#essential guides

[swtechspecs]

Mitrinomon Transports Z-6 Jet Pack

Source: The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology (Del Rey, 1997)

[afterthelambs]

i adore Maruki as a character because he's simultaneously the most relatable depressing character that will make you cry with empathy, and the goofiest wettest cat loser in the game like what do you mean youre a licensed therapist and your first response to trauma is to brainwash a girl, project ur relationship issues onto a 17 yr old boy, and then rule the world in a golden leotard? bro went from 0 to 100 so fast??? anyway he's like 30% of the reason why p5r works as well as it does

[glowettee]

hi just wondering if u have any advice on how to find your signatures? like signature color, signature scents, signature jewelry etc

✧・゜: finding your signatures・゜✧:・゜

omg i love this question so much! finding your signature elements is literally one of the most fun parts of building your personal aesthetic. it's like creating your own character design for the main character (you!).

i spent years feeling like i was just collecting random pretty things without any real cohesion. then i realized that having intentional signatures makes you memorable and gives you this sense of identity that feels so grounding. so here's my process for finding yours!

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ signature color ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

this one's actually more intuitive than people make it seem! start by noticing:

what color do you naturally gravitate toward when shopping?

which color consistently makes you feel confident when you wear it?

what color are most of your favorite items already?

which color feels like "you" even if you can't explain why?

for me it's a specific shade of light pink (surprise surprise). i noticed i kept buying everything in this color without even realizing it. your signature doesn't have to be just one color though! it could be a palette of 2-3 colors that work together.

pro tip: once you find it, add little touches of your color everywhere - phone case, water bottle, bookmarks. it creates this subtle cohesion in your life that feels so satisfying.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ signature scent ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

this one is so powerful because scent ties directly to memory! people will literally think of you when they smell your signature scent elsewhere.

get sample sizes before committing (i wasted so much money before learning this)

wear a potential signature for at least a week straight

notice which one you keep reaching for without thinking

consider different concentrations (perfume, lotion, hair mist) for layering

my signature is a vanilla sandalwood that's slightly sweet but not too young feeling. i have it in everything from perfume to hand cream so the scent follows me subtly.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ signature jewelry ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the key with signature jewelry is choosing pieces you can wear literally every day without getting tired of them:

what pieces do you feel naked without?

which ones go with everything you wear?

what has personal meaning beyond just looking pretty?

i have these tiny star earrings i never take out and a delicate chain bracelet with my initial. they're subtle enough to go with everything but still distinctly "me."

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ other signature elements ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

there are so many other fun signatures you can develop:

a signature nail color or style

a signature accessory (headband, hair clip, specific bag)

a signature drink order (baristas at my local caf�� start making mine when i walk in)

a signature makeup look (for me it's barely-there makeup with winged liner, or douyin makeup)

a signature phrase or greeting

the best signatures evolve naturally and feel effortless. if you're forcing it, it's probably not right for you! and remember signatures can evolve as you do - mine have shifted slightly over the years while still maintaining their essence.

what signature elements are you drawn to already? i bet you have some emerging ones without even realizing it!

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Wars: The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels - T-16 Skyhopper

[grimeowkin]

We could just kiss like real people do

[capnsoapy]

I've often said that I believe a foundational understanding of statistics is vitally important to have in the modern age; especially online. And having just finished a re-read, I do still think that Tim Harford's How to Make the World Add Up is just the ideal primer on how to think critically about what you see and hear.

It's a very easy read (I think), there's (almost) no hard mathematics, and if you've ever enjoyed the analyses and critiques I write on here from time to time, I learnt everything* I know from Tim.

[10yearsofdnp]

April 10, 2015: I just adore their friendship with Duncan and Mimei so so much. Like, can you imagine being friends with Dan and Phil? They're the absolute sweetest humans ever and always have been 🥰🍫🇬🇧🇯🇵

[swtechspecs]

Zaltin Corporation Bacta Tank

Source: The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology (Del Rey, 1997)

[dippenink]

When the fanfic is so good you black out for two hours and end up with fanart

(The Essential How-To Guide for the Engineering Jedi, by @jackdaw-kraai , as read by Sam Gabriel) (it can also be read on ao3)

[son-of-avraham]

Something interesting I've noticed about conversion stories is many people seem to have both a rebellious streak and a deep-seated, insatiable desire to learn everything.

One of my shul's well-respected members (who runs the hebrew/judaism class that will start soon) talked about how, when he lived in my town, he would sneak out of the house just to go to shul. That's what I'm doing now, and it's funny (I'm not sneaking out per se, but I am also not telling anybody I'm going to shul). There's an aspect of free-spiritedness that I notice in many converts, and it's fascinating to hear each of their stories. And you know the funniest part? They sound like my story.

[bobbinalong]

Get to know Gossamer and his boyfriend, Jon Kent.

[glowettee]

✧ my summer 2025 essentials ✧

hey lovelies! ✧

summer is literally my favorite season ever (besides fall, and winter!!), and i've been making mental notes of all the things i can't live without this year. thought i'd share my essential picks for summer 2025 since we're all trying to look cute while surviving the heat, right?

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ fashion must-haves ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

those little lace-trimmed cotton shorts that are everywhere now… literally living in them

sheer overlay dresses (the ones with the built-in slip that make you look like you're floating)

platform mary janes - the chunky ones that are somehow both sweet and edgy

micro mini skirts (yes, they're back and i'm not mad about it)

those butter-soft cropped cardigans that go with literally everything

delicate pearl ankle bracelets (the ones with the tiny charms that make that soft tinkling sound)

oversized linen button-ups for beach cover-ups (steal them from your dad/brother/boyfriend)

those silky bandanas everyone's wearing as tops now (the trick is double-sided tape, trust me)

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ beauty essentials ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

tinted spf with the cooling effect (the one that feels like splashing your face with cold water)

waterproof tubing mascara that actually stays put when you swim

those lip oils with the subtle color-changing technology (mine turns the prettiest dusty rose)

cream blush that doubles as eyeshadow (for when you're running late to beach bonfires)

the hair sunscreen mist that smells like coconut but not in a fake tropical drink way

those cooling under-eye patches you can keep in your mini fridge

the new biodegradable glitter gel (because regular glitter is basically killing turtles and we can't have that)

that viral rosewater setting spray everyone's obsessed with (it actually works, not just pretty packaging)

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ tech & accessories ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

those tiny waterproof bluetooth speakers that float in the pool

solar-powered phone chargers that actually work now (finally!)

the new ultra-thin e-readers that don't glare in the sun

those cute little cameras that print mini polaroids instantly

woven market bags big enough to fit everything but don't look bulky

stackable jewelry cases for traveling (game changer for tangled necklaces)

those silicone wine glasses that don't break when you inevitably knock them over

the new cooling phone cases (because overheating in the sun is so 2024)

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ lifestyle musts ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

linen picnic blankets with the waterproof backing (spilled drinks? never heard of her)

those frozen fruit ice cube trays that make boring water actually drinkable

the plant-based bug repellent that doesn't smell like chemicals or make your skin sticky

silk sleep masks for afternoon naps (because summer is for resting too)

those foldable fans with the wooden handles that make you feel like you're in a period drama

the new non-toxic sunless tanner that doesn't streak or smell weird

those little portable blenders for smoothies at the beach

the cooling weighted blanket for those nights when it's too hot to sleep but you need the pressure

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ self-care necessities ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

that new journaling prompt deck specifically for summer reflections

cooling aloe vera gel (but the one with the extra calming ingredients)

the waterproof meditation cushion you can take to the beach

those herbal ice pops that help with hydration and are actually good

the new summer reading subscription that sends you a surprise book each month

blue light glasses for when you're inside hiding from the heat

that special detangler spray for post-ocean hair nightmares

the new sleep sounds app with the "gentle summer thunderstorm" track that actually helps you drift off

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ secret summer rituals ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

okay i wasn't going to share these because they feel almost too personal? but these little rituals have literally transformed my summer experience and maybe they'll help someone else too…

morning sunrise moments - waking up 20 minutes early to sit outside with your coffee before the day gets chaotic and the heat becomes unbearable (i keep a special mug just for this)

weekly flower refresh - treating yourself to fresh flowers every sunday and watching them slowly bloom throughout the week (the bodega near me sells peonies for cheap)

evening cooling baths - taking lukewarm baths with fresh mint leaves and lavender right before bed when it's too hot to sleep (game changer for insomnia)

digital sunset practice - putting all screens away when the sun goes down at least two nights a week and lighting those special summer candles instead

memory documenting - keeping a tiny notebook where you write one perfect moment from each day (mine are usually something small like "the way the light hit the water" or "laughing until i cried at the beach")

friendship postcards - sending actual physical postcards to friends instead of texts (i bought vintage ones from this little shop downtown and people get so excited to receive them)

sunday prep baskets - filling a basket each sunday with everything you might need for spontaneous adventures that week (sunscreen, lip balm, emergency snacks, band-aids for inevitable blisters)

stargazing dates with yourself - laying on a blanket once a week to watch the stars and remember how small our problems are (i use that constellation app to identify what i'm seeing)

gratitude swimming - mentally listing things you're grateful for with each stroke when swimming (sounds cheesy but it's become my moving meditation)

sensory evening walks - taking walks at dusk focusing on one sense at a time (the smell of barbecues and jasmine, the sound of kids playing, the feeling of finally cooling air)

these might sound silly or too precious, but creating these little pockets of intention has helped me actually experience summer instead of just surviving it. honestly, summer used to stress me out (sweating, sunburn, sand in everything), but i've learned to embrace the season by having these little things that make me feel prepared. some might call it excessive, but i call it taking care of myself in a season that can be overwhelming. anyone else feel like they need an entire arsenal just to enjoy summer? or is that just my anxiety speaking?

anyway, would love to know what your summer essentials are! maybe i'm missing something life-changing?

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Wars: Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force - Jedi starfighters fly past the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by Tommy Lee Edwards

[summertimemusician]

Linktober 2024, Day 1, Mirror (Self)

Alright here we go again.

Technically a sneak peak of a bigger thing to come in the future that I'm repurposing, and the result of my final playthrough and readthrough before EoW dropped being Four Swords Adventures and that made me sad about Shadow Link again.

Note that this is for the Four Swords Adventures iteration of Shadow Link that might evolve into an LU Shadow, not Dark Link in either LOZ or LU, I have other plans for him.

This one shot was brought to you by Scars by The Crane Wives, Ribs by The Crane Wives, Ruin by The Amazing Devil and Two Minutes by The Amazing Devil because the author's playlist decided to be incredibly cheeky when they blacked out to write this like an ancient seers being cursed with visions and then called mad and hearing they've been put up for execution.

As always the nature of the relationship can be romantic or platonic, mostly due to the author's time constraints and further plans.

Anyway enjoy the reading!

It was cold.

The sort of cold after a wildfire, when everything's turned back to ash, the sort that left burned your vision white after the flames licked through your veins and left an ache in your bones. He shuddered, coughed black onto the stone floor, shaking with a muffled whimper.

It never got any easier, being dragged from the Dark World and into the Realm of Light, the goddesses' world itself revolting against an intruder, wanting the wound torn asunder into their oh so precious realm cauterized. To purge the intrusion and smite it where it stands.

Too bad for them (and for him), his master didn't particularly care about what the world wanted. Didn't particularly care that he hadn't grow accustomed to the pain or the cold, he had to stand up. There was work to be done.

(Shadow gritted his teeth, willed himself not to think about the prophecy of a golden haired princess- because whether he liked it or not, it was prophecy. As those with divinity running through their veins are wont to spill from their throats so carelessly- of violet eyes and a smile a third moonlight and hands holding a hammer.

It always hurt more, after one of the heroes liberated one of the maidens, or the jewels, the pain lingering for days afterwards and carving a home in his metaphorical bones. But just this once he'd take the cold bite of the Four Swords over the pain in the hole in his chest that Vio's betrayal had left, something that felt so much worse than every other time before.

Just this once he wished that maybe, just maybe, the hurt would be too much to bear, that he wouldn't wake up again-

Why? Why does it hurt so much but he's still here? He already knew the Light was uncompromising and unforgiving, but he thought them at least above curses.)

His ears twitched as soft, almost silent footsteps came up to his side. Someone crouching by his fallen form, setting a cautious hand over his own that Shadow couldn't help but draw away from with a hiss, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the world again, to your face, carefully blank as you guided him to lean against your side, a silver choker with a crimson gem winked mockingly at him, the shade closing his eyes and going boneless against your side.

Shadow was so, so tired.

He heard you quietly sigh, plucking his cap from his head and running your fingers through dark amethyst, smoke and mist made hair. "I told you so."

"Shut up." He grumbled, nuzzling further into the crook of your neck. One clawed hand curling against your free wrist, digging into the skin. Absentmindedly noting there were new scratches just above the metal.

It was routine by now, the warmth of your existence against his own a welcome balm, not quite of the Realm of Light where it's unpleasant, not too close to the Dark World where he felt like melting back into the embrace of the darkness, only to howl in agony at being dragged out.

Memories not quite his own bled into his mind all the time. How you'd shape ice into flowers for the princess in winter with nary a though, of blinking and from one second to the next you'd have whatever sword he had hostage if you though it was time for a break with a smile brighter than the sun.

His master had changed that though. It took months for you to stop trying to claw the collar out and to stop trying to fight Vaati.

(Funny how holding a mage's dragon as a bargaining chip is just as effective as kidnapping a ruler.)

Your gaze flicked to the polished obsidian of the Dark Mirror, to the gold, ornate frame. "The offer is still open, you know. Let me take the suffering from you."

"No." He scowled, leaning back to glare into your eyes, a hint of fangs poking out from a maw struggling to keep the shape of a human jaw, "You helped him. Helped them." Shadow spat, there is that hurt again.

You shrugged, a movement that's just slightly awkward as you flinch, "That I did." You confirmed simply, it almost made Shadow see red as he leaned away, knocking your hand from his head in the process, but if there's anything him and the heroes shared, was a lack of a desire to hurt you. It was a little grating to be honest, "Vio even offered to take me with him, to be honest."

"Then why didn't you leave?" He demanded.

Why did you stick around?

Your eyes shuttered, a hint of conflict in your pursed lips. Before you found your words, they come out softly, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you why. You'll just have to find out yourself."

You tug your wrist from his grasp, and Shadow lets you go.

(Stubbornly pushing down on memories and emotions that arearen'tarenotanymore quite his.)

You stand and turn away, pushing the curtains away from your sight, you turn your tired eyes to Shadow with an emotion he can't put a name to. "Just keep it in mind that there's more than one way to end this. Nothing is truly inevitable."

Shadow watches you go. 'There's nothing that can be done. He tells himself, hand hesitating above the Dark Mirror, briefly, it curls into a fist. The hero's original self stares back at him.

'… Does he really believe that?'

He shakes his head, and focuses on willing the Dark Mirror to show him his counterpart.

His chest still hurts.

[watercraver]

I think I generally tend to prefer HDG stories that veer more into the dubcon nature rather than the noncon.

Something about the floret-to-be being tricked and manipulated into a pet long before they are forced directly into it just speaks to me more.

A good example is Dog of War (as always), I loved the dynamic between Princess and Camila through every stage of their journey.

Another one I think works as a good example is Beast at Bay. It's definitely more non-con than DoW, but still works well with that manipulation and trickery over direct brute force (at certain points).

Mainsprings also kinda has a similar premise. Imogen technically started out as a case of non-con, but the stockholm syndrome worked wonders for the story.