#not great of a mix with chronic pain lol

[skydigiblogs]

sky's review of the bt-16 prerelease event

card game: good

community: good

i'm passing out now

(or: ouahghgghgh very fun format but dear god trying to navigate my FLGS with my disability was hard for non-accessibility related reasons, i am just in a lot of pain for no good reason)

my silly little deck was fun and i am obliged to make an imperialdramon deck, as well as a magna x-anti (i pulled both, though with IPDmon i pulled DM and FM, as well as a paildramon or two)

[yuhi-san]

Alright for trigun fanfiction appreciation week by @trigunfanfic I made a small fic record, though I might add more

In the meadow by @eomma-jpeg

Rating M

Tags: Milly has a Savior Complex, No Smut, Slow Burn, farm life, Knives Redemption, Hints at Vashmeryl, but I have other plans for them, POV Multiple, Post-Canon, Post-AnimeTrimax influences, Character Study, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, Mutual Pining, References to both Millywood and Vashwood

ngl I just opened it because I was starved for ‘post series knives needs to learn how to live with people’ content. I thought Millyknives was just a case of pairing the ‘leftovers’ but I figured the rest might bee good.

It is so, so good and also, not a case of pairing the leftovers (if you think you don’t care for millyknives, this story will probably convert you lol).

Its 98 trigun with some trimax and stampede elements (Roberto!!). its sweet, its funny, they have ups and downs and without wanting to spoil anything, I love how it does explore that a lot of knives hate for humans stems from fear.

All the original character are great, everyone gets their time to shine, vashmeryl are so cute and silly

Sinking sand by @rainflamestudio

Rating T

Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Found Family, Whump, Smoking, because Wolfwood is here, Trust Issues, Friendship, Mixed Canon, Alien Biology, Nick's dying but he walks it off, dadberto, Nick learns he has friends, Panic Attacks, Sensory Overload

We all love some hurt comfort for vash but this time its wolfwoods turn! he’ is not having a good time but cant ask for help either. Not that this is topping vash, meryl and Roberto from coming to his rescue and staying by his side no matter what.

Hot water by OpticalCrown

Rating G

Tags:   Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Chronic Pain, Character Analysis, Light Angst

A short story about sleeping arrangements, the things vash so desperately wants to hide but Roberto and Wolfwood notice anyway

 

New growth by @puffinpastry

Ongoing

Rating T

Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Millions Knives-centric (Trigun), Depression, Implied Mpreg, Mostly trimax with some tristamp for seasoning, Trans Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Trans Millions Knives (Trigun), Millions Knives domestication arc, Brief suicidal ideation, Knives gets to heal but hes got to confront his past first, Angst with a Happy Ending, past trans male pregnancy, Knives doesn't know how to interact with kids, Silly but its buried under all their issues, Hey knives what if you were confronted with the forgiveness of a small child?

Still ongoing but very good knives has to learn to live with people, specifically vash. its very well written, I love knives in this and the struggle he and vash both have, especially because vash cant just move ast what had happened, even though he kinda wishes he cold. cute kids, also bless wolfwood

The heaviness we’ve known  by @cosmictapestry

 Rating T

Tags: Heart-to-Heart, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Vash the Stampede has Prosthetic Legs (Trigun), Caretaking, past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Violence, Vash the Stampede's Scars (Trigun), Body Modification, Father-Son Relationship, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Episode Tag, Parent-Child Relationship, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Unresolved Tension, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Vash the Stampede Needs a Hug (Trigun)

Look, I love trisamp brad and his relationship to vash. he didn’t do right from the start but he cares so much and this one is just, oof. Goes deeper in the lost tech that keeps vash together and the pain he has from it and how little brad and others sometimes can do. Set after episode 9.

Ricochet by @heffawhump

Rating G

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Sick Character, Poisoning, Caretaking, Hidden Injury, BAMF!Meryl Stryfe, dad!berto, Fluff

Classic hurt comfort and sick character. Very well written, absolutely in love with the gang ready to kick anyones ass that wants vash harm. get them, meryl

Never understood a word by @aboxthecolourofheartache

Rating T

Tags: Road Trips, Introspection, Character Study, Developing Friendships, Trust Issues, Trust, Loneliness, Treasure Hunting, Brotherly Angst, Dysfunctional Family, POV Alternating, Developing Relationship, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, the inherent vulnerability of bringing someone to a favorite location, the inherent sanctity of natural places, eccentricity as plot device, Vulnerability, several instances of blink and you miss it Trimax-flavored Plant lore, Singing

Absolutely amazing story and character study about vash from the view of Roberto, meryl and Wolfwood. Love how it shows that there is so much rage and other emotions bubbling under vashs cheerful attitude because knives tormenting him one way or another is not so easily brusched of. But my favorite part might be that it also shows vashs silly and clumsy persona isn’t all fake either, rather it is an exaggeration of genuine traits he has. Also some really great Roberto rep!

Like Eden by @revenantpoet / @revenantghost

Also known as untitled E fic lol

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, narrative poetry, Frottage, Vash the Stampede Has Plant-Like Genitalia (Trigun), Sexual Inexperience, First Time, They're so in love and they're stupid about it, Written as Vash being demi and Wolfwood being grey but, All I know is Vash is Wolfwood, sexual and Wolfwood is Vashsexual ok, Emotional Sex, Trauma, the usual Guilt, This was supposed to be a quick pwpIt is not, Canon Compliant

Look, I’m not usually one for poetry stile and it never occurred to me before to give it a try. It’s worth getting over the hang up though. It ready very nicely, like following Vash’s thoughts which fits soo well for the situation. Also we need more fics where they get some time after the sandsteamer disaster. And especially of vash getting the chance to show ww the geodome and for him to have a chance to be actually comforted after what happened to livio. It’s a really sweet one, though of course Wolfwood and vash cant make things too easy on themselves… communication is hard isn’t it boys

sorry if this looks all so messy, i have no idea how people have the nerve and patience to put thing togetehr nicely. I might do another list later in the week because there are so many lol

maybe a seperate E list, too (Like eden gets to be here because in my opinion it isn't really that much about the smut and its smal compared to everything else going on.)

[mezmer]

Are there any solid studies on how kratom affects the body?? Everything online either hails it as the safest miracle substance or an evil opiate demon no inbetween.

Great question. I'm aware of this fact, and it has made my life more complicated and stupid than it needs to be. Massive post about kratom. Pls read whole thing so you can share this knowledge with others/use it to your benefit @lovecomesdown

Personally, no, I don't see solid studies very often, but I have peeped a few. Tbh, I'm not a big study guy anyway. I've spent hours and hours engaging in the community, talking to lifelong drinkers and drinking it myself. Here is an excerpt written by a researcher that I think sums up the scientific perspective (or lack thereof) perfectly: 'A growing number of studies, mainly of cross-sectional nature, describe the widespread use of kratom by individuals to self-treat pain, psychiatric symptoms, and substance use disorders (SUD) outside a controlled clinical setting. Preclinical evidence suggests kratom is effective as an analgesic agent and might decrease the self-administration of other drugs. A randomized controlled trial has further supported kratom’s therapeutic value as an analgesic. Investigations in nonclinical samples of long-term kratom users also indicate its therapeutic benefit in managing SUD symptoms (e.g., craving) and long-term or acute symptoms (e.g., withdrawal) for alcohol, opioids, and other illicit drugs. However, episodes of kratom-related intoxications have also been reported, often due to the adulteration and the contamination of kratom products mainly sold online or mixed toxicities when consumed outside clinical and traditional settings.'

I know you said you're interested in studies, and I just don't see them often. As for the latter portion of your message, I can give you some context. I think of myself and most other kratom advocates as having a nuanced perspective because we all want this plant to get to those who need it most, and that is that.

So for me? First of all, I will tell you that kratom is several times safer than opiates. It doesn't send me into a stupor or affect my cognition. Kratom has never caused me to nod off or feel high. I am able to enjoy my life free from the shackles of chronic pain. If I drank all day long, I might feel a little silly in the evening, but it is nothing like weed or alcohol. That is my little anecdote.

Here is another fact I will tell you, that I know to be true without a shadow of doubt. You cannot die from using kratom alone. It might turn you into the equivalent of a pothead or smoker who can't go anywhere without drinking some kratom first, but you will not die. It's a plant, and untreated, it doesn't appear to cause any serious health problems. I have seen studies that looked at liver levels of decade+ long users that show the liver is largely unaffected by Extreme kratom use. I can pull that up for you if you're curious. And more importantly, you cannot die from a kratom overdose. It is Physically Impossible. If you drink even just 10-15 grams of kratom powder, you will vomit it up and feel like crap for a few hours. Kratom can indeed make you nauseous. The LD50 of kratom (meaning you get a 50% chance of dying) turns out to be 50+ kilograms all at once. (one kilo of kratom lasts me over a month as a daily drinker for context) This is impossible. It is like trying to overdose smoking weed. Just isn't going to happen.

Furthermore, I've sat in on an American Kratom Association meeting and they stated that they'd looked at every single autopsy report 'involving kratom'. All of the toxicology reports had other substances, revealing kratom only to be a minimal commodity. There is no recorded death from only consuming kratom, regardless of what retarted shit you might see on the internet.

So why is kratom banned in a few states and countries? I couldn't fucking tell you, lol. It's probably just the same reason minors can't buy cigarettes and alcohol, and why you need a license to buy weed in some states, or places weed is illegal, etc. It got banned because it is HABIT FORMING. Regulators and advocates alike are too lazy or broke to put forward the effort into getting studies out that will make kratom officially medically viable on paper. Honestly, I am okay with that. I have my vendors and I can purchase it as needed. I don't think I would enjoy being prescribed kratom ...

Don't buy kratom from smoke shops, and always go with trustworthy vendors. Since kratom is literally not regulated by the state, there are a few shitty vendors who add things such as tianeptine (which still probably won't kill you) and other gross shit.i actually think this is quite uncommon, considering you can just Google safe kratom vendors and find them. That said, I have drank some rank ass cheap kratom, but it never made me feel high or anything other than kind of shitty. But still, don't do that. Buy from reputable vendors such as Wildcraft herb company (my number one, my great friends), WestKoast botanicals, or DowntoEarth botanicals. They lab test and will talk to you about where they source their leaf from directly. This is more than you'll get out of most food companies you probably buy snacks from, anyhow. Good luck asking your milk company what city they keep their cows in for that batch, or asking nestle to send a lab report of their cookies or whatever shit. Kratom vendors can be very wonderful people

I am a recovered fentanyl addict and I know in my heart that kratom is safer for each and every addict and chronic pain patient. It can't hurt to try it if you fit these descriptions.

That said, if you are not a chronic pain patient or a hardcore opiate addict, I wouldn't recommend trying it because there is a fair chance you'll find yourself dependent on kratom. It's very easy to do actually! Kratom does dance around in your opioid receptors. Kratom is so interesting in the way that it does this, though. Unless you get a really strong batch or take way too much, you aren't going to nod off, which is the prime characteristic of opiate use. You also don't feel that wave of cumshot ecstasy for hours like you would with an opiate. If you've tried kratom, I needn't explain, then. Not much to explain otherwise because it really isn't that intense of a feeling. It's like if Tylenol were actually good; it's like if you could take medications that actually treat chronic pain and be a responsible parent at the same time.

I'm apart of kratom communities outside of tumblr, I am friends with kratom vendors and bigtime advocates. I communicate with members of the American Kratom Association, and I am even in a facebook group for mothers who had consumed or are consuming kratom during pregnancy. If you want more info on that, I can tell you everything, but I don't see any need to include it here. Long story short, kratom is very unlikely to harm a child who is exposed to it in utero. Ideally, if you are a recovering addict who wants to stay clean using kratom while pregnant, you'd want to not buy the sketchiest shit possible, lol.

If you take a LOT, babies exposed to kratom in utero get WD symptoms, because people can too. That is why Kratom is habit forming. It can cause some discomfort when trying to come off of it. Quitting kratom is like quitting cigs no matter what "r/quittingkratom" tells you. As I said, unless you think kratom fits your needs as an addict or a chronic pain sufferer, or perhaps somebody with severe anxiety even (kratom does help that), I would not dip your toes in the water because kratom's benefits wouldn't be what you are looking for.

Hmm... I can't think of much else. I hope this post helped you and you can ask me any questions you want

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

May I request a BG3 matchup?

30; afab agender; rampantly bisexual. Medical lab tech (not the cool kind), about to start grad school for forensic biology. I collect postcards and preserved specimens, and raise tarantulas + other bugs. Enjoy making nature journals, birdwatching, puzzles, music, theatre, museums, analyzing horror media, building models, working with clay, writing, reading, and board games (though I get a bit too competitive). Great in the kitchen. Autistic/ADHD. Get sensory overloaded easily. Love meeting people but mostly wish I could exist invisibly and not speak. Chronic pain limits physical activities. Most content during stormy days with candles and coffee, baking or doing a jigsaw puzzle with the windows open and music playing. Think I'm unattractive and obnoxious. OCD + bipolar dictate a lot of my brain. Tendency to word vomit and have difficulty articulating off of paper. Complain a lot and can be passive aggressive. But also like to see people happy and taken care of, and want to leave things better than I find them when possible.

A/N: Alright Tarantula Anon, since you mentioned you’re bisexual, but didn’t state a gender preference, I’ve picked out the best matches- one male and one female for you.

Your best Baldur’s Gate 3 Matches would be Astarion (Male) and Minthara (Female)!

➶ Astarion is also a character I would characterize as “rampantly bisexual” (or pansexual to be more specific in his case lol). Gender presentation isn’t something he factors into attractiveness. If he likes you, he likes you. If he thinks you’re hot, he thinks you’re hot, etc. You get the idea.

Being an immortal vampire, Astarion knows a thing or two about biology. Mainly about how to remain undetected among the human population. In the game, he explains how he never smells like a typical vampire or vampire’s den because he makes a point to scent himself with a mix of fragrances. And while he may not be a medical professional, he’s certainly had his fair share of anatomy lessons, be it distant viewings at the food of Cazador, from the many creatures he’s been forced to seduce. It’s not an exact equivalent, but I do believe he would be fascinated by the kind of work you do regarding live and preserved specimens.

And while I don’t think he’s a bug person (mainly because they were his one source of nutrition for so many years), I think he could be taught to appreciate them over time. Perhaps you could show him how all creatures, even small ones, are incredibly unique and have their own role within our vast universe. It’s humbling to think we are all so incredibly tiny and yet vastly important to the people around us.

There’s so much he’s missed out on experiencing, I think he’d quite like doing any of those activities with you: birdwatching, solving puzzles, listening to music, going to the theater or the museum, tinkering, making ceramics, writing, or reading, or playing board games… Anything! Everything! He especially enjoys the competitive nature of your games. He finds he quite likes the feeling of winning, and he plans on doing it more often. Don’t worry though, he’ll play fair. Well, fair for him, anyway.

He cannot eat so he doesn’t get to fully appreciate your kitchen prowess. But he does enjoy helping you cook. It’s strangely comforting for him to do something so domestic. It’s in moments like those, that he can see the rest of your lives together playing out.

Similarly to you, Astarion loves meeting new people. Or at least he thinks he does. So much of his extroversion was a facade, he’s not certain what part of his people skills are him and which parts were survival. So he needs time in between, away from crowds and strangers to calm down and recharge. He’s grateful that you often tug him away, reminding him to excuse the two of you before either one of you gets too overwhelmed.

He may not be a magic user, but he does what he can to support you in managing your chronic pain. He’ll get Halsin or Shadowheart or even Gale to lessen some of your symptoms. He doesn’t try to cure your condition, nor does he expect you to cure his. However, if finding a more permanent solution to your pain is something you’d want, he’s more than ready to take that journey with you.

He doesn’t think for a second that you’re obnoxious. And trust him on that. He’s met some of the most obnoxious, overwhelmingly annoying magistrates and lords in his first life. He assures you constantly: that you are nothing like them. You’re smart and kind and beautiful. Even if you can’t see it, he sees it for you. Astarion knows what it’s like to live with a body (and by extension a brain) that tells you you’re never good enough. There are still moments when he can’t see himself in a mirror for example, when he thinks of himself as a monster. He’s so grateful you’re there to comfort him and tell him otherwise.

His favorite thing in the world is to cuddle with you next to a large bay window, watching nighttime thunderstorms roll in, a book in his lap and you beside him.

☾ Minthara is often characterized as closed-off and cold. Which you could argue is true. Or you could see it as her being logical, and protective of herself and her heart. She is a drow, and by nature, well accustomed to the more gruesome side of human nature. She feels at home surrounded by macabre, whereas others may be disturbed. I think she’d find your work fascinating. And spiders are something she knows a lot about. Drows and spiders go hand in hand. She sees tarantulas as the perfect pet, they’re small enough to be contained but large enough to have personalities and be something incredible to watch.

She especially enjoys reading horror stories with you or visiting theaters or museums with horror exhibits. Perhaps one about ancient methods of torture- now that would tickle her fancy. And she appreciates your wit and candor when it comes to playing games or solving puzzles with you. So few people treasure such traits in a companion, but not her. She knows how important it is to have a discerning significant other, especially if you are going to be spending any time in the Underdark with her, where being perceptive is a must for survival. She loves your cooking. As a drow noble, she was familiar with the concepts of fancy feasts and indulgent desserts. However, due to her position, she could never truly enjoy them, for fear of being poisoned by enemies. With you doing the meal-making, she doesn't have to worry about that anymore.

Unlike you, however, Minthara is not that fond of meeting other people. She much prefers the two of you keep to yourselves unless otherwise necessary. People are tiring, and so often unimportant. She sees no need to waste her time and social graces on them. You’re the one she loves. If she’s going to do something with anyone or make an effort, it’s going to be for you and you alone.

She used to think admitting pain was weak, now however, she knows it takes an inner as well as outer strength. She will go to whatever length to ensure your comfort. Simply say the word and she will get it for you. In seeing your survival, Minthara has developed a great admiration for you as a person, seeing how resilient you are. That being said, she will not tolerate you speaking poorly of yourself. You are wonderful. You are strong in mind and spirit. You are intelligent and wise. You are gorgeous. You mean everything to her. She will not hear you put yourself down. She would not choose an unworthy mate, so do not think for a second that you are not deserving of her love and affection.

But by all means, do complain. The world can be so frivolous and pedestrian. She enjoys having someone who not only accepts hearing her own complaints but joins in with their own as well. You can be passive-aggressive in your grievances because she is extremely direct. If something bothers you, she’ll simply ask you if you wish her to kill it. And no she doesn’t care if that’s morally wrong, because for you, she would move heaven and earth if it made you happy.

She is fiercely loyal and now that she is your loving partner, you cannot shake her. She is utterly and wholly devoted to you.

[lobotomydaughter]

coryyyy!! 2, 16, 35, 57, 93, 110, 117 from the book ask game <333

hi maya thank you for stopping by /ᐠ - ˕ -マ all but one of these recs are written in english; the last one, compañeras, is written in a mix of spanish & 'spanglish'.

2. a book with a blue cover

i was so ready to say my husband by maud ventura for this but it turns out that??? the cover! is not blue. only the title is. so. with that said i'll go with all's well by mona awad.

i wasn't too sure about reading this at first but i had read and loved bunny by this author, so i figured i'd give it a chance despite my hesitation regarding the topic. glad i did, i'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. it could have been higher, but the ending was... well i don't want to spoil it if anyone is reading it/wants to read it, but it was definitely a very awad-esque ending in that it was neutral and honestly? a bit unsatisfying.

we follow a vengeful actor turned theatre director with debilitating chronic pain who slowly over time loses her sense of empathy as she gets lost in her anger. very, very unhinged. i saw dominique defoe say that it was disturbing to dive into a feminine rage book that wasn't set in a fantasy world where a lack of morality could be smoothed over by the greater good; all's well is a modern contemporary with real world problems. lots of references to two shakespeare plays (which you could probably tell by the title anyway lol).

my usual advice to ppl when they go to read a mona awad book is to have something fun and light to read after because rarely will you be happy with the 'resolution' in her writing.

16. a book you'd recommend to your younger self.

listen. little me was a pretentious fuck lol. i was walking around reading plato's the republic in middle school. i read electra by sophocles for the first time when i was like? 13 i think. both great reads but i really could have benefited from some less heavy material back then. something comforting and silly. with that said, and taking into thought what was already published by that time, i would say any of the lizzie mcguire books.

35. a book featuring the found family trope.

i actually don't read much found family outside of fanfiction but ig six of crows by leigh bardugo. i haven't touched that book since it was published but i remember really enjoying the dynamics between the characters, particularly kaz and wylan. i was also shocked by the huge improvement in the quality of writing compared to her shadow and bone series which i ended up never finishing.

57. a book you want to hit your head with

(assuming this means in a frustrated way) i'll go with the secret history by donna tart. it took me over a week and a half to finish that damn book. for reference normally i can finish a book of that length in two-three days. it was so slow. in over 100 pages the only thing that happened was the main character was able to get into a class he wanted and one of the female characters cut her?? finger?? foot?? smth. it wasn't a life threatening injury either.

the pacing was unbearable but the atmosphere made up for it. i spent some of my formative years where the book is set in the beginning so i did enjoy that aspect, and once i got over half way through it really picked up in intensity but yeah. it's a modern classic for a reason but i think in the future if i want to read a classic, i'll stick with dostoevsky.

93. a book featuring an unreliable narrator.

(the secret history also fits this but since i used that for 57) i'll say we have always lived in the castle by shirley jackson. if you haven't read a book by jackson before,,, do so. immediately. she does NOT disappoint.

this book is about two sisters taking refuge in their family manor together after almost their entire family is killed via poison. the townspeople, naturally, point the finger at the sisters and their surviving uncle but are unsure which one of the three committed the crime.

the narrator, 18 year old sister mary katherine, is very childish (to the point that ppl forget she and her sister aren't children). very much a story of sisterhood and trauma and a house is haunted by the living.

110. your favourite psychological thriller.

i can't think of anything off the top of my head so i'll just suggest the one i'm going to read at the start of the new year: a flicker in the dark by stacy willingham. I've heard excellent things about this book. the main character's father was convicted of her murder two decades ago, and while he's behind bars, someone with the same motive---or perhaps the actual killer all along---starts kidnapping young girls again.

117. your favourite anthology.

this really depends on the genre for me but the first to come to mind is one i recently read: compañeras, which is a collection of oral histories, short stories, poetry and essays by and about lesbian latinas.

my own experience with being a bisexual latina woman made this an especially meaningful read to me. in our culture, you don't really discuss your sexuality with your family if you aren't straight. there's a lot of shame in it. i had it a bit easier, given i didn't grow up around many other latines; so the cultural shame wasn't as prevalent for me outside of family. but it was still there.

being a hispanic/latino queer still very commonly results in being disowned once you come out or are outed. i remember when i spoke to my abuela about it (after having already come out) she nearly drove us into a tree.

this collection digs deep into the shame and familial and cultural expectations put on latina women, and it dives into how confusing and lonely it can be to learn about your identity in a household where you can't speak about your experience with the people meant to guide you (elders).

this anthology was also originally published in the late 80s by the latina lesbian history project! and even all this time later, we still face many of the same issues with oppression and family disownment and expectations that the women were talking about in this collection.

a lot of this was written in english, but some were in spanish & spanglish so if you don't speak spanish and want to read this you will have to look for translations for some of the content.

talk books with me

[exeggcute]

hey I have messaged you before because we both have boneitus but I wanted to ask - how severe has the immune compromise from humera and biologics been for you? My joint pain is just on the inside of manageable and I'm concerned that, going to uni and generally being outdoorsy, I'm putting my health more at risk by starting it then by seeking other methods of management? right now inflammation and pain are the only concerns, not more severe health risks.

[2nd message: obviously you can't give medical advice etc I'm just hoping to hear your perspective and experience. my mother is less severely impacted and also doesn't seem to be too compromised but I think she's a bit casual about health risks sometimes]

tbh I haven't felt like the immune compromise has been too bad even though I started taking biologics during the height of covid... now that I'm thinking about it I remember I was supposed to start my first humira shot before the covid vaccine was widely available, literally had the shot sitting on the counter to thaw, but then the pharmacy rang me up to say they got a batch of vaccines in and I postponed my humira shot a few days so I could go get a different shot first lol. other than getting Actual Covid about a year ago (which sucked ass but obviously didn't kill me, I think my partner who's normally in great health got hit harder by it than I did) I actually think I've gotten sick way less often in the past few years than I ever did pre-biologics/pre-covid. knock on fucking wood obviously. and I was aaaallllwaaaays getting sick with random shit pre-2020. not sure whether that's a testament to how well proper masking works or a testament to how treating my fucked-up immune system actually made me less susceptible to random viral infections but either way there's some anecdata for you.

but full disclosure that I'm a homebody in general, and then the combo of covid and my Problems means I haven't been traveled out of state more than once or twice, I still mask up in public 95% of the time, my only roommate is my partner who also masks up in public 95% of the time, we live in a private residence with our own bathroom/laundry facilities, etc. granted I do still Go Out and have potential avenues of exposure to whatever random shit is brewing, particularly in restaurants, but I don't wanna generalize my experience too too much if you're a student and might be living in a dorm, travelling a lot, etc.

although with that said I think (and don't quote me on this?) the main concerns with biologics are less about your average cold/flu/covid situation than with more serious stuff like TB or hospital acquired infections or whatever. I definitely had to get a TB test before I could start humira. and I have admittedly had some chronic but very mild skin infections thanks to being immunocompromised, but they've all been treatable, and it's hard to say whether they were caused by the biologics themselves or the combo of biologics + intermittent steroid use + preexisting eczema + recently adding methotrexate into the mix. and generally having the constitution of a sickly orphan boy lol. which is all to say that unless you're being exposed to really freaky shit on the regular I don't think going on biologics will be the difference between you staying healthy and you getting struck down by Icky Space Virus, especially since biologics are a targeted immunosuppressant in a way that (e.g.) prednisone isn't. a good N95 or KN95 mask goes a long way, too.

it's ultimately up to you and your comfort level, especially if you said you're managing the joint pain okay right now—but I've also been there and I know that "managing" pain still is not a fun place to be at all. I also don't know if you have a flavor of boneitis that turns into degrative damage over time, so that's another consideration; I was honestly pretty scared about the (depending on who you ask, minor) cancer risk of taking TNF inhibitors, but I kind of rationalized it as like, okay, if I go on these drugs and get cancer, there's a solid chance of surviving cancer, but if I don't go on these drugs and my spine fuses permanently then my spine will be fused forever and ever and I can never fix it. there's also the fact that untreated inflammation is a major cancer trigger in itself, so on the crohn's side of things I have a way higher chance of getting cancer from untreated crohn's than I do of getting cancer from crohn's treatment.

don't take it as medical advice but here's my two cents: if your doctor thinks it's safe, and if you would benefit significantly from treatment, I think it's worth trying. soooooo many people take these drugs and the majority don't have life-altering side effects. with the immune suppression specifically, or even other minor side effects, I see it as a question of whether those risks/side effects are outweighed by the symptoms you're dealing with on a daily basis. I tend to approach that with a rough formula of severity x probability on both sides, which means unless the side effects are really bad AND really likely to happen, or unless the symptoms are relatively minor, I usually gravitate towards taking the drug. "symptom I already have that fucking sucks" usually comes out on top as the greater evil. but that's just me!

tangentially related point you might find interesting: I mentioned the other day about getting a consultation from a cosmetic surgeon who I later found out was related to the lead singer of imagine dragons, but the way I found that out was because I asked the surgeon if it was okay to get operated on while taking humira, and he said that not only was it fine, but also that he takes humira for the same arthritis + IBD combo that I have. and then later I heard an imagine dragons song on the radio, which reminded me how the lead singer is my nemesis because he's the most famous person alive with spondylitis but makes shitty music, and then I thought about how he's from vegas, and then how he's mormon, and then how the surgeon I saw is also mormon (BYU diploma spotted in his office lol. despite his main specialty being top surgery. #respect), and then how the surgeon told me he has like eight brothers and they all have IBD too, and then I was like "there can't be that many mormon families in las vegas with the same genetic autoimmune issues, right...?" and looked up the lead singer's last name and it was the same as the surgeon's...

so anyway just know that active practicing surgeons take biologics and seem to be doing alright! and also that someone out there has a family with a million sons who all have Shitting Constantly disease. the toilet paper bill when those kids were growing up must have been totally insane

[thatonespriteobsessedbitch]

Navigation

(everything from common tags, to links, to masterlists, to sideblogs all in one place)

ASKS ARE TURNED OFF DUE TO SPAM BOTS

Introduction:

Hi! I'm Sprite, after my unhealthy obsession with the drink, and I post things lol. I'm an aspiring writer and an ex-competitive swimmer. I post a lot about my hyperfixations/special interests, OCs, fics and chronic pain issues. And sometimes I shitpost lol

Basics:

my writing sideblog is @sprites-writing, I'm not super active there as of right now but I'm working on getting it up and running with a queue and all that. It currently has my masterlist even tho the links all go to posts here instead of the sideblog

If you see someone called starfrey8 posting my fics, don't worry, it's me! starfrey8 was my username across a lot of platforms for a really long time and thatonespriteobsessedbitch is a fairly new thing for me

DNI if: TERF, homophobic/transphobic/aphobic, racist, sexist

if you have no pfp/header/title/or you have a pfp but it is just a picture of someone and you haven't reblogged anything, you will get blocked because you look like a bot dude and I have enough of those trying to follow me

also if you send me asks/DMs asking for money and shit you're getting blocked. I'm a broke student. I barely have enough for myself

Important Links:

Ao3

Masterlist

Spotify (has playlists for fics I've written/am writing)

Pinterest

Fandoms:

I'm in a lot of fandoms, here are my main ones!

Star Wars

Harry Potter (Fuck JKR tho)

MPHFPC

Percy Jackson

ACOTAR/TOG/CC

Supernatural

The Umbrella Academy

Shadow & Bone/Six of Crows/King of Scars

DC (Specifically Batfam)

Legend of Zelda

I also listen to a metric fuck ton of music!

Taylor Swift

Twenty One Pilots

Halsey

Little Mix

Some Florence + The Machine/Hozier

Sasha Alex Sloan

Conan Gray

K. Flay

Important/Common Tags:

I tend to use tags to let people know the vibes of the post, here's my most common ones in case you want to read all of em:

#sprite is overwhelmed

#sprite is sad / #sprites a bit sad

#sprite is sick

#sprite is anxious

#sprite is pining

#sprites not doing great today but she's pushing through

#sprites doing shit

I also use trigger warnings on my more sensitive posts, if you want me to add a tw to something just dm me and I'll try and do it. these are some examples I've used in the past

#tw injury

#tw abuse

#tw abusive relationships

#tw child abuse

#tw threats (in a fic)

fics and fandoms are also tagged appropriately

My favourite people!

essentially if we're mutuals and I have interacted with you a few times, you're probably on this list lol

@th3-ros3

@minnieearsposts

@erellenora

(blog credits: divider by @saradika, header and icon by @ethereal-rpg)

[mareenavee]

15 for 15

Tagged by @friend-of-giants!

I cannot tag 15 people for these LOL but LET'S HEAR FROM @changelingsandothernonsense for some tag game nostalgia lol

~ ~

1. are you named after anyone?

My first name, no. My middle name is the feminine version of my grandpa's middle name. I use it normally as a screenname not connected to my fic writing.

2. when was the last time you cried?

Pshh. Yesterday. Watched an episode of Firefly Lane with mom.

3. do you have kids?

Nope.

4. do you use sarcasm a lot?

Yes.

5. what sports do you play/have you played?

I have chronic pain from a great deal of injuries. At this point keeping myself out of even more danger is a sport. I was never really a sports person ever, though.

6. what's the first thing you notice about other people?

I keep to myself generally irl. But definitely things like sense of style. I like bright hair colors and tend to notice those first, especially if it matches mine. Which reminds me, I have to buy more green to mix a good teal this time.

7. eye color?

Green and gold. I have central heterochromia.

8. scary movies or happy endings?

I am a chicken. Happy endings please.

9. any special talents?

I'm a writer :D I have worked hard to do so. Spoke word poet, too, in the years before the pandemic. Hmm. Can draw a bit, too. Watercolors tend to behave when I use them, which I hear is a bit hard normally. I can hyperfocus like nobody's business, too. It's a talent, at least I keep telling myself that.

10. where were you born?

New York.

11. what are your hobbies?

Writing, Gaming, Reading, Art, Coding (smol bean projects though nothing crazy or complicated...yet), Bookbinding, Joycon Repair/Reshelling, Fountain Pens (it's a hobby, trust me.)

12. do you have any pets?

Yes! An 8 year old fat cat named Gibby. He's gray and white and very round.

13. how tall are you?

5'7

14. fave subject in school?

English, Art, Choir ehm.... not much else. I tolerated the rest in HS. In college, of course, all my Creative Writing Classes, and all of my Anthropology and Native Studies classes.

15. dream job?

I would love to full time edit fiction forever. That would be ideal. Or honestly? Get published and have my book adapted. I'd love to see that process first hand.

[lastoneout]

hey just a heads up with the weed stuff, it doesn't Always help with the things you mentioned. personally it makes time pass slower for me , so any Bad thing happening in my body feels eternal (recently had a shitty episode where i felt trapped inside my brain only being able to pay attention to my chronic pain lol) and doesn't usually make me sleepy. it depends on the type ofc but if you're gonna try it for the first time it's important to consider those things, make sure to check with someone who knows about it!!

Oh yeah for sure I know it might not really do anything for me or for my symptoms, and I wasn't gonna try anything without talking to someone who Knows Stuff cuz I have tried it once before and had a really like...mixed time? I think I just had too much tbh cuz at first I was having a Very Bad Time but I took a nap and when I woke up I felt Fan-fucking-tastic and it was great so I think if I stick to only a little I might be alright, but yeah, def gonna be hella careful if/when I do try it and talk to my friends who are far more knowledgeable on this topic than I am 👍

[crushing-on-nico-di-angelo]

This is kind of a random question but...

Do you know why people hate Rick Riordan?

I just have no information, and I’ve seen a lot of stuff lately talking about how he’s problematic.

hi!! yes, I've seen things about this as well. I can list the reasons I've seen. I don't agree with all the points made, but its just what I've seen and I think it may answer your question. I also recommend going through the tag #rr crit, as it will give you a lot more and detailed information regarding him (beware: there are quite a few buzzwords. I recommend taking the facts and forming your own conclusions). I also think it's important to note that many people don't hate him, but they acknowledge that since he's a cishet white man there's things he didn't handle well and he needs to listen to critisicm.

Completely mishandled Piper's native American heritage. From the feather in her hair, to her dad being from a reservation that doesn't exist in Oklahoma, to having kaleidoscope eyes (some say that it suggests brown eyes aren't beautiful enough for aphrodite, more on this in the next bullet), to being a kleptomaniac, her character is, ignorantly or purposefully, chock full of stereotypes. having a cornucopia being her weapon. when Rick was told that this isn't good he became defensive and didn't listen to any critisicm

not giving female characters chances to be young, or not have a boyfriend or be unconventionally attractive. if they do get to not have a boyfriend, they're thrown into the Hunters of Artemis. their eyes are anything but brown (I do disagree with the eye thing but it's important to note), suggesting that having brown eyes should be considered less than. Sadie got a 1000 year old boyfriend when she was 14. 13 year old Hazel had a 16 year old boyfriend-- that could be a seventh grader and a junior or a freshman and sophomore depending on how you look at it (and I LOVE frazel, don't get me wrong. the age gap is just,,). in fact, the only female non-hunter without a significant other I can name is Meg, and she's 12.

Sadie Kane and the fanart he boosts of her. he frequently shows her looking completely white, despite saying she "stood out in class for being mixed." It honestly wouldn't surprise me if a white girl were cast to play her in the Netflix movies.

treatment of characters with invisible disabilities. this can range from the coment of "You anemic loser" targeted at Octavian (as someone with an iron deficiency, I don't see anything wrong with it, but cmon. kids can see that, rick. you can't control anemia) to Clovis' chronic fatigue being treated as a joke. invisible disabilities are hard and just as painful as physical ones. it doesn't help if you treat them like that.

too much misogyny to list all of it, but we can start with young girls being expected to be, and acting, more mature than they are; the strong female characters portraying the "I'm not like other girls" trope; the entire way Hera was treated.

The way Nico's outing was handled (this is one I especially disagree with, and this post said it best, thanks ghost). A violent outing by the God of love taking place before Nico was ready, according to some, was not what younger gay people needed to see. he should have had a loving environment and, at the very least, it should have been from his own point of view and not Jason's.

anti-acne and fat phobia: Apollo having a deep hatred towards his acne and Frank's glow up including severe weight loss (not being a cuddly teddybear anymore, getting taller) isn't the best thing for kids who have acne or are fat to see.

Samirah al-Abbas: "reversing the stereotype (Rick's words)" of an arranged marriage by having her be in love with a distant cousin is... not reversing the stereotype at all actually. it just falls into it. Having her take off her hijab around floor 19 because they feel like family is also not great, because, to my understanding as a non-hijabi and non-muslim, that is not how being hijabi works. similar to the piper situation, when Rick was told that this isn't good he became defensive and didn't listen to any critisicm

ANTISEMITISM, ANTISEMETISM, ANTISEMITISM. this is one of the ones I agree with the most. Having Hades' children be Nazis, having a plot point revolve around one of the most traumatic events in world history, ignoring the fact of generational trauma and ignoring the fact that It Didn't Matter That It Took Place In World War Three, it could have not had any correlation to the death of over six million Jewish people. it legitimizes evilsurrounding Hades and death, and -- well, this one makes me so mad, I can't explain all of it so here is a post explaining more in depth

Slavery issues: similar to the holocaust, Rick Riordan made one of the most terrible issues in American History into a fight between demigods. this lowers the legitimacy of the issue, makes it seem fictional, makes Camp Jupiter seem terrible and awful, except it doesn't. because camp Jupiter isn't terrible. but the confederacy was. if children, especially white children, learn about the confederacy through camp Jupiter, it makes it seem way less bad than it was.

again, I don't agree with all of this, it's just reasoning as to why. in my eyes, Rick Riordan is a man who has grown in his telling of his stories. he started with a canonical all white, all straight, all cis cast. he has now a series featuring a latino genderfluid queer person. This Post said it better than I ever could.

I know that it's impact over intent in so many situations. and this isn't to say I disagree with all, or even most of his critisim. I just think that he has good intent, and I hate him for absolutely none of it.

I am gay, I am Latino, and I am trans. that is all I can speak on, and I think his rep for that was great. I hope this answered your question, dear anon. again, I encourage you to do your own research and form your own opinions. I only touched on a few issues that Rick has had and there's a lot more to be talked about. I would say to keep in mind his intent and his growth. thank you for the ask, thank you for directing it to me that made me feel happy lol. ily I hope you have a good day

if anyone else has anything to add, by all means please do!!

[diox-malgrove-appreciation-blog]

Hi! 23, 24, and 26 for the oc asks 😊

23 - I'd say that Alana Everghast has a lot of book intelligence. In chapter 12 of book 1 in the Timeline Trilogy (my WIP) she takes Mina on a tour of the school and explains various subjects to her. She also volunteers as a tutor for younger years and those who are new to the school (for example she tutors Mina in Computer Science and Graphics, and she mentions that she also tutors students in Maths, English and History), showing that she has a lot of knowledge in certain academic subjects. She also reads a lot, non-fiction as well as fiction, and is shown to research her interests in great detail, such as Artificial Intelligence and philosophy (particularly William Williamson's books).

Diox Malgrove is also quite book smart, though this only really starts later on in his life since he didn't receive any education at all until he was 15 (this will be explained more in the trilogy and in the backstory), but he basically manages to teach himself the whole school curriculum in the space of 4 years and even has to teach himself how to read (I mean he cheated a little bit by using dark magic but it's still impressive). He also was the valedictorian in his uni course (computer science).

Charles Everghast, on the other hand, has absolutely no book intelligence. He doesn't really care about academics at all, causing his rivalry with Jonathan Stone as Jonathan believed that Charles should contribute more in their rocket building project (and by rocket building I mean Jonathan builds a functioning rocket and goes to colonise a distant planet). At one point in book one Charles gets carbon and calcium mixed up despite him going to a scientific academy (which was a very heavily STEM focused school).

24 - None of them have a lot of common sense apart from Mina to be honest. She definitely has a lot of common sense and often has to help the others get out of tricky situations (her whole role in the story is just saving a bunch of useless adults from the consequences of their actions). She always takes the time to understand something from all perspectives before jumping to conclusions unlike other characters.

For least common sense I'll have to choose Charles again, the guy spends all his time applying hair gel to his hair instead of actually working to save his life, despite the fact that there's literally a group of rebels who are trying to kill him.

26 - Most of the characters don't really get sick, but they do get injured a lot since there is a lot of fighting and violence in the book. There's also several rebellions so there's that. I'm not really sure which of the characters really doesn't get sick, but for the ones that get sick the most, I'll have to choose Diox, though I'm not really sure if what he's going through counts as his getting sick since it's literally just him passing out from doing too much dark magic. He also has chronic pain because someone stabbed him in the leg, but that's a whole other matter.

Anyway thank you for the ask and I apologise in advance if I rambled too much lol

[imasradiantasthesun]

a lot/most of these are inspired by fics/other people's headcanons lol but:

Enobaria doesn’t eat meat

She was forced to get her teeth filed by the Capitol, but she eventually embraced it b/c it makes her less marketable for prostitution (and the few buyers who are into that are usually also into her taking her anger out on them)

Wiress received a head injury during the final showdown of her games, hence her behavior in Catching Fire (said head injury was possibly a result of a trap she set, i.e. being caught in the crossfire of an electrical trap)

This sorta contradicts my previous point, but I once read (or at least Started) a fic that goes through each Victor (though this one was not The Victors Project lol) where Wiress’s games were a gimmicky one, where each tribute had to go through a series of essentially escape rooms w/ a different puzzle/trap in each (for example, in the last one she had to diffuse a bomb), and then the very last room is just full of weapons for the last two standing to battle it out with

On that note, while I think the vast majority of arenas were outdoor ones like the ones in the 74th, with some indoor/“man made” ones (for example, an abandoned city), I think at some point between like the 20th and 45th Games for just a few years the arenas were super gimmicky and had themes, like an abandoned carnival/amusement park, the escape room one, a high school arena with each district dressed as some different sort of archetype (nerd, jock, prep, cheerleader, goth, etc.). Ones that really lean into the game/reality show part and get cheesy as hell to try to entertain the Capitol, which is why they were eventually phased out to get back to the core of the Games, though maybe every once in a while the Gamemakers would have a more gimmicky arena 

The first Quarter Quell mostly involved criminals/people hated by the district (either b/c of themselves or b/c of their parents/someone close to them who doesn’t fit the age range), though I think there was also a good mix of Careers who campaigned to be voted for and also kids who were voted for b/c people thought no one would miss them. I also once read a Different fic going through all the Games, where (at least) some of the tributes were heavily disabled/chronically ill teenagers who wanted a way out to put an end to their pain and to no longer be a burden on others, and being voted in was the only legal way to end it; I personally don’t think this was a widespread thing b/c if this was the case for so many people, then there would be a lot more tributes in other years who volunteered b/c they were on suicide missions; I think if anything, this was the circumstance for only one tribute

Uhhh I probably have a ton more that I’m blanking on rn. Some things I wouldn’t necessarily normally headcanon for the entire series, but I do for the sake of my fic b/c it fits w/ what I’m going for

For example, I think Cashmere & Gloss are both actually great and have terrible circumstances (aka siblings who care about each other and volunteered b/c they were supposed to before learning going into the Games and being a Victor isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and the sibling who won first (in my opinion, Cashmere) Hated seeing her brother go through what she did and having to be prostituted, and the two are possibly also forced to be intimate w/ each other for some Capitol sickos) however part of me thinks about my AU in the long term w/ a bit of a twist on that… what if Cashmere did feel all those things, but then turns out Gloss doesn’t, he’s actually totally brainwashed and in his opinion the Games and being a Victor is as amazing as it was made out to be for trainees... like oh, the tragedy of Cashmere realizing how terrible things are, having to see her brother go through the same things, and then realizing he isn't really her brother anymore, instead he's some asshole who revels in the Games

Feeling a bit under the weather share my your favorite Hunger Games headcanons

[stitchthesewords]

Here's some fun, non-to-lightly spoilery Rift AU thoughts for everyone!

So Ren in Rift AU is inspired by the faon interpretation [maybe closer to canon? I havent watched s7] of Mayor Scar mixed w the Red King from 3rd Life - Specifically, Ren is inspired by @mochiwrites's Scar in her Good Crimes AU [Which if you haven't read you ABSOLUTELY should]. I just love how she wrote Scar to be publicly one way and Privately another, and while I certainly don't imagine that Ren the King is quite as beloved, the inspiration is there.

Originally, Rift AU was tagged w Watcher Grian but I changed that because I want to mess with the Rift as it's own separate force and leave the Watchers for something else. I think the Watchers [And Listeners! *looks at Martyn*] function more as an ancient, ANCIENT religion, maybe even older than the ancient cities.

Also another original idea that's been put to the side for now is that the Warden was a watcher - I don't know where I was originally going with that idea, but it was my first pivot after deciding Grian wasn't going to be the watcher.

For anyone curious, and because I don't know if I'll name it directly in the stories or just leave it more ambiguous, I'm basing Scar's mobility issues and chronic pain off my own experiences with Cerebral Palsy, among other things. I have a very mild for of Cerebral Palsy that left me with a weaker right side and mobility issues and I absolutely wanted to make sure Scar was still disabled even if he isn't wheelchair bound. I imagine that he certainly has a wheelchair for bad days, but those would be like. Really bad days. The staff - to - cane that he has, made out of the same magical wood as his tree, is probably good for most of the sort of bad days.

Rift AU actually started as a way for me to explore sculk and ancient cities in fiction, which is funny given that we are now 17k in and counting with no mention of either. I have plans for it, but the story needed more work up than I was originally anticipating, which is great! I'm really enjoying returning to my roots with fanfiction, which is the whole reason I started writing Rift AU in the first place

Obviously I'm sort of picking and choosing what elements from hermitcraft [and the life series] I want to include in Rift AU but I am a little bit grumpy that I started writing it before I really fully understood the king plot [When I started, I had only watched Grian and Etho. Now I've caught up on Ren, Impulse, Mumbo, and Cleo, with plans to watch Pearl, Tango, Zedaph, and Doc next. I also really want to watch Beef and Iskall lol] because now I really wanna jam the whole royal council shenanigans in there and I'm not gonna be able to without probably retconning Scar and Ren's relationship which I refuse to do!

Obviously, Mumscarian and Treebark are in the story, and there's also going to be platonic Soup Group and platonic Team ZITS [bc. Skizz deserves to be here. I love him]. I won't tell you ALL of the pairings that end up in the story because a. I feel like we're be here all day but b. some of them are spoilers but I AM planning on having Solidaritek [Apparently team ranchers is only for platonic or something???] and ZedBeef and also Ethubs all make their own appearances. There might even be some like short stories following a few of the other couples in the story because I have attachments to Ethubs in particular. IDK if you can tell but Etho is my favorite hermit and I used to watch him all the way back in 2011 on his singleplayer world. I remember the boat dispenser. My baby girl.

One of these days I will genuinely type up an essay about my latent energy theory but in case anyone else is interested here's a very short tldr version: Redstone, Glowstone, End Rods, debatably sculk [I havent decided if it falls into the same category yet tbh], etc etc all power themselves via latent energy. That latent energy is compatible with electricity in some way, as evidenced by the fact that lightning rods can be used to power redstone machines, but it's different. More in between electricity and magic - either because it actually is or because it's not as understood by the people who work it. That same latent energy is the stuff magic feeds off, like is seen in Changing of the Season to help rejuvenate Scar. Whatever it is is old. Older than the Ancient Cities since they knew to build redstone machines to distract the Warden. It's older than the end cities, too, since end rods exist. Arguably it has always been and will always be around in some way.

Also this might not interest anyone else but thoughts on vampires and elves. Vampires are more closely related to Zombies, whereas Elves [Who are Fae, which means the Vex are included here] are more closely related to Endermen than anything [<- that will come up again] - and then the Warden and sculk are like. Very distant cousins of vampires. Sort of. Their trees connect somewhere.

[chaosintheavenue]

Fallout OC Survey Results!

333 responses later, the results are in!

For the most part, I'm just going to present the data without giving much commentary for now. The way Google Forms decided to display the response data worked well for some questions, and not so much for others, and a lot of the time there was just too much data to make a coherent graph or chart, so this post will be a bit all over the place in terms of format. It's also going to be long, so I'll continue under a cut.

(It looks like the cut isn’t working, sorry guys -_-)

Name

I didn't recognise most of the names I saw here, which means I have plenty of OCs to discover!

The most common names were Nova, Thomas, Six, Max and Charlie, with three entries each. Other names that appeared twice were Nathan, Poppy, Anthony, Judith, Chase, Ashley, Joshua, Jesse, Anna, Eleanor and Daisy. There were also a few very specific duplicates that I suspect were the same OCs being filled in separately for different games (which is fine!).

Game

Are they the in-game player character?

Faction

We had a lot of factions represented!

Railroad: 61 Minutemen: 60 Brotherhood of Steel: 48 Independent Vegas or Yes Man: 34 Caesar's Legion: 28 NCR: 28 Followers of the Apocalypse: 24 The Institute: 17 Mr House: 12 Raiders (Nuka World or in general): 12 Non-canon factions: 8 Reilly's Rangers: 7 Enclave: 6 Vault 13: 4 Responders: 4 Great Khans: 4 Tunnel Snakes: 4 Arroyo: 3 Powder Gangers: 3 The Kings: 3 Goodneighbor: 2 Slavers or Paradise Falls: 2 Cassidy Caravans: 1 Acadia: 1 The Pitt: 1 Boomers: 1 Vault 76: 1 Talon Company: 1 Crimson Caravan: 1 White Glove Society: 1 Brotherhood Outcasts: 1 Sorrows: 1 Unspecified tribe: 1 Mojave Express: 1 Regulators: 1 Omertas: 1

Age

Ages ranged from 6 to 252, with the majority being close to or in their twenties (excluding the time that Sole Survivors spent on ice). I decided to leave out the decade question, since it seems to have confused a lot of people and didn't add much considering there was already an age question.

Gender

Cis female: 166 Cis male: 101 Nonbinary: 26 Trans male: 15 Trans female: 9 Agender: 8 Male, unknown if cis or trans: 2 Genderfluid: 2 Intersex: 1 Genderqueer: 1

Sexuality

Yes, I absolutely did make this chart from scratch just to include the flags lol. Green is straight and orange is 'other', by the way. The most common responses in the 'other' category were demi and questioning, with five each.

Species

Race or ethnicity

White: 158 Mixed: 51 Hispanic/Latine: 36 Asian: 31 Black: 15 Other: 8 Native American: 7

Place of birth

US states

I wasn't sure if the map was very clear, so I'll include a list anyway.

California: 53 Massachusetts: 45 Washington DC: 44 Nevada: 36 Arizona: 21 Utah: 11 West Virginia: 8 New York: 7 Oregon: 5 Virginia: 5 Washington: 4 Florida: 4 Colorado: 4 Maryland: 3 New Mexico: 3 Oklahoma: 3 Texas: 3 Montana: 3 Pennsylvania: 2 Maine: 2 Kentucky: 2 Wisconsin: 2 Michigan: 2 Georgia: 2 Illinois: 2 New Jersey: 1 South Carolina: 1 Tennessee: 1 Wyoming: 1 Missouri: 1 Idaho: 1 Ohio: 1 Mississippi: 1 North Carolina: 1 Vermont: 1 Alabama: 1 Alaska: 1 Puerto Rico: 1

Other countries

Russia: 4 Mexico: 4 Ireland: 3 UK: 2 Japan: 2 Australia: 1 Sweden: 1 Norway: 1 Italy: 1 Canada: 1 Germany: 1 Maybe also one for Georgia- I couldn't tell if one person meant the state or country!

Languages spoken

English: 331 Spanish: 90 Latin: 59 A Fallout universe tribal language: 27 Mandarin: 15 French: 15 ASL: 10 Russian: 8 Japanese: 8 Irish Gaelic: 4 Italian: 3 Cantonese: 2 German: 2 For the sake of brevity (which is pretty futile at this point, but anyway), all of the following had one response: Hebrew, Norwegian, Arabic, Cherokee, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Hindi, Korean, Romanian, Shoshoni, Yiddish, Indonesian, Malay, Navajo, Swedish, Vietnamese, binary and sheet music

Medical conditions, disabilities, neurodivergence and the likes

PTSD: 52 Depression: 31 Vision problems, including missing an eye: 28 Anxiety: 27 ADHD: 21 Autism: 17 Memory problems: 16 Amputee: 13 Hearing problems: 9 Migraines or headaches: 7 Asthma: 6 Bipolar: 6 Traumatic brain injury: 6 (only counted when explicitly stated, implied for many more) Chronic pain: 5 Improperly healed injury: 5 Nonverbal, semiverbal, selective mutism, etc: 3 Borderline personality disorder: 3 Narcissistic personality disorder: 2 Seizures: 2 Psyker: 2 Nerve damage: 2 Radiation sickness: 2 Eczema: 2 OCD: 2 Dissociation: 2 Claustrophobia: 2 Eating disorder: 2 Spine problems: 2 Schizophrenia: 2 And again, a list of all with only one response: night terrors, kleptomania, dyslexia, needs a leg brace, rheumatoid arthritis, endometriosis, arachnodactyly, depersonalisation-derealisation disorder, psychosis, hallucinations, New Plague (complete aside: I would be extremely interested in hearing from the creator of this particular OC!), Broca's aphasia, schizoaffective disorder, inability to taste, dependent personality disorder, apraxia, autophobia, agoraphobia, Alzheimer's, albinism, insomnia, post-partum depression, synaesthesia, agraphia, photosensitivity, antisocial personality disorder

Addictions

Karma

Combat style

Aaand favourite cola flavour!

Cherry: 63 None: 62 Regular: 61 Quantum: 38 Dark: 34 Victory: 22 Quartz: 19 Orange: 16 Grape: 13 Other: 4

Once again, a big thank you to everyone who responded. There will be a second part to this featuring the canon character relationship questions, because I have a slightly more in-depth idea for analysing those, and this post is more than long enough already!

Let me know if anything seems off about this post, I put it together really quickly!

[tales-of-sweets]

Hello! This is the chronicla pain hc anon! I ended up reading raven's manga because I saw it on your blog and, well, I was curious XD anyway I thought of something else after reading it.

Obviously he was devastated over the events of the great war, but I think what led him be so easily manipulated was his current situation.

Is hard to feel alive or any worth at all when you ( first find out ) have chronical pain. It is awful to get used to that idea and in some cases you have to give up on some activities.

How do I know this? I have chronical pain, alas my hc about it for raven. It would make perfect sense for him to act so empty if along with the grief and regrets he had to give up doing something he might have tried to use as a copying mechanism.

Of course Alexei doesn't help nor being in the knights - too many memories.

Well that is all I wanted to share.

Oh! Also about drawing your fav, I feel you. I cannot draw any character I, uh, have a crush on or I identify with. It just feels wrong for me? Like I can't translate their beauty and complexity right?

It always looks ugly to me XD so I feel you!

Anyway, I am bla bla ing. Have a good night/day!

Hi hi! Sorry it took me a long time to respond, though rest assured I read it when you first sent it and read it again several times over because this is my favorite Raven headcanon🥺

I totally and whole heartedly agree with this! Some of the worst times in my life emotionally were made so much more hopeless and upsetting due to my chronic pain being part of the mix. I can't even imagine what it must be like for Raven who doesn't have the option to lie around or take breaks to recover and instead has to our his body into very strenuous situations.

I think the fact that he lives with chronic pain may even have been part of the motivator for believing Duke's words about him being a corpse. He died once and woke up with pain and fatigue he couldn't shake, I'm sure he felt a little like a zombie in more ways than one.

A bit off topic but I also sort of wonder if Yeager dealt with that too. When in battle he moved quite swiftly compared to Raven, but he also didn't really get into battle very often and preferred to flee. Unlike Raven, he had assassins and fighters that he could send out to do his work for him so I'd he dealt with the same pain, he likely wouldn't be exhausting himself like Raven does.

I'm also thinking about how getting crushed as Schwann probably wasn't great for Raven either😅

As for the next part, yeah that's basically my struggle! I feel like no matter what, if I love a character a lot I'm going to hate how I draw them lol. Raven is current my favorite and I want to draw him all the time but every time I do I just 😐 I've actually drawn him multiple times by now but there is a reason why I never post them, even the good ones lol.

I hope you have a good day/night too! Thanks for sharing ☺

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #326

“life by life  /  waste to waste  /  i'm the harbinger: the master of decay”

When you get married what do you think you’ll put most of your focus and money into? Do you mean like, for the wedding? Probably the venue. Or possibly the photographer. Have you ever had a teacher that also taught your parents? No. What’s something you complain about frequently? My legs. Are you afraid of falling in love? Very. Are you close to any of your aunts/uncles? Not very. Do you hate it when people smoke around you? Very much so. Do you own anything that is special edition? Yeah, things like DVDs. Do you have any funky bookmarks? I have this one meerkat bookmark where the image moves when you tilt it. Did you ever watch Pokemon? Hell yeah I did. Are there more females or males in your family? Females. Does anyone in your family snore loudly? My mom does due to having gerd. Dad did too when I actually lived with him. I wouldn't know nowadays. Do you own a camera tripod? Yes. Did you ever believe in mermaids? No. Have you ever purchased alcohol? Yes. Any essential quirks/interests/other you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Similar interests, like being a metal fan and gamer especially, as well as a serious animal lover for sure. Any romantic gestures you really like? Okay if someone did that little bow thing while reaching out for my hand to dance, I'd melt, lol. I also appreciate love interests holding open doors, SHOWING INTEREST IN HOW I FCKN FEEL, asking permission before doing anything in sexual exploration, stuff like that. Any sexual fantasies? Are you daring enough to share one? Yep, not sharing those lmfao. Have you ever been in love? Twice. What is your favorite/least favorite word? My favorite is "serendipity/serendipitous," and my least favorite is "retarded." Have you ever been skinny dipping? No. If I actually had a body I was confident in, I probably would in privacy tho at night lmao. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Oh yeah. What is your favorite thing to do? Probably RPing with my favorite OCs when I'm in a really creative mood and during a great scene. Did you go to your senior prom? Yeah, I did. Prom's honestly pretty damn overrated, but I did it and his senior prom anyway. It's the picking out a beautiful dress and taking pictures that I loved. What did you do after graduation? I don't remember. We probably went out to eat or something. Favorite home cooked meal growing up? Spaghetti. What item most embarrasses you to purchase? Nothing, really. Do you give cards to people for holidays or events? No. Name the coolest thing about one of your grandparents. Uhhhhh idk. Name two things you put whipped cream on? I hate the texture of whipped cream. Do you ever eat peanut butter straight from the jar? Sometimes if I want a snack but am trying to be healthy-ish, I'll eat just a scoop. What was the last pill you took for? Pain. Do you prefer your clothes loose or close fitting? Loose, 100%. Favorite thing you’ve ever painted? Meerkats grooming. I did it in high school on a large piece of burlap. Are there any songs that remind you of your mother? "Take It Like a Woman" by Alice Cooper, for one. How did your elementary school teachers describe you? Very smart, sweet, friendly, and nice. Game you were best at in PE/gym? Pf, none. Obsession from childhood? Dinosaurs and Pokemon. Best way for someone to bond with you? Let's talk about deep stuff regarding the world or about how awesome animals are. Top 5 favorite Vines? Oh boy. There are just way too many. I'll try to name a few: 1.) the "I can't find my berries" saga guy; 2.) *in drive-thru, asked what he would like to order* "I wanna FUCKIN DIE"; 2.) "i cOUldA DROPpeD my CroISSAnt"; 3.) "it's Wednesday, m'dudes"; 4.) "a d a m"; 5.) "I WON'T HESITATE, BITCH." God, I miss Vine. What is the first meme you remember seeing? Holy cow, I have no idea. Sci-fi, fantasy, or superheroes? Fantasy. Favorite tradition? Dressing up for Halloween, even though I don't do it anymore... Talent you’re proud of having? Writing. Favorite website from your childhood? Webkinz was unbeatable. I was obsessed. Any good luck charms? I don't believe in those. Favorite potato food? French fries. Tell me the color of your eyes, without using the name of a color: Uhhhh a cloudy sky right before rain? Ever been through a goth phase? Goth is my fucking AESTHETIC. I wish I could afford a truly gothic wardrobe, because you bet your sweet ass it's all I'd wear out. Can you remember your first phone? If so, what kind was it? I think so? It was a Blueberry, I believe. Who is your favourite character from Alice in Wonderland? Obviously the Cheshire cat. What is your favorite type of YouTube video to watch? Lately, it's been tarantula and snake channels/pet YouTubers. I still think my overall favorites are let's plays, but right now it's just stepping back a bit. What’s the next project you are excited to start? I have this pretty cool drawing I wanna do of a morbid meerkat doing a big toothy smile, doing a peace sign (but his fingers are syringes) with a crown blinking over his head. Inspired by the "Professional Griefers" lyric of "lab rat king." I just really wanna make it perfect and am procrastinating in fear of failing... Have you ever experienced a miracle? I don't think I believe in miracles. What are your top three names you like for a daughter? Alessandra, Justine, and Chloe, to name a few. Which did you like better: high school or college? High school, at least in most ways. What is the theme of your bedroom? It doesn't have a theme. My interests just kinda threw up everywhere, haha. Have you ever lived in a dorm? No. Were you raised religious? Yes. Do you do your own taxes, or do you hire a professional? I don't have to do taxes yet. What was the very first thing you ever saved up to buy with your own money? Venus was the first big thing, I think. Describe your favorite Christmas ornament: I don't know what that would be, honestly. We have so very many. What jobs did your parents have when you were growing up? Dad's always been a mailman, and he also had a second job as a carpenter for a while. Mom worked with special needs children at my elementary school as a teacher assistant. She also worked at the hospital at one point, doing some computer work. I don't remember her actual position. Are you taller than your mom? We're the same height. Would you marry someone if they were unable to have sex? Sure, that's not a big deal to me. Last reason you went to the ER? For myself, a suicide attempt/overdose. What was the last word document you typed? This survey, actually, so I could save progress as I combine them. What’s something you don’t think people take seriously enough? Global warming. Have you ever dated someone who had a child from a previous relationship? No. Is there any drama currently going on with your family? No. What was the last fruit or vegetable you chopped/sliced up? An apple. I wanted apple slices with peanut butter. What is your favorite Hostess/Little Debbie snack? Holy SHIT that is impossible. Maybe the devil cakes, but I really don't know. I love most of them. Do you/your family buy loaf from the bakery or bagged on the shelf? Bagged. White, wheat or other? Mom buys white bread, but my favorite is pumpernickel. What was the last non-fiction book you’ve read? (Not a school textbook!): I ain't got a clue. I don't really read non-fiction. What color are your headphones/earbuds? These are blue. Would you be embarrassed to find out you snored loudly in public? Yep. Thankfully, I don't snore. Do you feel guilty about killing bugs? Yep. How do you feel about coconut? Not a fan. ^ Ever cracked one open? Ha, I've always wanted to. Who did you last worry about and why? My mom. She's getting a CT scan ASAP due to chronic headaches and stomach pain, so I'm worried her cancer might be re-emerging. When was the last time you ate/drank something gross just to be polite? I don't know; I struggle to do this. If I don't like something, my face shows it. I can't help it. When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never. Do you have any framed black & white photos in your home? Who are they of? No. What’s the most expensive thing your car needed to get done? N/A If you had a thousand dollars to spend on a pricey brand you like but can’t really afford (until now of course), which ONE brand would you chose? I don't know. Real talk, I find most luxury brands to sell pretty ugly stuff... Do you like candy canes? Yeah. Do you still talk to any of your old teachers? Yes; one is my landlord. What color was the dress you wore to your senior prom? It was black. Ever go to another school’s prom? No. Do you like burning candles or incense? I love incense. Do you ever venture into the woods? What do you normally do in there? When I used to live in the woods, I did every now and then to take pictures. Does your significant other ever make you mix CDs? Single, but that would be so romantic. /swoons How did you dress your freshman year of high school? I was this emo/metalhead/goth creature. What is the best present you have ever received? My dog Teddy. <3 What is the best present you have ever given? I put the most effort into a scrapbook thing of well over a hundred reasons I loved my then-boyfriend Jason. Even though we're done, I honestly hope he still has it, just to remember. What is the best surprise you have ever had? Sara's parents paying for a flight up there to be with Sara for her birthday. Have you ever been robbed? No, thankfully. Ever kiss someone on the first date? No. Ever sleep with someone on the first date? Definitely a nope. Ever give someone a wrong phone number on purpose? No. What’s the strangest thing you have ever witnessed firsthand? I have no idea. It's... very morbid, but possibly dogs twitching after being euthanized. Seeing Teddy do it was such a strange, painful experience. Like there was still life in there... even though I know it was just his nerves doing their final hoorah and he was already dead. Ever seen a psychiatric ward? I've been in a mental hospital five or six times, so I'm uncomfortably familiar with them. What is the last thing you did that you didn’t want to do? Group therapy. I'm really burning out on it. Thankfully, I don't have it on the weekends. What is the last thing you convinced someone else to do? I dunno. If you could live in a different time, would you? When? Nah. Do you prefer to sleep alone or with someone else? Sleeping alone is more comfortably physically, but I usually prefer sleeping with a partner because there's this amazing feeling of safety, love, and companionship. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two. Do you prefer cold air and blankets, or warm air and no blankets? Cold air and blankets by ten miles. I can't sleep if I'm even remotely hot. How often do you dust? Sigh, not as much as I need to. What is the most "extreme" activity you have ever done? I haven't done very much that fits that description... so idk. Dr. Pepper or root beer? Dr. Pepper. I hate root beer. Last room you cleaned? Mine. Last thing you did that made you feel like an adult? Checked into the doctor's office by myself, haha... Talk about sad. What’s your favorite picture of your mom? Dad? It's not my business to actually share those pictures, but I can describe them. I fucking ADORE this candid photograph I took of my mom laughing; I will forever cherish it. It's morbid to think about, but it's absolutely a picture I'll frame of her once she's passed away. I don't have many pictures of Dad, but I do really like this picture we took together at Red Lobster once. Are you subscribed to anything (Magazines, monthly boxes, streaming sites, etc.)? Mom pays an Adobe Creative Cloud photography bundle subscription for me, but that's it. Last TV show series you finished? Fullmetal Alchemist with Sara. It was a rewatch for me, but she'd never seen it. What’s something exciting that’s happened to one of your friends recently? A childhood friend got engaged a few days back. Do you have any board games? If so, where do you keep them? We have a few somewhere. What were the last things you glued together? I don’t recall. What are your friends’ pets’ names? I'll just use Sara here since she's my best friend. She has two family dogs, Buster and Beesly, a cat named Winter, four ball pythons named Martha, Crowley, Little Dot, and Jane Marie, and Doris, a bearded dragon that I personally adore most. :') What all did you do today? I played World of Warcraft early this morning, but not for very long. I've been in a phase of being very uninterested in it lately. I've mostly just done surveys... lots of surveys. I'm just in the mood to. I've also been listening to music and watching John Wolfe play Amnesia: Rebirth periodically. If you live in a house, how many floors does it have? If you live in an apartment building, how many units does it have? It's just one floor. Would you like to live in a world with mythical creatures, even if they turned out to be evil or dangerous? Honestly... I probably would, haha. Are you scared of heights? Yes. When was the last time you lost something of great sentimental value? Did you ever end up finding it again? Never, I think and hope. What food do you find to be the most filling? Is this something you eat a lot of? Eggs or oatmeal. Not really. What do you think of people who purposefully train their dogs to fight or to be aggressive? They're fucking garbage human beings. If you suffer/have suffered with acne, do you squeeze your spots or do your best to just leave them be? Ugh, I was so bad (and still am if something pops up) about picking at it. Does your father have any hobbies? What are they? Sure. He loves sports, fishing, idk if he still plays video games, fantasy football... and I can't forget playing with his grandkids. It's hard for me to know all of them when I don't live with him and see him rarely. What did the last face mask you wore look like? It was just a white cotton one. Is there a specific song that you always request at parties? What is it? I don't go to parties. Would you rather read poetry or write poetry? Write it. Have you ever had any really infected injuries? I've had infected piercings as well as a badly infected pilonidal cyst. Is there any band out there that you like every song by them? No. Are you popular on any websites? No. What was the last song you listened to? Aaaaand now I'm hooked on "NIHIL" by 3TEETH. Are you currently texting anyone right now? No. When was the last time you played jump rope? Yikes, probably not since I was a kid. I used to love it. Who was the last person you offended? I dunno. What’s the earliest you’ve ever had to wake up for work? Not early. Do you know anyone who has changed their first name? I know trans people who have, yes. Do you know anyone who has been on life support and survived? No. At least, I don't believe so. Do your parents have a strong relationship together? They're divorced, and Mom at least can't stand him. Dad doesn't really care. Do you ever feel like you’re sharing too much about yourself online? Oh, I absolutely used to. I still might, idk. I've tried to reel it back some. How many windows are in the room you’re in? Eight, but they're just small, vertical rectangles stacked together, so it's not as revealing as it sounds. What was the last necklace you wore? My spiked choker, I think, for pictures. Or maybe the one I have with a bunch of big silver skulls. Do you think there are more dimensions than what we’re able to perceive? I don't think so, no. Does anyone in your family have schizophrenia? My half-sister on Dad's side that I've never met. Have you ever been in an abandoned house? A shack, yeah. Do you like art? I positively adore it. I could NOT imagine life without it. How about theatre? I don't care for it. Have you ever made breakfast for someone? Yes, for Sara. Do you talk to your crush? If you have one. Yeah, she's my best fren. If yes, what do you usually talk about? Nowadays I ask her almost daily how she's doing in regards to her progress of recovering from both serious physical and mental stressors. I try to always be an available ear if she ever wants to vent. Would you rather read or watch a video about something? Watch a video. In what ways have you fulfilled some of the hopes and dreams you had as a teenager? I've fulfilled none of those. What’s one stressful thing you’ve been trying to deal with lately? How have you been dealing with it? Inexplicable, chronic boredom/serious anhedonia. I've just... put up with it. I get pleasure out of essentially nothing most days, and it sucks big time. I just try to distract myself and force myself to do things I usually love, though I've been bad about actually succeeding in making me do said stuff... Is there a regional chain of store/restaurant/etc. in your area that you feel very loyal to? MOTHERFUCKIN BOJANGLE'S, BITCH. You think YOU have good fries somewhere? Oh hunny, sit down. Oftentimes, people warn us against getting tattoos or body modifications or dying our hair unnatural colors because we could be judged poorly for them. But has a more “alternative” look ever worked out in your favor? Well, I like myself better with my piercings and tattoos, and that's all that really matters to me. Do you have any daily routine/habit of that you’re really proud of keeping up? No. .-. Pick one of the following activities to do in a forest (assume you would be equally good at each one of these): Foraging for mushrooms, identifying trees, searching for specific types of bugs, trying to build something out of fallen branches and logs. Searching for bugs w/ my camera!!! But that all sounds fun. What’s the hardest class you’ve ever taken? My most recent math course that I failed horribly.