#shoes retain functions

[shortnotsweet]

This technically applies to my Stepmother AU in which Alicent is around six years older than Rhaenyra, and occupies a wicked stepmother role as opposed to ex ‘friends-to-first loves-to-enemies’. Despite lacking the foundation of shared girlhood, both find simultaneous comfort and rivalry in one another, and undergo a gravitational pull. A young Rhaenyra’s eagerness to participate in swordplay and political affairs at a young is accommodated for, and she grows up with a sword in one hand and the weight of experience in another, which further helps pave her way to the throne.

Alicent’s Costuming

Alicent’s clothing is almost entirely bottle, emerald, or forest green. While there is layering present in her skirts and jackets, the accent should always be a darker green than the base color. The fabric is deep, rich, and retains an undeniably high-quality luster. Look to velvets and silks. Gold embroidery lingers around her sleeves, neck, and hemline to elevate the coloring.

Metallic embellishments should be almost military-like, and appear heavy. Contribute to the imagery of chains or shackles in addition to her status

Draws inspiration from historically accurate stiffness and Victorian shapes, with a tapered waist, imposing, puffy sleeves, and a high neckline. Despite inaccuracies, this shape is evocative of someone elegantly and conservatively feminine, repressed, and capable of exerting power over others. Reference a classic, trussed hourglass shape. Skirts should be notably heavy and full; may make noise in movement

The coloring and shapes remain relatively consistent but lack variation; this is to demonstrate a lack of freedom and exploration, as well as an adherence to conventional feminine roles

Despite these limitations, her costuming should always be put-together, coordinated, and unquestionably fashionable. Tight sleeve cuffs may be accompanied by a more traditionally medieval fan sleeve

Shoes should stick mostly to slippers, or flat designs

In this AU, her hair leans more towards a dark brown instead of auburn, as her show counterpart. This is mostly due to faux-book accuracy and to simplify the sketch process, since keeping her hair darker in comparison to Rhaenyra’s lighter hair translates more easily in uncolored renderings.

Keep her hair either in a tidy bun or pulled back and loose; avoid too many intricate shapes, braids, or styles. Occasionally, the hair will hang loose. Lean into medieval or royal headpieces, clips, coverings, etc.

Rhaenyra’s Costuming

Rhaenyra’s clothes are primarily black and red, occasionally accented or substituted with neutrals such as beige, white, or gray. Exceptions may include blue or yellow, but she generally stays in this color palette.

Strong focus is drawn to her shoulders and neckline, sometimes with embroidered or embellished detailing. She often has strong, angular shoulders in her dresses or jackets, occasionally theatrically pointed. Off-the shoulder necklines emphasize her collarbones and a certain broadness.

There should be decent variety in her clothing; there is a hypothetical outfit for every occasion and more (for battle, for riding, everyday, formal, feasts, everyday, etc.), and most should be composed of multiple pieces and utilize generous layering. This includes under-fabric, belts and corsets, jackets and doublets, draped fabric for aesthetic purpose, and even functional capes.

Most of her clothes should provide visual aid for movement; additional fabric to her skirts, for example. Her clothes should be highly stylized but still easy to move in. In riding and battle gear, it is presumed that she wears pants and boots under her skirts, even if they are not visible.

Shoes lean more into boot cuts, still practical but should have a sleek and uniform quality to them. When she walks, she should make some kind of noise. Shoes should usually be black or potentially red, the latter for decorative purposes.

Overall her style should be more contemporary and lean into the fantasy element. She’s not opposed to oriental details or showing skin, and her costumes should reflect both couture-height drama and period-reliant aspects. Longer lines and diagonal hems mean she is not as devoted to an hourglass shape, and her high collars should always be decorative in some respect.

Keep her hair long and mostly loose, sometimes pulled back. Small braids should be implied as incorporated. Occasional hairstyles feature complicated braids. With the exception of highly decorative braided styles, simple buns should be avoided unless accompanied with very high necklines.

Avoid headpieces that are not either a) her crown or b) ceremonial.

[ndpreservation]

Well-Meaning Interventions

Here are some frequently encountered DIY repairs that, while well-meaning, are, alas, misguided interventions that exacerbate damage and some alternative approaches that better promote ongoing usability.

While scotch tape is great for wrapping presents and many other tasks, when used on book pages and documents it typically creates problems. The adhesives in clear, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape tend to degrade and discolor over time, resulting in significant damage to the paper. A clear example of degraded tape damage is this 1862 letter from Confederate soldier M.A. Harvey to his wife, “My Dear Eva”.

While this letter would have been relatively straightforward to mend with kozo paper and paste, the tape caused permanent damage, and days of work were required to stabilize the letter so that it could be mended appropriately.

When the boards of a beloved volume become detached, simply applying duct tape to reattach them might seem like a swell solution.

Though duct tape can temporarily reattach book covers, it tends to create significant damage and shorten the book’s lifespan. Similarly, where the spine of a book has become loose or detached, at first glance it might seem that adhering a loose spine covering directly to its text block would be a simple fix.

However, the spines of most modern books are not actually glued to the spine of the text by functional design. Adhering the spine covering directly alters the book’s mechanical structure and impedes its functioning, resulting in stress points that create further damage as the book is used. 

In order to retain loose book covers or spines, consider tying the book with cotton twill tape, positioning the knot along the head, tail, or fore-edge of the book.

Even better, alkaline book boxes from a preservation supply vendor offer protection from further damage or loss while helping to moderate acidic degradation processes. The repair of books that one wishes to remain functional over time is best left to trained conservators or technicians. For further preservation resources, preservation supply vendors, and information on locating a conservator, see the Hesburgh Libraries Preserving Private Collections guide.

Applying leather dressings such as leather conditioner, neatsfoot oil, or shoe polish to leather books hampers their preservation. While one may enjoy the appearance of polished leather spines in a bookcase, in the short term, leather dressings may darken leather and over time tend to further dry out the skin as well as cause stickiness and/or significant discoloration to the leather, known as leather bloom. 

If a leather-bound book is exhibiting signs of leather decay such as red rot (crumbling leather that creates a dusty mess that can transfer to the book pages during use), consider ordering an archival alkaline box for the book or consulting a conservator for further advice on preservation and treatment options. 

Using books as a place to “preserve” newspaper clippings, flowers, etc.

Placing newspaper clippings or other items inside the protective pages of a book might seem like an ideal place to keep the item flat and secure. However, most newspapers are printed on poor-quality paper that quickly becomes highly acidic, and over time this acid will migrate into the pages of the book, chemically degrading and visually staining them. A more effective place to store treasured clippings is within alkaline folders that offer both chemical and physical protection.

[f-cat]

Tickling FCat!

Hey there, fans! Fantine here. I know -- there's a lot of explaining to do; I don't even know where to begin. This is a long one, so I hope y'all stick with me.

A few days ago, Cat and I were going through our inbox and trying to reorganize files. Videos, shoots, requests, booking -- take your pick. We uncluttered a lot of shit and organized them into a nice list, and my boss - Cat - passed it over to me to handle. I spent a good half hour combing through the list -- I'm looking and looking -- and I notice there's a ton of messages asking:

"When's the boss gonna get hers?" "Is Cat available?" "When can we see Cat tickled?"

I'm not even joking, there's at least 20 or so messages from fans and associates about her, filled to the brim with their wildest fantasies. It's more than anything I've seen so far since we've been open. I think about how to approach this -- so I get up, walk to her office, and just lay it out. I'm reading through bullet points of ideas the fans had, and Cat's just scoffing. I remember she said "Yeah, that's never going to fucking happen."

Look, I love Cat -- we've been in business for a while, and she pays me pretty well to keep the equipment functioning, do setups, book appointments, etc. And she was never gonna be the ticklee? Not even once?

Nah. I wasn't going to let that slide. I knew in my heart she wasn't gonna fire me, because there's no one else in the industry with this much technological prowess mixed with a depraved, fetishistic mind like me. So I schemed. Just a tiny bit.

So I was like -- hey, we got these beautiful stocks auctioned off to us by some guy who we're gonna keep anonymous. Why not use it? I remembered, he told us this setup was cursed. Something to do with "Living Wood."

It took a few days, but I convinced our company nurse, our animal caretaker, and our analyst to "join the cause." No matter what, at the end of the day -- Cat is going into them stocks.

We were literally chasing her through the entire facility, and I gotta say -- this woman can fucking run. She's been training for months, and none of us on the staff are too athletic, but after a good 10 minutes or so, we finally got her. Cat was fighting and biting her way out, but sorry boo -- four is greater than one. (Cat if you're reading this, I love you, please don't fire meeee)

Now the special thing with these stocks that we found out -- they're like otherworldly, cursed, eldritch-type horrors. Arms literally spring out of them when they're about to receive a ticklee. So we put Cat in -- lock in her ankles, and I'm combing through the list to find the first bullet on the line. The fan messaged: "[I'd like Cat] with all [her] toes tied in stocks. Both feet tickled by electric toothbrushes, the arch on one and the toes on the other. Feet oiled as well if it’s not too much trouble. Thanks[.]"

We have to start somewhere, right? I'm taking off her shoes -- Cat's cursing at me, screaming to let her go -- but I mean...I've dealt with so many ticklees over the years and this shit is just blank noise. Instead of conventional baby oil or coconut oil, I'm rubbing this special concoction we made into her feet -- it's like an oil/paste hybrid with an ointment kind of consistency that makes the skin ridiculously slippery; it also retains body heat well to keep her extra sensitive. It's the stuff we put on our naughtiest lees usually.

Here's a few secrets you didn't know about my boss -- number 1: Cat's toes are her more ticklish spot. Number 2: did y'all know her feet blush when they're touched or tickled? Like they turn pink almost instantly when you're rubbing on them. I think it's fucking adorable.

Anyways, after I got Cat's feet all oiled up and we bring out the Sonicares - electric toothbrushes that vibrate thousands of times a second...it's maximum tickling efficiency capable of decimating nerves. It's her favorite tool to use (and have it used on her).

So the Living Wood comes out of the stocks and grabs the brushes up out of my hand -- I mean, she can't fire me if I'm not the one doing the tickling, right? And Cat is whimpering like crazy until they turn those brushes up on max speed and get it going -- they start gliding the bristles against her greasy-looking soles, and Cat immediately starts losing her mind. She's ticklish as fuck (on a scale of 1 to 10, she's a 30), and I know deep down, she loves it.

One of my favorite sounds I think is underrated -- is the buzzing of the electric toothbrush. Like it sounds like a nest of angry bees or wasps flying around, and the moment that buzzing becomes muffled slightly -- you know it's made contact with Cat's glistening soles. If you mix that with her roaring laughter -- I mean...paradise is right here on Earth. I'm not even joking - fans, this might be one of the hottest things y'all ever witnessed.

The toothbrush is just effortlessly gliding in between her greasy toes, and Cat is flopping side to side -- like a fish out of water. Her black hair is getting thrown back and forth as she loses her sanity. She's sweaty, blushing, wiggling, and howling...shrieking with laughter because we all know -- it tickles.

While boss is in the other room laughing it up, we'll keep her monitored. I don't think I've ever seen a girl wiggle so violently when her feet are tickled.

Anyways, I've put in a few days off for her (I'm such a caring employee, right?) and the stocks are gonna keep tickling her until the batteries on the toothbrush run out. I don't really know what it'll do after, so I'll keep y'all posted.

Don't worry about us too much, we'll take care of her! Much love to all of you!

-- Fantine

P.S. By the way, we got some secret shots of Cat if you wanna check out her DA gallery. She's gonna be mad when she finds out, so look them up while you can.

[monsterblogging]

How Pacific Rim 2013 is about killing the gods, and why we need to accept this

After years of researching the development of Pacific Rim, and learning more about its creators, I've reached a conclusion.

You cannot truly understand the narrative of Pacific Rim until you can wrap your head around the idea the kaiju are divine beings, their creators are functionally gods, and (at least sometimes), gods need to be killed.

This sentiment can be traced all the way back to Travis Beacham's draft script, where the Precursors were explicitly revealed as the creators of our universe, who made it so they could move here from their own dying universe. The script very deliberately codes them as gods, as evidenced in these quotes:

RALEIGH There’s things you just can’t fight. Acts of God or whatever. Like you see a hurricane coming, you just have to get out of the way, you know? But when you’re in a Jaeger, suddenly you can draw a line in the sand. You can fight the hurricane -- and you can win.

CZERNY Because I had to be quarantined. I looked into the abyss. I’d been infected with the truth -- that this is the end of us. We are the vermin of the gods. There’s no point in putting up a fight...

TAKADA I don't have it... We all know it's a siege. What can I say they don't already know? We call the enemy the Precursors... I may as well tellthe world the gods want us dead.

NEWT (CONT’D) I don't care if they are the creators of the universe. I like the universe. She leans her head on the seat and watches him with a pining look in her eyes. He turns to add with a chuckle -- NEWT (CONT’D) And I'm not a creationist.

The draft script is not fucking around. The Precursors are gods, and they must be slain.

The final movie retains the "acts of God" line, but the Precursors are never explicitly called "gods" like this. However - the subtext is still there. For example, Hannibal Chau tells us what the kaiju cultists believe:

HANNIBAL CHAU Look at 'em. They believe the Kaiju are sent from heaven. That the gods are expressing their displeasure with our behavior. The silly bastards.

The film also shows us kaiju sisters, who are very clearly meant to evoke Catholic sisters with their cornettes. And of course, we can't forget the kaiju church building.

And then there's the Precursors themselves, whom we only get a brief, blurry glance at. But their design had intention behind it, as we learn in Pacific Rim: Man, Machines, & Monsters (emphasis mine):

"When I was a kid," says del Toro, "we used to catch these bugs in the pool. They had a translucent, hard shell and you could see their organs. I wanted the design to evoke that. Wayne Barlowe and Keith Thompson worked the final design. We gave the Precursors elements of ecclesiastical royalty, dividing them into cardinals and bishops."

For anyone who doesn't know, del Toro is an ex-Catholic whose grandmother tried to exorcise him over his interest in monsters, and made him wear bottlecaps in the bottoms of his shoes as penance for his perceived sins. And Guillermo del Toro isn't shy about expressing anti-authoritarian sentiments. (Pan's Labyrinth and Pinocchio are very strongly anti-authoritarian films.)

Pacific Rim is using the godkilling trope the exact same way a lot of Japanese media does it: personifying corrupting ideologies and corrupt institutions as malefic gods that humanity must rise up against and destroy. (If you want to learn more about this, Moon Channel's video Why Do You Always Kill Gods In JRPGs? goes into this in detail.)

Where other western media that involves killing gods often aims to avoid controversy by reassuring its audiences that the god or gods being killed are false gods, or by targeting gods largely considered discredited (such as actual pagan gods, or fictional gods modeled on them), Pacific Rim refuses to pander to western Christian sensibilities in this way.

Had Guillermo del Toro had his way, this would have gone on to resemble the Japanese usage of this trope even more, where said divinities often are former humans, or are the product of human activity. He'd planned to reveal that the Precursors were humanity from the future:

And then we found out that the precursors are us thousands of years in the future. They’re trying to terraform, trying to re-harvest the earth to survive. (Source.)

Unfortunately, this didn't happen. The sequel to Pacific Rim was handed off to another director, and the Precursors were re-coded as demonic. All of the socio-political criticism embedded in the first movie were gutted - and I don't think it's any coincidence that the uberconservative weirdos I've been seeing in this fandom focus on it more than the first movie. (And if they aren't focused on Uprising, they're focused on The Black, which is even worse. I will suffice it here to say that The Black was practically tailor-made to attract young chuds. And while not everyone I've met who actually likes it was a chud, every one of them had extremely low media literacy.)

You see, when you remove Beacham and del Toro's careful symbolism and coding, the Precursors become nothing more than a vague enemy that you can project anyone onto. Hyperconservatives are free to compare the Precursors to whatever boogyman they've decided threatens Christianity and/or Western civilization, and engage in fantasies of using militaristic force to destroy them.

Failing to recognize or choosing to ignore how Pacific Rim uses the godkilling trope to criticize authoritarian religious institutions and late-stage capitalism is how a film directed by two anti-fascist creators gets twisted into a fascism-affirming narrative. And that, I think most of us can agree, is a problem.

[prep4tomoro]

Survival Clothing What to Wear:

It would be great to know where we will be and what the temperature will be like when the SHTF. But that ain't a gonna happen and you can't carry everything for every little situation. Here are some things to consider as a general rule for the unexpected and the planned outing:

Wool vs Cotton: Wool is best for cold weather while cotton is best for warmer weather. Wool is a powerful insulator. In fact, it's the second-best natural insulator next to goose down. It also repels water and wicks moisture. The lanolin, with its antibacterial, antimicrobial and water repellant properties, can irritate skin and can't be removed simply through washing. It's more durable and more wrinkle-resistant than cotton and it hardly retains odors and stains. Cotton, on the other hand, is a warm-weather fabric. Like wool, cotton has moisture-wicking properties. But the difference between wool vs. cotton is that cotton is a light, breathable fabric that helps you stay cool in the summer. It also provides excellent protection against the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It's hypoallergenic, easy to care for, and affordable.

Survival Clothing Principles:

Your body helps regulate body temperature. Clothing should work WITH your body. Exercise can help keep you warm in the winter and hydration (water intake) will help keep you cool in the summer.

Bulky or tight clothing is bad for survival. Synthetic [lighter/thinner] "fabrics" may be better options.

What you have with you when SHTF will be your survival clothes. Keep your "survival" clothing near you at all times (in a bug-out bag that is WITH YOU).

Dress for the function, not the fashion/form; the proper clothing for the situation.

Dress to blend in with the environment (gray man).

Related Resources: Choosing the Correct BugOut Clothes Clothing for Survival and BugOut Situations The Survival Clothing - Must-Haves for Any Situation Stretch Shoes/Boots With Ice Know How to Make Primitive Footwear Making Wilderness/Survival Snowshoes Winterizing Toes and Fingers Primitive Needle and Thread Clothes When You Are Living Off Grid Clothing to Protect from Sun and Insects Insect Protection:    [Link 1]    [Link 2] Clothing Repair Kit (and What to Do if You Don't Sew) Learn to Make Your Own Clothes From Scratch How to Dry Wet Clothes in the Wilderness Emergency Insulation Materials to Stay Warm or Cool

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Menu]

This blog is partially funded by Affiliate Program Links and Private Donations. Thank you for your support.

[adriansvetozaroff]

Two men on one long journey home

I collected everything that is important to remember about my SW OCs and decided to share it.

Lamarr was born on the 21st of the 10th month in 44 BBY, on Cato Neimoidia (he was 26 years old at the beginning of the "Outlanders" story).

- He can be called a hedonist. He values comfort and pleasure and avoids discomfort and pain with all his might. He tries to buy things that combine beauty with convenience, but sometimes he cannot refuse something simply beautiful. When he wants to express his feelings and give a gift to someone close, he will make a choice based on the same criteria

- Looking good is important to him. He is a neat person who pays a lot of attention to personal care, uses expensive products for this, tries to monitor his health and will always be happy to spend money on new clothes, shoes or accessories - such purchases usually lift his spirits. He feels uncomfortable without clothes, especially when someone looks at his body, although he knows that he is in good shape and does not consider himself unattractive. He prefers not to undress completely unless necessary, even for sex, remaining at least in a light tunic or robe

- He is very erudite, which he openly likes to boast about; he has always taken his education very seriously and made progress in it. For a long time he considered himself a careerist until he became disillusioned with what he had achieved, but before that, his focus on improving his knowledge and true interest in his work allowed him to reach his goal and, at a very young age, get a job in the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Colleagues recognized him as a promising scientist. Success turned into moral pain for him when he had to assess the damage that the war had caused to his home planet, and, as it soon turned out, it was work in vain. He also had a very hard time with temporary problems with concentration and mental functions caused by stress. The voluntary decision to give up everything, leave and accept a temporary job that did not correspond to his potential and ambitions was still a strong blow to his self-esteem. But he did not lose his ability to be goal-oriented when a job comes along that can ignite his enthusiasm, greatly engage him, and in which he can express himself intellectually

- In his youth, he had pet red mantises, given by his parents for his first outstanding academic achievements. He was breeding them for a long time and loved to observe their habits. Now he no longer wants to keep someone in captivity, but since those years he has retained his love for nature and interest in studying it. At the same time, no matter how much he admired the natural features of Cato Neimoidia, after leaving he hardly spoke about his homeland and for seven years he could not even entertain the thought of returning home

- Usually he is reasonable and calm, open to dialogue, and does not like conflicts in a raised voice. If he sees that the interlocutor is on edge and showing aggression, he will not talk further and will simply leave. He tries not to show his emotions and is sincerely perplexed when someone pays attention to them - in his opinion, these are just temporary reactions that pass, and there is no point in discussing them if they do not interfere with doing the right things. If it happens that he cannot control himself in the presence of someone, he asks these unwitting witnesses to pretend that they do not see anything like this

- He also does not like to be told anything about his attempts to drown out strong feelings with alcohol. After moving to the capital, he developed obsessive fears of encountering hostility, as well as doubts about how much the pleasure he received would be worth the effort, if it was temporary, and he was unlikely to ever be truly happy again. Alcohol was then the only way for him to “turn off his head” and still dare to make new acquaintances or something else. Sometimes these obsessive thoughts still make themselves felt, but he doesn’t want to tell anyone about them

- He values personal space and does not like touching, especially spontaneous ones. He has difficulties if his partner is accustomed to much more active tactile communication and needs it. Out of habit, he may unconsciously recoil or tense up, and then explain that he did not want to offend anyone. He himself, of course, can enjoy a hug or a massage if it is done by someone he already trusts, but he needs to be constantly reminded of tactile needs so that he takes the initiative, or be told directly what is expected of him now

- He can hardly be called experienced in relationships. On Cato Neimoidia, he had several short-term interests, both women and men, but at that time his career was a priority, and he did not plan anything serious with anyone. However, he never felt insecure about it

- He loves money and handles it wisely; he will always take the opportunity to bargain for the best price and avoid unnecessary expenses. This doesn't mean he'll skimp on himself or those he loves—after all, there's no point in money unless it's spent on things that make life more enjoyable

- He is a reinsurer who will never take unreasonable risks, will always find out all the circumstances, analyze the situation, find opportunities to take care of safety and, after weighing everything, choose the optimal solution. Also, protecting loved ones from problems or warning against risky actions is his form of care. In this he tries not to be intrusive, he simply gives reasonable arguments. Of course, he takes on organizational issues related to the filming of a travel show, and this is not a burden to him

- He gives the impression of a rather sociable person, with a sense of humor and self-irony, but behind this he hides a strong fear of being rejected because of his species and the suspicion that the good attitude towards him is not sincere

Sheeku was born on the 15th of the 3rd month in 42 BBY, on Coruscant (at the beginning of the story he was 24 years old and had never been to the homeland of his species)

- He was a dreamer since childhood, and fell into despair if his dreams could not be realized. When, after an advanced knee injury, he could no longer dance, he seemed to give up and chose to go with the flow, letting his family decide for him, but continued to keep his dreams secret - mainly about freedom, adventure, popularity and relationships with someone reliable, who will sincerely believe in him. Now, when working on a travel show, he does not hesitate to give free rein to his imagination and is responsible for creative ideas

- Dancing is his true passion, which flares up as soon as he hears music. This had been the case since childhood, but his parents insisted that he should take a more reliable path and, together with his sister, take over the family business. Having reached adulthood, he decided to try to go his own way and began to study dancing, while simultaneously continuing to master a technical specialty. This was not easy for him, unlike those who had been practicing since childhood, but for the sake of his dream he did not give up, took additional training and continued to practice in his free time, despite the pain and chronic fatigue. Through exhausting work and perseverance, he was able to achieve recognition; for two years he performed at the Duros Cultural Center, as part of a show ballet. Several times, in order not to miss the opportunity to perform, he hid the fact that he was injured, danced under painkillers, which led to serious health consequences and the loss of the opportunity to participate in tours

- He is very talkative, especially compared to others of his species. In communication, it is easy for him to initiate a conversation and take a more active position - this allows him to be the center of attention in companies, he loves this very much. At the same time, he is open, sincere and clearly shows emotions, which he often expresses in actions - he can, out of joy, spontaneously throw a party at his own expense with someone he barely knows, or suddenly belt out a sad song for everyone to hear, feeling disappointed. Usually he is not embarrassed of this, but he is frankly ashamed of those cases when he, in anger, went to fight with someone who hurt him

- He has impulses to selflessly fight for what he considers right, which border on self-destruction. At such moments, he easily runs into trouble or assault if left unchecked - for example, this happened when he participated in unauthorized rallies and other protests, advocating for equality, against speciesism and oppression. He is also eager to aggressively stand up for someone who is dear to him, without understanding how risky this can be. But he can be reassured by someone he trusts enough if takes him aside, hugs him, and talks to him, understanding his position but expressing concern for his fate

- Routine depresses him; it is important for him to dilute his life with new impressions. He is interested in other cultures, and he knew how to find opportunities to get acquainted with the art of different peoples, regularly attending concerts, performances, exhibitions, festivals and other events on Coruscant. An evening with good music is the best way for him to take his mind off his problems and get a boost of energy

- He remains resentful of his parents for allegedly caring too much about his future and not giving him the opportunity to learn to make decisions and face real difficulties. Because he was drawn into the family business as if his fate was already predetermined from birth, he felt as if they did not believe in him and were convinced that he could not achieve anything on his own. He believes that because of this he grew up impulsive and not practical enough. In addition, he categorically does not want to live like his family, constantly in need of money due to attempts to expand the business and not very skillful investments

- His relationship with his younger sister is not the best. In addition to the usual jealousy, because of which in childhood they often quarreled and fought, they have mutual condemnation: she considers him spoiled, and his claims to his parents are infantile, he cannot stand her tough character and thinks that she deliberately says offensive things to him, knowing about his vulnerability. However, they are able to forget grievances for a while and simply act if necessary to help each other. His sister has a habit of calling him Grub, especially when she is angry or wants to shame him. This infuriates him, but he no longer tries to deal with her stubborn behavior

- Several generations of his family have been born and lived their entire lives on Coruscant, and yet he believes that the capital has never become his home. According to his feelings, this is a fussy, uncomfortable planet, where almost no one cares about each other, and humans do everything so that representatives of other species feel out of place here. Despite all the great opportunities that the capital potentially opens up, he does not like it and would like to leave it forever one day. He believed that he could settle in one of the cities that orbited Duro and successfully build his life there. His family did not share his admiring dream of visiting their home planet, considering its condition and the need to build orbital cities a disgrace of their species, but he does not agree with them and looks at these constructions as a unique creation and part of their culture

- He likes jewelry made from medical metal, and when it comes to clothing, he prioritizes comfort. He is ironic about the manner in which pilots and astronavigators wear jumpsuits everywhere, boasting about their profession and the achievements of their species in these areas. He himself prefers a jumpsuit as the most comfortable clothing for sexual adventures - just unzip one zipper to find himself naked and surrender to the process completely, with the opportunity to receive pleasure with the whole his body

- He likes to have fun and cheer up others, and tends to make fun of his loved ones. He can be sarcastic and sharp-tongued, but not with those he loves. If some joke on a close one accidentally turns out to be rude, he gets very upset and wishes to sink into the ground, and having calmed down somewhat, he tries to do something to make amends. The feeling that he, even inadvertently, offended someone who is dear to him is unbearable for him. Making new acquaintances, he tries as best he can to show respect for other person’s feelings, hoping that in return his feelings will also be spared

- The only thing he is not ready to talk about is his past relationships. His partners cheated on him, and he is ashamed of both this fact and the necessary admission that after the breakup he recklessly indulged in casual relationships, using physical intimacy as an escape from feelings of loneliness

There are several things that unite them:

- curiosity, thirst for new experiences

- aestheticism, love of art

- attentiveness and respect in communication

- the belief that trust develops gradually

- willingness to speak directly and discuss everything that is important

I heard a good phrase: "The road home begins the moment you leave." This is right how their story began - with the decision to leave the place where each of them was born and raised. After meeting each other, they, feeling like outlanders everywhere, risked going on a long journey in order to find one day together a place that they could call a real home. And it’s not just literally about the road and finding own place, but also about the development of their relationship.

By the way, their birth dates are not random - they are partly the dates when I first drew each of them.

[boss-poss]

The thing about Warframe that really keeps me coming back is the way DE leans into the upper reached of a power fantasy. You are so stupid powerful that they have to throw all these absolutely insane things at you to even give you a challenge.

A clone army where even the most lowly soldier is pretty much as capable and powerful as master chief. An unchecked bioweapon that mindlessly consumes all matter and spreads likes both a living swarm and a plague. Sapient machines that were left to stew in isolation so long they became genocidal zealots whose only goal is to exterminate their already mostly dead creators and any remnants. The decaying and rotten remains of fallen civilization sitting at the root of all of it, a people who once commanded reality itself and abolished death to the point it was a frivolous novelty.

The premise purports that that there are currently about a million supermen controlled by demigods zipping around killing in such excess that even a primarch would blush at the scale. And the fucked up part is that this barely keeping together. Without all the super saiyans running amok it would just be over in a week. Civilization in the system would end.

There's also an ocean of lore in the already ridiculously vast universe the chew on and everything wrapped up in this wholly unique and varied bio-tech geiger mysticism aesthetic. You sometimes can't appreciate the scale of it all since you sit so high up on it but every once in a while you walk through a city full of normal civilians (or what can be considered normal anyway) and you realize that what you consider easy entertainment would be a literal, unimaginable hell to experience and one that would end them instantly.

It's a sort on unintentional analysis of why gods can be so callus and cruel to the mortals they rule over. To worry about their worries would be like you or me fretting over the issues faced by an insect, things that we never even think of once and that will never hinder us. It is not malice but ignorance that fuels such suffering.

Natah seems like at first like the babysitter for order, a goodie two-shoes HQ rep with little suggestion of depth outside of that. Then you play the game and learn about the universe and you start to appreciate the scale and timeframe one would have to work on to keep even a shaky stability ongoing. She's an architect trying to rebuild a burned down skyscraper using only primitive, half functional tools while armageddon rains down around her and she has to do all of it while blindfolded. To be able to retain drive let alone competency in such an endeavor would take a near perfect benevolent being.

It's just so wild seeing the themes and their scale in a stupid free-to-play shooter about space ninjas outpace those of other, more recognized and celebrated science fiction works.

[manic-maniac-man]

HUgE Dec 2010

WINTER garments

2010-11A&W COAT CATALOG

The north wind has started to blow, and coat season has arrived.

This fall and winter, numerous classic items will be released, centered around the military trend.

Choose the best one from our extensive lineup!

Control the large lapels and casually tie up the loose top with a belt. Learn the technique of emphasizing volume and achieve Anne's style. ¥197,400 (Pred PR)

RAF SIMONS

The snap button design is a distinctive feature of this season's collection. The silhouette can be easily adjusted, bringing a sense of dynamism to the minimalist look. ¥241,500 (Saint Frère)

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

The combination of different fabrics on the front and back of the body, and the folded details on the shoulders and sleeves are alluring and subtly playful. ¥220,500 (Maison Martin Margiela, Tokyo)

UNDERCOVERISM

A unique design in which the chest pocket and lower pocket flaps are made from a single piece of fabric. Not only is it fun to wear, but it is also highly functional. ¥92,400 (UNDERCOVERISM)

Abstract patches called mobile pockets and shaped silhouettes, The design has a futuristic feel, with curved seams and more.

Jil Sander coat: ¥294,000, pants: ¥61,950, shoes: ¥90,300 (all Jil Sander Japan)

BLACK FLEECE BY Brooks Brothers

The bright red coloring of this piece is very striking. The straightforward design accentuates the color scheme, while still retaining Tom's signature attention to detail.

¥157,500 (Brooks Brothers Japan)

COMME des GARÇONS JUNYA WATANAVE MAN

Customized Gloverall boys' size duffle bag.

It has been arranged in a unique way, with additional fabric and rounded hems. ¥131,250 (Comme des Garcons)

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

A piece that gives an elegant finish to rugged and heavy mouton.

The light design expands the range of outfits you can wear. ¥562,800 (Gucci Group Japan Alexander McQueen Division)

TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloist.

The high level of perfection is apparent at a glance, with a comfortable fit, a silhouette that takes layered styles into consideration, and the designer's strong attention to detail. ¥124,950 (Pred PR)

DRIES VAN NOTEN

The classic look of the Glen check is made fresh with a big silhouette. Pair it with tapered pants to make the most of the volume. ¥169,050 (Dries Van Noten Aoyama store)

MIHARAYASUHIRO

This mod coat has been refined with a modern, sharp silhouette and is a confident piece with an elegant finish using triple cross twill and fur. ¥165,900 (Miharayasuhiro Tokyo)

RICK OWENS

A design that mixes elements of various military outerwear. Made with light, warm, high-quality down for a comfortable fit, and highly functional, authentic specifications. ¥218,400 (Pred PR)

SASQUATCHFABRIX

The distressed army fabric, eight cargo pockets, and mesh lining on the hood are some of the unique features of this piece. ¥37,590 (The Contemporary Fix)

SOUTH2 WEST8

A cape featuring a fireman buckle on the front. The original blanket fabric will be useful in the upcoming outdoor scene. ¥52,500 (Nepenthes Tokyo)

ADAM KIMMEL

A collection inspired by artist George Condo. In keeping with his love of gambling, the back features a bold casino motif print. ¥184,800 (Head On Japan)

[koukaaa-descent]

info post for indigo

I am using this format to organize my thoughts about him and just generally solidify my idea of him. yippee.,, this will probably be edited every once and a while so that I can add/remove stuff.. huzzah

Indigo is about 6’3 although he hunches over slightly, mainly to be more comfortable with his stature because of his peculiar anatomy. Seems to be (physically) around the age of thirty, but it’s very hard to tell since it’s not as if he retains enough human features to compare examples of age. You’d have more luck trying to compare him age-wise to a Bracken.

He is technically undead. Kind of a Frankenstein’s monster situation. The company stitches people and creatures together and ‘programs’ them so that they collect scrap and willingly die. It’s not an easy process, and a lot of individuals fall through the cracks and get thrown into it all with free will. Most of the time, those individuals simply go along with the flow. A majority of the time none of them actually remember anything before their placement with a crew, and thus rarely find the motivation to defy, abandon or otherwise act in ways unsavory to the company. A select few have ever actually been willing to do so, often with little results.

Since the scanner messes with memory with use and he’s unsure of when he was ‘revived’ or if he was even alive beforehand, as far as Indigo knows, he is 53 days old at the time of his death. A certain member of his original crew knew otherwise, but died before anything could be said about it.

Indigo is curious, apathetic towards other people, and empathetic towards creatures. He regards other humanoids as a person might regard strange animals; he knows that they are like him in theory, but he simply separates himself from them.

Indigo ‘matures’ extremely quickly. The average lifetime of a scrapper is usually around two weeks. He manages to live for about a month and a half, a record unseen before.

Indigo is ‘born’ into a cruel, short world. He acts accordingly. In his short lifetime he is only able to recognize Monsoon as family just before his death—after Monsoon, too, has died. Before then, he views Monsoon as a strange creature, and is unsure of why such fondness lingers so deeply.

Indigo struggles to recognize emotions and has varyingly successful attempts to put a name to them as he feels them. The most knowledge he has of emotion was originally learned from his first crew, who died within his first week of life. Two of them died because of his actions. The third died attempting to protect him from a Masked early on—on the first day. Indigo does not mourn them.

Indigo was ‘born’ understanding how to speak, read, and write. However, he cannot sing. His vocal cords cannot handle extended held notes. (Totally unrelated to this—he is able to mimic some stuff with unnerving accuracy. A few examples would be a Snare Flea’s shriek, the sound a Masked makes as they convert another individual, and an Eyeless Dog’s breathing.)

Indigo, while fairly humanoid, has varyingly strange features beneath the suit. White eyes (entirely, without a glow, sort of glassy), short & curly hair, varying patches of scales as well as very short talons. They extend from the bone of his fingertips and do not function well as claws (think passerines). His legs are just barely digigrade in a way that makes walking ache constantly, as his shoes do not fit very well for his unique situation. Indigo prefers to stand on the pads of his feet rather than his heel, seeing as he has more support and his bone structure is significantly more comfortable like that.

Indigo named himself.

While he/him pronouns are preferred, Indigo does not mind being referred to with it/its, or they/them. He is first and foremost separated from humanity. (need to emphasize this later)

He struggles with verbal speech, and occasionally lisps because of his teeth. Where molars should be, fangs were; it created a rather terrible problem regarding speaking and just existing. He bites the inside of his cheeks and his tongue a lot.

Indigo has an extended tailbone. This means; extremely short tail. As in, just a tiny wiggly pointed nub that isn’t even visible if he doesn’t pull his shirt up over it.

The relationship between Indigo and Monsoon is entirely platonic. Indigo himself has no perceived notion of social stereotypes regarding physical touch and intimacy, and does not care much about public displays of affection.

Indigo is extremely sensitive to light, likely as a result of whatever entities the Company ripped parts from in order to create him. This creates some odd scenarios (ex. getting flash banged might actually outright blind him for up to seven minutes, pointing a flashlight at his face without warning will have the standard effect of a flash bang minus the deafening for a short duration, he cannot stay outdoors without his helmet as the sunlight forces him to squint, etc.)

If I had to give percentages, I’d say that Indigo is 20% human, 70% entity (stuff taken from standard entities), and 10% ‘where the fuck did that come from?’

He retains a humanoid shape solely because of the company-issued uniforms. They’re rather baggy, as one could imagine.

His nose is flatter than usual, almost feline in nature. This creates the illusion that his face is rather flat from the sides. His facial features themselves are sharp if that makes sense, with rounded edges.

Indigo does not have ears. He only has small ear-holes and the tiniest outer ridge extending from it, like a lizard.

Indigo dies in the process of destroying Gordion, otherwise known as the beast named ‘Death’. (I know it’s named Jeb, I’m dramatic.) I’ve taken liberties with lc lore for the sake of my ocs if that hasn’t already come across.

He cannot cry. He is physically incapable of it, despite retaining the reflex to do so.

other ocs (in advance once I finish info sheets for them); Monsoon, who is directly related to Indigo, and Lamp, who is… technically a jester.

related posts (containing lore regarding Indigo); the antithesis of hate, holding on real tight, excerpt from myth maker, visual reference for indigo’s coloring, another info post regarding both Indigo and Monsoon, both of us are going to die here, I just hadn't expected that you'd be first, the death of gordion

last updated 2024/3/12

[thehues-home]

Winter-Ready Mudrooms: The Role of Insulated Curtains in Keeping Cold Out

Mudrooms serve as a transitional space between the outdoors and your home, often encountering various weather elements. As winter approaches, it becomes crucial to ensure that these areas remain warm and comfortable. Insulated curtains play a vital role in preventing drafts and cold air intrusion, making them an excellent addition to any mudroom. In this article, we’ll explore how to use thermal curtains for winter to keep the cold at bay while enhancing the mudroom’s functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Understanding the Importance of Insulated Curtains in Mudrooms

Mudrooms are designed to catch the dirt and moisture from shoes and outerwear, but they can also let in cold air if not properly insulated. Insulated curtains can help mitigate this issue by acting as a barrier against drafts and heat loss, ensuring that your mudroom remains a warm and welcoming space during the chilly winter months.

Benefits of Using Insulated Curtains:

Draft Prevention: These curtains effectively block cold air from entering, creating a more comfortable environment.

Energy Efficiency: By minimizing heat loss, insulated curtains can help reduce energy consumption and lower heating bills.

Enhanced Privacy: Insulated curtains can also provide an extra layer of privacy, keeping your mudroom hidden from prying eyes.

Why Choose Thermal Insulated Curtains for Winter?

Using thermal insulated curtains for winter offers several advantages, especially in mudrooms:

1. Superior Insulation

Thermal curtains for winter are designed with heavy fabrics that trap air, providing insulation that keeps your mudroom warm. By creating a barrier against the cold, these curtains can significantly improve your home’s overall energy efficiency.

2. Versatile Design

Available in various styles, colors, and patterns, insulated curtains can enhance the mudroom’s aesthetic appeal. Whether you prefer a modern look or a more traditional style, there are options to suit your decor.

3. Easy Maintenance

Most insulated curtains are machine washable, making them easy to clean and maintain, especially in high-traffic areas like mudrooms where dirt and moisture can accumulate.

Choosing the Right Insulated Curtains for Your Mudroom

When selecting insulated curtains for your mudroom, consider the following factors:

1. Fabric Type

Look for thick, dense fabrics like polyester or velvet that provide excellent insulation. These materials are effective at blocking cold air and retaining warmth.

2. Color and Pattern

Choose colors that complement your mudroom decor. Darker shades can create a cozy atmosphere, while lighter colors can brighten up the space. Patterns like plaid or floral can add a touch of personality.

3. Length and Coverage

For maximum efficiency, opt for curtains that cover the entire window or entryway. Floor-length curtains that reach the ground will provide better insulation and prevent drafts from seeping in.

Styling Your Mudroom with Insulated Curtains

Here are some tips for styling insulated curtains in your winter-ready mudroom:

1. Layering for Extra Insulation

Consider layering insulated drapes with sheer curtains. This approach allows you to maintain privacy while letting in natural light during the day. You can easily close the insulated curtains at night to keep the cold out.

2. Coordinating with Decor

Select curtains that coordinate with your mudroom’s color scheme. Whether your decor is rustic, modern, or traditional, there are insulated curtain options that will fit right in.

3. Using Decorative Hardware

Enhance the look of your curtains by using decorative rods or hooks that complement your decor. This can elevate the overall appearance of your mudroom while ensuring functionality.

Maintaining a Warm and Inviting Mudroom

To ensure your mudroom remains winter-ready, consider additional strategies alongside thermal insulated curtains for winter:

Seal Windows and Doors: Ensure all windows and doors are properly sealed to prevent drafts. Weatherstripping or caulking can be effective in sealing gaps.

Use Rugs and Mats: Place rugs or mats in the mudroom to add warmth underfoot and absorb moisture from shoes.

Add Storage Solutions: Keep your mudroom organized with hooks, shelves, and storage bins to minimize clutter and maintain a tidy space.

Conclusion

Insulated curtains are an excellent solution for keeping your mudroom warm and inviting during the winter months. By preventing drafts and cold air intrusion, these curtains enhance your home’s energy efficiency and comfort. Whether you choose thermal insulated curtains for winter or insulated drapes, adding these features will ensure that your mudroom remains a cozy and functional space, even when the temperatures drop outside.

[captain-astors]

Omg wait 20, 23, and 24 for Touka, Ayato, and maybe maybe Renji :OO

Alright here we go! Kirishima family.

Touka, such an icon, if I don’t see her giving up on her dreams for Kaneki it didn’t happen.

20. A weird headcanon

Yoriko briefly really wanted to start a band, and Touka actually got really good at playing the electric guitar because of it. The band never happened but she retains the skill. Karaoke night at Anteiku is all fun and games until Touka breaks out the guitar and now everyone’s just sitting on the floor in awe while she duets whatever song gets chosen on the jukebox out of their small catalog. She’s got Wonderwall down to a T at this point, everyone say thanks Koma. 

23. Future headcanon

After the utter chaos of the dragon died down, she returned to her ambition of researching the origin of ghouls! She became widely respected in her field and wrote a couple books with theories that were used far into the future, and eventually one of them was proven. 

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

When she worked at Anteiku, she collected little scraps of travel magazines, research articles, etc. and kept them in a drawer. Just motivation for days when pretending to be a human at school was difficult.

Ayato! Garbage child, committed 3 war crimes before he learned what a kidney was, banned from 4 public restaurants.

20. A weird headcanon

If he wasn’t a ghoul his beverage of choice would be some terrible soft drink or just straight milk with no alternative. I can’t specify the prior because I’ve had a singular sip of about 2 sodas in my entire life but I can speak for the latter, because the two of us are very similar in certain ways and I thrive on milk. No one has ever made the interesting critter joke and it saddens me.

23. Future headcanon

I know he’s canonically 5’5 (170cm) by the end of the series but consider, it would be way funnier if he just stayed 5’2 (159 cm) and for that reason I will always draw him shorter than everyone. Pry short Ayato out of my cold dead hands Ishida you can’t make me believe this idiot is even average height. 

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

Generally he did a lot of stuff at Aogiri he’s not proud of at all anymore. Many ghouls are forced to kill from very young ages on account of their parents being taken by the CCG, but they’ll still have someone to help them compartmentalize it, and typically they’re not slaughtering for the sake of slaughtering in the name of a terrorist organization. He had a lot of power and a need to prove everyone wrong and to prove himself, so he blindly committed at least a few atrocities mindlessly following a command. He refuses to open up about any of it. 

Renji! Uncle by birth, good one by choice.

20. A weird headcanon

He genuinely does not know how to tie a standard shoelace knot. Any pair of shoes with laces he owns were tied once by someone else and are functionally slip-ons. Uta refuses to teach him because he thinks watching this grown man struggle to keep his shoes on is the absolute HEIGHT of comedy, and Yomo refuses to ask anyone else because of pride. So Uta will continue to lose his goddamn mind in peace. Why did the mask maker just fall off his chair cackling? Look across the room, Renji’s probably fighting for his life with a piece of string and losing. 

23. Future headcanon

Constantly anticipating the next murder attempt from your closest companion is… an objectively miserable way to live. But he’s also still well aware Uta will go right back to “tormenting everyone you love because I desperately need your attention if I can’t have your affection.” So he has no choice but to tolerate it for a very long time. However, I like to think it gets more tame with time. From ward-shaking battles to simple poison in his drinks and whatnaught. Sometimes Uta just jumps out of his closet and stabs him halfheartedly 3 times with a stolen quinque and then goes home and that’s the murder attempt for the week. It’s a funny dynamic because that’s a miserable day for Uta and he’s probably going to be pondering the emptiness of his own existence for the rest of the night and is only held back because of lack of drive, and a good one for Renji because in his mind less murdering is a sign of calming down, right? And he can focus on his actual healthy family and friends. Also like a couple others I’ve seen, I do like the thought that eventually Uta is successful. It fixes nothing.

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

Overall he's a very secretive person but I should probably think of something relatively amusing because I could go on about genuine regrets for a while... As a teenager in the fourth ward he'd graffiti ravens with bloody claws, and thought it was very cool and tragic at the time, but on account of his poor art skills they kind of just looked like weird black blobs with red feet. That unrecognizable form was a blessing and a curse because he can insist that it definitely wasn't him without major suspicion.

[knifedancer]

Winds of Change - Salt Ending

You've selected the SALT ENDING!

Trigger Warning: obsessive behaviors, implied mania.

Go Back | Dark | Hope | Bittersweet

~~~~~~~

When the storm finally cleared, Felix left his amok-made shelter behind and carried the weakened, unconscious girl in his arms to safety. Through thigh deep flood waters and around piles of debris. Past knocked over cars, damaged storefronts, and other stupefied survivors. It took almost an hour but, at last, he found a hospital that had most of their operations in functioning order. While doctors and nurses attended to Marinette, he never let her out of his sight and remained steadfast at her side – her dedicated protector. He had managed to contact Adrien – who had already been evacuated by Gabriel against the model’s wishes – Felix was sending periodic updates to his cousin when service was available. The storm had taken out many of the towers nearby and the remaining network was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of users attempting to check in on those in the affected area. The medical staff assured him that the young designer was simply concussed, chilled, and lightly injured but, thanks to his quick actions, would make a full recovery. After being treated for his own minor injuries, Felix breathed a shaky sigh of relief once they were alone. Taking a seat at her bedside and delicately holding her smaller hand in his, the blond gazed into her pale face. She was still unconscious, but a kindly nurse had suggested he talk to her so that she would know he was there. "You scared me back there... I thought we lost you," he could feel two sets of paws tap comfortingly against his leg from within her discarded satchel he had dutifully carried for her. In the hours since her reveal, Felix had built somewhat of a rapport with Tikki. Her bright blue eyes spoke of a wisdom developed over many millennia, yet she still retained the hopeful exuberance of a child. He was no longer surprised that she had caused the storm to develop into, what meteorologists were calling, a ‘frakenstorm’ that behaved more like a hurricane without a discernable eye. Experts could never know it was caused by a tiny pocket goddess that simply wanted to protect her holder. It certainly gave Felix a newfound respect for the power of Creation! Through their interactions, he had come to realize that Ladybug's kwami was as kind and caring as the bluenette laying before him. Now that he knew the girl behind the mask, he could not imagine a more fitting candidate to fill her spotted shoes. Felix had known Marinette was a bastion of light in this dark world but, now knowing her identity, he finally realized just how bright her very existence was... How cleansing and purifying, that even the shadows deep in his heart seemed to have fled in her presence. While Argos had protected her part-time and had distanced himself from her out of respect for his cousin, he found that just a scant few – if apprehensive – hours in her presence had changed so much. The bluenette inspired people around her to be better versions of themselves and damn if he wasn't now among them! He squeezed her hand gently as he murmured, "I know your enemy's identity, but you'd never believe me. You don't trust me – not that I blame you with how atrocious I've acted." Felix chuckled and brushed a piece of hair from her brow with his free hand, reflecting on each of their interactions with a new perspective. "I will find a way to build that trust with you and then we'll take him down together. I swear it."

He silently hoped that he could earn her forgiveness as well. ~~~ Chat Noir’s POV: Four Months Later ~~~ Chat Noir reflected on the past few months of his life while Ladybug and Argos playfully sparred on the dark Parisian rooftop. In the time following the disastrous trip to China, the peacock holder was seen joining the fight against Monarch in Paris. Ladybug and Chat were wary at first but, as battles became harder and more complicated, Argos remained a constant companion to the two heroes. Two months on, Chat's doubts were dispelled after witnessing Argos sacrifice himself during a particularly hard battle, taking a fatal blow for LB. The cure had brought him back and healed his wounds, but the black-clad hero could still vividly recall the pool of blood and feathers in the street... So much blood. After watching his cousin die such a gruesome death, the cat boy now understood firsthand how LB had felt whenever he had lost his life to an akuma. Both he and his lady had had tears in their eyes after that fight. Chat recalled the spotted heroine had swung down to Argos' recovered form in a fury while her earrings' timer blared. She had screamed at him and jabbed a pointed finger into his chest with each word of the lecture, before pulling him into a tight yet desperate hug. The peacock user had looked shocked and contrite as he hesitantly returned the embrace; supporting her as she shook from silent sobs. That wasn't the only time he sacrificed himself either, just the most jarring. To the consternation of both heroes, the purple-suited teen seemed to have become even more of a shield than Chat had been! A slowly building camaraderie had formed between the three as he also began to join them on patrols. He had proven himself to be smart, reliable, respectful, and strong. A true holder of the Peacock. 'Felix seems to be truly becoming a good person,' Chat thought to himself. Adrien had been disappointed to discover that his cousin would remain in hiding in his civilian form, wishing to get closer to Fe without the mask as well. He understood though: Argos' identity was essentially public knowledge at this point. Monarch could attack him or Amelie or even put Adrien in danger if they were seen together. At least Chat could be closer to the taciturn blond. Adrien had caught Felix watching over Marinette in his Miraculous form as well, camouflaging himself in the shadows on rooftops or sending a small sentimonster spy so as not to call attention to himself. Adrien had asked Felix to help protect her from danger months before and, while Argos had done so occasionally, his efforts had redoubled since their aborted senior class trip. It was suspicious and odd for him to take such an interest in someone… But then the model had seen Argos slipping the injured bluenette away to safety at the beginning of an akuma attack only a couple weeks after their return from China. He had given chase as Chat, hissing and ready to protect his princess, but instead found out his cousin was just looking out for her. Marinette, now nervously sporting a small feather-shaped pin on her jacket lapel, quietly confirmed to Adrien later that day that Argos had decided to become her version of Le Gorilla since Felix saved her from that horrible storm.

Oh, how he hated that pin. It was as if Argos had marked her as his hen, she willingly wore another man’s symbol! Not that he could tell her that her beloved model boyfriend was also a superhero… Still, Adrien could not stand that pin! He wanted to rip it right off her lapel and throw it into the Siene. Marinette was his, not Felix’s! Worse, Chat had even caught the two of them on her balcony several times… That was his spot! He growled in anger, his eyes glowing a toxic green as the young designer laughed at some joke Argos had made while they leisurely sat on the deck chairs under the stars. Quite a few rooftops sported deep claw marks by daybreak and Plagg had started giving him concerning stares... The model was seething possessive livid not entirely thrilled with the idea but was grateful that his girlfriend – the best girlfriend a boy could ask for – would at least be safe while he was distracted being Chat Noir. He hadn't even had the chance to spend much time with her... He wasn’t even allowed to see her while she was in the hospital! His father seemed not to approve of their relationship. She was beneath them, a simpleton, a passing interest that would fade. She was too clumsy and would be an embarrassment to the brand. Agreste Sr. wanted someone perfect, wealthy, well-behaved, easily controlled. Instead of flat-out forbidding Adrien from seeing her, Gabriel simply made his schedule impossible to get away. Months of cancelled dates, interrupted phone calls, and missed anniversaries...they hadn’t even had their first kiss yet! At least he could see Mari at school...even if Lila seemed to constantly get in their way now, separating them every chance he got near the young designer. The model ignored the way her eyes dimmed as he was pulled away or made yet another excuse.

'Thank goodness Felix was there for her in my stead and quietly supported her through her recovery,' the boy thought blithely. Although his cousin was being too friendly…

Adrien would make it up to her eventually!

Sure, Gabriel kept setting him up on those dates with debutantes of respectful families. Floosies he was forced to ‘wine and dine’, pose for photographs, give them special treatment and gifts… Adrien was just doing it to appease his father. Marinette definitely understood! So what if he hadn’t been able to see or text her much in the last few months? When was the last time he had texted her anyway? Last month? She understood why he couldn’t be there to help her with her recovery; of course, she would understand he was doing all this for them.

He just needed to work even harder to convince his father to accept them, to see how great Mari was!

Yeah, it was just a matter of time! What’s a few months apart when they have a lifetime ahead? And once he became a legal adult, they could finally move to that island he always dreamed about… The cat hero was drawn from his increasingly discordant thoughts by the sound of Argos and Ladybug sharing a laugh after their match, trading lighthearted quips. Chat smiled as the two exchanged a warm look that he understood all too well. 'I'm glad they've gotten close. It's good that she's found someone. She deserves to be happy.'

And maybe this means Felix will leave her alone now…

With a soft lovesick sigh, he turned his toxic green eyes towards the darkened T&S bakery in the distance. 'My lady will always hold a special place in my heart, but I have Marinette now...'

‘She’s MINE, no one else’s.’

~~~~~~~

Go Back | Dark | Hope | Bittersweet

[the-actual-literal-worst]

Originally, I didn't wanna say anything, but I'm filled with more and more anger the longer I have to see the replies and reblogs to this post.

Now, no hate to this as a concept. I've intentionally covered the username and profile because I don't want to invite the OP to come try and start shit on my blog, nor do I want people to go to them and try and start shit either. In fact, I've seen some good points brought up retaining to the safety and comfort of the animal, as well as the difficulties this brings for people with allergies. Is this pretty aggressive? Sure, but it's the internet- and I doubt this person preaches like this in their day-to-day life, so who cares?

No. My problem is with this addition from the OP:

As someone who has spent the majority of my life homeless, I think this is a perfect example of people invoking us in an argument where they truly don't give a shit about us.

This argument had nothing to do with homeless people. We are the seasoning you threw onto your food last second to make you feel like you hold some moral high ground to your dissenters. Not only do you kneecap your original argument with this (it seems like you care a lot less about "dogs in public" than you do "the general attitudes and cultural norms of the people and communities in metropolitan areas") but you also used us in an argument that we are DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY.

I could go on and on about how insulting this feels, and how often it happens, but instead I'd like to use this moment to speak with any homeless people who cross this post.

The blog in these pictures is not wrong about one thing- one thing they go on to prove fairly well in this thread: That the punishment for the crime of "annoyance" is tenfold for homeless people, and that people will not hesitate to go out of their way to hurt us, have our things destroyed, bar us from public spaces, or any number of horrible treatments if they believe it will remove us from the forefront of their minds: all for the social crime of being deemed "unsightly" or "a nuisance".

This being said: IF YOU HAVE ANIMALS, PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THEM AT YOUR CAMPSITE.

For many of us, pets can serve as guards (especially in unsafe environments), but at the very least they are functionally one of the few comforts in our lives, and one of the few tethers to "normal" that we are able to retain.

People do not believe we deserve that little grace, and the number of times I have seen someone's pet hurt or killed, intentionally set loose, had animal control called on them for being left unattended, or even straight up kidnapped- by everyday people who who took it upon themselves to play enforcer because they didn't like that the highway overpass looks dirty now, or by the same type of people who will preach about how the things that annoy them shouldn't be allowed in public spaces- is far too many.

So, since you won't have the privilege of just "leaving them at home" here are some tips from someone who's been in your shoes, and has been lucky enough to get to stand on the other side of the fence more recently.

(This goes just as much for objects as much as it does for animals- unfortunately when living like this, you can't guarantee the safety and ownership of anything left behind, and it's always safer to just keep your things with you.)

Make sure you have proper equipment for keeping your pet in public

Not only should you try and get a good, sturdy (non retractable) leash, but harnesses are harder to slip than collars, and make it easier to control your pets movement. Also, as much as you may not want to, a muzzle will keep a dog from barking, as well as negate the chance of someone claiming they have bit/ are a bite risk- behaviors which could have you removed from the premises at best, or have your pet taken or put down at worst. As much as you think "my dog would never" "they're too well behaved" or anything that makes you hesitant- a grocery store, a diner, or any other place you make need to take your pet will be filled with many smells, people, foods, other animals, and as much as you believe you can control your dog, you cannot control the world around you- and I promise you'd rather be safe than sorry.

If you are strapped for cash and can't go buy these items, then go talk to your local animal shelters, Petco/PetSmart's, community centers, and even outreach resources (shelters, assistance buildings, sometimes even free clinics). Many of these facilities will have donation bins specifically for the homeless or for people in financial crisis, or will be able to point you towards programs that can help set you up with equipment, food, and anything else your pet might need.

Please have your pet spayed/neutered

Not only do you not wanna risk having puppies or kittens on your hands, but animals are often more likely to be aggressive when not fixed. Your super sweet dog may attack another one for being in heat. Your cat will be more aggressive to humans because the hormones it's running with will make it more territorial.

Having a pet that loses it over people or other animals not only puts the animals in danger, but it also puts people in danger, and either way it's a sure fire way to get kicked out of the grocery store.

Talk with your local shelters (especially the ASPCA) about reduced fee fixings, many of them have programs specifically for people on the streets (and many will have free spay and neuter programs for cats specifically to reduce the number of ferals).

Make sure your pet is up to date on its shots

This one goes without saying: you don't want to hurt someone else's animal, or let yours get hurt. And you certainly don't want the vet bills from treating a sick pet

Again, talk with local shelters,any have assistance programs, or can point you in the right direction.

Ask whether or not the place you are going will allow pets in the first place

Many stores, restaurants, etc have no problem allowing animals, or will even pride themselves as being pet friendly, but if a place say no dogs/cats/ whatever other animal you may have (unless it's a place where there won't be other people, I really couldn't care less about what you're sneaking into your motel room)- don't argue or try and fight about it: calmly apologize and leave quietly and quickly. You don't want to draw attention to the situation or you risk having the cops called- and you are much more susceptible to mistreatment, harassment, and being locked up than whatever yuppie in the grocery store felt they were defending the public space. These are just spaces you've gotta accept that you won't be able to go (at least not with your pet)

Finally

Do not buy fake vests or certifications and claim that your untrained pet is a service animal, esa, or anything of the sort

Not only will it be big trouble if you're caught lying, but no matter how well behaved your pet is, or how much you feel they do a service, they are not trained working animals. They never be as well behaved as a properly trained service animal; and when pets (usually dogs) that misbehave, are reactive, or are generally just not actually working are claimed as service animals, it makes it harder for people with the need to bring their real service animals with them to do so. It emboldens business owners (who already have no qualms against discriminating against the disabled) to ban required service animals from their stores (and while this is against the law it rarely stops them). You don't want to do anything that makes survival harder for a group of people who are already treated like dirt for the crime of existing, the same way you would not like someone to make your life harder.

Obviously, the best option you have would be to leave your pets with a safe friend or family member for the day, but not everyone will have this option- and at the end of the day you should worry about your comfort, safety and survival, not about pandering to people trying to virtue signal to you on the internet while they spit in your face irl.

Stay safe out there

(and if anyone who sees this has links to resources for transient pet owners, or just for homeless people in general- please feel free to leave them in the reblogs, sharing is caring!)

[feliciadraws]

*SPOILERS FOR FINAL FANTASY XIV*

I probably should have posted this a few days ago but I just dove head first straight into the patch content in my watchthrough after finishing A Realm Reborn because holy fricc I am hooked. Post ARR- A Recurring Problem Recap Well, picking up from A Realm Reborn, I dove headfirst into the post-ARR story, which carried on essentially where ARR left off; with a thunderous roar, and ripples in the aether, all the signs pointed to the awakening of another primal, shattering the momentary peace in the wake of the defeat of Gaius van Baelsar and his Ultima Weapon. Another primal threat on the horizon, Minfilia and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn called the Warrior of Light back into duty, and at first, it appeared to just be a simple case of the Amalj'aa, the kobolds and the Ixal summoning their primals, which resulted in a rematch between Ifrit, Titan and Garuda. Meanwhile, back with the Scions, Thancred, now freed from Lahabrea's control, was assigned to a desk job since Lahabrea's possession left him even more vulnerable to being 'tempered' by a primal, and the poor guy felt like dirt after letting this happen to him, but the Scions forgave him, reasoning that he had been working himself half to death in trying to fill the shoes left by the fallen Scion Louisoix.

After the resulting boss rush rematch (*cough cough* Ark of Yamato *cough*), the WoL reported back to the Waking Sands, and it turned out the primal problem still hadn't yet been solved, with the threat of a fourth primal lurking on the horizon. Sent back out into the field, this time by Urianger, the WoL rendezvoused with none other than Alisaie, Alphinaud's sister, who had separated from him earlier on in A Realm Reborn, and was now herself investigating this fourth primal, which was, somehow, suspected to be none other than Bahamut, the primal who broke out from the lesser moon Dalamud and wreaked havoc upon Eorzea during the Calamity.

Alisaie had in turn been investigating these caverns full of aether crystals, which had formed due to the aetheric disturbances that occured during the Calamity and the fall of the moon Dalamud, with one such cavern laying beneath Castrum Occidens, a still functioning imperial stronghold, which required the WoL and Alisaie to sneak in and infiltrate the stronghold and sneak into the cavern.

Having done so, we arrived in this cavern, which was essentially a giant lattice of aether crystals, similar in appearance to a geode, or a web of crystallised cheese (it looks like it tastes cheesy), and Alisaie dropped some more lore surrounding ancient Allag and the Allagans; apparently, they just straight up created Dalamud, a whole MOON, as a prison for Bahamut, and many of the pieces of Dalamud, which look like giant USB sticks with blue, glowy markings (how very moontribecore of them), rained down upon Eorzea. Further exploration of this massive, cheesy geode of corrupted aether unveiled a massive pair of WINGS; wings that could only belong to Bahamut;

Yeah, this Bahamut is/was a big boi, and it would not bode well AT ALL for Eorzea if he were to awaken.

Even further exploration took us into this massive cavern filled with what resembled the parts of a massive engine inside...something, something called "the Ragnarok," which just proved even more ominous (with dungeon names like Engine Room - 1233 Yalms, my money is definitely on some kind of massive ship, like a spaceship or something). And deeper into the cavern Alisaie and the WoL went, the more batshizz crazy things got.

Yeah, we found big boi Bahamut's freaking HAND down there. Interestingly enough, Alisaie had initally theorized that when he was supposed to have been slain during the Calamity and turned back into aether after his death, as with the other primals, but since Bahamut retained his physical form and is down here in this cavern, either dead or in some kind of suspended animation, then something else is going on here.

Even further in, things just got crazier from there still, especially for young Alisaie; not only did Alisaie and the WoL find this crazy-looking contraption, which the former suspected to be controlling the flow of aether throughout the complex. But then, the game decided to hit us with THIS;

BAHAMUT'S FREAKING DECAPITATED HEAD. Big boi Bahamut's freaking SEVERED HEAD is not just being stored in this underground cavern, but is being kept ALIVE by a giant crystal stuck inside it, somehow. The worst part is that Bahamut is also technically REGENERATING and sucking the life force out of Eorzea like a giant leech. And it doesn't stop there;

Observing the big boi's severed head is none other than Louisoix (aka the beared elezen guy from the opening cgi cinematic), who is not only alive and well and hadn't died in the calamity like everyone had thought, but turned out to be Alisaie and Alphinaud's grandfather too! Poor Alisaie was shaken to her core upon seeing her grandfather alive and well, and tried to reach out for him, but she got no answer...

-

I have a lot of questions about this; like what could Louisoix be doing watching over Bahamut? I recall someone (I think it was Alphinaud?) saying that he was monitoring Bahamut or something, but I have a weird feeling about this, like not everything is as it seems with this. Like it wasn't JUST Louisoix watching over Bahamut's head, but a man wearing what looked like Garlean armour was with him too, which can't be good at all, especially when the Garleans are working with the Ascians, who alluded to Bahamut's awakening in the closing scenes of ARR. Also, I dunno if any other fellow Okami girlies also see it, but there are a lot of similarities between Okami and the Moon Tribe? Like, blue and glowy aesthetics, millennia-old technologically advanced precursor civilisation that was responsible for a lot of shady stuff within the game's lore, etc etc. It was only a brief amount of time, but already it looks as though things are heating up again, and it looks like I'll have to make an entirely separate post for the other part of the patch content I just got through!

[paradife-loft]

language & writing headcanon dump

some Quenya, some Sindarin; mostly just wanted them collected in one place

some of the first sarati texts written in Aman, prior to the invention of paper, were written on bamboo strips. early early beginnings of writing, of the sort that Rúmil (&co) would've worked on during the Great Journey, would've been on animal hides, but in Aman, most of what was produced by hunting and raising livestock was diverted to other purposes instead - it was relatively a rarer material, that couldn't be replenished as quickly & easily as bamboo groves could be, and people wanted leather for clothing & shoes. (I'm also contemplating the idea of bamboo growing prominently on Taniquetil, which a) is pretty and b) would lend another spiritual dimension to its use as a writing material.)

the presence of the bar that each sarat attached to in most attested "standard"/book use, then originally started out as a representation of the edge of each bamboo strip that a line of text would be written on, for aesthetic reasons as well as greater clarity between lines when written on paper (or other materials). (vowel diacritics, since they go on the opposite side of the bar from each consonant sarat, were then a later addition once paper took over as the primary writing material - and I'm inclined to say could still be left off if the writer chose to do so. written texts didn't start out intended as stand-alone documents, but more like memory aids to known oral Quenya traditions.)

(genuinely don't remember if this is explicitly written in canon anywhere, but it's heavily enough implied either way - the Quendi absolutely developed a strong oral culture, and most groups retained this to a significant degree, even when the Noldor showed up later with writing.)

even though the tengwar eventually displaced it (among the Noldor anyway) for regular use, I do really like the idea of heavily stylized, artistic sarati calligraphy continuing to be a thing - at least in Aman, for sure; I think it'd probably drop by the wayside in Beleriand in favor of. well if you're doing calligraphy, do it in the letters we can all actually read. (less interest in things with a vibe of being intentionally antiquated, for one; and less interest (though certainly not none) in things that would be purely beautiful without a corresponding functional aspect.) - but yeah, calligraphic sarati perhaps being one of the main places the doubled/mirrored letter forms would get used; also I'm thinking about ways the bar attachment would be stylized in single-sided compositions, with broken-up pieces of it just the right size to demarcate the boundaries between words.

on a different note - I've mentioned/alluded to this a couple times, but it's 100% my headcanon that the tengwar Mode of Beleriand was a Curufin invention - and I'm even more in favor of this after discovering that, per the general tengwar page on the same site, "Contrary to the beliefs of Rúmil and his contemporaries, Feanor thought that the vowels had a phoneme value equal in importance to that of the consonants. The vowels were in the Tengwar, as in the Sarati, still usually represented by diacritic marks, called ómatehtar or “vowel-marks”. This was solely for the sake of compactness, though, and Feanor also constructed a mode for Quenya where each vowel was assigned to a tengwa. This mode was primarily intended for the “loremasters”, and was rarely used." like I just love the idea of Curvo setting out to standardize writing for Sindarin and going okay y'know what, if we get to start from scratch, we are BRINGING BACK DAD'S LINGUISTIC THEORIES (which are objectively correct) while we're at it!

(and then people still went largely and used tehtar for Sindarin anyway. silly people.)(like I mean sure it's "what they're used to" and such, but, c'mon. innovation!!!!! justice for vowels!!!!)

(if you're wondering where you've heard of the mode of Beleriand from in the actual canon - the answer is "the Doors of Durin". it's the mode used for the inscription on the arches of the Doors of Durin. why yes this is all very intentional of me, why do you ask? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

another Curufin-and-writing thing - y'know what a quanta sarme/full-vowel mode is easier for than an omatehtar mode is? developing a movable-type printing press. I really like the idea of that being something Curufin & contemporaries were working on during the Long Peace in Himlad - perhaps intended initially for economic records, currency notes, etc. in East Beleriand (because what writing invention isn't first used for economic purposes lol), but also perhaps mass-distribution of musical scores, and general literacy promotion (esp among the Sindar who settled there too). I can also see the overall machine being something they'd gift to the Ered Luin dwarves, perhaps aiding in their wider adoption of the cirth.

alas, you probably can't lug printing presses halfway across the continent with a train full of refugees, so the existing models wouldn't have made it to Nargothrond after Himlad fell. and in general, I feel like elves would have less motivation to use or recreate them in a lot of circumstances - between the combination of oral traditions, good memories, small population sizes, lack of central written religious documents, and hand-writing/calligraphy/illumination absolutely being a defined craft among the Noldor, that would lend kind of an attitude of "okay but why though" to the whole idea of mechanically-produced writing, even in places where having mass-produced books for a civilian populace might've been more contextually appealing (cough, Gondolin). so ultimately, like a lot of things, the invention probably doesn't make it through the First Age intact.

.....unless I maybe wanna bring it back again for Ost-in-Edhil? we'll see. though even there, I feel like the elves would largely lack a lot of the time pressure that makes it an attractive invention in other contexts...? one reason I like Himlad/East Beleriand generally as a good setting for printing press development, is the way the war with Morgoth would create that time pressure in a way that wouldn't instinctively exist for many elves otherwise. so... yeah.