#I add “core” to the end of random words just to see if it's a thing... (and it always is lol)

[cinnamini-mon]

「おりひめ」 ("Orihime")🍎🍑🍓 & 「ひこぼし」 ("Hikoboshi")🍐🍋‍🟩 cocktails~☆

[deception-united]

Let's talk about writing dual POVs.

Writing a novel with a dual point of view where two different characters share the role of narrator can add depth, tension, and complexity to your story, but it also comes with its own set of problems and challenges. Like, how do you ensure clarity between perspectives? How do you keep both characters engaging? And most importantly, how do you make both narratives feel like parts of the same novel instead of two separate stories? Here are some tips and strategies to consider, before and when writing.

1. Ensure both POVs are necessary.

A dual POV should serve the story, not exist just because it seems interesting. Before committing to this structure, ask yourself:

Could the same story be told just as, or more, effectively from just one perspective?

Do both characters bring viewpoints that are unique and essential to the plot? What does this character’s POV add that we wouldn’t get otherwise?

Does each POV contribute to the novel’s themes, conflicts, or emotional depth?

Does it move the plot forward, or is it just there because I like this character?

If the answer isn’t an easy 'yes,' reconsider whether both POVs are truly needed. For example, in a romance novel, it might be better to only include one POV, since knowing there are feelings from both sides can take away tension and make it boring for the reader.

2. Choose a primary protagonist.

Even though you're going to be featuring two points of view, it’s essential to have one central character who anchors the story. This character serves as the thematic and emotional core of your book. Consider:

Which character’s perspective starts the story?

Which character’s perspective ends it?

Who undergoes the most significant transformation?

While both POVs should be compelling, having one clear primary character ensures your narrative remains cohesive.

3. Make each POV distinct.

Readers should be able to identify whose perspective they’re in without needing a chapter heading to tell them (although this is helpful and I do recommend including an indicator like this). You can differentiate this through:

Voice & tone: Their word choices, speech patterns, and internal thoughts should reflect their unique personalities. (See my post on character voices for more tips on this!)

Observations & focus: What each character notices and how they perceive the world will differ based on their backgrounds and biases. What details do they focus on? How do they process emotions? For example, a noble-born strategist will notice different things than a street thief. Sentence structure & style: Ties back to voice & tone—a poetic, introspective character might have longer, flowing sentences, while a blunt, action-driven character may have short, clipped phrasing.

**If you can open to a random page and easily recognise the character’s voice, you’ve done it right.

4. Interweave the two arcs effectively.

Both characters should have distinct yet interconnected arcs—even if they don't meet or interact until later on, or at all, their stories should be able complement or contrast each other in a way meaningful and comprehensible for the reader. Examples:

Parallel arcs: The characters face similar struggles but react differently (shows contrasts).

Intertwining arcs: Their paths cross at key moments & affect each other’s journeys.

Foil dynamics: One character’s success may mean the other’s failure—builds tension and stakes.

5. Smooth transitions

Switching between perspectives should feel natural, not jarring. Consider:

Consistent switching: Like alternating every chapter or at key turning points, or making one character dominant (the main focus) and the other occasional (slipping into it when necessary).

Strategic cliffhangers: Ending one POV on a suspenseful moment can keep readers engaged through the shift (though be careful not to make it so that the reader is skimming through one POV just to get to another).

Mirrored/contrasting scenes: A reveal in one POV can recontextualise a previous scene from the other.

6. Avoid head-hopping.

This is when you suddenly switch between characters’ thoughts in the same scene without a clear break. This can be jarring and pull readers out of the story.

Bad example: Lena glared at him. She was furious. Why didn’t he understand? Jonah sighed. He wished she would just listen.

You can't tell whose head we're in, and even if it was indicated at the start of the chapter, it makes it confusing and frustrating.

7. Build suspense

A well-timed POV switch can escalate tension rather than just pass the baton. Examples:

Character A is walking into a trap; meanwhile, Character B is on the other side of the city, knowing but unable to warn them (creates dread).

One character’s assumptions might contradict reality. (For example, a spy might believe their cover is intact, but another POV reveals they’ve been exposed.)

Character A misinterprets Character B’s actions as betrayal. Switching to B’s POV clarifies their true, but hidden, motives (creates emotional whiplash).

8. Deeper character exploration

Dual POVs can let readers experience both sides of a relationship, rivalry, or power struggle in ways a single POV can't. Examples:

Character A sees themselves as a hero, but Character B’s POV reveals their arrogance (unreliable narration).

Different emotional reactions—the same event might be tragic for one but a relief for another.

Common Pitfalls

Dual POVs might not always be appropriate for your specific narrative, and could:

1. Remove tension.

I briefly mentioned this, but one risk of dual POVs is reducing suspense, especially in genres like romance or mystery. If readers see both sides of a conflict, they might lose the uncertainty that drives engagement. However, you could try:

Using unreliable narrators

Keeping certain information hidden from one POV

Ensuring there’s still conflict and misunderstanding between the characters

Switching between past and present

Keeping one POV until the climax or for a specific plot twist, which can be revealed through a different POV

2. Break story flow.

If one character’s arc lags behind the other’s, readers may get frustrated when switching perspectives. Ensure each POV maintains momentum and contributes to the overarching plot.

3. Make readers favor one character.

If readers strongly prefer one POV, they may skim or disengage during the other. To avoid this, make sure both are equally compelling, both characters have stakes that feel urgent and meaningful, and each has their own distinct emotional arc that readers will be equally invested in.

4. Make it redundant.

If both characters are just retelling the same events with minor differences, the second POV becomes unnecessary. To avoid this, use POV shifts to enhance the story, not just repeat it. You can use the second POV to:

Show what’s happening when the other character isn’t present

Reveal secrets, misunderstandings, or unreliable narration

Build dramatic irony (let the reader know something one character doesn’t)

Happy writing!

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[yammpi3]

𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏, 𝒎𝒆? 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚? // WC: 1.4k

— feat. disassembly drone N x worker drone reader

synopsis. N is out on patrol when he catches you inside a class room finishing up some homework, once you’re done he walks you home and stays for awhile.

— content warnings. its just fluff, hand holding and a cheek kiss ;3

— authors note. I DONT KNOW HOW TO WRITE FOR ROBOTS, tried my best guys I know some things lore wise but ehh….i had to add random things for it to fit all together ANYWHO love this little guy he’s so adorbs (this is not proof read btw…)

 N trudged through the dimly lit hallways of the school facility, his joints creaking slightly after a long and tedious patrol cycle. All he wanted now was to shut down for recharge, but duty compelled him to remain vigilant. He peeked into each classroom as he passed, scanning for any signs of unusual activity or potential threats.

 

Just as he was about to move on, a faint sound caught his attention from the next room up ahead. Cautiously, N approached the doorway and peeped inside. There, across the room, was you—seated at your desk with a look of deep concentration etched across your screen. Your optical units were focused intently on your laptop, typing away to what seems like an essay.

 

N found himself transfixed, unable to tear his gaze away from you. The way your brow seemed to furrow ever so slightly, the subtle shifts in your posture as you worked—it all captivated him. He couldn't help but just admire you.

 

Time seemed to slow as N stood there, covertly observing. All he knew was that he didn't want this moment to end—to tear himself away from the sight before him.

 

After a few more minutes, you sat back with a satisfied nod and began powering down your computer. N's core fluttered nervously—now was his chance. "Hey bud, you headed home soon?"

 

His voice startled you, and your gaze met his with a smile. "Just wrapping things up here." You closed your laptop and set it inside your backpack while N fidgeted.

 

Why was it so hard to find the right words around you? Taking a steadying vent of air, N plowed ahead. "I was thinking, uh, since we both go the same way and all...wanna walk together?" His speech stumbled as flustered static crept in. "For! Uhm, for safety purposes of course."

 

"You trying to ditch patrol again, N?" His display flashed a brighter yellow in embarrassment. Of course you'd seen right through his feeble excuse. But to N's relief, your tone was teasing rather than accusing.

 

"No, no, honest!" he rushed to clarify. "I just...want to make sure you get home safe, you know? You never know what's lurking around." N chuckled awkwardly, feeling his face heat further. "But no pressure! I'll leave you be."

 

He started to scurry off, but you called after him. "Wait up, doofus; I was just messing with you. Sure, you can tag along."

 

 

N almost tripped over in excitement as he turned back to you. "You serious? I mean, of course you're serious; why wouldn't you be? Just didn't expect-" He cut himself off, seeing your amused expression. "Right, shutting up now. You, uh, are you ready to head out?"

 

You gave a final check that your desk was clear before nodding. "All set."

 

As you walked out of the school, N rambled on about his day. "Man, patrol was so boring today. At least now I get to hang with you for a bit." He swung his arms energetically as he walked alongside you.

 

 

As the two of you exited the school building, a cool breeze blew past. N shivered slightly despite having no organic components. "Brr, sure is chilly tonight. Glad I don't have to stand outside on patrol much longer."

 

You chuckled at his reaction. "Aww, does the big bad robot 'ave a wittle cold circuit?" N shot you a sideways glance, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Oh hush..”

 

 

Laughing, you slung an arm around N's shoulders in a mock hug. "Aw, it's okay, I'll keep you warm!" Much to your amusement, this only caused N to blush further while stammering incoherently. Smirking, you released your hold and continued on ahead.

 

As your optics adjusted to the darkness, you noticed N nervously scanning the shadows with his bright glow. "Relax bolt-brain; nothing is sneaking up on us tonight. You're the scariest thing around these parts," you teased, nudging him playfully.

 

N rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, better safe than sorry, right? Patrol's got me on high alert, I guess."

 

N shuffled closer to your side as you both made your way down the living quarters, wrapping his tail carefully around your leg. Though he claimed it was for protection, you suspected he simply enjoyed being close. Not before long, the row of housing units emerged into view.

 

"Well, this is me," you said, gesturing to the doorway of your home. N peered at it curiously. "Wanna come in? My folks are working overtime at the door again, so we've got the place to ourselves."

 

N hesitated, fidgeting anxiously. "I, uh, don't want to intrude or anything.”

 

"Don't worry so much," you said reassuringly. "Like I said, my parents are working late, so it's just us. And I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want the company."

 

N still seemed unsure, nervously twisting his hands together. His eyes flickered from you to the doorway and back again. You could tell he wanted to accept the invitation, but something was holding him back.

 

Sighing softly, you placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Look, I get if it seems weird since we're different models. But to me, you're just N—my friend. You've always got my back, and I want to return the favor. So what do you say? Wanna come in and hang longer?

 

After a moment, he smiled shyly. "You really see me as a friend? Even though I'm probably the lamest murder drone ever built."

 

You grinned and punched his arm playfully. "Duh, why else would I hang out with you? Now come on!!”

 

You led N down the hallway to your room. "Not much, but it's home. Make yourself comfortable."

 

Kicking off some stray debris, you plopped down on your bed and gave it an encouraging pat. "Park it, toaster." N did so nervously, taking in the cozy atmosphere.

 

With a flick of your wrist, you played some upbeat nightcore music; it played at a comfortable volume.

 

N sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, listening to the upbeat music pulsing through the room. "Cozy set up you've got here," he said, his gaze flitting around nervously.

 

"Yeahhh”  you replied with a shrug, leaning back on your hands. "So, being a murder drone. Bet that's...umm...murder-y?"

 

N couldn't help but chuckle at your lame joke. "Ha, yeah, I guess you could say that. It's uh, it's definitely something." He leaned back, debating how much to say.

 

"Mostly it's just... fixing up the ship, or stopping V from taking out another one of you guys, that sort of thing." His attempt at casual humor fell flat, but you nodded encouragingly.

 

"It can be tense though," N continued more seriously. "When intruders show up, lives get put at risk. The pressure to terminate threats efficiently, without fail...it's a lot." He took on a faraway, troubled look.

 

Fizzling out, N sighed softly. "Truth is... I'm not just some cold killer bot, you know? I care about protecting this place and keeping everyone safe. Including..." His gaze met yours shyly. "Including you."

 

 

Gently, you reached out to take his hand in yours. N jumped slightly at the contact but didn't pull away. "I know you care, you dork. You wouldn't keep risking your wiring to walk me home otherwise."

 

"Well, uh, it's just standard procedure! Gotta look out for...others and all that ha—ha…”

 

You chuckled. "Sure thing. We both know you just looovee my charming personality." Squeezing his hand reassuringly, you leaned in until your faces nearly touched.

 

"Listen N. Killing isn't all you are; it's what you have to.. Uh do.. And I like who you are—awkward jokes and all."

 

You gently lifted a hand to cup his cheek. N hitched at the contact, but he didn't pull away, instead leaning into your palm with a soft sigh. Gathering courage, you pressed a kiss to the cold metal.

 

When you drew back, N's smile could have powered the whole facility.

 

N's cheek plates flushed a deeper yellow as he leaned into your palm, still processing what just happened.

 

"I, uh...wow." Was all he could manage at first, a flustered chuckle escaping him. You smiled fondly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

 

"Are...are you sure about this?" He looked at you. "I mean, me? Really?"

 

"N, relax." You said softly, brushing your thumb over his knuckles in a soothing rhythm.

"R-right, sorry. I just... care about you. A lot." His gaze became unusually intense.

 

Your core swelled at his words. Leaning close once more, you pressed your forehead to his with a murmur. “Stay for tonight?”

 

Eyes closed, he nuzzled gently into the embrace. "Y-yeah. I can um.." he swallowed before he continued, “do that..yeah”

© yammpi3 2024. All work belongs to @yammpi3. You can repost if you want to support my blog/writing! Please don't modify, translate, or plagiarize in any way on ANY platform.

[tojiscrack]

there’s so many things i love about your fic but one thing i specifically love that doesn’t have much to do with your fic is probably the community. like every person that comes into your asks, including the funny anons, feels like family idk STOP I SOUND SO CORNY BUT YOU GET WHAT I MEANNNN. like 1l-ynn’s (i think that’s her username) hatred for anyone that comes in between megumi and y/n is so funny, THE MALAKAI SHIPPING PHASE, THE RANDOM ANON THAT STARTED RAPPING IN UR ASKS, stanheightis stressing out every now and then about the angst is so real, kickingcat’s beautiful artwork as well as azr3na’s, mercupinesspring’s tiktok page dedicated to liar,liar which i stalk with my private account haha. i’m trying to think of the others but yeah, like the community is so beautiful and i think i’m gonna miss that more than anything when the fic eventually ends 🥲

i love u guys i can’ttttt

liar, liar masterlist here:

tagging everyone you mentioned so they see this ‘cause they absolutely deserve to know how special and precious they are, not only to me, but apparently to you too. it’s so absolutely true, my fav thing about writing the series this past year is the growing community 😭🩵

@1l-ynn @stanheightis @kickingcat @azr3na @mercupinesspring

the malakai hate was so incredibly funny to me bc he was never gonna be a second love interest. like, ever 💀 that’d make this megumi/reader story just be crack upon crack, and ik i prioritise comedy over romance in this romcom, but there’s a limit, yk 😭 and it was just funny to be given a taster of how certain ppl feel about a second love interest being introduced at all before i’d even introduced the real one, might i add

with that, watching ppl stress about the angst tag before it had even arrived (it’s still not here, curtesy of my hiatus 😇) was also the funniest thing ever. i’d wake up every morning with a new ask in my inbox stressing about NOTHING. like a singular person even held enough stress for the entire community, and then some 😭

the artwork i’ve received over the last few months have been collected into a google doc that’s how obsessed with them i am, ready to be printed out bc i genuinely meant it when i said i’d do just that for my room 😋 we made it to a point where we can appoint ppl as LL’s co-illustrators, which 16 year old me, who was drafting the first chapter a year and a bit ago, wouldn’t have even predicted such a thing and i’m so grateful bc wdym they were able to make malakai look good? ☹️🩵

their versions of y/n are so beautiful too 😭

and LL content being cross-posted to tiktok? i felt like an old person when i first saw the page and went through the memes made about my story (it’s like old ppl laughing at their own joke) 😀 my fav is definitely malakai core, and the video with ‘how i want megumi to react whenever another guy speaks to y/n’ or smth like that (along those words) 🤭

honourable mentions too bc these guys could never be forgotten by me:

@shaigimo @princesssparklesprinkle @reinaswrld @cutesolecita @britishfailure @b4tm4nn @reocidal @jelly-fsh @miffysmittens @anonymity-222 @crisis-unaverted @sl1004 @watermelonlover905 @loffagirl @seoups @awriterinthenight @ist0leurc0ffee @biancaackerman @2ukika @julieannah @missunrise @briezy04764 @jvpit3rr @sfmegumi @nappingnai @evergumi @crimsonhallucinations @femtaktsfilosofi @manmuncher777

+ more ofc, i’m genuinely trying hard to remember everyone from the top of my head but it’s a little hard given how fast LL is growing.

this doesn’t mean i’ve forgotten any of you that i haven’t mentioned! just means i got lazy and needed to wrap this sappy response up, but i promiseeee i’m well aware of who’s here and who’s not 🤗 the people above have also had several interactions with me, so it’s easier to remember ppl who you speak to on a daily 🥲

i thank the silent readers for still being here anyway. the LL community wouldn’t be thriving without ur support too <3

also if i’ve tagged you and you wish to not be tagged even in sappy posts, just lmk, i’ll know not to do it in future haha 😧

but anyways… in conclusion, i agree. i can’t wait to return to all my children (you guys) in late june ☹️ the only reason why i’m simultaneously dreading it is ‘cause it means my exams would be here but oh well 😭

k gonna end it here ‘cause this is too sappy ew 🙄 (💕)

[formulateez]

1:32am | oscar piastri

pairing: oscar piastri x fem!reader

genre: literal pwp, except there is minimal plot, random horny hour drabble prompt(s): "i'm going to fill you up so good and make you mine." and "someone's going to hear us!" summary: classic fwb troupe where y/n and oscar try to fit in a quickie during a sleepover with their mutual friends asleep in the rooms next door word count: ~520

requested?: no, teehee, but i got faded than a hoe a few nights ago and wrote this at like 5am and it's been sitting in my drafts for a little bit because i've been too scared to post it LMFAO there also isn't enough op81 content so i wanted to add to it :) but, please reblog and leave feedback !! (but pls be nice otherwise i will cry)

extras: banners made using template by @/cafekitsune !!

"Oh-fuck, Oscar-" You choke out, your hands running through Oscar's hair as his lips found all the spots that draw out heavenly sounds from you. “Please, Oscar, someone’s going to hear us!” You fail to sound stern as the Australian continues to ravage your neck.

“Fine with me, ‘cuz I wanna hear how good I’m making you feel.” he mutters out in between each kiss that he trails down your front.

It had been a couple weeks since you and Oscar originally made a special friendship agreement. You had invited him over one night to watch a movie or two, and the night ended with his face lodged between your thighs.

Oscar’s mouth and free hand occupy themselves with your nipples, while you buck your hips up to grind against him. “Oh shit, please.” Your plead leaves your lips softly as you ache for him to give you more.

“Please what, baby? Am I making you feel good, hmm?” Oscar hums as he continues to suck on your nipple, while he’s flicking your other nub between his fingertips. “Wanna hear you say it, pretty girl.“

“Yes, yes- fuck, yes. Please, Oscar, more-“ your pleads earn you a slight chuckle out of the guy above you as his fingers find their way to the waistband of your shorts.

“Quite talkative for someone who’s worried about being heard, don’t you think?” His lips are leaving faint marks along your collarbone and the tops of your boobs. Man, does he love seeing the very faint marks peek through the lower cut tops that you often wear during the summer. “You want more? Tell me what else you want, doll.”

As his fingers dip into your waistband, they start to lightly brush over your core as another soft, yet sharp, moans leaves your lips. You grab what you can of his hair and lightly tug him upwards to meet face to face with him. “Fuck- please fuck me, Oscar.”

“Yeah?” Oscar draws his hand out of your shorts as he starts to tug them down, along with your underwear before he throws them off to the side. “You want me to fuck you, hm? Is that what my pretty girl wants?”

“Yes, Oscar, please,” you breathe out, lightly tugging on the hem of his shirt, wanting less barriers between the two of you. “Want you inside me, so bad.��

It doesn’t take long before both of you finish undressing each other, and his lips are finding themselves attaching to your neck once again. His tip is just barely teasing your entrance and he continues to work his way all over your neck and chest.

“I’m gonna fill you up so good and make you mine, princess.” Oscar groans into your ear as he slowly starts to push himself into you, enticing the sweetest of moans from your lips as you savor the feeling of Oscar filling you up as promised.

You both were, in fact, not quiet enough, as Lando was tortured with faintly hearing both of you moan. He quickly threw on his noise-canceling headphones, making a mental note to clown the both of you the next morning.

[nostalgiabug]

Snorting Kemono Jihen like the crack it is

This is gonna be broken up into segments about the characters. I am currently reading through the manga but I don't give a crap about spoilers. I'm not gonna talk about the plot, it's largely whatever in my books. Check the tags first.

Kusaka (You cannot kill him in any way that matters) Kabane:

He is an adorable little demon child. As the protagonist the story quite honestly lives or dies on enjoyment of Kabane as a character. And I find it rather impossible to hate this unbothered short king. I like how despite his lack of emoting you can usually tell what's going on with him. It's common in cases like Kabane to make the character a nothing burger and not doing that is surprising for something that got it's start in 2016. Especially in stories like this one that end up having some rather dark moments. Kemono Jihen manages to avoid this by still somehow managing to maintain an uplifting tone.

Kabane is very emotionally stunted and that works for him, if he works is way out of it. The story itself tells you that his lack of emotion is tied directly to his abuse, infact Kabane already has the perfect avenue to explore his lack of emotion aside from extreme outbursts, his kemono half (So this actually happens but my point still stands). Put him more at odds with the part of him that is at it's core predatory, Hell Kabane working through his emotional blindness works as a marker of his progress. Honestly I think he just needs an internal monologue like Loid Forger from Spy X Family or like how Nico Robin has these moments where she pictures the most random thing.

As I see it Kabane is a very strong character that has room to improve. But he doesn't really have to, as it stands he works very well as the character arc bat he is. Now I have this image in my head of Kabane sneaking up on someone with a bat that has the words "Character Arc" on it. (He's gonna beat you to death with it and you will thank him)

Nowaki (Nobimaru should have been like Zuko) Hormramaru:

I like Nobimaru, he's just bastard enough to be enjoyable, like Anya Forger. I swear the Spy X Family references stop here. I will say, I don't like the fact that he's secretly 19. If he was a 13-year old pretending to be an adult, his dynamic the the other characters would become infinitely more interesting. Children tend to see adults as bastions of freedom, which makes the whole pretending to be an adult thing understandable. I imagine Nobimaru being was more childish and silly around Kabane and the kids but presenting his canon personality and age around Inari and the other Kitsune. I would honestly prefer the moments that dynamic would bring about. I can see Kabane just telling Nobimaru that he prefers him the way he is. Not as who he pretends to be. It'd be cute. But at that point Kon becomes entirely pointless and that's fine, I don't really like Kon all that much.

Of course if you are smart you have realized that this would lead to a Zuko Alone arc followed by Nobimaru betraying his mom. Hey if it ain't broke but criminally misunderstood, make it more obvious. Nobimaru is a abuse victim, his mother Inari is abusive as hell. The more I think about this idea, the more interesting it becomes; Kon is Nobimaru, because he hates that he looks like his mother. It adds a very interesting avenue to explore self loathing born of parental abuse, sorta like Nagisa from Assassination Classroom but better. With one simple change he goes from just hating Inari to clearly wanting her to love him, knowing full well she never will. I have more but that may end up being a separate post of unstructured rambling. Or a fic I end up writing it, who knows. (Likely a fic)

Akira (Fuck those are long ass full names that I'm not writing) and Yui:

I don't have any right to speak on sexual assault especially to a child, my abuse was only ever physical and emotional.You have every right to skip Yui's segment if it makes you uncomfortable.I have no intention to judge for not wanting to think about something.

I am not a person who has experienced SA, I have however experienced long term abuse and will be speaking from that perspective. I am not caught up with the manga so feel free correct me if this is wrong. In canon he just sorta gets over it, something that he survived through for most of his life. This was something that made him react with viceral rage at the mere idea of his own brother "helping". And there is no emotional fallout, even just an aversion to physical contact from anyone who isn't Akira would be enough, this pisses me off. I'm gonna be angry for a bit to prove a point; This is a fifteen year old boy who would be a father if not for going fucking psycho after years of abuse. THERE IS NO "JUST GETTING OVER THAT". And then he is written out of the story. I don't like this, it's bad. I would have at the very least put Yui more at odds with the other kids. Yui's aggressively protective of Akira and this plus his trauma would likely make him less trusting.

Akira's delightful, I wish he wasn't a cardboard cutout of what stupid people think boys or, people in general, express gender nonconformity are like. But the author seems to have moved beyond that, from what I can tell. I love how much Akira loves his brother, reminds me of Kari and Tai from the original digimon. I like siblings being comfy. It's nice, it makes me happy to see. I can see Akira as some flavor of trans, it would make a interesting conflict with is brother. But it's not something I would not recommend approaching lightly, given the possibility of making Yui unlikable. I would just make Akira really worried about coming out as trans, only for Yui to just say he didn't want to assume. Or that nothing could change how much Yui loves Akira, that would be adorable.

Inari (All Cops Are Bastards) Yoko:

She's a bitch, she's the villain. She's delightful and I hate her (affectionate). The gold standard really. She's one familiar egomaniac and watching her fail is cathartic as hell, no notes. She is a perfectly shit woman and rather intimidating to boot. I think it's interesting how Nobimaru sometimes emulates her worst aspects, honestly that's something that's worth exploring. She and Inugami are different sides of the same coin, Inugami wants coexistence while she seeks only absolute control. She doesn't care what happens to those she uses but he does. It really speaks to her end goal of becoming the unchallenged empress of japan. (I am convinced that the only reason she even had Nobimaru was just so she could be called a MILF)

Inugami (Serial adopter, seriously he has four kids) Kohachi:

This man is a father of four and the delightfully barbie bitch vampire that he keeps in the closet. I love how scrungally he is. If Inugami was real and I had slightly lower standards, I'd hit on him. There isn't really a lot to him. He's basically got the same thing going on as Kuro from Servamp. That's not a bad thing, it's just I've seen it before. Aside from that, the genuine concern expresses for his kids wasn't something I was expecting. He's manipulative, but in a way that shows his desire to keep people safe. That's a trait worth putting more emphasis on if you intend to write him.

Tademaru (So I'm a Spider Boy, So What?) Shiki

I don't have anything to say about Shiki. He's Bakugo written correctly and I will die on that correct opinion. I think that Aya's canon design should be nuked from orbit, just trust me on this. T-shirt and jeans with front facing pockets, Ta-fucking-da; tomboy without being fucking disgusting. Aya being trans that would have been fun, but just as more of a neutral aside. I think it would be fun if Shiki expressed an interest in being a clothing designer. Aside from that I don't really have anything more to say. OH, I think it would be interesting if Shiki's eyes looked like Kumoku from So, I'm a Spider.

I think it would be fun if he and his sister, as half-Arachne had eyes like these. Look I don't hate how his eyes are normally, but I don't think it's interesting either. Take off his jacket and nothing about Shiki really screams spider person. Also because the name Arachne is greek in origin it would be cool if they had more olive toned skin.

[basket-of-radiants]

Wrap on Day One (and subsequent interludes).

It was enjoyable. For the Kaladin side the domesticity of it was pleasant. Maybe too indulgent in a "how far we've come" kind of way, but I can forgive that. The problem with having so many characters is probably the obligation to check in with all of them, and I'm sure that it's very cathartic for you if you're the type to latch on to minor side characters. I myself am not immune to the allure of overly indulgent writing when it's appealing to me specifically, and my word, am I going to have fun with all the Szeth in this book. The Shallan side was also pretty fun, a bit too much magic-minutiae for my tastes, but it's cool to check in with how she's doing right now, and the Adolin stuff was cute. All in all, this section felt very warm.

In terms of political analysis, several of those moments where it almost reached a compelling point but then fell short. Not really a fan of the whole caste-system-issue being reduced to Kaladin having bad feelings about nobility, but that's sort of the direction these books were already taking, so that's not exactly new. Probably going to stow this kind of criticism until I'm through with the book, unless something particularly egregious comes up.

Wit's talk about passion was good. Probably the highlight for me, so far.

Taravodium (is there another preferred portmanteau that you guys use?) is correct that if one has the power of a god they should use that power to actually help people. I really don't buy the "if we didn't allow war, we wouldn't get art or science" argument, I feel like there's no evidence or historical precedent to back that up. I don't know about his conclusions insofar as how he's going to accomplish that, but his core impulse that he should be doing something is a good one.

Man, Dalinar, so badass issuing that challenge at the end of RoW, and now immediately backtracking and and going "yeah maybe I shouldn't have done that." I love to see it. Character growth. He's my favorite.

Last note, send in your hate mail now over this one. I don't like the direction that Nightblood has been taken in for this book, so far. Nightblood already had a shtick and was already funny, all these comments about food add nothing to that. Given how Szeth spent RoW, I almost want to consider it a plot hole, that Lift would have had so much of an influence on Nightblood and it's priorities. Like it would have been one this thing if there were another time skip over which they'd hung out, but W&T picks up immediately afterward. She just hasn't spent enough time with it. Honestly I think making Nightblood into something that's more generally "lol random XD pancakes" undercuts what made it so interesting in the first place, particularly in relation to Szeth but also as its own being. What I've historically found compelling is how Nightblood is constantly inciting and engendering destruction, but with such innocence that it still feels worthy of attention and companionship. It challenged Szeth's own destructive impulses by validating them, therein requiring that he rise above them. Whereas for everyone else, they have to grapple with the most horrible thing in the world just wanting to be their friend. That's not to say that it only talked about destroying evil 100% of the time, it's always been warm and curious, but there's always been a darkness there in the dissonance of having a cute little buddy that can and just might destroy you and hundreds of innocents if you answered its questions wrong. In Nightblood's current form, it mostly just seems to say silly and incongruous things for the sake of making road trip jokes. Really hoping that this isn't its vibe for the rest of the book.

[messrsrobyn]

for your anon concerned about tokenism which is a very important thing, it truly is. but what made me go easy on myself was realizing that fanfic is kinda not the place people should go for when looking for rep? now let me explain. it’s not that fics shouldn’t have rep, or that fic writers are exempted from having to incorporate it, because i don’t think it’s neither here and there. that’s not the argument we should be having. we should have rep in proper media, in things that actually make an impact in the world. that’s where the rep should happen and we should advocate for that etc etc. we also should be mindful of what we consume and how we do it and see if we only engage with cishet westernized stuff. but aside from that, if people are demanding from fic writers those things it’s kinda weird to me. like, my dude, you love the whitest, most cishet work of all times and that’s fine with you, but this random writer from xique xique bahia (brazilians will understand my joke) has to know all the intricacies of being a teen in the 70s in wales? or else they’re not doing a good work? like, maybe…! go read books that are diverse and engage in those fandoms too. a lot of HC are just like that anon said, so widely spread that just makes sense. desi harry is very dear to me. even if i also vibe with latino james. idk man, i think we can call off straight up problematic stuff. racist stuff. but if you go into fics trying to be educated maybe open a proper book and like, don’t expect fics to be a manifesto? i just want to see gay people kissing. and i think that’s the gist of it, i read books, i study, i educate myself so when i go into fanfiction im expecting to have a good time. i can also find amazing political stuff in it, but i don’t demand an academic work from writers. but some people are so braindead nowadays that the thought of actually opening a book and studying it too time consuming. so, anyways, yes please don’t be racist don’t be weird don’t be creepy, but also guys, maybe y’all should take fanfic less seriously and engage with other things outside of fandom.

I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF ‼️‼️‼️

the beauty of fanfiction is how chill it is !!! which is something that's been lost recently with all the moral debates (noisy jegulus haters, i'm looking at you and frowning) !!!

i'm doing a lit + pol degree, and that really shows the difference for me. yes, whilst i read these works for university i'm picking apart everything, i'm cross-referencing it with the politics of the time and how they've developed, at the back of my mind i've always got this idea of representation.

i don't with fanfiction. because that's not the point.

fanfiction is the a FREE and OPEN resource. we don't have to worry about whether publication companies find value in our ideas, we don't have to worry about whether our words hold as much worth as others. we just Write.

people get too concerned with the morality of fanfic, they expect perfection from people Doing A Hobby. and i get it, i get where frustrations come from, but at the end of the day this is a bit of fun.

and yes, diversity is SO important but at the end of the day, fanfiction is already the most diverse form of media out there. if you want deeper explorations, either write them, or take your frustrations out on the core material that fandoms are derived from. take your frustrations out on the fact that we have to add diversity to fandom spaces because it's not in original media.

fanfiction is fun, it's a hobby and i am getting So So So tired of people nitpicking and deciding what words have worth when that's the exact reason i criticise official publishers.

BONUS YAP: "i think that big authors needs to step up and-" NO ‼️‼️‼️ just because they have more hits does not mean fandom etiquette doesn't apply. just because their works have more kudos does not mean they owe anything !! maybe stop putting people who are Having Fun with a Hobby on a pedestal to be your moral light.

IT'S ALL SO FRUSTRATING IM SORRY. every time i open tiktok it takes a year off my life because it's not even FUN anymore 😭 why are we policing everything

[sirvinter]

1, 9, 10, 13, 55 for all the special lads! ♥

ALL?! girl youre asking me to write a whole ass novel in one ask. you know i cant say no,,

1. How would they define love if asked?

Lucien - Love is something intangible, something that is intrinsically felt deep within one's core. It's more than a feeling, more than simple acts. It all adds up, of course, but that love was always meant to be there. There was always a space within you for that love. If it's not with you yet, it will come. Blaze - Love is a word. It doesn't necessarily mean anything. True care for someone is shown through actions. Yegor - Just like how you love certain foods, smells, flowers, so too, can you love people. Now, how much varies greatly, of course.

9. When in pain do they take it out on others or do they keep it inside?

Lucien - a mix of both. He is someone who tries to rationalize or draw conclusions about whatever is on his mind, so when that something is mental anguish he seeks explanation. He is, however, often bound to be easily overwhelmed mentally and so sometimes he does take out his frustration on others. Though passive aggressive comments are more in line with his personality rather than straight out shouting grievances. Blaze - takes it out on himself AND others. Not above collateral Yegor - others. Taking it out on himself is unproductive

10. Their most defining moment vs your favorite one of them

Lucien - Both might be the same uhh part of his storyline (so far); The fact that an unknown tzimisce had been parading around with his face in public, using his social media, and all in all pretty much doing a case of 100% identity theft, made Lucien kind of realize that although he'd stepped away from the limelight, he was still a fairly known public figure. He'd been standing with one feet planted in each world, unwilling to see or not quite aware of how unstable of a position it was. When confronted, the tzimisce in question "jumped" out of the building, leaving a body just like Lucien's as a bloody smear on the ground outside. A public death. It was a bit of a wake-up call for him. Blaze - AGH IDK he's been through some good character growth lately. I don't know if have any particular scene in mind but slowly but surely softening up all those hard edges around his team has been very fun to experience. Yegor - uhhh in-game I guess… when he let his mask slip right at the end of his unlife and he called the rest of the group maggots as they tried to kill him? 😭 Up until then he'd only been polite or playing up niceties. My favorite though? It's been way too long since I played him so my memory is hazy but him being found "alive" again after his dead body had been mysteriously stolen was pretty fun. Especially since he was pretty much stuffed with his ass in a random rain barrel.

13. Is there a moral line they would never cross?

Lucien - I know moral lines he WOULD cross... But that might be spoilerly if we do end up near them in-game so 🤫 Otherwise I don't have a strong sense for him regarding anything specific, tbh. He would never do anything to harm a child I suppose is one sane example. Blaze - As a highwayman he robs people for a living; sometimes they die, though he really does avoid it and prefer it never comes to that. I suppose some sign of morals there is that he doesn't rob those who clearly look like they need the money?? Yegor - Noooo...? Anything he'd do he would frame it in a way that would make it ok both for himself and others.

55. Do they live in the past, the present or the future?

Lucien - Past, present AND future. Blaze - He'd like to say present but he letting all of his past define his present in a way that's probably not very good. Yegor - Future.

[kafkaoftherubble]

Actually to add onto what I said: we as poc are too mean to white people. "White women" followed by the most horribly misogynistic string of words you could imagine, "white men" and then something men of all races do, "white people are so annoying" like poc are perfect angels just because we're oppressed.

We gain nothing by making white people feel guilty for existing. My white friends say "white woman" as an insult or "basic white boy". Dude that is literally your sibling, your mother, father, friend, neighbor and Lord knows what else that you are talking about, stop using it as an insult! It is a descriptor!

Honestly the most infuriating one is "white women" because it's used only as an insult. You can say whatever you want as long as it's by "white women" because white women are all rude, middle class, middle aged transphobic Karens.

Saying Karen is a mean women's name is misogynistic too! Both Karens I know are angels and don't deserve to be treated so horribly just because they have perfectly normal names for their age range and ethnic group.

Tldr: singling out white people just makes them feel bad for existing and it's often used as a shield to be misogynistic.

I agree wholeheartedly!

Humans are humans. I know it sounds pretty damn cliche and I run the risk of sounding like those people who have never had to endure any discrimination in my life, but at the end of the day, people are people.

I don't mean to say a white person is the "exact same" as a minority. A white person today isn't born in a vacuum where their skin color is completely unrelated to the history that color presents. There is a continuity of history that every one of us is born from and into, including "white" people.

But, well, racialism isn't real. It's pseudoscience. Every concept of race was invented; our genome is literally too similar to one another that you cannot actually tell whose genome belongs to which "group "race" (hereditary tests and all aren't actually telling you this, either. It simply tells you how many genes you share with people within the database that specific company has collected from "natives" of a certain area).

Also, whiteness is an invented category that unites people not even by culture or region.

That means that a white person is really, at their core, not significantly, biologically, or cognitively different from a human being like me. What makes them different is the historicity they are born into—which they don't actually have a hand in choosing, like how I didn't have a hand in choosing which country to be born in, or to which parents, or to what sorta brain I might possess, etc.

To take it out to someone because they are white by random birth lottery just doesn't make sense to me. Because I'm punishing someone for their score on an RNG.

-----

There is an institution, built up from history, that favors the majority, that's for sure. That majority turns out to be White for quite a lot of countries, and internationally, the most well-off countries are countries with the same institutions that favor White people. It's a product of history, and it does come at a lot of expense to minorities. All that is the sort of historicity a White person of today is born into; all that is real.

But I don't think a White person should be made to feel guilty of being born white. I don't think they should be proud, either—hard to be proud of being deposited at a good place that was built at the cost of other long-suffering, bedeviled people, innit?

If it's hard to see why White people should just be seen as "the people the system favors" instead of "white = inherently bad because of what their skin color represents," then look at countries where the majority isn't White. My country's majority is the Malay people, and the system is terribly biased for them. Someone like you, who has no history in this country, will (correctly) not think Malays are bad by default; in fact, a Malay would be a minority in your country and therefore seen as "not (as) bad (as a White person)."

But an angry minority in my country could easily see them as bad (or lazy, or stupid, or untalented, etc.) to the core just by being Malay. Malay are not White, but the resentment is the same.

What some people don't recognize, I think, is that their resentment is actually toward the system and not the skin color or ethnicity this system favors. When one confuses the latter for the first, one starts to think the problems are all tied to one specific group's "inherent quality." And then we get the whole idea of making this group a slur or something to look down on. As if being White is a karmic punishment, and they should atone for their "past," even if it's beyond their actual births, by suffering our get-back form of discrimination.

--------

The individual born into this historicity is not the guilty one, I think. The system that arises from that history, the one that oppresses minorities, is.

I think a modern-day White person isn't guilty by default; they are only problematic if they contribute to that system or defend it.

I mean, a POC could unabashedly defend a terrible, discriminatory system even if the historicity they were born to wasn't favored or lifted by this system. Sure, the historicity of a group will skew the probability—a White person may more likely defend this system, and a minority may more likely oppose it.

But a person is more than the group it's born into. It's also the experience and the genes and the society and the resources and the friends and the education and the narratives and so many things.

They didn't choose to be White. They are not responsible for being born white. But! They could be responsible for choosing to protect that system or help dismantle it.

And in that lens, they really are just people choosing to either protect or dismantle, like the rest of us do. They are just people.

Thank you for reading my ramble (written while having a headache owww)

(I rarely talk about this sorta thing here, huh?)

[serenhob]

Update on Jttw Au

I have decided I will write it and I have more ideas.

So for antagonists I have two options.

1. Toulong/water lizard dragon. He usurped a river and attempted to eat Tripitaka but was subdued by Sun Wukong and was taken away for an unspecified punishment (anywhere from imprisonment to execution) so maybe his water demon minions could be luring Sun Wukong using Tripitaka for a reason. Idk why they would need percy tho. Ye idk woth this one, I haven't the energy to think about it thoroughly

2. Wansheng dragon clan. They are much more promising. Essentially the Wansheng dragon king and nine headed bug (his son-in-law) stole this Sarai (can't remember why) and framed some monks for it, then the pilgrims discover the truth and Sin Wukong and Zhu Bajie pretty much murder him and his whole family. Some resentment would build up there. I have two ideas for this aswell which I'll just put both here. First is that one of Wansheng dragons ancestors is still very bitter 7 centuries later and steal tripitaka to lure Sun Wukong and attempt to kill him. But again, what about Percy? My second solution covers this. Same ancestor but they are attempting to revive the dead dragon clan (I understand samsara but I'm imaging just snatching them with their memories back into their corpses from whatever vessel they have), tripitaka both serves the purpose of being bait and a immortal turning snack once they wake up. I don't think this random dragon would be able to do necromancy on their own so im thinking maybe a witch who has it out for Percy/demigods in general could have reformed with the help of the dragon from Tartarus. So Medea. Obviously, she never met percy but in my head I could imagine the necromancy potion (which she could probs do with her whole old sheep to lamb shtick(weird word) and magic) would require the blood of the sea gods child (they are sea dragons so I'm gonna say that would revitalise them in some way and + strength cause demigod blood makes them like that, or maybe it would help with the memory thing) and Medea specifically does not like demigods so why wouldn't she be like 'oh use that one specifically. Why? Cause I said so do you wanna revive your dead great x5 grandpa or not?'. Cause Percy is the only currently living child of Posiden. So ye. And Obviously they need Sun Wukong, whether that is for a 'need a part of the murderer' voldermort core or the weapon he killed him with (the staff) and then the added benefit of Wansheng dragon taking his revenge out on Monkey king after he wakes up and eats Tripitaka.

Other random stuff:

-I can see Tripitaka just knitting or smth for the first day or two (when they are ignorant of the real reason they have been kidnapped) just calm and collected, counting stitches and mumbling sutras while Percy is having a full mental breakdown

-It would be so cute if by the end of it Tripitaka has this lumpy jumper to give to Sun Wukong like he's his grandma (tbf that's how he acts 90% of the novel, a very judgmental grandmother for all his wayward dicisples)

-I think Tripitaka would also probs try to reassure Percy like

'it's ok, they probably just want to eat you or drink your blood, nothing to worry about ' 😊🌸

Percy:😰

(Percy don't have context but this is 100% comforting in Sanzangs head)

-Also if I go with the necromancy storyline (which I like the most) im gonna need Nico to come at some point and br like 'I felt a disturbance in the force' but also I haven't finished reading the book him and will are in (got to chapter 5, put it down and forgot about it till now) so idk what they are doing in Canon currently

-It has just occurred to me that both Frank and Sun wukong are shapeshifters which is so fun

Please tell me what you think , anything I could add or stuff I got wrong and again if you want to write this story please tag me so I can read it 🙏

[duckapus]

Not sure how to start this so I'll just say that Mr. Crocker is down in his not-so-secret Crocker Cave, laughing evilly while working on his latest fairy hunting invention. Currently, it's just a grapefruit-sized sci-fi-looking metal and glass orb full of glowing blue energy.

"With the addition of Meme Energy to my Artificial Magic formula and a bit of respawn code I bummed off of Gohma, the Artificial Magic Core is complete! And with it, I will power the ultimate advancement in fairy hunting technology..."

He turns on the Cave's big computer monitor, revealing schematics for a small, winged android, then spasms while shouting, "THE FAIRY GODDROID!!!"

He begins to pace, petting the core in his hand as though it were a small, glowing metal cat, "Yes, no longer will I be caught on the back foot, forced to compensate for the reality warping power Turner and every other Godchild has at their fingertips. Soon I'll be able to fight Fire with Fire."

Another spasm, "FIRE!!! I mean, FAIRIES!!!"

He wipes his brow, which has gradually become more and more slick with sweat, "Ugh, speaking of fire, I really need to fix the air conditioning down here at some point. California heatwaves and underground laboratories do not mix," under his breath, he adds, "almost makes me wish I was somewhere that was cold year-round instead."

As you might expect, idly wishing when you're holding a device designed to replicate the powers of wish-granting magical creatures isn't a good idea, which Crocker realizes when the AMC's glow suddenly gets brighter...

"Oh shi-" he's rapidly engulfed in a cloud of sparkling blue smoke with the word "BEEP" written on the front in blocky letters, accompanied by the sound of an airhorn, and when it dissipates, the Crocker Cave is empty.

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

Somewhere in Desiderio, an airhorn calls out across the frigid wilderness, and a human with unsightly features and clothing far too light for the climate is dropped from a mysterious blue cloud in such a way that he faceplants into the snow, screaming all through his brief fall. He quickly gets back up, violently shivering as he clutches his invention close to himself for the small amount of warmth it brings.

"I w-wish I had s-s-some dec-cent w-w-winter c-clothes right n-n-n-now," with another Beep, his collared shirt, black slacks and matching loafers are replaced by a dull blue parka with the hood up, dark grey snow pants, and heavy-duty black boots and gloves. As he's warmed back up, he sighs in both relief and annoyance, "well, at least I know it works now. Where am I, anyway?"

While the sensible thing to do would be to go back home, Denzel Crocker is far from a sensible man, so he stows the AMC in one of his pockets and starts trudging his way in a random direction, eager to see what he might find.

As he goes, he discovers that he's near the shoreline of...wherever he's ended up, and he follows the beach until he comes across a camp of some sort on a long outcrop. He continues onward, soon discovering that the camp is inhabited by humanoid cats in what appear to be medieval knight uniforms designed to withstand the frigid climate. They appear to be guarding something, and the scientist and troublemaker in him just has to see what it is, especially since they don't seem to have noticed his approach yet.

"Hmm...I wish I was invisible."

Once the wish is granted, he slowly picks his way through the camp, doing his best to stay as quiet as possible so the soldiers' no doubt excellent feline hearing won't pick up on his presence (this close to the ocean there's more ice and rock than there is snow, so he's thankfully not leaving much of a trail).

Eventually, he reaches the object that's caught so much attention; a large, round stone structure covered in strange runes embedded into the highest point of the outcrop. From what he can see, it's ancient, but appears to have been tampered with recently, as if someone is trying to slowly cut it away from the cliff. Either the doing of the soldiers themselves or whoever they're guarding this place from.

As he tries to approach for a closer look, he slips on some loose pebbles, and if that didn't alert the guards the sharp "OOF" when he collides with the ancient stone definitely does. He hears the nearest ones shouting, though he's too disoriented to make out exactly what, and he happens to look down and see that his collision somehow managed to make a small crack in the stone, likely due to the AMC's sturdy metal frame based on the position. A green whisp of something shoots out of the crack, which knocks him back on his bony rear, cancels out his invisibility wish, and slips into his pocket.

Now back to his senses, Crocker takes stock of his current situation and finally listens to his common sense, "Well, I think I've just about overstayed my welcome," he pulls out the AMC, briefly noting that it's changed from blue to green but deciding to worry about that later, "I wish I was anywhere but here!"

And with another cloud (green instead of blue now, of course) and airhorn, he's gone, just as the Desidarian soldiers are closing in with weapons and instruments drawn.

[altariz]

My dead name is alta so imagine my horror when I laughed at a jax meme on my dash only to look at the username altarizz(not a hate anon it just shook me to my core)

I can imagine that would be scary.. seeing your deadname in the wild like that.

Y’know people will call me Alta on some socials because of my username, but it’s actually just meant to be Alt for short. I mean, I don’t mind being called Alta but it wasn’t my intention. My username is pronounced in a way that breaks it down as altar-iz, yet I surprisingly never see anybody call me Altar (not that I want to be called that, but I wouldn’t mind.)

Here’s the story behind my username:

My username on my social platforms used to be YourLocalAlt, but after awhile I grew out of it and in all honesty it was just kind of cringe. But during the time of me having that user, people would call me Alt for short. So when the time came around where I wanted to make a new user, I knew I had wanted to include Alt in it somehow. After messing with my keyboard for awhile and putting in random letters, I had finally settled on the user Altariz. Sadly Altariz was taken on a lot of socials, so I had to add another z at the end of it on some platforms. This was before I even knew about the word ‘Rizz’! But now people make a lot of jokes about me having rizz because of it, which I will admit is pretty funny sometimes.

ANYWHO, sorry that my user scared you like that. 😅

[k00294140]

Graphic Design :)

This was probably one of my favorite arts of the workshop. We were tasked to create and art piece from a bunch of magazines. I never knew this was an actual art form I really only thought it was a hobby but, this presentation really opened up my eyes to a new form of art. This workshop really made me rethink what I want to do withing graphic design( I will get into this later) . We created a mind map that elaborated on our project and we decided to simplify it down into three words we would be exploring our topic with

After this our mindmaps were scattered around the room and we were tasked to find pieces that this person could use from magazines we randomly selected. I found this really really fun :)

I ended up accidentally creating a collage but I feel like it perfectly demonstrates what my project is really about at the core. The chaos of cats and their moment. How did they end up half human? What's it doing inside a bowl? Why is it inside an orange?? I just feel like this project is very silly and fun whcih is what I try to make it appear as. I made them black to kind of resemblance my previous piece I did during painting.

After finding out I messed up (whoopppssiiieee) I started on the actual task... Create an art work! I siffted through so many magazines. Who knew it was this hard to find a cat??? I had some help and finally found two or at least I think one is a cat anyway... I decided it would be fun to put a cat in a location it's never allowed ( survey conducted among cat owners proved this) a dinner table. U collected scraps and cut up tons of bits. Here's my process :)

I really wanted to create this sense of movement in this like everything was flowing in some sort or chaos. The dinner table was perfect because it was elegent and something you woudont what to be messed up by a silly cat. I drew on many bits with pencil and even sharpie to make the piece blend in with the paper and with the other bits and pieces I stuck together. Over all I really liked this process it was really fun :)

What did I learn from this? Exactly how I want to execute my idea. I had this silly idea to create two posters. One was going to be an invitation to some sort of silly cat meeting. It ls idea is based off of where do cats go when we don't see them? I thought it would be really fun to add a bunch of really specific and random directions to get there for this silly meeting. My other idea was to create a music poster advertising a rock concert played byyyy cats! I was originally planning to create these posters on Adobe Photoshop but I really liked this process so I might give it a go. I doubt I will find all the pieces I need from magazines so I have accumulated a bunch of cat pictures from pintrest here they are :)

I will continue to look for inspiration from actual magazines so it isn't entirely printed. I also looked into a few concert posters themselves and here's some that really caught my eye. .. ( I don't have enough space so I will post separately)

[lewiselder]

dude your arm sucks!

we back!

it’s been about a year since the last post. i’m consistently averaging about 1 post a year. that’s a lot, right? 

hope this blog posts finds ya’ll well. not much is different in my life besides everything. ralph has gotten ever cuter, sweeter, and nicer. random anecdote but i actually did some 1v1 sessions w/ a dog trainer, but ended up cancelling the remainder when i started to freak out and realize i loved his personality and didn’t want it to change. moral of the story: abandon therapy and become your absolute worst. 

anywayyyyy - i’ve had 2 very arm-core things happen to me in the past few weeks. bad news for me is good news for ya’ll. i get my day ruined and ya’ll get something to read on the toilet in between actively giving yourself adhd by watching misinformation on tiktok for 90 minutes. 

*whispering* actually, i kind of like when this crazy shit happens to me bc i get to write about it and feel ~special~ :^D

today, we’re gonna cover the first story. i hope to be consistent enough to write up the other story soon. no promises. 

Dude, your arm sucks!

picture this, it’s mere weeks ago - fathers day 2023 - beautiful, scenic sunday weather. handsome clouds with chiseled jaws and just the right amount of buccal fat hang expectantly in a baby blue sky. i’m in a wifebeater with a mullet. 

as ya’ll surely know, i grew up without a dad (as did most of my friends shout tf out to ya’ll) and so i obviously don’t do anything special for father’s day. on this particular father’s day, my friend and i were going to go for a nice walk with ralph, but first we decide to stop by the starbucks next to my apartment.

my friend runs in to order the coffees. i stand outside with ralph, leaning against the side of the building. 

now i’ve heard a lot of words in my 30 years. i’ve heard them put together in all sorts of combinations to form all types of sentences. smart sentences, dumb sentences, long sentences, short sentences, sentences about crypto even. but i was about to hear a sentence i’d never heard before. 

from out of absolute fucking nowhere i hear, 

“dude! your arm suuucks!”

lmao

what

i look up from watching some instagram story of someone i’ll never see in person again for the rest of my life even if we both live to be 1,000, to see a tall, skinny dude standing next to me. his mouth half open, half smiling

i’m literally standing in shock, mostly perplexed and processing, my tiny golden dog who has some of the worst dog anxiety on the planet quakes beneath my feet. 

“what?” i manage to spit out through a half laugh

“dude yeah man, your arm sucks!”

i stare at him like:

if i recall correctly, he introduced himself as Rick at some point during this interaction, so i’ll refer to dude as Rick (have you ever said the name Rick to yourself like 5x? that can’t be a real name. it’s barely even a sound. rick. rick. rick. rick. rick. yeah get fucking real bud)

rick: “nah man see that’s just how i approach life. we gotta just be upfront with one another and then we can move forward from there. like now we’ve addressed it and so we can move on”

PLEASE NOTE: rick was not as well spoken as i am making him sound. while this is largely accurate, i’m paraphrasing from memory. pls add in 70% more incoherence to whatever i say he said  

and i gotta hand it to rick, he was hilarious. it’s awesome pseudo-intellectualism filled with ersatz empathy.

me: O_O

rick: yeah man like look, my leg used to suck 

*rick pulls up one of his pant legs, exposing the lower half of his leg*

now i can’t tell ya’ll his leg didn’t suck bc it definitely fucking sucked but it looked normal to me, albeit gross and dirty

me: bro pull your pant leg down lol

rick: *pouting* fine, but im just saying now that we got it out of the way we can be friends on a real level

me: i don’t think friendship is in the cards for us man. bro i need you to keep it moving

i should mention that, while this is a lot of text, this is maybe 20 seconds of real life interaction, and at this point it becomes clear to me that rick is at least semi-homeless and likely not totally together mentally. this colors strongly how i interacted with him going forward, because idk man what am i gonna get into a fist fight with a houseless dude who is likely high or drunk rn?

sensing my withdrawal from the conversation and my waning interest in friendship, rick resorts to an especially strange move. 

rick: nah man lemme get a real good look at it and we’ll get through this

rick bends down and puts his face maybe 6 inches from my arm, his bloodshot eyes wide as dinner plates

me: *recoiling* alright man see now im really about to beat the shit out of you if you don’t get the fuck on 

rick (as if i just lit a firework during a fancy dinner party): woah fuck ok man, fine. trust me your legs are as big as my waist, i know you could beat my ass. but i might be able to out run you in a straight line spring *chuckles to himself* but obviously you’re a strong guy

at this point, rick starts walking away still kind of talking about how i look strong. he opens the door to starbucks and heads in. he’s their problem now. 

mind you, starbucks is packed so it’s taking forever for my friend to get the drinks. 

maybe 40 seconds later the door to starbucks flings open

rick is back, baby!

“would a cigarette make it up to ya?”

me: lol brother i don’t smoke

rick: yeah me neither *lights cigarette in his mouth* 

we stand there almost shoulder to shoulder like old lovers who’ve run out of things to talk about but just like to enjoy each others company

rick: man you know what show my kids love?

me: what show rick

rick: inspector gadget man, you ever seen it?

me: yeah man that’s pretty old, i’m surprised that’s still on

rick: yeah they love it. you know who you remind me of? Dr. Claw. he’s the villain but he’s a badass. his arm sucks too. 

me: rick...

rick: im just saying man like obviously this shit has just made you tougher in life man. you’re jacked man, i hope my kids grow up to be like you

me: rick, brother, its fathers day, shouldn’t you be with your kids

rick, speaking more to god than to me: *softly* it’s fathers day

me: i’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess their mom has custody

at this point it’s felt like rick and i have been on this island together for a fucking eternity. seasons have changed, wars have risen and subsided, babies have been born and gone to college and decided to hit the snooze button on life by then going to grad school. 

i’ve literally had relationships shorter than this. not that i don’t enjoy talking to my old buddy rick, but man what i wouldn’t give for him to walk away, or for this starbucks to blow up, or for me to be assassinated. something, anything. 

FINALLY, my friend comes outside with the fucking coffees

she walks up to us perplexed

me: alright man i gotta go now 

*i start walking away*

rick: *smoking his cigarette that didn’t make it up to me and following us as if we’re all in the world’s worst band headed to practice together* aw yeah see now we were just talking about how his arm sucks and -

now i can’t have this fucking dude come walking with us, and i’d mostly been a good sport to him up to this point with the exception of when he tried to do a gynecological exam on my left arm

me, turning and getting into ricks face: ok i’m seriously gonna smack the fuck out of you if you don’t walk away right now

the 2nd threat seemed to do the trick. 

rick muttered some random shit under his breath before finally using his formerly sucky leg to saunter off back towards starbucks.

good night, sweet prince

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

I should say that at no point was I really going to fight Rick. He was clearly unwell, but the only way to really get him to leave was to threaten him. During the entirety of the interaction I was more amused and annoyed than mad (save for when he bent down and put his face in my arm). 

It did however bring me back to a place I spent the majority of my time when I was younger. My experience growing up disabled was one fraught with the preservation of what little pride I had. When I felt someone disrespected me, the overwhelming sense of obligation to do something about it (fight them, argue back, whatever) was one of the strongest driving forces of my formative years. And to be honest, feeling as if you have to fight and claw for the sense of pride most able-bodied people get to inherently enjoy is a tremendously heavy burden to carry. 

One of the reasons I so relate to people who have some type of outward presenting marginalized identity, whether they’re Black or Brown or disabled or non-gender-conforming or whatever, is because it’s such an insanely specific experience to have people come up to you and say the absolute wildest shit possible. And they expect there to be no consequences from their actions, which is such a motherfucking frustrating dynamic to experience. It’s hard to explain to someone who’s never gone through it. 

Anyway, that’s pretty much it. I haven’t seen Rick since. I do wish him the best, as I know he had good intentions. And while him and I ultimately weren’t able to enjoy a Newport together like he wanted (but Rick doesn’t smoke), he did give me an interesting story to add to the collection. 

All in all, not my worst father’s day.

if u read this far i owe u a cigarette

[fever-project]

I hope I can put what I have to say here. It’s long so it’s going under a cut, but this whole chain is already long so I’m not sure that’ll do much.

So, hear me out. I am not a big blog here. I am-kinda-a big blog in another fandom, the Danny Phantom fandom. I have had two wildly different experiences between these fandoms, and I hope this gives me a bit of a unique perspective on this.

To start this off, I am someone that generally doesn’t like interacting with people. I know this, and I am generally fine with it. But you can’t get big(without it taking forever)without interacting with others. I also know this, and I am generally fine with it.

But I wanted to be known. I wanted to get big-bigger than any blogs I had before. Which isn’t saying much tbh. I usually had quite a small blog. So, I wanted to start off the DP blog with something that would encourage interest and interaction.

The first thing I posted on that blog was an art piece for an event. Specifically, it was for Dannymay, prompt Day 7: Lab Safety. And then I kept doing more days, more art, and more events. Events were my way of interacting with others. I did interact with others in other ways, like with reblogs, but I was still mostly in that stage of “oh god why should even try to say anything I’m just some guy.” Events are what kept me with connected with people.

Now, I know these two fandoms are very, very different from each other. The Phandom is big, and the show had ended like seven years ago. We are actively making things up that are divorced from the source material, you will get confused when something just isn’t in the show. Case in point, ghost cores and Wes Weston. To briefly explain this, cores are a fandom thing that basically decides what powers a ghost have. It was created after a very brief and offhand mention of a core existing in the mc being injured of something, idk it’s been a while. Wes Weston is a character that only gets mentioned like once in the entire show. He is never shown. The fandom took a random background character that kinda looked like the mc, except ginger and with a slightly different hairstyle, and declared him to be Wes. He is a fan favorite character, created by fans. Even with the release of the new graphic novel, it didn’t change the fandom too much. We are still actively making up whatever we want for this show.

The LU fandom isn’t a huge fandom, not to the scale of the DP, and we’re still getting updates on the comic. It’s relatively new. Not to fanon doesn’t exist here, it very much does, but not to the extent of the utter lunacy the Phantom cooks up. I think with such closeness to the source material that events don’t happen. Events likely don’t need to happen, but they can add an extra avenue of interaction for people who are more scared to interact with others. That’s basically what it was for me. I’ll give a few examples of events in the Phandom to explain different ways of interaction between blogs that can happen. Dannymay, Invisobang, and Green with Evny.

Dannymay is a rather simple event. It’s a 31 day calendar prompt list that you can do anything for, writing, art, music, whatever as long it goes with the prompt. And the prompts are simple, one to three words that can inspire you to do anything for them. The Dannymay event blog reblogs everything that is tagged with Dannymay+the year the event’s on. This facilitates minimal interaction in of itself, but it does provide interaction in the form of having more eyes on you work that you do for the event. You can see how other people interpret the prompts, what they do with it.

Invisobang is an event that, as the event blog says themselves, “Invisobang is a long-form collaborative event for authors and artists, where authors write a fic and artists make art for that fic.” Now, I’ve never participated in this event. But I know that it makes people who probably wouldn’t have interacted otherwise, interact with other. The author or artist can be either big or small, and they can introduce each other to their followers, increasing the probability of interaction. But the author and artist are likely to continue to interact with other, or are at least more open to do so.

Green with Envy is an event that I haven’t joined this year, simply because I hate using Discord, and it’s even bigger this year compared to last year. But I suspect it’ll be more or less the same in how it plays out. In this event, you can be a Lineartist and/or a Colorist. There were around five to seven teams last year, and the number how now doubled. If you color a piece before anyone else does, you get extra points for both you and your team, but your team is more important. There are also no prizes at the end btw. It doesn’t make things less competitive however, it’s a friendly type of competitive. To make things short, since this is getting long, Lineartists love when people color their stuff, and the Colorists love competing with each other. It’s a hotspot for interaction.

I could go on and on, but I don’t want to lose my focus. Events provide another opportunity for interaction, many different types of interactions. When I joined this fandom, I was a bit surprised at the lack of events. Idk, I think having a simple even like Dannymay, which already has different types of events like it in Phandom-like a fantasy themed one and a dpxdc one-could help with interactions. It doesn’t have to a month, a lot of them are just for a week. That’s just my two cents about this whole thing.

For everyone who’s worried about interacting with people on tumblr I have a pro tip:

Use ask games!! Literally the lowest entry bar.

And if that’s still too much, I got nothing 😂 just please don’t expect creators to come track down everyone who secretly wants to be friends 🫠 I see my mutuals post them pretty often so there’s a good chance you have an in with them at some point.