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odusseus-xvi · 1 year ago

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Hello helloooo friend! Hi! I just wanted to say that I'll be going around and asking people about QSMP characters to avoid mischaracterization of said characters (in analysis, fics, and just overall fan interpretations). So if you're cool with it, can I ask you about the French streamers?

Like, can you tell me the mischaracterization you often see regarding their characters and how they actually are? I mean, ANY facts about them would be very very cool to know! I love all of them and I would really like to know more about them since I can't really watch everyone, ya kno?

Yes I would love to :D ! But also, keep in mind, I'm not immune to a bit of mischaracterization (that's how you write that right ?), sometimes I probably do a little bit, though I try my best not to. I have to admit, I don't see a lot, or just little things, and mostly from the english side of the community, cause over here with the french we are a really small part of the overall fandom, so I don't have a lot of interactions, AND it's our first (ever) smp like that (semi rp etc...), we never had that over here in France, it's a new thing both for us and the ccs, so we are getting our footing. But here we go I do have some things I can say : (wrote a fricking novel holy)

q!Baghera Jones : I see a lot of people characterize her as this hyper competent investigator that knows everything etc... In a way she is, she is a good investigator, and is always eager to solve the mysteries of the island ; What people miss most of the time is that she is also (it's not mutually exclusive) a Goofball : She sings randomly, she walks on mines and jumps off buildings willingly for the lols, some people say she witholds information, most of the time she actually just Forgor. Something that people do get most of the time is that she genuinely is really empathetic : She loves Walter Bob, two days ago she talked about how Cucurucho may be manipulated, she is worried about Quackity, about Cellbit, Foolish, Jaiden etc... And outside of petty rivalry (mostly with Forever, BBH, Etoiles, and a bit Cellbit) she is not a vengeful person at all. She is very understanding. Oh and almost forgot : She is surprisingly insightful ; She guessed what was happening to Cellbit as one of the firsts, she immediatly figured Gegg out the first day she met Slime, ElQuackity is VERY obviously another person than Quackity at first glance etc...

q!Etoiles : There was for some time a bit of mischaracterization in the way people saw him as a bloodthirsty killing machine, though it is fading steadily as we speak ; He is a really nice person that lifts up others, gift them things whenever he can, cares about the eggs, and is always reactive when it comes to saving or helping others. Also, he is a badass in the eyes of everyone (ccs and fandom) but people have a way to write that in fics that doesn't really match him : They write a badass and dark character that is mostly silent and cool ; Etoiles is NOT that (he is badass yes but not much the rest), he SAYS he is that, that he is "dark, and broody, and mysterious", but the guy is always cracking jokes, about others, about himself, he is very self-aware of his problems (social and health related) and likes to joke about it because "it puts smiles on the faces of people" (his way of cheering people up most of the time : "You are not useless, you put smiles on my and the people's faces, and that wonderful"). The moments that CAN be a bit dark is when he is asking for a fight ; most of the time it's goofy, but then there is moments like the dinner party when the codes revealed themselves, where he will be saying while everyone panics "Yeah... Yeah.. FINALLY ! FINALLY !!" and you realise he is not to be trifled with. He aslo tends to blame himself when something wrong happens ; to him, HE is the one that misplayed, that made a mistake.

q!Aypierre : Some people could see him as a relatively chill dude ; he talks calmly, never screams and very rarely raises his voice, but he is NOT chill : He is the most gremlin of the french, his favorite past-time in all the smps he's been in is pranking and breaking the servers : Two days ago in his 24 hour stream, he broke in the federation base three times, exploded a bunch of stuff in there, tortured Foolish alongside BBH, summoned lightning to make Foosh and BBH believe Gegg is still alive in front of his infinite Gegg generator, rickrolled Cucurucho etc... He is a every ingenuous guy with ways to build factories of everything. Most people, out of the french, would fear Etoiles because he is always begging for a fight, and fought and won against the code several times, but he is a nice guy, who they probably SHOULD fear, is Aypierre, this guy can be EVIL at times ; He loves contracts and deals, and using those against the others. He is not all evil though. He does care about Pomme, the french, and is willing to help others when they need him, though he likes to make exchanges.

q!Antoine Daniel : Antoine is probably the hardest to write or get when you are not used to him. He has such a way of speaking and a weird twisted humor that to someone not french, and not watching his streams regularly, it's REAL hard to get him right. He is an apreciator of dark humor and cynicism ; Joking about Bobby in front of Pomme is an example, though he is starting to be more compassionate about the eggs than he was at the beginning of his journey on the smp. Probably because of one of my posts and some others, a lot of people see him as incredibly paranoïd, and for a time he was, though he said himself (both in and out of character) that it was starting to get better because people came talked to him about it, there IS still remains though. What's interesting is that he can be both paranoïd, AND incredibly insightful : His takes are either the rambling of a madman, or scarily on point. Though he is rarely willing to help others (both because of his next to level 0 skills in minecraft and general air of "I don't care"), he is always on alarm and willing to help when it comes to the eggs, multiple times he ironically is one of the most reactive ones when it comes to realise there is danger or a problem for the eggs ; Though he is relatively self-centered, he is very compassionate and attentive of the eggs, with Pomme potentially being the person he trusts most. (everytime he acts aloof and cynical on his stream, to then immediatly worry about Pomme's well-being warms my heart.)

q!Kamet0 : AHAHAHAHAH ahAHaHhah, ahahah... ahah.. ah. oh. (he left for cigarretes)

(HOLY SHIT I WROTE A NOVEL. Sorry, didn't excpect to have that much to say. But here you go, hope that helps.)

#qsmp #qsmp baghera jones #qsmp antoine daniel #qsmp aypierre #qsmp etoiles #qsmp antoine #qsmp baghera #qsmp france #qsmp french

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am-i-the-asshole-official · 1 year ago

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AITA for using my moms money to buy games?

The title sounds bad, but I'm not sure how else to word it. This is also going to be a weird one as, in advance, I know the other party isn't an asshole, however I think it's a similar situation im tone and I really need some feedback on this.

I'm 22 and live with my mom and cat. I've lived with her my whole life, and continue to due to disability. My mom has 2 jobs that she mainly works on weekends, and I'm unemployed. Ever since covid it's been incredibly difficult for me to find work because it is still very much a thing despite what people want to believe, and I can't be in contact with random people physically due to immune issues and the chance of getting sick. Online jobs are apparently very hard to find (my mom has tried) and many ask for a payment beforehand. I do however get social security income that pays most of our bills/utilities, and we're also on foodstamps for groceries.

My family has never been well off. I wouldn't call us dirt poor, we've never had to go hungry, and I always had toys to play with/clothes as a kid. But my mom has had to manage funds well and we've never had a lot of money for leisure or frivolous purchases. My mom will buy herself things like some new clothes, a phone charger, roku set, etc smaller things like that when she gets her paycheck but extra expenses such as furniture have to be planned out probably weeks/months ahead of time. We also moved recently and ever since then our budget has been more difficult, the down payment really screwed with my moms expenses.

Because of our situation, I never really had games growing up. I remember we had maybe 3 big family consoles during me and my sisters whole childhood (with like 3-6 games on them each, most of which were guitar hero which my mom and sister loved to play), and I would get a new handheld for myself every few years. I never got to play the new exciting games people were always talking about, and my gaming experience has really been limited to like. Animal crossing, the sims, and cooking mama.

I played a bunch of roms as a kid so that helped, but I was always kinda sad and felt left out that I never got to experience gaming the way other people did. I really wanted to try the "classics" people talked about but didn't have any way to. People (especially as I got into my 20s and started following streamers + nintendo direct for example) would always talk about the New Thing coming out and playing it the day it dropped, all the excitement and community people had around that, but if I really wanted that kind of game, I'd have to wait a few years before getting it and trying it out, and by then no one was playing it anymore anyways.

As time went on things got a little better. Especially because of my moms new jobs, both of which she genuinely loves doing, though it's still work, we have been a bit better off. It's only been recently we started struggling more again.

Recently I've been kind of asking for things from my mom. Mostly it's steam games. I found I've gotten much more into gaming as a hobby as I've gotten older, and I have a long wishlist of games that I really want to get into, but of course have no money to myself. I should also clarify that NONE of these are those big triple A $60 titles, as I still can't ever justify paying something so expensive for one game. So sometimes lately I've been asking my mom "hey, can I get this/these games?" And use her money/card to purchase them. I don't do it constantly, or even super often, but I feel like it's becoming more often and it makes me feel really guilty.

I have done this before, around high school I started asking my mom for certain things I wanted around the house, and usually she had no problem buying them for me. This also wasn't large stuff, nothing ever over $30 and usually only up to $20. But when I'd find something I *really* wanted, especially if it was a time limited thing like merch drops from a favorite content creator, often yarn for my knitting or art supplies I wanted to try, I would ask her.

I've pretty much always felt guilty about this. I would ask for something despite my better judgement, and for the most part my mom would say yes, and that it was okay, whereas I was the one apologizing and asking if it was "really alright". She has told me she has no issues buying things for me as long as I ask her. She says the social security I get is "technichally my money", and that she wants me to be able to use it. (Obviously we don't use the actual ssi to buy random shit, but her giving me spending money is the next best thing).

Every time I've asked my mom for something like this, I've told myself that it would be the last time, that I would get my own job and own money and not mooch on my mom anymore, but both with the stress of chronic illness and depression I never seem to get around to it. I try to do dishes and keep my room clean, take care of the cat etc as ways I can help without working, but for some reason the money really weighs on me. I know that it's really my fault, I haven't even been looking for jobs and I could always take art commissions again, but somehow a mental block always stops me.

I feel like I have a bit of an impulsivity problem when it comes to spending. The money I got from my one summer job and commissions would never last long, and honestly I couldn't even tell you what I spent it on for the weeks I had it. I have issues taking money from people, but when I realized that I may not have had the stuff I wanted as a kid simply because I never asked for/communicated that I wanted it, it made me more bold to actually ask my mom for things.

I never pester my mother about this. I'll ask once and if she says no I'll be dissapointed but won't continue. Sometimes she says that we don't have the money for it then, or that I'll have to wait until xyz thing is paid for, which is always fine. I also have *never* bought anything with her money without asking first. I get pretty much all the steam games I buy on sale (usually that's what prompts me to ask about them, actually) as personally I can't justify getting games for their asking price for the experience I'm going to get.

I feel bad as I feel like I'm wasting our money, mooching off my mom and not putting in the work to have spending money myself. I also worry that sometimes when she says it's fine, it's untrue and she's really just trying to make me feel better. I also sometimes don't play the games as soon as I get them, I have a sizeable backlog of games I have gotten but haven't "got around" to playing as I was excited to get them at a low price at the time, but then haven't felt like I'm in the right mood. This also makes me feel worse because I feel like I'm not being appreciative enough of her buying for me.

So am I the asshole?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

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baddiecarl · 1 year ago

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Streamer! Carl Grimes x Streamer! reader

Like Chandler Riggs, Carl Grimes in a normal world would also totally be a streamer. Here’s a peek into what it might be like to be his streamer crush! (Also I’m pushing a slight resident evil agenda in this, I grew up watching my dad and brother play them and waited with bated breath to actually be able to play them myself! It’s my favorite video game series of all time if you can’t tell lol)

For maximum enjoyment, please watch the clip I put right under this because I referenced it in this story!

“Do I know who (your screen name) is?” Carl says, reading his chat. “No, I’ve never heard of them, gimme a second.” He picks his phone up off his desk and types the name into google, coming up with endless pictures of you playing video games, doing cooking and baking streams, making art, reacting to the memes people made for you, all the things your streams are widely loved for. Realizing he was quiet for longer than he probably should’ve been, he speaks up. “Oh yeah I’ve seen her before, she does awesome resident evil speedruns! I didn’t recognize the name at first, but yeah, I know who she is!”

“Omg he’s blushing!”

“Is bro blushing rn?”

“Looks like no one’s immune to the charms of (y/s/n) lmfao”

The teasing comments poured in while Carl did his best to play it cool and laugh them off, “yeah she’s pretty cute,” he admits through a soft smile as he focuses on the game he was streaming before he looked you up. Teasing chats trickled in every once in a while, but for the most part, the topic was changed completely and by the time the stream was over he had almost forgotten about the situation entirely.

Little did he know that the next day your viewers would also ask you if you knew Carl. Having been a streamer for quite some time you’ve seen a lot of clips of other streamers and you immediately recognized the name Carl. “Oh my god, is that the dude who sucks at fall guys?” You joked as you pulled up the clip of him failing epically at fall guys. “If you get eliminated at this part then you don’t deserve a single win,” he said, seconds before getting eliminated on the exact part he was referring to. “He’s fucking hilarious,” you remarked as you smiled while you watched the video. Well, that didn’t go unnoticed by any of your viewers either.

“She’s straight up giggling and kicking her feet lol”

“He called you cute on his stream yesterday”

Man, did your fans come in clutch or what? Returning to your game, you saved that bit of information for later, knowing that it probably got clipped and posted by now. After you finished up your game and ended the stream you finally got to look up the clip. You couldn’t help but laugh while you watched him read the comments and grow more and more red with each one that came in. “Yeah, she’s pretty cute.” THERE IT IS! HE ACTUALLY SAID IT!! This was all you needed to want to reach out.

A couple of days later, Carl was streaming again as usual when he felt his phone vibrate. A DM from…(y/s/n)?? Holy shit, okay, play it cool. He tried to hide his shock and excitement as he opened the message but still, a goofy smile crept onto his face while he read it.

“Hey, Carl! It’s come to my attention that we have quite a bit of an overlapping fanbase so I thought it’d be a great idea to play a game together sometime! Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to play fall guys ;)”

By the time he was done reading your message, the grin had broken out into a full-blown smile and he hid his nervous and excited laughing behind his hand. To no avail, his viewers saw this immediately and began teasing him, asking if (y/s/n) was making him blush again. “No guys, that’s not it, don’t worry about it,” he said, still trying to hide his bashfulness. Yet, again clocked by his fans, they knew he was lying. But they weren't the only ones who knew he wasn't telling the truth, because you had joined the stream just before you sent your message. You wanted to see him blush just by the sheer mention of you one more time, so you arranged to send it while he was streaming. You were overjoyed to see him pick up his phone, and judging by his reaction you knew he had to have read it.

He’s quiet for a minute while he types on his phone and you watch the text bubble pop up on your phone.

“I’ve noticed the same thing haha! I think that’d be awesome, but for the record, we will be playing fall guys so I can prove I’m not ‘the guy who sucks at fall guys’”

You grinned at his message, not failing to see the humor in the fact that he did the exact thing you did, looking up the clip from your stream where the chat had brought him up. You respond to his message simply and sweetly.

“Fair enough! I get to pick the game we play next time we do it then!”

“Sounds like a deal!” Carl replies, his heart skipping a beat at the implication of you wanting to do a stream with him more than once. Carl’s voice coming from your computer removes your attention from your phone. “Alright sorry about the pause there guys, I had a very important message to respond to,” he says, refocusing on his game all while he's still being teased for his very obvious change in behavior since his phone buzzed. Giggling at him regarding your message as very important, you sat back and watched him play his game, cracking up at the jokes he made. After he wraps up his stream, you’re left sitting at your computer, alone with your thoughts and they’re all about Carl.

About three minutes into zoning out, you're startled by the buzzing of your phone. You unlock your phone to see another DM from Carl.

“Do you think I could have your discord or maybe your phone number if you don't have that? I just thought it might be easier to communicate that way if we’re going to be doing streams together.” How does his nervous dorky voice translate so well through text? It’s almost like you could hear him stammering over asking for your phone number. Doing your best to reassure him, you reply: “I do have discord! But you can have my number too! It’s ***-***-****!”

“Thanks (y/n), I’m really excited about collabing with you! I was kinda shocked to see that you messaged me, even though I’m pretty sure this was orchestrated by our followers lol”

What can you say? Your followers really do come in clutch!

Me again! I hope you guys like this while you wait on the next part of Carl Grimes x Dhampir! reader! Also I hope you enjoyed that clip of Chandler sucking at fall guys, I really wanted to include that in this fic lol

#carl grimes #carl grimes fanfiction #carl grimes imagine #carl grimes x reader #carl grimes x y/n #carl grimes x you #Streamer! Carl Grimes x Streamer! reader #my work

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oddvanilla · 5 months ago

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PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT "SKIBIDI" AND "SIGMA" MEANS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT FOR A WEEK AND IT KEEPS POPPING UP IN YOUR BLOG AND I'M SO CONFUSED 😭😭😭😭

AAAA I love people who ask me open ended questions,, you're basically allowing me to yap 🫶🫶🫶

It all starts with Gen Z, you could say. The thing with Gen Z is that we're so sarcastic it's CRAZY. I mean, we got lots of terms that millennials can barely wrap their head around. It's like only we can understand this dumb humour. Like obviously, we say "rizz" (short for charisma: a charm) and "GYATT" (usually popular in African-American environments, short for goddamn),, but the thing is, we say that stuff ironically (in a sarcastic manner).

But there's Gen Alpha, basically people who are born after 2010 (until 2025, starts gen beta). And these kids are like brainrotted to the EXTREME. Keep in mind, brainrot usually means people who are too chronically online and sometimes can only speak in internet slang...weird. Gen Alpha is responsible for creating or popularizing some terms. These include a LONG list, I'll try to explain as much as I can here...

Sigma: the equivalent of alpha, an individual who's viewed as dominant.

Skibidi: short for Skibidi Toilet, a series made up of short videos created by DaFuq!?Boom! On YouTube.

Cap: a lie. Usually used in phrases like "No cap!" (No lie) Or "That's cap!" (That's a lie)

Slay: Something done impressively or greatly. Usually used between females but it's NOT restricted to that. used In phrases like "you slayed that/you ate that!"

Sus: Suspicious, unsettling

GOAT: abbreviation for "greatest of all time". Like in "Ronaldo/Messi is the GOAT"

Clout: popularity. Example— "I did that for clout"

Flex: to show off

Bop: Bae of plenty, someone who is seen as a player

Cancel: Cancel culture is pretty much getting celebrities banned off social media platforms. For example, many people want to cancel Andrew Tate.

Noob: newbie, someone who is a rookie. Either new to a game or bad at a game.

Drip: how cool your outfit looks. Like seeing a kid with a hoodie and saying "Damn, that kid got drip!"

Dope: The equivalent of Rad, something that's cool.

Dupe: yes, there's a difference. Dupe is like a knock off or a fake.

Lit: the same meaning as dope. usually something fire, as in it's awesome.

Stan: to be a huge fan of someone. Others can interpret it as a stalker fan, but the first definition is more popular.

Fanum tax: popular streamer Kai Cenat is friends with another streamer known as Fanum. Fanum often appears in Kai's streams to steal food from Kai. Fanum tax has become a popular term between fans indicating someone is stealing your food. Sometimes used in percentages. For example, my best friend casually fanum taxes 85% of my lunch every other afternoon.

Mewing: a technique used to sharpen your jawline, where you put your tongue at the roof of your mouth—often not allowing you to speak.

Edging/gooning/surfing: (Sorry asexuals..) a sexual practice involving controlling your 0rgasm.

Glazing: to over-hype something or give something so much compliments and attention it has gotten cringe worthy.

Tweaking/tripping: to act energetically or even unintelligently under the influence of crack/drugs, used sarcastically.

Aura: an imaginary calculation method of how much power or reputation you have. For example, falling In front of a group of teens means you have lost aura, or power. You can say that's -500 aura (points). Or maybe helping a homeless man. That's +5000 aura. Memes go around like "the golden dog", a card that makes you immune to losing aura.

Of course there is MUCH more. and Gen Alpha creates new terms every other weekend that it's starting to get tiring keeping up with these trends. Unless you're on the internet 24/7/365, then you'd surely know all of these and spontaneously use them. But I don't, so there's a lot I missed here, at least i believe so😭😭

The problem is, gen alpha uses all these different words and terms UNIRONICALLY. Meaning that they're actually serious. And oh, trust me they will look at you weird when you use an outdated word like "lol", "yas", or "YOLO".

So... Who can we blame for this ridiculous behaviour? Obviously, no other than millennial and generation Z parents. In my personal belief, Gen Alpha being on the internet from such a young age is seriously a bad idea. I mean, I have not one, but TWO (2) gen alpha siblings. You can imagine how hard it is from me... My 5 year old cousin goes to kindergarten and he says that he "rizzed" a girl at his class, which got him +10000 aura. Yeah, even I can't believe what this world has come to.

But from another perspective, we can do nothing about it. Maybe it's a good thing to let gen alpha on the internet? After all, we can't keep taking steps back, saying we need to quit phones and cellular devices in general. All we can do, really, is just let the future unfold. A few decades away from now, Generation Gamma or Delta or whatever, is gonna be laughing at gen alpha saying they're as old as time, probably holding a portable toilet in their hands. we never know what the future brings us🤷‍♀️

So that's it, sorry for answering your silly little question with a whole essay 🙏 thank you all for coming to my ted talk.

#my fav ask. i love this. might as well pin it #the sigmas will rise 🥶🥶#gen z culture #gen alpha #pop culture #philosophy #english literature #essay #ted talks #reine yaps

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proudfreakmetarusonikku · 9 months ago

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like, genuinely. taking accountability for your actions in perpetuation of abuse and rape culture is the first step to changing that culture. it doesn’t make you a bad person just because you did a bad thing (unless you were intentionally trying to cause harm) but you have to admit you are not immune to accidentally supporting the bad thing and take accountability for that. if you supported george's statements on sexual harassment, or dream's sexual jokes towards minors, or sapnap getting paid money to stream on a platform which openly harbours rapists and sex abusers, you've been a part of keeping the environment that makes it hard for victims to have come out. if you started believing in anti-victim sentiments and harassed other abuse victims for talking about how it made them uncomfortable, you’ve supported this environment. if you assumed anyone uncomfortable with your streamer or trying to talk out against them was inherently lying solely because it was your streamer, you helped support an enviroment that fostered abusers.

and that sounds harsh, and I’m sorry. but it’s true. and to a degree, I think everyone in this community has done that with people at one point in their lives. it's very easy to be manipulated, but it’s also very easy to be wilfully blind, and that’s not something irredeemable or a permanent stain. you can change, but you need to identify in yourself what caused you to act like that and make a conscious change. it’s healthier for you and it’s healthier for the environment. if we want to avoid this in the future, we need to be proactive in calling out actual potentially harmful behaviour, even if it’s from someone you like. or we will continue to harbour mass amount of abusers.

most content creators are not abusers. most, to be honest, are awkward introverted nerds with social anxiety. at least, that’s what i've got from the ones my brother knows (and that includes some big ccs). but while they’re a huge part of it bc being in front of a camera instead of people is a huge draw, there’s another draw that attracts a less savoury crowd- and that’s the position of power. and unless you’re willing to listen and be kind to genuine, serious criticism of harmful actions, and ccs are willing to do the same, abuse and sexual assault WILL continue to be normalised in these spaces. it is not your sole responsibility, but it IS a responsibility to make sure to avoid that now you know the possibilities aggressively attacking any criticism can hide. caiti had to deal with people with her abusers face threaten her for speaking negatively towards him. do not let that happen again.

#obviously not every dteam stan or member of dtblr knew #you aren’t accountable if you genuinely didn’t know about any of these things or did try and speak out about them #but the amount of people I’ve seen who posted abuse apologism acting like there was nothing they could have done and like.#I’m sorry. I sympathise with you but there was something you could have done #And that was not leap on anyone who said anything slightly negative about dream george or Sapnap #this isn’t like wilbur who didn’t have widespread criticism for stuff like this #at least to my knowledge- it very much seems like he made sure to have any of that show in ways that were easy to write off as bits #but these. aren’t. these aren’t bits these were things that these people did in serious situations.#Punz too I guess but idk if anyone did that with him #this isn’t drama this isn’t discourse this is real peoples lives. don’t treat them like blorbo in your shows.

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mightdeletelater · 10 months ago

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I often think about the absence of parasocial relationships in my life. To be candid, I believed I had outgrown them. Celebrity culture is something that I have come to dislike a lot. I really try and refrain from investing excessive energy into one-sided and distant connections. We all have our moments every once in a while, though. Last night, I stayed up to watch Usher's halftime Super Bowl performance. I enjoyed it, sang along to my favourites, and that was that.

The gravity of current global events, particularly Gaza, really makes me reassess.

Amidst countless headlines celebrating the Chiefs and Taylor Swift's love life, my attention remains fixated on the bombing of Rafah by Israel. Rafah, a place where civilians were told would be safe was heavily targetted all the while Israel ran a propoganda ad during the biggest annual sporting event in America (newsflash: if you can afford to run ads like last night's during the biggest NFL weekend, then you're not the victim, sorry). The juxtaposition of reports from Gaza during a Super Bowl served as a stark reminder of the world's pressing issues.

I don't advocate for people to cease enjoying sports. That's lame and not realistic. But I urge us (myself included!) to scrutinise our relationships, especially parasocial ones. These one-sided relationships, where emotional energy, interest, time, and, worst of all, money are directed towards an entity that is unaware of the other's existence, permeate our society.

Adults may believe they are immune to such connections. But many still form strong bonds with sports teams, athletes, artists, actors, and online influencers. Adult men especially will make fun of teenage girls for their interests but have the same one-sided relationship with athletes and Twitch streamers. They are not free from it. None of us are. It's all the same. These relationships wield such influence over us as individuals, and they truly transcend age and gender boundaries. Addressing this issue requires a collective effort to de-emphasise or, ideally, render parasocial relationships unnecessary.

The dismantling of community structures has exacerbated this problem. The decline of social organisations, the lack of third places, the consequences of suburban living, and the increasing loneliness point to a broader societal issue. As our communal ties weaken, we not only experience individual isolation but also lose collective influence over our lives. Political and economic forces contribute to this isolation, making it challenging to resist gentrification and maintain connected communities.

How many of us constantly think about these systemic issues? I understand that this being at the forefront of our minds would be extremely exhausting, but we should at least be aware, no? Depoliticization and a plethora of distractions, from social media to celebrity culture, is really limiting us, as individuals and as a society. I am not sure if I am ready to go down the full conspiracy rabbit and say that these distractions are intentional political tools, but they do serve capitalists seeking profits from individuals seeking connection and fulfilment in the frankly very fucked up world we find ourselves in.

Substituting real relationships with parasocial ones may seem convenient, even momentarily fulfilling, in our current environment saturated with online connections. Yet, these connections prove to be shallow and hollow substitutes for genuine human connection, intimacy, and collective participation. On a personal level, it is time to intentionally prioritise meaningful relationships with neighbours, coworkers, family, and friends. On a communal level, we must build and rebuild structures and organisations that facilitate collective gatherings, fostering connections and consolidating our collective power for positive change.

As headlines continue to feature Taylor Swift, the Super Bowl, the Oscars, etc... I believe that there should be an urgency in redirecting our attention to critical issues, such as Gaza and the recent attack on Rafah. While transitioning from a world dominated by parasocial relationships to one marked by justice, connection, and peace may seem daunting, it starts with individual efforts – reaching out, engaging in one-on-one conversations, and building relationships. Over time, these personal connections will empower us to act collectively, contributing to a world where inter-connectedness and reciprocity prevail.

#gaza #palestine #rafah #super bowl #taylor swift #usher #celebrity culture #anti celebrity culture #anti capitalism #anti consumerism #anti consumption #parasocial relationships #i hate doing tags

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11queensupreme11 · 21 days ago

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Imma gonna keep this simple:

I 110% agree with everything u said.

U didn’t miss even ONE box because I’ve been saying this all day and all I can say is that I am so deeply disappointed that this is our reality.

I had hoped that we learned from 2016.

We didn’t.

I had hoped we were done with this in 2020.

We weren’t.

And now it seems like we’ll never be free of this until, hopefully, the new generations are old enough to make up the majority.

All I do know is this.

This path that this country is walking.

This path that its chosen will never lead to anywhere good.

And if ANYONE needs an example of how bad it can get, all they need to do is look at the history of this country and others like it to see what the future holds in store when u repeat it.

Thank you for saying what you said.

It meant something to me to know that me and other Americans are not alone in this. 💖

seeing this gives me some hope, but the fact that trump is absolutely going to target the department of education concerns me cuz despite the votes, there ARE many gen z-ers who spout a lot of right-wing ideologies without realizing it.

gen z can be quite radicalized depending on the topic, even the well-meaning ones don't realize how far right they've gotten.

we are a very puritanical generation who values moral superiority and internet activism, and we're also not as educated and immune to propaganda and brainwashing as we like to think

we've got young men and boys regardless of race watching and listening to right-wing streamers and content creators like andrew tate, adin ross, etc. and being radicalized into becoming the most misogynistic pieces of shit ever

we've got girls and gays trying to be internet activist and thinking that they're sooo progressive when they're actually doing a 180 to right-wing puritanism without realizing it:

"dark media should be removed from libraries because girls might read it and endorse it because girls are STUPID",

"sex scenes give me the ick so we need to remove them all!!!",

"gay love stories should only go as far as hand-holding, none of that gross stuff because we're not DIRTY like those degenerates!"

"we need to remove all porn and degenerate stuff because it encourages girls to act like whores and men to treat women poorly!" (newsflash, misogyny existed long before porn did, so removing porn won't do shit, sorry guys)

^ it all sounds stupid and silly, but this sorta shit snowballs. they're yearning for the hayes code and they don't even know what the hayes code is 💀

(and again with the jill stein stuff too 💀 like i said, gen z likes to be morally superior and internet activists so some of them did vote jill stein thinking it'd help -- which only brings back to my point to how dumb and uneducated us americans truly are. i'm sure they were well-meaning, but this was not a smart move)

right now, gen z is mostly blue (we're in the 50s% which is lowkey concerning), but with these mindsets ALREADY in place and more men like andrew tate spouting up, AND trump ready to target education to dumb people down, i worry that the younger gen are going to be more vulnerable than ever

#👸🏻| rambles

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isolaradiale · 5 months ago

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Welcome to SpiraleFES 2024! Or Day 2 of our Sixth Anniversary Celebration!

A word of warning first: this is not an event and does not count as event participation towards ranking up. These are merely a bunch of fun activities that persist throughout the summer. While we will be running several events over the summer, you will still be able to use SpiraleFES activities for non-event threads during that time!

The city is decorated festively from top to bottom, each and every ward sporting streamers, festive music, and providing a number of fun events. These can be used for threads throughout July and August, and so we encourage you to make use of them for some interesting interaction ideas! The list of events is as follows:

FIBONACCI WARD

NO PLACE LIKE HOME DECOR Do you find yourself missing that touch of something from home you just can’t seem to find in the city, no matter how hard you look? Well, search no more! Around the parks in various levels of the ward are vendors from familiar places, toting those little somethings from where you came from. Finally, you can find some clothes and other household items that aren’t easily accessible here. And if you look hard enough, you may find one of your personal treasures and trinkets that didn’t travel with you–a music box, a locket, maybe a ring from a family member… Don’t worry, it’ll have your name on it. Note: Weapons and other combat items will not be for sale in any of the bazaars if they're not purely decorative pieces.

A ROARIN’ BOREALIS SKATING RINK From the city streets, it looks like a bright ribbon of rainbow light, not unlike the famed Northern Lights. But ride the platform up to the top and see that the shimmering lights are actually a massive skating rink, with a figure 8 loop around the upper tiers of Fibonacci City. You can bring your own skates, or visit the kiosk to rent some LiteSkates–which leave a four-foot trail of light behind you in the color of your choice. There are guard rails around the arena, but even the clumsiest of skaters will be alright. After all, if you fall off the arena, a drone will pick you up and put you back on the ring. NOTE: Available during nighttime only.

ANDROID HELL … or the Ofiuco Rave, by any other name. A series of Radiocats seem to have flocked up to the lower floors of Level 3, and any discrimination towards those who seem like they may not belong has been, luckily (though no doubt only temporarily) shoved aside. Is it the Radiocats that set up the series of bright neon, backlit raves that have crowded varying floors on this level? … who knows. What everyone does know is that they’re certainly jamming out to some, as they say, “sick beats”, and large crowds have been drawn to the fluorescent party. It may be hard to move from place to place, but with the technology here being what it is, if you can see through the strobe for long enough, you’re bound to enjoy yourself! Ofiuco certainly is. Note: Ofiuco is immune to all attacks, charms, and other phenomena

CRAFT PUNK Outside of Fibonacci’s towering skyscrapers, nestled in the resident district, is an event with tinkerers in mind. Blending with the steampunk atmosphere is a foundry where your muse can learn the arts of robotics and machines. Classes range from building your own remote-control cars to making toys and household appliances (you know, like those little circular vacuum cleaners? Or a Super Toaster?) For those of you who are particularly adept in the art of machinery, you can enter the Scrap Battle Showdown–a competition to make a battle robot no bigger than a 3ft cube using only the supplies available in the foundry. If you’re caught using any materials from home, you’ll be kicked out!

THE HAUNTING OF SPIRAL HOUSE A haunted house has sprung up downtown in Fibonacci Ward, complete with a creepy old decrepit look! For a few dust, one can explore its dark depths by themselves or with a few friends. Featuring sets of vampires, ghosts, werewolves, zombies, and more along with actors that will stalk you through the halls for a more immersive experience, it certainly has a lot to offer! Pictures will be taken throughout the attraction, as to preserve genuine experiences and offer a souvenir for purchase.

COTES WARD

PIXIE PERFECT TREASURE HUNT The pixies of the Airaisal Forest have decided to cooperate with outsiders for a one of a kind event. Search the forest with an enchanted teacup pig with a nose for a very particular treasure: rare, golden truffles. Amass five to be awarded the equivalent of 200$ in Dust. But give up, or lose your teacup pig, and you’ll be spending the rest of your day as a fox kit as per pixie punishment.

OPHIUCHUS TREE TOWER Scale the gigantic tree that rises high against the cityscape with an Alraune guide. The plant person in question will create a staircase of leaves around the tree’s trunk rising upward, allowing you and small group of friends to traverse the tree in a way normally impossible. Once you reach the canopy get ready to enjoy a one of a kind picnic lunch while you overlook the island from the most magical of vantage points.

NERF JOUSTING Rent a horse from the Market Town coliseum and take up arms against a number of opponents. Well, take up soft foam arms. Experience what it’s like to joust without any of the immediate danger. *any wounds accumulated via falling off your horse will be immediately healed by a fairy.

MAZE BY PIXIE LIGHT An elaborate garden maze illuminate by magic lights provided by the pixies of the village. This event only runs at night and can only be experienced in pairs, but the prize for success is a doozy: a crystal flower that is traditionally exchanged between pixies meant to promise themselves to one another. Receiving this flower as a couple is a promise to remain at one another’s sides through thick and thin.

CANDLE LIGHTING FOR THE LOST During the night, the river that flows at the base of Ophiuchus comes to life with tiny lights as the Alraune have arranged a way to send off the fallen, giving any who want one a tiny flower raft with a candle resting upon it. Placing this raft on the lake while considering well wishes for a resident of the city has since left is thought to bring them good fortune… wherever they are. Though in a realm where death isn’t permanent it can also be used to give well wishes to even the living, perhaps someone you know that’s having a hard time.

SPELL CHECK Put on your best sorcerer's robes, purchase a wand, and proceed to the small dirt dueling arena set up by the pixies of Cotes Ward. You'll be given a small amount of magical power (only enough to cast simple spells like a gust of wind, a small spark of fire, a douse of water, or tiny static shocks) in an attempt to make the playing field even with your opponent! Your objective? Why, to entertain the pixies, of course! But to also have fun whilst doing so. Victory can only be claimed once your opponent has been knocked to the ground or they vocally say that they yield. The prize for your entertainment services? A small wish that can be granted by the pixies. That book you couldn't afford? It's yours. Unlimited food for a week? Say no more! That trinket you've looked at forever in the store window? It'll be yours if you can give an interesting enough show!

A NOVEL IDEA In the Great Library of Xalphina, a comfy, yet curious corner has been set up in the back corners of the library. Comfortable chairs, sofas, and even beanbags have been placed. A large bookcase sits against the back wall, with an even larger red velvet chair set in front of it to face everyone. Here, every few hours or so, a draken librarian will pull a book from the shelf and recount a tale from the distant homelands of the city's inhabitants. Be it legend or complete fiction, familiar stories of heroes and other myths are now available to be checked out for personal use or listened to for story time for a limited time.

SUMMER CLEANING RITUALS The pixies have decided to do some very much-needed cleaning in their homes, but they'd rather not do it themselves if they can avoid it! Help them out by throwing various trinkets, do-dads, and bobbles away, though they may ask you to help them find items that they've long since thought lost as well. As a prize, most of them may be willing to part with a small trinket though magical abilities may differ between each item.

GOLDEN WARD

SPIRALE FIREWALKS SHOW With the Boardwalk open until late at night and the weather mostly clear, fire flowers light up the sky over Golden's beach. Thanks to the ingenuity of the folks at the research institute, these clean-burning fireworks are the perfect combination of light and sound, providing beauty and comfort. For a modest price, you can customize your own fireworks with the colors and patterns you'd like. Pay a little more, and you can even put words on them! (No profanity please, as everyone sees the fireworks!)

CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL A cruise ship has docked, decked out in festive banners and balloons for the festivities. Open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with free admission and free souvenirs, there’s a different themed activity on each of those nights! Monday night sports access to the ship’s nightclub, Wednesday sports a murder mystery starting at 8pm, and Friday sports a series of different escape rooms once the sun sets! The cruise ship may or may not be decked out solely in a variety of golden decorations, however.

THE CHILLIN’ VILLAIN A nightclub and lounge has mysteriously popped up on the border of the shadier part of Golden, and goodie two-shoes need not walk through its doors. With a temporary in-house ceasefire, all sorts of villains and antagonists are welcome to share a drink, a dance, and tell of the heists and plots they’ve devised. And if you’d rather keep your identity hidden, masks will be provided to you at a cost (it’s a villain’s lounge, not a charity!). Note: The ceasefire is mandatory, and all weapons and powers are deactivated upon entering the building.

A FOAM-IDABLE FOE Out further into the ocean are a few obstacles, rafts and arenas. On the beach are your weapons: foam armaments of every shape and style–everything from foam swords to guns that shoot foam darts to foam shields and battle-axes. Your task is simple: knock your opponent(s) or opposing team(s) off the platform and into the water using your sick new foam gear. Think of it as a… Foam Battle Royale! Want a challenge? Some of the arenas equalize the strengths and defenses of its challengers, making even the most powerful Isolans only as strong as the weakest contender on the arena. Note: For this event, your combat powers/items will be rendered ineffective!

YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE YOUR EYES Those who enjoy a night dip in the ocean might find themselves accompanied by myriads of fireflies floating alongside them. Their tiny lights will twinkle in a rainbow of colors around you every time you move or dive underwater. And the best part is: if you don’t know how to swim or lost sight of the shore, they will keep you afloat and help you reach the shallow waters safely!

NEVER-ENDING EXTRAVAGANZA An entire street section of Golden Ward has been blocked off to host the most extravagant block party you've ever been to. Filled with street food, fun, and live entertainment! Residents are welcome to host their own venues and put on performances for the crowds that are sure to swarm. Performers are encouraged to take to the stage every day to show their various talents. At night, a large bonfire will be lit to end off the day's activities and serve as an exciting way to make s'mores!

ROTATION STATION Because our residents often find themselves stumbling along the path of love and companionship, a few brave souls have decided to use a local dessert shop as a spring point in helping people find their other halves. How, you may ask? Through blind dating, of course! Simply fill out a form on what you'd like in a partner and you'll be matched to the best of your ability on a date! Though it will only last about fifteen minutes until you have to move on to the next, so make sure to make every second count and leave a lasting impression! (Only characters 18 and above may participate.)

ARCHIMEDES WARD

BATTLE OF THE BANDS With the Tempus Museum taking root in Archimedes, the Arte Fest has been swapped out for another kind of art form. That's right--it's time to take the stage with your friends and rock out with your heart out! You can even rent out instruments to play in case you don't have any of your own. Head on over to the Theatre of Calliope to sign your band up and set your performance schedule. Rumor has it that some of the Optimized Tools from the Museum have been borrowed for this event, so if you don't know how to play, all you need is a go-gettem attitude and the instruments will do the rest. Note: This event isn't exclusive to rock bands, and all genres of music are encouraged to come and sign up, from classical to synthwave to jazz.

TOO POOL FOR SCHOOL: THE REMIX Nothing says Summer Vacation like a huge pool party, right? Well, during the day, the Water Styx and its bigger pools are hosting a pool party bash that's bigger and badder than last year! From the DJ playing the songs everyone loves to the plethora of pool floats, noodles, beach balls and water slides, it's a high energy party until the sun goes down. Yes, we said water slides! Have fun with them!

CANDY CAMOUFLAGE So, yeah, it looks like a typical home goods store. But don’t be deceived! Many of the objects you’d typically find in the store–furniture, pillows, curtains and more–are completely edible! Even then, the tastiest candies and chocolates are only for the bravest and most adventurous tasters. A treat can be hiding anywhere–a clothes hanger, a ball-point pen, a mannequin, the wallpaper… Just be careful not to crunch on a real object. And if you do, there’s a dentist down the street. The event resets at midnight each night and the store changes daily, so every experience is different! For an extra challenge, we've added an electronics store to the rest of the home goods, just to change up the environment a bit. Don't bite into a VCR, okay?

UNDER THE TABLE Dionysus' Chalice in Archimedes Ward has decided to hold a drinking contest--of apple cider! Seeing as they'd like to not be liable for alcohol poisoning or someone's untimely demise but still want to keep the spirit of the festival, come on down and test your limits! It's simple; drink as much apple cider as you are physically able before having to relieve yourself or you find yourself on the floor after consuming too much. The winners will receive free beverages for the rest of the year along with a small prize of 100 stars. (Must write a 500 word drabble to claim said prize)

SKY FULL OF STARS Near the Water of Styx, a fireworks show happens every other night that showcases not only the amazing pyrotechnic talents of its makers but also the shapes and appearances of animals from our resident's homelands. Feeling nostalgic about a specific animal that can't be found on the island? Is its appearance only seen in your mind's eye? Doodle out a picture for our show makers and they'll gladly put it into a fiery, colorful explosion to be seen in the sky.

A PORTRAIT TO REMEMBER The Tempus Museum has opened a limited gallery that showcases brief moments of reprieve or hardship in our residents' lives. The happiest or most content moments in an art form serve as a looking glass to simpler or difficult times. Whether it be in their native lands or in Spirale, one will be able to look fondly at choice moments that may bring them some semblance of peace and coming to terms with.

THE INTRASPACE

SPIRALE DOUBLE DASH!!: PAINBOW ROAD For a limited time, kart racing is available at the Intraspace hub! Go solo or grab a friend, customize your ride, and ride like the wind! The rules are simple–complete three laps around the circuit and try to finish in 1st place. But these aren’t your ordinary courses, and things get pretty… wild. There’s no rule against sabotaging your opponents, either. So better watch out…! Don’t worry–if you completely total your kart or fall off the edge of the track, you’ll be safely transported back to the Kart Lobby to try again in another round! The better you do in races, the better you can deck out your uniforms and kart.

ISLAND LIFE SIMULATOR What do you mean you already live on an island? Well this is different! An island is constructed digitally, and you can design it from top to bottom. Terrain, houses, even the people who populate it! Of course, you can even bring in other characters to explore this island to their heart's content!

VIRTUAL COMFORTS While known for its vast selection of various MMOs and other cyberspaces, for a limited time, one may be able to traverse the reaches of time and space to find themselves in the familiar comfort of a place from their homeland that holds significant meaning to them. Whether it be a room, place, or your figurative dream world, you may find solace in the familiar sights and scenes that only exist in your mind's eye. Though beware, it's easy to become lost in the unreality. Bring a friend to help keep you grounded if you must!

YESTERYEAR

THE FAMILIAR FRONTIER In a rare turn of events, the Yesteryear branch is open for tours of the underground. Though the fauna and reclusive residents of the ruins scatter when approached, a friendly hologram will be around to show you the safe passages into the depths of the village. And sure, everything is pretty much still in ruins and there's nothing to salvage, but it's still a chilly escape from the summer heat to explore uncharted territory. Note: Your weapons and abilities vanish once you set foot into the ruins. When you step back out of them, they'll be returned to you.

THE MISTWOOD

DINNER IN THE DRAGON COURT Ordinarily, the Forest King isn't keen on visitors to his lavish estate in the heart of the Mistwood. But he, too, is keen to show off his expansive wealth, and has decided to temporarily open his doors to the respectful public. It's a rare opportunity to tour a dragon's keep, let alone have dinner in one! And as long as your muse doesn't steal anything in his castle, they'll be just fine. And if you do happen to have sticky fingers, well. He has a right to have you for dinner instead. (More information can be found here)

THE BUN-DER DOME ...Okay, it's not as intense as it sounds. In one of the safer (albeit denser) parts of the Mistwood is a single white bunny that simply wants to play hide and seek. If you manage to humor it and catch it before the time limit, you'll receive a special little reward: a little halo that, when activated, gives your muse their own pair of bunny ears in the style they deem fit. And kisses. Fluffy little bunny kisses.

THE SWIRLING GULF

A (HOT) SPRING IN YOUR STEP The hot springs are not a new feature to the Swirling Gulf by far, but for the duration of SpiraleFes, they're catering to the summer vibes. Floating in their hot healing waters are beautiful citrus blossoms, and the soft sandy floors are full of skin-healthy mineral salts. Special summer fruits, dishes, desserts and drinks can be served spring-side, and for a bit extra, you can get a relaxing massage on the premises. For this special event, one spring in particular was given potent healing properties. Its waters ripple with a soft, soothing light, and those that soak in this spring may find their scars and other visible injuries they earned on the island start to look a bit less noticeable. Multiple dips in the spring might make them go away altogether. (More information can be found here)

SWIM THE FRIENDLY SEAS Coral Bay is renting out scuba and free-diving gear to take the opportunity to swim with the settlement's residents you don't often get to hang out with: the wildlife! It's a safe and stunning way for you to get up close with all manners of creatures. From sharks, rays and dolphins, to octopi and squids, to the turtles swimming gracefully, to the eels living in the corals! The place gets even more stunning at night as the corals light up. And when the creatures of the day retire, the creatures from the deep come up to take their turns. They look scarier, but nothing will hurt anyone!

SUNSET CIRCUIT

ZERO G’S, ZERO CARES Ever wanted to go into space to do all the cool astronaut stuff, but not go through the rigorous education and training? This event is for you! Walk through the doors of this massive dome, and you enter a zero-gravity playground, where you can zoom around and float to your heart’s content. There are various pieces of equipment and toys you can rent out and play with, as well as anchored structures to hang off of. And when you get hungry, just visit the astronaut food vending machine! It's been moved to Sunset Circuit for those space-age vaporwave vibes!

LUMINESCENT NIGHTS On the shores of Moon Beach at Sunset Circuit you'll find a curious sight has emerged. At night, the water begins to shimmer and glow due to bioluminescent algae and fish that have made their home underneath the waves. The locals charge a small fee to ride on the back of a sea turtle to ferry you underwater for an experience you'll never forget.

THE CITY OF GLASS

HOT GRILL SUMMER As soon as you land in the Bellows District, you can smell the sweet smoke from the barbeque party. Unsurprisingly, the locals are masters of using fire to cook, and almost anything one can think of can be found on the large, meters-long grills made of glass or something because They Do Be Likin Their Glass Tho. Though the main fare are things native to the island, such as the fruits from the Ash Garden, there are typical dishes familiar to most people here too. It's an all-you-can-eat grilled dinner, just for one dinner ticket. So enjoy the smoked, roasted, and grilled delicacies: from fruits to meats to desserts!

PECULIAR PETTING ZOO We don't really know how or why, but some of the strange fauna of the island have decided to willingly come up to the village to interact with the locals and tourists alike. Most are happy to appear in photos, and a few of them will even allow themselves to be petted. (Especially if they can be bribed with some food...!) Since the animals simply return to the wild when they don't feel like dealing with people anymore, many of them cycle out, and you might find different animals the next day!

SKY-STREWN ISLES

SLIP AND SLISLES When one thinks of floating islands, the thought of water parks is hardly the first to spring to mind. Only, in this case, it seems to be the biggest bash the isles have put together on it thus far. One of the larger islands has been converted into what seems like a large pool with waters flowing over on all sides, creating a rather spectacular waterfall that never seems to touch ground. Not only that, but they've managed to outfit the smaller islands with things such as spring boards and waterslides that aim toward the main island of the attraction, surf machines and water bumper cars on some others, and even stalls and bars where you can get all the goodies you could ever need for fun in the sun! The biggest attraction is their Totally Tube-ular tunnel slide, crafted with unbreakable, see-through glass that starts from the highest isle above the recreation area. You'll be granted a breathtaking view as you slide down it in various twists and turns, all before plunging into the large island pool for a spectacular splash landing. And don't think you have to go home once the sun sets, either! This carries on well into the night hours, giving people the opportunity to stargaze and see the lit up city and gulf below as they swim and play, with sparklers and other firecrackers offered to help light up the festivities if wanted. Oh, and there's no fear in falling off. Anyone who isn't too careful or is curious, they'll find themselves inside a convenient bubble that carries you back to one of the islands before popping.

THE ECHO

PROP HAUNT The ghosts in the museum want in on the summer fun, and have decided to play some hide-and-seek! The shadows will attempt to disguise themselves as other objects in the room, and you and your friends have to find all of them in the allotted time by bonking them with a squeaky hammer. If you and your team win, you'll be rewarded with a small glass orb that lets you change your appearance to be all spooky and translucent like a ghost! (Any wins after that will be converted to dust instead) If you'd like to play with your friends instead, the 'ghosts' on your team will be given a paintbrush that will let them transform into any of the objects in the room. There's no prize for this one, but you can finally live out your dream of being a statue! (Or bonk your friends with a squeaky hammer) Arenas available: Statue Garden, Dollhouse, Painting Gallery

ABYSSAL SPEEDRUN ANY% An obstacle course for the daring, adrenaline-fueled, no-self-preservation junkies out there. Test your own strength and willpower by jumping into the hole in the middle of the city, which will land you in Abyss, at the bottom of The Echo. From here, you'll race against the less-friendly shadows who want nothing more than to catch you. Reaching the exit three times in a row, with a faster time each time, will net you a nifty prize! Each speedrun after the first will conjure a 'ghost' of your previous run to help you keep track. Sometimes, 'ghosts' of other players will appear too, fueling you competitive ones out there! So what's the prize? A glow-in-the-dark, ever-shifting shadowy T-shirt that says "I risked my life in Abyss and all I got was this shirt!" "At this point, wouldn't it be easier and safer to visit one of the other activities…?" -- The Curator

THE LAND OF BURNT UMBER

HOT-IN-THE-AIR BALLOON RIDES It looks like another hot day out there, doesn't it? But we promise it's not because of the rising temperatures! In fact, if you look up to the sky, you can see a myriad of hot air balloons taking flight, all with a pretty array of colors for each one, set to take you on a ride over the desert itself. Going to the Draping Quarters, you can find their launch site nestled comfortably atop the canyon where homes are built into, where you can sign up for whichever balloon you'd like to take. You can go solo, as a duo, or in groups of three, but no more for the safety of the basket and so you all can get a beautiful view across the sands and, if lucky, to the rest of the island itself depending on the route it goes.

BON(D)S OF FIRE When the sun begins to set for a good night's rest, you'll find that several bonfires have lit up the place in several areas. There are seats kept around it with music to vibe to, as well as several refreshments within arms reach that keep themselves stocked over the course of the evening. You can also request things to roast over it if you'd like, whether it be sweets or more hearty meals, enough to satisfy you if you're seeking something hot to munch on. Either way, those who arrive are all welcome to find a seat to have a good chat around the fires and to see the twinkling stars beyond the sparks of flame that rises into the skies from them.

SURF-SAND-TURF Across the Hills of Silver, especially nearby the larger dunes, are several areas with signs that read sand surfing. If you thought surfing along the ocean waves was fun, then getting onto one of the custom built boards to speed down and along the sands will be a treat for you! Anyone who comes along and wants to give it a try will be allowed to choose their own starting point and paths, giving them the chance to allow themselves the most comfortable experience or to challenge themselves to their hearts content, with various areas you can pick from. Whether you decide to ride the smaller dunes for a short thrill or take on the highest peaks and navigate through them is up to you!

A DIG FROM THE HEART Upon entering the Land of Burnt Umber, people will be greeted with a small stall, one that speaks of an exciting treasure hunt for all to enjoy. Agreeing will land you a randomized map of the general area where the treasure can be found, with hints and clues to be deciphered helping you along the way to find it. Don't worry, none of these will take you into immediate danger, allowing you to take all the time you'd like in finding it. What's this treasure, you ask? Nobody can tell you for certain, only that it's not a specific thing. Rather, those who find what they're seeking will be rewarded with a harmless trinket from their home that's precious to them that they can keep permanently. Whether it's a stuffed plush that you always slept with at night or your favorite pen you didn't have with you when arriving, anything is in the realm of possibility so long as it's something you treasure.

CATCH THESE SANDS Out more in open spaces, visitors will find a proximity line and, upon closer inspection, what seems to be a makeshift area locked in combat. Joining in on the fun, you'll be assigned a random color from three, given some protective gear, and handed a toy firearm that shoots out endless sand pellets. The goal is to rack up as many points as you can until your team comes out on top. Whether that means shooting the makeshift targets of varying size first, with the smaller the size gaining you the most points, or turning on the enemy team that gets in your way to victory is up for you to decide. And don't worry about getting hurt, as the pellets will break softly on what they hit on impact, leaving behind only annoying grains of sand on your clothes and that get into your shoes if you're unlucky enough.

SELENE SPACE STATION

STAR-DEN TEA PARTY The stars and planets are always so far away, aren’t they? Well, in this indoor star garden, you’ll be able to walk through paths with lots of little glowing stars and planets–you may even find your home planet drifting in the cosmos! Each star, comet, cluster and planet can be interacted with, with the biggest planets only reaching the size of a beach ball. Letting go of the celestial body will have it simply float gently upward to begin drifting again. The event is catered with a variety of teas, coffees and cocoas, as well as sandwiches and little finger foods. Bring a blanket and gaze at them drifting by!

SWIM AMONG THE STARS The Black Hole has revealed a temporary space behind the café: a large dome that is mostly filled with water in a zero gravity setting. The water moves slowly through the air with plenty of gaps between each mass, allowing you to float through the water and the air. Making it even more breathtaking is the large open windows on the backside of the building, giving you a gorgeous view of the stars beyond.

SO YOU WANNA HIT STUFF WITH A SELENE POD? A Rage Room the size of a football field has been constructed in a temporary extension of the space station. Within, miscellaneous objects can be found floating around just ripe for the hitting. And you can hit them... with your Selene Pod rental! If you're participating with others you could also try and hit them if you want to? But we're not suggesting anything.

#spiralefes

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evolutionsvoid · 1 year ago

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There are just some species out there that seem to have been put on this planet for the main reason of making it more wondrous. Like they are the extra touches from a painter to really make the scene bloom and come to life. Obviously, yes, they actually do play a role in the ecosystem and food web, but I am talking more on whimsy here! Creatures and plants that you just look at and feel like you are witnessing a piece of living art. When you see great flocks of colorful birds take to the skies, or rivers packed with migrating fish as they leap and dance! I can certainly look at all these things and explain their purpose and what they are actually doing, but it does always force me to take a second and really drink in the sight. It always makes me happy when I experience things like this, because some days I feel like I have seen it all, or that I have grown numb to the wonders of nature. When I witness such incredible things, I am reminded that there is still so much to see. And perhaps I am not immune to the beauty and charm, no matter how many times I feel it. In fact, I think I grow more and more susceptible to it, as I always find new ways to fall in love with nature. This entry is on one of those species that really gave me one of those moments. When I stepped into the bustling streets of a local festival, enjoying all the lights, decorations and excited people. Seeing the parades and costumes go by, and then looking up from it all to see several Nectengshe floating through the sky, the stars of this wondrous festival. I would say words can't explain it, but I feel that I could given enough time and ink! What I should say is Eucella won't let me use the incredible amount of words I would need to explain it, so we will just say it was a breathtaking sight. I will always hold this species in a special place in my heart, from that first sight and the extraordinary festivities I got to partake in!

The Nectengshe are often jokingly referred to as "tourist dragons" by the locals, but not meaning that this species is not from around here. What they mean is that outsiders and visitors who aren't familiar with this species will show up, look to the sky and scream "LOOK! DRAGONS!" or "BY THE GODS! DRAGONS!," to which all the locals laugh. Indeed, they find it funny because the Nectengshe are not dragons, not in the slightest. They aren't reptiles, in fact they don't even have bones! They are actually a colonial organism, similar to the Ikuchi, that grows and sticks together to create a serpentine shape. The whole "creature" is just a massive collection of specialized, sacs, tendrils and polyps that work together to act as a single being. By producing a special gas in combination to their incredibly light weight, they can easily float through the air, building and releasing this gas to let them rise and fall as needed. Though this brings to mind the idea of flight, they don't actually do any real flying or soaring. Rather, they prefer to let the wind take them, only using minor movements of their own to keep them upright and in one piece. When you see them live and in the wild, they make you think more of a decoration than a creature, like someone's puppet blew away and is now hanging above your head forever. I will admit, the dangling tentacles do bring to mind streamers, and that many decorations during the festival looked almost exactly like this species.

For what they do, the answer is: not much. They just float through the air and live as long as fate lets them. For food, they use their tangling tentacles to pick up small bits from the air, like pollen, spores, tiny aerial creatures and such. They are adhesive and also have painful stingers for larger prey that gets tangled up. They sometimes eat the clumsy birds and bats that run into them, never picky as long as it doesn't break free from their grip. When a tendril has a hold of a good chunk of food, it retracts upward into the colony body and deposits it. The food will be digested and distributed, while the limb drops back down for more. It gets all it needs from the air around, be it prey or water. Their very slow and carefree looking lifestyle means they don't need a whole lot to get by, so a few days of slim pickings is no big deal for them. Also, the stinging tendrils they have help protect them from aerial predators, that is if something actually decides to attack them. As you can see, the Nectengshe bears a very strong resemblance to the dragons that can be found in this part of the world. Obviously, very few things really tangle with such powerful beasts, and it seems these colonies are trying to get in on that intimidation. Often a single glimpse of a dragon soaring through the sky is enough to make most creatures turn and run, so if the Nectengshe looks enough like it, many predators won't stick around for closer inspection. It is a pretty good trick, and one that has some unforeseen benefits!

Since this species doesn't actually do a whole lot, just float and eat whatever runs into them, it makes sense that people that live around them don't mind them. The worst a Nectengshe can do is accidentally get blown onto their roofs or get tangled in some flags. If one dies and drops upon their heads, it is a problem, but more so for clean up and whatever stings you may get. However, it isn't that people don't pay attention to them, as folks actually do love this species a whole lot! It should be obvious with the festival I was at, which was celebrating the annual bloom of Nectengshe, when this species is most prevalent in their skies! The species is looked upon fondly, as others find them quite beautiful and serene to watch! The other thing to point out is that in this part of the world, most folk actually like and even revere dragons! They see them more as symbols of wisdom, strength and ascension rather than as giant destructive monsters. Yes, they do have their fair share of dragons that do cause death and damage, but it doesn't seem to dampen their overall views. And since the Nectengshe bear a resemblance to these beloved serpents, the species gets to enjoy some of that appreciation too! Like I said, a pretty neat trick! Just float around and do nothing, and still have crowds of adoring fans! Kind of makes me envious some days!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

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"Nectengshe"

So continues the endless journey of posting Not Dragons during Dragon Month. I swear I make real ones! I do! They are just....well.....uh.....hmmmm...

#dragon #siphonophore #monster #creature #art #drawing

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