#that’s essentially every tool I used to make this

[johnnyshrine]

★ 100 // “The Holy Bible”

[bloodfreak-boyking]

i'm only three episodes in and i'm already losing it. the longing stare, the private little smile, god just fucking kill me already

[coloursofaparadox]

lil rant about dog training oops

[hanavbara]

support HUMAN artists, not AI‼️

AI generated images are NOT art. art is CREATED, not GENERATED.

this is not just about taking jobs from artists (which is already a huge deal), it’s also about devaluing art itself, turning it into mass-produced, empty and soulless content. it’s heartbreaking to see AI stealing from real artists: from Studio Ghibli to smaller creators like us.

personally, we started our art journey by reinterpreting what we love: music, TV series, anime and transforming it into our vision inspired by the 90’s anime that we grew up with. when we create our illustrations, we try to capture the emotion and love we feel for the subject, aiming to tell a story with each drawing. ever since AI was created, we have had many people asking if our art is AI generated. honestly, it’s heartbreaking every single time. for us, art is a deeply human experience that we’ve been dedicating ourselves to for seven years. creating from nothing takes dedication, skill, and an emotional investment that, in our opinion, AI simply can’t capture.

you’ve probably seen your feed flooded with AI generated images in a “Studio Ghibli style”. trends like these reinforce the idea that art can be easily replicated and devalued. the future of artists is more uncertain than ever. we don’t know if in a few years we’ll still be able to make a living from this, since many companies are adopting the mindset of “why should i pay someone for their well-earned work when a machine can do it for free in an instant?” that mindset is the real problem: the way society is starting to perceive art.

art is essential to human life. many people realized this during the pandemic: what would we do without music, movies, books, that bring us comfort? art is more than just the final product. it’s about the process, struggles, and personal growth that comes with it. when you create, you grow, learn, and challenge yourself. AI erases that, replacing it with instant and shallow replication. real art brings people together, evoking emotions and reminding us of what it means to be human.

relying on AI to make art isn’t innovation, it’s avoiding the challenge of creating something meaningful. AI tools like these are being pushed as "the future," but what does that say about us? replacing human artistry with shallow, mass-produced content takes away humanity from art, do we really want to be part of a world where art is just another disposable product? what value do we place on creativity?

if you’ve made it this far, it means you care about these issues. let’s raise our voices together and speak up. don’t consume AI generated images. value and respect creativity. SUPPORT REAL HUMAN ARTISTS.

[mahasenelkhatib]

Do you know what happens when I hear the bombing and live under it, with everywhere around me collapsing? I have nothing but ..

my notebook and pen, 🎨

and I isolate my mind. I don't want to be afraid, I don't want to feel what's around me, I want to escape to my old world! PLEASE DONATE HERE

Here is a Happy moment for me in this war when I was able to get chard leaves for the first time in this famine we face every day Verified by @90-ghosthere Olive Branch, line 508 of their spreadsheet Thank you all for the Love ,Support,Donations you send me !! I won't ever forget it! Ever!!

Hello, I am Mahasen,a Digital Artist from North Gaza, where creativity thrives despite challenges. My father passed away, making me the main provider for my family.

Before the war, I worked in motion graphics with international companies, specializing in character design and storyboarding.

The conflict forced us to evacuate repeatedly, and our home was damaged. My essential art equipment and tablet were stolen and destroyed, representing years of hard work and creativity. Now, we are homeless, unsafe, sick, and financially insecure.

Our family includes:

My mother, 62.

My sister Mai, 35, visually impaired.

Myself, Mahasen, 31.

My brother Mohammed, 28, visually impaired, and his wife Iman, 28.

My youngest brother Amin, 21.

Your support is crucial to help me rebuild and ensure my family's safety and survival. Your contribution will replace my tools and restore our hope and creativity.

My Socials: @MahasenAlkhatib Instagram here X here Facebook here My Main Post here

Please Help me Share AND Donate

@90-ghost @el-shab-hussein @ibtisams @acepumpkinpatrick @just-browsing1222 @gaza @palestine @13ag21k @the-bastard-king @boyvandal-blog @apsswan @youdontknowwhotfiamm @mangocheesecakes @fallahifag @sealuai @palipunk @malcriaada @occupationsurfer @northgazaupdates @nabulsi @elierlick @evelyn-art-05 @soon-palestine @fairuzfan @bibyebae @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @sayruq @sar-soor @90-ghost @vakarians-babe @northgazaupdates @helppeople @ibtisams @appsa @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @marnota @el-shab-hussein @sayruq @tortiefrancis @flower-tea-fairies @tsaricides @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vivisection-gf @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @ibtisams @animentality @kordeliiius @communistchilchuck @brutaliakhoa @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @the-bastard-king @tamarrud @4ft10tvlandfangirl @queerstudiesnatural @northgazaupdates @90-ghost @skatehani @awetistic-things @gentl3manly @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @morallyrainyday @pcktknife @tamamita @plasticdodecagon

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

“Show, Don’t Tell”…But This Time Someone Explains It

If you’ve ever been on the hunt for writing advice, you've definitely seen the phrase “Show, Don’t Tell.”

Writeblr coughs up these three words on the daily; it’s often considered the “Golden Rule” of writing. However, many posts don't provide an in-depth explanation about what this "Golden Rule" means (This is most likely to save time, and under the assumption that viewers are already informed).

More dangerously, some posts fail to explain that “Show, Don’t Tell” occasionally doesn’t apply in certain contexts, toeing a dangerous line by issuing a blanket statement to every writing situation. 

The thing to take away from this is: “Show, Don’t Tell” is an essential tool for more immersive writing, but don't feel like a bad writer if you can’t make it work in every scenario (or if you can’t get the hang of it!)

1. What Does "Show, Don't Tell" Even Mean?

“Show, Don’t Tell” is a writing technique in which the narrative or a character’s feelings are related through sensory details rather than exposition. Instead of telling the reader what is happening, the reader infers what is happening due to the clues they’ve been shown.

EXAMPLE 1:

Telling: The room was very cold. Showing: She shivered as she stepped into the room, her breath steaming in the air.

EXAMPLE 2:

Telling: He was furious. Showing: He grabbed the nearest book and hurled it against the wall, his teeth bared and his eyes blazing.

EXAMPLE 3 ("SHOW, DON'T TELL" DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN "WRITE A LOT MORE")

Telling: The room hadn't been lived in for a very long time. Showing: She shoved the door open with a spray of dust.

Although the “showing” sentences don’t explicitly state how the characters felt, you as the reader use context clues to form an interpretation; it provides information in an indirect way, rather than a direct one.

Because of this, “Show, Don’t Tell” is an incredibly immersive way to write; readers formulate conclusions alongside the characters, as if they were experiencing the story for themselves instead of spectating. 

As you have probably guessed, “showing” can require a lot more words (as well as patience and effort). It’s a skill that has to be practiced and improved, so don’t feel discouraged if you have trouble getting it on the first try!

2. How Do I Use “Show, Don’t Tell” ?

There are no foolproof parameters about where you “show” and not “tell" or vice versa; it’s more of a writing habit that you develop rather than something that you selectively decide to employ.

In actuality, most stories are a blend of both showing and telling, and more experienced writers instinctively switch between one and another to cater to their narrative needs. You need to find a good balance of both in order to create a narrative that is both immersive and engaging.

i. Help When Your Writing Feels Bare-Bones/Soulless/Boring

Your writing is just not what you’ve pictured in your head, no matter how much you do it over. Conversations are stilted. The characters are flat. The sentences don’t flow as well as they do in the books you've read. What’s missing?

It’s possibly because you’ve been “telling” your audience everything and not “showing”! If a reader's mind is not exercised (i.e. they're being "spoon-fed" all of the details), your writing may feel boring or uninspired!

Instead of saying that a room was old and dingy, maybe describe the peeling wallpaper. The cobwebs in the corners. The smell of dust and old mothballs. Write down what you see in your mind's eye, and allow your audience to formulate their own interpretations from that. (Scroll for a more in-depth explanation on HOW to develop this skill!)

ii. Add More Depth and Emotion to Your Scenes

Because "Show, Don't Tell" is a more immersive way of writing, a reader is going to feel the narrative beats of your story a lot more deeply when this rule is utilized.

Describing how a character has fallen to their knees sobbing and tearing our their hair is going to strike a reader's heart more than saying: "They were devastated."

Describing blood trickling through a character's fingers and staining their clothes will seem more dire than saying: "They were gravely wounded."

iii. Understand that Sometimes Telling Can Fit Your Story Better

Telling can be a great way to show your characters' personalities, especially when it comes to first-person or narrator-driven stories. Below, I've listed a few examples; however, this list isn't exclusive or comprehensive!

Initial Impressions and Character Opinions

If a character describes someone's outfit as "gaudy" or a room as "absolutely disgusting," it can pack more of a punch about their initial impression, rather than describing the way that they react (and can save you some words!). In addition, it can provide some interesting juxtaposition (i.e. when a character describes a dog as "hideous" despite telling their friend it looks cute).

2. Tone and Reader Opinions

Piggybacking off of the first point, you can "tell, not show" when you want to be certain about how a reader is supposed to feel about something. "Showing" revolves around readers drawing their own conclusions, so if you want to make sure that every reader draws the same conclusion, "telling" can be more useful! For example, if you describe a character's outfit as being a turquoise jacket with zebra-patterned pants, some readers may be like "Ok yeah a 2010 Justice-core girlie is slaying!" But if you want the outfit to come across as badly arranged, using a "telling" word like "ridiculous" or "gaudy" can help set the stage.

3. Pacing

"Show, don't tell" can often take more words; after all, describing a character's reaction is more complicated than stating how they're feeling. If your story calls for readers to be focused more on the action than the details, such as a fight or chase scene, sometimes "telling" can serve you better than "showing." A lot of writers have dedicated themselves to the rule "tell action, show emotion," but don't feel like you have to restrict yourself to one or the other.

iv. ABOVE ALL ELSE: Getting Words on the Page is More Important!

If you’re stuck on a section of your story and just can’t find it in yourself to write poetic, flowing prose, getting words on the paper is more important than writing something that’s “good.” If you want to be able to come back and fix it later, put your writing in brackets that you can Ctrl + F later.

Keeping your momentum is the hardest part of writing. Don't sacrifice your inspiration in favor of following rules!

3. How Can I Get Better at “Show, Don’t Tell”?

i. Use the Five Senses, and Immerse Yourself!

Imagine you’re the protagonist, standing in the scene that you have just created. Think of the setting. What are things about the space that you’d notice, if you were the one in your character’s shoes?

Smell? Hear? See? Touch? Taste?

Sight and sound are the senses that writers most often use, but don’t discount the importance of smell and taste! Smell is the most evocative sense, triggering memories and emotions the moment someone walks into the room and has registered what is going on inside—don’t take it for granted. And even if your character isn’t eating, there are some things that can be “tasted” in the air.

EXAMPLE:

TELLING: She walked into the room and felt disgusted. It smelled, and it was dirty and slightly creepy. She wished she could leave. SHOWING: She shuffled into the room, wrinkling her nose as she stepped over a suspicious stain on the carpet. The blankets on the bed were moth-bitten and yellowed, and the flowery wallpaper had peeled in places to reveal a layer of blood-red paint beneath…like torn cuticles. The stench of cigarettes and mildew permeated the air. “How long are we staying here again?” she asked, flinching as the door squealed shut. 

The “showing” excerpt gives more of an idea about how the room looks, and how the protagonist perceives it. However, something briefer may be more suited for writers who are not looking to break the momentum in their story. (I.e. if the character was CHASED into this room and doesn’t have time to take in the details.)

ii. Study Movies and TV Shows: Think like a Storyteller, Not Just a Writer

Movies and TV shows quite literally HAVE TO "show, and not tell." This is because there is often no inner monologue or narrator telling the viewers what's happening. As a filmmaker, you need to use your limited time wisely, and make sure that the audience is engaged.

Think about how boring it would be if a movie consisted solely of a character monologuing about what they think and feel, rather than having the actor ACT what they feel.

(Tangent, but there’s also been controversy that this exposition/“telling” mindset in current screenwriting marks a downfall of media literacy. Examples include the new Percy Jackson and Avatar: The Last Airbender remakes that have been criticized for info-dumping dialogue instead of “showing.”)

If you find it easy to envision things in your head, imagine how your scene would look in a movie. What is the lighting like? What are the subtle expressions flitting across the actors' faces, letting you know just how they're feeling? Is there any droning background noise that sets the tone-- like traffic outside, rain, or an air conditioner?

How do the actors convey things that can't be experienced through a screen, like smell and taste?

Write exactly what you see in your mind's eye, instead of explaining it with a degree of separation to your readers.

iii. Listen to Music

I find that because music evokes emotion, it helps you write with more passion—feelings instead of facts! It’s also slightly distracting, so if you’re writing while caught up in the music, it might free you from the rigid boundaries you’ve put in place for yourself.

Here’s a link to my master list of instrumental writing playlists!

iv. Practice, Practice, Practice! And Take Inspiration from Others!

“Show Don’t Tell” is the core of an immersive scene, and requires tons of writing skills cultivated through repeated exposure. Like I said before, more experienced writers instinctively switch between showing and telling as they write— but it’s a muscle that needs to be constantly exercised!

If I haven’t written in a while and need to get back into the flow of things, I take a look at a writing prompt, and try cultivating a scene that is as immersive as possible! Working on your “Show, Don’t Tell” skills by practicing writing short, fun one-shots can be much less restrictive than a lengthier work.

In addition, get some inspiration and study from reading the works of others, whether it be a fanfiction or published novel!

If you need some extra help, feel free to check out my Master List of Writing Tips and Advice, which features links to all of my best posts, each of them categorized !

Hope this helped, and happy writing!

[heartlilith]

Moon Sign & Manifestation

Manifestation is aligning your feelings, goals, and actions to bring your desires into reality. Based on your Moon sign, there are ways to manifest that can better align with who you are.

Aries Moon: Sound and frequency meditations (741 Hz), visualization, taking action towards desires, and letting go.

Why: Aries rules the head, making sounds & frequencies a natural highway to manifesting your desires, as well as visualization. Taking action either by pursuing your goals or asking upfront is what Aries is all about, considering it's the first sign and fire sign of the zodiac. For Aries Moon, letting go of expected outcomes is crucial, as frustration and disappointment can hinder your manifestation efforts.

Taurus Moon: Vision board collages, affirmations, and gratitude

Why: For Taurus Moons, creating something tangible in alignment with your goals and visions can satisfy your eye for beauty as well as your creativity. Since Taurus is the sign of stability and security, repeating affirmations in the mirror and practicing gratitude can increase your self esteem and overall happiness, making manifestation a lot easier and faster for you.

Gemini Moon: Getting specific, 369 method, scripting

Why: With a Gemini Moon, thoughts can get a little scattered, making specific goals and plans a little harder to focus on - but this is essential. Figure out exactly what you want and write it down. The 369 method can help you focus on your desires by writing them down morning, afternoon, and night. Scripting is also helpful for getting specific, while writing is a usual tool to channel your energy.

Cancer Moon: Moon rituals, crystals, mediations

Why: Cancer is naturally ruled by the Moon, making Moon rituals perfect for you. New Moons especially are great for manifesting and making Moon water, which you can use to wash your floors, wash your face, or simply dab on your wrists and neck like perfume every morning. (New) Moon water is great because you can use it throughout the month. Crystals and meditations are also amazing for calming the mind and in conjunction, are a super powerful way to manifest.

Leo Moon: Affirmations, vision board, and acts of faith

Why: Affirmations are so Leo-coded. Like Taurus, it's essential for you to raise your confidence and esteem in order to manifest, which is why acts of faith is also included on the list. Acts of faith, for example, is when you buy supplies to make candles because you know one day you'll have a candle store. Or, when you book a vacation a few months out because you know by then you'll reach your fitness goals. A vision board will satisfy your need for creativity, while serving a reminder to stay focused.

Virgo Moon: Letting go, trust the process, and scripting

Why: Since I'm a Virgo Moon myself, I know how this placement can overthink and scramble for a sense of control. You need to let go and trust the universe. Scripting, like Gemini Moon, can help organize your thoughts. As long as your clear about your goals and do every writing exercise you can think of to help it come to life, you'll be fine. You got it.

Libra Moon: Artistic rituals, law of attraction, visualization

Why: Using artistic rituals like drawing, painting, singing, or other creative outlets can help your desires come to life. For Law of Attraction, when you show the Universe and others generosity, kindness, and love, it will be returned 3-fold. Visualizing your goals in a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing way is sure to fast track turn your manifestations into reality.

Scorpio Moon: Energy alignment, water rituals, and meditation

Why: Channeling your intense energy to manifest your desires is a key way to get your dreams into your reality. Embodying your desires is crucial for Scorpio Moons. Do you want to be a CEO? Think, dress, and act like one. Water rituals like adding cinnamon and roses to your bath or enchanting your body soap through intention can help as well. Manifesting and uncovering your hidden desires can further put you into alignment with who you are and your higher self.

Sagittarius Moon: Visualization, taking action, believing in yourself

Why: For Sagittarius Moons, visualizing not only how it feels once you get you what you want but the adventure of getting it can be super helpful. Taking action and believing in yourself is super important as well, because who is Sagittarius without a little optimism and confidence?

Capricorn Moon: Detailed plan, crystals, setting intentions

Why: I feel as though detailed plan is pretty self explanatory for Capricorn Moons, as they thrive on structure and discipline. Crystals can help ground your energy and reconnect you with your element - Earth. For setting intentions, getting up every morning with a small goal can further manifest your dreams into reality.

Aquarius Moon: Meditation, journaling, acts of faith

Why: Meditation can help Aquarius Moon uncover what they truly want, even better if they listen to 741 Hz (the manifestation frequency). Journaling is also a great way to do this and can help you stay on track. Acts of faith can help put this process into motion, buying things, clearing out a space, and taking small steps like you've already attained your goal is super important.

Pisces Moon: Guided sleep meditations, solitude, shadow work

Why: A little different than just meditating, your power is most potent when asleep and in solitude. Guided sleep meditations can be most usual for you when your literally between dreams and reality. Doing shadow work and reflecting on yourself and who you are can throw away baggage that keeps you from manifesting your goals into your life.

MASTERLIST

[glowettee]

✧ how i stay productive during summer break (while still having fun!) ✧

hey lovelies! ✨

summer break is finally here and honestly? it's my favorite time to both relax and get things done. i know that sounds contradictory but trust me, finding that sweet balance between productivity and fun is totally possible! after years of either doing absolutely nothing or burning myself out, i've finally found my perfect summer rhythm.

first things first: the morning routine ✨

i've learned that my day flows so much better when i start it intentionally. i wake up around 8 or 9 (not too early because we deserve some extra sleep!), make my bed immediately (small win!), and spend 15 minutes journaling before checking my phone. this tiny habit has literally changed everything for me.

my summer morning essentials:

iced coffee with oat milk and a tiny bit of vanilla

a cute journal that makes me excited to write in it

10 minutes of stretching by my window

a super quick skincare routine (sunscreen is non-negotiable!)

creating a flexible structure 🤍

the secret to summer productivity is having just enough structure without feeling trapped. i divide my days into three parts:

morning: productive focus time (2-3 hours max) afternoon: flexible time for errands, friends, or projects evening: pure relaxation and fun

this way, i never feel like i'm missing out or falling behind. the key is being realistic about what you can actually accomplish in a day. i used to make these impossible to-do lists and then feel awful when i couldn't finish them.

my productivity non-negotiables:

i always make sure to do at least one productive thing each day, even if it's small. some of my favorites:

reading 20 pages of a book

organizing one small area of my room

working on a creative project for 30 minutes

learning something new for my blog

planning content or taking photos

balancing productivity with summer fun ✨

here's my little secret: schedule your fun just like you schedule your work! this sounds silly but it actually helps me look forward to both. some of my favorite summer activities that feel refreshing but don't derail my productivity:

morning walks with an audiobook

afternoon picnics where i can also read or brainstorm

coffee shop work dates with friends

sunset swims after a productive day

weekend day trips that recharge my creativity

my favorite productivity tools:

a paper planner (something about writing things down just works better for me)

the forest app to stay off my phone when focusing

aesthetic notion templates for organizing my projects

time blocking in my calendar with cute colors

lo-fi summer playlists that help me concentrate

remembering the why 🤍

summer isn't just about getting things done or having the perfect instagram moments. it's about growing, reflecting, and creating memories that will make you smile in december when it's freezing outside. productivity should support your joy, not replace it!

i've found that my happiest summer days are when i accomplish something meaningful in the morning and then have the freedom to be spontaneous in the afternoon and evening. balance isn't perfect every day, and that's okay too.

what are your favorite ways to stay productive during summer break? i'd love to hear your tips too!

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[freewinnie]

NOT MIND.

your obsession with the void ends today.

yes! you no longer have to separate your consciousness from your physical body during hypnogogia. stop doing all that!!

what we're told about the void is simple; it is a space of thoughtlessness, where affirmations directly impress the subconscious mind and bring our desires into our reality, or for others, a place to shift from. we enter the void because it is thoughtless, but thoughtlessness can be found in other ways too.

now i want you to pretend that you nothing about the void. for a moment, be a baby shifter/baby manifestor, and if that actually is you, then this message is absolutely perfect for you.

i want to introduce you all to 'NOT MIND'. NOT MIND is your new void.

first thing you probably wanna ask me: wtf is NOT MIND?!

NOT MIND is pure consciousness. it is the void itself, but in the easily accessible form of the space between thoughts.

‘what do you mean by that?’ essentially, all you have to do is become thoughtless for short amounts of time in order for desires to come rushing to you and instantly manifest in your reality. our minds constantly have to process information. the mind loves to create work for itself; it makes us feel as if we need to reprogram and eliminate every single doubt, that we need to constantly align with our desired realities and persist from the end.

NOT MIND is an extension of us, just as we are pure consciousness. don’t think of it as a tool, because it is you. you don’t think of your hair as a tool because it is part of you. NOT MIND is a part of you.

i prefer NOT MIND because i can enter that state with ease at any and every time of the day, even with my ADHD. all i do in my mind is ask the question, ‘what will be my next thought?’ and then focus in that state for as long as possible. when doing this, i hear my breathing louder, and background noises are more intense. i remain indifferent to them.

you may also wanna ask, ‘how do you use NOT MIND?’

you can:

simply enter thoughtlessness with no aim (great for practice, desires will still manifest)

clearly set an intention before entering (this works best for me, and replaces what you would usually do in the void which is affirming whilst you’re there)

simply trust that everything will work out in your favour and then enter

the best thing about NOT MIND is that you can remain doubtful and you can question everything but as long as you take the time to become thoughtless every so often, things will still work out in your favour. this is because when you enter a thoughtless state, your mind remains indifferent to everything around you for as long as you can maintain it. you can also dip in and out of this thoughtless state. i can usually handle bursts of 10 seconds before my mind starts to wander, and then i return to asking the question ‘what will be my next thought?’ and the pure consciousness returns.

think of NOT MIND as your little pocket void state. whatever desire you want will manifest because NOT MIND is not affected by overthinking, vibrational levels etc. it is okay to worry about where your manifestation is with this because NOT MIND is an extension of you. it is not fazed or affected by the way you think or feel.

you cannot fail with NOT MIND. it is not possible. there is also no set amount of time you have to stay thoughtless for.

i know that this may be the first time you’ve heard of this, so please please PLEASE talk to me if you have any questions! i hope i explained it well enough 😭🙏🏾

i also recommend this video that may explain it a little better than i have - i just had to bring this to tumblr! (credit to brendan woods!)

with love,

winnie 💖

[florenzismind]

I know that everyone is like...focused on Great being a terrible person (and celebrating Tonkla for killing him lmao) but I think the original timeline just makes Great's story more tragic.

Since we essentially were in Great's head and he was trying to edit his own past, it revealed so much more about him in a way we would've never known with just the original timeline.

He wants his brother to care for him. He wants sweet, playful dates. He wants to see Thyme smile. He wants to innocently hold Thyme's hand and get his potential first kiss with him interrupted by Thyme's grandma. He wants their first time to be sweet and loving. Just for them. He wants Thyme to listen to him, understand him. He wants Thyme's eyes to soften.

Everybody has wondered why their scenes felt so disjointed but this explains it so much.

Great doesn't think, even in the depth of his subconscious, that his dad could change. Or his mom. Or even his brother. He doesn't crave for his family to be different. Or rather: He can't even possibly imagine that happening in any timeline. His circumstances stay the same.

Every bad decision Great makes, he still makes in his fanfic timeline. But he gets a chance to change it. He's forced to look at his own inactions and the consequences. He's not getting away with his passiveness anymore.

Great's achilles' heel is not that he gets off on hurting and using people. That's not who he is. He doesn't crave his father's approval (like Korn does), he doesn't want people to obey him and hurt them (like Title does) and he's not interested in portraying a certain image (compared to his parents).

Great revealed his deepest desires to Thyme in his wishful timeline: He's just lonely. He just wants to be loved. He wants someone to see him.

And yes, he's definitely spoiled and he's a coward. His achilles' heel is his own cowardice, his inability to decide something for himself, to be ACTIVE and not just passively react to things and let other people decide FOR him. He excuses his own actions with his passiveness because that's just the way he was taught. (Korn said it in the last episode: He will do the dirty work and Great can just blissfully live like everything's fine.) He's deeply anxious, reckless and almost numb to things around him before he meets Thyme in his original timeline.

He just accepts things for the way they are. And because he's surrounded by awful people, he became awful himself.

But original!Thyme miscalculated Great. Because Thyme himself is a morally grey person and hurts the people around him for his own gain (regardless of his motivations being right or wrong). He saw Great as a tool, as someone to use. He was too wrapped up in his own mission, his obsession with getting justice that he wasn't able to see Great for who he could potentially be: A person to love.

They could've been each other's salvation but instead become each other's tragedy.

Isn't that so sad? Thyme used Great and preyed on him. In the original timeline they maybe had like...what....one hour of genuine connection?

And yet – in his dying moment Great still wants Thyme. Still wants to be loved by him. Even in his dying moment Great wishes for them to be each other's haven.

[clickety-clacker]

Introducing: ARTIFRACTURE, my newest GGG AU!

Summary: When the rift was opened, the gods weren't entirely sucked from the rift... but some gods ended up losing more than others. Huzzle Mug and Click Clack have to work together to find the parts of their minds that they lost, with their quest being made much more difficult by two certain mortals...

More info below the cut!

To get a little bit more in depth, this AU relies heavily on my own personal headcanons of how gods function both physically and mentally, and how that can be manipulated and explored. It's also in part a foray into the relationship between Huzzle Mug and Click Clack, two gods I don't see interacting much, but I have a lot of thoughts on their relationship.

Essentially, a god is not just their body.

While their 'body' is their tool to interact with things (and is easier for them to control because they used to be humans), their entire realm within the rift is them. When Inspekta pries open the rift at the end of the game, you can see things from their realms flying out, forming the debris around the spire. This physically 'damages' the gods, and though the rift is closed, a lot of them are left very tired, drained, and sickly until they can recuperate.

But some gods lost more than others. Huzzle Mug and Click Clack both have something in common they don't share with the other gods- dual consciousnesses.

I've touched on this a bit for Click Clack in my fic Act Zero, but essentially...

When a god ascends, their mind is also changed to help them better process their new role, depending on their domain.

The human mind cannot properly multitask. Thus, gods who needed to constantly multitask had their consciousnesses split in two, which now work together as one being.

Huzzle Mug is the god off innovation, yes, but also the future. To be so good at inventing and innovating, it has to be able to see future possibilities. But seeing every possible future is too much for one mind to handle, so it has one mind that is constantly perusing futures, and one that's focused on making decisions in the present. The 'future sight' consciousness will supply any information of what will happen when the active/present consciousness decides something.

Click Clack does something similar. He has one mind that processes the script of the world- the narrator- and one that is the 'character' or the editor. One cannot be both!

But having two means they sit 'looser' within their realms, more prone to dislodging... and that's exactly what happens.

When parts of the God realm are sucked out of the rift, Huzzle Mug's future sight consciousness and Click Clack's character/editor conscious are sucked into the mortal realm.

This changes how they portray themselves, pictured above.

Click loses his 'face' as he's lost his character, and Huzzle Mug loses it's floating eyes and limbs. It also gets more splotchy and drippy when it gets emotional, and it's feet posses thumbs.

On the left is how they look at the 'beginning' of the AU, and on the right is how they look near the 'end' once they begin to function better together... and thus influence each other.

Meanwhile...

Disconnected from their realms and cut off from the rest of their bodies and minds, the parts of their consciousness they lost have to go dormant to survive (as opposed to fading into nothing), and take the form of objects. Click Clack's consciousness takes the form of a fountain pen, and Huzzle Mug's takes the form of a bag of marbles.

These items are found by Patience Zero and Dr. Cara respectively.

Though they're inert, they still possess some of their powers. The pen still has the power to make minor edits to the world, and the marbles still have the ability to tell possible futures. Patience uses the pens to actually edit her stories to make people enjoy them and listen to her, and Cara uses the marbles to evade getting in trouble... until one day, he gets a vision of Huzzle Mug finding him and Patience and being utterly pissed.

He assumes the worst, and goes out to find Patience, and convinces her to go 'on the run' or else the gods are going to hurt them. Not true, but fueled by paranoia, they go on the run... not realizing that what they possess aren't just objects that belong to the gods, but part of the gods themselves.

Huzzle Mug and Click Clack, on their own, struggle to function- but together, Click Clack's narration acts as Huzzle's future sight, and Huzzle acts as Click's 'character' and direction.

Equally, Patience and Cara have to work together to avoid capture from the gods and their followers.

There's a bit more to the AU, but this is the gist! If anyone ever has any questions, comments, concerns or thoughts, PLEASE feel free to send in asks! I'm happy to talk about them! :D

[toastytrusty]

i think it finally clicked what about cassian and luthen's relationship i find so compelling. when cassian officially joined the rebellion at the end of season one, he effectively surrendered all of his autonomy to luthen. "kill me or take me in." he literally put his life in luthen's hands. he clearly had very little will to live, and beyond giving luthen the choice to kill him, he gave luthen the choice to give him purpose again. and not Just purpose, either, but full control over the rest of his life, as well. he became part of the cause because he felt he had nothing else left, and was either going to effectively kill himself, or let someone else dictate every single thing he does until he dies anyway, now with a reason behind it, now able to plausibly deny it being wanted. it's simultaneously an admittance of defeat, where he is telling luthen that he won, and an act of defiance, where he is challenging luthen to discard him rather than use him. and obviously luthen would rather use him.

but then there is the bix aspect. cassian's hopelessness at the end of s1 implies that he did not, at that point, see bix as an adequate reason to keep going. not as a reason to stay alive, not as a reason to stay present in anyone else's life. it was not worth remaining an individual, for her sake or his own. and obviously a lot of that is from the insane depressive grief that the whole Ordeal of s1 + losing maarva was. but still. he was very closed off, and singlemindedly thinking about his own ability to give himself to the rebellion. which makes his protectiveness over her in s2 all the more compelling. he is repeatedly getting worked up over her well-being, and acting out in ways that are possibly jeopardizing to the rebellion. it's such a fascinating transition, and regardless of how they got there again, i think in season 2, cassian sees bix as his last place to be human. the one person in the galaxy he can be an individual with, rather than a tool. which is why, in my current, ever-evolving understanding of these characters, i think he gets so contradictory and confused about what he wants from her. he wants her to be strong and a soldier so they can go to war together, because the war is so terribly important to him, but he also wants her to prioritize her own safety over anything else and never put herself at risk, because if he loses her he loses himself. this is necessarily the conflict between them.

which comes to the incredible exchange between cassian and luthen about bix in episode 6 of s2, where we can see how much this conflcit is affecting cassian. he can't stand that luthen is potentially putting bix in danger, and can't stand that luthen is treating them like droids, rather than people. but then. then luthen Reminds cassian. he reminds cassian that he already surrendered his autonomy. he already surrendered his individuality. "we're not who we were when we started." cassian chose this; chose to change for this, chose to give up being a person for this. he doesn't get to now choose to put bix, his one haven, over it. she needs to be able to handle herself, because cassian asserting himself by worrying about her compromises their entire system. "you will have to decide when it becomes too large a problem." but cassian's response is the most important part: "no. that's gonna be up to you." he's essentially turning it back on luthen. if luthen expects him to remain compliant in the way his role calls for, then luthen needs to be fullfilling his side of it, and making sure cassian has an environment that he Can remain compliant in, without compromising anything. "you want my blood? you help me solve this." he is finally standing his ground on something to luthen, asserting himself in a way that is basically begging luthen to let him submit again. he wants to be part of the cause; he still wants to be able to lose himself in it, but he also needs bix, and will not give up the life he knows is possible to share with her.

[fridgemissionmaster]

Demons and Marriage: what this means and looks like to beings who exist for so long

What is marriage? A social construct, a means for companionship, or something else? Whatever the case may be, at this point whatever original purpose it was to have has changed over time. Hell, one can assume even before marriage people coupled up and stayed with one individual as partners for life.

But what about if you’re essentially immortal?

Are divorces common due to individuals simply getting tired after so long together? Or perhaps not, due to those people’s perception of time reaching much farther than our own?

Unfortunately, despite the game having a whole event (kinda 2) dedicated to this concept, and this being a ROMANCE game, we never get much information on how demons see marriage. Hell, it even is made very evident in-game trends in the human world influence the Devildom so who’s to say the concept of marriage isn’t one such thing, a new oddity the populace is fascinated about for a moment before moving on to the next thing. Lust, and Greed are major concepts in the Devildom, who’s to say they’d hold such a concept as ever lasting companionship with a single individual in high regard at all?

All we can do is speculate as to what this could be like.

Demon Society: what place could marriage have (control and companionship)

In older human society marriage seemed to have two major purposes, power and reproduction. Would these concepts apply to demons though?

One thing that is made very clear is that one’s place in the societal hierarchy in the Devildom is almost completely, if not solely determined by one’s strength, one’s power. Despite the brothers being fallen angels, and not having been around for long they were able to quickly carve out their place in society as the Devildom’s new seven rulers. In part could be in thanks to Diavolo, they were more easily able to settle in, but even with Diavolo, all eight of them clearly had decenters from all sides, angels, Devildom Elites, ect, who did not like this arrangement and wanted it to fail. Even Diavolo couldn’t fend off all that, the brothers still had to fight and prove themselves, if not worthy than at the very least capable. Capable of fighting back, capable of defending/not embarrassing their benefactor, capable of slinking into every crack and crevice of society, of embedding themselves to become irreplaceable, capable of making it so that their absence would surely spell destruction. Make themselves needed, useful.

With this logic marriage couldn’t be used as a method of ‘climbing up the social ladder’ as can happen in human society. Sure, it could be used as a short-cut, but if one can’t prove their strength they’ll be eaten alive.

If marriage were to be used as a tool for power, it’d likely only be among the elite. After all, what better way of making sure another family doesn’t try… I don’t know, eliminate your whole family to get more reach, than by getting a long standing hostage. If the demons were strong enough and had the motivation they would have clawed their way into power so the act of marriage could act as more of a bargaining chip, a way to declare peace or as a way to keep other families in check. Even if not strong enough, they are still greedy, prideful creatures and may try getting more power even if they don’t have the strength to reach it. Or perhaps, families could simply agree to marriage to pool their power, get more strength and alliances to take out bigger competition together.

For demons, unfortunately, marriage cannot be used to make a powerful heir, demons are incapable of making more of their own in such a way unlike humans, so marriage for them, if used as a tool can solely be used to make social ties, nothing more. Even then, IF they were capable of repopulating in such a way marriage isn’t a biological component needed for that process. (This is elaborated in this headcannon. Just jump to the section titled: Demon/Angel Bodies: how they operate lacking physicality (population and family))

Sure all the above could technically apply to lesser demons, but as seen time and time again, lesser demons can’t even hold a candle to the strength of their nobility.

Then do they have any use for marriage?

Well, what use is marriage to the lower and middle classes of human society? It really just depends on the individuals, sometimes it’s to get on another’s insurance, maybe they love one another and want to keep each other close, perhaps they feel pressured to by outside forces like family or religion.

I did say before demons are a more promiscuous bunch somewhere in the opening paragraphs, but that exact statement can also be turned around. I mean just look at the brothers and how over and over they fight to keep you all to themselves. If nothing else, if not even for the romance of it all, marriage could be common for the sake of wanting to lay claim to another.

I believe that marriage as a concept wouldn’t be foreign to demons, but it also wouldn’t be the most common practice, more so something reserved for the elite in their constant power struggles. After all, as sad as it may sound, living for so long it’s only natural for things to just change over time, to just grow apart into different people. Lesser demons do marry but more often than not they forgo that to simply enjoy their time together, move in, ect. Perhaps later on they would but it’s not a guarantee or pressure to do so, not from society at least. There are few to no social benefits to marriage for lesser demons at least. Human society places such an importance on marriage and having kids but when the whole ‘having kids’ thing is eliminated, society doesn’t have much of a need for marriage outside of tradition or control. (Yes there are technically other things such as being a dual income household, but that kinda stuff is more dependent on individual couples and their dynamic and what they want and I can’t account for EVERY possibility.)

Demons and Courting: Showing Interest

SO! This may be a topic less related to marriage specifically and coupling in general, but the concepts are intrinsically intertwined, how is a demon to show they have an interest in another?

Well, just as many forms as humans have to express their interest, verbally, gift giving, ect, demons do those too. However if one were to pin down specific behaviors it would be going out of the way for their person of interest. Acts of service. Getting someone their favorite tea without them asking when their tired, carrying their bookbag on the way back from school, if the person they like is shorter rearranging the kitchen shelves so the things they get frequently are within reach.

The most romantic form of flirting to a demon is little everyday moments of making life easier. One can boast of their love as much as they want, or even kiss and to showoff one’s wealth, but for naturally selfish beings to accommodate another in their life, to be so filled with thoughts of another to try and want to improve their life in even the smallest, most easily overlooked of ways? Swoon worthy. Big shows are just that, shows, but little thing require thought, require dedication, and THAT is what demons find attractive DEDICATION.

Sure, MC helped mend a broken family so it makes sense why the brothers fell for them, but what about the others? Even if it wasn’t for them directly, time and time again they all witnessed this human’s dedication they give to those they love, who wouldn’t want someone like that to look their way? To be on the receiving end of that?

This, little everyday moments, thought of another, also explains why true demons, and not fallen angels, have positive interactions with being ignored in ‘Surprise Guest’. The brothers, are not true demons, and they live rather separated from demon kind, mostly keeping to their own despite being rulers, so some of their actions is more reminiscent of angels, they aren’t truly bathed in demon culture and ideology, nor do they completely still carry angelic ideologies either, a little of both, not completely aligned with one or the other in their actions.

However, Diavolo, Barbatos, and Solomon all have a deep understanding of demon culture, they can see the charm of being ignored. The worst thing that another can do to a demon is neutrality, to not care one way or the other at all. However, to be ignored? For someone to just exist beside them, that is a special, and a rarer kind of effort one can’t find in too many other forms. It takes a lot of work to not react to another’s presents or to simply exist beside another, to so willingly share a space. That’s something only true demons or one who truly understands their culture could see the dedication that action requires. (Technically Simeon has ONE ‘Surprise Guest’ line where he likes being ignored but the line is “I didn't expect to run into you at such an hour. What's wrong? Couldn't sleep?” I interpret that is he assumes you’re falling asleep, and THAT’S what he likes, not the action itself)

Related Tangent: To reject their feelings is to reject that demon’s existence Though many imagine demons as cunning, conniving creatures they are much more honest and blunt than their angelic counterparts. If a demon likes you, you’ll know it. Demons being less physical than humans in their existence (more on this here) emotions ARE them. Humans tend to separate and compartmentalize everything, to the extent that we tend to treat our mind and emotions as separate from the person, as things that happen TO and are not FROM or PART of us. To demons hiding their emotions is strange behavior because in essence, that’s hiding who you are. There are some exceptions like embarrassment, or if one were unsure about their own feelings, but these feelings are never ignored or separate from them. Demons are all about living in the moment, indulging in any desire NOT being honest with how one is feeling is simply counter productive to that. However this in itself has consequences should one reject a demon. To reject a demon’s feelings is to reject them as a whole not just their attraction to you. That is why, even if you have a partner or clear favorite among the cast, the rest still make their feelings known, they’re not trying to push themselves upon you, you may not feel the same, but they are still friends and family and with some exceptions depending on the person, one likely wouldn’t want to reject them as a whole. So one accepts that they have these feelings, but perhaps not reciprocate them. Rejecting someone and not reciprocating another’s feelings are seen as TWO VERY DIFFERENT INCIDENTS FROM EACH OTHER!

There is however one other form that is a more specific form of dedication, and that is the act of creation. To create is to put a part of yourself into it whether it be emotion or time. Most often found in the form of cooking or sewing this can also just be seen as a caring act in general… IF you are a demon. HOWEVER if one is human and do this, ANYTHING that takes time from your terribly short life to create? That is priceless, that could be akin to proposing if you say the right things. It’s one thing to give a gift for a holiday or make dinner when it’s your turn the recipient could brush it off, but any ‘just because’ gifts? Whoever you gave that too will likely be asking you some interesting questions very soon like where you’d want to move and if you’d want one wedding, or two so you could have a separate ceremony in each world, or how weddings are done in the human world in general. Or they may just burst into tears on the spot and hug you, promising to make you the happiest person to have ever lived and thanking you for choosing them out of everyone.

Demon Marriage: The Ceremony/ Post Marriage/Coupled Traditions

So you and your sweetheart want to get hitched, how do you do that?

As marriage as a concept is not held in as high a regard as it is for humans, the wedding ceremony in particular doesn’t have to go any particular way. Some demons might just throw a giant party, others may go into the wilds and hunt the worst beast they can find as a way of solidifying their bond through shared strength, some do nothing and treat proposing as the marriage itself and call it a day.

For humans a marriage ceremony generally has religious undertones, from the event being held in churches, to swearing to god, ect. Demons obviously do not want blessing from ‘Father’ for their own unions.

Though demons do not have much of a ceremony generally should demons decide to wed they create something together, something they pour all of themselves into making, a pure expression of their partnership. The two most common forms this takes are either ‘their call’ or a dance/song.

Generally if one is not in a relationship with a demon one would not see or experience any ‘calls’ or ‘song/dance’ second hand. Demons are their emotions and to do either of these publicly would be showing such a raw part of one’s self, something too close. These acts are demons attempts to connect with their partners as deeply as they can. The act of using emotion, to create using themselves, to expose all of themselves with their partner, that’s what these are. To tie one another together. These are what they generally have in place of a wedding ceremony.

Their Call:

Demon language can at times be slightly more guttural than humans or angels. A chirp for explanation here, a cackle as a swear there, demons speak like this all the time, it’s mixed into words and tone, but since humans partially can’t comprehend demons and angels’ existence the little the brain can understand usually interprets these sounds as either being off in the distance or giving whoever is speaking a ‘Devildom accent’.

Though Angels technically have the capacity to make these sounds too, the act of doing so is looked down upon, to make these sounds is to act on instinct and to act on instinct, to not have ‘perfect self-control’ is to be seen as a demonic trait.

A ‘Call’ in essence is a nickname. A new special name solely for one’s partner/spouse/mate. This call is made up of these guttural sounds solely. Generally the kinds of sounds one can hear being made reflect what base class the demon is (more on this here jump to Demon/Angel Bodies: more sensitive to the nonphysical (heat cycle)) although there are some exceptions. Once such is Satan, though his base class elemental his sounds usually come out as the hissing of a fire being put out with water, for a mate however his call would be more akin to guinea pig chirps (he has tried mimicking cat chirps for himself but to no avail). A partner’s ‘call’ should over time come naturally to a demon, even more so than their partner’s proper name. It’s rarer to hear such calls though, as generally they are only used in private, or around family.

The Song/Dance:

This is just as it says on the tin. The demons make a song and/or dance that encompasses all that they are to each other. Some demons’ engagements last centuries because they are still practicing and refining this together and only once they are satisfied will they be wed. Songs/dance are one of the most emotion filled things one can create so for these beings to do this as a form of deep connection comes very naturally.

Some keep it simple to a short tune, something they can whistle or hum to one another in greeting and shared with one another often. Some make a whole choreography and save performing it for special occasions only. Some use magic to make the music while they dance, some keep small portable instruments on hand always to play it together.

Given the lifespan of demons on occasion they simply have to be separated for long periods of time due to work, or one’s physical form dieing and needing time to regenerate, or reuniting after another cycle of destruction of the three worlds (more on that here… kinda jump to the fourth paragraph under Demon/Angel Bodies: how they operate lacking physicality (population and family)), to make sure it truly is one another they do their song/dance, after all only their partner(s) know it by heart.

Should the MC marry Beelzebub, Beel being a more simple guy would likely go for something where the MC sings lyrics they wrote while he takes the lead in a dance with him doing most of the work. He’d likely be one to hum the melody to himself or MC rather regularly. It’d likely end up sounding something like Mili’s Gluttony.

For someone with more complex tastes Mephistopheles could be taken for example. Something so grand and complicated like his feelings for you. If one were to marry HIM, he’d except nothing less than someone he sees as a true equal. A duet where you both share equal work in dancing and similar amounts of time singing is what he’d insist upon. Something like Valkyrie’s Le temps des fleurs. Lyrics and something like this Dance but different since not performed for an audience, only each other. Mephisto being a romantic would always wish to perform with you on special occasions, this includes date nights.

And THAT is what I believe marriage would be like for demons.

Idk how to end this, the last headcannon post thing has a much easier transition to a conclusion than this one…

Guess I can state why I made this? Or my headcannons in general.

Obey Me! Season One of the OG game, as a concept, FACINATES me. I love these games and the characters they present but I feel sometimes they fall short of their potential, but that’s understandable, what I want and what they’re trying to accomplish are two separate things. I came into this with the idea of a cultural exchange program. I wanted to see the differences between this world’s demon and human societies, and since this was a dating sim and not just a visual novel, how beings having relationships with differing cultural backgrounds would effect that. And yet to me it feels like demons are just… more magical humans with cool looking accessories and some murdery tendencies.

AND NOW I HAVE MORE TO ADD AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NEW APP LITERALLY AS I WAS FINISHING THIS!!!

I sincerely doubt we’ll ever get to see too much cultural differences or Devildom culture in general, at least not the parts of it I’d like to explore. Especially more so since they are specifically calling this an ‘app’ and not a ‘game’ so idk if there will be too many visual novel elements to it or not.

I make headcannons because I’ve grown to loves these characters and this world and want to see it fleshed out, but in-game only so much time can be allocated to the hierarchy structure of demons, especially with a cast as big as OM!’s with just about all of them being romancable in a romance game. So instead I’ve allowed it space in my mind, my life, to ruminate on this and explore concepts I can only dream would be looked into. And it’s a fun convenient excuse to keep doing so. Although I probably would be doing so anyway.

[no-context-daf-yomi]

Talmud Study Resources

This will hopefully be an ever growing list. If you have any Talmud study resources you like (online or in print), please send them to me and I’ll update accordingly!

The most important resource for study is community, so if you have a local synagogue, check if they have study group

Free Online Resources

Sefaria Mishnah — reading the Mishnah first can make the Gemara easier

Sefaria Talmud — the go-to free online translation. I believe it uses the Koren translation

Daf Yomi — daily image of the day’s daf with audio of it being read (not translated as far I can tell)

Hadran Courses — Absolutely top notch courses to give you the tools to study Talmud. Cannot recommend this enough.

New addition! Hebrewbooks.org — quality pdf scans of the Vilna Shas. Also advertises 64,962 classical Hebrew books available for free download

New addition! Mercava — tools for translation, marking up, and displaying pages of Talmud. Only displays the central column, Rashi, and the Tosafot, but Torah Or and Mesoret haShas can also be accessed and Rashi script can be changed to block

New addition! Jastrow — free, searchable version of Jastrow’s famous dictionary for Hebrew and Aramaic

Books

Your local Shul’s library probably has a copy of these or similar books! They are far from the only books on these topics

Reference Guide to the Talmud by Rabbi Steinsaltz

I love this book. It has the answers for almost every question a beginner could ask, from how a page of Talmud is laid out to the basics of Mishnaic Hebrew and Aramaic

The Practical Talmud Dictionary by Yitzhak Frank

Not a comprehensive dictionary of Mishnaic Hebrew and Aramaic in comparison to Jastrow’s work, but it has a lot and is simple to use

Grammar for Gemara & Targum Onkelos: An Introduction to Aramaic by Yitzhak Frank

Sister text to The Practical Talmud Dictionary. Good for beginners with at least some knowledge of Hebrew

Everyman’s Talmud by Abraham Cohen

Basic overview of topics covered in the Talmud. Very dense

The Essential Talmud by Rabbi Steinsaltz

More digestible than Cohen’s book, but not as comprehensive

[mahasenelkhatib]

Help Mahasen, a Digital Artist from Gaza and Her Family!

Hello, I am Mahasen,a Digital Artist from North Gaza, where creativity thrives despite challenges. Verified by @90-ghost here

PLEASE DONATE HERE

In this tough situation, I am a digital artist finding solace and resilience through my art .. pixels and colors.

For over a decade, I've navigated the freelance world, weaving intricate digital tapestries that reflect the beauty and strength of my surroundings.

My father died, and I am the main provider for my family.

Before the war, I worked with international companies in motion graphics,

specializing in character design and storyboarding.

The conflict forced us into repeated evacuations, and our home suffered damage, including the theft and destruction of my essential art equipment and tablet. Each stolen piece held not just monetary value but years of dedication and creativity and hard work. We are left HOMELESS, UNSAFE, SICK with VERY LITTLE FINANCIAL SECURITY!

Our family consists of:

• My mother, 62 years old.

• My sister Mai, 35 years old, who is also visually impaired.

• Myself,Mahasen, 31 years old.

• My brother Mohammed, 28 years old, who is visually impaired.

• My brother's wife Iman, 28 years old.

• My youngest brother Amin, 21 years old.

Your support is crucial as I rebuild what was lost. Your contribution will help replace my tools and restore hope and creativity. And mainly for my family's safety, ability to survive the current situation and community.

Together, we can affirm that art is more than expression,

it is a lifeline that connects us and enlighten even the darkest moments.

Expenses Needed:

• Travel arrangements to Egypt ( $5000 per person ) for 6 family members.

• Living expenses to survive the current situation in Gaza.

• Buying art equipment and tablet to recover what I've lost and be able to work again.

• Living and transportation expenses during the initial period of travel.

• Food and medical expenses.

Every donation counts! Your support makes a real difference for my family and me.

Please consider contributing and sharing to help us.

Please Help Share AND Donate

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[sightseertrespasser]

"I have a whole other tangent I could elaborate on about Tacnet specifically" Staring at you with big HUGE eyes. I would love to hear the tangent

Alrighty then.

First things first, what is Tacnet?

Sometimes also referred to as a Battle computer, Tacnet is short for Tactical Network and its ostensibly the worlds most demented excel spreadsheet.

In more literal terms, Tacnet is a type of supercomputer.

Supercomputers are incredibly useful pieces of technology. Able to run simulations, predictive algorithms and utilizing real world statistics to essentially speculate the past, present or future. The bottleneck for a regular old supercomputer is that someone has to sit down and manually input all the information necessary for those calculations.

You want to know what kind of gun made that specific bullet hole?

Well first the supercomputer needs the ballistics data off as many kinds of guns as possible, then it needs data on the material that was shot, and it also needs as much information as possible on the bullet hole in question.

You skip out on any of that input and the odds of the supercomputer being correct gets progressively lower.

Problem is, the supercomputer can’t actually think, and therefore can’t estimate how accurate its own calculations are. A computer works in total binary. If it only has the ballistic data for three kinds of guns, it doesn’t matter how much the bullet hole doesn’t match the data sets its been provided, the supercomputer will select whichever of the three matches the hole the most closely.

A computer, no matter how advanced, is incapable of knowing when it doesn’t know something.

But people on the other hand. . .

We turn now to an ambitious young R&D developer many millennia ago.

Once upon a time, this member of Research and Development was on the team responsible for designing new Cold Constructed mechs for Sentinel Prime. And they had a GREAT idea.

“I’ve got it!” They say, unaware of the ominous music rising in the background.

“The great powers of the supercomputer cannot be realized within its current limitations! Its greatest flaws are that it must be stationary, it must be manually fed information and all calculations it does generate must be reviewed by a thinking mech!”

Their coworkers groan. It’s too early in the morning for this shit.

“Therefore!” The mech says, quickly sketching out a box full of smaller boxes that is supposed to be a computer and the miserable approximation of a mech.

“We simply remove the separation, and make the mech itself the data intake for the supercomputer!”

Lightning crashes in the distance, someone tiredly gets the fire extinguisher. Again.

It’s not a hard sales pitch for a totalitarian government to go “Yeah we want super-cops. Here’s the money, make it happen.”

And in a tale as old as capitalism, an untested feature was rolled out with catastrophic consequences.

If you’ve read my tangent on how Crashes work, then you already know about logic cascades.

Tacnet is a supercomputer. A tool. Like any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it, and someone who really doesn’t know what they’re doing is liable to hurts themselves.

So what can Tacnet really do in the hands (or processor) of a master?

Some psychic-type level nonsense. Anyone who’s gotten the hang of their Tacnet, in their own fields of expertise, are able to know exactly what will happen before anyone else.

Let’s compare Smokescreen, Bluestreak and then Prowls Tacnets and how they’re used.

Every Tacnet starts the same, but can be developed and trained to excel at different things.

Smokescreen - Place Your Bets

Smokescreen has trained his to work best for gambling. “Training” can be anything from downloading tables of statistical analysis to personally observing the phenomenon and making notes.

Let’s look at rolling dice. If you rolled a six sided die, any number is equally likely to be rolled. Or 16.67 % odds for each.

So if 3 dice are rolled, then every total value outcome from 3 to 18 must be equal odds as well, right?

Nope! If three six sided dice are rolled, there is a 12.5 % (or 25% if you combine them) chance it’ll be a 10 or 11. And that’s out of sixteen possible outcomes.

So if you know the difference but your opposition doesn’t, then suddenly you have a huge advantage while betting. And this is just the most simplified example I can think of.

If you’ve got the time, statistics are absolutely wild and there’s a mathematical equation for pretty much anything.

All Smokescreen has to do to get good at a game is learn the rules and then plug in the numbers. You know how card counting will get you banned from most casinos? Well Smokescreens worked that out too. Talking to other players (collecting preexisting data points) he can find the average of how much he can win in a night before people get too pissy.

Another thing Smokescreen has going for him (especially over Prowl) is that Smokescreen is much better at reading people. He doesn’t just have statics on the games, but the players.

Mapping out the connections between individuals and taking personal motivations into account, Smokescreen at his peak can not only predict who the winners will be, but he can also predict who will loose on purpose, who will bet the most, who will cheat and who will seek to take their winnings by force.

Experience, experience, experience is the golden ticket.

Also, it’s Smokescreen himself who has to craft the profiles of his victims gambling buddies. Once fleshed out, Tacnet can do wonders mid game, giving Smokescreen room to focus on his social schemes instead.

Luckily, after the burning of Praxus, most people don’t really know what a Tacnet is truly capable of. So Smokescreen looses just often enough to keep folks from realizing that he always knows how every game will play out before they even start.

Bluestreak - Shoot Your Shot

Going in the opposite direction of utility, Bluestreaks Tacnet is all about kinetic calculations.

This fucker is doing the type of math that’s more letters than numbers. Constantly.

Air resistance, velocity, acceleration, gravity, weight, density, temperature, vector, displacement and time.

There’s equations that call for each and every one of those factors, usually in combination.

Your average sniper, even a good one, is usually considering wind speeds, the pull of gravity and the distance from the target when lining up a shot. Bluestreak is taking in all that and then working out the influences of about 15 more factors on top of that. Even before he’s picking where exactly on the target he’s going to hit. Since remember, if he’s got data on not just his own weapons but his enemies defenses, then it really becomes as simple as “would you like them disabled or dead?”

Aim is no longer a question of ability, but an equation to be solved.

Still, physical capabilities does play a part since a steady hand goes a long way towards realizing those calculations.

Tacnet may crunch the numbers, but Bluestreak is the one who has to find all the details relevant to the shot and pick which ones to feed to the machine.

Additionally, Bluestreaks Tacnet in particular has the experimental feature of massively increasing the amount of sensory data he can take in per second, effectively causing him to perceive things in slow motion. This is less something Tacnet is doing, and more a case of Bluestreaks own processor utilizing the bandwidth normally taken up by Tacnet.

Tacnet itself takes a substantial amount of power to run. Normally, it causes problems by siphoning too much power from other systems to do its job (see logic cascade crashes). But Bluestreak has the funny little quirk of somehow doing that in reverse. So when his sense of time dilation becomes maxed out, Tacnet isn’t running the formulas to help him shoot anymore, it’s just Bluestreaks own skills at that point.

Outside of that rare circumstance, Bluestreak is effectively playing with aimbot in real life.

Prowl - Know Your Fate

So we’ve established that Tacnet is powered by mathematical formulas and data collection.

What would happen if someone just, kept going? Kept feeding it? Building up more and more infrastructure for Tacnet to grow around until it has a point of reference for almost anything?

You get an oracle.

Prowl puts the Tactical back into Tacnet. He’s essentially the Jack of all Trades and Master of several of those subjects actually.

Sure, Smokescreen has him beat for behavioral analysis, and Bluestreak is leagues beyond what Prowl can calculate for trajectories. But no one has doubled down on what Tacnet can really do like Prowl has.

You know that (not actually true) statistic about how humans only use 25% of their brains? That’s your average Tacnet user.

Prowl just happens to be insane.

He is constantly taking in new data. He is constantly taking notes, making observations, stripping it down to the raw numbers involved and packing it away into monumental resource centers for Tacnet to refer to.

You ever see someone who’s really good with excel sheets and then see them do some shit you didn’t know excel sheets could even do?

It’s kinda like that.

If you’ve ever read the classic Sherlock Holmes stories, a lot of what makes Sherlock so effective is having such a detailed knowledge of the world around him.

Let’s go back to the bullet hole analysis.

Prowl could look at the bullet hole and tell you after two minutes: “It was this specific Cargo vessel at this time with an illegal weapon.”

From the outside, this looks like a baseless guess. But to Prowl it looks like this:

a) The gun must be a new imported weapon as nothing he currently has on file matches the marking its made in that kind of material.

b) The shooter not only missed their shot, but was shooting downward at an excessive angle. Indicating this was a very large mech firing downward at a much smaller target, likely a mini bot.

c) The shooter can be exactly tracked by looking at the local registry for recent out bound flights, specifically ones with no cargo.

Why? Because the shooter is most likely a transport shuttle. Easy access to imported goods, very large but not a war frame (hence the missed shot) and having failed to kill their victim, would flee town immediately without waiting to take on cargo.

Of those two minutes it took, he spent 1:30 waiting for the flight records to load so he could look up the name of the shuttle.

Scale those skills up to a war room, and Prowl not only knows why an enemy troop is retreating, but where they’re retreating to, what losses they must have taken and whether or not it’ll be worth it to finish the job.

Prowl isn’t smart because he has a Tacnet. Tacnet is OP because Prowl is that smart.

When I write his perspective, Prowl often has an accuracy percentage attached to his calculations. Tacnet isn’t the thing making those estimates. Prowl is the one judging how accurate Tacnets suggestions are.

Dudes just a freak.

—————————

In summary, Tacnet is like if you had every kind of calculator in your pocket and the only limit was how many equations you’ve added on and the amount of information you can feed it.

That last bit is the biggest challenge for Tacnet, as conflicting or flawed data can cause. . . Issues. Aka Logic Cascades. Aka “Why can’t I make it make sense.” Disease.

Let’s just say there’s a reason not many people know what Tacnet is capable of, as a lot of early Praxian Enforcers could be taken out by confusing emotions, plot holes, and particularly well executed magic tricks.

Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when your new shiny police force can be hospitalized by watching Back to the Future 2.

Being one of the first Cold Constructs built with a Tacnet, Smokescreen figured out how to mostly get around that glitch early on and taught Prowl and Bluestreak how to do the same. In this particular setting, Tacnet is poorly understood and best kept mostly secret for those reasons.

(Bizarrely, between Tacnet and the radar uses of doorwings, Prowl and his brothers would actually be really good at predicting the weather.)

———————————————————————

Bonus bit: Good fucking lord it would absolutely terrifying if you could somehow combine Smokescreen, Prowl and Bluestreaks skills into like a Tacnet hivemind or something.

Though with wing speak, to an outsider that’s probably what it already looks like.

———

The three brothers look at the same bullet hole, silently communicating in a way the local non-Praxian officer couldn’t pick up on.

“Oh yeah, looks like Rotor didn’t like Brick cutting into his half of the dirty money. Slippery little guy but you can find both their hideouts here and here.” Smokescreen, the eldest, pulls up a map for reference.

Prowl is already out the door, Bluestreak is lining up a shot through the window.

“What is he. . ?” The other officer looks from Bluestreak. Then to Prowl, trailing off, “Where is the other one. . ?”

“Oh Prowls off to arrest the shooter.”

“But he’s a grounder, can’t Rotor fly?”

A shot rings out.

“Not anymore!”