#so I THINK it’s a combination of having the energy yes. but also MAKING myself have the energy. I didn’t most of today

[vaspider]

Listen to me. Listen very carefully:

They are trying to wear you out.

They are trying to wear you out, and they own most major social media now, along with many major media outlets. The disinformation machine is cranking along. You are going to have to slow the fuck down and read things before you help them wear out other people, too.

So you just saw a post about a real scary bill, hunh? Republicans want to make it a capital offense to pet dogs and repeal The Sky Is Blue Act of 1793, declaring the new official color of the sky to be squant? Damn, that sounds scary.

Let's go look up this fictitious "Make The Sky Squant Again Act" on GovTracker* & on the official legislative tracker on congress.gov!

Well, let's see... GovTracker estimates it has a 1% chance of even getting out of committee and a 0% chance of being enacted, while congress.gov says this bill has 2 cosponsors who have been in the House and combined total of less than a month. The bill doesn't have any actual text, and it was referred to 5 different committees.

That fictitious bill and a hundred others like it are quite literally not worth your time, and more than that, continuing to wring your hands about it and tell other people about the scary scary squant sky bill only does their work for them. It scares people, it makes them spend time and energy on it, and it wears them out. It is a legislative Gish Gallop, meant to throw so many things at people that we can't keep up.

Even calling or messaging your Rep in this case means their staffer has to waste time responding to you and letting you know that Representative Buttzonheads definitely won't support making petting dogs a capital offense, a thing that will never, ever happen regardless.

Staying engaged in this environment is going to require protecting your heart and protecting your energy, yes, but also protecting the energy of others. This is why WWII propaganda posters also included ones taking people to task for spreading panicky rumors and undermining morale.

Do you know why most observant Jews don't eat chicken and dairy together, even though the ban is on red meat and dairy together bc you're not supposed to cook the calf in the milk of its mother?** It's not because we think that chicken might secretly lactate or Just Because. It's because the rabbis decided that if I'm sitting out in public and eating turkey and cheese together, someone might glance at the turkey and mistake it for red meat and think, "oh, well, I know that Spider is a good Jew, there must have been a change, or maybe I can just justify it to myself that if Spider does it, it must be permissible to bend the rules just that much." And I would then be accidentally leading my fellow Jew astray. We are responsible for being even more careful for the sake of others than we are for ourselves.

It's the same principle here. We need to really be careful about the information we are spreading and check things past reading a news site. Is it true? Is it relevant? Is it meaningful? Is the news site one I recognize? Can I find meaningful independent corroboration on another site, which is to say, if I find an article about it on a second site, is it just quoting or rephrasing this site?

Yeah, that is a lot. But that's how we keep them from using us to lead our fellows astray.

*GovTracker is an independent site. They explain their methodology in their About section.

**I cannot say enough how I am not at this time interested in going on a Jewish Side Quest About Dietary Laws on this post. Usually, I love it, but hold off this time, please, y'all. Let's stay on target this once.

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 Pamphlet HQ Scans Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Google Drive Link

👉  For PERSONAL USE ONLY 👉  CREDIT me and LINK to my blog if you use/share 👉  SUPPORT Kalafina | BUY the pamphlet

Interview with Hikaru

--This will be Kalafina's first live performance in about seven years. How did you feel when you found out that the concert was going to be held?

"Various emotions were going through my mind at the same time, but to sum it up in one sentence, I felt like 'we can do this'. I was beyond happy that the three of us would be able to sing Kalafina's music again, that it was actually becoming a reality. Six years had passed, so I was excited to see what would happen if the three of us sang together again."

--How did you feel when the three of you first got together to sing during a live rehearsal?

"Along with nostalgia, it brought back memories of Kalafina's chorus work. When the three of us sing together, it just feels so right. Over the past six years, I've had the opportunity to sing with many different people while working solo, but I think there is a unique sound and energy in each song that only the three of us can create."

--What did the three of you talk about during the first rehearsal?

"We had a packed schedule for our rehearsals so we weren't able to have any particularly deep discussions. We thought, 'let's just try to get in tune with each other,' so we spent our time singing with the image of regaining the feeling of being Kalafina."

--Were you able to quickly get back into the swing of things with Kalafina?

"I immediately remembered how it felt back then. However, because we had been apart for a while, even though I was able to regain that feeling, I felt that it would take a little more time to express those feelings through my singing. Those first few rehearsals really helped me see what I needed to do from now on."

--So it was necessary to re-examine what you need to do to sing as a member of Kalafina?

"That's right. We have a renewed sense of determination to do our best. Naturally, the time and experience each of us has gained working as solo artists comes into play when we get together as a trio to sing, but beyond that, there is something unchanging about Kalafina. It may be an exaggeration to say it's almost like a chemical reaction when we come together, but I want to take on the challenge once again to see how beautiful a melody we can create as a trio."

--What do you think of Wakana and Keiko's vocal appeal?

"There are many singers in the world who can produce beautiful high notes and low notes, but these two are really special to me. Wakana has always been said to be great at expressing transience and sorrow, but what's even more impressive is that her voice is not simply delicate but also has energy and strength to it. Keiko has a deep, enveloping voice, and her charm is that you can feel so much love in her cool low notes. Also, there's a new feeling to her voice that I didn't feel during the 10 years she was with Kalafina, maybe it's because she's been doing solo work that I'm able to feel this."

--The current Kalafina probably combines the unchanging things from when you were singing as a trio, and the growth that has come with your solo activities.

"Yes, I think that everyone who comes to our live show might feel this way. But of course, it's all subjective and everyone is free to feel whatever they want so even if you feel like 'Kalafina never changes no matter how much time passes' or 'this is a completely new and mature Kalafina', we will be happy. We have had 10 years as Kalafina, and 7 years by ourselves, all of this has made us who we are today."

--Now, what do you think about the appeal of Kalafina's music?

"The songs were written to suit our voices, and I think they are unique songs that make the most of each of our individual strengths. That's why it feels lonely to sing them by myself. When I first went solo, I sang Kalafina songs during my live concert and it felt so lonely that I stopped singing them after that *laughs*. Because these songs were written for the three of us to sing, I simply want to fulfill the role of Hikaru that the songs require, and I believe that by doing so, the songs will resonate more with everyone."

--What are your thoughts about all the fans who have continued to love Kalafina for such a long time?

"So many people have supported our activities over the past 10 years, and there are so many people who have continued to listen to Kalafina's music even after that, I have nothing but gratitude for them. Kalafina is really special to me, and I think that everyone has always known this. I want to convey to everyone at the live in January, 'thank you for waiting for us all this time.'"

--Finally, please tell us your thoughts about today's pamphlet photo shoot.

"It felt like it had been so long since the three of us had been together like this, we remembered the feeling of taking group photos, the distance and subsequent intimacy we felt when we were told to 'get a little closer together' *laughs*. And we even got to talk about personal things in between takes, it really felt like we were continuing right where we had left off with no gaps in between."

[the-100-days-of-junkan]

Day 95 (Warning: This Fic has a whole load of sensitive subject matter throughout it, so check the tags and go in at your own discretion)

Burning Lungs by Oxidize

Alrighty I’mma be perfectly honest, I have no idea how to approach this one. This might be the . . . darkest? No. I think the best (but still not best?) way I could describe this fic as would be, the most openly graphic story. Not in a super brutal descriptions of gore kind of graphic, just in the sense that when talking about the darker aspects of these characters backstories it’s the most in your face. I’d even argue it’s kind of overboard at points.

This is Burning Lungs! Another multi-chapter story, and unfortunately, another Unfinished one. 

You know those posts talking about when you binge read a fic and get super invested only to hit the most recent chapter and realize that it hasn’t been updated in a super long time?? For me, this is THE fic I think of when that kind of posts comes up. That and a Tokomaru fic I read years ago as a young teen but that’s not Junkan so it’s irrelevant here. 

A short summation of the fic for those who chose not to read it given the warnings. Junko catches Pneumonia and has to stay in the Nurse’s Office at Hope’s Peak, where her caretaker is, unsurprisingly Mikan! Initially she hates Mikan, partially because of her sickness. However through the combination of Mikan’s kind nature, and constant nightmares of her childhood, she eventually comes to start loving Mikan.

Now of course, because the fic is unfinished, we don’t get to see these feelings fully come together, just snippets as Junko slowly finds herself more and more fond of Mikan.

I love this fic, like, a lot. While I could do without the at times kind of excessive flashbacks going over how bad Junko (and Mukuro’s) childhood was, everything outside of that is so good that I’m willing to overlook my minor gripe. And even then the last flashback actually is what makes me wish this fic had continued. Since (And yes we’re getting into spoilers from here on out) it reveals that Junko and Mikan had unknowingly met as young children, and like, god i fucking love that trope. Especially in the context of this fic. 

Something I find myself fond of which is only possible with these dream sequences is the way the author lets both characters slowly bond because of their trauma. We only ever get to see Junko’s side of things of course, but I still really like the vibe. My favorite moment from this story is in the last chapter, when Mikan talks to Junkan about some of her own personal history, for a lot of reasons! For one I just like seeing Junko having grown a bit further since for a decent portion of the fic she’s had a very negative opinion of Mikan due to being stuck in bed and sick, with that outlook being chipped away by Mikan’s kindness (along with recognizing her struggles).

It also involves Mikan’s bandages! I’ve said previously that I’m just like, obsessed with those and the ways they can be used when portraying Mikan. Here it is, definitely uncomfortable but I’m pretty sure that’s the point. And it’s the hardest indicator for Junko that Mikan and her are the same, deeply damaged girls who deserved better. 

The line in the inner monologue that strikes my mind the hardest is “Not Tsumiki” because that feels like the hardest shift in Junko’s brain where she begins to not just wish for Mikan’s happiness, but also when she starts falling for her (Even if she tries to fight back that notion in her mind as just a need for affection.) Like everything after that between these two specifically I love. 

Mikan doing Junko’s hair (both times) is lovely and gives me a similar energy to why I love the idea of Mikan’s love language coming out through medical care. Oh! Nother thing I like (Sorry I’m focusing so much on Chapter 3, it’s really good), Junko doesn’t just like, instantly switch to only being nice with Mikan. She’s significantly kinder to her, but she’s just like, reflexively a bitch sometimes. She’s gotta work through it, and I like to imagine she would have if the series continued (and I do have thoughts on that, but that’s for the future) 

This is a small thing but I also like the background of Mukuro and Sayaka getting together in the background, just something cute that does my heart good. I’ve always wanted to try out the cold spoon trick since this is where I learned it from. Alas, my relationship is long distance, so I’ve yet to get a nice hickey- Oops that got off topic.

I believe that’s all the notable stuff I wanted to mention here? I hope those who choose to read have a good time with it! Because I certainly did.

To the author (who I tried to find outside of AO3 ((also checking its profile reveals it uses it/its pronouns. Hopefully that remains accurate should you be finding this post, apologies if not and I’m willing to edit this if necessary!)), but it doesn’t seem to have any other accounts under the same username), I sincerely hope that wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, you’re doing well. I always wish the best to these authors when I come across a long unfinished storyline that may never continue (And in this case it noted on its profile that the fics it made during this release year won’t be finished). I made art based on this fic both out of love for it, and in hopes that you’d find this! Not out of a desire to see the story finish (Even if I do), but to let ya know that what work you did put into this already is wonderful! Thankyou! Oh right. Should talk about the art.

Hey guess what, it’s more Chapter 3 stuff, another adaptation of course. I tried hard to get Mikan’s outfit correct based on the descriptions from earlier chapters. It was very weird getting to draw Mikan in an outfit that’s well, realistic? I’ve drawn her in sweaters and the like before, but I struggle to describe the sense of realism described in this fit. It’s now that I realize with a reread that her outfit in this chapter might have been different, as it showed off her bandages more (unless I missed a line), meaning she might have been wearing something closer to her Nurse Uniform? I’m still happy with this despite that!

Oh! Slight extra note, I like Mikan wearing more bandaids (the tiny kind) across her face and fingers rather than just her arm, leg, and knee like normal. Adds a sense of uniqueness!~ 

Anyway, I felt very confident in the choice to adapt the scene when Junko wakes up from her first nightmare of the chapter. Held in Mikan’s arm as she’s being calmed down. You know me, I like the role reversal with this ship, and Mikan comforting Junko ALWAYS gives me life.

Coloring and shading this was super hard, but super fun! I wanted this to be a much more desaturated and dull looking pic in terms of the presentation, since this fic always gave me a vibe of being a lot more realistic in its interpretation of Danganronpa Characters. It wasn’t easy, but I think it was worth it!

As always, Reblogs, Comments, and Little Notes in the Tags are appreciated!~ They always make my day!~

[exopelagic]

ICE HCOKEEEYYEYY

i’m normal again ice hockey is great

[sokkabaddiebender2021]

ok y’all i finally finished the neflix live action avatar and…….don’t hate me……..but i enjoyed it 😭 my standards for entertainment is honestly on whether or not it entertained me, so honestly i question my standards.

first off, the visuals and score was absolutely amazing. the fight scenes were well choreographed, and the bending, which i was super nervous about, looked actually amazing.

i think we can all agree the writing and dialogue was pretty choppy at times, and the delivery could be better at times. but i also think (most) of the energy of the original characters was captured well. katara honestly got done the dirtiest because why was she so…….not passionate??? i’m hoping later on she gets more so because that’s a key trait of katara. i was very disappointed with that :/

what they did to suki too……..i liked her being a little awkward and such because it makes sense but i felt like too much of her character was dedicated to her having a crush on sokka. like where is her attitude, her ferocity?

i think aang was played very well by gordon cormier, especially considering this is a child actor we are taking about. his line delivery isn’t going to be great and yes he is a real boy so he can’t be as cartoony as some would hope but i think he was absolutely adorable.

surprise surprise, i loved dallas liu as zuko. i think there were some pretty whack line deliveries but he really captured the anger and cringeyness of zuko well. his martial arts were also also incredible, his fight scenes were my favorite to watch. the scene with him crying quietly on the bed when ozai banishing him shattered me, his subtle acting is underrated honestly.

i have my beef with ian ousley as sokka mostly because of the controversy and such, but i can’t lie he did play sokka well. yet again, as for the last characters, some line deliveries were iffy but he was still a very believable sokka.

so for the writing, i have LOTS OF OPINIONS. there were things they cut that definitely upset me, and that was just because of their lowkey questionable pacing. as much as i hate the slimeball, i missed a lot of the interesting parts of zhao’s story that they cut like his agni kai, jeuong jeuong (aang’s fear of fire??), zuko SAVING him. i feel like they had something interesting there with building a fake alliance with him and zuko, and they didn’t build more off it. [edit] that so, the dude who played zhao had me losing my shit. his line delivery was hilarious and i just love that zhao just gives that manager no one likes/that one creepy math teacher in high school vibes (only combination i could think of y’all).

the additions to zuko’s story was something i absolutely loved. i found myself actually getting very emotional with a lot of the flashbacks, and the 41st division being his crew 🥹🥹 but then i find myself being upset that we were shown other flashbacks so early (like the death of katara’s mother??).

i actually hate the hate azula’s actress is getting. she’s playing a 14 year old……like a 14 year old?? she wasn’t even in season 1 in the og so ofc she’s gonna not be the same, i’m hoping this means they’re building up her up to her fierceness in season 2.

one last critique PLEASE GET A WIG BUDGET GOOD LORD THOSE WIGS WERE BAAAAD. and also a lot of their costumes looked fake or like plastic this was actually my least favorite part 😭

overall, not as horrible as people make it out to be, i had a good time but obviously the og will always be the higher quality product. i’m just glad the young actors seemed to really be passionate for the project :)

[literaticat]

Publishing aunty please help. Need advice, not publishing related.

What do you do when you're just tired, feeling unfulfilled and want to run away from everything? :( 

That sounds like a classic case of Burnout to me, though it could be combined with something else -- like Depression, or even a medical problem.

(For example, at one point a couple years ago, I was absolutely exhausted for no discernable reason and burst into tears at the drop of a hat -- I chalked it up to "winter blues" and ignored it -- come to find out, eventually, I had severe anemia and my body was not absorbing iron at all and actually it was an autoimmune disorder and became a Whole Thing! Uh... oops!)

This article from the Cleveland Clinic gives a lot of advice about what to do about Burnout -- but the most salient points, I think:

Be gentle with yourself. Everyone goes through it sometimes. You aren't a failure, you're going to be OK, you just have to take care of yourself before you can properly take care of anyone or anything else. So with that resolved:

TELL YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM HOW YOU ARE FEELING. Keeping this stuff undercover is not going to help. Being honest with your friends/family/partner or whoever your "people" are will lighten your mental load AND they will want to help and support you.

Figure out what your stressors are and tactics to deal with them. Part of this will be linked to the previous part, probably -- For example, if you are burdened by too much work -- DELEGATE or ASK FOR HELP! You've told your support system what's up with you -- now tell them what you need to move forward.

Set Boundaries. If you're the type of person that says yes to everything and then you feel overwhelmed -- remember that it's OK to say NO. It's a good thing, actually. You'll be more "on" for the things that are actually important if you are able to protect your own boundaries and aren't wasting energy on bullshit things. I can't stress enough how important this is (and it's something I am always working on, because it can be tough!) -- but my life CHANGED when I made certain rules for myself and stuck with them. For example, mine: No checking email after 7pm or on weekends. At all. I gotta tell you, my life suddenly got a lot better. (I have forgotten this one recently, and my life has gotten markedly worse -- so I gotta get back to that!)

Go to the doctor. Yes, going to the doctor sucks! But they can make sure your bloodwork is OK, you aren't Vitamin D or Iron deficient, rule out any problems (like, I dunno, severe anemia)... etc etc. Like, step one of Self Care is knowing what your Self is working with. (And if you think you might actually be capital-D Depressed or have anxiety, etc -- ask for a referral to a psychiatrist to see about getting some medicine. IT WORKS!)

Practice Self-Care. Yes, that means the boring stuff like "hydrate" and "make you are getting enough sleep" and "eat your veggies" and "meditate" and whatnot -- but also, you want to "run away from everything"? DO IT. Take a vacation -- or even a staycation -- or even a DAYcation -- where you are literally not doing ANYTHING for anyone else, no email, no nothing. Get a pedicure with extra massage, sit in sunlight with your favorite drink, read a book or just think about NOTHING -- you have no responsibilities except to yourself during this time. It's rejuvenating!

Get toxic feelings out of your system. Find a therapist, if you can afford to do so. (There may be free or inexpensive options if you are a student, or with some insurance, some therapists have a sliding scale for patients, etc) A therapist can give you at least somebody to talk things out with who doesn't know you and isn't judging you. If that's not for you -- journal? Do something artistic? Go to a rage room? Climb a mountain and scream a lot?

Now you are on the road to being healthy, physically and mentally, you hopefully have less stress and are getting your forty winks and all that good stuff -- and hopefully you'll be MUCH better soon.

Good luck!

[passive-nightmaresans]

Happy birthday to me! (Or actually it's on 9th but I'll be in school :p)

ANYWAYS MAIN TOPIC......

uh I'm back!!!!

Its been 3 whole months... yeesh... erm... anyways uh.

I am alive!!! BUT HOW???? (Or more correctly where did I go?)

I going to explain! I was scared to post this but the guilt is eating me :> also I'm sorry if this seems unserious! I don't how to apologize or explain ,:3....

It was slightly a combination of things?? School is probably the first. I started this blog in the summer for fun and I wanted to interact with more people in the utmv community! I slightly forgot how much school takes a toll on me /_/".. School drains a LOT of my energy but I was doing well during the first few weeks! Then is the next thing!

Impulse. After not posting for a while I got scared to post — to interact with my friends. I usually have good impulse control and stuff but I get really scared after not interacting with something for a long time. Social anxiety in the internet?!?!? HOW!!!!!!!

Anyways uhm..... I'm very sorry. I know this isn't a very professional or good apology.. I'm cringing as I write this.. eugh..... Also I'm now a certified fraud.. I have to get this over with..😓😭

@afamiliar-presence ...IS ME... I FELT THE NEED TO POST BUT I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T JUST POST ON HERE WITH NO EXPLANATION. EUGH...

Also the discord was uhh deleted! Due to inactivity and I was scared! I'm making a new one which is in progress so it will be up again soon! ALSO IM SO SORRY FOR MAKING PEOPLE WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT ME AND THINKING IM DEAD.

IM VERY SORRY TO VANTALEMONS AND PASTERYPAWS. I'm so sorry for ignoring you. I feel horrible for it, I couldn't bring myself to talk to you again. I got so scared - I'm so sorry for making you worry about me. I'm still very scared-

I might still stay on break or post on @afamiliar-presence I'm very sorry again ...I don't know what else to say- sorry-

Also I'm very scared so I'm posting this then not checking my notifications for a while. I'm so sca

DID I RE-READ THIS

Yes ....4'6....

[marquisguyun]

bingliushen pregnancy ceasefire??

Yes hello thank you!

bingliushen pregnancy ceasefire is a combination of my personal "let binghe have shizun's baby" agenda + the classic "wouldn't it be fucked up if..."

basically the plot here is do to handwavey reasons the whole self destruction thing somehow got binghe pregnant. Like, no sex involved, just spiritual energy and desperation (actually as i'm typing this it occurs to me that probably binghe wanted so badly to hold on to part of shen qingqiu that it worked, just not in the way he wanted)

anyway binghe figures this out eventually and decides fighting with lqg is counterproductive so bingliu accidentally happens while sqq is dead bc they're both in love with him. also important to note that sqq has no idea that either of them love him or that he's a dad

"It is not about the money," Luo Binghe said, honestly offended by the idea that anyone would think he'd give up defending Shizun's body over something as useless and replaceable as money. "I personally cannot continue as we have been. But if you wait until next year, I would be happy to put Peak Lord Liu in his place again." Liu Qingge narrowed his eyes at him. "What is your angle here? What do you get out of displaying your weakness this way? What makes you think I won't just take advantage of it?" Luo Binghe smiled. It was a smug smile, and he knew that Liu Qingge was bristling at the implication that Luo Binghe was so convinced of his own position that there was no way he could be wrong. "Not only will you not take advantage of it, I want you to help me take care of Shizun's body for as long as I am unable to defend it myself." It was an audacious claim, and he could see Liu Qingge open his mouth to refute it. But then Luo Binghe dropped the bomb: "I'm pregnant. Shizun is the father."

[widebrimmedhatsblog]

I'm going to combine my reply to yours on AO3 with this, but yes, I 100% get it. People can be so rude and unappreciative and I know it's usually not on purpose but it can still be grating. Not very demure, not very mindful 😓

This is a really young fandom (not just in age specifically, but in fandom experience) and I try to remind myself of that all the time. I'm in a place now where I just scroll past in my inbox and barely take in comments like that, but I get how disappointing it can be. We work really hard on these pieces and they genuinely take a lot of our time and energy we could spend doing other things (I haven't read a book in months), so getting responses like that on a labour of love is so grating.

I feel so awkward as a writer who gets it even phrasing "I'd love to see more" in comments. It's very: I want this person to know I loved it so much I want to see more of it, but also: I don't want this person to feel pressured to do it just because I love it, I just want them to know. Even when I commented, I had in the back of my mind how many WIPs you were working on and how stressful that can be holding all of that in your head, but I don't think normal people realise.

It's like you have a million things to do but you've spent all day baking a triple layer cake with filling and frosting and all the toppings and you're exhausted and your feet hurt but you're eagerly watching someone eat the first slice...and they say "nice! have you got any biscuits?" and you're just like???

@justallihere and I always talk about starting a fandom podcast to talk about things like this and educate people and honestly, I think the world needs it. People treat writers like TikTok content creators and that's just not how it works over here.

(Also, I promise we're not girlbossing it, we're bullshitting our way through every minute of every day)

I'm annoyed that this has ruined the excitement of posting a new work for you, you should be able to bask in our shared joy after gifting us something like this. I really loved the work, truly and I can understand the lack of inclination to continue it given the little worldbuilding we've been shown. It certainly doesn't make canon-adjacent fic easy. Love that you don't like Brennan though, or have any desire to write him. He's dodgy as fuck.

As a writer, you can only write what you want to write. If you're not enthusiastic about it or inspired by it, it either won't be written at all, or the magic won't be there. If you can see where it goes but you don't want to write it then you shouldn't.

I'm so grateful for you taking on the prompt in the first place, it was a wonderful gift and the pair of them were everything I could have hoped for—Violet being her prickly self and Xaden still being a self-assured casanova? Delicious. Plus, we love a fic where Violet gets eaten out in the wilderness 😉 Welcome to the club! Should we create a 'cunnilingus in the wilderness' tag for this fandom?

You put so much thought into this whole world and it's absolutely, truly appreciated by those who matter and understand how hard the process is and what a gift it is—thank you, thank you, thank you! 🙏

Amy!!! You are so lovely, thank YOU. I get you 100000% and I didn’t feel pressured by you whatsoever. I definitely agree that people who aren’t writers just don’t get it. I got a comment this morning that was like I’d read 200k more of this, and it’s like, someone has to WRITE 200k more of it then. Two hundred thousand words are not going to fall out of the sky just because you’d like to read them. But I digress!!! There’s been a lot of joy in it too, especially in discussing the backstory with everyone. If you and Alli had a podcast I think I would go a little insane!

I personally am just not huge on writing Brennan when he’s alive because he makes NO SENSE. I feel slightly similar about the Fen & Xaden dynamic. I just prefer to write him being dead for that reason.

Again, I’m so so SO glad you specifically enjoyed the fic!! I thought about you a lot while writing it, so I’m glad that paid off.

Cunnilingus In The Wildnerness Tag!!! Absolutely. I am honored to join the club .

This made me very happy, and definitely helped me feel better about things + my reaction to them. Thank you.

[omghallucinations]

ateez gemini moon squad: same bitch, different vibes

you know how 7/8 members of ateez have either a gemini or a cancer moon--what a hilarious combination btw--well seems like a fun way to explore how the same ingredient (the moon in a sign) can express itself totally differently depending on the chart!

gemini moon: a feeling? sure would love to psychoanalyze her uh what do you mean "feel it" a physical body sounds fake :) just think about 500 other things ur anxiety will save u from pain that's how it works :) girl i do not want to know about the deep mysteries of life or your feelings are you nuts??? bye!!!!! reality isn't cute my imagination of reality is cute do not get it twisted

ateez gemini moon squad:

hongjoong, yunho, san

hongjoong

hongjoong expresses gemini moon energy fairly straightforwardly, since the things that affect the moon all mix pretty well with gemini. his moon is in the 3rd decan, ruled by uranus (aquarius vibes, an air sign so they are compatible) and quincunx (a thinky aspect) to his ascendant (an earth sign, so not the most complimentary but the thinky aspect is in alignment) and in the 5th house--the leo house, so fire, and fire and air famously get along.

gemini moon: man i love thinking thoughts and creating and idealized world in my head where i can move everything around like a little paper doll :) i love to communicate with people!!! tell me everything you heard about everyone. but also don't get too real, it freaks me out bro in the fifth house: yes and wouldn't it be cool to express urself creatively :) wouldn't that make u feel safe and like u belong :) i mean sure tying ur emotions to your creativity can cause how you say... le dépression, but when it's going well isn't it great??? in the uranus-gemini decan: thinking is great, u know what is even better, thinking outside the box trine aquarius south node in the 1st: yes and your past lives and general foundational self really throws wood into this fire isn't that chill :) man it is so easy to abstract reality and just thinky think about everything including myself :) ur identity is ur philosophy about the world and the way u express it :) safety!!! also... le dépression if u feel ur being inauthentic.... .... sextile north node in leo in the 7th: u know what's dope, ur coping mechanisms are not completely at odds with your soul's journey :) it is important to express yourself and be creative!!! the aesthetic is a vibe!! sextile aries saturn in the 3rd house: hey girl :) it's me :) a big life lesson i'm at 29 degrees so i'm gonna really cause some fun trouble but on the bright side u truly Get this energy on another level, so i'm gonna bless you with a great work ethic, a duty towards the people around u and the ability to start things and execute them :) dope to be a planet about earth but in a fire sign in an air house so we really get each other ur welcome :) do NOT open this box labeled workaholic: but why???? until your saturn return k? quincunx capricorn ascendant: well. on the bright side. thinky thinky!!! we love thinking!!! uhhh but also... maybe it's really cool to overthink everything and deny ur feelings because it's important to Produce Work...... ... hmmm that ole depresh makes a lot of intellectual sense... ... .. .. . to me...// / // and my Life Direction... .. aha ha ha sextile hygeia in leo in the 7th, who is an asteroid and not a super mega one but we'll still talk about it: ever... compound your feelings so hard that they become one with ur body and u manifest stress through physical illness? haha that'd be fun. anyway u really love caring for people in a generous fun way but also... .... . could u not grind all of your feelings into your teeth every night hahaha? gemini ruled by mercury in sagittarius in the 10th house: let's crank up your ideals and personal philosophy to 11 and give it a real Work Flavor, huh? express urself!!! intellectually. artistically. nothing weird and emotional. full moon: i'm just gonna sprinkle in some illumination for u, some culmination of a cycle, some need for higher meaning, some searching, some power, some witchery, some fertility as in creation, incredibly strong Pulls from different directions that you're gonna have to reconcile with each other, enjoy!!!

pros: The Aesthetic, Smarty Pants, I Love Think and Create, Damn am I an Iconoclastic Thinker and Creative, Generous Spirit and Ability to Demonstrate Care

cons: le dépression, le back problems from hunching over a laptop for 72 hours in a row

yunho

moon in gemini: man i love thinking thoughts and creating and idealized world in my head where i can move everything around like a little paper doll :) i love to communicate with people!!! tell me everything you heard about everyone. but also don't get too real, it freaks me out bro in the 7th house: yeah let's really, really not get too real haha. we're just about the vibe, man, like let's all chill together and make sure everything is equitable and fair and whatever, let's be super balanced because the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS TO KEEP THE PEACE!! my childhood reaaaaally taught me to deny my emotions haha but in a chill way ok don't get it twisted in the uranus-gemini decan: thinking is great, u know what is even better, thinking outside the box square mercury in pisces in the 5th house: but have u ever thought about how other people are sad???????? and ur sad??? and u actually have some very sensitive feelings??? so!! looks like u can't always keep it "chill" by "denying your feelings and the feelings of others"!! SO!!! don't make a decision it's mean :( semisquare venus in taurus in the 6th: ok let's all calm down, huh? let's just be practical and sensible for a minute, okay? let's just get along with people and be chill through life. it's just not that deep. exactly trine south node in aquarius in the 3rd house: damn don't worry i can really back you up there gemini moon, i see ur emotional abstraction and raise you like a bunch of past lives and shit of more intellectual abstraction of aquarius in a gemini house. i am gently curious about other people but i can always see them like i'm looking down from space because i am an alien. loosely trine uranus in aquarius in the 3rd house: #same, no need to follow conventional paths bro do your own thing quincunx scorpio ascendant: u ever thinky think about always being of service to others and calmly accepting the depths of other people while denying ur own like... fairly substantial depths haha ha bc i do sextile hygeia in leo in the 9th, who is an asteroid and not a super mega one but we'll still talk about it: ever... compound your feelings so hard that they become one with ur body and u manifest stress through physical illness? haha that'd be fun. anyway u really love caring for people in a benefic like wise sage on the mountain way... .... . could u not grind all of your feelings into your teeth every night hahaha? sextile north node in leo in the 9th: ur soul would really love for u to like. love humanity in a vibey way. observe the world without judgement but also value ur own ego and self-expression and not judge how much u love attention and everything? cool? quintile jupiter in aries in the 5th house: i bless u with the gift of good vibes. don't get too anxious or sad man ur vibes are so good and people like u so much bro crescent moon: u could be anything :) for better or worse :) ur youthful and also kind of tied to the past and ur gonna have to deal with that, but damn girl ur potential!!

pros: good vibes, peace-keeper, great listener, probably a truly amazing person to gossip with, not too concerned with being normal or anything

cons: hypnotizes himself daily so he never has one feeling, desperately attached to calm and consistent social dynamics, freaks out (internally, by developing health problems) when his friends are fighting

san

hm. well. hm. his sun is in cancer so. that's really gonna make his moon confused right off the bat. most of his moon aspects are more fire and air energy that align with his gemini moon, so it's like his moon and his sun are fighting all the time. yoopies. his moon is strong but his deep emotions are really clawing their way out of where they're buried!!

moon in gemini: man i love thinking thoughts and creating and idealized world in my head where i can move everything around like a little paper doll :) i love to communicate with people!!! tell me everything you heard about everyone. but also don't get too real, it freaks me out bro in the 9th house: let's add some idealism and detached philosophy and roaming vibes :) all your thinky delusions about reality are actually true, because u believe them :) idealism and traveling and LEAVING make you feel safe! feel free to ghost!! live out of a suitcase for months, you love it! in the mercury-gemini decan: u know what's also fun. gossip :) trine neptune in aquarius in the 5th: +1 to idealism and living in a fantasy world, also let's express yourself creatively and maybe become entirely different people? wouldn't that be cool??? also ur sensitive but in a fun way!! no one knows what ur gonna do next!! opposite pluto in sagittarius in the 3rd house: hey uh remember when u had a ton of conflict with like a parent or a sibling as a kid and it tended to make u fall into love-hate patterns with people? and how u always feel misunderstood??? haha yeah me too. awkward to have a moon who hates feeling things tethered to pluto, huh. sure have a lot of deeply buried feelings, right? man that's gotta be awkward. better hide those deeeeeeep down until they only express themselves in weird unconscious ways :) square vesta in virgo in the 12th, again an asteroid and not one of the huge biggie ones but still gonna touch on it: ever try... ... going home? establishing healthy routines that are not super intense and extreme? no? really? yikes. u probably should bud. conjunct pallas, repeat what i said about asteroids: hm u know how you love idealizing people and denying reality in favor of ur own reality in which ur a pure white knight or whatever? let's add to that by being very protective and giving and compassionate bc ur super emotionally intelligent :) also ever try channelling ur thinky thoughts and emotions through ur art??? could be cool! gemini ruled by mercury in leo in the 11th house: it is very very very important that people see you, lots of people, and lots of people validate you, so jot that down. balsamic dark moon: here is some karma for u, hey but with karma comes wisdom!!!, you felt different from other people when you were a kid probably not in a good way and you're gonna have to work thru some stuff for closure!!

pros: Artsy Ass Bitch, shape-shifter, empathetic most of the time, Wow Isn't Life Beautiful, lookin on the bright side most of the time

cons: no idea who he is at any given moment, deep repressed shit that make him feel misunderstood all the time, ghosts reality 24/7

it's like hongjoong has the smarty pants thinky thought intellectual abstraction artsy fartsy gemini moon, yunho has the emotional abstraction keep it chill chitty chatty no shirt no shoes just vibes gemini moon and san's got the jeckyll and hyde gemini moon. fellow gemini placements u know what i mean, it's not a moral thing it's just the energy! no wonder he's such a good performer he doesn't know who he is half the time, and that is valid.

[drawingwithnara41]

NEW PROFILE PICTURE! :D

Important update⬇️

Hello everyone!

Guess who just came back after more than a year because their life has been an absolutely hurricane of chaos

Both good and bad.

You're probably wondering why I just disappeared for so long

Many things happened to me during this past 2 years.

I got a temporary job for a couple of months, moved to a new place, and met new amazing people.

And also had not-so great experiences.

Manly, a extreme burnout and an artblock for almost 10 months.

When I made my last post, I didn't expected any the things that happened

I was trying to juggle so many stuff at once

That I couldn't even have the energy to draw basic sketches, and the constant pressure that I felt to post more content combined with this, made me unable to make anything to post online.

To the point that the ideia alone to draw something would make me feel drained.

Because it felt more of a burden and obligation than the passion and love I initially felt.

Then I realized, the reason behind that feeling, was because the job that I had was making me not have energy throughout the day in general, and I was not fully enjoying my projects because I felt pressure to finish faster instead of making something with love.

It made not want to continue any of them.

But now I feel much better, I'm still recovering from the burnout.

So what exactly would that mean for the future? Am I going back to posting again?

The answer is yes. But this time, some things need to change

What type of change? You may ask

To put it simply, I will post more freely, meaning I will post but in my own time, I'll still try to maintain a type of schedule so I don't spend many months without posting

But yeah, I try to be more reasonable with my limits from now on

Talking about limits, I'll probably post more simple stuff, like sketches, non finished pieces and other stuff like that. Another thing that caused my burnout, was forcing myself to only make finished pieces even if was one that I didn't even liked anymore.

I will also start experimenting with new stuff in my artstyle, I felt very limited sticking with only one way to do things and I want to change that.

So, I think that's all I have to say, I hope this year will be better for me and my art, I don't want to experience the same thing again, with multiple things taking my time and draining me and not letting me be creative

My next post It will be regarding my socials, I recommend seeing that because there will be important changes.

To all the people that stayed following me even during this situations

Thank you

You're the people that keep me inspired to keep going

That's all for today, I hope everyone is having a great day and i'll see you next time!

[yaksha-lover]

Hi! Maybe strange question but you seem to have a good grasp on the boys’ personalities. I’ve been reading a lot of the yanderification of the TWST boys and started wondering which ones (if any) would be most likely to have what could be labeled “yandere” tendencies. Just seems like a fun train of thought to chase.

Do you have any thoughts on this? (Also sorry for the word salad.)

In my opinion, I think it’s pretty easy to twist most of their personalities to fit a yandere type, but as for who’s yandere characterizations are closest to their canon counterparts, I would say:

Malleus, I think is the obvious one. Although clearly I don’t think he’d be yandere in canon, it makes sense for him to have some clingy tendencies in a relationship, and an obsession with his romantic interest. It’s the whole ‘you’re the only person in the world who matters to me’ type trope, because of the social rejection and isolation he’s faced.

People usually take it two ways here, either a) very possessive and jealous or b) very protective. I tend to lean towards the second interpretation (although I love to explore the first one, the second is more canon to me). More ‘I would burn cities to protect you, move heaven and earth to make you happy’ than ‘I want to keep you locked up here all to myself, you belong to me.’ So yes, a yandere Malleus may kidnap you, but only to keep you ‘safe.’ He’s also not as emotionally immature as I think he’s sometimes characterized as (although I’m probably also guilty of this). He’s not really the type to force someone to love him, imo, because he wants it to be genuine (his insecurity stems from an inability to be accepted so forcing it wouldn’t truly fulfill that desire to be loved and validated).

Rook, I think also makes sense, but it’s hard to say because most of the time a lot of his characterization is just played for jokes. Like the whole ‘he’s a stalker, he knows a lot about everyone, others get unnerved by him, etc.’ It’s meant to be funny, but if we take it seriously then we could probably jump to some interesting conclusions about Rook. Also, combined with that ghost bride line about him ‘never letting his beloved go’ -

He seems the type to get fixated on some object of beauty, and I could see that developing into a yandere-like obsession. Maybe if he finally finds the one thing - or person - who he thinks is the true pinnacle of art and beauty, what he’s been searching for all along. Initial stalking to learn more about his interest, some uncomfortable attempts at closeness because he knows everything about them and they know nothing about him. Divided between showing his beloved off to the world and keeping them all nice and pretty for his own enjoyment - the only one who can truly appreciate their beauty. Also, once he’s felt the experience of love, I doubt he’d ever want to live without it. Maybe that’s the ‘true’ beauty of life to him, even.

Jamil is just so apathetic that if he ever did fall for someone, I can’t see him ever giving them up if he can help it. Also, we’ve seen in canon that Jamil isn’t above doing mildly bad things for self-serving interests (think masquerade with ruggie, manipulating the oblivious students).

He just wants something nice and soft for himself. Is that so much to ask for, after all he’s been through? Jamil is never allowed to have anything, nothing that Kalim doesn’t. It’s no wonder he’d cling to the only sweet thing he can get his hands on, something just for him. Even if you’re frustrated with him, even if you get tired of him, he isn’t so willing to just let you go. He deserves something nice like you, and you’ll be happy with him, even if you might need a ‘charming’ reminder of it sometimes.

Lastly, Jade and Floyd are popular yanderes to write for a reason. They both already have so much inexplicably unhinged energy even compared to the rest of the cast (other than maybe Rook). Jade seems so cold and apathetic, while putting on a mask of care. Floyd doesn’t really care to do so, wearing his many moods on his sleeve. But they’re still two sides of the same coin; they’re used to getting whatever they want, often by questionable means.

They also seem like they would be pretty possessive, even if it comes out in different ways. Jade and Floyd may be good at sharing with each other, but they’ve never been good at sharing with anyone else. Floyd will show you (and whoever thinks it’s okay to encroach on his partner) how upset he is by this particular development. I doubt you’d want to keep it up when he threatens your friends that get a little too close. Jade is different; the same annoyance and possessiveness still burns him, but he has a little more patience than Floyd. He isn’t willing to start any fights. Jade prefers not to get his hands dirty, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have other tactics to scare away anyone who tries to flirt with you.

[genshinconfessions]

Some of the gameplay choices for Natlan has me rather concerned about how Snezhnaya or other future regions are going to be made. For reference I've not done Natlan plot, nor do I know much of it unlike the Fontaine MSQ I need to finish so if there's a plot reason I'm clueless, bUT. The recent area update (and some leaks for Mauvika's kit) made me take notice of the fact Natlan seems to be...VERY anti-not pulling Natlan characters/long term accounts who already have alot of characters and don't see the need to pull any Natlan ones. Idk how to word it but when the new Abyss enemies, the Tenebrous Mimiflora specifically from my experience cause I had to go hunting them for Chaska's bow which I got for my Venti, are downright UNFAIR to anyone who doesn't have ANY Natlan characters(like myself, I don't even have Kachina cause I refuse to jumpstart plot out of order). Their barriers do NOT go down quickly if you're not using a Natlan character(and are on your own in a co op world but not the point), and in my case I had to get one of the players I was with who has the one Geo Natlan lady(X something) to come help me cause a LV60 enemy was kicking my LV90 Arley's backside cause I couldn't get the barrier down quick enough(and yes I built my Arley, she has her sig and everything, I know how to play her). Combine that with leaks regarding Mauvika's kit so far requiring her to be in a solely natlan team for her elemental burst to be remotely useable, it genuinely makes me concerned that Genshin's moving to try to make new regions as painful as possible to do anything in if you DONT pull that regions characters. And that's just. Not okay. Sure right NOW it's just those weird enemies and maybe Mauvika requiring Natlan characters for things...but who's to say it won't get worse from here on? I really hope it's just a quirk of Natlan and not a sign of worse things to come. I really do. Cause I don't want to be forced to pull any limited characters when I don't want to or don't like the characters(only Natlan character I like so far is Ororon), cause after I pull Neuvi and his C1, I plan to just solely save for the Archons(the remaining ones so pyro and cryo, as well some cons for some like Zhongli and Venti) and Dain besides my long term goal of C6'ing my favorite Kazuha. I shouldn't have to worry if I skip a character that I'll make the general content harder on myself. Apologies for being long winded XD Hope this made sense.

don't apologize, i've noticed this too (and been pissed off)!!! i really hate how uber-specific the new artifacts, weapons, and enemies are, to the point where it seems like they're forcing you to pull for natlan characters just for the nightsoul(?) mechanic.

a little spoiler alert: natlan's ley line/elemental energy system is completely separate from the rest of teyvat; hence, it's lore-compatible for the region to have a completely different set of mechanics. end spoilers.

you can argue that we get kachina for free and that we don't NEED natlan characters to defeat the enemies, but my main concern is that this will set a precedent for powercreep/mechanicscreep, in which case like you said, the game will just be really difficult for ppl who don't have or want the characters.

oddly enough, i think it started with sumeru and the introduction of dendro. it became very difficult to beat certain enemies if you didn't have a build dendro character (see: dendro cube). it didn't help that fontaine continued the trend with the arkhe mechanic, and of course, now we have nightsoul(?) in natlan.

like you, i also hope that snezhnaya doesn't introduce some other wack mechanic hyper-specific to its region :/

[thenightfolknetwork]

Due to a combination of bad genes and bad luck, I suffer from various physical and mental difficulties and pains. Technically I count as disabled, but the term has never felt right for me; it doesn't FEEL like the problem is in my body and brain, even though I know it is, it feels more like the world rearranges itself to be just a bit harder for me than for other people. This isn't something I've talked about much, it's always seemed like it would be horribly rude, plus I have more important issues to work on with my therapist than "how much a particular word does or does not match how I parse my subjective experience".

Then I came across an expression, and for the first time, something felt like it fit. "Cursed by a wizard". It's not that I lose energy quickly, it's that I've been cursed with fatigue; to give one example. I know it's not literally true. Even aside from my diagnoses and symptoms and treatments, a year or so back I got screened as part of a workplace health and safety initiative, and no curses. Still, it's not like the language we use is literally true all of the time; expressions exist for a reason.

You know how it is, whenever you find something cool and new, you want to share it with everyone. Nobody else cared as much as I did, of course, but general reactions were polite, "I'm glad you've found something that works for you". Except for one person, who immediately got a Look on her face -- the kind you get when a foreigner says a word they don't know is a slur over here, or when someone bad-mouths a person they don't realize is nearby -- and changed the subject.

I'm not going to change how I think about myself. "Cursed by a wizard" is a useful mental framework. However, my question is whether it should stay solely within my own mind. I'm worried now that it might be insensitive to people who've actually been cursed, or to wizards.

Thank you for getting in touch, reader. I have one small point to make regarding the start of your letter, particularly regarding the word “disabled”.

To be clear, you are absolutely entitled to your own personal relationship with the term, and I don't mean to suggest that you need to adopt it if you don't feel it reflects your experience. However, I don't agree that “the problem” is in your body and brain. It is, as you say, in the way the world is arranged to make life that much more difficult for you.

A framing I have seen from some disability activists is to speak of themselves as disabled by society, rather than by their condition. They don't consider disability to be a trait in and of itself, but a condition put upon them by an ableist society.

I don't know if this framing is a helpful one for you personally, and as I said, I don't wish to tell you how you “ought” to describe yourself. But I wanted to mention it as a possible alternative way of thinking, in case it proves useful to you.

But that, I know, was not the point of your letter. Unfortunately, reader, I don't have a clear cut answer for you. People who have been cursed are not a uniform group – neither their experiences, nor the way they speak about those experiences, are identical.

The fact is, yes, some people will be offended by your use of “the wizard's curse” to describe your experiences. Others will find it an expressive, even entertaining way of viewing your situation.

You also run the risk that some people will simply not understand the metaphorical nature of your statement, so please be prepared for those well-meaning folk who hear this and immediately start recommending salt baths and smoke cleanses.

I can reassure you that this is not a term that carries any particular historical reason to avoid its usage – it isn't comparable to such out-dated idioms as referring to public outcry as a “witch hunt” or the use of the phrase “Frankenstein's monster” when speaking of a messy, difficult situation, and implicitly associating reanimation with negativity and failure.

Instead, it is rather like the English language use of the word “slimy” to mean “dishonest” or “morally corrupt”. Certainly some people see the usage as offensive, but it isn't actually rooted in any specific anti-liminal sentiment and those voices are the minority.

In fact, some people argue that it is more offensive to assume “slimy” must somehow be associated with people of viscosity. But I think we are getting rather into the weeds of what is, to be honest, a largely online debate with very little real-world application.

In short, reader, it is up to you how you proceed. You need to decide for yourself whether you're comfortable with the ambiguity of your language and with the diverse ways you may be interpreted.

There are rarely any clear cut answers on the topic of language, and it may be that your feelings on the matter change over time. But the fact remains that only you can decide how best to describe yourself, and only you have the power to make this decision.

[For more creaturely advice, check out Monstrous Agonies on your podcast platform of choice, or visit monstrousproductions.org for more info]

[hornithology]

Grayson (2014) live read

join me as I re-read Grayson for research for an essay on it's treatment of eroticism.

love the use of bold pink for issue #1's cover. very much referencing 60's 70's James Bond posters and pop art. I saw a picture of a second printing where the pink was red instead, which could have been an aim at making it more marketable (less queer-seeming, which... lol) or could have been about the print quality on the color? the red with black title is way less striking.

the left variant cover is horrendous. why did you make his face look like that. why are you trying to sell some gritty version of Dick who doesn't know how to properly handle a gun, for a comic in which Midnighter is going to flirt fight with him? deception in advertising!

the right is really great. I wish I could find a better quality image. matches the energy of Nightwing #30 which lead to all of this.

on to the story!

there's something about dead, tortured, martyred Dick...

Looks like we've got a hot one. YES YOU DO, M!!!

"I can read the electrical activity inside your pretty head." "you fight like jazz." stellar dialogue. you can't tell me this is not a little bit of flirting. and Midnighter is a known, canonically gay character, so we are meant to read into his lines. I think it's also pretty established at this point in Dick's character consensus that he's very attractive.

I think this room is referencing Modesty Blaise (1966), a spy parody featuring Dirk Bogarde. I haven't seen it yet. when I first read Grayson I was like... the colorful visuals and patterns in a spy context make me think of Austin Powers—a 90's parody of the 60's/70's parodies of spy films. inspiration multiply removed! I'm fairly confident that the artists looked at some spy movies/posters for their design choices.

although this room could also be inspired by the red room in Twin Peaks. either/and.

the bold colors and patterns in Grayson are fairly important decisions, because they're the artistic decision that is most successful. iirc, we'll see how I feel on this re-read.

I WILL SCREAM AND I WILL CRY. Tim Seely and Tom King... I have questions and demands!!!!

more colors! but it's not actually hypnos because it's not vibrant enough and doesn't contain the concentric circles... or is it???

this is also weird because I'm not sure if like. we're not supposed to think that Helena and Dick were together romantically in the past (Nightwing / Huntress (1998)). that's pre new-52 so... shrug. but do they even know each other here? are they pretending that they have met recently? is Helena's vigilante identity a secret from Spiral? these questions are not relevant to my essay so I shall not be doing that investigation myself :)

ok actually that's Huntress middle row third from left, yes??? edit: no, it's Batwoman. anyway.

that's Grayson #1!

it's a pretty good issue opener, with some unfortunate fatphobia that is completely expected. we get some titilation with Helena, the start of a nebulous power dance that is perfect for the spy genre.

I wish that I liked the art better, since we have these artists for the majority of the run. the combination of Mikel Janín's drawings (not enough gesture) and Jeromy Cox's soft coloring of the figures makes it look like everyone is drawn from a 3D model. there's nothing wrong with using models and references in comics and is pretty much necessary for all DC comic turn around time, but it's really not my preference because you lose the "hand" of the drawing. the drawings in this issue look stiff. I'm not actually positive that Janín is using models.

I like the color choices for the hypnos and action sequences, the panel composition is good, and I like some of the inking. I think they are making smart decisions with the visuals, it's really just the type of drawing that is not my favorite. to each their own!

[911buddieweek]

Buddie Week Q&A

You might have some questions, hopefully you'll find answers here :)

Is using AI allowed?

No! It has been proven that using AI is stealing from original creators' works. To me (and lots of other people) this is unethical. If I find out something is made with AI, it will be removed from the AO3 collection and the account will be blocked by this account.

I'm aware I can't do much to prevent people from using it anyway. I will try my absolute best to prevent it from happening. All I can do now is give you a tip I've seen going around: posting your works for registered users seems to protect against AI programs from finding it.

Which brings us to the next question

Can I post works on AO3 for registered users only?

Yes you can. Especially with AI going around so much, it is completely understandable that you want to keep it away from people without accounts. I myself also only post for registered users. There's no rule against it. Same with the comments, you can choose whatever option you want

Do I have to post on AO3?

No, you can post wherever you want. However, there is only an account for this event here on Tumblr and a collection on AO3. Posts on Twitter, Instagram or other places won't be shared by me.

But this is for everyone, so you can still create for it! You don't even need to tag me for it.

Will you reblog my work?

This is my first time hosting an event so I don't know what to expect. I want to reblog everything I find! I'll keep an eye on the Buddie Week 2024 tag and my mentions and will do my best to reblog everything.

With AO3 I want to share links on this blog too, but I don't know if everyone feels comfortable with that, so I don't know yet. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable or feel exposed to an audience they don't want.

Depending on how many works will be submitted, it might take some time. I'm currently experiencing a burnout and am still working, so I don't always have the energy. However, I will try my damn best. So even if it's five weeks too late, I'm planning on reblogging everything I'm tagged in!

Can I write graphic/dark topics?

You can write whatever you want, BUT!!!! Tag accordingly. Buddie Week is for everyone - including writers and readers under 18. Be aware not everyone is comfortable with some topics, make sure it's obvious these are in your work so that it doesn't trigger someone. Tag it on AO3, Tumblr, or wherever you post so that people who have blocked/muted those tags won't come across it. Lets keep this a safe space for everyone!

What do I do if someone harrases me?

Tell me!

I want to make clear: NO HATEFUL COMMENTS. Even if you don't like someone's work. Move on. Click away. I'm sure people will write things I personally hate, like bashing fics, but I'll decide not to read it and move on.

If someone is hating on you, contact me. If they are (I will ask the opinions of other people - keeping you anonymous) then the person will get warning. If they do it again, they'll be disqualified - which means their work will be removed from the event and their account blocked by this account.

Please, don't hate on each other and let this be a fun and exciting week!

Can I combine this with other events or challenges?

Of course! If they allow it too.

Is there something else I can't write?

I think it's obvious to say that discriminating isn't okay. There's a difference by showing the reality of it (a character going through it) and writing it from a discriminating view. Thankfully I haven't rum into anyone who does write discriminating fanfiction, but I've heard about racism against 911 characters or homophobia.

If you notice this, don't be afraid to contact me!

When does the collection open?

A few days before the event starts. I will post something about it on here. However, works won't be shared by me until the event starts in my timezone (Central European Time)

My question wasn't answered by this

Send me an ask! I'll try my best to answer ASAP. I might need time to think about how to answer something, so don't worry about me ignoring you if you see me posting on my regular blog after you've sent something. (Though sometimes Tumblr doesn't immediately send me the notification)