step in both the conception of the design (too many ideas to choose from) and the execution (I've never hated box cutters so much.)

With the basic cardboard casing cut and glued, I chose a faux leather material as a book cloth. This might be the choice I regret the most, because the glue it comes with is not that strong, so it would often unstick easily, and also, it's a bit too thick, leaving the corners a bit weird. But the final result was a bit worth it.

For the cover design, I printed the art with fabric HTV and ironed it on. On top of it, I threw in some wisteria petals (a reference to the song "the lakes", by Taylor Swift), and another quote of the story at the back.

I didn't have a cricut machine back then for the vynil pieces, so I ordered it online. This part was harder than I thought, once again because of the faux leather choice: as I ironed the HTV, some parts of the material melted lol.

Lastly, I decided last minute to create a clear dust jacket because the combination of the faux leather + printed HTV seemed tro fragile to be handled. I liked the final result, but ironing the HTV on the acetate was a pain lol.

In summary, this was so much fun and not as hard as I expected, craft-wise. The designing of it all took the most time just because I wanted every little detail to have a meaning :)

I made two copies to gift one to a friend, so it gave me the opportunity to make the first one and mess it up, then, for the second one, I had already learned from my mistakes.

There are many things I'd do differently for my next binds, but that's the most fun part: experimenting with materials, themes, and processes.

[skyburkson]

Elysium Book Nook

made by hand from paper and floral wire set in a laser cut wooden box inspired by the Elysium scenic overlook from Hades

[mystycalypso]

More of K.O.'s Dad! Featuring some Mr. Box-Gar

I cannot explain in words why I love drawing him so much, maybe it's because he is the most bisexual ever. Maybe it's just because I love Laserblast.

I'll include some episode context with it to explain slight changes or just to explain what episode it is, as most people probably can't tell

"My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad"

Obviously the whole "I don't have a dad" doesn't work as an opener, so I imagine Chameleon Jr's insults would instead start with your mom's insults, except for some reason they aren't able to affect K.O. To which he sheepishly explains he doesn't have a mom. "...But I have a Dad who's super strong!" To which Chameleon Jr challenges him, and K.O. accepts.

"Know your mom"

Almost the same, really just changing Mother's Day to Father's Day. Also instead of stating Carol's name, the shot would cut away from the phone before his real name finished loading, followed by a "Oh yeah, I can't believe I forgot!"

"Face Your Fears"

Mr. Box-Gar's fear at first seems to be Silverspark's head, complete with two large silver-cuffed hands to attack and mimic the plaza trio until K.O. lets out T.K.O., only for him to point horrified at Laserblast. Game Laser's defeat managing to finally get a full sentence out to Laser.

"Plaza prom"

(Mostly an excuse for me to draw him in a nice suit)

Again very similar to the original, after finding out about the prom he asks K.O. who would be the lucky one to take his son to prom, and when K.O. asks him to go he jokingly asks if he's really cool enough to be K.O.'s date before accepting. Demanding Boxy help him chaperone with a firm "John! You're going to prom!" And even trying to get a dance out of him

"T.K.O."

He spends most of his time in the episode being awkwardly supportive of K.O., encouraging him to learn to use his abilities, and even admitting that he was a 'broody' hero type for a while. Potentially a joke specifically about his 'anti-hero' eyeshadow palette getting stolen. His support turning to fear and concern when what he'd labeled as 'practice' turns towards the plaza.

"Glory Days"

To help with K.O.'s project and a because of a love for reminiscing on his hero days, Laser tells the story of his first day at point, showing when he met Silverspark and heavily hinting at their relationship, as well as Boxy's early crush on him.

"Let's not Be Skeletons"

During the dream he mainly gives K.O. a talk about standing up for change, and heroes needing to use more than just force to help change things for the better, right before being turned into a skeleton.

"Action news"

Basically unchanged from Carol's original scenes, uses his fists and abilities similar to K.O.'s rather than his legs

[xjackjackx]

I noticed that Dark's likely-death was modified a bit in The Box when the Evil Stick Gang searches through Chosen's memories.

On the more minor side, in Showdown, Awakened Orange's laser eyes charge up rather slowly. Slow enough for Dark to realise what's happening and get one last "Oh shit" moment. In Box, they charge up too fast for him to react.

But more importantly, in Showdown, Awakened Orange's lasers simply... push Dark far away. Hell, he does a few stupid little spins as he's blasted away. (which I always thought was nonsensical as... what would make him spin here???)

But, in Chosen's Season 3 memories?

The laser cuts through Dark.

Season 3 made his defeat more brutal not only by not giving him the time to realise he's about to die, but making the lasers go through him. Dark fans I don't want to break your hopes but I think it's over.

[mambodork]

A question perfect for the holidays!

On the several aus of boatem or just hermitcraft in genera. What would they do during Christmas?

For example, Isekai! Au, villain boatem! Au, and hotguy and the watcher/cuteguy

Hurray !! Merry late christmas :3

For the isekai au, the world building in the novel works differently from the real world. They have a different calendar system, religion, days of celebration, etc. So there's not really "christmas" in it.

I'd imagine Grian would see that the calendar is nearing its end and would mutter "Oh... it should be around christmas by now." Someone else would overhear him say it and ask what christmas is, in which Grian would continue to make up a lame excuse about something his family celebrates as an inside joke, yadda yadda. When Grian mentions that you're supposed to exchange presents, the rest of boatem immediately panics and scrambles to different directions to try and get presents for each other. Grian decides that this is a really good bonding activity that will HOPEFULLY make them not want to kill each other in the future.

The gifts they get ended up being extremely strange and/or explosive. I'd like to think Scar would accidentally trip on one of the presents, activating one of the explosive items and launching all the gifts under the "christmas tree" into the sky, making it look like some kind of firework. Grian just stares at the now lit up sky with his jaw on the floor. The rest of Boatem shoots laser eyes at Scar as he anxiously tries to apologise, only for Grian to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness. Gosh, I love him and the pathetic cats he picked up from the streets so much, guys.

For the Boatem Supervillains, I could imagine a christmas special scheme where they would do some ridiculous thing like stealing all the christmas presents and replacing every single one of them with coal, pelting random people in the face with a snowball machine gun, Maybe even going to the extreme and actually kidnapping Santa 😭 whether or not it's actually Santa the real deal or just some guy in a mall, I'll let you guys decide. Just know that they're probably doing something really really silly.

For the h0tGuY and the watcher au ... I think it's a bit more on the angsty route with the both of them still having to work even in the holidays. Hotguy would continue to fight villains and monsters. He'd look at the occasional family, couple, or group of friends happily celebrating christmas and is just feeling so bittersweet about it. He takes a little rest after battle and Grian approaches him with those deer antlers headband. He's currently having a cold from the weather so his nose is like really red, and it makes him look like rudolph, which is so funny. Grian presents him with a lunchbox that looks like a traditional red present and Scar raises his eyebrows, questioning him since it wasn't time for lunch yet. Grian sneezes and tells him that it was a christmas special and he should just take it. Scar opens the box and cringes when he saw ... pickles ... cut in the shape of the usual christmas cookies ... snowflakes, gingerbread, christmas trees, the whole bunch. Grian sits down on the ground, not leaving until Scar finishes all his pickles like he usually does. And they spend the entire time just chatting until the next monster attack comes.