#the 2024 goal is to finish it lol

[allylikethecat]

Happy First Birthday to Make Way for Ducklings 🎂

A year ago today (before I had even made this Tumblr) I started posting my first The 1975 fic on AO3 and was full heartedly convinced I was going to get chased out of the fandom. Instead everyone was so kind and lovely and supportive and welcoming and all around wonderful! So thank you all so very much to anyone who has taken the time to read Ducklings, send me an ask about it, or read any of my fics at all. I’m super grateful for your support! And also mind blown that you’re still here following along with me a year later 🥰

I had planned on having a new chapter up today to celebrate, then realized I am going to be traveling all day and I still need to make a few revisions- so maybe it will get posted today, maybe not. Regardless thank you so much again for reading and the support and welcoming in this little online community ❤️🥰

[seaofreverie]

Sparkstember Day 28: The Sparks Brothers

I'm not a movie person... So when I do actually rewatch a movie (I mean, even watch it, at ALL, haha) it must really mean that something is up. I mean, well, it also IS a thorough, highly enjoyable and visually appealing movie about a band that I've been so incredibly invested in for the past several months. So maybe it's a surprise that I don't watch it more often actually. Because one beautiful side-effect of seeing it each time was getting an unexpected and very strong surge of motivation to keep on going towards the things that matter to me the most, despite any and all obstacles that could appear on the way. Another side-effect of it is being happy and joyfull and being filled with warm feelings and thoughts for the whole following day at least. Usually up to 3 days afterwards actually.

But ok, of course, what I'm getting at is that the Maels' story is so incredibly inspirational. Seeing how they persevered through all those years and NEVER lost their spirit or their vision, never gave up... is not only moving but also something that reminds me that wow, so much *really* is possible. I spent so many years fully convinced that there are things that I'll never be able to achieve. And sure, some of them are indeed pretty unlikely to happen. But if you told me from even one year ago that I'd be making art daily and not dreading being so much as perceived anywhere in the great world (so, including the internet)... well, I would have not believed it at all. I really mean it when I say that I used to believe that there are things that I'll just never be able to do. It's like it was simply not meant for me to be able do it and have those experiences. And yet...!

There's a lot I owe Sparks and this is one of the biggest things I'll always be grateful for. They really changed my life for the better. Truly nothing else before them reaches the same degree of how much it helped me. And well, I'm saying this on TSB day because this is where this feeling of gratitude and feeling SO lucky becomes the strongest. And the beautiful thing about it all is that they were always just themselves. They had their vision, they knew what they wanted to do and didn't care about how it would be received. Which is such an important and meaningful message to me, I can't even express how huge it is to me to see these two people who only really had themselves and their endurance and got exactly where they wanted to be.

Alright, some less grandiose observations now. Well, let's start with the fact that this was by no means my introduction to Sparks but it still really cemented my love for them even more. I loved being reminded of their whole journey and learning more about it, and even moreso I loved being able to see more of their beautiful brotherly bond and their wonderful personalities. Truly no other people in this whole world make me as happy as them currently. And the brothers' sense of humour hits super close to mine, so this is also a time filled with genuine laughs (I die laughing at the absolutely true Sparks facts at the end EVERY TIME). And since I'm a huge fan of animation and mixed media art and such things, this was simply a joy to view for my more artistically-inclined side too.

And damn, those two hours and 15 minutes really fly by so fast. When I have to arrange a huge timeslot to watch it all in one go, because that's the only way to do it for me, and then it feels like no time has passed anyway. And even with so much being said there, it feels like there's still so much more to get to. But it's still enough to lift my spirits completely for a pretty long time. And to make me cry a lot of the time too... Absolutely impossible to not shed a tear by the end of it all. It's moving, it's funny as heck, it's super fun and it's absolutely beautiful and truly lifechanging. 💖

[icewindandboringhorror]

recent things

[acaciapines]

just started getting back into my owl house daemon au to start the big editing push and. okay one WOW i forgot how much rewriting i'll have to do for arc one but also. oh my god it's been like two months? something? since i finished, and i haven't looked at it much since, and...

wild!! to go back to it!! i wrote all of this! this was a year and a half of my life! and here i am, returning to it, and im so EXCITED, to get to experience this daemon au from the start.

and actually make it good <3 man im making some HUGE revisions lol. mari and luz had an entire roleswap as i figured them out more! settled forms changed! the good witch azura is like, way more thematically relevant!

but also just coming back to the start, like...man. there they are.

still cannot believe i wrote nearly 900k words of owl house fanfiction. anyways.

[amarenamoccha]

A little update on my reading list:

August Blue - Deborah Levy

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Café - Mary Simses

The Guest - Emma Cline

Sistersong - Lucy Holland

The Bear and the Nightingale - Katherine Arden

Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia Woolf

Let me know if you want a more detailed review on these books!

[okiria]

eventually i would REALLY love to do a challenge where i go through a f/o playlist and draw something based on every song on it

[girltomboy]

I feel better today. Bf called me in the morning and stayed with me until I started working seriously. I ate the leftovers from last night's tuna salad with some pretzels and it was much better cold straight from the fridge. I made myself a decaf, called that difficult customer (actually his situation was difficult not him, but it's all solved now anyway), had a quick talk with my manager who expressed her regrets that I have to spend xmas on my own. And tbh I needed that. Just needed someone else to see me and feel for me. But I was already cheered up and I don't really think about that anymore. I placed an online order for a metal grinder, a film for my camera, and a cat notebook 🧍‍♀️ I might have a notebook problem. But okay my 2024 resolution is to fill up at least 1 of the unused notebooks I have. With just anything: doodles, short rhymes, various thoughts, stickers, stuff I'd normally write in my notes app. My manager gave me an idea (not on purpose): she said she's currently using a page from her new notebook to write down the names of all the people who disappoint her. And why. And she also shared some of the entries and they're about a coworker who made a misogynistic joke. And I'm like... might as well copy that idea. I'm always afraid that people might open my notebooks and read them, even though that never actually happens. Just some bad leftover childhood trauma, but idk how to move past it. I guess just asking myself: what's the worst thing that could happen? should be of help. Like okay so what if they read it? But my family used to use anything they read in my notebooks or diaries against me. One time my grandma yelled at me and asked me to explain myself because I wrote the lyrics to a love song I liked in a notebook of mine. And she didn't know they were song lyrics. To this day I can't listen to that song without cringing. If I'm safe from that particular risk now, is my fear less rational?

[wekillitwithfire]

almost done reading frankenstein ^^

[fillinforlater]

The Archive of Smite

This page belongs to the writer named Smite. He wrote fics starting in September of 2021 up until April 2024. In these 2,5 years, over 8.000 people followed him to read some of the craziest k-pop girl group smut out there. Almost 150 stories of sex in all kinds of positions, for many reasons, all over the world (and in outerspace), with too many kinks to count.

"When I started, I kinda wanted to become the best. I wanted my favorite writers at the time - Levi, Peach, Sins, and many more - to know that I could write as good as they can. I wanted to go wilder and crazier."

Smite, though ambitious, was also stupid and naive. At roughly the same time he started writing, two other community legends began their careers. IZ and Kaede crushed everything in their sight, especially the former becoming an absolute legend.

"Writing was fun. At times, it was escapism from everyday worries. At other times, it was fulfillment of fantasies I could never reach. Mostly though, it was just horny. BFH that just became words. If you go through my Masterlist, you might see which idols had some random heights or were just... Always on my hot list."

Smite never really stopped writing, not for long stretches that is. It didn't really occur to him that there might be a sudden, drastic reason to stop. He considered doing so anyways. Something about writing porn about irl people without them knowing or wanting - needless to say, it is an odd hobby. Nevertheless, he enjoyed it amd the community it brought with it.

"I fucking love these guys. So many hilarious peoplefrom all over the world. One became like my best friend, a rock during my emotional struggles. Another was my boyfriend for a short time. Man, I screwed up with him kekw. There are too many to mention. I've had long talks with some, others just came by and listened to me mald or something. I love you all, some of you I consider true friends - part of my soul - and I feel connected, even if you are thousands of miles away."

2024 started stressful for Smite. The pressure of Uni started to collapse on him. Even the thought of big kpop concerts wasn't enough to cheer him up. Luckily though, there was this girl. Sweet, kind, caring and in the same position. Soon, he had found something that seemed impossible. She was in love with him and he in love with her. And when everything unraveled.

"I stopped writing. I burried my drafts. I finished only one story and released it way later. I'm sorry I didn't announce it properly, but I just felt that this smut writing career was over. I don't regret it - I gained something beautiful I want to keep for the rest of my life. She is at least as pretty as Minju, so I call that the biggest win imaginable lol."

So no more smuts from Smite?

"99% no"

No more fanfictions/girl group stories in general?

"Eh, 80% no. Still some unfinished angst that I would love y'all to read tho"

Will you ever reach those 150 fics?

"We will see. In this count there are fics with less than 1000 words. I might just sneeze and finish it kekw"

Any fic you regret not writing?

"Not really? Maybe a proper ending for Starship: Horizon? Or yet another Minju fic? Futa stuff? Gaeul angst x female reader? Or how about a fic with 69 different idols at once? Who but me would dare to write something so stupid?"

Do you think you reached your initial goal?

"Do I consider myself the GOAT? No. That title belongs to either Peach, Levi or IZ. But I know that of my now 8.700 followers some consider me their favorite writer. I'm flattered and thank you very much for reading amd enjoying my work."

Now for the most important question: does this post mean you are finally leaving the community behind for good? Is this your last hoorah?

"..."

"Never."

[seraphinitegames]

The Wayhaven Chronicles - Update 26/October/2024

This week, I powered forward on Chapter 5 waaay faster than expected! By the time I finish up tomorrow, I think I’ll be looking to have the writing done by early next week! :D

In fact, I’ve caught up so well after the doozy of a chapter that was Chapter 3, that I’ll be looking to go over my schedule next week to update my goals and bring them forward!

For those asking about the next demo, it’ll contain Chapters 3 and 4, and then there will be another demo release with chapter 5 and possibly 6, depending on where I hope to leave it.

Chapter 3 came back from the readers this week also, so I’ll be updating any bugs/errors they found, and chapter 4 is currently with the editor.

The new way I’m editing and bug/error checking chapters does take longer to do as we go along, but it catches so much more, especially with such complicated branches and bigger books now. Plus it’ll save a massive time doing it right on the end, as well as intensity for the testers!

Next week, after chapter 3 polish, I’ll be finishing up the writing on chapter 5 and getting on to editing that one already!

Chapter 3 really held me up (which was expected, as it was a complicated and big chapter to write and I kept adding to it, lol! :D), but it feels so good to be getting back into the flow and checking off goal boxes so regularly!

Hope you all have an amazing weekend! We’ll be offline as usual-more than usual considering my internet issues again, lol- so I’ll talk to you all again next week! <3

[evercelle]

happy new year!!! 2023 was the year of blue purple and also sometimes red ...... and I think 24 will probably be the same. lol

I feel like I didn't draw as many polished illustrations in 2023, but I did a LOT of rkgk and doujin, so I actually drew about as much or more than 2022. I also really didn't meet most of the goals I set for myself (like learning how to compose images with graphic design elements, instead of just filling empty space with hair and wings lmao)... but my big goal was finishing v3 doujin, and I'm really proud of that, because I've never been able to finish longer form storytelling before :')

i haven't really thought of art resolutions for 24, but that's ok!! Although I'm mostly drawing v3 stuff and it's a much much smaller fandom than gnshn, I'm v grateful for the new friends I've made and the old friends and followers who still support my silly draws, even if our interests diverge... being able to share my interests with someone means a lot to me. So, the only resolution for 2024 is: keep making whatever you like!!

may 2024 be filled with sincerity and enthusiasm for us all!!!

[thankskenpenders]

Happy new year, everyone! Welcome to 2024, the year that will mark the 10th anniversary of Thanks Ken Penders. I'd like to go over my plans for the blog for this year.

First of all: in the very near future, I'll have a post with my thoughts on Sonic Dream Team, and I'm sure I'll write one last Sonic Prime review once the final episodes drop on the 11th. I've also been sitting on an unfinished piece about the Sonic LEGO sets. I wanted this to be longer and more detailed piece that not only reviewed the sets but also went into the weird disconnect between homogenized image of Sonic the Brand and the actual fiction it's based off of, but it'll probably end up getting cut down a lot just so I can put something out. Let's just say I did a fun little thing with one of the sets.

Second: yes, I would like to return to regular TKP updates this year. As I've said many times, I wanted to do this in 2023, but I've been suffering from creative burnout after finishing SLARPG and have generally been unable to focus on any of my creative goals this past year. I'm hoping that this year will be better and I'll be able to get back into the swing of covering Archie Sonic issues. Even doing one issue every week or so would be vastly preferable to continuing the hiatus. I'm still only halfway done!! But aside from burnout, my other main hurdle is that I need to reread my own archive to refresh myself on all these things after nearly three years away. This will take some time.

The thing is, though, this year I'll have an extra incentive to go back through my previous writing and brush up on all things Archie Sonic. Because you see...

I've decided that I want to make a video essay about Penders. The comics, the copyright battle, The Lara-Su Chronicles, everything.

The why

I've thought about doing this before, but I never committed to the idea. I was too busy with gamedev, or I thought it'd end up being too long, or I figured that there were already enough videos on the subject, or I just lacked confidence in my ability to put together a video essay. So I told myself it wasn't meant to be, and let the multiple YouTubers who have cited me as a source on their own Penders videos fill that void.

Recently, though, a few things have happened that have convinced me it might be time. For one, YouTube video essays/media retrospectives/etc. are just getting longer and longer. When Quinton Reviews is out here doing 21 hours of videos on Sam & Cat, a subpar Nick sitcom that only lasted one season, I don't feel so crazy for wanting to make a video about several hundred comic books and two lawsuits that'd be at least an hour or two long lmao. Admittedly, I've also been self-conscious about doing a long video essay like this as a trans woman who has yet to do any vocal training. But these days I feel like I see a lot more transfem YouTubers who have done little to no vocal training, and that's given me more confidence on that front.

But the big one was Hbomberguy's recent plagiarism video. As I sat there watching it, I kept thinking about the time I found a CBR article that was just a crude 800 word summary of my two previous articles on Penders, published by a CBR writer who's put out over 4000 articles since 2019. If I've already been plagiarized before, and my writing is so frequently passed around as a go-to source on Archie Sonic drama, then I wouldn't be shocked if there were YouTubers out there straight up just plagiarizing me. I don't watch other peoples' videos on Archie Sonic, so I'd never know! So if people are just gonna paraphrase me when covering these topics anyway, why not take matters into my own hands and make what I would consider to be the definitive video on the subject? If hacks like James Somerton and iilluminaughtii can churn out these shitty video essays and people will still watch them, surely it can't be that impossible to make my own, right? (And also, uh, Hbomb literally told me I should make the video lol. If you're reading this, thanks for the encouragement.)

The what, how, and when

So here's the plan.

Part of this video essay will be an adaptation of my Medium article on the recurring themes of Ken's Archie Sonic run, with its content touched up and expanded upon. There were a few things I skimmed over in the article because I didn't want it to get too long, but again, people are out here watching ten hour videos about bad Nickelodeon sitcoms now. I can get away with elaborating a little more. I can add a few paragraphs talking about the Chaos Knuckles arc, or throw in a little more historical context I've discovered in the years since.

After covering the comics, the back half(-ish?) of the video will be dedicated to the copyright battles and their ensuing controversies, trying to give an accurate picture of what actually went down, the sheer scale of how bad Archie fucked up, and what our takeaways should be. This will have some similarities to my New York Magazine article on the subject, but I'll be rewriting it from scratch. I REALLY had to keep things short for that article because I was already way over the expected word count, and my tone was a little more straight-laced than normal because I was trying to keep things Professional. I can riff more and insert more of my own opinions this time, like I normally would.

I'll inevitably have to touch on some of Ken's Bad Tweets when discussing things that have happened after the lawsuits, but I don't want the video to just devolve into a list of times people got mad at him on Twitter, so I'm gonna try to keep that to a minimum in favor of focusing on his actual work. Things like the Scourge the Speed Demon incident and his continued statements on certain characters' copyright statuses probably warrant mentioning, though. And finally, assuming that the book really does come out this summer, I would like the grand finale of the video to be about those first couple chapters of The Lara-Su Chronicles.

I don't currently know when this video will get done, but it'll probably be in the back half of the year, especially with me waiting for the book to either drop or get delayed yet again. But I've actually already started writing a bit of the script, and will keep chipping away at it for a while.

So, uh, yeah, look forward to that? Wish me luck?

[ts-witchy-archive]

Things I'm Doing to Make my 2024 Witchcraft Practice More Accessible and Consistent

In 2023 I was not very consistent with my practice at all. Between TAFE, university applications, ADHD, my (at one point) 3 jobs and just general life stuff, I haven't had a lot of energy to be consistent and just enjoy my practice. My goal for the coming year is to make my practice as accessible and as fun as possible. I want to practice a lot, I want to do a lot of research and spell work in 2024. So this is a list of a few things I'll be doing to make sure I meet those goals!

Enchanting my skin care with glamours and intentions for clear skin. That way I don't have to remember to say my intentions everyday and it will still have some effect if I forget

Cleaning my altars because I'm way more likely to do stuff if I have a clean space. (obvious I know but i haven't cleaned it for like 6-7 months)

Getting rid of my "only do it if needed rule". Fuck it. I like doing spells. Just because I'm not homeless doesn't mean that I shouldn't do a prosperity spell. It also limits my experiences with spell work

More magical playlists. I have like 20 ideas for what to make I just haven't done it yet lol. I love music more than anything so intention playlists are great options if I want a very quick 'spell'

Make a list of things to post here. I tend to come up with Ideas i've never thought when making tumblr content! Personally, brain storming and content creation counts as part of my practice

Enchanting my water bottle! If I'm hydrating I may as well make it fun (it'll also probably make me more likely to drink water)

Make a list of accessible offerings! I really struggle to give offering because if I don't go the whole 9 yards I feel like a bit of a failure (which is so hypocritical of me given all the things I talk on here). I think have a list will help me get past that first barrier of not knowing what to offer.

Make a shortened version of the offering ritual I do. I am more low energy than not during the school year so this will be very valuable for me

This is the full list as of this moment but this list is for me more than it is for sharing knowledge purposes so I'm okay with not having it 100% finished. If I think of anything else I'll add it and if anyone else has any tips they are very welcomed. Happy new years :)

[cyberstudious]

monday, september 2nd, 2024

I took a loooong walk through a nearby park this morning, which was very nice. I'd like to get outside more now that the weather is cooling down a bit.

after that, I spent most of the day going through Practical Malware Analysis. I finished reading chapter 7 and did the first two labs. if I keep up a rate of one chapter per week, I'll be able to finish this book by the end of the year! I think that's a good goal to aim for. once I get the basics down from this book, I can go looking for some new material to dig through (and maybe celebrate by buying myself another book lol)

[studentbyday]

a september packed with purpose 🏵️ (goals for the 2024-2025 academic year)

an attempt to live a meaningful life even if it's really busy.

🎓 academic goals:

stay on top of my schoolwork. not feeling like i'm running after deadlines but staying organized, calm, and methodical, even if there's a lot.

change up my study strats! turn text into diagrams! shorter focus periods followed by an active break to ease myself into the semester!

study 8h per day or less if at all possible (for official schoolwork)

👩🏻‍🔬 career goals:

finish databases courses to increase my career capital (i sped read so good they can't ignore you this summer and it was both inspiring and practical - grateful for the feeling of having a roadmap...even if it's vague.)

do everything to become so good the lab i'm interested in joining can't ignore me (i have pretty much no current affiliation with them or their university so this is gonna be an uphill climb unless maybe i seem like a perfect fit...)

🌳 lifestyle and adulting goals:

develop a can-do attitude and work on my growth mindset

continue to practice driving at least 3x per week before it snows

become a 6AM girlie (or an 8PM girlie, if you're looking at the sleeping time lol) so i have a few hours of calm, focused silence in the morning which will minimize the amount of time i need to spend studying after dinner (planning to take advantage of the jet lag and the fact that the sun sets earlier in winter, making me sleepy sooner 😠)

re-gain some level of fitness to counter my couch potato summer habits and all the sitting i'll be doing this semester

🤸🏻‍♀️ more fun goals:

apply to volunteer with my local horticultural society and hopefully start volunteering soon (hoping to work on their newsletter as that's something i miss from my high school days! something familiar will also be good for easing into my "reintegration into society" era as a previously "studying hermit". perhaps once i get so comfortable i feel like i'm plateauing, i can branch into being a volunteer gardener! i have absolutely zero successful experience with plants, so it would be really nice to have some guidance from people who've made and maintained such pretty gardens in my community 💗)

make time for piano (ideally at least 1h 3-4 days of the week, but i will be happy if i even get to touch the keys for less than 1h of practice 3-4 days a week. if i can do this, then i can more reasonably justify getting a real acoustic piano at home and maybe even take lessons again when things get less busy...and i don't have to fear not making progress or even getting worse on the digital in the meantime because my fingers and brain get re-accustomed to the acoustic feel and sound options surprisingly, happily quickly even if i only get to play on one for a few days of a year, which is already quite a privilege 🥺🙏🏻 in the meantime, i need to maintain/improve my dexterity, sight-reading skills, and theory knowledge. i don't plan to read the theory book front to back anymore, i'll just read the bits i'm most interested in and maybe eventually that will mean covering the whole book but i won't start with that intention in mind 🤷🏻‍♀️)

sOmEhOw have the energy to comprehend even 1 duolingo lesson in japanese ~daily if only to one day get to a level where i can read more japanese books (and maybe even watch some animé without subs? no pressure tho since i'm very picky about animé 😂)

💭 nice to have but not pressing:

make it a habit to read a nerdy book or academic article that isn't directly for schoolwork to help me find my research interests, learn more about labs in my physical area, and/or re-ignite my passion for/sense of wonder with STEM and STEM-related issues 🔥

each week read something from suggested/recommended course reading lists if there are any

each month read a book completely unrelated to academics, something that distracts me or that feeds my soul or both (or if i can't do that, then just 1 such book each semester, i'm just after something rather than nothing)

🐝 productivity advice from one of my role models that i want to follow religiously this semester:

prioritize rest in order to think and act fast (10 hours of sleep! downtime! meditating! gentle exercise!)

schedule down to the minute but understand that as long as you're doing what you planned to do within the hour you planned to do it, you're good (that is assuming life doesn't happen and derail the entire day's plans but most days thankfully are not like that). give yourself lots of buffer (bigger, not smaller blocks of time in the calendar!).

understand that prioritizing means that you may fall behind in the unprioritized areas from time to time and have to catch up and that's completely expected and completely fine.

be selective about what you're "perfectionistic" with (it's not really about applying perfectionism, more like being picky about where you apply extreme conscientiousness). that is also part of prioritizing.

✏️ post schedule: 1-3x a week depending on time, energy, and what that means for my mental state 😅

[magical-wishies]

Happy 2024!!

Time flies, huh? I'm so glad I got to draw consistently and I think I really improved a lot in such a short time span. Thank you all for the support, I love you all so much <3

I'm posting this exactly on midnight (Not really, but who's counting)! It's been a great year, and I'm so excited to continue drawing and just enjoying life from now on. Cheers! 🌅🎇

(Of course, I had to draw these two to celebrate :D)

Let's not forget about the artist recap everyone does!

A good line-up, I'd say! I'm satisfied with the improvement. Never thought I'd be getting to this point of skill, but here we are! (Lol)

Here are my artist goals for 2024, Kirby Edition:

1. Finish either a comic, two MVs, or an animation!

2. Add more storytelling to my drawings!

3. Create an AU and flesh it out!

4. Learn how to draw Traitor Magolor and Marx Soul (So i can feed you guys some food)

5. Branch out in terms of characters (I want to learn Gryll and King Dedede especially!)

I'm excited about the future now, so let's see how many I can do. That'll be a wrap for this post, wishing you all a Happy New Year!