#Elements of Programming Style

[txttletale]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

infinite art machine, reachartwork

ethinically ambigaus, james tamagotchi

mcdonalds simpsons porn room, wayneradiotv

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

i want a love like this music video, everything everything

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

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

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

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

[bluemanticism]

explaining the MLB au i just posted

“what why did you make lance chat and keith ladybug” i put a finger to your lips and say HUSHHHHH

lance is chat AND marinette because:

he has deep insecurities and plays them off with lighthearted humor

tries really hard but gets little recognition

admires ladybug so much for his prowess but despises keith’s aloofness (doesn’t realize it’s due to poor socialization)

in this au his mom runs a cuban-style cafe! like the bakery! but lance is a college student who is in the same program as keith (chem)

i want vibrant lance to contrast with the element of destruction, to learn how to be comfortable in pain and rage

keith is ladybug AND adrien because:

he has no fucking clue how to socialize and struggles with leadership at first but learns with lance’s help

his aloofness is actually awkwardness like adrien originally (reminds me of felix a bit)

universally more recognized by press

in this au, he was adopted into the shirogane family but shiro’s parents sadly passed when shiro was in college. he models bc he said “sure, whatever” when his brother asked him to step in a shoot. rest is history

bro is too serious bc he’s anxious

anyways i know not everyone will agree but it makes sense to MOI!

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Dirty Minds 1

Warnings: non/dubcon and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Thor Odinson, Loki Laufeyson

Summary: You start a new job after being fired as a programmer and it's more than you could have anticipated. (maid AU)

Note: I should stop.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

“Yeah, mom, I got the job,” you huff. “On my way right now. You really think Auntie would say no?” 

“I know my sister,” your mother harrumphs from the other end. “She doesn’t do favours.” 

“I mean, couldn’t she just give me some money instead of making me scrub floors,” you joke to the deathly silent speaker. “Alright, cool, well, guess I should go. I’m here.” 

“Good luck,” your mom sighs. “Please don’t mess this up. Your father and I already postponed our vacation once.” 

“I won’t,” you croak, deflated by the reminder. “Love ya.” 

She hangs up without returning the sentiment. Yep, she’s still mad about that. You didn’t ask to be fired. Actually, you worked overtime and bent over backwards just to avoid the fate. It happened anyways. Every company in the state culled their numbers. Looks like your programming degree is now as coveted as English Lit. 

You look up at the Upper East Side townhouse and suck your teeth. It’s just another reminder of everything you don’t have. Of everything you lost. Your order-in pad thai and sushi have given way to peanut butter on stale bread and canned soups. You can go without, it just stinks. 

This should help. Aunt Jan says the job pays well if you do a good job. The more clients you can pick up, the better. For now, you’re starting out with one. Probation, she calls it. Even if your mom hates her sister, they’re more alike than she cares to admit. 

You grunt as you swing the bucket of cleaning supplies with your steps up the concrete steps. The compact vacuum strapped to your back doesn’t aid in your struggle to maintain your balance. You couldn’t afford the rental fee for the company car so you schlupped everything here on the subway. Not ideal. 

You put the kit down and tap the buzzer, struggling to catch your breath. There’s no answer. Jan said that might happen. Try again and if there’s no answer, let yourself in. 

It’s not that complex, is it? You got through coding and calculus. You can figure out all those attachments for the vacuum. You hit the button again. 

“Ah, welcome lady maid, you’ve come at last,” the booming lilted voice crackles from the speaker. You flinch. There’s a lens there too. You try to smile. 

“Uh, hi,” you reply. “I was sent by the Agency.” 

“Yes, yes, as Stark recommended. Please, come in. Ehhhh, which button....” 

The door clicks and beeps as it unlocks. Wonderful. The blind leading the blind. That might be better. You definitely don’t need a stickler pointing out the streaks on the windows. 

You push the door open and heave the bucket over the threshold. You take off your shoes and unhook the vacuum from your back. Should you start with the instructions in the app or go find your new boss? 

You wander further in, sheepish as you look around the interior. There’s red satin strewn over the back of the French-style sofa and clunky boots beside it. And there’s a few takeout containers piled across from the large television. Oh, right, it definitely is a man. 

“Lady maid? Is that you?” The voice calls through the doorway to your right. 

You slowly follow it as you hear clinking from within. You peek into the kitchen and cry out at the scene. You don’t mean to stare at the naked ass but it’s the first thing that you see. The large man, with blond hair spilling past his shoulders, is nonchalant as he loads the coffee maker. Entirely naked! 

“Uhhhhh.” Your voice unfurls dumbly and you bring your hand up to block your view. “Um. You—you're...” 

“Oh my, yes, I do forget myself,” he chortles and searches around. He grabs an apron and ties it around his waist. “In Asgard, the natural form is not stigmatized. Rather, we do much unfettered. Cook, clean, wrestle.” 

You reluctantly drop your hand as you’re face by the man and his immense chest. He’s huge. And familiar. He isn’t a man at all. He’s... 

“Thor?” You utter dumbly. 

“You know me? Did I perhaps save your cat?” He asks. 

“No, I saw you... on TV.” 

“Oh yes, how amusing. It was I!” He grins triumphantly. “They don’t always tell me when there are cameras.” 

“Hm,” you nod awkwardly. “I... should I just start.” 

“Ah, diligent maid, how admirable. To work so earnestly,” he praises and turns to grab his cup as the machine quits grinding. His ass is still out as the apron only conceals his front. You’re not going to get hung up on it. He’s probably hung too. 

Wow. Wow. Keep your head above board. 

“I’ll start out there,” you point over your shoulder. 

“Whatever you like, lady maid.” 

You retreat and try not to picture his muscular ass or statuesque shoulders or bright blue eyes. It must be a godly trick. You’re not one of those fan girls. You’re not pathetic like that. 

You start in the living room. You open a bin bag and start to gather the containers. A fan of burritos, you see. You make your way around the surfaces. You should be methodic. Clutter first, then floors. 

You continue back into the entryway and organize the shoe rack. You hang the cloak left on the sofa and take the boots over to the mat. There’s several cloaks and many shoes and boots. The green satin holds your curiosity. You didn’t think that was his colour. 

You carry on through each room, avoiding the kitchen as long as you can. You go into the bathroom, bracing yourself. You wipe off an errant glop of toothpaste and some darker hair strands near the drain. Those are black, not blond. 

A groan tickles your ear and you glance over as a shadow steps into the doorway. The lithe figure stretches his arms above him as he tilts his head back, arching so his chest puffs out and his... bits dangle freely. You squeal and cover your eyes. 

“Oh god!” You cry out. 

“So I am,” the other Asgardian sweeps in without bother, brushing by you as he approaches the toilet. 

“Uhhhh, oh, oh,” you squeak as he flips up the lid. “Jeez!” 

You hurry out of the bathroom and swing the door shut behind you as his stream hits the water loudly. You stand on the other side, breathless in shock. That was him. Loki!

You don’t know what’s more off putting. The shameless nudity or that you’ve been assigned to clean up after two gods. Not just gods, avengers. Well, at least Thor. 

It doesn’t matter. You’re here to clean, so keep your eyes and your brain under control. You don’t need Aunt Jan getting a complaint, even if this is the last job you wanted. 

[yan-lorkai]

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ﾟ A/n: totally not trying to learn html (which technically isn't a programming language, for what I had read), and well, if Idia was teaching me I would learn everything so quickly tbh. Or not. He would start explaining and I would have the sudden urge to kiss him, oh well it happens ig

"Uh... I think I have an error in my code." You break the silence, tone soft as the computer screen lights up your eyes just the right way for Idia to lost himself in the reflex. He love your eyes, your concentrated face, the way you stick out your tongue without realizing.

And he loves the way you timidly look to him, as if he has all the answers to your questions - which, about this subject, he have, by the way.

"Ah~ your closing array is missing a closing slash. Here, Yuu-shi." He pointed your error with a soft tone, blue nail hitting the screen, and a surprised pout grew on your lips.

He wanted to smother you in his arms, to pick you up and hold you till his arms fell off and his corpse rot - that was how bad he yearned for you, your skin, you smell. He breathes really hard to refrain from doing it, though. You wouldn't want that. He was just a mere R card, a lonely gamer, a-

"Thank you, Idia. You're the best." You giggle to yourself, feeling yourself warm under his eyes and lousy smile. Unbeknownst to you, the only things that were going through his head were about you.

Your smile, the way your eyes lightened up, your laughters and giggles, the messages you passed each other in class (when he was there in person), your secret handshake. Idia loved you. He loved your very dearly.

He loved you so much that he could cry.

"Uh... it's no big deal," yet his hair was getting hotter, rosey tone starting to burn brightly. "Don't forget the closing stash, and everything should work properly. This programming language is not that used anymore, but most can learn useful things learning it anyway. I think."

Idia had half of his mind to know that he was rambling again, talking so fast that he could make Eminem cry. But he couldn't stop when you looked at him with such big eyes filled with curiosity and wonder, taking notes of everything he was saying.

He noted then that you had hello kitty stickers on your page. A few drawings that Ortho made of him, Idia and you; that almost killed him right then and there.

"Ah... HTML uses elements, tags, and attributes to organize text, images, links, and other multimedia elements. It can be combined with CSS for styling and JavaScript for interactivity."

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

30 Seconds to Mars - Fallen 2002

The self-titled debut studio album by 30 Seconds to Mars was released in 2002 after having been in the works for a couple of years, with "Fallen" being one of - if not the - very oldest of the songs. The style of the album combined progressive metal and space rock with influences and elements from new wave and electronica, utilizing programming and synthesizers. The demo work of 30 Seconds to Mars generated the interest of record producer Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked on several groundbreaking projects, including The Wall by Pink Floyd, Love It to Death by Alice Cooper, and Destroyer by Kiss.

Upon release, 30 Seconds to Mars received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who commended the album's lyrical content and the band's musicianship. The album debuted at number 107 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the US Top Heatseekers. While Shannon Leto played the drums, Jared played guitar, bass guitar and the synthesizer on "Fallen" in addition to singing.

THIS album and the following one, A Beautiful Lie, is what I mean when I say I'm forever a 30 Seconds to Mars fan and those two albums are my main playlist in my car. THIS music is what was so amazing to listen to. And so many of you agreed that "Fallen" sounded terrific, which makes me so happy!!! 😍💖💖💖💖 "Fallen" got a total of 62,4% total yes votes!

[taldigi]

I had a dream/ prophetic vision of a RP chat program that had like a bunch of features like a side chat for ooc chat, to the ability to set emoji for mood for each post and something called a dating Sim mode where you could upload your own character art and every time you sent a message the character would change their emotion like in a dating Sim. Also there was features like the background being changeable to reflect the weather and time of day. And it was like super customizable.

I have not rp'd for years.

it looked like this

shared music stream, weather changes, can pick emotions to send along with ur message so ur character would express that emotion (animated angry or laughter effects) custom uploadable sprites with animated options (for blinking, talking) sound effects to customize. u could upload dating sim style short voice lines, "ahs?", and "oh!" to accompany the posts. ppl could build character packs to share online

ingame notepads for character notes, events.

distinct separation of "characters" and "users" so you can really immerse yourself. peer-to-peer connection options as well as servers (privacy vs convenience) nsfw modes and the ability to mark character packs as NSFW. packs that include different outfit options for a fully robust system. custom poses that dont link to common emotions.

simulated inventory (not actual) with "toss gift use" ect and item packs

more dating sim elements could be added like affection meters, exhaustion, calendar systems, holiday notifications (fully controllable!) to really send vibes

multi-character control or shared control for NPCs or 2+ character RPs with turn system. dice roller and coin flipper/fail-success for randomizing outcomes.

anyway wanted to scratch it down before i lost the thought process from my dream

[tubapun]

Wasn't satisfied with the initial 2x scale up of the designs section of the Girl's Best Friend Style Guide, so I went back and rendered them out at 10x scale. Thankfully vectors make that fairly easy.

Unfortunately, this second pass led me to realize that some of the images are missing texture elements. I could not find an easy way to correct that, though ones where the missing texture led to a significant color change I took the liberty of adjusting the color on.

I will have to find a way to upload the .esp files (I'm assuming the free program I'm using is why certain textures are missing)

Regardless!! Here is the best quality version of this stock art I currently have available!! Good for use as icons and headers and whatever else!!

Check the reblogs!! I got the textures to work, albeit not with transparency

[satoshi-mochida]

Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die Receives Full English Fan Translation After 27 Years-Noisy Pixel

A group of fans has released an English patch for the classic Sega Saturn RPG Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die, initially released for the Sega Saturn in 1998.

The title also saw ports to PC, Dreamcast, and PSP, but no version has ever been officially localized. This translation project was announced in January 2023.

About Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die & English Patch

This dramatic adventure sequel occurs one year after the first game, following the protagonist Imperial Japanese Navy Ensign Ichiro Ogami and the Flower Division of the Imperial Combat Revue. The group protects Tokyo from various political and supernatural forces in a fitting follow-up to the success of the first Sakura Wars.

This franchise is well-known for its blend of tactical combat, visual novel-style presentation, and dating simulation elements, with this particular entry unfolding across 13 in-game episodes.

Instructions, as well as the necessary patch files, for the Sakura Wars 2 English patch can be obtained via the SegaXtreme site.

The 1.0 patch includes the following content translations:

Story dialog

Battle dialog

Minigames

Battle menus

System menus

Added subtitles to movies

Boss images

Theater room names

Load Screens

Bootup screen

Everything within Long Day

Credits

The team also uploaded a video commemorating the patch’s launch, which was made to recreate one of the game’s original Japanese TV commercials.

Translation Credits

PROJECT LEAD

NoahSteam

REVERSE ENGINEERING, PROGRAMMING AND TOOLS==

NoahSteam

TrekkiesUnite118

TRANSLATION LEADS

MattoBii CrouchingMouse

TRANSLATION

Natsume38

Neko

MatatabiMitsu

LEAD EDITOR

BowlOfLentils

EDITORS

Burntends

CrouchingMouse

MattoBii

Natsume38

GRAPHICS MODIFICATION

Dyn0muTT

Joqu

Gong Xian

TrekkiesUnite118

NoahSteam

MattoBii

SaturnDave

MOVIE SUBTITLES

TrekkiesUnite118

TESTERS

BowlOfLentils

cj_iwakura

TrekkiesUnite118

TALENT RECRUITMENT

Burntends

TRAILER

Edited by TrekkiesUnite118

Audio Mixing by Shadowmask

VO by CrouchingMouse

In case you missed it, check out our review of the Sakura Wars reboot that launched for the PlayStation 4.

We also interviewed the game’s director, Tetsuya Ootsubo.

[ihauvescurvy]

Some ideas on a joplittle office AU that have been percolating in my brain for weeks but I’ve been further inspired by @falling-through-a-trapdoor ‘s nedward karaoke post. So….

Ned and the other lieutenants are program or project managers. Ned manages one program arm and Gore the other, with the other lieuts as project managers under each of them.

Franklin, Crozier, and Fitzjames are all upper management, and their toxic dynamic is deeply obvious to the whole team. Maybe Franklin gets unexpectedly fired for embezzlement or something crazy and throws the whole office into turmoil, idk.

To get a Ned-Crozier dynamic that fits the vibes and this setting, I feel like Ned should be a good manager, but has been recently working in a totally different workplace culture than the one Francis has going and is deeply thrown off by it. I can’t decide if it makes more sense for Ned to be coming from buttoned-up corporate and feeling adrift in lax non-profit world or the other way around.

Jopson is of course Crozier’s administrative assistant, and absolutely runs that office. Nothing would work without him and everyone knows that. Hickey calls him a secretary bc he thinks that would be insulting.

Because Ned is so out of his element with Crozier and his new environment (and his anxiety), he has some shitty meetings with crozier that stress him out. He really takes notice of how competent Jopson is, how much Crozier respects him, and really immediately respects him himself because of his competence.

Jopson also notices the tension between Ned and Francis, and wants to fix that because he’s a fixer at heart. He pulls Ned aside after one of those meetings to reassure him that Crozier does like him, he just prefers a more direct style of communication.

Ned seeks Jopson out for advice before future meetings to get his help with how to best present the info, what level of detail Crozier wants, etc.

Ned gets blasted at an office happy hour a few months into working there because he keeps taking gulps of his drinks when he’s nervous and he hasn’t really drank since he started an SSRI so he doesn’t realize his tolerance is different.

I think George is the one who picked a karaoke bar for the happy hour, but Gore is the one who pulls Ned up with him to sing something. Dundy immediately gets his phone out to record lol.

Then we get Ned scream-singing Mr. Brightside with his co-worker, sleeves of his button-up rolled up and top buttons undone, sweaty hair flopping in his face while he bangs his head. Jopson watches by the bar with an absolute death grip on his glass because the view is…inspiring.

The next day (because of course happy hour was like a Wednesday or something), Ned is terribly hungover and sitting mortified at his desk after Dundy sends the video to the company slack, prompting a few more pics from other angles sent by Ned’s subordinates.

Jopson stops by his desk, though, with a coffee (takeout from a cafe, not the shitty break room stuff) and some pain killers. He says the cafe got his order wrong (a lie) and he thought Ned would appreciate the caffeine after such a wonderful impassioned performance last night. Ned is so starry-eyed until he realized Jopson might be making fun of him, and then he spirals about it all day.

He eventually runs into Jopson in the break room and thanks him for being so thoughtful after he made a fool of himself last night. Jopson grabs Ned’s arm when he laughs and tells him he really did love his performance, and that he wishes he could see that side of him more. Ned full blue-screens and somehow asks him out to dinner after work 💕

[th3-new-rom4ntics]

illvermorny (yes with two Ls) in my wizarding world dr

introduction;

one of my least favourite aspects of the wider harry potter universe is the lack of interest that the author has in fleshing out the universe. there are so many questions that i, as a shifter and fundamentally curious person, have about how magic works, different magical societies and more.

the map above is a map of all the wizarding schools in the world. not many, right? and to top it all off, the way they perform magic is identical between schools. again, ridiculous.

in reality, this is not how society works. i'll use philosophy as an example; eastern and western philosophies are fundamentally different due to how isolated these two geocultural entities were from each other and how their values were intrinsically different, especially in the past.

so, when i was narrowing down my harry potter reality, i decided to make my own version of illvermorny school that i felt was far more fleshed out compared to the vague, uninteresting backstory that the author gave.

maybe if she spent less time being a transphobic prick and more time actually writing an interesting story, i wouldn't have to do this, but i digress.

here's illvermorny, where i attended school in my dr. (as an additional note, i spelt illvermorny with a double l at first without realising that it was one l, but it eventually stuck because i thought it looked better.)

part one (history);

there are about 200 or something magic schools in the world. most are small, regional schools focused on providing a decent education in magic to open up doors. some, like durmstrang/beauxbatons/hogwarts/illvermorny, are incredibly prestigious, open to only the absolute best students or those from prestigious families.

illvermorny college of magic was founded when the first pilgrims settled in america, unaware of the wizarding stowaways on the mayflower. although the indigenous peoples of america have their own magic traditions, the few wizards that snuck onto america to escape the chaos of england after the founding of hogwarts were the ones that brought the ‘spell system’ of magic to the country. the first students at illvermorny were young, muggleborn wizards and witches, the first of its kind. indigenous students were allowed to study as well, creating a culture of magic that went beyond the typical pureblood-muggleborn dichotomy of europe and britain. the school's first few years were incredibly proseporous as the magical community thrived in early america.

eventually, however, suspicions rose amongst muggles about illvermorny and the earliest recorded witch trials happened. young wizards and witches were rounded up like cattle and burned at the stake for so-called satanic activity.

only a couple of wizarding families managed to escape, trekking up to applachia, creating modern illvermorny. early modern illvermorny had many strange, outright cultish rituals due to its isolation.

part two (culture);

the school only started accepting new students during the british colonisation period, through a scouting program thats famous across the world for its scale and intensity; illvermorny scouts are said to be absolutely everywhere in america, mexico and canada. students outside these countries have to personally message principal regis to request an interview.

the modern school has no dorms and no sorting totally unlike hogwarts. rather, there are three housing towers where students stay, named after water (maem), fire (iesh), air (avir), the three classical elements. - students live, eat and sleep in these dorms, where the majority of their relationships will be formed. along with that, there are 5 covens active at illvermorny, which is how extracurricular student relationships are fostered.

students board k-12 and spend all of their youth at the school. classes operate on a university style elective system for years 7+ where different timing of classes and professors are highly valued.

there is no uniform or dress code during class, however there is a formal uniform for special occassions.

wands in illvermorny is very different to hogwarts. wands are highly customisable, and typically glass blown by artisans. they are made for the user, customised to their preference. a famous wand making family is the van der zee family.

the actual curriculum at illvermorny in the early years is focused on practical applications of magic. spells are taught exclusively non-verbally at first, and wandless as well. in senior years, high specialisation in fields is prized, particularly because illvermorny values academic rigour. - illvermorny participates in the quadwizard tournament with beauxbatons, hogwarts and durmstrang, and have won 200 years in a row.

part three (american wizarding society as a whole);

blood purity is not nearly as prized by american wizards. rather, wealth is. wealthy, old money, prominent families such as the hastings of pennsylvania rule over american wizarding society. although these oligarchs claim to care about progress, what they value most is maintaining their power.

on another note, american wizarding society is very secretive. the oldest wizarding families have almost no interactions with ‘nomajs’ due to their fear of persecution. each state in america has its own magic community, but the two most prominent ones are in NY and california. a strong rivalry exists between these factions.

the strongest debate in american magical politics is that of the nomaj problem. so-called traditionalists and progressives argue about nomaj’s connection to magical society, if families of magical students should be aware of their status and even if nomaj should be allowed to interact with magical beings at all, even in a non-magical context.

[simsdaughters]

GOTH LEGACY CHALLENGE

Making this for myself and any of you guys who wanna tag along to this little experiment with me!

The goal of this challenge is simple: get to 10 generations, with each one representing a different goth subculture and fashion, starting with the Goth family. I hope that through this, you guys can see the love I have for the goth culture :)

For extra drama: none of the Goths of the main family line may die of old age.

RULES PER GENERATION BELOW:

GEN 1: Aristocrat Goth

The founders of the Goth legacy, their aristocratic air lends credence to their importance. Drawing from historical periods such as the Victorian and Edwardian eras, this subgenre of goth fashion features tailor suits, cravats, waistcoats, corsets and hats.

Master the piano and violin skills.

Reach 500,000 simoleons in savings.

Master the business career.

Make enemies with at least one Landgraab.

GEN 2: Witchy Goth

Drawing inspiration from their parents' lifestyle and beliefs, Cassandra and Alexander adopt a more spiritual approach to the goth aesthetic. This fashion subgenre is characterized by esoteric and spiritual elements in the outfit, such as moons, stars, skulls and maybe black cats if you want to be on the nose with it, while the cultural approach to it is inspired mainly by, of course, witchcraft.

Become a spellcaster.

Master the medium skill.

Learn all potions.

Reach lvl 5 in the gemology skill.

GEN 3: Traditional Goth

The "original" goths, who find their roots in gothic rock born in the post-punk era, the traditional goths are what you first think of when you hear the word goth: ripped, black clothes, dark makeup and wild hair. As a punk offshoot, traditional goths prioritize self-expression, individuality and challenging traditions.

Join any artistic career, and reach lvl 5 in it.

Master the guitar skill.

Volunteer at least once a week.

Befriend any occult.

GEN 4: NU Goth

A slightly controversial subgenre in the goth culture, NU or "new" goth is a more modern approach to the goth genre. More lenient in their view of what "makes" a goth, they are known to be more welcoming to mall goths and baby bats than trad goths (though that does not mean traditional goths are hostile to the two, simply that there is a prominent debate in the goth scene on what consists "a true goth"). This fashion type is what you'd probably find on pinterest or tiktok, with the more current fashion trends influencing the style.

Sell at least 5 thrifted outfits.

Join the social media career.

Film fashion tutorials at least once a week. (Get Famous)

Have at least 500 followers on any social media.

GEN 5: Cyber Goth

The cybergoth subculture and fashion mixes industrial, 2000s and rave aesthetics in one, featuring leather, neon colors, futuristic looks and a love for electronic music. They embrace philosophical discussions and imaginations of a dystopic information society future.

Master the DJing skill.

Reach lvl 5 in the dancing skill.

Go clubbing at least once a week.

Master the programming or robotics skill.

GEN 6: Pastel Goth

Mixing the kawaii aesthetic with gothic ideals and themes, pastel goth makes it's mark by ... well, being pastel. Often seen dipping into lolita or fairy kei fashion, this style can accessorize with sometimes cutesy details. This style is more focused on the fashion and aesthetics of the gothic look rather than the music, and on having fun with their self-expression.

Have an all-pastel home !

Join the Style Influencer career.

Make 5 friends.

Thrift clothes at least once.

GEN 7: Romantic Goth

As expected, romantic goth subculture focuses on romanticizing death, the macabre and the dark. They find beauty and appreciation in things like withered roses, skulls and more. Their fashion is characterized by flowy, ethereal silhouettes, and a feminine touch to their outfits. Its the embrace of beauty.

Have a gothic wedding ceremony.

Master the writing skill.

Have a cemetery.

Romance a vampire at least once.

GEN 8: White Goth

The white goths reverse the traditionally dark and ... well, black palette of the gothic genre for white, and other such colors you shouldn't wear at a wedding. Their clothing taste often includes silks, ethereal garments, ornate jewelry and parasols.

Master the organ skill.

Master the painting skill.

Serenade someone at least once.

Wear white at a wedding.

GEN 9: Victorian Goth

The Victorian Goth subculture pays homage to the elegance and refinement of the 19th century. Their fashion sense borrows from the Victorian era, with silhouettes evocative of the era, top hats, lace and corsets. They mix the aesthetic of a bygone era with the ideologies of all goths, that of individualism and self-expression through art and fashion.

Do not own any electronics, lights included.

Master the writing skill.

Own at least one horse, and travel to lots with it.

Paint at least 20 paintings.

GEN 10: Vampire Goth

Inspired by vampire lore and horror, the vampire goth fashion scene includes elegant, intricate designs, corsets, capes, vampire fangs (real or otherwise) and bloody, macabre themes. Like the romantic goths, they find beauty and allure in the dead and the deadly, and would probably love owning a fainting couch.

Master the charisma skill.

Master the vampire lore skill.

Turn at least 5 sims into vampires.

Become a Master Vampire.

[itsbensart]

Burnt Out but Not Alone

Pairing: Fiyero Tigelaar x Male Reader | Part 2

Summary: Y/N feels overwhelmed by his demanding workload and the pressure of looming deadlines. Despite his exhaustion, he refuses to take a break, even as concern grows from friends like Elphaba—and even the Winkie Prince. When Fiyero sees just how much Y/N is struggling, he offers unexpected help, proving that sometimes, even the most carefree people can provide the support needed during times of stress.

Warnings: Excessive teasing and playful banter, Subtle romantic tension, Themes of academic pressure and burnout, Light physical touches (e.g., arm grabs), Vulnerability in moments of exhaustion, and Heartwarming support from an unexpected ally.

A/N: Y/N is an Architecture Student specializing in Ozian Architecture at Shiz University, known for its demanding curriculum.

Word Count: 1,743 words

The lecture hall buzzed with the soft hum of conversations, the rhythmic tapping of pens against desks, and the occasional shuffle of papers. Y/N sat in the middle row, staring at his open notebook but not truly seeing it. His thoughts were elsewhere, replaying Fiyero’s smug grin and that low, teasing voice that seemed to follow him even now.

“You know what to do if you want to shut me up, doll.���

The memory sent an involuntary flush to his cheeks. He quickly ducked his head, hoping no one noticed. Shaking his head, he tried to dispel the distraction. This was no time to get flustered. An endless list of tasks awaited, and Professor Solennia was already notorious for her high standards.

Y/N’s chosen course, Ozian Architecture, wasn’t for the faint of heart. It was one of the most demanding programs at Shiz University, known for its rigorous workload and the precision it required. Students delved deep into the rich architectural history of Oz—an eclectic mix of styles balancing the grandeur of Emerald City’s gleaming towers with the rustic charm of Munchkinland’s cottages and the imposing, fortress-like structures of Winkie Country.

Today’s lecture focused on the integration of natural and magical elements in building design, a cornerstone of Ozian architecture. The topic would have been fascinating under other circumstances, but Y/N found himself struggling to concentrate. Between looming deadlines and the lingering echoes of Fiyero’s remarks, his mind was a chaotic mess.

Professor Solennia’s voice cut through his thoughts. “As you can see, the inclusion of enchantments in structural integrity was not merely aesthetic but practical. Now, who can tell me how the dragon clock influenced the design of Emerald City’s central spire?”

Y/N froze as the professor’s gaze swept across the room. He usually prided himself on being prepared for questions like this, but today, his mind was blank. He prayed someone else would answer, his heart pounding as he stared down at his notes—frustratingly empty.

By the end of class, as students filed out, Y/N realized just how little he had retained. The weight of his responsibilities crashed back down on him, amplified by the realization that he was now further behind than before.

He decided to head to the university’s library to tackle his pending tasks—especially the scale model due next week. Though he was exhausted, he had no choice. The output would determine whether he passed this semester.

As he walked through the hallway, he almost bumped into Elphaba, who had been waiting for him to catch up. She noticed his drooping posture and the dark circles under his eyes immediately.

"Y/N," she said, her voice softer than usual, "You look like you haven’t slept in days."

Y/N gave a half-hearted shrug, trying to brush her off. "I’m fine, Elphaba. Just... busy, you know? I have a lot to do."

She narrowed her eyes, not buying his response. "It’s more than just being busy. You’re running yourself ragged. You need rest."

"I don’t have time for rest," Y/N replied, his tone more tired than he meant it to be. "There’s too much to do."

Elphaba hesitated for a moment, clearly concerned. "I get it, but this—" she gestured to him, her eyes lingering on his fatigued form, "—isn't sustainable. You’re only going to burn out."

Y/N gave a small, dismissive smile. "I’ll be fine. I just need to get through this week."

Elphaba didn’t look convinced but didn’t press the matter further. "Alright, just don’t overdo it. Take care of yourself, Y/N."

He nodded quickly, not meeting her eyes, and made his way toward the library, eager to escape the conversation.

Unbeknownst to Y/N, Fiyero Tigelaar had been wandering the campus, casually searching for his favorite “doll” to tease. His natural charm and carefree demeanor had earned him a reputation for showing up wherever and whenever he pleased, and today was no different.

As he strolled into the library, his piercing eyes immediately spotted Y/N in his corner.

Fiyero smirked. This was too perfect. He sauntered over, his footsteps deliberately light. “There you are. Hiding in the library, huh? Didn’t think this was your kind of hangout spot.” As he slid into a seat beside Y/N, he leaned closer, his voice low enough to only reach him. “Still thinking about me, doll?”

Y/N clenched his jaw, his ears burning as he hissed, “You wish.”

Fiyero chuckled, clearly pleased with the reaction, and leaned back in his chair. “You’re awfully red for someone who’s not thinking about me.”

Y/N barely looked up, his pencil pausing briefly before resuming its work. “Not now, Fiyero. I’m busy.”

The lack of reaction made Fiyero blink in surprise. Usually, his remarks earned him a flushed face or an exasperated retort. Instead, Y/N’s tone was flat, his focus unbroken.

“Busy?” Fiyero peered down at Y/N’s sketches. “What’s got you so tied up? Another one of those fancy projects?”

“Yes,” Y/N responded curtly. “So please, not now, Fiyero.”

Fiyero, however, seemed unbothered. “So, what’s next, doll? More lectures? Or maybe some of that architectural magic you lot are so obsessed with?”

Y/N let out an exasperated sigh, his patience worn thin. “I have too many tasks to finish. Does that answer your question?”

Fiyero tilted his head, studying Y/N’s face with uncharacteristic seriousness. “You look exhausted.”

“Thanks for noticing,” Y/N muttered, packing up his materials before leaving the library, hoping the prince wouldn’t follow him.

At first, Fiyero assumed it was just another one of Y/N’s quirks—being too serious about academics and all—but as the hours turned into days, he couldn’t ignore the change. The playful teasing he usually dished out with ease seemed to fall flat, met with a tired smile or a quiet nod instead of Y/N’s usual fiery retorts. Fiyero had tried to brush it off, but the concern gnawed at him, growing stronger with each passing day.

One afternoon, while they were in the cafeteria, Fiyero noticed Y/N in line. With a tray in hand, Y/N seemed oblivious to his surroundings, swaying slightly from exhaustion. Just as it seemed Y/N might stumble, Fiyero reacted quickly, grabbing him to prevent a fall.

"Alright, doll," he began, keeping his tone light, though concern lingered beneath the surface. "You’ve been looking like you’re one step away from collapsing. What’s going on?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Y/N glanced at him briefly, then lowered his gaze to the ground. "Just… school stuff. You wouldn’t understand."

Fiyero frowned, his usual teasing grin replaced with a concerned expression. "Try me."

Y/N sighed long and heavy, adjusting the strap of his overburdened bag. "There’s just too much. Drafts, models, presentations… I can’t keep up. And Ozian Architecture isn’t an easy course. It feels like I’m drowning, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t keep my head above water."

Fiyero came to a stop, gently grabbing Y/N’s arm and halting him in his tracks. "Why didn’t you say anything sooner?"

Y/N shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "What good would it do? It’s not like anyone can help. This is my workload. My responsibility."

Fiyero didn’t respond immediately, instead narrowing his eyes at Y/N’s exhausted face. "How much have you slept? Or even rested?"

The silence that followed was answer enough.

Fiyero’s usual smirk softened into something more like genuine concern. "Alright, doll. Time to take a break."

"I don’t have time for a break," Y/N snapped, his tone sharper than he intended.

Fiyero stood firm, the command in his voice unmistakable. "Then you don’t have a choice. Let’s go," he said, pulling Y/N toward the courtyard with surprising insistence.

"I’m serious, Fiyero. I have so much to—"

"And I’m serious too," Fiyero interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind. "You’re running yourself into the ground, and you know it. If you collapse, you’re not going to finish anything."

Y/N frowned, but the warmth of Fiyero’s hand on his arm and the determination in his eyes made resistance feel futile.

They walked in silence, the noise of the cafeteria fading as they headed for the quieter courtyard. Once there, Fiyero led Y/N to a bench, underneath an oak tree. "Sit," he ordered, dropping his own bag onto the ground.

Too tired to argue, Y/N complied.

For once, Fiyero didn’t joke or tease; instead, he looked thoughtful. After a moment, his gaze sharpened. "Alright, here’s what we’re going to do."

Y/N blinked up at him, still a bit disoriented. "What?"

"I’m going to help you."

Y/N let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "You? Help? No offense, Fiyero, but this isn’t exactly your area of expertise."

Fiyero smirked, though it was softer than usual. "Maybe not. But I can still do something. I’ll carry your books, keep you company during late nights, or even distract you when you’re on the verge of a breakdown."

Sitting beside him, Fiyero leaned back, as if the weight of the world didn’t rest on his shoulders. "Look, I might not understand all your architectural mumbo jumbo, but I can help in other ways. You don’t have to do this alone, doll."

Y/N opened his mouth to respond but paused. The sincerity in Fiyero’s eyes caught him off guard. For the first time in days, a small, genuine smile tugged at his lips. "You’re serious?"

"Dead serious," Fiyero replied, his grin widening. "Starting now. So, what’s first on the agenda, Mr. Burnt-Out Architect?"

Y/N hesitated, then admitted, "I have to finish a scale model for tomorrow, and I still need to draft the base plans."

"Easy," Fiyero said, slinging an arm around Y/N’s shoulders. "You draft, I’ll cut and glue. I’m not completely useless, you know."

"You’re really going to help me?" Y/N asked, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten just a little.

Fiyero chuckled. "What can I say? You’re growing on me. And besides, I can’t have you walking around looking like a zombie. It ruins my fun."

Though exhaustion still pulled at him, Y/N couldn’t help but laugh softly. "Alright, Tigelaar. Let’s see if you can keep up."

As they made their way toward the studio, Y/N felt a strange warmth spreading through his chest. Maybe, he wouldn’t have to face the chaos alone after all.

And maybe, just maybe, Fiyero Tigelaar was more than just a cocky prince of charm.

To be Continued.....

A/N: Hello! Here’s the second chapter of my series, (I don't have a title yet, so..... yeah). I’m so happy you’re sticking around to see where this story goes—it means a lot!

There’s definitely more drama, love, and emotions coming your way, so keep an eye out for the next chapters. I’d love to hear what you think, feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for reading, and see you in the next one! 😊

[lesbianalanwake]

thinking hard about clone theories and "Lumon is trying to revive the dead" theories...... they would want to resurrect Kier Eagan himself, right? if not all the dead Eagans. (why else would we see the Perpetuity Wing, if not to foreshadow the intent?)

for all intents and purposes, Lumon is a religious cult with very American Christian roots, and resurrection and eternal life would naturally be at the core. the Eagans could (theoretically) live forever. but it's not just in-house family bullshit. they want to recruit, and they want to ship product, and they've got to maintain a certain degree of public goodwill to do it.

the four tempers are a form of cult and corporate control (in-house lingo), but they mean something more than that, in MDR's mysterious and important work, in the Cold Harbor file. across time and culture, the number four has many significant associations, not least of which are death, sacred origins of creation like gardens and mountains, the number of valence electrons in carbon (the underlying element of life on earth), the neural sweet spot of the brain's precise number sense, and the number of nucleobase types in DNA.

is Kier's body or brain frozen? are they trying to grow clones from DNA samples? are they attempting to program personalities into severance chips? could those severance chips sustain or regrow the cognitive functions of an otherwise comatose brain? was Gemma completely dead, or only mostly dead, or not even dead at all and the whole thing was staged? is Miss Casey a clone or the original? why does Petey's map talk about a "mind" on the severed floor? why does the ghoulish animation of the Lumon building talk about being "sired"?

the only hill I'm going to climb to die on right now that deep within the bowels of the Lumon building, Kier Eagan's frozen fucking head is absolutely housed Walt Disney-style.

[nattikay]

Evolution of my fursona/art style over the past 15 years. Say what you will, but I genuinely think fursonas as a concept are a fascinating form of self-expression and just find it interesting to look back and track the changes of not only my art skills/style but also of the way I chose to present myself at various points in my life.

I had two distinct art "phases" during my teenage years. The first one was around middle school, in which I was your standard cringy furry kid on the internet with a plethora of brightly-colored Mary Sue OCs.

The second one was around high school and into college, at which point I got more serious about art (preparing to apply for the BYU animation program) and decided that I was too Mature™ for unnaturally colored characters, among other things (that's where I changed Natti's color scheme from blue to brown, and there were also a few years where she was actually changed to entirely white with no markings, though that iteration never got a ref sheet and therefore isn't represented here).

In retrospect I actually kinda view the second phase as cringier than the first. I don't regret the phase—I think it was overall beneficial to my art journey and I definitely learned a lot during it—I just wish I hadn't had such a stick up my butt about it. I wouldn't have worded it this way at the time, but I looking back I definitely had it in my head that I was a Special And Good Artist for figuring out that unrealistic colorful characters are Not Okay for whatever reason, and I lowkey looked down my nose at younger artists who "hadn't figured it out yet", which....yeeeeeeeah, that attitude was pretty cringe. But that's teenagers for ya, I suppose.

Anyways, I find it pretty fascinating that by complete coincidence, the current iteration of my fursona—who I designed as an adult and whose design has remained stable for around seven years now—happens to represent the color schemes of her iterations from both of those eras: the blue whimsy of the middle school iterations, and the brown and white of her high school iterations.

This wasn't intentional—fun fact, the reason the current version of my fursona has the white/brown/blue color scheme is that when I initially went to design her I was aiming for a dilute calico pattern, with the gray stylized to blue. I wound up abandoning the calico idea because I couldn't nail down a splotch pattern I was satisfied with, but kept the colors.

Yet despite the fact that it's coincidence, it's still pretty cool that my current fursona has those elements of all her predecessors, because it's as if all those phases and experiences and growth have come together to form the person I am now and it's represented visually.

It's also interesting how her design changed so often when I was a kid/teenager, but now as an adult it's stabilized.

like, idk, maybe I'm just looking wayyyy too deep into things here, but I feel like there's some sort of psychology at play lol. But who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[strike-another-match]

SORRYYYYY remember that post abt how indie game creators are getting away w shit you'd beat your employer up for. anyways I just found out that gensh*n imp*ct has a "Content Creator Program" where if you create a certain amount/quality of content they would give the creators free in-game currency (the thing you pay real-world money to roll for the gacha stuff). It's CRAZY bc like. okay if they were compensated for merch or whatever it's like, okay, that's a real thing that took real labor and materials to make. It's not money payment or anything, but it's something... BUT PAYING IN THEIR FAKE IN-GAME CURRENCY? ? ? LMAO??? THAT SHIT IS ALL MADE UP??? they're paying users literally nothing to make free advertising for them it's crazyyy lmaoooo. anyways hope you're having a great day idk who else I could tell this to

WHAT OK THATS INSANE NOT THE G*NSHIN SCRIP BAHAHHAHA i took a look and omg i could rant for hours about how much i wish companies had never identified fandom spaces as a potential source of free publicity... i feel it kills both a fandom and a piece of media when the executives decide they're going to keep tabs on twitter discourse to influence the next season's writing or officially tap into fan creations as an element of their business model... i think the contents in a fandom get more and more stale the more that people are chasing the vetting or approval of the IP holder because there's rigid limitations on the kind of stuff that official accounts will share and "endorse" so it quickly becomes less about fun self expression of your own lovely deranged ideas and more about just doing free work for the company matching their style and content guidelines like at that point you're basically an unpaid employee SPECIALLY if there's some kind of affiliate program that you have to worry about losing if you post the wrong thing. imho looking further into the content creator program one of the "perks" is the "opportunity" of doing free playtesting for them it all comes full circle hahahahah

[storkmuffin]

One thing I've found very shocking about suddenly liking kpop 4th generation as a Korean who has never given a shit about kpop is how queer it is. Korean people know queer people exist. One gay couple even got their first step in some sort of parity recognition last year. We have out trans women who have entertainment careers. But we don't have like, a Troye Sivan or Chappell Roan, as in people are queer AND out AND successful AND discussed as part of mainstream popular culture. It gets doubly confusing because Kpop imported elements of Japanese host bar culture in order to foster parasocial obsession in the fandom for profit, so there's a lot of queer baiting going on to begin with, packaged as fanservice for straight women. And Korea is also extremely homosocial, where men and women almost never touch casually in public unless they are lovers but intra- gender physical affection is rarely sexualized, at least officially, unless you're literally making out.

As a consequence I'm surprised at how actually out Seonghwa of Ateez is about being queer and how his company lets him.

-He picked Troye Sivan's song Angel Baby to sing as a cover. Ateez don't release music videos for every song but they did make a video for this solo cover. The first line is "I need a lover to keep me sane," and the 5th lyric of this song is "Give him my all when I don't even have it." He chose this song. He enunciated the pronoun very clearly. Troye Sivan is also who he is and we all know in Korea who he is and what he stands for in terms of sexuality. That kind of out pop star in our pop culture has not happened yet in Korea. But maybe someday?!?

- In an English language fan chat he told a story about how as a small boy he would go shopping with his mother, and wanted to try on the pretty girl clothes but was told he couldn't. This is an astonishing thing for a Korean boy to admit, if the story is not about how this is how he realized he's a trans woman.

- When he was invited to the Isabel Marant fashion show and invited to pick an outfit he specifically said he wanted to wear women's clothing. He picked a dress to wear over pants.

For context: He's not just a Korean boy. He's from 경상도, like full on. My whole family is from 경상도. It's a very macho, very chauvinist region, even for S. Korea.

- The way he enacts rough macho 경상도 masculinity has the patina of a drag parody in a way that San's using his native dialect doesn't.

- In a tarot reading and then a Korean birth chart reading they left in when the reader specifically said that Seonghwa is "the wife" vis a vis Hong Joong, the group leader. The members may or may not know what will be said ahead of time but the production definitely does, and they're the ones to edit this so they can take out anything the band or the company finds objectionable. It's the choice of the terms for WIFE that is meaningful because the birth chart reader also said Seonghwa had the character of a 참모 which can be translated variously as advisor, right hand man, essential staff, loyal supporter. So he has that personality but his role in the match up with Hong Joong they keep saying WIFE. And he doesn't seem to mind or be upset by this when 99 percent of the straight Korean men I know would freak the fuck out at being called his business partner's WIFE.

- This is all in contrast to Jong Ho, the main vocalist, who is clearly straight. The way Jong Ho reacts to the set ups they have in the reality and variety show programming they make is mainstream heterosexuality, Korean style behavior. His not doing a unit song with the other members and instead singing a conventional love song, then casting an actress to be the addressee of that song in the music video was a statement he was making about himself but also about at least one other member.

I'm very interested in how this is going to play out, because Seonghwa has also said he LOVES his idol career, so much so that he wants to do it forever, but at the same time he's wearing Isabel Marant dresses and singing Troye Sivan covers about wanting a male lover, and we're just not there yet.