#more chaotic stuff with little reward

[dr-spectre]

So.... This game is 2 years old now huh?

Honestly... I don't think i have a TON to say about this game. It's just a great ass fucking video game that has given me a lot of fun and great memories!

This game came out during my final year of school, which is kinda funny considering that Splatoon 3 acts like a "finale" to a trilogy. It's interesting how those kinds of things work out eh? Splatoon 2 came out at the start of my secondary education, and Splatoon 3 came out at the tail end of my final year.

I remember thinking before the game came out, "why do we need a Splatoon 3? This is pointless, it's just more Splatoon 2." And then my mind was quickly changed once i got to play the Splatfest test fire and the actual game itself.....

I completed ROTM in such a short amount of time and i documented my reactions to my friends. Although i was spoiled in that Deep Cut had boss fights and Mr. Grizz was the final boss, ROTM still gave me a giant smile to my face all the way through. It was so fun, so charming and just a really good single player experience.

One of the things that i LOVE about Splatoon 3 is the vibe. I just love the location of Splatsville, i love the aesthetics, the lighting, the model improvements from Splatoon 2, the music, it's my favourite art style/aesthetic out of any of the Splatoon games by far. It just feels so polished, i don't know how to exactly describe it.

Also the fact that this game won best multiplayer game of 2022 over CALL OF DUTY! OVERWATCH 2 AND MULTIVERSUS MAKES ME SO GIDDY AND HAPPY!

PEOPLE GOT MAD ABOUT THIS AND THAT MAKES ME WANNA EVIL LAUGH! All of those fucking depressed and sad Call of Duty players who whine and complain about how "wahh modern gaming sucks!! There's no good games anymore wahhh!! It's all microtransactions wahhh!!" BITCH! SPLATOON 3 IS LITERALLY THE GAME YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR!! Yet you won't play it because it's on Nintendo huh? Yeah... You're a fucking PUSSY!! YOU'RE WEAK!! You're SCARED to be seen as less of a manly man!! You only wanna play games with oily dirty buff men.... Yet you call others who play games like Splatoon gay? Hmm..... Sounds like you're a wittle insecureeeeee!!!!

Have fun rotting in microtransaction hell you LOSERS!! GAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways.... uh.... sorry....

I also fucking love Deep Cut too. I thought i wasn't gonna like these guys and i remember thinking when i first saw them "oh... okayyyy..."

But now? I love these bastards.

I love their dynamic and how they are bandits but they actually wanna help the people back in Splatsville. That is such a cool and unique take to have for Idol characters. The Squid Sisters are very cutesy and so are Off the Hook, but Deep Cut aren't. They are loud, messy, chaotic, in your face, rude, etc. They are about contrast and the character designers did a phenomenal job at conveying that theme via their backgrounds and looks.

Another thing that i love about Splatoon 3 is that it also acts as a celebration of things that have come before, Inkopolis Plaza and Square return as hubs, old colour combos from previous games act as loading screens, most of the music returns in the jukebox, it rewards long time fans for sticking around and for a long running franchise IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT to have that stuff!!!

Seeing the improvements in the model quality from Splatoon 1 to 3 genuinely makes me kinda emotional, it shows how far we've come in just a little under 10 years...

It really homes in on the point that... These characters, have grown up with us.... The Squid Sisters are about to reach their mid 20s, Pearl is nearly 30 fucking years old!!!

And the last thing i wanna bring up before i talk about the Grand Fest...

...Is Side Order.

This fucking DLC... My god... Being able to experience it by myself and just enjoy the stuff i was seeing, being able to SCREAM AND CRY AS MUCH I WANT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO ME DUDE!

When i got to the 10th floor in the tutorial and i saw Marina Agitando staring me down.... I did the loudest gasp a human could possibly do and my jaw was hung to the floor for a solid MINUTE!

Marina's first fucking dev diary made me cry and scream, THAT IS NOT A JOKE!!!! THESE CHARACTERS ARE THAT IMPORTANT TO ME!

And the final boss.... Made me cry, it broke me down, i was singing along to Ebb and Flow as best as i could, it felt like i was brought back to 2018, being in my room, listening to that song on repeat... I feel like a kid again....

I love this song... i love it so much... Like it's not the most hype finale song ever, but, the emotion behind it, the build up from Splatoon 2... The power this song has in it's meaning... It's some good shit man...

So yeah! I love Splatoon 3!!! It's my favourite game out of the series and anyone who is gonna jump into this game now is gonna have a LOT to chew on.

And... It's both sweet and sad that we're at the end. This is it... The moment we've been waiting for. The final Splatfest to end them all. The event 9 years in the making.

The Grand Festival...

I am extremely excited and so FUCKING NERVOUS for this Splatfest!!!! I know i am going to cry and be so overwhelmed with joy. Seeing the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook perform their old songs again after all of these years is gonna make me sob so loudly it's not even funny.

These characters genuinely mean the world to me and it's gonna be so fucking hard for me to watch their final major appearance and say goodbye. Cause after this, we don't know what's gonna happen. I know they will come back, they have to but... In what capacity? That's what I'm scared about...

So yeah, let's savior this moment when it eventually arrives, take all the time you need to be engulfed in the Grand Fest.

Thank you Splatoon 3, you have given me so much.... It's not time to say goodbye just yet but, i wanna watch you as you walk into the sunset with your head held high....

[handsomeamoeba]

WRONG.

Try again.

Actually let's get into this. As someone who loves a great many fantasy RPGs including BG3, Skyrim, and Dragon Age, let me explain what BG3 gets that Skyrim misses, in my opinion.

And this is the big one: the characters in BG3 feel like real fucking people. They have backstories, demonstrable feelings about the events and the other characters, they react to the things you do and they develop as people as you further your relationships. Even minor NPCs often feel fleshed out with distinct personalities and opinions. Hell, going out of my way to cast Speak to Animals is usually rewarded with at least one charming remark. I have never given even a little bit of a shit about 99% of Bethesda NPCs. I usually choose to travel without a companion rather than with unless I need a pack mule to carry my stuff, because their primary function seems to be to get in my way, set off traps, or attract aggro. I can't remember most characters' names unless I'm actively playing. I'm more likely to casually murder people in Skyrim than I am in BG3 or DA because Bethesda hasn't really made any of their NPCs feel like real people, and consequentially I feel no guilt. By comparison I tried to do an evil run of DA:O and gave up the instant I had to kill Wynne (the grandmotherly spirit healer) when she refused to let me go through with my plans, because I hated doing it. Lydia will watch me gut an innocent man and do NOTHING because she has no life, existence, or personality outside of me, the player. This extends to romances, obviously. While optional in all the games, most people will pursue a romance path in BG3 or DA for the additional character arcs it brings to the characters, the emotional nuances they unlock. In Skyrim romance is a box you tick of tasks to complete. In fact, once you marry them, most marriage candidates personalities change *completely* because all spouses have the same few stock dialog lines. That is, if they had a personality to begin with (again, see Lydia). You know how everyone wants to romance unromanceable characters in Bethesda games? Like Brynjolf in Skyrim, or Nick Valentine in FO4? It's because Bethesda actually bothered to give them stories and opinions.

Honestly, this extends to the player character themselves. To a certain extent every player character is a blank slate, but in BG3 and DA it at least feels possible to develop a feeling about who that character is and what they would or would not say or do. I've tried to do that with the Dragonborn and rarely feel strong feelings about them or have strong opinions about what kind of person they are. The only one I've made who I have much of an idea about is my wood elf Parafina, who is Chaotic Evil. Which again is an option I only pick because no one in Skyrim feels real.

The stakes also feel more real in BG3, more personal. Obviously there's the central quest involving the tadpoles, but more than that, it is about a credible threat to your world and the people and communities in it and the people you love. There are tons of reasons to invest yourself emotionally in the narrative. I have never, ever completed the main storyline in Skyrim nor picked a side in Skyrim's civil war. Why would it? Basically nothing happens if I choose not to. Furthermore, if you're not playing as a Nord (which I usually don't), why would you care about Skyrim as a place? You are a faceless, voiceless (pun intended) outsider who gets microaggressed at every turn being asked to choose between two different flavors of fascist. Also dragons are back but like... listen, I don't care? They get pretty easy to pick off at a certain point, it's like swatting flies, they're just a nuisance on the way to my daily errands. And isn't that such a common story? Don't you know so many people who don't really bother with the main storylines of Skyrim? Yeah it's one of the bestselling games of all time but I feel like the fact that most people don't really care about its narrative should be a sign of failure. We all know it's mostly maintained its popularity due to the modding community.

Ultimately both games have rich worlds which reward exploration with little secrets and environmental storytelling. But BG3 feels more "meaningful" because they give me reasons to care about what happens. The writers worked hard to give the game emotional resonance. So I come to the two games for different experiences. I go to BG3 to engage with an interesting story. I go to Skyrim for the quick serotonin hit of completing tasks and hoarding items.

[gliphyartfan]

Rewrites of Four’s Reward bit!

Original: Here

Enjoy folks!

@stars-for-thought @eternadreeblissa @yanderelinkeduniverse @imprisioned-in-the-hole @screaming-until-god-hears-me @crestfallenmermaidan @ice-cream-writes-stuff @linked-heroes

For dear Anon who give me the suggestion to rewrite this!

——-

——

—

Four was still clinging tightly to (y/n) as she walked away from the Square.

his head resting against her chest, his arms wrapped securely around her shoulders. Her warmth, her gentle heartbeat, it was an anchor that kept his darker emotions at bay. His anger simmered quietly, a shadow just beneath the surface, but with her holding him like this, he felt it fade…just a bit.

“Are you gonna stay grumpy all day?” she teased, her voice light and playful.

He stayed silent for a moment, averting his gaze as he tried to wrestle his temper back into submission.

“…maybe…” he muttered eventually, though his tone was grudging. The anger still boiled beneath his calm facade, and he was only too aware of how close he’d come to hunting down that man himself. His fingers twitched, imagining what he’d have done if she hadn’t intervened.

“…you should’ve let me talk to that man,” he grumbled, the bitterness in his voice barely masked.

She chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. “Oooh, relax, you,” she replied, her tone soothing but firm.

He knew she meant well, but letting that lowlife escape without his personal brand of justice gnawed at him. His fingers clenched reflexively, his mind flickering with images of what could have been. He could hear his fragments speak up in his mind, each one tugging him in a different direction.

“Should’ve run him through,” one murmured darkly, his voice edged with a bitter resentment.

“Left him crawling,” another one agreed, the idea pulled satisfaction from him.

“Make an example of him, he’d never speak to her that way again,” a third voice hissed, filled with a fierce protectiveness.

“Next time, we’re handling it. No one gets to breathe near her like that,” the final one growled, seething with possessiveness.

Four tightened his hold on her, his face pressed against her shoulder as he tried to quiet the chaotic voices in his head. Pain pulsing from the brewing headache.

“You guys and your constant need to be protective,” she said with a shake of her head, oblivious to the storm simmering within him. “You gotta learn to let words like that slip off you. Otherwise you’ll just keep being miserable. Besides I can take a few silly words.”

His lips twitched into a faint smile, though his eyes still held a glint of dangerous intent. “That doesn’t make what he did right,” he muttered, more to himself than to her.

They walked in silence for a while, her presence slowly soothing him, his grip on her loosening just a bit.

“…”

“…”

“…You know you can put me down now, right?”

She looked down at him with a playful glint in her eye.

“Do you… want me to put you down?” She asked, could not dare meet her gaze, though he could feel the smirk he knew would be there.,

He stiffened, holding her just a little tighter.

A rational, almost detached part of him thought maybe he should let go, maintain some dignity.

But every other part of him clung to her warmth, his grip firm.

“DON’T YOU. DARE,” the voices in his mind murmured in unison, the tone laced with a hint of desperation.

“…No, I don’t want you to put me down…” he mumbled finally, his face heating up as he tightened his grip.

“Thought so~” she cooed, giving him a soft squeeze that had the effect of pressing his face even closer against her chest.

His face turned bright red, and he hurriedly tightened his legs around her waist to make sure he didn’t slip. Her warmth surrounded him, and the rhythm of her heartbeat lulled him into a rare state of peace.

“So close…~”

“Feels nice…”

“Think she’ll let us stay like this for a while?”

“We’re certainly not moving an inch.”

She stroked his hair slowly, her fingers threading through his messy locks with a tenderness that melted the last traces of his anger. His eyes fluttered closed, and he let out a soft, contented sigh, her presence washing over him in a wave of calm.

“There, see?” she murmured gently. “You just let your temper get ahead of you. I’m not gonna let some silly guy get between me and my favorite group of boys.”

He let out a quiet chuckle, looking up at her with a soft, relaxed smile. She always had a way of making everything feel better, even when he was wound up and ready to fight.

“Poor you,” she teased, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “So many guys vying for my attention and only so many sticks to beat them back with.”

He let out a soft hum, nuzzling closer to her warmth. “Need to keep them away…” he mumbled, his voice a sleepy murmur as he let himself sink into the comfort of her embrace.

Her hand brushed a lock of hair from his face, her touch featherlight. “Just keep being you,” she whispered. “I’ll be just fine.”

He sighed, his anger fading into nothingness under her gentle touch. He never could stay mad when she was holding him like this,

it was simply impossible. He’d gladly trade his chance at revenge for this.

He looked up at her, a quiet, almost shy request in his eyes. “Can we… stay like this a bit longer?”

She smiled, nodding, and he felt his own smile grow as he settled against her, his body completely relaxed as her fingers traced soothing patterns through his hair.

This… this was everything.

———-

———

Here’s an expanded and more descriptive version of the scene, detailing the horrific fate of the man who insulted (y/n) earlier, and amplifying the heroes’ calm but unsettling demeanor as they discuss it.

“You’d think people would learn by now,” Twilight muttered, his tone oddly casual as he scrubbed the blood from his hands in the icy river. The water ran red around him, the stains swirling in thin ribbons downstream, but he paid it little mind.

Warriors gave a low, humorless chuckle, clapping Twilight on the shoulder with a hand that still bore smudges of crimson. “Upset, rancher?”

Twilight stared at the river with narrowed eyes, his voice a quiet murmur. “Not upset,” he replied, dipping his head to rinse the clumps of dried blood from his hair. “More… frustrated.”

Warriors shook his head with a grin that bordered on feral. “If I had any say, there’d be no filth left in the Land to need a reminder.” His voice was light, almost cheerful, but the malice beneath his words was unmistakable. “But we don’t get to be that lucky.” His grin widened as Twilight straightened, droplets of cold water trickling down his face.

Sky, who was calmly washing the blood from his arms, joined in. “Relax, guys,” he said, scrubbing away a particularly dark stain that lingered on his skin. “Besides, we didn’t waste much time with this one. Just enough to make it memorable.”

Twilight’s lips curled into a dangerous smile. “Yes, but I still believe the bag of flesh got off easy.” He ran a hand through his damp hair, his expression thoughtful as if considering whether he should’ve stayed to witness the man’s suffering.

Warriors raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he leaned against a nearby rock. “Because dumping an injured man in a starving Lynel’s den is getting off easy?” he asked, his tone dry, though his eyes glinted with a sinister satisfaction.

Sky returned his look, a faint smile playing at his lips. “I mean…isn’t it?”

Warriors only smiled at him in response.

Twilight let out a low hum, his eyes narrowing slightly as he recalled the man’s panicked, weakened form as they’d left him, half conscious and barely able to crawl. “It is a kindness, in a way. The Lynel will tear through him fast. But it’s a real shame if he managed to drag himself around and we weren’t around to see it, i bet it’ll give the beast time to play.”

“Yeah…like another minute…at most.”

The captain let out a deep chuckle, the sound rather off for such it topic as it echoed through the trees. “Don’t get me wrong,” he replied, a wicked grin spreading across his face. “I agree with you. But honestly, I’d much rather be back with our darling than waste my time on a bug.”

Twilight scoffed, his tone laced with grudging amusement. “Guess that’s the only good side to showing restraint. We get to see her sooner.”

Satisfied that most of the blood had been washed away, Twilight straightened, wiping his hands on his tunic. “All washed up?”

Sky nodded, brushing a stray drop from his cheek as he stood. “I spotted a few moblins near the Lynel’s den on our way here. They’re close to camp. Too close.” He said, pointing in the direction he was speaking of.

“Think they’re black blooded?” Twilight’s question was calm, detached, as if asking about something as mundane as their travel plans.

Warriors shrugged, adjusting his gloves with a faint smirk. “Gives us a reason for being gone so long, doesn’t it?”

Twilight nodded slowly, his lips curling into a dark smile. “There’s our alibi.”

“Well just have to meet with the others, regardless of our combined skill, better to have more numbers on our side.”

“Where are the others anyway?” The Rancher asked.

They were interrupted by the soft crunch of footsteps on leaves, and they turned to see Hyrule emerging through the trees, his expression calm but his eyes holding an edge of mischief.

“The others are finishing up,” he replied smoothly, as if speaking about a simple chore. His eyes held a glint of something unsettling as he continued, “Time, Wild, Legend, and Wind are clearing out his place. They’re taking care of any… reminders.”

Sky raised an eyebrow. “Reminders?”

Hyrule gave a faint smile, almost as if he were amused. “Evidence. Better to be careful in eras that we visit more than once, safer to get rid of anything that announces that we were there.”

“Trouble?” Warriors asked, giving him a lazy grin.

Hyrule shook his head, his lips quirking in a faint smile. “No trouble. Just came to see if you needed any help,” he replied. “I followed the trail of blood here.” He nodded to the ground, where smears of red still lingered among the crushed grass and leaves.

Sky grimaced, his eyes flicking to the streaks of blood. “Did we really make that big of a mess?”

Hyrule’s smile widened, an unsettling glint in his gaze. “Don’t worry. I took care of the more concerning ones.” He jerked a thumb back toward the forest. “Left a nice, clean path back to camp for (y/n).”

Twilight let out a low chuckle, his tone dark and tinged with satisfaction. “And Four?”

Hyrule let out a sigh, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. “Four’s happily keeping (y/n) distracted,” he said, his voice dry. “Much to our…dismay.”

Twilight deadpanned, “He’s clinging to her, isn’t he?”

“Yep,” Hyrule replied bluntly, his lips twitching in faint annoyance.

Warriors rolled his eyes, a grumble escaping him. “Let’s get rid of those moblins and get back to camp before the brat convinces her to let him sleep next to her.”

The foursome let out a collective sigh, some grinning, some pouting, but all with an sense of amusement.

————

————

Back at camp, Four nestled against (y/n) as her hand ran soothingly through his hair, his eyes closed, a serene smile on his face.

He was so utterly at ease, so wrapped up in her warmth, that he barely noticed the sound of approaching footsteps.

But when he cracked an eye open and saw the others emerge from the shadows, their expressions a mix of frustration and barely concealed jealousy, he couldn’t help the smug smile that spread across his face.

“Feel better?” she murmured, her voice soft and gentle as she stroked his hair, oblivious to the dark glares from the others.

He let out a contented sigh, leaning into her touch as he shot the others a satisfied glance. “I’d feel even better if you don’t let go…” he murmured, his tone soft, almost lazy.

She chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. “Turned into a little cuddle monster, haven’t you?”

“Mmhm.” His grin widened, his eyes gleaming with quiet satisfaction as he nuzzled against her chest. He could practically feel the others’ irritation from across the campfire, and he relished every second of it.

“Well, enjoy it while you can,” she whispered, her voice warm and indulgent. “You’ve earned it for being so well behaved for me.”

Four’s smirk grew as he tightened his hold on her. He knew what they were thinking, how unfair it was that he’d left the dirty work to them and gotten the reward all to himself. But he didn’t care.

This was his moment, and he was going to savor it.

“This is the best…” one color sighed.

“Her touch is simply heaven…” another gushed.

“So soft…” the third said shyly.

“Look how jealous they are…” the fourth announced smugly.

From across the campfire, Warriors clenched his jaw, his gaze dark as he watched Four nestled so comfortably in her arms. “I’m gonna kill him,” he muttered, his tone low and threatening.

“No, you won’t,” Legend replied coldly, his arms crossed over his chest. “Because I will.”

“Get in line,” Twilight growled, his eyes narrowed, a dangerous gleam in his gaze.

Time shot them a warning look, his voice carrying a quiet authority. “Enough. He’s not dying,” he said, though his tone held a faint edge of reluctance. “Even if it is… tempting.”

Legend shrugged, his expression cold and indifferent. “We could always drop him in the lake.”

Wind’s eyes lit up, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Yeah! I’ve got octorok balloons stashed away. We could dangle him and drop him right in the middle.”

Wild’s grin was equally wicked. “I’ve got an ice rod. We could keep him under for a bit.”

Time gave them a sharp glare, his voice low and stern. “No one’s freezing anyone under the lake,” he warned, his tone brooking no argument.

The camp settled into an uneasy silence as they turned their attention back to the fire, though their eyes still darted enviously toward Four.

In that quiet moment, Time glanced at Four, his expression softening slightly. As much as he envied the blacksmith’s position, he supposed he’d be just as smug if he were in his place.

But that didn’t mean he had to be happy about it. He let out a low sigh, his gaze lingering on Four, nestled so contentedly in her arms.

…Lucky bastard.

[bg-brainrot]

As @cosmicchocomuffin suggested!

Which class/subclass each BG3 character would play in D&D (with a little explanation):

Astarion: Draconic Sorcerer - he would pick a character that comes with power innately, no god, no pact, no strings attached, and he would pick draconic for the eventual flight. Also he would want a high Cha character so that he can attempt to be the face of the party.

Gale: Artillerist Artificer - he would pick another Int based class of course, and, as for Artillerist, he still enjoys being useful, so he'd like the fire power this subclass affords. He would take time every day to ensure his infusions are prepared for the day, not allowing the party to proceed without them.

Karlach: Circle of the Moon Druid - she loves animals and nature and would love to transform into them, but wouldn't want to deal with all of those pesky spells, hence the Circle of the Moon. She would definitely be the cause of half of the chaotic druid wildshape memes online.

Lae'zel: Way of the Astral Self Monk - she would pick monk because they're respected martial warriors, pick the subclass because of its potential to reach enlightenment. But to the surprise of no one, she actually gets really into her character to the point of drawing a blade on the DM (Withers).

Shadowheart: Assassin Rogue - the classic lone wolf class and given all of her Sharran training, she would pick this subclass for the ease of roleplay it offers, with its disguise and mimicry. She starts out aloof, but quickly divulges the entire 12-page backstory she created for her character.

Wyll: Monster Slayer Ranger - he heard people looked down on rangers and decided to give them a chance, then he saw Monster Slayer was an option and knew he picked right. The actual face of the party, simply because he's the only one capable of staying on track-- however, put him in front of a cool monster and you've lost him too.

Non-Origins:

Halsin: Nature Domain Cleric - as someone who loves to help others, he would pick a class with a greater lean to the healing side of magic and with a bit of the same druid utility, then pick the subclass to still have that connection to nature. He will happily go along with whatever the party wants to do, and has ended up in jail a few times for it.

Minthara: Order of the Profane Soul Blood Hunter - she would love a class that's willing to go to any extent to defeat their enemies, like a blood hunter, and the order of the Profane Soul just cranks that up all the more. She would be the classic murder hobo of the group if left unchecked, but she will back off when the rewards are good enough.

Jaheira: Battle Master Fighter - she would go for a classic, reliable class like fighter, with a subclass that utilizes her battle knowledge like Battle Master. She is definitely a guest player, who the DM taps in for a difficult boss fight or arc, so she somehow still ends up the mentor figure in the game.

Minsc: Path of the Beast Barbarian - he wouldn't play something too complicated, hence the Barbarian, and he would love to understand Boo better, so he'd pick the subclass for the Beast abilities that come with this subclass. He would never quite know what he's doing, but makes the best accidental one liners at the table so no one minds helping.

Disclaimer: I only picked stuff I at least have the sourcebooks for. While some extra stuff looked cool, I wasn't familiar enough to get the vibes properly.

[icyg4l]

PAC: How Can You Attract More Clientele?

hello beautiful people! i wanted to do something different today! this is for my business owners out there, this one is for you. if you need some extra reassurance/advice on how to gain more traction, this is for you. without further ado, please pick the image that resonates with you the most.

Top Left-to-Bottom Right: (1-4)

Pile One: I heard “something’s brewing” as I was shuffling for this pile. Pile One, do you know how lucky people are to have your talents in this world? Why don’t you take your talents where they belong? I feel like you aren’t really pushing yourself the way that you’re supposed to. You’re all talk but when it comes down to actually putting in the work, you get scary. There’s no point in planning for the future if you don’t live in it. So do what you have to do in order to be known! Another thing about you is that there’s some shame around your work. It’s like you’re embarrassed to show off your stuff so you’ll just hand it off to people that you know and when you get compliments, you won’t necessarily take them as one should. You need to celebrate your work forreal. Your work needs to be seen. You need to be around other creative people so that you can have personal muses in your life. You need to know that your talents will be recognized as long as you let them. All in all, in order to attract clientele, you need to be willing to put yourself out there.

Cards Used: Princess of Swords, The Hermit, Prince of Cups, Knight of Swords, 2 of Wands, 7 of Swords.

extras: shuffle. coffee brewer. sodastream. alliteration. mime. pasties. original invention. 

Pile Two: Aggressive marketing is a tactic that you need to take on, Pile Two. This is a pile similar to Pile One in the sense that you are being too coy. I am seeing a fast-paced work environment. You deliver your products fast and you come up with ideas pretty fast. The thing is though, you do not really sell yourself. When I say this, I mean that you are too calm and humble with the way that you market yourself. People tend to overlook you because you’re not really showing off your product/brand. Invest in your brand and you will see better results. If you have a TikTok or Instagram, I’m not going to lie, talking fast or talking in a bubbly manner will help your clients flock to you. I am feeling a little chaotic right now as I type this. I feel like you need to unleash your chaotic side into this marketing. People would be more willing to buy the product if you show off your authentic energy. 

Cards Used: Four of Swords, Temperance (RX), The Devil (RX), The Hermit, 9 of Wands, Ace of Swords, Prince of Cups, Eight of Wands

extras: panda express. takeoff. funeral. egg sandwich. sadistic. clueless. “you are the visuals baby.”

Pile Three: There is nothing wrong with getting shit done, Pile Three. I feel like this pile thinks that they do everything right, or do you? I think you need to stop caring about the validation of other people. Do you actually like what it is that you’re doing/selling? Is it fulfilling to present this product to other people? If so, then you need to just be patient. You are very impatient to the process of gaining sales. You need to let more time pass. Your business hasn’t taken off because you do not let shit marinate. If you let time pass by, you would actually gain more clientele. As you await for this moment though, take everything as a learning experience. If you do not feel fulfilled/personally rewarded, then it is time for a rebrand. You need to figure out how this product resonates with you. What is your personal connection with it? How can you connect to other people through this product? What lasting impact do you want to leave on people? I also see that you do need to get involved with people offline as well. Posting flyers up around your neighborhood would really benefit you, my love. 

Cards Used: The Emperor, Strength, 4 of Swords, The Devil, The Hanged Man, Judgment, Prince of Wands, Queen of Discs 

extras: orlando. drill rap. ohio. “earthy scents.” twisted tea. green giant. 

Pile Four: I actually feel like this pile is super close to meeting their goal number of clients. You have been putting in the right amount of work and therefore, you have been getting rewarded. But you need to learn how to network. I feel like this pile just needs to be at the right place at the right time. If you find yourself getting invited to an event that needs your skills, you should check it out. It’ll be the key to your big break. I also think that you should consider trading with other creatives to gain more clientele. Consider promoting other creatives’ work so that more people can come to you. I think it really all comes down to the timing of it all. But your time is pretty soon. You’re already eating good but soon you’ll be eating real good. There’s not really much you have to do but just show yourself off. 

Cards Used: Wheel of Fortune. The Magician. Queen of Discs. King of Wands. 7 of Discs. King of Discs. The Emperor.

extras: dill pickle. onion rings. pastel colors. breakfast foods. sizing issues.

[userparamore]

PARAMORE'S DORK INTERVIEW

i thought i'd gather some of the highlights/important quotes from their newest interview with dork magazine; all from new music, more solo music from hayley, and fine print. i've put it under the cut as it got a little long:

– hayley talking about new music:

Well, the band have already started toying with new music. At home, before the tour began, Paramore created some early demos that "really surprised" Hayley, with the tracks taking inspiration from the Bjork-fronted alt-rock band The Sugarcubes. But they've also spent a few days off from tour in the studio. In Hamburg, they visited Clouds Hill Studio and started messing around with another idea that "felt like it was on the other side of the tracks to what we'd been working on at home," offers Hayley. "But that excites me."

"Lyrics have always been a huge driving force for me as well. I feel a deep sense of discomfor when we go home to the American South in this political climate and a lot of poetry that I've been writing lately feels like adulted versions of the themes I was writing about in 'Brand New Eyes'." The band's third album was an exploration of faith, betrayal, community and pain. "Also you mid-30s are wild. I was told they were supposed to be breezy but it's like another puberty."

After the overwhelming positive reaction to the glistening pop of 'After Laughter' and the scuzzy rage of 'This Is Why', there's a real sense of liberation to whatever comes next. [...] "It does feel like there's more space now to do whatever it is we're inspired to do and not look back," she adds. "It doesn't have to be on thing either."

– hayley talking about more solo music:

"Fine Print is about creating a better ecosystem for our creativity," explains Hayley. And that includes potential solo stuff as well. "Paramore has always been the thing that I want to do the most, and I get really passionate and protective of it," says Hayley, but something shifted after seeing that nothing major changed with the band after releasing solo album 'Petals for Armor' and follow-up record 'Flowers for Vases/Descansos'. "I don't feel done with it at all," she adds. "And that feels so good to say."

"Originally she wanted her solo music to be released under the Petals for Armor name because it felt like a nice cloak. "Even when I was doing press for 'Petals', I was really worried people would think I was done with Paramore because those rumours fly so fast, but now I don't feel that fear at all. I know the three of us will be creative until we die, and that's going to manifest as a million different projects," she explains. Some projects will be Paramore, sure, but others might be Zac shooting music videos on film or Taylor acting as a producer for other people's records, like he did with 'Petals for Armor'. "I think Fine Print is going to be a really great catch-all for those things."

– on "Fine Print" and independence:

Not having a label is the closest Paramore have ever got to the "total freedom" they felt when they first started the band. "I think the creativity is about to get cranked up," offers Hayley.

With Fine Print, Paramore want to find a balance between creating art and living life, especially because "the music industry does not reward taking care of yourself," says Hayley, who is also asking questions about fairer payments for musicians and how to support new artists as well.

Paramore are still laying the foundations for Fine Print but the whole thing is being built on the same ethos of their 2018 Art + Friends festival. "If it's not people I would be happy to have a cookout with, I don't want them involved," says Hayley. "Music is community. It's such a great connector, and that's the energy I want around anything that we do."

– on their inspirations right now:

Right now Hayley is inspired by the fearless, slightly chaotic world of pop that's being ushered in by the likes of Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan. They're not afraid of messy feelings and they don't care if they don't have all the answers either, which is something Paramore have always done really well. "You have all these women ruling the world, and I don't think pop has ever been cooler," says Hayley. "It's so inspiring to see young artists being really bold, expressing themselves freely and making good shit that everyone wants to sing along to, while also speaking about things that perhaps don't always feel good to speak about," she adds, with that new generation of pop stars kickstarting discussions on politics, abortion rights, body image and predatory fan behavior.

"But there's also so much exciting stuff happening with guitar music as well," Hayley adds, name-checking Amyl And The Sniffers and "sick" new band Font. "I'll always love indie sleaze and bands like The Rapture and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I'm ready for whatever comes next in the dystopian future that we're all entering. We need punk music, and we need those underground movements," she explains. "Not because I want to hide from pop music, but because there's life there that I want to live."

– hayley said she thinks zac is the most underrated drummer:

"Can I also just say in an interview that I think Zac is the most underrated drummer in whatever fucking genre we're in," says Hayley, still struggling to find a label for the band. "When he was 11, and I was 13, I saw him play for the first time, and I just knew." She can't explain how she knew, because what does anyone really know at that age, but at the end of every Eras show when the rest of the band huddles around him for the furious, cathartic conclusion to 'This Is Why', it's every dream Hayley ever had for the band come true. "I'm so grateful Zac came back for 'After Laughter' because he's the backbone of Paramore. He makes us better."

– hayley on performing:

"I remember when we were touring 'Brand New eyes' and our tour manager kept telling people the only time we didn’t fight was when we were onstage. I didn't want to accept it, but he was right," says Hayley. "We were beat down, uncomfortable, and that was such a rough time, but there's a reason Taylor and I never quit, and it was the shows. Paramore gigs did get a lot of the poison out."

"My smile is sorta too big for my face but make no mistake, I am but a bird-sized woman still filled to the brim with rage. If i didn't get to make music or throw my body around the stage every night, I wouldn't survive."

"I've realised I can't be alone," says Hayley." I can't be by myself in this, so I guess we'll keep touring until we physically can't. Can you imagine seventy-year-old Taylor York doing light choreography on stage?" she laughs. "Honestly, I am so excited for the next incarnation. It feels like there's something in the water."

[On playing The Only Exception] "It's not 'Misery Business' but I didn't want to endorse that message either," she explains. This time it was her vocal coach who had a word. "He said, 'You're in a band with your partner. Just look at him and pretend nothing else ever existed'. You know what is so dumb about me?" asks Hayley. "I felt so stupid doing that at first. I felt stupid having this pure expression of adoration and tapping into the hopefulness I had as a 19-year-old. This tour completely changed my relationship with that song though. Now when I sing it, I feel happy."

[comically-blu]

Portal shermie interaction with portal ford, portal stanley(reverse portal)

ack, seems like I might’ve misunderstood you earlier ask, anon- I just noticed “meets” lol, sorry for that!

Either way, interactions between portal!shermie, portal era! Ford, and reverse portal! Stan (still including specifically @skipppppy ‘s one ) as you asked! Including how Portal!Shermie could’ve met them lol

Will be vague since I don’t exactly know how skipppppy’s Stan is like that I would end up being very ooc .3.7

How Portal!Shermie meets them? Most likely he would’ve met them during his travels similar to how canon Ford did travel thru the multiverse in journal 3! Likely when Portal! Ford & Stan could be doing their own thing, Ford exploring while Stan hunting for treasure (based on notes of skippppy’s au).

In his own travels, Shermie doesn’t always stay in one place. He would take pitstops in the universe he ended up in; to gather a decent amount of supplies, food, and sometimes camp for rest (which reminds me, I should’ve added a backpack to his design gdhs). Their meeting may not had started friendly at first due paranoia— probably Ford & Shermie pulling the guns at each other and Stan preparing himself for a fight for a while before they recognize each other as friendly. Stan & Ford def could be awkwardly tense like canon (more like a stare down than fighting (idk if this could be right with skippppy’s au oop). Meanwhile, Shermie would be trying to calm the situation down, even offering them to stay and some homemade food out of alien stuff. They probably didn’t eat at first before seeing how harmless it is from Shermie taking the first bite unscathed.

Now more interactions:

Shermie talking about his side— I could very much see Ford being shocked that there’s somebody, especially his parallel self’s older brother, being targeted by Bill. Def tons of questions there, even Ford realizing how a little differently Bill’s treatment towards him is to Shermie’s.

Giving Ford to Bill in reward for a galaxy. Shermie’s bounty changing a few times, from being collected alive to Bill to being collected either dead or alive, in reward for a planet. That disturbs him.

Another time: if they would stay with each other, they would do supply runs, even raiding places. They would need some time to get used to the way they do things since they were usually on their own. Even though they’re probably the same level, Shermie tends to go ahead tad recklessly despite his skill. He gave into doing risks since he got pulled into the portal. So he is rather chaotic than his usual self.

One scenario I didn’t get to draw unfortunately lol: Shermie starting the “pines, pines, pines” chant and Stan & Ford slowly joining in

Shermie activating his annoying brotherly instinct (he would absolutely rub in the fact that he’s much younger than his brothers’ counterparts)

Their dynamic shifts between this; either Shermie keeps his reasonable side or he joins in the crazy that Ford and Stan would have.

So yea, very much P! Shermie would get along with them lol

And extra, the end when Shermie returns to his Earth:

[aew-kun-age-regression]

The most amount of Headcannons I've ever wrote for a single character!!! Guess my favourite Ghostbuster lol, I love Egon 😂😅

Caregiver!Egon Spengler Headcannons

He's a very neutral individual overall, he can easily be misunderstood and seen as rude or uninterested but he does care a lot.

I feel like the most likely situation for him finding out about your regression is if you didn't tell him yourself is that he found out during a particularly long night in the lab. You being tired had regressed and he had his suspicions from there.

Him becoming your Caregiver was never something actually verbalised, more just a responsibility he was happy to take on and the two of you went from there.

Egon is big on praise, he knows he's not always the most affectionate (although that's not to say never) however he doesn't want you to believe he doesn't care, he makes sure you know how proud of you he is and how amazing you are doing!!!

I think he'd have a tangle toy in his desk (if you guys are at the fire station) or in his pocket if elsewhere for you (and himself)

Watching TV (movies or shows) are a fun activity for the two of you as it doesn't require talking but you guys can if you want to. - he also enjoys reading be that him reading to you, you reading to him or the two of you individually reading in the same area <333

Egon really enjoys being your Caregiver. It allows for him to de-stress from his very chaotic job/life.

As I previously said he really enjoys reading, his voice is very calming and it isn't out of the ordinary for you to fall asleep listening to him read or just talk about something he's currently analysing.

He got the two of you small matching rabbit plushies. You absolutely love yours, keeping it with you always. (Egon also always has his own on him, it's in his pocket. It got slimed once whilst he was on the job.. he was not happy in the process of it being cleaned, no one knew why you were the only one he wasn't being subtly (not subtle at all) grumpy towards)

He often lets you sit with him whilst he works on experiments, he has a box of crayons for you to use - or you can watch him work on his experiments.

No touching anything to do with an experiment. A joke that Peter came up with was "if you can't pronounce it, don't touch it" ..that motto ended up sticking around for everyone in the end. It became a rule for all of them, it not surprisingly stopped quite a few accidents.

He has let you use his jacket as a blanket.

He really likes doing little things for you such as tying your shoe laces or brushing your hair.

With how popular the Ghostbusters became lots of merchandise was made by different people. Egon ends up surprising you with a little Ghostbusters badge.

You gained the nickname of "Mini Ghostbuster"

He is terrible at going to sleep, he is normally quite good at making sure you're okay and getting the stuff you need to thrive (an actual healthy amount of hours of sleep.)

Speaking of making sure you're safe he is very protective over you, even if people don't realise. He's extremely aware of how dangerous his job is and is not willing to let anything happen to you.

He would have a reward chart for you!!!

He does have a habit of sometimes over complicating things. If he ends up confusing you he will try to explain in a better way for you to understand.

He likes telling jokes but he has quite a dry sense of humour. He tries- He's not at all offended though if you don't understand or find those jokes funny. He ends up making it into a sort of game to see who has the best jokes. You win. Everytime.

His go to for a babysitter is Janine. He trusts the others but Janine is typically away from well, most of the ghost danger and so when Egon is out busting ghosts you get to stay with her which is always fun. She would so spoil you!!!

^ She would make a sensory bin that's under her desk, it has a bunch of fidget toys, and other little toys to keep you entertained. It also has a sensory cube that she made you.

I think that he'd actually be pretty bad with keeping you from eating too many sweets. He has a sweet tooth- 😂 marshmallows though.. they are funnily enough off the table.. along with jelly/jello...😬

He would enjoy doing those kids science kits with you!!!

^ Enjoys learning related games for you. Think like numbered or lettered wooden blocks.

He doesn't share food with anyone that isn't you by the way- :D

I think he'd be really good at getting you to settle down for bed.

He got you some chewalry. He makes sure you have it on you always. (If you end up forgetting it's okay because he didn't and he's got it in his pocket for you!!!)

I cannot see him being able to cook - at least not well 💀

When he does act affectionately it's normally away from anyone else. He gives amazing hugs 🫂 — His cuddles are so comforting!!! <333

^ In public/around others he doesn't show as much physical affection, although he isn't against it if you'd like it. He typically sticks to linking pinky fingers!!!

^ He likes ruffling your hair, if you end up huffing at him because he "ruined your hair" he will find it even more amusing.

Forehead kisses <333

He's good at comforting you when it comes to nightmares.

Documentaries are often left playing in the background.

You could so convince him to have a tea party with you!!!

He'd be so patient with you!!!

I don't think he'd be overly strict. He'd be strict enough to keep you safe but other than that- pretty sure Peter and Ray get told off by him (a lot) more than you would- 😂

[m4tallica]

Dating Tom kaulitz Hc's

He loves spoiling you first of all even if you try to decline he'll just say something along the lines of "then what's the point of making so much money if I can't spend it on my princess?"

Loves holding you by the waist whenever in public, he knows your not going to "run away" but he's just making sure other guys know what's his

Can't keep his hands off you, it seems like 24/7 his hands are roaming your body

Always calls you baby, sweet thing, princess, mammas 🤭

LOVES when you sing just in general mostly when he catches you, singing just above a whisper when you think your alone while Tom is around the corner starstruck

loves after shows because that's when he gets his reward iykwim;⁠)

Two words Fast Fingers. Him playing has perks O⁠_⁠o

Gets so excited to show you little things like a little dance he learned or if he learned a new word in English

He also loves teaching you words in German (especially bad words)

We all know he has fangirls, that's why whenever he's in public he's with you showing everyone who he belongs to

Loves showing you off especially after he takes you shopping (Bill tags along bc u and him are shopping buddies)

Loves buying you outfits for every occasion, day, doesn't matter he just wants to see you in some cute outfit he bought

If you don't know how to already play guitar hell try to teach

(I KNOW THIS ONE WAS SHORT GUYS MB but more stuff coming soon!!!)

Loves moments when it's just you two at night cuddling he savors those moments and loves every second of you holding him and him holding you, it's a nice relaxer from all the fame and screaming and stress

Whenever you and the band are out he loves how chaotic things get

Dying laughing as Bill and you argue over a stupid thing you were about to do (justice for mama bill😭)

[itsmaferart]

Hey there! A little question: Why is everyone always accusing Loid of being gay for not kissing or doing all kinds stuff to Yor? I don’t think it’s as easy as they are making it out to be, even though both characters are a catch…..in a mixture of red/green flaggish kinda way. I actually prefer it that both characters aren’t lusting for each other as it makes their relationship more endearing but when they start developing feelings for each other, it’s beyond their attractiveness.

I ship the every living hell out of these two but if Loid does all of those intimate stuff Yor now, I don’t know, it feels less cute, rewarding, and heartwarming and more like a fulfillment of our personal desires. I don’t think Loid is a surrogate or self insert incel character to be like that. I’m sorry if I can’t put it into words, English isn’t my strong suit but that how it feels to me.

Hi, it took me a while to respond but here it is!!

I think it's the fans' rush for couples to consolidate and there's no way to blame them, because really Twiyor is one of the good couples! The Spy x Family universe internally moves in a slow-moving manner, where events are small and focus more on the development and formation of bonds between people. There is no great interest in big events, and getting a romance is not the focal point, but a part of the story.Endo's narrative moves under its own rules and some may like it or despair.

I have read dozens of comments that talk about how slow the story is and that there is simply progress at the speed of a turtle. And yes, they are right (in part).

But the truth is that this is more a conflict of fan expectations and what the story wants to tell and how it is told.The story is not badly written and not badly developed. But not everyone may like it if you are expecting more significant advances.

So, yes, Loid is very slow and Yor very naive.... But...

that doesn't mean there's no love or that it doesn't come to pass.

I understand the frustration of the Twiyor shipper, and it is the conflict of what we interpret as intimacy and closeness. In most conventional romances, intimacy is forced through physical contact, often exaggerated or convenient. Holding hands, hugging, trying to kiss, asking each other out. The story focuses on pushing the characters to get closer and with them to generate a closeness that leads to romance.

That's why most fanfic is about them being in love or having closeness, because that's what we most want to see between them… That's why many see this romance as insipid.

Endo's approach is more emotional, calmer, where trust between two people is more important than whether they are close or not. The times when this is forced, it ends badly. The fact that Loid respects Yor enough to not make her feel uncomfortable, or that Yor wants to be Loid's refuge, speaks of a very balanced mental and emotional intimacy.

It is a more mature romance, where the focus is not so much on passion. Because when they try to make it romantic, they're both fools.

I think Endo is just trying to put his own idea of romance outside of what everyone expects, and that can bore some people.

-

I suppose Endo will develop his relationship in his own way. But his main priority is the development of his people through a more everyday and chaotic life, above the spectacularity and action.… until we can finally be together

[twistedastrology]

🌊my take on neptune🌊

---------------------------------------------------------

LOOK at that gorgeous fucking planet man-

i wanna start this with a little tiny disclaimer that my take on neptune is very different from the usual and kinda flips a lot of shit on its head so my bad if this makes no sense to u but i wouldn't be uranus ruled if i didnt do shit crazy different would i 💔💔

THAT BEING SAID!!!!!! LETS GET INTO IT BABEY!!!!

let's start with what I'm dismantling-

in modern astrology, neptune is often considered the higher octave of venus and is known as the planet of spirituality or higher love. ive seen a lot of ppl say that neptune is associated with hollywood, which makes no fucking sense to me but whatever yknow to each their own-

neptune is also known as the ruler of pisces, and is exalted in cancer, the sign the moon rules.

I am about to flip a Whole fuckton on its head here so strap in and give me ur brain for a second 💔💔

neptune, the god, is the roman counterpart to poseidon, and poseidon rules over the sea, storms and earthquakes- generally very chaotic stuff-

poseidon's egyptian equivalent would be Seth, or Set. Seth was the god of chaos, storms, earthquakes, generally very chaotic stuff again.

Seth was also a trickster and, in egyptian mythology, overall kind of an asshole (since he literally chopped up Osiris into like a billion pieces and then scattered him across the earth so- idk kind of a dick move ngl)

but that's what he did!! that was his thing!!! he was the god of chaos!!!! gods of chaos are gonna be kinda assholes!!!!

But what does this mean for neptune- well this means that Neptune would be Seth (and neptune is known for it's deceptive qualities)

now keep that in ur brain as i go off on another tangent that will eventually circle back around to this one-

another proposal i have that may be shocking is that to me, Neptune is the one that rules Cancer, and the moon is the one that rules Pisces.

stay with me here hold on hear me out 💔

since ive been quite literally twisting the fuck out of astrology in my head and debunking cancer myth after cancer myth, I've come to find that cancers are a much more volatile sign than we give them credit for- or at least Can be-

they're not crybabies by any sense of the imagination, and like i said in my post abt cancers and rage, they feel anger more heavily than anything. they can also be very chaotic because they're cardinal water (think tsunamis).

now they're not all bad, dont think im tryna paint em as villains dawg i am literally a cancer rising/mars- but they have a distinct dark side to them that is Not to be fucked with.

cancers are often considered the "mothers" of the zodiac, but that has been watered down to "they're good with kids and probably want kids"- when cancers were Initially considered the mothers of the zodiac, they were talking abt cancers are the Guardians of the Zodiac.

not the galaxy-

now i will say, if a cancer has children, they will be VERY protective of them, but not in a helicopter-y way. more like in a "if you say something bad about their children or threaten to harm their children in any way, they will most likely punch you in the face and knock you out."

they wont bitch at you or be polite about it, they will probably break your face- BREAK YOUR FUCKIN FACE TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!

now, where do cancers get that rage from? who around here borders on being or Is a god of chaos in the zodiac................. seth.

neptune is a much darker, more volatile planet than we give it credit for, just like cancers can be the same- But at the same time, they can both be very pleasant entities-

cancers can easily be some of the nicest people you've ever met, they're incredibly loyal and would probably go to war for you if you meant a lot to them, and they can be VERY and often times Are creative and artistic in some way.

neptune can be a very rewarding planet to work with, it can be incredibly creative because of the depth it represents, and it can put you and guide you on your path to and through spirituality.

neptune ruling cardinal water makes much more sense in this light than it ruling mutable water in my opinion. a planet as potentially volatile as neptune would NOT be mutable.

all of this also comes partially from my slightly different idea of what higher octaves really are- ive seen people say they're the "large scale influence" planets, but i think they're quite literally just the more powerful versions of the planets they're the higher octaves of (so they can and do affect the large scale, but that's not ALL they are).

so the moon in this case would deal with our conscious emotions, our humanity, that level of stuff- which makes more sense for pisces in my opinion- the moon would be more along the lines of the emotions we Think we should feel (mutable) and therefore do- the moon is how we may have Learned to feel, among many other things.

whereas neptune is our deep, inner self. our subconscious emotions, the feelings that penetrate our very soul. neptune is our shadow self, but it's also our higher self. just as the moon has a dark side, neptune has one too, but neptune's dark side is infinitely more painful.

this role switch also makes much more sense at least in my chart, because when looking at the moon as being my chart ruler, my co-ascendant would be pisces, which never made any sense to me- so i chalked it up to "oh well my moon is 1° pisces so it's basically aquarius i guess" which DID make sense

but my moon is still in pisces. My neptune, however, is firmly in aquarius, which explains perfectly why i feel so much more aquarius coded than anything else.

im also like 99% outer planet ruled, mercury being the only inner planet that dominates my chart- my most active planets are mercury, saturn, uranus, neptune and pluto 😮‍💨

HOWVEVEVR!!!!!!

i wanna say that whenever i switch everything up like this, i still find value in normal astrology and often combine it with my twisted version to get the most accuracy possible- so while my neptune and uranus are in mutual reception (aquarius/pisces) but i believe that neptune rules cancer, i still feel that mutual reception but i also still feel the neptune/cancer influence, especially since my ascendant literally starts in the neptune decan of cancer.

and this makes my chart make a lot more sense in terms of neptune too-

if this makes absolutely no fucking sense at all to you then that's fine!!! this is just my personal view on neptune and i honestly still associate a lot of My View of neptune's traits with the moon, which is why i incorporate a multitude of different perspectives into how i interpret everything and it gives me accurate meanings so i see no problem with it-

once it stops being accurate, then there's a problem, but we're not there yet so it's ok 🙏🙏

ultimately u can kinda just take this as food for thought if nothing else!! and if u read this far into my yapping session, god bless fr 😮‍💨 (i am not religious. HAHAHHAA)

[quitealotofsodapop]

Hope you are getting better.

Also just saw/read the new AU of Mac being in the Furnace with Wukong.

Well at least when LBC revives Mac, it'll be a happier occasion for the Monkeys... Maybe?

If this does follow the TMKATI timeline after the Journey, then Mac hopefully won't kill Wukong when he realises he is now incubating a Chaos Egg.

That or the Gods/Buddha/Guan Yin help give Smokey!Mac his body back? As a reward for Wukong/to stop ghosts from haunting the Celestial Realm as revenge.

I feel like instead of making "a deal" with Mac in the Furnaced!Macaque au, I imagine it's more that Macaque now falls under LBD's control as a cloud of ashen bones. The White Bone Spirit chapter would def be a lot more chaotic.

Macaque spends a lot of the Journey as the pilgrim's annoyed trapped voice of reason. Whether or not the others can hear him means little, cus they likely wont follow his advice. If he makes it to Thunderclap Monastery without trying to suffocate somebody, the Buddha might grant his body back...

If Wukong doesn't cash in his reward for something else other than elightenment;

Buddha: "And for the great changes you have overcome, Sun Wukong, I grant you-" Wukong, holding up the Urn: "Give Mac his body back." Buddha: "Done. Lady Guanyin, if you may?" Guanyin, her vase geting a brief buff: *pours her vase contents into the Urn* Furnaced!Macaque: *regains his fleshy body* "What the..." (Wukong tackles Macaque with a hug/kiss so ethusiastic that they both fall to the ground) Zhu Bajie, surprised: "Wow. His mate really was in there." Sha Wujing, whispering: "Hey brother, I thought you were gonna use your boon to become an arhat." Wukong, face buried in Mac's fluff: "Nope. I got paradise right here." Macaque, laughing joyfully: "You big sap!" (*Gross smooching noises resume*)

The Buddha quickly has to move the rest of the Pilgrims to a different spot cus them monkeys gonna be kissing a while.

Macaque might get a boon for himself, but only a small one. Buddha knows that if Mac had hands, he'd try strangling Tripitaka or Bajie at least a few times throughout the Journey.

Macaque's presence after the Journey might also affect how the Samadhi Fire ritual goes... he has "survived" it before after all.

Canon MK running into the Monkey King's annoyed mate shortly after getting the Staff, and having a bonus fanboy-freak-out moment. After all, the tale of the Monkey King's Ashen Warrior would be a pretty big detail to be added to the Furnaced!-Jttw storyline. Macaque thinks its adorable that he has such an enthusiastic fan - but him and Wukong argue over the better ways to mentor MK.

If it precedes the TMKATI au, then Macaque likely would stay out of the limelight for the couple hundred years while Wukong continues his hero stuff. Early retirement from warrior-hood if you may. Also I bet Furnaced!Macaque and Wukong would be far more estatic about having the Chaos Egg than the base au pair.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Choir: ♪ Holy infant So tender and mild ♪

John: Wait, who describes an infant as mild?

Ted: Yeah, I'm more hung up on tender.

John: Yeah, somebody's eating this baby.

Priest: It's important that we remember just why we celebrate Christmas. We observe the holiest of all days to rejoice in the glory of the birth of Jesus Christ, born not from the seed of man but from divine origin. Never before or since have we, God's children, been blessed by such a miracle.

Ted: Excuse me. Yeah, over here. Hi. Ted, local bear. You're talking about a guy who came alive out of nowhere, right?

Priest: Yes.

Ted: Yeah, me.

Priest: I'm sorry?

Ted: I'm just saying, he's not the only one.

Priest: I don't think that's the same thing.

Ted: Well, you said, never before or since. But… You know, this guy.

Priest: The birth of Christ was a heavenly miracle.

Ted: I mean, what do you call this? I mean, I don't see any Pound Puppies or Monchhichis walking around.

Priest: Christ's birth was clearly ordained by God, marked by the star of Bethlehem, a miraculous beacon from the heavens.

John: There was a star there. Ted: There was a star, right?

John: Yeah, no, it was a shooting star.

Ted: I had a star. John: Yeah.

Priest: Jesus had a divine purpose. God sent him to us to spread the word that He loves us.

Ted (recorded voice): "I love you."

Ted: Your move, Friar Tuck.

Priest: I just want to finish the sermon.

Ted: I'm just saying, I might be Jesus. Might. I'm not saying for sure. I'm just saying it's a possibility. I might be Jesus.

Priest: That is incredibly disrespectful.

Ted: Says the guy eating babies.

-

John: OK, we can't read this whole thing.

Ted: Well, if we're gonna figure out if I'm actually Jesus, we at least got to skim it.

John: I have never seen pages so thin.

Ted: I know. It's like Kleenex with boring stories on it.

John: You know, I was thinking. How do we know that Dennis isn't Jesus?

Ted: Johnny, Jesus walked on water, all right? Walked! That means he had feet, not wheels.

John: Yeah, that makes sense.

Ted: Oh, wait, hang on. Stop right there. Look, look, look. Matthew 21:31, "Truly I say to you, the tax collectors and prostitutes go into the kingdom of heaven before you." Look at that. Jesus hangs out with hookers.

John: Yeah, and he says there's hookers in heaven too. He sounds a lot like you.

Ted: Oh, yeah, heaven is probably mostly hookers.

John: Wait, so you're paying for sex in heaven?

Ted: You're not paying them for sex. You're paying them to fly away.

John: Oh. Let's see. "And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give"…

Ted: What was that first part?

John: "Behold, I come quickly."

Ted: Jesus said that?

John: Yeah.

Ted: Yeah, that's not the kind of thing I'd start with "behold." What else? Well, look, look, look. Right there. Right there. John the apostle. Jesus had an apostle named John.

John: Holy shit. Those were, like, his buddies, right?

Ted: Yeah, yeah, there was Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Johnny, Blitzen, and Larry, Darryl, and Darryl. There's no doubt anymore. I'm the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ted: Holy shit. Does this mean you have, like, powers and stuff?

Ted: Yeah, but I probably got to learn how to use them. Flip to the spells.

John: OK, spells, spells, spells. Ted: Spells, spells, spells.

Ted: Wonder what my alignment is.

John: Chaotic good.

Ted: Ah, yeah, yeah. Good, but, like, you know, I might fuck around a little bit.

John: Yeah.

Ted: Shit, we supposed to have dice?

-

Ted: OK, what do you say we try one of them spells, huh? Water into wine, here we go. "Meka leka hi, meka hiney ho. Meka leka hi, meka chiney ho." All right, try it.

John: Still water.

Ted: Fuck! Oh, you know what? It's 'cause we don't have the wand.

-

Blaire: Shit. I mean, how the fuck am I supposed to share a house with somebody who treats me like I have some fucking disease Guess there's no chance he's gonna apologize.

Ted: You know, if I can offer a bit of Christly wisdom, Blaire? You're smarter than he is, so you might have to go talk to him.

Blaire: Oh, fuck that. I am not extending an olive branch to somebody who's against basic equality.

John: Well, that's the thing, Blaire. I don't think he's really even against anything. Think he just didn't want to look stupid in front of his truck.

Blaire: Listen to yourself!

John: OK, then don't do it for Dad. Do it for Mom. Look, she's really bummed out right now, and it's all just 'cause Christmas is messed up. Look, I know it's gonna suck, but…

Ted: But it's like I say in the Book of Romulans: turn the other cheek. Do unto others. Say it, don't spray it. I'll have what she's having.

Blaire: You're an idiot.

Ted: Oh, what do we say to that, Apostle?

John: Four hell points.

Ted: Four hell points.

Blaire: What the fuck is a hell point?

Ted: It's how I determine which of my children, who I love, will be tortured forever.

Blaire: Oh, God. Ugh, all right, all right, I'll… I'll talk to him.

-

Ted: Well, I Jesus-ed the shit out of that one.

Blaire: You? You didn't do anything.

Ted: Eh, I worked in mysterious ways.

Sarah: How?

Ted: Where there was only one set of footprints, that's where I carried you.

Blaire: You watched 18 hours of TV yesterday. You barely moved.

Ted: When it most appears I'm not Jesus, that's when you need faith.

Sarah: Ted, you do know what happened to Jesus, right?

Ted: Yeah, he gave back the Gobstopper, and they gave him the chocolate factory. I mean, I think that's what happened. I'm reading, like, two books at once.

Sarah: They nailed him to the cross and crucified him for our sins.

Ted: Wait, what?

Susan: It was so nice of him to let them do that for us, wasn't it?

Ted: They killed him?

Sarah: Yeah.

Ted: Oh, shit. Yeah, fuck that. I'm out. Wait, maybe I'm Buddha. Buddha was lazy, right?

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

BL Wrapped 2023

A little bit late, but I wanted to make sure to do this for my own records! I've watched so many shows now, it helps to have something down more formally to remember stuff.

A few notes:

This includes shows that started in 2022 and finished in 2023.

No shows that are currently still airing - how the ending lands is too critical for me.

There's some shows I know I'm going to love that I just haven't had time to see yet, so if there are any shocking absences, that's probably why.

Total # of QL watched: 37 (35 BLs, 2 GLs) (really looking forward to more GL offerings next year)

Favorite Thai shows:

Bed Friends

I was not the biggest fan of Cutie Pie, so entered this one with a fair amount of skepticism. But what a lovely surprise. Uea was such an incredible lead and so well-characterized, his trauma was handled seriously, and though there were occasional hiccups due to drama, overall King was such a respectful and supportive partner. And let's not forget the cat ears.

Laws of Attraction

What a ride this show was! I had not watched To Sir with Love, so had no familiarity with Jam or Film, but they were amazing here. The side couple of disaster muffin + loving bodyguard were pitch perfect, there were fantastic women characters who actually had significant roles in the story, and who can forget our wonderful chaotic Nawin? The story was compelling, the emotional points hit, and even when it leaned towards the ridiculous, it always remained aware of what it was.

My School President

I still remember watching the trailer for Our Skyy 2 and noticing two random dudes I had never seen before. Little did I know!

I don't have much to say except that this was pure charm from start to finish, and Fourth & Gemini were a delight. Pure comfort watch.

Unforgotten Night

I SAID WHAT I SAID! (and yes this aired in 2022, I was late)

Look, I know a lot of people thought of this purely as a trash watch, but it's so much more than that. I wrote a whole post on it. It was fantastic. I apologize for nothing.

Favorite Korean shows:

Our Dating Sim

I adored this show from start to finish. I could understand the motivations of both characters, I was deeply invested in their relationship, and they felt so utterly natural once they got together. 10/10, no notes.

Jun & Jun

This was a little messy at times, and missed an opportunity to lean more into D/s dynamics, but I really liked all the characters, the leads had great chemistry, and it was refreshing to see a Korean BL be more open about sexual desire in a relationship.

Favorite Japanese Shows:

The End of the World With You

This one could have easily gone off the rails. End of the world stories can be very tricky to pull off. But there was such a solid emotional core to the storytelling, and it kept such a hold of my heart.

My Personal Weatherman

One thing I think Japan does extremely well is stories about people who have extremely deep internal lives, but don't show much on the surface. As someone quite introverted, who keeps a lot of things on the inside, I relate a lot to this. This show did such a good job of showing how challenging it can be to communicate with those we love, and the rewards once you are able to break through and really understand each other.

Favorite Taiwanese Shows:

Kiseki: Dear to Me

Of course it's Kiseki. This series was amazing. I don't care we never really understood any of the mafia stuff, that was all set dressing for some of the best couple work ever.

Honorable Mention:

Midnight Museum

I will never stop calling this a BL. Some day GMMTV will realize that Gun has too much chemistry with other people to keep him only with Off. Also, we got Nanon playing evil, which was so sexy.

[asheepinthenight]

I have a question! What is your writing process? As in, do you have a set amount of words to reach a day or do you simply write when the feeling grabs you? Did you plan the entire story out first before you started writing or did it shape as you went? I’m curious!

Honestly, my process is a little chaotic! I'm neurodivergent, so most of my "process" is just working around what my brain can and cannot be persuaded to do on a given day. In general, most of the writing/coding work gets done in intense productivity bursts of a few days, weeks or months followed by periods of lower intensity. While the intense periods get the actual job done, the low-intensity ones are where the story actually takes shape. For every hour I spend writing and coding, I spend significantly longer on other background work, whether that's planning scenes, working on lore, or thinking super hard about why some particular thing isn't working.

As far as the writing itself, I did start out using weekly/monthly word count goals, but it didn't really work for me as a motivational tool. Since the vast majority of passages for TE contain at least some text variation based on variables, it's more confusing to write and code separately, so I do them both at once. I also commit the cardinal writer sin of writing and editing more or less simultaneously, so the actual word count of the project bounces around quite a lot. Sometimes, cutting several thousand words that aren't working feels like a big accomplishment on its own! So instead of using word count, I try to focus on making writing its own reward. Writing isn't always fun, but if I'm not compelled by the act of writing a scene, it usually means that I need to slow down and find a way to make it more vibrant—or it needs to be cut or rearranged.

On the planning side, I'm a planner when it comes to the big-picture stuff and more of a pantser on the scene level. TE started its life as a vague list of scenes (I work off scenes rather than chapters), then became a flowchart in Obsidian.

The flowchart's seen a lot of changes since its initial form, but the general structure is mostly the same. It hasn't been updated since the last demo update, but the demo scenes (green) are pretty orderly with connection arrows between them. The farther you go into future scenes (red), the less structured they get. Most of the red scenes don't even show the major branching they'll include. Usually, as a planned scene approaches, the way it connects to preceding scenes will present itself, whether it's through a time skip or some new scenes. Subplots and other elements that don't need to coincide with external plot beats get slotted in wherever makes sense without disturbing the flow of the story.

I can't say that I'd recommend my process to anyone, but if you want to try it, have at it! It's all about finding a method that works well for a given person and a given project.

[ginnyw-potter-archive]

A recap of 2023

so this is the year I wrote. I wrote more than I have ever done and so I thought it would be nice to look back on 2023 and look a little further back as well.

I used to write fanfic, I think I started about 14 years ago. I am not a native speaker and my English definitely needed some work then. I also have so many qualms about my old writing (I apparently hadn't found out about paragraphs yet), but we all have to start writing somewhere.

I stopped writing little by little, feeling burned out and completely stopped in 2018 (for various reasons). I don't think I wrote anything at all in 2019 or very little. In 2020 I dipped my toes in again with a few oneshots.

End of 2021 is when I started writing again and finally came back to writing Harry Potter fanfic. I started out with a longfic of 70K words! It was a struggle and I think it's like a muscle that wasn't being used. A Guiding Light is the fic that got me back in and I posted it throughout 2022.

And then I started two new fics because I was inspired again. I started posting those at the end of 2022/start of 2023. Knight of Mine and Peverell's Progeny have both surpassed the word count of Guiding Light with ease. It was never my purpose to get to a certain word count, and it is not what I focus on, but going from nearly 0 words in 2020 and slowly increasing, it's amazing to see myself putting out so many words.

And as well this year I focused less on what things I think people want to read and got a little more self-indulgent and it is so rewarding. It really makes me enjoy writing it even more.

My mental health has been shit before and it really took a nose dive in 2018, but this year I finally started feeling like myself again. My anxiety has gotten so much better and in turn I have been sick way less (although I did knock it out of the park at the start of the year with about 5 weeks of various illnesses) so I feel like I can enjoy life more in general. I am not sure if my writing helped me get there or if I am writing more because I am feeling better. All in all, I think writing has been helping me get through various things and it is one of the only things I enjoy doing consistently.

I haven't kept exact track of how much I wrote in the last year but based on my AO3 statistics as they are today (26th of Dec), I think it's safe to say that 2023 has surpassed all the others before.

You can see the majority of what I wrote, 414K of a total 541K, has been posted in the last year. It's crazy to think about. A lot of people found my writing as well this year and it's been so amazing getting that feedback ...as well as crazy paternity guesses with emojis, begging me for horse smut (that is still a no-you know who you are) and bribing me to update early... they really do make my day and some of you are too funny for your own good.

Looking ahead a little, I want to see what else I can achieve in the upcoming year. I am not setting any specific goals for myself other than continuing to work on my ongoing fics and not starting too many new ones (*pushes Pirate AU back under the bed*) Buut I am curious how much writing I actually get up to and so I made myself a little tracker.

Bullet journaling is the only other hobby aside from writing that I seem to be able to do consistently. I just kind of fell out of it in the summer of 2022 and finally picked it back up again for 2024. I think when I wasn't writing, it was a good different outlet for me and I still enjoy it. It simply slipped out of my habits, especially when I moved out on my own last year and I was too focused on keeping up with chores and other stuff. Now I am a little more organised, so I do hope to keep it up. It will also force me to do something else than writing once in a while, which is probably healthy for me.

This tracker looks a little chaotic, I know, but i wanted to get everything on one page. Maybe next year I can tell you exactly how much I wrote.

And word counts are nice but I think improving is also important and I do feel like I have managed to learn a lot of things this year and I will continue to do so in the coming year. I take great inspiration from other people's writing. I always get inspired when I read an especially good fic (which often ends up with me starting a new WIP, send help) and I discover new ways to put in descriptions or how to phrase something a certain way. And talking to other fic writers on here, or discord, is also where I learn a lot. A ton of you are so talented and it is such a joy to be able to discuss things, pick your brains and get feedback. Sometimes I just learn things by reading along to someone else's discussion. Sometimes you find answers to questions you didn't know to ask!

I also want to thank my beta readers, who have read so many words this year. They are so FAST and then apologise for being slow. I cherish them so much.

If you read up to this point, thank you! If you've read a fic of mine this year, thank you as well. If you left me kudos or comments, recced me... you get a little kiss on the forehead.

If you have achievements of your own this year that you are proud of, do share them! (Reblog or send me an ask, I want to hear about it!) Let's celebrate all the work you put in!