#it's also visually more appealing which is a plus

[moaccyrk]

@the-hydroxian-artblog's Kaita is my favorite "character created by some random person on the internet" ever and I want everybody to appreciate this dumbass super strong robot dog woman.

[penny-anna]

tardis console rooms ranked by how good i think they'd be to have sex in

list NON exhaustive. im sure im gonna miss a console room variation. let's go.

worst to best:

The Coral Console room: i feel like im gonna ruffle some feathers w this one but honestly. it sucks. nowhere good to fuck in this console room. you've got the horrible little seats. the floor is like a grill?? awful. plus im gonna level with you, this one looks Grimy. i feel like a lot of the surfaces have space oil on them. yucky. no disrespect to it as a console room but i would not have sex in here.

The Classique: absolutely spartan. lighting white and overbearing. nowhere to fuck in here except on the console which is one of those scenarios i think sounds fun in theory but in practice would be a terrible idea, OR the floor which looks very hard. perhaps marginally more practical than the coral bcos it at least looks clean but probably the least sexy.

The roundel console room: hmm on the one hand, this one has mood lighting and the jukebox. however i think being naked in here would feel awfully exposed and also it's just all floors and ramps and railings. hate to say it bcos i love this one.

The wooden console room: this one definitely has a more pleasant atmosphere than the classique. it also has actual furniture in it which is a plus & my reason for rating it higher than any of the above. however: all hard surfaces.

The crystal console room: i don't think this one has anywhere good to fuck, however, gotta rank it relatively high on pure atmosphere.

The glass floor console room: this one has a LOT going on aesthetically. the glass floor looks extremely uncomfortable but like from a visual point of view it has potential. there's also some legitimately comfy looking furniture in there. however i think the reality is there's nowhere comfortable to fuck in here.

The silver console room: very atmospheric. is there furniture in here?? i don't remember what the furniture situation is but it's full of bookcases which appeals to me. i feel like it must have somewhere to sit & read or it wouldn't have all those books.

The sixties: ok bear with me on this high entry. the key difference between the classique and the sixties is that the sixties console room has that delightful combo of spaceship aesthetic & victorian furniture which they just kind of forgot about as the show went along. the lact of consistency in what furniture items appear in the console room creates the impression that it just kinda spawns whatever furniture is needed. this includes on occasion!! a recliner chair/couch that the Doctor naps on. i can't find a good picture of it but like yeah you could have sex on that thing. also the atmosphere is a lot less sterile than the classique.

The Victorian Parlour console room: i mean this goes without saying. there's like actually comfortable furniture and rugs on the floor and things. AND a really great atmosphere!! look at that lighting. 10/10. legitimately good love nest.

[saudadeko]

ADHD tips from a girlie who was diagnosed in her late twenties and has had little to no support since and is being so brave about it:

1) Make it easy, make it accessible, and make it appealing. If anything this is the most important thing, all tips going forward are based around this concept.

2) That thing you think would help you but you haven’t bought/done it yet because you’re technically surviving without it? Buy it, you need it. It doesn’t matter if people around you might think it’s wasteful or that you’re lazy, you’re not, just do it, trust me.

3) Expanding on tip #2, if you’re like me and eggs are your main source of protein because they’re quick and easy and feeding yourself is a near insurmountable task- buy yourself an electric egg cooker, make a bunch of hard boiled eggs and keep them in your fridge for quick and easy protein to add to any meal (handful of crackers, a hard boiled egg and a banana? 5 star meal right there. Or mash them up with some mayo for egg salad sandwiches). Other easy proteins include: potstickers (put them in instant ramen), edamame (they have microwaveable snack packs), chickpeas (put in salads!), beans (can of beans microwaved with shredded cheese and some tortilla chips), peanut butter (with crackers, apple and cheese, adult lunchable style), and tofu (cut into cubes, throw them into a ziplock with some seasoning and potato starch, shake that shit up and bake it until crispy).

4) Spend a little extra (if you are able) on daily use items that excite you, it will make you more likely to remember/want to do said daily task. For example: the only reason I remember to use sunscreen is because I bought some fancy japanese sunscreen that smells like roses so I get excited to use it, same for laundry detergent and body wash! there’s a gajillion different body wash scents out there, switch it up!

5) If there’s a task you continuously struggle with take a moment to think about which part of the task is making it difficult, it could be something even as small as “I don’t put my dirty clothes in the hamper because my hamper has a lid on it and lifting the lid is one step too many-”, sounds a little stupid huh? But trust your gut, it’s not stupid if it works. See tip #2 and BUY A HAMPER WITHOUT A LID.

6) If you are having trouble starting a task, break the task down further, sometimes the way I start a task is just by going “Ok step 1) stand up-“ and so forth. Don’t worry about the task as a whole just take it one step at a time.

7) If you’re halfway through a task and have to stop, leave it out. All this, “Put things away when you’re done with them.” is bullshit. you will be much more likely to finish the task if restarting it is easier because you left it out plus it’s a visual reminder. You can also create faux deadlines like “I gotta finish this project before my friend comes over on tuesday because after I finish it I can clean off the dinner table.” etc.

8) It’s okay to outsource tasks and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, humans are designed to ask for, and to require help (what do babies do when they’re first born?? cry for help!!) ask for help and receive help without shame, if it makes your life better, you are WINNING.

9) If you have one big overwhelming task that you think you need to get done before anything else, but you feel motivated to do other tasks, do those other tasks first, it’s okay. Otherwise in all likelihood (at least in my case) you’ll put everything off until the last minute and then have to do said overwhelming task and those other tasks won’t get done at all. Doing those smaller tasks also lowers the mental load and you can use them as a motivation launch pad to tackle bigger things.

10) If you notice you tend to not put something away/forget to do something, perhaps consider moving and storing the item closer to where it ultimately ends up or where you are more likely to see it. For example, my makeup, pills, and mail are all stored on my desk because that’s where I tend to do my makeup, take my pills and deal with my mail. I used to store my pills in my bathroom medicine cabinet but all too often I would forget because they weren’t in my line of sight. Now that they’re on my desk, I have multiple chances per day to pass by them, go “oh I gotta take those.” and take them.

11) Open storage, open storage, OPEN STORAGE.

12) Motivation can look like all kinds of things. sometimes the only reason I get out of bed is because I remember I have a fun snack and I get to go eat it if I get up. It’s okay to lean into those simple “animal-brain” type motivators, you’ll eat because then you can use that fun new kitchen gadget you got a daiso? Neat. you’ll shower because then you can paint your nails that fun new color you got? Fantastic. You’ll go to the dmv and do that annoying thing because you’ll take yourself out for boba after? Superb. Lean-IN to those small motivators, they aren’t stupid or childish, they are VITAL.

13) Don’t buy into the cult of “if it’s worth doing, do it properly” it’s guaranteed to set you up for failure. If it’s worth doing, do it in whatever capacity you are able to. I put sunscreen on once a day because that’s fucking better than not doing it at all and I sure as all hell will fail at reapplying it multiple times a day. If it’s worth doing, do it half-assed babieeee.

Go forth and prosper!!! xoxo ✌️🩵

[loveroffemmes]

Taissa Turner NSFT Headcanons/Alphabet

warning: sexual

masterlist (requests = open)

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Taissa’s extremely caring, she has a bottle of water around always to make sure you are hydrated afterwards. She doesn’t speak much, her care shows more through her actions. She rubs your arm or back, comforting you and making sure you relax.  

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Biceps and hands. Taissa loves having a hand on her hips or an arm around her. When imagining a scenario in her head, the first thing she thinks of is your arm trailing down her stomach and into her panties, just obsessed with the silent possessiveness of it all.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

Taissa would never admit it, but she loves tasting you, it’s proof that she has done a good job which appeals to a high achiever like her. She also would never admit it, but she loves tasting herself on your fingers, it’s as embarrassing as it is hot. She loves how you look at her when she does it. Otherwise, she isn’t that into it due to feeling like being covered in it is too messy. 

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Taissa loves how you smell. She will ride you and lean her head into your shoulder, breathing you in. Something about it is not only comforting, but really hot. She also loves any kind of groping when it comes to her boobs, her nipples are really sensitive. 

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Taissa is experienced. She’s slept with girls through both high school and college, so it’s no shock that she is an absolute god with her tongue. 

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

Doggy style, she loves how the strap hits her g-spot in that position, it’s too perfect. She’s always in control in her regular day life, so having someone else be in a more dominant position is a turn on. Also, hands on her hip/waist/ass is a plus. 

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

Taissa is mostly serious, but she’s usually pretty giggly in the beginning because she’s relaxed with you. 

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

I would say Taissa has a landing strip, just a rectangular line straight down, or a fairly neat bush. 

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…) 

Taissa’s usually romantic, but sometimes she needs you too much to focus on anything else except getting off. When she’s not ripping your clothes off, she is touching any part of you that she can and admiring you. 

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Taissa will get off by herself if she needs to, just to be able to focus better, but she always prefers you. If she is masturbating, it is with a toy and her fingers (loves being fingered). 

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Again, Taissa would never admit it, but she kinda likes the thrill of public sex. She also loves restraints; more so on her partner than herself. She likes tying you up and teasing you, seeing how they react when you know that you can’t touch her. She loves feeling needed, so hearing you desperately beg to fuck her drives her crazy. 

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

Pretty typical, usually one of your beds, but she will sometimes want to fuck outside – she has a hard time controlling herself when she’s turned on, so she’ll want to have sex anywhere if she’s really horny. 

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

You being excited turns her on. She wants someone who really wants her, who’s excited about her. She thinks humor/wit is sexy. However, the simple suggestion of fucking is also enough to get her wet. 

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Nothing involving another person. Absolutely no threesomes or voyeurs or anything like that. She gets way too jealous to be able to handle any of that. 

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Taissa prefers receiving, she always makes a lot of noise (mostly moaning/groaning). Taissa is good at giving, her tongue is a godsend, but she much prefers to be on the receiving end. 

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

It’s less about pace and more how much build up there is (regardless if you are going fast or slow). She wants it to be a more drawn out experience, really making the most of her time with you. I would say that she does prefer it slow, but rough. 

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Sometimes Taissa needs it. She’s busy and she needs to get back to work, but she really does not like quickies. Again, she wants to make the most out of her time with you. She wants it to be an intimate act (usually with more than one round). 

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Taissa is open to experimenting, but it takes her a bit to be open about what she wants to try. She’s direct about everything else, but she feels a bit embarrassed talking about kinks and whatnot. 

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Taissa likes to go for more than one round, but she is satisfied with just one. For her, it’s more about how much her partner can handle rather than her. 

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Taissa owns a strap-on that her partner uses, not her. She also owns a vibrator in case she needs to get off without you, but she rarely uses it. 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Taissa loves to tease. She loves feeling wanted and needed, so having your eyes on her is a massive turn on and she will do a lot to keep your eyes on her. She doesn’t really like being teased; when she wants you, she wants you immediately with no interruptions. 

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Taissa isn’t much of a whimpery-whiney type. She moans, loud. She wants you to know how good you make her feel. She typically does not realize just how loud she’s being until after. Right before she cums though, she always let’s out a moderately loud string of curse words. 

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Taissa has a thing for body hair, she loves bush. She also likes using spit as lube; a random, but huge turn on for her. 

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

We all know what’s inside someone’s pants. 

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Very high. She denies it when you tease her about it, but she wants to fuck every day if possible. 

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Taissa wants to wait for you to fall asleep, she prefers it if you both fall asleep together, in each other’s arms – BUT, she does tend to fall asleep very soon after (other Taissa…).

[samueldays]

JK Rowling got wealthy through rent-seeking with a non-rivalrous good; not exactly as bad as being an arms dealer but pretty fucking bad! Her ability to get rich off writing Harry Potter is a direct consequence of all of our freedom of speech being continuously violated!

Private property serves a number of social functions at present (that don't all have to be served by the same mechanism, but I digress), but IMO the most important is to mitigate the tragedy of the commons. One can debate various other mechanisms and whether they would be better or worse towards this end, but needless to say there is no tragedy of the commons for information. The social functions which could possibly be served by JKR owning the Harry Potter franchise seem extremely limited, and not remotely worth abrogating a fundamental human right over.

Another important function that private property serves is to incentivize the creation of goods by giving the creator special rights and rewards. You appear to have fallen into the classic trap of focusing on [re]distribution of goods, ignoring the question of how goods get made and whether goods get made. The likely alternative to JKR owning the Harry Potter franchise isn't "everyone gets it for free", it's "franchise never comes into existence".

With that said, the Life-Plus-70-Years copyright term is absurdly long and I'm going to look the other way on piracy. America's first draft of 28 years was more sensible. Still, JKR very much got rich in the first 28 years of Harry Potter publication.

Getting philosophical about information, I make the information-theoretic argument that the Harry Potter books are too specific, complex and arbitrary for independent reinvention. Random search over human utterances is not going to produce even the first HP chapter in the lifetime of the universe. Observation of the physical universe can produce longer sets of physical laws, but those would be found by other people searching too. If it weren't for Rowling, you would never have wanted to convey the particular piece of information that is a Harry Potter book, so the harm being suffered here also seems extremely limited.

(Inspired by I think it was Scott Aaronson who had a better original post along these lines, though I can't find it right now, about the DeCSS system and "illegal numbers" like 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0. There's a "surely you can't own a number" intuitive appeal by way of computers representing any kind of textual or visual information as a number. But, people's intuitions about "a number" are very much shaped by small numbers, and by small we mean less than 10^100, not the kind of number that is the digital representation of a book. So the retort is that small numbers should be free-libre, but big numbers too big for you to ever count or even use as a GUID can have claims staked on them no problem. Informational work would have to go into identifying specific numbers or small ranges to stake a claim on them, so no spamming, no claiming primes and no round numbers.)

[yumeka-sxf]

Thoughts on Spy x Family: Family Portrait

I finally got around to reading the SxF light novel, Family Portrait...and I mean "finally" because it's literally been sitting in my shelf since it was first released in English back in December of last year! I was distracted by Code White and the SxF video game which came out around the same time, but even long after that, I was having trouble getting motivated to read it. For some reason, experiencing SxF in novel format instead of in anime/manga just didn't appeal to me, plus the fact that it's not written by Endo himself (these weird preferences of mine are also why I'm not into reading fanfics either). Don't get me wrong, in general I love reading stories in prose form too, but for a series like SxF that already has such an established visual identity, it doesn't feel as "authentic" to me if that makes any sense. But I did want to read it eventually, since it is an official part of SxF media and Endo did the illustrations and does acknowledge the book (he wrote a nice afterword at the end). So I finally sat down and read it in sections over the course of this week! I'll share my brief thoughts on each of the contained stories:

Novel Mission 1

Since this was the first story in the book, it took me a while to get used to experiencing the world of SxF in novel form. There were some things I felt would have been better conveyed in anime/manga, for example, one of the very first gags about Yor misinterpreting Anya's nature class as some sort of hardcore outdoor survival trip. As I was reading that part I was like "I get the joke, but it would have been funnier if I actually saw these images and the characters' expressions with Endo's comedic illustrations." It was also a bit jarring to hear the characters thoughts and feelings from third-person narration, but I got used to it. As for the story itself, it was Damianya focused, something I'm not particularly into, but I don't mind it either. I liked the rare, soft Damian moments, and the thing with the squirrel eating Anya's peanut trail was funny. I also liked the scene at the beginning where Loid and Yor feed Bond together while Anya watches.

Novel Mission 2

Oddly, this was my favorite of the stories! Of all the characters, I think the author nailed Yuri's unhinged thoughts the best - as I was reading, I couldn't help but hear every cringe thought in his voice, which is a good sign of how well the author gets the character! I actually chuckled at a few parts too, both from his insane Yor-obsessed and anti-Loid musings, as well as from his banter with Anya. The police interrogation scene was great and would be even better if it ever gets animated! I also found it interesting that this story has the first instance where we find out what Yuri thinks about Bond (that he's fat and useless - rude!) Also his first time hearing about Franky apparently...makes we wonder if Endo will make him feel the same way if these things ever come up in the manga.

Novel Mission 3

I liked this story a lot too! I think it worked the best in novel format out of all of them, probably because it was more focused on drama and emotions than comedy. It's ironic that the two official SxF stories that feature the deeper side of Franky's character - this one and the omake chapter from volume 13 - are both not even part of the main canon! Alessa would have definitely accepted Franky's job as an informant, but he felt that someone like her should only be surrounded by "beautiful things." The poor man really needs to see that inner beauty matters too, and he has that! I also think he should have swallowed his pride and told Loid the real reason why he wanted the disguise...not that it would have changed the outcome. Poor Franky.

Novel Mission 4

This was a cute Forger-focused story, but like the first one, I felt it had parts that would have been more effective in anime/manga form, for example, "hair monster" Yor and whatever hideous painting Felix ended up making! But despite that, it was still funny and cute. Though I do think the author went a tad overboard with Yor's flustered antics...they just kept going and going, lol. Also, like the movie, we have another scenario of Loid getting flung into the air by Yor but landing gracefully on his feet (though this instance was much tamer since she wasn't drunk and only pushed him instead of hit him). Again, maybe I would have appreciated the humor in this story better if I saw it in anime/manga with Endo's hilarious designs and expressions, but for what it was, it was enjoyable enough.

Short Novel

This extra short story would be perfect as a reintroduction story for a future anime season...maybe one day!

-----

Overall, the Family Portrait novel is a nice addition to the Spy x Family universe. Even though I feel the humor in the series is most effective in illustrated form, it's still nice to have more stories in the canon, especially ones that show new sides to the characters, like the Franky and Yuri stories. Like the movie, it's debatable if this novel should be considered true canon or not, but personally, I don't find anything in it that contradicts canon, at least not yet. So yeah, definitely check out the novel if you haven't already! 😁

[ssa-dado]

MY ITALIAN MOM & “HOTCH NEVER FUCKS”: a case study

(Rant + I need your help)

- TESTIMONY REPORT

Last year, my mom and I decided to watch Criminal Minds together. Based on some promotional photos, I thought she’d thirst over Hotch as much as I did. But after 10 episodes of absolutely zero interest on her part, we switched to another show (this is what happens in my household - if the woman doesn't thirst over a man after 10 eps, we switch the show). Recently, I was rewatching an episode on my own when she wandered in and was shocked to find out that I liked Hotch.

“HOTCH? Really? I thought you liked the Broomstick!”

For those needing clarification, she was referring to none other than Dr. Spencer Reid. Yes, Reid. The Broomstick.

“…How can you like him? This guy never fucks. He’s too serious!”

Since then, every time I mention Aaron Hotchner, she hits me with some variation of “he never fucks.”

Naturally, I defended him, valiantly, into the trenches. But my mom, a visual learner, demanded proof.

“Is there an episode where he actually fucks? Or at least where he’s naked?”

And so, I did what any devoted fan would do: I cued up "the fisher king pt1" Because that’s as close as Hotch gets to “fucking” on screen. Plus, there’s that one 30-second-long nipple scene in dim lighting that since 2005 (?) has been the holy grail of Hotch thirst content.

I thought it would win her over. It didn’t.

We watched Part 2, and after 40 minutes of me pointing out all of Hotch’s deliciously Hotch moments (evidence below) she hits me with:

“He goes there because at home, he doesn’t fuck.” (“There” being Elle’s apartment to clean up her blood.)

The audacity (S3 Rossi kind of sass), and she asked me:

“Is there an episode where he shows his shoulders? His legs?”

I immediately pulled out the iconic Hotch Marathon™ scene in less than a second. Her only comment?

“He has no ass.”

I mean, yes... but he has an athletic ass #justiceforflatasses

“And skinny legs.”

Supermodel legs.

Still, I counted it as a win when she deflected my comments about his broad shoulders and arms and the fact he has body hair (she a fond appreciation for hairy men), but then she hit me with:

“He’s skinny.”

That’s peak S7 Hotch appeal, so I pivoted, pulling out the dad bod Hotch content™ (S10Ep20). That tight shirt. The one that’s this close to bursting. BOOBIES. ARMS. MUSCLES. BOOBIES. GUCCI TIE. BOOBIES. AND MORE BOOBIES.

We watched the entire episode because she got invested in the case, but at the end, her verdict?

“So, where was the hotness? These aren’t even tight shirts. You can’t see anything, not even a dick outline.”

... GIRL ...

(I was three seconds away from showing her The Gif™ from Love and Human Remains, but I restrained myself)

- THIRSTY HOTCH DATABASE

Which brings me here, Hotch humans. I need your help. I’m building a Thirsty Hotch Database™ to convert my mom (and for personal research reasons too)

What are the hottest Hotch moments I could show her? Episodes, scenes, gifs, pics, anything.

(Mind you, she admitted Thomas Gibson is a handsome man but insists Hotch “has no sex appeal because he never fucks.”)

I refuse to let Hotch’s honor be dragged through the mud like this. Also, I’m genuinely curious about your picks for Hotch’s hottest moments. (Are you creeps like me who find the scene where he passes out in the ER in S4Ep01 oddly attractive, or are you normal people?)

Please reach out however you’d like - DMs, asks, comments, tags, reblog this, carrier pigeon - I’ll take any leads.

And if you’re interested, I’ll keep you updated on The Case of Hotch vs. My Mom.

OPTIONAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL:

- THE PROFILES

Unsub #1: 52, female, Italian, loves crime shows, self-proclaimed connoisseur of “male bums.” After thirsting over Bridgerton’s Duke, she now binges no-ad TV shows during family dinners. Builds harems of fictional men, only continues shows if at least one character is “thirst-worthy.”

Unsub #2: 22, demisexual (that’s me). Crime show addict, inherited taste from Unsub #1. Chooses shows based on cast thirst-potential, only to end up sexualizing Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner and dedicating a Tumblr to his idolization.

- VICTIMOLOGY

The victims: Any tall conventionally attractive middle-aged man with broad shoulders, hairy (but no facial hair), an athletic or dad-bod build, and, preferably, a “fat bum.”

Please, for the love of Hotch (and justice for flat asses), help me win this case. You are my last hope.

[talk-danmei-to-me]

Mo Ran and Promiscuity

Vol 8 update:

(Read part one)

Vol 8 has just flipped everything I thought I knew about Mo Ran’s relationship with Rong Jiu. Although, I also feel like I should’ve clocked it sooner since his appeal was a visual resemblance to Shi Mei.

Chu Wanning’s timey whimey adventure imparted one very small detail that has made me want turn into this meme:

Why? Because

Mo Ran only started going to brothels post flower infection. Now watch me theorise and MTL readers can either laugh at how off I am or gasp at how much of a bl wizard I am.

Brothels are bad places

But they are also the source of Mo Ran’s murderous intent. The Drunken Jade murders were 100% all Mo Ran and also definitely inspired Taxian-Jun’s style (because they are the same person) the grape eating scene made me loose my shit.

Also I feel like Mo Ran should’ve died… so I guess there’s the first hint magical bullshit is at play with him. Although I know he inherited it from his mum so… how she became a rotted corpse and he is reincarnating more times than a danmei protagonist I would like explaining.

Anyways… back to promiscuity Mo Ran without any flower pimping I cannot imagine visiting a brothel because the amount of associated trauma there. More likely he was developing a hobby for burning down brothels and then discovered a doppelgänger.

Of cock warming and traumatising the guards

One of the most interesting things to me in vol 8 is getting to see 0.5 Ranwan’s dynamic from Chu Wanning’s perspective. There’s so many little hints peppered throughout, but I think it’s how often Chu Wanning’s feelings towards 0.5 Mo Ran is highlighted that’s the most interesting. Like there’s so much domesticity within their dynamic with the whole after a certain point Mo Ran needed to be inside him to fall asleep and how Chu Wanning was always making shit congee. Also there’s definitely a subtle underlying theme that Taxian-Jun was hitting so many of Chu Wanning’s kinks with the exhibitionism and overstimulation (which also both feature in the 2.0 timeline). Plus I get the feeling that after Chu Wanning discovered about the flower, Mo Ran didn’t have to use aphrodisiacs on him anymore.

I know we had the wedding night (which I love was the memory conjured purely because of the part where Mo Ran promised to give Chu Wanning everything.) but I really hope Meatbun blesses us with a full Ranwan sex scene without the flower because I feel like it really wouldn’t be that wildly different to 0.5.

Hua Binan weaponised Mo Ran’s love

What I mean by that is Hua Binan obviously knew there were vibes between Ranwan and with his own Shizun fucking desires that was unacceptable and so he used Mo Ran’s craving for love to warp it into promiscuity in the hopes it would destroy Chu Wanning’s affection for him. The ultimate joke’s on him is that Chu Wanning was into it and found himself a workaround. I mean it was an extreme workaround, but considering he was willing to carve out his spiritual core to essentially go on a gap year probably makes soul splitting just a Tuesday afternoon to him.

[squishycat330]

ta-da! Raphael! It’s a mix of 2012 Raph with 2018 Raph, Plus some additional ideas of mine!

Basically I wanted to do a full look at how’d thay’d well Look if mixed properly! My first version although nice wasn’t enough so I made this I always wanted to do a character sheet-esk drawing so when I got the chance I did, then I realized Leo would also be another one I could do since he would vary a lot as well, Donnie and Mikey wouldn’t have as much design change so I intended to just do Raph then Leo and then I figured why not do the other two so those’ll be posted at some point!

I ended up adding more later the next day after I finished it!

Anyway back to the drawing here! In the 2018 series the boys are all different types of turtles! Raph is a Alligator-Snapping Turtle, Leo is a Red-eard Slider, Donnie is a Soft shell turtle (creepy), and Mikey is a simple box turtle, (more on them later) and in the 2012 series Donnie says that he suspects their Common-Box turtles and/or Dimond-Back Terrapins,

See I like the idea of them all being different turtles but I also liked the thought of Raph and Leo being Twins So, I mixed Raph’s Snaping turtle with Leo’s Red-eared Slider And the Dimond back terrapin (although I realized later it should have been a Box-turtle instead)

Raphs red eared Slider comes across only by his face with the markings, which are supposed to be smaller then Leo’s markings showing the Snapping-turtle are the more dominant genetics for him

He’s mostly Snapping turtle, his sharp teeth, longer tail, Spikes on his shoulders tail and knuckles (like another particular red character) And elbows. It’s also visible on his shell where he also has spikes but the pattern is supposed to be of the Dimond-Back Terrapin,

I wanted Raph to look more muscular, and wall I was drawing Raph I had to cut and move his Plastron because it was to small and not wide enough then he looked good, so when I draw sleepy Raph down in the corner I kept thinking he looks so WIDE! I ended up calling him ‘Mr. Thick arms’!

he’s my favorite designe out of the three I’ve done so fare and I believe it’ll stay that way! He’s just so visually appealing and Cute~

I figured it’d be appropriate to give him tons of scares and I noticed that on his plastron you can see where it’s chipped that theres a scrape line so that’s an interesting detail I noticed wall drawing! Also I did in-fact keep the tape on his plastron. . .it’s funny ok.

also I want to mention this, the specks on his skin, yeah those took nearly 20 minutes! I had to adjust and place them all in varying sized Segments! Erasing sections one spot at a time! It was a nightmare and made the hole drawing feel longer then it was, I do think it paid off tho! And I did in fact give him a mole on his cheek. . .Leo’s gotta matching one to,

Raph was the first so he’s simultaneously the best and the worst, he’s not as developed as the others but he’s also better looking since I was just havin’ fun with him, the others have more intent and thought so it kinda takes away form it ya know?

. . . Also are those Shorts or underwear that they have on? I know have no idea. . .

Next I’ll post Leo since he was the second one I did! And I good fallow up to Raph since they’re supposed to be ‘Twins’ . . .also spoiler alert he’s gotta Baby face. . . . Drawn, Mon, April 28th

Leo: Donnie: Mikey:

Miscellaneous:. karai, Casey, April, shinigami, Renet

[idylls-of-the-divine-romance]

Y’all can thank @maryshelleyreincarnated for this lollll. Anyway, this is just me going on about affective piety

Affective piety is one of the focuses of approaches to mystical theology. 

On one side of the spectrum there is

Cataphatic or Positive: focusing on imaging God by use of imagination and words. Speaks of what God “is”.

Apophatic or Negative: focuses on the complete utter transcendent unknowability of the goodness of God. Imageless, stillness, and wordlessness. Speaks of what God “is not”

On the other side of the spectrum is

Speculation: illuminating the mind. Emphasis on the divinity of Christ.

Affection: illuminating the heart and emotions. Emphasis on the humanity of Christ.

And then you combine the spectrum to get

Cataphatic Speculation

Cataphatic Affection

Apophatic Speculation

Apophatic Affection

(All of these have more snazzy names but those names all have historical, and se times heretical, baggage so we’ll ignore that lol)

Anyway we’re focusing on affective piety. 

HISTORY TIME!!!!!

So there is a long version (that my English Lit book gives) that begins in the eleventh century with St. Anselm.

I don’t like Anselm so I’m not wasting my time with that lol. Plus I want to get to the women as quickly as possible. 

The short version is: Anselm came up with a the satisfaction theory of atonement (to replace random theory) which placed a great emphasis on the humanity of Jesus. Whereas early theology (and by extension, art and literature) focused on Christ as King and Soldier, now theology (and by extension art and literature) began to portray God as suffering, sagging, lacerated, and distinctly human. With an emphasis on humanity, Christ’s suffering takes center stage. 

The thing about a humanity centered philosophy rather than a divinity centered philosophy, is that it is a spirituality best represented in visual and verbal images. Hence, (cataphatic) affective piety. This is actually one of the first times when spiritual experience was primarily seen more than thought (at least in the West. I haven’t learned about Hesychasm yet). It was also exactly that: experiential. The Life of Christ was no longer something you just thought about or heard about, it was something you participated in. Sometimes you participated as one of the women (or John) mourning Jesus; sometimes you imagined the Jews and Romans as wholly responsible for the infliction of pain; sometimes you yourself are held responsible for the continued suffering of Christ. 

Quickly, this movement became incredibly democratized as the Catholic Church (Protestantism won’t exist for like 300 years) sought to deepen the spiritual literacy of laypeople. And it was deeply effective because, unlike in more speculative forms of of devotion, you don’t need to be well versed in detailed matters of doctrine, which made it a spiritual experience that appealed to a much wider audience of readers and viewers. Instead, you just had to be able to develop a capacity for sympathetic responses to suffering. And whether you’re cataphatic or apophatic, most can do that. It was this affective piety that led to

the foundation of the Franciscan friars who promoted earthly poverty in both practical imitation and emotional response to Christ’s suffering

the creation of the Feast of Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ) which celebrated the Eucharist host as the body of Christ and grew steadily in popularity and came to involve outdoor processions depicting biblical foreshadowings of the Eucharist, as a prelude to the display of the Eucharist itself. In medieval England these developed as the plays of Corpus Christi and would climax in the mystery plays in which urban institutions could interpret and represent Christ for themselves

And finally, “Female readers in particular, who had been excluded from the Latin-based, textual traditions of theology, discovered fertile ground in this tradition of so-called affective, or emotional, piety. Through such emotive imagining, one gained an apparently unmediated, and potentially authoritative, relation with Christ. Women working in this tradition did not necessarily remain, however, within its visual, imaginative terms: Julian of Norwich is, for example, capable of developing subtle and abstract thought, holding the incarnate image in view all the while.” (The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Middle Ages, “Christ’s Humanity”, page 414)

Anyway. Key markers of affective piety are

highly emotional devotion 

humanity of Jesus

infancy of Jesus

the agony in the garden, the crucifixion, and the burial 

the Joys and Sorrows of the Virgin Mary

affective meditation: a pilgrim, worshipper, or other follower of Christ seeks to imagine the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, movement, and tactility of specific scenes from canonical Gospels and their characters, with particular emphasis on empathising with the compassion and suffering of Jesus and the joys and sorrows of the Virgin Mary, leading to the authentic and spontaneous emotional expression that may include tears and crying, vocal sounds and prayer, as well as bodily movements.

Divine Love 

Bridal Theology

Key figures (note: I’m not familiar with all of these so some of them might not belong here but anyway)

St John the Visionary

Bernard of Clairvaux 

Aelred of Rievaulx

Francis of Assisi 

Anthony of Padua

Bonaventure

Mechthild of Magdeburg

Hadewijch of Antwerp

Richard Rolle 

John of Ruusbroeck

Catherine of Siena

Julian of Norwich

Margery Kempe 

Ignatius of Loyola

Teresa of Ávila

John of the Cros

Isaac Ambrose 

Richard Crashaw

Angelus Silesius 

George Fox

Marguerite-Marie Alacoque

Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de La Motte Guyon 

Gerhard Tersteegen 

Rosa Maria Egipcíaca of Vera Cruz 

Marie Lataste

Mary of the Divine Heart 

Frank Charles Laubach

Sundar Singh

Maria Faustyna Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament 

Carmela Carabelli

Thomas Merton

Richard Rohr

Sidenote: despite a lot of christblr’s disdain for Contemporary Christian music, CCM is also very much a form of affective piety.

@catholicsapphic

by @.paigepayne_creations on instagram

Honestly affective piety is like really popular on tumblr, among Christians and nonchristians alike. The obsession with Julian and Kempe. @ahopefulbromantic and my obsession with the Eucharist. The amazing combination of the paintings of Mary holding Jesus as infant and dead. The adoration of the pieta. The devotion of to the Virgin Mary and desire for her to share in the pain of childbirth. The “Why is religious Christmas imagery all so joyful and pleasant?” post. “Constantly thinking about how Joseph probably died long before Jesus did. Did Jesus know? For a time did he stay uncharacteristically close to his father's side? Did he trail at his back? Did he grieve for the living?” The rage at stoic depictions of Jesus agony in the garden. “When Joseph died, Jesus was still a carpenter. I think a lot about how Mary was there at the feet of her son as he died. and i'm starting to think, maybe Joseph was there too. not in the way that Mary could be of course but in a different way. I think maybe Jesus smelt the wood of the cross and thought of his father. Maybe he remembered the first time he ever accidentally hammered his hand while building as nails drove into his wrists. Maybe Jesus died with his mother bringing him something to drink, remembering all the things his father taught him to be.”

It’s like @wolfythewitch said: “A big part of Jesus' entire story is his humanity. It's why Satan tried to tempt him. It's why he could feel hunger and thirst. It's why he loved and was loved. It's why he had to die. He was betrayed with a kiss, with a greeting. He shared meals with his disciples. He had parents and siblings and aunts and uncles and cousins. He bled. And a big part of humanity is connection. We as humans are always looking for reflections of ourselves in others, it's how we connect and understand each other. We gravitate towards it. Of course we'll love the human side of him more. We're human.”

[ewingstan]

If you had a chance to recommend (real-world) superhero comics to the Undersiders, which comics would you recommend and why?

Oh, good question. Its been a minute since I was really into comics (I gotta figure out how to reactivate my Marvel Unlimited account), but I think I have enough background to come up with some good picks.

Lotta good options for Taylor. My first thought is to give her Ewing's X-Men Red (aka "the main reason I need to catch up on Marvel comics"), since a superhero story that focuses a lot on gaining and maintaining societal power and the work of governing as a leader in a super-community seems like it would appeal to the Warlord of the Boardwalk. Plus a lot of it is "kill the previous leader in a way that ensures you have a popular mandate," which I'm sure she'd be a fan of.

If we're talking Taylor at the start of the story or younger—well, I don't know if it makes sense to give her runs of the character she's most a pastiche of, but maybe something that fits the Spider-Man niche could still be appealing for a young down-on-her-luck aspiring hero? I could see her getting something out of the Simone or Ahmed Ms. Marvel runs, for instance.

(While Watchmen might seem like the natural pick, I'm pretty sure she'd lose a lot of enjoyment just from picking out all the ways Veidt's plan was obviously gonna fail for x y z reasons. Also dark deconstructions of superhero worlds would probably seem too familiar to her world for her to enjoy it.)

If Taylor would be interested in comics statecraft, Lisa would probably be more interested in comics spycraft and intrigue. Ewing's S.W.O.R.D. would probably scratch the same itch for her that X-Men Red would for Taylor (and Storm dramatically blowing off Doom would probably satisfy her after all the ulcer-inducing negotiations with Accord.) I might also give her Ewings New Avengers and USAvengers runs (look this is gonna include a lot of Al Ewing recs, get used to it early) if only because I feel like she'd enjoy how Roberto gets characterized in those comics. Magnificent bastard solidarity.

If we're giving comics to Brian, we already need to work past his defensive avoidance of anything that seems too childish, so I don't think we're getting anything pre-dark ages. That said, he famously thinks "looking mature" means "sick-ass skulls and leather jackets," so his idea of maturity might skew a bit into McFarlane territory. Ultimately though I think he'd be most comfortable with something where he could plausibly say "this isn't just a comic, it's actually a well-respected piece of literature." I'd want that to mean Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing, but it'd probably actually mean The Dark Knight Returns.

As a dark horse pick, I'd give Brian some early New Warriors or Ewing's Contest of Champions, if only because Night Thrasher feels so close to what he wants his vibe to be (dramatic black leather ensemble with a very 90's idea of cool, unflappable expert strategist who pulls his weight despite a powerset with limited applicability, died horribly and came back much later for weirdly impersonal reasons) while also being just ridiculous enough to make me want to see his reaction.

Given Iota's commentary on Alec's pizza habits, I'd think Alec would most be a fan of something intense and bombastic and not mind if its often repetitive. I'd almost say Berserk would be a good match for him, but parts of that that might actually be triggering for him. Maybe some other ultra-violent longrunning work; I haven't read Fist of the North Star but it seems like a safe recommendation; various X-Force runs could work if we're sticking with Western comics.

Rachel really doesn't seem like someone who'd have much appreciation for any aspect of comics. The best bet would be something visually spectacular in a way that could be appreciated on its own, and a plot that's interesting taking issues on their own and not just as part of ongoing runs. I could see Ewing's Immortal Hulk as fitting those criteria; her power gives her an artist's appreciation for Bennett's horrific depictions of the Hulk's transformations (even if praising Bennett for anything feels in poor taste).

Ewing's scripts for each issue of Hulk are clever in a way that I feel Rachel could find entertaining; they don't require an attention she couldn't keep up, but also aren't simple to the point of being condescending. Plus, the thematic focus on "what can and can't be solved through unspeakable acts of destruction" would feel familiar in a way that's less frustrating than normal comic tut-tutting about how obviously we can't attack these guys (plus the greater willingness to say "oh yeah unspeakable destruction definitely is the best way forwards here" would be pretty satisfying).

I feel like Aisha would have more patience for comic tropes than a lot of the other undersiders, (I could see her enjoying the original Fantastic Four run), but at the same time she'd probably enjoy something a bit more complicated and out-there. Ewing's Rocket might be appealing as heist-focused mini, and I feel like the mix of melancholy and absurdity would appeal to her. Rosenberg's Hawkeye: Freefall would work for similar reasons, though replace "melancholy" with "simmering rage."

Morrison's Doom Patrol and The Invisibles both have characters Aisha might relate to for the whole "society largely ignoring or wanting to go away" thing. Plus they both have big weird ideas she'd appreciate, Richard Case's art works well with her aesthetics, and they're both seen as "respectable" series to the point that she might like peppering in references to them in alongside Jules Verne jokes.

Huh, I just realized that Aisha and Brian both ended up chasing an appearance of being mature and somewhat surface-level and off-putting ways. Brian "trust me I'm a normal adult man" and Aisha "I've compiled spider-man quips for every work in the Western Canon and will get frustrated when you don't get them" Laborn, the "something ain't right about that kid" siblings.

(I will say that Morrison's Doom Patrol has some weird black stereotypes so if anyone wants to pitch me on a similar work without Morrison's occasional racism I'd be curious).

I'd give Rowell's run on Runaways to Sabah, if only because "somewhat antivillanous found family group of teens that mostly don't have to worry about anything besides relationship drama" sounds like a nice escape for her. Closer to what she wants the Undersiders to be like. Also, I feel she'd enjoy Kris Anka's focus on fashion in his art.

I don't have a lot to go off for Lily. I could see some of the more recent Captain Marvel runs appealing to her sense of true-blue militant heroism. Ayala's New Mutants or Ahmed's Black Bolt might help combat her whole "villains are ontologically evil" thing, at least to a certain extent.

[falsemilkbun]

I did all 20 of @taylortut 's

20 BLORBO/OC WHUMP/ H/C ASKS

for both Mithrun and Kabru from Dungeon Meshi, because I have low-key lurked the community for a while and long to reveal my madness, and also I want to spread the 'ganda about my perfect boys before season 2 of the anime drops. Evidence of my illness is below the cut.

Also parts of this are NWS and there's violence including passing mention of sexual violence so like please. There's also visual depictions of stuff like self harm. I've warned you.

BILL, STAY OUT.

What appeals to you about this character?

Mithrun: Without spoiling too much, I'd say the draw for me is that he's a character who's at once very capable and very vulnerable. He's a powerful magic user with a lot of (terrible) life experiences, but he's also afflicted with a condition that makes it necessary for him to have what amounts to a caretaker whenever he's not doing rote daily routine stuff. Also, he's a tiny little elf, which is always a plus.

Also, he looks like D&D Gilbert, which is Funny To Me.

Kabru: The son-boy! The one through whom I recognize the self through the other! I love that he's a chronic manager of others' emotions, and a doting caretaker to Mithrun, and also sometimes a ruthless killer.

I've observed this isn't a super beloved character trait of his, but I maintain that it whips ass. He's a character of contrasts like Mithrun is, being very much invested in humans and also willing to rip someone apart.

Also, he looks like D&D Serge, which is Funny To Me.

What's your least favorite aspect of this character?

Both: None! I like that Kabru will stab a fucker, I like that Mithrun is very capable of being a bitch, I like that they both have worldviews informed by their upbringings and think/say things about others that aren't charitable or fair, I love my boys.

What's your favorite canon moment with this character?

God. They have many good moments individually and together, but like. The #1 one, as well as the one most relevant to this questionairre, is this. I goof about it a lot, but it's so tender and the implications are so striking. Kabru is actually treating him like a person. I consider this scene a companion to an earlier one, when they first meet and Mithrun actually treats Kabru like an adult and a peer, which elves generally don't.

Do you have a favorite fic for this character?

GOD. So many of them are so good, we really do monopolize the biggest crinkliest brains, but the one I'm FERAL about right now is The Chameleon by threesmallcrows. Fuck. Me. Up. It's an AU, too, a gothis horror/romance one, so one could if one wanted just eat it right up even if you've only seen these two on screen for two minutes.

What's your favorite whump trope to use for this character and why?

Individually: Mithrun: Exhaustion or illness or anything that requires him to be toted around like a stupid little baby and handled delicately. I just like him being spoiled, which is a hideous contrast to what I'm gonna type in a minute wwww

Kabru: Persevering through injury, I think. He's a very purpose-driven person, and I think him toughing it out because he absolutely has to is very appealing. He can collapse and be coddled later, it's fine.

Jointly: *throws up my fucking hands* (Threats of) noncon against Mithrun while Kabru is incapacitated. Sorry. It just has juice. Nothing even has to Happen, it can be as inoffensive as someone manhandling him wrong or threatening him. My brain is simple and I like more reasons for Kabru to stab people and for Mithrun to be miserable. SOZ.

Whose relationship with this character is your favorite, shipping or otherwise?

*gestures at entire post* WHAT DO YOU THINK.

Whose relationship with this character is your least favorite?

Mithrun: Milsiril, she very much was ready to murder him when he was at his most vulnerable because she decided his life wouldn't be worth living.

Kabru: ...Nay, I shan't say it.

Describe your ideal whump scenario for this character.

The main antagonist possessing Another Chara's body and threatening Mithrun while Kabru is temporarily restrained. I. Listen.

No, there's no adequate defense. It's just exciting! It's got juice, to me! I like peril, I like Literalizing, I like protective fury. Rage is a kind of distress!

Do you have headcanons for this character, if they're not an OC?

Mithrun: I write him as something that readers would describe as intersex if they saw it IRL, but it's not treated that way and doesn't work in a way that would be realistic if that's what I was trying to do. I'm not doing realism, I'm doing an artistic expression of sex and gender variety in a fantasy race that's explicitly very androgynous already. Also it's fun.

Kabru: That he's legally adopted. Way less interesting.

What would devastate them the most, emotionally speaking?

BESIDES THE ABOVE?

Mithrun: Rejection or perceived rejection, canonically. If he were to perceive someone as being tired of him or sick of him and discarding him, he'd be Very Upset.

Kabru: He's majorly motivated by loss and a sense of responsibility, so losing someone he loves to violence when he feels he could have prevented it would break him pretty bad.

If it's not a spoiler, what's the worst thing that's ever happened to them?

It is a spoiler, so: Plenty.

How do they act when sick/injured? Is it obvious or do they hide it well?

Honestly they both kind of keep on keeping on until they Drop or someone stops them.

What are their coping mechanisms, good and bad?

Mithrun: Relies on memories of how he was before he was so severely traumatized in order to make what are usually constructive decisions about what to do. I get the impression he becomes less able to do this in fraught situations, though.

Kabru: Mentally recites rote facts to himself to persevere through unpleasant situations.

How is their mental health, generally speaking?

Could be better. They're doing their best though.

Who do you like to see hurting them, if anyone?

DESPITE WHAT I'VE WRITTEN ABOVE I'm not super crazy about them being hurt. I guess 'baddies, generally' because while I like them in peril I'm not super specific about it.

Who do you like to see caring for them, if anyone?

Both: Each other, and also the stupid poultry AKA the gaggle of freaks who follow Mithrun around. I just love their various dynamics. Pattadol is very appealing platonically, for reasons.

What do they do to self-soothe when they're not feeling well?

They don't, it's an established problem. Kabru is literally so terrible at taking care of himself (but not others, he's very attentive to other people) that his landlord cleans his room for him out of either pity or necessity.

Are they good at taking care of themselves or do they need help?

Buddy they do it worse than anyone's ever done it.

Do they have old scars, physical or otherwise?

fffff

Mithrun is missing his right eye and half the outer structure of both ears after the incident that traumatized him. He's extensively scarred from having compulsively harmed himself during his recovery, as well as from having been restrained so that he wouldn't do that.

Kabru seems fine physically, but they're both PTSD disasters that present it differently.

Anything else you'd like to share about them I haven't asked?

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.....................

[vivmaek]

Do you think beauty indictors in astrology are reliable? Like does every person with Lilith in the 1st house, for example, have an intimidating attractiveness about them? Or Venus in 8th house… do all of them have strong sex appeal?

BEAUTY INDICATORS WITHIN ASTROLOGY

The answer to this question is complicated.

Celebrities are often referred to within astrology because their lives are put on public display, making them easy targets for interpretation. This is especially true when it comes to their appearance. However, I don't think celebrities should be referred to for accurate interpretations on appearance. Celebrities are more attractive in comparison to the general population, that's why they're famous. Plus, money and access to resources such as plastic surgery and specialized spa treatments are going to have a greater affect upon a persons appearance than astrology ever will. This doesn't mean that I think the images of celebrities shouldn't be used for visual examples, just that they should be taken with a grain of salt.

With that being said, I don't think beauty indicators are 100% reliable. Beauty is incredibly subjective. Some might find a Lilith first houser to have an intimidating beauty, but other people might consider their appearance to be strange and off-putting. Of course, the aspects Lilith is making within your chart are going to generate an effect as well.

Also, your appearance is going to change significantly throughout the course of your life. There are going to be years in which you face struggle and hardship, you might become injured or face severe illness for a prolonged period. Are you going to be your most beautiful, sexy self through these points in time? Fuck no, and you shouldn't expect yourself to be. Sometimes staying true to your authentic self despite its ugliness is more powerful than being beautiful.

Kim Kardashian is commonly referred to when speaking on beauty indicators within astrology, and look at how much her appearance has changed throughout the course of her life. Towards the late 2010s, she was publicly criticized for having a "diaper butt," and people thought that she destroyed her face with filler and a bad nose job. However, within the past few years, she's made significant modifications and is yet again being publicly praised for her beauty.

I have seen beauty indicators within birth charts of people who I don't think are very attractive. But who knows? Maybe they weren't living up to the full potential of their beauty during that time. I know that there are periods in my life in which this was very much the case, that doesn't mean I lost any value as a person though.

I think people really start to exhibit these beauty indicators when they're living up to the potential showcased within their natal chart. If you have a strong beauty indicator placed within the 10th house, you're going to have to work hard and focus on your career for this to be strongly showcased. A Leo rising with strong beauty indicators placed within their chart isn't going to be perceived as attractive if they act egotistical and arrogant. For example, Vladimir Putin has Venus placed within the 1st house, I wouldn't call him a harmonious person.

Ultimately, if you're looking to astrology to figure out if you're beautiful, or relying upon astrology for confidence, it's a stupid idea. You're time would be better spent working on self-esteem issues. I say this generally, it's not directed at anyone specific. That being said, studying beauty indicators within astrology can be really fun and I consider it to be informative. In my opinion, it works best in connection to predictive astrology, because like I said, physical appearance changes drastically throughout the course of a persons life.

[adobe-outdesign]

opposite of that last neo-review! Favorite species of your least favorite paintbrushes?

(Side note, this is the first time I've had to sit down and actually consider what my least favorite colors even are.)

Clay:

Kau: Clay is just such a nothing color; it's oddly specific and has no visual appeal, given that it's completely monotone. I don't think TNT like it either, considering this colour came out in 2005 and only 20 pets can come in it. If they had done more of a pottery color, where the pets are painted with traditional pottery patterns, that could've been really neat, but this is a waste.

That said, the Kau is the best of the lot; the color is nice and the shading and little pockets and nicks do actually make it look like clay. Not saving the color by a long shot, but at least it's well-rendered.

Split:

Xweetok: My problem with split as a colour is just that purple and orange really aren't... a very appealing color combo? You'd think that TNT would go for something super high-contrast, like black and white, or they would change up the color combo with each pet for individuality, but no. I think they chose these colors to tie into the purple vs. orange Grundo conflict, but why they couldn't leave the purple and orange to the Grundo alone is beyond me.

Anyway, the Xweetok's probably as good as you're getting with split. I like that the colors flip not only in the eyes, but also in the ears and along the stripes. It gives the Xweetok a bit of much-needed visual interest compared to your standard split pet.

Striped:

Meerca: Striped is in the same boat as Split, being an early 2000s colour with little effort put into it and a jarring color palette. Blue and pink is a strange color choice in general, and it tends to be so low-contrast as to hurt the eyes. It's not even the same consistent shade of blue and pink, so I can't even give it points for that.

However, the striped Meerca? The striped Meerca slaps. It's only of only two striped pets that don't follow the regular formula (Ruki being the other) and yeah, the chipmunk look is really nice; it works perfectly thematically and the colors are actually bearable here. If all striped pets were this good, this colour wouldn't even be on this list.

Custard:

Meerca: Another oddly niche color and a reminder that Neopets was made by British people. Custard is just a strange choice for a color; it never looks visually appealing and most pets look similar, making it kind of a counterpart to clay. I could've seen this one being similar to chocolate if more effort was put into it, but as-is, it's pretty boring (and kind of unfortunate looking, frankly).

Don't ask me how we ended up with two Meercas on this list, but if you have to have a custard pet, the custard Meerca is the way to go. Instead of just being drippy plain custard, it's a crème brûlée with nice toasty bits. It's the only custard pet that actually looks somewhat appetizing.

Snot:

Grundo: Snot is just another colour that I don't think anyone ever was asking for; it's just kind of gross, and similar to other colors on this list, tends to look all the same. I've heard some people say this colour could've been fixed by just naming it "slime" instead, but that just makes me want a slime color with different colors of slime and maybe some mix-ins, which is not this.

If you have to go snot, I guess the Grundo is the best. The rendering and shading are pretty good, for better or for worse, and the drippy bits are well-placed. Plus if you want a slime colour, the space alien does make the most sense to be sporting it.

[collecticon-lou]

'Rescue Bots, roll out!' - Legacy: United Rescue Bots Universe Autobot Chase & Age of the Primes Rescue Bot Heatwave

Transformers is interesting cause, at its core, it IS a series made for children. Definitely children on the older side, but children none the less. It's just that there's a sizable adult audience as well, and Hasbro/Takara does their best to appeal to them (me included) while also maintaining a general audience appeal through the extended Generations lines. So, yes, it does feel a little ironic to label Rescue Bots as kid-centric media in a franchise made for kids, but considering it was airing at the same time as the much beloved to this day Transformers: Prime, the moniker makes a bit of sense.

Rescue Bots was def before my time with the franchise, but I have an odd interest with it, nonetheless. And that interests extends to the two cross-line connected figures I am looking at today: Autobot Chase and Rescue Bot Heatwave!

For a bit additional context, Rescue Bots was a 2012 animated series that was aimed for a much younger crowd; if Prime was aimed at the 11-15 year old crowd, Rescue Bots was more for the 5-8 year old crowd. As such, the figures were very simple in transformation, being steps in the single digit if not having an auto transforming gimmick or even transforming at all! This was under Hasbro's Playskool label, after all.

So, in a way, these figures are kinda noteworthy in the sense of being more 'proper' releases of these characters. That is, figures designed with the intent to be collectibles and actually transformed, heh. The Playskool figures served their purposes, but it's nice to get some mainline releases for these guys.

Chase was the first, released in the first wave of deluxes for Legacy: United. He makes for a pretty solid figure, though his arms-to-chest joints can be a bit finicky at points. Very nice head sculpt, and honestly a unique take on ankle pivots I like a lot, where they bend out instead of in like usual. I feel like it helps him remain stable even when having smaller feet. He also comes with very accurate floodlight accessories for his arms, and an equally accurate claw weapon.

His transformation is pretty enjoyable, especially with his legs. My copy had some issues with some excess molding, but I was able to fix those easily, so he fits together rather easily now. He makes a nice little police cruiser, fittingly enough. Even has a space for his claw on the back; always a plus for weapon storage!

In general, Chase really wows me in how accurate they made him to the show. Which like, yeah, I should expect that, but this is Rescue Bots we're talking about. Yeah, it has its fans, but I didn't think they'd take this much care in making him THIS accurate. I suppose it shows they did listen when fans complained about the Prime characters in the initial Legacy line. Good on Hasbro!

Next up is Heatwave, the de facto main character of Rescue Bots, released in the second wave of voyagers for Age of the Primes. Unlike Chase, Heatwave here is a retool, based on the Legacy Bulkhead mold. For Bulkhead, I didn't quite like it cause it felt too square for a character who is more visually round, so I passed on that. For Heatwave, though, I find this a MUCH better fit, if not the best fit for this mold between him, Bulkhead, and Breakdown. Despite the hollowness in the chest, he still feels really solid, holding together super well. The head sculpt is great, especially with that distinct light piping that makes his eyes glow behind the goggles. Love that. The big, blocky build he has also really does make him feel more like an upgraded Playskool toy compared to Chase, which definitely helps in his appeal.

That said...there are some issues. The right arm does sometimes slip off completely from its mushroom peg, and the left arm doesn't stay tabbed in when I move it up and down. I suppose it could be a sign of mold degradation, or it could just be my copy. The articulation overall is still decent enough.

Transformation is a bit more involved, but that's to be expected from a larger voyager. The chest is doing a lot of heavy lifting to make this feel like a fire truck, and even with the textured bed, I wish there was a little something more. Like, Bulkhead and Breakdown both got a tarp shield, and the best they could for Heatwave was a ladder? Not even a hose or something? Like he has a water gun, and it just kinda pegs on the back there, could they have not done a little more with it? Just a good deal of wasted potential.

Alongside the aforementioned water gun and ladder, Heatwave comes with an equally energized axe. Dunno if it was super intentional, but I like how our first two Rescue Bots feature blue, energon-tied weapons with them. Something about it just fits their child-oriented origins. I like it.

Some people were also complaining about his fists being on his chest even while his fists are out, and honestly? Didn't even realize that until it was pointed out. Not saying this isn't a valid criticism, just goes to show what different aspects certain fans focus on.

Overall, I think I like Chase better than Heatwave. I harped on Heatwave a good bit, but I still like the figure, and I'm glad to have it. Chase really is just that good of a figure, though he is an entirely new mold compared to Heatwave being a retool, so the comparison isn't completely fair. That said, I am looking forward to them making more Rescue Bot characters in this style. At the very least, the remaining two of the main four, Blades and Boulder, would be nice to see. Having a complete set would be nice, yeah?

Legacy: United Rescue Bots Universe Autobot Chase: 4.5/5

Age of the Primes Rescue Bot Heatwave: 3/5

[raileurta]

Tfp GL2 Redesign, again

It's almost been six months since I last did my redesigns, and it’s about time I did another.

Design timeline & explanations undercut

Jack

Out of everyone he was the hardest to think of an outfit for. I wanted him to look visually interesting but without taking his grey color pallet. It took some trial and error but eventually I got to this. He's rocking the skirt and jeans combo that I think looks pretty cool. It's functional while being aesthetically appealing. Outside of just looking nice the reason I gave him a skirt is for well 1. I don't think I have ever seen a main male character wear one that is not super effeminate (or exist in the first place) 2. It can give another reason why Vince would bully Jack outside of just being a “loser/social outcast” while also bringing attention to the issues gender non-conforming people face and 3. It helps unite the trio over their shared troubles of not fitting into what society expects of them.

It's hard to see but Jack has a moon symbol on his shirt as a callback to June saying he wanted to be an astronaut when younger. He also got a black eye from the for mention bullying with a bandage covering up some other injury. Jack's got a little bracelet that looks like Arcee on his right hand. On the left which you can't see at all some bandages too. No real reason for the shoes then just to complete the look.

Raf

Most of the time trying to make him was spent figuring out the hair. While the black person with pure white hair is very visually appealing it has been a bit over done. I wanted Raf to have something a bit different so I added a brown tone. I at first tried giving him dreads but I couldn't find anything I liked/that would fit. It was annoying figuring out the middle ground of messy but controlled.

The rest came pretty easy, classic sweater vest over white button down, shoes and socks that I made green to match his eyes, with red shoes plus glasses that I thought looked nice. He also has a big scar on his face that I like to think he got when shot by Megatron. It would resemble something akin to a lighting strike scar. He also has some freckles but you can't see them.

A sling bag instead of a backpack since it's used more outside of school while fitting his outfit more.

Lastly, a bumblebee themed wrist brace. I think it would be cute when Bee gets his new colors Raf points out how they match now. Kinda like a foreshadowing Easter egg. Instead of it being support for needing a cane it's to help with especially bad JIA in his wrist. (Juvenile idiopathic arthritis) It also gives more meaning to “old man” nickname Miko gave Raf.

Miko

My God, were the colors a nightmare to figure out. The main reason my old Miko design was mostly two colors was because figuring the color palette was too hard for me. It was easier but it did not look like Miko enough. *Sigh* I'm pretty sure for their canon designs Miko has more colors than the rest of the kids combined. Regardless, I love how she turned out! I think I got a good middle ground for the “canon look” and my own interpretation.

Here's the timelines:

She has multiple scars on her face from the past “adventures” Miko has had. With how little self preservation this girl has Miko got to at least have some injuries from it. Pink shirt with a cat skull combo on it for cuteness and a bit of darkness. Dark blue overalls as her og design always looked like she had them to me. Some fingerless gloves that I think fit her vibe and her stockings being similar color to the little guys on a canon design belt. Gold colored shoulder pad for a “armor look” and a belt for a tail that matches her tail. In complete honesty the reason she has one is that I also wear a tail too irl. (FOR FASHION, SO DON'T GET ANY WEIRD IDEAS!!!!) Plus the way the animators animated Miko’s hair was kinda like cat ears lol. So it definitely helps the orange cat vibe Miko got going on. A bunny plushie that looks like Bulkhead on her waist. To once again reference the little guys she had and because it's just cute. With shoes that also match her hair.