#to get used to a new person. it's stressful.

[scribeofmorpheus]

Why Dragon Age Veilguard isn't a "Cathedral"

Concept art by Matt Rhodes

"To disinherit the storylines of past games goes directly against the notion of building cathedrals."

What is inherent with Veilguard that keeps bothering me is the fact that the world's choices truly didn't matter--and it doesn't simply bother me from a player perspective, it's not simply a grievance borne of frustration to what I (as a longtime fan) have lost. It's about the very culture of the arts under capitalism's new media habituation cycle [x][x].

Yes, I spent hours of my life playing and replaying each instalment of Dragon Age. Yes, I painstakingly curated a 'canon' world state by replaying what came before in preparation for Veilguard. Yes, I am even more unsatisfied with the end product--time hasn't helped, it's just widened the divide. But, and I can't stress this enough, these very personal gripes aren't what hit home the most. It's the inherent disregard of legacy. A legacy that the previous writers and game developers were building towards.

In the DAV artbook, "cathedral" is the word used to describe the process of making a game. Matt Rhodes' exact words are: "One artist can make a painting, but it takes a team to build a cathedral." Cathedrals took centuries to build. The architect who drafted the first blueprints would likely never see his work realised, he had to rely on those who came after him, like-minded and passionate, to see it through--for the culture, for the future, for legacy. Painters took on several apprentices for this reason too--giant frescoes were not completed by one man's hand, even if it is one man's name that immortalises them. Similarly, if you weave a narrative around choice, what good does it do to take it away at the final act if not to fall to caricature?

To disinherit the storylines of past games goes directly against the notion of building cathedrals.

Late-stage capitalism and profit-margin-obsessed game producers forcing developers to churn out meager content, to make a known brand into something it's not, to chase a fad or a popular trend... o, how reductive and cliche you've been forced to become Bioware. We have lost the cultural thought patterns relative to Cathedrals. We know only of barn-raised churches--done in a day but unlikely to last the turn of the seasons.

And don't even get me started on the music of Veilguard either. From Origins to World of Warcraft to Everquest to Baldur's Gate to Dungeon Siege, you can hear the intricate interconnected weave of sounds inspired by the Dungeons and Dragons-esque fantasy genre. You hear it in the repeated use of certain instruments, in the harmonic weeping notes of a bard-like singer or the foreboding echoes of drums as if of war. In tavern songs. But then, rather than hire someone who loves these worlds and this genre, who is a hungry artist looking to make a name, a legacy if you will, for themselves with a spectacular score, you hire any already sated composer, one well-into the encroaching years of career fatigue, whose notes repeat in countless projects, who feels less concise and more uninterested with each new project. One who has long since cemented his legacy. Someone in it for a paycheck and nothing else! And, to top it off, you let him compose something so minimalist? I am offended actually.

Cathedrals! We should have witnessed the final tile being placed on the Dragon Age cathedral. Instead, some architects walked up, tore down the interior and installed IKEA furniture and called it authentic before having to call the previous architects to come and fix the "load-bearing issues", forcing them to rush and add a coat of varnish and a few 'aged' details for authenticity.

[writingadvicesavingcometcon]

I've recently learned that I can't write smutt unless I focus 100% on the characters, their dynamic and the thematic purpose of the sex scene. I'm currently writing Tucker/Felix from Red vs Blue and the moment I figured out why Felix was doing any of this was the moment I got ideas for scenes. Because while the story is from Tucker's perspective (Felix is too rancid for me to try to write in the headspace of and since my stories always need to have the abuse victim being empowered and breaking free after a period of time in the story under the shitty treatment of the abuser, I find everything just flows better if the focus is on them and how it affects them rather than the perpetrator and what their mental process for doing it is), Felix is the driving force of the story because his goal is to break Tucker because he's bored and Tucker is the shiny new plaything (I still have to understand WHY Felix does what he does and how he sees things, I just don't put the focus on him by putting us directly in his head because it's unnecessary and Tucker's feelings are far more important as the person he's mistreating).

Their entire dynamic is so interesting to me and I found once I focused entirely on how Felix would carefully, delicately escalate - constantly testing Tucker's lines and then casually nudging them a few centimetres further until he gets used to accepting that - I knew exactly what to do because I just had to follow Felix's reasoning, thought patterns and long-game plan to reel Tucker in and make him do what he wants.

The prose itself only comes with practice unfortunately, but I cannot stress enough - especially as a gray-ace person who really struggles with finding sex scenes interesting when it's just a sequence of physical sex acts with no rhyme or reason for those specific characters with that specific dynamic to be doing the same cookie cutter barbie doll bumping bullshit they do in filmed real person porn - how important it is for you to focus on your characters and dynamics and existing themes if you're stuck on what to do, exactly as OP said.

Also one quick addition from me: don't be afraid to toss in some unusual factor into the scene.

Felix draws Tucker in with a card game he turns into basically strip poker and uses that plus the sexual interest he built in Tucker from other scenes previously plus pushing on Tucker's natural competitive nature/wanting Felix to respect and like him and uses all of that as the springboard to pressure Tucker into more and more things until Tucker falls into sunk cost fallacy combined with arousal (as well as being drunk because of course Felix included drinking into his slow reel-in methods) combined with the conditioning Felix has already been building in him to do as he's told via how he runs the card game, with a consistent focus on making it easy to pass off to Tucker and others as his own ideas/he was consenting the whole time because he chose to do things himself etc (and we just 'ignore' the fact Felix outright pressured and manipulated him into every single escalation throughout the scene in some way; of course we don't actually ignore it as I do my best to make it subtly clear to attentive readers what Felix is doing, I just also have Tucker be the unreliable narrator who is lying REALLY hard to himself/falling hook, line and sinker for Felix's bullshit).

All of that being done through the specific lense of a card game ended up giving me something new and interesting to build the scene around, which helped influence some of the physical act choices, which then consistently aligned with the themes of making Tucker 'choose' to do things, consistently handing Felix all of the power in the scene (and him doing things/manipulating Tucker and the situation to take it back again any time he loses it for even a second) and steadily moving those boundaries in Tucker's mind at a snail's pace I think he would reliably accept under Felix's careful pace and fine adjustments as necessary to keep him on course.

I'll be posting it hopefully some time within the next year. I have another story I want to finish and post first which focuses on the fascinatingly similar vibes between BDSM and military culture (the latter being a toxic non-sexual version of the former with a complete lack of self-awareness) and therefore has to involve choices which reflect the characters' start in military behaviours then a shifted interest/focus on consensual and caring dominance/submission between them (instead of the highly dubious consent of the malicious-intent long-game manipulative power imbalance between Felix and Tucker).

Once Tucker escapes Felix, I want him to have a recovery fic where he tries to process what happened and take back his control through exploring with Washington, someone who actually cares about him and will do his absolute best not to cause more harm while trying to figure out where the actual lines are with a man who wants to take back control over things a shitty person traumatised him with but may or may not actually be ready for each thing he wants to do. So everything I write for them MUST revolve around that and resolving it and Tucker taking back his autonomy and healing in whatever ways he needs, and Washington trying to help facilitate that while being concerned over making sure he doesn't just retraumatise the poor guy.

But yeah. Everything became actually possible even as a gray-ace when I stopped trying to force myself to focus on SexActsTM and instead put ALL of the focus on the characters themselves and how they interact with each other generally and what they would do within a smutt scene in ways that stay consistent with the entire point of their story.

(Do what you want forever of course, but if you can't write smutt because you don't know what to have the characters do and it's always boring to you and others, a lack of what OP mentions is probably why.)

@saturdaysky Your tags are awesome and so right!!!!

Advice for writing smut???

gonna do bullet-points of things i tend to live by when it comes to smut (this is just my opinion):

don't switch styles: the way you write the smut has to be consistent with the way you write the rest of the story, so if your story is more comedic or romcom-y in nature, the way you write the smut should have those stylings. i personally find it very jarring when authors decide to break the format for the smut, almost like the story has to stop for the sex intermission; if you're writing a horror story, the smut must be informed and influenced by that genre, and if you are breaking genre for the smut portion, tell us why you're suddenly switching gears (it has to be an aesthetic choice you're making on purpose). likewise, if your style in that story is more lyrical, the smut has to be somewhat lyrical too, or if your story is more cormac mccarthy-esque-cut-and-dry, the smut can't suddenly involve an effluvia of purple, sappy prose. integrating the smut in the story and treating it like any other part of the story is key to me. too often i've seen ppl switch to this anonymous pornified style when they get to the smut

which brings me to specificity. i'll talk about het sex, since that's what i tend to write most: not all men are going to be fingering or eating pussy the same way, not all dicks are big and they shouldn't be, not all women immediately get excited by fingering, not everyone moans the same way or makes the same sounds. you're writing about particular characters so it has to be particular to them. i know this is very old advice, but i think it bears repeating

there isn't an exact formula or sequence you have to follow, there aren't precise steps, you don't have to go "well, first he has to kiss down her neck, then reach the boob area, then play with the nipples, then put the nipple in his mouth, then slowly go down on her, then prepare her for entering her etc. etc. etc." this can get boring and repetitive and you start thinking of your characters as these mechanical dolls who have to fuck for your audience. and that can be a vibe too, if you do it on purpose. but sometimes you can get stuck in a porn routine (and ofc, having only the guy show initiative can also get boring)

in order to break that, insert some character moments. what are the characters thinking during this? sometimes they might be thinking of something completely unrelated on the surface, but which has a thematic relevance that can make the scene hotter. likewise, maybe they're doing smth that seems unsexy on the surface, but which, within the context of the story might be really hot. sex doesn't just involve, well, sex, but so much weirdness and humanity and creativity. two bodies (usually) are trying to do this really awkward thing together and they might have a lot of baggage and history to inform it. there's a lot you can do with that.

don't make it glossy and clean, where everyone smells of strawberry shampoo and there is never anything out of sync. the most boring smut tends to be the kind where no one makes any mistakes and everything is super efficient. i imagine it feels like using an industrial pump to milk various farm animals.

and you know what? you can make that hot too. you CAN write a kind of robotic efficient smut and make it really interesting based on the context. let's say you're writing a 1984 AU fic where ppl are forced into intimacy only to procreate and their sex drive is diminished. you can play with that premise and lean into the dehumanizing industrialization of sex, but you have to mean it, aka your narratorial voice must be conscious of these factors.

if you're writing dubcon, make the dubious part present, make sure you draw out the ambivalence and ambiguity. if you're writing noncon, the character whose consent is being violated has to be transformed by this in some way. it can be forced pleasure, for instance, but not only. it has to be a journey for them too, some kind of spiritual pit, or a form of access to terrible knowledge. i know this is a personal thing, but noncon doesn't work for me if the character being noncon'd is just sort of *there*, suffering passively. i think that sort of dead passivity can be done very well too, but the narratorial voice has to persuade me.

that being said, don't be afraid of fear in consensual sex. terror and vulnerability are a part of consensual sex too, imo, and again, depending on the story and the characters, there's a lot you can explore there

i personally find it really hot when the narratorial voice starts discussing some of the ideas that the story wants to convey during the smut. so like, you can characterize person A and outline their worldview and their plans while they're ramming person B, and the thinking & fucking are thus entwined. idk, i dig that

speaking of which, smut can convey world-building details and social/philosophical ideas, not just emotions and character beats

not all smut has to end with mutual orgasm or even one-sided orgasm, it depends what you want to do or where you want to go. again, you don't have to follow a sequence. plus, it's fun (and hot) to write about frustration and failure too.

if you want to mix up the descriptions, resort to the story & characters. you'll find it's easier to describe someone fondling a boob in a new or at least interesting way if you're thinking about that particular character in that particular story, and not just Man X from planet porn (sorry to be snarky, but mainstream erotica is soooo guilty of this)

screaming & really intense reactions are cool but they have to match the characters and the situations

sometimes, it's hotter if an effect is mild or negated, if the usual outcome doesn't happen; mix up the order of events, toy with the usual reactions. it's not about being original, it's about finding out what works for your characters. writing about sex is, in a way, a performance of it, an attempt to go through the sexual motions, to find out what works and doesn't, to engage with the erotics of text (roland barthes entered the chat)

if you are bored by your own smut, that's a problem. i know we all talk about how hard we find writing smut, and IT IS hard, and sometimes it's not enjoyable, because writing itself is often not enjoyable, but even when it's painful and annoying, it gives you that little intellectual kick like "huh, i'm creating this and making these people do this, and ohh look, i can maybe put this unnamable thing into words". but if you become bored, that's a sign you have to look at the language & characters and figure out what's not working for you

last thing i'll underline: pay attention to your narratorial voice. in this ordeal, you are the seducer. not the characters. you have to seduce us with words and context. your voice matters. you have to be confident in your weirdness and particularity. this is your bedroom (so to speak), so invite us in.

[angelltheninth]

Satan Fucks You as a Punishment

Pairing: Satan x Fem!Reader

Tags: nsfw, smut, monsterfucking, overstimulation, size kink, huge cock, temperature play, rough sex, power play, name-calling, degradation, semi-public sex

Ko-Fi | Rules | Fandoms and Characters

A/N: I know there are people on this sight who match my freak for Satan.

He can be merciful, not always, not a lot actually, only to special demons

No one said that someone can't be a really hot Sinner such as yourself

Double standards? Yes, he has those and he's not ashamed of it

Besides he saw how you looked at him up and down while the trial was going on, not to mention he could smell you getting horny whenever he closed in on you to try and intimidate you

Intimidation usually works, he is the Sin of Wrath after all but for you he'll have to use different tactics

A good fuck on his throne might make you show some respect for him

Right after the trial ends he pulls you onto his lap and grins wide at your hips bucking already

So needy, you would have come right there in front of everyone if he told you too wouldn't you

That's a humiliation he won't subject you to... this time

Clothes won't survive this encounter, they're ripped to shreds under his claws, exposing your small body to him

If he wanted to he could use you like a fucking toy and move you up and down his cock as he sees fit

But that wouldn't be much of a punishment, you need to do some work too, otherwise it's no fun

His cock is so big, so thick, with pulsing orange veins across it, hot to the touch, pulsing in your hands as you move them up and down

You're getting his thigh wet every time you move, but the slick doesn't stay there for long, instead evaporating into the room

Satan's huge hands wrap around your little waist and move you above his cock, the broad tip almost too big for you to take

He knows women like you, acting all innocent but you're actually a fucking freak, you want him to split you open on his cock and keep you on it for as long as possible

Was he right? Cause just his words have your pussy drooling on his girth

Laughs, deep and growling, as you try to take his cock, little by little, yet you can only get him half way in despite you whining you want more

That would actually break you, he's not ready to break his new slut just yet

A Sinner like you should be grateful that he's letting you get off this easy, both in terms of punishment and getting off with his cock

Keeps one hand on your thigh, the other on your back, completely eclipsing it as you start moving up and down on his cock

Gets bored easily and his hips start moving a lot faster, faster than you can ride him, instead he flips you over and pins you against his throne, getting into your face, licking it from neck to forehead as he rams his cock into you

Loves how you scream for him, his name broken on your lips

Notices how you try to wrap his legs around him but he's too big for you to do that

It's really cute that you want him even deeper

He was right to think you're a cockslut, but from now on you be only his cockslut, you'll be the one taking the pressure off him before and after every trial, his personal stress relief fucktoy

[b4ddprincess]

fear

where was this fear of inducing pure consciousness rooted from?

from the idea that you probably can't induce pure consciousness, cuz you think you might do something wrong? from the idea that you may not be able to induce pure consciousness at all, cuz you aren't worthy of inducing pure consciousness? where was your fear of inducing pure consciousness rooted from?

a lot of us still hold on to the idea that pure consciousness is "an actual void we're entering". a place outside or somewhere literally inside of us. that we are leaving our bodies to enter a dark instant manifestation plane. the idea looks easy but sounds like it could be hard, and that there's something you could be missing. is that where your fear rooted from?

that following the exact routine someone else did might help them "enter the void". that inducing pure consciousness is scarier, becuz of the "symptoms" (which actually occurs because your brain is checking to know if you're asleep). is that where your fear rooted from?

being convinced for a long time that you must work (hard) to achieve your desires, which also meant that inducing pure consciousness and manifesting your dream life is also hard. so when it seems too easy to be true, something has to be wrong and you will fail. is that where your fear rooted from?

well i can assure you that the life you desire, is within molecule-distance.

this fear you have bottled up inside of you, was once inside of me too! so i completely understand how you're feeling 🩷 but what you must understand, is that you don't have to live life the hard way anymore. you know about the law and you know about pure consciousness, so you know more about your self. you know that pure consciousness is only another state of consciousness, and that it is easily induced when you forget about the 3d and you immerse yourself in your imagination (daydreaming, freeing yourself in your thoughts, affirming, having internal dialogues, singing songs or rapping in your head, etc.). everyone can induce pure consciousness. yes! even YOU reading this! inducing pure consciousness is as easy as inducing sleep (or even easier!).

don't stay in this mindset that life must be hard to get through as time goes by. you'll end up being the person that constantly thinks that everything in life must be hard.

but trust me. it doesn't have to be hard.

inducing pure consciousness isn't a new concept. your subconscious mind already knew about this state of consciousness, but it was time that your conscious mind knew too!

you were literally born with the ability to induce pure consciousness cuz you were born with the state. there's no reason to be fearful of failure. if you're fearful of failure, then you're still stuck in the "nothing is done with ease" mentality. a mentality stemmed from the 3d, and it needs to be bidden its farewells. there was nothing to be scared of in the first place until you thought of something to be scared of. whatever you thought of to be scared of was simply a false idea you instilled which caused fear. one of the ways to diminish this fear, is to know and understand the truth, and to get rid of those false ideas of pure consciousness. i know many of you still don't believe that you can induce pure consciousness today, tonight, and even within this very hour, but trust me. you can!

it seems to me that y'all are more fearful of an undesired outcome. but that simple "outcome" is staying in the awake state. or, fearful of being disappointed in yourself.

but the thing is, how will you know the simplicity of pure consciousness if you don't bother inducing it cuz of fear? even if you didn't induce it, note what you were doing, and note what pure consciousness is. if you were constantly stressing about time, note that. also note that pure consciousness is a no-time state. if you were constantly stressed about feeling your body, note that. also note that pure consciousness is a state of consciousness where you're not aware of your body. there's nothing wrong with learning and apply. but putting it off, cuz you don't want to disappoint yourself again will not help you in any way.

trust me when i tell you, for the how muchth time ion even know atp, pure consciousness is just like being awake, or being asleep. just like it. they're all the same concept, and you know you can't force yourself to become neither. just relax, close your eyes, and let your thoughts or daydreams wander without worrying about pure consciousness, then boom! you'll induce pure consciousness! and for those fearful of disappointment, just go for it without caring about any outcome! trust me, there's literally nothing to be scared about! with every learning attempt is a step closer to success! so keep going!

stick to the plan, not on your mood! 🩷💛

[vigilskeep]

as a big fan of you Viago Posting I gotta ask, how do you think Viago feels/reacts to the news of Rook de Riva romancing each of the various companions? I feel like the guy would absolutely have Opinions on all of them lol

i keep receiving asks addressed like this as though i am some kind of Viago Whisperer, which i find both funny and an intimidating task. nevertheless i shall do my best.

i don’t think he would react well to any of the options here, but that’s not necessarily damning, because viago does not react well to basically anything. roughly in order from Least Viago Stress to Most Viago Stress:

1) emmrich seems, in banters with lucanis, to have been emboldened by lucanis’ confirmation that viago posssesses a rosseletto painting and gone on to actually discuss art with viago himself. (lucanis later lets emmrich know from viago that a painting he ordered for vorgoth’s benefit has come in.) emmrich is a man of culture with a very respectable necrotic damage specialisation. he comes from a politically powerful organisation that can defend itself, yet is not personally ambitious in a way likely to drag house de riva into trouble or use rook for his own ends. sure i think viago would make a little fuss about the age gap because he’s judgemental like that but i don’t think there would be much passion behind it

2) bellara’s bubbling questions and excitable nature would be personally a bit startling and maybe slightly grating to viago but i’m keeping her pretty high up because i think lucanis is right and that viago would eat up her knowledge about taste profiles for his usual Nefarious Purposes. once he realises she genuinely is asking questions about house de riva proprietary poisoning tactics for writing research, of all things, i think we can get these fantasy scientists chatting and then she’d charm him against his will.

3) taash’s general bluntness would startle viago even more. their interactions would be pretty hysterical, because taash is so straightforward and viago is so paranoid, and i think viago would leave all of them confused and slightly intimidated. if you send taash with the crows in the final battle, they and teia have a cute interaction about taash getting honorary crow rights, as a conclusion to lucanis and taash’s banters. so this has Teia Approval, which causes viago grumbling but does have a positive viago effect overall. the lords of fortune are friendly with the crows so i don’t think there are major occupational objections here

4) harding is an inquisition agent, which i think viago probably has both condescending and paranoid opinions about. i.e., the inquisition are a small band of fading influence but they also have a history of insane power grabs out of nowhere. neither of which are exactly what you want your protege to marry into. her inability to cook suggests very little skillset bonding. she’s an ordinary farm girl from ferelden and viago’s an antivan elitist so no discussion of their relative backgrounds is going to go very well. HOWEVER, there are saving graces here. she’s a rogue, which is the viago equivalent of dating someone who’s made good career choices. they briefly worked together in the comics with no issues and happily shook hands at the end. he would find her powers conceptually interesting. she’s the type of person to make an effort with in-laws. (hysterical image of her somehow getting viago to her ma’s house for a family gathering. his spindly legs not fitting under the dwarven table. him testing the world’s most earnest fereldan soup for poison. endless potential here.)

5) neve is a detective. viago is a poisoner and rook is his assassin. these are not particularly compatible life paths and i believe viago would point this out with increasing volume as nobody else seems to take issue with it. her canonical willingness to work with the crows would mollify him a bit. every other aspect of her life would not. maybe avoid her mentioning that she lives in a dock town apartment and makes no money because she’s too busy picking fights against impossible odds out of the goodness of her heart? like just don’t bring that up over dinner.

6) davrin made life choices against his own clan’s wishes, greatly approves when you knock his boss out cold, and has zero respect for the crows. davrin does not want viago’s approval. davrin cannot even pretend to want viago’s approval. viago thinks he has the right to be insulted. let alone the insult of his protege ending up with someone with the zero lifetime prospects of a grey warden monster hunter. does rook even know what happened the last time a crow lost their head over a warden? perhaps rook would like the crows to bury as many fifth talons as they did eighth talons! <- said in increasingly hysterical tones, as teia pats him on the back comfortingly while giving rook a thumbs up for picking out a handsome one

7) viago’s fairly sure you’re publicly dating the first talon because you want him personally in an early grave

[nenelonomh]

improving your memory

having a good memory is like having a personal archive of valuable information at your fingertips. it enhances efficiency by allowing you to recall facts, dates, and tasks quickly, making daily life and work more productive.

good memory also aids in learning, helping you retain knowledge and skills, which makes acquiring new information easier. it plays a crucial role in problem-solving by enabling you to draw from past experiences to tackle current issues.

additionally, remembering details about people—such as their names, interests, and past conversations—helps build and maintain strong relationships. keeping your memory sharp also has health benefits, as studies have shown it can delay cognitive decline and reduce the risk of conditions like dementia.

essentially, a good memory is a mental toolbox that equips you to handle life's challenges more effectively and can even help you stay organized and on top of things. improving your memory can be achieved through a combination of lifestyle changes and mental exercises.

below are some strategies:

stay mentally active: keeping your brain engaged is crucial for maintaining cognitive function. activities like solving puzzles, reading books, playing chess, or even learning a new language or musical instrument can create new neural pathways and enhance mental agility. continuous learning and challenging your mind can prevent cognitive decline and improve overall brain function.

get enough sleep: during sleep, your brain processes and consolidates information from the day. deep sleep stages, particularly REM sleep, are essential for memory consolidation. aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to ensure your brain gets the rest it needs to function optimally. establishing a regular sleep routine and creating a restful sleep environment can also improve sleep quality.

eat a balanced diet: nutrition plays a significant role in brain health. foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, and those high in healthy fats, like nuts and avocados, can protect the brain from oxidative stress. omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are particularly beneficial for brain function. vitamins, especially vitamin E and B vitamins, are essential for maintaining cognitive health. staying hydrated is also important, as dehydration can affect cognitive abilities.

exercise regularly: physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which can enhance memory and cognitive function. regular exercise promotes the growth of new brain cells and improves the connections between them. activities such as aerobic exercises, strength training, and even yoga can be beneficial. aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week to keep your brain healthy.

practice mindfulness and meditation: these techniques can help reduce stress, which is known to negatively impact memory. mindfulness and meditation encourage relaxation and focus, allowing your brain to function more efficiently. regular practice can increase grey matter in the brain, which is associated with improved memory and learning. incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can help you stay present and retain information better.

stay organized: keeping your environment and tasks organized can significantly improve your ability to remember things. using tools like calendars, to-do lists, and notes can help you manage your time and responsibilities more effectively. breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps and setting reminders for important deadlines can also enhance your ability to remember and complete tasks.

limit sugar intake: high sugar consumption has been linked to cognitive decline and impaired memory function. excessive sugar intake can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, which can damage brain cells. reducing your sugar intake and opting for healthier alternatives can help protect your brain and improve cognitive function over time.

stay socially active: engaging in social activities and maintaining relationships can stimulate your brain and keep it sharp. social interactions can provide mental stimulation and emotional support, both of which are important for brain health. joining clubs, volunteering, or simply spending time with friends and family can help improve your memory and overall cognitive function.

incorporating these strategies into your daily routine can help keep your brain healthy and improve your memory. consistency is key, so try to make these practices a regular part of your life.

i hope this post was helpful! 🫶nene

[joeybrr9]

Part 2 - Puppy Love

Summary: Aurora is busy with interviews when everything goes south

Warnings: None <3

a/n: How are we feeling about this story guys? Thank you for all the love!

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“Here’s the thing Aurora, we need to get these music videos filmed for your new album and you aren’t answering our calls. This is the first time I’ve seen you in three weeks because you always tell me you’re busy ‘house shopping’ or some bullshit excuse. It’s time to get shit done.” Mark Fuego, one of music's biggests managers, who also happens to be Aurora’s manager, hadn’t stopped barking orders at her since he showed up at her place 10 minutes ago. 

“Next week we are planning to film the music video for “Espresso,” no more fucking house shopping to avoid me, be there. Then you have four interviews lined up: one with Vogue, then a Q and A with GQ, then a puppy interview, and then a google Aurora Prince interview. All of them will take place in L.A. so also, no avoiding me. Then the week after that Vogue would like to know if you would do a fitting for them.” Mark hadn’t mentioned anything about a fitting for Vogue, Aurora was used to the regular interviews, but a fitting was unusual. 

“Soooo, what’s this fitting you’ve been holding out on me?” Aurora’s smirk deepend as she doom scrolled on Instagram, avoiding eye contact with Mark. She heard Mark stand from his normal stressed position. Crouched on her letcher chair, occasionally sitting up straight to give his back a break from the stressful position. 

“I’m not promising you anything right now, but Vogue has a huge show coming up in France. They reached out to me a little while ago asking if you would want to be fitted for some outfits.” Mark knew this was a huge dream for Aurora. Walking in a Vogue fashion show, let alone in France. She wouldn’t pass this opportunity up for anything. “You winning Album of the Year last year really made them want you apparently. They haven’t seen how annoying you are.”

“Pretty sure I’m the one that pays the bills for that million dollar house you just bought Mark.” Aurora considered Mark to be one of her closest friends but also the one person who could keep her grounded. He was actually the person that was encouraging her to move out of L.A. the most. “You know, the house shopping that you despise so much is going great. Just so you know.”

“Let me hear it, where are you thinking?” Mark had moved from his leather chair to the same couch Aurora was sitting on. Chicago P.D. was playing quietly in the background. “Better not be too far from here. You know how I feel about flying.”

“Don’t freak out, but I’m really loving Chicago right now. I looked at a place a couple weeks ago and I can’t get the city out of my mind. It’s beautiful and absolutely nothing like here. I also flew to Cincinnati while I was there. Its night life is amazing. I can’t ignore that. Oh my gosh, Boston. I loved it there too. I would say those are my top three right now. They just, I-I-I don’t know. It feels like a fresh start.” Aurora couldn't help but feel giddy when she thought about leaving her Los Angeles life behind and starting new.

“You have to do what you think is right, and if the midwest or east coast lifestyle is treating you right, then fuck it. Move there. I’ll sell this house and be right behind you.” Aurora leaned over to engulf Mark in a hug. “I know I give you a lot of shit, but I’d do anything for you. I hope you realize that. Even if it means giving up my million dollar home.”

“I love you Marky” The blonde girl couldn’t help but laugh.

~~~

“Okay, I think we have everything we need, Aurora. Thank you so much for spending time with GQ!” The direction smiled brightly at her as she started to take down the stage lights. Aurora hopped off her chair only to be met with Mark.

“Alright, we need to head over to your puppy interview now. Your stylist has something for you to wear. Not sure what you wear to get peed on by a bunch of puppies but she said she had a whole outfit planned.” Aurora ended up wearing a pair of black jeans with birkenstock clogs and a deep red top. About two hours later she arrived at the Buzzfeed interview headquarters to meet all the puppies.

“Hi, I’m Angie. The interview will only last around fifteen minutes. We will ask you questions from behind the camera and while you answer just play with the puppies. All of them need to be adopted so it’s a good cause.” Angie didn’t stick around long enough to ask anymore questions. Aurora took a seat on the floor, awaiting her 10 little visitors. 

“Oh my gosh, you guys are so cute.” Aurora instantly picked up a little black lab named Snickers.

“Alright, do you have any pre-performance rituals?”

“Uhhhh, I wouldn’t say I do. Snickers, bud, you gotta chill out. Actually, now that I think of it, we did have one on the Midnights tour. Before every show we would take a shot before I went out. Not a good habit.” Snickers had become extremely squirmy in Aurora’s arms so she switched him out for a corgi named Basset. 

“What is your favorite food to eat on the road?”

“Hands down, McDonalds. Sorry, I know that’s such a bad answer. Those chicken nuggets are my weakness. With a diet coke. Oh my gosh. I definitely could eat that everyday.”

“What is your favorite song to perform?”

“Uhhhhhhh, this is actually such a hard question to answer.” Aurora actually hated this question. She never knew what to say. “Karma is so fun. Like, let's be honest. Everyone is dancing in the crowd. I also really love performing Feather. The choreography is just so much fun and all my dancers get involved. Honestly, I want to perform every song.” This back and forth questioning went on for a while until Angie warned Aurora this was the last two questions.

“Alright, what is your go to show right now?”

“This is so easy. Chicago PD. I don’t even have to think about it. I’ve been watching that show since season 1, no matter what I’m doing I will have time for Chicago PD on Thursday nights.” Aurora let out a deep laugh because she knew everything she was saying was true. She would leave parties early to go home and watch her comfort shows and eat junk food.

“This is the question everyone has been dying to know about Aurora.”

“Oh gosh, I’m nervous now.” 

“Who is your celebrity crush?”

“I-I uhhhhh, oh, ummm. I don’t know.” Aurora wasn’t big on sharing her ‘crushes’ online because everyone always had an opinion. Even if it was just for an interview. “I don’t know if you would say he’s a celebrity, but he’s in the NFL. I do love seeing Joe Burrow on my TV.” Everyone behind the cameras started laughing, making Aurora break into a cheesy grin.

“He definitely is easy on the eyes. Thank you Aurora Prince for joining Buzzfeed today. Go shoot your shot with Joe Burrow.” Angie started to coral the puppies and bring them to a back room.

“You know that’s gonna go viral on social media. Everyone is gonna love that you ‘adore’ Burrow.” Mark grabbed Aurora by the arm guiding her through the building, probably to her next interview. 

“They set me up. I mean I wasn’t lying. Ask anyone, he’s a good looking guy. You think I cheer for the Bengals because I like orange?” Aurora had been to a couple Bengal games but never gotten the chance to meet Joe. Ja’Marr and Tee had reached out and wanted to meet her but she figured Joe was a busy man.

“Okay, you have three hours before the Google Aurora interview. We are gonna grab something to eat and then get you changed. What do you want?”

“McDonalds. Obviously!”

~~~

Aurora was midway through her last interview of the day with WIRED. She was revealing all sorts of basic questions. Who is Aurora Prince, What does Aurora Prince do, blah blah blah. Honestly, she was getting bored. This wasn’t something she liked to do, sit around and talk about herself all day. 

“Okay Aurora, we have one more board for you to do and then we will let you go.” Some guy named Tony was running this interview.

“Alright, what does Aurora Prince weigh? Oh my gosh. Okay. People really want to know everything about me now. Honestly guys, I don’t know. What I care about is if I can get through a two hour set list without being tired.” What a rude fucking question to ask. “Okayyyyy, who is Aurora Prince’s brother? I actually don’t have any siblings. Only child right here. I had the best childhood growing up. I never had to share anything with anyone. What is Aurora Prince’s favorite color? Pink, pink, pink, and pink. I love everything about the color pink. It’s such a beautiful color. Real guys wear pink.” Everyone behind the camera broke out laughing along with Aurora.

“Alright guys, last question for you. Are Aurora Prince and Joe Burrow dating? What, no. No way this was one of the most Googled things about me.” Aurora looked around the room catching Mike's eyes. He just shrugged his shoulders, there was nothing they could do about the question now. “You guys move quickly. No, me and Joe are not dating. Matter of fact he’s too busy for me. I’ve been to a couple of Bengals games and I haven’t gotten the chance to meet him. So no, me and Joey B are not dating. He’s still up for grabs ladies, I’m not stealing your man.”

“We did notice you follow him on Instagram. Does he follow you back?” This Tony guy was really pushing Aurora's buttons. This interview was gonna create a false narrative.

“Uhhh, I don’t know. I can check.” She pulled out her phone, even though Aurora knew the answer. Joe didn’t follow her. “Nope, I’m just a fan guys.” 

“Thank you Aurora for your time today.” Aurora grimaced as soon as the cameras turned off. She prayed Joe would never see this interview.

“Mike, he can never see that. Please” Aurora couldn’t let her ego take a hit like that. It wasn’t like she was pining over Joe Burrow but a man that looks like a Greek God can’t see something that embarrassing. 

“Sorry sister, it’s out of my hands.”

Aurora_Prince  kiss me thru the phone.

Liked by joeyb_9, taylorswift, andreiiosivas, and 2.8M

taylorswift - that's that me  ☕️

roraLova27 - you're actually my queen

lahjay10_ - When you pulling up to a game

RoraPrince - @lahjay10 pulling up rn

sydney_sweeney - loml bb

PrincsessRory - Most beautiful girl. Plz more music

BurrowBengal - Aurora and Joe?

joeyb_9 started following you

[deconstructthesoup]

If we ever get a Rat Grinders season, I think it'd be really cool for the shatterstars to still have some effect on them, mechanically speaking.

Like

Oisin now has really good strength, but awful dexterity, since he's now back in his own mind and absolutely not used to his new buff body. Combats are now full of moments where Oisin gets fully surprised by how easily he was able to hit someone without spells, and then he rolls incredibly low on a dexterity check and immediately gets reminded that "wizard" and "tank" are not terms that are meant to go together.

Ivy's ranger senses are now dialed up to eleven, since even though everyone kind of lost a lot of their high-level abilities, heightened senses are hard to get rid of. This gives her advantage on perception, and investigation, and all that other fun stuff, but it does also mean that whenever she's in loud spaces or in stressful situations, she's gotta roll to avoid getting overwhelmed---kind of like Adaine's panic attack rolls.

Ruben's got decent persuasion and everything, now back to having the charisma that comes from being a really sweet person who cares about his friends, but he can roll persuasion with advantage... if he's talking to someone who recognizes him from his famous emo shatterstared-days, and if he pretends that he's still that version of himself---aka, the version of himself who he straight-up does not remember being. It has more of an effect on him in social situations than in combat, but it still leaves him with a bad taste in his mouth.

Mary Ann needs to be really careful whenever she goes into a rage now, because there's a chance that if she rolls low enough, she'll feel that old fire seep back into her veins, making her fully lose control and attack people without meaning to. Since she's so nonplussed and deadpan most of the time, it was hard for people to really tell if she was still affected by the shatterstars... but you can imagine that it would be the hardest to remove the effect from a barbarian, even by a goddess's hand.

[maxdibert]

I think, out of all the insults antis throw at Snape, calling him homophobic is top-tier when it comes to stressing me out. I saw your response, and honestly, how can someone think like that? They literally write Barty as some poor, uwu, misunderstood little thing who suffers so much, when canonically, the man is completely unhinged and has a twisted obsession with Voldemort. The others are so irrelevant that some are barely even mentioned by name in the books.

"Oh, but Snape is homophobic, I can feel the vibes." You mean the same Snape who wore his mother's clothes? The same Snape who is described as having feminine handwriting? The same Snape J.K. Rowling herself said "wanted both Lily and Mulciber"? I'm pretty sure we're not even talking about the same character at this point.

Headcanons and fanon are great, really. But it's frustrating how people create nonsense, based on absolutely nothing, just to justify liking a character — and in the process, they turn them into complete idiots to make them more "acceptable." Like, your favorite character is an asshole. Embrace it. Don't strip away what makes the character good in the first place.

I mean, I can deal with people calling him racist and fascist because at least I can understand where that’s coming from. I can deal with the whining about how bad of a teacher he was because, honestly, being a jerk is basically his personality throughout the entire series. But homophobic? Or some kind of sexual predator? Where the hell are they getting that nonsense from when Petunia mocks him for wearing women’s clothing? When one of the reasons the narrative treats him pejoratively is precisely because his appearance, mannerisms, and interests don’t conform to the masculine standards of the time?

So you’re telling me that Sirius Black, who is described 800 times by Rowling as the ultimate macho man—because she was obsessed with reminding us over and over again that Sirius was the perfect alpha male who loved motorcycles and had pictures of half-naked women on his walls—can be turned into some kind of twink LGBTQ+ icon. But Severus, who is humiliated by guys like Sirius specifically because he isn’t as macho, aggressive, or traditionally masculine, is the homophobic heteronormative one here?

That Remus Lupin is basically considered a gay icon despite being a more realistic representation of a middle-aged man in crisis who sleeps with younger women, gets one of them pregnant, and then takes off—but the one who’s supposedly a predator and a creep is Severus, who bowed his head and walked away the moment Lily cut him off? Or that James Potter, who is canonically described as stripping a classmate in front of everyone to boost his ego, and who even blackmailed Lily by saying he’d stop bullying her friend if she agreed to go out with him, is somehow turned into the tragic hero of magical Brokeback Mountain? But the one who’s painted as some kind of sexual aggressor is Severus, who was literally the victim in those situations?

What the hell is wrong with these people?

You like the Marauders and want to erase their personalities and invent completely new ones to excuse yourself for whitewashing bullies and abusers? Fine. You want to take the biggest representations of toxic traditional masculinity in the series and paint them in rainbow colors? Great. But don’t excuse all of them, don’t slap a coat of paint on all of them, don’t even justify a psychopathic torturer and Voldemort fanatic like Barty Crouch Jr. just because he fits the Pinterest face claim you’ve chosen for your wet dreams, while villainizing and tearing down only one character—the one who actually has, by nature, all the qualities you’re trying to force onto the others.

And especially not when that character has canonically been abused at home, at school, discriminated against for his appearance, his background, his lack of money, and for not being “masculine” enough.

Honestly, they and their disgusting classism can go to hell.

[turneradora]

NEW US MAGAZINE INTERVIEW with Aidan about Rivals

Family life is not always what you think !…… 🤨🤨

Aidan speaks about Declan, his wife Maud (Victoria Smurfit) and Cameron (Nafessa Williams)

Aidan Turner Rivals season 2:

Disney

Rivals ended on a shocking note and now Aidan Turner is weighing in on Declan’s potential future with Cameron, that steamy kiss between Rupert and Taggie and more.

During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Turner, 41, started by addressing his character, Declan, ending the first season on a high — only to find out that his wife, Maud (Victoria Smurfit), was leaving for an acting opportunity.

“[Their relationship] feels very real. It feels very truthful. It suddenly feels like the things that a lot of couples go through in marriages. You can so quickly not see that person anymore,” Turner said about how Declan and Maud’s relationship diminished throughout the season. “The person is there and you’re cohabiting but you don’t see the person, don’t really engage in what they’re going through and aren’t present emotionally.”

The actor developed the context before diving into season 1, adding, “Life got pretty busy for them and pretty stressful and taking them in different directions. There’s all sorts of tangents happening and they just haven’t really caught up with themselves. I don’t think Declan has really seen that [and when he has] it is fleeting. He’s in and out of seeing that for many years. He’s neglected his family and he’s neglected his wife.”

Following Maud’s years of unhappiness, Turner wasn’t surprised when Declan‘s marriage ultimately fell apart.

“She’s sacrificed a lot. It’s slowly dawning on Declan — it comes in waves where he’ll get a lot of it and then he’ll sort of try to shake it up because of the guilt and the shame that’s surrounded with that and get busy again. Then it’ll come back again,” he explained. “It’s by the end of the season that it’s really dawning on him the damage that he’s caused.”

Turner isn’t putting all the blame on Declan though. “I don’t think he’s entirely 100 percent to blame for all of it but there’s a lion’s share,” he added. “We always got the sense [off screen] that you have to play everything quite truthfully. It could be high, you can stylize it and turn up the volume on everything, but it needs to be rooted in concrete and it needs to be authentic.”

Based on Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name, Disney+ and Hulu’s Rivals centers around a feud between two men fighting for control of a television station in 1980s Britain. Turner’s character, Declan, finds himself in the middle of Rupert (Alex Hassell) and Tony’s (David Tennant) rush to the finish line, which ultimately affects his personal life.

It always felt to me that Declan has a very complicated and complex relationship with his wife and with his family. But it always felt very real to me. So I always had a door in that didn’t feel like I needed to struggle for it. He is a good guy, essentially,” Turner noted to Us. “He loves his family and he just wants to be with him. But of course there’s ego and there’s all of these other things that get complicated. Life is tricky and complicated and not what you think it’s going to be. It’s just an understanding of that.”

Not every viewer found themselves rooting for Declan and Maud to make it. In fact, others picked up on some chemistry between Declan and Cameron (Nafessa Williams) that seemed undeniable

With the Cameron situation, they work very well together. And in the [book], there’s a project they’re both working on outside of the country that brings them both away,” Turner teased to Us. “And I think their friendship and their relationship is put to the test. That is all I can say. I don’t want to say too much.”

There’s also the small issue of Declan warning Rupert about not touching his daughter Taggie. Rupert tried to stay away from Taggie for most of the season but the fan-favorite couple ultimately gave in during the finale and shared a very romantic kiss.

It’s two sides of the same thing that can go either way. Declan really respects Rupert and he sees value in Rupert. I think they are friends and that friendship and that bond is getting tighter,” Turner said. “But he has told him to stay away from his daughter.”

He continued: “I think he’s going to find that [kiss] very, very difficult. I don’t think it’s something he would accept. There could be a moment there — there could be a big moment.”

Rivals is currently streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally

[thriftyshark530]

Love when a very powerful whumpee (magic, super powers, vampire, demon heritage, or maybe just a regular person that's just really good at combat) gets so injured that their body is left completely broken. They wake from a coma having to learn how to do basic movements (maybe missing a limb)

They're shocked at the revelation, but believe they can get their old self back again. They go through months of recovery, and physical therapy, only to make minor improvement. Their optimism and confidence slowly fades as their body struggles to keep up with them, pushing it beyond its limits over and over again, desperate to return back to how they used to be. Of course caretaker and their friends are supportive the whole way, but eventually whumpee pushes themselves too far, pushes their body beyond its limit and breaks it even more. Caretaker and everyone around whumpee must step in and give whumpee the news, they won't be the same again, their body is broken from their original injuries and all this desperation and pushing themselves is only making it worse. Whumpee is in denial, and begins to take their frustration out on their friends. However after some time passes, whumpee comes to terms with the truth, and accepts their new life.

You can take this in many different ways, and I like how much stress it places on whumpee's relationships. Whether their friends stay supportive the whole way, give up on whumpee, or try to tell them the bad news as early as possible. And whumpee, taking their frustrations out on their friends, or only taking their frustrations out on themselves, being thankful for their friends who have stayed by their side.

Whumpee can either push through and regain their old body, or give in and live the rest of their life with their new one. Maybe whumpee gives up completely, but one of their friends convinces them to keep going, telling whumpee not to stop until they get what they want.

Maybe whumpee stays normal no matter how hard they try, until they get their powers back by a need instead of a desire. Maybe their friends are in danger, and whumpee gets their powers back in order to save their friends.

There's a lot you can do with the prompt, and I love any direction you can go with it.

[isnt-it-too-dreamy]

why does it have to be so fucking awkward to get to know new people :|

[bixels]

Jesus man, relax.

[moeblob]

I am really tired of a situation rn.

[ef-1]

some of you are so stupid <3

[some-stars]

i have absolutely NO patience for anyone being shitty or judgmental or othering about addicts, not just because of my ethical principles and baseline compassion for other human beings, but because i have personal experience with how inseparable substance abuse is from mental illness and other kinds of inescapable suffering. i got high on cannabis and benzos all day long, 6 days a week for two years because i had severe treatment-resistant depression (aka i had tried EVERY legal treatment available without improvement). when i found a medication that made it go away almost entirely, i dropped down to maybe 3 times a month purely for fun and after my day's responsibilities are done, within days of starting to feel better. and now i feel like shit again and i've been getting high several times a week as literal self-medication. because, you know, i'm in horrible pain and it would be cruel and inhuman for someone to tell me i had to ignore the one tool i had access to that would reduce my suffering, just so i wouldn't be an ~addict~, which is of course the worse most disgusting worthless thing a person can be.

i know that there are many addictions that are more physically damaging and that people continue to crave physiologically even when they start recovering from the mental or physical pain that drove them to drugs in the first place. i am very, very fortunate that due to my life circumstances i have no access to meth or heroin or more dangerous stuff like that. but it is sure as hell a lot less difficult to resist even those cravings when the pain that they were used to alleviate is drastically reduced!!!

anyway this is all just me restating the rat town study that proved almost all drug addiction is caused by capitalism and/or trauma, and weakening capitalism and building rewarding caring societies eliminates substance abuse almost entirely. why the fuck would you scream at and shame people experiencing unspeakably terrible pain rather than the forces and people who caused/failed to treat that pain?