#makes me feel like I’m handing out a newsletter every time I post

[cassinopya]

I love scrolling through my mutuals reblogs and realising we actually do not have one media in common, no no, it’s six hundred and twelve. It’s all of them. It’s everything. Our souls are bonded, perhaps.

[rafesbuzzcutseason]

wicked game

chapter 6 - talk of the town

synopsis: y/n is sarah’s roommate and the embodiment of sunshine. rafe, on the other hand, is her complete opposite. when the boys place a bet that he can't win her over, rafe takes the challenge without hesitation. after all, he never backs down from a dare. the closer rafe gets to y/n, he finds himself drawn to her warmth in a way he never expected, and for the first time, he wants to be more than just the guy with a bad reputation.

but secrets don’t stay hidden for long, and when y/n finds out the truth, rafe is left to face the consequences. now, he has to prove that somewhere along the way, the bet stopped mattering, because losing her was never part of the plan.

masterlist

cw: language

that morning, you had spent time with john b and sarah before class, when you got the notification that a new newsletter had been uploaded.

"what the actual fuck" you muttered under your breath as you sat down in the lecture room to finally read it. you felt multiple eyes on you, heat rising to your cheeks. how did people know it was written about me?

you glanced around, trying to act nonchalant, but everyone seemed to be looking at their phones, glancing up at you, and then looking away quickly. your face burned as you scrolled through the rest of the post, each line making you cringe further. lived to tell the tale? what does that even mean?

your eyes flicked to the person sitting beside you, who was now pretending to be absorbed in their notes, but the smirk was obvious on their face. great. you were the topic of conversation, and you hadn't even done anything to deserve it.

the moment the bell rang, signalling the end of class, you wasted no time packing up your things. you couldn’t get out of that lecture hall fast enough. you were halfway out the door when you heard a familiar, irritating voice.

"y/n," rafe’s voice called from behind you, making your stomach twist.

you froze, clenching your jaw. you hadn’t expected to run into him so soon. you turned around slowly, keeping your expression neutral.

"what do you want, rafe?" you asked, your tone colder than you meant it to be.

he was leaning against the doorway, a smirk on his face like he had all the time in the world. his eyes flicked down to your phone, where the newsletter lit up your screen.

"first newsletter feature. how do you feel?" he teased, pushing off the doorframe and walking toward you.

"absolutely great thanks." you snapped, stepping around him.

"where’s the rush? you don’t want to hang out?" his grin was mischievous, knowing he was pushing your buttons.

"i’m not in the mood for whatever this is,” you muttered trying to move past him, but there was no way around it. you weren’t getting past him unless you physically shoved him out of the way.

he tilted his head, glancing down at you. "so, what’s up with you? not enjoying being the talk of the town?"

you felt your face flush, "i don’t know why you care."

rafe's eyes twinkled with amusement. "i don't care. i'm face of the paper a lot. you, however, seem to care a lot."

"and i'm sure you’re loving that,” you shot back, your voice tight with irritation.

"oh i really am." he smiled tightly.

"how do people even know it was me you were talking to?" you questioned, curiosity getting the better of you.

"people know everything around here y/n. probably twitter or some shit."

"ugh" you groaned, "you just have to make everything fucking difficult."

rafe’s smirk never faltered as he leaned back slightly, clearly enjoying your frustration. "wouldn’t be me if it wasn’t, right?"

you clenched your jaw, taking a deep breath to calm yourself. "i don’t need this right now, rafe," you said through gritted teeth, trying to push past him once more.

he took a step closer, caging you in. his eyes scanning your face like he was looking for something. "you know, it’s not every day i get to see someone that mad about a little attention." his voice dropped, a bit of mock sympathy creeping in. "it’s kind of cute."

you shot him an angry look, your frustration rising once again. "it’s not cute, rafe. it's annoying."

"well, no backing out now. anyway, we're hosting another party this weekend. come?" he asked, the first hint of sincerity present.

"what, so you can make fun of me more?"

he held his hand to his heart in a wounded pose, "what me? never!"

"no. i won't be there. thanks for the invite though."

rafe tilted his head, "you sure about that? i promise i won’t get under your skin again. no one’s gonna bite… well, maybe just me."

you crossed your arms over your chest, "i don’t need your bullshit, rafe. i’ll pass on your offer."

he raised an eyebrow, clearly not used to being turned down so easily. again. "alright, princess. but you’re gonna miss out on a hell of a time."

"good,” you shot back, "I don’t need to be part of your little frat drama. keep me out of it."

for a moment, there was a flicker of something in his expression, almost like he was disappointed, but it was gone in a flash, replaced by his smug grin you were becoming far too familiar with.

"suit yourself,” he said, stepping back and pushing off the doorframe.

you rolled your eyes. "whatever, rafe."

he winked at you, finally walking away. "see you soon sweetheart."

a/n: i am sorry this is such a slowburn, it just needs to get there and it will i promise

🏷️: @heartzshiftamy @hoefordrewstarkey @luvrclub  @leleee3 @yktayy9669 @miumiuestmoi @anacamofficial @cokewithcameron @bloodofadoll @shorttandsweett @mysticbby2009 @emmiesummers @wintercrows @drewrry @starkeyxcameron @xxbirkindoll2 @stoned-writer @drewstarkeyslover @hannieskzzz @verycherryblossomhideout @letstryagaintomorrow @@jjsbbg7 @mariamadison6-blog @laniirackssss @xeneasworld @countryclubwhore @drewsphswife @mattyskies @moonywhisp3rs @starkeygirls @lmaolmaos @thereallifebambi @emeloyy @vcnillafairy @rafecameronswhoore @st8rkey @angeldiaryy @therealfairybatman @drewsephrry @vanessa-rafesgirl @dreamybabbyy @pogueprincesa @happy-mushrooms @hannaa20002000 @whoismxtti @darlingstarkey @mattssweetheart @wuluhwuhmaster @harringtonsbowgirl @my-name-is-baby @rrosiitas @davinashifts333

[adornesibley]

NAME GOES HERE: a Newsletter

Reading: Old Gods of Appalachia TTRPG by Monte Cook Games, Starter Villain by John Scalzi, The Secrets We Keep by Shirley Patton

Finished Reading: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Future by Naomi Alderman

Podcast: Unwell

Playing: God Hand (PS2(on PS3(Thank God Hand for PS2 Classics)))

Making: Zines and Doom Levels

Writing: Project E

Word Count: 168317

TLDR: EfanGamez needs food help badly! CHEAP TTRPG BUNDLE! Working on working titles. The, frankly, crowded writing scene and AI intruders. ADHD and unfinished proj… Wingspan is so cute and so fun~ We’re Here because We’re Here because… Mekborg and Steel Psalm want YOU!

An indie TTRPG designer needs help badly! EfanGamez has put all of their paid TTRPGs and supplements together into a tidy little bundle and is currently offering it for $25USD on their itch.io page! This sale is on for another 19 days as of the posting of this newsletter and I HIGHLY encourage anyone interested in trying out TTRPGs that are out of the norm to take advantage of this deal. Grim and Mourn are two first-person-shooter-inspired TTRPGs that I can recommend in particular.

I have been working on Project E, the working title, of which she’s had many. Just recently, I decided it was necessary to completely rewrite every bit of dialogue for the main villain, allowing him a more gradual, consistent descent into madness. It’s going well, and progress is happening. I want to touch on something in the first sentence of this paragraph. It’s FASCINATING to me how some stories get their names with minimal teeth-pulling. Hell, I’ve had stories who received their names BEFORE I wrote a word of them. But Project E has gone through so many iterations of names that I’ve sort of decided to keep this working title until I’m done and maybe even after Beta Readers have had their turn. I know the name will come when it’s meant to. Part of my problem is the book is about a very specific theme, its plot has some consistent elements, and its setting is vivid… but to wrap up enough of these separate elements together in a title is proving… troublesome.

Trying to get your work out into the world as an author (in ways where people will actually see it that is) is SO freakin difficult. The market is saturated now more than ever. We, as writers, not only have to “contend” with our fellow writers but now with AI as there is an influx of AI-generated content being submitted to journals and magazines around the world. I am glad I am not in the publishing industry right now. But, nevertheless, I have submitted to two anthologies this past month. One bigger name bi-monthly and one niche market which was INSANELY fun to write. Hopefully, something will come of them. But if not, what do you do? We, as writers, continue on. We heed the call in our hearts and minds, we sling that ink and continue forward, one lie at a time.

Speaking of which, I have so many unfinished works XD I tend to post about something I’m working on then distraction occurs and all of a sudden it has been a month and I have totally forgotten about the project I had been working on. I have no doubt picked up something new or something old and once-forgotten. ADHD brains often feel like a quagmire, hard to pull thoughts through, sometimes you lose them altogether to the deep dark, sometimes they resurface, grimy and forgotten… what was I talking about again?

Last month, my little TTRPG group didn’t meet as several folks were unavailable… so instead we got the remaining few of us together and I got to play Wingspan for the first time! What a blast~ It was certainly complicated starting off but the rules become pretty easy to grasp after about two rounds of play. After that, when you’re about one round from the end is when it becomes clear how you’re supposed to plan for the ending if you’re intent on winning. Or of course, you could just enjoy all the beautiful birds, the weird facts, and the wonderful time shared with your friends.

I am a long-term Nerdfighter. 2012 era. If you are unsure of what this means, I’ll briefly explain. John and Hank Green are two authors/ YouTubers /philanthropists/ podcasters/ educators/ nerds/ TBFighters (I could go on… these guys are PROLIFIC) and they have been vlogging since 2007 and around that vlog (originally meant to bring them closer as brothers which I think is/was/whatever a resounding success) has grown a community called Nerdfighteria, among many other things. They have recently started a “good news” newsletter called We’re Here. “A nice little email for people from Earth.” I highly recommend signing up. These humans have continued to make the world less sucky by their presence and their actions. It’s beautiful how these massively powerful, famous, and influential creators are using their network to support folks in their extended community and using their community and influence to make so much good change in the world. Please go check out We’re Here and Vlogbrothers.

Speaking of community and supporting one another, DMDave is starting a Kickstarter for two books! Mekborg, which seems to be Warhammer 40k grimdark meets Battletech, is/was/whatever designed by John K Webb who has a LOT of design credits for the magazines Broadsword and Sidequest. As well, there’s Steel Psalm, designed by Dave himself, which from the name I’d presume is the same setting, but using wargaming rules similar to Forbidden Psalm (Also big recommendation). The Kickstarter is launching April 16th and the best part? When it’s done, the digital copies will go out immediately and by June or July the books will be shipped out (depending on how long printing takes) as the books are already finished! I’ll fully admit DMDave probably doesn’t “need” help to get the project funded, but the more support there is, the more likely projects like this will be created in the future!

Support weird. Support indie.

[laurafaritos]

HDMS053. You Can’t Buy This Kind of Buzz — But You Can Earn It

We all have that one product we didn’t even know we needed — until someone else swore by it. No ad. No influencer. Just a random person or a friend saying, “Trust me, you need this.” That, my friends, is earned media. And it works.

This week, we stepped into the world of earned media — aka when people talk about your work without you asking them to. It’s powerful, unpredictable, and free. In this post, I’m breaking down what I learned about how brands like e.l.f. and OOFOS are embracing earned media to build awareness — and how comedians and creators like us can do the same… without needing to “go viral” on command.

If you’ve been focusing only on what you say about your work, it’s time to start thinking about what people say when you’re not in the room. This module introduced us to the third major pillar of customer acquisition: earned media — and honestly, it’s giving “word of mouth, but make it digital.”

Earned media is what happens when people talk about your product without being paid or prompted. Think TikTok reviews, quote tweets, audience selfies after a show, or your friend texting you “you have to try this.” It’s free, powerful, and arguably way more trustworthy than anything you could say about yourself in an ad or newsletter.

We saw this in action with e.l.f. Beauty, when a mom filmed herself at Walmart raving about a $5 concealer. It wasn’t sponsored. It wasn’t branded. It was just real — and it blew up because it resonated with the audience. The company didn’t make that moment, but they’d earned it through consistent values, pricing, and accessibility.

OOFOS, the recovery footwear brand we’ve been studying, is also learning to lean into earned media. Their team knows that earned media isn’t about direct sales — it’s about building awareness, getting people to know the brand exists before they’re ready to buy. The downside? It’s harder to track and control. But the upside? You don’t need to pay for reach when people are voluntarily spreading the word.

The big takeaway? You can’t control earned media — but you can influence it.

Let me be real: no amount of strategy or schooling can beat the power of someone saying, “You HAVE to see her live.” Some of my best career moments weren’t the result of a perfect pitch or polished promo — they were sparked by DMs, tags, or someone casually mentioning me in a group chat.

Case in point? I used to think I hated coffee. Like, deeply. I’d refuse it every time. But one day I was at the salon, exhausted, and my hairstylist handed me a cup of something magical: Nescafé Gold Espresso, brewed into milk with a little sugar. It changed my life. I went from “I don’t drink coffee” to “I will fight someone for this.” No ad could’ve done that — but a trusted recommendation + perfect timing? Game over.

That’s the power of earned media. It feels organic. It feels honest. And it sticks. That’s the energy I want to replicate in my creative work — not just making stuff, but creating moments people want to talk about. Whether it’s a standout bit from a live show, a line from a podcast episode, or a behind-the-scenes clip that makes someone laugh unexpectedly — I want to be share-worthy, not just post-worthy.

And as someone who's neurodivergent, I’ve learned that I remember things best when they come from people I trust — not polished content. If I’m like that, I know my audience probably is too.

You don’t need a New York Times feature or a viral TikTok to benefit from earned media. For comedians and creators, earned media can look like:

A fan posting your joke on Threads with “I can’t stop thinking about this”

Someone telling their friend, “You have to come to this show next time”

An audience member tagging you in a blurry selfie with “She KILLED tonight”

A fellow creative recommending your podcast because it made them feel seen

That’s all earned media. And if you’re not paying attention to it, you’re missing out on free proof that your work is resonating.

Here’s how to build your earned media muscle without chasing clout:

💡 1. Create “shareable moments” on purpose

Plan for the parts of your show or content that are likely to be repeated. Punchlines. Visual gags. One-liners that hit. If you’re creating podcast clips, ask yourself: “Would someone DM this to a friend?”

💬 2. Make it easy for people to talk about you

Have your social handles visible at live shows. Use a consistent hashtag. Include a callout like “Tag me if you come!” or “Tell me which joke broke you.”

🎯 3. Amplify earned media when you see it

When someone shares a post, responds to your story, or mentions you in a review, re-share it and say thank you. That gratitude creates a feedback loop — and it encourages others to do the same.

🧠 4. Measure it your own way

No, it’s not always trackable through dashboards. But you can keep a folder of screenshots, testimonials, and sweet DMs. Use them as social proof later — or just as motivation when imposter syndrome hits.

You don’t need to be famous. You need to be talked about. And that starts with creating work worth remembering — then giving people the tools to carry it forward.

Earned media isn’t something you buy — it’s something you deserve. When people talk about your work, unprompted and unpaid, that’s the highest compliment. And the best part? It’s often more persuasive than any ad you could run.

So whether you’re a comedian, podcaster, or chaotic little creative trying to build something real: start thinking about what makes people want to share your work. Create for connection, not just conversion. And remember — buzz doesn’t always come from shouting. Sometimes, it starts with a whisper that spreads.

I hope this post was as helpful to you as it was to me!!

Tchau tchau <3

[johntimothy19]

💸💥 The $1,000 Cash App Gift Card Madness: Laughter, Luck & Loads of 💰

So, let me ask you this — what would you do if someone handed you a crispy $1,000 in a Cash App gift card? 😳 Would you: A) Scream like a goat on a mountain top? 🐐 B) Do the worm in public? 🪱 C) Blow it all on tacos and questionable Amazon finds? 🌮📦 D) All of the above?

Well… HOLD YOUR GUAC! 🥑 Because you might not need to imagine anymore. That's right, friends. There’s a $1,000 Cash App Gift Card up for grabs and it’s not a drill! 🚨💰

🎁 What Is This Magical Money Card Anyway?

It’s called a Cash App Gift Card, but we like to call it “the golden unicorn of giveaways” 🦄💳.

You get the card. You open your Cash App. You see $1,000. You question reality. 👀 You do a happy dance no one should witness. 🕺💃

It’s real, it’s digital, and it’s basically a mini money miracle in your pocket. No strings. No scams. Just straight-up spending freedom.

😂 How I Found Out About It (A.K.A. The Accidental Legend)

So picture this: I’m in my pajamas, 3 AM, double-fisting Doritos while watching conspiracy theory TikToks 🌙📱. I stumble across a post: “Win a $1,000 Cash App Gift Card NOW!”

I’m like, “Pffft, yeah right. What’s next? Elon Musk buys my laundry?” 🤨👕

BUT curiosity (and the Dorito dust on my keyboard) got the best of me. I clicked. I entered. I waited.

📬 Fast forward 3 days: 💌 “Congratulations! You’ve won $1,000!” Me: “Wait… this isn’t spam?!” Also me: faints, dreams of gold-plated cereal bowls 🥣✨

💡 What You Can Do With $1,000 (Other Than Buy 500 McFlurries 🍦)

Once you get your glorious Cash App gift card, the world is your weird and wonderful oyster 🦪:

Buy every useless Amazon gadget known to man: Banana slicer? ✅ Burrito blanket? ✅ USB-powered hamster wheel? DOUBLE ✅

Treat yo’self 🛍️: Shopping spree at your fav stores like Target, Walmart, Shein, Ulta, or even that suspicious Etsy shop selling “haunted earrings.” 👻💎

Pay your roommate’s rent…or just Venmo them $5 and ghost them with the caption “good vibes only” 🫠

Donate to a noble cause: Like that one GoFundMe your friend made to turn their cat into an Instagram influencer. 🐱📸

🚀 How to Enter (Spoiler: It’s Easier Than Making Toast 🍞)

Look, I’ve signed up for some sketchy stuff online. One time I ended up subscribed to an alpaca-themed newsletter for 3 months. 🦙

But this one? EASY PEASY:

Click the link here (yeah, the one that doesn’t ask for your blood type 🩸).

Pop in your info (your real one please, not “McLovin”).

Follow the steps—super simple stuff like checking out offers or answering a quick survey.

Wait for that magical confirmation email and prepare to strut like you just won the lottery. 💃💃

⚡️ Pro Tip: The more offers you complete, the better your chances. It's like dating apps—put in more effort, see better results (except here, you actually get something good). 😉

💬 Real People. Real Winnings. Real Spaghetti Stories 🍝

Don’t just take my word for it. Check out these hilarious testimonies:

📢 Katie, 23 – Serial Online Shopper "I spent my entire card on socks with food prints. Don’t regret a thing. My feet smell like pizza now and I feel powerful." 🧦🍕

📢 Marcus, 30 – Dad Joke Enthusiast "Used the gift card to prank my wife with 27 glitter bombs. Then bought her flowers to apologize. 10/10 would do again." 🌺💣

📢 Lisa, 27 – Dog Mom "I used my $1,000 to throw a birthday party for my dog. He had steak. I had Ramen. No regrets." 🐶🎂

🧠 But Is It… Legit?

Okay, listen. If you're skeptical, I feel you. I once tried to win a cruise and got 3 months of spam from a guy named “Captain Deals.” 🚢💻

But THIS? 100% verified. The $1,000 Cash App Gift Card promo has legit partners, real winners, and no weird pyramid schemes that make you sell essential oils to your grandma.

Just real cash. For real humans. Who like real fun. 🎉

🛎️ Final Thoughts: Stop Scrolling, Start Winning!

Here’s the deal: you’re already scrolling your phone like a pro 📱, bingeing memes, swiping on dating apps, and deep-diving conspiracy rabbit holes 🕳️🐇

Why not turn those thumb skills into sweet, sweet cash? 🤑

👉 You could be buying treats, paying bills, spoiling your cat, or sending glitter to your ex (kidding…unless?). 👉 You could be the person everyone texts like “Yo, how’d you score that $1,000?” 👉 You could also finally get your mom to stop yelling, “When are you gonna get a real job!?” by pointing at your phone and saying “This IS my job now!” 🤓💼

🎉 One Last Thing: The Funny Riddle Bonus 🧩

If you’ve read this far, here’s a brain snack just for laughs:

What’s green, digital, and makes your heart skip a beat? 🤔 … A $1,000 Cash App Gift Card landing in your inbox! 💚📬

So what are you waiting for? Click this link. Chase that cheddar. Laugh all the way to your mobile wallet. 💸📲

$1,000 isn’t going to win itself. But you? You’ve got what it takes. 😉🔥

🚀 Go. Get. It.

[savefilescomng12]

Cardi B Had a Green Replica of Her Black Met Gala Dress

Cardi B keeps her options open! On Tuesday, May 7, just one day after the 2024 Met Gala, the “Enough” rapper, 31, used social media to let her fans know that she actually had an alternate version of her dress available to wear to the annual event.  “Green or Black?” Cardi captioned a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter). The post contained a video of the “WAP” hitmaker standing still in an enormous green lace gown as a member of her team walked around her to get a 360-degree view. In the behind-the-scenes clip, the superstar was make-up-free for her dress fitting.  Cardi also interacted with her supporters and let them know why she opted for black.  “WHY DIDNT YOU GO WITH THE GREEN SISTER OMG,” one person said in response to the clip.  “It wasn’t photographing well …It translated different on all lighting and and angles on camera,” Cardi replied. She also reposted a second, longer clip of the fitting that had been tweeted by a fan page.  “Cardi’s #MetGala Prep: Day 1,” the footage was titled.  The video showed the New York native entering a room with multiple dresses in both colors.  Cardi B, 2024 Met Gala. Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images “This is not what I was expecting,” she said while glancing around the room, also asking why it “smells like fish.” “Don’t have me smelling like fish at the Met Gala,” she playfully warned.  As the clip went on, Cardi continued with fittings, saying she was scared and admitting that the Met Gala gives her anxiety.  “It’s tight right there. It gotta be cut,” she said while wearing the green dress as one of her stylists cut the bottom of the garment. “I wanna get it over with. Every time — I feel like every year we do this, it’s just like.” After a beat, Cardi confessed, “Next year I’m not doing it.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Monday’s event marked the Grammy winner’s fifth time attending the gala, which benefits the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Fast X actress arrived in quite possibly the largest gown the gala has ever seen.  This year’s theme was “The Garden of Time," and according to her stylist Kollin Carter’s Instagram, Cardi went as “The Black rebellious Rose.” Offset and Cardi B, 2024 Met Gala afterparty. Gotham/GC Images Once the event wrapped, the “Bodak Yellow” artist was joined by her husband Offset for Richie Akiva's 10th annual "The After" Met Gala afterparty, held at Casa Cipriani. Cardi stepped out seemingly channeling a rose in a structured red dress. The couple was photographed holding hands as they walked together at the A-list affair.  She and the Migos rapper, 32, share daughter Kulture, 5½, and son Wave, 2½. Source link Read the full article

[chorusfm]

Liner Notes (April 27th, 2024)

It’s been a few weeks, but we’re back! This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here. If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here. A Few Things * Whew, it’s been a while! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. There have been many family commitments on the weekends, and then two weeks ago, I was out of town on a business trip. It was the first time I’d traveled since the pandemic year, and the trip down and back from Mexico City was filled with every example of why I dislike traveling. Canceled flights, airline chaos, the dreaded SSSS on my boarding pass. It felt like a calamity of errors each way, leading to 12+ hours of travel on both days. Let’s say I’m not a fan. There’s a reason I like working behind a computer in the comfort of my home office. But, I’m back, and the calendar looks much clearer from here on out. So, I hope to get back into a regular weekend writing routine. But, enough about me; there’s a whole lot to cover. * Apple has started allowing game emulators on iOS. The first one I’ve seen is Delta, and it’s pretty wild that it works as well as it does. I downloaded some nostalgia-as-fuck games, tossed them in the Files app, loaded them into Delta, and was playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 on my fricking iPhone. Wild, wild stuff. * I’ve written many times over the last couple of years about FRND CRCL and their most recent pop-punk gem. But I just have to call out this t-shirt. Could there be anything more me? The Friends parody? It’s perfect. Also, the album still rules. In Case You Missed It * ”We Got Older, but We’re Still Young” * South Star Festival Announces Lineup * The Get Up Kids Announce New Tour * The Starting Line Thank Taylor Swift * Update from Adam of Fenix TX * The Menzingers Announce’ Rented World’ Shows * The Starting Line Talk With Variety * Saosin Detail Version 4.0 * Emo’s Not Dead 2025 Cruise Announced * Albums in Stores – Apr 26th, 2024 Music Thoughts * The most significant release of the last couple of weeks is, obviously, the new Taylor Swift album. After some time with it, my thoughts are starting to solidify a bit. It’s good, but it absolutely suffers from its length and overall sameness to a lot of the songs. Too many never quite elevate and instead feel stuck in first gear. In a fun twist of fate it’s not unlike what I thought The 1975 were suffering through for a couple albums. The lack of an editor who can say: let’s take the best batch of songs and hone in on them, workshop them, and make them incredible. Less can be more, and in an era where the biggest music star on the planet is already verging on overexposure, a scalpel was desperately needed on this project as a whole. He says as the album breaks all kinds of records, has seven billion vinyl variants printing money, and is sure to be the best-selling album of the year. And there’s a handful of super solid songs here. “But Daddy I Love Him,” “Down Bad,” and “Imgonnagetyouback” are all standouts for me. The Starting Line reference in “The Black Dog” is an all-timer. The smile on my face hearing that for the first time could have powered a small town with the electricity pouring out of me. * Cold Years’ new album A Different Life came out this week, and they completed an absolute scorcher of a three-album run. Truly one for the ages. They’re doing the whole Gaslight Anthem meets Green Day punk thing as well as anyone in music. This should dominate playlists as the weather starts turning to the summer months. Highly recommended. * I cannot praise Florrie’s upcoming album, The Lost Ones, enough. It is a pitch-perfect pop album. The most recent single, “Kissing in the Cold,” gives a really good feel for where the album is headed. Now, if she would just have a vinyl option that’s not over $60 shipped to the States, that would be excellent. * The new Mariana’s Trench single is a welcome return to form. I didn’t dislike… https://chorus.fm/features/articles/liner-notes-april-27th-2024/

[holisticsoulhealer]

The Good in You - A Spiritual Story

Of course seeing the good in ourselves and in one another is a valuable way to live life, whenever we can. I’m always up for this behavior, and sometimes challenge myself to stand in this reality, even if I have to fake it until I make it some days. It’s especially difficult when someone is angry with you, or chooses to be disgruntled or comes after you.

I remember during the pandemic when I was providing readings on my outdoor patio. It was a really safe space, because seating was open at a round table, where we had room to literally breathe, and very few people sat with masks on, while we shared some sweet unfolding and memorable moments.

The readings are often a gift as they bring out the best in me, while standing in the energetic field of the best of the person I’m reading for. Two women came to see me, one sat with a notepad while the first one was read. She was combative, angry, sitting with arms folded and staring at me, letting me know that no matter what I was guided to tell her, that I was wrong.

The information wasn’t anything bad, or negative, it was designed to help her form a new perspective. She wasn’t having any of it. It was a really tough reading, resulting in her slamming her payment down on my patio table, storming off and sitting in her car. Her friend then had her reading, and she could see that I was a bit shaken up. She placed her hand on mine, telling me that everything that was spoken to her friend was true and accurate. She let me know that her friend had been in a really annoyed space and was letting it out on our session.

She had written notes that would be immensely helpful later in the day, when she felt she would be able to reach her friend. Her reading was wonderful. She was open, bubbly and receptive. It was such a stark contrast to go from the depths of challenge to the heights of joy. I loved every last second of that reading and she hugged me a long time when we were complete, thanking me for my patience with her troubled friend.

I could honestly see the good in each of the women, however, one of them was much easier to enjoy than the other, who provided no joy and only challenge. In order to live a good life we deserve to be open to the good in us and stay open to the good there is for us from all others.

As always, please share this post with anyone that you feel can benefit from it! Please like us on your social media channels and subscribe to our mailing list if you haven't already done so! We are mailing out a monthly newsletter and a recap each week of our blog posts and interesting tidbits! This is how you can stay informed with what is new in the world of The Holistic Soul Healer!!

Love & Blessings,

Ruth

Get personal with your Angels!! Connect with me and see what they have to say!!

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[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, December 20

Xander: I've gotta say something... 'Cause ... I don't think I've made it clear. I'm in love with you. Powerfully, painfully in love. The things you do ... the way you think ... the way you move ... I get excited every time I'm about to see you. You make me feel like I've never felt before in my life. Like a man. I just thought you might wanna know.

~~~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor! Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here. If you saw the phrase "HTML template" in our previous calls for editors and that was what made you decide that Herald duties aren't for you, you may be glad to hear that we've set up an alternative posting process! [Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Faith's Best Christmas Ever (BUffy/Faith, M) by apachefirecat

My Hand was the One You Reached For (Buffy/Spike, G) by lexterminate

It's a Hard Knock Ice (Buffy/Spike, E) by ClowniestLivEver

I'll Be Home for Christmas (Buffy/Spike, M) by scratchmeout

[Chaptered Fiction]

He Slays Monsters Ch. 2: Gender-Blind Casting (Buffy/Faith, E) by BeatriceEveryTuesday

Saving Faith Ch. 1-8/8 (COMPLETE) (Multiple pairings, E) by neondream

Learning To Be Love's Bitch, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Desicat

Burn, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, T) by violettathepiratequeen

Christmas Without You, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Dusty

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Buffy & Spike () by isevery0nehereverystoned

Artwork:Faith () by salylockheart

[Reviews & Recaps]

S4. Ep11. Doomed  by becomingbuffypodcast

There was so much wild shit in BtVS by lierdumoa

ReWatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - S5, E1-2 by kimannebb

ReWatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - S5, E3-4 by kimannebb

Video: Buffy The Vampire Slayer 6x20 “Villians” Reaction () by naj

[Fandom Discussions]

Sparrow's 2022 Fandom Round Up by sparrow2000

i wish that faith’s arc in ‘five by five’ happened in ATS s2 or 3 by faith-thee-slayer

angel’s mental health declining over the course of ats s5 by badrecognition

like if u WANT the fresley, then let it fucking happen by badrecognition

fresley became a moot point by badrecognition

Not Fade Away is supposed to be the antithesis of Chosen by badrecognition

it/she angelus + it/he soulless spike by titsgirlbuffy

Cleveland by daydreamingandprocrastination

season 4 is such a comedy by clockwards

thinking about doing a spiderverse type of buffy story by corvidyus

Angel trans moments by titsgirlbuffy

Willow in "Villains" by girl4music

The Initiative by kyliafanfiction and majingojira

On the subject of Xander harem fics by kyliafanfiction

Like, I love Xander, but... by kyliafanfiction

What was your peeve with Season 7? by LazyTension

Am I the only one that thinks that if spike was sent the the powers, Buffy’s life would be a lot better? by Kindly-Accident8437

There is something that has been bothering me by PilotSharp4185

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: 9 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Vampire Slayer #9 Preview: Willow and Faith Enter the Spider's Web by Bleeding Cool

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

[softglowup]

All credit goes to @2pretty, all the info on the dream girl guide concept & original post are here!

My dream girl is...

someone with a rewarding and stimulating career that fits her expertise and skills. She has successfully completed her degree. Her career is a big part of her life because it's closely connected to her own interests. She's embedded in a network of interesting, diverse professionals, who include her in cool projects and collabs.

someone who strives to conduct her life in a way that is consistent with her principles. She has found a way to be an activist in a very hands-on manner, doing her part. She follows current events through independent, in-depth media (rather than social media or daily news outlets).

someone who is financially independent. She knows exactly where her money is and has no debt. She is able to both save and donate money every month.

someone who structures her time in a way that takes into account both her responsibilities and her needs. She spends time with her close friends and family members and nurtures these relationships. She fulfills her obligations on time and with a minimal amount of stress. She knows how to gracefully say no to requests. She makes sure to have a lot of time to rest and recharge every week.

someone who looks elegant and a bit whimsical. She spends a minimal but consistent amount of time and effort on her appearance. Her environment is cosy, somewhere between a countryside manor and a cottage, with extra comfort and shiny trinkets.

someone who takes care of her health and her body. She incorporates gentle physical activity, great hydration and delicious, heavily plant-based cooking in her everyday life. She avoids anything that exhausts and hurts her body. She has a resistant, strong body that allows her to do what's important to her, whether it is helping friends move or carrying a child on her back.

someone who makes room for delightful and absolutely non-productive activities in her life. She enjoys opera, botany, food, museums, cultural history, travels across her country and Europe. She happily remains an amateur, with no attempt to become an expert or capitalise on her interests.

Plans for the year ahead...

October - Literature A month to get back into reading, especially classics and novels. So… set up a TBR, read every day, reread an old favourite of mine, limit the number of crime novels to 5 for the month, go to the library regularly, schedule a shopping session in a beloved bookstore November - Thesis A month to jumpstart the final version of my thesis and finish my degree. So… have a whole chapter written up by the end of the month, get in touch with my committee once it’s done, set up regular back-ups on my hard drive and online server, stock up on food and lofi playlists December - Care A month to take care of my body and make myself feel healthy, rested, and strong. So… breathe & stretch once a day, exercise once a day, go on a walk once a week, take regular bubble bath, put on moisturising lotion every day, do my skincare routine every morning and evening January - Looks A month to create my own style and streamline a routine to look my best everyday. So… put on makeup every morning, create a capsule closet based on what I own, identify what’s missing from my closet, pick a perfume that fits me, wear sparkly jewelry and bright lipstick and high heels at least once a week February - Play A month to take the time to play, especially video games, and set boundaries regarding my work life. So… review all the video games I own and list those I want to revisit, play at least twice a week, play in bed with good music and snacks when it’s dark and cold outside March - Career A month to prepare life after graduation, taking stock of my current professional life and setting myself up for success. So… update my CV, curate my online presence, create a database of all my professional contacts, reflect on my skills, experience and goals ikigai-style April - Plants A month to learn about flowers, plants and trees, their uses and symbolism, and roam all the parks and gardens I can find. So… learn about three new plants everyday, compile botanical informations in a notebook and review it regularly, walk in forests and parks, get bouquets from a florist once a week May - Mental Health A month to understand the way my mind works, take into account my specific needs, and set up accommodations. So… read up on relevant topics, list possible accommodations and implement them, identify what exhausts me or stresses me out, spend a couple days on my own June - Future A month to reflect on what I want my life to look like and identify how to get there. So… envision what I want my life to look like in 1, 5, 10 years and plan accordingly, recap where I’m at (esp. regarding administrative stuff and finances), set up my medical appointments for the year July - Food A month to enjoy delicious, healthy, fulfilling food & drinks. So… have breakfast everyday, go to the farmer’s market every week, list restaurants and dishes I want to try, take pictures of all the delicious food I get to try, set up a small liquor cabinet August - Culture A month to take advantage of the vibrant cultural & artistic life around me, leaning in what interests me and discovering new things. So… subscribe to newsletters about culture & the arts in my city, pick an event to attend every week, go to the theater, visit a new city, find new artists whose work I love September - Journal A month to document my everyday life and create memories. So… fill up my weekly calendar, post everyday about the highlights of the day, collect stuff, take pictures at least once a week, reread my old journals & notebooks *** Picking 12 traits wasn’t easy, but I keep some goals for future guides (re-learning German, playing the piano again, spending more time with loved ones) and purposefully exclude others (esp. anything that has to do with socialising more, losing weight, being more productive).

I'll post a detailed guide at the start of every month to keep myself motivated.

With that in mind, and a new month starting tomorrow, let’s go <3

[wiypt-writes]

Real Life Tasks With Ransom Drysdale

An Advent Calendar of 24 Normal Human Tasks As Performed By A Huge Man Baby.  Day 4: Pink To Make The Boys Wink

Warnings: Bad Language words, Smut (NSFW, 18+)

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x Reader

A/N:  So this all came about as myself, Sweater and Jenn saw a post about Ransom doing everyday things…and yeah, it kinda spiralled. The series will consists of one-shots and drabbles, all light hearted…and the occasional little bit of smut thrown in for your pleasure and we hope a nice countdown to Christmas after what has been an utter shit-show of a year.

We hope you enjoy!

Series Masterlist. 

The bedroom was full of sinful moans and groans, and the debauched sound of skin slapping on skin as Ransom’s hands curled around your hips, pulling you down onto him, thrusting upwards to meet you.

“That’s it, Princess.” he panted, your head falling back in a groan as a deliciously hard thrust hit you right on your spot. “Tell me how good it feels.”

“So good, fuck, don’t stop!” you begged and he suddenly sat up, drawing a gasp and a strangled cry from your mouth as his hands curled round your back, holding you to him as much as he could, his legs bent, feet planted firmly on the mattress. One hand slid up your spine and gripped the back of your neck, pulling you down for a filthy kiss as his hips continued pistoning up into you. You felt the heat beginning to rise in the low pit of your belly, the familiar sensation spreading between your legs and you moaned into his mouth.

“Ransom, I’m gonna…” your hands scrabbled at his back, nails digging into his smooth, taught skin as you groaned again, the coil in your belly reaching snapping point.

“Yeah, baby, come on my cock.” He growled, his teeth nipping at your ear. “Fuck you feel so good!”

With a final loud cry, you tipped your head back as you came, hard, Ransom’s hands gripping once more on your hips as he pulled you down harder, picking up the pace racing to his end. His hips jerked, his legs twitched and his head dropped forward to your shoulder, biting down gently as he let out a groan before he stilled completely, his chest heaving. Your hands danced up his back, sliding into his hair before he pulled away and placed a soft kiss to your mouth.

“Quick enough for you?” he smirked and you scoffed, slapping his shoulder slightly as he fell backwards, tugging you with him, pivoting so you were led on your side, his cock softening inside you.

“You’re such a dick.” You said as he kissed the top of your nose.

“You love my dick.” He shrugged and you rolled your eyes.

“Yeah, and my love of your dick is what got us into this.” You said, your hand taking his and pressing it to your bump. His eyes lit up, the way the always did when he felt your swollen belly. You knew it stoked his ego, knowing that he’d knocked you up, marked you from the inside as his, the evidence that you belong to he him in every single damned way right there for everyone to see.

“Well I would say I’m sorry but that would be a total lie.” He said, and with a shift of his hips he pulled out of you and rolled onto his back, his hands reaching up and locking behind his head. “What time are you meeting your mom?”

“An hour.” You said, “I should shower and stick the laundry on before I go.”

“I’ll do it, the laundry that is.” He offered, “Although I could also shower if you wanted “he added, with a wiggle of his eyebrow.

“You think you can manage it this time, without shrinking anything?” You asked, your hand resting on your bump.

“Yup.” He popped the P “Especially now you stuck the instructions to the front of the machine.”

“Always better to play it safe.” You smiled “Besides, you shrink another of your sweaters I’m gonna have nothing to wear.”

“I shrank one. And maybe you could try wearing your own clothes.”

“Baby prefers yours.” You shrugged, before you heaved yourself out of bed and padded into the en-suite. You paused and turned to face him, your naked body on full show and his eyes darkened a little as you bit your lip “Thought you wanted to shower.”

In a flash he was out of bed and stalking towards you, causing you to giggle as he kicked the bathroom door shut behind him.

***** Whites, brights, darks…

Ransom nodded to the three piles on the floor in the laundry room and shoved the whites into the machine first, dutifully following the instructions taped to the machine. Once it was on, he headed back into the kitchen deciding that he deserved a break. Fucking his wife all the way to heaven within ten minutes flat, not to mention the after party in the shower, plus then sorting washing, loading the machine and turning it on was tiring work after all.

He made himself a coffee before he headed back into the lounge and settled down with the laptop, checking the latest Newsletter from the Country Club before he ran down the training schedule for the Polo Team that month, checking when his time slots where, not that it really mattered. If he didn’t particularly like a slot he’d been given he’d just kick off until they swapped it for one he did like. Perks of being the star of the team, you got your own way…

He smirked a little as he could hear Y/N’s voice echoing in his head “Story of your life, you’re such a fuckin’ brat.”

Like he gave a shit.

His phone went off, signalling he had a text and he rolled his eyes as he saw it was from his mother, asking if she could expect him and Y/N for dinner that Sunday. Typing out a single word response- “no,”- he dropped the phone back onto the coffee table as he continued his reading, the TV fixed on some trashy talk show in the background.

He was surprised when the beeping of the machine telling him the cycle had finished hit his ears, and as he glanced at the clock he arched an eyebrow. He’d been that immersed in researching up on the youngest age kids seemed to be able to play polo, and where he could find a decent kids team, that he’d managed to actually while away almost two hours. He placed the laptop down on the couch and headed through to the laundry room, grabbing the basket from the side. Bending down, he pulled open the machined door and began to unload the items into the basket.

It wasn’t until he pulled out Y/N’s white Armani maternity dungarees that he realised something had gone horribly wrong.

“What the…” he straightened up, holding the expensive denim item up in front of him, squinting as he did so.

It looked pink!

Deciding it was the light in the room he walked into the kitchen and cursed loudly as they looked even pinker in the brighter room. He stalked back into the laundry room and began to remove the rest of the washing, and to his dismay it was all the same. His riding britches, 2 of her blouses, a few bras, panties, boxers, 2 of his dress shits, his thermal ribbed undershirt, several t-shirts, a polo shirt…

All. Fucking. Pink.

And more to the point, it had all definitely been white when he’d put it in.

Growling in frustration he tipped the washing out onto the floor and there it was, the culprit. One of Y/N’s thongs, a bright red one, poking out of the pocket of his white-now-pink corduroy trousers that he’d worn to the Fall Gala at the Country Club.

Fuck, he had totally forgotten they were in there after he’d kept them when he’d fucked Y/N in the cloak room. Unable to wait until he got her home as the sight of her in that little black dress, baby bump on show had driven him wild, he’d dragged her off for a dirty little rendezvous, and had ended up snapping the elastic around the waistband meaning they were totally useless. She’d been pissed when she realised and had to spend the rest of the night with nothing on…of course, at the time it had been a great source of amusement to him.

Now, well not so much.

He contemplated googling how to fix this, before he decided that he simply couldn’t be fucking bothered. It would likely involve some complicated soaking routine and frankly he had better things to be doing with his time.

Like researching…important…stuff. Man stuff. Man stuff for him and his baby boy.

Nonchalantly, he tossed the ruined items into the basket and set it on top of the machine with a shrug. He’d buy her some new stuff. And if she went ballistic at him over it all, then he���d just have to remind her that it was her fault her thong was in his pocket in the first place, the dirty little minx.

[mediumkravitz]

(This used to be a part of this post, but I figured it wasn’t especially relevant to the topic at hand, so now it’s here.)

Many books discussing butch/fem(me) history point out that a number of women in the scene, particularly fems, were behaviorally bisexual. Due to this—as well as their femininity—fems and fish (a black fem identity) struggled in lesbian communities to be considered “true” lesbians as they were often stereotyped as bisexual. Many butches/studs assumed they were more likely to leave the “lesbian life” because they could “pass” for straight, which, y’know, totally doesn’t sound like how people talk about bi women today whatsoever.

While I’m not necessarily equipped to provide a full MLA-cited deep-dive analysis on butch/femme identity, here are a few quotes (and a very long paper about femme bisexuality if you’re especially curious).

From Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community (1994):

Fems, who never ceased to act on their own initiative, in some contexts were defined as other, as not really lesbian, because of their traditional feminine looks or their active heterosexual pasts.

In keeping with narrators’ varied experiences in finding their identities, the community did not have—nor does it now have—a hegemonic view about how to draw the line between the homosexual and the heterosexual. Many narrators see the butch lesbian as the true lesbian. Other narrators consider anyone who stays with women and is part of the community a lesbian.

The boundaries between heterosexual and homosexual have always been difficult to draw... The gay liberation model made the boundary clear by categorically including every woman who is attracted to a woman. But throughout the twentieth century there have been women who have spent some time in the heterosexual world and some in the homosexual world... Most narrators were aware of these ambiguities and took them into account by speaking in terms of bisexuality, or the pure versus the less-pure lesbian.

It may be important to note that even up until—and during—the 90s, “lesbian” was sometimes defined as “any woman who has at some time in her life loved another woman” (see pg. 11).

Bi butches have been around for a while, too. 

From the 1995 essay “Too Butch to Be Bi”:

But being a butch woman who is also bisexual can be difficult. It feels sometimes that the the idea is so challenging—since the assumptions in our communities are that all butch women are lesbian women and all femme women are bisexual women—that often a butch woman trying to come to terms with being bisexual is stuck. 

[...] But once we find a community that is accepting of our same-sex interests, we run into an entirely different series of messages. A number of these are about appearances and what they are supposed to say about who we are. The ideas about femmes (femme women aren’t really interested in other women, and femme men aren’t really interested in women at all) and butches (butches are always the aggressors in sex, whether they are men or women) permeate our queer culture. These ideas make it difficult for us to explore who we are and who we want to be. Many people feel too threatened to challenge the status quo of an already fringe community, for fear of being outcast from the one place where they have struggled to belong.

From a 1996 interview with Leslie Feinberg:

And I would say that people who were referred to as drag queens, [sh*m*les], female impersonators, drag kings, diesel [d-slur]s, butches, et cetera, uh… Nowadays we think of them sometimes as just being synonymous with a certain kind of sexuality, but in fact there’s a lot of butch women who sleep with other butches, or who are bisexual, and the same thing is true with feminine men.

From the 1997 book Femme: Feminists, Lesbians and Bad Girls:

[Heather Findlay]: Negative Message number three: ‘Don’t date a femme, because she’ll leave you for a man.’ [...] I know tons of butches who have slept with guys, and for some reason there’s not some big stigma attached to that. That doesn’t threaten their membership in the lesbian community, but with us [femmes] it does.

From a 2000 issue of Bi Women: The Newsletter of the Boston Bisexual Women’s Network:

But I also think bi women like to experiment with the wide range of possibilities along the butch/femme continuum without feeling confined by them. And that’s fun to watch! And I think many people assume that because bi women are also interested in men that they all would be femmes. Oh, how wrong they are—hallelujah for butch bi women!

Femme/butch identities are not static and they are not necessarily constricting, but they can be. Femme/butch arose out of a historical context where woman to woman love was not safely or openly acknowledged... As queer people have established a safer, more visible place in the world, femme/butch have become much more fluid (and perhaps diluted) identities or presentations. 

[sleepymccoy]

Hello! I wanted to ask you this bc I really admire your work and blog, and I get the sense that you're a person who can tackle nuance well (and I believe this topic deserves it). I've tried wording this as best as I could, and I'm sorry that it's very long.

I've started getting the impression that some parts of the Good Omens fanbase have been sort of contained, if that makes sense. I feel like small creators have a hard time getting attention to their work anymore. As if people are only looking at the same handful of established creators nowadays (and that those creators are only looking at one another). And by extension, content really only gets attention if it's liked/shared by certain people. And then on top of that, it really constricts a lot of topics in fic and art that get appreciated.

I know that the hype for Good Omens has died down in the past year and that explains a major dip in interest, but I still feel there's an imbalance. I see genuinely good work overlooked time and time again, and I worry that my own work has been looked over bc it simply hasn't been deemed a fan favorite. For a while it looked like there was an effort to boost smaller creators, but it's seems like it phased out pretty quickly. I will be honest, it's been a little discouraging. It feels like the Good Omens fanbase is a club a lot of us have been almost excluded from.

I wanted to know if I'm just imagining this whole scenario or if it's a thing others have noticed? If others have noticed, what can we do to spread some love?

I'm sorry if this came off the wrong way or like I'm scolding people. Or like I'm whinging like a needy child not getting enough attention. I'm curious and was wondering if it was worth asking someone else about. Thank you for reading! And thank you for responding if you do!

Hey! Thanks for all the compliments lol, that’s lovely of ya

I doubt i’ll be as succinct as you managed.

Overall, I agree. I don’t think you’re imagining things at all and I’ve certainly also noticed a decline in interest in my stuff since the start

This is a total theory, but I’m gonna put it forward cos it makes sense to me. When Good Omens started up everyone followed a load of people to get at the content and were reblogging and engaging all over the place. Spiderwebs of followers were formed. I think there are blogs who end up being more influential than others, it depends on what youre looking for in the fandom who that is for you, but there are always big sort of blogs that just reblog content to share it. I think they’re the things that change.

Cos what happens is interest wanes. Fans move on and go somewhere else. If you’re following and relying on a blog to show you lots of new art and they’re just not doing it any more, then you’re sort of left just seeing the popular stuff that gets cyclically reblogged.

For example, i was following, with notifications on, a blog that reblogged every bit of poc good omens fan art they came across. total mixed bag of quality, but it was fantastic and picked up blogs that were completely unknown to me. The person running it got tired and moved on, so i don’t have access to that any more. It’s a lost thread in my little spiderweb of access that cuts me off from so much and it’s a real loss

Alternatively, and this is the trap i fall into, you follow creators. Like what you said! So, when I see a post i like very much i go straight to OP and (after checking they’re not a terf or aphobic) i follow. This means i get new content from the source rather than relying on someone elses taste to have a chance of seeing it myself. However, it also means i’m not following many blogs that focus on reblogging a range of content, so i miss newcomers. I’m not ignoring newcomers, i simply don’t see them

Both approaches to who you follow come with the curse of as the fandom gets older, you don’t have a clear way to find new content or creators. There’s an early bird gets the worm element to it all

There’s also tumblr weird bad habit of not reblogging things. People who run personal blogs rather than themed blogs will like something and consider their work done, but that does nothing to help new art or new artists, cos it’s not permeated yet. That kills new content and content creators pretty thoroughly

So yeah, i think there’s a lot going on there, but you’re certainly not making it up and a lack of engagement on your posts isnt an indication that people don’t like it, it just means people haven’t seen it or have fallen for their habit of not reblogging things they really ought to share.

In terms of fixing this? That’s a toughie.

I don’t have a fix, but i agree the lethargy is tiresome. It’s a constant effort to get something to take off, i have to reblog stuff four or five times before it starts moving beyond my immediate sphere of influence. But it makes sense, there are less fans and the fans there are aren’t out looking for new people to follow.

but i don’t like ending on a negative, so i’ll talk about some options or ideas! even though i don’t have the kind of influence someone would need to be heard

In my perfect world (and i repeat this is my day dream, i do not pretend it is well thought out or fair for all) i would remove the like function; either reblog it or you don’t get to keep an access. I would see more blogs that reblog content to a theme. I would see blogs that search out new creators. I would see newsletters that name new creator blogs that have engaged recently. I would see blogs that make it a challenge to themselves to reblog art and fic that has less than 100 notes. I would see more low stress fan events, more prompt lists and less organised zines.

But that’s all a lot of work for individual people to take on (except the likes vs reblogs thing, but that a real personal dislike of mine). I’ve tried to take part, I run @goodomensevents which is a blog where i reblog any general community event on tumblr that doesn’t cost money to take part in. But i don’t really think it has much impact, cos i thought of it too late in the game and no one wants to follow new good omens blogs anymore.

which i understand. i’m happy with my dash, i don’t feel like it’s lacking. I love who i follow. my mutuals talk to me and aren’t cunts. And i have no idea how to find new creators even though i may want to.

But hey, if anyone’s running a blog like what i’ve described, please send me a link! Maybe i’ll make a rec list on good omens events lol, see what happens. I’ll definitely follow you

[phantomnostalgist]

What was it like being a phan in the day? Nowadays there's so much to do in the phandom, online roleplaying, fanfiction etc. So what did phans do before the internet was widely popular?

Ooh, good question (and sorry for taking so long to log in and answer, and if my answer is very rambling, as my brain still isn’t working right).

...And my internet went down in the middle of this reply, so it’s twice as rambling as the first version I typed up...

For me it was a mix between pre-internet, and early internet. My first year or two of being obsessed with Phantom, I literally didn’t know other phans existed, so my fandom activities were about tracking down any information or version of Phantom I could, which pre-internet wasn’t easy. The novel wasn’t even in most bookstores! I eventually found another phan via penpal adverts, then met someone else at the theatre. In many ways, starting a fan club was just my way of finding other fans to connect with. I know a lot of people got penfriends via phanzine ads too, so I think a certain amount of phandom happened in people connecting and enthusing together one on one in letters. It was truly an amazing feeling back then, even to discover other people who loved Phantom, who cared about Erik, who had all these feelings I’d initially thoughts I was utterly alone in.

There were fanzines back before mine, most notably Phantom Notes in the US from the late 80s to early 90s, and people were publishing fanfic by mail back in the day too. It was just harder to find until you discovered such things existed, and a whole new world opened up. I wasn’t so much into fanfic, but there were a number of phanfic anthologies in the early 90s, mostly from people in the US. So once you’d discovered a fanzine, you could get into the fanfic scene, but you had to pay for fic, as whomever was publishing it had to pay for the photocopying and distribution. 

The early zines had a lot of discussion amongst fans, like the early email list and message boards, on all aspects of the show and story, but there wasn’t room for things like roleplaying, or the wider kinds of fandom creativity the internet enables today. Most obviously because with a quarterly newsletter, you were waiting months between seeing your letter published, and reading people’s responses. On the other hand, it did make every little thing way more exciting, as it was so much more time and work to track down!  

I think what phans did also depended how near a production we were, as the stage door was another area we could meet and hang out with other fans (and queuing for returns, when tickets were sold out). There were some get-togethers in the early days, often around anniversaries or fundraising events for Broadway Cares, sometimes including theatre tours. The second ever Phantom fan I met was someone I spotted during the intermission who had a Phantom tattoo, so of course I went and started talking to her (and she turned out to be on her 98th show!). 

The early internet days were similar, in that I pretty much connected immediately with the first few Phantom fans I met online - which where through the rec.arts.theatre.musicals newsgroup. I can actually remember the names or screennames of numerous fans I met back then, in about 1995. Then Karin W started the Phantom email list, and various of us most “online” phans spent a lot of time on the #phantom IRC channel (where we didn’t talk about Phantom much, it was more a social gathering space for people who were all phans, and it was a lot of fun though also had its times of fracturing into extreme drama, because we were young and internet etc). People also began publishing a lot more fanfic back then of course, as there were plenty of free webhosts. I don’t think the roleplaying really got going until later on in the internet era, although I think there were attempts at it earlier... Actually I used to get some pretty weird emails from people RPing as “the Phantom”, which I rolled my eyes at at the time, but I look back on it and realize they just wanted someone to RP with, and there weren’t really any forums for it at the time. 

This is an incredibly rambling and disorganized answer (thanks Jack Daniels). I suppose phandom for me back then came into a few areas... First was just my passion for Phantom/Erik, and searching every resource I could find for any information. Then there was actually seeing the show, the stage door experience, getting to talk to the cast and squee over my faves, as well as sometimes meeting other fans. But just as important was having people to write to about it all - initially penfriends, then a couple of people I met, then people subscribing to and writing letters to the fanzine. And the joy of uncovering information - discovering things like the links between Christine Daae’s story and Christina Nillson’s for the first time, for example, which is now well known but was thrillingly exciting 25 years ago. 

Okay, to go back to the original question, what did phans do before the internet was widely popular? Searched for information and thought we were alone in our love for Erik; gradually discovered others who shared our love, and wrote embarrassing teenage confessions to our penfriends, full of our sex fantasies about Erik and certain Phantom actors, causing us to have to get our letters back from them when we later mutually fell out; found or founded fanzines, sharing our views with more phans, and finding fanfic zines; um I think this entry is long enough now so I’m posting it.

[rachelthompsonauthor]

What is social proof? It’s a marketing concept that we are all inadvertently, unknowingly contributing to every time we click on, retweet, like, reply or comment, and share any kind of social media, article, or blog post on the net. Technically, social proof, as defined by Sprout Social is:

The concept that people will follow the actions of the masses. The idea is that since so many other people behave in a certain way, it must be the correct behavior.

Social Proof and Me

As an author, social media is a hugely important part of my author platform, as it is for any writer or blogger. This is how we connect with readers now, even before the pandemic. Virtual, online events are now the norm. Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Live video discussions are the new book signings. Twitter chats are weekly on any number of topics; I have two of my own, in fact, #SexAbuseChat every Tuesday at 6 pm pst/9 pm est and #BookMarketingChat every Wednesday at 6 pm pst/9 pm est.

All important for visibility, branding, and most importantly, connection.

However…there’s a limit. I reached my limit over the course of this past year. It didn’t come all at once. It came, little by little, reaching a peak this past month or so.

Why? How? Me, the so-called social media expert?

Access. Like many people, I have issues with the incredible level of access Facebook gives people once we friend them without our consent. PMs (private messages) are automatic, now with the ability for people to call, voice, and video message us, with no option to shut these options to OFF unless we unfriend the person (we can, however, mute a specific conversation). Technically, we do give them consent in the legal mumbo jumbo we all agreed to when we joined back in the 2010s.

I am not okay with this. And Facebook doesn’t care. Nobody cares. You’re probably thinking, “Geez, Karen. Shut up, already. Stop your whining, white lady.” I get it. I do. First-world problems.

I counter with: I hear you. It’s also part of my business. A huge part. Here’s why:

As someone who manages over 70+ various social media accounts as part of my BadRedhead Media business, plus my own accounts as well, Facebook requires I have a personal account in order to manage all those other Pages. I do understand why, particularly with all the ridiculousness of the past four years with the abundance of fake accounts, fake news, and such.

As a survivor of sexual abuse and stalking, this is ultra-concerning to me. So, what happened this past month or so? Suffice it to say, one person repeatedly tried calling me. I never pick up Facebook calls, especially if I don’t know you. Another left me a few voice messages saying they were offended by something.

Yet another left me another message in ALL SHOUTY CAPS that she didn’t find what I posted inspirational enough and she expected better from someone who is “supposedly on the side of authors.”

Oh, and there is the one lady who started replying on ALL my posts to the kind people who did comment that she didn’t think I replied often enough or to her satisfaction.

Well. I’ve been criticized before. You should read some of my 1-star reviews. There’s plenty!

But, for whatever reason, this struck a chord. I got up in my feels. I cried. I talked with one of them and we worked it out because we like and respect each other’s work in the mental health space. The others I blocked. It’s darn frustrating to donate hours of my time each week to helping writers solely because I want to, only to be told it’s not enough. Like, seriously? Fuck off.

My blood raged. My heart sank. Understandable, right?

But what really made me angry is that I put myself in that position by being available. I accepted that ‘it is what it is.’ This is what the social media platforms have given us, so that’s what I have to work within.

I’m too available. It’s too easy to leave me shitty messages. This is why people hire people like me – to handle this crap for them! So they don’t have to read these ridiculous criticisms from judgy people who apparently have nothing better to do or are having a bad day.

And I get bad days. It’s a damn pandemic. We’re all struggling. Where’s the damn compassion for one another?

I have a dislike/hate relationship with Facebook anyway, since about ten or so years ago when I discovered that a past love had died by suicide by going to his personal profile and seeing, “RIP dude,” messages there. We had spoken early that day. It still haunts me.

So…what to do? I’m claiming my time. I’m not posting to my personal Facebook profile right now. I’m ignoring it. I am checking my Pages and of course, my client Pages. When I feel like I can face it again, I will cull my ‘friends’ down from *checks real quick* 4385 people to maybe, I don’t know, the few hundred in my groups, many of whom I do know and treasure.

Social Proof and You

If you’re a writer, social proof matters. This is the world we live in. Publishing is not only writing.

You need to be ‘findable,’ not only on Google, but also on each individual social platform, so your readers can learn more about you and hopefully, buy your books. If you go the traditional route, publishers and agents want to know how many followers you have (easily upped by buying fake followers or likes from Fiverr or wherever). I suggest not doing that, because:

1) fake followers don’t buy books 

2) it’s usually pretty obvious when you have fake followers because they’re all foreign names, have questionable bios, and no tweets

3) do you really want to start your publishing career with a lie? 

They also want to know what you post, how often, and what your branding is. If you’re an indie author, honestly, the same applies. Social proof is about connection, building relationships, and authenticity. I’ve believed that since I started my business and writing career way back in 2011, and I stand by it now. Start slow, grow slow. It’s not a race.

I’m the furthest thing you’ll even find from a conspiracy theorist – I don’t believe in chemtrails, pizza parlor cabals, or that the earth is flat. However, I am a realist. Watch The Social Dilemma sometime. These huge tech companies share our data without our knowledge or consent (Cambridge Analytics, anyone?). Younger generations are so used to this, they don’t really care – ask them.

(My kids think having a chip implanted in their hands with all their data is a fabulous idea. “So much easier than having to talk and repeat everything over and over. Just scan me and be done with it,” says my daughter Anya (21). “Agree,” grunts my son, Lukas (15). Buy stuff, go to the doctor, whatever. Scan and go. Talk with any GenZ kid, you’ll likely get a similar answer. They’ve been tracked since birth everywhere. They don’t know life without a computer, tablet, or phone in their hands.)

Know that whatever we do, it’s all part of each platforms’ AI, and they share data, which is why that darling pair of shoes you just saw on Amazon is now showing up on Google, Facebook, Twitter, and every website you visit going forward. It’s all about the money, and they all get a piece of that affiliate link.

Every bit of every click is recorded, even when you’re watching videos on YouTube, or a subscription service like Netflix, or perusing goods on Amazon. It’s all connected. I’m not shocked or surprised by any of this, are you?

It’s Not Personal

What people say to us and about us is ultimately incredibly revealing about them. We know this, at an intellectual, psychological, and emotional level. Still, when people say mean things, it hurts. We’re human.

Does it matter in the overall scope of our lives? Who can say. It matters at that moment. It can matter when it comes to overall visibility when you’re marketing your book(s) or trying to get that book contract or interview. Only you can say if it matters to you.

Already a longtime fan of THE FOUR AGREEMENTS by Don Miguel Ruiz, I took a moment to reorient myself with this one agreement: Don’t take anything personally. I also stumbled across an excellent short and entertaining TEDTalk by Frederick Imbo. His main message to stop taking things personally is two-fold;

It’s not about me. Look at the other person’s intention and

It IS about me. Give yourself some empathy. Speak up. Ask questions. Pay attention to how you feel and be vulnerable with your needs.

I’m glad I was able to, inadvertently, employ point #2 and work out some issues with one of the people by telling him what he said made me cry. He apologized. I apologized. We talked it through and we’re still friends.

Ultimately, social media is what we contribute to it. What we make it. How much we allow of it into our lives. Social proof is going along with the tide. I’ve been in this space since 2008. Being connected to others is a big part of the work I do to help and support not only other writers, but also other childhood sexual abuse survivors. However, I’ve reached that point. I knew it was coming.

I’m not shutting my doors. I’m just adding a screen. With a strong lock.

***

Read more about Rachel’s experiences in the award-winning book, Broken Pieces.

She goes into more detail about living with PTSD and realizing the effects of how being a survivor affected her life in

Broken Places, available in print everywhere!

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via Rachel Thompson

[holisticsoulhealer]

Heart's Desire - A Spiritual Story

This story is so close to my heart, that I feel I have my heart sitting in my hand as I share it……..

I lost my mum from this earth plane just over a year ago at this point of writing, and it was my greatest loss. She was such a dear friend and confidante. She was my place I could always turn. She was my “go to” and I will miss her physical presence in my life for the rest of my time here. I have a sweet life with a good man, and this is more than enough, yet the space she filled in my life cannot be filled by anyone else. When someone special leaves, there is a gaping void where their sweet being was and nobody can fill that gap.

Adjusting to it is really all many of us can do.

I am so spiritual and psychic. You would think it would be much easier for me with those gifts. I thought it would too. Guess what? It really isn’t.

I stretch to reach for her and yet I’m able to get huge detail for those I read for with the loss of their loved ones. I can so often see in technicolor for them, and for me, it’s simply too close.

My heart desire was to feel incredibly close to her for the rest of my life and to receive messages and knowings that she would send me, and signs and messages that I couldn’t possibly miss.

There have been some huge signs and then there’s been the reality that she didn’t answer or the message wasn’t clear. I am not frustrated, it makes me question how in the way I may be to not be as connected to her as I’d like. I want more. I am left wanting so much more.

I’m being honest about this because I know it will help some of you who are challenged by the massive gap a dearly loved one leaves behind.

I know we are all born to die and that the true graduation of this life is the leaving it behind.

I know none of us get out of this life alive.

However, I forgot how sorry I am when someone that holds a beautiful place in your heart, isn’t on your plane of existence anymore.

What am I doing about it?

Owning it for one thing.

Living my life as best I can.

I am living more heart open and with greater honesty, because I’ve lost one of the greatest reasons to be here, so I must keep finding more great reasons to be alive.

This journey is mine.

Her journey was hers and her life journey is complete.

My job is to keep discovering what my heart came here to feel, express, experience.

This life is about stepping constantly into that which the heart desires.

I am committed to doing that every day until my journey completes.

I really look forward to seeing her again.

Until then I am ready every day to live heart open.

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Love & Blessings,

Ruth

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