#my marketing degree isn't going to waste!!!

[vixstarria]

Kinktober Day 23 - Body Swapping

For every day of the month of October I will be posting a little snippet following prompts listed in this post. Most of these will not be full fics, but rather short snippets, set-ups, and, in a few cases, copied bits and pieces of fics I have already published. But, if there is a lot of interest and feedback on any of the snippets, they might just evolve into full fics, so keep that in mind.

Disclaimer: Tell me this isn't exactly how this would go, I fkn dare you.

“We’ll have about an hour. Are you ready?”

The scroll had cost a small fortune on the black market, came with no guarantees, and was illegal to possess to begin with. The vendor claimed it would fully swap their bodies. Not just provide illusionary images of one another - completely switch them, sensations, abilities, weaknesses and all.

“Do it.”

Asmodea braced herself and used the scroll before she could change her mind.

She was immediately struck by the heightened richness of her senses - she already had perfect half-elven eyesight before, but now everything she laid her eyes on was clearer to a degree she had never realised was possible. She could make out the most minute sounds from afar. Her sense of smell seemed to have gained a new dimension.

It worked! By the gods, the scroll actually worked…

After a few dazed seconds, she realised that her mouth had been gaping in awe, and she shut it. A fang immediately snagged on her inner lip, piercing it. Asmodea yelped in surprise, tonguing the cut. Within seconds, it healed completely. She carefully opened and shut her mouth again - the fangs feeling unnatural and obtrusive in her mouth.

“Godth,” she lisped, trying to get the hang of working her mouth despite the fangs. “How long did it take to get used to thith?” No answer followed, and she looked questioningly at Astarion, who was wearing her body.

He had stayed completely still, barely breathing, hardly blinking. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her, she realised.

Oh. Right.

“Come now, you’ve seen your mirror images,” she said, softly. “This shouldn’t be a shock.”

“They didn’t quite convey the… the finer details,” Astarion said, absentmindedly, continuing to stare.

Asmodea quelled her urge to cringe at the sound of her own voice, and instead did a little spin with a flourish, and flashed him her best imitation of his devilish grin.

“And what do you think?”

“I think you have excellent taste, darling” Astarion smiled, before finally tearing his eyes away from his own image. “Anyway. Let’s not waste time.”

Their clothes were quickly discarded.

“Do you want me to touch you..?”

“Not yet, just let me see for myself first… Gods, you may as well be half-deaf and blind, but I need to gorge myself on blood before my skin gets even close to this level of sensation…”

Astarion was careful and methodical, almost scientific in the way he glided his fingers over his female flesh, repeating the motions he’d performed on her countless times - no doubt making mental notes of the sensations and filing them away for later use.

Meanwhile, Asmodea was gyrating her hips, trying to get her penis to spin like the sails of a windmill.

“You need to be more aroused to get a proper idea of how that feels,” she said, watching him.

“In due course,” he murmured. “…And will you stop that?”

“In due course,” she mimicked him, looking him square in the eyes, the penis continuing to fly.

He sighed and resumed his efforts, his fingers slipping inside, probing and searching. He frowned in concentration.

“You really can’t reach it yourself,” he said thoughtfully.

“Yes, I’ve told you that,” she rolled her eyes. “But while we’re err… exploring uncharted territories and all… Can you finger my ass real quick?” she asked, turning her back to him.

“Finger your own ass,” he muttered, “I’m busy.”

She half-turned to look back at him over her shoulder, conjuring up the saddest, roundest eyes she could manage. Astarion swore under his breath as soon as he looked up at her.

“I had no idea it was that effective,” he muttered. “Fine! I’ll scratch yours, if you scratch mine... Is there any oil anywhere..?”

My Kinktober masterlist and prompts post

[coyoteprince]

I am really, really going Through It right now, but... in the best way possible? Like, really good things? It's just a lot to juggle at once so I'm absolutely wore out from a massive growth spurt

I deserve to be joyous about this so:

-New house! All our own! We're even moving during October (date was pushed back due to philly market), very spiritually important time for me

-Getting married next Fall once things calm down, finally, after being engaged for a few years

-Came to terms with Widderwood being an important purpose in my life, an art that feeds my soul- even if the result remains small, all this work isn't a waste, because the process enriches my life and brings me joy. The many years of dedication I've had for it is a sign that it's the right choice for me to continue following, and am super looking forward to the years of doing the actual page layouts. I've been setting realistic expectations to maintain my happiness with production, am working it into my new schedule, and I get to ink the pages at my antique writing desk in the sunroom as I look out at our back garden once we move... waow

-Learning a ton of important things about myself- my fears, roots of problems and behaviors thanks to trauma and ego that I didn't notice. I'm being kinder to myself, less judgemental of others, and letting go of other's projections rather than continuing to internalize them. I know what I am, how to be empathetic and accept my missteps, but also what isn't worth my time and energy.

-Learning how to adjust my desire for perfection in myself to much more healthy & reasonable level, and being more willing to delegate

-Rebuilding my business internally from the ground up for success, seeking continuous education for business & science, and after years of struggling and testing, FINALLY figuring out a work-life method that works for my messed up desires-varience autism brain. Balance!

-Similarly, figuring out how to balance cooking for two autistic people who have greatly different cravings & stims

-Realizing what a hard working, loyal, and loving person I am with an unrivaled, firey dedication to change and self improvement. Capricorn to an eerie degree.

Overall I feel like I'm in the transitional period between continuing to be poisoned by the aftermath of prolonged abuse and illness, and finding peace while blossoming far beyond what happened to me. Something I've strived for, but wasn't sure I'd ever have. In a way, it's obtaining independence and finding out who I really am as a person, unclouded by other's words and fearful what-ifs.

20 something years of being locked away. About 8 more years of new experiences, perspectives, professional help, love, and grueling work to dismantle things in myself. I guess this is what real healing and responsibility looks like- at least in my case. I'll never stop growing, but I am at a pivotal point of change.

What I've experience is important to me because it set the projectile for my life. I want to be somewhat open because I want others to be aware of what autistic children often experience and how it affects them long term... but I also know I have more to me and don't have to be haunted anymore. Turning an unpleasant experience into a tool I can control is a lovely reward and I can now whole heartedly say: I love being alive.

[splathousefiction]

"porn is-"

Let me stop whatever puritanical bullshit you're about to say right there. Let's cut all the fuck-shit hand wringing and get right to brass tacks.

Does the adult industry have its issues?

Abso-fucking-lutely. Every industry has a base exploitation of labor, and under a capitalist system often that will be to a de-humanizing degree. Every single job in the world fucking sucks, even if it's a job you love. The porn industry especially has it's share of horror stories both from the production side and how the consumer market treats sex workers.

But I'm not gonna sit here and let your fucking opinion of what I do for a living - a profession where I was given bodily autonomy and respect for that autonomy, both legally and from my audience - turn into federal laws and regulation.

The porn industry has safety checks, physical consent slips, mandatory STI testing and much more to the point it would make an OSHA inspector blush. If you're a solo star working out of your home with a modicum of understanding re: how to market yourself, you can make a living wage ($20 an hour and up) as opposed to the federally mandated minimum wage ($7.25 an hour as of this writing). As such you're also more than likely an independent contractor, so you can walk away from the job at any time for any reason whatsoever unless you've signed a contract (in which case, read your terms).

Porn historically has, and continues to have, a racism and sexism problem. But this isn't the 60s and 70s. /Because/ of a combination of /labor regulations/ AND /consumer demand/, the market now has more female/queer and BIPOC industry leaders than ever before. Which is a far cry more than you're going to get in most corporate offices.

The adult industry was the first place I was respected for both the true value of my labor and on terms with my identity, with both often protected by the platforms I worked for (and my audience!). To disregard it as "immoral and exploitive" is to use verbatim the same fascist ideals of a "pure" culture those particular slack-jawed, gravel-brained, total wastes of spaces are gonna use to eventually /eliminate you/ when you're not good enough for the cause anymore.

The denigration of sexual expression is the destruction of freedom of expression, and the element which weathers away the strength of the human spirit.

I'm sorry me posting my fat cock on the web sends you into a tizzy, but at the least I'm affirming my will to live.

[adiabolikpastel]

Life Updates w/ Mun Yu~

Just a note: I started writing this in March... So, yeah that is how crazy things have been for me.

I thought I would take a moment to do a good- ol'fashioned Blog Update. Since the new year started - and my resolution to post more isn't going too well - I thought it might be nice to just clear the air.

Brush off the non-productiveness of the past, and look forward! With that in mind, let's dive in! Everything will be under the cut - if updates aren't your thing, no biggie. Thanks for the support, and I'll post more content soon!

●・○・●・○・● | ●・○・●・○・● | ●・○・●・○・●

Mun Yu Updates

So, what's been up with me? What's the happs? Well - after four LONG years I am finally getting my Bachelor's Degree. For those that might be new - I am an older college student, having wasted my first chance of going.

Originally, it was only to go back to finish my AAS in Early Childhood Education. Once that was done, however, I found the job market to be less than ideal. That being the case, I transferred to another college and began working towards a BA in Human Resource management. And now - as I stand but 3 more weeks away from completing that degree...

I have been asked by the college to continue my education - and will be starting the next chapter of this crazy journey. Starting next August - I will be working towards getting my MLD (Master's in Leadership Development) & MBA (Master's in Business Administration). I cannot properly express how crazy the idea of that is to me - I was never great in school and now all this... I feel so blessed to have this experience.

That has been my major focus - and it's literally a full-time job. On top of my actual full-time job. I also got married last October, to my best friend of 12 years. As we both enter into our thirties - we are looking to bring in another member of the family soon enough. Not just yet - but soon.

●・○・●・○・●

Blog Now - What's Happening?

You know I wish there was more to post about. Truly I do. This blog is going to be 7 years old - and while it's come a long way, there isn't much to say right now.

I do have the L.E.M. art project continuing, we are officially on the last two boys. L.E.M. was such a huge accomplishment for me as a creator - even if it does exist outside of either canon. I enjoy going back and looking it over; just to see how far the blog has come.

TORMENTED REVERIE

Story-wise; super slowly I am working on publishing Yuuki's official story. My plan is to do each boy's route - complete with C.G.s (the first of which are done). Which will cover the month Yuuki was in the mansion before choosing Kanato.

After those routes are done, I want to make an overarching timeline post about where her story goes from there - then an epilogue just before Another Daydream. Those will also hopefully have art - which would be nice.

Yuki on the other hand - doesn't really have routes with the other boys. So I am wondering what the best way to tell his story is. I could just do it in sections and then break it into parts. I have seen OC blogs in the past do like diary/journal entries - which could be good for him honestly. Something like he was asked by Reinhart to keep a journal?

Yuki's storyline is one that I feel I have an idea of what I want, but I don't play with nearly enough like the others. So, that is definitely something I would love to work on in the new year. If you all are ever curious about him or the story - I am open for ask, they help me develop the story so much.

TORMENTED REVERIE: ANOTHER DAYDREAM

So, listen... these children got a lot of attention years ago. I don't feel so bad that they are getting ignored right now because of that. That being the case - I do have small things in the works for them. Nothing that is being developed at the moment though. My age old project Yukio in Wonderland is still something I want done, but I need a new artist for (and cant afford right now anyway). I do plan to work on getting sprites made for their older looks, mostly Yukio and Kanaye - Rini is set with what she has.

There is no official name for it - BUT - there is a sequel in the works for this time line. It follows Kanaye and Isabella (owned by @pureblood-prey) and their family / reign after taking over as King and Queen. With children of their own too - it's such a fun story that Mel and I have built over the years. Like I said though, no official name or release do that - but if you have any questions feel free to ask~!

EXCRUCIATING DUPLICITY

Ohh... this universe. I feel like it has so much going on, yet nothing all at the same time. There are a lot of OCs here, and I am trying to make them all cohesive with one another - the biggest part of that is that most of them have little to do with one another, which is kind of nice.

Skye's story is something I want to explore more. He has become such a presence on this blog - which I never thought possible. So thank you everyone for being so supportive of his chaotic a$$. I certainly never originally thought of his as Karlheniz partner - but I love where that plot is going.

Roselyn will probably never have a proper story, mostly because she is more of a background character. While she is there any around - having her own plot going on, it's not the focus, and we'll probably only see it in small doses. But you all ready know, if you want more Burai x Rose or just Rose content, all you gotta do is ask

Sweet baby Calli~ I know I have bit off so much with her story. Not only does she have two boys, which causes her story line to split - her family is super important to the natural order of the universe. It will probably be years upon years before I can properly give this story anything that it deserves. For now at least, Calli's story is the "Main Story" of the universe - where all others revolve around and have influences from or to the events in her plot.

●・○・●・○・●

And... really that is all I have right now. Seriously, I started this in March and nothing really changed since I started till now when I am finally publishing it.

Once summer rolls around, and I am not weighted down with school work, I will 100% be able to focus more on the blog and releasing content. Thank you for your continual patients and support - truly it means the world.

For making it this far I will share a little inspiration board for the twins! I am so happy that you guys are excited for them. I swear I will answer the ask in my box today from my sweet anons. Thank you all again, we'll chat soon!

[unhingedkorean]

I saw an ad for an app that literally says "Be your own therapist" like, that is the verbatim copy on the beautifully color-graded photo of a happy-looking blonde woman and umm. no. no. nonononononononono. No. NO!

I generally dislike "Just DIY! You'll get the 'same thing' for less $$$$" sentiment that is being pushed more and more. The goddamn point of specialized professionals is that they have the knowledge and training (and often the economics of scale) to do things effectively and efficiently. You're not going to achieve an equivalent result unless you, too, devote enough time to acquire the knowledge and training of a professional.

Obviously there are degrees to this.

A "barista" at Starbucks that makes a little above minimum wage (and at least in case of Starbucks Korea, not actually required to have any kind of barista training or certification) likely isn't going to make better coffee than you and most of the money you're paying goes to corporate profit, so if you're the type of person who considers coffee a mode of caffeine delivery rather than a delicacy, then yeah you're probably better off making your own coffee.

My sister recently decided that she doesn't like the wallpapers in her bedroom and decided to go the DIY route. But she didn't know that the DIY wallpapers she bought off the internet wouldn't work directly on her bedroom walls (something a professional would have considered immediately) and had to do some extra shit she didn't anticipate and she didn't know how to install wallpapers properly so it ended up costing about the same money as hiring a wallpaper professional plus a lot of labor (hers and our father's) and the walls look less polished than a professional's work but that's just wasted time and effort and subpar interior decoration, no real harm done.

But some things are straight up DANGEROUS to be done by an unqualified person. No one says "be your own electrician" because that could burn your house down. If some startup came up with a DIY flu shot kit or whatever it would not be approved because vaccination isn't just about administering the injection, it also requires medical training to evaluate whether it is safe for you to even get vaccinated and monitor for adverse reactions afterwards.

Even licensed therapists go to other licensed therapists because they know that not even a licensed therapist can't self-therapize as the objectivity required to assess and address psychological issues would be lost.

There are 2140892104 mental health self care uwu apps and I'm not categorically against those, but to suggest that a fucking app is a viable replacement for an actual therapist is unethical. But they are not subject to regulations for healthcare related marketing because guess what, they are not a healthcare related business.

[tin-can-iron-man]

I posted 984 times in 2022

That's 656 more posts than 2021!

101 posts created (10%)

883 posts reblogged (90%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@the-faultofdaedalus

@notanarutoblogs

@tony-stark-ing

@bobbimorses

@tratshka

I tagged 744 of my posts in 2022

Only 24% of my posts had no tags

#tin-can-answers - 23 posts

#them - 18 posts

#victor von doom - 18 posts

#yeah - 14 posts

#him - 12 posts

#doctor doom - 10 posts

#tony stark - 8 posts

#iron man - 7 posts

#doomtony - 5 posts

#victor - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#victor: also i'm so fucking sorry it tried to marry you i want you to know that was it's own issues i didn't come to that conclusion at all

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

113 notes - Posted February 28, 2022

#4

I always find the reaction between MCU Wanda and 616 Wanda in universe to be so interesting because 616 Wanda is a hero who is condemned for falling to her emotions and reacting to trauma poorly but MCU Wanda is still declared a hero, in universe, and is literally treated as "baby girl who can do no wrong" by literally every superhero that meets her. I just find it so interestingly fucked up that 616 doesn't get to be excused the same way MCU does in any regard, including in universe. When she has tried 10,000 times harder than Wendy ever has.

Edit: hey this post was made before MoM and I'm specifically talking about the difference between COMIC Wanda (the REAL 616) and MCU (aka earth 199999 (DESPITE what the movies may tell you)). Because I know people are now going to be confused for a hot sec.

124 notes - Posted April 15, 2022

#3

Anyway Im3 was fucking right in not having the mandarin be the legit villain of the film because it was 2013 and having Tony Stark, a rich white American billionaire, have his biggest enemy at the end of his trilogy be "Asia all along" sucks ass. im1 and im2 had asian enemies in it (the "ten rings" in Afghanistan and Vanko, respectively) but they were ultimately about rich people (and usually rich white people) being terrible. Which, in my opinion, was the better option.

In im1 and im2, the main antagonists that pull the plot along are other rich white billionaires who throw money at their problem (Tony) with unethical rich person means. (Hammer hires Vanko with the intention of using him as a way to get to Tony because he's petty as well as using him to further his own military business by selling Vankos inventions under his name) (Stane makes shady deals and puts Tony's weapons up on the black market (which, by the way, what happened to Wanda and Pietro was either a result of Stane's shady deals that Tony was unaware of (Tony was also almost blown up by a Stark branded missile! That he DEFINITELY did not sell! He made the arc reactor so that the shrapnel in his heart wouldn't tear it to shreds!), or US military shittyness, something that Tony was uneducated on, learned about, and immediately, as in literally the second he could, when he was literally supposed to still be in a wheelchair, called a in-person press conference and shut down his weapons program, and immediately became one of the most anti-military characters in the MCU (like in the avengers, when he got real angry about being referred to as soldiers).

Killian isn't a good character, he's doesn't have a particular compelling origin story and wasting the foundation of AIM in the MCU on him sucks. Yes. But he's the last in the list of Iron Man villains that make sense in terms of Tony's personal turning over a new leaf. Stane and Hammer (and Vanko to a degree) are exaggerated versions of Tony's own personal flaws, the things he has to keep in check about HIMSELF. And in that sense, Killian is too. Killian is, if looking in a mirror, an exaggerated version of Tony's desire to be acknowledged and accepted by the people he loves, not being able to take rejection well, and being a risk taker, blown out of proportion. (Tony does deeply crave the affection of those he loves but he doesn't think he naturally deserves it. And while he can be reckless it typically starts and ends with himself. The very last thing Tony would do is, say, start human experimentation (on anyone besides himself) on something known to be dangerous). Killian is impulsive, vindictive, dismissive, self-centered and incapable of reflecting on himself in a meaningful way (basically just any "nice guy" guy on Twitter). He got so butthurt about a single night he dedicated the rest of his life to trying to get back at Tony about it (REAL big "nice guy" on Twitter vibes). He's not well written, he's not even that fun. What makes him interesting, though, is that Tony was kinda all of those things too. (Before his time spent with Yinsen, before Iron Man, before the Avengers).

Tony has never been as bad a Stane, or Hammer, or Killian. But thematically their characters are all "this bad thing about Tony pre-Afghanistan taken 12 steps further."

I don't know I'm just saying in my opinion I think it was better for Tony's main villains to be exaggerated caricatures of himself over using the Mandarin. And that they were right to save a character like the real Mandarin for Shang-Chi where they could be explored and used narratively in a proper manner.

138 notes - Posted April 12, 2022

#2

Not too get into it unprompted but I have a theory from the Quintin Reviews Victorious Videos and Yvette Nicole Brown's acting career that I now completely believe that Community takes place within the boundaries of the NSU

224 notes - Posted March 31, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I feel like most of us can relate to this at this point

436 notes - Posted May 2, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[the-gay-prometheus]

This is going to be long because I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about it so.

TL;DR: Hell no, never in my life, because lab grown meat in itself is unsustainable and can spell disaster for agriculture and livestock as a whole.

Yeah no. You wanna talk about how awful single-use plastics are? What do you think gets used to an extreme on a daily basis in a lab? Factory-made anything is an environmental disaster, now add the requirement for absolute sterility on top of that and you've got a recipe for even more plastics ending up in landfills (and ultimately also oceans and other habitats) than we already do. Talk to anyone who works in a lab, especially ones where cultures are grown, and they can tell you this is *not* sustainable. I'm sure there's plenty more to argue on the sustainability and safety front here too.

Now onto the animal side. Animals play - or should play - a crucial role in our agricultural ecosystem, just like they do in wild ecosystems. Livestock help us reduce waste by eating parts of crop plants that we can't, like the stalks and chaff and hulls of grain. Livestock also are important for fertilizing the soil our plant based foods come from. Synthetic fertilizers are already overused and causes surface and groundwater pollution to an overwhelming degree. They also lead to extensive carbon emissions that don't get sequestered into the environment. On top of that, studies have shown synthetic fertilizers actually can lead to faster depletion of soil health, which is not only disastrous for the environment (large swaths of land where the soil has been entirely depleted of organic matter and basically turned to sand... We've already seen it in some parts of the country), but also disastrous for the future of growing plants to feed ourselves. What can we use instead of synthetic fertilizers? Manure. Livestock manure, especially. When used safely and appropriately, livestock manure is better overall for the soil and the environment.

Livestock are also imperative for supporting local food systems, especially in places where growing crops isn't necessarily feasible. Livestock can live basically anywhere, eating things that we can't and turning those things into food we can eat like meat or milk or eggs. Livestock, when managed properly, can have a net ecological benefit by improving soil health in the land they graze or browse, by playing a part in the carbon sequestration cycle, and by actually helping to preserve habitat (rangeland and land used for pastured or forested livestock is able to be inhabited by other species as well, unlike land used for crops or... pretty much any other human development nowadays).

Why am I pressing so hard for why livestock are good on a post about lab grown meat? Because purring aside the environmental concerns of the production of lab grown meat, look at the answers in the poll above. If lab grown meat was widely available, people wouldn't think about those environmental concerns or the benefits real livestock can and do provide, they would only think about how 'no animals had to die for this' or 'everyone tells me livestock are bad for the environment so this must be better.' Real meat would get left behind. And since we live in capitalism where money is king, if livestock aren't making money, they can't be sustained.

Mass swaths of livestock would be culled because there'd just be no market for the products they make, and their bodies would be left to decompose instead of be eaten. Breeds that have been around for centuries would go extinct. Potentially entire domestic species would go extinct. We'd have no way of reviving them. That in and of itself should all be sad and alarming, but consider this also: when the studies inevitably show lab grown meat is harmful in any way, when the studies show that our soil health is eroding even faster, when the studies show that maybe we needed livestock in our agricultural food system, it'll already be too late. There will be no livestock to bring back to the fields.

i got different answers when i asked my vegetarian sister, my vegetarian mom, and my vegan partner so.

if you want to tag why please go right ahead, (i.e. you wouldn’t consider it to follow religious dietary rules and restrictions). i’m very curious because i’ve talked about this a lot with people.

[comically-chaos]

So mentally I'm still in a downward spiral and trying to figure out what's going on. I quit the degree path that I have been on for literally the past decade, the IT sector is continuing to blow up (to the point where every SINGLE person on my LinkedIn is looking for a freaking job!!), I just don't know what to do with my life anymore. The job market sucks and I have to find another job and MY RESUME IS TRASH because it's not AI appropriate and I'm still in college and nobody wants to hire someone who is in school but I can't get the job that I want without the degree. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I'm effectively eating as a single person, I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE cooking for just myself because what is the fucking point? I hate left-overs after the 2nd day and I'm tired of wasting food. I'm too poor to waste food. Food is meant to be shared, not just thrown down your gullet in vain attempts to stave off the reaper.

My body continues to be a source of contention with myself because I'm gaining weight back and I hate it. Losing 70 lbs isn't as chipper and cheery as losing 80-90 lbs. I'm looking at myself and screaming internally and externally and just ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

I'm having a rough go of it and trying to figure out my next steps in life are and watching my world burn around me are terrible.

What am I doing with my life? I'm 30 years old and screaming into the void. My entire career path blew up in front of me. What am I doing?

[kaithixn]

So I Graduated College. Now What?

- Trying to navigate the working world as a fresh graduate. Let's talk about it. -

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

** Greetings. Before we begin, I should preface that this was originally on my website and promptly deleted due to not seeing the need to have a blog attached to my website. With that said, this isn't a copy and paste as I don't remember much of what I wrote before deleting it all. And I didn't save any of it. So...

- JOURNAL:

In May of 2024, I graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design with a Bachelor's degree in Illustration with honors. Since then I have been attempting to get a grip on building a firm foundation to start my job search. Seeing as the job market isn't great currently, and with all the other complicated stuff going on, it has of course made me more hesitant and has shot down my motivation in the beginning.

There was this sort of mental struggle in the first couple months of being graduated. A part of me has been happy to just laze about with the belief or perhaps excuse of deserving a break. Seeing as up to this point the routine of summer break had been ingrained into me. That and my mother had bought me and my sister our usual local pool memberships.. So I felt more inclined to indulge.

It didn't help that very early after graduating I was already getting the expectation of looking for a job by my mother. I don't blame her. But it did sting a bit that she had this talk with me so early. I was expecting it maybe somewhere at the end of June or even July. Again I was juggling the mindset of either enjoying a final summer vacation or working hard to start my professional career in some way. Of course this would end up being a healthy balance.

I was obviously procrastinating on multiple things. I had a lot of things I wanted to do. Both in leisure and professionally. And as a sort of graduation gift, and with it being a private art institution, I was given a sketchbook just like when I first started at the school as a freshman. With it I decided to give it the purpose of documenting my goals for each 'semester'. Knowing that if I did I would be more inclined to try and complete these goals that I have set out for myself.

Some of these goals included reconstucting my website, applying to at least three jobs, finishing childhood video games, painting out in the park near my house, and other such goals. Of course I was scattered in trying to get some of these things started. Though I did start with the most basic and easiest of the goals. I also ensured to keep motivation by noting that I don't need to finish all goals to be considered successful knowing my perfectionism parasite.

These goals were split into three categories. Professional, creative, and personal. Given that I needed to continue to develop artistically. It isn't something that can be dropped and picked back up without some loss of skills or instincts. The pandemic had taught me that all too well. But that is another story for another day.

Regardless I was struggling to have the motivation to start anything. The most simple of tasks were things like reading a book, cleaning up a social media account, ensuring my job documents were completed and ready for use. All with no real routine or heavy expectation driving me to complete these goals.

Up to this point I had been functioning on the fear of failure or some kind of threat to avoid to get things done. Which isn't healthy as I've been told by a professional. But it was certainly a survival tactic for me. Whether it be just getting things done to avoid getting behind on things to the point of never being able to catch up or the belief of wasted money or effort should I get subpar grades. The latter of course being college. Private art college is not cheap.

It was only recently that I have constructed something productive for myself. Attempting to move on from these past strategies. This of course took some time and lots of self reflection. Deciding to adopt the mindset of simply working towards something at my own pace. Whatever that meant, I was attempting to work on one thing each day in hopes of making lots of progress towards any goal set by myself.

Following in my sisters footsteps who was on a much slower journey of her own. I don't recall clearly. But I think I was once again discussing with my mother about things when it seemed like she was understanding of my position and more or less allowing me to do as I wished. Where I of course assured her that I would show her the fruits of my labor as well as my determination to stay productive.

Then after a few weeks of more or less existing without a purpose, everything seemed to change after I had that session with the professional that had told me how I've carried myself through education was unhealthy. It was clear that not having a routine was the biggest factor that was getting in the way of me getting things done. Not to mention doing only one thing for a whole day was tiring. I was often on the verge of burnout and had thrown in the towel.

"GET ON WITH THE IMPORTANT STUFF ALREADY KAITHIXN!"

Okay. Okay. I was getting to that. Enough journaling. So you just graduated or closed a chapter in your life and don't know where to start anew like I was. Especially if you know nothing but the education system that you were conditioned to or even just a routine in general. For me at least big changes in routine used to be stressful or simply annoying before adjusting and adapting.

So I will start by saying that the first big step that I took was making myself an adequate schedule that matched or reflected my college schedules. I particularly attempted to make it fit a typical eight hour shift with two breaks on each morning or afternoon blocks of time respectfully as well as an hour lunch break.

This was so I could format my routine to what would essentially be a typical salary job. I also matched this schedule to fit with things I wanted to do that fit into completing my goals that I had mentioned earlier. With the morning block dedicated to studying my own artistic process. Essentially a long warm-up where I simply draw anything I want to keep practicing as well as focusing on certain skills to improve myself as a creative.

After my lunch break I either focus on professional goals and related skills or creative goals and skills. Spread out across the week. Though it should be noted that there had been some days that I just took the day for myself but only at the very beginning.

So in terms of professional work, I have begun the process of creating a few living records. The main one I think everyone should be utilizing is an application tracker. I have been experimenting with google sheets to complete this. This is to keep me organized given that I would assumingly be applying to multiple positions across many companies.

It is not a good idea to not have some kind of system to at least note what jobs you have applied to lest you get confused with who you are communicating with for example. Another reason to have it is to prove to anyone who questions your efforts in your job search. I've seen plenty of people seemingly my age documenting just how many jobs that they had applied to with a degree of various levels to even masters still job searching after years.

Of course this was back when I was feeling a bit hopeless about the job market. I still have that feeling but I refuse to give up and just live at home with no goals to accomplish. My main goal overall is to work towards full independence.

What I'm trying to say is having a tracker proves that you are looking and not just sitting there rotting in your room doing nothing productive. It also just keeps trackof every job you have applied to and keeping tabs on its progress. I of course started from a template that someone else had made and editted it to my liking.

I think another big aspect was having a checkbox right at the beginning that states what im applying to as a priority or not. It further motivates me to try my best to get certain positions while those that aren't as important to me get the more.. Casual treatment.

Along with that, I had begun to create other google sheets to help keep track of things moreso related to my creative practice should I get more into freelance work. This includes a commission tracker to ensure I have adequate records for taxes and the like. I have also begun to work on a very well explained and comprehensive but likely long personal contract as well as working towards a form to place on my website for an easy start of communications.

Then as for my other creative endevors I had blocked out time to work towards things I would like to create. This of course being a sort of closed species sort of deal or maybe moreso a collectible type concept with a creature I had a created but moreso focusing currently on a self-created book meant to help other artists who also struggle with crippling perfectionism or other skills.

I also blocked out time for things that are more personal but still end up feeling like a chore. But to be fair for me almost everything I do feels like a chore to some extent. So even if it's something like playing a video game or writing a poem, it sometimes feels like a hassle. So I treat it as such.

Since doing this I have never felt so motivated and structured by my own self-discipline. It makes me feel like I have control over my life and Intend to keep up with this schedule until I get some kind of position or if I get a large amount of commissions, simply live on doing that. Regardless I am making some doors for myself to walk through and taking things into my own hands.

With that said, I'd highly suggest crafting a schedule familiar to you and sticking to it then getting/creating a job application tracker that works for you to help you stay focused on your job search until you get a position and adapting as life goes on. I believe in you and support you in your own unique journeys.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some things to sketch and a post or two to create. You'll likely see them here actually in time. I can't wait to show you what I have created and what I'm working towards. I hope you will enjoy it.

| 7 - 2 - 2024 |

[redphienix]

Look, I'm glad some nintendo fans are happy about the prospect of a new console but like.

It's been like 15 years since consoles had any relevancy what-so-ever as their unique purposes have been stripped away and replaced with less and less value and more and more paid services.

Nintendo, a company I hate for their corporate bull shit, anti-preservation practices, and their fucking audacity in regard to short stocking things to seem "trendy" which just supports scalpers, and charging a premium for roms, and destroying as many community driven projects as possible and being fucking shitty as hell and this post ain't about that.

Anyways, Nintendo got away with earning a place in the modern console market by being "different". An identity that they have put less and less meaningful effort into as they keep glancing over at the greedy practices the other consoles do and going "Oooooh, good idea" and now you're paying double internet fees for the privilege of using the internet you already pay for, now that's Nintendo Power!

Unless the next console is Wii levels of innovation (it won't be) or at the very least gamecube levels of consumer pricing (they won't) there couldn't be less reason for me to care about a switch 2.

They are gonna slap an extra tier of graphics on it so it matches a base PS4* and they're probably having internal meetings RIGHT NOW asking each other "Do you think we can get away with wiping the e-shop again?"

I couldn't be less interested. I rather enjoyed my switch and I only played like 4 games on it reasonably, that is MORE than I expected, but there is no reason for ANY new console, just straight up.

The only hardware news I'd be excited to hear would be something like "Nintendo decides to release every single game for all their old consoles all at once on a 50 buck emulation box" or "Nintendo decides to begin small production of replacement parts for all their old hardware, as well as reproduction carts/disks of their classics"

You know, ridiculous stuff they wouldn't do because it's an investment that would lower their perceived rarity value and would meaningfully support their legacy instead of their preference of ripping tiny pieces off their legacy and going "Hey! See this? Want it!? Get Switch Online :)" while they burn down the house of anyone trying desperately to support their legacy titles.

Anyways, hope it's sick or whatever. They never fixed joycon drift did they?

*= Now the argument isn't that nintendo NEEDS stronger processing power for graphics exactly. I think the game industry push for graphics is so fucking pointless and wasteful and horrible for its own health that it drives me batty! BUT I AM emphasizing that if Nintendo wants to keep up with the modern trend (a trend that sucks and has sucked ever since HD was considered not HD enough) then they WILL half ass it to a degree that makes it pointless.

[swanirbhar]

I am greatly worried, the country is in a bad condition, it is going through a very critical situation.

Go to the vehicle showroom, there is a long waiting period of more than six months on every new model.

There is a long queue & no empty table in many restaurants! Line doesn't end at liquor shops and demand isn't less for chicken either.

In Shopping malls there's no parking space... they are so crowded! Waiting outside the trial room is a test for patience.

In the period of booming online shopping, there is no place to step foot in the markets in the evening even on a working day... traffic jam are s constant!

But people are telling me that the Govt has broken their backs by increasing the prices of petrol.

When meaningless lights are on, the fan is on and the TV is on in my house I don't feel bad, but when the electricity prices go up my conscience moves.

When my kids sleep at eighteen degree centigrade with AC on and blanket on, I can't say anything but when the electricity rate goes up my mercury goes up.

I don't mind when my geyser is on for 24 hours but when the electricity rate goes up my itching goes up.

When my maid or wife wastes cooking gas my tongue doesn't move but when gas prices go up my tongue doesn't stop complaining.

I don't like switching off car engine at red light. I go by scooter to buy milk two lanes away from home.

On weekends I drive twenty kilometers without any reason .... But if petrol prices increase even one rupee, then I feel chilly.

I don't mind eating a dinner of two thousand for one night but parking fees of twenty rupees sting me a lot.

I don't care while shopping for ten thousand in the mall, but I can't digest my food without negotiating with the vegetable cart seller.

I curse the government everyday for my salary revision but my BP increases when I hear the salary of my maid.

No problem if children don't listen to me but if the Prime Minister doesn't listen to my words, I abuse him in 3 different languages!

I am an independent citizen of a free Country.

Yes, the government they say is working in the right direction honestly for the benefit of a 130 crore population, but I am just concerned about my family and myself. I will change the government which is changing the country.

But I will not change myself, I will never change myself .....

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙮𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙈 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙩��𝙚𝙧𝙨! Think how much you are contributing / Sacrificing in the interest of Our Country? Where are We All heading? Time for Serious introspection...🤔

This resonated with my thoughts and hence I have shared it here. I received it on WA.

#India #NarendraModi #Choices

[dreaminmetaphors]

Yo Mama So Republican

Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Well yo mama so dumb she wants to fence in all the gay people —so that they’ll stop reproducing! Yo mama so dumb she thinks the Great Wall of China is between us and Mexico. Yo mama So Stupid that after 40yrs of warnings about climate change, when the weather goes wonky, she's like, “Well, maybe it's The Jews? And their space lasers!” Yo mama is so ignorant she thinks talking about racism is “the real racism.”

Yo mama so ugly she does pretzel twists and contortions to avoid saying: “Black Lives Matter.” Yo mama so slutty she doesn't believe in using protection. She let every single variant of covid-19 inside her. Yo mama so lazy she tells everyone the Bible is the literal word of God. Still hasn't read it. Man, when yo mama sits around the house, she sits—in front of the computer thinking she knows more about immunology than people with advanced medical degrees. Yo mama so gullible, you can turn her against anything just by adding an adjective to it: Culture? Cancel culture. Using correct names? Political correctness. She hates them now. Yo mama so gullible she hopes we replace social security with separate, market-vulnerable accounts. You know: anti-social insecurity. Oh, you wanna say something? Nah, yo mama says money is speech, so you and yo mama too broke to talk back. Yo mama so gullible, she still calls herself an evangelical Christian while taking a selfie in front of a golden image of Barabbas, whom she voted for. Yo mama so gullible, she watches Fox News—and thinks it’s news! Or I don't know, maybe it's just because she's so old... Yo mama so ancient, she thinks family values means bludgeoning a gay man to death with rocks, then going to bed alone while her husband impregnates a twelve-year-old. Yeah, she's so conservative, she takes a firm anti-slavery stance, expects us all to be impressed, ...but she's still on the fence about Jim Crow. Yo mama so conservative she gets triggered by the word trigger. ...and still wants more guns out there. Dead kids? Meh, who'd be triggered by that? Yo mama so conservative she hates participation trophies like they tell her to on Fox, —which IS a participation trophy for voicing uninformed opinions “It's okay, Sean. You didn't study the material or learn anything, but you still had something to say. Who's my clever little proud boy?” Yo mama so Republican, she hates Obamacare. So terrible. Not like the Affordable Care Act that saved her waste of a life. (Thanks, Obama.) Yo mama so Republican, any time she has to do something she doesn't want to, it's tyranny. And any time we don't do what she wants, that's also tyranny. If freedom isn't everyone doing what she tells us, then she doesn't know what it is. Yeah, she doesn't know what it is.

See, it all fits together. The lazy ignorance. Intentional gullibility. The ugliness. Yo mama so stupid, she thinks she's brilliant because she doesn't even know enough— about anything—to know how much she still doesn't know, you know? And that's how we got here. Mamas. Some people's mamas so stupid and ugly and mean, it's obvious she taught them everything they don't know.

[sterekgala-blog]

ALL SIGN-UP LINKS || FAQ || INFO

Hello! You are cordially invited to attend our first ever Sterek Pack Exchange! After signing yourself up through the google form. You will then be sorted into a group of three. You can also join with one or two other people. The maximum in a group will always be three and nothing more or less. If you and one other friend want to be together, great! If you and two other friends want to be in the same group, terrific! Just be sure to fill their information out in this section. Otherwise I wont know and will accidentally sort you into a group like everyone else. IMPORTANT: all members of the group must sign up individually!

ABOUT

This is an anonymous fic exchange on AO3. You and your group will write 3 to 5 prompts, and another group will write one of them for you as a fanfiction. In exchange, your group gets three or more prompts another group wrote, and choose one to write as a fic.

[onetrickjeffrey]

Jaythony Simmersound Interview

Thank you so much to @cheesesteakphil for the amazing interview sketch! It really helped me figure out the final holes in this, on top of just looking amazing! Phil still has 2 comm slots open as of the time I'm writing this, so please consider supporting her!

Interview below cutoff! I've been excited to get some of this written down for the longest time! A little more purply and indulgent than these things are supposed to be I think, but it was fun 💖

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("Hello?")

The Grumpus gives no acknowledgment, relaxing in the field in front of Cromdo's hut with his eyes lazily shut. Headphones are wrapped over his head as vague, abrasive sound leaks from its earmuffs.

("*AHEM* Um, excuse me?")

Again, no response. None of the sights and sounds of Snaxburg are able to permeate his senses.

(The journalist gives a slight tap of the foot to the grumpus' side )

"Ugh, come on, Cromdo. You and I both know it hasn't been fifteen minutes y-" The grumpus pauses as his eyes focus on the journalist towering above him. Realizing his mistake, his perturbed frown turns to a lackadaisical smile. "Oh hey! The journalist from the gorge, right?"

("The very same. Did you have time for an interview?")

"Well, this is like the only time old Mr. Face gives me to myself all day…but you did us a pretty big solid when we were melting back there. It's only right to return the favor."

("Who are you?")

"Call me Jaythony. Simmersound! Grump State alum, math and finance whiz…professional number cruncher is probably the best way to put it! Well, all that's what I put on the resume, at least. I'm really just some guy who likes the sun and some tunes. You see that Wiggle Wigglebottom's here? Crazy, right?? A lot of deep cuts on that album of hers…"

("...Why come to Snaktooth Island?")

"Well…it's where my job took me. Not much more to it than that, really."

("A Grump State degree and financial skills got you…a job at Cromdo-Mart?")

An anxious wince breaks through Jaythony's casual demeanor. "Weird job market, right? That's one thing they don't really prepare you for in the lecture hall, heh…"

("Isn't Cromdo-Mart a bit of a shady venture for a fresh graduate?")

Jaythony's gaze turns to the ground in defeat. "I…guess I'm not giving you the full story. Cromdo-Mart was a…spur-of-the-moment choice I took. My career, my whole life in New Grump City, wasn't really going the way I planned. I needed an out.

("Fired?")

"No, I quit. I was fresh meat at one of the top banks in the city. I had the skills and the background to make my way up the totem pole. But I…"

("You what?")

Jaythony shrugs. "I hated it. I made it, did everything I was told to do growing up, got all the good marks and the recommendations, got the dream job…and I grumping hated it. It shatters a dude, y'know? Not realizing the miserable kind of life you were preparing yourself for. After a month of trudging through it, I couldn't handle it. I rushed out of my cube and out the door. Didn't look back - no two-weeks-notice or anything.

("And Plan B was Snaktooth?")

"I guess that's where fate came in. I ran out the skyscraper, desparate to escape to…anywhere, really…but I didn't get too far. This gruff, shady, and pretty grumping old fellow stopped me right outside the revolving doors. He gave a clearly rehearsed pitch about some groundbreaking business opportunity in an exotic land, in the world of - and I quote - "superfood". Any other day, I wouldn't have wasted a second of my time on the crazy old man…but the very sight of New Grump City was making my stomach churn. I packed up my clothes, the tin cans on my head, and a good bit of my record collection, and we headed out in two days' time."

("What exactly IS your job at Cromdo-Mart?")

"Mr. Face titles me the 'C.F.O. of Cromdo-Mart'. In reality, I'm sitting at a beat-up wagon and taking inventory on the same 4 pieces of junk lying around like it's my summer Grump-Mart job from when I was fifteen."

("And the pay?")

"Let me put it to you this way: you know those multivitamin gummies they make for kids? Shaped like little grumpuses? 2 bottles of those make up the 'Cromdo-Mart competitive healthcare plan'. I asked about a 401k and he told me there was 'no way he was running that far'. Probably should've read the fine print, or lack thereof…"

("Thoughts on Bugsnax?")

"I'll give the old man one thing: he really wasn't kidding about the 'superfood'. Pretty amazing, aren't they? I had a bit of a scare trying out my first razzby - ran to Eggabell like a lost child when my nose turned all fruity. She didn't really like me wasting her time like that; faded away after a few days anyhow."

("Why did you leave town?")

"Wasn't my choice, really. Place was falling apart at the seams, and I don't think anyone was really keen on parading around with the Cromdo-Mart lacky, especially after Beffica called out Mr. Face on his…you know…theft."

("Can you blame them?")

"Buddy, please, can you trust me on one thing? I'm no conman. I'm just…trying to find some new reason out here. I haven't done any of the shady stuff Cromdo gets up to." He sighs. "But I did follow him to the gorge. Might as well stay on the payroll." He pauses, then continues with a chuckle. "Heh, it's funny: The guy probably thought he was getting some big-shot financier to launder his money and dodge his taxes for him. Instead, he got some aimless, unemployed twenty-something. Weird twist of fate, huh?" (He attempts to prolong his smile, but is clearly unamused by his own joke)

("Any info on Lizbert?")

"I tried to stay out of Lizbert's way for the most part. We both knew I was out of my element on this trip. She didn't say it - didn't even really imply it - but I think we both knew I wasn't meant to be here. I was more familiar with Eggabell, but even then, can't say I have much info..." (He pauses, fidgeting the headphones back and forth on his neck) "Though Eggabell said something weird when she was checking out my snakked-up nose. The way she described these Bugsnax…seemed almost l-"

(Cromdo's voice echoes out from his hut, "DING-DING kid! Recess is over. And get those dumb things off your neck for once! Scarin' away customers when you look like a grumpin' space station!")

Jaythony winces at Cromdo's gravelly orders, but returns a smile to the journalist. "Meet up with me around the campfire when my shift ends. We can keep this going then."

("Fair enough. Thanks for your time.")

Jaythony reaches up to his headphones, but stops before he can comply with Cromdo's order. "Eh...Not THAT desperate for the gig." He lowers his hands and returns to behind the dilapidated market wagon, his blasé expression contrasting hard with the carefree guise he had before the journalist cut his escapist travels short.

[deafmangoes]

This caught my eye because I used to work in petrochem and these sorts of novel projects were being studied and proposed during that time.

Firstly I want to establish that this isn't going to be pro- or anti-petrol, because I'd like to just address what's in the article and the associated EPA report (which I've been reading through). For my own credentials, I have a chemistry degree and at this point, 10+ years industry experience. I do not purport to be an expert in petrochemistry, pharmacology or toxicology, but I do know how to critically read a risk assessment (which by nature should be written at a non-expert level!). Also I am 100% prepared to be wrong, this is just my anonymous opinion on a corner of the internet.

So... the article is a bit alarmist. This is pretty normal whenever chemicals are discussed in the media, because in their mind everyone who isn't a chemist immediately thinks "industrial acid like you get in comics" and not... a substance made of chemicals, which is to say, everything. That said, while it's not mis-stating the claims of the EPA risk assessment, it's neglecting to point out one very important fact: THE FUELS WE ALREADY USE ARE LIKELY JUST AS BAD.

The risk assessment says:

Quick explanation, PONA stands for paraffinic, isoparaffinic, olefinic, naphthenic, and aromatic (families of compounds) and PMN means premanufacture notices, which here refers to the 18 novel fuel products Chevron supplied to the EPA. In short, the risk assessment here is stating that there was no significant variation in what the fuels that would be used in a car, boat or jet look like compared to 'normal' fuel, when using the new products. Their physical properties are similar, and the results produced from studying them are similar to what's already on the market. Chevron's claim was that these new products are the same as the old ones, and the data seems to support that.

So what this means is that if Chevron were to pump out new fuels containing these waste-plastic products, the risk to human health is substantlally the same as current petrol and diesel products.

And that's why I think the article is being alarmist - if anything it's got the wrong focus. There's more stuff deeper in about some... potentially shady things going on behind the scenes (which, yes, unfortunately, is pretty much industry standard) but what the EPA have done is produce a risk assessment based on the data they have available (which isn't a lot, as they say in the report), and concluded that while they show risks to human health, they are not different to those currently employed in the same uses and there's no legal reason to block them on that argument.

Moving away from the article and the assessment, in my opinion this is both a good and a bad thing. It's good (great, actually) that companies like Chevron are figuring out how to produce the products we use from the ones we throw away (recycled plastic means less environmental harm from that sector, and lowers reliance on crude oil). It's a bad thing that the products we already use - and these proposed replacements - are pretty bad for us and the environment. But that's not really surprising, is it? When the assessment talks about the cancer risk, it's speaking of a lifetime accumulation of being near the exhaust. Kinda like... living near a busy road.

It also points out that because the old products were put on the market so long ago, they were never studied with the same scrutiny and frankly might be worse.

I see this as an improvement of degrees. If we can produce recycled fuels, we're one step closer to getting away from fossil fuels altogether. I think that's worth supporting, and approaching with our eyes open about the risks we're still facing from fossil fuels regarding health, the environment and climate change.

Right, anyway, that was my kneejerk reaction to a post, if you read this far, good job.

The Environmental Protection Agency approved a component of boat fuel made from discarded plastic that the agency’s own risk formula determined was so hazardous, everyone exposed to the substance continually over a lifetime would be expected to develop cancer.

Current and former EPA scientists said that threat level is unheard of. It is a million times higher than what the agency usually considers acceptable for new chemicals and six times worse than the risk of lung cancer from a lifetime of smoking.

[radley-writes]

congratulations on getting published, that’s so exciting and I can’t wait to buy your book!! do you have any tips for people wanting to get traditionally published? congrats again!

Aaaaaaaaah thank you so much! I really appreciate the lovely words. I can't wait for you guys to read my book, either! x

In answer to your question - my biggest tip is to remember that tradpub takes equal parts luck, skill and determination. You need all three.

So: keep trying, even if your first book doesn't make it.

My first book didn't make it. Strictly No Heroics is my second novel, and I still worry that I'm 'too immature' and don't have enough writing/life experience to be an author!

That's mostly my perfectionism/anxiety talking. I'm working on that. I know I'll only improve from where I am now.

But the point is, even if your first (or your second, or your third or your fourth or your fifth) novel isn't deemed suitable for tradpub, none of that experience is wasted.

There is no cap on when you can debut. In fact, debuting older may result in a more mature and unique novel (not that younger writers can't write magnificently, ofc).

Similarly, 'suitable for tradpub' is a narrow margin of books that doesn't represent Quality so much as Easy Marketability. It's cool to shoot for tradpub, but don't get blinkers! Tradpub is not the be-all and end-all of publishing; it's just one of many avenues out there. Depending on your genre or the story you want to tell, it might not be the best one for you (i.e., I believe you can often make more money self-pubbing romance - though do your own research, etc).

I'm not trying to put anyone off! I will cheerlead any and all efforts to break into the tradpub world. But I also don't want anyone to lose pride in their own incredible, individual story because tradpub didn't want it, ya feel? That's tradpub's loss.

If you want to have the best chances you can possibly have, do your research to the same degree as you would before embarking on any other lifetime career.

Learn how to write a query letter.

Learn how to write a synopsis (UUUUUUUUUGH).

Learn how to write a logline.

Learn to tell the difference between perennial trends and short-lived fads.

Read tradpub books in the genre you write in and take notes like you're going to write an essay. There is no one winning formula to writing, but you'll find a whole bunch of useful prose & narrative techniques to add to your toolkit.

But most of all: don't give up!