#when I say I’m a visual learner; I AM a visual learner lol

[the-shy-artisan]

Also seeing Shadow skate just reminds me of how I learned how to roller skate: by watching Shadow’s movements in SA2 lmaooo

[lovebvni]

Heyy ! Sorry for the sudden ask , but I’d like to ask you if you could do a quick reading for me ? If not then that’s totally okay 💙

I took a nap affirming that I am ready to shift to my dr , and when I woke up I think I dreamt something regarding my dr , but now I can’t remember, but what I can remember is : feeling an urge to get on tumblr and ask you if you could do a reading for me , cause I feel that you’re trustworthy

My questions :

🔵 Should I stop trying to manifest other things besides shifting and go only for shifting ? Due to me planning on perma shifting ?

🔵 am I on the right track ? Cause it feels as if I am gonna shift soon , and I’d like to know if there’s anything where it may lacks

🔵 should I work on my prospective memory ? Or is it fine ?

( you can call me moonie , she/her and I’m 15 in my dr 🦋 , thank you a lot and I hope you have a wonderful week ! Also thank you for reading this )

hiii moonie!! i’m so sorry for getting to this late, life has been up and down, and i’ve wanted to do this reading since i first saw it (last month!)

i hope i can answer all your questions and the answers still apply! we’re going to do only shufflemancy bc i don’t have cards with me, lol!

“Should Moonie only manifest reality shifting, because she is trying to focus on perms shifting?”

without shufflemancy, i heard no, only because you “need to be used to the 3D and 4D working together to reflect your desires”.

the lines stand out are “Do you want this like it wants you?” and “I'm supplyin' my man/I'm in demand soon as a I land”

i feel like it’s the universe asking you, “do you think this right with your own intuition?” and “haven’t you asked something similar before?”

the supply and demand, when i saw those two words, i made a supply demand chart. the line for demand is curving into supply. the supply is always there, but it looks like there isn’t enough demand. like you need to get used to asking for what you want and actually getting it. some times the demand gets close but then the spike bounces back.

tw: terrible art skills LMAO

the demand would entail with u persisting instead of giving it up or sweeping it under the rug. the supply is almost there, the universe is always there. they are willing to give you whatever you want as long as you keep asking and working for it.

so, i’m getting a “no, not yet.” for your first answer.

2. is moonie on the right track?

“Living life like I'm in a dream I know I've got a big ego I really don't know why it's such a big deal, though

And I'm sad to the core, core, core (Yeah) Every day is a chore, chore, chore (Wow) When you give, I want more, more, more I wanna be adored”

yes, but you’re trying to work on everything at once. i feel like you may be a visual learner because im having many urges to draw during this.

the blue center spiral represents you. the web is everything you want to do. you go out each main branch then come to the middle and down finish the web connections.

can you complete everything by doing this? yes. but that doesn’t mean it’s the most efficient way to do things. the reason they say you are on the right track is because you have found what you want to do. you just aren’t going about doing it in the best way.

(shiny from moana also came on, and the crab that sings is also really distracted by knows what he wants)

3. should moon or work on their prospective memory?

i’m getting a no, but maybe later. “you have bigger fish to fry right now.” it can be on the back of your mind, but it shouldn’t be your main worry.

so, no. don’t worry about that right now. focus on getting used to manifesting.

thank you so much for your ask, moonie!! sorry for getting back to you so late!

sending you love <3

[therayofsonshine]

i went to a work party last night so i was kinda drunk… and i forgot the rest of the days… so here is day 13, 14, 15 + 16… i will catch up…

day 13: i had to think about this one, i can’t lie. but a big privilege i have in my dr is my financial situation. it was honestly something i didn’t think to script until it was mentioned in another post as “vital things to script” — which to some, yes it may be.

we’re comfortable in my dr. we’re not counting all the pennies we spend, but we definitely aren’t rich enough to waste it, iykwim. my family work hard for the money we have and i’m so proud of how far we’ve come - especially since coming to korea and having to start from scratch. it hasn’t been easy, but where we are now has made all the hard work and dedication worth it :)

day 14:

any baking smells - we have a café, so it’s all i’m used to smelling and it’s very nostalgic to me

coffee - again, café.

mangoes - i script this for every dr of mine, but i love love LOVE the smell of fruity scents, especially mangoes. so whenever i get a whiff of something sweet, saccharine-y, it reminds me of my dr!

cleaning products(?) - we clean the café A LOT LMFAO

day 15: my main wingman is my older sister, definitely. she’s someone really special to me and she was the first person i told that i had signed up for a dating show. she was like “slay! but why.” LOL

as i’ve probably said before - or haven’t, i can’t remember - my family didn’t know anyone in korea when we moved. everything was new to us - the language, culture, honorifics, etc.. it caused my family to grow closer as we kinda had to rely on each other to be each other’s best friend. that was the case with my sister and i.

luckily, our parents taught and encouraged us to be confident, so we had the courage to figure things out. but we still needed someone. i remember the first time we went to a supermarket on.. like.. our second day of being in korea. we had our translator open and double checking we had the right amount of money 😭

anyways, yes. love my sister.

day 16: OH MY GOD i love this one!!!! trust when i say i’ve used every scripting platform you can think of.

at the start of my shifting journey, i used the good ol’ google docs (sometimes still do) - so all my old scripts from like 2020-21 are there. then i moved to google slides… putting images on a google docs is really awkward and i wanted more visuals. that era lasted for like… a few ish months? i have like 2 scripts there that are REALLY in depth yo 😭

after that i used notion for a while.. but it’s too advanced for me i fear… i just couldn’t wrap my head around it. i need nice and simple. i love youse who have really beautiful scripts tho. i respect it. but it’s not for me… and that’s okay! :)

then that leads us to here, and to my baby… my beloved… my beauty… the notes app. now stick with me. our shifting journeys are ours, right? so one thing i figured out pretty late along my journey was i didn’t and still don’t like long, complicated scripts. it stresses me out and then my brain just isn’t having it. notes app allows me to keep it plain and to the point. and i get to add pretty photos! :)

at the moment, i just use the notes app and pinterest to add boards for my drs. i am a visual learner, after all!

𝟐𝟓 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐒. ❆ ⋆⁺₊❅ .

a series of questions for the days leading up to christmas for shifters!! Some of these questions are Christmas specific and others aren’t, feel free to answer what you want and how you want, ex. moodboards, short answers, longs answers. And if you’d like, you can reblog so it reaches more shifters. Merry Christmas and Happy Shifting :) post tags are #shiftmas #shiftmas2024 tagged: @arishifter

⌗ 𝟏. christmas caroling ; What are a few songs that remind you of your dr? Why?

⌗ 𝟐. gingerbread houses ; What does your house look like in your dr? Who do you live with? What is your favorite aspect of your house?

⌗ 𝟑. eggnog ; What is some drama going on in your dr?

⌗ 𝟒. sledding ; What does a hang out with you friend group look like? Where do you go? Who is your friend group?

⌗ 𝟓. snowman ; What is your OOTD? (outfit of the day)

⌗ 𝟔. stockings ; What is your family like? What are your relationships with different members? Any extended family? Who is visiting for Christmas?

⌗ 𝟕. candy canes ; What gives you dr euphoria? (like gender euphoria but for your dr…)

⌗ 𝟖. mistletoe ; Who is your s/o? What is your dynamic and how do you spend time together? Are you two doing something special for the holiday?

⌗ 𝟗. snowflakes ; What are some headcannons you have about people in your dr?

⌗ 𝟏𝟎. icicles ; What is your occupation in your dr? Your coworkers? (Or if student, your classmates?) What is your favorite and least favorite aspect of your occupation?

⌗ 𝟏𝟏. tree skirt ; How did you find out about shifting? What was your first dr and what is your main dr now?

⌗ 𝟏𝟐. ornaments ; What are some objects you have in your dr that you don’t in your cr? Why do you have them in your dr?

⌗ 𝟏𝟑. sleigh bells ; Are there any priveleges you have in your dr that you don’t in your cr? What are they?

⌗ 𝟏𝟒. cookie cutters ; What are some smells that remind you of your dr? Why?

⌗ 𝟏𝟓. elf on the shelf ; who is your main wingman/women/person? What is your dynamic? What do you guys do when you hang out?

⌗ 𝟏𝟔. wrapping paper ; What is your favorite way to script? Why is it your favorite way?

⌗ 𝟏𝟕. gift tags ; What is your camera roll like in your dr? (photos or just describe it)

⌗ 𝟏𝟖. snowballs ; What is a silly scenario you are looking forward to in your dr?

⌗ 𝟏𝟗. mittens ; What are your hobbies in your dr? How do you usually spend your down time?

⌗ 𝟐𝟎. ice skates ; What is your ideal date in your dr? (friends or s/o)

⌗ 𝟐𝟏. coal ; What is something unpleasant you have/have to experience in your dr? Why are you not looking forward to it?

⌗ 𝟐𝟐. tinsel ; What is something fun or random you have scripted? (ex. Thundersnow is more common, you have a ring that allows you to read minds, you have good luck with thrifting, you’re good at gambling.)

⌗ 𝟐𝟑. fir tree ; What are some traditions you have in your dr but not your cr? Why?

⌗ 𝟐𝟒. hot cocoa ; put together a moodboard of your dr or you in your dr

⌗ 𝟐𝟓. christmas ; How are you spending your christmas? Who with? What might be some gifts you are giving and to who?

divider credits.

[maiteo]

Hey maia I know you are a computer girl so I need some advice (sorry for the vent in advance). I have a degree in biology and I'm very interested in neuroscience and behavior, cognition etc etc.Somehow, I wanna to combine bioinformatics with it, so basically computational neuroscience. The thing is that I feel like my brain can't work that way, like I understand all the basic tools and the languages etc but generally I feel like I cannot actually think beyond in the field. It's still early for me I'm still doing my master's but do you have any advice?I won't go as far as to say that I sometimes feel inadequate/stupid in the bioinformatics area but yk...Also maybe it's my teacher, he's great and all but he tells me my answers are "philosophical" what does that even mean dude 🫠 Anyway thanks ilysm ❤️

Hello meu amor!!🫶🏽 First of all congratulations!! What you have achieved already is amazing and having the aspirations to add to it is incredible. I hope you have taken the time to celebrate yourself and your achievements❤️ I am happy you messaged me, no need to apologize about venting...the stem fields are an absolute trip, and I understand how you feel. I am about to ramble now...especially since I have moments where I feel the exact same way. 

Firstly, the doubt is so normal, especially given the makeup of the fields and how male dominated it is. I know from personal experience I used to find myself second guessing my work, my capabilities, and just my overall presence whether it be in my classes, work, events, etc...🫠 It takes time to adjust and to be confident in taking up space (that you fully deserve to take up!!) and said insecurities are never a reflection of your intelligence and ambitions; it's always a nagging voice that I’ve learned goes away as you build yourself up. 

Academically speaking, this is genuinely such an interesting field of study! (wild how I recently met someone on the same path!) I know how overwhelming and intimidating the initial approach to any type of programming language can be, given how vast it is and given how some people act as if it's a piece of cake that can be learned instantly (so very false!) It takes time to build up confidence, but it is NOT impossible and can be enjoyable. An approach that worked for me was to just excite myself over little things so the program would not get the best of me😭 sounds silly but it works and eases your mind. 

Not sure which language you will be focusing on specifically (I’m aware of Python & MATLAB being in focus for neuroscience) but this is applicable to all languages: Be patient with the process. Expect mistakes initially and take lessons from each of them. Do not be afraid to utilize every single source at your disposal, whether its tutoring, working with other classmates or finding a mentor. I promise you the people who specialize in this stuff loveeee being able to help you understand it as best they can, to help you succeed. I have struggled with asking for help at times too (especially when I first started python) but after doing it just one time, it became easier to do so. Don’t be afraid to just jump right into a program to get a feel for how it is. You mentioned you have a bit of time before you dedicate your time to it...use that time to find a virtual program tailored to your studies or just an introduction to whichever program you need. This will give you a sense of what to expect with the language and help diminish intimidation a bit. Also, these can all be found online for free!! Do not pay for anything crazy. I’m not sure what kind of learner you are but take notes that help you keep track of what you’ve learned and what you understand. A lot of these virtual learning sites are very visual heavy and to me, that helps a lot. 

I’m rambling now I'm so sorry lol but the “philosophical” comment...I'm yelling! I cannot tell you how many comments of similar nature I have gotten from tech teachers specifically. While I don’t believe they have malicious intent, I know how it plays on the mind and how it affects literally everything. Honestly, a lot of the times, some of them* do not have the same experience communicating on a deeper level...you know devoid of tech talk?💀 Whenever they're introduced to concepts that involve human emotions or connections they are just like...oh! hm..?🤨 Don’t let it affect you at all loml!! You're on track to do even more beautiful things! Proud of you, wishing you the absolute best and rooting for you always!!🫂🫶🏽

ps. heres a link that may be a bit helpful🫡

[excelsior9173]

tagged by @foxgloveinspace thank you!!

•name

on here i go by exie, in real life i respond to any variation of “em”, as well as andy (andy was a nickname given to me by a person i went canoeing with and really looked up to!)

•pronouns

i’m not really partial to anything and being gender queer i am comfortable with any! i often like calling myself a boy while looking extremely feminine, but am also just a “they” half the time lmao

•where do you call home?

i don’t wanna out and say where i live but i am an extremely proud canadian, and even prouder to be from the prairies (not alberta tho fuck them)

•favourite animal

100% ravens! i’m a lover of all corvids but i have always been fascinated by ravens. they’re the biggest song bird in north america! they are as smart as like, a seven year old human. i got to finally go to the tower of london this summer and i saw the ravens up close and i almost cried. bucket list moment for me

•cereal of choice

i will admit that i am a very boring person, when given free reign and allowed to pick whatever i want i go straight for some harvest crunch. idk man i love granola and grain flavoured cereals. multigrain cheerios slap so hard

•are you a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learner?

i think a mix of visual and kinaesthetic? i love listening to my university lectures, but rely on physical notes to actually learn anything. if it is anything practical then i absolutely have to be able to do it physically or it will not make sense to me. i worked on a farm last summer and learning any of the equipment i needed to be hands on and guided through it tactilely

•first pet

i had a black and white cat named salty. he was all white on his underside, it was really just his back, tail and top of his head that was black. i loved him to bits

•favourite scent

petrichor! patchouli is a very close second. there’s a perfume i desperately want because it’s supposed to be the actual smell of petrichor mixed with patchouli and if i could smell like that naturally I would

•do you believe in astrology?

not really! i’m a practicing witch but honestly i’ve never viewed astrology as anything more than a bit of fun. i like reading my horoscope but i don’t put too much stock in it

•how many playlists do you have on spotify/apple music?

ummm maybe 5 or 6? i tend to really just play albums or my “favourites” playlist that is like, 700 songs and 40 some hours of playtime

•sharpies or highlighters?

sharpies!

•songs that make you cry?

are you really okay? by sleep token always gets me weepy

if i’m there by bad omens fucks me up pretty bad too, especially the unplugged version

•songs that make you happy?

i spend most of my time listening to pretty angry music lol. if i’m going for like, upbeat instant mood lifter? i like really stupid songs

kitty cracks me up every time it’s so good

i also like corky and the juice pigs, specifically the song eskimo. they’re a satire band and my dad sang this song at his sister’s wedding and it’s so so funny (disclaimer it’s not exactly pc anymore, it’s from 1993)

•finally, do you write/draw/create?

i’ve dabbled here and there with various forms of art but i don’t consider myself a creative in any way. nowadays i really just teach myself random songs on guitar and put together low budget halloween costumes lol

this was last years, vanya from the umbrella academy comics! i hand painted the bodysuit and boots! (i had to wear two pairs of tights to attempt to hide my tattoos lmao)

[f1nalboys]

Can i get a nsfw alphabet for stu?

I SURE FUCKING CANNNNNNNN <3love u anon

Stu Macher NSFW Alphabet

WORD COUNT: 1622

WARNINGS: nsfw, dark kinks listed, its stu so thats a warning, just proceed with caution

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

Stu my beloved <3 he is great at aftercare in general, but he goes above and beyond when it comes to his long term partners. One night stands are different; it’s not that he purposely doesn’t do much to make sure they’re okay, it’s just that he…. Doesn’t see it *as* important, if that makes sense? When its someone he’s only seeing once he isn’t getting into anything super bad or dark so he doesn’t feel the need to do a full aftercare session. When it’s a long term partner then he will takes as long as they need to make sure they’re in a good headspace, he knows he can get a bit into it you know?

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

For him, it’s his tongue 1 billion percent. I mean, Stu loves *all* of him and is super confident in his body but overall it’s his tongue. He can do a lot with it, can tease his partner or make them cry with pleasure, can put it on every inch of skin his partner allows, can talk a lot of shit. He’s multi-talented. As for his partner, it’s ass. He’s an ass guy, hate to be the one to break it to you all. ANY ass is perfect, though. Small one? Easy to grab. Big one? Gets to see it bounce when he’s fucking you from behind. 10/10 ass in general, you know?

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

God. Stu *loves* cumming on you. He’s a big fan of cumming in you too, of course, but theres something very…degrading about cumming on your face or chest or ass or stomach or (insert any body part here) that drives him wild. His fave place to cum though is cumming on your holes >:) if you have a pussy, he’s cumming *on* it. If he’s fucking you in the ass, he’s coming on your hole and then using his finger to push it inside you. AM I WRONG????? NEVER. 

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

`Stu doesn’t have many ‘secrets’ tbh, but one i say for pretty much every mf i write for is that they’re panty sniffers. Stu, however, steals them. All. The. Time. He rifles through your laundry at any given opportunity, even before you were together, and pockets a pair or two of your really dirty and old pairs because they smell (and taste) like you the most. You’ll never find those new lace thongs missing but you just always seem to misplace your old granny panties hehe

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

Hot take but he’s not *that* experienced. I mean he has plenty of people under his belt but he definitely embellishes the number a bit to seem cooler hehe. But dont worry, this mf KNOWS what he’s doing! Hes a fast learner and takes care to make sure his partner is feeling good too so he doesn’t have any complaints thus far.

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

Doggy. That’s his favorite of all time. It’s only just rivaled by you riding him tbh but he prefers doggy because again, ass man.

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

It’s Stu we’re talking about. It’s goofy 75/25. NOW that being said, he can def be serious and he knows when to not crack a joke or two, he just likes when sex is lighthearted you know? His serious sessions tend to be on the meaner side especially since he’s the dom in those situations 9/10 times. 

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

Pretty well groomed only because he gets too uncomfortable if he’s super hairy. Doesn’t care about his partners pubes though, literally the last thing he thinks about lol. Dark brown hair, a thin happy trail, hes sexy, etc 

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

Stu is way less romantic than you would think lol. He has his moments often but a majority of the time he’s simply interested in the fucking than the romance. Plus, Stu can get kind of mean and will forget to be romantic lolz

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Once a day minimum. Doesn’t matter if you two had sex five times that day, he *has* to jerk off before he goes to sleep. It helps him unwind really and it’s some alone time lol (a way to get kind of past this is by having him jerk off in front of you and THEN having sex. You get to fuck him and he gets his little solo thing out of the way in a more fun way)

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Sadism. Humiliation.  Dracryphilia. Corruption. Pegging. Sub/Dom. Predator/Prey. Knives. Blood. Degradation. Praise. Voyeurism. Cucking. Slut shaming/Misogyny (sorry). Choking. Spitting. Slapping. Roleplay. Bondage. Collaring. Face Fucking. Cages. Lowkey pet play (likes calling you his ‘puppy’ or ‘kitten’ sorry). So many more omg

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

Public sex especially in the woods IDC WHAT ANYONE SAYS. he also likes regular house sex but not in the bedroom <3 Likes bending you over in random places hehe

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

This would be a smaller list if it asked what DOESNT turn him on because the answer would be like 2 things LMFAO. But honestly he loves innocent looks and touches because of his corruption kink hehe he ALSO loves when you bend over in front of him or ‘accidently’ brush up against him when you’re moving past him

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

Bathroom stuff or vomit. It’s gross to him. You’d think he wouldn’t be into feet but he is look at him he looks like he sucks toes.

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

Receiving. He’s a god at giving but he has needs you know? Plus, he’s a fan of face fucking and likes it better when its just him and not 69ing.

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

Fast and rough, 100%. He loves leaving bruises and marks and tear streaks on you by the time the first round it over tbh lol.

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

Biggest fan in the world <3 LOVES quickies, wants them all day every day fr. Plan for him to pull you into another room (if you’re lucky) and bare minimum go down on you or just pull your underwear to the side and make you bite your hand to stay quiet <3 Or not <3

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

Huge risktaker!!!!!! He does not care if you two are caught fucking by other people and he’s going to make it apart of his dirty talk while you’re out. He wouldn’t do it in like,,,,SUPER public? Like fingering you under the table at a restaurant is cool but in a public park on a bench mid day is a no, you know? Now that same park at night….

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

At least 2 or 3 unless he’s super worked up or has been teasing for a super long time lol. He’s pretty average in length, it really depends on how horny he is and how long he’s been teasing yu

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

Stu loves toys <3 Biggest collection you could ever see LMAO he has dozens of toys for himself, even more for his partners, he has a bunch of ‘special’ toys that cost him a pretty fucking penny hehe. Unless its a quickie or something, he’s gonna use at least ONE toy for the both of you 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease

….do we actually need to talk about this? Biggest fucking tease to ever exist i SWEAR he’s such an asshole

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

Loud because he doesn’t shut the fuck up! H’es always talking and teasing and moaning and gasping, like…. Its actually impressive that he doesn’t lose his voice. You can gag him (he’s into it) but he’ll still be loud and whiney <3333

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

When Stu is punishing his partner he’ll make them watch him use a toy hehe. His fave thing to do is tie you up and putting the toy (a strap or a fleshlight, depending on his mood) on you and fucking it like it was u hehehe

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

Don’t feel like doing this sorry baes <3

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

Super high, higher than average. He has to cum at least once a day (like I mentioned) but he’s always. Thinking. About. Sex. he has to have a world record for longest porn scenario in head

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

Depends on how long it lasted and how exhaustive it was. Like, a real quick in and out thing, he’ll be wide awake ready to go about his day still. A Ghostface roleplay that ended in a pretty rough chase? Out like a damn light

[leslie-lyman]

Leslie! 11, 35, 36 for your fic asks!

LJ!! ❤️❤️❤️

11. Are you partial to a certain character/pairing or are you more equal-opportunity? If you are partial to any character/pairing, why do you think that is?

It totally depends on the fandom! There are some ships I ship hard and if I were to write for that fandom, I would only write that ship and wouldn’t do an OC or RC or another canon character (like with Reylo or Zutara, for example). It’s unfortunate that we have so few examples of canon pairings with Pedro characters, because I desperately want to see that on screen, but it’s also good in a way in that it opens up so many options for OCs and RCs and folks can really make their own pairings.

I will say that when it comes to canon characters, regardless of fandom, if there is an option for a good girl/bad boy-type pairing, I’m gonna go for that EVERY TIME (especially in a situation where the girl has a choice between a light-haired, boring good guy and a dark-haired, dangerous rogue-type). My first-ever ship was Dramione, and that set me on the path to ship Erik/Christine from Phantom of the Opera, Damon/Elena from Vampire Diaries, Zutara, Reylo…you see the pattern here? 😂 As to why that is…the bad boy is the sexy, exciting, dangerous, fun option that would almost always be a terrible idea in real life, and so I think I love being able to enjoy that option in my fiction.

35. What aspects of your writing are completely unlike your real life?

Hmm…well there are magical elements to some of my fics, obviously. And the polycule of Euclidean Geometry is pure fantasy, lol. I don’t have siblings, am very awkward around kids, and absolutely do not want any of my own, so any time siblings or kids appear in my fics that’s the opposite of my real life! At the risk of TMI my RCs and OCs have a better and easier time when it comes to sex than I do - I have a lot of anxiety around sex and have a really tough time orgasming, and actually have a Whiskey WIP that features an RC who deals with that sort of thing that hopefully I’ll finish out one of these days.

36. Do you visualize what you read/write?

100000000%. I have to, it’s how I make things make sense in my brain. I’m completely and utterly a visual learner. And I dunno if this comes across to anyone else when they read my stuff, but I write like I’m describing a movie, because that’s basically what I’m doing: I visualize what’s happening, and then try to translate that into words.

Writer asks! ✨

[ceiling-painted-white]

Hey!! Sooo, you asked for requests so I am here :] may I request Sal helping his s/o study? It's exam week and the most studying of done is a kahoot. I have 0 motivation :')

Also, I really like Ur pfp AND if you like, name Ur anons could I be tired anon? You'll probably see me in Ur inbox alot lol <3

ah thanks! ofc you can be tired anon! i love this request seeing as i’m currently procrastinating on some homework and studying rn. hope your exams go well! <3

(i didn’t know if you wanted hc’s or a oneshot, so i wrote hc’s because i had more ideas for them, but if you want a oneshot, lemme know and i’ll write you one!!) 

sal helping his s/o study - gn!reader

✧✿ he tries to help you in every way possible

✧✿ fr, literally anything he can do to help, he’s doing it before you even askkk

✧✿ asks about your learning style and tries his best to pander to that

✧✿ if flashcards work for you, you bet he’s making some for you

✧✿ visual learner? he’ll color code the heck out of your studying material and add little drawings to help you understand

✧✿ if your teacher/professor explained the material in a way that was confusing for you, he’ll go over the resources your teacher made for teaching and tries to explain them in a way that makes more sense

✧✿ i actually had a dream about him doing my missing assignments for me, so just imagine like

✧✿ if you couldn’t muster up the motivation to do an assignment he’d do it for you if you wanted <3

✧✿ if you need to pull an all-nighter, he’s up the entire time with you for moral support and such :)

✧✿ no like seriously, he doesn’t care if he’s gotta physically hold his eyes open, he wants to help as much as possible and he’d totally miss a night of sleep for you 

✧✿ encourages you to take breaks and not overwork yourself

✧✿ after all, its hard to focus and retain information if you’re exhausted

✧✿ i could see him setting alarms so you can study for 30 minutes and take a 5 minute break in between, its a pretty good study method 

✧✿if you’re super stressed, HE WOULD 100% BRING GIZMO FOR U TO PET LIKE PLS, EVEN THO I’M ALLERGIC TO CATS ALL I WANT IS TO DISTRESS BY PETTING GIZMO WITH SAL-

✧✿ brings you coffee/energy drinks/tea (depending on which one you prefer!), but makes sure you don’t overdo it on the caffeine, he knows caffeine can be unhealthy!

✧✿ if you started thinking poorly of yourself, saying that you’re stupid because you aren’t understanding the material, or that you’re a failure, etc. pls he’d shut that down so quickly, refuses to hear you saying bad things about yourself :(

✧✿ reassures you that you’re not stupid for not understanding the assignments/tests, and that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning subjects, and that it’s nothing to feel bad about

✧✿ your grades and test scores don’t determine your intelligence or worth :)

✧✿ when (not if, i believe in u) you pass your exams and tell him, he’s so excited for you, takes u out wherever u want to celebrate :))

[meimae]

Language Learning Through Immersion: One Year Japanese Update

11/03/2021

I did it, you guys! I’ve successfully reached my very first year of Japanese language immersion! I honestly thought that I would have given up by now, but this really has been a fun and ultimately rewarding endeavor.

Studying the language has been at the back of my mind for years since elementary school, I just never really knew how to go about it before, and I always thought that I could learn it in a classroom setting someday. That someday for me was in two elective courses in university, and while those were fun as well, it did not give me the same gains that I have achieved in this past year.

It’s probably easier to quantify learning a language in a classroom setting, especially when going through a program to earn a language degree. Learning through immersion, however, I had to really consider what my goals should be on my own. Eventually, I stumbled upon an article saying that for an English speaker, Japanese was exceptionally difficult to learn and that at least 2,200 hours must be spent with the language to reach a certain level of proficiency. So I said to myself, “well okay internet, if you say so!”, and set that as my long term goal going forward.

Spoiler Alert: I did not hit that goal in my first year. I am not crazy and will never listen to Japanese in my sleep regardless of what Khatzumoto (the creator of All Japanese All the Time) says. 

I did, however, hit a total 1,226.65 active immersion hours in my first year, so I guess I’m still a bit nuts. That is 874.96 hours of active listening and 351.69 reading hours. I also did 270.59 hours of passive listening, also known as the time in the very beginning of my immersion where I was using Japanese subtitles (therefore not really concentrating on listening alone). That’s a cumulative 1,497.24 hours spent with Japanese. That’s more than halfway towards my goal! 

To further break that down for curious animanga fans out there, that’s 973 episodes from 109 anime, 765 episodes from 33 dramas, 7 movies, and 967 chapters from 107 volumes of manga (21 series). Here’s my anilist and mydramalist to see what I’ve read/watched.

During all this, I was also doing my daily Anki reps and now I have a 530 day SRS streak (includes the time prior starting immersion and only doing RTK and some vocabulary cards) and a total 8,857 sentence cards. I’ve been averaging 406 cards daily (because I’m trying to cure my leeches) and I spend about an hour per day doing reps and learning new cards. I don’t really track my time on Anki, but I do have a set timer that goes off after 1-1:30 hours.

What I haven’t touched upon at all is output. I have not gone out of my way to find a tutor or a language partner. There’s still plenty of input out there to immerse in before I even consider outputting.

Graphs, stats, and more thoughts:

Here's my current card count in my main deck (minus the cards in my new/learning queue and leeches I've been relearning which are in separate decks):

That one day in 2019 where I did not do my cards because I was seriously doubting whether I can actually stick with language learning this time around will forever haunt and inspire me to keep going everyday.

Workflow and Tips

You might be wondering, how do I have a lot of time? I started this whole endeavor in the middle of a pandemic, which eliminated the option of me going to a language school, and a slew of other things I were considering doing last year became impossible (and if anything, very scary to do in a pandemic). All I can say is that, things work out eventually if it is His will, and if I can learn a skill before everything properly settles back down again, then why not? 

I wake up at 5 in the morning everyday to either do my Anki reps or read until the time when I need to get up and I listen to compressed audio throughout the day. The biggest tip is to switch the time you spend watching/reading in your native language to your target language instead. Listen to a podcast during your commute, watch an episode during lunch break, read before going to bed, do your Anki reps in the bathroom if you have to. 

But, if you’re feeling burnt out, there is no reason for you to not take a break! I have been watching a lot of Among Us streams before bed, and I chat with my friends from time to time. Language learning is not a race.

More Stats

Here are a couple of grids of the kanji characters that I have encountered at least once in my immersion and how well I have answered them in my vocabulary/sentence cards.

It's interesting that after almost 9000 words, I have yet to encounter every single character from the Remembering the Kanji 1 (RTK 1) book by James Heisig, which teaches you the most common use characters that are part of the 常用漢字. Which brings me to the question, was writing down every single character being taught in RTK worth it every time it came up in my reviews for the first 3-ish months I was reviewing them? Maybe, maybe not. It certainly removed my anxiety whenever looking at blocks of text in Japanese, but the longer I think about it, the more I feel I should have switched to Recognition RTK earlier. Still, being able to write in proper stroke order is cool I guess, and it also helps me when looking things up in the dictionary.

Here’s the same grid but in JLPT order:

I clearly need to grind those N2 and N1 level cards! Speaking of which, I have apparently almost covered every single character that could possibly appear in the JLPT (except for the N1 which I have only covered half of) in just a year's time. If the JLPT word frequency lists I’m using are accurate, I have about 2,000 words more to go to to cover most vocabulary that could appear in the test. This makes the "10,000 sentences/words to fluency" argument a reasonable milestone to aim for for Japanese learners if said aim is only to pass the test. That said, 10,000 words is just that, a milestone. It's more akin to a comfortable level of comprehension, but not my own concept of fluency which is being able to read with ease, speak articulately, and write comfortably.

READING IMMERSION GRAPHS

My biggest motivation for tracking my stats is for the purpose of seeing whether my reading speed is improving over time. Reading speed is also easier to measure than listening comprehension which is kind of subjective, so I had a lot of fun making these. What I found is that for the first volume or chapter of whatever it is I’m reading, I always take the time to get used to the writing style of the author. My speed really improves whenever I keep reading the same topic over and over again. On the other hand and quite obviously, looking up many new words in a row and trying to parse sentences slows me down.

Manga: Reading Speed Progression per Volume

I clearly love ちはやふる and I am not ashamed to admit it.

I need to start reading longer manga. When I do, I’ll probably split this graph into less than and greater than 20 volumes. Imagine if I start reading something ridiculously long as 名探偵コナン or ワンピース, these graphs will start breaching the bounds of time and space.

Novels: Time Spent Reading per Chapter

#neverforget the time I read chapter six of Norwegian Wood for 9 hours when it took me less than half that time in English RIP. Also, my interest in Kitchen plummeted LOL. Still planning to finish it don’t worry. 

I also need to start branching away from manga and start reading more novels and light novels, too just so I can make more pretty graphs.

Visual Novels: Time Spent Reading and Daily Word Count

Also known as images that clearly show that I’ve already spent several days only reading the prologue of Island. I’m not sweating. 切那 needs to stop using words I don’t know in succession. More thoughts on this VN far into the future.

Thoughts on Immersion

I can’t really say anything else other that that it works for me, and needless to say if you’re considering this method, remember that the SRS is your friend but immersion should be your one true love.

Prior to all this, I couldn’t even read a sample paragraph from Genki without being confused to my very soul. Yes, I know, it’s embarrassing, but that’s the truth. I was way more scared of failing my Japanese classes than my actual thesis for my bachelors degree, I kid you not. I would quite literally spend all my free time in university trying to understand grammar, memorize vocabulary, and answer my workbook exercises with little to no success. 

I tried so hard to get all the grammar “formulas” into my head for 1.5 years and it only brought me more confusion. I’m never going back to traditional classroom study for language learning, but I will still refer to grammar books when I need to, and not because I feel like I need to answer 4783342 different workbook exercises like my life depended on it.

I still can’t believe it, but with immersion this statement is actually true to a point, don’t try shadowing anime/or calling your boss anime language slurs, use your common sense:

study anime to understand Japanese > study Japanese to understand anime 

Future Goals/Plans

2,200 immersion hours was my initial goal, but honestly I feel like that number could be much higher. There’s still a lot of stuff I don’t understand (news, politics, sciences, etc.), so I’ll make attempts to cover more of those things in my immersion. 

I’ll continue reading more, because that’s a natural SRS in itself. Try to read longer manga, more novels, visual novels, and light novels, and maybe news articles. 

I’ll try to mine as much “JLPT vocab” as I can before making any attempts at taking the JLPT. I noticed that a lot of the words I know don’t appear in the JLPT word lists as much, even though they appear a lot in media/daily conversation. 

Continue mining all words I don’t know because all words are useful anyway. There is no such thing as useless words. I never really understood mining only “interesting words” or words that “pop up” in your immersion. As I said in my previous blog post, 美人局 is an interesting word and I certainly caught it being said in my immersion, but in the three languages I know, I wouldn’t know when I would be able to use such a word, as compared to something like ジャガイモ which is a significantly less interesting word, but is certainly useful to know. 

_

I have managed to talk up a storm, but if you have any questions regarding my process or recommendations for new immersion material, please feel free to send an ask/reply to this post. I love hearing about other people’s language learning/immersion journeys. 

See you on my next post!

[rigelmejo]

some comprehensible input links

language learning forums can be so toxic sometimes...

so many people love to push that “one method” is phenomenal and works when others just WON’T, meanwhile another will say the opposite. And then its like... where is the room to acknowledge maybe parts of each method have merit for different individuals, since they might help or click in different ways.

just today i saw someone arguing about stephen krashen’s language theories and how they’re all disproven bullshit that are completely unusable. I don’t know a huge amount about his theories. But I do know the emphasis he brought up on “providing students comprehensible input and lessons to learn from” is a concept that also is in stuff like the modern Teach Languages Through Storytelling lessons and Comprehensible Input Lessons. Which if you’ve ever used them? They’re Amazing. They are lessons where teachers purposefully use the target language as much as possible, and use visuals to help make what they say as comprehensible as possible to students so they can learn. This is how when I volunteered, we were supposed to tutor ESL speakers - because we could not reliably teach with english translation since their english levels varied, and we did not have speakers of every learners native language present to help teach them. Our program coordinator showed an example of how to do it by teaching us some Thai, his native language, in this method. And it was extremely easy to follow and understand. Textbooks/grammar guides/flashcards certainly will help speed up the process - aka allow students to use Graded Reader books, learner podcasts, then target language native materials like shows and novels to learn quicker. But lessons in the target language as soon as possible, emphazising getting students to comprehend, is valuable. Just as its valuable later on when students can handle more complex lessons in the target language.

Examples of teachers teaching through comprehensible input (I am thrilled to notice there’s a lot more than last time I looked these sorts of channels up):

Hit Chinese: https://youtu.be/xG3w2i1OBfc

Unconventional Chinese with Keren: https://youtu.be/9N-nNvnAYTs

French Comprehensible Input: https://youtu.be/c2SUQVjklVA

Alice Ayel (french): https://youtu.be/DcuVNAnsWZM

Dreaming Spanish (a fantastic example): https://youtu.be/ObO1CGY_NHI

Comprehensible Russian: https://youtu.be/gHCvEKxeXvk

Comprehensible Japanese: https://youtu.be/gHCvEKxeXvk

Japanese Immersion with Asami: https://youtu.be/pr_yRUVQQt0

Learn Korean in Korean*: https://youtu.be/zUulbCruiMs

I just found the Learn Korean in Korean channel a few weeks ago, notable in that he also teaches hangul before the other lessons. I think he maybe uses too few pictures to make it as easy on students. But having said that, I know zero korean whatsoever and am watching his Lesson 1 and finding it completely easy to follow. So I’d say yes his teaching style probably falls under “engage student in the target language and make it comprehensible so they can learn it.” I’m really impressed with his channel tbh because it teaches totally in Korean so any language learner from any native language could use it.

Just found Japanese Immersion with Asami today while looking up “japanese comprehensible input” and its an amazing example of how these kinds of lessons work. In a classroom setting (or with a tutor), generally the idea is to provide learners with lots of comprehensible input of the language they’re learning and perhaps some help to keep things comprehensible (in a classroom that would be word definitions on the board maybe for reference, or in these examples subtitles to aid learners for reference - although first priority a teacher is aiming to use pictures/gestures/visuals to make as much as possible comprehensible).

Examples of textbooks that teach through comprehensible input (these were made before Krashen, so i merely bring up Krashen because Today’s Language Forum Arguement was ‘all krashen’s ideas are bullshit ALL of them even comprehensible input ideas so you shouldn’t even bother using even a little of something related to his ideas):

French: https://archive.org/details/jensen-arthur-le-francais-par-la-methode-nature

Italian: https://archive.org/details/LitalianoSecondoIlMetodoNatura

Latin: lingva latina per se illustrata 

English: https://archive.org/details/english-by-the-nature-method

(I’ve personally used that textbook for french and absolutely loved its teaching style, it works Really Well for me). 

Graded readers, if they teach new vocabulary in context, may also fall into this section (depending on learner’s starting level compared to a graded reader).

my only point here is just. i hate seeing valuable learning methods completely thrown away, just because someone’s decided to equate one person’s specific method as bad - to decide every single thing related to it must be useless. In this particular case - before Krashen was old enough to have any theories, Arthur Jensen was making some of those books listed above! (Back then it was called ‘the nature method’ - although plenty of books using the term ‘the nature method’ do not teach as comprehensibly as what I’ve listed above, there’s definitely a range from ‘these are just vocab lists’ to ‘these are actually slowly teaching me new words in context’ lol). and all those youtube channels for comprehensible input? There are learners who do find them useful! I’ve found them useful!

oh man just today... sometimes people will be like “you MUST use flashcards to learn a language” and hello no you absolutely don’t have to i never did with French. Some people say “you MUST use textbooks” and yet there’s examples of people who did fine without them, vice versa people say “you must NOT use textbooks if you want to sound natural’ or whatever which? Me using grammar guides has always been immensely useful for me personally - though again some people found success with Much more textbook use, and with none. So can we please accept different methods work for different people?! And beyond that - maybe some Pieces of methods are useful to someone EVEN if the ‘whole thing’ isn’t. 

Mass Immersion Method/Refold - its not ‘all’ for me. I’m never ever going to sentence mine. I rarely use flashcards and I never plant to MAKE any myself lol. Have I still found some useful pieces of Refold that have benefited me? YES I have. (Notably the parts about ‘comprehensible input’ since we’re on the topic). What I took from what little i have heard from Krashen - in particular a lecture he gave on improving reading ability in students - is reading for pleasure, exposing yourself to a lot of material even if its not perfectly at your level, will help you improve. Students who learned word lists, and students encouraged to extensively read, both made vocabulary and reading level improvements. Which - we’ve been in elementary school and had ‘free reading time’ to help us learn to read better! By reading something we liked for a period of time! Besides just the books assigned in class the teacher had us do vocab lists for! Well, in my french studies I very much saw that apply to my own second language learning too - sometimes I looked up words as I read, and learned words that way. Sometimes I simply read french for pleasure and just guessed at unknown words I Could guess at and moved past others - and also improved my reading ability and picked up some new words. Both ways helped my french improve, my reading improve, my vocab improve. And so that is what I took from it - that there is some merit in engaging with something you can understand Somewhat at least. That if you have some comprehension of a material, you may be able to learn Some More from it whether you just learn from context OR conciously look up everything unfamiliar. (And I do think looking things up speeds up the process sometimes). My point though is like... we’re really gonna throw out some good pieces because we don’t like one person who’s managed to touch on them? When so many before and after, their own levels of correct and useless parts, have found some usefulness in some parts?

I just do not get language forum drama lol... the issue is. These people were arguing because they find krashen ‘useless’ then all comprehensible input study is ‘useless’. Ok then. But pushing to all learners to use only a textbook, and avoid engaging with actual language (even when it may be comprehensible and therefore useful to them like the links above, for some learners), then they may slow their progress if it doesn’t suit them well. And it always depends on the individual, everyone’s a bit different. 

[marjansmarwani]

I said this to you recently, but how you set up a scene to maximize the reader’s (me) emotional response to a future reveal/plot point is EXCELLENT. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Also, the way you describe your scenes is superb. I’m a visual learner and that extends to my reading style lol. I am always envisioning scenes in my head and you always paint a clear picture. 🖼 THANK YOU! It makes for a great reading experience.

Also, your voice for Gabriel and Andrea is wonderful. Andrea especially, I love when you include her in your fics. ❤️ You depict her warmth and all the qualities that make her Andrea Reyes, Carlos’ mom so beautifully. I think you’ve really captured her essence and we haven’t even spent that much time with her in canon so that’s impressive.

Finally, I know you don’t write original characters often, but when you do, they’re dynamic, witty, and interesting! It feels like they’re part of canon, and always add to the story in a positive way. You actually wrote my #1 favorite original character that isn’t related to TK or Carlos lol. Mya is the BEST. And Becky is a close second.🙂

I think I’ve said this to you recently but if I haven’t let me say it now: you’re truly the best Sonia and I appreciate you so much 🥰

Eliciting an emotional response to my writing is like crack to me so I’m also happy to hear when it works (also I figure if I’m having those responses writing it, why shouldn’t everyone? 😅) I’m also a pretty visual learner so that’s probably part of that, but you saying that I do a good job with Andrea (and Gabriel) is just the highest compliment 🙏 I love them so much and I am so happy to hear ghat you think I do them credit.

And Mya! It’s been so long I’d almost forgotten about her! I might just need to bring her back because she truly is the best and if it makes you happy then I’m happy to do it 💗

As always thank you for being the best hype-woman this fandom has, and just being you in general. You’re a gift (and a good friend), never stop 🥰

[carnelianns]

Hello! I hope you're doing fine 😂 so can I request for Ikesen jealously headcanon with Nobunaga, Masamune, Ieyasu, Kenshin and Mitsuhide? Like they're jealous because their MC was spending time with other warlords but they found out in the end that its because MC was trying to surprise/talk about him something lol 😊 thank you so much!

♆ - jealousy headcanon

Nobunaga Oda

Nothing can be kept from your very observant lover, who happened to see that the time you leave the Castle just so happens to correspond with Hideyoshi’s leaves. 

He noticed how you seemed more.. jumpy than usual. Your behavior has been tinged with a slight nervousness lately, one that only causes him to quirk an eyebrow. 

“Fireball,” he almost speaks into your neck, causing you to shudder as his breath tickles you. “Is there something you wish to say to me?”

Your eyebrows furrow for a moment, before your eyes widen. Hoping he doesn’t feel you gulp, you say, “Nothing.”

His large hands squeeze your hips harder for a split-second. Bringing his head up to look into your eyes, you almost look away before his fingers lead you back to his face.

“Are you sure of that?”

You almost held it in. Almost. Bursting out into a loud sigh, you huff, coming clean of your now-ruined birthday plan you and Hideyoshi were working on for your lover. 

“And now you ruined your own surprise party!” You pout, lightly tapping his chest. “You deserve a punishment for that, my lord.”

Your joking words seem to have another effect on the man as he raises an eyebrow, eyes glinting, moving to tower over you.

“Don’t you think the one who’s been running around with another man deserves the punishment, my love?” 

He doesn’t mean it, of course, but what he does mean are the kisses and caresses that seem just a bit more aggressive this particular night. 

Masamune Date

Masamune had gotten home from his little espionage, tired and barely bandaged, seeking for your embrace, only to be informed that you were out. To visit Ieyasu.

Slightly taken aback, he can only laugh it off after a few moments. Then came the information that it wasn’t just today that you visited his fellow warlord, but for the past week or so he had been out, you visited the blonde every single day. 

The grand frown on his face doesn’t leave until you arrive back home, a surprised smile on your face as you practically throw yourself into his arms in a hug that he half-heartedly reciprocates.

“Masamune? Is there something wrong? Do your wounds hurt, or—”

“I heard you’ve been spending a lot of time with Ieyasu.” He manages a pained smile, his heart clenching more than he’d like to admit. “You know I trust you, lass, but—”

Before he could finish, your lips are immediately on his, silencing him in the only way you can. Masamune melts into the kiss, and it’s only when you pull away can he see how your lips jut down into a slight pout. 

“I went to Ieyasu’s so I could learn how to bandage you up, silly,” you shake your head, lightly hitting his shoulder. “You always come home with a new cut or a fresh bruise. Don’t you notice?”

“Oh,” is all he can say.

“Yeah, oh.” You roll your eyes, before giving him another, much-needed kiss. “Now don’t be dumb and let me patch you up.”

“I can think of other things we can—” “Nope. Your wounds first. I’m not making love with a man who has fresh bruises inflicted by someone other than me.”

He promptly shuts up at that.

Ieyasu Tokugawa

Even before you two had become a couple, only one name had come out of your mouth when you chose to speak of your interests. Sasuke. 

Now, Ieyasu isn’t an inherently jealous man, but the fact that this so-called “hometown friend” of yours you speak of so highly always manages to sneak into the conversation can only exasperate him. 

So when you finally asked him if you could go out with Sasuke for the day, he only blinked at you, before turning his head, continuing his work as if you hadn’t interrupted him.

Petty, yes, but he doesn’t really care at this point. Your eyes grew wide at his reaction, poking and probing your beloved about why he wasn’t answering, only for your questions to be left unanswered.

“No way… Ieyasu, are you jealous?”

“I am not jealous. What are you talking about?” He grumbles in almost an instant, causing you to grin.

“Sasuke’s just a friend, Ieyasu. You’re the only one I love,” you whisper cheekily into his ear, leaving a kiss on his cheek.

Blushing, yet still not meeting your eye, the warlord mutters, “Wrong spot.”

Your jaw drops in confusion, a laugh following soon after as you press a chaste kiss to his lips. 

Your outing with Sasuke went on just as planned, despite you being a few minutes late...

Kenshin Uesugi

It hasn’t been long since you moved into Kasugayama Castle, yet all the letters being delivered only seemed to be to you, from a certain man by the name of Masamune Date. 

Kenshin once seriously debated on whether or not he should make the letters magically disappear. 

The smile on his face whenever you so much as receive a letter from the man tears Kenshin between seething and enjoying the view. 

His curiosity takes the better of him one day as he opts for a quick peek at another one of the Blue Eyed Dragon’s many letters.

‘I miss you, kitten.’

“Kenshin, please, he was joking—”

“Let go of me. I will be marching to Azuchi myself,” is all he repeats as you and Sasuke desperately try to stop your sword-wielding lover.

You have to cuddle the angered warlord into the next day to calm him down. 

“I love you, you know.” He stares at you for a moment, as if your words were foreign, before turning away. “... Okay.” 

He’s quite petty when jealous. You still love him regardless. 

Mitsuhide Akechi

Although you are the Azuchi Castle’s chatelaine, Mitsuhide is sure that being in his lord’s chambers for minutes, sometimes even hours, is not a part of your duty. 

Neither is the bright smile you always seem to sport whenever you leave said chambers. 

He doesn’t comment on it — probably only willing to even think about it at his deathbed — but the giant frown on his face one fine day when you decide to visit him in his manor is worth pointing out. 

So you do. “Mitsuhide, what’s gotten you so blue?”

He stares at you for a moment, and then a few more, and it’s unnerving to see your normally bantering lover unable to say even a word, a flurry of emotions swimming about in his fox-like eyes. 

Then, finally, he smirks as if nothing is wrong, only opting to pull you close against his side. “What a lovely sight. Are you worried about me, little mouse?”

“Yes, I am.” Your answer is firm, only causing his eyes to widen. “I’m worried about you, Mitsuhide, so what’s wrong?”

And, well, he can’t refute when you’re being all angelic like that. The night ends with a long conversation, and your hands cupping his face, fingers rubbing soothingly against his cheeks.

“I love you, okay? You and only you.”

You swear you see his cheeks redden before he smirks once more, and you’re afraid of what’s to come out of that devilish mouth of his. 

“Is that so? Forgive me, but I’m a visual learner. Do you mind showing me?”

[shorkbrian]

Hey I hope you don't mind answering this for me but what exactly is a heat and can you explain it better for me? I saw your Shinsou heat fic which was immaculate and I just wanted heat explained better to me like what exactly it is and what it does and stuff (I'm sorry I'm just super dumb)

do not apologize bro!!!

(Also pls if this is wrong someone correct me pls I’m begging u idk what I’m doing and I’m not very confident)

So okay I might not explain this the best way and it might be kinda gross but I’m doin my best okay? am sorry it’s gonna get weird and it’s cause I make it weird yikes. Will explain in words first and then memes so if ur a visual learner click read more god bless

Heats are essentially nature’s way of ensuring the survival of any given species. It’s the term for when females (or an animal with female genitalia) become sexually excited and receptive and ready to copulate. During a heat is when the female is closest to ovulating, which means that the sperm will have the highest chances of “taking” and impregnating the female. 

Almost every single mammal (as far as I know but take that with a grain of salt, idk a lot so) has one, and while there are across-the-board symptoms, there are some that are species specific. Female dogs, for example, will try to roam and find a mate, because the urge inside of them is so strong that it’s like almost impossible to ignore. They’ll “leak” some kind of fluid (idk don’t ask em bro), and try to hump literally anything in sight (cause I think their vulva swells up too?), and this, plus the release of certain pheromones in their discharge attracts male dogs and signifies that the female is rip-roaring-ready to be bred.

Some animals go through heats like year-round like cows, but others go through them more often. Idk if you could technically say that humans go through heats, but I do know that some couples that want kids track the female’s menstrual cycle to see when she’ll be ovulating. And I’ve heard ppl with female bits get kinda extra excited right before their period bc of hormones or something? idek man I'm not a scientist.

Basically, a “heat” is when a female’s body is presenting to be bred. Pheremones, behavioral changes, personality changes, yada yada yada.

In fan fiction, “heats” are generally portrayed as insatiable sexual desires, self lubrication, pheromone release, and a loss of autonomy/free thinking. The character in fiction becomes like a single minded sex monster lol.

And looking back on it, I should’ve named it smth different because TECHNICALLY (pushes glasses up nose) only female cats can go into heat, male cats are ready to tango at any moment once they become sexually mature! 

Opposite of heats, there are ruts, which is essentially the male equivalent of a heat. But I think only animals that have horns or antlers get that, like sheep and deer. I’m not exactly 100% sure about that, but I know the main sufferers of ruts are deer lol.

Onto the meme story!

Okay so there's a female of a species, lets say a cat

this cat be living it’s life, then suddenly!!!! she’s like

and she realizes 

so she starts trying to flirt with every single boy and like sends all her contacts like slutty pics like

because her body is going 

and all the boys can see that she tryna fucc so they’re like 

bc nature is wanting her to make babies!!! so that her bloodline survives n the species goes on!! like it’s obvious 

and she’s gonna get it (unless neutered or stopped by humans lol). so she finds a male cat, they go off and go

the end thenk u

[oh-boy-me]

hi, you mentioned Japanese was your third language, could you share some tips and ways you learnt it? I’ve been meaning to learn some Japanese but I just can’t figure out how to get started. Thanks ^^

Oh yeah of course!!  I’m always happy help out in that regard :)

On top of all of this, I have to lead with the fact that guidance from a teacher or tutor of some kind is always good, so if you have access to that I do highly encourage it.  I know it’s very hard though, especially if you’re still in the West at a time like this.

First things’s first

You might remember hearing about things like “auditory learning” and “visual learning” and then never thinking about them again.  They’re actually really important for the path you take when learning a language.  I had a really hard time remembering the materials I read, for example, but the ones I heard and practiced in class were much easier.

The four types, to get rid of their technical names and make them more obvious, are seeing, hearing, reading, and hands-on approaches.

People who learn though seeing will benefit from manga or watching children's shows, while those who learn best through hearing will get more help from podcasts or traditional lectures.  If you learn by reading, taking notes and reading texts will help (although you should take notes regardless lol).  And if you do best hands-on, you'll want to multitask, whether it's doing something unrelated while reviewing, or using a task or goal to practice.

You aren't limited to, and shouldn't limit yourself to, resources that fit your learning type best, but when you're finding yourself stuck it's useful to have an idea of how you'll most easily be able to push forward.  Language has two main element pairs—reading/writing and speaking/listening—and while you'll want to get used to everything, it's fine to focus on one or the other at first, especially with pictorial languages like Japanese.  If you find yourself reading a lot, kanji will be a more immediate concern, but if you're focused on speaking you won't need to worry about it for a while.  The opposite is true for tone-indicating particles like ne or deshou.

Anyway, with that in mind, you'll be able to fine tune your experience, but here are some overarching tips that should apply no matter what kind of learner you are. 

Getting Started

It's obvious once you get started, but you want to master hiragana before you even begin to think about katakana or kanji.  You can use hiragana In any situation, technically, and you'll want to be able to look back at your notes and be able to pronounce them later.

On a similar note, it's much more important to be able to read kanji than to be able to write it.

As soon as you can, stop using the Latin alphabet to label pronunciation.  It'll help you with your hiragana, and the further you detach your Japanese from your English, the better.

What I mean by that last sentence is, Japanese and English are different languages, so if you try to think of everything with a one-to-one relationship to English, you'll find yourself getting stuck very often.  Sometimes things won't work the way they do in English, and "that's just how it is" is going to be the most helpful answer.  (Which is why practicing in any way you can is really important).

Be active in your learning!  Don't just "get the gist of it", really dig into the sentences you read or hear to make sure you're picking up on everything that’s being said.

When I get something wrong, I find it useful to figure out what it is I accidentally said or wrote (for example, instead of watashi no saifu [my wallet] watashi wa saifu [I am a wallet]).  It helps me remember to not make the same mistake later.

Above all else, keep it fun for yourself!  If you hate your book, there's probably a better one out there.  Learn songs.  Play games.  You're more likely to remember things if you actually care about the information, so give yourself something to care about.

Reading/Writing

For learning any alphabet, hiragana and katakana included, watching YouTube videos will help you best see how to naturally write it.

LingoDeer is actually pretty good for the Japanese syllabaries too, so that's also an option.

Children's books, slice-of-life manga, news articles, and video games without timed text are some of my favorite ways to practice reading.

For writing, journaling is usually pretty fun, and of course if you're up for it you can always find a study buddy or a pen pal to write back and forth with.

The important thing is to stay on your level and not overwhelm yourself with things you don't know yet, especially with writing.  You're going to sound like a preschooler for a little while, and that's fine.

Periodically test yourself on groups of kanji to make sure you're retaining them.

Unfortunately, Japanese can be really picky about its writing (look at 未 [not yet] and 末 [end], or わ [wa] and れ [re], for example), so it's important to keep close track of it and practice a lot so that your muscle memory can start to take over.

Speaking/Listening

The absolute best option is to go to Japan, since that will force you to practice, but assuming that's not going to happen (lol) and you're working on your own, children's cartoons, songs of all kinds, and YouTube videos are going to be your best friends.

Repeat everything you hear to get used to saying it!  Repeat prompt questions before answering them, and while you don't need to parrot literally everything in a video, if something catches your ear or is being heavily emphasized, give it a whirl.

Tsu and r are the sounds that are noticeably different from English, so you want to get used to those.  U and f are technically different too, but you can get away with using their English equivalents.

If you find yourself getting bored in your spare time, try to talk to yourself in Japanese, whether it's narrating what you're going to do tomorrow or answering imaginary interviews for when you inevitably become famous.  Even if you get stuck, it's one of the most natural way to practice verbal sentence building.

Resources

LingoDeer is an app with some free lessons on top of a subscription service for the full package.  In terms of languages like Japanese and Chinese, it feels a little more natural to get started with than Duolingo.

That said, Duolingo is free and very useful.

Maggie Sensei, HiNative, and Japanese Language Stack Exchange are great for explaining grammar points.  Keep in mind that the latter two are forums, so you should check to make sure people aren't disagreeing with an answer.

Jisho is a useful dictionary for both standard Japanese and slang!  Just be sure the words are breaking up where they should, because Jisho always takes the first option it sees.  Isolate parts of a sentence if you think other kanji or particles are getting in the way.

It won't work for everyone, but I have this book called Remembering the Kanji by James Heisig that's proved helpful for me.  You can find all of the introduction and part one for free here.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #456

“i don’t even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger, & that feels so rough”

What was the longest time you’ve had the hiccups for? I know at LEAST over an hour. I was in agony. What type of TV shows are your favourite? Animal docs. Have you ever been a complete fangirl/fanboy over anything? Bitch I still am lmao. Do you know anyone who has died in battle? No. When was the last time you went on an adventure? Bro, I could NOT tell you. I haven't had one of those in what feels like eons. What brand is your vacuum cleaner? I actually don't know. I don't pay attention. Are you good at rapping? Never tried, but I'm sure I'd be awful. I stutter too much. Name one world issue that upsets you. Just ONE????????? Well, I can name homelessness as very high on the list. How do you feel about tanning? I hate it. I can't stand the heat, so why would I deliberately go bake in it? Have you ever given a public speech? Yeah, in front of the whole 4th and 5th grade when I was innnn... one of those grades, idr which. It was for my D.A.R.E. essay. Do you read comic books? No. Do you force your way into conversations in which you are not involved? NOOOOOOOOOOO I'm way too awkward. Kiss with your eyes open or closed? Bro who tf kisses with their eyes open, that shit is creepy. Do you believe you can change someone? No. One can only change themselves. How did you react when your first pet died? I have no memory of our first pet. Have you ever drawn anime? No. Can you use a pogo stick? When I was a kid, I became a MASTER. I got one for I want to say Christmas and I was obsessed. When’s the next time you’ll see the person that you like? Idk, first he needs to get on Facebook and see I messaged him alsdkfjalkdj. He like never gets on there. Do you like bathing/showering? No. One, it's a chore, and two, it's actually painful for me, standing up so long and propping my legs up and stuff like that to clean myself properly. Have you ever considered entering a race? HEEEEEEEEEEELL no. Rihanna or Lady Gaga? Probably Gaga, idk. Who was your first good kiss with? Jason. What accessory do you want in your bedroom? I actually kinda want a TV now? What do you take the most pictures of? Flowers. What are you always in the mood for? Lately, Krispy Kreme donuts, lol. I haven't had one in a very long time, but goddamn does a hot glazed donut sound BANGIN' right now and has for days. What is something that you never turn down? Hm... how am I blanking??? What is something that you always turn down when offered? Certain foods or drinks, like tea. Name something sexy about your significant other. I don't have one'a those. What is one of your hobbies that you refuse to give up? Um, idk. As interests work, I may move away from any hobby eventually. If you could be a professional in any sport what would it be? Dance. If you could be a professional at any instrument what would it be? Violin. Would you rather be a surgeon or mortician? A mortician. That job doesn't even seem all that bad to me? I think it'd be kinda chill somehow???? I could NEVER be a surgeon. I'd be terrified of fucking something up. Have you ever been on a subway? No. Are you in love? No. Do you like having your lip softly bitten when you’re kissing? *eyes emoji* Do you want to get married when you’re older? Yes. What was the last band shirt you wore? PROBABLY my Metallica shirt? But I'm unsure, ultimately. You can have a milkshake right now. What flavor do you choose? Ugh, I've been wanting a nice chocolate milkshake for a while. Have you ever given someone flowers? For Mother's Day one year, I collected some wildflowers to put in a jar for Mom. I've also given Jason roses before. I really wanted to give Sara some when I surprised her for her birthday, but I didn't want to ask her parents to drive me somewhere where I could buy her some, ha ha. What day of the week is usually your busiest day? None. My days are all the same. Do you have any concerts coming up? No, but UGH, I was so hyped a few days ago because I saw Motionless In White was going on tour next year, but of course they're going to the big city on the OTHER end of the state versus the capital, which I'm way closer to. -_- Bands ALWAYS choose Charlotte on the super rare occasion they come to NC... Do you like or hate the smell of fish? Ugh, I hate it. What’s your favorite brand of chips? Doritos, maybe? Between Mountain Dew and those... I am such a fucking gamer stereotype lmfao. Have you ever written a poem and then read it aloud? I think I had to before in school? Idr. Do you like pineapple? Love it. Does your house have a dishwasher? Yes. A dishwasher is one thing I MUST have in my own future house. I cannot stand touching dirty dishes. Do you know anyone who has a flower tattoo? Oh, absolutely. Sunflower tattoos are especially popular around here. How many different languages can you say goodbye in? English, German, and uhhh Spanish? Agree or disagree: You like Adam Sandler movies. I don't mind them. I've never understood the hate, honestly? I think he's capable of being funny. Have you ever had to get a tooth pulled? If so, what for? Only by myself when I was a kid losing my baby teeth. Have you ever dated anyone while they were in jail? Nooooo. If you’ve ever babysat, do you like it? Fuck no, I hate it. What is your favorite flavor on sunflower seeds? I don't like those. Do you get cold easily? No, but I get hot extremely easily. Do you get a lot of spiders in your house? I don't think so, no. Do you admire nature? I positively adore nature. If only we treated it better... Name one naughty thing you’ve done. Done sexual things in places I probably shouldn't have, oops. Name two of your favorite things as a child. Pokemon and Webkinz. Do you own a Pillow Pet? No. They're cute, though. My niece has one. Do you tend to solve problems with violence? Absolutely not. Have either of your parents gone to jail? No. Do you know a hoarder? Yes. Do you wax, pluck, or leave your eyebrows? I just leave 'em be, honestly. Do you have any interesting scar stories? Not really. Do you hate the texture of meatballs? No, I love me some meatballs. Do you get migraines? Very, very rarely. They fucking suck. Do you like guns? NOOOOOOO guns terrify me alsd;kjfal;sdjfk Are turtles amazing creatures? All animals are. :') How much time do you spend taking surveys? A whole lot. It's just that I'm like... always bored and the randomness of surveys can add interesting little flares to the day, I guess. Would you rather visit: The Eiffel Tower or Egyptian Pyramids? Pyramids, for sure. Would you like to work at a candy shop? No. I don't want to work directly with people. Do you have feelings for someone? It's funny; now that I've settled the extreme indecision, I've come to realize that they're very strong feelings. How you go from being indecisive to really, really liking somebody, hell if I know. Which one of your guy friends is the best looking? Uhhh Girt is like my only real guy friend, so I guess it's by default him, ha ha. I'm not particularly attracted to him, but he's not ugly by any means. Do you have anything to say to your ex bf/gf? I'm so sorry. Which band do you have the most of on your iPod/music player? Either Ozzy or Metallica. Most likely Ozzy, though. Which song describes your mood at the moment? Hm. I dunno. Which movie(s) do you quote the most? None, really. Which one of your best friend’s friends would you most likely date? None; we don't share irl friends, being many states apart, and not even that many online ones. Would you ever let anybody else drive your car? I don't have my own car. Which one of your friends will be the most successful? I'm not psychic. What store did you last shop at? Mom and I picked up a Wal-Mart order the other day. Do you think telepathy is real? Absolutely not. When did you last draw something for fun? A few days ago, I started a drawing of Maieykio for Sara. Who makes the most in your entire family? I have no idea. Do you like writing essays? I don't mind, if the topic interests me. Do you think plastic surgery is no big deal? Nah. Well, I think you can take it to an visual extreme, but that's just my opinion. Do what makes you comfortable in your own body. Do you take your trash to the dump or have it picked up? It's picked up. When you sneeze do you sneeze into your shirt or your hands? The inside of my elbow. Do you usually have sex in the morning, noon or night time? It usually happened at night. Did you ever fail your learners/drivers test? Haven't taken it yet. Would you rather listen to Luke Bryan or Lil Wayne? OH MY GOD NEITHER Name someone you’ve become a lot closer to recently: No one, really? Well, unless you count my change of feelings for Girt, but it's just that: a type of change. I've loved him platonically since high school, and it's like, I feel the same for him, just in a romantic way now? Does your car have a sunroof? No. Are you closer to your mom or your dad? My mom. Have you ever had a friend with benefits? Nope, not how I roll. Who’s the last person you cuddled with? Sara. Unless you count my cat. Are you friends with any of your teachers on Facebook? Former teachers, yes. I feel kinda bad for 'em now... They're all the sweetest, God-fearing people, and then there's my outspoken (online) and liberal ass sharing shit that's gotta disappoint them now lmaoooo.

[ibblescribbles-archive]

Got any tips on figure drawing and anatomy?

tbh, i don’t really know if i have much to offer in terms of anatomy tips?? i get asked this a looot and i never know what to say bc its hard for me to explain, or know what would be helpful,, really all i can give advice on is honing your observational drawing skills and using references! i think drawing from life can be one of the most helpful/important skills for illustrative artists. that doesnt mean you have to sit still for hours drawing a still life or figure (though tbh figure/gesture drawings are a great option for learning anatomy) but making sure you’re referencing from real objects/people, or looking at how other artists stylize certain attributes can be a huge help! with anatomy specifically, its good to actually understand how the human body is put together, and how muscles/bone structure affect the outside shape of the body. You can break down the body into simple shapes, sure, and that’s a great start! but for the more detailed curves and bumps, if you don’t know *why* they exist, its hard to draw them correctly! if that makes any sense?? for example, i see a lot of beginners draw bumps on the sides of the wrist when drawing hands, but sometimes it may look awkwardly placed or wrong because they’re only mimicking what they’ve seen other artists do, and not thinking about the actual wrist bone that causes that bump. same for the collar bone, lots of people learn to stylize it as a line but have you looked at the actual shape of one before? do you know why we draw it curved in or how high in the chest it is? that being said, its not like i consciously think about that every time i draw, and i’m no expert on muscular or skeletal anatomy by any means slfdlmfs,, this may all seem obvious to some, but i think in general its important to consider and understand how the body is put together, even just on a subconscious level! you don’t have to learn all the muscles in the human body and a lot of this stuff is picked up from just drawing or observing real people, which again is probably the best form of practice. don’t be afraid to use references, especially of yourself if you can! I am constantly referencing my own body, by taking pictures of myself in the mirror or of my hands and then stitching those together to form the pose i want to make. using online models can help too, you just don’t want to rely too heavily on referencing them as a lot of times their features can be kinda wonky lol im sorry this advice basically boils down to “practice more and draw from life”! i could try giving specific tips but im not great at making tutorials or explaining my process, and i’m more of a visual/kinetic learner myself, so actually drawing and studying other artists’ works is what helps me best! if you don’t care to draw from life, that’s perfectly fine and understandable, there’s no one right way to do art and its okay to find observational drawing tedious and boring! you can still use observational skills on already stylized art and reference how other artists stylize things to learn, just be careful about heavily referencing and such ^^; i hope i helped a little bit and good luck w/ your art!