#moni's not so interesting life

[astrologydayz]

ASTROLOGY FUCKING NOTES6❤️🍓🍒

PLUTO CONJUNCT/TRINE/QUINTILE MOON are the ones who’s always two steps ahead of everyone else. They're cunning, daring, & knowing - as in they see right through ya! They always pull through when it comes 2 seeing/knowing people's true intensions! - People may not always believe em fully at first, but they gon learn. Intuitive af really. They analyse&feel everything. EVERYTHING. ASC AT 3, 15, 27° = GEMINI DEGREE Are the ones always talking with/2 themselves fr, I love it😭😂😩😍. They're usually very open, non judgemental, talkative, & have no problems with sharing what's on their mind. They need something to be interesting 2 them, when talking to another person tho, cuz if not = they'll start to have a full blown conversation with themselves inside their head, bc they're bored😂. I've seen many unhealthy mama's boys with Juno conjunct/square their Moon - undying loyalty 2 their mother.

VENUS SQUARE/OPPOSITE/QUINCUNX SATURN can def show a person finding love/dating icky sometimes🥴🤢. They don't get the hype at all, until they're the ones experiencing something mindblowing. And if/when they stop dating (again?) = back 2 finding love icky again😂😂.

WEBB ASTEROID - 3041 CONJUNCT/SQUARE PREVERT ASTEROID - 18624 = issues with being a big pervert online - they can't help themselves. SUN SQUARE/QUINCUNX ASC can also show up as a person having no "true" role model in life, when it comes to men. Their dad can be a deadbeat/or they just don't talk a lot. And if/when they do talk = their dad could be trying 2 undermine/bully them a lot. "Father not fathering", "shattered image of what a father is", "daddy issues", being, or feeling fatherless.

URANUS SQUARE/OPPOSITE/QUINCUNX MOON people are the ones that can become emotionally detached all of a sudden - they don't even know why themselves a lot of the times. They can feel on and off emotionally, & think that nobody will ever be able to fully understand them emotionally. They're eccentric - They always get new ideas - disappearing for a while, and then coming back. They sometimes get themselves caught up into something exciting, and can completely forget 2 get back 2 who they planned 2 get back2, or forget to do what they planned 2 do.

MOON SQUARE/OPPOSITE MARS people are def the ones who loves trying people at times, even if it's just for the fun of it. They really give no fucks, it all depends on their mood fr. Queens/kings of passive aggressiveness, & usually issues with controlling their anger2. They always give the exact same energy back that they receive, just twice as hard. They won't bow down ever, no matter what. Pride is usually a big thing here. Can go from 0 to 100 real quick - quick reflexes also shows up a lot here.

VENUS CONJUNCT/SQUARE/QUINCUNX MENTOR ASTEROID - 3451 IN SYNASTRY = Asteroid person is the one teaching the Venus person, basically what love really is, by treating the Venus person 2 the exact opposite. Mentor person usually gives very hard lessons to Venus, so that the Venus person can find out what they truly NEED, & want when it comes to love. Not a fun aspect, but it's CRUCIAL 2 Venus person's growth here.

Something I've seen for years = if two people have a child together, & the child lives with the mother, & the dad pays the mom child support = Dad's Mony asteroid - 7782 conjunct/trine/quintile the Moon of the mother!

SUN CONJUNCT WILD ASTEROID - 1941 IN SYNASTRY = two people who usually starts their relationships - whatever kind of relationship that is, in a wild/crazy way - a wild situation that brings them together. Wild person is the one "dragging" the other person into it/or the wild person is the reason for this "situation"/relationship 2 be happening. Their relationship could also ofc just be "wild" in general, bc of the Wild person. VENUS CONJUNCT WILD ASTEROID - 1941 IN SYNASTRY = The wild person is the one bringing the "spice" into the relationship. Venus person loves how crazy, & wild the asteroid person can get! & they absolutely ADORE how the Wild person can be themselves with them unapologetically - Wild is in love with how the Venus person never turns their ideas down, but are usually equally into/excited about their requests/ideas! MERCURY CONJUNCT MEMORIA ASTEROID - 1247 IN SYNASTRY = Mercury person's voice/words going over, & over in the asteroid person's head. Can also show up as messages from Mercury person being saved & read over, & over again on the asteroids person's part. Voice messages from the Mercury person could also be heard over, & over again here.

URANUS CONJUNCT CLOSE ASTEROID - 54902 IN SYNASTRY = unexpected/sudden closeness from the "close" person 2 the Uranus person. Asteroid person didn't expect, like at all 2 suddenly relate, & start2 feel close 2 the Uranus person. "Shocked", "unexpected, "outta nowhere".

IXION ASTEROID - 28978 ASPECTING VENUS = An affinity for badboys/badgirls/criminals. Soft heart for those who are misunderstood - falling in love with "outcasts" of society. Or they can love being an outcast themselves, ofc.

IXION ASTEROID - 28978 CONJUNCT/SQUARE MC = Known/famous for being a troublemaker, "outcast", "someone that messes things up for themselves", a "bad boy/bad girl", known for being a criminal. SUN CONJUNCT KASSANDRA ASTEROID - 114 = a person being phenomenal at being right about their "predictions" in life. As in them knowing they're right in certain outcomes when it comes 2situations/people, but no one believes them - "Story of their life".

VENUS SQUARE/OPPOSITE/QUINCUNX AMOR ASTEROID - 1221 are the ones sacrificing themselves, to make others/their partner/s happy. They give way 2 much of themselves, at first - Until they learn the hard way, that there has to be an equal give, & take in any kind of relationship. &that their needs, &wants are just as important as others/their partner's. Hard lessons, but they're important.

BLACK MOON LILITH CONJUNCT/SQUARE/QUINCUNX JUPITER people lives life by their own rules. They have their own unique "religion", &morals that they go by. They truly follow no one in life, but themselves.

THANKS4READING BABE!!! I APPRECIATE U, ALWAYS🍒❤️

[justarandompersononthehellsite]

So... @muffinlance wrote a really awesome story. I read a post from a point in time, though I truly do not remember when since it seems like I've been working on this project forever, saying that she gives blanket permission for people to print and bind the story into a book (I think there was an also addendum saying that they do not give permission to be sold, since selling fic is illegal). This fic has had total control over my whole brain since it was sent to me (@creatorofthemind I believe it was you, so thank you forever for tuning me into it) back during the days of like chapter six or seven.

So here I am now, sharing this amazing journey of my first ever bookbinding adventure. Further reading below.

So to give you an idea of what's going on, this is a fanfiction about Zuko (Avatar the Last Airbender) (animated show version, the LA show did not exist yet and we do not speak of the movie) being adopted by Hakoda, Father of Katara and Zuko. (This might have also been what kicked off the Give Zuko A Parent craze, but don't fact check me.)

Overall, the characters from the show stick very well to the cannon versions, but where MuffinLance really shines is in the rich backstories and fleshed out feeling of all the non cannon elements. Especially the background characters. I would argue that the writing in this peice of fanwork could easily rival the cannon show at many points of comparison.

Now that you have context, we can get into the actual process.

To start, I used this guide to figure out where to even begin, and fount the included resource list to also be quite helpful. I cannot for the LIFE OF ME figure out where I found the template I used for the front matter and such, but it must be somewhere and I will link to it when I inevitably come across it again.

Then I began to typeset. This step took... a long time. I worked in chunks from about September of 2022 to late March of 2024. I would get a big section done, sometimes even the entire thing, but then find I hated the way I had done it and give up for months at a time. Such is the life of ADHD and flitting interest in projects I suppose.

And then finally, step one was done, and I was left with pages on a word document that look like this. (And do please let me know if you want the link to the document. It was so much work, and I would love to not be the only one to use it.)

Next step was printing out this beast. Ended up being about eight pages of front matter, and about 630 pages of body text.

That I printed wrong.

Twice.

Before finally getting it right. And then not getting a picture of it, because I finished at 4 am and had work at 7, and am also an idiot.

Then I simply stitched along, putting everything together into a beautiful text block.

And came up with a design for the cover.

Yes the glue did end up lumpy. Ignore it.

Yes I did have to sketch out the design onto a scraped page several times before I figured out what I was doing. Ignore that too.

The cover design does wrap around the entire cover. No I did not get a picture before I glued the thing down. See again: I'm an idiot. And just... massively impatient.

Finally, we get to the stage of gluing. Behold, my bookpress.

Of course, topped with Madam MuffinLances own actual professional-people book, Fox's Tounge and Kirin's Bone. It is Excelent. Here is the LINK so you can go and support this amazing author with the real-monies as well as the internet-kudos.

Then, once everything is glued together, one must give the book its "gilt" edges.

[starryjkoo]

will always find it so interesting how army made the "jk is a minimoni anti" joke about him being jealous over namjoon....

https://x.com/jklovesjoon/status/1870891537451950488

Oh my god, that video 😬 just… so corny and unfunny. My thing is, why wouldn’t they just make it a namjikook throuple thing - aren’t ARMYs all about poly-BTS? That’s why the ARMYs who make it about only n*mkook are so transparent to me… 👀

Anyways, imo one of the reasons for this is because there’s actually a lot of HL x JM/JK shippers in this fandom who feel a similar way about Jikook as tkkrs do (just not as extreme lol). Maybe 90% of the fandom are shippers & that also includes a lot of HL x ML shippers who operate like, well, shippers. It doesn’t really matter if they think their ship is real or not, it’s still pretty common to feel jealous/resentful when another “rival” ship is getting all the moments they want for their own ship - especially when a lot of BTS shippers are basically Y/N’s who heavily project onto one member of their ship while being infatuated with the other.

This is pretty common in shipping in general, tons of fictional ships have absolutely batshit insane fanwars so it wouldn’t surprise me if there were lots of non-serious BTS shippers who also got weird and dismissive about Jikook out of the same kind of petty jealousy that tkkrs feel. They don’t even have to be a shipper to feel that way tbh, some people are just really attached to the idea of their faves being the closest (and I’m not saying everyone who ships other pairings that involve JM/JK feel this way, plenty are normal and even like jkk, but there’s definitely a large enough group who are super weird about it…)

I think this is one of the reasons why so many Jikook moments get so heavily OT7-ified compared to other duos. The way that the fandom still refers to JK’s JM live as JK’s "BTS content" live is the biggest example of this to me, it’s actually insane. I remember the way the quotes were just full of people talking about how much JK “missed his hyungs” and how he’s “watching BTS content just like me!”. It felt like none of them even acknowledged that it was a Jimin teasing video either, the whole thing was pretty wild. It's sort of the same situation with AYS and the kinds of clips that would circulate ARMY spaces vs the ones that were noticeably absent.

Like, can you imagine how many ARMYs were probably a little bothered by JK saying that the AYS trips were the best of his life? - literally every brand of JK shipper + the really intense OT7 ARMYs who want to think that they’re only happy as seven and have no individuality outside of being a group, hopefully you know the sort of ARMYs I mean, obviously I know JK loves the group and I’m sure the next BV will be very meaningful.

Anyways, sorry for giving you such a long and serious answer to this lmao 😭 it’s a petty rant and not that big of a deal or anything, but it’s just kind of tiring the way this fandom is constantly downplaying jkks bond, picking it apart and making it about other members. It would be nice if they could just give jkk their flowers and celebrate their moments w/out so much obvious jealousy or whatever. And ofc I don’t care what other people ship or if someone wants to make that whole mini/moni thing about nmkook because they ship it, it’s just annoying that those people will pose as non-biased ARMYs and how all of that has really impacted the whole fandom climate & how jikook are treated/talked about. It’s definitely not the end of the world or anything, but it annoys me enough to rant about every now and then lol.

Also, ofc I know there’s plenty of cool non-jkkr ARMYs who do totally appreciate and hype Jikook!! Maybe even the majority of them are totally normal about it, it’s just that there's enough people who are like this that it’s noticeable and annoying.

I was talking about this with someone the other day but - I’m not sure if you know what a “NOTP” is - I’m pretty sure Jikook make up the majority of NOTPs in the fandom lol.

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss on Bringing Robot Love to Broadway With ‘Maybe Happy Ending’

Chances are the multi-talented Darren Criss is as cross-eyed as the rest of us are with the twists and turns his career has taken over the past 13 years. In 2009, he began in television with six years of Glee, playing the lead singer of the Warblers, and helping power a Warblers focused soundtrack album to Number 2 on the Billboard album chart. Then in 2018 he switched fromsinging to spree killing, giving a stunning, steel-plated performance as Andrew Cunanan in Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. That got him a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy and set people to thinking there might be a serious actor lurking inside that singer.

Before that could be settled, the singer reemerged, as a replacement in a Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, raking in $4 million during his three weeks. That was followed with an Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theater and a stint in Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Belasco Theater.

Two years ago, the actor was back when producer Jeffrey Richards hired him for some deep-dish David Mamet drama, American Buffalo. Now Richardshas returned Criss to the Belasco, and singing, for an original Broadway musical, Maybe Happy Ending—a very original musical, in that it’s about the love life of robots in Seoul circa 2064.

You’ll not find much of that Glee guy you know and love in the character Criss plays in Maybe Happy Ending, a lonely Helperbot robot who putters aimlessly about his tiny apartment, listens to jazz and devotes all his TLC to a favorite pot plant. That changes swiftly when a female form of Helperbot, Claire (Helen J Shen), drops by to borrow his charger. Sparks fly, then conversation, and inevitably a kind of amorous connection.

Despite the nuts and bolts, what we have here is basically a rom-com, with a charming book and score by a couple of NYU classmates.

Actually, there are two books and two scores, one in English, one in Korean. Will Aronson, 43, of New Haven, composed the music, and Hue Park, 41 of South Korea wrote the lyrics. Once they did that, they put their heads together and wrote “connecting tissue”—a play in praise of love’s rejuvenating effects. Even robots at the end of their warranty are susceptible.

Evidently, Hue won the toss because the Korean version premiered first—in Seoul, where the story is set—and proved to be such a success that stateside productions were put together. The English edition made its first U.S. appearance two years ago at Atlanta’s Alliance Theater, where The New York Times’ Jesse Green deemed it “Broadway-ready.” Thus, we now have a live-action robot show going strong on West 44th.

The terror of doing this kind of production, Criss confesses, is that actors are afraid they’ll look like cartoons of their character, taking big, blocky robot steps around the stage. “The show has no listed choreographer,” he tells Observer. But he feels he has that situation well in hand. He and director Michael Arden “have taken a particular interest in making sure the physicality is distinct,” he says. “And I’d be remiss not to mention  a teacher at Juilliard, Moni Yakim, who had some Zoom discussion with us about this.

“It’s kind of a cocktail of those three things: Moni’s suggestions, Michael’s pursuit of perfection and my own interest in physical theater. It’s a skill set that I’ve never been able to utilize—at least to this level. When I was in college, I took a semester off so that I could study physical theater at the Accademia dell’Arte, the performing arts school in Arezzo, Italy.”

A cast of four inhabit the show: Dez Duron, Marcus Choi, Criss, and Shen. You may detect a little kinetic energy between Criss and Shen. That’s because they both attended the University of Michigan—albeit, not at the same time. “She graduated about two seconds ago, and I may have graduated a little longer ago than that,” concedes Criss.

“She graduated two years ago, and 10 years ago my name was up on the marquee at the Belasco Theater. And to be able to come back to the Belasco—but this time to share that billing with a fellow Michigan grad—is a very special moment for me. I’m now the upper-class man to the freshman of Helen J Shen. This is her Broadway debut. It’s a big moment for her, and getting to see her through that on stage—to call that a job is really a special thing for me.”

The enthusiasm Criss brings to the stage is practically palpable—and he still remembers where it came from: encountering Robin Williams at an impressionably early age in the 1992 animated Disney flick, Aladdin, in which his outrageous Genie-jiving was almost heart-stoppingly hilarious.

“I was probably six or seven—and I noticed how this audience connected with each other and with this Genie on the screen. I was very taken with that idea, and I wanted to give people what this Genie was giving them. Then, I found out the voice of that Genie was Robin Williams, who was such a prominent figure out in San Francisco, where I grew up. That made it an accessible concept: ’Oh, Mr. Williams is an actor. I’d like to be an actor, too.’ So I hopped right on it.”

[synergysilhouette]

Saw "Moana 2" and...(Review with Spoilers)

In retrospect, I'm not surprised that Disney's highest-grossing Disney princess movie (not adjusted for inflation and Anna and Elsa aren't part of the Disney princess line) got a sequel. That said, given the track record Disney has had lately since "Strange World," I'm also not surprised with the decline in quality. So here's my thoughts on it in 3 points.

The music is...different--Thankfully, Disney got the same people to do the score, but when the film was envisioned as a TV show, they decided not to approach Lin-Manuel Miranda (or maybe he was busy) and instead approached Barlow and Bear for the music. Now to be fair, the soundtrack is NOT bad, but it's not as good, either; Matangi's song feels very showtune-y rather than an epic song set in the Pacific Islands, and every song except Moana's feels like a downgrade. Granted, I do blame this on the transition probably not giving them as much time to grow and change the songs, but I still find it to be disappointing. I think the songwriters could've been better suited for an original film and Disney get LMM back the moment they decided to make a sequel film.

2. The new characters aren't anything special--First off, Simea doesn't do anything to impact the plot in a way another character couldn't. When you give the main character a sibling in a sequel, you expect them to have an impact. Simea's goal was likely to show the bigger stakes Moana could face and all the leaves behind, but the first film was also life or death for her and her people, and her parents could still serve as what she leaves behind, especially since they're older and Moana takes on new responsibilities. Moni as a storyteller seems like he should be a source of encouragement and remind Moana of her grandmother, instead of a fanboy. Plus why he reveres Maui despite him almost destroying the world would be interesting to explore. Loto being the science-y girl in a world with clear fantasy elements would be interesting to explore, especially since she doesn't seem offended or in denial of it. Kele is supposed to be the farmer, but visually, we don't see how that comes into play that much. Moana pretty much does most of the work. Matangi is also just a servant to the main antagonist Nalo, but he isn't interesting or symbolic like Te Ka, and Matangi is a weird mix of villain and helper. I'd have rathered she was a villain akin to Eris from "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" and was simply outwitted by Moana. Her small role and message of getting lost felt underutilized. And it's SAD that the Kakamora feels more interesting than the rest of Moana's crew. The wayfinders at the end of the film and in the art book looked much more interesting, and I'd have enjoyed them filling the roles Kele, Moni, and Loto had. On the bright side, Moana as a character wasn't ruined, even if the film didn't do any favors for her.

3. There's no real message and the plot is very boring--The film continues on the message of the restoration of cultural identity, but nothing the characters experience really show a conflict that threatens that. In the first film, sailing and wayfinding is forbidden due to Te Ka's influence causing the ocean to be tempestuous. As such, they lost a big part of their culture. Maybe the film could've focused on Nalo (or Matangi) venturing out to destroy Moana rather than her coming to him due to her possibly being the hero to unite the people across the Pacific. They'd manipulate the humans and cause rifts between the people of Motunui. It'd be more domestic, but perhaps have Moana going to different islands, meeting other wayfinders, and trying to weed out Nalo's deception could work. This is all assuming you wanted a strict villain over a trickster deity or a more nuanced antagonist. And side note, but the modern dialogue (ie butt dialing, hair flip, and fanfic were so cringey to me).

Overall, the film is...fine. I need to hear about what was going on during production, because I can't blame it all on "it was gonna be a tv show first." It wasn't as good as the first film, nor would it win a "battle of the sequels" with "Frozen 2," but it's better than "Wish," and while that's a low bar, it's something I could be happy with for a brief period. 5/10

(And I'll probably add this film to my "alternate take on the Disney revival era" post--but I'd like to hear a little bit more about the production for the film before I do.)

[zabchan]

I JUST got into hooked wayfinder and wanna know, do you think anything for Maui and Moana’s relationship being romantic be confirmed in the movie?? Or do you think the new male character will be more “intended” to be a potential partner? Honestly I’m not sure what direction Disney is planning to go, but I love your fanfics. I also see there was a ton of stuff that came out in 2016/17 for hooked waydinder ships too, such a shame I’m so late

:D welcome new friend! Realistically I figure we won't get any kind of confirmation in movie for a mxm romance beyond some highly subjective lingering looks- part of it being that moana is so heavily set up as a modern non-romantic princess. And that's not a bad thing! I'm 100% behind representation of well rounded self actualized heroines for whom romance is not a priority. its important for current and future generations to have role models who don't define themselves by their partners or partner-having potential, especially girls of color, who have gotten the short end of the stick for the majority of media history.

i personally ship moana x maui of course, because im a hopeless romantic and bisexual disaster for these two- but if moana never gets a romance it wont make me stop loving her character and story.

The other reason I doubt we'll see much overt romance is that Dwayne Johnson identifies so heavily with Maui that I can't see him comfortable with 19ish year old Moana being his self insert's love interest. especially with him wanting to fully act Maui in the live action. its one thing to voice some slightly suggestive and tender flirtations, its another to stare a teenage co-actor in the eye and not see very nearly your own daughters. of which johnson has 3, the eldest of whom is 20. (ish?)

Disney is not about to piss off The Rock.

I could write another essay on how Dwayne Johnson =/= maui, and while Mr.Johnson is entitled to his interpretation of the character he helped bring to life; I am also allowed to have my own interpretation, especially here, in the pseudo private realm. but I digress.

That's not to say there's not gonna be plenty of shipper fuel! I mean, idk if you've seen my unhinged screaming posts lately but

AHHHHHHHHH THE HUG! THE GAZES! THE MANHANDLING!

i can very easily see big dumb giant hints that at least moana has a crush on maui, and there is CLEARLY affection between them. at least in the promo material, the focus is on moana and maui teaming up again and we barely see her interact with our new storyteller apprentice & maui-fanboy Moni. he does hug her when he joins the crew, and we see Moni as the vehicle for several exposition dumps. I could see a possible romance, they have a shared interest in stories and on the surface he seems like a lovable cinnamon roll. (I'm projecting). i wouldn't hate that outcome. i also see him positioned next to Loni the ship-designer, our other near-moana's-age crewmate, fellow boat enthusiast and possible love interest *eyebrow wiggle*.

i headcanon moana as bi- altho thats not saying much, as i have a bad(?) habit of headcanoning EVERYone as bi

me, pointing at every character i remotely relate to: "youre all

so i can see moana happy with any of the 3 (maui, moni and loto)- or hell, why not all three?

i find it more probable that moni and loto get paired up as side characters, both of them seem enamored with the ideas of ocean-adventures; moni with his stories and loto with her boat designs, but not truly understanding the reality of seafaring. i can imagine actually going out and doing the things for real has quite a learning curve, and there's a built-in bonding experience. They start on a much more equal footing to one another than they do to Moana the chiefly hero, present and future legend.

as to being late to the fandom, heyyyy this is great timing!!! sequel hype is building, and im already feasting on the promo content- the actual movie release is gonna leave me feral for AT LEAST another year. if by November 2025 no one other than you ships moana x maui then I AM DEAD because aint no way they can squash my candle for this. even if the movie turns out shite i'll be there working on a fix it fic (that i will agonize over and probably never finish because of Who I Am As A Person but yeah know. #justadhdthings)

thank you for your kind words about my fanfictions, altho i read that & my brain immediately went "whoops i hope theyre messaging the right person, did they maybe mean to compliment @thehighpriestessofcuddles? or maybe @v8roadworrier?" because whohoo imposter syndrome. #justadhdthings

[might-be-tiny-gt]

Last year I wrote a story about a streamer who shrinks based on chat donations. I meant it as a one shot, but guys…. GUYSSSSS.

I think about this story ‘s universe a lot. I have lore notes just collecting dust and I need to share it or I might go absolutely mad XD Made these visuals charts to get the basics across but if you’re interested in my lore and semantic ramblings, feel free to read below the cut.

Consider this my unofficial pitch bible for Down Played.

General premise: Monica Diaz is Twitch streamer with steadily growing fan base. Her tag is MiniMushroom and her aesthetic is cottage core. She loves all things magical and tiny, especially toadstool mushrooms, that’s the image most associated with her “brand.” She’s approached by a mysterious benefactor who has developed technology specifically for Monica to test and utilize for her streams. It’s called Byte-Syzed Tech and it connects to a user’s twitch stream and based on the user’s preferences, gives the audience the ability to change the user’s height. The one shot I wrote takes place during Monica’s first live use of Byte-Syzed tech on stream. If I were to develop this into a full story I’d probably go back a bit and start around when Monica is first approached about using Byte-Syzed tech then continue to follow Monica adjusting to using Byte-Syzed more often. How she deals with the size change on camera, off camera, how her social and personal life are affected, all that good stuff. I think it would like a slice of life feel good kinda story.

Characters:

- Monica - Main character and primary user of Byte-Syzed tech. Surprisingly enough, she’s actually a law school grad who probably would have put her degree to use if she didn’t accidentally gain a massive following on twitch. Funny how life works out. She stands at 6’4 and always was fascinated with the idea of being small (Basically, she’s a g/t nerd who doesn’t know what g/t is) so being gifted Byte-Syzed and being able to use it on stream is kinda a dream come true.

- Kim - Monica’s girlfriend, roommate, and stream moderator. Kim and Monica were high school sweethearts but drifted apart in college due to personal matters in Kim’s life including having to drop out of college. Kim and Monica rekindled their relationship a few years later and Kim cites Monica and her encouragement as a big reason why she’s been able to get her life back together. She’s currently back in college working on getting her degree in Mathematics.

- The Twitch Team- Moni hosts solo streams but also very often collabs with three of her online friends. Ariel (@Lifeisthebubbles), a Vtuber who is the only one Moni has met in person. Corey (@McDonuts) an NB asmrist on youtube who started streaming games for fun. And Phin (@UrguyPhin) Corey's bf and the competitive gamer of the four. All three of them were streaming with Monica when she first used Byte-Syzed and have since gotten used to pausing their games so an ever shrinking Monica can adjust her set up.

- The Benefactors- Keeping their (Plural, there are two of them) exact identity to myself for the time being, but basically they’re mad scientists with the best intentions. Their antics have garnered attention across the internet as they have created and gifted inventions to up and coming online creators that seem to defy all laws of physics. Anti Gravity chambers, a literal money tree, a mask the morphs the wearer’s face, and now the Byte-Syzed size changing tech. Despite their inventions going viral, their identities have remained hidden. So what is their deal? They’re just big fans of these creators and for lack of drawing skills have gifted them weird inventions instead. Nerds… Due to the nature of Byte-Syzed and the possible effects it can have on the human body, Monica and Kim remain in close contact with them.

How Byte-Syzed Works in Universe: This I wrote tons of notes about when I first thought of the idea. Byte-Syzed can be divided into three key components; The program, the arm band monitor, and the sync suit.

The Program is installed on the user’s computer and connects directly to the arm band monitor and sync suit. The program has user friendly set up that allows the user to input the direction of height change (Shrink or Grow), The minimum or maximum height change, How height change occurs (By views, chat commands, donations, etc.), and rate of height change (How much height is gained or lost with each instance of viewer interaction.) EX: If height is based on donations, the user can set it up so they lose 1 inch for every 10 dollars donated. They can set the minimum height to 6 inches, so once they’ve received enough donations that they have shrunk down to 6 inches, Byte-Syzed will hold at that height. More donations may come in after, but the height will remain at 6 inches for the duration of the stream.)

The Arm Band Monitor, is the device the physically changes the user’s height after connecting to the Byte-Syzed Program. It also monitors and display’s the user’s current height and vitals. All data collected from the arm band will then be saved and can be referenced later if the band is connected to the computer. The arm band must be kept on at all times during active use and active reset of Byte-Syzed. Active use is the time in which Byte-Syzed is being used in a stream and the user’s height is actively changing. Active reset refers to time after the stream has ended and the user is either set at their new current height or in the process of returning to their normal height. After a stream has ended the user will remain at their changed height until they press the reset button on the monitor. Once the reset button is active, the user will return to their normal height at 1.5 times the amount of time it took to change to their current changed height. EX: A user has finished a stream that was 4 hours. They hit the reset button which will return them to normal over the course of 6 hours. (4x1.5=6) This only applies for time Byte-Syzed was in use, not how long a size change occurred. EX: If the user’s stream was 4 hours, but they reached their minimum height in 3 hours, the reset function will account for the 4 hours the stream lasted. This is a safety procedure to reduce stress on the user’s body. Note: If the reset button is not pressed, the user will remain at their changed height for a period of 12 hours. After 12 hours, the reset function will kick in automatically.

The Synchronized Suit or Sync Suit is directly connected to the Byte-Syzed program and will grow and shrink with the user at the same rate as the user. Normal clothing can be worn above it but they will not change size with the user, only the sync suit. The sync suit Monica received came with the suit, shoes, and a headset with a built in microphone to keep audio input even over the course of her size changing. More sync suits are in the process of being designed and produced, with the goal of making sync suits that resemble everyday clothing like t shirts or skirts.

Fun Story Ideas:

- Origin story. How Monica met the benefactors and was gifted Byte-Syzed, her and Kim’s gripes about using it, actually going through with it and the pros and cons she noticed, the end of her first size changing stream and dealing with being tiny in her own room and her girlfriend’s hands. Etc etc

- Monica finished a late night stream using byte Syzed and forgets to press reset when she goes to sleep so instead of growing back over the course of the night she wakes up at her tiny size. After realizing her mistake she begins the growth process but now has to do it while attempting to do her regular day time activities.

- Monica is approached by a doll company to collaborate on a new doll based on her, only issue, their studio is several hours away and they want her to model at both her full height and at the height of the dolls. After some consideration Monica and Kim decide to take a road trip to the studio and use Byte Syzed at the studio under Kim’s careful supervision. What could go wrong?

- Months have passed and Kim and Monica have grown well adjusted to the major size difference between them after Monica finishes a byte syze stream, however curiosity has gotten the best of her and Kim wonders what it would be like to be the tiny one for a change.

If you have read this far, you have my eternal gratitude. Thanks for reading this far, I really hope you liked it XD Maybe if time and motivation allows I can flesh the story out.

[misfitwashere]

We thank you, Joe

Tonight is for you

Robert Reich

Aug 19, 2024

Friends,

Tonight’s opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will be an opportunity for the Democratic Party and the nation to take stock of Joe Biden’s term of office and thank him for his service.

He still has five months to go as president, of course, but the baton has been passed.

Biden’s singular achievement has been to change the economic paradigm that reigned since Reagan and return to one that dominated public life between 1933 and 1980 — and is far superior to the one that has prevailed since.

Biden’s democratic capitalism is neither socialism nor “big government.” It is, rather, a return to an era when government organized the market for the greater good.

The Great Crash of 1929 followed by the Great Depression taught the nation a crucial lesson that we forgot after Reagan’s presidency: markets are human creations. The economy that collapsed in 1929 was the consequence of allowing nearly unlimited borrowing, encouraging people to gamble on Wall Street, and permitting the Street to take huge risks with other people’s money.

Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration reversed this. They stopped the looting of America. They also gave Americans a modicum of economic security. During World War II, they put almost every American to work.

Subsequent Democratic and Republican administrations enlarged and extended democratic capitalism. Wall Street was regulated, as were television networks, airlines, railroads, and other common carriers. CEO pay was modest. Taxes on the highest earners financed public investments in infrastructure (such as the national highway system) and higher education.

America’s postwar industrial policy spurred innovation. The Department of Defense and its Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration developed satellite communications, container ships, and the internet. The National Institutes of Health did trailblazing basic research in biochemistry, DNA, and infectious diseases.

Public spending rose during economic downturns to encourage hiring. Antitrust enforcers broke up AT&T and other monopolies. Small businesses were protected from giant chain stores. Labor unions thrived. By the 1960s, a third of all private-sector workers were unionized. Large corporations sought to be responsive to all their stakeholders.

But then America took a giant U-turn. The OPEC oil embargo of the 1970s brought double-digit inflation followed by Fed Chair Paul Volcker’s effort to “break the back” of it by raising interest rates so high that the economy fell into deep recession.

All of which prepared the ground for Reagan’s war on democratic capitalism. From 1981 onward, a new bipartisan orthodoxy emerged that markets functioned well only if the government got out of the way.

The goal of economic policy thereby shifted from the common good to economic growth, even though Americans already well-off gained most from that growth. And the means shifted from public oversight of the market to deregulation, free trade, privatization, “trickle-down” tax cuts, and deficit reduction — all of which helped the monied interests make even more money.

The economy grew for the next 40 years, but median wages stagnated, and inequalities of income and wealth surged. In sum, after Reagan’s presidency, democratic capitalism — organized to serve public purposes — all but disappeared. It was replaced by corporate capitalism, organized to serve the monied interests.

**

Joe Biden revived democratic capitalism. He learned from the Obama administration’s mistake of spending too little to pull the economy out of the Great Recession that the pandemic required substantially greater spending, which would also give working families a cushion against adversity. So he pushed for and got the giant $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.

This was followed by a $550 billion initiative to rebuild the nation’s bridges, roads, public transit, broadband, water, and energy systems. He championed the biggest investment in clean energy sources in American history — expanding wind and solar power, electric vehicles, carbon capture and sequestration, and hydrogen and small nuclear reactors. He then led the largest public investment ever made in semiconductors, the building blocks of the next economy. Notably, these initiatives were targeted to companies that employ American workers.

Biden also embarked on altering the balance of power between capital and labor, as had FDR. Biden put trustbusters at the head of the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department. And he remade the National Labor Relations Board into a strong advocate for labor unions.

Unlike his Democratic predecessors Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Biden did not reduce all trade barriers. He targeted them to industries that were crucial to America’s future — semiconductors, electric batteries, electric vehicles. Unlike Trump, Biden did not give a huge tax cut to corporations and the wealthy.

It’s also worth noting that, in contrast with every president since Reagan, Biden did not fill his White House with former Wall Street executives. Not one of his economic advisers — not even his treasury secretary — is from the Street.

The one large blot on Biden’s record is Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden should have been tougher on him — refusing to provide him offensive weapons unless Netanyahu stopped his massacre in Gaza. Yes, I know: Hamas began the bloodbath. But that is no excuse for Netanyahu’s disproportionate response, which has made Israel a pariah and endangered its future. Nor an excuse for our complicity.

***

One more thing needs to be said in praise of Joe Biden. He did something Donald Trump could never do: He put his country over ego, ambition, and pride. He bowed out with grace and dignity. He gave us Kamala Harris.

Presidents don’t want to bow out. Both Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson had to be shoved out of office. Biden was not forced out. He did nothing wrong. His problem is that he was old and losing some of the capacities that dwindle with old age.

Even among people who are not president, old age inevitably triggers denial. How many elderly people do you know who accept that they can’t do the things they used to do or think they should be able to do? How many willingly give up the keys to their car? It’s not surprising he resisted.

Yet Biden cares about America and was aware of the damage a second Trump administration could do to this nation, and to the world. Biden’s patriotism won out over any denial or wounded pride or false sense of infallibility or paranoia.

For this and much else, we thank you, Joe.

[afra-blueraz]

Happy Blog Anniversary

It's my 1 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳. I drew a tiny doodle because I'm already busy enough and didn't have enough time for a new artwork. I made my anniversary post as an appreciation post to my friends.

It's been a year since I create this blog and officially joined the fandom. Of course, I have been familiar with the fandom for more than a year, but one year ago on this day, I decided to create this blog and officially work in the fandom. Time really flies. I can't believe it's been a year. In this one year, many good and bad things happened to me in this fandom. I met many people and got to know different people. With all the good and bad things and with all the kind and mean people, this has been a wonderful year and I am so happy to celebrate this day with my friends.

@its-irsaa-fyp : My dear Irsa. My best friend and my life. I can't say how happy I am to meet you. I will never forget the day when I saw your comment that you said that Rukiyui is your favorite ship and it made me jump to your DM and chat with you. That day I realized how much we have similar opinions and interests. I will never forget that you always supported me when some people made me sad. And I will never forget how you made me not leave this fandom and love it more and more. And also how much we both admire Yui and she is our queen. I am happy that I met you and it was the best thing in my life. I love you 💘🥺❤️.

Admin Ava: Ava, my dear friend. I love you very much Thank you for always supporting me and supporting me in making a blog for DL fandom. You are so kind and I will never forget your love and support. I love you my dear friend 💘🥰.

Semra: Dear Semra, even though you left the fandom, I will never forget your support and kindness. I had the best role-play with your lovely OC. Yuu will forever remain in my heart and she will forever be Yui's best friend. The memories of you and your OC will always remain in my heart.

@shuyui-nether : My dear cousin and my dear sister. I'm sorry that I dragged you to diahell 😅. In real life you are the closest person to me and I am happy that you are with me in this fandom. I love you.

@seaoflove07 : Dear Christine, you were one of the first people who supported me and my blogs. You are very kind and I can't say how much I appreciate that whenever I was not feeling well, I talked to you and you gave me peace 😭🥺. I love you very much and I hope this friendship will grow.

@callmeklair: Well, I must say that wherever there is a Yui stan, that person will become my best friend 🤭😅. I don't know how this friendship started. I just remember that we talked and became best friends. Maybe Yui affects us so much that she makes us like each other quickly. I am very happy that I met you and we made a small friendship group with you and our friends 🥰💘. I hope this friendship will last forever.

@diabolik-art-blog : Moni, my energetic and funny girl. Thank you very much for always making me laugh and making me feel happy even in the worst situations. I admire your immense energy and your creativity in creating new stories. You make our friendship group happier and full of laughter, and I am very happy to have an energetic and kind friend like you 😘🥰💘.

@uusercatt367 : Well, here is one of my favorite artists. And as I said, wherever I see a Yui stan, that person is my friend. I also love your OCs and I admire your love for Yui. I hope we interact more and more in future 🥰💘.

Honorable mentions: @gagad @yuukanaazu @diakaoni @midnight-glasses @hoshikoyuuki @rukiyui-fanblog @nowothingistired @yuiistan @kashifah @hellcatinnc @anin13 @dialovers-lover-xoxo : Thank you all for your support. I hope we will interact more in the coming years.

[the-night-writer1]

The last art you posted had Mony crying and looking at his phone with a picture of him and SWK, what happened? Also, does he have powers like Macaque? I may be a little crazy by asking but, is it possible for him and Wukong to "revive" Macaque by putting his soul on a new body? I am very sure the answer is a "no" but i've read so many fics that it made me doubt this possibility... Sorry for asking too much tho. Just curious about the future of this wonderful au

To answer the last question first, to fully revive Macaque would be the end of Mony. As the two are inseparably linked the reincarnation cycle was interrupted by lbd which why Macaque's soul has not been repurposed to be fully Mony. Yet removing Mac would kill Mony slowly and almost did in season 3 of this au.

Second answer since Mony isn't a complete reincarnation he doesn't have all of Macaque's abilities unless Mac has completely taken over temporarily. It's like he doesn't have the access to the skill. He can't hear the past and can barely hear the future. He can travel through shadows and manipulate them slightly (like not needing shadow puppets) but he can't go war form or make shadow clones. He has similar physical strength but also fights differently from Macaque

This lovely picture takes place during a period of time I like to call "Mony questioning life"

Mony discovers that Wukong originally was only interested in him in order to mend things with Macaque's spirit. In this period of time Mony isolated himself and questioned if Wukong only cares about him for the previous life he had and how long Mony was wearing rose colored glasses. Meanwhile Wukong is trying to find a way to prove he does care about Mony for Mony not Macaque

[hyungieyoongi]

Breeze

Pairing: Namjoon x Reader

Genre: Angst + Fluff + Friends to Lovers

Word Count: 600+

A/N: Requested by the sweetest bean @milk-and-moni​. I am so soft for Joonie. I hope you love it. 

Becoming friends with Namjoon was like opening a window and letting in a cool breeze on a summer day—easy, refreshing, perfect. It was the type of friendship that made you stop and smile to yourself, thinking about how lucky you were to have someone who understood you entirely. Namjoon was someone who listened so intently when you told him stories about your day. Who remembered your favorite coffee order and made you laugh so hard your sides would hurt. He would take you on trips to his favorite museums, spending hours excitedly telling you about the pieces that spoke to him. You spent more time watching his eyes light up with childlike abandon and less time looking at the priceless art adorning the walls.

Falling in love with him was even easier. It didn’t happen all at once—there was never a moment of intense realization that your feelings for this man had transformed from innocent friendship to one of love. You felt yourself starting to get nervous around him—would he like your new sweater? Did he think the pink blush you had put on your cheeks made you look pretty? Did he think your conversations were interesting enough to keep you around? It was only then that you realized this person you had let in—this breeze of fresh air that had changed the trajectory of your life—had nestled his way into your heart so completely that you didn’t know if you could get him out.

But you had to try, because you knew, deep down, that he didn’t love you that way. You had convinced yourself that this was one-sided. You needed to shut the window, stop letting the breeze through your mind and your heart. If you didn’t, it would overtake you. And you would ruin everything.

You pulled away. You stopped texting, stopped calling. He’d leave you voicemails asking you to come listen to a new song he was writing. Then he started asking if you were okay. Then he started asking what he did wrong. The worst part was, he did nothing wrong. It was you. You were the problem.

You should have known Namjoon would never let you go that easily.

“Is there a reason you’re avoiding me?” Namjoon asked gently. He was sitting on your couch, far away from you, hands flipping his hair nervously out of his face repeatedly. He had his glasses on; his eyes looked slightly smaller because of his strong prescription. He was completely endearing. “Why haven’t you been talking to me as often, or texting me about your day?”

You gulped. His earnest questions, the look of pain on his features; he was beating at the glass of the window you had slammed shut. You didn’t want to let the breeze through.

“I don’t want to be a bother,” you whispered, looking down at your hands in your lap.

“Oh, sweetheart,” your eyes shot up at the endearment, meeting his gaze, full of affection and—dare you hope—love. “You could never be a bother to me.” Namjoon got up, sitting next to you, reaching for your hand to intertwine your fingers with his. The window was cracking, the breeze was starting to blow through your heart again. You could feel it. It was undeniable. “Please, let me back in.”

“Namjoon, I-I’m scared,” you admitted, eyes blurring with tears.

“You have nothing to be scared of. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned forward slightly, looking into your eyes, searching for something. Silently asking for permission. His lips touched yours in a gentle kiss, sealing the promise of the words spoken between you.

You took a deep breath; the breeze kissed your flushed cheeks. You missed it. You missed him. He leaned his forehead against yours, eyes closed, soft smile on his face. The breeze was here to stay.

---

Check out my other work! ❤️

Taglist: @alpacaparkaseok​ , @delacyrose224​, @aianloveseven​ , @dulce-pjm​ , @milk-and-moni​, @wittyreader​, @royallyjjk​​

If you’d like to join my permanent taglist, let me know!

[sunshinesmebdy]

Balancing the Scales: Asteroid Mony in Libra and its Influence on Business Wisdom

In the intricate dance of celestial bodies, astrology has long been regarded as a tool for gaining insights into various aspects of life, including business and finance. One celestial player that holds particular significance is the asteroid Mony, with its current positioning in the zodiac sign of Libra. In this blog article, we delve into the mystical realm of astrology to explore the potential effects of asteroid Mony in Libra on business and finance. So, fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a cosmic journey into the world of economic energies guided by the stars.

Understanding Asteroid Mony:

Asteroid Mony, also known as Monya, is a celestial body that astrologers believe can influence financial matters and wealth accumulation. Its placement in different zodiac signs is thought to bring specific qualities and energies to the forefront. Currently stationed in Libra, the sign of balance and harmony, Mony’s cosmic influence takes on a unique and intriguing dimension.

Harmony and Negotiation in Business:

Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of love and beauty, emphasizing aesthetics, balance, and negotiation. With Mony in Libra, businesses may find themselves more attuned to the principles of harmony in their operations. This celestial alignment suggests that negotiations and partnerships will be crucial for success during this period. Entrepreneurs and business leaders are encouraged to seek win-win situations and adopt a diplomatic approach to financial dealings.

Real-life example: A global technology firm, recognizing the need for collaboration during the Mony in Libra transit, engaged in diplomatic negotiations with international partners. By fostering a harmonious working relationship, they successfully navigated complex regulatory landscapes, enabling smoother market entry and expansion.

Balancing the Financial Scales:

Libra is symbolized by the scales, representing justice, fairness, and balance. When Mony aligns with Libra, it can inspire individuals and businesses to reevaluate their financial strategies, ensuring that they are fair and just. This celestial alliance encourages fiscal responsibility and ethical financial practices, fostering a sense of equilibrium in the business world.

Real-life example: A financial institution, inspired by the celestial alliance of Mony in Libra, initiated a review of its lending practices. They implemented fair interest rates and transparent terms, ensuring that their financial strategies aligned with principles of justice and fairness. This not only improved customer trust but also contributed to long-term financial stability.

Creativity and Aesthetic Ventures:

Venus, as the ruler of Libra, also brings a touch of creativity and aesthetic appreciation to the forefront. Businesses may find that investing in artistic ventures or incorporating aesthetic elements into their products and services could prove beneficial during this cosmic alignment. Appealing to the senses and focusing on the visual aspect of branding may be key to capturing the market’s attention.

Real-life example: An innovative tech startup, recognizing the influence of Mony in Libra, revamped its product design to incorporate aesthetically pleasing elements. The redesigned user interface not only enhanced the user experience but also attracted a broader audience, leading to increased market share and improved financial performance.

Strategic Financial Planning:

As Libra is known for its strategic thinking and analytical approach, the combination of Mony and Libra suggests that meticulous financial planning will be rewarded. Businesses are encouraged to analyze their financial structures, investments, and expenses with a discerning eye. Strategic decision-making and calculated risks could lead to financial success during this celestial alignment.

Real-life example: A manufacturing company, guided by the analytical approach of Libra and Mony’s influence, implemented a comprehensive financial planning strategy. This involved a thorough analysis of production costs, strategic investments in technology, and calculated risks in entering new markets. The result was increased operational efficiency and significant revenue growth.

While skeptics may dismiss astrology as mere superstition, many individuals find solace and guidance in its teachings. The alignment of asteroid Mony in Libra offers a unique perspective on business and finance, encouraging businesses to embrace balance, harmony, and strategic thinking in their financial endeavors. Whether you’re a firm believer in astrology or simply intrigued by its mystique, exploring the cosmic influences on business can be a fascinating journey that adds a touch of celestial magic to the world of commerce.

Here are some tips for navigating this transit:

Embrace Diplomacy in Negotiations: During the transit of asteroid Mony in Libra, prioritize diplomatic and harmonious negotiations. Seek win-win situations, and approach business dealings with a spirit of cooperation and compromise. Building positive relationships will contribute to long-term success.

Reevaluate Financial Strategies with Fairness: The scales of Libra symbolize justice and balance. Take this opportunity to review your financial strategies and ensure they are fair and just. Consider implementing ethical financial practices, as this alignment encourages businesses to operate with integrity and transparency.

Strategic Financial Planning is Key: Libra’s strategic thinking, combined with Mony’s financial influence, calls for meticulous financial planning. Analyze your financial structures, investments, and expenses with precision. Develop a strategic roadmap that aligns with your business goals, helping you navigate potential challenges and seize opportunities.

Incorporate Aesthetics for Market Appeal: Venus, the ruler of Libra, brings a creative and aesthetic touch to the transit. Consider incorporating visual appeal into your products, services, or branding. Aesthetically pleasing elements can capture the attention of your target audience and set your business apart in the competitive market.

Foster Equilibrium in Business Operations: Strive for balance in all aspects of your business. Whether it’s balancing budgets, workloads, or team dynamics, maintaining equilibrium is crucial during this celestial alignment. Avoid extremes and find the middle ground to create a stable and sustainable business environment.

Cultivate Ethical Financial Practices: Libra’s influence emphasizes fairness and ethical considerations. Evaluate your financial practices to ensure they align with ethical standards. Adopting transparent and morally sound financial practices not only resonates positively with stakeholders but also contributes to long-term business stability.

Explore Artistic Ventures for Innovation: Leverage the creative energy brought forth by Mony in Libra to explore artistic ventures within your business. Whether it’s incorporating artistic elements into your marketing campaigns or investing in creative projects, tapping into the realm of aesthetics can lead to innovative solutions and heightened consumer engagement.

Be Mindful of Timing in Financial Decisions: Libra is associated with balance and timing. When making significant financial decisions, consider the timing carefully. Waiting for the opportune moment and aligning your actions with the natural flow of cosmic energies can enhance the success of your financial endeavors.

By incorporating these tips into your business strategies, you can harness the positive energies associated with asteroid Mony in Libra, creating a harmonious and prosperous path for your business and financial ventures.

[cheerfullycatholic]

I am ECSTATIC to discover that you also like Stardew Valley :D

Thoughts?

ASDFJK ITS JUST SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!

I really enjoy the farming aspect of it (I'm getting all of my animals from real life back 😄 slowly. Because monies), but the characters and mysteries and exploration are amazing. I'm currently almost through with my second summer season, am married to Shane, have four chickens and two cows, and I think I'm somewhere between the 45th and 50th level in the mines. It's hard to figure out what I want to focus on and what I don't mind dragging out. Like with the mines, I'm not having a bunch of fun in there but I'm interested to explore, though I don't want to explore too much too quickly, ya know? I kinda feel like I rushed into marrying Shane but like, I knew right away he was the one I was going to choose and why wait when I knew he'd occasionally help me around the farm? I'm trying to avoid looking too much up because I really like coming across stuff naturally, but there was a few things I was getting kind of frustrated with. Like Lewis's stupid purple shorts 🙄 HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THEY'D BE IN MARNIE'S BEDROOM THAT'S LIKE, THE LAST PLACE I'D THINK TO LOOK FOR THEM. Honestly it seemed more likely to me at the time that they'd be somewhere in the woods from streaking 🤷🤣 I was definitely not observant of them enough in the saloon, and a secret relationship was NOT on my Stardew bingo card lol

Anyway, my next few goals are to get a rainbow shell, save up for another house upgrade, and get some goats 🥰

[kariachi]

Oh look, more Monie fic (yes I am on a run of one of my own OCs). Pern stuff this time.

In which a young wherhandler thinks the rest of the world should fuck off if it doesn't like how she is and does.

~~

If one more person suggested long sleeves, she might actually turn to direct and bloody murder.

As if she somehow hadn’t noticed her scar. Didn’t know that it drew attention, left people concerned. Like she wasn’t the one who had dealt with the surgeries, with the physical therapy, with the pain and the blood and the scared/worried/guilty hatchling in her brain. Who’d spent months healing before she could get into the real depths of recovery, who would never regain full strength in her arm and had to adjust her life accordingly. Like they were helping her by pointing it out, drawing attention.

It felt painfully, aggravatingly, like being a little girl again. The endless stream of ‘if you would slow down’, ‘if you would behave’, ‘be a proper lady’. People reaching for her strands of grey and suggesting dye, any dye, as if she hadn’t been so very young. Just another example on the stack of people ‘trying to help’, to spare her the pain of their judgement.

Because that was what it was at the end of the day, people who were, as a rule, beneath her thinking they had the right to pass judgement. Then going so far as to try to convince her to play their little game. Change herself, hide herself, to meet their worthless standards.

She hadn’t slowed down as a child. She’d avoided dying her hair. She sure as shit wasn’t going to hide this scar.

Besides, there was meaning behind it. A nasty, disfiguring scar that marked her as a wherhandler better than any ‘proper’ blooding could. After all, she’d seen how others blooded their wherlets, small wounds that would have come from anywhere. There would be no mistaking her lovely gold’s bitemark, no question that he had firmly and purposefully chosen her as the only human worth his trouble, the first time an opinion had mattered as much as her own. A warning as well, to those who would push their luck, of just what he was capable of, how nasty his bites were. How his saliva ate through you, ruined any organic matter it met.

Even after it had healed enough not to hurt, he had refused to touch that arm.

And that right there was reason more than anything- more than her own pride, more than spite- to keep her scar on display. Because there was nothing shameful in an infant’s accident. Because their bond was worth more than her arm was. Because in the time since the bandages came off Ruhkbat’s fear and guilt had so slowly melted away under her encouragement and his natural confidence. Because she would eat nails before she ruined that by hiding away like she was scared, regretful, anxious.

She was strong, solid, for the sake of those who looked to her. For her friends, her family, her wher. Even if she had been concerned, even when the chatter tried to claw into her mind, this wouldn’t couldn’t change. Such was the price of status, of power, of her loved one’s wellbeing, and she had paid it since she was old enough to realize it was there. It paid back with interest- in confidence, in pride, enough to keep her standing, laughing, fighting. She had learned her lessons young, called herself amazing until nothing could more than dent the word.

Hiding had never been her tendency. All her life she had stood out in the open, back straight, chin raised, searing smile, and a silent dare to the world to give her a reason to throw a punch. No hiding who she was, no hiding how she looked, no hiding the damage caused by the greatest of all whers. Never.

You would think more people would be bright enough to pick up on that.

[thepaleys]

Grand Duke Paul's visit to Russia in 1907

Family resentment continued to simmer quietly on and off for some time, occasionally bubbling to the surface when the temperature was raised by one or other of the protagonists. This was particularly evident when the thorny question of Marie and Dimitry meeting their step-mother was finally raised towards the end of 1907.

Paul adored Olga, with whom he was blissfully happy, and it was for that reason he wanted his eldest children to know her too. Such was the mutual antagonism that now existed between Paul and his sister-in-law [Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna], however, where once they had been so close that it had even given rise to gossip, that Ella was totally opposed to her wards meeting the woman who had left her first husband and children, had had Paul's first child Vladimir or 'Volodya' out of wedlock, and then, to spare her cuckolded husband further humiliation, had faced divorce.

Whenever Marie Pavlovna had raised the subject of meeting Paul's wife, as she told her fiancé, Ella, had always replied, 'Not now, a little later.' But, said Marie, 'why late and when later nobody knew. So, Papa simply, without asking Aunty, went to U. Nicky [the Tsar] who allowed it willingly, and there it was done. Well Papa before us told A. [Aunty] that it was settled and so she said she would come too. That old fool!!! She knows that Papa cannot bear her and all the same she must also come. That is to show that she occupies herself with us! I am in a blue rage and I suppose Papa also.'

The meeting that followed at Paul's palace in St Petersburg on 2 December had a strained air about it, partly because of its very nature and partly, if Marie Pavlovna's recollection of the event is to be believed, because of Ella's deliberately formal manner. A slight frost notwithstanding, 'It all went off very well,' as Marie told Willy. 'She [Olga] was awfully amiable and nice and we stayed there a long time.'

In what was and always had been an uneasy relationship between Ella and Marie Pavlovna, there were periods of truce if not harmony, not least when it was in the interests of the younger woman to be amenable and all together more reasonable. Indeed, it was Ella and not Grand Duke Paul who had put up the monies to the tune of 275,000 roubles in interest-bearing securities to build a brand new palace, incongruously called 'Oakhill, in Stockholm for Marie and her husband-to-be.

Four months before 'That old fool!!!', as she referred to her aunt, had accompanied her to meet her step-mother, Ella, ever the homemaker and designer-manqué, had received the plans of the house which they looked over together. 'I was quite excited when I saw the plans,' Marie wrote to Prince William. 'I directly pictured our future lovely life in this cosy house.'

Ella: Princess, Saint, and Martyr - Christopher Warwick

[emeraldspiral]

Thinking about how so far in Invader Zim the only members of Irken society we've seen have been members of the military, fast food workers, and scientists. I headcanon that there are no artists on Irk and all creative work is done by AI, but I like to think that there are civilian Irkens who do other jobs besides working in the military or feeding or supplying the military. I imagine they probably have big corporations that make the snack food Irkens love, their vehicles, communication devices and other infrastructure, their TVs and couches and other everyday items needed for leisure and entertainment, etc... And Irkens absolutely would have a celebrity culture surrounding the CEOs of these companies. Like, everyone idolizes them and hangs onto their every word hoping their success will rub off on them. And since extreme selfishness is so ingrained in their culture, Irkens don't even have to pretend to think these are good people. They know all about and applaud the exploitation of underpaid workers, price gouging customers, and every other shady business practice meant to maximize the CEO's profits at the expense of everyone else. They don't think that makes you evil, they think it makes you smart. But they also kinda only think being greedy and exploitative makes you smart because they think if you're rich, powerful, and successful you must be smart and therefore everything you do is smart. But these guys aren't smart at all. They're basically all indistinguishable from Red and Purple. Literally every CEO is an Almighty Tallest-lite, running their companies the exact same way Red and Purple run the entire Empire. Because the Control Brains love their brainless figureheads.

Irkens are told that if they work hard to prove themselves, they can advance to any station, even overcoming the barriers of height discrimination. But the reality is that the Control Brains have the ability to control for height through genetic selection in the cloning process and hormone control throughout a developing Irken's life. So they can pick and choose who's going to be tall and receive Tallness Privilege and be automatically granted opportunities shorter Irkens have to fight tooth and nail for, only to still be denied no matter what, reinforcing the idea that being taller means being inherently better. So while tall Irkens don't get the benefit of inherited wealth since their are no families on Irk, they do get pre-selected by the system to go through special training sims for business and leadership elites and receive massive grants for free upon graduation to start-up or buy into a business. And of course they also receive bailouts aplenty whenever they run their businesses into the ground. Because don't they deserve another chance to buy their way into and fuck up another company? They are Tall after all. Meanwhile, the lower Irken classes have to save their monies for decades just to open up a hot-dog stand, or try to take out a loan, which most will be denied flat-out if they aren't tall enough. If they can get a loan the interest will be insanely high and investors will expect a return on investment within an unreasonably short period, making it all but impossible for new small businesses to succeed and grow, further reinforcing the notion that smaller Irkens are just too stupid to run businesses.

Also, because Irkens are so greedy and have no families to leave inheritance to it's traditional for rich Irkens to arrange for their monies to be burned so that nobody can access their wealth. Because they don't want any inferior Irkens getting their hands on one cent of their money that they earned because they were smarter, taller, and better than everyone else. There are rumors of certain eccentric Irken billionaires who buried their money in a secret location, or in a tomb full of death traps, or used near-impossible to hack encryption software to lock their funds behind a digital wall, so that their wealth might still be accessible to someone clever enough to prove their worth. But whenever someone manages find these alleged treasure hoards, it always turns out to be a cruel prank by the billionaire before they died. Their money was burnt all along.