#like its always ‘yes im a cards yes i dont think we get enough tie ins we exist’

[waterlogged-detective]

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See posts about how ambitions rewards are super biased towards one specific choice (you all know the one)

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People saying that nemesis players really shouldnt have any options because who cares if they spent all that time to bring ___ back because death is transient in the Neath. 100% people who missed the point but go off.

People agreeing saying actually Cards doesnt get *that* many nods

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[ectonurites]

for the character headcanons ask, tim or steph

i ended up doing both LMAO

so for Tim:


A (realistic headcanon): i will stand by this being realistic but TIM CONTINUING TO SKATEBOARD! like okay yes in canon he only used redboard like twice, and once he had his car back he didn’t really rely on it, but he put the time into learning how to and really enjoyed it! i think it would be fun to see him do it more and like i think steph could also skate with him (altho honestly she has more roller skate energy to me but they could still hang out at a skatepark together) i also have this idea for a fic im at some point going to write of Damian finding redboard and Tim being like ‘oh i can show u how to use that-‘ and him being like ‘NO i will do it on my own’ but eventually it becomes a whole bonding thing for them

B (hilarious): other people joke about this a lot but Tim skateboarding around Wayne Enterprises will NEVER cease to amuse me. just the general chaos of a seventeen year old in a power position like that. I think like Lucius and Tam would keep record of stupid shit he does (skateboarding in the office, Interesting fashion choices, the mountain of mugs and takeout containers that build on his desk, his use of glitter gel pens on official documents, threats to pull a seto kaiba and make WE’s primary goals be trading card related, etc) and make a lil scrapbook to give him on his 21st birthday or something when he’s like Slightly More of an adult

C (heart-crushing): Young Justice being Tim’s first friends he can feel real around that he doesn’t think are going to just be temporary. like... i’ve done a lot of rambling about Tim and again we know he’s a kid who grew up going from boarding school to boarding school, he could make friends easily enough but they were very... fleeting. they weren’t meant to last and he went into it knowing that. even though at the start of the group he couldn’t tell them everything, I feel like Young Justice were just the people he eventually was able to be himself the most around, since he didn’t need to hide being Robin. (again him needing to hide being Tim for a while definitely created some distance, but it was very different than hiding the whole hero life from people he knew at home and at school) and then ya know the core four group moving onto the titans together further solidifying this sense of ‘we are a group who can get through stuff together’... until it all falls the fuck apart after Kon dies. and Tim & Cassie have their weird bad coping things. and Bart dies. i think for Tim it would just be so crushing to have the first group he was able to consider being more permanent fall apart like that (not to mention his dad and steph dying around the same time on top of it- being two of the other types of relationships [familial and a romantic partner] that had more permanence to him) and even when people come back and bonds heal, that sense of stability would just forever be shattered, he lost them once and knows that it could happen again and that fear would always be there in the back of his mind

D (canon is a coward and won’t): that he is bisexual LMAO

aaand now Steph

A (realistic headcanon): alright this is kinda canon related but okay. we have seen MULTIPLE alternate versions of Steph with really short hair (future state, that time she imagined herself as nightwing, earth-3) so i really feel like by current-ish canon she’s already thinking about chopping her hair off, like it’s one of those ideas that just every now and then she’ll see someone with super short hair and be like oh... i want that... but never really go through with it (like she’s had some kinda short looks preboot but i think the shortest was like a bob. im talking pixie cut here) and like im imagining maybe after some mission her hair gets caught on something or even burned or idk and she just says fuck it and her, Cass and Tim get back to one of their apartments/a safehouse after patrol and cut her hair in the bathroom at like 4am (yes im aware i place many situations in the middle of the night in the bathroom with friends... [like that timkon fic i wrote a bit ago] its just such a special setting okay) like Cass with the scissors Tim’s holding up a reference pic Steph found on pinterest. it looks great once it’s done

B (hilarious): the eggplant vs purple thing. i think that now in this post death metal world of dc, where everyone’s remembering things from before the reboot, steph should have a small mental breakdown about how she betrayed her old self by rallying behind the color purple (‘enemy of crime and people who hate purple!’) vs how she used to be so insistent her color scheme was eggplant (‘its eggplant. purple would look stupid’). everyone else is having their brains break because of like conflicting memories of their traumas (and she’s got that goin on too, dont get me wrong, she’ll get to freaking out about that later) but steph is just sitting there staring at a color wheel trying not to cry

C (heart-crushing): i’ve seen some fics explore this a little but i think she’d end up doing a lot of thinking about her baby that she gave up for adoption. like that was something she experienced so young and i feel that would just always be a lurking thought in her mind, where is the baby? is she happy? gotham’s a dangerous city, there’s a lot to be afraid about there. Not that she wouldn’t already because she is just a caring big sister type of person, but I think Steph looking out for all the kids in Gotham (especially once she’s batgirl) in some small part could tie back to wanting to make sure her kid is safe out there wherever she ended up. (additionally since she had a rough upbringing with her whole dad situation she just especially is protective over kids anyways. Sometimes I think she might get kinda insecure about it… maybe even question herself about why she’s saving people, is it because she genuinely cares or is it something more selfish? it’s definitely a self doubt i could see manifesting)

D (canon is a coward and won’t) not to be repetitive but also that she is bi i will stand by this

[tatavangogh]

50 Questions Tag

Thank you  @penicillinjimin @vante-love and @sweetpeajeon for tagging me!! It always makes me happy to see ya’ll tag me in stuff 💕💜💕💜

what color is your hairbrush? its like tie-dye with orange yellow and pink

name a food you never eat: peas🤢

are you typically too warm or too cold?: Usually too cold because I’d rather be freezing then burning up 

what were you doing 45 minutes ago?: working on some assignments for my classes

what’s your favorite candy bar?: snickers!

have you ever been to a professional sports game?: I went to a harlem globetrotters game as a kid, does that count?? 😅

what’s the last thing you said out loud?: “ Can i turn the ac on?” to my mom cause it’s freaking HOT jsdk

what’s your favorite ice cream?: mint chocolate chip (pls dont hate me namjoon!) 

what was the last thing you had to drink?: water

do you like your wallet?: yep! It has little gold stars lining the outside and big enough to hold all my empty gift cards xx

what’s the last thing you ate?: hmm it was something last night i think pasta?

did you buy any new clothes last weekend?: Nope! I’m trying to save up money because i went a little crazy buying things when quarantine started

what’s the last sporting event you watched?: I honestly have no idea 😂 i’m not really a big sports person

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn?: movie theater butter!

who’s the last person you sent a text to?: My friend and sister! We send hella tik toks to each other almost every night!

ever go camping?: Yeah during a school field trip in elementary school! One time was like a science trip thingy and the other was kiinda weird lol. We dressed up like we lived in the wild west and made our own butter and stuff

do you take vitamins?: yes

do you go to church every sunday?: no

do you have a tan?: No and lord knows i need one😭 i mean im black so i have a permanent one but still sdkld

do you prefer chinese or pizza?: pizza all day every day!

do you drink soda through a straw?: hmm i dont think i have 

what color socks do you usually wear?: grey or black with different designs (my favs are my dino ones!)

do you ever drive above the speed limit?: I don’t go anymore than 5-10 mph above the limit

what terrifies you?: omg what doesnt?? One thing that people think is a weird fear is running out of gas skjd best believe my tank is always full x

what chore do you hate the most?: Doing dishes, omg it feels like its NEVER ENDING the dishes keep coming and coming 🥺

look to your left, what do you see?: my tv, law & and order is playing as always lol

what do you think of when you hear an australian accent?: koalas and the desert 

what’s your favorite soda?: sprite!

do you go in fast food places or just hit the drive thru?: recently just the drive thru or curbside

what’s your favorite number?: 36

who’s the last person you talked to?: my sister

favorite cut of beef?: hmm lol i dont know, any cut??😅

last song you listened to?: Still with you by jungkook ( GO LISTEN ITS AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL🌹)

last book you read?: my elementary math book dsjk trying to figure out how to teach fractions to 4th graders is HARD

can you say the alphabet backwards?: probably not lmao, i would give up by like w or s

favorite day of the week?: Sunday!

how do you like your coffee?: I dont drink coffee but i love an early grey tea or black tea

favorite pair of shoes?: vans!

time you normally get up?: around 8am

sunrise or sunsets?: sunset🌆

how many blankets on your bed?: just one big duvet 

describe your kitchen plates?:we usually use paper plates but when we run out we use these white square plates

describe your kitchen at the moment?: Clean! I clean it every morning before and after making my tea 

do you have a favorite alcoholic drink?: SANGRIA omg i can drink these by the mfing gallon

do you play cards?: I actually have a solitaire app on my phone!

what color is your car?: Grande is white xx

can you change a tire?: Maybe if i had a youtube video or my dad with me!

your favorite state/province/county/city etc.?: Sacramento, California, it’s where i was born and whenever i visit it just feels so calming and familiar

favorite job you’ve had?: Working at Kohls with my sister, the managers were horrible but my coworkers made it so so fun

how did you get your biggest scar?: On my left hand I have a scare I got when I was taking bacon out the oven dskdj i accidentally touched the oven rack at the top and now im scarred for life, the bacon was good tho!!😂🥓

WOW okay that took awhile djkds but it was fun! Im going to tag- @cozysugaa @kookgyu @mintedmango @tearults @galaxiejoon 💜

[analisegrey]

Februwhump Prompt:

“Who would the whumpee take a beating for?” (Read on AO3)

Caleb’s always been goal-oriented.

He likes having something to strive for, a box he can mark off when he’s accomplished something; that inclination is honed when he gets to Soltryce- each new spell he learns, every milestone of knowledge, he goes after with fevered abandon. His time in the country with Master Ikithon doesn’t exactly dampen the tendency. The desire to please combined with the need to hit the next goal, do the next thing, pressing ever forward- it’s a terrible and heady combination that Trent utilizes ruthlessly.

And still, after all that, after breaking and reforming, after traveling alone, after finally finding new companions, he’s still goal-oriented. He has one large, overwhelming goal, and it’s always in the back of his mind, waiting, but sometimes it gets overshadowed, pushed temporarily to the side by immediate need.

For instance-

The cell they’re in is cool and damp, moisture dripping down the walls in shining rivulets. Jester’s out cold when they’re dragged in, but Caleb’s awake, if only barely, and so catches pieces of conversation, taunts and threats. He’s known jailers like this before, had suffered extensively under them in the jail where he met Nott. He knows the type- overconfident, cruel, inclined to go after the weakest, softest target, because they don’t want a challenge so much as a reaction.

Caleb weighs his options as he waits for Jester to wake up. They’re both spent from the fight before they were captured, and he knows that especially without his components, they’re on their own until help arrives. He’s moved her so her head is pillowed on his lap, and he absently cards his fingers through her hair as he thinks. He knows this type of people, knows what they’re capable of, how they react, who they’ll likely go for once they’re ready to start. He knows, and he refuses to let that happen.

There’s a rustle of fabric and a shift of movement as Jester starts to wake up, groaning as her eyes slit open.

“What- what happened, where-”

Caleb gently squeezes her shoulder. “I am afraid things went rather poorly, Jester. We are in a cell.”

Her brow crinkles in confusion before her eyes go wide and she jolts up to sitting, Caleb barely leaning back in time to avoid getting knocked in the chin. She’s scrambling to her feet and heading for the door before Caleb can stop her, her fingers digging into the edges where the frame and the door meet, looking for purchase, for a catch, anything, as her tail lashes behind her.

“We need to get out, we need to get the door open, we have to leave- ”

Caleb gets up and moves to her side, catching carefully at her wrists and tugging. He knows he has no hope of moving her if she doesn’t want to allow it, and is relieved when she lets him.

“Jester, you must be calm.”

She turns to him wild-eyed and pale, her skin washed out to a sickly light blue. “Caleb-” Her voice wavers with panic, and his resolve only strengthens as he gets a more secure grip on her and pulls. She goes with him as he leads her back to the far wall and sits, bringing her with him; her skirts pool around her, and he puts an arm around her after only a moment’s hesitation. She’s shaking, her breathes quick and hitching, and he’s familiar enough with the sounds of panic and terror to recognize it. He gives her a squeeze.

“Jester, I know this is frightening. It’s not a great situation, but we must believe the others will come and get us out. We have done it before, and they will do it again.”

“I know, I know , it’s just, what will happen in the meantime? I can’t- I can’t do that again, Caleb, I can’t- ”

If his plan’s going to work, he needs her calm, needs her strong. He feels for her, he does, but he needs her to get herself under control.

“Jester.” He keeps his voice soft, calm, soothing, and takes her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. “I know this is a terrible situation, and while neither of us wants to be here, this is especially hard for you after everything you have been through. I can’t guarantee everything will be okay right now, but I believe- I have to believe- that the others are coming, and we just need to be strong until then.”

She sniffles, eyes red-tinged and wet as she looks up at him. He knows how strong she is, physically and emotionally, but right now she looks small, frightened, and he’s reminded how young and sheltered she is, and he feels the protective urge he normally feels for her surge. He will not let them hurt her, not if he has anything to say about it.

“I need you to listen to me, Jester, you can do that, ja ?”

She nods, though she doesn’t look very sure, and he smiles.

“The men who brought us here are going to come back.” She freezes under his hands, her breath starting to pick up again, and he squeezes, trying to ground her. “They are going to come back, but I have a plan. I will not let them harm you; but you must work with me. I can only do so much, so you must be strong. I need you to look fearsome.”

Her brows furrow again in confusion as she looks him over, her tail moving agitatedly behind her. “But how will you do that? They took all your stuff, Caleb, your components, your coat, your books- how are we going to fight back?”

He shakes his head. “My plan is not to fight, not with magic or fists. I plan to fight with this,” he says as he taps his temple with a finger. “I do not need to be stronger or have my components in order to out-think them. I am going to play a part, and I need you to as well for it to work. It will be scary, but I know you can do it. You are a very good actress, ja? They will not know what hit them.”

Her eyes narrow momentarily, and he worries she’s figured him out, but then her face relaxes and she gives him a tremulous smile, which he mirrors back to her.

“Okay, I think I can do that, Caleb.”

“I know you can, blueberry.”

She smile brightens at the nickname, as he’d hoped it would. Now for the hard part.

“I need you to promise me something though, Jester. This is very important.”

“What?”

“When they come back, I want you to try to get in front of me. I am also going to be acting a part, and it may be difficult to watch, but I need you not to interfere otherwise. Whatever you see me do, whatever you hear me say, just know that I’m acting, and it will be alright. Can you do that?”

Her lips press together, pensive and pinched, the dark blue of her lips paling before she nods, her expression growing hard and resolute. “Okay okay okay, yes, I can do this. We will get through this, and the others will come, and everything will be okay.”

He smiles at her, and he hopes it doesn’t look as much like a grimace as it feels.

They pass the time chatting about nonsense and when they hear a door clang open nearby they both tense. In the last few seconds before the cell door opens, he turns and whispers, “Don’t forget- you are fierce, blueberry, and I am just acting.”

The door swings open and Jester plays her part perfectly, straightening up and snarling an oath in Infernal, coming to her feet in front of him as he slowly gets to his behind her, feigning weakness.

One of the few benefits of being a self-confessed coward, of being afraid nearly all the time, is that when it matters, when it’s actually helpful , it’s no hardship to play the weakling. He barely has to try for the fear he normally keeps bottled up show readily on his face, for the near-constant dread to become manifest. When their jailers enter the room, Caleb presses himself back against the wall, shuddering as the cold and damp seep in through the thin fabric of his shirt. He hunches inward, makes himself look small, an easy target, and bless the two buffoons holding them captive, they buy it.

“Grab him. Let’s make ‘im squeal.”

Caleb’s eyes go wide in only partially-feigned horror, and shakes his head, pressing back further, though there’s nowhere to go.

“Nein , no, please- ”

Jester tries to stay in front of him but fierce as she is, she’s easily thrown aside. Their captors may be immensely stupid and easily manipulated, but they’re strong, grabbing him with ease and carrying him toward the door. He plays it up, yelling and pleading in a way that normally would fill him with shame, but he’s fueled by his need to keep them focused on him and their attention away from Jester. He gets a last glimpse of her as they pull him through the door and she looks utterly stricken; he hopes she’ll forgive him eventually.

He’s taken down the hall to a room that's bare except for a wooden chair in the middle of it. They throw him onto it, and one of them hauls back and punches him in the jaw, snapping his head to the side and setting his ears ringing. By the time his head clears, his arms have been wrenched behind him and his wrists tightly bound and anchored to the chair. He struggles and they laugh, each grabbing an ankle even as he tries to kick at them; they tie those to the chair as well until soon he’s completely helpless. He tries not to panic, reminds himself he wanted this, that this was his preferred outcome, but it’s difficult to remember when one of the men is standing in front of him grinning and the other is behind him with a large meaty hand clamped on his shoulder. The hand on his shoulder slides to his throat, gripping and pulling his head up and back and for a split second he feels a flash of real fear, thinks he's miscalculated terribly, but then the other man slams his fist into Caleb's stomach, and the fear is replaced with a calmer resignation. His body tries to fold over, but the ropes at his wrists and the hand at his throat keep him from moving, so all he can do is choke on a cry and shake. They work him over with the ease of long practice, moving in tandem and causing pain with little break between. He's quickly breathless, screams caught in his throat as blows rain down faster than he can process. At one point a blow knocks him sideways and the whole chair tilts precariously before it tips, taking him with it. He feels it as his left arm snaps at the forearm when his whole weight, chair and all, land on it; he's screamed himself hoarse but still finds voice enough to cry out. The men just laugh and continue, and throughout the beating the thought Caleb keeps firmly situated in his mind is, ‘At least it’s not Jester.’

The men start to slow down, tired and covered in sweat, and Caleb would breathe a sigh of relief if he could; his ribs scream at him when he draws breath, his broken arm a throbbing misery at his side. He hurts everywhere, bursts of pain so prevalent it’s difficult to tell where one begins and another ends. They untie his legs, then his arms, and his vision goes dim and watery as they pick him up again, heedless of his broken arm, and drag him back through the door and down the hallway to the cell.

He desperately wants to pass out, to get away from the pain if only for a little while, but he can’t yet. There’s still one more part of this to do before he can allow himself the respite of unconsciousness.

They slam the door to the cell open and toss him through it. He's unable to catch himself and lands awkwardly on his front, his broken arm hitting the ground with enough force that he thinks he does pass out, if only for a few seconds. The next moment he’s aware it’s to find gentle hands on his face, warm and careful as they feel around his cheeks and jaw.

“Oh, Caleb- ” That’s Jester, and she sounds anguished. He forces his eyes open to look up at her and she’s blurry, but he thinks that’s mostly do to his eyes being partially swollen shut than anything else. She looks like she’s been crying, her face crumpled in distress, and he reaches for one of her hands with his good one.

“Jester, it’s okay.” It’s hard to speak, his voice barely there, his throat burning with the effort.

Her face twists, grief and anger warring with each other for dominance in her expression. “Caleb, it is not okay.” Her hands flex minutely on his face and he winces at the pressure on the bruising he can feel painting his skin. “Do you even know what you look like? Look what they’ve done to you, Caleb, your arm, and your face, and, and-” She looks perilously close to tears, and while it guts him to see it, he holds tight to the fact that it’s him here on the floor beat to shit, and not her, that it’s him with the broken arm and ribs, not her. He remembers- because he always remembers, doesn’t he?- what she looked like when they found her and Fjord and Yasha at the Sour Nest. Dirty, bruised, tear-streaked and devastated, and there’s not a lot he’s proud of in his life, but this is one thing he can hold onto. He kept this from happening to her, from happening to her again. She may have experienced this kind of cruelty, but he’s had practice, and if there’s any benefit to the things that have happened in his life, it’s that it’s prepared him for this, has put him in a position to be able to spare Jester.

He manages to pull a smile out for her, squeezes one of her wrists in a shaking hand before letting his arm fall back to his side.

“It’s alright, Jester. It is- it’s better this way. You are stronger anyway, ja? If we need to fight to get out, it’s better that you be strong and healthy.” He’s trying to focus, to stay awake to keep her company, but it’s so hard. His words are slurring, and it’s probably not a great idea to fall asleep, but he doesn’t think he’s going to have a choice in a moment. “You were wonderful, blueberry. Du warst perfekt.”

His eyes slide closed, and he passes out to the feel of Jester’s hands warm on his face.

[transfagged]

all 92 😘

1. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?no way man she’d probably dom the fuck out of me

2. You talked to an ex today, correct?nope.

3. Have you taken someones virginity?n o p e

4. Is trust a big issue for you?YEAH

5. Did you hang out with the person you like recently?like in terms of romantic??? no. like in terms of “we have a really weird relationship and idfk how i feel @ you”? yeah.

6. What are you excited for?april 19th!!! my friend and i are going to go see phoebe bridgers in madison!!!!

7. What happened tonight?its 10am so ill roll with last night: i played nv and got killed in a beautiful cacophony of deathclaws and the legion :) and then my game crashed.

8. Do you think it’s disgusting when girls get really wasted?no bc id be right there with them

9. Is confidence cute?very

10. What is the last beverage you had?i think some water? okay not the last but: hot water is so good with wildflower honey pls just drink some its good for your soul okay???

11. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust?opposite is bullshit but i guess like,, 3? half my friends are nonbinary so counting EVERYONE regardless of gender and shit id say 6 people

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans?im a proud supporter of boys in skinny jeans and i own 2 or 3 pairs

13. What are you gonna do Saturday night?my main ho @thebonerfoy is coming up to visit me and were probably gonna pack all my shit in her car and play cards against humanity

14. What are you going to spend money on next? lmao probably my student loans. unless i can get the hours i asked for at work or a sugar daddy, then im gonna buy a proper lid for my fishtank bc my poor kid has a piece of cardboard rn.

15. Are you going out with the last person you kissed?no

16. Do you think you’ll change in the next 3 months?yeah. even in a state of stagnation were changing somehow.

17. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything?probably amanda, but im working on trying to be better with everyone

18. The last time you felt broken?my dude, im broken right now. its okay though. like i said, im working on it. were all fckn broken somehow.

19. Have you had sex today?not unless a ghost and i got in on in my sleep. which would be pretty cool ngl

20. Are you starting to realize anything?on a deep level: i deserve respect and a lot of my issues relate directly to my upbringing, including my inability to receive praise or speak well of myselfon a not-deep level: kinda hungry.

21. Are you in a good mood?i think i just heard fedex or ups outside so my mood just skyrocketed

22. Would you ever want to swim with sharks?maybe like. nurse sharks. theyre really cute.

23. Are your eyes the same color as your dad’s?yeah

24. What do you want right this second?to take a day to go into the city with all my friends that i cant see on a regular basis

25. What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy?probably be upset unless we discussed it beforehand. then id be fckn cheering for them like you go get some!!!! do it man!!!! in general tho: if i wasnt with them and they didnt show interest in me and showed interest in someone else id just move tf on.

26. Is your current hair color your natural hair color?half of it is bc my roots are growing out

27. Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh?no. too boring.

28. What was the last thing that made you laugh?okay so i went to renew my library books and one of my favorite youtubers is on the library website dressed as one of his characters and i completely flipped because i watch his gaming channel and now hes interviewing authors for my library??? he doesnt even live in my town!! hes in madison!!

29. Do you really, truly miss someone right now?no? im enjoying my solitude atm

30. Does everyone deserve a second chance?depends on the person

31. Honestly, do you hate the last boy you were talking to?no! hes my friend and gives really good advice!

32. Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do?i think so. i mean, were kind of a thing.

33. Are you one of those people who never drinks soda?yeah.

34. Listening to?killer - phoebe bridgers

35. Do you ever write in pencil anymore?only if im doing a rough journal spread, which i dont normally do

36. Do you know where the last person you kissed is?hes probably in class right now. 

37. Do you believe in love at first sight?love at first sight? no. some sort of mutual infatuation/attraction? yes.

38. Who did you last call?my mom

39. Who was the last person you danced with?dancing with as in both dancing at the same time? probably amanda or my mom.

40. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed?we were dating and he was cute lmao

41. When was the last time you ate a cupcake? a couple months ago? 

42. Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today?no bc she leaves for work before i wake up

43. Ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush?constantly.

44. Do you tan in the nude?lmao no.

45. If you could, would you take back your last kiss?no. as previously stated, i liked the guy and he was cute. why would i take that back?

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?yeah

47. Who was the last person to call you?my mom

48. Do you sing in the shower?sometimes

49. Do you dance in the car?yEAH

50. Ever used a bow and arrow?yes i love my bow :’) its so good and wow i love archery

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?picture day junior year of highschool, and if that doesnt count: my mother took me in at jcp to have pictures taken when i graduated 8th grade and theyre awful bc my hair is so long and its so not me

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy?excuse me, how dare you,, in this house we ask for war and peace for christmas because npgc1812 is so good and then get addicted to ghost quartet (@ anyone reading this: pls listen to ghost quartet it is so so so good)

53. Is Christmas stressful?depends on the year, but i hope in the future i can spend it with my friends :)

54. Ever eat a pierogi?i just had some last night for dinner and im probably going to eat the leftovers in a couple minutes. also, my mother is polish and we see her family for holidays, so yeah. lots of pierogi in this house.

update: i got the leftovers

55. Favorite type of fruit pie?idk??? apple? im basic okay i dont eat pie

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?1. teacher2. ballerina3. both 1 & 2, simultaneously4. paleontologist5. archaeologist6. both 4 & 5, simultaneously7. librarian8. game designer9. author/illustrator

57. Do you believe in ghosts?yeah

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?almost daily

59. Take a vitamin daily?im supposed to ;) vitamin d deficiency like a real champ

60. Wear slippers?real talk i never liked slippers but then i bought these cute pig slippers @ walmart for $10 and i love them so much i tried wearing them to sleep last night. also im wearing them rn theyre so cute

61. Wear a bath robe?i live in a dorm, so yeah. to the bathroom and back when i take a shower. sometimes im lazy and i just run around in a towel but so do half the people on my side of the hall lmao were all lazy and dead inside

62. What do you wear to bed?fluffy pajama pants or sweats, tshirt or hoodie, socks, sometimes slippers.. once i fell asleep with a beanie on. when im being an Adult i wear my actual pajamas!!! like a legit shirt and pants that match

63. First concert?none that i was old enough to remember :’) apparently my mom took me to the rodeo when we lived in texas and saw some country group but i was like 2 so idfk

64. Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?TARGET I AM A CERTIFIED TARGET GAY

65. Nike or Adidas?adidas bc my feet are too wide to fit in nikes

66. Cheetos Or Fritos?yall real talk i used to love cheetos but i think im allergic to them now? last time i had them my throat got all swollen and hurt for like 3 days so im gonna have to say fritos. plus theyre really good if you put them in chili

67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?sunflower seeds bc im a slut for anything i can have a spitting contest with

68. Favorite Taylor Swift song?lmao i used to like her when i was like. 11. not my scene anymore

69. Ever take dance lessons?i dont think so?

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?anything that makes them happy, but also something fun!!!! like wedding photographer or a baker or maybe zookeeper?

71. Can you curl your tongue?idk??? kinda????? i can tie a cherry stem so i want to say yes.

72. Ever won a spelling bee?no i always got out bc my anxiety made me stutter/rush and miss letters, so i never even got past the classroom levels to the real thing

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?a lot!!! i laugh so hard i cry and get a stomach ache more than id like to admit

74. What is your favorite book?eleanor & park by rainbow rowell :) OR alice’s adventures in wonderland by lewis caroll

75. Do you study better with or without music?depends on if i can get into hyperfocus mode or not. if not, then i pick one song and put it on loop and blast it until it fades and is just loud background noise, but if i can focus then silence is best

76. Regularly burn incense?i used to but no burning anything in the dorms :( then i came home for break and it started giving me a headache

77. Ever been in love?i think so

78. Who would you like to see in concert?kesha, against me!, my chemical romance (rip), bigbang (also rip)

79. What was the last concert you saw?the one i mentioned earlier @ a rodeo

80. Hot tea or cold tea?hot tea

81. Tea or coffee?i live on coffee but i love tea too so both

82. Favorite type of cookie?mmm snickerdoodle. or just sugar cookies. chocolate chip is good when theyre hot and melty but not as good when theyre cold

83. Can you swim well?yeah! i love swimming!

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?yeah?

85. Are you patient?hahahahahahhahahahhahahhaa

86. DJ or band, at a wedding?oo. oooooo. okay so dj would have more variety of music but im a sucker for live music??? idk i feel like a band would be more memorable, but what if they fuck up your favorite song??? but what if they make it more special???????

87. Ever won a contest?yeah! i won an art contest once and got my drawing printed on christmas cards for a nonprofit that did things for cancer patients!

88. Ever have plastic surgery?im 17 i dont have that kind of money

89. Which are better black or green olives?depends on what theyre in?

90. Opinions on sex before marriage?good. live your life fuck the rules

91. Best room for a fireplace?bedroom!!! i love fireplaces in bedrooms its such a Look

92. Do you want to get married?idk. if it happens then it happens. im not planning on it though.

[kathillards]

guess who watched kamen rider

hey y’all it’s kat @powerprincesses’ birthday on MARCH 24TH (but since that’s movie day, i’m giving this to her early) and i, being the dutiful-slash-whipped wife that i am, thought i’d do something special for it and i was like, well, pearl, you’ve already written her shit for the past two years, why not do something different?

so i watched an entire fucking series of japanese power rangers: bug eyes edition for her. can you believe that? me??? watch kamen rider??? i know

but here i am on the other side of kamen rider decade which i watched because a) he’s pink b) kat loves it c) it only has like 30 episodes thank god and d) he’s pink

i have great decision making-skills. anyway below the cut are all my honest unfiltered thoughts on what kat pitched to me as “kamen rider megaforce”. fair warning, it’s long, with pictures, and tailored for kat. read at your own risk.

i watched the first like nine episodes in a blur so here’s some random thoughts from them that aren’t strictly a liveblog:

NATSUMI IS SO CUTE

tsukasa is a weird asshole and its kind of hot?

actually he reminds me of me thats probably why its hot bc im self-obsessed

“put tsukasa’s bad photos here” he is a meme and i love it

natsumi hikari... these are both names ripped from toqger... i realize decade came first but like? elements of toqger?

every time she does the laughter pressure point thing to tsukasa i gain an extra year on my life

his laughter is so fucking dumb

freaky prophetic dreams = elements of megaforce much???

natsumi is troy burrows

i love this pink ranger

i love natsumi’s beanies

i have no clue what the fuck is happening

yusuke is cuuuuuuute

THE EPISODE W THE LITTLE KID RIDER AND HE ASKS YUSUKE IF THEY’RE FRIENDS AND YUSUKE’S FACE MELTS bitch i cried

yusuke has a v. good face

tsukasa is still a weird asshole and i still kinda dig it

natsumi is still great

all these other riders are cute...... i kno u told me ryuki is the one where everyone dies but hes so cute???

the one from blade is cute too

everyone is cute but especially yusuke and natsumi

i have no fucking clue what the plot is supposed to be there’s like an evil bat? and an evil old man? he reminds me of the evil old man from ghost

which i guess i should mention is technically my first kamen rider series that i watched twelve eps of and will finish one day

in case ur new here

whatever

why does kr have multiple evil old men

decade’s suit is so great and every time he morphs into a different rider i sigh

ok backing up but that bit in the ? third ? episode at the end where tsukasa is joking and smiling and natsumi yells at him that he’s freaking her out but she’s laughing? Pure

yusuke going “we’re a team right?” and tsukasa rolling his eyes? Pure

tsukasa being such a dick to those guys from blade... not pure but hilarious

OK BUT WHY WAS HE SUCH A DICK TO KAZUMA HE IS CUTE AND DOESNT DESERVE THIS

i just cant believe hes pink

he has a pink camera

hes a pink ranger

i love natsumi

OK HERE WE GO EPISODE 10 and beyond:

here’s the douche who stole genta’s zord...he is hot

this might just be me reading too deep into a kids show (haha when has THAT ever happened) but the shot of natsumi putting her hands around tsukasa’s waist like a belt in the theme song?? and then i think about how the belt and cards appeared to HER and she had to give them to tsukasa literally crossing barriers btwn worlds or whatever to get to him?? is she...is she his belt...his powers...are they hashtag INTERTWINED

maybe i am reading too deep into it but i love making girls the central protagonist so whatever i’m going with it

damn tsukasa looks good w/ his hair brushed back like that...

natsumi accuses this dude of “eat and run” and he does THIS?

uncalled for tbh

no u dont shut up

u know who looks good in everything? natsumi. the cap doesnt show it but she’s wearing pink knee high socks and its so cute

yusuke is such a prince

“i decided to get in your way” why is tsukasa Like That

he is definitely a scorpio

daiki might possibly be the only man who can make me think he’s attractive while wearing a baseball cap

i cannot BELIEB these monsters thought this girl was faiz AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE HER DUDE FRIEND WHO’S SPOKEN TWO LINES goodbye i hate kamen rider and everyone who works for toei

DIEND IS SUCH AN UGLY SUIT fjgdfkgdfgd i kinda dig it tho

is it meant to be diend like...the end....? or die?

y does every episode have to end on a cliffhanger

its six minutes into episode 11 and natsumi JUST showed up i want a refund?????

this is a gay outfit tho

episodes without natsumi are Pointless lets move on

why is he experimenting w/ his hair and why does it look so hot

that.....was really gay

um no offense but something fell out of the sky and tsukasa’s first instinct was to cover natsumi......okay.gif

natsumi is so sad that yusuke is leaving them :(

tsukasa is also sad he’s just hiding it under his seven layers of asshole

yusuke saving tsukasa......Pure

also gay....why is daiki Like That

tsukasa: you look pretty

yusuke: what

tsukasa: I SAID YOU LOOK SHITTY GOOD NIGHT

- actual dialogue that just happened

every time tsukasa gets called out for actually caring about people i laugh

is den-o literally kamen rider toqger...

why are so many of the kamen riders he visits literally monsters ?

why is tsukasa such an asshole and why is it hot

tsukasa spit-taking when someone actually likes his photos...relatable

oh my god in this one scene yusuke is wearing a red plaid shirt and natsumi is wearing red plaid socks wtf thats too adorable

me watching toku: just eternally cataloguing all the fashion

SPEAKING OF FASHION WTF IS THIS

“i look good in everything” yeah right tsukasa

tsukasa just goes around to different worlds and appoints himself the king of everything...relatable

pretty wack that natsumi and yusuke love tsukasa enough to believe he’ll protect them in a fight even though he’s a fucking dumbass

you know who does look good in everything...daiki

i didnt think i would miss tsukasa but its been 8 minutes into this episode and he hasn’t shown up to be an asshole yet..........disappointing

HE JUST SHOWED UP TO BE AN ASSHOLE all is right with the world again

tsukasa: daiki’s an asshole

this poor little boy: NO HE’S NOT >:(

daiki: yeah no i am totally an asshole

tsukasa turned hibiki into a disc thing and put it on top of this crab monster and now he’s beating it like a drum...

why is toku Like This

“he’s just a thief” shut up tsukasa you love him

oh my god he’s wearing bobby pins in his hair

“i’m so happy for you natsumi” ;_____; yusuke loves her...

i also love her

extreme lingering close-ups on tsukasa’s face make me uncomfortable

omg tsukasa going to take a photo of yusuke and natsumi jumping in AND THEM ALL SMILING AND LAUGHING TOGETHER GOODBYE

yes natsumi is a masterpiece thanks for recognizing it tsukasa

omg they’re all wearing pink i luv this team of pink rangers

anyone ever in the world: says the word ‘treasure’

daiki, barreling through the window: DID YOU SAY TREASURE I’M HERE TO ROB YOU

chill dude

tsukasa: lets go on a date

yusuke:

tsukasa: you’re paying

yusuke:

- also literally just happened why is tsukasa LIKE THIS

tsukasa is the worst boyfriend ever

my fave decade trope: tsukasa is trying to fight and then he gets demorphed right in the middle of the battle for some reason or the other and just looks around dumbstruck probably wondering why his cool factor has lowered to 50% instead of 100%

jokes on him his cool factor is always at -95%

tsukasa being a model is a Bad Idea

a Very Bad Idea

natsumi yelling at tsukasa is so good every time

tsukasa: says literally anything ever

yusuke and natsumi: ???????????????????

this boy makes no sense i love him

what the FUCK is this hair

i feel like most of this liveblog is just me cataloging tsukasa’s various fashion choices

but i mean, he does more things with his hair than i do

he’s such a good pink ranger

decade’s power-up form is god-ugly

just thought i should mention that

needs more pink tbh

never let tsukasa try to lie and say he doesnt like daiki ever again hes a USELESS GAY

OR YUSUKE

THIS IS HIS FACE WHEN NATSUMI TELLS HIM YUSUKE IS GONE

useless

gay

he punches a tree bc natsumi got taken too what a loser

lmao this evil dude is like “who is this other kamen rider?? daiki’s friend??? daiki doesn’t HAVE friends”

joke’s on HIM

i had to cap daiki wearing purple even tho i am against male purples on general principle

he looks so good tho

he always looks good

“i want to save natsumi” okay

this is pretty gay tsukasa

wow it got even gayer

WOW

wow

the level of gay literally escalated from 100 to 1000 i am impressed

uh did he literally tie up daiki and then slowly walk in a circle around him and blatantly check him out...................................

tsukasa........................

tsukasa literally stops the other riders from joining the battle bc he knows daiki has to fight alone....what kind of otp goals

“wont you stop saying those corny lines” - daiki about tsukasa but also me about tsukasa

HELL YEAH NEXT EP IS THE SHINKENGER WORLD I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR SO LONG

missed my samurai kids did u know i put my shinkenger marathon on hold for this shit so i could finish decade before march 24th

i know i know im such a great friend

HERE HE IS HERES GENTA my opinion on daiki has honestly not changed since i first saw him in shinkenger... he’s still a hot douche

and i love him

tsukasa every time he has no idea what’s going on: i know exactly what’s going on

HERE THEY ARE MY SAMURAI KIDS

wow i missed them

the things i do for you kat

i could be watching super sentai right now

yusuke protecting natsumi <3333

i just like this shot and also their faces

daiki beat up and bloody is a Look

EVIL MONSTER DIEND IS SO UGLY OH MY GOD GIVE IT BACK TO DAIKI PLS

takeru and tsukasa are both drama queens... this will end well i’m sure

he’s WEARING A LITTLE PINK PONYTAIL IN HIS HAIR GOODBYE

takeru always having to hold back genta from fighting kamen riders :’) my boys whom i raised

why is daiki such a dick

i love him

the shinkengers are such ABSOLUTE LOSERS I LOVE MY KIDS

natsumi.....loves tsukasa....so much

she shouldnt....but she does

wow @ this cinnamon tography....

tsukasa’s inspiring speeches are literally just him Saying Words

takeru: u know tsukasa i think ur an ok guy

tsukasa: ??????????? why????????????

takeru doesnt have a reason tsukasa its just the Power of Gay

takeru and tsukasa just shared a really long really gay look and it was...it was really gay

tsukasa’s face when natsumi tells him he’ll always have a place to return to and call home with them.....................goodbye

i love the hashtag romance of natsumi literally being tsukasa’s home but i am also mmmm at her having to be the girl waiting at home while the boys go off and fight like okay.gif

tsukasa literally took her cookie thats shaped LIKE HER HEAD and ate it...why is he like that

WHY IS HE SUCH A DICK i know hes only a dick to cover up his REAL FEELINGS but hes SUCH a DICK

PREVIEW FOR NEXT EP GOT ME FUCKED UP i cant believe im almost done and i dont want it to be over...

tsukasa has amnesia........interesting last-minute plot point

this show really is megaforce i love it

natsumi and yusuke’s matching plaid outfits are the best thing to ever happen to me

tsukasa immediately reaching to touch natsumi okaaaaaay

my dude did u have to lean so close to her face

this dramatic scarf look is a) very hot b) very scorpio (apparently scarves are a staple of our wardrobe) (not that i would know)

natsumi is...inviting him to stay in her world...with her...okay okay okay alright alright alright

its been ten minutes and daiki hasnt shown up i miss him

dfgjdfgddfgjd THIS WHILE WATCHING TSUKASA AND NATSUMI FIGHT yusuke is truly a man after my own heart

thats a joke, he’s already won my heart

SHE DOVE IN FRONT OF AN ATTACK FOR HIM BYEEEE

mmm tsukasa desperately yelling for natsumi to wake up is A Mood

good scene decade 10/10 i live for the #drama

him angrily asking if they can treat her + looking at her comatose body all broody and dramatique when yusuke tells him that her life is in danger.....okay mister “i hate the word friends”

the extreme offense on tsukasa’s face when daiki called natsumi “that girl” lmaoooo

the tsukasa/yusuke height difference is So Good

tsukasa looks So Fucking Good in that t-shirt/black jeans/scarf combo i’m really mad about it

tsukasa just punched daiki in the face... honestly im surprised it didnt happen sooner

DAIKI JUST KICKED HIM IN THE GUTS

“is natsu melon really that important” BITCH

tsukasa, after getting beat up: her name is NATSUMI

priorities, priorities

anyone else wanna MCFREAKIN DIE

YUSUKE LOVES NATSUMI SO MUCH ;___;

tsukasa being so devastated at natsumi’s death is... a lot

even tho obviously i am against fridging a girl for manpain on Principle

and daiki showing up to be like “she’s your treasure huh?” LMAO

MOTHERFUCKER HE TOOK PART OF HIS OWN LIFE TO GIVE HERS BACK

WHAT A PUNK ASS BITCH

man tsukasa smiling (i swear thats what hes doing) is hilarious

and gross

i hate him

i hate this

I LOVE YUSUKE WHAT AN ANGEL

lmao natsumi tells him she’ll always be waiting here for him and this is his reaction.....................dumb

“decade are you also a rider”

“maybe”

WHY IS TSUKASA LIKE THAT

WHY DID HE SAY IT IN ENGLISH

WHY WAS IT HOT

I HATE HIS ASS

anything: happens

that old dude: THIS TOO IS DECADE’S FAULT

first of all they’ve all been matching w/ the reds this episode and i love it

second of all i’m banning tsukasa from looking this hot forever goodbye

brooding in dimly-lit spaces..........gross

every time tsukasa.....every time

daiki: shows up and saves tsukasa

also daiki: i’m not here to save you

sounds fake but okay

THEY LOVE EACH OTHER.....

dfjlgdfkgjd daiki just shows up and nobody knows how he got there

this is Gay

i dont want it to end...

my dude......chill

wow

w o w

i hate that outfit of tsukasa’s btw

just thought i’d mention that

by hate i mean he has no right to look so hot

THE FANGIRE QUEEN IS HOT

natsumi can get tsukasa to do anything w/ that laughter pressure point... Powerful

first of all: shut up tsukasa

second of all: RIDER CLUB MEETING

third of all: why is tsukasa So Tall

i want a refund on this show

daiki: friends...are the one treasure i dont have

BITCH

ITS NOT EVEN THE FINALE AND IM ABOUT TO MCFREAKIN LOSE IT

wooooooooooow thats gay

daiki: im doing this cuz we’re friends

daiki: we are friends right?

daiki: right tsukasa??????????

honey...sweetie...darling...this is the worst thing ever

ITS BEEN LIKE HALF A MINUTE INTO THE FINALE AND ALREADY THEY’RE HITTING ME W/ THIS OKAY OKAY OKAY

oh god hes crying

oh god

oh no

oh god

hm this is his face staring at his photo of natsumi alright alright alright

yusuke risking his own life, world, and potential disappearing to save tsukasa from the other riders............bye

YUSUKE DOING IT FOR NATSUMI........BYE

“i’m the only one allowed to defeat you” uh huh ok

daiki would never kill tsukasa so the actual translation of that is “i don’t want you to go and die”

HE LOOKS SO DEVASTED GOODBYE I HATE THIS

uhhh my momma says i gotta go home right now immediately

he is SO ANGRY

also comrades is code for “in love” right???

DAIKI AND YUSUKE CAME BACK FOR HIMMMMMMM

THEY ALL LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“I SUPPOSE WE’RE FRIENDS”

“IF I CANT PROTECT YOUR SMILE I CAN’T PROTECT ANYONES”

THEYRE GONNA DEFEAT THE BAD GUYS WITH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP???????????

YUSUKE JUMPED IN FRONT OF AN ATTACK FOR TSUKASA AND I AM GONNA MCFREAKIN LOSE IT

oh my god its NOT OVER

pls i wanna die

this is a good look and i hate it

this is a good shot

this whole scene is a...good shot

“i have faith in you” woooooooooooow

“things have certainly gotten stupid havent they” shut up daiki

actually dont i love you pls come fix this

NATSUMI WENT TO FIND HIS CAMERA BYE

WHY DOES THE BEE WOMAN HAVE BEE TITTIES

I HATE THIS ENTIRE CONCEPT

biiiiiiiitch natsumi just transformed into a rider

oh my god

oh my god did he let her kill him

oh my god

thats the most stupid romantic thing he’s ever said

and he’s said a lot of stupid romantic things

mmmm daiki and natsumi...good shit

THEYRE RUNNING WHILE HOLDING HANDS OKAAAAAAAAAAAY

this whole scene just killed me......they never stop touching....i gotta go

“even if i wanted to, i cant forget him...that stupid face of his” ok daiki sure

[kat voice] bitch the fuck

BITCH DID THEY DEADASS REVIVE HIM WITH THE POWER OF LOVE

WHAT THE FUCK KINDA SHOW AM I WATCHING

tsukasa

smiling

at

natsumi

is

the

worst

thing

ever

now THAT’S how you ot4

ALL THE RIDERS CAME BACK FOR HIM 

"thats our world too” WOW

wow

this is the woooooooooooooooooooooorst

oh my godddddddd

oh my god

oh my god

anyway

i dont know what else to say i hate this

i cant believe i watched an entire season of kamen rider

i cant believe i ENJOYED it

i cant believe the state im in right now

i

wow

i want death

happy birthday kat

[ericsburden-blog]

Why Problem Solving Should Be The Only Value Proposition You Use

There’s more than one reason why people love brands like P&G, Warby Parker, and Apple.

But, can you guess what these three brands have in common?

They all solve consumer problems.

P&G invented a better way to mop with the Swiffer.

Warby Parker created affordable, stylish glasses.

Steve Jobs of Apple introduced the iPhone as a “smarter mobile device.”

These brands manufactured their own value propositions by solving problems. They are creative problem solvers.

In the spirit of these creative problem solvers, I’m going to analyze the concept of designing a value proposition by thinking outside the box with problem-solving.

But before we dig in, we first need to understand how we got to this point.

We used to live in a world where “marketing strategies” boiled down to bombarding audiences with messages about how your product was the best.

If that seems a bit simplistic to you, that’s because it was.

And that begs an obvious question: Did it actually work?

It absolutely did.

Why did it work? Well, it was largely because of the media channels that dominated consumer attention.

Television and radio promotion had a massive impact on the effectiveness of a brand’s marketing efforts. Television advertising alone accounted for 2% of the US GDP beyond 1950.

And if I had to point to one thing that made these kinds of marketing strategies so successful, it would be the culture of the traditional consumer.

Passive media channels were a staple of that culture. Television and radio were constantly interrupting the user experience to throw in some ads.

With no other options available, the traditional consumer got used to the idea of repetitive ads being a part of daily life.

But all of that changed once the Internet started gaining traction.

Embrace the nature of digital media

The marketing rules of engagement changed suddenly and completely.

The experience went from passive to interactive. The average person gained the ability to pick and choose what marketing content they consumed with a simple little search engine:

This transition would end up determining the future of digital marketing strategies and fundamentally changing the way businesses communicate with consumers.

And it’s not that surprising when you stop and think about it.

In a world where ads were the status quo, consumers didn’t have much of a choice.

But the moment consumers became aware of a life without ads was the moment traditional marketing began its quiet death.

It’s how we ended up here today with 615 million devices that use adblock and 59% of millennials skipping ads on YouTube.

With their 92 million consumers, Spotify has a large usership that doesn’t even mind paying extra for ad-free streaming services.

Of course, all of this speaks to a bigger issue.

To put it bluntly, the modern consumer plays by a different set of rules.

They reject the idea that a jingle or a self-promotional TV spot should be enough to earn their business.

If you want their attention, you’ll need to give them something that traditional marketing strategies can’t: real value.

Real value is about problem-solving

At this point, some small business owners might say, “Isn’t my product/service value enough?”

Well, the answer is yes and no.

Real value isn’t about how often you self-promote. It’s about problem-solving.

Having a valuable product or service is important, and it always will be. There’s no doubt about that.

Buffer didn’t become Buffer just because they had a nice interface. They built a brand around offering a social media solution for consumers looking for an easier way to share content.

There’s a reason Buffer has 82,156 paying customers. They have a 19-person advocacy team that helps their customer solve problems.

In this highly competitive, ever-changing digital media landscape, you need to stand out before and after the sale.

One of the easiest ways to convey the problem you are solving is with content marketing.

Particularly on social media, content is the key to developing a relationship with consumers.

Audiences are in constant need of new content that’s worth their time.

And when you’re trying to solve problems with your content, there’s one approach that just about every small business can get behind:

Educational content.

It’s the cornerstone of most successful brand blogs, and that’s for good reasons.

Sites like NerdWallet pride themselves on their ability to provide users with this kind of content.

NerdWallet ranks for more than 1.3 million keywords in the personal finance advice industry.

Here’s what NerdWallet’s VP of Content, Maggie Leung, explained during an interview:

“At NerdWallet we see content people as an investment.”

But getting here isn’t easy.

To begin content ideation to achieve NerdWallet-status, you have to understand your audience.

And, to better understand your audience, you’ll need to use tools and strategies to help generate content ideas.

Your content isn’t just convenient. It’s the backbone of online authority, and it gives you the opportunity to connect with consumers.

And that leads us to the most important reason to focus on educational content:

It effectively sells the brand without selling a product.

Think about the American Express OPEN forum.

Here’s what Courtney Colwell, Director of Content Marketing at American Express OPEN Forum, told Entrepreneur about the forum:

“It all stems from our mission of helping these businesses do more business. With our small business customers, their growth fuels ours. It’s a win-win if we can help them succeed.”

They have 109.9 million cards in circulation and a valuation of around $18.3 billion. They don’t need to worry about selling their brand. This forum does it for them.

Or, take Irene Pavico, a videographer and post-production professional, for example.

Irene created a course called THE iPhone Film School to help people get started with video marketing that only uses an iPhone.

She explains that those who are just starting out with making videos may not want to invest in an expensive camera. So, she wants to show you how to start off with the technology that everyone has: an iPhone.

Irene’s approach shows that she understands her audience. She breaks down pain points they have when getting started with video marketing and then solves them.

As far as educational content goes, there are typically two categories that you can focus on.

The most common one that businesses tend to tackle is the tangible solutions category.

Tangible solutions are all about the here and now.

No matter what industry your business is in, your audience likely has plenty of issues and questions that they need help with.

That’s why consumers are 131% more likely to buy from a brand after they consume educational content.

It may not be glamorous, but consumers need and appreciate actionable advice that helps them deal with these immediate problems.

Bux implemented a knowledge base, and it helped them improve their first call resolution by 18%.

It’s easy to follow, it doesn’t ask for anything from the reader, and it’s objectively valuable.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

While actionable, tangible solutions are important, there’s more to value-driven content than the immediate future.

Can you focus on solving specific problems for your audience? You absolutely can.

Is that all your content can do for them? It certainly isn’t.

The flip side of the coin is thought leadership.

If tangible solutions are all about the short-term, then thought leadership is all about the long-term.

This is the kind of content that you’ll see industry leaders like Gary Vaynerchuk post:

Gary is a thought leader that connects with his fans to inspire loyalty. He’s worth more than $160 million, and he employs more than 700 people.

When you’re creating thought leadership content, you’re not just looking to solve someone’s problem today. You’re looking to address the source of that problem altogether.

Just take a look at how brands are becoming thought leaders by addressing changes.

SEMrush does a weekly chat on Twitter where they talk about the latest SEO trends.

Or, consider Content Marketing Institute’s webinars.

With thought leadership, you layer educational content with a breakdown of marketing principles that small business owners should be adopting.

And don’t think that this is exclusive to digital media. Any business can benefit from thought leadership.

According to CEO Omar Sayyed, the tie company Ties.com saw a 30% growth in revenue over the last five years by earning trust with digital content.

Here is an example of one of their top-performing pieces of content on how to tie a tie.

Thought leadership doesn’t just pay attention to symptoms. It identifies the illness and helps your audience cure itself.

As you can probably imagine, this is the most difficult kind of content to create. It requires a strong understanding of industry-wide issues and, more importantly, how to solve them. But if you do it well, the results will be well worth the effort.

Of course, there’s more to problem-solving than just crafting blog posts.

You could create e-books and give them away in exchange for email newsletter sign-ups like Mike Gingerich does.

Or, you can build brand authority through your email list with help from your blog at the same time. After all, email marketing has a median ROI of 122%, which puts other marketing formats to shame.

Or, you can treat social media like an extension of customer support by focusing on one-to-one interactions and addressing customer issues directly.

KLM, Europe’s airline industry leader, used Facebook Messenger to increase customer interactions by 40%.

At the end of the day, your marketing strategy exists for one reason:

To convince people that they should do business with you.

And if you want to showcase just how valuable you are, you have to solve consumer problems more efficiently and more consistently than your competition.

Focus on understanding your audience

At this point, it’s pretty clear that treating marketing as an opportunity for problem-solving appeals to the needs of the modern consumer.

So far, I’ve only covered what that looks like in a general sense.

If you really want to get your hands dirty, you need to see what it looks like in action.

That’s why I’m going to take a look at three brands that have managed to create compelling, valuable marketing content.

More specifically, I’m going to analyze how their particular audiences dictated their marketing strategies.

Why? Because understanding your audience’s needs guarantees that your marketing content will be meaningful, impactful, and valuable to them.

Here’s how Seth Godin puts it:

“Trying to appeal to everyone is almost sure to fail, for the simple reason that everyone wants something different!”

So, how do you do this? My advice is to start by creating buyer personas.

You’ve probably already created them for your product or service. Now’s your chance to expand on them.

If you haven’t updated your buyer personas in a long time, you can use this template from Xtensio:

Overall, there’s a pretty clear correlation between your attention to customers and the success of your business.

In fact, one study found that 65% of businesses that exceeded their lead and revenue goals had updated their buyer personas within the previous six months.

The more information you have, the more you’ll be in tune with the problems of your customers. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

What social media platforms do they like to engage with you on?

Who are the industry influencers that they actively pay attention to?

What problem does everyone in your audience struggle with on a regular basis?

General digital media marketing principles are important, but they aren’t worth much if you can’t apply them to your unique marketing situation.

Businesses that have used problem-solving effectively

In this next section, we’re going to look at some marketing strategies from successful businesses. But as we do so, keep in mind that the goal isn’t just to copy them.

Instead, use them as a reference point for your particular marketing strategy.

No matter what tactics you choose, your content still needs to appeal specifically to your audience and provide them with value at every opportunity.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some businesses that have found success with problem-solving.

Mint

If you’re not familiar with Mint, here’s what their elevator pitch might sound like:

Struggling to keep your finances in order? Use our service to stay organized, get back on track, or start saving up enough cash to buy a house.

After the company started, it grew rapidly. They managed to acquire 1.5 million users in their first two years.

But marketing a service like this is actually a bit tricky.

After all, who couldn’t use more help keeping their finances in order? How do you make a marketing strategy that targets most of the population?

Mint came up with a solution: Market to their two types of users.

The first group is already relatively financial literate. They’re looking to build wealth.

The second group is trying to budget as efficiently as possible. They’re more interested in keeping their bank account in the green than anything else.

How can I tell that these are their two types of users?

Taking one look at their official blog tells me everything I need to know.

These blog posts target the extremes of their buyer personas, and Mint appeals to both equally.

With most of their audience likely falling somewhere between those two extremes, it’s fair to say that Mint managed to effectively cover their bases without diluting their message.

As for the content itself, it focuses on tangible, actionable advice.

And that makes perfect sense when you consider the audience they’re speaking to. People looking for concrete financial advice won’t appreciate vague tips.

Someone who’s struggling to manage their finances wants a roadmap to get back on track, not a study on the growth of a Fortune 500 company:

Mint’s content is a mix of blog posts, interviews, and infographics that target younger audiences who are beginning to manage their money.

Largely because of their blog posts, their SEO strategy drove 20% of their total site traffic.

Mint drives thousands of visitors from their budgeting templates and budgeting spreadsheets alone.

So, what’s the lesson?

You shouldn’t just make your content relevant to your audience’s problems in general. To make it as effective as possible, you have to be sensitive to their particular situation.

Slack

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the tech startup scene, you’ve probably heard people raving about Slack.

And it’s worth all the hype it’s receiving.

When you need a messaging app that prioritizes productivity and ease of use, it’s hard to find anything better (especially if you’re working with a remote team).

This is why they’re worth about $5.1 billion.

With all the tools and integrations they offer, it’s easy to see why their taglines are “be less busy” and “where work happens.”

In fact, instead of focusing on content marketing, Slack aims to rank for keywords related to their integrations.

With that in mind, you can already start to see what the Slack audience looks like.

You can picture a startup C-level executive looking for a credible solution to her workplace productivity issues.

Slack’s onboarding process is really where the magic happens. Slack has a deep insight into what their audience needs and they create a unique approach to onboarding.

Right off the bat, you’ll see content that they’ve designed to improve overall workplace efficiency.

Slack even has articles for advice on naming channels and email templates for introducing Slack.

Beyond that, Slack also opts to provide value with updates about their own product.

And, admin users can opt-in for weekly summaries of activities.

They also offer instant notifications.

Slack also keeps a blog with product updates, integration announcements, and tips for improving productivity.

The design their blog posts to ensure that the audience can use Slack to the best of their ability.

For them, it’s not about selling the product as much as it is about improving the user experience.

So, what’s the moral of the story?

Support consumers whether or not they’ve spent their hard-earned money on you. Always provide solutions to their problems as they develop.

Dollar Shave Club

At this point, you’re probably tired of hearing about how impressive the marketing strategies of Dollar Shave Club are.

But acquiring 12,000 customers in their first two days is a little too impressive to ignore.

There are plenty of digital media marketing experts who are fascinated with this brand, and I’m one of them.

Why? Well, mostly because it’s a success story that proves that sound marketing tactics, regardless of the audience in question, can help your business excel.

To put it simply, Dollar Shave Club excels in their ability to create a unique consumer experience in an industry that desperately needs it.

And their audience, which is primarily men looking for a stylish, playful, and witty brand, can benefit from the content on the Dollar Shave Club blog.

The articles have clear, eye-catching headlines, and they’re full of value — all while maintaining that unique DSC brand voice.

They even send personalized emails based on previous purchase history.

If you take nothing else from Dollar Shave Club’s example, remember that your ability to create compelling customer experiences is just as important as the advice you give in your content.

It’s not just what you say. It’s how you say it.

Conclusion

I get it.

Digital media marketing can be a bit overwhelming.

But there’s no getting around the fact that you need to stand out in your industry if you want your business to stay competitive.

The age of traditional marketing is over. Don’t waste time trying to plug holes in the Titanic.

Whether you’re new to the game or you’re trying to rebuild your marketing strategy, focus on the big picture: problem-solving.

Value drives sales. And if you want to increase sales, you’re going to have to find new and exciting ways to offer consumers more value.

With your blog content, be sure to address the problems of today as well as underlying issues that will lead to problems in the future. This will help you stay relevant while also establishing yourself as a thought leader.

In order to solve the problems of your audience, you need to understand your audience. You need to determine exactly who they are so that you can address the specific problems that they have.

And as you think through your strategy for solving the problems of your users, look to innovative brands for ideas. Just be sure to make each strategy your own and adapt them to your audience.

How have you focused on problem-solving in your marketing strategy?

About the Author: Neil Patel is the cofounder of Neil Patel Digital.

Why Problem Solving Should Be The Only Value Proposition You Use