#some examples of either type include:

[dejablonde]

I'm pretty sure there's only two types of bassists in this world

- quiet, probably dorky man with long hair (coin flip on whether he plays only 4 notes or approximately ALL the notes)

- the hottest woman you've ever seen in your life

[ollypopwrites]

The thing about having a Type ™️ is that there is always the exception and they drive you a special form of crazy

[pipermca]

New AO3 Tag Wrangling Policy and the Transformers Fandom

Edit in the event people come back to the original post: Please do not email AO3 about this issue. See their response about this issue!

(This is a long one, folks, but I think it's important.)

A new tag-wrangling policy on AO3 has the potential to create some massive confusion and chaos in the Transformers fanfic community, with regards to fandom tags. There is a Reddit post about it here with a focus on anime fandoms, but I want to give some concrete examples for the Transformers fandom on why we DO NOT WANT this, and why I think it's a horrible idea.

The Problem

Basically, AO3 is looking to get rid of the "All Media Types" fandom tag across the board, either by dismantling them or just not maintaining them. The Transformers - All Media Types tag has been an all-purpose tag that you could select when your story doesn't fall into any one specific continuity. Additionally, all most (see below) TF continuities on AO3 are considered a subtag of the Transformers - All Media Types tag. For example, if you look at the link above for all works in the All Media Types tag, you will see fics that are also tagged ONLY with Transformers: Animated, because it falls under the All Media Types tag.

One exception: With the upcoming Transformers: One movie coming out imminently, there will likely be a big influx of stories tagged with Transformers: One. In fact, there are several already. However, it hasn't been linked to the larger Transformers - All Media Types tag yet. I wasn't worrying about it though, because I know these things can take time.

With information about this new tagging policy, however, I'm now wondering whether it'll EVER get linked to the All Media Types tag. If that happens, and when more continuities are developed in the coming years (since you know Hasbro loves creating new universes) this has the potential to cause massive confusion when looking for stories to read.

Searching for Stories with the New Tagging System

So let's say the All Media Types fandom tag isn't accurate anymore, because it no longer includes ALL of the continuities (such as TF:One). You will need to include ALL the Transformers continuities when browsing for TF fics.

How many tags is that? Well, here are all of the tags currently listed under the Transformers - All Media Types tag:

Note that this doesn't include Transformers: One since it hasn't been categorized yet.

You will potentially have to have 40 or more different fandom tags in your search, just in case the author tagged their story with something you weren't expecting.

This massively decreases the findability of a story.

Tagging with the New System

The email response from the Tag Wrangling group (see the linked Reddit post above) seems to be a bit flip in the response to the user's concern. "...encourages creators to tag with the media they intend."

While I appreciate what they are attempting to do, this policy change feels like a solution in search of a problem, especially in larger fandoms with multiple continuities, versions, and media types that are all cross-pollinated in both canon and fanon. While I'm focusing on Transformers fandom, imagine a creator in the DC comic universe writing a story that incorporates bits and pieces from a dozen different reboots.

For example, let's say that I am writing a fic about Ratchet. I am using the setting of the original G1 episodes, but I also am using the characterization of him as a bit of an old man grump. That characterization originated in the Animated continuity, but I want to incorporate bits of pieces of his other characterizations as well (old friend of Optimus from TFP, Ratchet ran a faction-free clinic like he did in the War for Cybertron series, he's got a Decepticon boyfriend like in IDW1 - or maybe even Cyberverse, etc.)

With this new tagging structure, I might potentially have to tag the story with ALL of those continuities. So instead of just slapping down the "All Media Types" tag (and maybe one other fandom tag that matches the characters as best I can), I'll have to analyze my story and try to figure out how best to tag for the characters I used.

And what if you're doing a completely AU version of the story? For example, a humanformers story, or merformers? Using the All Media Types tag along with a Alternate Universe - Human or Alternate Universe - Mermaid tag worked perfectly, since you weren't writing the story to fit into one specific continuity. But now, that might not be an option.

What To Do??

The first thing I would suggest is to contact AO3 (using the Feedback and Support page) and let them know (nicely) that you think this is a horrible idea. Give them some examples on how you use the All Media Types tag to find stories to read, or to help you tag a story. People outside of the Transformers fandom don't always appreciate how absolutely tangled the continuities can be with each other, and providing examples might help them see why this would be a really messy change.

Readers: Be aware that when you are looking in the All Media Types tag, it will no longer show newer continuities. And if AO3 starts dismantling that tag like they suggested they are doing, be aware that some stories won't show up in that tag like they used to. You can also create and then bookmark a custom search page that includes all 40+ continuities. REALLY annoying, but it's a workaround.

Writers: Until they start dismantling the All Media Types tag, ALWAYS ALWAYS tag your stories using Transformers - All Media Types... Especially for newer continuities. This will be especially important if you are writing a Transformers: One story. Right now, anyone who is only browsing the All Media Types tag will not see a story tagged only with Transformers: One. Make sure you're aware of how tags work and how they can affect the visibility and findability of your story.

Epilogue

Ugh. That's a lot of words for a long-weekend Saturday. And maybe I'm overreacting a tiny bit. But my work involves information architecture, and this change just absolutely baffles me. It's almost as though they want to make it harder to find stories. Considering that AO3 won a Hugo partially because of its fantastic tagging system, this change seems like AO3 is doing its best to shoot itself in the foot.

When you have a square hole, a round hole, and a rectangular hole… Yeah, you DO want each peg to go in the "right" hole. But if all of the pegs fit in the square hole, who cares? You got the job done.

I love you @ao3org, but please reconsider this change... Especially for IPs that are as old and are as varied as Transformers.

[d-emeter]

Types of lingerie they'd go a little feral over — plus-size!fem!reader x cod characters

Includes: Price, Soap, Ghost, Gaz, König, Graves, Alejandro, Rudy, Valeria

CW: mid/plus-size reader, photos of people wearing lingerie!, mentions of sex/sexual activities

Photos are not indicative of reader's body type/skin colour/other physical attributes! Just meant to be examples, but us bigger girls deserve some rep on here (but also why is it so hard to find cute pics of mid/plus-size girlies that aren't ads or extremely edited?)

All rights go to owners of the photos! I tried to crop out their faces as best I could <3

John Price

Price would love anything feminine. He adores when you play into his housewife kink, parading around the house in babydoll dresses and fur-lined robes (preferably sheer). He wouldn't even bother with taking the pieces off once he gets his hands on you, simply pulling and adjusting where necessary. Not above ripping either, but don't worry, he'll gladly buy you some new sets. Maybe he should get you some of those crotchless panties, poppet, would save him a lot of hassle.

Johnny 'Soap' Mactavish

Listen, as much as he loves it seeing you all dolled up, there is nothing that gets him going quicker than you in some raggedy, hole-ridden comfy clothes, preferably when they're his. His boxers framing your plump ass so nicely, digging into your flesh a bit when you move and his shirt doing nothing to hide the jiggle of your tits while your nipples poke through the fabric. If he sees you like this, his hands are all over you in a split second. God forbid your shirt is cropped, showing off your soft tummy and the underside of your breasts — you couldn't pry him off with a crowbar.

(you cannot tell me Johnny doesn't own some dumbass boxers like this)

Simon 'Ghost' Riley

In fear of repeating myself, I think Simon would also go a little dreamy-eyed over you in your comfies. Except, unlike Johnny, he loves those sweet little pj-sets you wear. He's still a little taken aback every time he comes home to you curled up on his — your — couch. The realization that he has something this sweet to come home to — that he has a home at all, hitting him like a freight train. Like Price, doesn't bother taking your pajamas off when he pounces on you. Just makes it easier for him to tuck you into bed after he's done with you.

Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick

Garters, belts, straps, buckles, the whole thing. And best believe he's the one picking them out, too. You'll randomly find boxes on your bed, the contents in different styles, colours, fabrics. He insists you model them for him, or send him pictures if he's deployed. The sets are an absolute nightmare to get into, but he'll gladly help you take them off, darlin'. Don't mind him though, if he snaps a photo or two in the process. Also loves it when you wear lingerie as part of an actual outfit. What can I say, the man loves showing you off (with the knowledge he's the only one that gets to see the full sets and everything underneath them later).

König

Anything resembling some cheap halloween costume from party city. It honestly doesn't matter to him what; sexy secretary, naughty nurse, you name it. Literally whatever. He will lose his mind a little if you go as far as to engage in some roleplay pertaining to whatever you're wearing — acting like he's your boss or your patient. Oh, a pair of animal ears can and will make his eyes roll back in his head. (He will, however, ensure that your outfits are of relatively good quality — they've gotta outlast a least a few rounds, Schatzi).

Philip Graves

Ugh, he's so nasty (affectionate). He wants you to look hyper-feminine. His perfect little all-american wife (even if you've never set foot in the usa, or don't yet wear a ring on your finger) in her hyper-feminine lingerie, waiting for her soldier to come home. Frilly bras, lacy undies and silky night dresses in white or pink or any pastel shade. He gets off on the innocence they exude — makes him want to ruin you. And then wife you up. Maybe give you a baby or two.

Alejandro Vargas

Corsets!!! Or anything somewhat structured, really. This man adores the shape of your body no matter what, and the way the corset only accentuates the curve of your waist and pushes your tits up so deliciously has him rock fucking hard. If you choose to add some thigh-highs to that with the plush fat of your thighs spilling over the edge you may as well have killed him. He also has this weird infatuation with the marks the corset leaves on your skin after you (or he) take it off.

Rodolfo 'Rudy' Parra

This poor man nearly faints the first time you wear lingerie for him (and pretty much every time after that). It doesn't particularly matter to him what it is, but he does like it when you stick to the classics: simple lacy bra and panty set. He likes that it makes you feel confident and (relatively) comfortable, as your comfort is always his number one priority. He also just thinks the simplicity of the sets helps accentuate the beauty of your body, rather than distract from it.

Valeria Garza

Anything expensive. Like, crazy expensive. She has the money, amor, why not spend it on something she enjoys? She'll make sure you only wear the highest quality fabrics (and that goes for all your clothing, by the way, she likes taking care of her girl). There are diamonds glittering all over your body, highlighting all your curves and twinkling with every move you make, and a nice string of pearls disappearing between your folds.

(I couldn't find ANY photos of this type of lingerie on bigger bodies, my apologies. Rest assured Valeria will get everything custom-made for you — remember, only the best for her girl)

[thehigherseekerastro]

Astro Propaganda I'm Not Falling For 1

1. Gemini anything indicates beauty -

It doesn't. Nothing about Gemini is related to beauty. Mercury, in fact, is kinda related to crooked things.

That misconception comes from two things:

That Gemini is related to youth.

And that Gemini is social and sociable.

But for starters, youth isn't necessarily equal to beauty. It can be quite unsightly to see somebody's who's clearly their age, but with an overly youthful face. Ariana Grande struggled with that for 6 years until she got enough plastic surgery to change it. It really affected her career in the beginning.

And also, being sociable doesn't make you pretty. It might make you charming, but that's not equal to physical beauty. So it's less about being beautiful, and more about being captivating and pleasant to be around.

I'm not saying Gemini is ugly either. I'm just saying it's not any type of beauty indicator. So those who claim Gemini placements indicate physical beauty, are incorrect.

That could also be a misconception derived from the fact that because of the proximity between Gemini and Taurus, people with Gemini placements are likely to also have Taurus and Cancer placements, including Venus. I am talking specifically tropical astrology. Vedic astrology is a much more complex conversation. And also, if the Gemini placement also has Taurus placements – which is sitting right next to Gemini – I will attribute the beauty to Taurus. No discourse will change that fact. Taurean influence will bring Venusian influence.

2. That Aquarius placements are divinely protected over others because Saturn delivers karma for them -

Truth be told? Capricorn is more likely to win over Aquarius. Aquarius isn't the sister sign to Leo for nothing. They are similar. And Aquarius has quite the ego.

So what happens is that Aquarius is more likely to get PUNISHED by Saturn than it is to get protected or rewarded. You know that whole story about how Saturnians deliver karma, but they also get judged harder as well? That's Aquarius.

Aquarius placements can often have a god-complex, and Saturn will snatch that shit right up, but they would never let you see it in public, cause they gotta appear cool and collected. Sometimes their enemies DO get a bite back from life, but by that time, the Aquarius has eaten a mighty pie of humble. Except that to the public they'll pretend that they still got the upper hand. They might even brag.

With aquarius, no good deed goes unpunished. They might win, but that victory will always come with a high personal price that they will hide from others. It's like Saturn teaches them humility and fairness through making them pay for the good they receive, till they get that rewards are not something they just deserve for being the best, but rather something earned.

They'll often see a fall down right after a victory. It's like Saturn keeps the ego in check by reminding Aquarius that it's still human and shouldn't let the win go to their head. So it will dampen the thrill of the victory by throwing a challenge right after, even if the Aquarius deserves the victory. e.g.: how Megan Thee Stallion dragged Nicki to the high heavens in public, but is also currently going through it herself. (I'm not making any moral judgements about Meg, just saying she faced hurdles right after a public victory).

3. That Mercury in Virgo and Gemini are always the superior intellect -

Aside from the fact that all mercuries have their potentialities and challenges – some more than others –, some mercuries tend to rival the mercurial signs, and sometimes even beat them. It all depends on house and aspects too.

An example of that would be Scorpio Mercury. Specially if it's placed in certain houses. That's a Mercury that is extremely attuned to fine details, picks up things before people even think them, and has the everlasting memory of an elephant. They aren't the detectives and stalkers of the zodiac for no reason. And they are very sharp too. So, often, Scorpio Mercuries will be the only ones capable of standing up to Virgo placements. They sting, they sting viciously, and they can always back up what they're saying.

And if that Scorpio Mercury also has 3rd, 9th, 10th or Sagittarius placements, they will put Gemini mercuries to the challenge, because unlike the twins, they know a lot about a lot. Gemini mercuries know a little about a lot, but they always hit a ceiling, cause sometimes it's surface level, or stuff they became obsessed with that morning. They struggle more with creating a large-scale database than a Virgo Mercury would, for example. They're not as good at making correlations, bc they can sometimes know the separate parts well, but not how to piece them together or what they would look like when all connected. A Scorpio Mercury will build a whole network of information and deep research. They want to master as much as they can to have full power going. Everything they do will be done with depth. And that can see both the small and big picture. Every information they acquire becomes yet another piece of a large puzzle, rather than a bunch of tiny puzzles that don't necessarily connect together.

But that doesn't mean Gemini is shallow, or that Virgo isn't very intelligent!

Best thing is for them and mercurials to be friends rather than competitors, cause they will strike to kill at all times.

4. That planets in detriment are very distant and opposite to the planet's natural energy -

I've made this point before when talking about Scorpio Venus, but I see it with many planets and signs. Planets in detriment often EXACERBATE the energy of that planet, not negate it. Blocking that energy is more often the fall.

A Venus in Scorpio will not be detached from love, but will rather OVERDO love. It becomes obsessive in what Venus naturally does.

A Mercury in Sagittarius will not struggle to learn or think, but will rather get an overload of information both taking and giving it, to the point in which it becomes disorganized.

A Saturn in Cancer will not struggle to carry things through, but will rather struggle to put them into motion when the time comes. It will be TOO careful and structured.

You get the idea. Detriment placement is about calibrating the energy, rather than awakening it altogether.

5. That the 7th house is only the energy you attract and seek in others -

The 7H is our mirror. It's the shadow part of us. The projections we make. If you look at your 7H and analyze yourself and your relationships, you'll notice that you often assume the characteristics of that sign, but only when you're in close 1-on-1 relationships. You won't unsee it once you notice. Analyze the people you live with too.

e.g.: Libra risings will be charismatic and inviting and charming with everybody, but can be very aggressive towards their significant other and can often take out their anger on their partner. While Aries risings will be brassy and fearless and confrontational with most people, but will be simps for their partners and can often hide parts of themselves to accommodate the ones they love and keep the harmony, sometimes even accepting abuse.

Cancer risings can be very demanding and strict with their partner, while Capricorn risings can become very sensitive and dramatic with their partner.

There's a reason for that, and if you want, let me know in the comments and I can make an specific post about just one of these points.

That does not mean you don't still embody your rising sign, because you do, but you'll often tone down, mask or deny that energy in favor of the connection. The key is to balance both energies so you express yourself in a healthy way, and let one sign learn from the best of the other.

MASTER LIST

[txttletale]

hey what’s up, i think you’re pretty cool but disagree with you on the whole ai can make art thing. to me, without the purpose from an actual person creating the piece, it’s not art but an image; as all human art has purpose. some driving factor in a work, compared to a program which purely creates the prompt without further intention. i was wondering what your insight on this is? either way, hope you have a great day

well, first of all, does art require 'purpose'? there's this view of art which has very much calcified in "anti-AI" rhetoric, that art is some linear process of communication from one individual to another: an Artist puts some Meaning into a unit of Art, which others can then view to Recieve that Meaning. you can hold this view, but i don't! i'm much more of a stuart hall-head on this, i think that there is no such transfusion of Intent and that rather the 'meaning' of a piece is something that exists only in the interplay between text and reader. reading is an active, interpretative process of decoding, not a passive absorptive one. so i dispute, firstly, that 'purpose' is to begin with a necessary or even imporant element of art.

moreover i think this argument rests on a very arbitrarily selective view of what counts as "an actual person creating the piece" -- 'the prompt' is, itself, an obvious artistic contribution, a place where an artist can impart huge amounts of direction, vision, and so on. in fact, i completely reject the claim of both the technology's salesman and its biggest detractors that genAI "makes art" -- to quote kerry mitchell's fractal art manifesto: "Turn a computer on and leave it alone for an hour. When you come back, no art will have been generated." in the past, i've posed questions about generative art pieces to demonstrate this

secondly, of course, the process does not end after image generation from prompt for serious generative artists--the ones who are serious about the artform (rather than tech guys trying to do marketing for the Magical Art Box) frequently iterate and iterate, generating a range of iterations and then picking one to iterate on further, so on and so forth, until the final image they choose to share is one that contains within it the traces of a thousand discrete choices on behalf of the artist (two pretty good explanations of this from people who actually do this stuff can be found here and here)

third and finally, that very choice to share the image is itself an artistic decision! we (and by we, i mean, anyone who cares about what art is) have been talking about this since fountain -- display is a form of artistic intent, taking something and putting it forward and saying 'this is art' is in and of itself an artistic decision being made even if the thing itself is unaltered: see, for example, the entire discipline of 'found art'. once someone challenged me, yknow, "if you did a google search, would that be art?" and my answer to that is, if you screenshot that google search and share it as art, then yes, resoundingly yes! curation and presentation recontextualizes objects, turning them into rich texts through the simple process of reframing them. so even if you granted that genAI output is inherently random computer noise (i don't, of course) -- i still think that the act of presenting it as art makes it so.

since i assume you're not familiar with anything interesting in the medium, because the most popular stuff made with genAI is pure "lo-fi girl in ghibli style" type slop, let me share some genAI pieces (or genAI-influenced pieces) that i think are powerful and interesting:

the meat gala, rob sheridan (warning: body horror!)

secret horses (does anyone know the original source on this?)

infinite art machine, reachartwork

ethinically ambigaus, james tamagotchi

mcdonalds simpsons porn room, wayneradiotv

software greatman, everything everything (the music is completely made by the band, but genAI was partially responsible for the lyrics -- including the title and the several interesting pseudo-kennings)

i want a love like this music video, everything everything

cocaine is the motor of the modern world, bots of new york

poison the walker, roborosewatermasters (here's my analysis posts on it too)

not all of these were necessarily intended as art: but i think they are rich and fascinating texts when read that way -- they have certainly impacted me as much as any art has.

anyways, whether you agree or not, i hope this gives you some stuff to think about, thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

[mandatory-blog-stop-asking]

deltarune spoilers I wanna talk about chapter 4 below is a pretty mundane theory about the knight's identity and their role in the narrative

Just writing some unimportant stuff in this line because Tumblr sucks and sometimes doesn't care about the break anyway let's go

I'm pretty sure at this point (and thus am probably wrong) that the Knight is Dess Holiday, but also that Dess was the original girl hero in the trio that's supposed to save the world.

First thing that catches my eye is the difference between what Ralsei tells us the prophecy is like, and actually seeing the prophecy for real in the church.

In Ralsei's version, this is how the monster looks like.

This is important because this is pretty clearly Susie. It's a dinosaur-like monster that wields an axe.

This is a depiction that comes up later; in Chapter 2 we see it in Queen's Castle, as a statue Susie can steal for her bedroom. Consider that Queen does not know about these things and is just adjusting and recreating things that people look up online, and that she knows about the protagonists. By and large she's probably just copying Ralsei's notes.

However, when we go to the Dark Sanctuary, we learn a couple of interesting things--

Ralsei is not telling the whole prophecy, and is in fact paraphrasing it for pacing and length.

Save for Ralsei, those are not the original symbols of the heroes.

This is how the hero looks:

Notice that instead of showing Kris, it's showing the player, the SOUL. It's a very specific difference; Kris is the cage and is included in the text, but the implication of showing the actual SOUL instead of them makes the prophecy ring a lot different.

The second hero, however, looks like this:

It's fun that they don't even call her a monster, just a girl, which could always mean some wild shit we don't know yet, but let's focus on the symbol-- if memory serves, this is the ACT symbol. For example, you can get this symbol on Kris's battle HUD if you call for Genson in the Dark Sanctuary:

It also looks a lot like Susie's Rude Buster, but not like the Rude Buster symbol, which is a magical flame.

Either way, then we go a bit further and get to the main point I'm trying to make:

That's not Susie.

Susie doesn't wield a sword. She has never wielded a sword. She has an axe.

The axe is so Susie's weapon that it materializes no matter what she's holding. It came pre-packed with her Dark World form, it's not something she chose-- she even has dialogue about how she doesn't know why she's carrying an axe, but, hey, axes are cool.

I believe this is supposed to be Dess, Noelle's older sister, for a few reasons

She's obviously a very important character who is absent, missing in such a way that has caused hurt on every character. We're shown that she's the first one to "leave" during Tenna's flashback to how it used to be in the Dreemurr/Holiday get-togethers, and her absence is deeply felt by everyone involved whenever her name comes up.

She's described as strong, incredibly cool, and overall the kind of person who would be a hero.

In conversations, Noelle mentions that Dess would hit Kris with a wiffle bat when they would lie to her until they stopped. Obviously two different weapon types, but a bat and a sword are a lot more like each other than a sword and an axe-- at least in how you hold it!

The rest of the Hero Girl prophecy mentions she would find love-- while Susie is obviously in love with Noelle, Dess is also pretty clearly flirting or secretly dating Asriel.

That's part one of the theory, part two is that instead of becoming one of the heroes, something happened to her (which seems to have involved a sacrifice?) that made it so that instead of becoming one of the three heroes, she became the Roaring Knight instead. Evidence for the Knight being Dess (as opposed to, say, Carol) is:

The Knight has antlers, the most obvious signifier that they're a Holiday. But also, did you notice what the sword looks like when the Knight summons it?

IT LOOKS LIKE A BAT. BAM BIG REVEAL MASSIVE PAYOFF. YOU THOUGHT I WAS STRETCHING BACK THERE. YOU THOUGHT I DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN. YOU'RE ALL STUCK IN HERE WITH ME.

Anyway the Knight also:

Attacks with stars -- like Christmas stars, above Christmas trees.

The Knight is horrifying-- and Dess was really into horror movies. She's in fact the reason why Noelle is into creepy things, even if they do genuinely frighten her.

The Knight is not physical-- it can obviously turn into a ball to fly around, but more important than that, it turns into pure static when you actually attack it. Garbage noise.

It almost looks like the Knight is some kind of distortion, like a hologram.

And then, one final thing related to both of these characters that I think is what's actually missing to understand what's going on between the Dreemurrs and the Holidays:

During Chapter 3, you can play the "real version" of a game Tenna has modified to be easier and more direct. In it, you control Kris, who goes through the game world doing a No Mercy run on enemies, then on their own friends, finally ending with a dungeon run where you slaughter a lot of monsters and flowers. This eventually rewards you with the Shadow Mantle you need to defeat the Knight. (if you're not a god and can perfectly dodge everything, that is)

In one of these, you encounter a different kind of enemy that has no equivalent in any other room. There's this thing that copies your movements, in a dark chamber.

If you go into the game's files, you can actually not only find out what this is, you can also lighten up this room.

It's a black deer.

This is probably the most direct reference to the Knight being a deer in the game (even if it's just in the files), but the final piece, the thing that actually makes me lose my mind, is the fact that there is actually a variable that turns the actual model into the "monster" you fight in this room. This variable is only used here. When you walk into the room, the variable turns to true, and the deer becomes the room's enemy.

The variable's name?

Toriel turns her into a monster.

So, here's my attempt at making sense of it all:

Dess was supposed to be one of the three heroes, wielding her bat as a sword.

Asgore and Toriel have something to do with whatever happened with Dess. Whatever they did tore apart their relationship with the Holidays, and their own marriage.

Whatever happened to Dess has been weaponized and whatever's left of her has become the Roaring Knight.

Susie's reaction to the final bit of prophecy likely has to do with someone dying by the hands of the Hero Girl, which she correctly points out would never happen in their specific group.

And she's right. It wouldn't. Because she's not the hero girl.

This also means Susie's going at this hero thing completely unaided by prophecy, 100% stoked on hopes and dreams, because she's the best. You can check out a video exploring more of the deer situation here.

now i know what you're thinking

if the hero is dess, why doesn't the church mural have antlers?

and the answer

might surprise you

OH SHIT A DOG

anyway that was it go away

[literaticat]

If an author writes a book not knowing the genre, will the book fit into a genre when it’s finished—or is it possible for a book to be completely genre-less?

I'm about to GO OFF, so if you just want the short answer:

I presume that if an author is writing a novel and they don't have a specific genre in mind when they are doing it, they are just writing fiction. You can get more specific after you finish the book and figure out where it belongs in the bookstore and how to describe it.

It's not really possible for a book to be "completely genre-less" because that implies that it CAN'T be categorized in a bookstore -- I bet your book can be. (I should hope so, anyway, otherwise how will it sell???) -- but also, uh -- it doesn't really matter? Everyone gets really hung up on these hyper-specific genre labels, but you don't really need to get THAT specific. If your book is just "general interest fiction" that's OK -- so call it a novel and describe what the tone is. (Funny? Realistic? Literary? Fast paced? Tearjerking? There has to be some way to describe it, no? )

Even if your book is just weird as hell rambling about things I would never read about in a hundred years -- guess what, that's a genre, Experimental Fiction. ;-)

--

Long Answer: Fun fact about the word "genre" -- it comes from the same root as genus, like what you probably heard back in school when learning about the taxonomy of animals and whatnot.

Because I am extra, I decided to do a little taxonomy of books. It's still a work in progress, I might decide to change it a bit, but this is the basic chart.

I'll assume that pretty much any book we're talking about here has the same domain, kingdom, phylum and class, and PROBABLY the same order, too, since most of you are likely writing Fiction.

Within the order FICTION, there are "families", which I here call Categories -- novels, graphic novels, plays, essay collections, short story anthologies, young adult novels, young adult anthologies, middle grade novels, middle grade graphic novels, chapter books, picture books, ETC. Categories in the order NONFICTION include Biography/Memoir, Cookbook, Reference, Religion, History, Science, etc.

Within each Category, there are different Genres -- that is, the type of [novel, or whatever] it is. Genres of novel include mystery, science fiction, horror, realistic, historical, romance, western, etc.

And within each Genre, you can get even more specific with species, which I am calling subgenre/tone. That's the type of the type, in other words. There are well-established subgenres (like Horror could be slasher, or gothic, or psychological. Romance could be historical, or realistic/contemporary, or whatever) -- but it's also acceptable to get more specific with tone or style -- "Comedic", "literary", "commercial" "upmarket" etc. (You can also have books that have both subgenre AND tone -- that's like species and sub-species)

Examples:

DRACULA: ORDER: Fiction > CATEGORY: Classic Novel > GENRE: Horror > SUBGENRE/TONE: Gothic

DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS: ORDER: Fiction > CATEGORY: Picture Book > GENRE: Meta-fiction > SUBGENRE/TONE: Comedic

LINCOLN IN THE BARDO: ORDER: Fiction > CATEGORY: Novel > GENRE: Magical Realism > SUBGENRE: Experimental > TONE: Literary

JAMES: ORDER: Fiction > CATEGORY: Novel > GENRE: Historical Fiction > SUBGRENRE: Retelling > TONE: Literary

You get it?

OK SO, in the bookstore, the books are first divided by CATEGORY. All the Cookbooks are together, because that's the Category, but if there are a lot of them, they will be broken up into categories-within-the-category ("genre" if you will). Perhaps they would be grouped by region or style (Mexican cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, European cuisine; Health Food; Baking; etc). Mastering the Art of French Cooking would be in Cookbooks, of course -- but in a larger bookstore with many cookbooks, it would likely be found in its region, either French or European Cuisine -- and in a store with a HUGE French cooking section, those books might even be further divided into "French > classic techniques" "French > desserts" "French > postmodern cuisine", etc. So:

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING: Order: Nonfiction > Category: Cookbook > Genre: French > Subgenre: Classic Technique

And so it goes with Fiction as well; the sections are divided by Category. So all the Middle Grade Novels are probably together. All the Picture Books are probably together. Etc. But for very large categories (like Fiction > Novel), there are enough books that it becomes easier to browse if they give the biggest genres their own shelving. Hence there are probably sections for Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Romance, etc.

MIND YOU: There are PLENTY of books that fall under "Fiction" and DON'T get separated out into one of those other genres. They are just categorized as fiction. The fiction section is probably the largest section in most bookstores -- it's not weird to write a book that gets filed in the "fiction" section! Those books still have a genre. That genre just might be "realistic" or "historical" or "western" or magical realism" or "postmodern/experimental" or something that doesn't neatly fall into the Mystery or Science Fiction (or whatever) genre categories.

For example: At my bookstore, we ONLY separate out Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, Romance, Classics. So within the regular Fiction section you'll find a huge variety of books -- they all DO have a "genre" -- it just isn't one of those genres that gets shelved separately!

So, no, I don't believe there are books that just *don't have* a category or genre. ALL books have them. We might disagree a little about what they should be -- we might use slightly different words -- new species might pop up here and there -- we might be able to categorize some of them into even more minute niches -- but all books CAN be categorized in some fashion.

[chiara-hotel]

When You're on your Period Characters: HSR | Mydei, Anaxa, Dan Heng | ZZZ | Vivian, Harumasa Part 1 Here: Blade, Aventurine, Sunday & Boothill Part 3 Here: Phainon, The Herta, Jiaoqiu & Castorice

✧ Mydei doesn't know too much about periods, but he helps you as much as possible during this time

✧ For example, he'll go out and get you food, or he'll cuddle you to help you with your pain

✧ While dating him, he often does things for you all the time. You mean everything to him, and he doesn't want to lose you. So during your period, he usually acts the same as he normally does.

✧ Even though he often acts tough, he treats you like you're his queen, sitting beside him on a throne

✧ Mydei also becomes more protective of you because you're in pain, and would be a little closer to you

✧ When you're cramps ease up, he becomes a little less protective, but he still is protective, since he's just like that as a person, he protects those he cares about

✧ He also remembers what painkillers and pads/tampons you like to use, and he'll get them before your period starts

✧ Not to mention, he encourages you to wear a heating pad, even while you both cuddle, he doesn't mind it

✧ Anaxa knows all about periods, what might comfort you and what you need during this time

✧ Although he is sure to ask you about it directly, since he knows everyone is different with what they like

✧ He would recommend different brands of painkillers to know which one is best

✧ And he 100% would love to get them for you while you rest due to cramps

✧ Aside from working and doing your duties, he encourages you to rest as much as possible

✧ Although he wouldn't stop you from working, since your period is something that you have to live with, and he can't change that

✧ He is also willing to cuddle you whenever + doesn't mind if the sheets are bloody when you wake up

✧ Dan Heng also acts just like normal while you're on your period

✧ You might get twice the cuddles just because you're in pain and he hates seeing you in pain

✧ Dan Heng is also willing to get you any snacks you desire. He's also willing to go get the groceries for the astral express just to get whatever you desire

✧ He'll also buy you pads, tampons or painkillers while he's out, either with you or without you

✧ Since he knows you're more emotional on your period, he wouldn't mind going shopping together as well, just to keep you happy, and he loves seeing you happy

✧ He hates seeing you in pain, but he also understands that this is something that you unfortunately have to deal with

✧ He also allows you to cuddle and touch his more dragon features during this time, when he usually wouldn't let you all too much

✧ Vivian has everything about you memorized, including your period schedule, what type of tampons or pads you like, what type of painkillers you use, etc.

✧ She does have a separate period tracker app to track yours

✧ She also loves it whenever you guys have your periods at the same time, so then you guys just want to cuddle underneath the sheets all day

✧ You guys also are sure to shop for pads and such before they happen, plus she's always stocked with extra just in case you needed it

✧ Harumasa takes your period very seriously, and he might take it so seriously that he uses it as an excuse to get out of work

✧ If you work in section 6, it could be better or worse; you could either take a day off and naturally he would have to take a day off with you, or you'll stay there and make him stay there as well.

✧ If he does get the day off, he'll appreciate you 10x more that day

✧ Cuddles? Sure! Kisses? Sure! Snacks? Sure, he'll go leave to buy some right away

✧ He loves how clingy you get while in pain, cuddling him for hours on end. Although he also hates seeing you in pain.

✧ He'll get up for pretty much anything you need, and he'll also buy anything you need

✧ If it is late at night, he might complain a bit about you having to get up to change your pad/tampon, and he might follow you and wait outside the bathroom door

[ravens-two]

PAC: Your Future Person's First Thoughts About You

This reading includes:

your future person's first thoughts about you

The extended reading includes:

your future person's thoughts about you later

Disclaimer: this is just for entertainment purposes, and as a pick-a-card reading it may not resonate for everyone.

TIPS | BOOK A READING WITH ME | PATREON | LINKTREE | SUGGEST A PAC TOPIC

Pile 1

Mushroom: recycling, breaking down problems | Six of Pentacles, Hierophant

Their first thoughts about you:

I think that when you first meet your person you'll be in a moment where you'll be dealing with some sort of problem or at a bit of a crossroads. It's this energy of you having other things to worry about, so you're not really focusing on your person when you meet them. Something specific that I'm seeing for some of you is that this might be related to either work or your education - like you have these two job opportunities but each of them has some sort of drawback and you have a hard time choosing between them.

I feel like you could be meeting your person in a quite formal setting (like your workplace, university or even a party) and they think you look a little bit unapproachable at first because you just look like you're so stressed out. They immediately get this urge of wanting to help you out or at least pull you away from this stressful situation. For some of you, this could actually be something like being stuck in an uncomfortable conversation and your person will approach you and try to "save" you from that situation.

Their first impression of you is that despite the stress of the situation you're going through you're a very capable person and they immediately know that you'll be able to overcome that situation. Something very very specific that just came up is that you might meet your person during a protest for the environment or something like that (it's just that the recycling and taking care of nature just came up). Anyway, they'll think that you're very capable and someone who is very ambitious. Even though you two barely know each other, they want to know more about your plans and your ambitions.

They think that you're someone who is very knowledgeable and who always seeks to learn more. I'm seeing that some of you are thinking about pursuing a Masters or a Phd when you meet your person and they'll be like "yeah that makes perfect sense and I know you'll rock it". They also think that you're a very generous person. You seem like the type of person who is very kind and tries to help other people whenever you can. They actually think that you're a bit too generous. For some of you they think that you're a bit of a people pleaser and that you don't know how to say no - it might be that you meet like an work context and you're just going around and doing favors for other people.

Overall, they're immediately attracted to you, but they sort of see you a little bit like a puppy in a way. It's like they think you're adorable and sweet, not like a sex symbol if that makes sense.

check out the extended reading on patreon

Pile 2

Basil: prosperity, luck, love | Queen of Pentacles, Temperance

Their first thoughts about you:

Pile 2, your person will be head over heels immediately as soon as they see you. I think that you might meet outside, at a shop/restaurant or while you're traveling. I just get this sensation that you're dealing with a problem (something like trying to return a product, for example) and you do it with a lot of grace. It's a situation where a lot of people would be at least a little bit rude, but you're not. You're being patient and kind despite your frustration. That's the first thing that gets their attention, it's your demeanor. To them you seem like the chillest person ever. They look at you and get this feeling that you would not get worked up over anything. Deep down it's exactly the type of thing that they have been craving, someone who is calm and doesn't overreact.

I think that your person will do their best to try to strike up a conversation with you even if they don't really know how. It might be a little awkward at first, but they're just immediately so attracted to you that they need to try. This is the love at first sight pile, by the way. Your person looks at you and everything about you - your looks, your style, your attitude - just makes them fall. They know that they need to talk to you because you're the one for them.

I think that at first they are idealizing you a little bit. They see you as the Queen of Pentacles, as a person that seems almost a little regal. They think that the way you talk is very elegant and measured (again they love your patient nature and how you seem to have boundless empathy for people) and when you two do talk they think that you have a bit of a romantic outlook on life. They think that you romanticize life a lot, and they honestly love that. This might be for just some of you, but I see you two talking about books (maybe you have a book with you or something) and they get this idea that you're very cultured and artistic. I think that they will also try to show you that they're a bit like that.

Ever since I saw your Basil card (from the Green Witch's Oracle Deck btw) I can't stop thinking about Isabella and the Pot of Basil which is a story from the Decameron I think. Isabella falls in love with a man of lower status and her brothers murder him, she ends up finding out and plants his head on a vase of basil and that's why basil is associated with love. I think that this type of romantic tragedy (Romeo and Juliet, Isabella, Francesca and Paolo) sort of represents how your person sees you. It's a very romantic outlook, but there's almost a hint of the forbidden or of them thinking that they don't deserve you. The thing that really jumps out at me though is that, at first, they are going to idealize you a lot. Even your life, you know? They think that you've your life together more than what you actually have, if that makes sense.

check out the extended reading on patreon

Pile 3

Watering Can: asking for help, sharing burdens | Star, Fool

Their first thoughts about you:

Pile 3, I think that when you first meet your person you might ask them for help with something, maybe asking for directions to somewhere for example. There's this energy that you're new at this place and you don't know how things work so you're just going around blindly.

Your person's first thoughts about you is that you seem really sweet, but a little innocent. There's something about you that makes them think that you don't have a lot of experience, it might be that you look younger or it might be that you have a bit of an age gap with your FS and so that's why that's something that's evident to them. They don't think that you're immature or anything like that, it's just that you seem to not to be as experienced (life experience) as they are. They think it's sweet.

Sweet is honestly the word I keep hearing. Your person just thinks you're absolutely adorable because it seems like you're the one that's taking the risk of talking to them, taking the initiative, but you seem a little shy. To them it seems like you're having to overcome your nervousness to talk to them.

They also think that you're a bit of a dreamer, probably it's about the things you'll talk about but you seem like someone who is very optimistic and maybe even someone who sees the world with rose-colored glasses. Something that's coming up is that they find your eyes very intriguing. There's something either about your eye color or your gaze that really draws them in - again I keep hearing that there's a sweetness and kindness in your eyes. They just want to look into your eyes and get lost in them. I actually think that they might even get a little distracted while you're talking because of that.

Overall their first impression of you is that you're very kind, empathetic and sweet person. Despite their perception that you're a bit fragile, they admire how you don't hesitate to take the initiative and don't hesitate to ask for help when you need it. They also see you as someone new (maybe because you look foreign or like a tourist; or again because you're new to the environment where you'll meet) or as someone who is younger/less experienced than them. I just got the message that they might even be a little scared of accidentally taking advantage of you because you have so little experience when compared to them (this is just for the people who consider themselves inexperienced of course).

check out the extended reading on patreon

Pile 4

Moon: Phases, cycles, intuition | Ace of Swords, Eight of Cups

Their first thoughts about you:

Pile 4, I think that you'll meet your person at nighttime. For most of you I see that this will happen during a party or dinner, maybe while clubbing or other activity happening at night - it could even be a wedding for example. The thing that seems to be common for everyone is that you'll be amongst a group of people and your FS will start out talking. I actually think that the talking might happen a little randomly, either because they joined your group and started talking or you two began chatting on the line to the bar or something like that. For some of you it starts with one off-hand comment that gets the conversation started.

Unlike other piles, your person isn't immediately taken by your appearance or your fashion sense (I'm not saying that you're not attractive btw, it's just not what catches their eye immediately). What attracts them to you is your mind and your sharp tongue. You can match their wit, you're funny, and the conversation with you doesn't seem to end. More than that they love how they can talk to you about all kinds of different things because you just have so much general knowledge about things. Even if you don't know something at depth you know enough to keep up the conversation with them.

If your first meeting starts with you with you talking in a group, I think that it won't take long for you two to separate from the group and just start talking among yourselves. In fact, I think that the group might notice the chemistry between you two and just sort of go away because they definitely feel like there's something there. I get this feeling that you two won't have that much time together during your first meeting, but you'll spend all that time talking. Even if it's a lot of time, your person will end up feeling like it wasn't enough.

That line from Romeo and Juliet "Parting is such sweet sorrow" because for your person, they really don't want to leave even though they know they have to. They will do their best to ensure that they can see you again before they leave, but still they will be almost heartbroken at having to leave.

Overall, they think that you're a very mysterious person (you might come off as a bit of an introvert to them), but also someone who is very smart and a good talker with an excellent sense of humor. I just got the vibe that as the time goes on and as your conversation goes on they see you as being even more attractive than before. Like to the point that if a literal supermodel was next to you, they'd find you more attractive.

check out the extended reading on patreon

[interstellarsystem]

You Could Be Median!

We've seen some posts lately where people are saying they feel too plural to be a singlet and too singlet to be plural, or that they feel certain plural-ish ways about their kintypes... And, well, we have news for you--there's (possibly) a word for that!

See, while a lot of people see "multiple system" and "plural system" as interchangable, they actually have nuance to their meanings. And there's a third term, "median system", that might actually apply to you!

Some descriptions of the terms, for reference!

This won't be the only term list in this post, but to avoid dumping a ton of terms at the start without context, they'll show up where relevant. For now, though, here's a few.

Singlet:

The state of being one singular person/identity in one body. Synonym for non-plural.

Plural:

More than one entity, self, identity or consciousness in a single body. Simply, being more-than-one in some way. This is more of an umbrella term for multiple and median.

Multiple:

Having more than one distinct identities or people within a body.

Median:

The state of being somewhere between "singlet" and "multiple" on the plural spectrum.

Now, that's pretty vague, especially if this is a new concept to you! What does "inbetween" of multiple and singlet even really look like? The answer is, well... Anything, almost! But that's also vague and unhelpful. So...

Some examples of what being a median system could feel like...

You're like a metaphorical hydra--all part of one dragon, but there's different heads. You might feel parts of yourself arguing or thinking different thoughts, and some might be more in charge at times than others, but in the end, you're all a part of one unit anyway.

You're like a metaphorical coin--you're all one single thing, but there's different faces. Depending on what angle someone looks at you from, they could see something completely different.

You're like a gemstone cut for a ring--all one stone, but there's facets of you that reflect light just a little differently.

You speak to your subconscious, but because that subconscious is you, you feel like you're an inbetween of being just one person and two people. (This can also include things like daemonism!)

You feel like your identity itself is a shapeshifter (not in a kintype way--your identity as a whole).

You're otherkin/fictionkin/etc, and your kintypes have juuuust a little too much separation from you to feel like they're still you, but they're you enough that they're not separate people. They're not entirely distinct from you, but they're also not entirely wholly you, either. (More on this one later!)

You feel too much like a singlet to be plural, but too much like a system to be a singlet.

You age or pet regress, and feel like your regressed self is a different version of you. Sure, they're still you! But they're just different enough that they fall in a grey area of being "you" vs "not you".

You feel like "you" are, in whole, a person wearing a lot of different masks. The masks might make you act a little different, or look a little to-the-left of your normal appearance. All the masks are a part of you, as much as you're a part of them.

You feel like you sometimes have a different "filter" put over you, like a photo being digitally edited. You're still the same base thing, but sometimes there's an extra layer on top that makes you a little different.

You don't feel singlet or multiple, but feel like a secret third thing that's in any way inbetween.

You feel like you're almost a system.

Now, that's nowhere near an exhaustive list, but it's a bunch of stuff we've experienced and/or heard from others in the community. That gemstone comparison is actually common enough for the median version of the term "headmate" to be a sort of reference to how it feels!

Headmate (also alter, system member):

An entity/person that is a part of a system.

Facet:

A type of headmate that is a part of a median system.

There's also a term for identities that blur the line between "fictive" and "fictionkin", because the experience of being median while having identities that feel like fictives and fictotypes simultaneously is so common! (There's now a factbased identity term for the experience too!)

Fableing:

A type of facet in a median system that shares experiences of both fictionkin and fictives, making them an inbetween, adjacent to both experiences, or both at the same time.

Factling:

A type of facet in a median system that shares experiences of both factkin and factives, making them an inbetween, adjacent to both experiences, or both at the same time.

Otherkinity and Median Systems

In particular though, we see a lot of otherkin who say a lot of very plural-y things about their kintypes. While not everyone who says these things is 100% plural and maybe just one or two of these points to nothing plurality related at all... These are things we think are pretty good indicators you should at least consider looking into median systems, even if you've looked into being multiple before.

Your kintypes can speak or communicate to you, disagree with you or each other, or interact with things separate from you. This doesn't need to include written or spoken language, either! Sometimes internal instincts clashing can feel a lot like median facets disagreeing.

Shifting causes you to experience memory loss, amnesia, or anything similar.

Shifting causes a complete gender change, even if previously and after the shift you disagree.

Shifting causes you to act "out of character" compared to your usual self.

Shifting causes a complete sexuality change, even if previously and after the shift you disagree.

Shifting causes you to want to change your name, even if previously and after the shift you disagree.

You don't feel like you're yourself while shifted.

You get thoughts that you don't feel belong to you, and feel like they belong more to your kintype.

You don't feel too much like you are your kintype, unless you're in a shift. (Also check out fictionflickering/otherflickering!)

Your kintypes do things that you're unaware of while you're shifted.

You commonly dissociate during or before shifting.

Your kintypes change your likes and dislikes (for example, while shifted you might hate apples while when not in a shift you love them).

You'd call your kintypes headmates or you feel like they'd be classified as headmates if you had DID/OSDD (spoiler alert, you don't need those to be a system!)

Your shifts cause a full or very strong personality change--especially if other people notice.

You feel disconnected from your body or lose control of your body while shifting.

You come out of a shift and are confused, distressed, or surprised at how you acted during it.

Like I said, not all of these point toward being median if there's just one or two--but, if you have the time to look into it, I'd recommend giving it some thought!

Misc FAQs

Do I have to call myself a median system if I fit a lot of/all of this?

Nope! Your identity is yours to label, and this post isn't meant to shove people into boxes. This is simply meant to inform people of what a median system is, and let people come to informed decisions themselves.

Can you be both multiple and median?

Absolutely! There's plenty of ways this can be a thing, too. Some examples:

Multiple system with median subsystems.

Median system with multiple subsystems.

A system that fluctuates between median and multiple.

A system with a bunch of headmates who are median or multiple (regardless of subsystems).

You could be both at once, which we've seen called "mediple"!

Can you have a CDD (like DID and OSDD) and be median?

Yep! It's commonly believed that most (not all!) OSDD systems often fall under the median umbrella, even! A system of any structure or origin can also have median members within it, regardless of other parts of how it functions.

Can you choose to be median?

As with plurality in general--yes, probably! We haven't seen any guides to specifically form a median system, but we're sure it's possible. Daemonism, for example, is usually counted as a nonplural experience by their community, as daemons are "you" in another font--for lack of better phrasing. But a lot of people do consider this to be a type of median plurality in their own experiences!

Is this an endo system thing?

No. Endogenic and traumagenic systems alike can both experience median plurality, and can also be disordered or nondisordered. The term didn't even originate in endogenic-specific spaces, nor did it originate recently either. "Midcontinuum" was presented as a term in around 1996-1997, and "median" was created in 2002. Some early plural communtiy mentions of the terms:

Us and Being Median:

This was co-written by a median subsystem (Dagger of Decay) and one of said subsystem’s QPPs in-system (Shrapnel). While we don’t reflect the entirety of our experience of having median plurality within our system, we can share what we personally know of our own life in the hopes that it resonates with others in a helpful way.

Being a median subsystem to me (Dagger of Decay), feels like I’m separate sides of the same metaphorical coin. (At least, that was an accurate descriptor until I discovered more facets than just the two.) You look at this coin, and one side might have a picture of one thing on it, while the other has something completely different–but you’d be wrong if you said that this was two separate coins just because it’s different depending on how you see it or how you hold it. You’d also be wrong in saying that the coin only had one uniform side–I mean, it clearly has different pictures on each side, they’re clearly different!

The faces of the coin are the fableings that make up me as a person. If I really wanted to, I could probably label myself as one person with very strong kintype shifts, but that doesn’t feel like it covers the full scope of my identity. I can’t talk to my facets, I also can hardly ever disagree with them because we’re so close to the singlet end of the spectrum. But even still, when I’m Tomura Shigaraki, I’m not really the other facets of myself anymore–it’s like you’ve spun that coin around and they’re the ones who are face down, hidden from sight for that moment. The same is true for when any other one is in control. The coin just sort of flips itself occasionally and oops! I’m the same base guy, but in a different font. A little bit to the left maybe.

The amount of separatedness between us fluctuates–sometimes I say “I” to refer to all of me, other times we say “we”. That’s one of the more noticeable fluctuations between my facets, but there’s plenty of other things that shift and change too–how distinct we feel, how much we can disagree with each other, how much we feel connected to other identities we hold… But in the end, we’re solidly sat in the grey area between “one singular guy with no extras” and “multiple guys in one head”--and it took our system a while to get a hold of what that can mean and feel like, so I hope some people who are questioning or struggling with their identity can get a little bit of something out of this post.

For further reading:

The Dragonheart Collective's "Am I plural" guide.

Allium House's "what is the self?" essay.

Endogenic Hub's "Medians" page.

Otherkin Wiki's Plurality page (section on median plurality included).

Beepbird's "Median is More than People With Parts".

Beepbird's "For Medians: Fronting and Switching Control".

Beepbird's entire median plurality links section, honestly.

[simspaghetti]

While setting up my Stardew Valley save, I wanted to find out if it was possible to create community lots that have live-in residents, given that many of the town buisnesses also function as NPC homes in Stardew

Turns out it is possible to do - it uses an NRAAS feature I never knew existed, so I thought I'd give a tutorial! (ty to the NRAAS forums & MTS help threads for this information! - I've just compiled it to help others :D)

Essentially, this means you can create functional pubs / bars / shops / restaurants etc. which your sims can actually live in while running the business, and other non-playable town residents will view the lot as a community lot and come to visit / interact with it as such!

Also, as I've got a few of these NRAAS tutorials going now, I made a page where you can find all of them linked here - I'm open to requests as well :)

Tutorial under the cut ⬇️

Mods you will need:

NRAAS MasterController & MasterController Cheats

NRAAS Register (only for Part 2)

EDIT TO ADD: I recommend using a business mod such as Ani's Merchant Mod to allow your sim to earn money from their business in addition to this tutorial - you may find this much better for current-household gameplay, because your sim will not earn funds from their business when you're only using the NRAAS method detailed here (apart from mixology tips etc.)

Part 1: Adding sims as residents

Start by building / placing your business of choice using Edit Town, and pick what kind of community lot you want it to be through the 'change lot type' menu

Plop down the sims you want to live there on a different residential lot in town (this is temporary housing, it doesn't matter where / what it is)

For this tutorial, I'm going to be using The Adventurer's Guild dive bar as an example, & I want my two sims to live there: Marlon & Gil - Marlon will be tending the bar and Gil will just be living on the lot without any specific role

Your business doesn't have to be a bar, I'm just using that for the purposes of this tutorial - You can add residents to any community lot type, someone on the NRAAS forums even suggested adding 'homeless' sims as residents of community parks which would be fun for a rags-to-riches challenge! - other examples include: a bakery, personal training gym, savvy sellers shop, a nectary etc. etc.

Now everything is placed, you need to alter some settings over in the NRAAS MasterController main menu to set things up

Click on a computer or city hall to bring up the NRAAS MC Menu:

NRAAS -> MasterController -> Settings

'Allow Add Sim on Community Lots' is set to false by default, click on it -> change it to true

Click the checkmark & exit out of the NRAAS MC Menu

Go back to your community lot, click on the building and bring up:

NRAAS -> MasterController

At the top of this menu, there should now be an option to 'Add Sim' (as there usually only is on residential lots)

Click 'Add Sim' and then you can either filter by sim type OR just click 'Test Full Family' to find your sims on a list of all the townies - once you've found them, select their portraits and press the checkmark to exit the menu

I recommend resetting the sims & the lot once you've done this, your sims should now be residents of the community lot of your choice! You can keep them as the active household (although I haven't playtested this) or just have them as non-active families who are meant to own businesses around town

Part 2: Giving sims Functional Roles

I'd like to go one step further and have Marlon be the functional bartender for this lot, for this part you will need NRAAS Register (linked above)

There are two ways to do this:

1. If it is within working hours (for my dive that's 11AM - 3AM, you can check your lot's hours in map view), click on the bar object (or whatever role object you want, such as the industrial oven / cash register etc.) and choose

NRAAS -> Register -> Select

This will bring up the same sim selection menu as before, just choose your sim out of the list

They'll now be the functional bartender / role sim for that object!

However, this menu may not show up for various reasons, the main one being if it's not within working hours for the lot - there's another way to assign your sim if that is the case:

2. Go through the main NRAAS Register menu - click on City Hall or a computer to bring it up

NRAAS -> Register -> Find Empty Roles

As long as you haven't pressed play on the game since you placed your community lot, it will not have anyone assigned to the object yet, and it will show up under this menu as an empty role you can fill with your sim (through the sim selection menu again)

If the object does already have a sim assigned to it, you need to find whoever the sim is and remove them from that role:

I suggest just waiting until it is working hours & the sim shows up for work, then click on them & choose

NRAAS -> MasterController -> Intermediate -> Remove Role

You need MasterController cheats for this 'Intermediate' menu to show up!

This should then free up the object for you to add your sim to it through either of the previous methods - KEEP YOUR GAME PAUSED while you do this so no one else gets assigned to it before you're able to assign your own sim!

And that's everything!

Have fun with your functional residential businesses - as always if you have any further questions leave a comment or send me an ask and I will try and help 🥰🥰

Big thanks again to the NRAAS Forums & MTS Threads for this info, I'm just compiling what I found online as I had no idea this was a feature and figured it might be useful for others to know too!

[movingthisblogcelestialtarot11]

Future Spouse PAC—

Hi friends! Highly requested—a future pick a spouse reading. I appreciate all of you for being here <3 please like, comment and reblog to help this blog grow! Your presence means the world. It’s also 11:11 as I type this so for anyone who needs this here you go.

Pile 1: Hi there pile 1! Hope all is well in your world. For you I see a lot of prominence in your future spouse. They are physically well dressed, put together and appear luxurious. They can invest in quality brands and wear clothing that makes them feel good. I’m seeing someone wear a long tail coat and it emphasizes their height, because it’s slender and yet angular. This person has a great sense of fashion! I heard fashion icon. Some people may look to your future spouse for inspiration, and I heard designer. So perhaps they work closely with others in a artistic sense! They could be a Leo, Taurus or Capricorn. This is also someone who is generous with their energy and resources so if someone needs help they will offer it! Humble, has humility and carries themselves well. I have a feeling this is someone slightly older than you! They could have a pet as well, maybe a parrot for someone or a budgie. Cute! But back to their generosity I feel they give back to their community a lot, and may donate, raise funds for charity! There’s this soothing angelicness to them which people are drawn to, and their smile is also soft and beautiful! It’s something you’ll really like! I also see boyish rugged features for those who are interested in men. And for women I see chubby cheeks, fuller lips and lighter eyes! Your person can be on the taller side :) As for their hobbies may include hiking, skiing, camping! They may go with family as well. They could also be into religious studies like studying different religions, cultures and traditions. They may not necessarily be religious, but study the bible or Quran for example. They just love to learn. Thank you pile 1 for being here! Means a lot to me. Hope you like comment and reblog <3

Pile 2: Hi there pile 2! Haha for you I got a very elusive slippery energy from your future spouse. I feel as though in their younger years they were really hot. They were a know it all. They were charming, devious and funny. And they still are! They’ve certainly still got it going. I do feel as though when you meet them you might pick up on those traits from their past and stay away—but this person has identified that they want a deeper commitment here with you. They have grown a lot and instead of chasing cat and mouse, they are confident in attracting the right person. They don’t want games anymore, I’m hearing they don’t have time for it. So your person could be very busy and on the go often, like traveling to other states or places for work. It requires them to constantly be moving. I feel as though there is an element of long distance here but not necessarily forever! They can be foreign, as well. Different culture, values, traditions. But I think this’ll draw them in even more to you and vice versa. I feel this person has worked their way up to developing self respect and esteem, so they may be a bit intimidating at first. I see honey blonde hair, fair to tan skin, and tall figure. They can have toned figures and look as if they work out. They may be into sports of some kind that challenges their body. They need to get that energy out, i feel as though they’re like electricity, constantly sparking and looking to connect to a source. They can be scattered and flighty because their job is demanding of them, but they mean well. They’re funny, confident, boisterous, and charming! Very smooth with their word so expect them to charm your pants off ;) They may have black hair and keep it neatly trimmed! For men I see a neat beard and it isn’t long, it’s not a stubble either. It defines their face very well and I feel they have intense eyes. For women I see brown hair, thinner lips and green eyes! Or just lighter eyes in general. I feel they’re known as muscle mommy 😭 because their body is toned. Thank you pile 2 for being here! Any likes comments and reblogs are appreciated.

Pile 3: Okay right away pile 3 Electric by Alina Baraz began to play! Lol hope your day has been well. I feel as though this person is intense, stern and firm at first. I heard CEO. What kind of wattpad love story is this? Lmfao im hooked. Anyway, this person could have a higher position in your job and I do feel how you meet is they help you out. They may offer you a position, or talk to you, and somehow it slips out that you’re struggling. Im seeing two people meet for coffee in the lounge room and hitting it off, and its unexpected. I feel you two may expect a purely professional relationship but no—this is something deeper. There’s this feeling of intimacy and closeness with you two, like you two saw each other a long time ago and now you’re meeting again. Very familiar and comforting. Feels like 4h synastry! I love that. I do feel as though your future spouse is a provider and doesn’t mind if you want to take the reigns in bed too ;) they are skilled I should mention. I also feel they are someone who tries to understand what their emotions are and what its telling them. So you can help them, maybe you understand emotional processing better and can guide them. They’ll guide you through the material world and offer insights, and help you feel stable financially. I almost feel as though you’re the spiritual one and they are in touch with the material realm. So they are stunned when they hear of your spiritual journey and not only that but attracted. They feel tempted by what they don’t understand. Speaking of temptation—theres a lot. Psychologically it’s tempting to fall into old patterns and I feel as though this connection is helping you release that, but also intimately the temptation is there! Very strong. “Darker than the ocean, deeper than the sea.” I keep hearing that from the song and it describes the depth of your connection when you two meet. I also hear, “touch me, your electric baby.” So you two will definitely feel it. Its unmistakable! A little work romance never hurt anyone LOL that’s what I heard. Someone is saying it like a hushed whisper so I feel ya’ll will physically get closer to talk to one another—it’s an unconscious action yet so intimate. There’s a lot of unspoken tension here between you two. Anyways pile 3 enjoy <3 I hope this helped you! And please don’t forget to like comment and reblog to share the love.

Extra

Paid readings 🤍

[neopianbiologyproject]

Transparent Pets and the Transparent Chia

for background, Transparent is a cosmetic option one can change their Neopet to. for the mostly mammalian cast of Neopets, this typically shows the internal anatomy of the Neopet as if their skin and cartilage were transparent, displaying their skeleton and visible internal organs.

there are some notable examples among them: the Transparent Lenny has bones in its primary feathers, explaining their hand-like dexterity with those feathers! (other bird Neopets, like the Pteri, do not have these bones).

there's also the Grundo's alien organs, and the Ruki, which is an insect and thus has an exoskeleton, has a much different internal structure from its mammal counterparts

there's a lot we could get into here with the perceived anatomical correctness of these designs; the number of bones and placement or lack of certain organs is definitely not one would expect in a detailed anatomical diagram. but none of that is really important beyond what these designs signify about the species classification-wise, and the one new major outlier: the Transparent Chia

the Transparent Chia is unlike all other Neopets who have received Transparent designs. it is green; it does not have bones; it has unique organs; it resembles a plant cell.

below is my attempt to label the Transparent Chia as if it were a textbook diagram of a plant cell. I'm only an amateur biologist, so I discussed with some friends, including professional biologist @stackedcrates who taught me a lot!

(footnotes are below)

1 - Root Hairs: As I've been told it, root hairs would typically 1) comprise the full green shape of the hair and not just the pink inside, and 2) a cell with root hairs would not have chloroplasts. So if we accept the hair as root hairs, this is either a "novel evolutionary adaptation" or possibly the Chia is comprised of two to four large cells and potentially a colonial organism, which I find exciting.

2 - Vesicles, Peroxisomes, Lysosomes: It's impossible to actually distinguish these things from each other so I labelled them half based on evidence and half arbitrarily. Lysosomes are typically larger than peroxisomes, but both could also be most any other 'some. (Vesicles are not 'somes but they look similar in this type of diagram).

3 - The Endoplasmic Reticulum & Large Central Vacuole: In normal cells, the endoplasmic reticulum would touch the nucleus, so this ER is in a very unusual if not impossible spot. We floated the possibilities that we were wrong about the nucleus, the nucleus was actually what we'd labelled as the LCV, and even that our ER was just the rough ER and the yellow noodles (now labelled "Cytoskeletal Structures") were a very unusual smooth ER. But it seems overly likely that we're correct about the LCV and the nucleus, so I preferred this admittedly unsatisfying option compared to the rest.

4 - Chloroplasts and Mitochondria: You might notice that the chloroplasts as labelled have two different designs: one is striped while the other is simply green. The committee found the two similar enough to group them together, and I'm told it's common for the chloroplast to be depicted either way (I found more than one diagram that this art seems to be cribbing colors and design choices from). As for the mitochondria, it's possible that we have the chloroplasts and mitochondria swapped, and it's just as possible possible one of the three labelled is some other plastid that we didn't consider.

5 - Cytoskeletal Structures: We have no idea what these are. They're not really the right shape to be skeletal structures. Oh well!

6 - Amyloplast: @stackedcrates suggested this was an amyloplast, for storing starch, but that it could be another kind of plastid.

this attempt has many issues, but the real purpose of it is to prove that the Chia very closely resembles a plant cell, rather than correctly identify each part. @stackedcrates also emphasized that biology is full of exceptions, and with the Chia necessarily representing an unusual example, it doesn't behoove us to be beholden to statistical typicality. a few mistakes or professional disagreements are okay! in the end, it matters more that the parts are roughly represented.

I think we did well!

What does this mean for the project?

we'll be hereforth categorizing the Chia as among Plantae rather than Animalia. there was evidence for this before as the Chia is the only Neopet to have the unique Magical Chia Pop colors. the Maraquan Chia is also an anenome, which is an animal, but definitely the most plant-like of the aquatic animals.

maybe one could argue the Chia is a fungus, or even an animal-plant hybrid! where does that go in our taxonomy? I don't know! but science is exciting, isn't it?

[literaryvein-reblogs]

A Few More Writing Notes for your Sex Scenes

Whether your long-term relationship is in a rut, or you're looking for a way to connect with a new partner, sex games are a fun way to add some steamy novelty to your sex life.

Sex Games for Couples to Play

To get the most out of these sexy games, both of you should go in with a positive attitude and a willingness to try new sexual activities. Here are some sex games that may spice things up between you and your partner.

“Out of bed” sex checklist: For this game, commit to having sex in a different location either inside or outside your home for an entire month. The one rule is that the location can’t be your bed. Then every time you have sex, alternate who chooses the location. You may be surprised at how a change of scenery sparks your sexual creativity.

Sex dice: For this classic couple’s sex game, all you need is a pair of dice that will give you a sexy action (i.e. “lick,” “suck,” “nibble”) and a number of sexy body parts (i.e. “nipples,” “ear,” “neck”). Just purchase a pair of sex dice, role the dice, and do what they tell you to do.

Kinky truth or dare: For this kinky spin on the classic game Truth or Dare, all you have to do is make every truth and every dare sexual in nature. If selecting a dare for your partner, think of something that pushes them slightly out of their comfort zone like role play or a striptease performance. When asking for a truth, use it as an opportunity to learn about your partner's sexual fantasies. For example, you could ask "What untraditional sex position have you always wanted to try?" or "Tell me something that turns you on that I don't already know about."

Yes/No/Maybe: Making a “Yes/No/Maybe” list with your partner is exactly what it sounds like: a list of sexual activities that you can mark “Yes” (I definitely want to do this), “No” (I definitely do not want to do this), or “Maybe” (I’m not sure if I’d enjoy this, but I’m open to talking more about it and maybe trying it). You should each fill out a “Yes/No/Maybe” list separately and then compare to see where your sexual fantasies overlap. Here's a small sample of items to consider adding to your list: BDSM, mutual masturbation, nipple play, oral sex, anal sex, role-playing, dirty talk, dressing up, spanking, vibrator usage, dildo usage, and threesomes.

Honey hunt: This game is perfect for couples who have a sweet tooth and don't mind getting a little messy. To play, blindfold your partner and pour a small spot of honey anywhere on your body. It's your partner's job to find the honey, but they're only allowed to use their tongue. As they search for the honey, your partner may discover new erogenous zones on your body. This game can get sticky so when you're done playing, clean each other off with some shower sex.

Sex toy surprise: To play “sex toy surprise,” gather all your sex toys in a large bag, blindfold you or your partner, and pick one out of the bag to use during foreplay. Feel free to keep the blindfold on after you make your selection.

Strip games: You can turn any card game or board game into a sex game if you just alter the rules so that the loser has to remove a piece of clothing. Strip poker is the most popular strip game and you only need a classic deck of playing cards to play.

Sex Toy - any object or device made to enhance sexual pleasure or facilitate an orgasm. When safely used, sex toys can bring an entirely new element to a sexual encounter. There are several different types of sex toys, and each is designed for a unique form of pleasure.

Types of Sex Toys

Sex toys come in many shapes and sizes, but they typically fall within 7 categories.

Vibrators: These sex toys use vibration patterns to stimulate different parts of your body. External vibrators include clitoral stimulators like bullet vibrators and wands, which enhance pleasure around the clitoris and labia. Internal vibrators are shaped for comfortable vaginal and anal penetration. They usually include several vibration modes, so you can find the right intensity for you. Combination vibrators like rabbit vibrators include both internal and external functions. Rabbits are hybrid sex toys that allow for penatration while simultaneously simulating your clit.

Anal toys: Some sex toys are specifically designed to stimlute the nerve endings in your anus. Examples of anal toys include butt plugs, prostate massagers, and anal beads. The important thing to look for when choosing an anal toy is a flared base. This wider base ensures that the toy doesn’t accidentally slip inside your anus. Since the anus doesn’t naturally lubricate itself, anal toys require a lot of lubrication. Don’t forget to clean your anal toy after each use, especially if you’re sharing the toy with a partner or plan to use it on another part of your body.

BDSM gear: BDSM toys can enhance sexual pleasure by allowing for dominant and submissive roleplaying. If you are new to bondage, consider buying a pair of handcuffs, a blindfold, or wrist and ankle restraints. These simple items can add an exciting element to your sexual encounters by forcing you to focus on every physical sensation. If you enjoy erotic spanking, consider using a paddles, whips, or ticklers. When using BDSM gear, always be sure to have an agreed-upon safe word that you can use if you are ever feeling uncomfortable. Trust and communication are key for good bondage play.

Dildos: One of the most popular types of sex toys, dildo are often phallic in shape. They are designed to comfortably penetrate a vagina, anus, or mouth. Dildos come in many shapes and sizes, but they are often textured with pleasurable ribs or bumps and made out of silicone, glass, and even steel. If you are having solo sex, consider buying a dildo with a suction cup base that you can attach to a wall for hand-free use.

Cock rings: These toys wrap around the base of your penis to stop blood flow back into the body, which can help maintain and enhance an erection. Some cock rings wrap around the scrotum to apply extra pressure. The safest cock rings are made from a soft material like silicone, but they also come in materials like titanium or stainless steel. Vibrating cock rings can enhance sexual pleasure for the wearer and provide clitoral stimulation for a partner. Only wear a cock ring for brief sessions, and take it off immediately if it causes you any pain.

Harnesses: Harnesses allow you to attach a dildo to your body for strap-on play. Use a strap-on for penetrative sex, either vaginal or anal. Harnesses are often fit like underwear, but some have straps that tie around your thighs. You may also wear a harness for bondage purposes. For optimal mobility during sex, be sure to keep your harness snug and your dildo tightly attached.

Sex furniture: Constructed for intimacy, sex furniture can help you position your body in a way that is otherwise difficult or uncomfortable. A wedge pillow is an easy way to lift your pelvis and hold a good position for penetration. Other examples of sex furniture include sex swings, lounge chairs, and shower grips. If you’ve been struggling with a particular sex position, consider getting a piece of sex furniture to support you.

BDSM - a blanket term for a wide variety of erotic practices and kinks built upon power dynamics between consenting sexual partners.

“BDSM” is a combination of acronyms that stands for three similar but distinct communities that use power imbalance for sexual pleasure:

Bondage and discipline (B/D), domination and submission (D/s), and sadism and masochism (S/M).

In general, BDSM involves one partner acting in the dominant role (or “dom”), while the other embodies the submissive role (or “sub”) as they both act out consensual fantasies.

Both partners receive sexual pleasure and satisfaction from performing their role (whether dominant or submissive) during the sexual encounter.

Other “kinky” communities based on nonconforming sexual interests or fetishism are often included within the BDSM community, including those with rubber or leather fetishes or people who enjoy animal roleplay, where one partner takes on the role of an animal or pet.

Types of BDSM

BDSM is an umbrella term for many sexual preferences within the erotic community, all of which interact and overlap in various ways. The most common subcultures include:

Bondage play: Bondage is a sexual practice in which tools are used to restrain one partner during a sexual encounter. The most common restraints include rope, leather straps, bondage tape, ties, handcuffs, spreader bars, ball gags, blindfolds, and chains. These restraints aim to restrict the subject’s senses or freedom of movement to place control in the other partner’s hands and heighten mutual sexual stimulation.

Discipline: In the discipline community, the dominant partner will set rules that the submissive partner obeys. These rules can be sexual in nature (like requiring oral sex at particular times) or indirectly erotic (like forbidding speaking out of turn). If the submissive partner breaks a rule, the dominant partner will assign punishment, including withholding pleasure, inflicting pain (from spanking to flogging), or assigning additional rules. Both partners experience sexual pleasure in discipline roleplay.

Dominance and submission: Dominance and submission focus on the flow of power and energy between partners. In general, one partner dominates the other physically, mentally, emotionally, or sexually during a particular encounter (often called a “scene” or “session”), exploring the submissive partner’s desires, thoughts, and feelings and guiding the couple toward mutual pleasure. BDSM practitioners who like to switch between dominant and submissive roles in a relationship or even undergo a power exchange during a single encounter are known as “switches.” D/s often incorporates specific outfits or attire to be used during a scene—for instance, leather outfits, maid costumes, collars, leashes, and riding crops.

Sadomasochism: Sadomasochism is a community in which individuals derive sexual pleasure and a rush of endorphins from inflicting or receiving pain (always consensually). Those who enjoy inflicting this pain are known as sadists, while those who enjoy feeling this pain are called masochists. The pain inflicted can be physical (with whips, clamps, paddles, or electric stimulation) or emotional (through humiliation or total submission).

Tips for Practicing BDSM Safely

If you want to experiment with BDSM for the first time but are unsure where to start, here are a few tips to make sure your experiences are safe, consensual, and fun:

Set ground rules with your partner. To engage in healthy BDSM play, you and your partner should both agree on what you’re comfortable with before you begin—nobody should feel pressured into a particular role or feel as if they don’t have a choice. Have an open and honest dialogue with your partner about the roles you’re each drawn toward so that you both feel comfortable and confident experimenting. If you’re too nervous about bringing it up directly and you’re curious about your partner’s interest levels, consider watching light BDSM erotica together to broach the subject.

Select a safe word. Trust and mutual consent between one or more partners are the foundation of BDSM. However, it may be hard to distinguish between playful banter and an honest request to slow down or stop the experience in the middle of a session. Every BDSM practitioner should establish at least one safe word with their partner—something either person can say to signal that a boundary has been crossed and a break is necessary. Additionally, you and your partner can choose two different safe words—one that signals a stop in action and another that signals you’re coming close to a boundary and should ease off or move the session in a different direction.

Brainstorm roleplaying ideas. If you’re unsure how to begin a BDSM relationship with your partner or feeling self-conscious, consider some roleplay scenarios that can help jumpstart the action. Boss and employee, teacher and student, doctor and patient, or two strangers are all roles that you can take on to help distance yourself from the situation, which can be a great way to help you get over stage fright so that you can relax and enjoy yourself.

Start small. If you’re new to BDSM, avoid buying a complicated rope system or a fancy leather outfit. Instead, let yourself ease in to see if this form of sex play suits you and your partner. Try light BDSM activities for starters; many discipline or D/s sessions only require two willing participants and some imagination. If you want to buy equipment, a blindfold and some wrist restraints are useful, inexpensive items that you can continue to use if you determine that hardcore BDSM activities are not for you.

Understand risk. There are two main schools of thought regarding how to treat risk during sessions—the “safe, sane, and consensual” model (SSC) and the “risk-aware consensual kink” model (RACK). Those who follow the SSC model emphasize safety, sticking to activities that you and your partner have designated as “safe” beforehand. Those who follow the RACK model believe that the word “safe” is problematic because most BDSM activities are inherently risky and that emphasizing safety takes away participants’ freedom to evaluate risk on their own or engage in higher-risk BDSM play. For those who follow the RACK model, the responsibility to determine risk and comfort is with each individual—making explicit consent even more crucial.

Aftercare is key. Many sexual activities—and BDSM sessions in particular—can be physically or emotionally intense for both participants, so partners must engage in healthy aftercare following the sexual experience. Discussion, cuddling, and cleaning up together are great ways to help everyone wind down and process the session, fostering a sense of calm, physical wellness, and emotional well-being.

Erotic Spanking - a type of impact play in which a person uses their hands, whip, paddle, crop, or flagger to spank parts of their partner’s body for consensual and mutual sexual pleasure.

Spanking is a light BDSM activity often used as foreplay before sexual intercourse or a kinky warm up during domination play.

Receiving an erotic spanking can increase blood flow in the groin area and releases pleasurable chemicals in the brain, including endorphins and dopamine, to enhance sexual pleasure.

Types of Erotic Spanking

In spanking role-play, each partner performs the part of a character—the spanking recipient will typically take on a submissive role, while the other partner performs a dominant one.

Domestic discipline is a practice between two consenting partners where the dominant partner uses spanking or corporal punishment to call out their submissive partner’s unwanted behaviors (which may have been performed intentionally in order to get spanked).

Self-spanking is when a person spanks their own body for sexual pleasure.

Ways to Practice Erotic Spanking

There are several different ways that couples and individuals can use erotic spanking in their sexual play:

Clothed or unclothed: You can spank or receive a spanking fully clothed, completely naked, or in various states of undress. Some people own special spanking outfits like chaps or a spanking skirt, which have unique cutouts around the buttocks to allow for easier spanking.

Over the knee: The prototypical position for spanking is when the receiving partner lies across the lap or over the spanking partner’s knee, with their buttocks in the air. However, many other positions offer easy access to the buttocks. For example, the receiving partner can lie on their stomach on the bed, or both partners can stand upright. Some people may invest in a spanking bench or spanking horse, a four-legged piece of furniture that the receiving partner lies on during spanking.

With the hand: The hands are the most common spanking tool. Some practitioners prefer to spank using their bare hands because they can also feel the impact on their palms and fingers.

With a spanking tool: Spanking tools can provide more impact or cover a greater surface area. Paddles, whips, riding crops, floggers, hairbrushes, belts, and canes are popular implements to use for spanking.

With bondage: Spanking falls under the umbrella of BDSM, which also includes other activities like bondage and domination. Many people like to combine spanking with these activities to enhance sexual arousal—for instance, tying up the receiving partner for a submissive BDSM spanking experience.

With role-play: Some couples use spanking as a role-playing element, acting out situations where the spanker is the dominant partner and the spankee needs to be punished with a spanking session.

Erotic Spanking Tips

If you want to try an erotic spanking session in the bedroom, here are some useful tips for beginners:

Choose a safe word. Different people respond differently to spanking—while some may find it immensely pleasurable, others may dislike it entirely or enjoy it only briefly before they’re ready to move on. To ensure that you and your partner have an open line of sexual communication, choose a memorable, safe word before you start so that if one of you needs to stop, you can use the word to end the session and take a break.

Start gently. Everyone has different sensitivity levels, and it’s important to listen to your partner to see what feels best for them. When starting with erotic spanking, the spanker should begin with gentle spanks—then, if your partner asks for more or harder impact, you can gradually increase the intensity. Easing into the spanking can help both of you discover your preferences.

Experiment with sensations. If you’re spanking with your hand, you can try different angles and styles to see what feels best. For instance, the palm offers a deeper thud, while the fingers can create more of a stinging sensation. Other spanking tools can provide new sensations—a paddle can cover more surface area with each impact, while a riding crop concentrates on a particular spot. Aftercare is also important—rubbing the spankee’s buttocks after a few spanks can extend the duration of the sensations and further increase the pleasure.

Pay attention to all four zones. The buttocks have four different zones that respond differently to spanking: the tops by your lower back, the sides near your hips, the undersides, and the fleshy center dome. When spanking, give each zone some attention, which will also help provide other zones with relief. As you ramp up the sexual arousal, focus most of the spanking on the underside zone, which will send vibrations up to your partner’s genital area for the most pleasure.

Go solo. You don’t need a partner to enjoy spanking. Add in some erotic spanking during a masturbation session—being on all fours or even standing up are both good positions to give you easy access to your buttocks area. If you’re having a hard time reaching, consider using a paddle or other spanking tool.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[astra-ravana]

Sigil Magick: Illustrating Your Intent

Sigils are a cornerstone of contemporary and chaos magick and function as keys to unlock the doors of reality and bend it to one’s will. These potent symbols serve as physical embodiments of one’s intentions, cast into existence through the fusion of art and willpower.

The crafting of a sigil begins with a clear and focused intention, which is then worked into a unique symbol through a creative magickal process. The magick practitioner inscribes deep personal meaning and style into their designs, making each unique to its artist. Sigils are ideal tools for manifesting your desires, imbuing objects with specific purpose and energy, protecting spaces, and communicating with the spirit world and should be used responsibly.

Origins

The practice of crafting sigils traces its roots to the ancient world but was modernized in the early 20th century by the works of Austin Osman Spare, an occultist and artist. He introduced the method of creating magical symbols by condensing letters of a desire into an abstract design. Aleister Crowley, too, influenced the practice by intertwining sigils with ceremonial magick, embedding them with a rich esoteric significance.

Some occult grimoires employ sigils as a means of contacting spirits, for example; Ars Goetia, The Book of Oberon, and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum.

Basics of Sigil Magick

Sigil magick emerges from the belief in one’s ability to manifest their focus into reality. Through a process of creation, a sigil becomes much more than mere ink on paper—it is the illustrated essence of desire. Individuals can use sigils as focal points for their will, empowering these symbols through meditation or ritual to enact change. The universe of sigils is vast and varied, types of sigils include:

• Pictorial Sigils: Intuitive symbols drawn from the subconscious

• Runic Sigils: Combinations of runic alphabets that resonate with specific energies

• Word Sigils: Derived from statements of intention, where letters are crafted into a unique symbol

Correspondences also serve a purpose in this class of magick, in order to help align one's intent to universal energies. As an artist crafts their sigil, they intertwine traditional symbols with personal significance, creating a bridge to the metaphysical world. Some relevant correspondences are:

• Numerology: Numbers carry vibrations that can enhance a sigil’s purpose.

• Zodiac Signs: Celestial influences infused to fine-tune the focus.

• Elements: The classic forces of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water lend their power to sigils, grounding them in natural harmony.

Sigil Creation

Before you take pen to paper, first envision your intent with clarity and purpose This may involve some deep introspection into the true nature of your desires. A precise intention lays the foundation for the sigil's power. Once ready, write out your intention and cross out any duplicate letters. From here a couple different methods can be utilized. Naturally you could always draw your sigils from pure instinct, creating spontaneous shapes to represent your intentions, but there are other techniques available.

The Wheel

This method employs a wheel to be used as a map for drawing your sigil. Simply start at the first letter of your intent and draw lines to each subsequent letter. Example:

My Method

I make my sigils by breaking up the letters to create shapes. I will often decorate with extra shapes, symbols, and pictures as well. Here is a simplified example of my sigil creation process:

Next you must charge your sigil. Charging is the act of infusing the sigil with energy. The creator might enter a meditative state, focusing intently on the sigil while envisioning their intentions intertwining with the design. This act of focused concentration serves to embed the intention within the sigil, making it a beacon for the desired change.

Passive and Active Sigils

Intentioned sigils fall into either the passive or active sigil category based on how that sigil's energy is best utilized. Passive sigils are usually drawn on the body, item, or surface and then left alone to release their power over time. Active sigils involve some action to trigger the release of the sigil's energy, such as burning, burying, soaking with water/oil, and more. Some sigils can be used both passively and actively, but most will fall into one category.

Spirit Sigils

Many spirits and deities have sigils that represent them and these can be powerful catalysts for interacting with these beings. If the spirit you're working with doesn't have a sigil made for them (or even if they do) you can design your own symbol to connect with that spirit. Follow the same process, but instead of focusing on your intent, focus on the spirit/deity and connecting with it. You can even perform a ritual and provide an offering to invite the spirit into your space. This will allow you to draw divine inspiration straight from the source. Here are some examples of spirit/deity sigils, as well as some I created: