#so they’re pretty limited in flavours

[katelynnwrites]

whats your fav timbit flavour 🎤

apple fritter. my country doesn’t have them but i had them in canada.

[wisteriaiswriting]

Reader That Can Bake

Words: 1757

Includes: Dipper, Mabel, Stan, Ford, Wendy, Gideon, Pacifica and Bill

Honestly, he doesn’t have the biggest sweet tooth, but being young he still craves them a bit.

Knows the basics about baking in general but only with box sets, so he’ll stay out of your way in the kitchen.

Won't ever decline anything you give him, opting to either eat them right then and there, or hide them for later. (And away, safe from Mabel.)

Normally whenever he heard the sounds of someone in the kitchen, assuming it was Mabel, he would walk the other way immediately. But now that you’re spending more time in there he’ll take the gamble of peeking in, hoping it was you baking and not Mabel ready to drag him in.

This time he was lucky, finding you washing up all your used dishes and putting away the leftover ingredients. Standing in the doorway until you noticed, waving him over. “Dipper, you’re just in time!” Hopping on the spot as you stepped out of the way, revealing a whole bunch of cooled cookies.

“I tried some different flavours this time,” Grabbing one of each to shove into his hands, which he almost dropped. “There's classic chocolate chip, white chocolate, uhh… What else?” As you rambled and thought he took a bite of each, silently ranking them favourite to least favourite, not that he’d ever tell you.

“And oh! Hazelnuts, oreos and s'mores!” “You made s’more cookies?” “Yeah, this one was a small batch, I’ll get more stuff tomorrow.”

While yes, she bakes pretty often, you’ll always be the better chef around! (And she’s not afraid to admit it, sometimes.)

This girl will never shut up about ‘How good these are!’ ‘Even Waddles loves them!’ (It’s true, you have found him scarfing down a whole pile of your baked goods.)

Occasionally (And if you let her) she’ll join you, while she enjoys baking just spending time together is enough for her.

As soon as the door opened Mabel ran off, skidding into the doorframe. Smelling something very familiar and delicious. “ARE YOU BAKING AGAIN!” Your only response was to laugh, of course she would notice, really, you’d be an idiot thinking she wouldn’t.

“Yeah, they’re in the oven right now, so I’m just cleaning up.” “I’LL HELP!” God, she was excited about your baking. “Why don’t you pile up the dirty dishes while I start the sink.” In no time you had finished the dishes, everything was clean, dried and put away.

Reaching for a hanging cabinet, but this one was just out of reach. Stretching to your limit but unable to grasp the handle, about to turn around and ask Mabel for help only to be jolted upwards. Looking down to find Mabel's toothy grin looking right back atcha.

“Whatcha grabbing? More dishes? Decorations? Is it the icing? SPRINKLES!?” Laughing once again as you grabbed, as you could guess (And Mabel.) the icing and sprinkles. Being dropped back down when you had the items. “I think they’re ready for the toppings.”

Stan doesn’t go around flaunting his love for baked goods, but he doesn’t really hide it either.

But he does openly compliment anything you make, even if it’s not his favourite, he’ll make it positive.

He may not like to spend a lot of money on anything really, but he’ll throw you a wad of cash to buy whatever you need. (As long as he gets the first taste test.)

“Where ya going toots?” Arms wrapped around your waist, his head sitting on your head. One of your hands held your car keys, well, they were Stans but he’s given you permission to take the ‘Stanmobile’ out. “Gotta buy some more ingredients.”

His body pulled away from yours, hands digging into his suit pockets before pulling out a decent wad of cash. Grabbing a few notes (Which were 100s btw) and passing them over to you, “Make me my favourite later.” “Oh I will~”

He’ll scarf down plates full of your stuff, he hasn’t eaten anything this good in years! (And no he is not exaggerating, thank you!)

Always takes something with him on every adventure he goes on. (At first he was nervous to ask, but now he’ll try to ‘bribe’ you for anything. (Both of you know he doesn’t need to.))

Part of him is curious about how well supernatural ingredients would go, he would never force you to do it, but that means he would. So at least watch over him. (But by gods, don’t let him eat anything he makes. Who knows what would happen, and you don’t want to know.)

Hearing the front door slam open you peeked out of the living room, only to find Ford stumbling by, into the kitchen with a large box. After gently shutting the door (With this amount of abuse you don’t think it’ll last much longer.) you followed him, watching him pull and lay out plenty of things on the counter.

“Hope you were going to clean up after yourself?” “AH!” Throwing something between his hands for a few seconds before calming down, “Oh! Y/N, I was, don't you worry.” “With everything you brought in here? I will.”

Quietly laughing to himself, “I don’t blame you, but how well would these bake?” “Ford, honey, I just bake, you’re the one who knows about these guys.” Gesturing to the box, “I guess you’re right.”

Very similar to Stan in the sense, she won’t go out of her way to admit her love for sweeter things but will if asked.

If you’re willing to make more she’ll take a bunch for her friends. (They all love them, even if some won’t admit it.)

Brings some to work with her, which makes her shifts actually bearable.

“I’ll see you guys later.” Lifting her hand as a quick wave before turning to leave, “Wendy!” Looking back to find Lee rushing towards her, skidding to stop just before hitting her. Throwing her a now empty container, which surprisingly enough, was still in one piece. “You gotta bring more of those snacks, they were amazing!”

“I’ll let them know.” Now that she was finally able to leave the group, she started her tract home. Pulling out her phone to send you a quick message, nothing much really. (It was a whole paragraph.) Watching you respond, pause then send the message, along with a picture. ‘Already ahead of you!’

Tapping into the image to find you back in the kitchen, flour covered every surface. There were other ingredients on the floor and everything, really. She couldn’t stop her laughter, taking a pause in her steps to catch her breath. ‘I’m on my way, don’t make a bigger mess.’

Luckily she wasn’t that far from home, and it was also a good thing that her family loved you. (They wouldn’t let you live down that image.) Letting her spend the night to help you clean and finish baking.

Absolutely will not go anywhere near the kitchen when you’re in there. (He may love you, but he also loves being clean.)

This doesn’t stop him from rushing in the second everything is cleaned up, impatiently waiting until the food is finished. (You will have to stop him from eating them hot, because he will whine about being burned.)

Will never share them with anyone else, the only exception is at the Tent of Telepathy.

Placing the hot tray onto a cooling rack before shutting the oven door, it’s been hours since you started baking. As Gideon wanted some baked goods to hand out to anyone who comes by the Tent of Telepathy, and that meant you had to bake it all.

Although he made sure to pay you for it, so it wasn’t a complete loss. But that's when you heard a door slam open and footsteps running down the hall, watching as Gideon entered the room. His first stop was the currently cooling tray of cookies, not the others that were cool and in containers.

“Gideon do–” It was too late, his hand touched the tray first. “OW!” Guiding the hand under some running water as he complained, “Why were they hot?” “I just pulled them out from the oven, those ones,” Pointing at multiple containers put to the side, “Are for you.”

Huffing as he removes his hand from the water to dry it off, grabbing the containers before leaving the room.

Honestly, she never thought about baking in general really. (There’s always been butlers or chefs, or whatever to do it for her.)

Doesn’t have the biggest sweet tooth, but will eat any of your less sweet items. (It better not be messy, otherwise she’ll (lovingly) wipe it on you.)

Sometimes she’ll sit around and watch you bake, she secretly finds it interesting but it’s highly likely she won’t join you for a while.

“What did you make this time?” Even as her face showed disinterest her tone gave her away, “This one is funfetti!” Handing over the cupcake, watching as she made her way through the wrapper. Trying to avoid the icing, although she wasn’t successful, a small chunk smeared over her fingers.

Clearly unhappy with it, the fact you were waiting next to her and no tissues or anything nearby. Reaching over to ‘subtly’ wipe the icing onto your shirt. “HEY!” “These aren’t that bad.” “Don’t ignore me!” You tried to stand in front of her, except that she kept turning as well.

“Pacifica!” “You should probably check on the other ones.” Oh yeah, you probably should.

Sometimes you forget that he can actually eat as he doesn’t do it much. (That’s until you watch him eat some deer teeth. Which is so disturbing…)

There have been so many times where he comes to bother you for some food, then just leaves with it. (You have no clue what he does with them but you can only assume someone else* is eatting them. (*Ford))

He will try to bake on his own with ‘non-human’ ingredients even if you try to stop him. (They end up inedible, even to other demons. Like fuck, he’s terrible.)

It was fucking comical how Bill entered the room, floating through the window towards the tray of cookies. Staying afloat for a few extra seconds before dropping to sit on the counter, batting his eyelashes at you. “No Bill, they’re still hot.” “WHO CARES?” Grabbing a handful (Which was like 2.) before shoving it into his mouth (Eye? Honestly man, you have no idea anymore.). “Are they good at least?” “HMM, THEY'RE ALRIGHT. COULD DO WITH SOME ꀤꈤꁅꌃꀭꀸꈤꍟꊼ.” “What.”

[ninetqs]

trick or treat!!!

2024 season fwb lesbian lestappen fic i worked on for 3 days then abandoned (under the cut because nsfw)

It was always “princess” when she was younger, but not the flattering kind. When they called her that, they meant to dismiss her, to belittle her. You’re too pretty to belong here. You don’t really want this. They couldn’t stomach how well she drove, so they pinned her success on everything else. Her father, Jules—it surely had to stem from them, as if her talent were just a product of her surroundings rather than her own blood, sweat, and tears.

No matter what she did, how well she performed, it was always too pretty, too privileged, too lucky.

Until the wins started piling up. Then “princess” took on a new flavour, but it still didn’t taste any better. Now it’s said with a smile, a nod to how perfect she looks even after hours in the cockpit. Her dimples, her curls that never seem out of place, her lashes that stay long and dark. 

There’s only one person who can get away with saying it without lighting that spark of irritation.

“You are such a princess,” Max says with a chuckle, her eyes dropping to the bright red panties Charles is wearing. Still, somehow, despite Max’s best efforts.

“Not everyone fancies going commando in public,” Charles huffs, though her cheeks betray her.

“I wasn’t judging. I think they’re cute.” Max pinches the edge of the fabric between her fingers, pulling lightly at the hem. “They’ll look even cuter around your knees, though.”

Charles rolls her eyes, but the flush deepens. “Just get on with it before I change my mind.”

Max doesn’t hesitate. Her hands are strong as she lifts Charles by the thighs, positioning her with ease, before yanking at her panties with a deliberate roughness. The seam catches against her skin, sending a sharp jolt through her, heat pooling low in her belly, spreading like wildfire up toward her chest.

Months of dancing around each other, teasing, resisting. And for what? To give in so easily?

She squirms under Max’s gaze, feeling exposed, too open, laid out on the scratchy hotel bed. But exposed is exactly how Max likes her. There’s no question about that.

“You’re very pink down here,” Max observes. “Little princess with her princess parts.”

Charles swings a leg over Max’s shoulder, a warning more than a real kick. “You are so annoying,” she says through gritted teeth. “You can put your tongue to better use, no?”

“Your wish is my command,” Max drawls, and lowers her head to do exactly that.

-

Max’s tongue is sharp in ways that aren’t limited to her words. No matter how many times this happens, Charles is always surprised by how deftly she works her, mouth hot on Charles’s thigh.

“Let me—” Charles thrashes, but Max’s arm is secure around her stomach. “Let me, fucking—not like this,” she whines.

She hates it when Max makes her come before Charles can put so much as a hand on her. It feels a bit like she’s losing at something. Even though Max always insists she’s happy on her knees, Charles doesn’t buy it. Nothing feels better than being worshipped.

Max, predictably, ignores her and pushes a third finger in, her tongue tracing a slick pattern up her belly. “You come best when you have a little bit of a hard time with it,” she says.

“Fuck you—”

Max’s palm grinds against her clit, and Charles grunts. When she glances down between her legs, Max has a cheeky grin in place.

“I’ll fancy my chances with that,” Max replies easily, and nips Charles’ inner thigh like a cat. Charles throws her head back and moans.

There will never be enough time. Not enough to catch her breath fully while her heart races like a jackrabbit, and certainly not enough to do everything she wants to Max.

“Roll onto your stomach and spread your legs.”

Charles obeys without thinking. The first orgasm rolls through her when Max pulls at her hair, grinding her own cunt against Charles’ hips, dripping onto her. Then the second comes after Max forces her head down and rims her, the thumb on her asshole sending shudders through her whole body.

She never gets Max on her back that night.

[distantlaughter]

Nico Rosberg talks Pizza Guilt & AC/DC

Originally written 13 August 2015 by Marc Chacksfield for ShortList.com (x)

Mercedes F1 racer Nico Rosberg on pizza shame, pre-race rituals and having Muhammad Ali over for tea.

What’s your driving like in everyday life?

I take it easy – I have the race track to go crazy. I really like driving classic cars, and I have a 1970 [Mercedes] Pagoda at home. But driving a classic car fast is still within the speed limit – it just feels fast.

You’re German-born – what about on the autobahn?

I don’t spend much time in Germany, as I live in Monaco, but of course on the autobahn I’ll push it. I know for all car fans, one of their dreams is to go to Germany and go really fast on the autobahn.

What’s the best thing about living in Monaco?

[Nico’s agent] No tax! [Laughs] That’s not… well, that is the best thing, I suppose. But, equally as good is, erm… it’s just such a wonderful place to live. You’re right at the sea, the climate is great and the quality of life is amazing.

What music are you into?

I listen to whatever the current things are. For example, I went to a Coldplay concert last year at the Royal Albert Hall, which was amazing. Then I went to AC/DC. So it depends.

Any non-motoring hobbies we should know about?

I’m into fashion, whether clothes, jewellery or watches. Sports – I like cycling. And backgammon. I’ve played Bernie [Ecclestone]. He’s never beaten me, but we’ve only played two games.

Do you have a pre-race ritual?

I play soccer. Keepie-uppies with my physio. That gets me warmed up and ready to go.

Any superstitions?

Once in a while, whenever I’m wearing a charm bracelet, such as karma beads from Thomas Sabo, if I happen to be on pole when I’m wearing that, it becomes my lucky charm… until I don’t win.

What’s the F1 Christmas party like?

At our Christmas party there are 3,000 people. We have 1,300 employees and everybody brings family and friends. There’s music, live acts, shows. It’s incredible to see the amount of people involved building these two racing cars.

What’s your tipple?

Baileys. On the rocks. My labrador, Bailey, is named after it. Which flavour? Always original.

You’ve known your teammate Lewis Hamilton since you were kids racing go-karts. What can you tell us about him, aged 15?

He hasn’t changed much. His private life has changed, obviously, because he didn’t have the wealth he now has – as he came from quite a simple background. Other than that, there’s no difference.

He wasn’t dating a Pussycat Doll back then, though?

Well he’s not doing that now either, is he? [Laughs]

If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself?

To myself? Listen to my parents more. Because they’re always a good guide, and it’s difficult for teenagers to listen to them, but five years later you look back and think, “Ah, yes, my parents did say that. Damn, I should’ve listened.”

Aside from winning the F1 World Championship, what are your goals for this season?

A healthy daughter being born this month. It’s an exciting time for us.

Will you be on track by day, knee deep in nappies by night?

I’m gonna be hands-on. But how it’s gonna change my life, how much they’ll travel with me – I don’t know.

What’s your earliest memory?

Ayrton Senna driving through the tunnel on TV in Monaco – I could hear the sound as I was sleeping in my bed. It woke me up on the Saturday morning, and then switching on the TV and seeing him in his yellow helmet. It was 1988, I was three years old.

You’re pretty good at this driving lark, but if you could be a professional at another sport, what would it be?

Tennis or soccer. Or golf, actually. I was watching the British Open at St Andrews, and that was really fascinating. So at the moment I’d love to be good at golf.

What’s your favourite food?

Italian – pizza and stuff. Which I’m not allowed to eat, because I have to stay away from gluten. I’m on a permanent diet, so I can’t eat anything like that. Even off-season I can’t have it, as the diet’s increased my wellbeing – although, of course, I’ll have the odd day off and go for a pizza. It’s not 100 per cent strict.

Do you have any home comforts that are always in your suitcase?

I write in a diary, actually, adding any interesting discussions I’ve had throughout the day, or anything that comes into my mind. Just looking back three months, I think, “Wow! No way! I was doing that?”

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?

Yep. Checking into a hotel in Geneva last year they said, “Hello Mr Hamilton.” I answered, “Actually I’m Rosberg, but I can understand – we look similar, so it’s easy to confuse us.”

Have you ever had a ‘normal’ job?

I enrolled to study aeronautics at Imperial College London. But then I took a gap year and didn’t go, because the racing was going so well. I also played tennis when I was young, for the Monaco team.

Finally, who’d be your dream guests at a dinner party?

I know the answers already: Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, my wife and… Fangio. Juan Manuel Fangio, the Mercedes driver from the Fifties.

[artsy-hobbitses]

Wait, what is the advertising and pr like on the autobot side of things.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the autobots did charity as well.

That, and they film their table top rpg events live and request donations to some organizations or the autobot cause.

Who even orchestrates the advertising and pr for the autobots? Is it blaster?

Less propaganda (they’re not in the business of conquering territories), more PSAs.

There is some degree of recruitment stuff going on of course, but it tends to have the flavour of signing up for Docs Without Borders or an international NGO—it’s less ‘elite’/militarised than ‘Con propaganda and more altruistic.

While they don’t have ‘territories’, they do have outposts constructed in areas free of Con and Functionist grip, and often train people there/offer backup to help ensure their borders remain free. The idea is to let them rebuild on their own terms for their own people on the foundation that freedom is the right of all.

You’ll find care packages with booklets for war refugees/cold constructs kind of like 101 on agencies that can help them, the rights they have, and where to go for aid and the type of aid they are are eligible for.

There’s also lots of posters combating Beastman and Manual Class stigma, and breaking down how ridiculous it is to adopt the same caste system a bunch of fucking coloniser space squids first used to divide them up into slaves.

Charity work and volunteerism is very much a thing they do as well, though to a slightly smaller scale than the Cons because their funds are sort of limited and they’re just generally a smaller team (their biggest benefactor is Mirage and potentially Tracks) with less manpower. So yes the Tabletop RPG thing and music jam sessions to help raise funds is something that happens quite often.

Something that sort of becomes unexpectedly popular here is actually OP reading (think of it like Henry Cavill reading the Witcher books) and discussing books with the audience after. Sometimes he’ll take book requests so there’s a pretty large online (and on radio for those with no Net access, if you can tap in to Blaster’s channel) book club for the book of the month (there will be people saying his voice reading to them is like a very cozy ASMR). This is also novel because a lot of Manual classes especially did not have access to books outside of their class specification, and in lacking resources to get these books to all of them physically, this is how OP chooses to break that barrier/share the joy and knowledge from them with a worldwide audience regardless of caste. It’s why his moniker as The Librarian sticks in an affectionate manner for a lot of people (sometimes Megs listens in too on particularly lonely nights, though you could never pry that out of him)

OP, Mirage, Jazz and Blaster usually oversee the public relations work they do as it’s mostly a combined effort that gets input from everyone.

[strayheartless]

I feel like with witch Genesis, they

a) have LEGITIMATE CLAWS they always have to trim to regular nail size/sharpness in order to not shank any of their lovers or ruin any books

and b) are naturally a seduction witch.

(this particular he is pretty much completely based off of a book series I'm reading these are traits of the main character) (cough cough the first book is called Wit Worthy by Juliann Whicker cough cough)

but ANYWAYS. they'd just be naturally a witch who's magic is mainly seduction based (tho he definitely has more) but a lot of it is activated/ used best when they use their voice, aka sings or READS ALOUD

omg that could be why they recite Loveless so much

but they could probably compell people to do things, or transfigure them! (and other objects!)

that situation is also from when this mob of people were chucking things like tomatoes at Wit, and as she sang, she enthralled them while she transformed them all into sheep. to bring them back to being people, she'd kiss their heads an break the spell

^ that's just so Genesis coded to me???

(claw example)

Okay! Sorry I took so long to answer, I have no signal at work otherwise I would have answered in my break!

So! I’ll start by saying this AU is totally up for however you want to interpret it, so however you see Gen, that’s how they are. Skies the limit with this one!

That being said, I’m vibing with these so hard I may change my own law!

1.) Genesis is technically speaking an unfinished Vampire. They were bitten at a party in their early twenties but has never drank blood straight from a live vain so they’re not fully turned. It’s a touchy subject for Genesis because it has still changed a lot about him physically.

For example, this version of Genesis is a vegetarian and has been all their life. Now, however they struggle against blood urges and need to at least have the flavour of blood to satiate the hunger for any extended amount of time.

The idea about him being a seduction witch is amazing. This works so well with the idea that vampires have powers of suggestion! I feel as though this is one of the things Gen has a love hate relationship with because on the one hand, they can use it against people they dislikes or thinks need punished. On the other, they are terrified that they will accidentally use it on one of the boys.

As for the Claws… that going into canon. I think I wrote down somewhere that each of them have a Witch mark.

Seph it was his eyes, obviously

Angeals was moving plant tattoos

Cloud was glowing scars

And I think I wrote Gens was a phoenix wing but I’ve been a fool! Claws it better!

I can absolutely see them staining his fingers when he over works his magic and him being incredibly Vain about them! Maybe Zack was a little frightened at first by the prospect of them in… ahem… certain aspects of their relationship. But Gens had 26 years to know how to take care of them.

I’ll have to look into that book once I’m not swamped with work etc!

Sorry again for missing this! These are awesome ideas!

[watsername]

OOHOHOHO VERY GOOD and since we have similar taste imma need u to give us all recs or simply share all ur faves! I really wanted to order some again so i might as well ask an expert

alright let’s cover what bases we can . highlighting names for ppl who don’t want to read

for fruit tea i love the peach raspberry rose i use this one for iced tea too but i tend to leave it brewing in the fridge overnight for better flavour . very berry crush is the store best seller however .

. oh girl this is going to be long .

no added flavouring-

ok for black tea really depends on your strength preference my personal favourite is scottish breakfast (on the website as assam tgfop1 2nd flush ) i love assam its full bodied and malty it’s a single origin and anice alternative to english breakfast blends . darjeeling is a nice delicate black tea if you’re not a fan of super malty teas . indian origin teas are my favourite . margaret’s hope first flush darjeeling should be coming in soon too that’s a very exclusive tea only harvested in one area of the darjeeling province one month if the year so it’s very limited stock and £24 . returns every summer .

there’s japanese green teas we have genmaicha, gyokuro and sencha asigiri, as well as our classic green tea blend . personally i like genmaicha .

speciality teas we also have formosa jade oolong and silver needle white tea but the STAR of the show is milk oolong. she’s so phenomenal she’s £19 but she’s a gorgeous high altitude oolong delicate and creamy texture with buttery caramel notes its one of the best taiwanese teas i’ve ever had

fruity

black tea? piccadilly blend - strawberry rose and lotus flower . lovely fruit and floral blend with a delicate black tea base . her sister is covent garden blend which is black tea with peach and apricot with safflower and marigold petals . blood orange crush is also so so so good and has dried blood orange chunks in it it’s fierce

green- CHERRY BLOSSOM !!! she’s so gorgeous she’s a large leaf green tea with sakura petals and the most delectable a cherry scent and flavour i literally make samples of this for anyone i can it’s so so so good . mango and bergamot is probably the best seller tho

other- peach oolong she’s fierce . it’s pretty sweet and it’s such a fragrant tea literally it’s so good . we recently got in coconut oolong too which is limited edition it’s been pretty popular

floral

black - english rose is a classic . black tea with rose and slightly sweet too . orange blossom is good with the cute citrusy notes and fragrance

not many for green tbh but for other there’s a chelsea garden white tea which we recently just got in teabags which is white tea with rose (i like the rose teas)

spices/herbal

black tea- chilli chai is one of my all time faves but be careful bc the chilli really does hit the back of your throat if you’re not expecting it but it’s so warm and comforting . rhe classic spiced chai is a good alternative it’s your standard masala black tea and it’s really good on cold and rainy days especially.

for no caffeine there’s a few herbal mainly on the w wall in the large loose leaf caddies but if you ask for cinnamon vanilla chai or turkish apple or vanilla honeybush and orange they’re some of my favourites . there’s some rooibos if ur into that but i think only rainforest rooibos and blueberry rooibos are available

i don’t drink coffee so we are skipping that .

hot chocolate

for milk chocolate i think salted caramel (tastes like a crunchy) and cookies and cream (tastes like oreos) are my fave . coconut is limited edition and the best seller rn

for white . sticky toffee pudding is the way to go . raspberry ripple if also fierce it tastes like melted raspberry ripple ice cream

for instant teas

we got a bunch of new ones in and they’re all really fierce. lychee and rose, sour cherry and cranberry raspberry. literally cannot go wrong with any of them . turkish apple is my fave from the regular line

i think that’s it

[beromtr]

Lip care- What and How?

Dry lips again?  We get it, friend. We all have that day where we are sitting by our window looking at the billboard outside, trying to get the most amazing lips portrayed by that model on that big screen. But we forget chap stick or our lipstick alone isn’t going to make that happen. But don’t you worry your pretty little head. We got you! The first step to any natural lip care routine is to know why your lips are dry in the first place. And there are loads of things that will dry out your lips.

Dehydration Dry, chapped lips are a common sign of dehydration. Solve this problem by drinking more water, eating more watery fruits, and limiting that caffeine intake. Sun exposure Small amounts of sun exposure can cause big issues. Protecting your lips by covering up with a scarf or face mask when going outside could be helpful. Use a humidifier if you work or live in a dry building.   Licking Lips It’s really hard to resist that when your lips are dry, isn’t it? But every time you lick, you put saliva into your skin. The chemicals in your saliva help break down food for digestion. So, by nature, they also break down the skin around your lips. It’s time to stop all the lip licking. You may want to take a sip of water every time you feel the urge to lick instead.

 Your Diet Some citrus and salty foods irritate your lips. Add a moderate amount of coconut oil, walnuts, or other nutrient-dense fats to your meals. Nutrient Deficiencies Low amounts of iron, zinc, or B vitamins can also be a solid reason for the demise of your lips. Increase your servings of fruits and vegetables every day to ensure your body has what it needs. Also, consider adding a multivitamin as well.  

Easons for dry Lips What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when your lips dry out? Lip balm, of course! But as it turns out, conventional lip products are often filled with ingredients that can make your lips worse, not better. Check out the ramifications of your favourite products- Petroleum All that good Vaseline is derived from the same stuff you put in your car. The manufacturing process used to refine this ingredient causes potentially toxic results. Google Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and see for yourself. Parabens Parabens really mess with your endocrine system. It would do you real good staying away from them. They’re also common in conventional lip balms, so be alert and check for them in the ingredients.

Chemical sunscreens Chemical sunscreens are always there in lip balms with SPF. They are known for causing allergic reactions, so avoid any balms with oxybenzone and homosalate.     What can I do better? Lots of things! First, you can do something to soothe and moisturize dry lips. Look for products with great ingredients. For example- Sugar Sugar has a gentle and natural way to slough dead skin cells from your lips. This type of exfoliation will help keep your lips soft and bubbly. With sugar, you also don’t have to worry about its environmental impact #completelysafe

Beeswax Beeswax naturally forms a barrier on the surface of your skin. This keeps moisture in and the elements out. It won’t cause irritation or clog your pores, but it will help relieve itching and discomfort. Oh, and it has a naturally sweet smell and taste, which is definitely something you want when you’re thinking about lip products. Natural Extracts and oils Natural extracts are the best alternative to artificial flavours. They make your lip products taste great; with some other benefits your lips will love. Look for the ones with antibacterial properties that support healing in chapped or cracked lips. Natural oils like coconut and jojoba deliver those gorgeous nutrients and healthy fats to your lips. This will help them stay naturally smooth and nourished. These oils also help treat dry skin, making it easier and faster to heal chapped lips.  Do we still need a routine? Yes, diva! Like so important. You can’t just go on putting stuff on your lips in a random fashion. You need a routine. Lucky for you we know a thing or two about this.

Follow through darlings- Remove all that Makeup Rinse or wipe away any lipstick, gloss, or liner. This is an essential thing to do before you go to bed anyway, and very important for getting the most out of your lip care routine. Exfoliate the Lips with an organic Scrub Apply a small amount of scrub to your lips. Use a clean finger. Now gently massage your top and bottom lips. When you’re finished, rinse off any excess. Do this once or twice a week.

Apply Lip Balm Choose an organic lip balm and put it on at least twice a day to moisturize and protect your lips. Of course, there’s no reason not to use it throughout the day as well!   Your lips don’t have those sebaceous oil glands that are found almost everywhere else on your skin. This really screws them when it comes to dryness and chapping, especially in cold, extremely hot, or windy weather. A regular lip care routine like mentioned above can help keep your lips soft and smooth.

[beromtcosmetics]

Lip care- What and How?

Dry lips again?  We get it, friend. We all have that day where we are sitting by our window looking at the billboard outside, trying to get the most amazing lips portrayed by that model on that big screen. But we forget chap stick or our lipstick alone isn’t going to make that happen. But don’t you worry your pretty little head. We got you! The first step to any natural lip care routine is to know why your lips are dry in the first place. And there are loads of things that will dry out your lips.

Dehydration Dry, chapped lips are a common sign of dehydration. Solve this problem by drinking more water, eating more watery fruits, and limiting that caffeine intake. Sun exposure Small amounts of sun exposure can cause big issues. Protecting your lips by covering up with a scarf or face mask when going outside could be helpful. Use a humidifier if you work or live in a dry building.   Licking Lips It’s really hard to resist that when your lips are dry, isn’t it? But every time you lick, you put saliva into your skin. The chemicals in your saliva help break down food for digestion. So, by nature, they also break down the skin around your lips. It’s time to stop all the lip licking. You may want to take a sip of water every time you feel the urge to lick instead.

 Your Diet Some citrus and salty foods irritate your lips. Add a moderate amount of coconut oil, walnuts, or other nutrient-dense fats to your meals. Nutrient Deficiencies Low amounts of iron, zinc, or B vitamins can also be a solid reason for the demise of your lips. Increase your servings of fruits and vegetables every day to ensure your body has what it needs. Also, consider adding a multivitamin as well.  

Easons for dry Lips What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when your lips dry out? Lip balm, of course! But as it turns out, conventional lip products are often filled with ingredients that can make your lips worse, not better. Check out the ramifications of your favourite products- Petroleum All that good Vaseline is derived from the same stuff you put in your car. The manufacturing process used to refine this ingredient causes potentially toxic results. Google Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and see for yourself. Parabens Parabens really mess with your endocrine system. It would do you real good staying away from them. They’re also common in conventional lip balms, so be alert and check for them in the ingredients.

Chemical sunscreens Chemical sunscreens are always there in lip balms with SPF. They are known for causing allergic reactions, so avoid any balms with oxybenzone and homosalate.     What can I do better? Lots of things! First, you can do something to soothe and moisturize dry lips. Look for products with great ingredients. For example- Sugar Sugar has a gentle and natural way to slough dead skin cells from your lips. This type of exfoliation will help keep your lips soft and bubbly. With sugar, you also don’t have to worry about its environmental impact #completelysafe

Beeswax Beeswax naturally forms a barrier on the surface of your skin. This keeps moisture in and the elements out. It won’t cause irritation or clog your pores, but it will help relieve itching and discomfort. Oh, and it has a naturally sweet smell and taste, which is definitely something you want when you’re thinking about lip products. Natural Extracts and oils Natural extracts are the best alternative to artificial flavours. They make your lip products taste great; with some other benefits your lips will love. Look for the ones with antibacterial properties that support healing in chapped or cracked lips. Natural oils like coconut and jojoba deliver those gorgeous nutrients and healthy fats to your lips. This will help them stay naturally smooth and nourished. These oils also help treat dry skin, making it easier and faster to heal chapped lips.  Do we still need a routine? Yes, diva! Like so important. You can’t just go on putting stuff on your lips in a random fashion. You need a routine. Lucky for you we know a thing or two about this.

Follow through darlings- Remove all that Makeup Rinse or wipe away any lipstick, gloss, or liner. This is an essential thing to do before you go to bed anyway, and very important for getting the most out of your lip care routine. Exfoliate the Lips with an organic Scrub Apply a small amount of scrub to your lips. Use a clean finger. Now gently massage your top and bottom lips. When you’re finished, rinse off any excess. Do this once or twice a week.

Apply Lip Balm Choose an organic lip balm and put it on at least twice a day to moisturize and protect your lips. Of course, there’s no reason not to use it throughout the day as well!   Your lips don’t have those sebaceous oil glands that are found almost everywhere else on your skin. This really screws them when it comes to dryness and chapping, especially in cold, extremely hot, or windy weather. A regular lip care routine like mentioned above can help keep your lips soft and smooth.

beauty beauty tips best lip care tools how to care lips lip care lip care products lip gloss lip treatment lips skin care

[talenlee]

Bloodwork: Systems And Entanglement

Blah blah blah here’s the banner!

Originally, Bloodwork started as a pyramid-style builder game in the vein of Machi Koro. But what followed that was a consideration of the material concerns of the game (its stuffness), and then the fictional space I was working in. What that led to was a realisation that my original design relied on a lot of complicated fine systems, and that there was only so much space on a card I could use.

So I devised a mechanism for buying new cards that removed a cost from the card and instead made the cost of a card relate to its relative position in a grid.

Next up I wanted to explore the flavour of the types of vampires I was making, which were just MLM marketing scammers at first, for the same vision of predatory parisitism. But in that examination I got to thinking about what vampires mean and represent, and what kinds of systems we mean when we engage with vampires, like, as a symbolic terminology. Vampires are parisitic, tragic, they’re scary, they’re usually used to represent personal horror, but also, as a queer person, I’m pretty okay with being a thing that the system tells me is wrong and is in fact predatory, because what do they know? It might just be a representation of being some kind of threat to an unimportant status quo.

This gives me a split between types of vampires, and that meant I got thinking about different ways my mechanics could reinforce different fictions of vampire types that still share a space with one another. Result there is that instead of just a strict pyramid style builder in the mould of Machi Koro, what I’m making is instead a game with types of vampire groups, and the type you choose changes the way you build. And this is where a new mechanical wrinkle comes in, because one of the details on a card face, fixed, is a number that shows when and how that card relates to the dice, and if every card has information about die rolls on it, then that die roll needs to be relevant somehow.

Which limits the kinds of simple builder engines I can work with.

But if I remove the dice from the card and offload that information somewhere else then I give myself room, I change the relationship of the cards to the dice and I give myself more game modes that don’t require that value to be baked in. Win win.

You might notice that this is all mechanical changes to the game system that have resulted from only scrutinising the flavour and the material space for the game. Rules have stepped into place to serve as scaffolding and structure for changes in the needs of the non-rules parts of the game. I could make the game rules entirely handle this, and even simplify the action of card mechanics, by just offloading that into rules text somewhere. The cards don’t have to have all the rules information you need conveyed on them once the engine of the game is running. But doing it that way makes it easier to remember and easier to maintain and that interests me.

And that brings me to here, where the new question is: What rules can I use to entangle the players in one another, in themselves, and in the fiction maintained by the game system as is.

First up, let’s cover ground I already have laid out: The Vampire as MLM. In this case, players are playing vampires that work as a Multi-level marketing scheme. You will make a pyramid of cards, roll a dice, and when a card in your tree triggers, it triggers everything upstream from it. This gives you access to resources and game actions.

Vampire cards might want a standardised symbol language for this, now I think, another stuffness note: Perhaps a player only gets to buy, or activate a single card each turn, unless they roll, and vampires can bring extra actions, extra buys, or extra activations. Possibility there.

Next up, I want to make crypto bros. The idea behind crypto bros is that they are parisitic but distributed. I also like the idea that the marks in this space slosh around from one to another, so thralls might move from a number to another number, depending on how things work out. They also need to be unreliable, to work with odd spikes and troughs. Their decentralisation is a strength though – if you attack a card in the cryptobros pile, they probably just lose that card, and then can replace it easily next turn. Nothing is related to anything else.

Then there’s the idea of a blackjack style mechanical system, where I think the first contentious piece of fiction arises. See, vampires are very goth and goth is very queer, because uh, I grew up in the 90s. Is there room in this space of crypto bros, church vampires, MLMs and other monsters to have the outliers? The weirdoes?

Well, the idea I got out of this is that one group of vampires might be a push your luck vampire gang. The dice you draft at the start of the round gets to sit next to your cards as you flip them over to determine what you’re getting, who you’re getting or how, and that means that you still care about randomness but it’s different for you. A mechanical idea I like here is that if you can make the most use of high numbered rolls, in the draft, opponents want to keep you from getting high numbers – which means other players are literally inclined to oppress you, building on that outsider status.

Another type of builder option is a deck builder. Just a generic, simple deck builder; you start the game adding cards to a deck and when you play them they have to remain out of your deck for a while. This can also mean that cards removing things from your tableau can have particular use, as a way of slimming down your deck.

Also an option, which feels very slow and ponderous is a hand builder, where you can play one card every turn, until your hand is out of cards, then you get to pick them all up. This kind of character is very directly powerful because they’re immediately responsive but ponderous afterwards. This feels like something for an ancient brood of vampires, who negotiate politically about who gets to act and in what order.

I also think in this case, I don’t want cards to represent thralls or new vampires. I think that new vampires should be a trait on their cards, and a change in their style – maybe more direct violence, less relationship to magic – but old and young vampires are things that players value differently rather than the cards. And I think this means that thralls get to be another currency, not a card that lives in your deck and has unique, meaningful mechanical permutations.

Buh, more on this as I turn my sketchbook doodles into things.

One of the funniest elements of all this is that while working on the push-your-luck, blackjack style of design I think I may have hit on a new design for uh… a Sonic the Hedgehog fan game?

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

#Games #Making

[seoberomt]

Lip care- What and How? | Beromt

Dry lips again? 

We get it, friend. We all have that day where we are sitting by our window looking at the billboard outside, trying to get the most amazing lips portrayed by that model on that big screen. But we forget chap stick or our lipstick alone isn’t going to make that happen.

But don’t you worry your pretty little head. We got you!

The first step to any natural lip care routine is to know why your lips are dry in the first place. And there are loads of things that will dry out your lips.

Dehydration

Dry, chapped lips are a common sign of dehydration. Solve this problem by drinking more water, eating more watery fruits, and limiting that caffeine intake.

Sun exposure

Small amounts of sun exposure can cause big issues. Protecting your lips by covering up with a scarf or face mask when going outside could be helpful. Use a humidifier if you work or live in a dry building.

Licking Lips

It’s really hard to resist that when your lips are dry, isn’t it? But every time you lick, you put saliva into your skin. The chemicals in your saliva help break down food for digestion. So, by nature, they also break down the skin around your lips. It’s time to stop all the lip licking. You may want to take a sip of water every time you feel the urge to lick instead.

Your Diet

Some citrus and salty foods irritate your lips. Add a moderate amount of coconut oil, walnuts, or other nutrient-dense fats to your meals.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Low amounts of iron, zinc, or B vitamins can also be a solid reason for the demise of your lips. Increase your servings of fruits and vegetables every day to ensure your body has what it needs. Also, consider adding a multivitamin as well.

Easons for dry Lips

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when your lips dry out? Lip balm, of course!

But as it turns out, conventional lip products are often filled with ingredients that can make your lips worse, not better. Check out the ramifications of your favourite products-

Petroleum

All that good Vaseline is derived from the same stuff you put in your car. The manufacturing process used to refine this ingredient causes potentially toxic results. Google Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and see for yourself.

Parabens

Parabens really mess with your endocrine system. It would do you real good staying away from them. They’re also common in conventional lip balms, so be alert and check for them in the ingredients.

Chemical sunscreens

Chemical sunscreens are always there in lip balms with SPF. They are known for causing allergic reactions, so avoid any balms with oxybenzone and homosalate.

What can I do better?

Lots of things! First, you can do something to soothe and moisturize dry lips. Look for products with great ingredients. For example-

Sugar

Sugar has a gentle and natural way to slough dead skin cells from your lips. This type of exfoliation will help keep your lips soft and bubbly. With sugar, you also don’t have to worry about its environmental impact #completelysafe

Beeswax

Beeswax naturally forms a barrier on the surface of your skin. This keeps moisture in and the elements out. It won’t cause irritation or clog your pores, but it will help relieve itching and discomfort. Oh, and it has a naturally sweet smell and taste, which is definitely something you want when you’re thinking about lip products.

Natural Extracts and oils

Natural extracts are the best alternative to artificial flavours. They make your lip products taste great; with some other benefits your lips will love. Look for the ones with antibacterial properties that support healing in chapped or cracked lips. Natural oils like coconut and jojoba deliver those gorgeous nutrients and healthy fats to your lips. This will help them stay naturally smooth and nourished. These oils also help treat dry skin, making it easier and faster to heal chapped lips.

 Do we still need a routine?

Yes, diva! Like so important. You can’t just go on putting stuff on your lips in a random fashion. You need a routine. Lucky for you we know a thing or two about this. Follow through darlings-

Remove all that Makeup

Rinse or wipe away any lipstick, gloss, or liner. This is an essential thing to do before you go to bed anyway, and very important for getting the most out of your lip care routine.

Exfoliate the Lips with an organic Scrub

Apply a small amount of scrub to your lips. Use a clean finger. Now gently massage your top and bottom lips. When you’re finished, rinse off any excess. Do this once or twice a week.

Apply Lip Balm

Choose an organic lip balm and put it on at least twice a day to moisturize and protect your lips. Of course, there’s no reason not to use it throughout the day as well!

Your lips don’t have those sebaceous oil glands that are found almost everywhere else on your skin. This really screws them when it comes to dryness and chapping, especially in cold, extremely hot, or windy weather. A regular lip care routine like mentioned above can help keep your lips soft and smooth.

[genshinarchives]

Since your request are open may I request zhongli and diluc with a barbara like s/o fem pls!

(she also dress and acts like her)

Zhongli, Diluc / female reader.

Synopsis: He has a Barbara-like S/O.

#ZHONGLI

Zhongli enjoys the moments he spends with her. There’s always an air of tranquility around them when they’re sitting at a table, quietly sipping his special tea that he brews before her every visit. Her bright personality is a nice break from Hu Tao’s mischievousness and Xiao’s seriousness.

He would often request her to sing one of her songs for him. Her voice soothes his mind and heart that were heavily scarred from his past as the God of War, and her singing voice helps alleviate some of that pain. If she agrees to sing for him, he’d lay his head on her lap as he plays with her loose strands of hair - and he would smile tenderly when her song comes to a close, saying that her voice is his heaven.

Zhongli is quick to notice when she’s feeling depressed. He’s aware of her habit of not letting herself be down or depressed for 30 seconds, and would gently encourage her to be more lenient on herself. “It’s okay to not be okay,” he’d coo in her ear while holding her in his embrace, “I’ll be the pillar that supports you during the harsh storms.”

He never expected someone like her to enjoy spicy drinks. He is curious as to why she enjoys it so much but when he tries it himself, he’s put off by the extreme flavour. At least that explains why she can wake up early and greet the dawn with an optimistic smile. Since spicy drinks are her favourite, he would take it upon himself to brew his own version of the Jueyun chili drink; it’s less spicy but still has that signature kick.

Although he would never admit it out loud, Zhongli does feel a little jealous that Venti has a devoted worshiper like her. Whenever she starts singing praises to the oh so great Barbatos, he would wrap his arms around her from behind and place his chin on top of her head while asking, “Have you heard about the Geo Archon, Morax? He’s known as the strongest Archon in history.” He can be petty in a subtle way, so he needs some comforting and reassurance when he’s like this.

#DILUC

Diluc thinks that she’s the most precious thing in the entire world; an innocent being who should be protected at all costs. For her to smile in the light, he’ll be her protector in the darkness. She’s his sole motivation in life and the reason he strives to be a better man every day.

He firmly believes that she deserves only the best. From dresses to accessories, he’ll buy her clothes and items of the finest quality so that she can dress up all she wants and make herself look pretty for him. He has plenty of money to spare, so his beloved doesn’t have to fret about the price. Nothing is more expensive than her happiness after all.

Although Diluc is somewhat a workaholic himself, he makes sure to check up on her frequently. He knows how hard-working she is and always reminds her to not overwork herself; the last thing he wants to hear is her fainting during work or falling sick, though he doesn’t mind carrying her around like a princess or putting his work aside to nurse her back to health. He also never forgets to remind her that before helping others, she should help herself first; there’s a limit to how selfless one can be.

He’s very understanding of her inferiority complex and can always find a way to reassure her that she’s the best when she’s herself. There are only things that she can do, and he appreciates her for who she is. If she’s still not convinced, he’ll sigh and smother her with a rare cuddling session. He’ll sneak in a few kisses here and there for an extra measure.

He secretly finds her clumsy side endearing, and those amusing moments never fail to make him crack a smile. Oh, she tripped over a rug? He’d chuckle to himself before helping her back to her feet while scanning her over for any injuries. He loves every side of her, and although he won’t ever say it out loud, his actions are enough to let her know how much he cherishes her.

Taglist: @coco-goat-milk @m3gitsune @love-letters-4-u @melkxsh @promisedvictories​ @irethepotato

[dr-ladybird]

Faith early game weapons: grab pretty much anything (morning star, estoc, uchigatana, Great Epee, or Banished Knight’s Halberd are all great options), upgrade it and leave it set to standard scaling until Godrick or so when you’ll start getting better damage from faith scaling, then put Sacred Blade or Golden Vow on it. That’ll work well until you can break into Redmane Castle to get the Red-Hot Whetblade (you can’t get the Whetblade when the festival’s active, so if you start the festival early, go back to the castle after you kill Radahn and talk to Jerren). Once you have that, you can start using strength/dex type ashes of war like Sword Dance or Lion’s Claw with faith scaling and fire damage. Or stick with Sacred Blade, it’s a good skill as long as the enemy isn’t too holy resistant.

(A lot of enemies have serious resistance to either fire damage or holy damage, and a few things have minor annoying resistance to both, but nothing has serious resistance to both.)

There’s also the Winged Scythe - better on a faith/dex hybrid build, but still good with just enough dex to use it - which is in an easy dungeon in the Weeping Peninsula, and the Cipher Pata which is in the Roundtable behind Alberich. Don’t use either of them as your only weapon - they both vary wildly between OP and terrible depending on what you’re fighting - but they’re usually good and always very cool.

Later on, definitely get the Black Knife and definitely try using it as a L2 stick. Stop doing that if it makes the game too easy! I hear the Blasphemous Blade is just as OP - never tried it myself, but that’s just because I didn’t like the aesthetic and don’t like the normal greatsword moveset, that’s me.

Faith-focussed builds tend to be primarily casters, though - one of the biggest advantages of the build is its ability to do any kind of elemental damage you want, avoid getting bored, and make everything elementally weak to you. Become a completely different flavour of wizard just by resting and memorising a different set of spells, maybe changing your talismans or physick.

Spells that you definitely want to try out include but aren’t limited to:

Catch Flame and Flame Sling (basic short and mid range fireballs, buy from Corhyn the first time you meet him)

Flame of Frenzy (fire AOE, in the Weeping Peninsula)

Bestial Sling and Stone of Gurranq (throw rocks for pure physical damage, Gurranq will teach you in exchange for deathroots)

Lightning Spear (the knight near the Artist’s Shack in Liurnia drops the prayerbook)

Black Flame (fireball that does percentage health damage, prayerbook’s in Stormveil next to a seal much better than the starting one)

Blessing’s Boon (health regen buff, sold by Miriel)

Frenzied Burst (carried by a beetle near the Fingerprint Vyke boss fight)

Golden Vow (buff that increases your damage and reduces damage taken, found on Mount Gelmir next to the Anastasia 2 boss fight… Anastasia also drops her giant meat cleaver the second time you kill her, and it’s not bad on a faith build as long as you don’t mind wasting some levels in dexterity!)

The other blackflame spells - sorry, I forget where you get them! I think most of them drop from Godskin Cultists, I know the big AOE’s in Spiritcaller Cave in the Mountaintops and Gideon gives you that brilliant damage-reduction buff near endgame.

Pest Threads (that thread stuff the Caelid rot centipedes shoot at you, yours has a shorter range but it’s great on large bosses): buy from Gowry after you get Millicent a new arm. You might want to look up the Millicent quest, it’s confusing.

Lansseax’s Glaive and Fortissax’s Lightning Spear: get them from Lansseax and Fortissax (if you can’t find the Fortissax boss fight, he’s behind that horrible duo of toxic gargoyles in Nokron… weird questline, look it up if you get confused)

Discus of Light: very long-range, great tracking, FP efficient, hits multiple enemies if you throw it into a crowd, definitely worth putting a couple of levels into intelligence or wearing Int-boosting gear to cast it. Buy it from Corhyn once you help him find Goldmask. You can find a duplicate version of Goldmask’s mask which buffs it.

All the Giantsflame stuff (there’s a prayerbook in the Guardian’s Garrison once you finally manage to get past Arghanthy - try Lightning Spear, her shield/gun doesn’t block that - plus you can get a great AOE from the fire giant remembrance.)

Scarlet Aeonia (use Malenia’s remembrance to be a pretty flower)

Black Blade (use Maliketh’s remembrance to get an intangible version of his sword)

And I haven’t tried out the blood and dragon spells yet, but they’re supposed to be good - go eat all the dragons, they’re easy with a ranged magic build, and see what you like. If you put 17 points into arcane then decide you don’t like the dragon spells, you can always have Renalla move the arcane points into faith!

Suggested starting build (note: I’m a bit personally obsessed with the starting katana, love that thing):

Start as samurai to get that katana ASAP. Try out your weapons, put some levels into HP, upgrade your flasks, usual early game stuff. Go and steal the Beast Crest or Eclipse Crest heater shield. Get to the Roundtable ASAP to buy the Two Fingers Seal and the basic fireballs. Then put most of your levels into vigor and faith, plus enough endurance for your armour (a lot of fights are easier if your armour has at least 51 poise) and enough mind that you don’t run out of FP much.

For the endgame you want 30-38 mind, 50-60 vigor, and 60-80 faith. 13 Int if you love Discus of light, otherwise dump stat and get the int-boosting talisman. Enough arcane for any blood and dragon spells you really like, otherwise dump stat. Just enough strength and dex for your weapons (so stay at 11/15 all game if you’re only using that katana and the Cipher Pata, but the Winged Scythe takes 16 of each and Anastasia’s giant knife takes 20 Dex…)

Switch to the Erdtree Seal if your faith goes much over 60 for better damage.

am I making sense? Anything I should clarify?

Hey Elden Ring peeps. So I went through the whole game about a year ago and finally beat it about 3 months ago. This was when I was trying to actually 100 percent everything (every item / quest) this sadly didn't end up happening as I ended up missing key things and couldn't do the whole Malenia area thing.

That said my first playthrough was really a mess and I need / want to start over fresh. The thing is I don't have any idea of what even build to do / make. So ideas would be great on good starting weapons / builds anything to help.

I wanted to do a faith build but realized all the early game weapons are kind of really bad. The only weapon I have used to this point is bloodhounds fang which I went through my whole game with. I want to branch out and try new builds / things so any recommendations.

[octoagentmiles]

i love ur octonauts safe foods post but that also brings the question: what are the octo-agents safe foods?

wonderful question my anonymous friend- apologies for the delay, please enjoy post 🤲:

Paani’s patties have nuts, seeds, and bugs in them, which all have kind of similar tastes—hear me out—they all taste nutty (yes, bugs have a nutty flavour, if you didn’t know), and possibly a little roasty or smokey depending on how they’re prepared. Paani’s safe foods probably consist of a lot of other grains, nuts, or butters (peanut butter, sunflower butter, almond/cashew butter, etc). He probably unironically enjoys pistachio ice cream. Can’t go wrong with a giant jug of straight up rainwater, either.

Tracker grew up the same way Barnacles did: In the Arctic with very little variety. So, their tastes are probably the same, or very similar. He enjoys simple flavours, and dishes with non-complicated seasoning. I also imagine he’s an extremely picky eater, despite being taught in the Polar Scouts to be prepared to “eat what you have to” in an emergency. He might like a couple obscure or odd things here and there, but other than that his palate is pretty limited. He likes knowing what to expect when he eats something (and in general), so he basically just eats the same foods over and over. He’s an EXPERT at cooking these foods.

Googled native Russian and Siberian cuisines for Natquik, and I’m seeing a lot of dough, pastry, soup, and salt (and a lot of other things, but they’re mostly meat and I’m going to pretend he’s vegetarian and so is everyone else, with the exceptions of Mr. Paani “The Bug Eater”, and Ms. Pearl “Eats Living Urchins Whole”). He loves savoury foods, as well as “earthy” flavours (below-ground vegetables, such as beets, potatoes, carrots (he might bond with Tweak over that one), or mushrooms) but can NOT tolerate spiciness at all; he’s worse than Barnacles in this regard. If he eats something too hot he will spit it out instantly, and be very dramatic about it. He also enjoys a cup of tea now and then, and he’s not picky about what kind; if it’s warm and got leaves in it, he’ll drink it.

I like to think that Calico Jack and Kwazii are alike in more ways than one thousand—and they probably have IDENTICAL tastes/safe foods. So, Jack loves sweets and sugars, but hates bitters. He hates citrus too (because he’s a cat), but has learned to tolerate it in all his years as a pirate. He chugs lemon juice like it’s milk, and he just ate a whole ghost pepper. You won’t catch him anywhere near a tangerine, though. (Disclaimer: Citrus is actually poisonous to cats in real life, which is why they hate it so much. This cat however, is fictional, and just thinks they’re icky.) CJ also canonically loves to cook and bake his own food, based on how many recipes he invented and passed down to Kwazii; such as pirate pie (real pie, see GBR for ingredients), pirate stew (main ingredient = kelp), and “pirate pie” (kelp and lima beans on toast), to name a few.

Ranger Marsh LOVES the Octonauts’ hot cocoa specifically, I don’t know if it’s the way the Vegimals make it, or what, but I’m taking this to mean the man is fan of chocolate. Dark chocolate. Meaning, he probably enjoys bitter things. Do not let him cook for Kwazii or Jack. I bet most of what he eats is foraged directly out of the Everglades’ thicket, so that would likely include weird and bitter berries, plants, and wild vegetables. I also headcanon that he taught Tweak how to make her famous chili, she just perfected it. Chili can taste like pretty much anything depending on how you season it, so you can bet he likes his extra bitter as well.

Okay now Pearl is probably the opposite of Shellington. I said that Shellington would enjoy intense or odd flavours (like extra hot sauce on cake), but dislike salty-anything because it reminds him of red urchin. He learned to like strange foods, as a result of being allergic to his species’ main source of nourishment (shellfish). Since Pearl didn’t have this problem, she didn’t need to branch out her plate; and thus would love salty things because it’s what she’s used to. She might dislike overly sour or sweet things, or generally “unnatural” or artificial foods. She’s probably not much of a chef, considering most of what she eats is stuff she literally picks off the seafloor.

Apparently a red panda’s diet is 95% bamboo, soooooooooooooooo... I guess that answers Min. She probably eats a ton of those bamboo biscuits, and that might literally be all. Bamboo tastes earthy, nutty, and slightly sweet, so if she were to expand her menu, she’d probably eat foods with similar tastes, or anything that has a good crunch to it. Y’know what? I bet she’d love a Paani Patty.

Ryla literally ate bat droppings covered in moss. Granted, the “droppings” were berries, but still. I don’t think she’s very picky. She doesn’t have any “safe foods”, because she’s a hardcore survivalist—she’ll eat ANYTHING (unless it’s poisonous then she’ll only eat it once). Wombats are strict herbivores, so she probably enjoys a good salad when she's not fighting for her life in a cave.

I think Koshi and Pinto are both stereotypical kids, who'll gladly inhale anything with sugar in it. Pinto specifically might have similar tastes to Peso, in which he'll also just eat... literally anything. Especially if it's weird looking. Koshi is a bit more sensitive to strong smells, so she'll only eat what she likes the smell of. She doesn't seem like someone who likes trying new foods, either. She likes sweet, or bland simple tastes.

[swashbucklery]

OK but I want to talk in detail about like. How much I love the Legends 100 but specifically why.

Because at it’s heart it’s a love letter to the series, and often the 100th episode of any series is, that’s not so surprising. But I think that what really got me about the Legends 100 is how much it felt like they’d finally figured out what the fuck the show actually is, you know?  They just got it so right and it felt sort of like they’d finally articulated the thesis statement for the series and I want to talk about it for 45 years.

Like, Legends has always been this show that’s, to be generous, difficult to explain. And it was such a joy to me to see in this episode that - this is a show where I see it recced and people are like “don’t watch the first several seasons, it’s garbage, start at [whenever, usually S3].” I have said that too - although I never say S1 is garbage - because even though I love S1 and S2 with my whole heart, them very off-putting and don’t want to stick with the show! And what I loved about the 100 as a tribute to past Legends is that instead of allowing themselves to stay in that paradigm of sort of apologizing for the show’s first few seasons, they really made an effort to say like, you know what? No. The first season is good and you should watch it and it lays the groundwork for where this show ended up, so fuck you.

And you know what? YEAH. It IS and it DOES.

This show has always had this motif of each season having a flavour, and really shaping itself around the villain or arc of the season, but despite this there is a core throughline. I don’t think it was intentional necessarily, but when they shifted the vibe of the show between S1 and S2 the things they kept became the common thread to all seven seasons. And really that throughline has been this: the Legends are all heroes that have real, significant limitations.

Lots of superheroes have a backstory of transformative trauma or adversity, but the Legends have always been heroes who specifically like. They have that backstory, but they came out of it transformed in a way that isn’t always classically heroic. Often they’re genuinely limited by however that defining backstory has affected them - typically in ways that are either overt or fairly-easy-to-interpret proxies for mental health diagnoses or other atypical neurotypes.

In different hands or with a different direction, this could have made for a fairly dark show. And what I love about Legends and I think what they really celebrated in the 100 is the way that the show really takes the perspective of: this thing limits you, but it’s also the thing that makes you most qualified to save the world. Doing good is not about being the best or the strongest or the toughest, but it’s about showing up and trying and your trying specifically in your way may not be enough on its own, but if we all try in our own imperfect ways, that’s going to be what makes the difference.

So much time travel media is based off of like. Time loops and diverging timelines and physics to the point where it gets bogged down in it, and often the crux of it is that really with all this math you must be a genius to time travel OR ELSE DISASTER. And the beauty of Legends has always been approaching that mythology and saying: what if you’re super not. What if you’re not very smart and pretty bad at everything and on paper are totally unqualified but that’s what makes you great. What if the people who insist you need to be a certain type of person to save time can’t see the forest for the trees, and are missing the vital ways that you contribute, even with broken and wobbly parts of you. What if you showing up with whatever it is that you have in this moment is the thing that will save the world.

That’s always been what I’ve loved about Legends deep down, and I love that this episode and this season the show has been able to appreciate that like. This is the thing they’ve been doing right all along by accident, but now they’re going to do it on purpose.

[beromtr]

Lip care- What and How?

Dry lips again?  We get it, friend. We all have that day where we are sitting by our window looking at the billboard outside, trying to get the most amazing lips portrayed by that model on that big screen. But we forget chap stick or our lipstick alone isn’t going to make that happen. But don’t you worry your pretty little head. We got you! The first step to any natural lip care routine is to know why your lips are dry in the first place. And there are loads of things that will dry out your lips.

Dehydration Dry, chapped lips are a common sign of dehydration. Solve this problem by drinking more water, eating more watery fruits, and limiting that caffeine intake. Sun exposure Small amounts of sun exposure can cause big issues. Protecting your lips by covering up with a scarf or face mask when going outside could be helpful. Use a humidifier if you work or live in a dry building.   Licking Lips It’s really hard to resist that when your lips are dry, isn’t it? But every time you lick, you put saliva into your skin. The chemicals in your saliva help break down food for digestion. So, by nature, they also break down the skin around your lips. It’s time to stop all the lip licking. You may want to take a sip of water every time you feel the urge to lick instead.

 Your Diet Some citrus and salty foods irritate your lips. Add a moderate amount of coconut oil, walnuts, or other nutrient-dense fats to your meals. Nutrient Deficiencies Low amounts of iron, zinc, or B vitamins can also be a solid reason for the demise of your lips. Increase your servings of fruits and vegetables every day to ensure your body has what it needs. Also, consider adding a multivitamin as well.  

Easons for dry Lips What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when your lips dry out? Lip balm, of course! But as it turns out, conventional lip products are often filled with ingredients that can make your lips worse, not better. Check out the ramifications of your favourite products- Petroleum All that good Vaseline is derived from the same stuff you put in your car. The manufacturing process used to refine this ingredient causes potentially toxic results. Google Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and see for yourself. Parabens Parabens really mess with your endocrine system. It would do you real good staying away from them. They’re also common in conventional lip balms, so be alert and check for them in the ingredients.

Chemical sunscreens Chemical sunscreens are always there in lip balms with SPF. They are known for causing allergic reactions, so avoid any balms with oxybenzone and homosalate.     What can I do better? Lots of things! First, you can do something to soothe and moisturize dry lips. Look for products with great ingredients. For example- Sugar Sugar has a gentle and natural way to slough dead skin cells from your lips. This type of exfoliation will help keep your lips soft and bubbly. With sugar, you also don’t have to worry about its environmental impact #completelysafe

Beeswax Beeswax naturally forms a barrier on the surface of your skin. This keeps moisture in and the elements out. It won’t cause irritation or clog your pores, but it will help relieve itching and discomfort. Oh, and it has a naturally sweet smell and taste, which is definitely something you want when you’re thinking about lip products. Natural Extracts and oils Natural extracts are the best alternative to artificial flavours. They make your lip products taste great; with some other benefits your lips will love. Look for the ones with antibacterial properties that support healing in chapped or cracked lips. Natural oils like coconut and jojoba deliver those gorgeous nutrients and healthy fats to your lips. This will help them stay naturally smooth and nourished. These oils also help treat dry skin, making it easier and faster to heal chapped lips.  Do we still need a routine? Yes, diva! Like so important. You can’t just go on putting stuff on your lips in a random fashion. You need a routine. Lucky for you we know a thing or two about this.

Follow through darlings- Remove all that Makeup Rinse or wipe away any lipstick, gloss, or liner. This is an essential thing to do before you go to bed anyway, and very important for getting the most out of your lip care routine. Exfoliate the Lips with an organic Scrub Apply a small amount of scrub to your lips. Use a clean finger. Now gently massage your top and bottom lips. When you’re finished, rinse off any excess. Do this once or twice a week.

Apply Lip Balm Choose an organic lip balm and put it on at least twice a day to moisturize and protect your lips. Of course, there’s no reason not to use it throughout the day as well!   Your lips don’t have those sebaceous oil glands that are found almost everywhere else on your skin. This really screws them when it comes to dryness and chapping, especially in cold, extremely hot, or windy weather. A regular lip care routine like mentioned above can help keep your lips soft and smooth.