#math class is the source of inspiration

[nokyatiri]

oc(??) art? not really i just wanted draw pretty hair

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

fellow + gidel ssr time fellas

(This bastard took an entire soft pity :(( but hey, I got a Dorm Uniform Jade dupe and finally FINALLY my first Dorm Uniform Floyd on the way, so I ain't too pressed about it.) RISE UP FELLOWIVES NOW’S YOUR TIME

***Character profile, voice lines, Groovy, and vignette spoilers below the cut!!***

First off! His official profile, coffin, and candy (Fox Candy):

(School) Grade/Class: None

Birthday: May 17 (Taurus)

Age: 26

Height: 181 cm

Dominant Hand: Right

Hometown: ???

Club: None

Best Subject: Mathematics (specifically Arithmetic)

Hobby: Watching theater

Dislikes: Saving money

Favorite Food: Apples

Least Favorite Food: Potatoes

Special Skill: Sewing

We finally get confirmation of Fellow’s age! (He had previously said in Playful Land that he was 20-something.)

I love that Fellow’s best subject is math Deuce is jealous/j; it makes so much sense given that his inspiration, Honest John (and Fellow himself) aren’t good at reading. It’s that whole “kids are either good at math or English” stereotype. In Japanese, the phrase 算数 is used. 算数 refers to arithmetic, or very basic math taught in elementary school (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing). That specific phrase explains Fellow’s elementary level of understanding. His dislike being saving money is also related to numbers; he spends the money he has right away to get by in the moment. Fellow doesn’t really have the skill or the luxury of financial planning, he has to focus on the here and now, looking out for both himself and Gidel.

OMG, his favorite and least favorite foods???? 😭 Playful Land has apple (core) flavored candies and popcorn… and again, this is a reference to Honest John and Pinocchio’s first encounter! He takes the kid’s apple and eats it, lol cnsvwiwguwkw Potatoes being his disliked food… Maybe it’s because it’s the “poor” man’s vegetable? Because potatoes are so versatile, keep for a long time, and are filling because of the starch content, Fellow might resort to eating them a lot, so perhaps as a result he got sick of the taste.

What I find most interesting about Fellow’s profile are his listed hobby and special skill. He largely comes off as despicable and a slimy scammer (which he is, don’t get me wrong), but we can see different sides to him in these details—both the inner child that had his dreams trampled but remains hopeful about the future and the big brother figure/guardian to a child. Gidel is actually formally referred to in Fellow’s profile as his (non-blood related) brother, which made my heart melt 🥺 TWST must know I have a thing for beastmen who act shitty but are actually excellent mentors to the children/j

Fellow enjoys watching theater. It’s a way of transporting you away temporarily to new worlds with crazy stories and emotional performances. When words aren’t enough, you sing. And when singing isn’t enough, you dance. It’s an area that’s so full of life and joy, at least from the audience’s perspective. I’m thinking that watching theater must have been a form of escapism for Fellow, especially with how accessible it is (think of like street performances). Watching theater might also serve a dual purpose of teaching Fellow how to come across as amicable and friendly, which says a LOT about his character. He’s resourceful and able to learn from unconventional sources, then is able to apply those skills to real world situations.

Fellow’s special skill being sewing is surprisingly very cute! If you’ve taken one look at his and Gidel’s designs, we may have already spotted some of his handiwork. There’s mismatched fabric patches on their clothes!! The stitches look so clean too. The patterns not matching is probably because Fellow just used whatever scraps he was able to get his hands on, but I also like to imagine that he tried to make the best of the situation by incorporating the mismatched fabrics in a fun way (like the diamonds in his pants).

Next, can we talk about the composition of that GROOVY????

It’s another reference to the same Pinocchio scene! Fellow’s holding his book like Honest John did and it looks like he’s trying to teach Gidel the alphabet from words scratched on the sidewalk. Notice how the C is written backwards too 😂 He even wears glasses like when Honest John was trying hard to act like an intellectual.

And Gidel!!! Pencil and pad of paper in hand, he looks so interested to learn (something which was hinted at in Playful Land). Gideon in the film is also shown with a pen and pad of paper, scribbling down nonsense as Fellow pretends to diagnose Pinocchio.

Gidel glances up at Fellow with an expression of admiration. I love how wholesome their relationship is depicted as, it leaves a warm feeling in the heart.

The framing of this Groovy is very interesting. We have Fellow to our left—a direction has historically been associated with evil (in Italian, the word for left is even sinistra, as if to imply something sinister) and in the darkness. Gidel is the one to our right and in the light. It presents Fellow to us as someone who has given up on his dreams—but not completely, since we see some light touching his hat, gloves, and highest features + he is currently teaching Gidel and still has dreams of opening his own school. Gidel is shown in the light because he’s still a naive child that doesn’t understand how the world works. His dreams haven’t been destroyed yet, and there’s hope for him to have a better life since Fellow is looking after him and instructing him.

CHECK THIS OUT, GIDEL FOLLOWS FELLOW TO CLASS LIKE MARY'S LAMB OR SOMETHING????? Gidel pops out from under the desk or out of/behind Fellow's cape! Gidel also joins Fellow on the homescreen.

Some of Fellow's expressions are so priceless... For example, look at him in Flight! There's an unsure face and a little bead of sweat. (He makes a lot of pathetic accompanying sounds too, lol) Flying takes magic, so he's probably not confident or powerful enough to maintain flight for long stretches of time--though when he does nail it, he looks ultra smug.

ADGKVAVFOOEFIEQOfsl HIS SHOCKED FACE

How uncool, Fellow-san...

His attack sprites are very similar/identical to what we saw in Playful Land--Fellow's just playing for the opposite team now.

Gidel hops into battle to assist, so I guess they count as the first two-character card. It's been a while since I've seen these animations, but I think I can appreciate them a lot more now. I'm noticing new little things like how Fellow adds a bunch of showmanship into his attack, little flashy flourishes and even presenting Gidel with his arms splayed, as if welcoming a star to the spotlight. The attention to detail really is crazy for these.

If you want to read his voice lines in full, you can find an excellent fan translation of them here! I'll just be remarking on things I noticed while combing through the voice lines myself:

First off: bro calls himself Fellow Hones-SAMA???????? OKAY, KING 😭 Love that confidence you got goin' on there...

bifabsiyofbefe Love how he just reads a textbook and then flat-out admits he has no clue what the heck it's saying. Hey, honesty is a virtue.

Ace 💀 He has the balls to play a prank on an adult... I kind of want to know what the prank was, but at the same time I feel like I should be shaking my head and telling him off for doing it in the first place. I do appreciate that Ace being shitty brought out Fellow's true personality there for a second though, I live for it when Fellow gets real steamed and starts shouting that the NRC students are brats or that they should drop out if they have no motivation in school.

The way Fellow automatically clocked that Kalim is way too trusting and would surely be in danger even if he wasn't the one to come for him... Fellow, watch your back. Jamill WILL come for your sketchy ass for what you did back then.

I didn't find anything super interesting in Fellow's comments about Ortho, but I do think it reveals that there is value in him coming to school. It's only at NRC where Fellow can see such a curious thing like Ortho, and that speaks to the value of really going out there and being exposed to different things. That's part of Lilia's own growth arc too, and a large part of why he now spreads that same rhetoric.

Fellow remarks that Ramshackle is "pretty sweet", which means one of two things: either this is the refurbished post-book 6 dorm OR it's still the shabby pre-book 6 dorm, but since Fellow and Gidel have never really had their own stable housing, even run-down old Ramshackle seems like a massive upgrade.

Fellow and Gidel must have been so happy to see that lunch at NRC is free and served buffet style (so there's no limits to how much you can take). On top of that, they got dead chefs from 5 star restaurants staffing the kitchen! Those two really hit the jackpot, I hope they eat well.

AVUSDGVUADOVIAISDBIDAS THE DIALOGUE IMPLYING FELLOW CASUALLY BYPASSED THE SCHOOL'S BARRIER AND OTHER SECURITY MEASURES... So Chenya-core of him, really. Fellow may not have magical might, but he's seriously street smart to have found a way in like he has.

Small detail but I appreciate how Fellow has lines which call attention to Gidel. It doesn't just remind us that Gidel is there too, but it also demonstrates to us that Fellow actively tries to include him in the conversation despite Gidel's muteness (a condition which may lead others to outright ignoring him or talking down to him).

LAST THING (though it's not in MysteryShopTL's linked post): in his birthday greeting to the player, Fellow says that both you and him don't have talent for magic, so you should get along. I didn't think the game would acknowledge the player and Fellow's similarity in that sense, so it was very nice to be proven wrong.

And to finish off this post (which ended up being way more massive than I thought it would be), a quick summary of the vignettes!! If you want to read them in full, please check out MysteryShopTLs’ post!

In vignette 1, Fellow and Gidel are putting on a street performance in Silk City. Fellow collects fees from the onlookers and then tries to milk more out of them by spinning a story about how Gidel is a puppet that can walk without strings. Buuut Gidel moves like a normal living being and sneezes, which ruins the ruse and leads to the crowd getting mad at them. The duo run off, but Fellow reveals that while the locals were looking at Gidel, he used magic to steal some of their precious metals and jewelry. In the next vignette, Fellow and Gidel have moved on to Fairest City. It's said that they live a nomadic lifestyle and hop from place to place, never staying for too long in any one location because word of their scams may spread and cause a situation where they cannot reasonably make money through their lies. (Cute detail: Fellow listens to Gidel's suggestions on where they should go next and even praises Gidel's smarts.) This time Fellow's trying to auction off a magestone that he claims will allow anyone who holds it to use magic. The people of Fairest City don't believe him and give him the cold shoulder, which upsets Fellow (since he really hates it when others look down on him). He ends up using his UM to get his audience to be more pliant and manages to sell the magestone for a pretty penny. At the end of this vignette, Fellow drops a line about how he and Gidel are so free, how they can do whatever they want since they have nothing holding them back. I really love that thought~

AND IF YOU THOUGHT VIGNETTES 1 AND 2 WERE FUNNY HAHA TEEHEE CUTE, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE VIGNETTE 3 💀 VIGNETTE 3 FELT LIKE IT WAS A TARGETTED SNIPE ON MY HEART

The setting is Sunrise City! Fellow and Gidel are being chased off by an angry person they tried to rob. It looks like they're unsuccessful today and will be going hungry. Gidel tries opening a random can of OIL in search of food, so Fellow scolds him and tells him to leave it be. Apparently Gidel does this a lot when he's hungry (just grabbing random shit and trying to eat it), even though Fellow has tried teaching him how to read. THIS IS WHAT THE CONTEXT OF THE GROOVY IS, FELLOW SQUATS DOWN (like we literally see his 2D model lowering) AND DRAWS IT ON THE GROUND FOR GIDEL TO SEE. O is for orange, I is for ice-cream, and L is for laugh. Fellow realizes that L is the only non-food word, but he couldn't come up with anything else. I wonder if like... this is some common game they do to distract from hunger. They have to imagine the food they could have but can't. And L being "laugh"? That can't be a coincidence. Fellow could have used any other L word as an example, even if he couldn't come up with a food that starts with L. It makes me think he picked "laugh" on purpose in an effort to lift Gidel's spirits and to try and distract from their circumstances.

Aaaah, as I was saying! Fellow gets upset that he doesn't know as much as your average 26-year old would since he never went to school. Gidel seems to sense his frustrations and reassures him with a pat, which reenergizes Fellow. He says he'll try to find some food, so Gidel should focus on making a fire. While gathering wood to burn, they come across a job posting by a shady rich man that Fellow and Gidel supposedly did another job for in the past. Fellow suggests that they check out the job and if they don't like it then they can leave. ADSKJBBSLDIADBLUBAB These are the events leading up to Playful Land... meaning that Fellow’s showmanship is wasn’t something he developed at the amusement park, but as a general coping and survival mechanism to get by day-to-day.

I uh. May or may not have cried a little at Fellow and Gidel's really wholesome interaction 😭 I MEAN YEAH OF COURSE I'M A SUCKER FOR BIG BROTHER CHARACTERS (and we certainly see that in how Fellow scolds Gidel and looks out for his wellbeing, both in the vignettes and in Playful Land) but also???????? ? ? ? ? ?? ?????? ? ? ? ?? I love Love LOVE how Gidel is shown to be supportive of Fellow as well. Fellow as the older person, the adult, and the able-bodied one of the duo is pulling most of the weight when it comes to getting resources and handling communication. However, Gidel plays an important role in their dynamic as well. He's the heart and the emotional support that Fellow needs when he's down in the dumps and being hard on himself. Gidel not only serves as a "reason" for Fellow to work hard (to support a child), but he also gives Fellow motivation and hope that tomorrow can be another day. YOU CAN REALLY TELL HOW MUCH THESE TWO CARE AND LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER OTL

OOOOOOOoooOOooOOGGHHHH MY HEART *clutches it* I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE, I CAN'T HANDLE THE ONII-SAMA OF IT ALL

[canthelpit0]

Enemies (With Benefits) PT3

Pairing: Cold!Chris x Reader

Word count: 3.9k +

Summary: Chris and reader have always been enemies ever since they’ve known each other. neither knew why they had this burning feeling in their gut. So one day they decide to fuck it out. Until, eventually doing it regularly

Warnings: language, smut, mentions of weed, (implied) RichKid!Reader, jealous!Chris, pet names (cherry), choking, humiliation, heavy degradation, sub!Chris, dom!Reader, I think that’s all.

(A/N: I got this idea from this request. Tysm for the idea & inspiration. Hope this is good.)

PT1 PT2 PT3 PT4 FINAL

I haven’t talked to Chris ever since that party.

wich wouldn’t be too shocking, since we hate each other. but I’ve been ignoring him fully. I wasn’t even responding to his mocking or arguing with him.. just…

The entire situation of us, two people who hate each other so much, and have for so long, hooking up, is extremely toxic.

And I’m self aware, I know that.

It just never bothered me before... But he was treating me like shit. And I’m done with it.

It’s been a week now, and I don’t think he cares that much honestly. At first he went on like normal making witty remarks trying to start arguments and disagreements, but since I didn’t respond he started to do it less and less.

It feels so refreshing not to have a headache everyday.

Only con is, that we share most classes. So i have to see his face all the time. Tho I just ignore him.

At first I saw him walking a round with charlotte, and honestly I don’t know why she is still talking to him after almost hooking up.

I don’t know what he was trying to achieve with that. But if the point was to make me jealous he is so bad at it.

I’ve been talking to Ethan a lot though.

And like I thought, he’s a nice guy, and he always shares his weed.

Even though I have enough friends, most of them are ‘lunchbox friends’. Well except for Matt and Nick, but I can’t really talk to them often considering I’m trying to avoid their brother.

I feel like most of my friends are fake. Wich they are.

We’ll talk and have fun in school, but if I walk past them at the mall they will act like they’ve never seen me in their entire life.

Ethan though. Ethan is nice. His skater friends not so much. Well I guess they’re just critical. After all I’m not any type of alternative at all, and I frankly, don’t know how to skate.

But at least they respect me. Probably because I’m wealthy but ih well.

Ethan and I haven’t done anything.

Other than kiss.

I walk out of history class, a class I share with Ethan. We walk down the hallway side to side.

When we get to my locker- wich is only two away from Chris’ -I unlock it to put my books in it.

All this time Ethan had been complaining about how his next class would be math and whatnot. I had noticed that Ethan was skipping less and less classes now. I never realized how many classes we shared because he was always skipping. But now he wasn’t. And the lack of tobacco in his system was making him itchy and I could tell.

Once you got to know him he actually got quite talkative.

I look over my shoulder to look at Ethan but see Chris in the corner of my eye.

Chris…

Chris.

Without thinking I grab the collar of Ethan’s sweatshirt roughly crashing my lips onto his.

Ethan, having not expected it, doesn’t do anything for a moment, before he kisses back.

Pushing me against the lockers behind me roughly. His tongue finds its way into my mouth as we start to make out.

In the middle of the hall.

My arms wrap around his neck holding him close.

He was kissing me like i was the only source of oxygen. And it felt good. I could tell he liked kissing me, and he wasn’t bad at it.

“Gonna suck face in the hallways now too?”

I pull away slightly. My breath was coming out in short and harsh pants.

I ignore the voice. Chris’ voice.

…Chris

Instead I stare back into Ethan’s eyes. I try to focus on the way his hands feel on my waist as he holds me against the lockers.

His grip isn’t too tight, but it was firm. His forehead pressed against mine as I stare back into his dark eyes.

“Disgusting.”

I look over at him at the disgusted tone. I scoff. My eyes lock onto Chris’ and it feels like electricity shoots up my spine.

Ethan looks a lot like Chris, but he doesn’t have the blue eyes.

The blue eyes that I-

I pause all the thoughts leaving my brain as I hear Chris let out an irritated huff.

And suddenly the feeling of Ethan’s hands on my clothed skin feels too hot. Even tho he unironically resembles Chris a lot, he isn’t Chris.

And god when did my standard become: Chris.

I tare my eyes away from Chris’ gaze. My eyes locking back onto Ethan’s dark eyes.

While Chris’ seem cold and icy, Ethan’s are warm and welcoming. But I don’t want to be welcome and the warmth seems too hot.

It feels like going out in a hoodie on the hottest summer day.

-suffocating

“Fuck off Chris. You’re not any better”

I say to Chris, while staring back at Ethan. But before I can hear Chris reply the bell rings.

I let out a breath. Out of the corner of my eyes I see Chris slam his locker harshly and leave. And once he does I leave a peck on Ethan’s lips.

I slide out of his grip chuckling.

“Imma go now pretty boy, I’ll see you later” I smile at Ethan.

I quickly take out my stuff for my English class and speed walk past him.

★ ★

I’m late to my class but I can’t help but not care.

I share this class with none of them.

Not Ethan, not Chris, not charlotte.

Wich was a relief. Because I don’t know what that was. Ethan has never done anything to make me feel uncomfortable.

Chris had.

So why am I comparing them.

Why do I feel like the lack of just simple bickering with Chris is giving me withdrawal? Why does his glare burn through my soul? Why does it feel wrong being near Ethan when Chris was there? And why the tell did it feel like Ethan’s touch burned?

Why did I want Ethan to be Chris?

Well no let me rephrase that.

Why did I want Chris to be nice to me.

He’s always been rude and mean. I knew what I was getting into. And I liked it, and it felt great. So why am I missing the attitude.

Am I that much of an attention whore?

My eyes trail around the room. I take in the whiteboard none of the words written on it register in my head. I look over the students, mostly only seeing the back of their heads, since I sat all the way in the back

I’ve never felt so loved, alone and hated at the same time.

I know Ethen likes me, and it feels like I’m using him for escapism. To distract myself. I’m leading him on..

I feel so alone. Literally the only people I would usually tell, are the brothers of the problem.

And I’ve felt hatred so intense from Chris. And I know he hates me, and I know that’ll never change

★ ★

He days seem to pass so fast, yet so slow. And at this point I don’t know what I’m doing.

I stick to Ethan. Sometimes I’ll make out with him other times I’ll just stay close to him. Especially when Chris is around.

And I can see that he is getting more and more pissed off.

I’ve been wearing more revealing clothes. Atleast as revealing as it can get with the dress code and all. Mocking the fact that Chris can’t do anything about it.

I was hanging out at home. Alone since my siblings were once again at a sleepover. It wasn’t like they were always at one. And I feel like they’re too young to party and I trust them.

I trust that they aren’t lying to me.

Anyway, since they’re only one year apart they share some friends. So they both went to a sleepover birthday party from one of them.

I’m sitting on the couch, for once enjoying the pice and quiet. I have a movie playing, but I’m drowning more in my own thoughts than watching the movie.

I pause when I suddenly hear the doorbell ring.

I think that maybe it could be my siblings? No neither can drive yet.

Maybe it’s a package. Did I order something? But no it’s midnight they wouldn’t still be delivering orders at midnight..

I get up anyway trading over to the door.

I mean if it’s a killer and I go out this way…. Oh well.

My eyes meet Chris’ as soon as I open the door.

I go to slam the door in his face, but he catches it roughly throwing it open.

“Cherry, please” he huffs. He walks in his sharp eyes trained on me. Chris closes the front door behind him.

“Chris get out” I sigh. I purse my lips glaring right back at him.

If he stays i don’t know for how much longer I can control myself. I feel like I’m having withdrawal symptoms. I miss the way he hates me.

“Cherry, listen” he snaps slightly. I raise an eye cockily. I shift on my feet and cross my arms. My glare doesn’t let up.

But Chris is looking at me different. He doesn’t glare, he looks at me with… desperation?

“What?” I snap back harshly.

“Cherry, please? Literally give me anything?”

Oh, so he is as desperate as he looks.

“Give you what?” I play dumb. My arms stay crossed. I keep looking back at him, his pathetic state only serving to piss me off more.

He can’t even drive, how the fuck did he get here. Nobody knows were fucking so he probably didn’t ask Matt. But Ubers are expensive at this time.

“You know what I mean. Cherry, I’ll literally get on my knees right now and beg.” He says that slightly jokingly. He doesn’t actually think he’ll have to go that far, but if he needs to he will.

“So, get on your knees than, Chris” I mock back, thinking that he wouldn’t actually do it.

But before I can blink he’s going down on his knees right in front of me.

I raise my eyebrow staring down at him.

He dramatically puts his hands together making a begging motion. “Please, please, please cherry??”

I look down at him. He looks so cute when his eyes don’t look like they want to bore through me.

He actually looks desperate and needy right now.

I know I said I wouldn’t hook up with him, and I’ve been doing good at ignoring him for almost a whole month. But god he looks so cute, so… god

I thread my fingers through his messy long hair. His wavy brown hair. And I suddenly pull him up. He winces at the harsh treatment, but he lowkey deserves it for being an ass.

I hate how he stands just a little bit taller next to me.

I crash my lips on his and it feels like fire works go off. I’ve kissed Ethan so many times these past few weeks but it never felt this good.

My arms wrap around his neck. My fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck. Chris’ hands instinctively go to my waist. He holds me flush against him and I feel so comfortable under his touch.

I pull off of the kiss scoffing. My hand wraps around his neck harshly. I pull him down to my eye level while slightly choking him, and he just lets me.

“Hm? Did you not get your dick sucked by someone else?” I mock him, my tone is harsh and condescending.

“Did she not do it as good as I did?”

“Don’t flatter yourself” he grumbles under his breath. He has the audacity to roll his eyes at me.

My grip on his neck tightens and he lets out a sharp breath, one that almost sounds like a moan.

“And yet you still came to my house, got on your knees and begged for me?”

He falls silent at the harsh words. He purses his lip staring back at me with what looks like shame in his eyes.

I move him harshly, changing the place where we stand so I’m close to the door. I harshly squeeze his neck before letting go.

“Go to the living room, I’ll be right there” I nod to the living room behind him. Chris eagerly nods before going to the living room.

I sprint up the stairs and with in a minute I’m back again.

“You’re so fucking pathetic you know that?” I glare at him while towering over his sitting figure.

I go to slowly straddle his lap. His back is pressed against the back of the couch. He looks up at me with ever so pleading eyes. Looking at me like he was desperate, wich he was.

“Such a pathetic bitch. Going to your enemies house and begging to be fucked” I say harshly. My grip goes back to his neck as I choke him slightly. Not enough to actually choke him, but enough to make him lightheaded.

“Sorry, sorry” he closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again.

His eyes meet mine and he looks purely submissive now. It’s funny to me how he is so needy. Maybe I need to ignore him and make him submissive more often, because I like this sight.

I pull him closer by his neck kissing him again. His hands ghost over my sides not daring to actually touch.

I pull away abruptly, listening to his whine.

“Undress.” I says simply standing in front of him.

While I watch him undress I turn off the TV fully. The movie had been paused, but I hadn’t paid attention to it anyway.

He does as I say. He slips off all of his clothing. He’s left fully nude in front of me for me to look at.

He squirms under my harsh gaze. But he is turned on. It’s obvious by his rock hard dick. It’s already red and swollen, leaking pre cum, looking for some release.

I pull out the vibrator from my pj pants pockets. I had gotten it from upstairs. Chris never let me use it on him, unless he was being really submissive.

And since he was, I might as well have fun.

I press it to his tip gently, not turning it on anything yet. I look back at him. I capture his mouth in a kiss. And then turn the vibrator on. He actually flinches at the sudden stimulation.

The kiss is messy, mainly because Chris can’t focus. But The vibrator is literally on the lowest level.

I pull away from the kiss listening to Chris whines and moans. He keeps his hands at his sides. He knows better than to try to get it away. But he looks like he’s itching to just push it away, overwhelmed by the amount of pleasure.

“You look so stupid right now” I chuckle.

I put the vibrator on the secound lowest level. But that alone is high enough for Chris to physically hold himself back from flinching. His moans and whines turn into breathless whimpers.

“Answer.” I scoff. And before I knew it I slap him across the face harshly. The clap echos through the room.

I was letting my pent up enger out, but Chris was enjoying it. As soon as I slap him, his mouth falls open in a silent moan.

Chris didn’t seem like the type. But he had a raging degradation kink.

The sting of the slap traveled right to his dick. His length was twitching in my hand. He was sinking further and further into the couch. He was enjoying this.

“I know-“ he breathes out. But I cut him off by turning the vibrator on higher.

His body practically jolts forward in pleasure. He tries not to come right then and there.

His hand grabs my wrist, the one that was holding the vibrator. “I’m close-“

“I don’t care Chris. If you come now you’ll have to go through the rest overstimulated.” I shrug. Then I abruptly turn the vibrator to its highest setting

He tries to curl his body in on himself but I push him back. And within seconds hes coming all over himself.

I keep the vibrator situated on his tip. I watch how he stays rock hard. His dick starts twitching as his whines get louder and needier.

He weekly pushes my hand off. But after A moment I take it off fully.

While he heaves for breath, I start to undress. I straddle him. When he feels me sink down on his tip his hands go to my waist out of instinct.

I sigh at the feeling. We haven’t fucked in what feels like ages. The stretch hurts. But still I purposefully clench around him to make it even tighter.

His eyes are clenched shut. He’s a moaning mess.

“Chris open your fucking eyes” I slap him again. His eyes flutter open.

“You look so cute all submissive” I taunt. I’m only half way down and I’m struggling. But he doesn’t need to know.

Before he can whine in answer I ram myself down. I wince at the feeling. But Chris’ moans are louder.

I start to gently bounce on him. But he is growing overstimulated quick.

I keep on doing that, my glare focused on Chris. Chris’ eyes shut tightly for a moment. He breaths harshly.

His eye meet mine again. He looks purely submissive. His head tilted down slightly, mouth slightly agape.

“Handsome boy, all needy to get fucked like this hm?” I wait for him to answer but he just whines and moans in response to my movements.

“Can you talk baby?” I ask, huffing. I grab his face, slightly squishing his cheek together with one hand. “Hm? You like getting fucked like this?”

He gasps when I speed up the pace. He blinks a few times, halfheartedly throwing back his head.

Another slap echos through the living room. His head is turned to the side his eyes wide. His mouth is agape as he tries to hold it together. “I told you to fucking talk Chris”

One of his hands goes to his cheek. He grits his teeth trying to formulate words.

But before he can, my hand goes to his neck gently squeezing as I start to ride him harder.

“So good- fuck-“ he breaths out harshly.

His eyes are half lidded. The rough treatment only serves to turn him on even more.

“Yeah, you like that?” I scoff. My hand snakes from his throat to his neck. I pull him in for a sloppy kiss. He can barely focus on anything, every sense in him overwhelmed.

I pull away from the kiss. My hands both move to his shoulders, To use as leverage to ride him harder.

Chris throws back his head, his eyes shutting. He only gets increasingly louder. My movements get harsher and more relentless.

I take one of his hands from my waits and position it at my clit. “Rub it” I demand. And as soon as I do he starts to rub it vigorously.

I clench around him, feeling my release wash over me. Chris’ hand on my hip gets harsher and harsher. I keep moving though, until I feel him twitch.

I quickly pull off an hover over him.

I sit down on his thighs, then start to jerk him off harshly. I put the vibrator back to his tip and turn it on.

Chris’ body harshly jerks forward. I put a hand on his chest and push him back.

And within a few seconds Chris is coming all over himself again.

We both pant as I stare at him. I keep sitting on his thighs as I watch him for a moment.

I lean down and leave a peck on his forehead. I pull him into me. My arms wrap around his neck, putting his face into the crook of my neck.

I pull away from him and slowly get up off of him. I pull on my panties, and pj pants again. As well as my top. Quickly getting dressed again.

I really don’t want to, but he needs to go. As much as I missed him, I made it a point to not hook up with him.

And now that I have, I might as well treat him like he treats me.

“You have to leave.”

He pause looking at me questioningly, It’s like he hadn’t expected me to tell him that. Like he expected us to just hang out and cuddle or something.

Which is not going to happen.

“What?” He questions, his tone sounding blunt, almost harsh.

“Christopher, I want you to leave” I say more sternly. I overpronounce every word to make sure his stupid brain understands it.

“Why” he scoffs frustrated. He stares at me like I’m crazy. Like I’m crazy for telling him to leave when leaving is literally all he ever does.

“Christoper.” I grit out my tone more harsh and serious.

I can’t help the loud scoff that I let out. I walk to the nearest bathroom. I grab a towel halfheartedly dampening it.

I walk back to the living room, where Chris sits mildly stunned. I throw the damp towel on him watching as he awkwardly cleans himself.

“What’s up with you” he sasses me. His gaze is judging.

“I hate you, Chris. I always will.” My words are harsh. And the more I talk the more I can see him narrow his eyes at me in anger, growing more upset by the second.

“Just because we fuck, doesn’t mean I like you. You’re a shitty person.” I take in a deep breath. I feel like I could say worse than that.

“I hate you, and you should leave.” I purse my lips. I watch his expression shift. His jaw clenches, and I can see that he looks like he is about to blow up on me.

The withdrawal symptoms of not fucking me were too much, but now he feels the rage. He remembers why he hated me so much. I can literally feel the hatred and anger radiating off of him.

His already sharp jawline only seems accentuated by the way he clenches it. He swallows his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Chris’ eyes narrow at me, but he just gets up and puts his clothes back on. He looked furious.

I hate him, so why would I let him stay, why would I forgive him. He got the Sex he wanted, so why was he so pissy about leaving?

Now fully dressed he walks closer to me, not touching me.

“What’s wrong with you?” He scoffs. His mood was now definitely sour.

“That’s how you always treat me Chris. Now leave” I snap back at him, getting just as angry as him.

“Okay cherry, have it that way” he gives me a halfhearted sarcastic nod. He then brushes past me to the door, opening it, before a loud slam echoes through the house.

I had sworn to not hook up with him anymore. And if I did that I’d treat him like he treats me. But why do I feel so shitty now?

Can’t a girl have sex and then he all giddy and want to cuddle?

Yes but Chris’ presence irks me. It’s disgusting. He is disgusting.

Masterlist

A/N: requests are always open. pls give me ideas on how to continue this <3 comment if u wanna be on the taglist

‼️please don’t copy my work/idea‼️

Taglist: @muwapsturniolo , @sturnad , @iluvm4ttsturni0l0 , @evie-sturns , @me09love , @fratbrochrisgf , @spideylovin , @chrissgirlsstuff , @stunza , @whicked-hazlatwhore , @sturniooolos

[mariemarieohcontrary]

Choices MCs (Filipino Edition lol)

《Next》

Finally drew four of my Choices MCs inspired by @cassiopeiacorvus and her wonderfully done OC compilations (how do you have the patience to draw all of em omg)

I'm thinking of doing the same for my Romance Club MCs too (background would be the purple of the homescreen there)

Interested in commissioning me? Click the source! 💗

Evangeline Marie G. (Guzman) Lakandula - Ah yes, my soft, anxious babie with self-worth issues. She comes from a messy background with a horrible father. She was close to her late (paternal) grandparents and had a very complicated relationship with her late mother. One of her relatives shes v close to is her older cousin, Ethan.

She's a college dropout thanks to her father's bad choices and worked the moment she had a chance to.

After her mother passed, that was it for Evangeline. She kinda needed to go away from her dad and his loud voice and other issues. So she left home and Ethan helped her out before he left for a business trip abroad.

He had her go to a house he owned in Laguna where she could live in provided she just do the cleaning in there. She found simple work that she was qualified for and that was her life for the next few years until a certain bachelor party came into her life.

Diwa Kalangitan M. (Masangga) del Rosario - My chaotic good and very protective MC who definitely rabbleroused in the school she works in.

She was raised in a household that follows some precolonial beliefs and traditions. She has a stepfather who's an albularyo and two half-siblings. One is studying in college, the other is still in high school. She has a close relationship to both her parents.

And she is rather happy with her job as a teacher in a private school. Sure she sometimes goes against curriculum to make sure the kids enjoy her lessons. She's a class advisor also so when she found out their math teacher humiliated one of her students, she confronted said teacher.

Her trip to America is really just a birthday trip until the events of the book started. In the end she ends up in a poly relationship with Nik and Cal. (She does end up pointing out to the boys that she'll have to go back to her work and family at least just to properly resign and find work near them and also to assure her family she's safe.)

Maya Chelidonia C. (Caacbay) dela Rosa - The local tired detective who had to move abroad for their own safety. Love them SM.

Maya is the child of Jaime dela Rosa, a cop in the Philippines who does not follow in corrupt practices and tries to do right by the community. He was killed after coincidentally seeing signs of corruption in the force and wanting to expose it.

After their father's death, Maya also followed in his footsteps. On their end, they wanted to try and do some good in their job but ended up experiencing some discrimination in the work force. Enter them finding the same evidence of corruption that their father found as well. This time they managed to expose the corruption but in the end, one of their few friends in the force warned them that they'll have to flee the country due to some v angry officials.

So they fled with their mother and younger sister.

Their sister became a fashion designer. Maya found work as a private detective and the two teamed up to be able to live a decent life. Their sister travels with their mom on fashion shows. They're fine living nearby their maternal uncle with their dog, Spudge. (He's a scaredy cat and a lil crybaby who doesn't like strangers and by that I mean he starts crying when the strangers notice him. It's not out of trauma, he just likes Maya and their fam more than anyone else and is v shy with others. He's also scared of the dark and loud noises.)

Inocencia Honorata G. (Galang) Valenciano - and finally, my love's embarrassing bby. My Rafael Aveiro romancer. Love her sm.

She and her mom, older brother and little sister ran away from their father when they were a kid. Her parents annulled their marriage after a few years.

Her older brother became the youngest lawyer in the country and had a firm in New York seek him out. This led to him helping Inocencia and her sister (who had skipped grades and managed to enter college the same year as Inocencia).

Inocencia is v non-competitive that she chose De La Salle University while her sister went to their grandfather’s alma mater, University of the Philippines. At college, Inocencia got dubbed as SiaSia because of the repeated -cia in her first name and surname.

The two got accepted into Edenbrook when they were gonna start. Inocencia being 27 and her sister being 25. By then, Inocencia still isn't competitive and didn't sign up for the competition for the diagnostics team but her little sister shoved her to try it out.

[novella-november]

heh... first day.... almost three thousand words.... in class... instead of paying attention...

like I'm happy I was writing but please do you have any hints of how to contain the artistic muse? Or more accurately the ADHD?

My best thing to say to contain the muse is to jot down keywords, phrases, and ideas as they come to you so you don't forget them, and try to wait until you're in full free time to unleash them!

Inspiration always strikes me at the inopportune moment, so I try to have a pen, sharpie, or my phone with me so I can quickly jot down a sentence fragment -- some real world examples are

"fake death w blue jolly rancher"

and

".... Meat plants"

If you're in school and you're excited to write, try to contain it to times between classes, or after you have finished your work, or try to treat it as a reward for when you've finished your homework, or use a timer and work on homework for half an hour, then write for half an hour, on and off until you're finished your school work for the day, then you can write to your heart's content!

Just try to keep track of time with alarms and try to head to bed at a proper time, as hard as it can be sometimes, ADHD already causes sleep problems, so try to do what you can to mitigate that so your quality of life isn't suffering for your writing!

One thing that helped my sleep quality, other than not being in school anymore (best feeling in the world, ngl) is to avoid major sources of caffeine any time after 3pm or 4pm, and if you truly are a night owl who doesn't fall asleep before midnight.... Instead of forcing yourself to sleep (or attempt to sleep) before 10pm, see what kind of schedule works for you and your work/school schedule?

If you work at 9am, what time do you need to be up to be on time? How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Can you get a decent amount (preferably 8 or more) hours before then, and what time do you have to actually go to bed to achieve that, even if its not the (neuro)Typical™ Bedtime?

I don't go to bed until 12am about 99% of the time.

I can usually wake up at 8am when its summer and light comes in naturally through my window, but if I don't have anything in the morning to do I usually sleep til 10am during fall and winter when its dark out more than usual (or too cold to get up in the morning in a house without heat, but that's less of an issue now).

So, tips for dealing with ADHD:

Try to restrain yourself to bullet points, sentence fragments, and keywords when you're engaged in work or school, something that will quickly remind you of what you were inspired

Don't lose your notes! Immediately put handwritten ones in your pocket or snap a picture of them on your phone.

Try to keep to a reasonable bedtime, and if reasonable bedtimes never worked for you, do some math to see if you can rework your morning schedule to see if a delayed bedtime and thus delayed wake time can help you.

Try to plan out your day to keep writing to set aside free time, and fill in gaps between classwork or work; if you ride a schoolbus to work, try writing on your phone on the ride to and from school, or if you walk, try using a dictation or speech to text app to write while you travel.

I can't recommend trying to dictate your novel while you are driving, but I am also incapable of driving on a normal basis because of AuDHD and anxiety so that just might be me being overcautious.

[yourmomxx]

M A S T E R L I S T pt.2

* · 　　 . .　 ★ 　　 ✧　 .. ˚ 　 * · . .　 ★·　　 ✧　 .

Incorrect Quotes. ⊹　°. * ✧ . ✦　. • ✺ ° ★ . ° .   

Precarious Situation

Tim Drake being relatable

Do no Wrong

Stress Relief

Ew Feelings

Creep Defense Class 101

About Koalas

At Dick's funeral

Pregnancy Scare

Drugs

Autocorrect

Dad Jokes

Grocery List

Puns

Source Not Found

About forgotten Birthdays

Table Manners

On Edge

Alphabet of Plans

Pain

Opposites

No Survival Skills

Why can't dinosaurs clap?

Crosswords

Salt and Sugar

Unhelpful Advice

Motivation, Inspiration

At 3 a.m.

Butt Match

Belongings

Drastic Measures

An Idiot's Logic

Your Mom

Keep it Casual

Barbara Gordon

Would You Rather?

Gotham Villains

Feelings

Sibling Love

Trick Question

Like Father, like Son

Young Dick Grayson was a Menace

Escape

Unsupervised

Funny

Best Thing That's Happened to Me

Great Christmas Idea

Precautions

Finding Tim

Muggy Conditions

Kitchen of God

4xS-rule

Terrible Idea

Dealing with Trauma: The Batfamily Way

Careful

What Seems to be the Problem, Officer?

Jiu-Jitsu

Bad at Math

Secrets

Car Shenanigans

Dinner Plans

Pick-Up Lines

Constructive Criticism

You love me

Hard Time

Offsensive

Problems in Traffic

Special Dinner

The Bitch Is Back

Power Couple

Health Check

Family Additions

Bedroom Activities

Reincarnation

Subtle Signs

Horoscopes

POLAR opposites

Shitposts. ⊹　 °. * ✧ . ✦　 . • ✺ ° ★ . ° .    ⋒

Wayne Family Adventures WEBTOON 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Red Hood: Outlaws WEBTOON 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

[authoralexharvey]

INTERVIEW WITH A WRITEBLR — @vsnotresponding

Who You Are:

V || They/she

Born and raised in a town in Catalonia, Spain. I always had an interest for stories and storytelling, and art in general, as well as math. I wrote my first book at 17 as my project to graduate high school. I'm currently majoring in math, translating said book, and plotting another one.

What You Write:

What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?

Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Tragedy. Young and New Adult

What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?

fantasy, mainly because i love worldbuilding and i often focus on religions or magic systems

What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?

i don't think i could ever write a purely romance book. my aroaceness makes it very hard for me to write romance in general.

Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?

i'm not really sure. i write mostly for me. probably just soft fantasy readers? i think people that enjoy worldbuilding and lore might enjoy my stories too. i think anyone could get something out of my books. the setting is just an excuse to write about other things at the end of the day

What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?

grief and circular time appeal the most to me, also main characters struggling with mental health, feeling displaced and out of place. as for tropes, found family and people who dislike each other forced to work together. i don't know why grief comes up that much in my stories. i am obsessed with thinking about circular time, tho. and the mental health issues of my main characters is mostly projecting. as for the tropes, it's all about finding your people whom you feel like yourself with.

What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?

i can deal with pretty much any trope as long as it's entertaining. certain styles of writing is what ultimately turn me off when reading.

What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?

i'm currently translating and posting púlsar, i book i wrote when i was 17. i've been translating for three months, and posting for one. i'm also working on untitled project (that's the actual name for the wip), figuring out plot details and that kinda things. i've been doing that since 2019, when UP was born

Why do you write? What keeps you writing?

i write because i am my own target audience, and because i want to tell my ocs' stories. that's what keeps me going too. i can't just be rid of them, they live rent free in my brain

How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?

since forever, i guess. i remember writing stories as a kid. i was also an avid reader, and a lonely only child that was left alone to their own devices too often, so i found ways to entertain myself

Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?

from my daily life, i guess. púlsar doesn't have that many sources of inspiration that i'm aware of, but UP has lots of influences from my philosophy classes from back in high school. in general, music helps a lot with how i approach my writing.

What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?

some short stories i wrote in high school. they are all writing assignments, but i went so hard on them they are still one of the bests things i've ever written. also my answer to a question in my philosophy final, which i later turned into a short story. circular time, man, i told you

Have you published anything? Do you want to?

i haven't, but i'd like to. i just want to share my worlds and characters with other people

What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?

the sharing, but i also think it's very stressful

What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?

putting it all together. i love finding out how i've unintentionally set up scenes i hadn't even thought about, or how unimportant details turn vital when i add a new scene

Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.

oh boy. my writing process is a mess. it's mostly non linear, and i sit with my stories for a long long time before ever starting to write. i also pull from my drawings. sometimes i'll randomly draw one oc doing something completely arbitrary, and then see that it actually fits with the plot so why not add it. generally, i have a very rough direction of where i want to go, 2 or 3 key scenes i know for sure have to happen, then i put the characters in A Situation and let them take the reins from there. because i've sit with them for so long before actually writing, i'm confident enough in my knowledge of them so i never doubt where they are going, they just go. usually i plan ahead for two or three chapters, mostly a bullet point summary or an explanation of events for UP it's been way more complicated because of the nature of the story and its non linearity

Your Thoughts on Writeblr:

How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?

i joined four months ago. i just wanted to share my work with other like minded people, and i'm honestly glad i did. i've met so many wonderful people in such a short amount of time, and the community is wonderful

Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?

i recently started following @mjjune. i simply fell in love with their now betaing twtr and their general vibes @moondust-bard has also created a bunch of writblr initiatives like a tag game list, and other ongoing projects and i have to mention @my-cursed-prince. she asked me a lot of questions about circular time, and then i checked out her wips and adopted her ocs on the spot

What is your favorite part about writeblr?

tag/asks games, and in general the community. i like sharing, sure, but it's also nice to be able to talk about worlbuilding and lore and how annoying ocs sometimes are with people that get it

What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?

huh, i'm not sure. more interaction with actual written stuff would be great, but everyone's busy with their lives outside of here so we can't ask of everyone to read everything that comes across their dashboards every day. it'd be great to have an easy to access place to check old and new writing without having to go to an individual blog every time, but that's also a time consuming project to manage

How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?

if i see someone asking for asks i always send one. i also try to be encouraging of others as much as i can. i do think i could be doing much more. for starters, i'd like to engage more with written content from other writblrs more, but i can't due to time constraints

What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?

anything that strikes my fancy. i enjoy posts about the writing process struggles people have, or little thoughts they have as they write or plot

What kind of posts do you most like to make?

i love rambling when someone asks me a question. and also posting púlsar

Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?

i have a half abandoned instagram art account with the same handle (vsnotresponding), and my main tumblr blog @iwrotemyowndeliverancesblog (i talk about maths and complain about life)

[tymime]

I honestly think that if you have intelligent, well-educated parents (like mine) to guide you, you could replace public school almost entirely with television.

Public education kinda sucks. They might tell you some vague outline of the Revolutionary War, like mentioning George Washington and Ben Franklin and Paul Revere, and something about "taxation without representation", whatever that means. What they don't tell you is all the stuff behind it, like the French philosophers and other social commentators who inspired the Founding Fathers, the intense excitement of the violent bloody battles, Ben Franklin's revolutions in newspapers, the idealism, the internal debates, the way King George III went insane.

They might mention how ancient Egypt had mummies and pyramids, and some gods like Anubis and Ra, but never mention the complex mythology, the way every pharaoh tried to gaslight the populace into thinking his version of religion was the correct one, and radicals like Akhenaten and Hatshepsut.

You could learn more about history from PBS and YouTube documentaries than you could in elementary and middle school. I learned more about science from Bill Nye the Science Guy than at a class. I've learned more about practical math from Cyberchase than I ever did in school.

The trick, of course, is to fact-check stuff you watch, especially on YouTube. If you use Wikipedia, check the citations and see if they're a reliable source.

It actually makes me worry about teachers' jobs, especially when it comes to music. I've learned more about music theory and playing guitar from YouTube than I ever did in the approx. 5 years I took guitar classes- although admittedly I wasn't very ambituous back then.

[charlieslowartsies]

For the writers block/burnout thing, I have a few tips that I personally use, so I hope they help!

1) Caffeine. I usually have an energy drink when I know I’m going to be doing lots of work or writing, and that usually gets me in a writing mood for a couple of hours. Tea or coffee, while good sources of “clean” caffeine, make me feel a bit too cozy/homely and it makes it harder for me to do writing specifically. The energy drink (I prefer rockstars or monster, but watch those mg’s cuz they’re not the best for you) usually keeps me productive and on-task, and if it doesn’t? I switch to another task. In your case, it could just be a wip you have, or even some entirely new little blurb that doesn’t necessarily have to be posted.

2) Music, the kind that I’m into right now, something older, or even music that’s new to me/that I’ve never heard before. It’s good for the soul and good for the brain for inspiration. Relating to the last bit of #1, it can inspire you to write parts of a wip or a little oneshot or even a scene that you were inspired to write. Any writing is good writing, and if that little drabble gets the brain juices flowing, so be it!

3) Environment change! See, I have this fun little habit of sitting in my car post-class and chugging the rest of an a energy drink with a little snack while writing in a doc for a couple of hours. I typically don’t even realize how much time has passed, and I’ve written upwards of 3k words in one sitting over the span of like two hours. It’s a change of scenery of what I used to do when I write stuff, and it’s made me more productive! If you normally write on your phone in your room, try a different device in a different room! For example, use a laptop in the living room, a tablet on the kitchen floor, an old iPod touch in the bathroom, literally any combo that you can think of is worth trying! Sometimes your brain just needs that little bit of freshness to get the creativity flowing.

4) Other sources of inspiration! I mentioned music earlier, but reading other things (be it fanfiction, published books, or your own writing) can be a way to get your brain working again! Comping up with what-ifs can be useful, because if you get bored of that, then you can redirect the energy into writing something else! You can also look at art, like old museum type stuff, and make up a little story about the piece, then you can try and fit and mould that into something relevant to a current wip! Will it work in a planned story? Probably not, but it got you thinking and that’s what matters! Movies can also be good for this too.

5) Skipping scenes can be really helpful when writing in a lengthy wip that has a preplanned outline. You can always jump around in the story and write segments of dialogue that won’t be used yet, create some description for a future scene that might not be perfect or even good right now, but it’ll get you thinking about the wip. Me personally, if I have a chapter that I think needs more scenes or a scene rewritten, I make a whole new doc for it and just start spewing ideas and actual writing into it; that includes sentence changes in wording or structure, alternate scenes, bonus characters, dialogue thag I KNOW I’ll never use but it’s good except side anyway, etc. I can always go back to it, but it gives me some peace of mind. I also have docs separated by fandoms that’re filled with dialogue blurbs, mini-schemes, random descriptions, and the like. They might not lead to much in the separate doc, but when the time comes when you need inspo or to pull some content from it, you’ll have it on hand!

6) Math. Do some math. I’m dead serious. Some easy algebra or calc equations will either get your brain thinking or frustrated, and either way you can turn that around and put the energy into a wip. Been there, done that (usually when procrastinating lol), but it helps me redirect!

That’s about all I’ve got! I especially want to emphasize the caffeine, music, and environment change part of the list. A combo of that stuff has really helped me productivity, and I hope it can help you too! Remember that no matter how much or how little you write, it’s enough and YOU are enough. Hope your day is well!

I appreciate all this advice. The math might be something I try, at the very least I might try doing a Nancy Drew game on Master mode bc those typically help my creative side relax and my logical side get the reins.

[lady-strange0]

astrantia, blue star and aster

By: Lady_Strange0

Words: 2470

Rating: General Audiences

Published on AO3: 30/05/2023

Relationships: America Chavez & Stephen Strange, America Chavez & Wong, Stephen Strange & Wong

Summary:

“You know, in Hindi faith, hibiscus is associated with the goddess Kali who embodies nothing less than the force of life itself. I think that’s you, and your lively energy in my life,” Stephen said after a moment.

The young girl pulls back out of the hug and looks at him, and smirks before saying “you know you info dump fun facts when you are nervous or in an emotionally charged situation.”

-or-

America loves drawing and painting flowers, and Stephen is a supportive dad who likes seeing his daughter happy.

Inspired by this post

https://www.tumblr.com/changes-fandoms-too-much/717769219089006593?source=share

It started off with doodles in the margins of her notebooks. Stephen and Wong had decided early on after America moved to the sanctum that she should be attending a normal high school to make up for the years of teaching she’s missed. And Stephen was enjoying being a tutor in both magic homework as well as her normal maths and physics homework.

He had just been explaining quadratic equations to America when he noticed the little images at the sides of her notes and homework. Simple doodles of flowers and stars, as well as some of a small familiar basset hound, Bats. They were all done in blue pen and often half-minded. He couldn’t help but notice though, that among the messy pictures there was also a drawing of a flower with large round petals and intricate lines in the middle for the seeds. Almost like a poppy, but he couldn’t tell for certain, his botany knowledge went as far as magical remedies that used flowers required, but nothing outside of that really. Stephen also didn’t know much about art aside of the artworks he bought for his house back when he had money to throw around, but he could still tell that America had real talent if she chose to channel it there.

America could tell that Stephen had zoned out while talking and asked, “what? Maths now even too boring for you to bother explaining? Cause then at least we are in agreement.”

“No, no. I was just thinking about something. Those little doodles are very nice. Do you enjoy drawing or was this just from being bored in classes?”

The girl blushed and ducked her head, “thanks, I don’t know, I liked it when I was young, but then the bee incident happened, and I just never had the time or interest to pick it up again.”

“Well, I think it would be lovely to see some more of your art, we could hang it on the fridge.” America just giggled in response, and they went back to doing her homework together.

Stephen didn’t think about it again, until a week later. He was returning some books to the library in Kamer-Taj that America had borrowed and had asked him to bring back for her as she was going for pizza with her school friends. As Wong was now the Sorcerer Supreme, he no longer worked in the library and the new librarian was even stricter on the ‘no portals in the library’ rule then he had been, and had set up some wards to prevent them. Stephen could get around them but he just didn’t couldn’t be bothered.

Just as he was about to walk up to Mirou, the new librarian, he saw the corner of a sheet of paper sticking out the side of the old book, he opened it to find a beautifully sketched drawing of what he thought to be a Gerbera flower inside, this time done in pencil and shaded to look soft and realistic. He moved to sit down at one of the tables to study the drawing further, it was on a A4 sheet that had evidently been ripped from a school notebook, the printed lines still visible in the back. He removed the drawing from the book and closed it. Sling ring in hand, he opened a portal to his bedroom and placed the drawing on his desk.

Over the next few weeks, he keeps spotting drawings and sketches on loose sheets and starts collecting them in a pile in his study. Soon after he starts to leave blank white printer paper around, the drawings start appearing on them instead. America doesn’t mention the missing drawings, but Stephen is certain she knows he has them.

He wasn’t even the one who bought the coloring pencils and watercolours, they weren’t there one day and then they were the next day. He spots America in their living room sitting on the floor in front of the low table with Bats on the sofa behind her, using them. She was sketching small flowers and attempting different techniques to fill them. He also sees that she is watching a YouTube video on her laptop explaining different types of brushstrokes and how to implement them.

America presents him with a stunning watercolour drawing of a collection of small yellow, pink and purple hibiscus’ with a small smile two days later. “Stephen, I think it’s time for me to actually give you a drawing of mine, instead of you stealing and hiding them like troll.”

“Trolls actually aren’t kleptomaniacs, they usually just take things when their homes are in danger and the stolen things are part of the danger. So,-“

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” America said exasperatedly, and Stephen just grinned at her. “Anyways, I want you to have this, yellow hibiscus represents happinesses and sunshine, because you helped me find happiness in a universe that isn’t my own, the pink hibiscus represents love of all kinds but especially familiar and platonic love, and the purple hibiscus shows mystery and knowledge. They remind me of you.”

Had someone asked Stephen ten years ago if he ever wanted kids, let alone a mulitversal traveling, pizza obsessed, and slightly disaster-prone teenage girl, he would have sent them to the psychiatric ward of the hospital. Yet, here he was in the kitchen of their haunted mansion, with a sentient red cloak around his shoulders and a ghostly dog floating into the room, and America starring at him expectedly as she held out one of the best gift he has ever been given, and Stephens eyes start watering.

“Th-thank you, America, they are beautiful,” he was really trying to not cry, with the love and happiness filling him from deep within, “I know the perfect place for it.”

With that he magiced up a small dark wooden photo frame with small carved swirls and curves on it, and placed the painting behind the glass with shaky hands. As he lifted his eyes from the picture frame, he was surprised to see tears in her eyes too, and a quivering lip.

“Hey, hey are you okay, Star?” They were both equally surprised at the nickname, but America looked into Stephens eyes as if looking for something before she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“Yes, I am. I really, really am.”

Stephen hugged her back one trembling hand going to her head as the other moved up and down her back.

“You know, in Hindi faith, hibiscus is associated with the goddess Kali who embodies nothing less than the force of life itself. I think that’s you, and your lively energy in my life,” Stephen said after a moment.

The young girl pulls back out of the hug and looks at him, and smirks before saying “you know you info dump fun facts when you are nervous or in an emotionally charged situation.”

Stephen rolled his eyes fondly, carefully picked up the frame and moved out of the room, before he’d start getting ‘emotionally charged’ again.

The frame now sits on his bedside table.

In hindsight, the acrylic paint may have been a mistake on Stephens side. Actually the paint wasn’t the problem, it was the movie that was. She had used the paint to draw on virtually everything. The cardboard boxes from the attic were covered in stars and galaxies and planets, her sketchbooks were filled with paintings and still life’s and kinda off looking portraits, as well as the floor and table, but they didn’t look intentional. So, he forgives her and cleans up the mess with a quick flick of his wrist.

See again, the paint wasn’t the problem, the movie was. They had set up weekly movie nights for her to catch up on movies and tv shows she had missed while traveling across the multiverse. Their current favorites list included ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Greatest Showman’, and Disney’s ‘Tangled’. And ‘Tangled’ was the problem.

A girl who loves to paint and draw watching a movie about a girl who paints her entire room and ceiling in stars and flowers? Yeah, it was bound to happen.

So, it comes as no surprise when he comes home from Kamer-Taj to a home cooked dinner as a begging strategy. Actually the dinner was a surprise, he had expected puppy eyes, from both her and Bats.

Yes, he says yes, when she asks about painting the walls of her bedroom. Stephen helps her pick out some more paints and brushes at the shops, and then assists in moving the furniture from her room.

It’s a large room with big windows on one wall and window seats below them. Random colourful pillows are spread across the seats and the bed. The walls are a soft blue colour matched by the large wooden bed with a blue canopy from which glow in the dark stars are hanging. The thick curtains danced as they moved through the air and out of the room, the soft white carpet rolled itself up and walked out and the furniture shrunk until they could be picked up like doll house pieces. Leaving an empty room for her to paint and decorate as she pleases.

It starts with the wall opposite to where her bed was, she paints a green field with flowers of all kinds, roses, lily’s, yellow coneflowers, pink and white daisies, poppies of every colour as well as flowers which Stephen did not recognize. Upon asking she told him stories of the plants from her home planet, the way some smelt like chocolate, while others would bloom to be blue and purple and pink, how some would be used for special medicines or in her moms food. Stephen loved listing to her talk about her home, and see that despite everything she has been through she still has so much love to share.

The next day, he wakes up to his room with a key being missing, the Cloak, and Bats, but he has started sleeping in Americas bed rather than his. But the Cloak missing was bizarre, so he pulled himself from the bed, and wandered down the hallway in just his pyjama pants and an old T-shirt. It’s the sounds of quiet music that leads him to the ajar door of Americas bedroom. Stephen knocks and upon getting a quick “come in” enters.

What he was expecting when he walked into the room, he didn’t know, but he was surprised to see America sitting on top of the Cloak floating quite high to the ceiling as she is painting fluffy white clouds to above her.

“You know, Michelangelo almost went blind after spending four years painting the ‘Sistine Chapel’, because paint kept dripping in his eyes, so can you please wear some goggles or something,” is all Stephen said once he understood the situation.

“Apparently the info dumping is not exclusive to emotionally charged moments, but also when you are still half-asleep,” America giggled from where she was lounging on the Cloak with a paint brush in one hand and a plastic cup of white paint in the other. “Also, I have no idea how a turtle would have painted a ceiling.”

“A turtle?”

“You know, that movie we watched with the crime fighting turtles, one of them was called Michelangelo.”

“I’m gonna have this conversation after I’ve had coffee,” said Stephen as moved to turn around. “Come get some breakfast in the kitchen with me.”

It was only minutes later when they both sat on the wooden chairs of the kitchen table with a mug of coffee for Stephen and a cup of orange juice for America, as well as some toast with honey, that Stephen saw what America was wearing.

“Is there a reason you’ve gone through my wardrobe and are wearing my old college shirts?”

The girl looked down herself, looking at the grey shirt that was so large on her it reached below her shorts to look almost like a dress, before she looked up and simply said, “it’s not like you wear them anyway.”

That was the end of that conversation, but Stephen did leave a pile of them with her, so she could use them when she moved on to paint the rest of her walls, until they where covered in beautiful fields of flowers on one side which transitioned into a blue sky with clouds that looked like they were moving (maybe they were, Stephen would never say) as the painting continued to the ceiling until it evolved into a dark galaxy filled with stars and planets and pinks and blues and purples over and behind her bed.

After America moved all the furniture back into the room with Stephen help, it looked like a cozy place for America to come and sleep, and read, study, watch movies, and relax. He was so proud of his girl, and after she added the glow in the dark stars to the back wall to match her canopy, he added a light spell that allowed the stars in her paintings to twinkle and slightly sway.

It was after she had also painted her wardrobe and night stands as well as the inside and outside of her bedroom door to match her room, that she ran out of space to paint on.

It’s now been a few weeks and somehow Wong is yet to notice the way the living room walls have small flowers all along the bottom edge in different colours and shapes and sizes. Stephen thinks Wong is just pretending to not see them, as he seen plenty of her other drawings and paintings. Stephen also knows that he has a framed painting of a portal opening to a calming landscape hanging above the desk in his office in Kamer-Taj. America had given it to him as a gift for Luner New Year.

But in Stephens eyes nothing will ever top the colour pencil drawing that hangs in the Sanctums living room, directly above the stone chimney in a place of honour. It depicts a bouquet made out of three flowers held together by a large ribbon.

The left most flower is a light pink star-shaped ‘Astrantia’, which is a soft and elegant flower that represents strength, courage and most of all protection.

The middle flower is a ‘Blue Star’ which is a dainty and delicate little flower that symbolizes endurance, strength and determination.

And the last flower is a purple ‘Aster’, a flower that is named after the Greek word for ‘Star’ and symbolizes love, wisdom, and faith.

The flowers each represent one part of their little star shaped family and Stephen is filled with love and happiness whenever he looks over to see it on the wall.

[threegoblinart]

Your art is amazing!!! The style is sooo pretty. How long does it usually take to finish one piece? And what are some tips for a beginner artist?

Hi friend! Thank you so much, you're just lovely. ❤️

At the moment I'd say a real finished painting can be 8-12 hours of work easily when you factor in sketch thumbnails, practicing tricky things and doing more than one draft.

My Willow at the Window was probably 12 hours because I had to reteach myself so perspective stuff I haven't done for 15+ years since set design class in college.

The drawing I posted today is already 5-6 sketches in my notebook and one previous first attempt with watercolor.

All this time is often over weeks - I work full time, have kids and we have a stupid number of hobbies, lessons, so I draw and paint in little snatches of time here and there.... Frequently at around 11 o'clock at night.

Advice... Oh, settle in and let the Art Mom tell you a tale... No, just kidding. I could regurgitate the usual junk (okay it's not junk and very valid, good advice like - yes you have to practice, use references, invest in quality materials whenever you can, explore different mediums until you find your thing, etc.). But instead I'm going to say this...

Remember two things:

1) art should be something you do because it makes you happy

and

2) remember you're an artist no matter what and be fucking proud of that

About point one, at the end of the day making art should make you happy... So that will mean different things to different people some people can find joy being considered a professional in their field, having art be their source of income and some will not. And that's okay.

I learned this the hard way. I tried to be a professional in my field (theatre) and for a while it was great, but I burned out quickly and realized that tying my livelihood to my art did not make me happy. I did not fail, I learned where my boundaries are to be happy, healthy and creative. So now I draw just for fun, sometimes do small commissions for friends, etc. Maybe one day I'll try to do more (I do have goals, I'd love to do more commissions, have my art in a book, have a small print store), but right now drawing my DND characters and fanart and silly little mushroom houses makes me happy and that's enough. Our worth as artists is not determined by sales or contracts or likes or followers, that's a bunch of consumerist, capitalist bullshit and your art and you are inherently worth more than that.

About point two... You're amazing, yep you, and you're an artist. Art is simply the expression of creativity and imagination and inspiration. It doesn't matter if your art is something on chapel ceilings or the back of your maths notebook - it doesn't matter if it's entirely original (I ❤️ fanart and guess what that stuff on the chapel ceiling is just religious fanart). Are you doing something creative, imaginative or inspired - congrats you're an artist (que Newsies "We're a union just by saying soooo!!!") And there are no other qualifiers based on skill or ability.

Whatever you create is something only you can do.

While it's absolutely fine to work on improvement and goals - it is good to study others work and take classes and learn and seek to improve - be proud of what you're making no matter what because you made it and that alone is amazing!

I learned this the hard way... I stopped drawing for 10 years, and only started again 3 years ago (I'm, ahem, not super young) and I'm still learning to take this to heart. I struggle with comparison and self worth as an artist still, it's not a light switch I can turn off but something I work at (and take medication for - stupid insufficient brain chemistry).

Comparison does nothing but rob you of joy. Be proud of what you can do right now. Be proud of what you could make last week or last year or when you were 6. Be inspired by others, but only compare you to you - that way you only see your improvement and surround yourself with people who will hype you up no matter where you are in skill and ability.

... but also, like, practice ... a lot.

P.S. as bonus these pictures are one of the first things I drew three years ago when I finally said "fuck it I'm going to draw again" and my most recent quick sketch. They both are different in skill and ability, but I'm proud of both.

[makers-muse]

How can schools make STEM labs more eco-friendly?

In recent years, schools have increasingly embraced STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education to prepare students for the future. It’s important to be mindful of the environmental effects that STEM programs can have. The technology-driven nature of STEM labs often involves high energy consumption, disposable materials, and significant waste production. So, how can schools strike a balance between innovation and sustainability? 

Here are five eco-friendly practices that schools can adopt to make their STEM labs more sustainable while fostering a culture of environmental responsibility among students. 

1. Switch to Energy-Efficient Equipment 

STEM labs often rely on computers, 3D printers, and other energy-intensive equipment. By switching to energy-efficient models, schools can significantly reduce their power usage. Look for devices that are Energy Star certified or equipped with power-saving modes. Encouraging students to turn off devices when not in use can help minimize energy consumption further. 

2. Incorporate Renewable Energy 

To further cut down on energy consumption, consider incorporating renewable energy sources such as solar panels. These can power a portion of the lab’s needs, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources. Additionally, installing solar panels presents a hands-on learning opportunity for students to understand how renewable energy systems work in real-world scenarios. 

3. Use Recycled or Biodegradable Materials 

Many STEM activities require disposable materials, such as plastic for 3D printing or single-use lab tools. Switching to recycled or biodegradable alternatives can reduce waste. Schools can also encourage students to reuse materials from previous projects or experiment with recyclable resources, helping them develop a habit of mindful consumption. 

4. Promote Digital Over Physical Resources 

Encourage the use of digital simulations, online labs, and virtual experiments rather than physical setups that consume resources. Many STEM subjects can be effectively taught using virtual tools, significantly reducing the need for physical supplies. This approach conserves materials and reduces waste, contributing to broader sustainability objectives. Learn now 

5. Establish a Recycling and Waste Management Program 

Implementing a recycling program in STEM labs is essential for managing waste. Clearly label bins for recycling electronics, paper, and other materials. Teach students how to responsibly dispose of lab waste and recycle whenever possible. Integrating waste management into STEM programs helps raise awareness of the environmental impact of scientific endeavors. 

Ready to make your STEM lab sustainable ! 

By implementing these eco-friendly practices, schools can create sustainable STEM labs that not only teach students cutting-edge skills but also foster a sense of environmental responsibility. When students understand the importance of sustainability in STEM, they are more likely to carry those values into their future careers, making a lasting impact on the planet. 

Incorporate these practices into your STEM program and inspire the next generation of environmentally conscious innovators! 

Join Makers Muse for innovative coding classes and hands-on STEM learning experiences that promote both creativity and sustainability. Get started today! 

[heydeehoau]

The Impact of Music on Early Childhood Brain Development

Have you ever watched a toddler bobbing to the beat of a song? It's as if their little feet can't resist the rhythm! But beyond the cuteness, there's something extraordinary happening in their brains. Music, it turns out, is much more than just a source of entertainment for young children - it's a powerful tool for brain development.

The Melody of Brain Growth

Music has a profound impact on early childhood brain development. Research shows that engaging children in musical activities can significantly boost their cognitive, emotional, and social skills. From improving memory and language acquisition to fostering creativity and emotional intelligence, music early childhood education offers a symphony of benefits.

Boosting Cognitive Abilities

Listening to and participating in music can enhance various cognitive functions in young children. When children listen to music, their brains work hard to decode the sounds and rhythms, strengthening neural connections. This process helps with:

Memory: Songs with repetitive lyrics and melodies aid in memory retention. Remembering words and tunes improves overall memory capacity.

Language Skills: The rhythmic and repetitive nature of songs helps children grasp phonetics and vocabulary, making it easier for them to learn and understand language.

Spatial-Temporal Skills: Music, especially learning to play an instrument, improves spatial-temporal skills, which are crucial for solving math problems and understanding complex concepts.

Emotional and Social Development

Music also plays a crucial role in emotional and social development. Engaging in musical activities, whether singing, dancing, or playing instruments, fosters emotional expression and social interaction.

Emotional Expression: Music provides a safe and expressive outlet for emotions. Children learn to identify and express their feelings, essential for emotional regulation.

Social Skills: Group musical activities, such as singing in a choir or participating in a dance class, encourage teamwork, cooperation, and empathy. Children learn to listen to others and work together, enhancing their social skills.

Creativity and Imagination

One of the most delightful impacts of music early childhood is its ability to spark creativity and imagination. When children are exposed to various genres and styles of music, they begin to appreciate diversity and creativity. This exposure encourages them to explore their creative potential.

Imaginative Play: Music often inspires creative play. Children might pretend to be rock stars, ballet dancers, or even a conductor, creating elaborate stories and scenarios.

Creative Thinking: Learning to play an instrument or compose simple songs fosters creative thinking. Children experiment with sounds and rhythms, developing problem-solving skills and innovative thinking.

Building a Strong Foundation for Learning

Incorporating music into early childhood education sets the stage for lifelong learning. The skills developed through musical activities extend beyond the immediate benefits and contribute to academic success and overall well-being.

Academic Success: Numerous studies have linked musical education to improved academic performance. Children who engage in musical activities tend to perform better in subjects like math and reading.

Stress Relief: Music can be a powerful stress reliever. Teaching children to use music as a coping mechanism helps them manage stress and anxiety effectively.

Harmonising Music and Daily Life

Integrating music into a child's daily routine doesn't have to be complicated. Simple activities like singing lullabies, playing background music during playtime, or even creating DIY instruments can significantly impact. Here are a few ideas:

Singing Together: Sing songs during bath time, bedtime, or car rides. It’s a fun way to bond and introduce new vocabulary.

Dance Parties: Have impromptu dance parties in the living room. Let your child move freely to the music, expressing themselves through dance.

DIY Instruments: Make simple instruments using household items. Pots and pans can become drums, and rice-filled bottles can be shakers.

Conclusion

The power of play-based learning development is truly remarkable. By incorporating music into your child's life, you're providing entertainment and nurturing their brain, fostering their emotional well-being, and igniting their creativity. So, next time you see a little one dancing to the beat, remember their brain is dancing too, growing stronger with every note.

Let the music play, and watch your child's development unfold like a beautiful symphony!

[weightlossandhealthtips]

Shedding Pounds with Sweat: The Truth About Exercise and Weight Loss

In the fight against the lump, practice frequently rules. However, is it genuinely the enchanted projectile for weight reduction? We should discard the wellness fantasies and jump into the study of how exercise adds to a slimmer you, investigating its true capacity, constraints, and the power it holds when joined with a sound eating routine.

The Calorie Condition: The Science Behind Exercise and Weight reduction

Weight reduction reduces to basic math: consume a bigger number of calories than you consume. Practice is an incredible calorie burner. Whether it’s a lively walk or an extreme HIIT exercise, your body uses energy during active work. The more overwhelming the activity, the more calories you consume. In any case, it’s not just about quick consumption. Practice too:

Helps Digestion: Customary actual work can somewhat raise your metabolic rate, meaning you consume more calories even very still.

Assembles Bulk: Muscle tissue consumes a greater number of calories than fat tissue, so developing muscle through fortitude preparation adds to long haul calorie use.

Past the Scale: The Extra Advantages of Activity for Weight reduction

Practice is a diverse weapon in your weight reduction stockpile. It offers a plenty of advantages past the numbers on the scale:

Craving Control: Exercise can direct chemicals that impact appetite and satiety, possibly checking desires and assisting you with feeling more full for longer.

Further developed Rest: Normal actual work advances better rest, which is significant for directing chemicals that affect weight on the board.

Stress Decrease: Exercise is a characteristic pressure reliever, and constant pressure can add to weight gain. By overseeing pressure, exercise can by implication help weight reduction.

Finding the Activity Fit: Picking Exercises You Appreciate

The way to practical weight reduction is finding exercise you appreciate. Here are a few hints:

Assortment is Vital: Stir up your daily practice with cardio, strength preparing, and fun exercises like moving or swimming.

Begin Slow and Continuously Increment Force: Don’t bounce into extraordinary exercises assuming you’re new to work out. Pay attention to your body and steadily increment span and force.

Track down an Exercise Mate: Having an accomplice can support inspiration and make practice more charming.

Investigate Wellness Classes: Gathering wellness classes offer a tomfoolery and social method for getting dynamic.

Practice Isn’t the Solitary Champion: The Force of Diet

While practice is an amazing asset, it’s anything but a free pass to indulge. Keep in mind, weight reduction fundamentally relies on a solid calorie shortage. Here’s the reason diet is vital:

Calorie Control Matters: Exercise consumes calories, however it’s hard to out-practice a less than stellar eating routine. A fair eating regimen with segment control is fundamental.

Supplement Rich Food sources: Spotlight on entire food varieties like organic products, vegetables, and lean protein to fuel your body and advance satiety.

The Cooperative energy of Diet and Exercise: The Triumphant Blend

For ideal weight reduction, consider diet and exercise as a powerful couple. A sound eating regimen makes the calorie deficiency, while practice enhances calorie consuming and helps in general wellbeing. This cooperative energy can accomplish this:

Quicker and More Maintainable Weight reduction: Consolidating a sound eating regimen with normal activity prompts quicker and more reasonable weight reduction contrasted with either approach alone.

Keep in mind: Weight reduction is an individual excursion. Try not to get deterred by mishaps, commend your advancement, and track down euphoria in moving your body. By embracing a solid way of life that incorporates both a decent eating routine and customary activity, you can shed pounds, feel phenomenal, and enable yourself to assume command over your wellbeing.

Reward Tip:

Counsel a medical services proficient or enlisted dietitian for customized direction on making a protected and powerful weight reduction plan custom-made to your singular requirements and objectives. We should move towards a better and more joyful you, one stage (or lurch) at a time!

👉For more articles visit website

[sciencestyled]

The Quirky Quarks of Wizardry Physics: How Your Favorite Spell Slingers Are Secret Science Nerds

Let’s dive right into the rabbit hole—no, scratch that—let’s cannonball into the pool of wizardry physics, where the laws of reality get a glitter-bomb makeover and your average classroom turns into a circus of floating elephants and wand-waving weirdos. Welcome to the only lecture where you’ll calculate the velocity of a flying broomstick faster than you can say "Snapchat filter gone rogue."

Now, strap on your seat belts—or should I say, your wizard hats—because we’re about to dissect the physics of magic like it's the latest celebrity scandal. Trust me, even TMZ doesn’t dig this deep.

First off, let’s talk energy. No, not the kind you need after a TikTok all-nighter, but the sort that powers a good old-fashioned Leviosa spell. You see, in the magical manuscripts and mega-movie franchises, lifting a feather is child’s play. But back here in the land of the physics-literate (or those who just really paid attention during science class), we're crunching numbers. Ever wonder how much juice you’d need to levitate a feather? Spoiler: it’s less than lifting a car, but more than your Wi-Fi lifting your spirits on a slow internet day.

Now, zooming on our broomsticks to flying—because who doesn’t want to dodge traffic with aerial finesse? The physics of broomstick aerodynamics is less “elegant flight” and more “controlled falling with style.” To keep our beloved witches and wizards airborne without invoking the name of every aerodynamics professor in a ten-mile radius, we calculate lift, drag, and—let's face it—a hefty dose of magical mumbo-jumbo. It's the kind of math that would make Newton drop his apple and grab a quill.

But let’s not forget the time-turners, those nifty gadgets that laugh in the face of Einstein’s space-time continuum. Time travel in literature makes skipping backwards smoother than a retro vinyl revival. In reality? Let's just say you'd need a power source beefier than the plot armor in a superhero flick. We’re talking about bending time like it's a twisty straw, and the energy required? It's like trying to power your entire house with a single AA battery—good luck with that.

And for the pièce de résistance: the Patronus charm. Oh, the shimmering, animal-shaped guardian that’s all sparkle and no sprinkle. In the wizard world, it’s your spirit animal unleashed with a flick. In our world? We’d be furiously calculating lumens, photon emissions, and the existential crisis of producing a corporeal animal out of sheer willpower and a dash of existential dread.

While we're at it, let's not forget the educational side of this pandemonium. Yes, amidst the chaos, there's a silver lining of science education. Each absurd calculation, each bizarre theory tested against the unyielding wall of scientific principles, serves a noble purpose: to meld minds with the mortar of knowledge and curiosity. It’s a wild ride through the cosmos of "What if?" and "Why not?" where every spell cast is a lesson in disguise, teaching us the limits of our understanding and the boundless potential of asking, "But can I make it explode?"

As we wrap up this madcap exploration, remember that wizardry physics isn't just about turning your brain into a pretzel with paradoxes. It’s about squinting at the line between the impossible and the improbable and deciding to erase it with a neon marker. It’s about understanding that sometimes, the most enlightening discoveries come from asking the silliest questions.

So, the next time you see a movie mage defying gravity or conjuring storms, chuckle at the audacity, then whip out your calculator. Because, who knows? That ridiculous bit of cinema might just inspire the next big scientific breakthrough. Or at the very least, make for some killer class discussions.

In conclusion, if you've ever pondered the energy expenditure of a fireball or the aerodynamics of an enchanted carpet, congratulations—you're doing wizardry physics. You're not just passively absorbing pop culture; you're engaging with it, turning every "Abracadabra!" into a potential "Eureka!" So, keep those wands and calculators ready, folks. Because in this class, the only thing more explosive than the experiments is the potential for mind-blowing enlightenment. And isn't that just magically marvelous?

[jcmarchi]

Lin Qiao, CEO & Co-Founder of Fireworks AI – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/lin-qiao-ceo-co-founder-of-fireworks-ai-interview-series/

Lin Qiao, CEO & Co-Founder of Fireworks AI – Interview Series

Lin Qiao, was formerly head of Meta’s PyTorch and is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fireworks AI. Fireworks AI is a production AI platform that is built for developers, Fireworks partners with the world’s leading generative AI researchers to serve the best models, at the fastest speeds. Fireworks AI recently raised a $25M Series A.

What initially attracted you to computer science?

My dad was a very senior mechanical engineer at a shipyard, where he built cargo ships from scratch. From a young age, I learned to read the precise angles and measurements of ship blueprints, and I loved it.

I was very much into STEM from middle school onward– everything math, physics and chemistry I devoured. One of my high school assignments was to learn BASIC programming, and I coded a game about a snake eating its tail. After that, I knew computer science was in my future.

While at Meta you led 300+ world-class engineers in AI frameworks & platforms where you built and deployed Caffe2, and later PyTorch. What were some of your key takeaways from this experience?

Big Tech companies like Meta are always five or more years ahead of the curve. When I joined Meta in 2015, we were at the beginning of our AI journey– making the shift from CPUs to GPUs. We had to design AI infrastructure from the ground up. Models like Caffe2 were groundbreaking when they were created, but AI evolved so fast that they quickly grew outdated. We developed PyTorch and the entire system around it as a solution.

PyTorch is where I learned about the biggest roadblocks developers face in the race to build AI. The first challenge is finding stable and reliable model architecture that is low latency and flexible so that models can scale. The second challenge is total cost of ownership, so companies don’t go bankrupt trying to grow their models.

My time at Meta showed me how important it is to keep models and frameworks like PyTorch open-source. It encourages innovation. We would not have grown as much as we had at PyTorch without open-source opportunities for iteration. Plus, it’s impossible to stay up to date on all the latest research without collaboration.

Can you discuss what led you to launching Fireworks AI?

I’ve been in the tech industry for more than 20 years, and I’ve seen wave after wave of industry-level shifts– from the cloud to mobile apps. But this AI shift is a complete tectonic realignment.  I saw lots of companies struggling with this change. Everyone wanted to move fast and put AI first, but they lacked the infrastructure, resources and talent to make it happen. The more I talked to these companies, the more I realized I could solve this gap in the market.

I launched Fireworks AI both to solve this problem and serve as an extension of the incredible work we achieved at PyTorch. It even inspired our name! PyTorch is the torch holding the fire– but we want that fire to spread everywhere. Hence: Fireworks.

I have always been passionate about democratizing technology, and making it affordable and simple for developers to innovate regardless of their resources. That’s why we have such a user-friendly interface and strong support systems to empower builders to bring their visions to life.

Could you discuss what is developer centric AI and why this is so important?

It’s simple: “developer-centric” means prioritizing the needs of AI developers. For example: creating tools, communities and processes that make developers more efficient and autonomous.

Developer-centric AI platforms like Fireworks should integrate into existing workflows and tech stacks. They should make it simple for developers to experiment, make mistakes and improve their work. They should encourage feedback, because its developers themselves who understand what they need to be successful. Lastly, it’s about more than just being a platform. It’s about being a community – one where collaborating developers can push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI.

The GenAI Platform you’ve developed is a significant advancement for developers working with large language models (LLMs). Can you elaborate on the unique features and benefits of your platform, especially in comparison to existing solutions?

Our entire approach as an AI production platform is unique, but some of our best features are:

Efficient inference – We engineered Fireworks AI for efficiency and speed. Developers using our platform can run their LLM applications at the lowest possible latency and cost. We achieve this with the latest model and service optimization techniques including prompt caching, adaptable sharding, quantization, continuous batching, FireAttention, and more.

Affordable support for LoRA-tuned models – We offer affordable service of low-rank adaptation (LoRA) fine-tuned models via multi-tenancy on base models. This means developers can experiment with many different use cases or variations on the same model without breaking the bank.

Simple interfaces and APIs – Our interfaces and APIs are straightforward and easy for developers to integrate into their applications. Our APIs are also OpenAI compatible for ease of migration.

Off-the-shelf models and fine-tuned models – We provide more than 100 pre-trained models that developers can use out-of-the-box. We cover the best LLMs, image generation models, embedding models, etc. But developers can also choose to host and serve their own custom models. We also offer self-serve fine-tuning services to help developers tailor these custom models with their proprietary data.

Community collaboration: We believe in the open-source ethos of community collaboration. Our platform encourages (but doesn’t require) developers to share their fine-tuned models and contribute to a growing bank of AI assets and knowledge. Everyone benefits from growing our collective expertise.

Could you discuss the hybrid approach that is offered between model parallelism and data parallelism?

Parallelizing machine learning models improves the efficiency and speed of model training and helps developers handle larger models that a single GPU can’t process.

Model parallelism involves dividing a model into multiple parts and training each part on separate processors. On the other hand, data parallelism divides datasets into subsets and trains a model on each subset at the same time across separate processors. A hybrid approach combines these two methods. Models are divided into separate parts, which are each trained on different subsets of data, improving efficiency, scalability and flexibility.

Fireworks AI is used by over 20,000 developers and is currently serving over 60 billion tokens daily. What challenges have you faced in scaling your operations to this level, and how have you overcome them?

I’ll be honest, there have been many high mountains to cross since we founded Fireworks AI in 2022.

Our customers first came to us looking for very low latency support because they are building applications for either consumers, prosumers or other developers— all audiences that need speedy solutions. Then, when our customers’ applications started to scale fast, they realized they couldn’t afford the typical costs associated with that scale. They then asked us to help with lowering total cost of ownership (TCO), which we did. Then, our customers wanted to migrate from OpenAI to OSS models, and they asked us to provide on-par or even better quality than OpenAI. We made that happen too.

Each step in our product’s evolution was a challenging problem to tackle, but it meant our customers’ needs truly shaped Fireworks into what it is today: a lightning fast inference engine with low TCO. Plus, we provide both an assortment of high-quality, out-of-the-box models to choose from, or fine-tuning services for developers’ to create their own.

With the rapid advancements in AI and machine learning, ethical considerations are more important than ever. How does Fireworks AI address concerns related to bias, privacy, and ethical use of AI?

I have two teenage daughters who use genAI apps like ChatGPT often. As a mom, I worry about them finding misleading or inappropriate content, because the industry is just beginning to tackle the critical problem of content safety. Meta is doing a lot with the Purple Llama project, and Stability AI’s new SD3 modes are great. Both companies are working hard to bring safety to their new Llama3 and SD3 models with multiple layers of filters. The input-output safeguard model, Llama Guard, does get a good amount of usage on our platform, but its adoption is not on par with other LLMs yet.  The industry as a whole still has a long way to go to bring content safety and AI ethics to the forefront.

We at Fireworks care deeply about privacy and security. We are HIPAA and SOC2 compliant, and offer secure VPC and VPN connectivity. Companies trust Fireworks with their proprietary data and models to build their business moat.

What is your vision for how AI will evolve?

Just as AlphaGo demonstrated autonomy while learning to play chess by itself, I think we’ll see genAI applications get more and more autonomous. Apps will automatically route and direct requests to the right agent or API to process, and course-correct until they retrieve the right output. And instead of one function-calling model polling from others as a controller, we’ll see more self-organized, self-coordinated agents working in unison to solve problems.

Fireworks’ lightning-fast inference, function-calling models and fine-tuning service have paved the way for this reality. Now it’s up to innovative developers to make it happen.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Fireworks AI.