#so these mods are so common and rarely critiqued

[leemarkies]

every time a skyrim modder gives a dunmer npc pale skin, normal eyes, and a smooth rounded face an angel dies

[vonpharma]

w[h]ip wednesday: blocked by sicktember edition

welcome to whip wednesday! did you know the sicktember mods blocked me despite me being an avid fan of theirs for years, contributing 60 works and over 190k words, and hyping up their event in my social circles the whole time? i still do not know why this happened! i am pretty sure it's because i posted some very lukewarm critique about how the event was being run, on my personal blog where they had to go digging to find it.

i'm obviously heartbroken and pretty stressed about that but i've got a whole spreadsheet of planning done and a shit ton of fills ready to go so whatever. highly recommend not supporting the event this year or for the foreseeable future (there's talks of a new mod. if you're reading this, wanna unblock me?) because i'm starting to think the event runners might just be mean!

do, however, lavish me with praise. i will be writing sickfic until the end of the fucking universe, and when the new sickfic event makes their grand debut i will be kissing their feet.

here's some franmaya from my day 4!

With a confirmation of their reservation—curious, Franziska’s twisting expression seems to say, why would one need a reservation for a botanical garden?—the single employee standing stationary heaves the lock off the gates. They part as if heralding the arrival of something far grander than two young prodigies celebrating an anniversary—not even a proper one, something far more juvenile. Still, Maya feels nothing short of royal as she’s entering the sprawling, lush grounds—and the wonder sewn into every square of Franziska’s face tells her she’s not alone.

“Maya,” Franziska says, wandering toward the boundless stretch of camellia bushes, “what did you… the whole place is…”

“Empty?” Maya grins. “Yeah, happy anniversary, babe. Go wild.”

And Franziska looks at her like she’s hung the stars. How long Maya has waited for that look.

Because Franziska is rich. Loaded, even. There was so little you could buy for the woman who could buy herself anything, especially on Maya’s comparatively meager income. Her only saving grace was in the fact that Franziska was a workaholic to a fault who rarely thought of leisure, or pleasure, or earthly desires—so much so that the religious acolyte from the mountain commune was somehow less detached from those pleasures than she. Maya couldn’t often pay, but she could conceptualize.

This time, though. A year’s worth of saving, and planning, and praying… and finally, with all her ducks in a line, Maya was able to find a gift befitting of the wonderful creature who’d allowed her a space in their shared life. A few hours in the moonlight, wandering around the emerald sprawl of the biggest botanical garden in all of SoCal, with no one to bother them but the bugs chirping in the thicket.

A Franziskan paradise. A perfect night. Or it would be, if not for…

Another muffled sneeze escapes into the collar of her winter jacket, and it takes all of Maya’s willpower not to groan in sore irritation on the tail end of it. They’re starting to hurt, now, barreling through her with little regard for the shredded state of her throat or the date with the pretty girl she is currently trying to go on. It’s been relentless ever since last night, and Maya had hoped and prayed to Mystic Ami herself that she not be sick on her two-year anniversary that she’d spent ages arranging. As fate would have it, though, even Mystic Ami could not cure the common cold.

(Despite what the dusty tomes buried in the archives back home said….)

Luckily, even overdoting Franziska seems far too distracted right about now to notice that’s what’s happening. If this were any other situation, Maya’s sure Franziska’s searing blues would lock onto her like a vulture that’s just spotted a bloating corpse. Thankfully, the flowers are very distracting.

“It’s all…” Franziska is powerwalking from bush to bush in an erratic, excitable zigzag. “Maya Fey, is this whole garden nothing but camellias?”

“I dunno babe,” Maya sniffles once, twice, “you’re the expert. You tell me.”

Coming to a slow halt, Franziska allows herself to look out across the expanse—flowers as far as the eye can see, still in full bloom despite the bite of winter. In all colours, in all sizes, lit only by the far-off insomnia of the city, the moonlight peeking through the cloudy skies.

“I just—” Franziska turns back to Maya, glowing brightest of all, “—can’t believe the variety here, look at all this…”

Maya wanders closer to her side, feeling sunlit despite the chills that are quickly growing harder to ignore. Franziska kneels down to graze a gloved thumb across a velvety red petal, and Maya squats far less elegantly beside her, tilting her head awkwardly back in an attempt to keep her nose from running. 

“I can’t believe it,” Franziska marvels, “Maya, this is quite literally a historical specimen. You’ve brought me to the home of the oldest camellia in all of Southern California.”

“Yo, for real?” Maya stares at the flower, completely unremarkable to her own untrained eye. “Did this bitch know the dinosaurs?”

“No, nothing like that…” Franziska chuckles, continuing to cradle the flower in her hands as though it is the most precious thing in the world. “They’re Asian in origin. This one in particular is one of a kind, having traveled here from Japan in the 1800s.”

“Woah. Just like me for real.”

As she says it, Maya presses her cheek against Franziska’s own, that brand of endearing obnoxiousness that the two of them loved so much. Their hair bunches and tangles in between them, but Franziska leans into her beloved rather than away.

“I didn’t know winter flowers were a thing,” Maya lies, prompting her girlfriend to spring back to her feet, gesticulating vastly and passionately with her arms. 

“Oh, they’re some of the loveliest flowers in existence!” God, she’s so cute when she’s infodumping. “Camellias are some of my favourite of all, in fact I’d even heard of the breadth of this collection of them before coming to the states! It’s comprehensive reputation is largely the work of a single German botanist who traveled here in 1878, so naturally I was already in the know…”

Ever the savant, she carries on. Maya thinks she could listen to a phonebook being read, so long as it was drenched in Franziska’s wonderful, captivating, rounded accent.

[worldbuildguild]

I really can't tell if I am a lousy artist or not because everytime I post something nobody gives me an opinion and i can't help but feel sorry for myself and it sucks. What do you suggest ? Thanks for reading this please have a nice day .

You’re not a lousy artist anon everyone starts somewhere and a lot of time the start is a silent one where feedback of any kind is rare, this is sadly really common and it sucks because feedback is motivating!

At a time like this finding other ways to stay motivated is very important. Why are you drawing? Does it bring you happiness ? Do you want to get better? Do want to achieve a goal? Re-evaluate your focus. A lot of the time, you have to be your main form of support which is so tough!! But know you’re not alone a lot of us have been there and even have to revert back to this principle on multiple occasions, even popular artists.

Maybe get involved in fanbases you like and create fanart for them, a lot of our mods have suggested this since it’s a really beneficial way to grow a following. People tend to gravitate to something they recognize and to someone they share similar interests to and with an active following you have more chances for feedback.

If you’re just posting on tumblr, post somewhere else too, letting your art be viewed from various social platforms allows people to have more access to you. Join an active art discord, engage on social media, write feedback to other artists, take the initiative and be the support you would love to receive! This is how you meet really great people and get a support chain going! 

In the mean time remember to draw what you love and find most enjoyable but you’re not a lousy artist anon you’re a growing artist! Keep drawing and know that you can always get critiques and feedback here, we’re rooting for you! 💖

-Mod Doe, with added suggestions from Mod Seraphtonin, Mod SugarQuill and Mod Pixielart 💕

—- 

I’ll add to this and say that I’ve personally been there and I still am, even after having worked with my art professionally for years. A lack of presence and feedback is not always connected to your skill level - so don’t let that discourage you. Sometimes when you want critique you have to grab people personally and shove your art at them, to force them to have and voice their opinion. It’s just how people work. 

 - Mod Wackart

[danyelle756games]

Where to get a good gaming laptop yahooanswers

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[schpiedehl]

Reasons I hate the Hamilton fandom

Disclaimer: I’m a mod of one Hamilton fb group, an admin of another much smaller group, have seen the show twice, and a huge fan of many of the actors and creatives, not just the original cast. I am entrenched in the Hamilton fandom and have been for nearly 2 years so all of this comes from personal experiences with the fandom. I do not hate the actual musical and having talked to many folks and made friends through this fandom, I can confirm that it has had a positive effect on many people, especially aspiring actors of color. I had criticisms of the actual musical (reductive view of American history, perpetrates American exceptionalism, bootstraps narrative, not as feminist as fans insist, etc) but I’m mostly just addressing the issues within the fandom not within the media. The problems with the fandom is nebulous and manifold so I’m gonna try to be as thorough as possible here: - for those that don’t know, Hamilton is a show made by POC creatives for actors of color. The casting is not “color blind” it is racially conscious. All leads always, aside from the silly, villainous King George, are intended to be played by actors of color and the much of the fandom absolutely REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS. It ranges from the benign-seeing assertions that Hamilton is colorblind and therefore race of the actor doesn’t matter as much as talent (false, with the underlying belief that a white actor will somehow be better suited/more talented in a role that is literally not written for them) to petulant assertions that one white fan or another will be the first white actor to play x role, to erasing the racial identities of light-skinned black, latinx, and asian actors to fit the manufactured narrative that white actors can and have played principal roles and the show is therefore colorblind. Fans are quick to point out the ambiguous wording of “America then told by America now,” intended to subtly indicate POC, as meaning white folk, despite the continuous assertions by the creatives that this is simply not the case. - whitewashing in fan art. Hand in hand with the refusal by many white fans to acknowledge the fact that Hamilton the Musical is intended for POC, white fan artist almost universally draw the actors-as-characters with lighter skin, lighter eyes, and more typically European features. Lin, who played Hamilton in the original cast, is a Latino man of mixed race heritage with tan skin, black hair, and dark eyes yet fan art of him as Hamilton is nearly always pale, red haired, and sometimes even blue-eyed. Artists will defend this as interpretation and some will even indicate that Hamilton was white irl so this is more accurate but Hamilton irl and Lin were nothing alike and he presence of a goatee in Hamilton Fan art is an indisputable sign that the artist is drawing Lin, not the real life, baby faced Hamilton. Dark skinned actors like Okieriete Onaodowan (Hercules Mulligan in the original cast) are rarely drawn and when they are they tend to be heavily lightened. - characters deemed queer by the fandom - notably John Laurens who was thought to be gay or bi in real life by many historians - is often heavily feminized in fan art, despite the fact neither the character nor the actual figure are ever noted as being particularly effeminate. This is of course fetishization symptomatic of applying heteronormativity to gay relationships. - fans often reject and demonize female characters. This is not universal but many fans have negative reactions to Hamilton’s wife, Eliza (and ignore and/or demonize her in regards to the gay ship of Hamilton/Laurens, despite Laurens having died shortly after Hamilton married Eliza. Hamilton fans believe almost universally that Hamilton was bi irl, which is supported by historical consensus, but the notion of him actually being with a woman repulses much of the fandom. - basically standard biphobia). Fans are also extremely gross about Maria Reynolds. - a separate part of the fandom refuses to acknowledge both the historical consensus of the Hamilton/Laurens relationship and the fact that that musical contains several intentional references to it. I’ve been told many times to keep that “gay shit” out of the fandom. - shipping wars of course. - blind worship of the characters either without regard to their historical counterparts or including their historical counterparts. - slavery apologism. Comparing slaves to modern consumer items and/or farm animals to demonstrate the ubiquity of slavery and/or people’s mindset regarding it. While it is true that people are the product of their time, “everyone owned slaves” and “you cannot judge them by the Norms of our culture” are common silencing/apologist techniques which both lack nuance and perpetuate racist ideals. It also erases the fact that abolitionism and moral opposition to slavery existed not only in post-revolution society but also within the very people who owned slaves. Thomas Jefferson wrote that slavery was the worst evil while simultaneously owning and raping slaves. - I’ve encountered at least one person with a bona fide slavery fetish. That’s not the fandom as a whole but it is worth noting. - abhorrent beliefs are common re: Thomas Jefferson’s relationship with Sally Hemings. - this has basically been covered above but rampant racism is not uncommon in this fandom. You get the distinct feeling that a sizeable portion has never once interacted with a person of color before, based on the ways they claim ownership over the actors, portray the characters, talk about racial issues, etc - speaking of the actors: fans are very gross toward the actors in a variety of different ways. - fans fetishize the fuck out of Daveed Diggs, who played Jefferson in the original cast. Diggs, for reference is a biracial black Jewish man, a rapper, actor, and activist best known outside of Hamilton for his work with clipping., which includes an extremely politically charged afrofuturist space rap opera. Fans tend to do a couple things in regards to Diggs. One, they conflate him with irl Jefferson leading so some really and truly bizarre headcanons and fan interpretations. Diggs himself has no love for irl Jefferson and has - along with the rest of the cast - cautioned fans against romanticizing the real figures, apparently to limited success. More heinously, however, I have seen people claiming ownership of Digg’s body and hair (claiming they would be upset if his cut it, or would stop being his fan even), made comments about keeping him as a sex slave, fetishizing his ethnic features, or even denying his blackness in favor of fetishizing his white, Jewish heritage. I’ve even seen a white woman comment that she wanted to kill diggs’ black girlfriend, skin her, and wear her as a suit to attract Diggs. No fucking joke. Diggs work as a musician is loved by many fans but others reject it as “scary black music.” - this happens with other actors tho not as much as Diggs. Fans have made plenty of comments about Okieriete Onaodowan’s “big black spy on the inside,” for instance, showing further capacity to fetishize black bodies. - for many fans, the original cast can do no wrong. They will go out of their way to justify and forgive anything that can be seen as problematic rather than acknowledging that they can still like a person that has problematic aspects. - or conversely, they gang up on actors on twitter, or tag them in hate/undeservedly negative critique. - replacements and non-OBC casts are largely ignored and several of the actors have been trolled or sent hate simply because they are not the originals. There is also the mindset that no one could ever be better than the original and the show is not worth seeing without the originals which is extremely disrespectful toward the replacement actors. - a large portion of the fandom claims that Hamilton is the only rap they like, or that they don’t like hip hop at all. When the Hamilton mixtape - and album featuring inspired-bys and covers of Hamilton songs by contemporary singers and rappers, was released fans HATED IT, many pointed out that they hated the hip hop sound and the “bastardization” of the music. Many of the songs on the Mixtape were by artists which inspired Hamilton in the first place. - a lot of the fans are just plain cringey. Bad head canons which become more ubiquitous than the actual canon portrayals, extremely forceful when it comes to trying to “convert” people, extremely adverse to any kind of criticism of the musical, history, or the actors, obnoxious at cons, etc. - art theft is rampant - extreme classism re: bootlegs especially - older fans have a tendency to be extremely abusive toward younger fans. Not all young fans are bad but bad memes and stupid references are met with extreme, quick, and unwarranted vitriol.

[mlmshadowhuntersource-blog]

i've never written sexual alec/lydia, period and anyone who is perpetuating that has not read the fic in question. i am a queer woman but not mlm, so i can't speak faithfully to whether any of my fics have come across as fetishistic, but if they have i would welcome the feedback on how to grow and improve

Hi! I (mod Ira) have taken the liberty of providing some pointers to your writing. First, and most importantly, I’d like to discuss non-platonic Alec/Lydia in fic. Something much of fandom seems unable to understand is that Lydia and Alec’s relationship is inherently toxic. In the beginning of season one, we see Alec as a terrified closeted gay man, willing to commit suicide before being outed to anyone. Lydia knows he has feelings for Magnus before they get married, and goes through with it anyway. She was in a position of power over him, because she never expected him to back out of the marriage, and so takes advantage of him. After the wedding kiss, Alec says that Lydia letting him go saved his life.

Many non-mlm have trouble understanding that writing non-platonic Alec/Lydia is inherently homophobic. Lydia was more than Alec’s temporary beard. Lydia was a manipulative person who took advantage of Alec’s trauma to gain an Institute. Creating au’s in which they are planning to marry is trivializing the trauma and internalized homophobia from Alec’s experiences of living in such a deeply homophobic society. Mlm can write this in order to relate it to their own experiences, and some even find it helpful to work through their own related trauma. People who are not mlm shouldn’t use it as a plot device to further Alec and Magnus’s relationship.

I’d also like to discuss a common trope in malec fics. The infantilization of Alec Lightwood in order to make him more desirable for sex is fetishistic. This is seen in your fics No Sweeter Innocence and blow me (one last kiss). Sexual inexperience is different from being bashful, blushing and embarrassed, especially when the Alec we see on screen is nothing like that. Alec in canon would resent being coddled and being seen as an innocent baby who doesn’t understand what he wants enough to articulate asking to be taken to bed, why do you write him that way? 

Another issue we see is Magnus as the Ever Giving Partner while Alec sits around sucking him dry of affection. The balance between their affection is concerning. Why is Magnus the one constantly smothering Alec in love and pet-names while Alec is allowed to eat it up and never give back? Furthermore, there is again not much evidence in canon to support this. Alec is the one seen giving Magnus gifts, initiating intimacy, confessing his feelings first, and seeking Magnus out for company. Rarely is it the other way around. Why do you see Magnus as the one who lives and breathes affection and waxes poetic about Alec, and why do you see Alec as the one who has most of the orgasms and let’s Magnus coddle him? 

On a more personal note, we never said your fics were garbage. Many of your fics are very sweet, I enjoyed your Found Family ‘Verse quite a lot! And yes, we’re giving you feedback to improve your writing, like you asked, even though mlm don’t exist to keep non-mlm from being fetishistic. The amount of entitlement to ask for an explanation and then vague us on your blog before actually receiving a response is astounding. I hope this was helpful!!!

Hey, it’s Tyler here. If you’re still reading I have commentary, too. First off, I am going to say that I am at fault - I should have read your works before taking the word of someone else (who was a mlm so I did trust his word, and still do). It is totally on me for not fact checking and I will remember to fact check before I state things as fact. However, he was not wrong to say your works were fetishistic nor was he wrong in suggesting we not rec your fics. (There was fetishization in your fics and while there was not sexual Alec/Lydia, there was romantic Alec/Lydia).

Onto your fic: First Comes Love. As Ira mentioned earlier, Alec is infantilized a lot. But most notably is how you write him as if he’s unable to make decisions or do anything for himself when that isn’t the Alec we see on screen. You make Lydia the decision maker (which she is, canonically, but so is Alec) and you make Magnus… well, I wouldn’t call it predatory but it’s really uncomfortable how he flirts with Alec, notices Alec’s uncomfortable, stops briefly, and then starts flirting again. Yes, Magnus is flirty but I don’t believe he would flirt with anyone when he knows they’re uncomfortable. (I mean, canonically Magnus told Alec he would back off if he [Alec] could say he was in love/loved Lydia and canonically Magnus did tell Maryse he would leave if Alec told him to).

I know Ira didn’t read “First Comes Love” but the whole dynamic between Alec and Magnus was… well, I wouldn’t say it is predatory because I’m not a 100% sure it is but it is uncomfortable. I think what makes it uncomfortable is how Alec has been infantilized to a point where it is completely out of character for him.

However, I’m not here to tell you how to better that fic because I actually discourage it. I read your disclaimer but ignoring canon, the relationship you have written is extremely unhealthy. It is very one-sided, Lydia seems to be the voice in the relationship and the one who ‘runs’ the relationship to the point Alec doesn’t really have an opinion on anything.

Anyway, I want to talk about your disclaimer.

Updated A/N: Just to clarify, I tagged this fic as ‘alec/lydia’ and added an extra warning tag because I know some people don’t want to read alec/women regardless of context and I want to respect that.

Ask yourself why do people not want to read Alec/women regardless of context? It’s not just a matter of it being uncomfortable. Yes, it is uncomfortable but it is also extremely disrespectful. It is disrespectful because it is taking an experience that a lot of gay men relate to and may have been through and turned it into a plot device. Our lives, our experiences, are not meant to be used as plot devices in fanfiction and they are not meant to be used by non-mlm.

And furthermore, if you wanted to respect us not wanting to read Alec/women (or, for some, not even wanting to see Alec/women) you would not write it. Period. Full stop.

As a gay man, when I watched that episode I can’t even describe the amount of pain and discomfort I experienced because I thought Alec was going to marry Lydia. Just imagine the pain and discomfort I experienced as an outsider, as someone just watching a tv show, now amplify that by a 1000 and you probably have the exact feeling that Alec felt, that every mlm who was forced into a straight marriage/relationship.

However, two things about this story, 1) Alec is gay, 2) the only pairing presented romantically is Alec/Magnus. Not offended if it’s still not your cup of tea, but just want to make that clear if people are trying to judge from tags alone.

It isn’t, though. Alec/Lydia is presented as a romantic pairing. In the fic, they are engaged- that is an inherently romantic relationship. You cannot write a relationship where two characters are engaged or even married and then turn around and say, “oh but it’s not romantic” because those are romantic relationships.

That’s all I have to say on that and if you’re still around I also read “Blow Me (One Last Kiss).” But I have to agree with Ira on literally everything that he said. Also one thing they didn’t address is… please if you’re going to write smut, please say ‘dick’ or ‘penis’ - not length.

Also not to critique a smut scene because that was the last thing I thought I’d be doing at 6 o’clock on a Monday morning but I feel like it would be physically impossible for Alec to do what you’re saying he is doing. Unless Alec just doesn’t have a gag reflex.

On a personal note. I would like to say something about the vaguing which I didn’t really appreciate when I saw your blog. You messaged us, probably seeking an apology, and feedback. Which we were both very happy to give but after we saw your blog we were kind of… thrown. I can’t speak for Ira but for me, personally, I found it childish. Why message us then vague us or vague us then message us? I get vaguing, I vague people all the time, but I don’t turn around and message them - or vice versa.

I’m gonna be frank, had you not messaged us we never would have seen your vague and you know what that’s perfectly fine. You can talk shit about us and spread lies and over-exaggerate what I said (not Ira, because they weren’t a mod at the time) and I frankly don’t give a fuck. I would rather someone not message me giving off the air of politeness and civility and then turn around and talk shit. That’s fake as hell.

But onto your vague posts which I have some problems with because some of the things really rubbed me the wrong way. Specifically the amount of entitlement.

“apparently a sh mlm blog rec’d one of my fics but then removed it and like made a recant post basically saying someone had told them i write fetishistic fic and ‘sexual alec/lydia’ so they would never post any of my fic again.”

Specifically the “so they would never post any of my fic again” part rubbed me the wrong way. You are not entitled to our spaces and we do not owe it to you to promote your fic, especially if we don’t feel the material you are writing is something that should be promoted. We are not here to promote the fics of people who fetishize mlm or portray Alec/Lydia. Actually, our blog’s purpose is to raise up the voices of mlm and we aren’t obligated to promote anyone who isn’t mlm. But the fact that you felt entitled to our spaces is just beyond infuriating.

i dunno how many followers they have but they posted my ao3 tag and everything

As of this posting we have 108. And I didn’t “post [your] ao3 tag and everything.” I stated your ao3 username, yes, but I hardly call that “everything.” I posted what I did because I choose to try and take responsibility for my actions - as I am doing right now.

(and like, tbf i would try to be open to whatever criticism this person has on the first point because i’m not mlm obvs so i’m sure i’m not perfect by any stretch, but the second point could only be made by someone who’s literally never read my fic so..)

On this part… if someone asks us for feedback, I will give it to them. However, it is not our job to go out of our way to educate every single fetishistic or homophobic fic writer. Your job, as a writer and as someone portraying mlm when you are not a mlm, is to go out and do the research and educate yourself and make sure you’re not portraying us in a negative/fetishistic light. Not to sit back and publish your work until someone comes along and tells you, “hey this is fetishistic” or “this is homophobic.” Your job, as a writer, is to make sure that doesn’t happen.

And our job, as mlm, is to make sure we aren’t promoting fics that are homophobic and/or fetishistic. (And yes, you can be homophobic despite being a queer woman and stating that you’re a queer woman is not a get out of jail free card).

if you don’t want to read my fics that’s awesome but since you haven’t actually read them can you maybe not tell everyone else they’re garbage? thanks

Neither of us has said your fics are garbage so again with the twisting of our words and over-exaggeration. All I said was that someone brought it to my attention that you write fetishistic portrayals of mlm (which you do) and sexual Alec/Lydia (which you don’t, but you do write romantic Alec/Lydia) and that I would not rec your fics on a blog by mlm for mlm. And that is fully within my rights. We do not have to cater to you or any non-mlm.

I said anyone could follow as long as they are respectful of the fact that this is a safe space for mlm because I feel non-mlm should be able to hear our thoughts on how mlm are portrayed and see proper portrayals of mlm.

But I will not tolerate people feeling entitled to our spaces because the only people entitled to this space is mlm.

[scriptautistic]

About Us - Mod Aira

Hi, I’m Mod Aira! I’m here to answer all your questions about writing autistic characters.

So who is this chick, that she thinks she’s such an expert?

Well, I’m a 31-year-old autistic woman, that’s who. So that’s about 31 years of experience, friends.

Aside from living my life as an autistic person, I’ve also devoted a large part of my spare time over the last decade or so to learning more about the differences between autistic and “allistic” (non-autistic) people. This includes a lot of reading, both of materials written by “researchers” and lots of blogs, books, and other materials written by real life autistic people. I also have a few autistic friends in real life, and we talk about things together, and lots of autistic friends online who are usually happy to share their experiences. So I have a good balance of understanding of what we all have in common, and what is different from person to person (hint: it’s a lot).

Aside from obsessively becoming an expert on my own mind, I’ve also spent a lot of time trying to educate those around me as to what “autistic” actually means. It’s startling to me just how skewed and uninformed most people’s opinions are, and even more startling that they’d rather believe something they saw in a documentary than something their real-life autistic friend tells them. But then, it’s not really their fault, is it? You can only form opinions based on the information you’re given, and sadly, there’s just not that much good info out there in the mainstream yet. That’s where you guys come in: if you can write authentic autistic characters into your work, you can help autistic people around the world in more ways than you might imagine.

A little more detailed info on me:

Work: I'm an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher (I've worked from preschool through secondary school and also taught adults for a few years, mostly business English). I currently teach both in a primary school and in a secondary school, plus some private lessons with pre-teen students. I have helped to "diagnose" autistic students who needed extra help and currently tutor one such student, acting as both English teacher and mentor. In the past I also assisted an autistic preschooler at his school for a year. I'm also a professional writer and editor, mostly educational content, but also fiction.

Personal: I’m American and lived in the US until I was 23, then I moved to the Czech Republic, where I currently live and plan to remain. I can provide perspectives on the US as well as The CR. I am cisgender but very androgynous and have always been called a “tomboy”. I am primarily attracted to men but have dated women in the past and am open to doing so again. I am not religious but respect others’ right to believe whatever they want as long as they don’t use it to hurt anyone, and I did a lot of study on world religions in university so as to better understand members of all religions.

Hobbies: I am a lifelong gamer and spend most of my spare time playing games and making Let’s Play videos and game critiques for my YouTube channel. I am very interested in game design and am slowly developing several of my own games. I also love drawing, writing, and reading. I enjoy long walks out in nature, away from people. I’ve always had cats and I love them more than humans. I also really love kids and enjoy talking to them and playing with them.

Autistic: I am usually verbal (able to communicate face-to-face using spoken or sign language). I am fluent in Czech Sign Language and know a little bit of ASL and ISL. I also go nonverbal when very stressed and am able to answer questions about that (there will be a masterpost on this topic in the near future). I am extremely hypersensitive (to everything – sound, lights, movement, touch, smell, etc...) and at constant risk of sensory overload. When I get overloaded, I sometimes "shut down" (lose communication skills and seem to detach from the world), and if pushed, I do have meltdowns. I am able to do my jobs because of my carefully-constructed schedule and because the labor laws in this country permit fewer working hours and more holiday time. I would likely not do well professionally in the US.

I do okay socially because I've always been good at mimicry and reasonably good at judging when to parrot which words/actions, and because I live in a place where the people around me understand how I am different and do not expect me to act like a "typical" non-autistic person. However, growing up I was extremely isolated, had no friends, and was bullied on a daily basis, as well as severely emotionally abused at home. I am currently fully independent, live alone with my cat, and manage everything in my life without any major assistance. I do have a few concessions at work involving being excused from noisy, chaotic events and being permitted to leave long meetings when necessary.

Comorbid: In addition to being autistic, I have some other issues to deal with. I have bipolar disorder - usually I struggle with depression which began very young (when I was about 8), but on rare occasions (usually due to being given improper medication or a traumatic inciting event) I get periods of mania. My mania is not the euphoric, hyperactive mania most people hear about, but it’s rooted in anxiety which goes to the extreme of paranoia. I also have a sleep disorder which is tentatively diagnosed as narcolepsy. I say tentative because unfortunately, my insurance won’t pay for a sleep study, which is necessary for proper diagnosis. My doctor has given me the current tentative diagnosis based on my symptoms alone, but cannot give me medication. I also have a variety of health problems, most of which are in some way related to my hypersensitivity.

Belief: I am a very strong believer that "autism" is in no way a "disorder" and is only classified as such because of gross misunderstandings. Autistic and "allistic" people all have their strengths and weaknesses, and I'm a proponent of "neurodiversity", the idea that it is beneficial, even necessary, for the human race's survival that we have a diverse array of types of brains and types of people, and that labeling one type as "normal/correct" and all others as "disordered/disabled/broken/wrong" is a massive mistake. There will also be a masterpost on this. I should note that not all autistic people agree with me.

I think that's enough info for now – worry not, there is much more to come! Thanks so much for reading, and I'm looking forward to your questions!

-Mod Aira

[kalachand97-blog]

New Post has been published on Globeinfrom

New Post has been published on https://globeinform.com/this-weeks-highs-and-lows-in-computer-gaming/

This week's highs and lows in Computer gaming

Bayonetta was given a marvel release on Pc this week and not only is the port pleasant great (it’s Durante permitted!), it’s one of the excellent games I’ve performed this yr. Phil included all of it in his evaluation, but I’ll recap right here: The fight gadget is expressive and animated fantastically, the story is a dopey melodramatic comedy that relentlessly pokes amusing at video game tropes, and for the whole thing of its playtime, Bayonetta miraculously keeps to escalate. It’s tough to agree with this game released in 2009. And what’s up, it’s simplest $20, which is about one-third of what I’d gladly pay for it these days.

Tom Senior: Headstart

The begin of the 12 months was once a real drought. Some video games may slip from their planned Autumn launch date and fall into the wastelands of February. This year is specific. Take a look at out our video games of 2017 spherical up and you see exceptional Jap hack ‘n minimize RPG Nier: Automata; the first-rate adventure sport we’ve performed in a while, Thimbleweed Park; and some engrossing space 4X in Stellaris. Plus, even though it took its sweet time, Bayonetta is finally out on Pc.

I am hoping this early rush of best is a sign of things to come back. Because of the major meetings—E3, Gamescom—maintain to seem less worthwhile to publishers, we might see the enterprise’s traditional cycles—pre-E3 tease, E3 announce, fingers-on Sept, release Oct—begin to fragment. Outside of Computer land, the Legend of Zelda, Character five, Night and Horizon Zero Sunrise have proven that—gasp—human beings like buying and gambling cool games all 12 months round. here’s hoping for extra splendid video games in early 2018.

I am pretty happy that we show up to live within the size that gets a couple of Rick and Morty video games within the identical month. Properly, one turned into a Grand Theft Car five mod, but the idea of mad scientist Rick invading Los Santos seems extra than suitable, given the amount of destruction and careless mayhem Rick brings to Earth in the course of the display. I mainly just like the component in this video showcasing the mod in which GTA’s strippers are model-swapped for Rick. It is nearly canon.

Virtual Rick-quality, then again, looks like a fair greater ridiculous Process Simulator paired with a few original voice work from Justin Roiland and with any luck A few others, which is greater than sufficient to get me to strap on a VR headset again.

Chris Livingston: area Evaders

Missile Cards is a unmarried-player turn-based card sport, in that you need to guard your space base against falling threats like comets and bombs (as in Missile Command). Playing cards cycle through an airlock, one by one, and you positioned them into play as protection (missiles, weapons, lasers, and diverse strength-ups) while threats inch closer and toward your susceptible base. I have been playing it here and there: a hand most effective takes a couple of minutes, so It is super to squeeze in at some stage in a wreck or a short meal. Its unfashionable look and soundtrack give it a pleasant feel, and its low device requirements make it ideal for a pc as Well. It’s difficult—I experience like I rarely virtually win a spherical—however fun, and It’s just a few bucks on Steam. Take a look at it out.

This week was Eastern Pc Gaming Week right here on Laptop Gamer, and our very personal Wes Fenlon prepares an absolute whirlwind of cool capabilities. Durante did a fantastic port analysis of Bayonetta, I got an excuse to put in writing extra about Valkyria Chronicles, and Chris played a peculiar jigsaw puzzle sport with animated women. but my favorite piece became a look at the Laptop’s recent upward thrust in Japan, which was eye-establishing to mention the least. It is easy to write off the reasons for Japan’s disinterest inside the Laptop, but Wes had a few surprising insights (like having to pay for Steam video games at a 7-11) that I absolutely by no means might have taken into consideration. I fantastically recommend you examine what he has to say.

Tuan Nguyen: Subspace: Continuum

Sometimes returned inside the yr 2002 even as visiting a chum’s house, I used to be shown a game known as Subspace. It turned into this lovable top-down space shooter recreation in which you helmed a tiny little ship and went on a rampage on what appeared like an endless map. Lots of humans had been gambling it, and I found it to be an exceptional mix between Asteroids and AOL Immediately Messenger—you could recall it one of the earliest MMOs.

I’d forgotten approximately the sport after that, but during the years stored thinking back to the laugh I had at the same time as playing it. Regrettably, I forgot what that game became referred to as. I saved asking my Computer gaming buddies in the event that they’ve ever played this ‘extraordinary space shooter game that became top down and had walls in space.’ No person became capable of identify what I used to be regarding, till these days. Seemingly, it’s referred to as Subspace: Continuum now and is available on Steam. What a first-rate throwback to my teens.

Desirable and Bad in Gaming Gaming is one in every of the biggest hobbies or even careers inside the global. people play video games for a laugh or mastering whilst others document movies about the video games. In this newsletter, I’m able to recognition more on gaming itself and no longer so much the facet of how to make gaming motion pictures. Game enthusiasts are available all different a long time, genders, religions, locations and shapes. The backgrounds of individuals who are Game enthusiasts make gaming that much more a laugh.

Backgrounds of Game enthusiasts can play a component in the form of games that humans play. There are all styles of combos for one-of-a-kind categories relating to the sort of games and sort of Gamers. You really want to look at the game’s internet site to get all of the pertinent data previous to shopping for.

There are numerous online platforms wherein you could purchase video games from including Steam or Humble Bundle. Those web sites will give you the description, videos via the employer, photos, consumer and non-consumer tags, critiques, website, enterprise and their social account(s). Be aware the sport’s website might not show you the whole thing you need to realize. As a minimum, a gaming company will display a quick income pitch description, a small amount of photographs (5 at pleasant), one or two videos by means of them and their social accounts. The maximum they may provide is an informative description, their social debts, consumer opinions and motion pictures with the aid of them.

Allow’s dive properly into what is perceived as negative about gaming. The general public of the bad things approximately games come from the actual-lifestyles people on Those games, the kind of video games and the varieties of games for the wrong character. A recreation can be poorly made but It’s no longer always the case in which the game itself is Horrific. It may be wherein it become the wrong kind of recreation for the incorrect character. That is wherein the types are available in. Maybe a sport has a bit of violence. That doesn’t make it Bad; it simply makes it the wrong sort of sport for a seven 12 months antique. Or Maybe you obtain a puzzle game for a person who loves motion kind games. So the movement loving character may not experience it, however, That does not make the puzzle sport Horrific!

The forms of games are endless from nudity, pills, and alcohol, horror, playing with cash and greater. Those different sorts are incorrect for adolescents Game enthusiasts in addition to incorrect for those who don’t like seeing such things.

Gaming has True and Horrific facets much like everything else. The key is how Good and Awful are Those facets. As an example, a few video games have a Horrific side with gamers that like to combat a lot. This is common in video games. Apprehend for a whole lot of Game enthusiasts this isn’t a big deal; but, for youngsters who are new to the sport or even gaming in wellknown, this could be frustrating. There are times when you need to avoid the Awful aspects altogether. There are instances when the best outweighs the Awful. If this takes place and there aren’t any issues with the game itself; then the Horrific side is just that one little fly in your room which isn’t any huge deal. Caution: If the Bad outweighs the coolest, I would strongly suggest keeping off that recreation.

Some other component that human beings will nag a sports developer or creator approximately is representation. Ought to I say, a loss of representation which isn’t always confined to race, body kind and message in the sport. If you are able to personalize your individual, then of the path you may no longer have a problem with representation. There may be a trouble in some video games where they don’t constitute robust and clever ladies, minority women and adult males, big, small, tall, and short women and adult males. Observe how I failed to placed “adult males” after a woman for sturdy? It’s due to the fact males in video games are continually represented as robust and smart.

In games that display a male robust and smart, he will primarily probable be white, tall, skinny, film famous person searching and buff. you will hardly ever see him be a minority, quick, overweight, now not buff, nerdy searching, at the same time as nonetheless being strong and clever. You notice this even much less for females. some women in video games also are white, tall, skinny and sturdy whilst displaying skin like no day after today. You best see Those women in MMO games (Massively Multiplayer online Position gambling recreation) though. RPG video games are supposed for delusion worlds where you broadly speaking fight humans and monsters. Of direction the women’ stats will be sturdy but they won’t appearance robust.

In maximum video games, after they upload a man or woman for you to play they always add a white male first, then a white lady, then a black male, and then a black woman. They don’t even truely upload people who are mixes of races or in among. In terms of the black characters they simplest add one colour of “black” or “African-American” and no longer every black person on this planet is that coloration.

In video games, The general public of the characters is usually thin and tall. You do not absolutely see characters which can be short and thin, tall and overweight, short and chubby, and so forth. There are a variety of folks that aren’t thin and who are not tall.

Then finally, There is the mental message that is going with the gender, race, and frame type. What do I imply by means of the mental message? a few games send an oblique message approximately that man or woman being strong and smart or something else. whilst for different games it could be a intellectual message either on motive or not. As an example, in the sport you play and also you see a minority woman who is brief, overweight, nerdy looking and her traits are to be a goof ball, naive, and dumb. It is able to ship a mental message to you that humans that look like her are similar to her. They are not smart, they are not skinny, and are not tall. They did poorly in college, and so forth. and so on. So that you begin thinking The ones things based on not only seeing this in that recreation over and over again, but whilst it happens in other video games too.