#(this is an actual research paper i'm reading right now btw)

[lodeddiperactivate]

Gator talk

A/N: I had this idea of Rafe and someone who comes to OBX because she's obsessed with gators! I did some research on alligators in the Outer Banks to do this but nothing too extensive. I also started avoiding using Y/N as I find it better to not include this? Idk but there are instances when I had to specifically use pronouns instead. Anyway, Rafe is completely smitten and I'm not sure if I should turn this into a series but I really find this dynamic cute. Btw I imagined S2 Rafe in this, his pre-buzzcut era. Enjoy xx

"So why gators?" Rafe asked curiously as he took a sip of his orange juice.

You had visited the Outer Banks specifically to do research on alligators. There's something about alligators that fueled your lifelong devotion to studying them. You were driving along what is known as the Tannyhill estate when your car broke down. You asked for help from anyone around, and there he was, Rafe Cameron.

"Hey! This is private property!"

"Yeah, sorry, I'm having car trouble," you said as you pop the hood. Smoke was coming out of it and you started to go through your usual diagnosis. You don't really know much about cars. You know a shit ton about alligators but not cars. By this time, Rafe had walked towards you to survey the damage.

"Ah you might have a leak somewhere," he said as he rested his hand on the hood of the car.

"What should I do?" You asked and Rafe smirked at your cluelessness.

"We need to wait until the engine cools before we can check the fluids," he said, slowly turning to face you. You were looking at your watch, it's almost night time so you have no idea how to get to the swamps and set up camp there before it gets dark.

"You gotta be somewhere?"

"Yeah, I have to get to Alligator River and set up camp."

"I don't think you can set up camp there," he said in a know-it-all manner, closing the hood of your car.

"I can if I have a permit," you corrected him as you fished a piece of paper in your pocket to show him.

After reading it for a while, he handed the paper back to you. "Look, I can call AAA for you. In the meantime, why don't you come inside for a minute." He didn't wait for you to respond and proceeded to walk back. You quickly lock your car, grab your belongings, and thank god that the car is already parked beside the road so there's no need to move it.

"So why gators?" Rafe asked curiously as he took a sip of his orange juice.

"I don't know. I've always been fascinated about reptiles. Their sheer strength alone is impressive and did you know that alligators can go through over 3,000 teeth in a lifetime? That's crazy!"

Rafe was looking at you, smiling while his chin is resting on his palm. You thought that he was kinda cute looking at you like that. Of course, you were spitting facts about alligators, that's pretty cool. You took a sip of the orange juice that Rafe had refilled for you and continued, "Also, the Outer Banks is known to be a wildlife refuge for alligators. Gosh, I am so excited to see an actual gator hole," you paused again and took a sip.

"Wow, that seems impressive. Did you know that alligators don't hibernate?" He asked you but he already knew that you know that. He just can't seem to help himself.

"Uhmm hello? of course! Unlike other animals that go through a hibernation period, alligators are only known to go through a dormant period during the colder months," you said, lifting your index finger, trying to prove a point.

By this time, it was already dark. There was a hurricane a few days before you arrived so Rafe had mentioned it would be difficult to get help around this time but you were hopeful.

After a few hours, still no one.

"I don't think they're coming," Rafe said as he eyed you pacing the room. "I'd offer to drive you," he started saying.

"Yes, that would be nice!"

"But, as you can see," he said pointing to the Range Rover outside. A huge tree branch had fallen directly on top of it, "my car's unavailable right now."

"Great, this was supposed to be the first day of a great research program and I'm stuck here," you regretted the last part as soon as you said it. You looked at Rafe who was seated in front of you.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean here here."

"I know what you mean," he stood up and walked towards you. The way he moves and talks is slow but very sure of himself.

"You know, you can stay for the night if you want. And tomorrow, my family would already be back, and I can use their car to drive you, yeah?"

"Yeah," you said mindlessly. Rafe was pretty tall so he was leaning towards you, particularly close too! Your breath hitches as you sucked in air before replying, "Thank you."

"Come on, I'll show you to your room."

The room was just beside Rafe's. It looked like a guest room. Everything was neat and there are towels ready for use in the bathroom.

"This house is huge," you commented as you looked around the room. You had the perfect view of your car outside.

"Welcome to Tannyhill," Rafe said as he sat on the bed.

You sat beside him and looked at him. You couldn't quite put your finger on him. He looks scary, acts as if he's better than you or everyone else, but does something sweet like listening to you yap about alligators and offering you a place to stay the night and offering to drive you tomorrow.

"What are you looking at?" He asked.

"You." That seemed bold of you.

"Yeah? You like what you see?" He flirted. You blushed at his statement but was quick to recover.

"I do, actually," acting as if what he said didn't made you wet.

You squirmed under his gaze. His lips slightly parted and his eyes on your lips. You leaned a bit closer, and he moves even closer. It was a light kiss on the lips at first which evolved into a makeout session with you straddling him.

"Listen, I don't normally do this but-"

"Oh shut up already," as you kissed him, arms wrapped around his neck. His hands on your waist, supporting you so you don't fall over.

He lays you down on the bed before taking his shirt off and lifting your dress above your head. You lie there in just your bra and alligator-printed undies.

"How cute is this," he said as he palmed you through those alligator-printed panties to feel how wet you are for him.

"Hurry up," you pulled him closer by the waistband of his pants, which you helped him get rid of.

"So needy," as he kissed you again, and then proceeded to kiss your neck, collarbone, and then removed your bra to suck on your already erect nipples. Rafe alternated between the two, with his other hand grabbing and squeezing the other. You wrapped your legs around him and ran your fingers through his hair. You hear and feel him moan through your skin. Rafe moved so that the tip of his cock is directly at your entrance. You moved your hips upward so he can enter you but Rafe held you down in place.

"Patience."

"Please."

He grinned and started teasing you by inserting himself in you then completely pulling out. He does this a couple of times before you wrapped your legs tighter around him, pulling him closer.

"Such a pretty little slut," he whispered as he allowed himself to enter you fully, you feel him hit the spot and you gasped for air as you adjust to his size.

"Too...big."

"You can take it baby, there you go, you're doing so well." Rafe then started to move his hips slowly, making sure you feel every inch of him. As he started to pick up speed, your moans became louder.

"Keep going, please, I'm gonna-"

"Shit baby," Rafe said as you cummed all over with him dumping his load in you after a few thrusts. You both collapsed on the bed as he wrapped his arms around you, and you both drifted off to sleep.

~

"Rafe?" Ward Cameron's voice pierced through the entire Tannyhill estate as he and the rest of the Camerons started unloading the car.

"Shoot," Rafe shot up and started getting dressed. You were still a bit groggy but quickly threw on your dress that was on the floor and fixed yourself up to look more presentable. "They're here early, come, let's meet everyone," as he smiled and extended a hand."

"Whose car is parked outside?" Sarah had asked.

"Where the hell is Rafe?" Ward asked, more to himself.

"Hey, I'm here," Rafe said as you and him entered the kitchen.

"Rafe," Ward said then looked at you, "Oh hello."

"Hello."

"Oh, she needed help with her car but AAA wasn't available so I thought, we can use your rover to drive to Alligator River?" Rafe explained the situation to everyone as they all eyed you, probably surprised as to why Rafe is so willing to help out.

"Why Alligator River?" Wheezie asked.

"Oh I'm doing my research on alligators."

"Alligators, huh? That's interesting," Ward said. "Well, of course dear, Rafe will drive you up to Alligator River and you can leave your car here until it's fixed." He extended a warm smile just like everyone else did.

"Your family's pretty cool," you said as you walked to the car with Rafe.

"Yeah, I mean, we have our problems."

"Much like all families," you smiled at him as he started the car.

The drive was pretty smooth, with the roads mostly cleared up by now, you can see how the Outer Banks seems idyllic.

"So uhmm, should we talk about last night?" Rafe asked.

"I'm not sure if talking about it is necessary, unless you want to?"

"Nah nah it's fine," Rafe turned a corner. "It's just that I would not want that to be the last time." He said without looking at you, his eyes on the road, the Alligator River now in sight.

"You don't?"

"Nope."

"Well, then," you smiled, "maybe you can visit me here sometimes," you arrived at the destination. "I'll be here all week."

"Yes, ma'am," Rafe said as he parked the car.

"Okay, this is me."

"Research the hell out of those gators, yeah?"

"Yeah," you responded, to him and that boyish grin that seems to be your new favorite thing, before leaning in and giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

OBX masterlist

[all-pacas]

the FANFIC DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY: no mystery left

(because this is the one i was thinking about. bc reddit.)

OK, no idea how to do these things. Part of me is really tempted to pretend this is an actual director's commentary, you know, make a fake script, like here I am in a booth and we're doing a little watch along together. Right: Hi, I'm Helen. (We're doing the RP, ya'll)

So this was the first story I wrote for House. I think I did it in about two hours; most of it in one burst and then finishing it up. I have the bad habit of doing editing after posting, I'll just sit and re-read it until I spot errors or wording issues.

no mystery left alpacas

I kind of regret the title of this fanfic. It's called after a lyric from Portions for Foxes, which is kind of just my general Chase Soundtrack Song, which is why I chose it — except I kind of feel like I could have used it on something else, or picked something more fitting. But I don't hate the title either. I can never think of proper titles, I'm always stealing from songs. I've been trying to use as many Portions for Foxes lyrics as possible in my House fanfics.

"Who," House says grandly as Cuddy approaches, "ever heard of a diagnostics fellowship?" He's sitting in the hall by the elevators, ready to pounce. "Who ever heard of a diagnostics department?" she retorts distractedly. She slows. "You're hiring a fellow. Maybe even two, if you can find that many people who can stand you. This is a teaching hospital." House doesn't retort. She looks at him suspiciously and he twists his expression as if to suggest he has no idea what she's suspicious about. "Hire a fellow," she repeats. "That Treiber kid -"

This is a continuity error!! House actually did have fellows before Chase. This exchange really bothers me, but I've let it stand. I guess my excuse is that neither House or Cuddy say Chase will be your first fellow; House is just at a moment where he doesn't have any (also a continuity error, btw, Chase mentions meeting one in All In).

I… hadn't actually completed my watch of the show when I started this fanfic, which is where the error crept in. You'd think referencing S8-only Trier would imply I'd at least watched most of it, but no. I skipped ahead. I watched it coz the summary implied Chase Backstory.

He watches as she tries to enter before the doors close. A blond kid sticks out his arm to block them, flashes a thousand perfectly white teeth at her when she says thanks. Interesting.

I never have House refer to Chase by name in the story. This is meant to be the first time House sees (or hears of) him, and what he sees is Chase on a Charm Offensive towards Cuddy. Enough to pique his curiosity.

"I don't trust nurses." House keeps staring over Wilson's shoulder. The papers are too far away to read, but he can just make out the logo on the cover sheet. "Who does immigration paperwork in a hospital?" he asks.

This is still meant to be an accidental run-in. This is also shoddy immigration law, although I reference it in another fanfic too: as much as I like the idea Chase leveraged a 3 month holiday visa into a work visa, I'm pretty sure there is no way the department of immigration would let him. But I like how careless and sort of arrogant it seems. (very Rich Kid) Chase just assumes it'll all work out for him.

House flips a page in the rheumatology textbook he's examining. Trier tries not to fidget. "Classic power play," he blurts. "Read a book to show how little you care." House glances up.

Now House is actively researching Chase, probably because he also knows he's playing it fast and loose with his visa, and by implication is trying real hard to get a job by sucking up to Cuddy. I wish we'd had Trier more. I love everything about him. I love the idea that Chase just has a Nemesis in pathology. Like that one episode where he has to biopsy a dead baby? So funny if you imagine Trier is just off-camera and pissed Chase is in his department.

You're Dr. Thomas, aren't you?" the kid asks as the elevator starts to move. "Oh - I'm not a patient, don't worry." He smiles, sticks out his hand. "I'm interviewing for the surgical residency. Dr. Cuddy spoke highly of you. Rob Chase. Fantastic to meet like this - we're due to interview next week?" "Dr. Chase. Of course." Thomas clearly has no idea who the kid is but shakes his hand. The elevator dings. "Nice to meet you," the kid says, oozing charm, as Thomas exits. "Nice trick, Doogie," House says when the doors close. The kid jumps, noticing him for the first time. "Repetitive, though. Do you just hang out around the elevators waiting for your future bosses to climb aboard?"

I went back and forth on how Chase would introduce himself. We know his sister, at least, calls him Robbie, and even though the show itself is pretty consistent on calling him Robert, boy, can we agree that doesn't suit him? In my head, he started using his full name to "sound professional," but before House usually called himself Robbie or Rob. So he's not quite polished yet.

House is making a power play here, obviously. He's figured out Chase's game, and inserting himself into it just to let Chase know he's been caught: Chase is trying to "accidentally" charm his way into being hired. Also, something about him asking if Chase waits for his future bosses on elevators, House being on an elevator…

He turns on the kid, who stops short, uncertain. "Say," House asks, mock innocent. "Is my photo on the website?" The kid recites obediently: "You're Dr. House. Head of diagnostics. Double specialty in -"

Chase did research House, but didn't think he was a useful person to stalk. Trying to imply here that Chase really is being quite cynical and calculating about this — he isn't just targeting the specific folks he needs to hire him, he looked at every possibility and then chose who to seduce.

At House's office, he hesitates until House waves him inside. "The way I see it, Dr. Chase's only son could get a job in any hospital down undah he wanted, no matter how mediocre his grades."

Honestly, biggest argument against Chase being a lazy nepobaby, imo. He seriously could have done this in universe. Instead he moved across the world. This is one of the reasons I am so Interested in this idiot: he's so unambitious but he does wild things like this.

"Surgery and intensive care," he says. He turns to the counter behind him, picks up the resume he'd had Wilson procure. "You must love saving lives." "I do," he says, eyeing the resume and the copy of his father's book House had strategically placed under the manilla folder. "How sweet." "I like them when they're dying," the kid says, leaning forward. "When you have a bleed and ten seconds to find it. When they crash and you don't know why and you have less than a minute to fix the problem." "And that's why you're a perfect candidate for my fellowship?" House mocks. "You tell me. You're courting me, aren't you?" "Sudden attitude shift. Trying to appeal to the nearest authority figure by imitating his grizzled charm?"

I don't love this exchange. I think it's pretty decent banter, it flows nicely, but I do think Chase is too aggressive, even if I handwaved it with him doing in intentionally, trying to match House's energy. House revealing he's been tracking Chase's job hunt, and showing off Rowan's book, proves that he's interested in Chase and has been paying attention. So Chase notices this, and he's trying to imitate House.

I don't think (she says, having written it) that Chase's explanation for his specialties is necessarily true here. Or not the whole truth. He's just trying to say what he thinks House wants to hear. From his perspective, this dude he hasn't seen before just walked up to him and told him "I know everything about you, sit in my office, let's look at your resume." House mentioned Chase's immigration winging-it, that he's hoping to charm his way into a job. So Chase in turn is making his specialty sound sort of reckless and seat of his pants, too.

From House's perspective, he's seen this kid stroll into the hospital and attempt to manipulate

He skims the kid's file again. Looks up at him over the top of the folder, then tosses it down. "Have your dad give me a call." "What?" he blinks. "You want the job, I'd like a character reference." "I have references." "Yeah, but I'm such a fan of daddy. Shouldn't be a problem. Not like you fled England rather than live in his shadow or anything." "Australia." House waits. Finally the kid stands up. He offers his hand to House to shake. He doesn't take it. Rowan Chase calls the next morning.

This is the reason both the story and this commentary exists. It's a power play. House wants Chase to demean himself and do something he doesn't want to in order to prove he wants the job. Chase, meanwhile, realizes that House is pursuing him. So the real question is "will you do something you don't want to do because I asked you?" House has seen Chase is manipulative, and observant, but is he willing to do this?

Chase, meanwhile, knows House is interested in him and pursuing him. He doesn't know how much House has been tracking him, but clearly House wants him. This is enough to get Chase, naturally, to abandon his other plans to charm his way into a job: he might be able to get Thomas to hire him, but House is taking the initiative and showing an interest, which makes him way more valuable. (ie: daddy issues. It's always daddy issues.)

"I want to hire Bobby," House says, cornering Cuddy Friday morning.

[…]

"One's black and the other has milk and sugar. Did - did my father --" He blinks, losing his confidence. House takes the black coffee. Chase throws the other cup in the trash.

House calls him Bobby to mock him, obviously, but it's not until the last paragraph of the story the narration (and so, House) thinks of Chase by name. Now that Chase is in Diagnostics, he Exists.

Further useless headcanon director's notes:

I think Chase introduced himself as Robbie exactly once in New Jersey, and House heard, and it was also the last time he ever used that name.

For some reason, I feel like Chase drinks coffee black with sugar. So neither of those cups were ever going to be from him. He's blatantly sucking up here.

Finally, in an earlier scene:

"Do you even have an interview with Thomas, or were you planning on kissing his ass until you got one?" "I'll have it by the end of the week," the kid says defiantly. House smirks.

And in the last scene:

He passes her the manila folder. Cuddy skims it and looks disapproving. "Dr. Chase is the new surgical resident. Dr. Thomas specifically asked --"

I just liked this bit. Chase did end up getting the other job, he just picked the boss who wanted him over the one who didn't. From Dr. Thomas's brief appearance in S6, he seems to have Issues with Chase and Chase as an extension of House. I think it makes sense on its own, but it makes more sense with this context. He offers the kid a job, the kid rejects the job, four years later Cuddy makes Thomas hire him again, and Chase still pays more attention to House?? Lowkey Chase has as many enemies in the hospital as House and I think that's great.

[kyokoenthusiast]

❤️🥳💌

❤️ What is your favorite line that you’ve written in a fic?

This is a difficult one, so I suppose it's good to start with that. I'm not my best with creative writing, and I don't have the freshest memory of everything I've ever written, but let's see.

Off the top of my head, I would say that the line "However grim her future might be, she only hoped it was the right thing," from the very end of Chapter 9: The Right Thing in AFOD (spoilers below for it).

That chapter is likely my favorite thus far, and this line specifically kinda encapsulates the very idea of it. The struggle of wanting to be a better person, a feeling that anything is better than your current path. "The right thing" is a destination Byleth seeks that's left ambiguous and without detail. There's no exact goal, just a desire of self-acceptance.

She believes herself dead, and as long as that is better for everyone, she's willing to go. It's unhealthy, of course, but she doesn't know that. Her perception of morality is rather immature at the time. The flashback at the beginning attempts to communicate that. It's simplistic. Black and white. But the desire to be better, to do what's right, is relatable.

🥳 Why did you start writing fanfic?

The first thing I ever wrote was fanfiction, actually. Though, that thing needs to stay buried in the mountains of paper it's currently under. I don't say that because I found my early teens to be cringe or whatever (it was), but because of dialogue and topics that I find morally reprehensible today. Nothing too egregious, but also nothing anyone needs to see, nor am I comfortable sharing.

I rediscovered fanfic after getting my most severe hyperfixation ever with FE3H. At the time I had been writing and revising the same original story for almost a decade and after a year of stagnation after binging the Edeleth tag, I had so much inspiration that I just had to write something with these two women.

Reading and writing fanfic honestly should've made me realize I was gay a lot sooner, but I'm the most fucking oblivious person on the planet, lol.

💌 Is there a favorite trope you like to write?

I haven't written it specifically, but I have a guilty pleasure with amnesiac stories. Something to do with a fantasy of a clean slate protagonist who attempts to overcome their past misdeeds. The stark contrast of their past and present self is fun to see, and when their past self bleeds a little into the present, it can just be simply entertaining. It does forgo a lot of slow character development, but there's just something about someone's metaphorical mask being forcibly removed, not just to other people, but themselves, that is... almost euphoric? Freeing? It's difficult to describe, I suppose.

Though, as for something I've written myself? I suppose the modern AU setting would be my most common trope. I enjoy the setting immensely. It's relatable and much more tangible than others. That's not to discount other settings such as fantasy and sci-fi btw. Hell, I wouldn't be here right now if not for my favorite fantasy lesbian couple.

But like, imagine the rough feeling of asphalt on your bare feet, the mushy snow collecting near a curb, the heavy heated air of a heater in the middle of winter, the sound of a running car on the side of an isolated road, the smell of a cigarette passing by in the air.

These are things most of us are intimately familiar with, something we've felt before, and that familiarity helps descriptions and scenes feel that much more real, gritty, and tangible. And that's just something I like to portray. Romanticizing the day-to-day.

I'm rambling. I just don't wanna spend 3 hours researching sword stances, strategy, and trying to figure out what century is a good reference for Fodlan. (I'm joking. I feel like I should note that.)

[miabebe]

miaaa😔

i have a lot on my plate these days. being a junior in college sucks. i was like “is college really this hard? it’s messing up my career plans”.😭😭 universe knows how much i hate it when unplanned things happen. that is why i barely got time to check in.

also, my head hurts reading the lectures i need to review, i cannot take any more information right now so i decided to unwind. i made this wheel of names kinda thing but with your fics, and the grand winner that i’ll be re-reading is when you’re convenient series. i love that trope, perfect for a few mins break in between studying. i also read other reader’s asks and i feel proud coz of the praises they send your way. i feel like a mother having her child win an award.

btw as a writer, how do you deal with writer’s block? because there are times my brain completely shuts down when i have to write a paper for school and such. i hate it when it happens, especially if i got the time and energy, but not the idea. and it is for academic writing. how about you, as a creative writer? what do you do? coz i know creative writing is harder than academic writing. you have to capture the right emotions and sensory images that you want your reader to see, hear, feel. plus the pressure of wanting to create a better masterpiece. i really wanna know your take on this, but the decision to answer this or not is up to you, no pressure.

i yapped a lot today because i missed you (and my freedom). as always, i hope you are taking care of yourself. lovelots mia🫶

Hi Zen, how are you my love <3

I'm so sorry to hear that university is being so hard on you - it's totally okay that you're not here more frequently, you should be taking the time off for yourself! Ooh the When You're Convenient series - that is a personal favourite genre of mine too! If my fics can give you a little solace and distraction, nothing makes me happier <3

hahahah yesss people who read my stories have been really nice and generous with their reviews over the past few months - I spent a lot of the initial months here putting out fics in the void so to hear some feedback has made me really really happy and motivated to write moreeee

If I'm being really honest, I think academic writing is a lot harder than creative writing particularly because there's a deadline? When it comes to creative writing that pressure isn't there for me so I can allow myself to take a break when I am not feeling creatively driven?

Writer's block generally hits me when my personal or professional life aren't going too well so first I take some time off to deal with that properly before I invest time again in writing. Coming back to writing after that break tends to be hard too - then I usually re-read my own work to get familiar with my voice again. Just closing my eyes and visualising the scenes or listening to music I associate with the fic also really helps me to get into the headspace to write!

The biggest roadblock comes when I have to write parts that are necessary fillers for the plot but I don't feel particularly interested in writing? I'm still figuring out how to navigate around that tbh - usually one day I find myself having a little more patience and energy and just push myself to get it done haha. I can't really give any suggestions on how to overcome this :(

But if I have to give any advice for academic writing I'd say good planning and research always helps! Even though its extremely exhausting and time taking, I tend to spend longer on the planning than the actual writing - reading a lot of related material helps with flow of words and ideas. (For creative writing I tend to do the opposite - I don't read much because I get so influenced by other's writing style, I tend to lose touch on my own one?) I just tend to dump all my ideas in one document and work my way through it but of course, this is how it's been beneficial to me - everyone has their own style and way of doing things so you should try to find a way that works for you Zen <3

[camillahex]

i think it would be kind of funny to make on of those “articles/books i’ve read/videos i’ve watched/etc recently” posts bc it would just be all like 10+ page scientific research papers or paper reviews or hour long presentations on disease ecology instead of the typical like political oped, media analysis, poetry, short story compilation that i usually see a lot of

[arcane-temp-fandomblog]

Viktor & Jayce - science partnership and being sane together

I was supposed to write more substantial analysis but I haven't slept more than 2 hours so I can't do anything serious.

I'm just going to note how insane their storyline sounds when taken apart: First, Jayce is a random student that went on a gap year to a dessert to look for magical crystals. To prove everyone wrong and make his mom proud.

Entry #2 I can't afford to be wrong again. The Kirammans are counting on me. My mother thinks this is a fool's errand. But she understands that power of magic, even if she's not willing to admit it. She'll be proud of me. It won't be long now.

Magic crystals. That's his plan.

Without seeing Jayce's flashback, he sounds... unhinged.

He even sounds unhinged to the one person that was there with him in the flashback. He's the force of change but mostly he's a hazard to other people and his surroundings.

Then when he's caught being a hazard to his surroundings and is supposed to get slap on the hand or worse, another student appears - Viktor - who heard Jayce's ramblings and decided to put his whole hard earned university career on this theory, breaking out the research papers and all.

This is what Viktor read btw. in this most scientific of journals:

Entry #2 I was walking my - failed - experiment to the scrapyard and ran into Dmitri.

TRY TO BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME! CAN'T RISK BEING FOUND OUT!

The Academy's best and brightest...

He wouldn't know true progress if it hit him in the face.Say that next time you see him!

Think of something better to say... You will make an excellent teacher. Will he get that this is an insult? Maybe he wants to be a teacher? Maybe I should just stick to science...

Encouraging, Right? And all for science of course.

He hasn't even considered what happens if they're wrong. Well we're either right, or [error 404]

Since Viktor is only hazard to himself with his own self preservation.

That is all pep talk Jayce get's from him.

> But out of all character's that enable Jayce's tendencies to do what he wants, Viktor is for sure the one with results most positive for society. 'Coz Jayce is very insecure in his assumptions, he always comes from the place 'what if I'm wrong'.

May I remind you, this is still about some uni student that has a theory about life saving magic stones.

But their scientific method:

Well I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be.

.Anyway, the originator of the magic stone theory is not really sure, but go big or go home... or rather go dead. Same difference for Viktor.

Post time skip, they actually did not achieve most of their plans to change the world but more importantly they get separated for most of two arcs and just a jist of it: Jayce lives his Piltover highlife:

1. Gets upgraded to parliament.

2. Sells for free first rights access to their gate project to all corrupt politicians - just so they're not mad that he tried to root out corruption and preferential treatment.

3. By nearly an accident becomes the "president" of Piltover.

4. He is also asked to build weapons by two most powerful women, at that time in Piltover, to protect it from big bad scary undercity. And this is what he comes up with:

Which I'm sure Ambesssa Medarda had in mind when she wanted him to make weapons. You know how a 5y/o could propose a superhero weapon that could be both a giant hammer and a cannon because the child can't decide what's cooler. Yep, this is Piltover not-president's idea.

5. But his little excursion with Vi to the undercity proves that yes, in fact Jayce is still a hazard to his surroundings when left unsupervised.

In contrast, the reasonable workaholic Viktor toils on his own theory in seclusion of their lab. In quick succession, well under duress of illness but he's less concerned with own life than with how his life's science contribution improved the world (and imo. it's a deliberate writing choice, loosing own life is low stakes in stories):

1. He has a vision and decides to pursue it, this imo. is not less unhinged than Jayce's magic stones btw. It's not even tangible experience, it's something whispering to him from different plane.

2. When they can't work out how to make it work, he reaches out to his mentor with practices PETA wouldn't approve / future-current war criminal

3. Decides to smuggle illegal 'magic strength opium', which will allow him to test his magic cube (maybe? that is unconfirmed since no one has a magic cube aside from him), into Piltover.

Please remember the magic cube idea comes from a vision he has.

4. Decides to test magic vision cube plus magic strength opium by inscribing runes onto his body with a scalpel... "unsurprisingly" it works.

5. Runs out of magic strength opium...

6. Better be right then.

Viktor is only hazard to himself... eh, no, sadly. But that's what he thinks.

Anyway, they kill respectively one person per person, and U turn hard on their idea of how to do science and scale their plans of change to more human scale. Plus one purple hand and leg.

I'm not sure when and I fear when these two will become separated again (if we follow OR Lore). Because idk, they don't do that well when apart on taking sane actions.

As for hexcore, the poor new lab pet that shivers when Viktor wants to boink it:

imo there's some incling in Jayce's journals:

Entry #3 I have collected several theories I've discovered on my journeys on how the power of the Arcane might be harnessed: Crystals form bonds with a sole user - their power is channeled though it Can a device be created to manufacture such a connection? What determines the bond?

Entry #4 The interaction with the crystal is generated by power from ANY user. Does the power react with the crystal externally or internally Could this power be recreated successfully and repeated?

Entry #5 Do you need an object to house the power? Some type of staff Too on the nose.'

Entry #6 Best practices: wind and/or water turbine? A current channeled through lightning?

Entry #7 My own theory: the Arcane is a field around us, invisible to the naked eye but ever-present with careful use of a particular source of energy (still unknown) we can crack into this field, and merge it with our own reality

My only request for season 2 is that the way to fix the Hexcore is to 'blitz' it.

Ps. I'm going to laugh very hard if these two are based somewhere deep down on Engels and Marx partnership. Is the time skip between act 1 and 2 seven years? That'd be a bit too funny overlap of historical figures.

[confusedwitch]

Witch-Related Books to Grab off Amazon: Masterpost Part 1

First off, I'll be sectioning this into different parts based off of what type of witch you are/want to be/want more info on, or what practices you wanna add to your craft :)

Green Witch/Magick Herbalism (a classic):

The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock - $9.69 (Hardcover): This book had incredible reviews on amazon, and a lot of the written reviews said that the book wasn't specific to a religion and didn't try to push a religion on you, which is so wonderful because not everyone wants to be religious with their craft.

Plant Witchery by Juliet Diaz - $25.19 (Hardcover) $18.99 (Paperback): Again, stunning reviews, just a less popular book. This book isn't about general stuff, but instead it's more focused on mother nature and the useage of plants (non-herbal as well, so your houseplants might be mentioned too), which is great if you wanna center your practice around Gaia and the healing energies of the earth.

Herb Magick: An Introduction to Magickal Herbalism and Spells by Patti Wigington - $14.99 (Paperback): here's a review from a verified person- it explained this book WAY better than I ever could:

The focus of this book is on the folkloric and magical uses of herbs, rather than medicinal applications. It provides a few traditional uses of herbs, but the overall theme is knowledge of the plants and their associations, and incorporating them in your spiritual workings. This is an Introductory to Magical Herbalism.

The author's spiritual practice is rooted in traditional American and European Folk Magic. She is a licensed Pagan Clergy and is the founder of Clan Of The Stone Circle, a Celtic Pagan Tradition. (Funny, anything Celtic has been pulling my attention feelers lately, no wonder why I loved this book.) Her spells are derived/based upon the traditional folk magic practices of Western Europe and the British Isles, and the author's own experiences. They are positive spells for magical intentions of healing, love, prosperity, and protection. Baneful or negative workings with herbs are NOT used in this book.

The aesthetic of this book has my little, beginner herbalist heart gushing! The blue, green, and yellow earthy tones and hues used were perfect for the topic of herbs! The cover is GORGEOUS! It's so pretty and flowery, the illustrated pictures of the herbs were extremely helpful because I had never seen some of the plants before. This will make future identification much easier for me!

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham - $16.43 (Paperback): A couple reviews describe it as being in a cookbook format, and overall an amazing book, like most of Scott Cunningham's other works. Apparently the Amazon shipping was literal trash for a bunch of people and they essentially left the book loose inside the box to bang around and get all sorts of messed up :((

The Witch's Herbal Apothecary by Marysia Miernowska - $18.69 (Paperback): Described by reviewers as the PERFECT book for recipes and rituals, even one of Marysia's personal students spoke very highly of her, saying that she's the real deal. Other reviews state the book as being very beginner friendly, and beautifully written and illustrated :))

Blackthorn's Botanical Magic: The Green Witch's Guide to Essential Oils for Spellcraft, Ritual, and Healing by Amy Blackthorn - $15.79 (Paperback): again, phenomenal reviews, just a lesser-known book. Again, here's a review from someone who explained the book a bit better than I could:

This book is way more than I thought it would be. I thought it would be like a dictionary - you look up the essential oil and get the definition. It is that but it's also got a few introductory chapters about oils and products and rituals to give you a nice and concise overview of a lot of things you might need to know as a novice. I also like the way you can reference different oils in alpha order but also look up your purpose and find the oil you need.

From the looks of it, this book is specifically about Essential Oils. Is that still Green Witchery?? Lol I'm not sure, but i felt like it should go in this category.

Kitchen Witch (another classic):

Blackthorn's Botanical Brews by Amy Blackthorn - $14.49 (Hardcover): this is mainly a book of recipes for drinks and cocktails and stuff. There was one review complaining about how it didn't have correspondences, meanwhile the book is literally described as being a recipe book? It's an AMAZING book if you enjoy/want to start making homemade elixirs and cocktails :))

The Natural Witch's Cookbook: 100 Magickal, Healing Recipes, and Herbal Remedies to Nourish Body, Mind, and Spirit by Lisanna Wallace - $20.69 (hardcover): This is again just a book of recipes, and the reviews are really good. Here's one of them:

I wanted to write the review as soon as I got the book. I was not expecting this book to be so fantastic. The recipes are very nutritious and the names are very inventive, but I could see that before I tried the recipes. I held off on writing the review until I tasted a few of the recipes. Even my kids were very happy with the flavors of these recipes. They are mostly easy to make and they are very delicious. Be aware though that the food can only be as great as the quality of the ingredients that you get. These are not recipes that call for complicated or fancy ingredients, or even a lot of ingredients. As a result, you have to use the best that you can find/afford to get the best results you can. I did not use expensive ingredients, but everything I used was very fresh and it does make a difference on the outcome. Overall, the book have some great recipes, easy to follow and the end result does look like the ones on the picture.

The Book of Kitchen Witchery by Cerridwen Greenleaf - $12.89 (Paperback):

I am so pleased with this book. It’s so magical and warm. Sometimes the new age genre can be a little too technical or focus too much on religion or putting down particular religions... this was not like that. There are so many lovely tips and easy spells and recipes that are kept fairly light so you can make them your own. The book just makes me happy, it has an energy to it that goes right along with it’s artsy illustrations and at-a-glance format. This will be a great reference. Very grateful to everyone who made this book possible.

A former editor said that there were a few editing mistakes, but nothing too crazy. If that's one of your pet peeves, just beware when buying this book lol (btw the editor still have a 4 star review because they said the book is still very good)

Potions, Elixirs & Brews by Anaïs Alexandre - $12.79 (Hardcover): I just had to include both of these amazing reviews, since both said what the other review did not.

This book is so gorgeous and everything I have been looking for in regards to potions. I love her writing style and the way the book looks. Highly informative and I can feel her good intentions behind the book. She is very intelligent. I respect her and I am inspired by her! I found her by chance looking up books for potions, she also has Instagram! Very grateful, amazing book thank you:-) so happy to be the first comment:p excited to see what else amazing things come from Anais!

And

I adore this book. The art and setup is simplistic and beautiful. There is a system that tells you exactly how difficult each potion will be to make, whether or not it’s alcoholic, and what is the ideal season to make it in. The instructions are clear, the preliminary information is well done, and there’s even a section for brewing large batches which I LOVE. The weight of the book is nice and it feels of good quality. The papers are glossy and, I haven’t yet, but I feel like it won’t be a disaster If you get some of your creation on it. The book is separated into types of potions depending on your intent. This is a perfect book for anyone new to making potions or is interested in a magickal recipe book!

The Witches Feast: A Kitchen Grimoire by Melissa Madara - $35 (Hardcover): This book actually isn't out yet, but it'll be released on October 26th of this year (2021). It looks promising, which is why I put it on the list, and for that much money, it better be good lol

Lunar/Moon/Astrology Witch:

The Complete Guide to Astrology by Louise Edington - $9.49 (Paperback) $22.99 (Hardcover): There's amazing reviews on this book, and one of them said that she's been researching astrology for 23 years!! Here's the review in it's entirety:

I've been a student of Astrology for the past 23 years now, and have read most of the books on this subject that are considered foundational. Many guides to astrology that I page through in a bookstore are fine, but covering information I already know. What I so appreciated about Edington's new book is that she brings a new angle to even the basics of Astrology. Her book feels like a fresh update, more appropriate to our current time in terms of language and sensibility. There are no "evil" aspects or transits in Edington's view, no dark warnings of disaster; her evolutionary perspective encourages us to see the opportunity in even the most challenging times, what can be learned, what can be accomplished. As she says in her book, she doesn't look at the natal chart as something fixed, unchanging, rather a "blueprint rich in meaning and possibility."

I also admired Edington's extensive knowledge of the stories behind the names and symbology used in Astrology: sharing her interpretations of them, how they are useful, how they can be limiting. Concepts I thought I already understood have been unpacked in greater depth by the author, so that I see deeper layers.

This text is beautifully written, well-organized, offering a fresh update, as well as a deeper dive than many astrology texts. This book is an invaluable resource I'll be returning to, and consulting, with appreciation.

Moon Spells: How to Use the Phases of the Moon to Get What You Want by Diane Ahlquist - $11.35 (Paperback): This book is a bit older fashioned in the sense that it's VERY heteronormative, we're talking about love magick SPECIFICALLY for men and all about being a father, and a section of love magick SPECIFICALLY for women and being a mother. So if this gets on your nerves, then i wouldn't recommend this book. Other than that, the reviews are very good and they describe the book as being a must-have for lunar witches.

The Complete Book of Moon Spells by Michael Herkes - $13.49 (Paperback): Yes, this book was written by a man. If that's something that might make you not want to purchase, please look at this and also keep in mind that SO MANY of the most highly esteemed witches of the world ARE MEN. So if you wanna be closed off and refuse their help and their knowledge, go ahead sis, I'm not stopping you.

He's most definitely not just "some guy". Aside from that, this book has very good reviews. Some people called it "fluffy" and a bit less serious then they anticipated, but it's very good for beginner witches who are finally wanting to start doing spells. Here's a review.

In this book you explore ways to conjure the mysterious power of the moon to manifest your intentions to achieve abundance and balance in your life! Each chapter is devoted to one of the eight phases of the moon and includes various spells, tarot spreads, crystal grids and potions that reflect that phase of the moon!

This is an overall amazing book if you want to build a foundation of learning about the history of the moon, astrology, cycles & phases, ritual tools, crystals, herbs, and essential oils- as well as the moon spells and rituals.

This is one of my new favorite books! I feel so connected to the moon and this book is a great reference for learning the best rituals and spells to use for the different moon phases and energies surrounding them! It’s easy to follow and the lunar rituals, mystical spells and magical drinks are so vibrant, creative and helpful in my spiritual journey. I’d recommend this book to anyone that loves the moon like I do.

Moon Magic: A Handbooks of Lunar Cycles, Lore, and Mystical Energies by Aurora Kane - $19.99 (Hardcover, although there's only three left when I'm looking at it) $9.99 (Kindle):

One review said that the book much surpassed their expectations, and another review said this:

I absolutely adore this book.

If you're just a beginner and want to understand the different moon phases, this is the book to get.

The information inside was extremely helpful without being overly complicated.

Well worth the money spent.

Astrology: Using the Wisdom of the Stars in Your Everyday Life by DK - $14.59 (Hardcover):

I saw this in store and was immediately drawn to it's beautiful and shiny cover! But when I open it, the inside is just as beautiful! I love looking through the pages. I would say it is a very good basic astrology book, but I have another one that gives much more detail. I like this one for more of a quick reference kind of book. It's more of a bullet point style book, where it gives little tidbits instead of paragraphs going in depth. (Though some pages do have paragraphs) BUT, it covers just about everything including all the houses, moon signs, and ascending signs. It covers everything, but it just covers he tip of the iceberg. (In my opinion) I still absolutely recommend it!

Apparently this book is also available in Barnes and Noble, so if you have access to one, you might wanna look there for the book before purchasing off of Amazon :)

Misc Books (General):

The Spell Book for New Witches: Essential Spells to Change Your Life by Ambrosia Hawthorn - $10.19 (Paperback) $20.69 (Hardcover):

This book... It's a very good spell book, and is true in the spells it contains, but MY biggest problem with it is that it's V E R Y Wiccan, and seems almost preachy about the "Threefold Law" and what they like to call "karma". Choosing not to do dark magick is PERFECTLY FINE and being Wiccan is totally okay! But don't be like Christianity and rub it in people's faces, dude. The book talks about how you can ONLY practice "love and light". Other than that, this book is AMAZING and rated literally 5 stars with over 11K reviews. If you lean more Wiccan, by ALL means, buy this spellbook. It's the one for you.

Practical Magic for Beginners by Maggie Haseman - $13.49 (Paperback)

This book is fantastic for the witch who wants to learn more about her craft but doesn't know where to start. Each subject is broken down into easy to absorb bits of wisdom without being overwhelming. A great jumping off place to decide where to dive in deep next.

This book is very comprehensive, and is a great reference guide for beginner witches, or witches looking to add another book to their collection.

Candle Magic For Beginners by Mystic Dylan - $10.86 (Paperback) $21.99 (Spiral bound)

This book is a must have for anyone looking to deepen their connection with the magical element of fire, ritual, and spell work through candle magic! Dylan not only teaches you how to use candle magic for things such as protection, abundance, love, healing, and more, but takes you through the fascinating history of the power of fire & how to properly charge, cleanse, and consecrate your candles to begin manifesting your deepest desires!!! Overall, the book is beautifully written with gorgeous illustration and will hook you from the start!!!!!!!

This book is perfect for beginners to candle magick, or beginners to the craft in general. I personally LOVE candle magic because I've always been attracted to fire. I could void out and just stare at a flame for hours on end lol

Crystals for Beginners by Karen Frazier - $8.99 (Paperback) $20.95 (Spiral bound)

Absolutely love this book!! It’s so informative! I am a beginner and this book explains a lot. Everything a beginner would need to know about crystals is in this book. I am so pleased with it. Best purchase of the week! Definitely worth it. The author explains crystals, chakras and energy so enthusiastically and in a way that is easy to understand. At the end of the book, is a “resources” page with all the websites, books and apps that the Author recommends.

Again, very beginner friendly, but this time it's not spells, it's crystals and such. I've personally been wanting this book for AGES

The Crystal Bible Series by Judy Hall - $38.99 (Volume 1-3 shrink-wrapped set, paperback):

This is my first purchase of the three-part series by Judy Hall. Volume 1 covers over 200 crystals! I can already tell you I'll be purchasing volumes 2 and 3 (each of which cover 200+ MORE crystals/stones, not included in volume 1) I love how each crystal description includes photos to further help in identification. I also appreciate that rarity and sources were included. Information about the spiritual and physical impacts of crystals on the body is in there as well! This book is loaded with a lot of great information and is the perfect quick reference. It's also small and fits easily in my hand. I highly recommend it for beginners.

This is a review from just the first book, and it's from a verified hauler/buyer :)) these aren't exactly newbie friendly, and some people say they're a bit harder to understand.

[sleepy-achilles]

So. A little birdie (doesn't want to be tagged so I'm respecting their privacy) dropped into my dms this morning with an article which could very well explain why Hunter and especially why Shawn don't talk to Ric Flair anymore.

Now, I've also made sure to check the person who wrote it and see if I can fact check, as well, I had a whole class on this type of thing. I know it's important to get things right. So if your interested in this whole thing, read more.

(This is a 100% a mess btw)

I'll be linking both the article and podcast down below and well any other websites I use. Incase you want to do more detailed reading or listening. As I won't be going too indepth as I'm just trying to answer a popular question on this blog of why hbk and triple h don't talk to flair.

-------

Intro-

Now the whole article itself is about Rics divorces, financial problems and also talks about other issues like sa accusations. I'm not going to go into those as I'm not talking about that, I'm just going to be focusing on the financial issues. Because well, that's most likely why Hunter and Shawn aren't talking to Ric.

Before I show you the parts of the article we will be looking at, I just want to go over the things I checked to make sure it can atleast be trusted. One, the author is clearly stated and his other works aswell. Two, he writes about different types of sports and three, Shane ryan has gone onto between the ropes to talk about the piece he wrote and stated he was doing work in Charlotte when he started researching ric. This is important as most of this takes place in Charlotte. He starts researching ric after coming across the fact he's in debt. He does it purely because he was confused how famous wwe legend couldn't pay off a small debt. Which is understandable. He was a wrestling fan as a kid who had grown away from it. Which actually makes me trust him more, he's not as connected to the business and stuff like I am.

He also notes where he got certain information from, like Elizabeth's divorce papers.

I also want to note that he has spent 2 months on this work before sending it to his editor. As someone who's done a research project multiple times, is more important then you think.

You also only have to put Ric Flairs debts into Google and you can spend hours reading about it.

I'm personally not going into detail about his debt, I more just want to share the reason on why Hunter most likely doesn't speak to ric anymore.

One final important detail is that Ric is referred to as Fliehr in the article as that's his actual last name.

Article-

Here's the part of the article that truly caught my attention.

And it think it's clear who those people are. This definitely would be a good reason to not talk to someone. Especially if they don't pay back. And we all know how Hunter is willing to help his friends, it's not his first time trying to pull ric out of the darkness.

And here's the part that was sent to me

Yeah, you know that rolex watch that Shawn was really giddy about? It meant a lot to him and its being used for debts.

And then I thought there's no way ric openly told Shawn he did this. So I went and did some research, which is where I found this,

Now, I knew ric and hunter didn't talk anymore because of ric saying it. So this, this is important as its not only a secondary source but also it tells us who else he doesn't talk to. It also confirms that Shawn and ric don't talk. And his own son?

I then discovered this. As said, ric is where I found out about hunter in the first place. I don't know what Shawn said. I haven't got around to it, but from the fact this is rics original answer to whatever hunter and Shawn said has me thinking it wasn't that bad

But what gets on my nerves most is, hunter is clearly apart of this and yet, ric only goes on to attack Shawn.

Which makes me think, if hunter and ric were speaking at the time of this, they 100% weren't after this. Its commonly known that Hunter will always stand with shawn, just like how Shawn will always stand with hunter. You wrong one of them, you wrong them both. Take the Hulk Hogan situation for instant. We've all seen hunter and Shawn glaring at hogan during raw anniversaries.

Back to the main point. The article. Rics debts have been publicly put out there. Shawn most likely found out from the Internet. Hell, now that I think of Shawn and the Internet, he probably didn't even find out at all. But hunter? Hunter knows how to use the Internet. He most definitely found out.

It just doesn't sit right with me. It never has. But to now have some context on why hunter and Shawn don't talk to ric. I just can't. Why would you do this to your so called close friends? Why would you take something so valuable and put it up like that? It's not clear if ric still has the watch or if it's gone, but that's not the point. It also won't take a rocket scientist to know that ric definitely loaned money off hunter and maybe Shawn. And who knows if he's paid it back.

I just know that, I finally got my answer on why hunter and ric don't talk anymore. Also just put in my mind that taker was 100% at rics last match to collect debt money. I'm sorry, I had to fit a joke in somewhere.

"Wheres my money Ric?"

Feel free to ask any questions if this confuses you. I'm kinda running off 4 hours sleep and ranting in this.

Here's the links I used:

Actual article that started all of this-

Podcast-

Other sites-

[theoi-crow]

Hi! So I randomly stumbled upon your blog suddenly when I was looking at the greek god tag here on tumblr and I just couldnt help but feel really fascinated by being a devotee of a god. I dunno if any of this is gonna sound right because I've only just stumbled upon it but I'm so intested in it now. I was in class when I fell upon your blog and I looked up and saw a paper leaning against the wall that said 'war' (ares??) and I kinda was like "oh a sign??" But I'm not sure.

Sorry I asked a question about being new to all of this but I did some research and I'm feeling very emotionally pulled towards Apollo (like yesterday I was humming and dancing a bit while I was working on a project and I just felt so happy and thought of him and felt like he was dancing with me), and I'm sure I always have been but never noticed it until now since I've always been so fascinated with him, but I'm not 100% sure how I could strengthen that bond and work with him. Help?

--------------------------

Hi!

For the first ask: I do count that as a sign because it drew your attention to it. I believe signs that grab your attention are meant for you.

I totally believe Ares would do that too! He and I have A LOT of history together, so it's funny that after reading my post he was like "sup!"

but with his war sign, I love him so much!

For the second one: "I was humming and dancing a bit while I was working on a project and I just felt so happy and thought of him and felt like he was dancing with me"

That's because he was!

You gave him the offering of humming (singing), dancing and even enhanced it with feelings of happiness.

I also noticed you like to draw which falls under his domain so he was probably looking at the project you were working on. You offered these perfect combination offerings to Apollo when you thought about him and he accepted and danced with you.

The gods like to see and feel the world with and through us. They like humans because we can share our perspectives, this is kind of akin to you reading a story from your favorite character's perspective and getting an insight on their feelings, memories, etc. Apollo knew it was for him because you thought about him, this is the god equivalent of someone calling your name.

Besides he's very interested in you and I can tell he's been interested in you and has been for a while because of this: "I'm feeling very emotionally pulled towards Apollo" and "I've always been so fascinated with him"

A quick disclaimer before I explain why I think he's interested in you: This is my personal experience on how to tell when a god is interested in working with someone, but if it does not feel true for you please feel free to ignore it because everyone has a right to disagree and have their own opinions on how to tell that a god is interested in them.

My experience: a god is interested in you, they make you interested in them, and then you can't help but feel a want/need to work with them. I explain it better using my kitty analogy:

Imagine you are walking and see a cute kitty by the pond staring at some fishes. You want to walk up and pet it but because the kitty is super focused on the fish, you will end up scaring it if you suddenly pick it up. If so, it might fall into the pond and drown trying to get away from you. So you take out your keys and lightly jingle them. The sound is loud enough to get the Kitty's attention but quiet enough for the the cat to get used it. When the cat looks at you, you slowly lower your keys and now have them over the cat's head where he tries to paw at it, now the cat is very interested so you pet it and pick it up.

In this analogy, you are the kitty, the god/goddess is the person and the keys are energy in the form of making you interested in working with the god.

By this logic, "I'm feeling very emotionally pulled towards Apollo" and "I've always been so fascinated with him" tells me that he's had his eyes on you for a while and is happy that you finally want to work with him, which is great because he's an amazing teacher and loves his followers a lot. Even his myths show him as a very caring father.

He's also amazing at giving advice. I noticed you draw which falls under his domain. I usually mentally talk to him when I do my own drawings because then he points out things to watch out for, rules I should remember and how to improve (your drawings are amazing btw!) Here is a post about how I work with him on that: (LINK)

"I'm not 100% sure how I could strengthen that bond and work with him. Help?"

A while back, a child of Apollo @daughterofthegoldenandthesilver (devotee but I like to call them his children because it sounds warm and right) asked me for advice on this as well and I spent a few days with Apollo writing about the suggestions so I recommend you try them. They are all designed for you to do them discreetly for a connection between you and Apollo without you feeling nervous that someone might catch you: (LINK)

Apollo is the god of A LOT of things; Art, Philosophy, Medicine, knowledge, music, teachings, sunlight, Prophecy, Truth, Sciences, research and a lot more. So you can talk to him at any point about anything. He likes to take care of people who are going to school because you're learning knowledge. His son Asxlepios is actually the god of medicine but Apollo will work with him when you're sick to help you get better.

There's a lot of ways you can work with Apollo but the best ones are the ones that pop into your head because those are the suggestions Apollo is giving you.

They don't have to be flashy, they can even be tasks you were going to do anyway but this time you're mentally telling Apollo this task is for him and I suggest you talk to him while you do that task.

The gods will sometimes use your own mind to reply to you so if you mentally hear a reply, that's usually them but I do warn you that if the mental message is unusually cruel or unproductive to the betterment of you as a person than that is not a god, it is past trauma talking because the human mind will parade our past trauma as the gods sometimes.

Especially when a god says things like "you'll NEVER be good enough" because the gods have been around for a REALLY long time, they know that you have the potential to achieve it.

Here is a post to read when you feel like you've failed Apollo, this is to remind you that no matter what happens he loves you and he understands: (LINK)

Apollo is very big on promises but this is a post on what to do when you accidently break a promise and how to fix it: (LINK)

If you want to make him an altar here are the different kinds you can do. Some of these aren't even physical and some are 2D: (LINK)

Here is a post on how I offer food to the gods. I personally eat the physical aspect while letting the gods enjoy the spiritual aspect: (LINK)

I hope I was able to give you enough information to get you started on the connection with Apollo.

I think the best gifts you can give him are devotional acts that help you improve as a person

because Apollo likes seeing his followers grow and improve.

His personality can be a bit strict when he's teaching you something and Apollo has been known to be with you and then disappear for a while but that's not because he's mad at you. It's more like when a parent teaches their baby to walk and then lets go of their little hands. He'll come back and he's still going to be around. There are times where I go months without hearing from the gods and suddenly they're all around me again.

I hope these tips help and I know he'll be a bright addition to your life!

May Apollo teach you to aim your bow without fear so your arrow hits bullseye on your dreams and goals every single time.

[momo-de-avis]

Do you have any tips on how to start writing? I'm really bad at expressing my thoughts well so I figure if I write like, a diary or something I may get better at talking,

A diary is actually a good thing! A great thing, actually. Because it allows you to practice for yourself only. It’s one of those little writing corners where you can just be yourself, unlimited, boundless, as you wish, and no one will criticize you. If you allow your thoughts to just pour onto the paper, even if only a paragraph per day, I guarantee you will grow. It’s important for writers to keep practising, and it’s common advice to just tell WRITE EVERY DAY, which isn’t so helpful as people make it seem. Most of the time, people use this to mean like, write a story, a short story, participate in NaNoWriMo (if you’re like me and don’t like to set up goals like Nano does in fear of disappointing yourself or are just plain bad with deadlines, Nano is a terrible idea). But actually, a diary does wonders. It’s the perfect way of practising, and it goes both ways---you vent and you practice. It’s for you alone.

First of all: don’t be too demanding on yourself. Whether it’s word/page count, deadlines or quality of what you’re creating, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re just starting and, even if you aren’t, it’s a first draft. First drafts are supposed to be just that---the very first time you write down your idea. It’s supposed to be a rough diamond that will be shaped later on into whatever you want it to be. For some people, that means write it once and then rewrite it entirely (I’m those people), for others it just means it’s got a main body, and then you just work what you have. It really depends. People have different methods, so no matter how much others tell you to do this way or that way, it’s your way that matters. 

Keep exploring your possibilities so you’ll find your work method. Listen to other’s people’s advice only to the limit of your abilities. If you try out a method and you can feel it in your bones right off the bad it just doesn’t work for you, quit it. It’s no good forcing something you’re not on par with. Just scratch that altogether. Methods, discipline, plotting---that varies from person to person and I detest when others say there is a right or wrong way to do things. There isn’t.

As for plotting, there are several ways to go about it---but take this with a grain of salt. I never followed a single method until I found out there are names for this shit. What I do is called a zero draft, or the Direct Writing Process. Word vomit onto paper, in other words. I have an idea, I think about it for a while and just pour it out. I personally work very well with freewriting and improvisation. I am a pantser---that means I don’t plot, I just define my characters, my conflict, my goal, some plot points and go on instinct. Most of the times, other plot points emerge as I write. They just pop up in the process. Other people can be plotters: they plot the whole thing down to the detail. Those are more likely to use methods like the snowflake method, or the 3 Act Method (I personally hate the 3 Act method. I think it’s super limited and most stories these day’s don’t necessarily follow a 3 act structure, but a structuralized (around 5 acts, if you will) plot that has inciting incident (the thing that sets the story off), plot points (the things that push the plot forward), plot twist (NOT necessary in a story, and I hate that we’re in a day and age that’s convinced people that a story MUST have a plot twist---it really doesn’t. Sometimes being predictable is good), and a conclusion. The 3 Act thing is mostly used in cinema, from what I learned).

(Keep in mind there are other methods, these are just the ones whose names I remember)

Pick up books within the genre you’d like to explore and read a lot. Now, I know, this is that sort of shit people just love telling new writers as the number one advice, but I think what lacks is telling people ways of how to read when you’re a writer. So here is how I do it:

I mark pages that have passages that I want to go back to, underline sentences that inspired me and make mental notes of literary devices and word combos that are new and useful to me. The reason why it’s so important to read a lot when you want to write is to submerge yourself in the millions of styles out there in order to find your voice. Re-read passages that make you go ‘shit, that was really good!’ and let yourself be submerged by it. Disconnect from the world if you have to. Re-read the books that have inspired you. When you finish a book you loved, ask yourself why you loved it---take notes, even. Just write down the things you enjoyed, make little essays for yourself. It’s not just that reading a lot helps when you want to write, you gotta THINK about what you read. For youself (USE YOUR DIARY :D).

And on that account, and I am dead serious here, read bad shit. I mean it. Read the worst possible book you can find. You’re going to read a lot of advice saying ‘you shouldn’t do this when you write’, and I’ll tell you right off the bat that I HATE ‘should-and-shouldn’t-dos’ advice for writers. You’ll read that fragmented sentences and heavy thick paragraphs are a bad thing because it wears out the reader, then you pick up Donna Tartt and realize she does that A LOT. So why does she get away with it? Because she’s good at it. The advice should always be ‘do it well’, not ‘don’t do it at all’ (generally speaking, do not trust someone who tells you there are other rules to writing besides grammatical).

But the bad books? Bruh they’re a perfect guide to How Not To Do Things because, contrary to Mister White Male Pulitzer spreading advice on Literary Hub, those books actually show you why it doesn’t work. And by showing you how it doesn’t work, you get an idea of ONE WAY it shouldn’t be done. So while Donna Tartt is great at heavy, thick paragraphs, you pick up fucking Eragon and get the gist of just one way it won’t work: when it forces you to pick up a thesaurus and basically search for every other word in there.

Then, of course, practice. By practicing, I mean---do whatever the crap you want. I cannot express enough how much I want every knew writer out there to cover their ears and go BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH every time someone tries to tell them what they should and shouldn’t do, because when you’re starting, it’s REALLY IMPORTANT that you just go out of boundaries as best as you can. You learn from your mistakes. But you gotta know why they’re mistakes. No one learns a damn thing by being told ‘this is bad’. You gotta see it for yourself. You gotta feel it. You gotta experiment. Because it might just happen that one day, it won’t be bad. And that will mean you will have found a way of reverted a rule---and that in itself means you’re finding your own voice.

So keep experimenting. I’m serious. Don’t be afraid of trying out. Never wrote Sci-fi? Fuck it. Try it out even without reading a book---it’s for yourself, get into the mood and do what you please. Never tried poetry? Go ahead. Be wacky about it. Make it visual, fuck rhyming and do what you please. Want to write a thing that’s historical but haven’t researched that bit of history? Experiment all the same. Go back and forth between your reading and your writing (one thing I do a lot is put the book I’m reading down for a second to go write something because I got so inspired by what I’m reading. If that happens to you, my advice is---bruh let it out. Don’t tame it. Don’t put a lid on it. FLOURISH).

There’s one thing I like telling people: there is no such thing as a bad idea, there are only ideas that need working.

I repeat: no such thing as a bad idea.

You really wanna write something that just came up to you but you’re thinking ‘I’m afraid this is too cliché’? Fuck that. For the love of God, AVOID thinking about the word cliché at all times. Clichés aren’t bad, they’re only bad when they aren’t worked properly. And there’s a reason they exist---people like them. So, let’s swipe that away right now and focus on what’s important: you have an idea, and you want to work it. But something feels off. That just means you need to rethink some concepts, NOT that the idea itself is bad.

Keep in mind that, sometimes, a story takes time to mature. It might mean you’re too young to write it (the one I have on wattpad that’s a first draft btw, Best of Times, I had the idea at 18, but it’s very political and I was Clueless (TM), I had to wait until I matured). Be patient and kind to yourself---you need time, and with you, so does your story. Don’t force anything out, cause a lemon can only squeeze so much juice. Leave a WIP unfinished if you have to, and jump to another one to clear your head---there is absolutely no problem with that (boy do I do that).

With that in mind: Sometimes, walking away from a WIP is a good thing.

Now, as for expressing yourself: as I mentioned above, reading a lot might help. But here’s the thing. Expressing yourself doesn’t come from reading and understanding literature, it comes from yourself. Read a lot and take notes, pay attention to literary devices, ESPECIALLY pay attention to how certain writers break rules. But then, work yourself out.

See, bruh. Work your vision. Look at the world around you. You know how they say a musician is good when they develop good earing? A writer is good when they learn how to see, to see into the world around them in their own way. Listen to the people around you, enjoy the little things in life, observe life’s intervals. Actually, on this aspect let me recommend a book: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It’s a YA I think, very small and it was the one book I read when I was 13 that changed my life. It’s also a life-lesson for writers on the matter of ‘how to make the cliché absolutely beautiful’ and ‘how to grab a plot that’s been overdone and make it special’. Here is a synopsis. 

So, all in all, I would say: read, experiment, see and practice. Search for your inner voice. Don’t EVER throw away an idea.

HAPPY WRITINGS, ANON

[aslaanjade]

Ahh thunderstorms those are terrible!! 😭 they are! Though same I’m only having a small get together haha better to be safe than sorry. I think I like the atmosphere of small get togethers anyways I think at least it’s something better than last year when circumstances were worse.

I feel like yeah there is most the time tbh or more scope for character development. That makes sense don’t worry :’) most my fave anime work out like that, they’ll be apart—>character development—>changed relationship (for better or for worse sjsjsj). I think I’ll give it a read/watch thanks for the warning I’ll proceed with caution. Tho I have watched some dark anime/shows so we’ll see 😭😭 yeah death note ages so well still so fresh and definitely rewatch it when you’re free to do so! And you don’t have a colour you dislike? That’s nice xD I love this positivity, you’re right though haha.

It is! I graduated a few years ago in Psychology and I just remember it being hell doing my research paper so I’m sending you so much love and wishing you all the luck with it 😭😭 I actually got most of it!! But some things aren’t in store yet and people are panic buying lol so I have to wait for some minor things 😂 ahhh thank you it’s a weird year lol especially with the pandemic I know with gifts it’s like people are going crazy so I wanna make sure everyone gets something! I shall try and you too 🥺💖

My week’s been good! Been working on your gift 👀👀 and doing some cleaning! And been catching up with banana fish I think I’ll be finished by the end of this week and well it sure is a rollercoaster :’) but in a pulling at my heartstrings and can’t stop watching kinda way. I see why you like it and ahhh I love Ash 💖💖 I hope your week has been good filled with productivity, rest and all things nice! 💕

-animanga secret Santa

Yeah, exactly *^^* that cozy atmosphere is what I'm really looking forward to 💕 !!! I'm not even into big gatherins in general, but the idea of making at least a little get together is kinda comforting *^^* !!!!  💕

Yeah, exactly *^^* !!!! Deutaragonist have so much potential, really x''D and yeah, berserk sure is something lol it is pretty dark so yeah, better be cautious !!! So true btw, Death Note is still so fresh to watch and I never get tired of it!!! Even though I know every twists and turns it still so entertaining !!!!! And yeah lol at the end of it all I cannot find one color I dislike 💕

Thank u so so much ç__ç 💕    I'll do my very best !!! 💕 and i definitely need all the love and luck I can x’’’D yeah, unfortunately the situation is getting hard again ç__ç hope you managed to by everything you need by now !!!! 💕 And you’re so so sweet, really asodijao 💕  !!!!!

OMG really??? I really wanna know your opinion by the time you finish it aosdijsao it definitely is a rollercoster !!!! I’m glad you’re liking it so far  💕  hope your week was amazing as well  💕  !!!! I managed to send a paper for my very last exam for uni and also worked on my thesis so it was really productive x’’’D see you realy soon dear santa *^^*  💕 !!!! 

[colorisbyshe]

I'm writing an essay for class and it's hard to come to terms with certain sources you gotta use? Like, I know that sometimes agreeing with ideological opposites is basic shit, but still... Any advice on how to be as sure as possible that you're getting the best source? Ugh, I'm having a hard time agreeing on a certain topic with a pos. (btw, my English is passable but i'm still trying for its nuances lol so sorry if this was unintelligible)

I’m gonna be like... real honest. I have procrastinated on every paper I have ever written in my entire academic career from kindergarten to my senior year of college. I barely even put in the quality control of editing and revising my papers for grammer, let alone verifying I have the best sources. Plus, a significant portion of my papers weren’t research based, so I didn’t have to cite too many sources.

So, I don’t think I’m the best person to help you with your homework. Honestly, if your school has a tutor, you’re probably better off asking them.

I am the definition of a student who scammed their way through schooling. I’m the English major who didn’t read a single assigned book in its entirety. I barely fucking read the sparknotes. I got by because I participated a lot in class, I happen to have a writing style professors flock to and think of as Legit Shit, and I’m really, really good at skimming and figuring out what is necessary vs unnecessary information and bullshitting a thesis around the like 2.5 facts I know on a subject.

I am a mediocre researcher. My only skill is skimming and checking multiple sources to compare and make sure their facts mostly agree, which I guess is what I’d recommend. The best source is multiple sources.

The Best Source is also probably from organizations/authors you can verify are are least somewhat respected and seen as legit in their field, which is something you can check on your own, idk.

I know this isn’t helpful but like... I wasn’t a good student. I was a good bullshitter whose only skill was figuring out what the professors wanted and how to offer it. I can’t offer technical skills beyond that. I never learned how to study and retain information in any meaningful way. I just learned how to lie. This isn’t a brag or a humble brag, this is me being very, very honest about my shortcomings as a human being. I don’t have any of the skills you need right now.

Also, in general, don’t rely on random internet people whose grades and academic history you have exactly zero information on. For all you know, I could have failed every research paper I ever passed in. Actually, there is a semester where I failed 3 coursed in one fell swoop because I didn’t pass in any of the finals.

I am not your gal, anon.