#this is another topic i'll have to do...research on lol

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

https://www.tumblr.com/reflections-in-a -critical-eye/757069484485902336 /interesting-that-w-korea-covered-the -upcoming?source=share

The article does make u give it side eye.. no usual ppl are writing such abo type things.

Also do u think jkk thinks that ppl take interest in their friendship or look at it more closely than other pairs? I remember there was this interviewer who asked jk if all BTS has the same friendships among others like how he has with jm or not. while mentioning to jm the interviewer also referred to that one moment in BTS's book. don't remember if it was regarding Tokyo trip or if it was the bar scene when jm goes after jk. leaning more into the later one. the interviewer seemed more like he wanted some controversy regarding BTS's friendships but jk handled it well.

Then when that other interviewer in US asked jk "I know jimin's in town too right?" the question ain't odd but looks like jk wasn't expecting it lol. he looks baffled there for a sec and given how they were acting secretive i wonder.

This is an interesting question and I'll admit I was intrigued a bit by each of those situations when it happened.

But first, I do want to look at it from an outsider perspective because I do think there's an answer here as well that has nothing to do with them as a romantic ship.

Jungkook being asked live during an interview about Jimin shouldn't be shocking. The interviewer was a BTS fan and for her, knowing there's another member of the group freshly arrived in the city, of course she'd briefly ask about him. It was entirely plausible during that interview. But Jungkook was caught off guard because the remark wasn't probably part of the previously established set of questions, which means he wasn't prepared with an answer in English, hence the awkwardness.

As to the other situation, that ended up a written interview for an American magazine (Variety, Vanity Fair? I don't remember, but I do know it was one with long history in the entertainment business).

If the interviewer mentioned a passage from the book in the context of Jungkook's friendship with Jimin, it shows that the person has done their research. That's the bare mininum and going as far as finding that particular source (which is mostly for the fandom circle), it shows there was a bit of digging. But even if that entire source wouldn't exist, I believe (and this is where my heavily biased perspective comes into play) that for an outsider, it becomes obvious very fast that Jungkook and Jimin have a close relationship just by observing them even in group settings. It is less complicated and less debatable for those who are not heavily involved within shipping/fandom spaces. We can sometimes lack perspective or see the bigger picture because we're too close to it. For a person who probably dedicated just a couple of hours of research because they had to do an interview with Jungkook, Jimin most likely stood out in terms of friendship/relationship of any kind.

Was the question asked in order to create controversy? It is possible of course, but in this case, I doubt it. The stakes are low. Even if the interview would gain traction given the subject, the usual readership of the magazine is not the fandom of a kpop idol. It wouldn't be worth it and I doubt anyone dug deep enough to know that group duos and dynamics can be a sensitive topic.

Lastly, apart from the short piece in W Korea being slightly weird, it does make me pay attention even more to the type of coverage and reactions that AYS is getting ahead of its release. If for almost a year, the excitement was contained in jikook circles, it seems that ever since the first teaser a few weeks ago, it has captured the attention of the fandom at large and beyond.

Factors such as their popularity as soloists do come into play to a various degree, but I believe that the footage we got so far is really appealing to a wider audience. They are simply fun to watch! You don't need to ship them or to believe they are in a relationship to be able to enjoy it. They have chemistry together and people are drawn to that.

To answer your initial questions, all these inquiries over their relationship or mentions have always remained neutral, without an actual hint at something else. Yes, there was talk about couple pjs, a Japanese website calling their announcement of the show as them looking like a couple, or using the word bromance in the headline. But all these are small details that are used as fun ways to attract/cater to audiences, while remaining in the platonic sphere. It's good for business, but everyone is keeping a safe distance. Which I believe will be entirely fitting with the actual show.

[seriousbrat]

quite contrary: mary macdonald + historical context, music

this is my Mary MacDonald playlist and I'd like to talk a little about my interpretation of her and her cultural/historical context! it might not align with fanon, ive no idea but idc frankly haha. I hope to have done my due diligence in terms of research (i'm an absolute research fiend) and in general this is a topic I'm personally highly interested in. because it's highly interesting and (ime) little-discussed. I'll be providing links for further reading. tagging @goldenromione bc she asked me to do this!

so in my fic Mary is a muggle-born girl from a British-Caribbean family in Croydon. Her family owns a Caribbean restaurant in Thornton Heath. She's rebellious and punky and gets a lot of this from her two older brothers, both Muggles; Toby, the eldest, is part of the Race Today Collective in Brixton, dedicated to the publication of a political magazine (Race Today) on race relations in the UK. The middle brother, Lewis (who has a fling with Sirius as a matter of interest lol) is a musician/DJ very active in the Ska Revival/Two-Tone scene of the late 70s-early 80s.

All this is very influential on Mary; she is very outspoken about muggle-born rights at school, and her music taste reflects her background. I do think she would like women-led punk especially x-ray spex, but also in terms of ska a group I think she'd have liked is the selecter, which features pauline black the coolest female vocalist i've ever seen in my entire life. just look at her:

this will be explored in the upcoming 4th part of my fic, in which we see Sirius in his Brixton flat, and Mary and Lewis both spend a lot of time there. Specifically, he lives on Railton Road, which was a very important street in terms of both Black and LGBT history in Britain. It was the scene of the 1981 Brixton Riot and the location of many collectives at different points like the British Black Panthers, the 121 Centre (one of London’s longest running squats, also housed anarchist groups and other orgs), the aforementioned Race Today Collective, the Pink Fairies/South London Gay Community Centre, among others. It was also the home of many important Black British activists and historical figures like C.L.R. James, Darcus Howe and Leila Hassan. A few links:

A Radical History of 121 Railton Road By the Waters of Babylon; The Battle of Railton Road; International Centres Today in London gay history: the South London Gay Centre evicted, Brixton, 1976 Activist Streets (on history in Thornton Heath, linked above)

If anyone is interested in this topic I cannot, cannot recommend enough the miniseries Small Axe on Amazon, which covers a few different important moments in Black British history from the 60s to the 80s. It's so incredibly good and the soundtrack is SUPREME. Another good one to get a feel for the period is In the Long Run, created by Idris Elba and set in London in the 80s, loosely based on his own childhood.

Lastly, a few images of how I see Mary under the cut:

this is simona brown, my mary fancast, though the image I used for my playlist is of brenda sykes who I also think is an absolute Mary vibe.

[nekropsii]

on the topic of Hussie's racism translating into the comic itself: the origin of lil Cal's name came from a racist comic Hussie made in his TeamSpecialOlympics line It's titled "Rollin with lil Cal" and depicts a black character adopted by a white dad that just goes "Shit! I be 29 years old mutha-fucka!" he either re-used this character itself throughout these comics or was just lazy, but what appears to be the same og lil Cal was in his comic "Underground Funk Railroad", which ended with "Slaves Recaptured: funky swagger to blame" as well as mocking systematic racism and segregation with the racial slur negro (which, historically by white people in that time frame, was pronounced similar to the well-known n word [re-stating out of habit to keep clarification of why it's bad/an actual slur])

From my research, "Lil' Cal" as a name actually seems to extend a little farther back than that. Looks like the origin of Lil' Cal as a character- or at least as a name belonging to a Black character- dates back to around 2005-2006, with the creator being Andrew Hussie's brother, Byron Hussie, also known as Byrobot. You'll see that username a lot when poking around archives of Team Special Olympics comics. I give the estimate of 2005 or so, because Byrobot's Lil' Cal strips predate Hussie's, and not only was Hussie's edition of "Rollin' Wit Lil' Cal" posted in (late-ish) 2006, but Byrobot closed his website in around early 2006, which is where that strip was originally hosted. Plus, I've seen a couple anecdotes that it was around 2005 when that first started being a thing... Either way, though.

Unsurprisingly, Lil' Cal wasn't exactly illustrated with much... Class. Here's Byrobot's first Lil' Cal strip. This is the first iteration of Lil' Cal ever posted online.

Yikes. Yikes on bikes.

To fortify your points, though, I'll post the strips you're talking about here.

Here's Hussie's "Rollin' Wit Lil' Cal", which depicts exactly what you said. This was posted on 08/01/06, as a part of the "Scribblettes" series on the Team Special Olympics website.

And here's Hussie's "Underground Funk Railroad", once again depicting exactly what you said. This was posted on 11/02/06, but is the same story otherwise.

I understand the anxious urge to do it, but I don't think most people really need an explanation as to why any variant of the N-Word is bad. Though, since you brought it up...

Have this. 12/20/06. I needed to curse someone else with it. Same story again, this is still a part of the Scribblettes series.

Regarding the speculation on whether the reusage of Lil' Cal was an act of laziness or not: TSO's Scribblettes have many recurring characters and recurring bits, Lil' Cal just happens to be one of them. Now, applying that same train of thought to Lil Cal's appearance in Homestuck... Homestuck is chock full of references, both to random things/media, and to Hussie's older works- like Problem Sleuth, Humanimals, And It Don't Stop, et cetera. Lil Cal, the puppet, was named the way he was as another throwback for longtime fans. Lil' Cal, the TSO character, was reused during the runtime of Scribblettes just for fun.

I have nothing profound to say about any of this. This guy sucks, lol.

[creepychan08]

Thranduil x Reader- Period Pains

Prompt: Thranduil comforting you during your time of the month

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

You wake up that morning with a massive cramps, sensitive breasts and a slight headache. The ray of sunlight filtering through the curtains and falling on your form normally would have made you smile as you wake up happily but not today. It only serves to make your headache worsen.

You groaned and shifted your body, back facing your husband.

"Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?" Thranduil's gentle voice greeted you as he plant a soft kiss to your shoulders.

You only grunted in response. Not in the mood to talk with anyone today as the pain in your lower abdomen increased. Its normally not like this. Your time of the month usually just pass by like a breeze, save for a slight cramps. But this month was the worse.

Sensing your discomfort, Thranduil embrace you closer from behind.

"Are you in pain, meleth nin? Is something bothering you?"

His sensitive nose finally picks up on a smell.

Blood.

Immediately, his senses were on alert as he check over your body. He saw the big, red stain of blood on your bottom and his eyes widen in shock.

How did this happen? Did someone harmed you while you were asleep? And you were even sleeping beside him. How could he fail to sense the intruder and protect you?

"Its nothing. Its part of human anatomy of a woman. We bleed like this every month and with it comes the cramps. Although I admit, its the worst today" You patiently explain to him, gritting your teeth when another wave of pain pass through your body.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but decided not to further ask you as he can see you were already in pain. He decided to do research on his own about this topic later after he tends to you.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this, my love" He pressed a kiss on top of your head as he rub his hands up and down comfortingly on your arms.

"Please tell me what can I do to help alleviate your suffering. Anything you want or desire YN."

He paused and continued, "I'll call the healers right now"

"No wait" you grasped his hand tightly. "No need for the complete check up. I just need them to give me pain killers." 

He looked at you seriously, debating his decision as he feels it would be best to have the healers check on you thoroughly but after seeing the determined look in your eyes, he figured you know more on how to deal with your pain.

After the healers came and gave you pain killers, you finally relax as you felt the pain decreasing to a tolerable amount.

Thranduil still hovered around you in concern, constantly asking how you're feeling and you can't help chuckle at his antics.

"Why are you laughing, YN? Do you find it humorous to find me in great worry over your condition?" If you look closely, you can almost see a small pout on his face.

"Oh Thranduil, my love, I do not mean it like that." You cup your hands on both his cheeks as you smile at him in apology.

"I am most flattered and grateful for your concern but I am feeling better now. And I find you fussing over me quite adorable in my eyes"

He blush slightly and hides his face in your neck. You hummed in delight while gently brushing his soft hair. 

'Who would have thought that the stone cold, Elven King would have this side of him' You thought with a smile.

"You don't have to worry a single thing today, YN. Ease your mind. I'll take care of you and make you forget about your monthly misery" 

After a whole day of being pampered more so than your usual days, eating your favorite foods, endless cuddling, massages and a special bath prepared to sooth your body, you can say for the first time that you were already looking forward for your next month's red days.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So I just finished my period and can't help but wish Thranduil to be there and care for me as well lol. Really sucks to be in love with a fictional character.

Anyway, this one is shorter as its just imagine scenarios for when the reader was in her painful time of the month and what I think Thranduil would be like in those case.

That's all! Hope you like it and you can comment what you think about the story so far. Stay safe, guys! :)))

[marzipanilla]

Back at you for the writer asks! (*^^*) ♡♡♡ 12, 17, 19, and 7!

7 - Your preferred writing fonts

I'm pretty bad about this and honestly just tend to use whatever default is for whatever I'm writing in. I think I've divested myself of having a preference because I am instilling the habit in myself of writing when I have the idea instead of insisting I'll remember it later, which means with my garbage hand writing I actually write A LOT in the notes app on my phone. Not really a lot of font options there. I mentioned before that I used to write in 10 pt times new roman a lot, but I don't have much of a preference now. I think it comes down to font size and not too much style. I do not like writing with large letters. To the point that since I'm checking out how the new ellipsus program works and the fact that their (very useful) outline options makes a specific word MUCH LARGER than other words and it bothers me. If there is a way to change this I have not found it yet.

I guess I do have a fondness for Courier/New though I don't actually write in it all that much because I own typewriters and have done script writing in the past, and that is the standard font for that.

12 - A trope you're really into right now

Whump. Character studies. Hurt no comfort/little comfort. That category lol Look, the two most recent WIPs I've posted have been pretty lighthearted but what I've really been working on lately is not that vibe. I smashed out 3k of some very rough conversation between take-a-guess and I'm pretty excited for it, though I still need to get all the connecting tissue to that moment in.

17- talk about your writing and editing process

Chaotic mess. I write down snippets of dialogue and conversation mostly. Which depending on where I am when I get A Thought can mean it will be scattered across several docs. Or notes on my phone. And then I have to go digging for it later and hope I remember what story I meant it for if I didn't label it. I am trying to get so much better at labeling.

Which means I have the note 'leggy teeth out of prison' and know exactly what it means, but have the sentence 'He was an honest man, and he could be gentle, but I do not think I would ever call him kind.' and have no idea what I had originally intended with it and now I just scroll by it on my phone sometimes.

When it comes to new stories I tend to start either with A Very Specific Conversation, or just a specific description for an emotional moment a character is going to have in the story. A lot of times I am just working off of A Vibe because I write so many AUs. I generally don't outline, but I do write insanely out of order and will jump around between 'oh this should definitely make this happen!' or 'this scenario means THIS needs to be said but I don't know the context in which the characters are going to say it yet' or 'wouldn't it be fucked up if this happens?'. And sometimes that means I end up deleting a lot when I finally move on to that story moment because things have changed drastically, or I end up going back to the beginning and completely rewriting something in order to give that story beat better set up.

I mostly edit as I go, while I am writing I tend to re-read everything up to that point of the story to make sure it's fresh in my brain, and if I was smart and didn't post all of those chapters yet (I rarely am..) I'll do little tweaks along the way. I generally try to convince myself to at least get one sleep in before another edit before posting, but since I don't have someone around to wrap a blanket around me and force me to stop generally I'll do a typo pass and just post something if I feel it is good enough. Or if I'm mad enough at a story idea and just want it not stuck with me anymore.

19 - The most interesting topic you've researched for a fic

Okay hmm maybe the interesting physics rabbit hole I went down recently. Where I found out once you go fast enough your weight starts to not really matter. At least, there seems to reach a point where the pressure exerted on you doesn't make you any denser or something. I was trying to find if there were any layman discussions I could peak into about what would theoretically happen if two objects moving at the speed of light crashed into each other. Did not quite find what I was looking for. The scenario I am thinking of for the fic is just somehow worse and less worse than what I was hoping would happen? Anyway, Viltrumites are a fucking problem and I will never be over the 'mundane' things that have to be true about specific heroes in any media that is overlooked in favor of trying to fit them into a framework that makes it possible to fight them.

[valeriianz]

truth or dare ask game!! 🌵🛼🔪☁️!! :D

oh my goodness, so many! <3

🌵 ⇢ share the link to a playlist you love

answered, here! but i'll include another playlist anyway :D

have some music not fandom related! (though i did find this one after reading and being consumed by The Song of Achilles...) this one is very moody and with a few surprises (some i dont think belong on the playlist... "Northern Downpour" wtf are you doing here??) but even if the vibe is off sometimes, there are some very good tracks here :)

🛼 ⇢ describe your latest wip with five emojis

🎸🌧🚌🌲❤️

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

answered, here!

☁️ ⇢ what made you choose your username?

it's an old username i adopted after i grew out of my weeaboo phase and dropped sanyumi (except for on ao3, ugh i never knew i could change my name on there but now its way too late. but i do hate it lol) anyway, the name originally was inspired by a book i read when i was a kid, called The Book of Dead Days. one of the character's name was Valerian. he was morally grey... a doomed character. really mysterious. i liked him and his name immediately, so i adopted it. found out much later he was named after the Valerian root, an herb that help with sleep. i really like it :)

writers truth and dare asks

[forcebookish]

thank you for tagging me, @ariadnekurosaki!!!

1 . How did you get into writing fanfiction?

uhh, when i was twelve i wrote horrendously bad self-insert inuyasha (and bleach?) fanfic on a now-defunct website that doesn't exist anymore lol since then i've bopped in and out of fandoms under different usernames across many platforms. often, i'll lose the muse in 2-3 year chunks, but get sucked back in for new fandoms.

except bleach. i always come back to bleach 😩

2. How many fandoms have you written in?

oh god, if we count dc, marvel, k-pop, and thai dramas (+rpf) as all their own respective fandoms (ie. not distinguishing between arrow, the flash, young justice, etc.), it's twelve - if we don't, it's almost thirty. a lot of my exo fanfics only reference other groups/solo artists, so i think that's too generous. the point is, it's a lot lol

3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

on and off since i was twelve (although when i was five i wrote a picture book about the disney princesses hanging out with me), but probably a total of 8 years actually active?

4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?

write more. i rarely read fanfiction unfortunately D:

5. What is one way you’ve improved as a writer?

i'm less verbose and my voice is cleaner.

6. What’s the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

quebecois sacres.

7. What’s your favorite type of comment to receive on your work?

when i make someone cry 😈 nah i really love detailed ones with quotations, ones that pinpoint exactly what parts hit them or meant the most to them. but tbh i love short keymashes too!

8. What’s the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

hmmm🤔 i don't think i write anything that out there... yet. i guess i like to write about psychic connections and niche super powers.

9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

ones with a lot of worldbuilding. and porn lol

10. What is the easiest type?

ones with a lot dialogue and character introspection.

11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

my office, the tv room, my bed, sometimes outside. i used to write in coffee shops, at the library, work (especially when i worked at the library lol) before the pandemic and i became a hermit. in gdocs, because i write on my pc, chromebook, and phone. all hours.

12. What is something you’ve been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

there's this one prompt from the bleach kink meme that i've been thinking about for ten years that has the potential to be really gross or really hot. or both. i might write it for the >5k au event in august idk

13. What made you choose your username?

lapmonster: my twitter username for a while before i decided to start posting on ao3 so i made my ao3 to match; it's a pun on rap monster. kairumption: when i started writing exo fic this was my livejournal url; another pun, it's kai + kyrumption (from angel). it's also where my nickname rum comes from. farewellswords: my twitter username changed from lapmonster in 2019 or 2020 because bts got too popular and army were accusing me of being a namjoon anti lmao; it's a chapter title from bleach.

probably should have kept kairumption as all of them, but i like farewellswords 🤷‍♀️ tbh it would have been my url here if an inactive acc didn't already have it. because, i mean, come on.

COME ON

okaaaay let's tag: @pomslices @retiredficwriter @komari-maxx @ellasaru12 @athousandbyeol @bytheforcebook and anyone else who wants to participate! :D sorry if i forgot you!

[der-schmetterling15]

What I learned after doing Duolingo, Busuu, Clozemaster and Babbel lessons every day for 60 days

So, a few months ago I realized my skills in German actually suck because I'd been using A1 language most of the time (I teach beginners up to B1 level), and I had not been reading or listening to spoken German other than movies and series. As a result, imposter syndrome and terrible self-esteem hit me really hard, and I decided to take action. At the moment, I can't afford conversation classes or a German course to get my B2 certificate (and I clearly wouldn't pass a B2 test). I had been doing Duolingo for years and I managed to achieve a streak of 784 days, but the German lessons were too boring for me (I had finished the entire German course, but they added new content). I didn't want to lose my streak, so I decided to start another language there just for fun (I was tired of Spanish as well), then I chose Italian, and it's been amazing so far.

After searching for some materials online, I decided to download Busuu again. I took a placement test and they told me to do the B2 course. However, I felt like I needed a recap on some topics, so I started B1 course there (I'm finishing this week!) and it helped me a lot. Interacting with others while having your exercises corrected is actually great, so as correcting people's exercises. Besides, I started a list on Quizlet to help me memorize new words and expressions.

As for Babbel, I paid for one year of German because the price was really good, and they sent me to B2 as well. I finished all the B2 contents and did the B1 courses as well, and they gave me two live classes for free. I was terrified of participating in them because I wasn't very confident I could speak to foreigners, but I did it and it was really nice. The teacher and the other participants were amazing, and the cultural exchange was very beneficial.

I discovered Clozemaster after interacting with a polyglot girl I follow on Instagram. It may be simply "fill-in-the-blanks", but it really helped me memorize some structures and also review stuff I hadn't seen in a long time.

I was feeling so awful before that I considered quitting German and doing something else (new information: I monetized my hobby and now I hate my life lol), and of course the impossibility of moving to Germany made me feel even worse. I can't apply for DAAD scholarships because I am not interested in academic studies at the moment, PLUS, I'm not getting any younger... A friend and former student recommended the Bundesfreiwilligendienst, and I am doing lots of research on that.

In conclusion, after doing all this for the past 60 days, I felt that I really improved my writing and listening skills (I had also stopped watching German tv shows because this made me really sad). I've been also searching for upper-intermediate books that can help me until I can pay for a course. Maybe next summer I'm going to Berlin for an exchange program, and then I'll try to travel to other cities and speak German there as much as I can.

[fonulyn]

Ohhhh writer asks! 13 and 19? :3

13. a fandom you’re thinking about writing for

i'm kinda monogamous with fandoms most of the time lmao so all my wips are RE buuuuuuuuuuut another Gears fic (shameless plug for the first one lmao) has been banging around in the back of my skull for a long time so I'm hoping at some point i'll have the energy for that!

19. the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

admittedly i'm kinda bad at deep research, i usually read up on the basics and that's enough for me to bullshit the rest lmao. but I DID do extensive research on upper limb prostheses and learned a lot lol. and i've learned way more about injuries than i ever thought i would!

thank you for asking! :D

(for this meme!)

[jamlocked]

For the Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game

🍓 🥑🥤🧃🍄🍬🔪🌸

(SORRY COULD NOT DECIDE)

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

WELL. It happened because I found out I was shit at writing. I'd been abroad for three months and it was mental (not really in a good way) and I was like, 'this is the book I've been wanting to write'. So I came home and started to write it and, dear God, it was terrible. Not too long after that I discovered fandom and saw some fan fiction for the first time. And some of it was SO GOOD, which I wasn't aware could be possible with fanfic (lol, right?) So I got absorbed in that and one day thought, 'well, maybe I should try because I already know these characters and it'll be good practice so I can learn to write my own stuff well'.

Guess what, it was.

🥑 ⇢ you accidentally killed somebody, which mutual(s) do you text for help?

@lvsifer You mate, obviously. Pfft, as if that were even in question. <3 (Though I question the word 'help'. Help me commit the murder? Yes, of course.)

(...thinking further, I also question the word 'accientally' in this scenario, particularly if @lvsifer was there with me, which he would be.)

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love

There are so many I could choose but I'm going to go with Sforzando simply because it's open in a tab right now so I can start another re-read, and that says it all really. I would link another one from an old fandom as well because it was beyond stunning and broke my entire soul a few years ago, but I can't remember the full name to link it.

  🧃 ⇢ share some personal lore you never posted about before

My own personal lore? Hmm. Can't remember what I have and haven't posted about. I'll go with my one severe phobia, which is shipwrecks. And that's all I'm going to say about it otherwise I'll start thinking about them and that is Unpleasant.

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

When Jim was a teenager he spent a long time debating whether to introduce himself to Sherlock. He didn't because he was scared, both of rejection and of it not living up to what he dreamed about. It's the only time he's ever really felt fear and he hates that he caved into it, given how Sherlock wasted years of his life on drugs and then became mostly ordinary.

I guess that's not really a pairing thing. So...in a world where Jim and Sherlock date or spend time together domestically, they frequently fight over food. Jim doesn't care about it but people have to eat, so he's going to eat well. Sherlock's diet of takeaways and beans on toast is unbearable. In the end, he forces Sherlock to learn to cook (by telling him it's entirely beyond his talents and 'yes, this is the most basic reverse psychology darling, but also, it's completely true') and Sherlock is so annoyed at not being able to tell what he means he becomes an amazing chef. And enjoys it. It's basically chemistry when it comes down to it.

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character

Sherlock was never and will never be in love with John. Or Molly.

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

I mean, there's a long list. Wind speeds over coastal Mexico? Wheel widths of early 19th century French carts? The political system of Bulgaria was quite interesting.

🌸 ⇢ do you have any pets? if you do, post some pictures of them

...mate, if you wanted to see pics of Coco you could have just WhatsApp'd me. :D

THIS IS COCO, ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL.

<3 <3 <3

[susieafterdark]

43, 44, 72, 73

🕷️

Oh! These are ones that relate back to a lot of WIP topics for me lol, good questions though!

43. Do you like chastity?

Yes! I really like it conceptually, sadly, I've never had the pleasure of actually trying it... I need to get a cage, but I've been really nervous about buying one, need to do more research on how to get started. If anyone would be interested in helping me research it would be much appreciated...

44. Have you ever worn a chastity device/been a keyholder? For how long?

I have not, but I would love to! Something about being locked up for as long as your master wants, until he feels like playing with you... which... knowing him probably wouldn't be very long, but still~ Maybe someday I'll get to try it out and I can come back and post about the new experience!

72. Do you enjoy sensory deprivation?

Can't say I really know much about it. Although it seems interesting... My dms and asks are open~ Feel free to teach me more about how it works.

73. Do you like putting a gag on a sub/being gagged?

Hhh.... I Yeah you could say that. I do like being gagged... in fact I've been searching for like, a silicone gag, that's a carrot shape... like those dogbone ones that good puppies use, but a carrot sideways in the mouth instead of a bone. Saw one once, but it got taken off the store page before I could buy it, and I've never seen another like it... if anybody knows where to find one please let me know. Something about only being able to let out pathetic noises in bed, that only further encourages your partner... it just drives my mind wild.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hi BPP, How will I know when the implosion begins? Is there an inverted yield curve for fandoms? Point form answers are are acceptable! Happy D-DAY!! 💜💜

Thank you for all the work you’ve put into this blog. It’s been a super interesting and enjoyable part of SM for me!

***

Hi @babyyourelemonade

An inverted yield curve for fandoms! Now that's a brilliant idea. I'd personally pay to contribute to funds for research on that topic honestly. And it could have implications outside of fandom too, such as for whole countries since many fandoms now work like splintered political communities more than anything else. I imagine it would be an upgrade to the theory on what caused the fall of Rome, or something like that.

I think I'm alone (mostly) in my opinions on the fandom imploding, and I don't want to talk much about it because I genuinely hope I'm very wrong, and because I don't have a lot of evidence to back up why I feel this way, so there's little point in going on about it.

But you've asked so I'll be brief:

Personally, I think the implosion has already started lol. The moment the fandom decided that taekookers were someone else's problem and should only be ignored, the seeds for implosion were already set. In my opinion. Think about Larries and the 1D fandom. Shipping is one thing but as I've said before, there are theories unique to taekook shipping that are inherently subversive to the very idea of BTS, and all it takes is someone crazy enough to do real damage. But that risk was somewhat contained so long as BTS was active and things were predictable. After the 2022 Festa Dinner and the fandom now experiencing Chapter 2 where so much is now unpredictable, where indulging in competition between the members is more permissible, the control on that risk has reduced somewhat. Solo stans, akgaes, and toxic shippers are like an immuno-virus that weakens from within because they're just as passionate and involved as regular fans, they're just twisted enough to prioritize their desires over everyone else, including the members they claim to stan.

The second problem is ARMYs. Lol. Specifically the ARMYs who have tied BTS's worth to the records and titles they hold, because those are the people most likely to do stupid shit when they feel threats to those records are imminent. At some point in 2021, I noticed when people would discuss what BTS means to them and to the industry, they'd just rattle off only records and accomplishments as if that was it. Before then, at least in my experience, people would talk about the lyrical impact of BTS's songs, they'd talk about the stylistic choices made in this or that album that relative to the other albums out at the time, and so on. There's nothing wrong with gloating about BTS's records because frankly that's the only thing that shuts up some antis. But it becomes a problem I think, when those records become the primary reason you think BTS have the status and caliber they have, and you’ve tied it to a central part of your identity.

Because records will always be broken.

And in Chapter 2 that is nearly guaranteed to happen. So the ARMYs who make that both their identity, and BTS's, will expose BTS to even more ridicule than they would've faced otherwise and will be disproportionately affected. If another group gets a Grammys nomination this year for example, or *gasp* actually wins the award next year, lol just pack it all up and give it to God. It will be bloody in these purple streets. Because too many ARMYs have tied BTS's worth to their achievements and only heightened the risk for implosion before 2026.

I've got a few more reasons but I've already written enough, and like I said I don't have much evidence for what I'm thinking anyway. But I suggest anyone who calls themselves a fan of BTS, reflect sometimes on why they're a fan, why they spend time in fandom spaces, and think about how to build real, honest community with people here while trying not to take too much personally.

[rayssyscourse]

Why do you as well as many other traumagenic systems typically display a negative stance towards endosystems?

Well, this is... a loaded question. (No hate to the asker, there's just a lot packed into this topic, lol.) I can't speak for everybody, because there's a vast number of reasons people might be against endos. I'll give you a rundown of the most common ones I see, but please take this with a grain of salt because this is just my perspective and does not in any capacity apply to all anti-endo, endo critical, etc. systems. Also, just because I am describing these beliefs does not necessarily mean I agree with them.

One of the most common reasons people are anti endo is because they see endo systems as romanticizing or making light of traumagenic plurality. By suggesting that they are having the same experience as traumagenic systems minus the trauma, it can feel like the meaning and impact of the severe struggles they/we face is being diluted and/or made irrelevant by people who directly or indirectly assert that they can have the same experience as someone for whom that experience is a result of terrible things that they have gone through. On that note, many feel like endos are making light of a condition and/or suggesting that it is fun/devaluing the severity of their suffering. These people usually want endos to stop using system terms and to separate from the traumagenic community partially or entirely.

Others take the medical approach. Currently, the only scientifically supported cause of plurality is trauma; we do not yet have much research or evidence for a broader spectrum of origins. So, some people don't support endos because they feel they are defying or devaluing science and possibly overlooking a medical condition.

Similarly, many anti endos are upset (and fearful) of the misinformation that is easily spread in endo communities. They feel it is dangerous to suggest to young or questioning plurals that they should not seek help/do not have a disorder instead of consulting a medical professional. They see the danger it can potentially cause to vulnerable and unsure people to tell them to write off a potential serious disorder/issue as... not that.

Others--this is the group I fall under--don't take issue with endos just being there, but with the integration of their community with ours. This draws somewhat on the first argument. We feel like our spaces and resources have been taken by endos and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find traumagenic spaces for support and community that do not include endos, who just do not have the same experience as us. Another part of this perspective is the fact that it can feel like endos are claiming to be the same as us or equating their experiences to ours where that is untrue.

There are also a lot of sub-points (for lack of a better term). For example, many take issue with the use of certain terms that they feel should be traumagenic exclusive. Others take issue with specific sub groups of endos, such as the tulpamancy-cultural appropriation debate.

So there's a basic rundown. Just to reiterate, this is not exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination, and does not all reflect my beliefs or the beliefs of all traumagenics, anti endos, endo criticals, etc. That being said, I hope this helps you understand where some people are coming from. Obviously, harassment is not justified in almost any scenario (the exceptions being, like, actual nazis), not towards endos or traumagenics or anyone else. This list isn't to justify any anti endo who is genuinely attacking endos, because that's just... not okay. But I hope it helps you at least understand where some people are coming from, even if you don't agree with or don't like them

Thank you for the ask! Feel free to ask follow up questions, and if anyone has anything to add or dispute feel free to let me know. Have a lovely day, everyone! <3

[withgirl-sq]

For the true or dare game

🍄🔪🍦

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

I'll go for Azutara -- I think that Azula would recognise how inept she is at romance at some point and would actually start to study how to become a better girlfriend to Katara who finds one of the books she has been reading and figures out what she has been doing. Somebody like Sokka would point out how weird it is but Katara would actually find the studying itself to be th emost romantic thing ever.

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

The only thing I've researched recently is physiotherapy for a broken shoulder so I'll have to go for that

🍦 ⇢ name three good things about a character you hate

The only character I truly hate is Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time so I'll give that a shot lol --

He was an entertaining villain before they put him and Emma together

Him and Regina are funny frenemies

He's backstory with Rumplestiltskin was interesting - liked the spin on the Crocodile story

I know that two of these are actually about another charcter in the show but this was difficult lol

[fruchtfleisch-art]

7, 12, 19 pls?

i adore your writing and artwork! it has such a detailed life to it! each sentence is so purposeful in your work that i feel like they’re organs/bone making up a whole body, each paragraph essential to breathe life into the piece. truly, u write PEAK fanfiction ( ★^O^★ )

Ahh, thank you!! That's such a nice thing to say ;_; I work very hard on my sentence flow, I'm so glad it feels purposeful to you.

7. your preferred writing fonts

Good old Times New Roman! Word recently switched their default font to Aptos, which is like... fine, I guess. It feels like going from suit pants to sweatpants...

12. a trope you’re really into right now

I adore miscommunication, misunderstandings, and the loss of knowledge as it's passed from one person to another! That's a big theme in BSBiB, and I think it's a fun challenge trying to depict it naturally without having the plot get too frustrating for the reader.

19. the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

I did a lot of research into Irish mountain landscapes for my Fire Emblem Three Houses fic (although some things, like all the dead crows the characters keep finding, were taken directly from experiences I've had IRL). Scene setting and technology available in the time period tends to be the most interesting part of research, I think... although it would be nice to write a story where somebody can just whip out a smartphone and Google stuff, haha. The curse of writing fic for characters stuck in the early 2000's...

Oh! Another interesting thing I researched recently was the Japanese LGBT scene- I'm not sure if I'll ever use that for writing (I don't tend to write fics that are amenable to coming-out scenes), but I find it very helpful to know the general societal attitude towards things I want to have quietly going on in the background, or if I need to keep something in mind while I'm writing a character. I found out there's top/bottom slang specifically for lesbians: tachi (pitcher)/neko (catcher), or riba, if you do both, lol. Also, it seems like the polite way to say "lesbian" is "bian"? Very interesting.

[dreamstatesims]

hey girlie, hope you're doing well; having a good day/night:

i wanted to ask if you could give any advice with building and landscaping? i've always been a huge fan of your sim style, and i'm currently looking to get into building myself.

was there any videos you watched or accounts that were able to help you jump wholeheartedly into the wonderful world of build/buy mode?

thank you soooo much in advance <3

hi! i could go on and on about this topic so thanks for asking. last year i wrote about building here, if you recall. since that one was more about "vibe" maybe this one should be a little more technical? idk, i'm a dreamy creative so i'm sure this'll get emotional anyway lol.

i suggest picking a world or architectural style and let one inform the other. then research that style, look at floor plans and dive into pinterest for a while before you start building. if you don't already have one, get one and go collecting inspiration that you can reference later. here's mine, if you wanna check it out.

when landscaping i think about two key things: what style of gardening goes with this build (manicured, overgrown, minimal, etc) and i consider the trees and/or flowers i see in the world around my lot. i'll incorporate some to blend on and off-lot gardening. and i can't emphasize enough how important terrain painting is! in my opinion it really anchors everything down. for example, i paint all around and under landscaped areas, trees, the entire perimeter of the house/buildings, and anything else like pools, decks, driveways. it creates depth and makes it look like these things are really sprouting out of the ground. also paths! even if you don't have stones laid down, think about the routes sims will take to get from one place to another, like from the back porch to the pool, the marks little sneakers leave under the swing set when simmies play, from the mudroom to the trash bins by the garage. grass thins out and you'll see some dirt showing through regularly trodden routes, so paint those on to make the area look lived in.

the simpler the floor plan, the better. even if you pick a floor plan that's complicated, simplify it. you don't need a garage? remove it or convert it into something else. too many little rooms and hallways? open up those spaces or take them out entirely and push the necessary rooms you want to keep into that area. you'll find your builds will be much easier to play in this way and it won't take sims hours to get to the kitchen or up the stairs.

i have general dimensions for rooms that really work for me: kitchen 5x6, 6x6, 6x7 dining 4x5, 5x5, 5x6 living 5x6, 6x6, 6x7 half bath 2x2, 2x3 full bath 3x4, 4x4 owner's suite 5x6, 6x6 bedrooms 4x5, 5x5 hallways 2 spaces wide

maybe a bit tricky, but think about adding rooms in the roof. a play room, guest room, second living room, or office space. hell, even just an attic you can convert later as your family grows. when building attics, i'll lay out the roof design first and then see where i can build rooms inside. for easier gameplay you'll want to then break down the roof into sections so when you lower the walls you can see inside and the camera won't bounce around.

twistedmexi's TOOL mod is an absolute gamechanger and i highly recommend using it to expand your lot outside the lines. EA has decorated the world outside of your lot with fences and other features that suggest you can absolutely push things further. i'll setup whatever i want outside the lot inside my grid first and then move it all out together. i do this for play areas, picnic tables and umbrellas, firepits and seating. i'll put cars parallel parked on the road or in the driveway EA has provided. and don't forget about debug items like electrical poles, post boxes, bus stops, fire hydrants and other stuff you'd see around a neighborhood.

i'm subscribed to a handful builders on youtube that i'll watch from time to time. it's great to see what other folks are doing because this community is so creative and you'd be surprised the little tricks you'll pick up. these are some of my favorite builders: simproved, simsphony, plumbob kingdom, simcubeez, bojana sims.

if you have any more questions on specifics or want an actual tutorial on something, don't hesitate to ask! and that goes for anyone reading this very long-winded post. kudos if you made it this far!