#quirky lenses

[karingottschalk]

Taking Our Old Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR Out For A Walk With Our Adapted Panagor 28mm F/2.8 Attached

[darqx]

What are your best tips for making an OC? (IT'S ME AGAIN MUAHAHAHAHA)

I actually have some tips over here for fleshing out a character! :) Well it's more for fleshing out a character physically but the tips can be applied to general creation. Here are some more that might be helpful to think about:

🤯 ACTUALLY, DONT THINK TOO MUCH

This might seem like contradictory advice (because wait don't you HAVE to know everything about your charac?? Eh???) but what I mean by this is; if you have to really force something onto a character then it wasn't for that character to begin with. This applies to anything - names, likes, actions etc. The more you force, the more stiff and unnatural your charac is going to be, because at that point they will be less of an organic charac and more of a personal dress up doll you keep throwing things at. You and your audience are going to notice this.

Let things come naturally, if possible. If you have a thought and you're like "actually yes this is so my charac", that's exactly the type of feeling towards details you are aiming for.

📝 If you're feeling like something DOESN'T work, put it on the backburner and come back to it later to see how you feel about it. If you're still 🫤 about it then it's most likely not for that charac.

📷 KEEP IT REAL

I mentioned this in my other post and I'm going to mention it again because it is actually the best tip - pretend they are an actual person. What is important to them as AN ACTUAL PERSON? What would AN ACTUAL PERSON WITH THEIR PERSONALITY do in [x] situation? How would you describe this ACTUAL PERSON THAT YOU KNOW? You don't need an entire checklist but you should at least know the general gist of them.

When you do this, you naturally flesh out your charac and make them believable. You're also more likely to avoid the pitfall a lot of creators tend to trip into which is THIS TRAIT = ENTIRE PERSONALITY*.

*This means that a creator takes ONE element of their character and...makes it the entire character. For eg if the charac is gay, then everything else about the charac becomes secondary to the fact the charac is gay. This makes for very flat characs, as the thought process behind them then becomes "what would a GAY character do?" as opposed to "what would THIS character do?". Ideal for if you're legit trying to create an extremely tropey charac though I guess...

📝 Write elevator pitches for your characs and story. Elevator pitches distill the main essence of your characs and/or story into one succinct sentence.

💭 PICK A FEELING

If you're really stuck when developing your charac, it can be helpful to think about how you want your audience to perceive them, and how they need to be in order to achieve those feelings. The key concept of this tip is that you need to step back and look at your character from an audience viewpoint, and not from your own "this is my baby" rose-tinted lenses. Are you portraying your quirky character as fun and quirky to the audience or are you portraying them as annoying? Is your sassy character actually cool and sassy or are you portraying them as a raging jerkass bitch?

This helps in balancing your character so that you don't accidentally make a "likeable" protagonist that people actually hate or antagonists that are simply straw men.

📝 Get honest feedback from your friends about the kind of personality etc they think your character has. Does it correlate with your view/your intended perception of them?

[sheerfreesia007]

Catching Snowflakes On Our Tongues

Pairing: Hyunjin x Reader

Word count: 736

Content warnings: Fluff

Summary: Hyunjin wanted to do a photoshoot in the freshly fallen snow, who are you to deny him? But what happens when it starts snowing again while you’re out and you can’t hold back your quirky knowledge about snowflakes?

The soft shutter of the camera caught your attention and you turned to smile warmly at Hyunjin. He had called you this morning asking if you wanted to go out and do a photoshoot with him in the snow. It had snowed the night before and covered everything in a blanket of white which according to Hyunjin was the perfect backdrop for a photoshoot.

Eagerly agreeing to join him you had made sure to dress warmly enough before heading out to meet him at your local hang out by the Han river. As the two of you walked along the river Hyunjin would snap pictures of your surroundings lining it up perfect in his view finder before clicking the camera shutter.

You watched as he focused his camera lense on the river before taking another photo and couldn’t help but admire his concentration and his eye for pretty pictures. He’s leaning over the railing as his camera covers his face and he focuses on something across the river before snapping another picture.

Suddenly you spot a lone snowflake on his black jacket and you quickly whip your phone out and snap a close up picture of it. Hyunjin looks over at you with a furrowed brow before his eyes spot the snowflake as well. You grin at him before looking up at the sky to see that more snow is starting to fall. The sound of his camera shutter pulls your attention back to him and find him aiming his camera at you before lowering it with a bashful smile.

”You’re pretty when you watch the snow falling.” He excuses himself and you beam at him as a blush creeps up your face.

“I can’t help it. I love snowflakes.” You tell him honestly and he tilts his head at you quietly. “Did you know that all snowflakes have six sides because the hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the ice crystals for a hexagonal structure?” You ask him and he shakes his head no as he stares at you with wide eyes for a moment before a bright smile slips onto his face.

”Tell me more.” He says as you begin to walk further along the river staring up at the snowflakes falling with him following you.

”The smallest snowflakes are as small as a human hair and are called diamond dust crystals. And the largest snowflake ever recorded was thirty-eight centimeters in diameter!” You tell him excitedly as you look back up to the sky before opening up your mouth and letting your tongue loll out to try and catch some of the snowflakes. Hyunjin laughs softly at you before he does the same by tilting his head up towards the sky and letting his tongue out to catch some snowflakes as well.

”Tell me another snowflake fact.” He demands and you laugh at him before lowering your head and holding out your hands for the snowflakes to fall onto your mittens so that you can see them.

”Snowflakes are translucent. Reflecting light rather than passing it through. The light scatter in so many directions that it can’t be absorbed or reflected consistently, which makes them appear white.” You tell him and he silently watches you with his grin widening as he snaps a few more pictures of your enjoying the snow fall.

The two of you continue down the river some more before you begin to shiver from the cold air. Hyunjin wraps an arm around your shoulders and begins guiding you back towards your car so that the two of you can head back to your apartment to warm up. Just as you’re coming up to the parking lot where you parked your car he looks down at you with a fond smile on his face. 

“How about one more fact before we get out of here?” He asks softly and you grin up at him.

”At least one septillion snowflakes fall from the sky every year.” You tell him softly and his eyes soften as they stare down at you. You’re surprised when he ducks down and presses a soft kiss to your rosy cheek.

”I love that you have all this knowledge about snowflakes and want to share it with me.” He says softly to you after he pulls away and stares into your eyes. “It’s cute.” He admits and you blush prettily for him causing him to grin even wider.

SKZ Taglist: @intartaruginha, @kayleefriedchicken, @babigriin, @simpforleeknaur, @inlovewithstraykids,

@hityoulikebahng

[chris-continues]

SUMMARY: in which you kiss (beta design) Vash <3

TW: a bit suggestive? You kiss. That’s it.

TAGS: @millionsvash @h4venpha @vashfantasy @macncherries @captaintweet

Your traveling companion was.. a rather quirky man, to say the least.

He brandished a bright red coat, clunky, round glasses, and most importantly, a mask. All of which overshadowed the rest of his lanky form, an attempt to distract from his appearance under the mask. That of which, was never revealed to you. Your curiosity perpetually poked at you from time to time- what was he hiding?

Everyone had their own share of secrets, of things they’d rather keep to themselves, and the last thing you wanted to do was to pry. Even when you both had gotten closer to one another, quite literally, as you were pressed in an alleyway awaiting for the coast to clear-

His mask never came off.

His torso pressed against yours, chest rising and falling rapidly. You could feel it from underneath your hands- he’d had to stabilize your stop earlier when you rushed into your hiding spot. You didn’t have the guts to move. Not that you really wanted to. God, you longed for him, and the lack of room between you two was something you had to savor right now. His gaze darted away from you, your breath tickling his jaw. Apart of you truly hoped people would continue their chase in pursuit of you two- if only to remain this close to him.

“Uhm-“ you paused, lips brushing his jaw accidentally.

A shiver ransacked his entire being as his arms, which were propping himself up on the wall behind you, shook slightly. “Ah, sorry-“

“Please.. quiet..” he pleaded, his mask shifting as his lips moved. You swore you could feel him biting his lip, fidgeting to the best of his ability.

You squirmed. A nervous habit.

“…mayfly…”

You tried to pull back, observing him. In the time you’ve known him, he’s relatively hard to read. Mask and all, obscuring the majority of his facial features (save for his eyes, hidden behind round orange lenses). The pinch of his brows gave way to his uneasiness.

“Did I make you uncomfortable?” You murmured, voice rumbling slightly.

He shook his head, eyes heady. His dark lashes fluttered oh so beautifully, mole peeking a bit past his mask. His reply was breathy. “You.. you can’t keep teasing me like this.”

You blink owlishly. Once. Twice. So you weren’t assuming things.

"Do you want me to stop..?" You drew your question out, heart thrumming in your chest. Zeroing in, awaiting his reply. He gave a brief shake of his head, eyes wide. As if it would kill him, he clung to any crumb of affection you had to offer. You hoped it wasn't circumstantial, knowing full well that if he had asked the same of you that you would absolutely never refuse.

In a flashing moment of bravery, you pecked his cheek. The fabric of his mask felt smooth on your lips, a small kissing sound resonating in the tight space between you two. Then his lips moved from underneath the mask, upturning the corner of his eyes cheekily.

"Hah.. you uh.. you missed." "Huh?"

You felt fabric against your lips once again, although you really wish you didn't. Curiosity pried at you, as feverish as the kiss. What was once a chaste meeting of lips separated by that godforsaken mask turned into him cupping your face, your back pressed to the wall amidst the barren alleyway. You felt his chest heaving against yours, the repetitive motion comforting, in a sense.

He felt.. so warm. So comforting. His palms to your cheeks, enveloping your face in its immeasurable value. Pure want coursed throughout you, appreciation seeping into the kiss. Perhaps one day, he'd be able to bare himself to you, to meet the plush of his lips, flesh to flesh as you breathed one another in. Perhaps one day, you'd be able to pepper kisses on his bare face the way you'd imagined every few times where you allowed your mind to wander. He was a beauty in your eyes, his lashes fluttering in a demure fashion whenever he pulled away, only to kiss you once more.

But for now? You were content with the press of your bodies, flush to one another as you felt the fabric of his mask dampen, the movement of what you knew to be his lips meeting yours.

[ladyloveandjustice]

My Favorite Books I Read in 2023

I read a ton of good novels last year- 36 in all (and uh, 78 manga/graphic novels, but we'll examine that in another post). Here's a link to my Goodreads year in books (the manga is at the beginning, the novels start with Siren Queen) and my storygraph wrap up.  

I reread a ton of Discworld this year, and it's as spectacular as ever. But what about new reads?

Well, here are my favorite books I read in 2023!

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

This is an autobiographical memoir about the abusive relationship the author went through with her ex-girlfriend. It's absolutely gut-wrenching, and at times, achingly beautiful. Machado uses the house she shared with her girlfriend, which she calls the "dream house", as a back drop. It's a place she always wanted and also a place she became trapped in, Machado's language is beautiful as she explores the relationship from different lenses-- The Dream House as Lesbian Cult Classic, the Dream House as Noir, the Dream House as Creature Feature, the Dream House as Stoner Comedy....All facets of the relationship are explored in a way that grips you by the throat and makes you remember everyone who ever tried to suffocate you-- but it also explores the hard work of moving on, of picking up the pieces, of living and embracing tenderness along with hardship.

I especially related to Machado's struggle to talk about abuse between queer lovers because of her fears of giving homophobes more ammunition...and when she says "we deserve to have our wrongdoing represented as much as our heroism, because when we refuse wrongdoing as a possibility for a group of people, we refuse their humanity", I felt that deeply.

This wasn't just one of my favorite books this year, it goes on the list of all-time favorite books. I wish I had this kind of writing style. I'll be returning to this again and again.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

A middle-grade novel about a Chinese-American teen who feels a bit alienated from his heritage, which becomes a bit of an issue once he finds out the First Emperor of China has possessed his A.R. Gaming Headset. Now he needs to close a portal to the underworld with the help of other kids possessed by emporers.

This was a whole lot of fun, and often quite poignant. I was unsure if I could really enjoy middle-grade books as an adult, and this absolutely proves I can. There's a lot of really interesting Chinese history blended with action-packed fantasy, and exploration of the complicated feelings a kid can have about their own heritage . The dynamic between Zachary and Qin Shi Huang was so entertaining with the Emperor being villainous, heroic, charismatic, detestable-- and Zachary realizing how his complicated feelings about him mirror his relationship with his culture at large. There was also a lot of fun with other historical figures, and Xiran's take on Wu Zetian is a joy. (Also, if you like Yu-Gi-Oh!, you'll probably like this, since Xiran says it was one of their influences).

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Rose is young woman who's raised in a fundamentalist Christian household, and she's a devout, obedient daughter. But some weird things are happening. She's seeing a terrifying demon everywhere, insects are coming out of her mouth....and she's possibly having feelings about other girls. What's going on?

Yes, this is by the Chuck Tingle who makes all those Tinglers. But THIS one... will make you tingle with fear! It's a great horror novel! It's skin-crawlingly creepy at times, but also does a great job digging into how fundamentalist dogma harms queer people, and the hypocrisy of such beliefs. The conversion camp aspect is handled tastefully, and overall it was a great spooky read that's also ultimately very affirming, cathartic, and hopeful.

Qualia the Purple by Hisamitsu Ueo

You might go into this thinking it's just a quirky yuri light novel about a schoolgirl and her crush who sees everyone around her as robots (like literally, when she looks at someone she sees a robot instead of a human). But it quickly becomes surreal queer psychological horror steeped in absolutely wild applications of quantum mechanics and thought-provoking time travel.  Some of the quantum mechanics  exposition dumps were a bit much but I deeply enjoyed having my mind cracked open by this book. 

It's one of the most interesting takes of time loop stories I've seen. But it definitely covers a lot of rough subject matter, including a relationship with a serious age gap and extremely messed up relationships, so be cautious if you have triggers.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

This book follows Miri, whose wife goes missing on a deep-sea submarine mission for six months. Miri thought her wife dead, but she miraculously returns one day...but her wife has changed. She's like a stranger. She may have bought the horrors of the sea home with her.

This is a gripping exploration of grief and loss combined with a delicious, slow horror that creeps under your skin. There's excellent Lovecraftian and body horror elements to the novel, but it works very effectively as a metaphor for a loved one going through trauma, and a relationship starting to crumble because everything seems different. A moment that really stuck out to me is when Miri copes with her wife's disappearance by frequenting an online community where women roleplay as wives with husbands missing in space. The way the online drama of the community interacted with her grief was  both funny and heartbreaking. 

This is another example of a book that makes me deeply jealous with its lyrical writing, and another one for the ever-lengthening all time favorites list.

Otherside Picnic Volume 8: Accomplices No More by Iori Miyazawa

The latest entry in a series about two girls exploring an alternate dimension full of creepypasta monsters, while also falling in love with each other. See my other reviews here and here.

This volume has the payoff to a lot of careful character work and relationship building, and it was completely satisfying. In fact, it was...show-stopping. Spectacular.  Incredible. I loved the exploration of how love, sex, and romance are so different for different people and it's impossible to put it in neat boxes. The frank and messy conversation our leads have about their relationship was perfect and so was that absolutely  bonkers, wonderful finale. This is another one for the all times favorite list, and I loved it so much I wrote a extremely long review/recap here. 

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer

This was a well-researched, well-crafted, easy to read book that explores queerness (mainly homosexuality, bisexuality, trans and genderfluid expressions in animals, and even the question of if and how animals can related to gender) in the animal kingdom. Though it's definitely aimed at teens, I learned a lot from it (who knew female bonobos were such life goals) and it presented its information in a fun way. It included some interesting examinations of how proof of homosexuality and bisexuality in animals was historically suppressed and filtered through homophobic assumptions. If you want to learn a little animal science in an accessible format, definitely check this out.

Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin

The story follows Mia, a woman in her 20's living with her vampire mother. Her whole life revolves around not drawing suspicion towards her Mom. She also has to make sure to feed her Mom some of her blood every night--lest her mother fall back in with her abusive boyfriend and start hunting humans.  But when Mia meets a cute girl, she starts to dream of living her own life...

It was a really interesting use of vampirism as a metaphor for both living with a parent struggling with addiction and having an abusive parent. It's just a well-told, heartwrenching tale that got deep into the character's mindsets. I thought the ending was bit abrupt and rushed, but it did make more sense once I realized this was the first in a duology. It's a fascinating take on vampires, and I'm interested in seeing more.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

This novel follows a middle-aged Muslim female pirate living around the Arabian Peninsula. She's supposed to be in retirement, but wouldn't you know it, she's lured in for one last job! I she rescues a kidnapped girl,  she'll have all the riches she needs to set her family up for life. So Amina begins her adventure of fighting demons and monsters and ex-husbands. But the job might not be all it seems.

This novel is full of all the entertaining swashbuckling action and shenanigans that any pirate story should have. It's a rollicking good time, and feeds my craving for middle aged women going on quests and kicking ass. Amina's journey is a fun, wild ride full of dynamic characters and interesting mythology!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Juniper is friends with a successful Chinese-American author, Athena Liu, and has always been deeply jealous of her. When Athena dies in front of her, Juniper decides to steal her manuscript rooted in Chinese history and claim it as her own. But plagiarism might catch up with her...

This is a strong example of a book I thought was really well-done, but one I'm probably never going to read again. The way it depicted Twitter drama is just too accurate and I got anxiety. It did such a good job putting you in Juniper's awful shoes so you can feel the pressure close in along with her. The book's commentary on the insidious racism of the publishing industry was effective, and it made a horrible character's journey fascinating to follow. I was so intrigued yet anxious I had to force myself to finish the last few pages.

Bonus read:

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldtree

A very cute novel about an orc named Viv who decides to retire from the violent life of a bounty hunter and run a coffee shop instead. She ends up getting a lot of assistance from a succubus named Tandri...and my, is that a slow-burn coffee shop romance brewing? This book reminds me a lot of various cozy slice-of-life anime, and it's nice to be getting more of that feeling in book form. I wish there was a little more specific to the fantasy world rather than making it a coffee shop that line up 1 to 1 to a modern day shop, but it was definitely a sweet read.

[diejager]

Monster au...Monster au... Oblivious darling having absolutely no clue that the task force is basically courting them through hybrid lenses hm ...

Maybe a shiny object — god knows how he got it from Gaz , a grimoire millennial old from price from his hoard, Alejandro and soap hogging you with their scent.

I can see this happen, and you just be so confused about everything 😂 Most humans don’t know much about monster and hybrid courting rituals because there are so many! Every kind have their own specific and quirky rituals that makes you scratch your head, confused as to why you have a growing collection of little knickknacks, old and antique objects and shiny treasures.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Critter Glasses – Wondrous item, very rare

A most exquisite pair of lenses for anyone who is interested in the tiny details, wants to check the fine print, prefers to take a closer look or simply enjoys the little things.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon to gain access to monster pages, tokens & artwork of over 250 quirky creatures as well as dozens of potion & item cards based on their lore.

[derekhighwaytf]

Poindextrin

This is something a little different for my nerds out there so bear with me if that's not your thing.

Every woman wants to fuck you and all men want to be you…and also fuck you.  Who can blame them?  After all, you’re Etch, a famous rockstar who can fuck anything he wants! And after yet another adrenaline-rushed concert, you need something to take the load off. Your ears are still ringing with the echoes of screaming fans, your muscles thrumming with a mix of exhaustion and sex appeal. You're sweaty, high on the thrill of it all, and you reach for a pill bottle handed to you by a zealous groupie. Hallucinogens, you think. Just a little added kaleidoscope for the night. The label reads "Poindextrin", but you shrug it off as some quirky branding.

A few minutes pass and although you’re not higher, your voice definitely is.  Midway through a laugh, it squeaks up an octave or two, emerging from your lips high-pitched and nasally. It's like the voice of a caricature of a geek from a corny 80s movie, and you're momentarily shocked, a ripple of unease breaking your post-show high.

But it doesn't end there. You feel a strange lightness spreading through your body, a shrinking sensation that's both alien and deeply uncomfortable. Your tattoos, those symbols of rebellion, dissolve into clear, untouched skin. Your pecs, your arms, the product of hours spent in the gym, deflate as if poked by an invisible needle until they're just skin and bone. Your solid abs flatten out, vanishing as if they were never there.  Instead of a gym-bound rock God, your body has become stick-thin, almost like you’ve never worked out a day in your life.

Looking for assurance that this is just some bad trip, you stare into a nearby mirror, but it doesn’t take long for you to realize what’s happening, especially when you see your wild blonde hair start to recede into your scalp, your rebellious mane getting shorter and shorter until your left with a crisp, sharp #2 buzzcut on the top of your pale white head. The reflection then blurs, your vision wavering, and you fumble around for something to clear it. You’ve always had perfect eyesight, but now you can only see a handful of colors, like a kaleidoscope, but not the type you’d planned to see tonight.  Your hand lands on a pair of glasses with lenses as thick as soda bottles. Sliding them on, you’re taken aback by how large the world appears through these comically oversized glasses.

A glance down reveals a different set of clothes than what you remember putting on. Your stylish, rebelliously worn attire has been replaced with buttoned-up shirts, high waisted pants, a neat bowtie, a plastic pocket protector crammed with pens, suspenders and a pair of the clunkiest loafer shoes known to man. It's as if you've been dropped into a different world, a world where you are not the leading man banging chicks left and right, but instead the side character getting his lunch money stolen and being dunked in the toilet.

Your usually nonchalant demeanor begins to crack, replaced by an alien neuroticism that compels you to straighten your bowtie and adjust your glasses. Your once raucous hotel room seems overly cluttered, dirty. A wave of anxiety hits you, a compulsion to clean and order things taking over.

Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, an uncontrollable urge overcomes you. The panic is momentary, but the shame that follows the realization that you've peed your pants is far more potent. This is something you’ve never experienced, but starts to feel more and more familiar, an embarrassing incontinence problem that’s marred you since you were a teenager. Just another mark against your former coolness.

But the most distressing change comes last. Memories of rocking stages, of endless nights of passion, and the artistry of music start to blur, replaced by memories of a past that isn't yours. You remember being shoved into lockers, the stinging humiliation of public wedgies, the nights spent huddled over a Dungeons & Dragons game instead of getting head from a gaggle of groupies. The word virgin comes to mind, because that’s what you are, a virgin.  A gay virgin who’s never had the confidence to make the first move.  Thinking about such an act makes your acne-ridden cheeks heat up. 

Finally, you recall a name that is not Etch, but instead Ernest.  Ernest Bartholomew Humphries. Your hands shake as you run them through your buzzcut, wondering just how on earth you’d stayed up this late.  You need to get some rest for your new IT job tomorrow, dork.

[bengiyo]

Why Do I Tag So Many Creators in My Posts? It’s About Respect

Earlier today I was talking with @sophsloveskpop in the notes of a post, and was asked about all of the interaction between blogs in the posts and essays about the shows. I’ve noticed an uptick in new names interacting with posts (and making great posts of their own!) and wanted to talk about why I do it and why I like fandom on Tumblr.

Fundamentally, I think it’s generally good courtesy to acknowledge when someone else has expressed a similar idea to your, or an idea that intrigues you. I think it’s best to tag that person and link to their post so that others can also experience it. It also opens you up to a dialogue with them and others.

People Like Getting Their Flowers

If someone posts an analysis or even a quirky idea that I felt the need to think about, I will mention them in my posts. None of the great content we get on here is necessarily quick to make. I absolutely love all of the gifmakers who fight against Photoshop, Tumblr, and God Himself to post snippets of shows on here for us. I wouldn’t be able to flesh out some of my posts, illustrates points, or otherwise breakup walls of text without @liyazaki, @wanderlust-in-my-soul, @pharawee, or @gabrielokun. Whenever I can’t find the gif I’m looking for through Tumblr’s terrible gif search, I reach out to one of them for permission to use their gifs directly.

Also, many of us just like being acknowledged that someone we wrote meant something to someone else. Every time I get tagged by someone in an essay I’m like:

It’s a Conversation

I don’t think fandom is about being the smartest person or the most correct person. My basic framework I’m writing from is Black Gay Nerd Who Watches a Lot of Stuff. It’s what I’m most familiar with personally, and I find that people have really responded to that.

I’ve been around for a very long time, and have been seeing folks like @so-much-yet-to-learn around the entire time, who often has more specific information about fandom life during the airing of shows. @absolutebl and @heretherebedork have watched more BL than I have, and I’ve seen at least 250 productions. ABL has some of the most comprehensive posts collecting some of the history.

I made so many friends after diving into @shortpplfedup DMs to talk about sustainable urbanism and bonding over our shared geography. Now we run @the-conversation-pod together. Through them I befriended so many others, like @elnotwoods and @kyr-kun-chan.

I’m not a color theory expert, and so I love reading posts from @respectthepetty and others (I think @sliceduplife writes about color too).

We wouldn't even have my favorite show without @isaksbestpillow.

I know what shows are coming because of @clairificusrex.

I don’t know much about music theory, but @iguessitsjustme write some great stuff about the music in these shows.

I don’t always read the body language of hands as closely as someone like @wen-kexing-apologist might.

I am not Asian, and so I like reading from @waitmyturtles, @telomeke-bbs, and @neuroticbookworm. I know that @recentadultburnout and @airenyah offer useful perspective on Thai language.

Sometimes folks are going to narrow down on specific shows and consistently write about them for years on side blogs like @miscellar.

Some people have studied so much and bring specific academic lenses to the genre that I find compelling, like @emotionallychargedtowel.

In many cases, I just vibe with them really hard, like @ginnymoonbeam.

I actually didn’t always post as much as I do, but I try to keep up my Stray Thoughts project so that people can keep track of what I’m watching. I used to write less meta, but then I befriended @waitmyturtles and @lurkingshan. Any time I say anything remotely thoughtful Shan is like:

Also, though, this is Tumblr! It’s easy to tag each other and link to each other’s posts! This is what makes us different from every

Isn’t It Just More Fun?

I don’t enjoy shows passively. I grew up in a family that watched things together. My mom, dad, sister, and I all have differing tastes from each other, but we watched a lot of different things together. My friends and I discussed the things we watched at school.

I’m a big fan of the water cooler approach to TV show distribution, which basically says you want your show to be the show people are talking about on their breaks at work. I always like Film Crit Hulk’s theory that movies (and our dramas) are the proverbial campfires around which we gather to share ourselves with each other.

This is all supposed to be fun, and I have more fun when we interact. I get tagged daily by @blmpff about updates from sets, or when we all need to rush to IG to make sure Fluke Pongsakorn doesn’t cut his hair. When @bl-bam-beyond makes a new set or post they let me know, and they recently rewatched Noah’s Arc! I made friends with @gillianthecat in the last year or so, and it’s been fun seeing her make her way through fandom. I always get excited with @troubled-mind pings me in a post because I know it’s going to give me something to chew on. I didn’t have a genuine appreciation for kink culture until I watched along with @lutawolf. If something funny is happening in fandom I know @benkaaoi is going to tag me. I still get excited when @heukheuk pops up in my mentions.

I know I’ve probably forgotten so many people alone the way here, and I’m sorry if I didn’t mention you.

Tag Because It’s the Right Thing to Do

So seriously, tag people and link to their posts. Try to use the giffmakers specific tags when you’re using the search feature. Fandom is better when we all interact respectfully and enthusiastically with each other. Tumblr is special because it lets us create goofy little essays like this and tag dozens of people just to get their attention.

If you have a cool thought about a show I’m watching, tag me. If you see something funny, tag me in the comments. If you wanna hash out an idea before posting it, DM me. This is Tumblr. Don’t be shy with your thoughts. It’s okay to be wrong on the internet. It’s actually fun to be wrong on the internet about show predictions!

Thank you as always for coming to my post.

[mindyco]

Artwork credit: @nona-piccolo

Teeheehehehehtheteeeehehehe, why's MC gotta be so darn cute? I'll probs update this so that the other brothers' can be as long as Belphie's. Who knows. ┐(°ヮ°)┌ I've been exploring some writing styles, because I feel like I make everything way too descriptive so I'm sorry if you keep seeing a change in my writing.

Scenario: The brothers' reaction to us wearing super large, thick glasses

Lucifer:

Lucifer's sharp gaze fixated on you, his eyes widening in surprise tinged with amusement.

His attention was drawn to the oversized glasses perched upon your delicate features, which seemed to magnify your eyes and emphasize your every expression.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he observed how the frames accentuated your features, making you look irresistibly adorable.

Such an innocent and adorable look. His mind raced with thoughts of teasing you, but a warmth blossomed in his chest, softening his expression.

"Well, well, it seems you've found a new accessory. I must admit, it suits you."

Mammon:

Mammon's eyes widened dramatically, his jaw dropping at the sight before him.

His face flushed bright red, and he sputtered, unable to find the right words to express his thoughts.

His gaze was drawn to the large, thick glasses that now adorned your face, making you look irresistibly cute.

For a moment, he was torn between laughing and swooning over your cuteness.

His heart pounded in his chest, and his voice came out in a flustered tone, "W-what? Glasses? You've gotta be kiddin' me!"

Shit, this is overkill! He couldn't tear his eyes away from you, feeling an overwhelming surge of affection welling up inside him.

Leviathan:

Leviathan's normally reserved expression melted into one of surprise and fascination as his eyes landed on your new glasses.

His gaze lingered on the oversized frames, which gave you an unexpectedly adorable appearance.

The lenses magnified your eyes, making them appear larger and more captivating.

His heart skipped a beat, and a faint blush dusted his cheeks as he struggled to find the right words.

"W-wow! Those glasses… they almost make you as cute as Ruri-chan!"

Satan:

Satan's gaze softened as he took in your transformed appearance.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the large glasses that now adorned your face, accentuating your peaceful aura.

Puff-

"Interesting choice of eyewear. I must say, it suits you remarkably well." He tried his best to hold in a chuckle, turning his head away with his hand on his face to cover his smirk.

Anytime you'd walk in the room, he'd turn his head down, pretending to read. Though he'd be taking subtle glances at you.

With each peek he took, a soft chuckle escaped under his breath, barely audible but filled with amusement.

Asmodeus:

Asmodeus gasped dramatically, his hands clasping over his mouth in delight as he caught sight of your new accessory.

His gaze roamed over the oversized glasses, taking in every detail with utmost fascination.

The frames seemed to enhance your already captivating features, adding a touch of quirkiness to your appearance.

His voice dripped with excitement and affection as he exclaimed, "Darling, you look positively adorable!"

He couldn't resist the urge to capture this moment with his D.D.D, posting it all over his Devilgram.

Beelzebub:

Beelzebub's gentle gaze softened with warmth as he took in your new glasses.

Oh, how cute you looked in his eyes.

He just wanted to eat you whole.

His eyes lingered on the oversized frames, appreciating how they added a charming innocence to your expression.

His growling stomach was momentarily forgotten as he found himself captivated by your transformed appearance.

"Those glasses… it makes you look cute." He was not embarrassed to say what was on his mind.

He chuckled softly and playfully ruffled your hair, declaring that you were the most adorable person he had ever seen over and over again.

Belphegor:

Belphegor's drowsy eyes lazily opened, only to widen in surprise as he spotted your new glasses.

His gaze sharpened, fixing upon the oversized frames that sat upon your face.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he observed how they seemed to emphasize your every expression.

"Heh, what do we have here? Cute glasses, huh? You know, you actually look kind of adorable with them on."

His words were laced with a mixture of teasing and genuine fondness, secretly finding your new look rather endearing.

Grinning devilishly, Belph placed the glasses on his own face, peering at you through the lenses.

The oversized frames looked comically large on him, contrasting with his usually confident demeanor. He adjusted them slightly, keeping his hold even as you tried snatching them back.

"I think I look better in these than you do," he teased, humming satisfactorily.

He strutted around, dodging every single one of your struggles to get it back.

"Okay, okay, you win," you conceded, trying to stifle your giggles. "But can I have my glasses back now?"

Belphegor pretended to consider your request. After a dramatic pause, he finally relented, taking off the glasses and returning them to you.

"Fine, you can have them back. But only if you promise to wear them every day, just for me."

"Deal."

～𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

[isobellenoire]

Solas is Neurodiverse.

This is of course my opinion, don't invalidate me, if you find comfort in this character then I'm glad, join the party!

• Info dumping (You boost his approval by asking him about magic & the fade... and oh my world does he have a lot to say about it!)

• Strong sense of justice... freeing the slaves, wanting to right wrongs. He feels so strongly about injustice, especially when he can sympathise (mages & elves) a strong sense of social justice is often linked with ND people because we are marginalised, mistreated and ridiculed. I can often get angry, irate and depressed when there's injustice in the world and for a lot of my ND friends it's the same.

• Likes to be alone (he still has friends who are spirits, but he doesn't actively seek out companionship with people) prefers his own company. (Hermit tarot... come on! I'm crying in INTP/INTJ here)

• Always reading, writing, he even paints a whole ass mural on the walls as skyhold in a short burst of time, hyperfocus/hyperfixation.

• Comes across as blunt. I've been told I'm blunt so many times it's infuriating when I don't mean to be, I'm just firm in what I know to be true and will say it without dancing around the matter.

• Speaks 'strangely' in a poetic rhythm. While not an exclusive trait, given everything else it holds merit.

• He does have a great deal of empathy if you romance him/get to know him, but on a surface level he seems distant because he doesn't open up personally! It takes a LOT to crack that egg. I'm 4 years into a committed relationship and I still get told I don't open up enough when I'm struggling with emotions because I keep them internalised... probably a trauma response but in Solas' case... yeah, definitely a trauma response.

• Comes across argumentative when talking about stuff to which the group (Dorian especially during party banter) will ask if he's upset with them, and he says he isn't. ND people are always stuffed in the 'uncanny valley' and seen as outsiders, or stand-offish... we're just not very good with social nuances in terms of delivery, but are deeply self aware of that and prefer to observe, and I argue Solas is incredibly self aware. (Knows when he is being 'selfish' or 'foolish')

• Incredibly knowledgeable on a lot because he's intensively researched it, has to know everything about that subject and becomes deeply immersed in it.

• He never lied about anytning, he just didn't throw it out there... Autistic people can lie you know... however not once did he lie, he just kept his secrets hidden, that's very different to lying. Lying wild be 'Are you Fen'Harel'?... 'No' I've kept secrets from people for a long ass time to spare their feelings and my own self interest. (Not as bad as it sounds ahah! Just an example)

• History nerd... C'mon most of us have a favourite time period that isn't this one...

• I mentioned the paintings, he's also an artist, as well as a dreamer. A lot of us have infiltrated science or the arts... or both! Most of the world's leading scientists and artists are ND. He probably has an idetic memory.

I have more if people care to hear it, but in my opinion and based on my own personal experience being AuDHD, I'd say he is. I resonate with his character more deeply than the others because no ND person is alike and we all have our own personal struggles/wins.

A similar example in media to Solas would be (and hear me out ahah) Walter White (minus the drugs) but intelligence and the way he speaks to others, hides stuff from people (and assumes an alias to seperate himself) I definitely see WW as Autistic. So why not Solas?

Can we please stop infantalizing ASD, and applying the manic pixie lense to it, there's so much more to it that just 'quirky'. Cole is practically confirmed, people have debated Sera being ADHD, but also they are painted with a similar 'childish' brush.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk ahah.

[purpleandstarlight]

Not to scare y'all off by mentioning Viscount Druitt but this post is to insult him so please don't block me. I swear i hate that bitch too.

Okay so I'm pretty sure this happens at least in the musical, don't remember if its also canon to the manga? But at one point that disgusting man, while trying to auction off Ciel, goes on about "This lady also has two different coloured eyes!" wich means

Wich means he saw someone with a literal demonic symbol carved into their eye and went "This is normal :)" and just passed it off as heterocromia.

MY DUDE THATS A LITERAL DRAWING. ITS NOT EVEN THE MODERN ERA WHERE YOU CAN CONFUSE IT FOR QUIRKY CONTACT LENSES. EVEN IF YOU DIDNT KNOW IT WAS A DEMONIC THING (WICH IS STILL YOU BEING DUMB, SINCE YOU'RE APPARENTLY INTO THE OCCULT) THAT SHOULD STILL BE A CAUSE OF CONCERN.

Immagine seeing someone with eyes like this during the Victorian Era and thinking its normal.

[blankie-greenie-anon]

I had this idea of Beat's shades in JSR3 changing colors depending on his emotion. If I knew how to animate, the lenses would change color like this:

In Jet Set Radio, Beat could "blink" the soundwave pattern on his goggles. In Jet Set Radio Future, he was supposed to be able to bend the spikes of his headphones when he smirked. I want JSR3 Beat to do something quirky with his accessories, too.

[k00319173]

Radius

(Group 27)

Our radius project is finally complete and here are our final pieces displayed together.

And here are my own final pieces:

This piece is a collection of imagery inspired by the passage of time and the role of women, particularly in agriculture.

I was inspired by my grandmothers China plates when it came to the Prussian blue colour and the style of painting for the buildings.

I have displayed imagery related to my theme, the actual buildings themselves as a centre point. The woman with the headscarf a garment often worn by women shopping at or selling produce at the milk market back in the day. The head and foot of a chicken along with a butcher knife, a symbol of women’s main source of independent women being with the poultry and a reference to how at open market the chickens were beheaded, a chick word often used to describe women is beheaded but flowers bloom from its neck as a sign of hope, change and progression through time.

The dog in a pram is inspired by a local woman who put her dog in a pram around the milk market, I simply thought that this was a quirky image and harkened back to the maternal role of women in a humorous sense.

Final thoughts:

It was great to see everyone’s work and to hear everyone talk about their pieces, I love how everyone can interpret different pieces in different ways and it was a cool opportunity to see our art and others art through new lenses, hearing others thoughts also gave me some great insights and ideas for future projects.

[dr-whoopsie-daisy]

Got called neurodivergent to my face by a patient today. ✌️

My manager (has a child on some spectrum and is very vocal about child advocacy and resources) was helping tech up a pt (who apparently also has a child with spicy brain). So I guess they were talking about it???

But I didn't know that. So I walk in totally stoked bc this Pt's first trial of custom specialty contact lenses got them seeing 20/20, like on the first try! Bc sometimes I'm good at my job. (Moving on)

So I'm like "how are the contact lenses? :))))"

And they mcfucking respond with "I was just talking to (the manager) about you, 'I bet Dr. (me name) is neurodivergent! She's quirky" (affectionate)

And I'm like "...ahah well um they weren't super big at diagnosing things when I was a kid so I was just called weird. Or yeah, quirky *jazz hands*"

So yeah I'm not officially diagnosed as anything except something that needs an ANXIOUS reflective vest, but apparently *whatever* I am, I am *not* masking it anymore like I did as a child.

(after that we talked about introverts in highly social jobs and how I have to go home and melt in silence for a few hours after work.)

[our receptionist was offering coworkers black or white breast cancer awareness bracelets and when she walked by me, she just handed me the black bc she knows I wouldn't take white. Today I was being Known™]

[ynhart]

Well as you all know Hange is prob my favorite character from like all media I've watched and I've always wanted to write an essay about her because it makes me angry when aot fans only see her as the quirky mad scientist type but I truly believe there's a lot of things we can learn from her character and even look up to her because as you all know, I can't help but always watch media through catholic lenses, and surprisingly Hange does portray a lot of christian morals and virtues and I'm like I really want to talk and write about her but I don't even know how to organize all these ideas and who knows if I eventually do it