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doyouknowthischaracter · 1 year ago

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Do you think the polls are inherently biased, because the well-known characters will be shared more wheras the unknown characters might never even reach their bubble where they are actually known by a lot of people?

Short answer is no.

Long answer is: well, if we want to be pedantic, an argument could be made that no method of collecting data via surveys, even self-administered surveys, is completely free of bias because that's just human nature and all you can do is minimize it by wording questions neutrally, trimming outliers, etc etc. With that out of the way, one very important thing to note here is that this isn't an opinion survey. The question being asked is very straightforward and the answer is not something that can be swayed or influenced by peer pressure, propaganda, unwillingness to disclose private information, or any other factors, be they internal or external. You either know a character or you don't. I mean, people could certainly lie, in either direction, but 1) why would you do that?? it's not even like we have winners or losers here, and 2) there's nothing I can do about it anyway.

Now, when it comes to sampling bias (which, from what I understand, is what you're actually asking about) my answer is still no, I don't think that's accurate. Popular characters will reach more people and get more votes overall precisely because they're more popular. If this were a tournament style blog or if I were asking your opinion on the character in question, then yes, I could definitely see how more well-known characters would be at an unfair advantage (or how tagging the polls with the character's name is encouraging that bias, as it's been suggested before), but this is not that! Well-known characters reaching their bubbles faster/more efficiently than obscure characters is an inherent part of being more popular. Everything is working as intended.

All that being said, there are a few factors which I think could influence results somewhat unfairly, but I wouldn't necessarily call them bias. They're more like limitations of the medium.

Firstly, the time and day of the week when a poll is published. I don't have access to this kind of data right now, but off the top of my head, I'd say Sundays around 10pm is when Tumblr users are most active. That, coupled with the fact that most users are from the United States, means that polls that come out of the queue on US Sundays during that time window have a chance to reach more people than all the others. However, this potential problem is organically circumvented by people going back to see previously posted polls, finding polls through reblogs or from tag searches, etc. So it's not really a significant difference. I haven't noticed the numbers reflecting this yet either, but in theory that's how social media works, so I thought it was worth pointing out.

Secondly, polls that were posted early on when the blog had fewer followers reached less people, on average, than polls being posted at the moment or that will be posted in the future. No argument there, that's just a fact. But, again, this is a limitation of the medium. Potentially, I could repost older polls at some point in the future and reassess characters' popularity, but how do I choose which ones? All of them? Wouldn't we just get stuck in a loop of reposting the same characters over and over then? That'd be no fun. So I don't really think there's anything to be done here, unfortunately.

Thirdly, meme-able characters will be see better engagement and consequently higher numbers of votes. Point in case, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Once again, not something that can be helped, not really. I do my best to maintain uniformity in how I format the polls and which pictures I choose (as high quality as I can find, cropped adequately, consistent size, etc.). But some characters will just have better chances of being shared around by virtue of featuring in memes or having some recognizable line or something like that.

To sum it up, overall I don't think there's an inherent bias in how the polls work at the moment. I do think there are certain factors that could marginally influence voting numbers, but not the votes themselves. (Which is why I've decided to compile two separate lists, by number of votes and by percentage-- they measure slightly different things, but that's a post for another day.) As long as every follower of this blog is delivered every poll to their dash and everyone pinky promises not to lie and screw up my numbers on purpose, then I'd say we're golden.

This is probably more than you asked for lol, but hopefully it all makes sense. And as always, feel free to share your opinion. I'm always happy to hear it!

#dyktc chatter #anonymous #asks #not a poll

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theneighborhoodwatch · 1 year ago

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personally we need more evil and morally grey autistics. i am sick of the notion that autistics are inherently pure or need to be inherently pure and good in order to be good representation.

people do that with representation marginalized groups in general, too. good representation means that they break out of stereotypes and portray the experience accurately, not that the character themself is morally perfect.

(context)

good representation means that they break out of stereotypes and portray the experience accurately, not that the character themself is morally perfect.

i could see why people would be wary if this were, say, a more corporate production headed by someone whose knowledge of living with autism/neurodivergence/disability/mental illness/etc. amounts to "i volunteered for autism speaks one summer when i was in high school" at most, and if wally was the only autistic character on top of that, but that is so far from what we're dealing with that i'm tempted to say that it isn't even worth bringing up as a hypothetical. in general, i also kind of dislike looking at this aspect of welcome home solely through the lens of Representation, as though it has an obligation to reflect Everyone's lived experiences, when the creator has quite plainly stated that it's him drawing on his own experiences more than anything else. it's kinda like how "bury your gays" as a criticism holds less weight when you apply it to, say, a lesbian writing a webnovel about dead lesbians - because then it's not someone enforcing a status quo that is inherently hostile towards queer people, it's just a queer person writing about a more tragic aspect of their own life. the story can still be criticized in other ways, of course, but that's besides the point.

and like, i don't even think wally's straight up evil - i've said as much many, Many times throughout my speculation posts on this blog. i resent the idea of a purely villainous wally just as much as i do the idea that he could never make a morally questionable decision. but nice, well-meaning people can fuck up their loved ones And themselves in some absolutely horrific ways, especially if they're convinced that it's in service of some greater good or if it's specifically for those loved ones' sakes, especially if they themselves are in a desperate situation, and i wouldn't be surprised if wally ends up being a prime example of that.

OKAY FINAL EDIT I PROMISE: i also want to point out that i specifically quoted the second half of the ask and not the first bc i don't necessarily think it's that we need more ~morally gray~ autistic characters (even though i definitely wouldn't complain if we had more of those) it's just that we need more representations of autistic people as people, like, period.

#ask #sylverscribs #wally darling #welcome home #soapboxing #edited to add onto the first paragraph

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ask--eggman · 10 months ago

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📩 Dr. Eggman Ask blog 🥚

Attention all!

It is I, Dr. Eggman, the greatest scientific genius and the brilliant, smart and handsome soon to be ruler of this world!

I know you all must be trembling with either excitement or fear, as you should be! An expected and understandable reaction to being undeservingly graced by my glorious presence. Especially because with this blog, you can finally be lucky enough to interact with me and ask me questions!

Ignore any rumors of this all being "propaganda" for the Eggman Empire. You don't need to be convinced to join. It's a no brainer, it doesn't take a genius mind like mine to know that you and the world will be much better under my rule! I simply state facts here. I promise.

Important things to know:

Blog is for adults 18+ only!

I'll treat you like the underlings you are, to teach you of your place beneath me in the future of my empire early. Some say that's rude. The nerve! They're simply the traits a real powerful and confident ruler should have! But of course I'm the only one cut out for it, so I shouldn't expect anyone to understand.

I'll be open about the glorious evil I get up to with my immaculate calculated schemes! Unless you ask for top secret information to use against me and try to stop me... You can't outsmart me, I can tell! And you will fail miserably!

Anyone with a distaste for my methods and hobbies - ignore anything evil you might've seen here. Pay no attention to any mentions of schemes and violence, only believe the posts about how totally brilliant, helpful and beneficial my rule and empire are.

You can expect violence of varying degrees. I'm sure you all know by now that I'm not above crushing my enemies and reveling in their defeat! What? They totally deserve it!

NSFT allowed. I know everyone wishes they could have a chance with me and must be very eager to hear all about it. ;)

All this to say that this blog is not suitable for small children - or big babies.

Feel free to fill out a brief survey after your visit. Your opinions matter to us! Unless you didn't have fun, then we don't care.

More extra notes from a silly little lackey of mine who serves as this blog's moderator below:

---------------------

Games canon source Eggman, every game mainline to spin off, no exclusions. There's a possibility for occasional divergence due to slight inspiration from other official media but with a clear heavy game focus.

He will be canon accurate and nasty, rude, arrogant, condescending, a big jerk and unpleasant reactions and behaviors will be portrayed in an often comedic way. Keep in mind, it doesn't reflect the feelings or beliefs of the author - no hard feelings!

There's a chance not all questions will be answered. It's okay to resend once or twice just in case it wasn't sent. But just because it might take a while to get a response, doesn't always mean we didn't get it or you're not getting one.

I'm an adult and open to NSFT and fet!sh asks, very lax and don't judge. Will be tagged to the best of my ability. Eggman may do a combination of teasing and entertaining, or just be oblivious towards why you're asking, depends. Just be 18+. No minors at all!

Feel free to ask to tag.

#intro and rules #eggman #sonic the hedgehog #dr eggman #sonic #rp #roleplay ask blog #dr robotnik #doctor robotnik #doctor eggman #ask blog #sth #ask #Dr Eggman #Dr robotnik #roleplay #doctor Eggman

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cosmicjoke · 1 year ago

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I'm going to pin this post, because I want everyone to see it.

Do not, I repeat, do not ask me any more questions regarding whether or not Levi only cared about Erwin or was only fighting for Erwin, or only cared about his promise to Erwin, etc... I cannot even tell you how many times I've answered some variation of this same question, over and over and over. I'm sick of it. I can't tell you anything that you shouldn't be able to glean from simply reading the manga or watching the anime yourself.

I also can't emphasize enough that you shouldn't care or consider anything outside of canon, that includes interview answers given by Hajime Isayama. Interviews don't indicate or prove anything, as they're always answers given on the spot, and often don't accurately reflect what the author actually thinks or feels, or intends. Very often, an author can't give a fully fleshed out or accurate reply to any given question because it would spoil what they have planned, or they simply don't have it worked out yet, what they're planning. You can probably guess what I'm referring to specifically, that being Isayama saying Levi felt he had "fulfilled his duty" by being there with Erwin at the end, and this post is spurred on by the latest anonymous ask I've received. Apologies to the person who sent that ask. You seemed very polite and sincere, but I refuse to engage in this conversation again.

I don't even understand why people are so fixated on this question. Why are people so upset by some offhand answer Isayama once gave to a vague, open ended question asked years before he actually concluded the manga? Years before he knew at all what Levi's fate would even be? Why do people need constant reassurance that Levi actually cared about and was fighting for humanity when the answer is plain to see within the canon, with numerous, countless examples of such? Do they have such little faith in his character? Do they feel that insecure in their admiration of him? Because a bunch of idiot haters online constantly try to use an instant of deep compassion and humanity from Levi toward one of his friends as some sort of proof that he "doesn't care about humanity"?

I'm going to give an answer here to this question so that anyone who wants to ask me about this, again, (even though if you just scroll through my blog and search the right tags, you can no doubt find any of the dozens of posts I've made regarding this particular question), you'll have your answer, right there at the top. So please, don't send me any more asks regarding this. I'm always happy to discuss Levi and his character, and the various events involving him in canon, but not if it's just going to be people questioning again and again Levi's commitment to the Survey Corps cause, when he gave his whole life, and lost everything for it.

So here you are.

Regarding what Isayama said about Levi feeling as if he'd "fulfilled his duty" by being there with Erwin at the end, that could literally have meant anything. It doesn't remotely prove, one way or the other, how committed Levi was to saving humanity, or that Levi only cared about Erwin and nothing about saving humanity. It proves nothing but that Levi felt a fierce loyalty toward Erwin, and that he felt duty bond to him like any good soldier would their commanding officer. Levi was Erwin's right hand man. He was his most trusted confidant and friend. The man Erwin looked to for support and advice and strength. The man Erwin relied on to keep him in touch with his own humanity. By saying Levi felt he had "fulfilled his duty" or his "role" by being with Erwin at the end, all that says to me is that Levi felt he had served Erwin admirably and with honor. He stayed with his commanding officer and friend right up to the very moment of his death. He never abandoned him, or lost faith in him, despite Erwin's own admissions of weakness and self-doubt. Levi fulfilled his duty to Erwin specifically because he never left his side or stopped believing in and following him as a trusted leader, and he did right by Erwin, repaid Erwin for being that leader to him, by letting him rest.

So, let's get into why it's absurd to question whether this meant Levi only cared about that duty toward Erwin and didn't give a rats ass about humanity. I could write a hundred pages on this, there's that much evidence to the contrary.

Levi's reaction when Erwin admits to him that he cares more about finding out what's in Eren's basement than about saving humanity. Levi is horrified, and shocked, and feels a deep sense of betrayal and hurt at this revelation. He's distraught that the man he put his faith in to lead humanity to freedom and salvation has just admitted to him that he doesn't care as much about that as he does finding out what's in Eren's basement. Now, why the hell would Levi be so horrified and hurt by this revelation, if he himself didn't care about humanity, and only about serving Erwin? The answer is, he wouldn't. He wouldn't have given a shit what Erwin was fighting for if all he cared about was serving Erwin and being Erwin's loyal dog, like these idiot haters claim. He would have just shrugged and said "Okay, what next then, boss?". But, instead, he fell into a state of angry depression, gave up on trying to convince Erwin to stay behind (something he was trying to do in the first place because he believed humanity would be fucked without Erwin's guidance), felt so enraged and upset that he kicked the shit out of Eren and Jean for acting like undisciplined idiots, and went off to sit, isolated and alone, and questioning everything he'd been doing up to that point. He believed in Erwin so much in the first place because he genuinely believed Erwin was an altruistic, selfless, visionary leader who took on the great burden of leading the Survey Corps in order to save humanity. He admired Erwin for his dedication and commitment to that cause, for his ability to put aside personal feelings to do his duty, and for his great insight and intelligence and hope for a future for humanity. And he was so upset after Erwin's admission because that admission shattered that trust and belief in Erwin, and made Levi question whether he himself had made the right decision in following him. That doesn't sound like the reaction or behavior of someone who's just blindly loyal to or in love with Erwin and only cares about where he goes and what he does. Again, canon in your friend. Defer to canon.

Another point. Levi continues to serve in and fight for the Survey Corps, years after Erwin's death. If Levi really felt he had "fulfilled his duty" by being with Erwin in his last moments, and that he had nothing else to contribute or provide, then he would have simply quit the SC. But he didn't. He stayed, and continued to participate in and contribute in any way he could to their cause. He continued to fight for humanity, as the SC has always done. He continued to fight for the dream that every member that had died believed in, for them. People mistake Isayama's comment about Levi feeling directionless after Erwin's death as him meaning Levi didn't care about humanity, (which, I still don't know how you extrapolate that from his comment, but whatever), but that just shows a lack of understanding Levi's relationship with Erwin to begin with. Levi relied on Erwin to be his guiding light. He trusted in and relied on Erwin to use him to further the cause for humanity. Levi let Erwin choose how to deploy his abilities and strength, he followed Erwin's orders, because he considered Erwin infinitely more qualified than himself to determine these things. He believed in Erwin as a leader. He trusted in Erwin's judgment, in Erwin's ability to make the right choice, even if Levi himself couldn't understand or see where he was coming from at first. When Erwin died, Levi lost that guide. He lost Erwin's judgement. He lost Erwin's vision. When Isayama says Levi felt "directionless", he means Levi didn't know how he himself could contribute as effectively to the SC cause anymore, because he didn't have Erwin there to tell him how. Erwin always told Levi what to do, and Levi followed, because he trusted in Erwin's ability to see what he couldn't. But it was always, ALWAYS to serve humanity. Not to serve Erwin, but to serve the cause of humanities salvation. Without Erwin, it wasn't that Levi no longer cared about saving humanity, it was only that Levi no longer felt he had the person who could point him in the right direction and tell him what to do to attain that goal. He was on his own for the first time in this fight, and he didn't know what he could do now to advance it. He didn't know what role he could play. Again, it's not that he didn't care about humanity, or no longer cared about fighting for humanity. It's that he simply didn't know what role he was meant to play anymore in that cause. But even with that uncertainty and doubt, he kept fighting. He kept trying to do what he could. That isn't the action of a man who doesn't care about the cause. Someone who doesn't care wouldn't have kept in the fight the way Levi did. It's why he never quit fighting, even when he was half-dead from getting caught in a thunderspear explosion. Why he refused to run away, even when he was barely alive. That's also why I think it's absurd when people say Levi's choice to let Erwin die was "selfish", because Levi gave up his own feeling of placement in the world by doing so. He gave up his own comfort, his own sureness, his own sense of direction. He took on a massive burden when he let Erwin die, and he did it for Erwin's sake, because it was the humane, compassionate thing to do. That's the opposite of selfish. It's mind-blowingly selfless.

And lastly, Levi keeps fighting, even after he fulfills the vow to Erwin and his other comrades. If all Levi cared about was fulfilling the vow he made to Erwin, the vow to kill Zeke so that he could give meaning to the sacrifices of his comrades that day in Shinganshina, then he would have simply laid down afterward and done nothing to help the alliance win. But, he didn't do that. Even when Levi felt convinced that he wasn't going to be able to kill Zeke, he kept fighting in any way he could and trying to lead the alliance to victory. He came up with plans of action, he gave orders and directions to his comrades, he risked his life and nearly died to save both Jean's and Connie's lives, he helped Gabi to take out different targets with her gun, and finally, after killing Zeke, he rallied Mikasa and Pieck to not give into their grief at what was happening, and urged Mikasa on to deliver the final blow to Eren to finally end the whole damn thing. Without Levi, in that moment, Mikasa very likely could have given into despair and given up. Levi wouldn't let her. Those aren't the actions of a man who doesn't care.

Levi's inner monologue, about not regretting letting Erwin die and choosing Armin is further proof of how much he cares about the cause. He talks about Armin having the same light in his eyes as everyone else, before cynicism and doubt crept in from seeing too much horror. He talks about what they all fought for, whether it was to see people's lives trampled and their freedom stolen, or for a ridiculously idealistic world, and concludes it was for the latter, because that's the ONLY THING that would have made their sacrifices worth it. Again, these aren't the thoughts and feelings of someone who doesn't care about humanity. If all Levi cared about was Erwin and serving Erwin and fulfilling his vow to Erwin, he wouldn't have been thinking about any of those things at that point. He wouldn't have cared what his fallen comrades lost their lives for. It wouldn't have been a question at all in his mind. But instead it's the centerpiece of Levi's character in the final arc.

And then, Levi's salute to his fallen comrades in the end, and the first and only time we see him cry, because what they fought for has finally been achieved. A world without titans, and thus, a world where they could be free. Levi salutes them and cries because it meant that much to him, fulfilling the goal they all fought for, ensuring they didn't die in vain. Again, that isn't the reaction of a man who didn't care about the fight for humanity.

I really don't know what else to say. Again, canon in your friend. Levi's actions speak louder than any words. If you're having some sort of doubt as to how committed Levi was to the cause for humanity because of a bunch of brainless bleating from online haters, then simply do yourself a favor and go back and read the manga or watch the anime, and all your fears will be assuaged.

And that's all I'm going to say on this particular subject. If you want to know my thoughts, well, here you are. I hope it's an extensive and thorough enough answer, because it's the only one you're going to be getting from now on. If not, just go back through my blog and search, because I've talked about this innumerable times before as well.

#Levi Ackerman #Erwin Smith #Attack on Titan #shingkei no kyojin

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voraciouspangolin · 25 days ago

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Guess who's planning another animation.... about tf2....

It's me. Yeah

Ik I've already done posts about past animations, but this one is one that I've been thinking about even as far back as when I was talking about those past animations, and I have not stopped thinking about it.

It's going to be about Pyro, and it's going to be set to the song Shadow by Amigo the Devil

What do I want out of this animation? Well the number one thing I want is for it to look awesome and in sync with the music. But I also want there to be a Lot of symbolism and underlying narratives that tie in to my own personal analysis of what Pyro's backstory could possibly be, since their backstory isn't actually clear in the tf2 lore. I want the animation to be like, a step into Pyro's mind kinda thing, a reflection of the horror behind being the person that is Pyro

My own personal analysis of his character is skewed by the fact that my main involvement with tf2 outside of playing the game is being part of tf2 tumblr, and there's a lot of bastardizing and reinventing how characters actually are in their original media. Which theres nothing inherently wrong with, in fact, I really enjoy seeing peoples' spin on the mercs. But... odds are my ideas seem completely out of place and like, too wacky for a broader tf2 audience...

but i dont care goddamnit I will make pyro a weirdo all I want

I still try my best to base my own ideas about the tf2 characters off of the lore, which is kinda hard to do...bc what is the Actual lore? there's SO MUCH that's unclear and left unsaid. Are the RED and BLU team clones of eachother? Are they different people? Is the Administrator the same woman as Elizabeth? Why are engineers eyes like that when he takes off his welding goggles?

and on top of that, there's like, what you even Count as the lore. Is the game accurate to the universe? Are the comics canon? Are cosmetics canon? Are the songs themselves canon? Voice lines? The sfm shorts?

The big problem with why this is like this is because, as stated by tf2 devs (I forget which one said this but it was on the blog post thingy), tf2 did not start off with a robust backstory

The backstory, the Administrator's character itself, was slowly added and woven into the IP.

and on top of that, since tf2 is an older game that's had an active fanbase and fandom since its start, the way the characters are depicted and perceived by the tf2 enjoyer diaspora has evolved and morphed over time, taking on a life of its own

I'd struggle a lot to even come up with ideas about say, medic's backstory.

There are established bits and bobs of his backstory- He crashed a wedding with a stolen ambulance and that's where he got all his doves- he's german and has some amount of experience acting as a combat medic- he's curiously implied to not actually be professionally trained in medicine, or at least that he once was trained but is no longer allowed to practice medicine- he made a deal with the devil, twice- etc.

I'd struggle a lot to even come up with ideas about things pertaining to his childhood or origin story.

But that's just it. Medic already has established lore, there is an actual vision for what his character is and isn't. And since I'm not part of the art direction at valve, I don't fully know what would be considered proper characterization and what wouldn't.

but pyro? Pyro is perfect

All the other mercs have a Raison D'etre for why they specialize in the subject that they do- excuse my flattening of the mercs for just a sec- Demo comes from a long line of demomen- Heavy is obsessed with bigass guns and has a family to care for- Engie's grandfather and father were both engineers and involved with the Mann brothers since almost the beginning- Scout is straight up just Fast and grew up in the slums of boston, so his weapons are his speed and wit- Sniper is a freak of nature reclusive bushman- Soldier is obsessed with the military like his life depends on it- Medic is some kind of mad scientist with a penchant for breaking the rules of nature- and Spy is... well, he's french and has some sort of superiority complex about being a spy. And also it's implied that he's been a spy for a really long time.

But pyro? I guess you could narrow down their character to "likes fire", but that doesn't answer how or why. The other mercs are all caricatures of a wide array of stereotypes, they literally have to be because of how many main characters there are- each character manages to be unique and identifiable both in gameplay and story-wise. But pyro is like.... its own stereotype. Sure I'm the Ignorer, I don't know a lot of tv tropes or character tropes and stuff like that, but I can't think of a single other character that Pyro would have ressembled at the time of his creation. It's not even clear if pyro is aware of the fact that he's burning people alive, or if he's stuck in his pyroland psychosis and views every violent action he does as "playing" with other people

we know almost nothing about him. we don't know their age, height, where he's from. We don't know how he got hired by TF industries, or why he was hired. We don't know his voice, we don't know how or why he's so obsessed with fire, or the reason behind why they experience some kind of full-perception psychosis in the form of Pyroland

So I feel like I *can* speak on what Pyro might or might not be

And the tf2 team has actually encouraged and rewarded fan speculation about Pyro- I'm sure Pyro was intended to be a man just like the rest of the mercs. In the comics and the game, pyro is referred to as he and stuff... But since pyro always wears a mask, and their body is ambiguously hidden by his flame retardent suit, and since gamers are horny as fuck... people have always entertained or fantasized about the idea that pyro could be a woman. So along the development of the story behind tf2, little easter eggs have been sprinkled around that feeds into the the idea that Pyro's gender *is* unknown.

The easter eggs are kinda few and far inbetween and can easily be dismissed as just jokes, but I think there's substance to be found there. The menstruating women attracting bears joke from A Cold Day in Hell comes to mind, as well as the in game voice lines that call into question pyros gender.

the appeal is that we *don't* know what he is, we aren't *supposed* to know. I don't even think the tf2 team know what pyro is either, because the unkown of his identity *is* his identity

And that's the appeal of his character

but it's not just about gender to me, my idea goes more into the dehumanized aspects of pyro

In Meet the Pyro, the interviewed mercs express fear and disgust for Pyro, Heavy referring to him as "That thing"

as though the odd behaviour and nature of their skillset with fire renders them stripped of their very humanity

I want my animation to explore my thoughts about all of that. About the grotesque and the disfiguration of someone who finds ecstatic joy in the reality of their actions

In a lot of ways, my characterization of Pyro is an allegory for many things- being trans, being gay, being poor, or autistic, or an immigrant, or disabled, or looking Not Normal, etc, etc. And I think that that's fascinating. There's a lot of room for projection onto Pyro's character from many different points of view, and I think that that has to do with the fact that Pyro is dehumanized and belittled and treated as an Other by the people around him in tf2. The very scaffolding of Pyro's character as something that isn't understood, something that's feared and othered, something reduced to "that thing" or "it", or something that is to be spoken to in the same tone one would speak to toddlers, is so relevant to so many different walks of life

And I think that that's brilliant

This is probably going to be a many years long project considering the length of the song and also the fact that I'm working alone.... but I'm excited

#pango.txt #Shadow.proj

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southeastasiadiary · 1 year ago

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Day Twenty-Eight: All Good Things Must Come to an End; Final Thoughts

The itinerary for this last day was to include a visit to the Jim Thompson House and then my transfer to the airport for the flight home. But since I’d already visited the Jim Thompson House on the day I arrived in Bangkok, I had the entire day to myself.

So, I decided to divide it (like Caesar's Gaul) into three parts. First thing in the morning, while it was still cool (or more accurately, when it was only blazingly hot but not to the point where it would cause you to combust spontaneously), I decided to take a stroll around Bangkok’s Chinatown because my hotel was right in the middle of it.

Here is about one minute of a three-minute stroll through the morning market:

If you want to see the full three-minute clip, you’ll need to go to shared photo album. I’m delighted to bring you the sights and sounds out this market, but not (fortunately or not) the aromas.

Of course, what Chinatown would be complete without a Mister Hotdog directly across the street from a Texas Suki and a shop selling “Authentic Chinese Cuisine”?

And it’s always nice to be reminded that “We are a part of your delicious.”

In my walk, I chanced upon a small neighborhood shrine

that was complete with gifts, which had just been brought there by people on their way to work that morning.

Then, a bit later, I saw this lovely statue of Confucius

and a singularly elegant spirit house with a prang on top.

The non-random part of my walk was my one pre-determined destination: the Wat Traimit,

Temple of the Golden Buddha.

Now perhaps, if you’ve been keeping up with this blog, this must be a temple of a golden Buddha since you've already seem more than your fair share of golden Buddhas. Ah, but here’s the difference. All the other golden Buddhas were made of other materials and then covered with gold leaf. This particular Buddha is solid gold, 15’9” high and 12’5” wide, weighing 5.5 tons … of solid gold. In times of invasion, the statue was covered with plaster so that it would look less valuable than it was.

In time, since the statue looked as though it was merely made of plaster, people forgot what was inside. Only in 1955, when there were plans to move the statue from another site to here at the Wat Traimit, did some of the plaster fall off, and it became clear that underneath a shallow façade was a virtual mountain of gold.

And today, if you like, you can buy a pre-packaged bottle of holy water at the temple for only twenty baht.

After visiting the Golden Buddha, I returned to the hotel for breakfast, a shower, and a brief rest before checking out.

The second part of the day has not yet occurred, but I need to post this entry now while I have access to the Internet. Since I’ve yet to experience Thai massage or, for that matter, any massage in Southeast Asia, I've booked a few hours in a spa this afternoon between my check-out time and my departure for the airport. Thai massage is one of the things that people often talk about after visiting Bangkok, and I have a few empty hours on my hands, so …

When booking the appointment I told them that my spa visit would occur shortly before a thirty-hour flight back home, so I wanted to feel “clean and refreshed but also relaxed.” They assured me they have “just the thing.” (When do businesses not have “just the thing” when you make an inquiry?) I'll be in for a body cleanse and scrub, followed by a gentle aromatherapy massage.

We’ll see how that goes. If you truly want to know, ask me in person sometime.

Now, the third part of my day will be to engage in a bit of post-trip reflection. And I've already given that topic a lot of thought during my walkabout this morning. So, here goes.

This experience in Southeast Asia was one of my long-term goals. You might even say it was a life goal. At least, it was something I'd talked about for years and felt I absolutely needed to do. So, life goal accomplished!

But here's the funny thing about life goals. Once you achieve them, you have mixed feelings. On the one hand, there's a major sense of accomplishment. On the other, it feels as though a milestone in life has now past, and you wonder whether there will ever be other goals that you’ll long for quite that much. Not to exaggerate, but it feels as though a part of your life is now over and that you’ve passed one more signpost on the road toward mortality.

I remind myself that I’d had similar feelings before. When I was very young, my life goal had been to get a Ph.D. and become a college professor. (Seriously. I remember telling people this as early as fifth grade.) Then, when I was 26 and had achieved that goal, I thought, “Well, now what?”

Other goals came along, of course. There was a period when, if people asked whether I had a “bucket list,” I’d say, “I want to do three things. See the pyramids in Egypt, visit Kyoto, and attend the Wagner festival at Bayreuth.” Then, by a strange turn of fate, I did all three of those things within the same six-month period and again thought, “Now what?”

But there was always that Southeast Asia trip left for me to plan. So, now it's over. Okay, now what?

The honest answer is “I don’t know” but also “I’m sure I’ll think of something. I always have.”

As this trip comes to an end, I find myself reminded of that article I mentioned on Day Nine: “The Case Against Travel.” The author’s argument was that people always say they travel because travel changes them, but everyone returns from a trip no different from the person they were before setting out.

So, am I the same person I was before this trip?

Absolutely.

But I don’t really think that’s the point. Certainly, there can be zen-like, blinding flashes of insight during a trip, like a flash of gold appearing from beneath a thin façade of plaster. I already mentioned once being in Rome and realizing, “Oh! That’s what Horace meant in his poetry!” and never seeing his works in the same way again. But those experiences are rare.

More often, travel changes you slowly over time. You don’t see those changes in a single day, a single week, or even a single year. Rather it’s like the slow polishing of a stone into a statue. It takes time. It happens almost imperceptibly. And eventually you realize that you actually aren’t the same person you were before. You’ve broadened your perspective, left behind a few assumptions, and made connections between ideas you never would've made before.

That’s a good thing.

No. I'm wrong.

That’s a great thing.

In fact, as far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the best things a person can do.

And I wonder where I’ll go next and how that experience might change me.

I can't wait.

#thailand #bangkok #travel #Wat Traimit #Temple of the Golden Buddha

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astrabear · 2 years ago

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I posted 810 times in 2022

That's 489 more posts than 2021!

363 posts created (45%)

447 posts reblogged (55%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fruityculture

@raedear

@astrabear

@beepbeepsan

@ongreenergrasses

I tagged 684 of my posts in 2022

Only 16% of my posts had no tags

#ask game - 102 posts

#my fic - 100 posts

#the old guard - 96 posts

#the old guard fanfiction - 35 posts

#life of a writer - 31 posts

#nicolo di genova - 22 posts

#andromache the scythian - 19 posts

#yusuf al kaysani - 18 posts

#nile freeman - 18 posts

#quynh - 16 posts

Longest Tag: 135 characters

#obligatory clarification that i don't think there's anything inherently bad about putting on different accessories and making them kiss

My Top Posts in 2022:

I really enjoyed Our Flag Means Death and I'm glad a second season has been confirmed, but as an Old Guard fan it has been hilarious to see the OFMD crowd acting like waiting an entire ten weeks for news of a sequel was torture. You are a child, an infant. Your impatience is thus infantile. Our fandom has forgotten more ways to yearn for updates than entire stan armies will ever learn.

218 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

Thinking about “We all remember what it was like.” They all remember, even Nicky and Joe who came into immortality together. After almost a thousand years, Nicky still remembers the confusion and fear and alienation, enough that it makes finding this new immortal their most urgent task.

My favorite fic treatments of their first deaths really lean into this. Not just surprise or awe, but horror. Going a little bit out of their minds, begging to die and stay dead, because that’s what humans do, that’s how the world is supposed to work. I feel it viscerally, imagining the terror of finding yourself so profoundly apart from everything you’ve ever known to be true.

And the only other person who’s in it with you is the enemy you were trying to kill. This is the real impediment to replicating their dynamic in an AU. Anyone can run the enemies-to-lovers course. But enemies to “I still hate you and I don’t understand you but you are the only solid ground in this terrifying new reality and I think if we don’t hold onto each other we’ll lose everything” to lovers is pretty hard to capture in any other setting.

282 notes - Posted April 4, 2022

unofficial poll time

You are reading fanfic. The source property is set in the present day. The fic, maybe because it’s an AU or the canon just works that way, is set in a noticeably different historical period. Which of these answers most accurately reflects your feelings? (choose all that apply)

A. I like it when the writing style (both dialogue and narration) is period-appropriate, or at least a general approximation thereof.

B. I like the dialogue to be period-appropriate, but it’s fine (or even preferred) for the narration to feel more modern.

C. I don’t care either way, as long as there aren’t glaring anachronisms.

D. I prefer that both the dialogue and narration are similar to what I’m used to reading and seeing. So not modern slang or anything like that, but I don’t want it to be jarringly different.

E. I like it when the characters speak the way I’m used to them speaking, even if it’s not period-appropriate.

F. I simply don’t read fics set in past eras.

G. The only thing that matters is that it’s well written.

H. English is not my first language, so old-fashioned phrasing and vocabulary is more difficult for me to read.

I. I actively dislike attempts at period language unless the writer has done enough research to do it correctly.

J. I honestly couldn’t tell you in advance what kinds of things are likely to throw me out of the story, I just know that there’s a potential for it to happen.

K. I read fic because I like the characters and tropes. I don’t pay attention to writing style.

L. Other (in tags)

Please share and answer in the tags. This is very relevant to something I’m working on and I’d like to get some outside perspective.

315 notes - Posted June 13, 2022

The violence at the end of the episode was upsetting, but I tell you, what has stuck with me in the days since I watched it was "Which one of you gonna fuck me?!" It haunts me. Deeply shocking, viscerally repulsive, absolutely heartbreaking... and just the tiniest bit funny. It's like a gut punch every time I think about it.

I think a very young Claudia is much better suited to a written format. A five or six year old actor can't give the kind of performance that's required... and some things just wouldn't be right to do with a child actor of any age. But a 19-year-old playing a character who's physically 14 opens up so many tragic, horrifying possibilities.

And Bailey Bass is so good. I can't get her face out of my head. "And after forty years... still little boys?" God, there's just so much going on. And you feel all of it.

388 notes - Posted October 26, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The tough thing about boundaries is that it’s not enough to state them, you have to enforce them.

I think some folks see “setting boundaries” as a kind of magic talisman to influence other people’s behavior. “I’ll tell you what I need or can’t accept, and you will act accordingly.” And sometimes that’s what happens, and that’s great! But if the other person disregards your stated boundaries, it doesn’t mean setting boundaries didn’t work.

Because boundaries aren’t about others’ behavior, they’re about your own. If the other person’s behavior doesn’t change, then yours has to. “Please don’t discuss [x topic] with me” is a request. “If you continue to talk about [x topic] then I will end this conversation/hang up/leave” is a boundary, which you must then enact. The point is less about stopping the other person (although that’s ideal) and more about protecting yourself. And you have to be committed to protecting yourself, because no one else will be.

You have to be so committed that you’re willing to tolerate other people being hurt or angry or uncomfortable. You have to accept that some relationships might change. You have to hold onto the idea that it’s all right for them to change, because the way they were before was hurting you, and you deserve to not be hurt. You gave them a choice: maintain a relationship or keep doing the thing that hurts you, and they chose to keep hurting you, so if the situation is now awkward or unpleasant that was because of their choice. Enforcing boundaries means deciding that if someone is going to feel bad here, it need not be always and only you.

There is no magic formula that will make other people treat you kindly and respectfully. But you can learn to treat yourself with kindness and respect. That’s what enforcing a boundary is.

9,690 notes - Posted July 17, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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losthomunculus · 2 years ago

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I posted 7,330 times in 2022

That's 3,323 more posts than 2021!

771 posts created (11%)

6,559 posts reblogged (89%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fitzkn

@jsuisbaby

@kaeyas-tits

@utenaposter

@serizawadyke

I tagged 1,815 of my posts in 2022

#genshin impact - 67 posts

#fave - 59 posts

#gi crockpot - 58 posts

#cats - 41 posts

#askbox - 41 posts

#nagito komaeda - 40 posts

#childe - 39 posts

#poetry tag - 38 posts

#chiluc - 37 posts

#hajime hinata - 24 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#iirc i’m also like medically more susceptible to heat 💀 but it’s like minor enough to just b an annoyance w my lifestyle (avoids direct sun

My Top Posts in 2022:

I do not think it was a good choice on Ei's part to abandon Scaramouche but I am going to be glaring very judgmentally at people who use Scaramouche to flatten Ei and disregard her as a 2 dimensional villain

185 notes - Posted September 29, 2022

working theory on dendro vision criteria

so my current theory on dendro vision traits, which will probably change considering im only referencing collei, tighnari, and baizhu (and kusanali to a degree) is that it has something to do with taking action to surpass your current state or become a better version of yourself.

tighnari's vision was earned when he spoke out to correct misinformation at a lecture, surpassing the expectations of his status and the setting to pass on accurate information.

collei's vision was earned when the other forest rangers wouldnt organize a search party, so she took it upon herself to go out into the rain and find the missing child. surpassing her past self is even mentioned in her introduction.

we don't currently know much about baizhu, let alone his vision story, but running with my current hypothesis and what we do know, I have a theory. I think perhaps there was a point where he was hopeless in the face of his illness, and either his drive to become a doctor or to seek out immortality granted him a vision.

"To grow up is to best one's immature past self," is a line from collei's profile on the cuilein-anbar section, and I think it best encompasses the type of ideals that lead to people gaining dendro visions with the information currently available.

we see that value reflected in kusanali as well, who wants to become an archon worthy of her people, and who's story arc will be heading in that direction.

if anyone else has any theories please feel free to add on!

245 notes - Posted August 31, 2022

Diluc: ugh 😑 what are you doing here? Why do you think I want to help you

Also Diluc: [helps with little convincing] [doesn’t argue that the winery is Kaeya’s home] [invites Kaeya to stay for dinner]

They are so bad at pretending to hate each other I love them

292 notes - Posted October 2, 2022

hc that when childe first meets lisa hes like "oh my god? lisa from sumeru academy? I'm a big fan of your work!" and shes like huh I didn't take you for an academic and he's like "no not really I'm just a fan of whatever you did that makes dottore incoherently angry anytime someone says your name"

319 notes - Posted September 13, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

we got the radio interruption announcement

6,674 notes - Posted September 8, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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lavenderhorns · 2 years ago

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I posted 9,709 times in 2022

That's 868 more posts than 2021!

17 posts created (0%)

9,692 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@yaboi-nate

@joey-wheeler-official

@v0idbird

@primalnephalem

@rukafais

I tagged 1,933 of my posts in 2022

#furry - 526 posts

#aesthetic - 144 posts

#elden ring - 117 posts

#goncharov - 92 posts

#dark souls - 80 posts

#fave - 72 posts

#robot - 67 posts

#mtg - 59 posts

#the loft - 56 posts

#amber skies - 48 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#this girl is a robot but like half of her body is organic in nature and also shes a bard in space that uses nanobots to fight but the bard p

My Top Posts in 2022:

What is The Loft?

I’ve been meaning to collate some of the Lore™ surrounding my fursona Lavender, and their pocket dimension called The Loft. And since I just went through a whole lot of my blog and gave the insp pictures for the loft their very own tag (#the loft, and #loft lore), I figured I should do a lore dump post for it as well. It’s a long one, so I’ll put the details behind a read more. So, to start off!

The Loft is a “pocket” dimension roughly 10km in radius, located somewhere in between the countless realities of the multiverse. While large for a pocket dimension, it technically constitutes as its own plane of existence, and in that respect it’s very much on the smaller side. The Loft’s boundaries aren’t defined by walls, but rather distance from the distinct mountain that marks the center of the realm. Past the 10km point, distance starts to compress rapidly in one direction, meaning you could walk for hours off into the distance and then make the journey back in less than a minute. The boundaries of the loft are occupied by a sky, sun, and stars, and the celestial bodies do “orbit” in a way, slipping out of view underneath the loft’s landmass far past the distance boundary. The weather is unpredictable and often extreme, with frequent storms, changes in lighting, and odd celestial events.

As for how Lavender’s connected to the loft, it’s more accurate to say that Lavender *is* the Loft, the dragon existing as both a person and a place. While their physical body anchors the loft to somewhere in the multiverse, they have a constant background awareness of being the rocks that make up the mountain, the wood that makes up the trees, the clouds that make up the sky, etc. This also means they have a very high degree of control over how the landscape and space within the loft operates, with the Loft’s current look and function being a reflection of Lavender’s tastes and preferences. Within the Loft, Lavender can bend space, conjure matter out of nothing, and rearrange the landscape with fairly little effort. This dual person-place nature also means sometimes Lavender has a slightly odd perception of places, “talking” to them in a way that doesn’t always make sense to onlookers.

The Loft is anchored to somewhere in the multiverse by Lavender, and as such they can’t use it to jaunt through different dimensions. In addition, the Loft’s influence can only manifest in a very short range around Lavender, roughly 1 meter in radius. Mostly, this just means Lavender can make portals into the loft for others to hop inside. Notably though, this distance limitation applies to everything about the loft, meaning if Lavender creates an item from matter conjured in the loft, it will literally fade from existence if moved more than a few feet outside one of the portals. Lavender also has authority over “what” can enter the Loft, meaning the can effectively use their portals as forcefields as well, creating a portal but denying entry. All this considered, Lavender’s physical body is very closely connected to the Loft, and you can often see through the membranes of their wings into the Loft itself. Finally, a major restriction of the Loft is that Lavender can only exit the loft within 3 meters of where they entered, meaning they can’t use it to teleport or jump through different dimensions.

The geography inside the Loft is chaotic compared to most landscapes, with nearly a dozen biomes crammed together into the 10km radius (not unlike those elementary school diagrams that show what different landscape features are called). Still, while the geography tends to shift around, I’ll list a few important/consistent locations because I want to :3

-The Mountain- The center of the Loft, and the “anchor” to which distance is measured from. It’s a very jagged, vertical peak, stretching high up into the sky and visible from practically anywhere inside the Loft. Also has a few floating crags around the peak, held in place by gravitational anomalies.

-The Cabin- Lavender’s house, a structure resembling a log cabin that’s spread out across the entirety of the Loft, at least from the outside. Inside, the rooms are connected as you’d expect, with the kitchen just through the doorway from the lounge, the bedrooms upstairs, and so on. Despite this, the cabin is distinctly non-euclidian, as entering the lounge through the front door halfway up the mountain and then walking over to the kitchen will let you look out the window into the boreal forest. A convenient way to get around for guests, as it beats walking several kilometres and it connects all of the notable locations and biomes of the Loft.

-The Great Tree/Lavender’s Loft Cafe/Dragon’s Hoard- Lavender’s main form of income, a small cafe located in the loft and connected through a tiny hole-in-the-wall property in the real world. The Cafe is located in the branches of one of the biggest trees in the Loft, stretching up above the canopy of the southern forest. Lavender’s the only employee and they’re open 3 days a week, with the cafe known for having incredible ambience and views of the loft, as well as an owner who will kick out rude customers without a second thought. Also, Lavender’s draconic hoard sits on the second floor of the cafe, a collection of trinkets, collectibles, mtg cards, gems, and various knick-knacks they’ve collected over the years. It’s technically open for business and you can buy things from the hoard, but you’ll have to offer up something that Lavender wants for their hoard in return.

-Notable Biomes-

while the above 3 locations are most noteworthy, I also wanna do a quick overview of the rest of the places that the Loft encompasses :3

-Southern forest: A wide, sprawling tropical forest, with the massive Lilac River winding through it. The rainiest location in the loft, tied with the coast and the wetlands.

-Coast: The biggest body of water in the loft, stretching out into the southeast distance barrier. Fed by the Lilac river, and subject to occasional flash storms and tidal waves.wetlands.

-Wetlands: A large, mangrove-populated swamp on the east side of the loft. Winding and mazelike, hard to navigate, but strikingly beautiful. Has a series of docks and walkways to make boat travel feasible.

-Terraces: A set of terraced, stepped hills on the northeast side of the mountain. Lavender’s imported quite a lot of dirt from the real world here, in order to grow plants that won’t disappear when taken outside the Loft.

-Plains: The flat grasslands at the bottom of the Terraces. Great place for picnics or watching the sky. Also gently sloped for most of its length, with a few paved paths starting at the terrace making for great downhill races on skateboards or bikes.

-Boreal Forest: A much more temperate forest to the north, populated by pines and with a few lakes dotted about. The smaller Indigo River runs through here, before flowing into the Molten Straight and then the Craglands. Also home to another massive tree similar to the Southern Forest, this one houses Lavender’s library in the Cabin.

-Boreal Reaches: The coldest area in the Loft by far, the northern section of the boreal forest that sees trees grow more sparsely and give way to fields of deep snow. Lit eerily at night by the stars and aurora, and home to a hot spring on its east side. Lavender can often be seen with the reaches in their wings on hot days, keeping themself cool with the arctic air from the loft.

-Molten Straight: A barren straight of molten rock and volcanic activity, broken up by large crystal formations. Located northwest of the mountain. The Indigo River runs through, snaking around any volcanic formations and flowing in an unpredictable path to the Craglands. Tied with the desert for the hottest location in the Loft.

-Craglands: A massive vertical chasm that cuts into the western landscape, stretching a little over a kilometre deep, and stretching straight to the distance barrier. The Indigo river pours in through the Molten Straight, creating a massive waterfall in the center of the chasm. There are a few Cabin rooms built into the walls of the ravine here, each offering a spectacular view. The small, pooling creek at the bottom is frigid cold.

-Desert: An expanse of dunes and sand in the western-south area of the loft, not quite as empty as you’d think. The dunes shift rapidly, sometimes uncovering old stone formations, and an oasis sits on the far western side. The sand here seems oddly attracted back to its home, any sand tracked into the cabin or another biome will slowly crawl back towards the dunes.

And there we have it! I might add more to this at some point or make some other posts about it sometime, but PHEW that was a lot :>

16 notes - Posted September 17, 2022

jonathan pointed out that dracula was probably the one who drove the carriage to the manor and I immediately thought of this

58 notes - Posted May 8, 2022

I love how the four lords in dark souls is like,

God of lightning

Primordial fire witch

Horrifying mass of corpses and plague

forgettable little meow meow (mentioned exactly once ever)

90 notes - Posted January 22, 2022

one thing about me is that I’m a dragon

382 notes - Posted May 16, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

ngl I feel like if I had a tail I would stim with it fucking constantly. like, sitting on it weirdly, tapping it on the floor, constantly playing with the end and unintentionally tying the fur into knots, it’s a weird thought to have but honestly I’m feeling about 100% certain in the accuracy of this realization rn

4,053 notes - Posted February 15, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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saintartemis · 2 years ago

Text

I posted 4,037 times in 2022

77 posts created (2%)

3,960 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@marzipanandminutiae

@museeeuuuum

@chaotic-archaeologist

@thatlittleegyptologist

@leitharstjarna

I tagged 1,560 of my posts in 2022

#archaeology - 237 posts

#museums - 179 posts

#fairy tail - 113 posts

#museum life - 90 posts

#history - 77 posts

#museum work - 72 posts

#artemis speaks - 59 posts

#natsu dragneel - 50 posts

#lucy heartfilia - 40 posts

#museum worker - 40 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#personally i’m not likely to care too much what happens to my body in a hundred years or so so long as i’m treated with respect and dignity

My Top Posts in 2022:

“Our research shows that for many segments of the public, history remains a subject merely about easily-definable facts and figures—and nothing more. Put simply, for many Americans, history they perceive as plainly presenting the “truth” through objects is “unbiased,” and good; history that involves anything beyond names and dates is just a “biased” opinion, and bad.

This narrow conception of what history is, how it is done, and what sources to trust about the past suggests a troubling conclusion: Americans trust our stuff, but they don’t trust us. Americans see public history institutions as an easily accessible storage unit for the “stuff” of history, but do not see (or have hidden from them) the complex processes underlying the final exhibit. When it comes to explaining what we do, our field has our work cut out for us.”

89 notes - Posted April 5, 2022

Credit to museumshift on Instagram

100 notes - Posted February 26, 2022

Musings Of a Museum Professional.

That feeling when you get when you get to FINALLY change the entry in the database for a painting that’s been misidentified for DECADES.

It’s a good feeling.

124 notes - Posted September 13, 2022

I love going to historic preservation conferences, because there are so many great discussions going on in the field, in museums, in archaeology that I get to be a part in. How to engage your local community and get them involved, about how to build more multi-sensory programs at your sites that aren’t just at kids, but adults too. How to to tap into citizen historians and archaeologists to better tell local stories and become a place the community feels safe going to with questions.

I’m listening to fantastic talks about recognizing if your museum’s leadership is an accurate reflection of the community you serve; how to use art to heal community trauma and all these amazing stories that got lost or are untold.

This is just me rambling about how happy that these topics and so much more are being discussed and addressed in the field. I’m not sure if I was really going anywhere with this line of thought, but I have soo many ideas for programs and exhibits to try at my museum and I’m just excited.

158 notes - Posted February 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

can you explain how you got into the museum field? I have my ba in history (‘20), with some experience in both public education and collection management basics, and I’m trying to find a foothold to get into museums and out of mind-dulling admin

Hello!

I came to the museum field in a round about sort of way.

I always wanted to work in archaeology, and when I was in undergrad I studied archaeology. My overall plan was to work as a shovel bum for a few years, go to grad school and eventually end up academia. I did field schools all over, during undergrad and after. And I knew to have a career I'd probably need a MA at the least.

So about half way through my senior year of undergrad, I figured out academia probably wasn’t for me, which is probably was a bit late to figure that out. And by this point I was also super interest in art conservation as a result of some of the field schools I'd been a part of. So during my gap year(s) after undergrad, I took some chem courses in-between working a normal job, and eventually applied for some art conservation programs and got rejected.

During this time, I was volunteering in my free time at a local museum as a costumed interpreter in an area of history that was not my forte or my main area of interest and it was a lot of fun and that is what kind of turned me on to working in museums. I still wanted to be involved with archaeology to an extent, so my line of thinking at the time was, if I can’t come in the front door, I'll come in the back door.

So I looked into what it takes to have a career in the museum field, I looked at all kinds of job postings, what qualifications they required, read all sort of articles. I already had the object handling experience it was everything else I kind of lacked. Applied to grad schools, and managed to get into a well respected and AFFORDABLE grad program (they do exist) and got a good basis in theory and practical knowledge.

I worked in a museum’s archaeology lab, as a curatorial assistant, as a processing archivist, an educator, I’ve managed volunteers and handled VIPS.

I got into my current job, with a lotta luck, and good timing.The fact I had a lot of experience not just in collections, but in interpretation, and tours and public speaking was really a major factor in me getting hired. I would say being flexible and having a lot of ‘tools’ in your tool belt is what really helps in this field.

I work as an interpreter and educator currently, that’s my main job. But I also work under the collections manager, the marketing manager, even the director doing admin tasks. We’re a small staff so we all have to pitch in to make the museum successful and we all get a long which is a definite bonus.

So that’s more or less how I got into the museum field. Kind of convoluted, but it worked out, surprisingly.

I hope this answered your question and I hope you find this helpful! Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any more questions!

Thank you for the question!

198 notes - Posted April 28, 2022

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kaushal555 · 5 months ago

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seo league city texas

Conquering the Digital Frontier: A Guide to SEO in League City, Texas

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Here's why SEO is crucial for businesses in League City:

Increased Website Traffic: A well-optimized website attracts more visitors, translating into more potential customers.

Enhanced Brand Awareness: Higher search engine rankings put your brand in front of a wider audience, building stronger brand recognition.

Targeted Leads: SEO allows you to focus your website content on keywords relevant to your industry and local area, attracting customers actively searching for your products or services.

Cost-Effective Marketing: SEO offers a long-term, cost-effective marketing strategy compared to traditional advertising methods.

Conquer Local SEO: Optimizing for League City

League City boasts a thriving business scene, and local SEO helps you stand out from the crowd. Here's how to tailor your SEO strategy for League City:

Keyword Research: Identify keywords your target audience uses to search for products or services like yours in League City. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can be a valuable resource. Think about specific phrases like "League City plumber" or "best bakery in League City."

Location Optimization: Claim and verify your Google My Business listing. This ensures accurate information about your business, including address, phone number, and opening hours, appears in Google Maps and local search results.

Content is King: Create high-quality, informative content relevant to your industry and League City. Consider blog posts about local events, tips related to your services, or community partnerships. Include relevant keywords naturally throughout your content.

Embrace Local Citations: Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Backlinks from reputable local websites can also boost your local SEO presence.

SEO for Beginners: Simple Steps to Success

SEO might seem complex, but here are some beginner-friendly steps you can take to improve your League City-based website's ranking:

Optimize Page Titles & Meta Descriptions: These are the snippets users see in search results. Craft clear, concise titles and descriptions containing relevant keywords that accurately reflect your page content.

Mobile-Friendly Design: With more people searching on smartphones, ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Responsive design allows your website to adapt to any screen size, providing a seamless user experience for all League City residents searching on the go.

Image Optimization: Include relevant keywords in your image file names and alt text descriptions. Not only does this improve SEO, but it also helps visually impaired users understand your content.

Internal Linking: Connect your website's pages with internal links. This helps search engines crawl and understand your website's structure, ultimately improving ranking.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced SEO Techniques

As you progress on your SEO journey, consider these advanced techniques to further refine your strategy:

Technical SEO: This involves optimizing your website's speed, code structure, and overall user experience for search engines. While technical SEO might require technical expertise, several resources and plugins can simplify the process.

Link Building: Secure backlinks from high-authority websites related to your industry. Backlinks act like votes of trust for search engines, signifying the valuable content on your website.

Content Marketing: Develop a consistent content marketing strategy that provides informative and engaging content for your target audience. This can take the form of blog posts, infographics, or even video content related to your industry and League City.

Conclusion: Embrace SEO and Watch Your League City Business Thrive

The world of SEO is vast and ever-evolving, but don't let that intimidate you. Start by implementing the basic strategies outlined above, and gradually build your knowledge with free online resources, workshops, or even consulting with a local SEO specialist in League City. Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. With dedication and a consistent approach, you can transform your online presence

Conquering the Digital Frontier: A Guide to SEO in League City, Texas

Demystifying SEO: What is it and Why Does it Matter?

Here's why SEO is crucial for businesses in League City:

Increased Website Traffic: A well-optimized website attracts more visitors, translating into more potential customers.

Enhanced Brand Awareness: Higher search engine rankings put your brand in front of a wider audience, building stronger brand recognition.

Targeted Leads: SEO allows you to focus your website content on keywords relevant to your industry and local area, attracting customers actively searching for your products or services.

Cost-Effective Marketing: SEO offers a long-term, cost-effective marketing strategy compared to traditional advertising methods.

Conquer Local SEO: Optimizing for League City

League City boasts a thriving business scene, and local SEO helps you stand out from the crowd. Here's how to tailor your SEO strategy for League City:

Embrace Local Citations: Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Backlinks from reputable local websites can also boost your local SEO presence.

SEO for Beginners: Simple Steps to Success

SEO might seem complex, but here are some beginner-friendly steps you can take to improve your League City-based website's ranking:

Image Optimization: Include relevant keywords in your image file names and alt text descriptions. Not only does this improve SEO, but it also helps visually impaired users understand your content.

Internal Linking: Connect your website's pages with internal links. This helps search engines crawl and understand your website's structure, ultimately improving ranking.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced SEO Techniques

As you progress on your SEO journey, consider these advanced techniques to further refine your strategy:

Link Building: Secure backlinks from high-authority websites related to your industry. Backlinks act like votes of trust for search engines, signifying the valuable content on your website.

Conclusion: Embrace SEO and Watch Your League City Business Thrive

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local-legal-marketing · 7 months ago

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What are the 5 key marketing strategies for law firms?

When it comes to marketing for law firms, it's easy to get swept away by the allure of advanced strategies and flashy tactics. While these can certainly be effective, it's crucial to establish a strong foundation first. These five key marketing strategies for law firms represent the bedrock upon which all your marketing efforts should be built. At Local Legal Marketing, we understand that these fundamentals are the cornerstone of driving new clients to your firm. Define Your Unique Value Proposition Before you delve into any marketing strategy, start by defining your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). This is your firm's unique selling point, the reason why clients should choose you over your competitors. Your UVP should emphasize your expertise, experience, and the specific benefits clients gain by selecting your firm. It's the foundation upon which all your marketing messages should be constructed. Why It Matters: Your UVP sets the tone for all your marketing efforts. It conveys to potential clients why you're the best choice for their legal needs. Without a strong UVP, advanced marketing strategies lose their impact. Build a Professional Website Your website is often the first point of contact between your firm and potential clients. It must be professional, user-friendly, and informative. Ensure your website showcases your practice areas, attorney profiles, client testimonials, and contact details. Mobile responsiveness and fast loading times are also essential for a positive user experience. Why It Matters: A well-designed website builds trust and credibility. It's where potential clients go to learn about your services and evaluate your expertise. Without a professional website, advanced marketing strategies lack a solid foundation. Content Marketing and SEO Content marketing involves creating valuable and informative content that addresses the questions and concerns of your target audience. This includes blog posts, articles, videos, and more. Optimizing this content for search engines (SEO) ensures your firm ranks higher in search results, making it easier for potential clients to find you online. Why It Matters: Content marketing establishes your authority in the legal field. It showcases your expertise and provides answers to the legal questions your audience may have. SEO ensures that your content reaches a wider audience, but without a strong foundation, advanced marketing strategies may struggle to gain traction. Social Media Engagement Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity to connect with your audience on a personal level. Share legal insights, case studies, and relevant news. Engaging with your followers through comments and messages can help build a loyal online community around your firm. Why It Matters: Social media humanizes your firm and fosters trust. It allows you to showcase and share success stories, and stay top of mind with your audience. While advanced strategies may be enticing, without a strong social media presence, they may not deliver the desired results. Online Reviews and Reputation Management Positive online reviews and a strong reputation are invaluable assets for your law firm. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business and Yelp. Address any negative feedback promptly and professionally. A solid reputation enhances your credibility and influences potential clients' decision-making. Why It Matters: Online reviews provide social proof of your firm's capabilities. They can sway potential clients in your favor and build trust. Reputation management ensures that your online image accurately reflects the quality of your services. Without a strong foundation in reputation management, advanced marketing strategies may fall flat. The Power of Local Legal Marketing At Local Legal Marketing, we specialize in helping law firms establish these fundamental marketing strategies effectively. We understand that while advanced tactics may be tempting, they make the most impact when built upon a strong foundation. By getting the basics right and consistently optimizing your marketing efforts, you'll see a substantial return on your investment. Conclusion Remember, these five key marketing strategies for law firms are the bedrock upon which successful marketing campaigns are built. They may not be the flashiest or most exciting, but they form the essential foundation for attracting more clients and growing your practice. With the right approach and the support of Local Legal Marketing, your firm can establish itself as a trusted legal authority and thrive in a competitive legal landscape. FAQs 1. What is a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) in legal marketing? A UVP defines what sets your law firm apart from competitors, focusing on your specific expertise, experience, and the benefits clients receive. It's the cornerstone of your marketing message, essential for attracting the right clients. 2. Why is having a professional website important for a law firm? A professional website serves as the first interaction point with potential clients. It builds trust and credibility by showcasing your practice areas, team expertise, client testimonials, and providing essential contact information. Ensuring it is mobile-friendly and fast-loading enhances user experience, crucial for retaining visitor interest. 3. How does content marketing benefit a law firm? Content marketing helps establish your authority by addressing common legal questions and concerns through articles, blogs, and videos. It not only educates your audience but also improves your search engine rankings, increasing your visibility online. 4. What role does social media play in legal marketing? Social media allows law firms to engage directly with their audience, providing a platform to share insights, updates, and success stories. This engagement builds a community around your brand, enhancing trust and visibility. 5. How can online reviews impact a law firm? Positive reviews enhance your law firm's reputation and provide social proof that can influence potential clients' decisions. Managing your online reputation, including addressing negative feedback, is crucial for maintaining a positive image. Ready to transform your law firm's online presence? Contact Local Legal Marketing today at (727) 320-7686 to unlock the power of effective digital strategies designed to bring you more clients. Don't wait—start your journey to success now Read the full article

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digitalpal · 1 year ago

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The Importance of Local SEO for Small Businesses| Call: 9990556217

In today's digital age, having an online presence is crucial for small businesses looking to compete in their local markets. Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool that can help small businesses get noticed by potential customers in their vicinity. In this article, we will explore why local SEO matters for small businesses and provide tips on how to leverage it effectively.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a specialized branch of search engine optimization that focuses on improving a website's visibility in local search results. When people search for products or services in their area, search engines like Google aim to provide the most relevant results. Local SEO helps businesses optimize their online presence so that they can rank higher in local search results.

The Importance of Local SEO for Small Businesses

Increased Visibility: When your small business is optimized for local SEO, it's more likely to appear at the top of search results when potential customers in your area search for related products or services. This increased visibility can help you stand out in a crowded market.

Targeted Traffic: Local SEO helps you attract people in your area who are actively searching for what you offer. This means you're more likely to reach potential customers who are ready to make a purchase.

Mobile Optimization: With the rise of mobile devices, more people are conducting local searches on the go. Local SEO ensures your business is visible to those searching on smartphones and tablets.

Competitive Advantage: Many small businesses neglect local SEO, which presents an opportunity for you to gain a competitive advantage. By optimizing your online presence, you can outshine competitors who haven't invested in this strategy.

Customer Trust: When your business appears at the top of local search results, it builds trust with potential customers. They are more likely to view your business as reputable and reliable.

Tips for Effective Local SEO

Google My Business: Claim and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Fill it out completely with accurate business information, including your address, phone number, and website. Encourage customers to leave reviews on your GMB listing.

Keyword Optimization: Use relevant local keywords on your website and in your content. Incorporate location-specific keywords that reflect the areas you serve.

Local Content: Create content that is relevant to your local audience. This can include blog posts, articles, or videos about local events, news, or issues.

On-Page SEO: Ensure your website is well-optimized for search engines. This includes optimizing your meta tags, headings, and images.

NAP Consistency: Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online platforms, including your website, social media profiles, and local directories.

Backlinks: Build high-quality backlinks from local websites and directories. These can significantly boost your local search rankings.

Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as this is a ranking factor in local search results.

Local Citations: Get your business listed in local directories, review sites, and online yellow pages. Consistent NAP information across these platforms is essential.

Local Schema Markup: Use schema markup to provide search engines with structured data about your business, such as operating hours, pricing, and location.

In conclusion, local SEO is a critical tool for small businesses looking to thrive in their local markets. By implementing the tips mentioned above and staying up to date with SEO best practices, your business can enjoy increased visibility, attract targeted traffic, and gain a competitive edge in your community. Don't underestimate the power of local SEO—it can make a significant difference in your small business's success.

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the-digital-marketing-blog · 1 year ago

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Introduction to Local SEO

Welcome to the exciting world of Local SEO! Have you ever wondered how businesses magically appear at the top of your search results when looking for a nearby restaurant, repair shop, or even a cozy coffee shop? Well, that's the power of Local SEO at play.

In this blog post, we are going to unravel the mysteries behind this digital wizardry and give you an in-depth Introduction to Local SEO. So, if you're curious about how businesses optimize their online presence to dominate the local search game, you're in the right place. Let's dive into the fascinating world of Local SEO and discover how it can make a difference for businesses right in your neighborhood.

Understanding Local SEO

Local SEO, short for Local Search Engine Optimization, is a digital marketing strategy designed to enhance the online visibility of businesses within specific geographic areas. It's all about making your business stand out in local search results when potential customers are looking for products and services nearby.

Here are the key points regarding the optimization techniques involved in Local SEO:

Website Optimization: Enhancing your website's content, structure, and meta-data to make it more search engine friendly and relevant to local searches.

Google My Business Profile: Creating and maintaining a well-optimized Google My Business profile.

Review Management: Actively seeking and managing positive reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook to build trust and credibility within local customers.

Consistent Business Information: Ensuring that your business's name, phone number (NAP), and other key details are consistent across all online directories and platforms, helping search engines accurately associate your business with local searches.

Key Factors in Local SEO

Three primary factors play a pivotal role in implementing local SEO, which include the following:

Relevance: Relevance is the foremost factor in implementing local SEO. It involves how well your business's online presence, such as your website and Google My Business profile, matches the user's search intent. To achieve high relevance, it's crucial to optimize your content with local keywords and phrases related to your business, products, or services. Additionally, providing accurate and detailed information about your business such as, location, hours of operation, and services offered, helps search engines understand your business's relevance to specific local queries. Essentially, the more aligned your online presence is with what users are searching for, the higher your chances of ranking prominently in local search results.

Distance: Distance is the second critical factor influencing local SEO. It refers to the proximity of the user's locations of businesses listed in search results. Search engines, like Google, take into account the user's current location or specified location when generating local search results. Businesses that are geographically closer to the user's location typically have a higher chance of ranking higher in search results. This factor helps search engines deliver more relevant and convenient results to users seeking nearby products or services. To improve your local search ranking based on distance, it's essential to ensure your business's address is accurately listed in online directories and that your Google My Business profile reflect your precise location.

Prominence: Prominence, a vital factor in local SEO, is a blend of offline and online elements. Offline prominence reflects how well a business performs in the real world, considering its reputation and local popularity. Online prominence, on the other hand, encompasses online reviews, citations, organic search ranking, and local digital engagement. Positive online reviews, consistent citations, a strong web presence, and active engagement with the local audience contribute to online prominence. These signals collectively influence how prominently your business appears in local search results, making it essential to cultivate a positive reputation both offline and online to improve your local search ranking and attract local customers.

Local SEO Guidelines on Google

Similar to standard Ethical SEO Strategy, Local SEO also adheres to ethical SEO guidelines. It's crucial to understand these guidelines to ensure your local business thrives in the digital landscape while sticking to Google's best practices.

Optimize your Google My Business profile.

Ensure genuine customer reviews.

Consistent NAP (business name, address, and phone number) information.

Quality citations.

Website optimization.

Local link building.

Use schema markup.

Monitor and respond to reviews.

Local social media engagement.

Avoid black hat techniques.

In conclusion, mastering the art of Local SEO is essential for businesses in the digital age. By following the ethical guidelines outlined here, you can boost your online presence and connect with local customers effectively. For further insights into SEO and ranking research, we recommend the e-book "SEO Ranking Research" by Talib Saifi, available on Amazon. Happy optimizing, and may your business thrive in the world of Local SEO!

The Digital Marketing Blog

#search engine optimization #localseo #digital marketing #seo #business #marketing #local business listing #localbusinesspromotion #businessgrowth #local businesses

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bluehatmarketing · 1 year ago

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All You Should Know About Local SEO

In today's digital age, the importance of local search engine optimization (SEO) cannot be overstated. As businesses strive to establish a strong online presence and attract local customers, mastering the art of local SEO has become a crucial aspect of their marketing strategy. Whether you're a small brick-and-mortar store or a service-based business, understanding local SEO can make a significant difference in your success. In this article, we'll delve into the essentials of local SEO and why it matters for your business.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO refers to the practice of optimizing your online presence to attract more local customers and enhance your visibility on search engines. Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on broader keywords, local SEO revolves around location-specific terms. Its ultimate goal is to ensure that your business appears prominently in local search results when users are looking for products or services in your vicinity.

The Key Components of Local SEO:

Google My Business (GMB): Setting up and optimizing your Google My Business profile is a fundamental step in local SEO. This listing provides essential information about your business, such as address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews. A well-optimized GMB profile can significantly boost your local search visibility.

Local Keywords: Incorporating location-specific keywords into your website's content is crucial for local SEO. These keywords should reflect what your potential customers might be searching for when looking for businesses in your area. For instance, if you're a coffee shop in New York, using keywords like "best coffee shop in NYC" can be effective.

Online Directories and Citations: Consistent and accurate business information across various online directories and citation sites is vital. These directories include Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific platforms. Make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) details are consistent across all listings.

Online Reviews: Positive online reviews not only build trust among potential customers but also play a role in local SEO rankings. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Be responsive to both positive and negative reviews to show your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Localized Content: Creating content that is relevant to your local audience can boost your local SEO efforts. This could include blog posts, articles, or videos that highlight local events, news, or trends. Engaging local content not only resonates with your community but also signals search engines about your local relevance.

Mobile-Friendly Website: With the rise in mobile searches, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for local SEO. A responsive website that offers a seamless experience on both desktop and mobile devices enhances user engagement and improves your search engine rankings.

Why Does Local SEO Matter?

Increased Online Visibility: When potential customers search for products or services in their local area, a strong local SEO strategy can ensure that your business appears at the top of the search results, making you more visible and accessible.

Targeted Traffic: Local SEO helps you attract customers who are more likely to convert into leads or sales. People searching for businesses in their vicinity are often ready to make a purchase, and local SEO puts your business in front of these high-intent users.

Competitive Edge: Local SEO levels the playing field for small businesses. Even if you're competing with larger enterprises, a well-optimized local SEO strategy can help you stand out in local searches.

Trust and Credibility: Positive online reviews and accurate business information foster trust among your potential customers. When they see your business consistently appearing in search results and receiving positive feedback, they're more likely to choose your products or services.

In conclusion, local SEO is an invaluable tool for businesses aiming to succeed in their local market. By optimizing your online presence for local searches, you can enhance your visibility, attract targeted traffic, and build a strong connection with your local community. Whether you're a neighborhood eatery or a service provider, mastering the nuances of local SEO can significantly impact your business's growth and success. Hire Bluehat Marketing to boost your local business.

#digital marketing

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