#SAVVY workshop

[zarawest]

Enrich Your Writing with Onomatopoeia

Has anyone ever told you to add more sound-based sensory language to your writing . . . AND then said, but don’t use the words hear or sound because they are overused? Well, it has happened to me, and here’s the solution I came up with. I discovered that many verbs not only describe a motion, but also indicate the associated sound. These verbs are called onomatopoeia. There are plenty of them to…

[theworkshopmann]

Savvy Schematics

Type: Taunt

Class: Engie

Accepted in game: No

This taunt was made by Steam users Hxx, BigBob, Tiik and TheLazerSofa. Posted on May 1st 2023, you can vote for this right here!

[bkd-b3ans]

You try to repair a watch, Boothill is being annoying as usual, you end up discovering his neurolink perfectly mimics human emotions.

-> Ship: Boothill X Mechanic!Reader (or just tech savvy idk the term really)

-> Rating: Safe for All

-> TL;DR: Boothill visits you after closing hours, nearly ruins a 5 million watch repair commission, stares for a bit too long while you work and overheats for a bit, ends up learning you live above your own workshop and you learn he gets flustered easy.

-> Extra notes: No idea where I will go with these, I just love writing stuff. Next one is going to be more about touching / feeling, but until then, you too can experience casual chatter. I do not proof read, whatever is written is in accordance to Ellios script, go meow at him. Take this "2nd" part as pure world-building.

-> Word count: 2k~ ish

-> First part: here

Thank you for reading and bearing with my awful English. If you have any prompts I would be more than happy to hear them.

"Pardner? Yoohooo~" Boothill was waving his arm like a manic from the front of the counter, trying to catch your attention, but you were too engrossed in your work, tinkering away with some expensive watch you were paid to fix, the tiny gears and springs neatly organized in your table in tiny boxes with labels, while you were hunched over the table, looking through a magnifying glass and listening to music, tongue almost sticking out like some cartoon character while you were trying to place the gear in its place carefully using some precise tweezers.

For all you cared, your shop was closed for the day, so why would anyone in their right mind, or that knows how to read a sign, would even bother you? Of course you didn't take into account a Galaxy Ranger that had a passion for annoying you at random times.

"Psst, hey, over 'ere..." he sighed, "Fudge this". Impatient as ever, Boothill just helped himself with one of the expensive motor oil cans in the counter and stepped around it, taking off his hat and placing it on your head.

The whole motion made you jump out of your skin, dropping the tweezers together with the very important, one of a kind gear, that you could barely notice while it was on your table, let alone on your floor, rolling off into the void like all of the pens you've lost throughout the years.

"WHAT THE FUCK, MY FUCKING WORK OF MY AEONS-" you took off the hat annoyed, hand still shaking from the scare and heart running laps in your chest. Shoving the hat into Boothills chest, you couldn't help but be angry at the man, sighing.

"Damn sugar-cube, didn't know ye were this jumpy. Ye should be more aware of yer surroundings you know?"

"What the hell does that mean. MY SHOP IS CLOSED BOOTHILL, CAN'T YOU READ??"

"Well, not your language no, it's all a bunch of jumbles and lines"

You looked confused for a moment before realizing that neither of you were from the same planet. You rubbed the bridge of your nose, trying to get rid of your furrow.

"Just, shut up and help me look for that gear. AND PUT THE DAMN CAN DOWN"

He raised his arms in defeat, putting down the can of motor oil and looking around your workbench while you were painfully looking for the gear with your magnifying glasses.

"Lotta' shiny pieces you have on the table. Are these really more important than your good old buddy, Boothill?"

"Unless you're willing to give me 5 million, then yes"

Boothill choked

"5 million?? For some beautiful watch?"

"What can I say, some people have more than they know what to do with. Now stop yapping and get on your knees, I can't see shit."

"Is that an invitation, darling?"

"... BOOTHILL!"

"Aye aye, don't get your feathers ruffled like this darling, just sit there and be pretty"

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

You couldn't help but be annoyed still, slumped in your chair, fiddling with your pen, while Boothill was looking around. How long has it been already, maybe a few minutes? Hours? Days??? Your work couldn't wait that much, and each ticking second felt agonizing. You were so close too, getting interrupted was the last thing you needed right now. You always had plans, a schedule, deadlines, you couldn't afford the unpredictability that is Boothill sometimes.

You almost got too lost in your thoughts before you heard a sudden thud, metal against wood, and a proud exclamation.

"Here it is sugar-cube, your pretty little thing... Cogwheel whatever. Now can you stop looking like someone spat in your food or do I need to repair this watch myself to make you happy?"

You could swear sometimes he was like a dog, a big doberman. For as scary as he could look sometimes, you couldn't help but be unable to push him away. All you could do was just let out an amused scoff, taking the gear piece in the palm of your hand, and gently placing it in it's box.

"No, no, you've done enough damage already. Why are you here even?"

"Just wanted to pay my best buddy a visit? What, a man can't do that no more?"

"No fixing your body? No maintenance work? Really nothing? Just a visit? Odd, thought you were a busy man"

"Oh I sure am sugar-cube, but sometimes even I need to sit down and relax."

"... In my workshop"

"In yer workshop, yes."

You sighed

"Fine, fine, stay for as long as you need, but don't touch anything that is in this-" you motion around your workbench "general area"

He tipped his hat in acknowledgment

"Aye aye, I'll stay put, fudge me, you can be very serious sometimes."

"5 million"

"Right yes, that's understandable."

You went back to work, trying to finish placing the last pieces inside that damned watch, headphones back on your ears. Boothill was simply slumped on the couch you kept around the waiting area, that barely saw any use to begin with. He was just looking around, bored out of his mind, the silence really starting to get to him. On occasion he's throw you glances, looking like a kicked puppy only to be met by your back either way. Yet he couldn't help but notice the few tics you had, tapping your foot, humming to yourself from time to time, arranging your hair by shaking your head around, and just how damn beautiful you looked in that dim warm light.

By no means we're you prettied up and groomed, after all, working with machinery all day will just lead to one always being covered by oil or sutt, clothes messy, the tools around your belt loud and heavy, but to him, it was part of the charm. The passion you had for what you did, the care you treated everything with, even his own body when it needed repairs. Sure, you two may butt heads more often than goats, but you were the reason he kept making his trips back to your workshop for any needs. He trusted you, felt comfort in your presence.

He could feel his insides start to heat up, his mind trailing off. Sure, he couldn't blush for the love of him, after all blood stopped flowing through his body long, long ago, but his body still reacted from time to time to strong emotions, and now it was no different. It felt, uncomfortable almost, a strange emptiness in his metal gut. Maybe it was the bullets he snacked in like some chips, or maybe it was more than that. He just simply pulled his hat over his eyes to focus and calm down.

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

Finally, after so many hours, you were finally done, the watch ticking gleefully, almost as if happy with it's new look. You sighed in relief, finally placing down your headphones and slumping in your chair, pulling your glasses up.

"Finally... I swear they are trying to drive me insane with all these new 'trinkets' that have way too many small pieces for their own good. How you holding up, Boots?"

"Fine as ever sugar, bored out of my mind, but rested"

"Yeah, I can see that, you've already made a dent in my couch"

"Hey, I helped ya find that gear for free, can't I get some more respect"

"And who's fault was it that I dropped it?" You said, raising your eyebrow.

"Aye aye, sorry 'bout that."

There was a moment of pause

"Say, partner, you've messed around inside my body for a while now. Do you know if there's any functions that might mimic proper human emotions?"

"Human emotions? Hmmm"

You thought for a moment, trying to remember if you've seen any kind of code that might do that.

"I don't think I've seen anything like that, but I've also never like, actually paid attention. There may be some functions that mimic that, after all, you might need them to think and work properly. Why?"

"Ah, nothing important, was just wondering."

"I can always check if you want. Of course, for a price"

He couldn't help but scoff, amused "You were never free eh?"

"Someone has to eat"

"Sure, sure. I mean why not, might as well get this mystery solved, since I'm here and have nothing better to do."

"Then come with me"

You both went inside your garage, Boothill already used to all the steps, laying down on the weird table chair as he put it while you connected the cables to the back of his neck, opening the hologram screens.

"Let's see..." you rubbed your chin, pacing around while moving around screens, trying to find anything remotely similar to what Boothill mentioned, but it was rather hard. Every line kept changing dictating different functions every moment.

"Hmm...."

"Anything the matter?"

"No, I just realized why I might have never seen that kind of function. Your neurolink is adapting to everything you do, so it's changing constantly. I think the only way to spot anything us to trigger whatever made you so curious about your 'emotions'"

"Trigger em? And how the fork do you plan on doing that?"

You thought for a moment, moving next to Boothill, dragging the screens along with you. You didn't really give a warning as you poked his chest with a screwdriver, noticing some changes.

"What in the beautiful sky are you doing?"

"There it is" you just pointed at the screen at the suddenly changing lines.

"Your body reacts to your mental state. Right now you are confused"

"I sure as warm lake I am, you're poking me around with a screwdriver."

"What else would have you wanted me to do? Touch you with my own hands?"

He was about to say something, but you grabbed one of the screens, squinting at it.

"Getting flustered, Boots?" You could almost feel your own smug smile forming on your face.

"Flustered? Please, you'd think I'd get 'flustered' from just a check-up?"

"Bashful... Interesting"

"Hey! Stop saying things and answer me, sweetheart"

"And annoyed. Yeah, you do seem to have those functions, and they're damn advanced to mimic human emotions. Guess you aren't just metal after all. You still have the ability to feel. It's interesting how this changes..."

You got too focused on the lines of code, not paying attention to how you started leaning against the table, your hand extremely close to Boothills, fingers almost touching. Sure, you were just staring at the lines changing, but Boothill was staring at your hand, annoyed almost that he couldn't just grab it, only to be confused over why he was annoyed. You just chuckled to yourself and pushed the screen away, unplugging the cables.

"Well, mystery solved, your neurolink functions exactly like a brain and it sends the proper signals, so your body will be affected by your emotions."

"Great-" he rolled his eyes, standing up and scratching the back of his head "You need a new table, this one is forking uncomfortable."

"I don't take feedback"

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say darling." he just hopped off the table, adjusting his hat.

"H-"

"1k credits"

"Damn, let me finish at least. Fine, you know the drill"

"Nah, I'll let it slide this time. Getting to check your internals can be fun sometimes" you patted his back

"I'll go home, unless you want to guard my shop, you should leave too."

"You don't just live in your workshop??"

"...what...?"

"You know, like, I've always only seen you here, where is your home even."

"Oh... Oh! I guess you can say that? My home is upstairs, I bought the whole building when I opened so everything on the ground floor is the shop, upstairs is my place."

"Ok that makes sense... Can I-"

"No"

"Fine fine, I'll go my merry way then. I'll see you next time partner, and thank you for the free check-up"

"Don't get too used to them"

He nodded, tipping his hat and leaving.

[gummilutt]

Posebox 2.0 - Memory function for pose used

In 2024 I have really been getting into staging posed pictures to further enhance my stories and enjoyment of the game, thanks to inspiration and teachings by the wonderful Rachums on twitch. I enjoy it, but one of my struggles is the fact that I have very severe brain fog and remembering what the heck I used to undo it is a challenge. So I thought I'd bring my bhav-savvy, and celebrate the 20th anniversary by giving poseboxes a little quality of life addition! :)

Which is how I landed on this creation, which adds support for the posebox to remember what pose you last used.

Unfortunately I can't automatically apply it to existing poseboxes, but I can provide a base for posebox creators to use and start adding this functionality to new boxes! :) That is the creation I have for you today. It is based on the VeninOrchid base provided in the Shenanigans workshop on pose creation, but a separate clone with new guid, and my new code added. I have included creator resources (images and a video) of what is different when adding poses to this base.

Download base on simfileshare

I hope to in future also post a video on how to apply this code to already created poseboxes, for creators who would like to do it, but find it overly tedious to re-do the posebox from scratch (which yeah, that would suck!). And perhaps for simpe-comfortable posebox users to edit their favorite boxes if the original creator doesn't want to themselves :)

Credits: Kashmiresims/Rachums who inspired me to get into posing, picknmix who helped me get better at modding and helped me get to a point where I could actually know to make this, VeninOrchid who made the original base and from whom I learned to make poses myself :) Also wanted to shoutout NikkaSims who is my current favorite posebox maker, if you like posing you should definitely keep a close eye on her socials!

This was part 1 of my Anniversary Gifts, find the rest here!

[dragonfairy19]

Dating Donatello: A Tech-Savvy Intellectual

Dating Donatello would be a journey into a world of intellect, creativity, and endless curiosity. His analytical mind and gentle nature would make him a supportive and stimulating partner.

The Good:

* Intellectual Stimulation: Conversations with Donnie would always be engaging and thought-provoking. You'd never run out of topics to discuss.

* Loyal and Supportive: Once Donnie cares about someone, he's in it for the long haul. You'd have a rock-solid partner by your side.

* Creative Genius: His inventions and problem-solving skills are impressive. You'd be constantly amazed by his ingenuity.

* Gentle and Kind: Donnie has a soft heart and a gentle demeanor, making him incredibly caring and compassionate.

The Challenges:

* Social Awkwardness: Donnie can be socially awkward at times, which might lead to some uncomfortable situations.

* Obsessive Focus: When Donnie is engrossed in a project, he can be completely oblivious to the world around him.

* Overthinking: His analytical mind can sometimes lead to overthinking and worrying.

A Day in the Life:

* Morning: A leisurely breakfast while discussing the latest scientific breakthroughs.

* Afternoon: A visit to a tech museum or a hands-on workshop together.

* Evening: A cozy night in, watching documentaries or building something together.

Potential Date Ideas:

* Science Museum: A perfect opportunity to explore your shared interests.

* Escape Room: A fun and challenging activity that would test your problem-solving skills together.

* Stargazing: A quiet and romantic evening to appreciate the wonders of the universe.

Dating Donatello would be a fulfilling relationship built on mutual respect and intellectual companionship. However, it would also require patience, understanding, and a willingness to embrace his unique personality.

[anangelinthepit]

Baby, you're the Right Kind of Wrong

Hey guys, so this is basically gonna be like my first series accept a little better. I hope you guys don't mind, but I have a lot of good stuff coming out for this one. As always, I love you all

************************************************

Part 1

Ever since I was a little girl, I was always told that the Devil was pure evil and he would do everything in his power to make your life a living hell. Every Sunday at church and every Thursday at youth group, Mama and Papa would preach that the devil would be disguised as an angel and try to trick me into falling in love with him. I look back at this now and wonder if they could look into the future because that is exactly what happened. Only in this case, the “Devil” turned out to be the angel that saved me from the real evils of this world.

“Y/N Y/M/N get down here, please!” my mother yelled from in the kitchen

As my eyes fluttered open to the sound of my mother's voice, the beautiful East Coast sunrise shined through my curtains, casting a glow against my skin. I looked over at my alarm clock and saw that the time showed 6:00 am.

“Oh my gosh, it's too early for all this.” I groaned, throwing myself back into the bed. I was reluctant to get up, but then I remembered what happened the last time I made Mama wait for me. Letting out a huge sigh of frustration I made my out of my bed, with my feet hitting the cold wooden floor. It was the beginning of October, and the cold temperatures were already starting to welcome themselves into our lives. I never minded it, but my parents, on the other hand, hated this month. Constantly believing that nothing but pure evil comes from October due to Halloween. I always thought it was a cute holiday, even though I never got to celebrate.

I finally started to make my way down the creaky stairs and into the kitchen where Mama was cooking. The sunshine glowed on her beautiful, tired-out skin. Mama used to be so pretty until she and Papa got more involved in the church. Papa made her throw out all her makeup and pretty clothes. Modesty was her way of life now and if you asked me it was boring

“Good morning, young lady. What took you so long to join us.” Mama said in a suspicious tone

“I'm sorry, Mama. I just didn't get enough sleep last night. It was a little difficult waking up this morning I said, kissing her on the cheek.

“Well, you should be happy that God chose to wake you up, missy. He blessed you with another day in the life we gave you. You better have thanked him.” Papa said from the end of the table.

“I am Papa. I am more than thankful. And yes, I said my morning prayers” I said, sitting down with my plate of oatmeal.

Papa and Mama used to live the wildlife, or so they say now the “sinful life”. Mama was a beautiful model out in California, while Papa was starting to work as a movie director in the heart of Hollywood. I remember being a little girl and telling me all the stories about how they met and where they traveled. They seem so much happier back then without all this religious craziness. I always wondered what happened but never had the nerve to ask. Last time, I questioned our faith. Papa locked me in my room for a week with no food and water. Said, “God will provide to those who have earned.”

“Y/N please remember to tell your friend Ana that calling her at all hours is unacceptable,” Mama said while sitting down.

“I will remind her again, Mama.”

I heard my alarm go off once again letting me know it was time to head out and do my daily chores. I kissed Mama and Papa on the cheek and began to make my way to the door when Papa shouted his favorite quote.

“Y/N Remember, idle hands are the devil's workshop. “ He said, glaring at me from the kitchen table.

I looked back, nodded my head, and went about my way. The walk into town was only 20 minutes, so I was able to pull out my phone to listen to music. My parents were too tech-savvy, so I was able to keep some of my stuff a secret. I pulled up my playlist and found my favorite album. As the music began to play through my headphones, I drifted into my dream world

“Blinded by a fear of feeling. These are the kings we chose.”

My gosh, this man's voice drove me insane. Bad Omens became my favorite band ever since Ana showed them to me a few months ago. Of course, I had to had to hide this from my parents. If they found out, Lord knows I would be the talk of the church and made an example out of. I still have scars from the last time Mama and Papa had to prove to the church that they were God’s followers. I finally made my way into town and started my daily errands. Pick up eggs from Mr. Jenkins, grab Mama her yarn from the craft stand, and pick up meat from the butcher. I was getting ready to start when my ringtone played through my headphones. It was Ana.

“GIRL GUESS WHAT?” She shouted

“Good morning to you too, the fact that you’re up this early, must be something important,” I said laughing

“You’re not gonna believe this, remember that guy I dated two months ago?” She asked

“The one that had all those reptiles in his house? Yea, why ?”

“Well come to find out, he knows the members of Bad Omens. Like is friends with them. They invited him to a party and said he could bring anyone he wanted. Girl, we are going to a party and you’re gonna meet your hubby Noah. I’m the greatest friend ever aren’t I.” She said

“As great as that sounds Ana it’s not happening. My parents would never let me go to a party, let alone one with a band that talks about dethroning God.” I said, shaking my head

“Just tell them you're going on another religious retreat, and you can bunk at my place. As long as it has something to do with you worshipping god then they'll fall for it.” Ana said

“Okay, so when is this party?”

“Tonight..”

“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?” I quietly yelled into the phone.

“Somewhat yes and don't worry, I got clothes for you. I'll pick you up tonight. Bye.”

My heart was officially in my stomach. I'm meeting Bad Omens tonight, and I have to somehow get it past my psycho-religious parents.

“God help me”

I finally got my errands done and was about to make my way back home when I heard someone yell my name. When I turned around, it was Elijah.

“Y/N wait up!.”

I waited for him to catch up to me and flashed a small smile. Eli was your picture-perfect Christian boy. My parents loved him and even tried to go as far as getting us together, but I never had feelings for him like that. I only like him as a friend, but he never seems to get the hint. It gets annoying from time to time, but he's got nothing better going on, so I let him live out his daydream.

“Good afternoon, Eli. How are you today?” I said, holding my basket

“Why so formal? Y/n, you never answered any of my messages.” he accused

“Eli you calling me baby and telling me I should come over to your place is not something I want to talk about. Now, please, I have to get back home before my parents worry.” I said, ending the conversation

“Well, at least call me tonight!” Eli said as I walked away from him.

I completely ignored him and went about my way. I made it home in time to find Mama setting up the table for dinner, and Papa smoking out of his pipe. I remembered that I had to tell them about a fake retreat and hope they believed my lie. My lies were always easy to breakthrough but the thought of finally getting to meet Noah in person gave me this confidence I never felt before. I wanted this more than anything so I had to make this believable. After greeting them both, I took a few deep breaths before finally laying out the lie.

“A religious retreat, that late in the evening?” Mama said, looking at me

With her arms crossed

“Bit of a late notice, don't you think,” Papa asked

“I agree, Papa, but I feel I could really spend time with God on this retreat and be away from the evil in the world,” I said

“Melinda, what do you think?” Papa asked

“Well I don't like the late notice, but if this finally brings you closer to god, where you should be, then who am

I to stop you.” Mama said

I thanked both of them and hugged them. Papa pushed me off, but it didn't matter. I was used to it. I ran upstairs and gathered all my things. Thank god Ana has an outfit for me. All I have are old people's dresses. I texted Ana and told her I was ready and to go pick me up down the block.

I didn't want my parents to question me anymore, so I left my house quickly. Ana came down to the block and picked me up.

“ Girl, we gotta get you into something different,” Ana said, giggling at me

“Well, stop laughing and help me.” I said, elbowing her

“From cute Bible girl to Gothic baddie. Let's go.”

Enjoy loves

Magenta 🌹

[punkeccentricenigma]

Hey so can I get a scenario with rottmnt donnie who is genuinely excited over something and s/o stares at him for a moment and they snap out of it when they’re name is called and they’re like, no teasing, genuine love struck vibes from s/o, ”Oh. Sorry. I was admiring how cute you were being”?

DONATELLO X READER "How cute you look right now."

relationship status: Romantic

Reader prounouns: They/Them

Words: 1066

TW: some grammatical errors because english is not my first language.

Author's note: The first version of this request, in my opinion, was better, but due to my phone breaking, I lost all the finished work, so I had to rewrite it again. I hope you like it.

I also wanted to convey an important message. Due to the lost work, I lack the inspiration and energy to rewrite the rest. THEREFORE, IF SOMEONE HAS ALREADY REQUESTED ANYTHING AND HASN'T RECEIVED IT, PLEASE ORDER SOMETHING NEW BECAUSE I DON'T INTEND TO COMPLETE OLD ORDERS. I'M SORRY

The gentle scent of fuel irritated the nose of the [COLOR]-eyed teenager as they swayed lightly in the black chair. They were currently in Donatello's new workshop, which at the moment resembled a regular empty space with a few screens, half of them turned off. Their gaze shifted from their phone screen to a younger boy who had been sitting on the cold floor for hours, tinkering with one of the devices meant to refine the computers salvaged from the previous Lair.

"Get up," [Y.N] spoke, taking a soft pillow from her knees and standing up. Donatello looked at his _friend with a surprised look from beneath his two-colored goggles.

"What?" His voice slightly cracked, probably due to the dryness in his throat from neglecting such needs. The person rolled their eyes and lightly nudged his thigh with their foot, signaling him to move, and he did; he sat on the pillow.

"Better," a warm smile played on the teenager's lips as they gently stroked his head, causing a slight fondness within the turtle. He felt a bit embarrassed that someone else had to take care of him due to his neglect, but he desired to feel that tenderness, especially from his life partner. "How's the work going?" Their question snapped him out of his thoughts; his gaze returned to the colorful cables tangled in chaos.

Donnie sighed heavily, briefly taking off his half-mystical glasses. "There was progress at the beginning; I thought I'd finish it before lunch," he started, grabbing his phone on which he had drawn all the plans. "But something's not right! A little more, and I'll be asking for help on Reddit." The person immediately burst into quiet laughter, causing a lowering of the ninja's drawn eyebrows. Annoying, but he wouldn't trade this moment for anything.

"Well, unfortunately, I'm not savvy in electronics, especially as advanced as this," They declared, pointing their hand at the scene before them. "The only way I can help is by bringing you food and drink; you're going to collapse here, Cutie Patootie." The boy snorted when [Y.N] stood up.

"You really shouldn't call me that!" The [COLOR]eyed shrugged in a mocking way, leaving the room. If he could tease them at times, why couldn't they take advantage of such situations? Maybe that's why their relationship lasted so long? Who knows.

"Woah!" They had to squat immediately to avoid being hit by a rubber chicken. "What the heck, Angelo?"

"Oh, sorry [Y.N], work accident!" Mikey spoke from behind the counter, wearing a pinkish apron. The teenager's eyes expressed shock and disbelief as they approached the kitchen.

"What are you doing, Angelo?"

"Chicken soup!"

"Chicken soup from a rubber toy chicken?!" [COLOR]-eyed elbows touched the wood as they leaned against the counter. Michelangelo furrowed his eyebrows, apparently offended.

"Excuse me! I'm making soup from normal ingredients!" his lips formed a curve. "This toy was for entertainment."

"…"

"…"

"Your pot is burning."

"NO!"

The boy immediately turned around, wanting to fix the situation, but after a moment, resignation was visible in his shoulder movements. "Well…" his voice didn't sound like he was pleased. "No lunch today?"

"Don't worry, my younger brother, we've got this covered!" [Y.N]'s gaze fell on the older ninja brothers entering the room; Leo held a box full of pepperoni pizza.

"Thank goodness," the teenager muttered quietly, grabbing a cup to pour regular cola into it. No matter how much they liked Michelangelo, they absolutely didn't want to try anything he cooked. With another swift move, they took two slices of pizza and left the kitchen, avoiding another whimsical situation created by those idiots.

"I'm back," the person skillfully pushed aside the curtain serving as makeshift doors. Without further words, they sat next to their boyfriend, lightly poking him in the side to finally get him away from the cables and take a piece of round food from them.

"Pizza?" Donatello completely removed his two-colored goggles, looking at the slice of dough in his hand with a surprised gaze. "Wasn't it supposed to be some kind of soup?"

"There was a little accident," the person bit into the edge of pepperoni, feeling a slightly prickly taste on their tongue. "I don't know if you want to know."

"Nah, I'll survive," he mumbled.

"How's the progress on that? Any breakthroughs?"

His black eyes suddenly brightened, as if his mind had been refreshed. "Oh, you wouldn't believe it! I finally figured out what was wrong! Quite strange that it took me so long, considering my recent notes…" as Soft-shell chaotically scrolled through his phone screen, eating a piece of pizza in the meantime, his voice faded into the background of [Y.N]'s mind as they increasingly focused on his face and movements.

A light pink blush appeared on the teenager's cheeks, along with a warm smile. They felt a tingling sensation, not causing them pain or anything of the sort, but rather stimulating their adrenaline, accelerating their heartbeat. No matter what Donatello was saying, [Y.N] eagerly listened, especially when he showed that positive energy and excitement—there's nothing more beautiful than seeing your loved one in that state.

"Hey, everything okay?" the person blinked a few times, seeing a slight concern on the young genius's face. Oh, apparently, they interrupted his monologue. "You seem a bit absent." Oh no, [COLOR]-haired knew that this might look like a simple act of ignorance; they had to fix it!

"S-sorry, D, I just…" a slight bite on their lip, it might sound cheesy. "I was just admiring how cute you look right now."

Donatello's mouth opened for a moment, as if he wanted to fend off some verbal attack, but his brain, for the first time in many years, didn't know what to think. It was… frustrating! He didn't expect something like this; he wasn't yet so accustomed to such sweet words and statements; he felt helpless.

He felt butterflies in his stomach, and a similar blush appeared on the dark green skin as on the person in front of him. "Is everything okay?" his dark eyes rested on his partner's counterpart, who asked a very similar question earlier. After a moment of silence, he chuckled softly, smiling gently.

"Thanks, I-it's nice to hear that." He averted his gaze, unable to hold it, and exclaimed loudly, "So, as I was saying…!"

[maeve-on-mustafar]

hello!! first of all: I’m so obsessed with your writing especially your anakin and mace dynamics of all kinds and your anakin-obi-wan-ahsoka trio. if you’re still writing for the anakin is mace’s padawan series, could I ask for your thoughts about anakin’s relationships with other padawans in this world?

First of all, thank you so much for your kind words! I love Anakin and Mace so much and have so many ideas about them being friends (or more) or Master and Padawan. It’s always so lovely when another Mace & Anakin (or Mace/Anakin) fan reaches out!

I do plan to update my series about Anakin as Mace’s Padawan one day! It’s slow going as I fight the intrusive thoughts and scramble for free time between school and work, but I have several WIPs and a few more ideas besides that that I’d love to be able to put down.

I’m always really fascinated by Anakin’s relationships with other Padawans in both Legends and canon, and I really like it when he’s introduced as having friends. It’s very popular in fandom to only have Aayla Secura as Anakin’s one friend throughout his entire time at the Temple (if he’s given any friends at all), but I really like to remember Tru, Darra, Jax Pavan, and Zule Xiss and the rest of the Padawan Pack from Jabiim.

I think being Mace’s Padawan changes Anakin’s relationships with other Padawans in that as he gets older, he feels more pressure to step up and try to be a leader/mentor to his peers as a way to honor Mace and all of the Jedi who have helped him. It’s not that Anakin feels like he has to be a model student or a perfect Padawan—he just wants to make it known that he recognizes the kindness he’s been shown and it capable of passing it onto others, whether that means helping some of the Padawans who are struggling to chose that their lightsaber form or going with a particular Padawan who a Senator has been personally inviting to their apartment to make sure it’s all above board.

TBH, I don’t think Anakin is ever entirely comfortable in this role? He’s always aware of the eyes on him and that there are certain expectations for him as the Padawan of the Master of the Order. There’s always a part of him that would rather be in his workshop repairing droids or inventing new starship designs. But he tries to channel that into other actions, like helping new Padawans design their lightsabers, or holding a “Mechanics 101” class for Jedi who aren’t as tech savvy as he is.

But in many ways, Anakin is the same guy. He still clashes with Ferus, because Ferus is still judgmental about Anakin’s hobbies. He still finds a way to swoops race if he thinks he can get away with doing it for a mission. He’s still very talented and he knows it, but I think in the position he’s in as Mace’s Padawan, he feels like he can’t show off as much without it coming across as bragging, so he has to truly chose his moments to shine. But he never resents Mace or any of the other Jedi (beyond Ferus) for it. It’s more of an internal frustration that Anakin has with himself.

I think that might be the biggest difference between who Anakin would be as Mace’s Padawan vs. Obi-Wan’s Padawan. Especially in Legends, a huge insecurity of Anakin’s was that Obi-Wan didn’t actually want Anakin as his Padawan and only is training him out of obligation to Qui-Gon. With as snarky as Obi-Wan could be, and in particular, because Obi-Wan actually said in TPM that Anakin was dangerous and should not be trained when Anakin was standing right next to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, I don’t think Anakin ever overcame this fear. As far as I’m aware, unless I’m forgetting something, Obi-Wan never reassure Anakin that this wasn’t the case.

But with Mace Windu taking Anakin as his Padawan, Anakin knows Mace chose him. There’s never any doubt that Mace wanted to train him or that he loves him, and Anakin loves him back. I see that aspect of their relationship as being very simple; there is never any doubt of their affection for one another. But I think Anakin remains insecure in a different way, especially since he’s thrust into the spotlight much earlier and on a much more regular basis. A part of him is always hyper aware of his background and is wondering if he, as a former slave, is good enough to be trained by the Master of the Order, and I think a lot of his relationships with other Padawans are shaped by him trying to overcome that insecurity and be a person they trust and rely on. But I don’t think this particular doubt of Anakin heals until he reaches Knighthood.

Thank you so much for your kind words, and I’m sorry it took me so long to respond. I want to work on clearing out my ask box, so if anyone has any asks they’re waiting on me to get to, believe me, I’m working on it! ❤️ Thank you so much to anyone who’s read and enjoyed my fics!

[bathmob]

Do you have some Karri lore you'd share? I love her design and I'm curious about her. :3

Haha hii!! i am more than happy to share stuff abt her omg...

Karri (last name), born november 30th 2003, is an apathetic war torn lesbian.

between 2007-2015 Karri lived on Xandar with her mother, Jarrah, at their workshop and weapons front! pretty snazzy little kid... NO official education bc a bitch was on her grind since '03. never read hamlet but she was managing finances like a hound.

post 2018, after losing her mother in the attack Karri deserted Xandar. running around the galaxy until eventually finding her way to Knowwhere in 2024. working as a bartender/mixologist and sharing an apartment with Howard the duck.

her personality did a total 180 from what she was like in her youth, still business savvy and quick she's rather withdrawn and watches conflict from the side rather than interact LMAO

she's basically dee reynolds and april ludgate... OKAY that was a lot of random info im sorry for rambling.

[greentrickster]

Loving the Hopeful Hybrid’s Househusbanding System, and wondering if you have any further thoughts regarding LBH wingmanning for MBJ, or the matchmaking shenanigans LBH and LQQ get up to (or if I’m remembering correctly MBJ gets involved at some point bc why not?)

Thank-you so much! ^U^ And, for starters? After Liu Mingyan's latest work comes out after Binghe's return (suddenly involving characters with some very interesting and elaborate tattoos), Binghe uses his 900 IQ to put two and two together and figures out who wrote it. Then super calmly doesn't tell anyone he knows. Then even more super calmly starts feeding Liu Mingyan a few stories about spicy forbidden romance that he encountered while in modern Japan and, once he's established his cover as a fellow connoisseurr of the finer things in life (aka spicy p*rn with lots of romance thrown in for flavouring), he mentioning that, hey, wouldn't a human-demon love affair be romantic? With lots of tension and potential for betrayal, but really neither of them want to betray their homes, they just want to be together, only the world won't let them? Think of the drama - think of all the opportunities to get excitingly spicy!

And boy howdy does Liu Mingyan think of them. Three volumes of a new series worth in the space of six months worth of thinking of them.

So anyway, that's Liu Mingyan and all her devoted readers set up to play spin doctor/damage control/shut up-it's-so-romantic arguments for when the Mobei-jun/Shang Qinghua romance eventually comes out in the open, because Shizun likes Shang shishu, so keeping him in the sect is important.

(For all his intelligence, Binghe does not at any point realize that Shen Yuan is an avid reader of Liu Mingyan's work (especially since it doesn't currently involve him), and has a strong hunch who it's about and is just waiting for the right opportunity to give Airplane so much cheerful grief over it. Mostly because he knows nothing spicy has happened with him and Mobei-jun yet and it will absolutely kill that shitty author to know that his fictional double is getting it when he isn't.)

Beyond that, Binghe’s primarily giving Mobei-jun some quick remedial courses on human romance and dating culture, while also slipping Shang Qinghua a few tidbits on demon courtship habits, especially for the Northern realm. Thanks to his exposure to modern media, he’s gained that most dangerous and OP of powers - levels of genre-savvy! He can spot a miscommunication plot when he sees one now! So he’s working to clear up the miscommunication, and he’s using the simplest methods possible to make it harder for them to go awry by mistake.

His modern experiences with the dating scene does get a little jumbled with his memories of his home dimension’s practices, though, meaning Binghe absolutely sets his most loyal bro and his shishu on a tea date (since coffee isn’t an option). It doesn’t go very well since Mobei-jun isn’t really into tea and Shang Qinghua is still confused out of his mind at the mixed signals he’s getting at the moment. (Though, ironically, he absolutely uses it as coffee-date fantasy fodder after the fact, because an author-god can dream, you know?)

This having not worked, Binghe switches tactics and finagles Sha Hualing into creating the xianxia version of an insulated travel mug (“Okay, but why should I waste time making something that won’t help me destroy my enemies?” “...it’ll keep your hot drinks warm longer so the blood doesn’t congeal if you forget about them while you’re in your workshop and you don’t have to waste time yelling for someone to bring you more when you want it now?” “Oh dang, sold!”) Binghe then ensures that Mobei-jun gets ahold of one and tells him to give it to Shang Qinghua, since the guy drinks so much tea while trying to get all his work done, and to tell him that, since he won’t tell Mobei-jun what sorts of things he wants, Mobei-jun’s just going to have to start guessing (with an addendum to start paying attention to what sorts of things Shang shishu likes so that he can do a good job of it - paying attention to what sort of things your beloved likes and doesn’t like is important in a good relationship).

Mobei-jun is skeptical, but follows Binghe’s plan to the best of his ability, and it bears shockingly good fruit. Shang Qinghua is stunned, not his usual loud, flustered stunned, just... this is such a nice, useful gift, and it’s something he’ll be able to use with minimal explanation for how he got it, just say it’s something he found on a trading expedition, and dollars to donuts he’s missed having a nice, big travel mug with a secure lid and- oh, oh it has a little flap you can flip up to drink from it without taking the lid off. And it’s in An Ding blue. He’s a peak lord, he’s used to certain people trying to pander to him or buy him off, but this is a really thoughtful gift, and he’s not used to those in any of his lives. He’s absolutely touched. He’s making an expression Mobei-jun’s never seen before and it’s making his heart stutter.

And- oh, oh, I bet gifting is one of Mobei-jun’s big love languages, he’s just never learned how to do it properly, and it’s also part of why it’s so frustrating that Shang Qinghua never freaking asks for anything. Binghe teaching him how to spot what would be a good gift without having to be directly told is going to be invaluable to him! So by the time Tianlang-jun arrives at the Sect, Mobei-jun and Shang Qinghua are actually doing pretty well for themselves, it’s been... let’s say a year since Binghe got back?, everyone knows, no one can do much about it because half the sect shipped it even before they knew it was a real ship, Shang Qinghua’s gotten some slap-on-the-wrist punishments because 1) he does 64% of all paperwork in Cang Qiong and it would collapse without him and 2) he’s besties with Shen Qingqiu and Yue Qingyuan is still simping hard. And Binghe’s only had to use his extra-special ‘oh no, I’m such a clumsy shidi’ technique to ‘trip’ and ‘try to catch himself’ by grabbing onto Shang Shishu only to ‘accidentally’ just grab his clothes and absolutely shred the top half of them by mistake in Mobei-jun’s presence twice.

Binghe, with big, dewy eyes full of (false) unshed tears: “This Luo Binghe is so sorry, Shishu, he’s still learning to master his demonic heritage and suddenly having claws is so confusing-!”

Shang Qinghua: Ah-haha, it’s okay, shidi, we all make mistakes! (internally swearing because how much do you think these robes cost, and do you really think this author can’t see through your crocodile tears, why are you humiliating me in front of my king like this-?!?)

Mobei-jun: (can see one (1) entire nipple on Shang Qinghua’s chest and would like to get to know it better, maybe if he’s good he’ll get to see the other one too...? Also why is this so exciting, he’s a demon, from the demon realm, he sees people wandering around half-naked/all naked all the time, so why is it different now-?!?)

Mobei-jun is learning how tantalizing things can be when you don’t get to see them all the time, and he’s very confused and also rather aroused. And he’s going to take this knowledge and accidentally melt Shang Qinghua’s brain by showing up one day wearing his robes at a level of chest coverage that humans deem appropriate, then shuck an outer layer partway through the visit and loosen the ones underneath to show usual levels of chest again. Congrats, Mobei, you’ve accidentally gained two levels in seduction and have ensured that incident is all Airplane’s going to be able to think of for a week.

(Note: this probably wouldn’t have worked on anyone else, because Mobei-jun’s starting out with a -1 in seduction, he just has the home field advantage with Shang Qinghua.)

As for Liu Qingge and Mobei-jun meeting up and the resulting shenanigans as all three of these goofs get up to as they try to match-make for a sect leader and once-demon emperor? I think I’ll put that in another post at a later time - this one’s already gotten pretty long!

Thanks for the ask!

[fluttereyes]

How to change a CAP pattern category

See the end of this post first please, maybe a faster way.

No idea who knows and who doesn't but you can change the catalogue category in CAP made patterns in s3pe. I'm just sitting changing a whole load of my own and thought I'd do some screenshots and rubbish instructions on how to do it, so don't worry if you have too many patterns in one category, you can change that. Example, today I'm changing all my sparkly patterns from 'Fabric' to the 'Metal' category because I don't have much in there.

Double click the package for the pattern you want to change and it will open in s3pe if you have it installed of course. Or you can open it with file, open, blah, blah.

2. Right click on the first XML you see, scroll down and open with notepad. Change the word 'Fabric' to whatever category you want to put it in but make sure you know the correct spelling for that category by opening a pattern that is already in that category and copying it to paste into your new one. You will find the word to change here.

click save and you will see a line being drawn through the original to indicate it's been changed.

You will also see a dialogue box pop up for confirmation

Hit yes

3. Now right click the next XML, the one with all the 3's and change it here.

save, hit yes on confirmation box.

4. Now open the pattern file and change it here

save, confirm.

4. now just file > save in s3pe and it will overwrite the original package to change it all.

For people who are savvy with s3pe this is a long drawn out way of saying change both XML's and the pattern.

Hope this helps at least one of you.

To change patterns made with workshop this tool can batch change them if they are in package format https://oxytosim.tumblr.com/post/696994286274805760/sims-3-pattern-recategorizer-s3pr-tool-organize.

If you have already fixed the gap that caused materialising materials and changed the numbers in the xml and pattern files this tool works for CAP made patterns too, I just tested it. That tool is fast. So if you downloaded from me or @wanderingsimsfinds or anyone else whose patterns work in your game this tool will do it and I did this whole tut for nothing, lol

[iconuk01]

Things I didn't know I needed.

The Watermill Theatre, which did the amazing "Lord of the Rings" earlier this year has announced it's next major project for 2024.

"Sherlock Holmes and the Poison Wood", a rock opera!

London 2024. Doggedly pursuing success as a private detective, Sherlock Holmes is faced with a new case; an unexplained death in the infamous environmental protest camp at Oakenwood. Supported by his media-savvy landlady, nutritionist Dr Watson, Sherlock’s keen eye for detail and tireless pursuit of the truth has brought a growing online fandom and an uncomfortable intrusion into his private life.

Delving into the details, Sherlock suspects that arch-nemesis, tech billionaire and international potato magnate Jan Moriarty is at the root of the case, but the game’s afoot and they must move fast to uncover the truth and foil her plans. In a world of cancel culture, deepfakes and digital manipulation, only self-discovery and acceptance can unlock this case.

This is the workshop cast, not necessarily the actual cast, so make the most of Arthur Darvill (Yes, THAT Arthur Darvill) as Holmes singing "Elementary"

[somediyprojects]

DIY Paper Hellebore

Project by Kate Alarcón:

When I had the opportunity to prepare a flower-making workshop for a Carpe Diem Collective event in Seattle, I knew the hellebore would be perfect. It grows beautifully in the Pacific Northwest, but still feels a little bit exotic and unexpected. Its subtle yet rich colors seem sophisticated in a way that struck me as ideal for the design-savvy makers whom I knew would be attending. But what was most exciting to me were the opportunities the hellebore presented to play with color and pattern. Rather than prescribing one specific variety for everyone to make, I taught several techniques, and everyone played with variations. As the new flower-makers worked, I found myself continually surprised and delighted by the varieties that sprung to life around the table.

In that spirit, the instructions that follow demonstrate techniques for construction and for adding color and detail. I hope you’ll spend some time observing the hellebores blooming around you right now (or on Pinterest!) and combine these techniques to please your own artist’s eye. And special thanks to the women who attended the hellebore workshop and whose creativity inspired the hellebores I’ve made here. —Kate

Photos and styling by Grace Kim

About Kate: Kate Alarcón makes delicate and unusual paper plants and flowers just outside Seattle. Kate chose the cobra lily — a carnivorous plant native to the West Coast — as her business name and spirit “animal” because she finds so much inspiration in its eccentric, otherworldly beauty. She takes custom orders via her website, and teaches flower-making workshops in the Pacific Northwest. You can see her newest work on Instagram @cobralilyshop.

About Grace: Grace Kim is dedicated to capturing and creating beauty and helping people live life to the fullest. You can find her work at GH Kim Photography and Carpe Diem Collective. Follow her on Instagram @graceperdiem.

Supplies

For flower construction:

• hellebore templates (download here) • Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue • fine or doublette crepe paper (black, white, dark red, pinks, violets, and greens are all suitable) plus olive green to wrap the stem • pale green or yellow florist crepe for the flower center • 1 10-inch length of 18-gauge, cloth-covered stem wire • paper scissors • optional: small green or yellow millinery stamens

For adding color and detail:

• Copic Sketch or Ciao Markers. I find the following colors especially nice for hellebores: RV69, V15, V12, V91, YG95, and YG03, G20, 0. • PanPastels. If I were to buy just one color for this project, it would be 430.5 Magenta, which creates a very rich, deep pink when swiped over black crepe paper. Other nice additions would be: 470.5 Violet, 930.5 Bronze, 430.1 Magenta Extra Dark, 680.3 Bright Yellow Green Shade, 640.8 Permanent Green Tint, , 340.8 Permanent Red Tint, 220.8 Hansa Yellow Tint, 520.8 Ultramarine Blue Tint, 470.8 Violet Tint • cosmetic wedge sponge • eye-shadow brush with a sponge-tip applicator or cotton swab • gold gel pen

Creating the center:

Image above: Each piece represents one step in the process of making the hellebore center.

Using template A, cut out a rectangle from the pale green crepe.

Stretch this piece against the grain, pulling out all the tiny folds so that you have a long rectangle. Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise.

Create a short fringe along the fold by making a row of small cuts very close together (roughly 1/16th of an inch apart).

Image above: The short fringe along the fold of the rectangle.

Image above: Rolling the center around the stem.

Using template B as a guide, cut the folded rectangle so that it tapers toward one end of the rectangle. (This will help create a smooth transition between the flower center and the stem.) Dot glue inside the fold along the whole length of the rectangle, just below the fringe. Insert the tip of your stem wire into the fold on the wider end of the rectangle just below the fringe, and use your finger to press the fold closed. Let this dry for a minute.

Then dot glue along one side of the rectangle beneath the fringe, and roll the rectangle up around the wire. The fringes should be even, creating a flat, circular plane at the top of your center.

Adding stamens:

Image above: The flower on the right has millinery stamens; the middle and left, DIY paper stamens.

You can purchase double-headed millinery stamens from Castle in the Air or Rose Mille (see suppliers below). To attach, you just fold or cut them in half and glue them around your center, so that the stamen tip extends about a half inch beyond the top of your fringed center. You don’t need to be too precise about the number of stamens you add to each flower — some variation will look more natural.

To make your own paper stamens, use template C to cut a small rectangle from the pale green crepe. Stretch this rectangle all the way out across the grain. Use a green marker (Copic YG 95 is perfect, but almost any type of marker is suitable for this step) to color in a very wide stripe about 1/8th inch from the top to about an inch from the bottom. If you find that the uncolored strip across the top is too wide, just trim it with your scissors.

Create a fringe across the grain by making a series of ¾ inch cuts very close together. Then, working in small sections, gently but firmly twist these stamens together in one direction and then in the other.

Untwist all the stamens and use your fingers to straighten them. If they resist finger-straightening, use your scissors to very gently scrape the length of the stamens on one side and then the other.

Finally, scrape the tips of the stamens between your thumb and scissor blade to curl them slightly.

Dot glue in a zigzag along the lower half of this strip of stamens, and then wrap it around the green center, so that the tips of the stamens extend about ½ inch past the top of the center. (If you’d like a fuller set of stamens, use the whole strip, which should wrap around twice. For a wispier set, snip the strip of stamens after you’ve wrapped the center once, and save the other half for another flower.)

Insert your finger into the middle of the stamens and very gently press them outward so that they slightly lean away from the center. Gently separate any stamens that are sticking together, and touch up your curled ends if necessary. Let this center dry while you cut and color your petals.

For the petals:

A note about grain:

The grain of the crepe paper runs parallel to the roll or fold. Crepe paper stretches horizontally, but not vertically, so you will almost always cut petals with the grain, placing the template so that the tiny wrinkles in the paper run up and down the template, not across.

Use any of the petal templates to cut out five petals for each flower. I’ve included three templates so you have the option to create some variation among your hellebores, but you’ll only use one template to cut all five of the petals for each flower.

Image above: Applying a “wash” of PanPastel.

The PanPastels can add details like darkened petal edges or gradient color, but I like them best for adding a “wash” of color to the whole petal, which helps to recreate the hellebore’s subtle, complex coloring. I find that an inexpensive cosmetic wedge sponge works fine for this. A cotton swab or eye shadow brush is also suitable for finer detail, like a colored edge.

To create the very dark hellebores, use black crepe for the petals and then gently swipe on a layer of any of the darker, richer colors. My favorite is the 430.5 Magenta.

Image above: The PanPastels can add some subtlety to crepe paper colors that are a little too pure and bright to be suitable for a hellebore. Here, I’ve used a soft pink to tone down a bright violet.

The Copic markers can be used to add color to an entire petal, to create speckles near the petal’s base, or to darken its outer edge. You can also use multiple markers that are the same hue but different intensities to create a gradient effect, beginning with the darkest color at the base of the petal and ending with the lightest at the top edge. The colorless blender can help to blend any hard lines between the different colors.

For dots, just barely touch the fine tip of the marker to the petal, lifting immediately. If the dots look too stark, a very light layer of PanPastel over the top can help them “sink in” to the petal and look more natural.

To color the edges, barely touch the broad tip of the marker to the very edge of the petal, rather than trying to draw a very thin line on the front of the petal.

Gel pens: I use a gold gel pen to add speckles to my black hellebores — I like how they add a subtle twinkle.

Image above: Steps for two sample petal variations.

For the deep magenta petal, first swipe the 430.5 Magenta PanPastel over the entire black petal. Next, use a small makeup brush or cotton swab to apply 470.5 Violet PanPastel just along the edge of the petal. Then, use the gold gel pen to add dots on the bottom third of the petal.

For the pink petal, swipe 220.8 Hansa Yellow Tint PanPastel over the bottom third of the petal. Next, use the fine tip of Copic YG95 to add dots along the bottom of the petal. Then, use the square tip of this same marker to add color to the edge of the petal.

I’ve included nine other hellebore petal “recipes” at the end of the tutorial.

Shaping the petals:

To make the petals more lifelike, you can gently cup them near the base, curl them slightly by scraping them gently between your thumb and the edge of a pair of scissors, and stretch the petal edge gently to create a slight frill. Before you accidentally tear your beautifully decorated petals, practice on some blank petals to get a feel for the point at which the paper rips. It doesn’t take much shaping to mimic a hellebore petal, so you can afford to be gentle.

To cup the base of the hellebore petal, hold it gently with two hands, thumbs in front, and gently stretch by pushing your thumbs slightly forward and pulling back and outward with your index fingers. Hellebore petals don’t require very deep cups.

Frill your edge slightly by gently stretching it.

Building the flower:

Place the base of the petal between your thumb and the blade of your scissors, and gently scrape the underside of the bottom of the petal, so that it curls slightly. This will help the petals to lie flat, rather than standing up and covering your center.

Dot a small amount of glue on the base of a petal and press it against the edge of your stamen-covered center. Then do the same with the next petal, placing it to the left of and slightly behind the first petal.

Directly across from the point where the first two petals overlap, place your third petal.

Image above: The flower on the left shows placement of the first three petals. The gaps on either side are where you’ll place your remaining two petals.

Now you’ll have a space on either side of this last petal. In the space between this petal and your first petal, place your fourth petal. In the remaining space, place your final petal.

Let the glue dry completely.

Finishing the flower:

Cut an 8-inch-long and 1/3” wide strip of olive green fine crepe across the grain. Apply very small dots of glue along the length of this strip and attach it to the part of the wire that is covered by the base of your petals. With your left hand, hold the strip at a 45-degree angle to the wire and gently stretch as you twirl the wire with your right hand.

Wrap to the bottom of the wire, and snip the excess strip. Gently adjust the petals and stamens if needed. But there’s no need to be too fussy — paper hellebores are at their most charming when they’re allowed to be a little bit quirky.

Additional hellebore recipes:

Row 1: 1. Black fine crepe, a wash of 430.5 Magenta PanPastel, 930.5 Bronze PanPastel edges, gold dots, and millinery stamens. 2. Black fine crepe, a wash of 430.1 Magenta Extra Dark PanPastel, a 470.5 Violet PanPastel edge, gold dots, and paper stamens 3. Deep olive doublette crepe, 430.5 Magenta PanPastel on the bottom third of the petal, and paper stamens

Row 2: 1. Lavender doublette crepe, Copic BV01 dots and petal edging, and paper stamens (for these I used Copic RV69 to make the stamens maroon instead of green.) 2. Sangria fine crepe, 430.5 Magenta PanPastel on the bottom third of the petals, gold dots, and millinery stamens 3. Cherry fine crepe, 430.5 Magenta PanPastel on the bottom third of the petals, gold dots, and paper stamens.

Row 3: 1. Pink fine crepe, a wash of 340.8 Permanent Red Tint PanPastel, and millinery stamens 2. Pink doublette crepe, 220.8 Hansa Yellow Tint PanPastel, Copic RV69 dots, dark maroon PanPastel on the edges, and paper stamens (for these stamens, I just colored the tips with a pale yellow.) 3. White fine crape, a wash of 680.3 Bright Yellow Green Shade PanPastel, and millinery stamens.

Sources for supplies:

Castle in the Air: crepe paper, stem wire, stamens

Rose Mille: crepe paper, stamens

Dick Blick Art Materials: PanPastels

Aaron Brothers: PanPastels

Michaels Craft Stores: 18 gauge floral wire

Impress Cards and Crafts: If you live in the Seattle area, Impress has crepe paper in three different weights, Aleene’s glue, and a great selection of Copic Markers and gel pens.

[cosmiccannibalcamille]

Cosmic Cannibal Has Just Turned 1! 🎉

Hold on to your planets, because we’ve hit some major milestones! 

It’s officially been ONE YEAR since I launched my online astrology store and Substack, and guess what? I’ve ALSO finally finished my book, Jupiter Returns! (I can’t believe it either, because it feels like it’s taking me FOREVER.)

Pre-sale for Jupiter Returns is set for Sept. 14.

On top of that, my TikTok channel has officially hit 10K followers. 🎉 (That’s another one I can hardly believe.) With 370+ subscribers on Substack (and growing every day), it feels like a moment worth celebrating. So, I’m rolling out a 30% off sale on everything, from chart readings to workshops and cheat sheets! I’m calling it the Cosmic Cannibal Birthday Sale.

Shop 30% Cosmic Birthday Sale

To sweeten the deal more, I’m giving you a limited-time offer: 30% off paid subscriptions on Substack for an ENTIRE YEAR.

Yep, that means you can dive into all my spicy, snarky, and savvy astrology content for only $3.50 a month. If you’ve been wanting to upgrade for a while, this is your chance to do so and save $. (But this flash sale is only valid until Sept. 10.)

Save 30% on Your Substack Subscription

 What do you get with a paid subscription?

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[bracketsoffear]

Web Leitner Reading List

The full list of submissions for the Web Leitner bracket. Bold titles are ones which were accepted to appear in the bracket. Synopses and propaganda can be found below the cut. Be warned, however, that these may contain spoilers!

Adams, Douglas: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency Attanasio, A. A.: In Other Worlds Austen, Jane: Emma Awad, Mona: Bunny

Burlew, Rich: The Order of the Stick: Blood Runs in the Family

Chainani, Soman: The School for Good and Evil Christie, Agatha: Curtain Christie, Agatha: The ABC Murders Christie, Agatha: The Moving Finger Clark, Mary Higgins and Alafair Burke: The Cinderella Murder Collodi, Carlo: The Adventures of Pinocchio  

de Burgh Miller, Jon: Dying in the Sun Douglass, Ryan: The Taking of Jake Livingston

Fink, Joseph and Jeffery Cranor: The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home Frost, Robert: Design

Gaiman, Neil: American Gods Gran, Sara: Come Closer

Hale, Shannon & Dean Hale: Ever After High: The Legend of Shadow High Heller, Joseph: Catch-22 Howitt, Mary: The Spider and the Fly

Ibsen, Henrik: A Doll’s House

James, E.L.: 50 Shades of Gray James, M.R.: The Ash-Tree Jones, Diana Wynne: Black Maria

Katsu, Alma: The Fervor King, Stephen: Misery

Lermontov, Mikhail: A Hero of Our Time (Last Chapter) Lewis, Richard: The Spiders

Machiavelli, Niccolò: The Prince Maugham, Somerset: The Magician Muir, Tamsyn: Gideon the Ninth

Nabokov, Vladimir: Lolita

Orwell, George: Nineteen Eighty-Four

Pinborough, Sarah: Breeding Ground & Feeding Ground Pinkwater, Daniel: Young Adult Novel Pirandello, Luigi: Six Characters in Search of an Author Pratchett, Terry: Witches Abroad Pratchett, Terry and Neil Gaiman: Good Omens Punko: Stagtown

Shakespeare, William: Macbeth Sophocles: Oedipus Rex

White, E.B.: Charlotte's Web Wong, David: This Book is Full of Spiders

Adams, Douglas: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

"The fundamental interconnectedness of all things" is an extremely Webby concept.

Attanasio, A. A.: In Other Worlds

It's about a species of brain-earing alien spiders called Zotl who take over and control people by attaching to the back of their skulls and burrowing into the pain centre of their brains.

Austen, Jane: Emma

The story centers around Emma Woodhouse, a would-be matchmaker who delights in meddling with the lives of those around her -- with dire results.

Awad, Mona: Bunny

Samantha Heather Mackey couldn't be more of an outsider in her small, highly selective MFA program at New England's Warren University. A scholarship student who prefers the company of her dark imagination to that of most people, she is utterly repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort--a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other "Bunny," and seem to move and speak as one.

But everything changes when Samantha receives an invitation to the Bunnies' fabled "Smut Salon," and finds herself inexplicably drawn to their front door--ditching her only friend, Ava, in the process. As Samantha plunges deeper and deeper into the Bunnies' sinister yet saccharine world, beginning to take part in the ritualistic off-campus "Workshop" where they conjure their monstrous creations, the edges of reality begin to blur. Soon, her friendships with Ava and the Bunnies will be brought into deadly collision.

The spellbinding new novel from one of our most fearless chroniclers of the female experience, Bunny is a down-the-rabbit-hole tale of loneliness and belonging, friendship and desire, and the fantastic and terrible power of the imagination.

Burlew, Rich: The Order of the Stick: Blood Runs in the Family

The Order heads to the Western Continent in search of Girard's Gate, only to get entangled with the Empire of Blood, a tyrannical draconian state--literally, it's ruled by a dragon. But the real power behind the throne is General Tarquin, who turns out to be the bard Elan's dad. Tarquin, being a diabolical mastermind who’s just as genre savvy as Elan, has figured out that ruling openly will only lead to being overthrown, and thus has engineered a grand scheme with his partners to take over the entire continent using their puppet states. He doesn't even mind that Elan wants to overthrow him for being an enslaving dictator--if he wins, he rules as a king, and if he loses, he goes down in history as a LEGEND. Tarquin follows the Order as they try to reach the Gate, using it as a test for his other son Nale--a scheming villain like him, who has continually dissapointed Tarquin. When the Gate is blown up, he meets up with Elan and Nale, finds out that Nale killed his best friend, confirms that Nale wants nothing more from him...and stabs his son dead right in front of Elan because he's an inconvenience. Then he decides to kill Elan's good friend Roy so Elan can be the leader of the party.

Tarquin is essentially a railroading DM in charge of a nation. He's an old white guy with self-centered, old-fashioned, and implicitly misogynistic and racist ideas of how the story is "supposed" to go--he's the Big Bad, Elan is the Hero, and they're destined to have a big epic showdown. But Tarquin isn't the main villain, Elan wants to be a support player, and Roy is the leader; so when Tarquin's plans are defied, he does everything in his power to steer things back on the rails by force, to the point of threatening to kill everyone Elan loves and chop off his hand just to properly motivate him.

Chainani, Soman: The School for Good and Evil

The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.

This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.

I think this series is extremely web-like because it presents a world where people have extremely predestined paths in life with either being a good or bad story character. And they are stuck on the path that is chosen for them even when trying to rebel. Also, there is the connection with children's stories(cough Mr Spider cough) and the series villains are very potting and manipulative.

Christie, Agatha: Curtain

Curtain has a serial killer known only as X before their identity is revealed. X has never actually killed anyone themselves — instead, they're a master of manipulation, preying on the fears of others and driving them into a state in which they decide to kill, but are completely unaware that they're being manipulated to do so.

Christie, Agatha: The ABC Murders

When Alice Asher is murdered in Andover, Hercule Poirot is already looking into the clues. Alphabetically speaking, it's one letter down, twenty-five to go. There's a serial killer on the loose. His macabre calling card is to leave the ABC Railway Guide beside each victim's body. But if A is for Alice Asher, bludgeoned to death in Andover, and B is for Betty Bernard, strangled with her belt on the beach at Bexhill, who will then be Victim C? More importantly, why is this happening?

Spoilers: the true murderer, Franklin Clarke tricks a mentally unstable man, Alexander Bonaparte Cust, into thinking he is a murderer. Making Cust feel trapped and controlled by his illness. Clarke also manipulates the entire country into thinking there is some out-of-control serial killer when he was just trying to cover up inheritance murder. So schemes, mass manipulation and control. Very Web book.

Christie, Agatha: The Moving Finger

Ok so the pollrunner themself has said that Miss Marple was their personal fave for the Web Avatar bracket, and this is definitely one of the webbiest Marple mysteries. It's about a bunch of poison-pen letters in a small village that drive the residents to suspect and accuse one another of committing the crime -- or guessing at what might have been in their neighbor's letter. Soon, accusations turn to blackmail and deaths as the culprit weaves their web around the peaceful village of Lymstock...

Clark, Mary Higgins and Alafair Burke: The Cinderella Murder

Actress Madison Meyer is obsessed with fame, to the point it's rumoured she helped cover up her friend's murder or even killed her herself to get her role, and she still has the nerve to act like a diva on Under Suspicion's set even though she hasn't had any significant roles in a decade and is supposed appearing on the show to solve her friend's murder. Actor Keith Ratner was a playboy with a drinking problem when he started out, though he's genuinely managed to clean up his act, albeit by getting involved with a shifty megachurch, and some people still think he murdered his girlfriend. Televangelist Martin Collins is a money-hungry Control Freak who rules his congregation with an iron fist and uses their donations to fund personal luxuries, and that's the least of his misdeeds. Frank Parker is known for being a demanding director who mostly gets involved in Under Suspicion because he doesn't want people to boycott his movies thinking he murdered a 19-year-old college student, although he did prevent his wife from starring in a sleazy movie that left the replacement actress humiliated and has stayed married for ten years (quite a record for Hollywood). And at the centre of it all is the so-called Cinderella Murder, with a young aspiring actress on her way to an audition ending up strangled to death and the crime going unsolved for twenty years, with all kinds of salacious rumours surrounding the case.

Collodi, Carlo: The Adventures of Pinocchio  

This is the story of Pinocchio, filled with harrowing yet inspiring adventures. Carved by a poor man named Geppetto, Pinocchio is a wooden puppet that comes to life. He soon leaves his maker and commences a journey of misadventures.

Pinocchio has a good heart, but he is disobedient and lazy and often has poor judgment. And when he lies, Pinocchio's nose grows longer! Follow this mischievous puppet as he goes to the "Field of Miracles", where he plants gold coins to try to make his wealth grow. Thrill as he is pursued by assassins. And marvel as he becomes the unwitting star of a circus show and lives a life of ease in the "Land of Boobies," where boys can play all day and never have to go to school. Of course, Pinocchio gets into trouble along the way.

From the villainous Cat and Fox, who try to steal his gold coins, to the gigantic Dogfish, a terrifying sea monster that swallows him, Pinocchio encounters menacing characters who often lead him to trouble. But Pinocchio also befriends a good Fairy who loves him and wants to help him escape his misfortunes. She even promises the puppet that if he learns to be good, to study, and to work hard, he will become a real boy. Can Pinocchio turn his life around? And will he ever see his "papa," Geppetto again?

de Burgh Miller, Jon: Dying in the Sun

Synopsis: "It was the city of angels, and the angels were screaming...

Los Angeles, 1947: multi-millionaire movie producer Harold Reitman has been murdered and the LAPD are convinced that drug dealer Robert Chate is the killer. Detective William Fletcher isn't so sure — he believes that the man who calls himself the Doctor has a stronger connection to the crime than he's letting on.

While the Doctor assists the police with their enquiries, Star Light Pictures are preparing to release their most eagerly anticipated movie yet, Dying in the Sun, a film that rumours say will change the motion-picture industry for ever. Suspecting that the film holds secrets more terrifying then anyone could ever have imagined, the Doctor decides to do everything in his power to stop it from being released. In Hollywood, however, it is the movie studios that hold all the power... "

Why it's Web: Well, we already know that TV and film are pretty Web-aligned (Lagorio, that one line from Annabelle), so that's a start. The villains of the series create film stars by chemically enhancing their charisma to the point where they can hypnotize people into doing unspeakable things just by asking them -- but the stars, in turn, are under the sway of their alien masters. It's a pretty good metaphor for Hollywood, and a pretty good plot for the Web.

Douglass, Ryan: The Taking of Jake Livingston

Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others being his infinitely more popular older brother. It’s hard enough fitting in but to make matters worse and definitely more complicated, Jake can see the dead. In fact he sees the dead around him all the time. Most are harmless. Stuck in their death loops as they relive their deaths over and over again, they don’t interact often with people. But then Jake meets Sawyer. A troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school last year before taking his own life. Now a powerful, vengeful ghost, he has plans for his afterlife–plans that include Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about ghosts and the rules to life itself go out the window as Sawyer begins haunting him and bodies turn up in his neighborhood. High school soon becomes a survival game–one Jake is not sure he’s going to win.

Fink, Joseph and Jeffery Cranor: The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home

It's framed like a biography that the Faceleed Old Woman is telling Craig, the descendant of the man who killed her. After she dies, as a sort of ghost, she haunts and attempts to kill her murderer, but she fails. She then spends the rest of time manipulating and killing all of his descendants. She is constantly doing things that they don't notice to get them to have kids, etc, and then when they get old enough, causes an accident so the first born son always dies. The villain, and TFOW murderer is also a manipulator. He gets her on a wild goose chase for years to find out who killed her father, and managed to trick her into a situation where he could kill her.

Frost, Robert: Design

"What brought the kindred spider to that height, Then steered the white moth thither in the night? What but design of darkness to appall?-- If design govern in a thing so small."

Link: https://poets.org/poem/design

Gaiman, Neil: American Gods

When a man named Shadow Moon gets out of prison, he finds that everything he planned to do as a free man has been destroyed. His wife and best friend are dead and he has no job prospects. Because of this, he is forced to accept work from a strange and enigmatic man named Mr. Wednesday.

Shadow soon learns of a brewing war in American between the old (religious and mythological) gods and the new (technological) gods. Both sides want him for their own.

Throughout the novel, Shadow is pulled along by different forces rather than through his own agency, and near the end he finds that the web he is caught in was spun before his birth.

Gran, Sara: Come Closer

A recurrent, unidentifiable noise in her apartment. A memo to her boss that's replaced by obscene insults. Amanda - a successful architect in a happy marriage - finds her life going off kilter by degrees. She starts smoking again, and one night for no reason, without even the knowledge that she's doing it, she burns her husband with a cigarette. At night she dreams of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth on the shore of a blood-red sea. The new voice in Amanda's head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. Is she possessed by a demon, or is she simply insane?

Hale, Shannon & Dean Hale: Ever After High: The Legend of Shadow High

Now, Ever After High itself is very Web. The children of famous fairytales being destiny-bound to relive their stories or go 'poof' is the driving force behind all the books' conflicts.

However, Shadow High takes it to another level. The narrators, who were present throughout the series, are more influential within the story. Even the straight-laced narrator parents who believe only in observing stories leave 'plop devices' to coerce characters in or out of making decisions. The titular Shadow High is a school for narrators run by antagonist Ms. Direction after a narrator schism between those who observe stories and those who control them. Ms. Direction uses 'unmaking lava' that turns characters and props into the words that compose them, destroying them so that they can be made again in her vision. She also uses narration to compel characters into doing her bidding. The narrator of the book, Brooke Page, is the daughter of the other books' narrators and has frequent arguments with her parents between chapters about why she can't intervene in the story to help the characters. Brooke ultimately does this in the book's climax by climbing the Fourth Wall and asking the reader for help, turning the book into a choose-your-own-adventure and having the reader write in how Ms. Direction is ultimately defeated.

Also, it's a crossover with Monster High so Frankie Stein and Draculaura are there.

Heller, Joseph: Catch-22

Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy—it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he’s assigned, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.

Howitt, Mary: The Spider and the Fly

The poem itself was referenced in the podcast with regard to the Web on multiple occasions. Also, the illustrations? Fucking hell. This is the irl 'A Guest for Mr. Spider'.

Ibsen, Henrik: A Doll’s House

A Doll's House (Norwegian: Et dukkehjem; also translated as A Doll House) is a three-act play in prose by Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month. The play is significant for its critical attitude toward 19th century marriage norms. It aroused great controversy at the time, as it concludes with the protagonist, Nora, leaving her husband and children because she wants to discover herself. Ibsen was inspired by the belief that "a woman cannot be herself in modern society," since it is "an exclusively male society, with laws made by men and with prosecutors and judges who assess feminine conduct from a masculine standpoint." Its ideas can also be seen as having a wider application: Michael Meyer argued that the play's theme is not women's rights, but rather "the need of every individual to find out the kind of person he or she really is and to strive to become that person." In a speech given to the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights in 1898, Ibsen insisted that he "must disclaim the honor of having consciously worked for the women's rights movement," since he wrote "without any conscious thought of making propaganda," his task having been "the description of humanity."

James, E.L.: 50 Shades of Gray

okay not to get too blue, but BDSM is kinda web-coded, and that goes double for the deeply coercive and unsafe dynamics shown here.

James, M.R.: The Ash-Tree

Spiders with baby heads eat a dude.

Jones, Diana Wynne: Black Maria

On the surface, Aunt Maria seems like a cuddly old lady, all chit-chat and lace doilies and unadulterated NICEness!

When Mig and her family go for a short visit, they soon learn that Aunt Maria rules the place with a rod of sweetness that’s tougher than iron and deadlier than poison. Life revolves around tea parties, while the men are all grey-suited zombies who fade into the background, and the other children seem like clones.

The short visit becomes a long stay, and when all talk of going home ceases, Mig despairs! Things go from bad to worse when Mig’s brother Chris tries to rebel, but is changed into a wolf.

Mig is convinced that Aunt Maria must be a witch – but who will believe her? It’s up to Mig to figure out what’s going on. Maybe the ghost who haunts the downstairs bedroom holds the key?

Katsu, Alma: The Fervor

A psychological and supernatural twist on the horrors of the Japanese American internment camps in World War II.

1944: As World War II rages on, the threat has come to the home front. In a remote corner of Idaho, Meiko Briggs and her daughter, Aiko, are desperate to return home. Following Meiko's husband's enlistment as an air force pilot in the Pacific months prior, Meiko and Aiko were taken from their home in Seattle and sent to one of the internment camps in the West. It didn’t matter that Aiko was American-born: They were Japanese, and therefore considered a threat by the American government.

Mother and daughter attempt to hold on to elements of their old life in the camp when a mysterious disease begins to spread among those interned. What starts as a minor cold quickly becomes spontaneous fits of violence and aggression, even death. And when a disconcerting team of doctors arrive, nearly more threatening than the illness itself, Meiko and her daughter team up with a newspaper reporter and widowed missionary to investigate, and it becomes clear to them that something more sinister is afoot, a demon from the stories of Meiko’s childhood, hell-bent on infiltrating their already strange world.

Inspired by the Japanese yokai and the jorogumo spider demon, The Fervor explores a supernatural threat beyond what anyone saw coming; the danger of demonization, a mysterious contagion, and the search to stop its spread before it’s too late.

King, Stephen: Misery

Paul Sheldon, author of a series of historical romances, wakes up in a secluded farmhouse in Colorado with broken legs and Annie Wilkes, a disappointed fan, hovering over him with drugs, ax, and blowtorch and demanding he bring his heroine back to life

Lermontov, Mikhail: A Hero of Our Time (Last Chapter)

The last chapter of A Hero of Our Time is titled The Fatalist - someone who holds the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable. The characters in it are debating whether or not Fatalism is a valid worldview, and Lieutenant Vulic decides to test it. He states that everything is predetermined and our actions do not matter, loads the gun, points it at his forehead and pulls the trigger. Nothing happens. Later that same night Vulic gets killed by a drunk Cossack.

In high school we had to write multiple essays on this chapter and argue whether or not we think free will exists and is Fatalism valid. It caused me a huge existential crisis. I recommend reading this chapter if you are in mood for a crisis, as it is short, free and available online here https://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/myl/hero.htm

Lewis, Richard: The Spiders

Imagine a spider as big as a Goliath bird-eater with masticating jaws, venom that first paralyzes and then kills, a hard crabshell-like exoskeleton, and two evil eyes that you can see looking at you. Now imagine that's just the drone in a social system similar to an ant or bee colony — its job is to find food and bring it back to the hive, which consists of some even larger spiders and an enormous queen. This is what the protagonists of the book have to deal with in order to save England, where the spiders are slowly advancing from the country into the cities.

Machiavelli, Niccolò: The Prince

The single most famous political treatise and the first entirely secular work of The Renaissance. At the time it was first published, The Prince was seen as extremely scandalous for its endorsement of ruthlessness and amorality. Nevertheless, it quickly became popular with politicians and remains highly influential in Western politics today. While best known for the quote "And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved," he also emphasized the importance of inspiring love and respect, or at least not inspiring hatred. It is not a guide to how to most effectively be an asshole; it is simply a treatise in exercising political pragmatism. The fact that people like to connect those two ideas, that is what makes this Webby.

Maugham, Somerset: The Magician

The Magician is about a soon-to-be-married couple, Margaret and Arthur, crossing paths with the titular magician, Oliver Haddo, and getting their lives turned upside down. Oliver uses his knowledge of arcane magic to seduce Margaret, get her to run away with him, and to completely suppress her free will. Her friends find her and help her escape but she is almost catatonic until one night she feels Oliver's call and runs away again, unable to resist. Throughout the novel Oliver Haddo is often described as weaving webs of lies and manipulation, and his charisma allows him to effectively manipulate any crowd.

Muir, Tamsyn: Gideon the Ninth

(Keeping it vague bc spoilers) one of the characters is not what they seem and has been pulling strings and manipulating people the whole time to get what they want. All the twists and turns in the book also feel very web adjacent.

Nabokov, Vladimir: Lolita

Awe and exhilaration—along with heartbreak and mordant wit—abound in Lolita, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsession for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America.

Most of all, it is a meditation on love—love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation.

Orwell, George: Nineteen Eighty-Four

It tells the story of Winston Smith, a citizen of the miserable society of Oceania, who is trying to rebel against the Party and its omnipresent symbol, Big Brother.

 The Party desires absolute control over the citizens to the point where they try to change the language to make sure the people cannot even think of rebellion. That is extremely Web.

Pinborough, Sarah: Breeding Ground & Feeding Ground

The world is changing. Women everywhere are giving birth to a new life form — hideous spidery nightmares that live to kill — and feed. As England becomes a series of web-shrouded ghost towns, those left alive must band together in order to survive and find a way to fight back . . . In a sleepy English village Matt Edge and those he has gathered together head for a secret government facility in the hope of finding refuge and answers there, only to find some of their problems are just beginning. In London, a group of schoolboys must take on a crazed drugs lord, determined to create an empire from the wreckage of the city, in order to escape . . . . . . and everywhere, for each of them, the Widows are waiting . . .’

Pinkwater, Daniel: Young Adult Novel

The Wild Dada Ducks members cause all sorts of mischief around their junior high school, but although the boys are not bad, they like to pretend that they are true dadaists with unintentional and irrational behavior. This story centers around their ongoing story of Kevin Shapiro, a character they invented to explore nihilism and tragedy. When they discover that a student actually named Kevin Shapiro attends their school, they make it their mission to make him popular and succeed beyond their wildest dreams as Kevin becomes a dictator.

Pirandello, Luigi: Six Characters in Search of an Author

First performed in 1923, this intellectual comedy introduces six individuals to a stage where a company of actors has assembled for a rehearsal. Claiming to be the incomplete, unused creations of an author's imagination, they demand lines for a story that will explain the details of their lives. In ensuing scenes, these "real-life characters," all professing to be part of an extended family, produce a drama of sorts — punctuated by disagreements, interruptions, and arguments. In the end they are dismissed by the irate manager, their dilemma unsolved and the "truth" a matter of individual viewpoints.

A tour de force exploring the many faces of reality, this classic is now available in an inexpensive edition that will be welcomed by amateur theatrical groups as well as students of drama.

Pratchett, Terry: Witches Abroad

The villain rules her fairy-tale kingdom with an iron fist, using coercive magic and the force of law alike to ensure that everyone follows out the narrative threads she has assigned them. Toymakers must be cheerful and whistling, wolves must be lurking in the woods to assault guileless travelers, and cinder-sweeping girls must marry the prince -- whether they want to or not.

***

Once upon a time there was a fairy godmother named Desiderata who had a good heart, a wise head, and poor planning skills—which unfortunately left the Princess Emberella in the care of her other (not quite so good and wise) godmother when DEATH came for Desiderata. So now it's up to Magrat Garlick, Granny Weatherwax, and Nanny Ogg to hop on broomsticks and make for far-distant Genua to ensure the servant girl doesn't marry the Prince.

But the road to Genua is bumpy, and along the way the trio of witches encounters the occasional vampire, werewolf, and falling house (well this is a fairy tale, after all). The trouble really begins once these reluctant foster-godmothers arrive in Genua and must outwit their power-hungry counterpart who'll stop at nothing to achieve a proper "happy ending"—even if it means destroying a kingdom.

 What the bad guy in this book is trying to do, that is molding an entire kingdom into perfect fairy-tale roles, is imo extremely Web plan.

Pratchett, Terry and Neil Gaiman: Good Omens

The book is filled with references to double agents and Cold War era spying. Both sides of the angelic war are trying to manipulate the other, and everything is being predicted by a rare book passed down for generations. There's also continuous talk of G-d's ineffible plan, which is never fully explained but might be pulling some strings.

Punko: Stagtown

The goop below makes me do shit

Shakespeare, William: Macbeth

The play takes place in the Scottish Highlands. Fresh from putting down a rebellion against King Duncan, Lord Macbeth meets three witches who hail him as the future king. His scheming and ambitious wife convinces him to make the prophecy come true by killing Duncan.

 Well, it's a play so we already get Web theatre motives. And like is Macbeth in control of his life is he not controlled by witches, by fate, by his wife I think this is a Web story.

Sophocles: Oedipus Rex

The whole point of the tragedy is that no one can fight fate. No matter the lengths everyone goes through to avoid the prophecy, it still comes true.

White, E.B.: Charlotte's Web

Okay, so it's not the scariest book. However, the plot is ultimately about a spider using cunning words and showmanship to persuade a bunch of humans to do her bidding. That's statement material for sure.

***

The titular Charlotte saves Wilbur, a runt pig from slaughter by writing words in her web and making him famous. At the end of the novel, Wilbur wins a special prize at the country fair thanks to Charlotte, and she dies, leaving her spider eggs to Wilbur.

It's not just that Charlotte's a spider, she is actually a genuinely good web avatar. She manipulates a whole farm, and then a town into thinking Wilbur is something special so he doesn't get killed. She literally weaves a web. She is very dedicated to Wilbur's success, so much so that when she dies, it's sort implied that she kept herself alive until Wilbur was confirmed to be survive and the farm wouldn't kill her

Wong, David: This Book is Full of Spiders

It's all there in the title! The book is full of spiders that attack and control people, spreading through the population like a zombie plague.

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