#basic network design

[networkforyou]

[strawberrystepmom]

if there's one thing about me it's that i will make every single last bit of lore when i self insert as unnecessarily complex as possible. i will fill in every blank i find. i will design the rest of society we don't see in canon. it's really annoying but it's really fun ngl

[mikotos-nape-nibbler]

Assigning the MILGRAM characters STEM majors:

01 Haruka: Evolutionary biology I think between the taxidermy in his MV and the tree drawing which you could look at as a Tree of Life, evolutionary bio could fit him. There's probably more biological life sciences fields out there but this is the first one that came to mind.

02 Yuno: Psychology I'd initially thought biology or human biology for Yuno but it might be too expectant for a person of her demographic that she'd dislike that. Maybe to figure out why she feels so cold she'd go into psychology in order to understand and fix herself on her own. Also, she could use her personal experiences of having to entertain whoever she's being solicited by to unravel their psychology.

03 Fuuta: Computer Science with a concentration in cybersecurity and minor in game development Let's see... Insecure, chronically online sneakerhead who has knowledge on doxxing. This guy screams computer science, from the clothes to his attitude I wouldn't be surprised to find him in one of my classes tbh. Since he yapped to Es about how easy it was to doxx someone and, the fact that he's an internet vigilante, he's probably cautious on protecting his online privacy + knowledgeable on how information is found online leads us to cybersecurity. And since Bring It On MV features him seeing himself as a knight class player in a videogame, he'd probably study game development as well.

04 Muu: Social psychology (with a minor in public policy) Queen bee.

05 Shidou: Biomedical Engineering (+ premed) -> went into med school after undergrad

06 Mahiru: Interior Architecture (and a minor in industrial design)

07 Kazui: Applied Mathematics -> data science skills got him into the NPA

08 Amane: Theological Anthropology

09 Mikoto: Computer Science with a concentration in software engineering and neural networks Software engineering is like the basic of computer science, highly competitive nowadays due to its oversaturation but still sought after by a lot of Japanese companies. He'd still be able to utilize any arts and design skills in software engineering since that's one of the skills necessary in the job. As for neural networks, considering Mikoto's brain able to split into another person capable of independent thought and action, working with neural networks is like developing a human since it mimics how humans thoughts are formed and connected.

10 Kotoko: Forensic science and legal anthropology

[icewindandboringhorror]

"We can get through this by working together, reach out to your friends, community is all we have, a social network will be your security in the world, now is the time to lean on others!"

I do agree, and it's scientifically sound (pretty sure there is data about how people with better social networks live longer and etc) but also....augh..... what about the severe social issues, difficulty to leave the house, physical issues which lead to like zero socialization energy a majority of the time, etc. etc. Social support can be a replacement for structural support, but.. I guess I just wish it didn't have to be. Community is extremely difficult to build, even moreso if you're someone who has issues with social cues or group conversations or even just being around others in the first place. And blah, nuance, of course I'm just complaining or maybe being too negative or maybe misunderstanding, but, I hardly have the energy to brush my hair once every 2 months.. how am I supposed to maintain a wide social network and be active in a Community and Join Groups lol... sometimes it kind of feels like "er.. well if thats my only option then...... ruh roh". It's overwhelming

[manasseh]

my sister and her boyfriend (fashion tailors) working on their deadlines as i (game artist) work on mine is so cute.

>they give me crashcourse on how to place seams for my 3D model >we discuss topology/fabric for movement and wearability >i illustrate and animate their visuals >i get shit they need 3d printed/laser cut/ >parallel play work sessions >they get me banger personalised tailored merch for my stuff >exchange inspiration

[m0ch1gh0st1]

Uhhhhh...

Raika d^-^b

Sorry if it looks bad T^T

He's, by far, my favorite Mega Man Battle Network character =]

[horseracetests]

ive never drawn m3rv bcus trying to design a guy who wanted to be a digital gaia avatar so bad it put itself in a computer is a lot of work, but its out there in my mind palace

[medical-angel]

Posting this on my lesser-known blog bc I don't want flak but I AM anti-ai. I am. But. Ai Overlook has given me more clearly-outlined coping strategies and emotional validation and support than anyone in my support system over the last year, so....

[recents]

[networkforyou]

[astrolook]

Venus in the houses

Venus in the 1st House : Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the most fabulous of all ? It's Me.

You’ve never met a filter you didn’t like.

Love at first sight? You’re basically an app for it.

Getting married? You’re the whole package—gift wrapped in glamour.

You can make a paper bag look like haute couture.

Open to plastic surgery/beauty enhancement procedures.

Venus in the 2nd House : I’m just financially fabulous.

You’re a walking manifestation of “treat yourself.”

Your idea of a “fun investment” is high-end makeup.

Money may not buy happiness, but it buys a killer wardrobe.

Cosmetic collection? It’s more of a museum at this point.

You could turn a thrift store into a designer boutique.

Venus in the 3rd House : Talk to me. I make every word sound like gold.

Beauty tips? You pass them on like life-changing wisdom.

Makeup is optional, but your smile is mandatory.

Takes 25 pictures to make sure whether you look good in a selfie.

You could make an IKEA instruction manual sound like Shakespeare. You’re not just talking, you’re seducing with your words.

Love letters are basically your second language.

Venus in the 4th House : Home is where the luxury is, and so am I.

Probably have a Pinterest account with luxury home décor pins.

You take pictures like you are in for a Vogue photoshoot.

Your partner requirement: must appreciate candlelit dinners and spontaneous home makeovers.

Your family is either all-in for gourmet meals or leaving the house for takeout.

Your house plants probably have their own Instagram.

Venus in the 5th House: I don’t just fall in love, I make it a production.

You don’t “date,” you audition for the role of soulmate.

Your flirt game is so strong, even Siri has a crush on you.

Your idea of a “low-key evening” involves five outfit changes and a selfie.

Your idea of “casual” is wearing heels to the grocery store.

You don’t “catch feelings,” you produce them—like a movie sequel no one asked for.

Venus in the 6th House : Effortlessly fabulous, even while folding laundry.

You love self-care—so much that it’s practically a ritual.

Probably post pictures of their prepped meals on Instagram.

Your health routine involves pampering, not sweating.

You’ll never date someone who doesn’t have their life together (including their laundry).

You attract people with cleanliness, not just your charm (but mostly your charm).

Venus in the 7th House: I’m not picky, I just attract perfection in love.

You attract love like it’s the latest fashion trend.

Kind of partner? You wrote the manual on that.

Love is art, and you’re the masterpiece.

Your soulmate better have their life together, including an emergency fund and excellent taste in movies.

Your relationship advice is as chic as your wardrobe.

Venus in the 8th House: I love deeply… and live luxuriously in the process.

You’ve got that “rich in mystery” vibe going on.

Your partner could be wealthier than you.

Your love life is so intense, it might need a fire extinguisher.

You don’t just fall in love—you plunge.

You’re basically a passionate volcano of emotions.

Venus in the 9th House : I’m off to discover the world… and look fabulous doing it.

You fall in love like you fall in love with new cultures or people of other nationalities.

Your idea of romance? Passport, plane ticket, and luxury.

You’re not just looking for a lover; you need a travel buddy with a PhD.

If they can’t keep up with your wanderlust, you’ll probably ghost them at the airport.

Your ideal partner? Someone who can read Kant and order food in French.

Venus in the 10th House: Looking for a partner? Better come with a résumé.

You don’t date; you network—and maybe fall in love later.

Your ideal relationship is as high profile as your LinkedIn.

You’re not here for a fling—you want a power couple partnership.

If love’s a game, I’m playing to win.

Could meet your partner through your job.

Venus in the 11th House: Looking for love—must like my friends (they come first).

You need someone who shares your love of weird hobbies and social causes, or else it’s a deal-breaker.

You’re not falling in love, you’re curating your social circle... one date at a time.

Relationships for you? They're like your social media feed—always with a “#couplegoals” vibe.

Follows skin and hair care or hair style tutorials on YouTube.

90 percent of your google searches would be "how to make your hair grow faster", "best products for glowing skin",etc

Venus in the 12th House: Can’t love you if I haven’t analyzed my dreams first.

You don’t date—you swoon from afar in secret, like a true romantic introvert.

Probably have some skin and food allergies.

You fall for someone and then ghost yourself—the ultimate Venus in the 12th move.

You only fall for people who don’t even know they’re in love with you yet.

Your idea of a date? Talking about your past lives—or maybe just your weirdest dreams.

Love is like a hidden treasure—you’ll find it, but only if you’re deep enough in your feelings (or your journal that you don't show it to anyone).

So whether you're romancing in secret, hosting a business meeting disguised as a date, or curating your perfect Instagram-worthy love life, remember: Venus is just here to make it fabulous. Just don't forget to bring the skincare, Wi-Fi, and maybe a Google search or two. Keep shining, keep loving, and keep being your amazing, quirky self—Venus has got your back!

Curious about your birth chart and what it's really saying about you? 🌟 Slide into my DMs for a personalized astrology reading, and let's unlock the secrets of your stars. ✨ Don’t forget to check out my pinned post for pricing details! 🔮 Let’s make those cosmic connections happen! 🌙🌌

[roseband]

ugh.....last week i had to do a bunch of overtime, this week......i have like no work and just gotta sit here waiting for requests to come in

why can't things be evenly distributed ;_;

[ms-demeanor]

You may have posted about this before, but im very curious about you saying "email was a mistake" because it's such a cemented part of online communication. Is it the technology?

Email became infrastructural in a way that it was never intended to be and wasn't designed for.

There is too much momentum toward email being the primary means of business communication that unless there is a massive technology shift we're unlikely to see wide adoption of an alternative and email takes up so much space in the IT space that it's hard to say what the alternative would be.

Much of what used to be email now happens in company chat apps, which I think is an improvement in many ways, but you chat with your coworkers in a way that you're unlikely to chat with a client or send a quote to a prospect.

A huge amount of effort goes into making email better, and making email systems talk to each other, and making email secure because it is so ubiquitous that you can't realistically ask people not to use it.

But it's fucking terrible and we're asking too much of a set of protocols that was supposed to send small, not-very-private, communications between academics.

Why can't you send big files via email? Because that's not what email is for.

Why is it a pain in the ass to send encrypted emails? Because that's not what email is for.

Why aren't your emails portable, and easy to move from one service to another? Because that's not what email is for.

Why are emails so easy to spoof? Because they were never meant to be used the way we use them so there was no reason to safeguard against that fifty years ago

It's like how social security cards were never meant to be used as one of your major super serious government IDs where all of your activity through all of your life is tracked, because if they knew they needed a system for that they probably would have built a better one in the first place.

Nobody who sat down and developed email looked more than half a century into the future and went "so people are going to be using this system to create identities to access banking and medical records and grocery shopping and school records so we'd better make sure that it's robust enough to handle all of that" because instead they were thinking "Neat! I can send a digital message to someone on a different computer network than the one that I am literally in the same building as."

We think of email as, like, a piece of certified mail that is hand delivered in tamperproof packaging to only the intended recipient who signs for it with their thumbprint and a retina scan when it is, instead, basically a postcard.

It would be absurd to try to do the things people do with email with postcards, and it's *nearly* as absurd to try to do them via email.

[foldingfittedsheets]

A basic human skill that people usually lock down around the age of three or four is impulse control. To conceptualize an action and it’s consequences before taking it. Maybe considering how that action affects other people. We then refine it through most of our childhood.

When I was a teenager my hold on this ability became… tenuous. I became a volatile and dangerous creature.

It’s probably not unique to me, but I had a perfect storm in terms of mental upsets. I had just mastered enough basic social skills, so I finally had a strong group of friends when my dad suddenly needed to move for work. Ripped away from my support network, blooming with hormones, I was dragged to Arizona. I was always a child of forests and mist and suddenly everything was hot, dry, and extremely pointy and aggressive.

Additionally to being abruptly transplanted I found myself an object of affection in a way I’d never been before. Lonely and desperate to make friends the only people who wanted to spend time with me had romantic designs. I just wanted to figure out my shit but I had a baby lesbian flirting with increasing aggression in art, a soft boy making heart eyes at me in biology, a senior nerd asking if I wanted to play Halo at his house and could he hold my hand?

Reader, I snapped. I didn’t want this romantic attention but I also didn’t want to be alone. My brain coped the only way it knew how, by simply cutting out decision making. Any action was the right action to take.

It started with the boy in biology. I’d stolen his pencil out of mischief and to my overwhelming fury instead of trying to steal it back he just softened his eyes and chucked me gently under my chin, a gesture so overtly sweet and romantic that I saw red.

I stabbed him with his own pencil.

I honestly and truly have no memory of it. It happened as fast as a snake striking and I was instantly filled with terrified remorse. Unfortunately that manifested as psychotic giggling.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t- I don’t know why- I’m so sorry!” I said, while hysterically laughing. I ended up having lodged some graphite in his palm and had to tweeze it out with my nails while apologizing furiously. (It’s very important to note here that he forgave me and we’re still friends)

That was weird, I thought. Why didn’t I think before I stabbed someone?

The next event was equally catastrophic, and I had even less reason to do it. In gym with two girls I was tentatively befriending, we were warming up running laps. I started racing one of them. At breakneck speed we were sprinting around the gym.

This time, there was a blip of thought before I fucked up. I should get the other girl! I have no idea why or what the plan was but I turned on a swivel and body checked the other girl. We both fell down in immense pain. I think that’s the moment I broke my tailbone. Her knees were horribly bruised and she looked at me in bewildered pain. “Why did you do that?!”

I had no idea. I apologized and helped her up, both of us hobbling like newborn horses, bruised and hurting.

By this time there’d been enough social upheavals that I was reduced to spending time with some girls I had nothing in common with and low key disliked. Sat at a table listening to this girl talk about how she wanted to be a stripper when she grew up I thought, You’d better put the cap on before you throw it.

I then chucked my empty water bottle directly at her face. It bounced off her forehead with a bop! that would have made a sound mixer weep at its perfection.

All eyes turned to me is startlement. I stared back at her, stunned by my own action, just as confused as everyone else at the table as to why I’d done that. One of the girls to my right said, “Were you trying to hit that fly?”

“Yes!” I lied, “I’m sorry, I thought I could hit the fly!”

Everyone laughed at my antics and I joined in rather than admit I had just chucked something at her for no reason.

Things did start to improve after that. I solidified a friendship with the girl I’d raced (who I developed a massive crush on and ten years later would go on to date). My outbursts turned more whimsical rather than aggressive. Like accosting a girl leaving the cafeteria to look deeply into her eyes and say with great compassion, “It’s going to be alright.”

My new friend and I snuck into the van that delivered our cafeterias baked goods and lay giggling in the back. When I’d impulsively hopped in she’d joined me and made it a game.

After a year in Arizona I broke down crying to my mother, an act of great desperation, and we ended up moving back home. My impulse control returned to normal teenage levels and life resumed in a happier state of mind.

[anitalenia]

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪ ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ౨ৎ˚₊ 𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓸 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮!! I’ve been getting so many requests and messages about the resources I use to make my graphics + dividers soooo I made this cheat sheet for the resources + apps I use. Please keep in mind not everything is free to use or easy to use!!! These are the apps & browsers that I’ve been using for years and they work for me. I’m sure there are better & easier ways of doing things but this is what works for me and that’s okay <3 I also didn’t have the patience to make this aesthetically pleasing like I always do… so forgive me 😭

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Pinterest is a visual discovery and bookmarking platform designed for inspiration and idea curation. Unlike traditional social media apps focused on social interaction, Pinterest centers around interests.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use pinterest for PNGs, theme inspo, basically what the app is used for. My Pinterest is this, you can follow me if you want and see all my boards!!! I’ve had it for years so it’s a little chaotic, but one thing at a time…

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can create your own boards + sections. It’s very good for organizing your different thoughts and aesthetics. Can be used for different purposes. I have boards for writing, my OCs, really just random things. Has a lot of different aesthetics, every one you can think of from angelcore, mcbling, Sanrio, cybercore, goth, etc. You’ll have a harder time not finding something you want or like.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: A lot of artwork is published on there with no clear credit to the original author who made it. A lot of photos are also recycled so you’ll start to notice there’s a lot of the same aesthetic icons or photos under different accounts. This can be a pro or a con just depends on how you see it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I love this app a lot, I use it for so many things. A lot of my PNGs come from here for my dividers and what not. Usually I edit them too so I’m not directly taking something without giving it my own twist.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐆𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐘 ᝰ.ᐟ GIPHY is a GIF search engine and creation platform—basically the internet’s go-to hub for finding and sharing short looping animations (GIFs), stickers, and reaction clips.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use GIPHY strictly for stickers. They’re animated PNGs I use for dividers from time to time. GIPHY is a pretty goofy place so there’s a lot of goofy things that don’t fit my aesthetic. With that being said there is also a lot of stuff that is cool and worth using once you take the time to find it. You can find accounts that are more professional & aesthetic that post cool stickers.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has png animated stickers you can use. Has accounts that are pretty cool and post cute & aesthetic stickers. Easy to download images and easy to use in general.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Doesn’t really go by aesthetics like Pinterest does. If you type in an aesthetic it doesn’t really post things relating to it. Hard to find cool stickers worth using (in my opinion)

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 7/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐑 ᝰ.ᐟ Tumblr is a microblogging platform and social network that blends creative expression, personal aesthetics, and niche community vibes all in one. It’s a hybrid space where users post multimedia content—text, images, GIFs, videos, quotes, and audio—onto their customizable blogs.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I think it’s pretty obvious what i use tumblr for. But on a business basis it’s good for PNGs and divider inspo when you need it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Creative freedom, fandom & subculture heaven, expressive & honest environment, aesthetic curation, no algorithm timeline, anonymity, ad-light. You can really find your community here and stick with them. You can post whatever you want, design your blog however you want, expression is fun and encouraged. A lot of creators give dividers & PNGs for free with only a credit requirement.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Bots, gets political sometimes, trolls. I never deal with them or have to deal with rude comments or bots, but they exist. People can steal your works as use as their own (hasn’t happened for me but ik it’s happened to some). Sometimes the database doesn’t work randomly (can’t tag others, can’t queue, etc.) minor grievances that happen randomly and can take hours to days to randomly fix itself.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: Overall I use this app for running my own blog (obviously). I do use it for inspo a lot but because I make my own graphics I try not to use anybody else’s. And if I do use someone else’s graphic I always try to edit it my own way to fit my blog. Be aware of creators rules & guidelines if you’re going to use their things, everyone has their own regulations when it comes to content recycling.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐄𝐓𝐒𝐘 ᝰ.ᐟ Etsy is an online marketplace focused on handmade, vintage, and unique goods. It’s the go-to platform for shoppers looking for personalized, artistic, or non-mass-produced items—and for creators who want to sell them.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: To be honest, I might only use this option like once or twice a year but I’ll go ahead and add it anyway. Sometimes if I’m feeling lazy or unmotivated I’ll buy a digital set of dividers I build off of. Obviously Etsy is its own thing but I’m just speaking on a divider editing purpose.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can find digital downloads of dividers, PNGs, anything virtual related you might need. Sellers have cute borders and PNGs handmade from them that they sell for others. A good starting point if you don’t have any entirely original or creative ideas but need to start somewhere.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Obviously because this is a store you have to buy the products. They’re usually pretty cheap for a set of lace borders or PNGs, nothing I’ve used in the past was over $5 but I don’t use this option enough to have real understanding of its cons and pros 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐄 ᝰ.ᐟ PicCollage is a fun, beginner-friendly photo editing and collage-making app that lets you easily create aesthetic collages, scrapbooks, cards, and digital layouts using your photos, stickers, text, and backgrounds.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: This is my primary way of making gif dividers. It’s a weird option for sure but it goes to show you don’t need really high tech software and fancy apps to make beautiful things!!! I’ve been using this for a while and it does the job so I never bothered looking for anything else. Maybe someday I’ll upgrade lol

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can add gifs and still images to the same post.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: There are no transparent background options, you have to remove the background from another source. Unless you pay for its services it gives you a watermark when you’re done. Makes the collages into videos if there is an animated GIF in it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: This one is iffy for me as I use it in my own way with my own understanding of how to make it work. I’m sure there are better options out there like actual photoshop I just don’t have the patience to buy a pc and do it. I do everything from my own phone so this is from an entirely IOS standpoint.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 6/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐕𝐀 ᝰ.ᐟ Canva is a graphic design platform that makes it easy for anyone—beginner or pro—to create beautiful visuals. From social media graphics to business presentations, Canva gives you drag-and-drop design power without needing to learn complex software.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I actually don’t use Canva, maybe once or twice in my history. I do reference it from time to time but it’s very rare. I’m only adding it in because it is a good platform to use with reliable PNGs and beginner friendly software. You don’t need to be a pro.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has a lot of good resources and once you find aesthetic and cool creators you can follow them. It’s easy to use and has a lot of good stuff made my people or uploaded by others.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Some stickers / PNGs you need to have some kind of subscription for them or pay for them + AKA many features have a paywall. Doesn’t include advanced photo editing software.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I do like this app I just don’t use it personally. It’s good for business / professional matters with a lot of good templates to use. It can also be used for aesthetic tumblr purposes if you know what you’re doing :).

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐀 ᝰ.ᐟ VITA is a mobile video editing app that’s perfect for creating aesthetic, stylish, and professional-looking videos—especially for social media. It’s beginner-friendly but packed with trendy, powerful features.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it to make my edits of the gifs I use for my very once in a blue moon super rare fics.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can add effects and words to gifs and make an aesthetically pleasing short edit. It’s a good beginners point if you do want to go into editing videos. I really like the effects and the way I can write on gifs. I believe it’s pretty easy to use for editing purposes and offers a lot of cool effects and options.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: VITA uses a watermark but I believe you can turn that off for free. It saves any animations you make as videos so you have to turn it back into a gif using a second source. Some features are behind a paywall but I’ve never needed them so I don’t worry about it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I really do like this app for making a small cutesy edit for a fic or a pinned post or something. It’s not something to use for real video editing where you can manipulate more specific cuts, audios, etc.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Picsart is an all-in-one photo and video editing app that lets you turn ordinary content into aesthetic, creative, and eye-catching art. It combines the power of Photoshop-level tools with the ease of a mobile app.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use picsart for just about any divider I make. My account is this, where I also provide stickers and resources on there. Of course I haven’t posted everything I’ve ever used as I couldn’t be bothered to edit every single png and post it but you get the idea. I use the transparent background which is key to making dividers. You want to avoid having to remove the background from images as much as possible as it can make it look grainy and weird.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has soooo many cute and aesthetic PNGs & stickers for making dividers. Like I said, I use this primarily to make mine. It’s very versatile for a photo editing software that incorporates cropping, drawing, effects, overlays, collage making, transparent backgrounds, etc. Many core features are primarily free. You can follow accounts with cute stickers and reference them for any post / divider you make.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Like many other services Piscart’s pro features are behind a paywall, you’d need a subscription to access everything (which I have because that’s what I want to do and it makes it easier for me). When you’re like me who makes dividers a lot having the subscription is a lot easier than not. With that being said you can still access very cute and aesthetic things to make something dazzling, you don’t need the subscription in order to use the app how you want to, it’s just a bonus.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: None, I think I got my point across.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐎 ᝰ.ᐟ Phonto is a simple yet powerful mobile app (iOS and Android) focused exclusively on adding text to photos—perfect for creating quotes, social posts, invitations, and more.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it for a lot of my posts, especially my pinned posts or more aesthetic posts. I use it anytime I need an image of works or when I need words for my dividers.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has a simple, user-friendly interface. Has a massive font library where you can also upload your own fonts (I use dafont.com and always have). Has highly customizable text options where you can make your own colors, resize, curve, center align, shadow, spacing, etc. The app is completely free and so easy to use. I use it for everything honestly. No sign-up required, you start creating immediately.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: none really, it’s not a photo editing software it’s strictly only text on photos.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I’ve been using this for years. Get it if you don’t have it trust me.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐑 ᝰ.ᐟ Polarr is a robust and versatile photo‑ and video‑editing platform available on mobile (iOS/Android), web, and desktop (macOS/Windows). It blends professional-grade features with an approachable, user-friendly interface—ideal for both beginners and seasoned creators.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it to edit any PNGs or dividers I want to make a more cohesive color. I use it to edit photos, change hues, etc. Another app I rely on religiously.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Despite the many advanced photo editing features it’s very easy to use and understand. It has precision masking and selective editing, my go-to for editing photos or dividers to match the theme I’m going for. It’s also good for a lot of professional photography as well. I really love how many aesthetic filters are on there and you can follow the creators you love as well as make your own filters. You can also find a lot of filters on Pinterest and easily upload them to Polarr.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Like many other things advanced features are behind a paywall. In my opinion if you don’t have the subscription to it it’s not worth using unless you wanna watch a 30 second ad after every filter you apply and save to camera roll. When you use it once in a while it’s fine but when you’re like me who’s constantly editing something it’s better to have the subscription than not. Also, while it does have advanced features I can see that those would be intimidating to new users. It’s a learning curve you need patience with if you do wanna apply effects to your own photos.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I will say this is one of those apps that if you don’t have the subscription to it’s kinda annoying to use, but the subscription is so worth it and it’s not that expensive. Obviously I pay for the subscription but there’s other alternatives like Photopea you can apply filters to for free. I just like this one more because I’m comfortable with it and it’s more convenient than having to get a PSD, go on Photopea, duplicate layer, blah blah blah 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ DeviantArt is a social platform where artists and art enthusiasts connect by sharing, discovering, and critiquing all kinds of creative work—digital art, traditional drawing, photography, literature, animation, sculpture, and more.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it strictly for PSD’s that I use for my gif edits. I don’t really use it or actually go on it only when I need a photo effect or PSD.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Speaking on a strictly divider making premise it’s not really used for that but there are PNGS and virtual download options you can use. I only use it for PSD’s for Photopea and most of the time I can get them for free.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Some PSD’s you need to pay the creator or however DeviantArt works 😭 I just don’t get those and get a free one instead.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none really

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 ᝰ.ᐟ Remini is a powerful AI-powered photo and video enhancement app—available on iOS, Android, and web—that specializes in restoring low-quality visuals through one-tap magic.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I actually don’t use this anymore, I used to back in the day and thought it was worth mentioning. I used it to enhance any photos that were blurry or grainy. It makes them smooth and removes the blurriness & graininess.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Helps make dividers or PNGs AI-enhanced and gets rid of any grain or blurriness.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: The free version is limited and ad heavy. You have to watch an ad before the photo or video is enhanced. I don’t use it that often or really at all so I don’t mind the ad every once in a while.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐗𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐔𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Pixelcut is an AI‑powered photo and graphic editing platform—available as a mobile app (iOS/Android), web tool, and even via API—designed especially for e-commerce sellers, content creators, and small teams.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: Another website I don’t use as much. I use it to remove the background from photos from time to time and it’s not that bad in my opinion. I’m offering it as a second option to my main option.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none, just a backup for remove.bg.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ pixelcut website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐄𝐙𝐆𝐈𝐅 ᝰ.ᐟ Ezgif.com is a free, web-based toolset focused on creating and editing animated GIFs—but it also supports formats like APNG, WebP, AVIF, and offers basic video editing functionalities.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use this website for anything gif related. Cropping, resizing, removing gif background, turning videos into gifs, etc. It’s a website I swear by and if you don’t use it yet or haven’t used it yet you really really should. Whenever I make dividers I use this to make an image into a gif (moving sparkles, moving objects, etc).

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: It’s totally free and easy to use. You can add simple / basic effects, adjust settings + hues, remove background, crop, etc. for gifs and it really comes in handy for simple things you need to do.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: It doesn’t use advanced features for video / gif making like Photopea. I’ve found that some of the tools are a little wonky to use like overlays. It can seem confusing at first when it comes to optimizing, tint hue, things like that that are a bit more specific.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: This is my go-to for any basic function I need to use on a gif or divider. For simple animated dividers like moving sparkles, moving hearts, etc. This is what I use by making several still images into gifs.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ ezgif.com . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄.𝐁𝐆 ᝰ.ᐟ Remove.bg is a fast, AI-driven background removal website and app that automatically isolates subjects—people, objects, animals—and removes the background in just seconds, with a single click.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: This is my main go-to for background removal on PNGs or anything I need the background removed from. It’s my first option and is always super reliable.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Easily removes backgrounds clean and easy with a tap of a button. Provides eraser or restore tools to areas you don’t want erased or need to erase.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Back when I started using it everything was completely free, but I’ve noticed that for an hd version of the finished protect you have to pay for it. I’m not sure what the difference is but it looks like the site is getting popular enough to put a paywall on its features. Be wary 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I’ve never had to pay for anything, and I’m sure that it offers other services but I just use the remove background tool, so you’d have to explore on your own.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ remove.bg website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐀 ᝰ.ᐟ Photopea is a browser-based, ad-supported graphic editor that runs entirely in your browser—no uploads, no installations. It processes files locally, keeping your data private.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: Okay so Photopea is definitely a more advanced software even I haven’t fully understood yet. I use it to add PSDs, combine gifs, or whatever else I need to do that involves gifs or photos. I’m not perfect at it and really only know how to do the things I need to if that makes sense. It’s another version of photoshop but I just prefer using this one as I’m on my phone and it’s easier for IOS users 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: It offers many advanced features like photoshop, and is my favorite one to use since I can’t really use photoshop on my phone. It supports a wide range of file types like JPG, PNG, PDF, etc. It’s free to use and you don’t need to pay for anything. It’s a browser and there is no installation needed. It’s fairly simple to use in my opinion when you have experience with photoshop / editing (as I do), so it’s even easier to use once you really know what you’re doing.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: There are ads in the free version but likeee I don’t use it as a professional so idk what a paid version would offer as the free version offers everything you need. The interface is definitely complicated to new users and can be intimidating. Not as refined as Photoshop itself but it’s definitely a good mobile version.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I personally really do love this browser and once you learn the basics of what you’re doing it’s much easier to understand.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9.3/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ photopea browser . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ This website is what I use to edit my text colors & gradients. It offers, single color, three color gradients, two color gradients, & rainbow gradient.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: This is your go-to website for making gradient texts on your posts. It offers variety on what kind of gradient you want and is so easy to use. I obviously use it for any colored text I have in my posts.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Gives you a variety of gradient options and is very simple and easy to use.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ text gradient website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎 ᝰ.ᐟ Amino is a mobile-first community-based social network where users join or create “Aminos”—small, interest-driven communities (like anime, K-pop, gaming, art, writing, LGBTQ+, and more) to chat, share, and connect .

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I don’t use this much anymore but I definitely think I should mention it. I know Amino is its own thing but it has good pages with cute symbol combos and aesthetic blog designs. That’s all I ever used it for.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: This app isn’t used specifically for symbol combos but you can find pages that offer cute aesthetic symbols and designs. I used to go on here a lot for them but then I just started making my own for the most part or going to my other website mentioned below.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 6/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ amino website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐉𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐒 ᝰ.ᐟ This website is used for the majority of my aesthetic symbol combos I use on posts if I don’t make any myself.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it for every symbol combo you’ve ever seen on my page. I make a lot of my own symbol combos using these and sometimes I just copy and paste.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has many aesthetic symbol combos made by users + you can make your own. There’s a search engine where you can type in what kind of symbols you want and it always provides based on what you searched. This is my go-to.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: There’s not really any cons but I definitely see political statements from users from time to time.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ aesthetic emoji combos website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐏 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄 ᝰ.ᐟ This is a website that offers many photo editing services such as cropping, resizing, rotating, any more. All free of charge with no account or sign up needed.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: Pretty self-explanatory. I use this to crop really really thin dividers because picsart has a limit on how thin you can crop something.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ crop image website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊����𝐑 ᝰ.ᐟ ImageColorPicker is a streamlined, web-based tool that lets you extract exact color codes from any image, entirely within your browser—no uploads or accounts required.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use this to help me make gradient text to match a color centered post. Every fic I’ve ever written follows a color scheme mostly, and I’ll use this to help me pinpoint exactly what color to make my gradient text to match the theme I’m going for.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ color picker website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Color Hunt is a popular, curated platform for discovering and sharing beautiful color palettes—perfect for designers, artists, developers, and anyone in need of color inspiration.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use this as another way of editing a photo to a certain color scheme / mood. I upload my color palettes from here to Polarr and use that as a coloring scheme / overlay whenever I need to.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ color hunt website . . .

At the end of the day making dividers or graphics takes time and effort. I’ll spend all day on just one or two things 😭 It takes creativity but there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from others. I hope this helped a little bit for those who wanted help in getting started on their own. Once ya’ll get into it and find your own websites + apps that work for you I’ll be out of a job 😫🩶🤍

[unpretty]

i have a thought percolating about, like. engagement. the concept of engagement. and how i think it's a flawed concept in part because there's a significant segment of the population that's just... not going to do that. for whatever reason they are only really interested in consuming things passively. art, news, whatever. they are not interested in engaging. they will only ever get the surface-read on anything. if something demands engagement and doesn't allow for surface-level readings it's not for them. they will use whatever app or social network or website that allows them to use it as passively as possible.

mostly i am thinking about this in the context of engagement hacking and 'the algorithm'. posts designed to be infuriating to maximize engagement. headlines crafted to upset you for engagement. and for the right subset of people, it works. but for the passive people, i think they move on. instead of getting them to like and share or whatever it chases them off. the post made them feel bad, so they don't like it. they're going to find posts that don't make them feel bad, instead.

i am thinking about this in the context of living in deeply republican bumfuck nowhere, surrounded by trump supporters who have no idea who mitch mcconnell is. they are unclear on what the supreme court does or who is on it. they do not know the difference between the house and the senate. if you try to talk to them about politics or the news - not even a serious discussion, just trying to explain facts - they will say something like, "oh, i don't follow politics. i don't watch the news. it's all so bad. it just makes me upset. i avoid all of that." and if you keep trying to explain basic facts despite that, they will respond like you're trying to describe the graphic details of a snuff video. there are people who come into our office who my coworkers avoid by pretending to be on the phone, because if they don't, they might try to talk about the news.

the only news or politics they ever see is something that gets enough engagement from the people who care that it makes it onto their feed of funny animal videos and 5 minute crafts. they extrapolate that there's a whole world of nightmares out there that they can safely avoid by never looking. they don't know in any conscious way what it means to curate your feed, but they'll treat a link to anything 'political' like a virus that will turn their phone into a doomscrolling machine that makes you crazy.

i don't know if i'm expressing anything coherent here, i don't have a thesis statement or a hypothetical solution to whatever you would call this. i'm just tired.