#Tutorial (Media Genre)

[thekimspoblog]

Is the video game really subverting its genre? Are you sure it's not just doing clever things within its genre, because otherwise the game would be boring and unchallenging and say nothing interesting? I'm just saying, it's cool and all that the internet allows horror game fandoms to overflow into eachother, but not EVERY 2 hour video essay needs to be spent breathlessly sucking off the devs. Sometimes a game is just REGULAR difficult and REGULAR high-quality.

Besides RPGs made over a decade ago, what is the thing supposedly subverting? Clearly not other contemporary indie horror games, because there is clearly a convergent ethos forming of cosmic horror and beginners' traps; that's just what the genre looks like nowadays.

[messyoungie]

hobbies to consider for 2025

・゜゜・．⋆｡°✩ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊✩₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ✩°｡⋆.𖥔. ᗢ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

painting

gouache, watercolor, acrylic… there’s so many things for you to try and it’s super easy to get started!

clay

sculpt rlly cute charms, dishes, and whatever else!!

scrapbooking

great way to look back on memories and lets you get rlly creative with it

journaling

my personal favorite ♡. so many different ways to go about it. you can have a bullet journal, book journal, cooking journal, movie journal. or, simply a diary to write about your thoughts and days. you can decorate your spreads with stickers and washi tape or keep it simple.

crocheting

there are so many things you could make, from tops to plushies. there are a lot of cute tutorials and free designs available online!

baking

this one may or may not be as easy as the other ones I’ve mentioned depending on the recipe but learning how to cook or bake makes for a great New Year’s resolution!

puzzles

there are a ton of different puzzles out there ranging from different skill level, so you can challenge your brain as much as you’d like!

sewing

whether you want to learn how to hand sew or use a sewing machine, to tailor clothes you already have or make your own pieces, sewing can be a fun and impressive skill to have.

playing an instrument

guitar, violin, piano, clarinet, drums— there are a ton of options for you to choose from and plenty of online resources :)

reading

reading can be a great way to learn more or be a better form of entertainment compared to social media and television. whether you want to educate yourself on different topics, discover a new genre of novels, or are interested in comics— reading is one of those hobbies where there’s something in it for everyone, regardless of what they’re looking for.

jewelry making

bracelets or necklaces, whatever it is you want to make the materials are easy to find, as well as tutorials and references.

bicycling

having an outside hobby is very important imo, and bicycling is one of those hobbies that lets you be as relaxed or intense as you’d like.

yoga

I think this is a great one, with yoga the focus doesn’t have to be looking a certain way or going super hard— it’s just about relaxing. there’s no pressure.

[ohnoitstbskyen]

What are some resources for people who want to better get into and analyze character design? I’ve been seeing posts in relation to a franchise I enjoys character design, and unlike a lot of people, I’d like to have my opinion be a bit more informed.

I always struggle to answer this kind of thing because my answer is "read a lot of criticism and maybe get a humanities degree in something."

This is art, so it's not really... there isn't really a handbook for this stuff. Everything in character design is utterly contextual, basically every rule that's true in one place is reversed in another.

I wish there were some books I could recommend, but the trouble is every time I've tried a book claiming to be "about character design" they tend to devolve into art tutorial books, or only speak to one very specific genre, or are more like personal treaties from specific artists outlining their specific approach.

All of these can be useful, to be clear! I'm not saying they're not worthwhile books. But I've yet to find something that addresses what people usually seem to be asking for, which is something like a learner's guide, or a kind of "introduction to character design."

ngl about five minutes away from deciding to write a book on character design myself, at least the very, very basics, it bothers me that somebody smarter than me hasn't done it yet

Most of what you need in order to understand and critique character design, though, you will find in art and literary history and in media studies of various forms. Learning a bit about semiotics is useful, learning a bit about media criticism and critical scholarship is useful.

Character design is a big complicated soup of things, so there's a big complicated list of ingredients that go into it. Read broadly, study broadly, the more things you understand and are familiar with, the more complex your thinking about design can become.

[cxvii666]

“93 'Til Infinity”

college au! denki kaminari + hanta sero x reader

“gettin' weeded makes it feel like maui, now we feel the good vibrations, so many females, so much inspiration.”

wc: 2.6k

technically a part 2 of hoe cakes but could be read as a stand-alone

cw: mature, mentions of sex, implied sex, everyone is implied bisexual, recreational-drug usage, bad language, good times to come

starting track...

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺

....

"it was definitely for me."

"dude, are you fucking kidding? it was definitely for me-"

"what the hell are you talking 'bout? i was the one that spoke to her."

"yeah, but you didn't see the look she gave me."

it was about two days later. early evening still, and hanta sero had the brilliant idea of going to the park to watch the sunset. he and denki kaminari had missed class that day. it was a friday, and, in denki's words, why should we waste a perfectly good friday being stuck in some pointless lit tutorial.

but yeah, hanta had been on his reconnecting with nature bullshit again.

as in, he'd been offline, no minecraft or running duos on valorant, deleted all his social media, his screen time was at an all time low, and instead of sparking up and jerking off, he's slap his headphones on and go smoke and skate in the park.

at first denki had been sick of it. hanta does this all time, it only lasts for about three months, then he gets bored, re-downloads instagram and the cycle repeats itself.

but right now, he can see the appeal.

the sunset is beautiful, the sky painted in hues of pink and orange. the air is still, the park is basically deserted, they're far enough out from any main roads, so all they can hear is the rustle of the trees and the occasional chirping of birds mixed in with their own music.

denki doesn't even know the genre, some sort of underground nameless hiphop, lofi, rap, shit that hanta listens to, with the bass turned up so high, that if he concentrates denki can feel the thrum of the baseline vibrating through his body. they have a joint, a can of beer and a vape to share between them.

they're debating the interaction they had with you right now though, what had happened, and which of them you had left your number for.

"what look?" denki coughs out in between drags.

the snickers hanta lets out, when denki passes him the joint back so he can take a couple hits of the vape to soothe his poor sensitive baby lungs, is mean and teasing.

the dark haired boy takes a long pull, inhales, shapes his lips, and blows thick rings of smoke right into his friends face, ignoring denki's shriek of complaint and the subsequent whack to the shoulder he receives.

"y'know," hanta says contemplatively, "the look girls give when they want you, it's like-"

he turns to face denki, careful of where the ash drops. his eyes slowly flit from one amber eye to the other, he drops his gaze to the blonde's pink lips for half a second, then back up so he's making square eye contact with him, and finishes off with a slow smile.

".....that is pure bullshit."

hanta scoffs and takes a swig of the beer, "no it's not." he burps out, "you just don't understand women like i do."

"you understand women?" the blonde replies incredulously accompanied by a raise of his eyebrow.

"yeah, well... more than you at least- AH, OW FUCK-"

hanta swears under his breath as he tries to brush off the imprint of the bottom of denki's sneaker from the side of his acid washed jeans, "these are new, fucking jackass."

"dude, shut up. y'know what, i'm gonna text her."

"yeah for sure," hanta snarks, "and say what, 'yo it's that blonde idiot from the other day—" another kick to the thigh. "what did i just say? would you stop that."

the blonde shushes him and pulls his phone out.

"are you actually texting her?" hanta takes another drag and blows the smoke out upwards, "i'm telling you, she left her number for me."

"we'll see won't we," denki grins and sticks his tongue out fingers tapping hastily away, "ok, how's this, "hey it's the blonde guy from your lit class.""

hanta rolls his eyes as denki slips his phone back into his pocket and makes grabby hand's towards the zoot.

"whatever, i bet she won't reply—" a ping from denki's phone. "no, fucking, way."

the laugh denki lets out is diabolical as he gets his phone back out with a smirk, "and you said i didn't understand women- damn, it's just mina— oh shit."

"what's she done now?"

"no, dude," denki taps hanta once to call his attention, eyes alight as he reads the text message out loud, ""why are you texting my friend you freak, lying bout being in her lit class"."

they both pause and stare at each other, "wow... small world huh."

"does that mean she's off-limits now?"

"no, what? you can't assume that, women have like autonomy and allat shit, tell mina to mind her own business."

"are you sure 'cos—" another ping from denki's phone. ""i don't take lit.""

hanta scrambles to see the screen, "no way she messaged back, let me seeee."

"nuh uh," denki replies childishly and raises his phone high above his head as he scoots back, "you don't get see this, not after you doubted me." regardless of denki's reasoning, hanta snatches the phone off of him.

"ok, okay, crying emoji, we can work with this," he passes the phone back to his disgruntled friend who scoffs at him and then hanta points to the device, "say 'are you free tonight? you wanna go over the class notes with me' umm, 'me and my friend'."

denki just blinks at him and exhales through his nose, "i am not typing that shit out, are you crazy?"

"don't even. you were the one talkin' 'bout golden opportunities," he does a poor mockery of denki's voice, "and whatnot."

"is that not a bit forward?"

"uh no? its a suggestion, she can say no, no harm no foul."

"you're fucking stupid, fine, are you free tonight-"

hanta switches off his speaker and watches as denki types out the rest of the message.

"and now, we wait."

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺

“how do you do that?”

“do what?”

it’s just gone ten pm, and the glow from denki’s string lights flickers gently, casting a warm halo over everything. the mellow hum of hip-hop floats through the air, soft and steady, like the pulse of the night. the three of you are fucking chilling.

you're sprawled on the couch, sharing a joint with hanta, who’s stretched out like he owns the place. his long legs are spread across the cushions, body languid, and his eyes—those dark, heavy-lidded eyes—have been locked on the snacks for at least ten minutes. he’s making zero effort to hide the fact that he’s thinking about them, his pretty mouth set in a slight pout like he’s debating whether to reach for them or stay cool.

he doesn’t need to do much to seem effortlessly attractive, becuit’s everything about him—the way his long lashes frame his eyes when he looks at you, the way his messy hair seems so perfect in its disarray, the way his lips are full and soft. you hate how natural it all is.

denki, on the other hand, is bouncing around the room, as always. he's got this energy that’s impossible to ignore—like a sunbeam you can’t escape. his high cheekbones catch the low light as he flips through his playlist, searching for the next song. when he looks over at you, his amber eyes sparkle with that warm mischief, the same way his smile does when it flashes your way. it's the kind of smile that makes you feel like you're the only one in the room. effortless, real, the sort of charm that feels like home.

you gesture at hanta, who’s exhaling perfect smoke rings into the dim light, the air thick with it. "how do you do that?"

“oh, how do i blow o’s? it’s actually super easy.” hanta’s voice is low, smooth, and the way he talks, the way he looks at you while he says it, makes it hard to concentrate.

he does it again, blowing another perfect ring, and god, you hate pretty boys.

everything they do, every movement is a little bit artful. the way hanta inhales and exhales, eyes dark and steady on you as he does, his lips curling just enough to make you want to stare forever. the way his long lashes hang just so, like they’re trying to hide the fact that he’s been watching you for longer than he should.

denki’s the same. if not worse. he talks to you like it’s second nature, like he’s known you forever. the ease in his voice, in the way he leans back, taking up space beside you, curling into the couch like he belongs there, makes you feel like you’ve known him all your life. there’s nothing forced about him. and when he laughs, it’s infectious, that slow spread of warmth in his voice, the gentle glow of his amber eyes lighting up the room as he looks at you.

“you want me to teach you?” he asks, his voice almost teasing but open, welcoming. like there’s nothing more natural than inviting you into his world.

it was a bad idea coming here.

but not because of them.

you talked to mina before you showed up. she told you, both of them were idiots, no filter, no shame, completely unapologetic, but... she also said they were decent guys, totally respectful, and fun as hell. so, no, it wasn’t them.

it was you. you know the type of person you are. a sucker for pretty boys. the ones with the perfect eyes, the pretty hair, the full lips that get you caught in a gaze for a second too long. the ones who smell good and look like they belong in magazines. you knew walking in that this night might be a problem. but with the way hanta’s eyes linger on you, that half-lidded gaze, with the smirk playing on his lips like he knows exactly what he’s doing—it's almost impossible to care.

you sigh, rolling your eyes, but it’s hard not to smile. “sure, show me how.”

you take the joint from him, weakly attempt to copy the moves his been pulling for the past half hour. when you cough the first time, neither comment. denki just passes you a cold bottle of sprite as he chuckles lightly, and hanta grins, taking the joint from you, that quiet smirk turning into something a little more playful. his voice is low when he speaks again, and you have to focus to hear it over the hazy fog of the room. "watch me do it first, then try to copy."

you watch, rapt, as he takes another drag, his lips forming a perfect “o” and then releasing the smoke in smooth, clean rings. and god, the way he makes it look so effortless, like it’s all part of the rhythm of him, like his body and his breath are just... synchronized. it’s hard to look away, even if you want to.

denki’s eyes catch yours, and for a moment, it’s like time stops. the dim lighting plays on your skin, making everything look like it’s coated in a soft glow. you feel the air between you and denki warm up just a little more, like you’ve crossed a line from casual to something more, even if it’s only for a second. and hanta’s still watching you, his gaze steady and intense, like he’s trying to figure you out, trying to find the parts of you you haven’t shown him yet.

denki shares a look with hanta, and without a word, they both know. you’re the one.

denki queues up another track, his fingers tapping rhythmically on his phone as he sends the song into the air. he looks at you like you’re the most interesting person he’s ever met, that easy, genuine smile of his never leaving his face.

"holy shit," you say, when the intro to the next track plays. "i love this song."

denki’s grin widens, eyes practically glowing with excitement. “shut up,” he gasps, turning toward you with an expression of pure joy. “you know Souls of Mischief?”

“of course i do,” you smile softly, genuinely glad to find common ground.

he calls your name, and when he says, “i didn’t know you was cool like that,” it’s not just a compliment—it’s a declaration.

“what does this even mean?” hanta interjects, his mouth full of chocolate, but his eyes are low as they shift between the two of you. "‘93 till?”

you glance away from where you’d been staring at the stars on denki’s ceiling, feeling his warmth next to you as he leans in close, and you answer smoothly, “it’s like chilling, rolling up, and just enjoying the moment... from now till... forever.”

“exactly.” denki’s grin softens, and he passes you the joint again, his fingers brushing against yours. "i feel like... this life we live, it’s ours, y’know? we can do whatever we want, and we can enjoy it from now till forever-"

you nod, feeling the weight of his words sink in, but then he suddenly stops, mid-thought, pulling a vape out of his pocket.

“… like?”

“oh, no. i’m done.”

“that’s some really profound shit, denks.” hanta calls out from your other side.

it’s not that funny, but it’s the weed, and the moment is too good to not laugh at. you let out a laugh, and denki’s laughter is contagious. when he laughs, it’s all in—his whole body shaking with it. you can’t help but laugh with him, and when he slaps hanta’s shoulder, you’re both lost in the moment, caught up in the sheer joy of it all.

"soooo," the blonde rolls the word around once he's composed himself, and calls your name out in his playful drawl, you mumble in reply, "we have a proposition for you."

"wait," hanta interrupts, leaning back in his spot, still casually holding the blunt between his fingers as he exhales, thick clouds floating upward. “ask her the question first.”

“what questi—oh, OH, the question,” denki turns to face you, suddenly all serious, as if what he’s about to ask is going to change the entire mood. “we’ve been debating this amongst our friend group.”

you raise an eyebrow. “right…”

“and, hmm,” denki tilts his head, scanning your expression as if weighing the way you’ll respond. “i guess your answer might be different ‘cause you're a girl, but would you rather, have a threesome with two guys or two girls?"

you blink, processing the unexpected shift. then, with a smirk, you deadpan, “that is definitely a question.” hanta snickers from where he’s sprawled beside denki, his face half-lit by the flickering light.

“is that the only two options?” you ask casually, exhaling smoke and looking between them both.

“what do you mean?” denki asks, his brow furrowed, genuinely curious.

“as in like, is this tmi?” you shrug, “actually, I don’t care. I’ve had a threeway with two other girls—”

“really?” denki’s voice holds genuine surprise, his eyes widening slightly.

“yeah,” you nod, your tone light, almost playful. “and that was actually pretty fun.”

“i can imagine—” denki starts, but hanta slaps the back of his neck, cutting him off. you let out a short laugh, “f'cking joke, dude.”

denki grins, rubbing the spot where hanta slapped him. “but no, this is a particular scenario,” he continues, regaining his composure. “like, technically, i'm pronoun-fluid, but in this hypothetical, it’s either two guys and one girl or two girls and one guy.”

as hanta passes you the blunt, you take a moment to think. The smoke curls lazily around you, and the room feels a bit hazy, just the right amount of weight in the air.

denki gives his own opinion as an example. “like, i said two guys, because i feel like I’d run out of stamina. i wouldn’t want to leave either girl unsatisfied just ‘cos i can’t keep up.”

“you know what,” hanta calls out, drawing denki’s attention as he turns to face him, “that is actually a pretty decent point.”

“exactly! and y’all were clowning me earlier, but I’m thinking logically.” denki looks pleased with himself, leaning back and stretching out a little more.

you take a slow drag, exhaling thoughtfully, “are the two guys doing stuff with each other or—”

“well, i dunno. denki, you wanna get it on with me?” hanta shoots back, his voice smooth, the playful edge in his voice underpinned by something raw.

“hundred percent I’d get it on with you—I’m receiving though,” denki says with a wink.

“y’know it,” hanta grins, his eyes glinting with amusement.

but you cut in before the banter goes further, “or, are they ‘sharing’ the girl?”

“well, when you put it like that,” denki scrunches his face in mock distaste, “it sounds kinda asshole-ish, but... I mean, sharing is caring.”

you and hanta snort at the same time, exchanging a glance. then you lean in, eyes narrowing playfully, “wait, why are you even asking me this?”

“oh yeah,” hanta remembers, suddenly deadpan, “we were gonna ask you if you wanted to bang us.” his words come out blunt, but not unkind, as he leans down onto the table, casually ashing the joint.

maybe it’s the weed kicking in, or the way denki has his arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer in that effortless, warm way. but you feel a strange calm settle over you, and you just mock gasp. “no, fucking way.”

“yes, fucking way,” denki chimes in, that grin returning, full of mischief.

but it’s hanta who catches your eye, his gaze steady, more thoughtful. he speaks quietly, carefully, “it doesn’t have to be right now.”

denki gives a lazy nod of agreement. “think it over. the offer’s on the table.”

you roll your eyes, still trying to figure out if this is all some strange, blurry dream. "oh yeah?”

hanta, noticing the subtle shift in your expression, tilts his head slightly. “i finish work early next saturday,” you say, voice smooth, a playful challenge in the words. you can feel the tension in the room, and your pulse quickens slightly at the thought of their presence lingering longer.

“hanta—” denki starts, but sero interrupts.

already on his phone, opening his work schedule, he says, “hold on, i'm checking— it's my one free sa turday this month... let’s fucking go.”

"let’s fucking gooo,” denki cheers, his grin brightening even more.

you snicker, shaking your head. “no way we just scheduled a threesome.”

“yeah, babe,” denki says, the pet name slipping so naturally from his lips. his easy, laid-back vibe pulls you in even more, and the way he leans back into the couch, content, like nothing in the world could faze him. “that’s how we roll.”

“Is it really?” you ask, half-sarcastic, raising an eyebrow.

“he’s joking,” hanta says, dismissing denki with a casual wave of his hand. “ignore him. his body count’s like... two.”

"two and a half,” denki corrects, matter-of-factly.

“oh, yeah, my bad gang,” hanta says with a dramatic exhale, tone dripping with sarcasm. “two point five.”

“how can you have half a body?”

"oh, you're gonna love this story..."

...end of playback

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺

next track ▷ nokia

[renthony]

On "Consuming Content"

Every now and then a post crosses my feed that follows the vein of, "you have to do things other than consume media or else you'll be a dumb person who doesn't know anything about how the real world works and does nothing but pointless fandom stuff."

I hate those posts for three major reasons, not counting the inherent ableism and classism of "you must have approved Smart People hobbies or else you're worthless" rhetoric:

You don't know what people do or talk about outside of what you see on their social media. Responding to fandom communities on a fandom-driven website as if all these people are one-note cardboard cutouts of people is asinine. In many cases this genre of post feels like repackaged 2012 tumblr "not like other girls" and hipster discourse. Yes, yes, you think you're better than everyone else on this website because your hobbies are less mainstream, more morally pure, and have greater intellectual merit, we get it.

What do you even mean by consuming content? As someone who purposely avoids using the phrase "consuming content" because I find the term too vague to be useful, please be more specific. Are you including every single form of media engagement and art enjoyment? Are you just talking about mainstream TV and film? What about novels? Plays and scripts? Nonfiction books and instruction manuals? Do you mean to imply that going to a book club is a worthless non-hobby? Are you including academic reading? Are you including going to the art museum? Going to the theatre, concerts, or other performances? Taped liveshows? Watching sports events on TV? Are you including news media? Are you including YouTube tutorials about how to do various tasks, crafts, or other hobbies? Are you including trade magazines? Are you including industry publications in various fields? What constitutes "content," and what constitutes "consuming" in this discourse? Define it. "Consuming content" is a nothing phrase that people use to mean multiple different things depending on what they, personally, judge as valid media. It's a buzzword at best, and when the same buzzword can be used to describe both "idly scrolling social media" and "reading and discussing a book," it's a meaningless phrase.

As an artist and author, if engaging with media is bad and worthless, am I supposed to conclude that making it is equally worthless? If "consuming content" is a bad, lazy, worthless, fake hobby, what makes creating art a worthwhile pursuit? If I am constantly being told as an artist that engaging with media isn't a worthwhile pursuit in its own right, and the people who want to engage with my art are just brainless fandom losers, what incentive do I have to make that art anymore? Furthermore, to everyone reading this paragraph and thinking, "that's not what content creation is," I refer you to bullet #2: If the phrase "make content" can be used to mean "low-effort posts made to advertise cheap and useless products" as well as "being a novelist" or "getting a gig as a writer on a TV show," it's a meaningless phrase.

None of that is even getting into issues such as the way influencers are preyed on by both brands and targeted harassment from trolls. Influencer culture has major issues, but boiling those issues down to "stupid vapid young people who are too lazy to make real art or get real jobs" (which is a mindset I see frequently online) is unhelpful. So many people pursue influencer deals because they're living in poverty but are skilled at various social media and advertising related tasks, and just like any worker, they're being exploited because they need to eat. Labor rights for influencers are a huge topic that entertainment industry unions have been actively discussing and working toward. (Related links for further info: [x] [x] [x] [x])

"Consuming content is not a hobby" is a worthless statement unless you define what you mean by both "consuming" and "content." Quite frankly, you also need to define "hobby," because if you're putting requirements on what is and isn't allowed to be a "real" hobby, you mostly just seem like you're moving goalposts and defining "worthwhile hobby" as "hobby I, personally, think is good." Use more specific language to articulate your actual problems with the entertainment industry, the art world, influencer culture, or whatever else you're actually upset by.

Media and fandom can involve any number of enriching, satisfying hobbies that take up a perfectly acceptable and healthy space in someone's life. If you aren't into it, go find hobbies you do like and stop policing how other people spend their precious free time in this nightmare hellscape of a world.

[winwintea]

stop posting about BALLER - zhong chenle

PAIRING ↬ boyfriend!zhong chenle x reader

GENRES ↬ pure crack idk... fluff, romance, some angst if you look in between the lines, chenle loves basketball more than you. unfortunately.

AUTHOR'S NOTE ↬ inspired by a fic i read on ao3, a tiktok i watched where op got mad at their boyfriend for having headphones in while making out, plus my post here. and also chenle's recent fanboying activity in la. ignore the title its a placeholder for now, in honor of my dear friend @syatchy london stop writing for chenle challenge

WORD COUNT ↬ 1.3K

Everyone had their hobbies. You knew your boyfriend liked basketball, you just didn’t realize he liked it that much. 

Making it your life’s goal to win over the heart of Zhong Chenle, you spent countless hours studying quizlet flashcards, watching a couple of basketball games, even trying to learn the sport as well. Although you were surprised when it didn’t take more than a few dates for you to begin dating. 

Your best friend Ning Yizhuo, on the other hand, had other ideas. 

“I just think he’s a big red flag. Who the hell puts “I’m always ballin’” as their twitter bio?” She’s sprawled across your bed, mindlessly stalking your boyfriend’s social media accounts. “What if your man loves another man more than he loves you?” 

You’re paying her no mind, working on a basketball basics test on your laptop. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs. The top two teams play each other in the conference finals, to determine the Conference Champions from each side. The winners then play in the NBA Finals. 

Yizhuo suddenly stands up, “Hello? Earth to Y/N? Are you ignoring me?” You’re about to answer your next question, until she starts waving her hands in your face.

“What the hell, Yizhuo?” You turn around annoyed. “I was locked in!”

“Studying for basketball is crazy… Just warning you Y/N. Don’t come crying to me when your boyfriend calls you Stephen Curry’s name instead of your own.” 

You punch her in the shoulder, “I swear to god-” 

But Yizhuo seemed unfazed by your attacks, continuing on, “I’m just saying from experience hon. Sports guys like him will never love you as much as he loves his balls.”

“Um.. that’s what she said.”

—

Despite Yizhuo’s warnings and what she seemed so sure of, you and Chenle clicked in a way that none of your exes ever did. If he invited you to the gym, you’d show up with a yoga mat, pretending to do Pilates while sneaking glances at him bench pressing. If Chenle said he was hungry, you’d learn how do use a frying pan, determined to whip up something edible. And if he asked you to come over, you’d throw on your best outfit, adding an extra touch of appeal, and never forget to bring a treat for Daegal.

Spending time with Chenle was easy. It seemed almost too easy, that you began to slightly question why everything seemed so perfect. 

If there were any red flags like Yizhuo pointed out, it was probably too small to see in the mix of fun times you spent together.

Times spent together usually and often ended with the two of you cuddling or making out on his couch. 

Unsurprisingly, Chenle was a really good kisser. Plus, he was good at cuddling. You had no doubts in that moment you laid eyes on him, but everything was certainly up to expectations. He knew exactly how to hold you in his arms and make you feel like you were on top of the whole damn world. 

As you leaned in closer for another this time, your hands running through his hair, you took notice of his features. His incredibly sharp jawline (mewing tutorial when?), the flushed pink splashed across his collarbones up to his cheeks, and now that he grew out his hair longer, it was much harder to see the shape of his ears-

Hold on.

You blink and then squint your eyes for a couple of seconds, hoping you’re just imagining things.

“Chenle. Are those Airpods?”

Chenle immediately pushes you off of him and then freezes.

You see every single emotion flash through Chenle’s eyes, but he’s still speechless. You’d honestly thought you’d been through the entire spectrum of men in your life, from guys who had memes tattooed on their chest to guys who brought their mother to dates to guys with an extremely interesting savior complex, but nothing could’ve prepared you for this.

Relax. You still had your dignity to protect. “What… are you listening to?” Maybe he was into listening to music while making out, maybe some relaxing sounds people used to cope with traumatic intimate experiences??? You were thinking of anything at this point, trying to brace yourself for the absolute worse. 

“Highlights” Chenle begins, looking at you nervously, “For uh, for the Warriors game.” Before you can even process the info, Chenle rambles on, “We’re so so close to a wild card spot and I wanted to turn the game on earlier, but you were talking about your project you were working on and I really wanted to listen, and right now it’s not like we’re talking about anything important, so I figured it might be alright if I-“

what the fuck… yeah shut the hell up right now please, you think as he keeps rambling, and turn around to grab a pillow behind to smack this big headed shit right in the head. 

“Ow-“ Chenle throws his hands up in defense, trying to block the pillow that comes crashing down. “What? Hey!”

“Zhong Chenle. I’m going to chop your fucking dick off.”

—

In the end, Chenle’s dick remains intact. 

After letting himself get beaten up by a pillow, he manages to get you to calm down, taking the airpods out, which makes you a little bit happier than you were before. 

Chenle leaves you on the couch to take a shower, allowing you to ponder for a bit. Were you being too restricting this way? Chenle seemed to still care about you, and didn’t want to take away time from your own interests as well. I mean… maybe you needed to get into basketball as well to fully understand. 

As you lounge on the couch, scrolling aimlessly through Pinterest, you hear the faint sound of the shower turning off. Before you know it, Chenle slips onto the couch beside you, his presence warm and comforting. In one smooth motion, he curls himself around you, arms gently wrapping around your waist as his head nestles into the crook of your neck. The familiar scent of the shampoo you gifted him lingers in the air, blending with the soft warmth of his skin. 

Your mind's racing, caught between conflicting emotions. And damn, Chenle smells incredible, which really isn’t helping right now.

A minute of silence passes before he finally speaks, his voice soft but serious. “Look, I get if you’re uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to push any boundaries. If that was too much, I won’t do it again. And if this is something that’s going to be a dealbreaker for us, I get it—we can end things here.”

“No, wait—no,” you cut in, setting your phone aside to face him. “I was just surprised, that’s all.”

Okay, it was weird. You’ll give him that. Maybe his “casual” obsession with basketball wasn’t as casual as you thought. And sure, that might be a red flag for some.

But Yizhuo’s wrong. Maybe Chenle’s got a deeper connection with his basketballs than you or whoever she’s comparing him to, but at least he’s never moaned or called you Stephen Curry in the heat of the moment.

That’s gotta count for something, right?

Yeah, maybe this wasn’t so bad. You could get used to this. Besides, he already promised he wouldn’t do it again.

Your thoughts bounce back and forth, but after a while, you break the silence with a quiet, “Did you win?”

His head lifts from your shoulder instantly, excitement buzzing in his voice. “Yeah, we did! Secured our spot in the conference finals.”

Conference finals. Oh, right. You recognize that term—studied it on Quizlet like the good, supportive partner you are.

You take a deep breath, bracing yourself, swallowing down the nervous lump in your throat. Chenle might be a bit obsessed with the sport, but he was supportive of your own goals and actually a really nice boyfriend. 

“Tell me about it.”

PERM TAGLIST ↬ @lyvhie @aquaphoenixz @galacticnct @ldh0000

[simsdaughters]

GOTH LEGACY CHALLENGE

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

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

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

RULES PER GENERATION BELOW:

GEN 1: Aristocrat Goth

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

Master the piano and violin skills.

Reach 500,000 simoleons in savings.

Master the business career.

Make enemies with at least one Landgraab.

GEN 2: Witchy Goth

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

Become a spellcaster.

Master the medium skill.

Learn all potions.

Reach lvl 5 in the gemology skill.

GEN 3: Traditional Goth

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

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

Master the guitar skill.

Volunteer at least once a week.

Befriend any occult.

GEN 4: NU Goth

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

Sell at least 5 thrifted outfits.

Join the social media career.

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

Have at least 500 followers on any social media.

GEN 5: Cyber Goth

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

Master the DJing skill.

Reach lvl 5 in the dancing skill.

Go clubbing at least once a week.

Master the programming or robotics skill.

GEN 6: Pastel Goth

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

Have an all-pastel home !

Join the Style Influencer career.

Make 5 friends.

Thrift clothes at least once.

GEN 7: Romantic Goth

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

Have a gothic wedding ceremony.

Master the writing skill.

Have a cemetery.

Romance a vampire at least once.

GEN 8: White Goth

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

Master the organ skill.

Master the painting skill.

Serenade someone at least once.

Wear white at a wedding.

GEN 9: Victorian Goth

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

Do not own any electronics, lights included.

Master the writing skill.

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

Paint at least 20 paintings.

GEN 10: Vampire Goth

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

Master the charisma skill.

Master the vampire lore skill.

Turn at least 5 sims into vampires.

Become a Master Vampire.

[howtofightwrite]

I'm writing a scene where a cultivater (chinese martial artists who fights ghosts) falls in a forest and I'm trying to figure out how someone who fights on rough terrain would train to fall. I tried looking at martial art/parkour/stunt man tutorials, but I feel like a lot of the basic techniques (rolling, and slapping the ground to distribute weight) wouldn't work well on uneven ground. I also tried looking at hiking advice but they just say to fall on your pack. Any insight?

Chinese cultivators don’t fall, they choose to reacquaint themselves with the ground.

That sounds like a joke, but the best way to understand Chinese cultivators and Chinese fantasy media is to realize that martial arts are the gateway drug to magic. And that will get you into a lot of trouble if you follow that all the way into Martial Arts Give You Superpowers, which is both the outgrowth of the western understanding of Chinese culture and a trope rife with orientalism. Cultivation seems simple on the surface when you’re watching Chinese media, but it’s more than martial arts, it’s more than religion, it’s more than mythology, (though it is all of those too) it’s a genuine transition into metaphysics that reorients how we understand and interact with the world around us. The concepts we see in cultivation come from real martial arts philosophy that you find in Tai Chi, Shaolin, and most other Chinese martial arts. They come from real religions including Daoism, Buddhism, a healthy dose of Confucianism, general mythology and mysticism from a wide range of subcultures, and, to an extent, Animism. If you aren’t doing your reading with the Eight Immortals, Journey to the West, The Legend of the White Snake, and others then you should dig in. I also really suggest watching the live action C-Dramas whether they’re true Wuxia or more Xianxia idol dramas (and in this case the idol dramas are better because the action is slower) so you can acquaint yourself with the stylized martial arts portrayals, a wide variety of choreography, character archetypes essential to motif based storytelling, and the most important aspect of all—wire work.

Understanding and conceptualizing stunt action done on wires is essential when you’re trying to visualize and create action scenes in any East Asian genre. Your first instinct might be to dismiss the stylized movement as unrealistic (it is) but remember that it’s also genre essential. Hong Kong action cinema has a very specific feel to it that’s very different from the way Western cinema structures and films their fight scenes. Even when you’re writing, you’ll want to find ways to imitate it through your visual imagery on the page.

Probably the best way to contextualize cultivators is that they’re wizards who do martial arts. They’ve learned to transcend the limitations in our understanding of reality through knowledge and study to perform superhuman feats. How superhuman? Well, it gets wild. They can be anywhere from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon/Who Rules the World fly through the trees levels to Shang Tsung’s “I’m going to slam my hell reality into your normal reality because commuting to work is too much of an inconvenience.”

Which is to say, they don’t always fight ghosts. Sometimes they fight other martial artists, sometimes they fight other cultivators, sometimes they fight demons, sometimes they fight gods, and sometimes they fight incredibly overpowered monkeys. They’re often monks living in seclusion on a mountaintop, but not always. Cultivation is more of a state of mind. Anyone can do it if they learn how to absorb spiritual energy from the world around them through meditation and breathing exercises. Gods cultivate. Humans cultivate. Animals cultivate. Remember, the demons and the ghosts cultivate too. Sometimes, your master gets reincarnated as a demon. Sometimes, you do. The amount of wacky spellcasting you can do is dependent on how much energy you’ve cultivated, which is dependent on how old you are and how good at cultivation you are. Using the power means you need to cultivate more energy, the greater the spell or difficult the battle then the more energy is lost.

This is important to the question of: how does a cultivator fall?

Metaphorically? Existentially? Physically?

When we’re talking physically, wire work becomes very important. Think of your cultivator as being on wires. If they have the knowledge and understanding to do it, they can slow their own fall through the air to land harmlessly on the ground or twist over like a cat and launch themselves back off the ground to fly at their opponent in a counter attack. If they have the knowledge and understanding, they can teleport. If they lack the knowledge and understanding or want to trick their opponent, they can hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. If they’re relying on basics, they can also smack the ground to counter and spread out the impact then use the momentum from that fall to roll back onto their feet. They’ll do it no matter what terrain they’re on because it’s a basic technique that’s trained into their foundation to the point it’s a reflexive action. Any force distributed away from, and reducing impact on, important body parts like your spine is better than nothing. It’s better to sacrifice your arm than be paralyzed. At its heart, that’s the point of the technique. If you’re able to walk away with a functioning spine, it’s done its job. Your shoulder hurts? That’s normal. Your arm is sprained or broken? Sucks, but that’s better than the alternative that is paralysis and death. For reference, learning to fall was the first lesson my Wushu instructor ever taught me. It is that basic.

A lot of the time when portraying cultivators in media, the goal is to show them as being beyond the limitations of standard martial artists. How vast the gap is between the cultivator and the average human is dependent on both the setting and the cultivator. So, the average martial artist who possesses superhuman talents but hasn’t dedicated themselves to a life of cultivation and cultivators who are new to the path are going to be on the rung below and more likely to be knocked on their ass. Cultivators in the mid-range are more likely to have crafted or trained in solutions to being knocked on their ass which put them in a less vulnerable position while recovering and empowered/enhanced their martial arts. Cultivators in the top tier are usually straight up masters at spellcasting, if they deign to fight at all. Gravity need not apply. Rember, the time it takes you to hit the ground and roll to your feet is time your opponent has to launch a counter attack or move to a better position. Also, it means you’ve taken your eyes off your opponent. This is bad enough against a normal human opponent. Against another mostly immortal or ancient magic user this risks a terrible outcome.

Cunning and strategy are both as important as skill. Wisdom, knowledge, and hard work outweigh talent and raw potential. You’ll have to decide how esoteric you want to be and what limits you want to set. I really urge you to do this because the danger of power creep is real and especially prominent here. A character’s growth in power is often linked to their growth in character or their arc, as they gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them their skill increases. The self-discovery/self-reflection/self-interrogation/intense suffering to reach enlightenment portion is just as important and intrinsic to the martial arts portion of Martial Arts Give You Superpowers. It’s easy to focus on the Superpowers or the Martial Arts parts of the equation and miss the genre necessity of character growth. This growth often happens through heaps of steadily increasing trauma. Or, failing to undergo that by being too powerful and thus unable to progress is the joke like it is in Qi Refining for 3000 Years. (Go to hell, Bai Qiuran, you hilariously overpowered monstrosity.)

The irony is that the trajectory in character growth is the same trajectory the average student experiences when practicing martial arts. The only difference is that the power arc is inflated. This includes overcoming ingrained truths that you believe about yourself, about your own abilities, what you believe yourself to be capable of (both good and bad,) about your biases toward yourself and other people, your biases about reality in general, your understanding of good and evil, the potential upending of right and wrong, and facing the greater complexity found in the world at large. The stripping away of these illusions, coming to terms with uncomfortable realizations in a more complicated world, and the gaining of new understanding and confidence are vital to that growth.

Skill isn’t just represented in the power creep, it’s also found in a character’s sophistication and complexity in their approach to combat and life in general. Their awareness both of themselves and of other people, their ability to read intentions, their predictive abilities, their complexity in initiating their own strategy and tactics while also recognizing and countering the plans of others. It’s their insight into human nature and their cunning. It’s not enough to be powerful. The world is full of powerful people and not so powerful people who have the capacity to be just as dangerous. This isn’t Goku and Freeza slamming into each other while the planet explodes in nine minutes. You also need to be smart. It’s also not about being a better person. It’s about being a self-aware person. A person who is self-actualized. Monkey’s growth is in his awareness of the world around him through his experiences and in approaching problems differently rather than becoming less of a little shit. If you grow up in the West, one of the issues you’re going to face is thinking of these hurdles as materialistic rather than emotional or intellectual.

A lot of Western media misinterprets the concepts of “giving up” as physical sacrifice. One of the popular examples is physically sacrificing the person we love. In order to have enlightenment, we must be separated from them. We can’t physically be with them anymore. Whereas under a Buddhist structure, what we are actually sacrificing is our own ignorance, our own preconceptions, and beliefs that keep the world comfortable. Under this structure, we’re sacrificing our preconceived notions of who our loved one is. The person that we invented when we first met and we must force ourselves to come to terms with who they really are. The outcome of this isn’t necessarily going to be bad, but it’s still painful. The person we think we love could be perfectly wonderful. However, they’re not who we imagined. If we choose to hold onto the illusion we created, to ignore the realization that the illusion is the person that we love, we’ll only end up causing ourselves and our loved one more pain. We must fall in love with them all over again. Coming to terms with that is painful. All pain comes from ignorance. In sacrificing, letting go of, or overcoming our ignorance, we grow.

These are the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual challenges necessary for a cultivator because they allow the cultivator to level up. Yes, level up. Whether this is coming from the influx of gaming culture into media at large or because the concept synergizes with the Buddhist goal of progressing through the Six Realms toward nirvana, leveling up is how a cultivator’s increasing power is often depicted. Of course, once we reach the next level we can’t go back except by falling or failing and are no longer the person we once were. This then gets mixed in with Daoist principles of finding divine understanding by living in harmony with the universe. The more understanding we gain of the world, the more energy we can absorb as a result, but our original goals may be lost or changed in the process. If a character begins their journey on the path of revenge, their newfound contextualization of the situation that caused them immense pain may force them to give that revenge up or find they don’t want revenge anymore.

Failure is also an option and often a common part of the story. These stories usually follow characters through multiple lives and rebirths over hundreds and even thousands of years, especially if they’re also gods. This is the existential fall. The fall to the Dark Side. All our heroes are going to go through it at least once. This is also why a lot of Chinese media ends in tragedy with hope for the next round.

-Michi

This blog is supported through Patreon. Patrons get access to new posts three days early, and direct access to us through Discord. If you’re already a Patron, thank you. If you’d like to support us, please consider becoming a Patron.

[solargeist]

Random but how long have you been drawing, Solar? Or are you one of those people who’s always drawn? Your art is so gorgeous, it’s like my ideal style. You have such a range and it’s so coool!! So I’m curious how long it’s taken you to get to where you are now:))

HII THANKUUUUU 🫶🫶🫶🫶💥💥💥

yesh I thiiink I am one of those people that’s drawn their whole life but like, as a little kid it was just satisfying to do, I wasn’t trying to actually make anything or improve hahaha

it wasn’t until I was around 10 that I got really into anime, especially the shojo genre, so I actually sought out drawing tutorials, but back then there really wasn’t much to work with ok 😩

i didn’t get a drawing tablet until I was around 14 though, and despite doing digital art since then, I was stagnant through my teens and didn’t try to actually learn until i was in my 20s. I’m still not great at a lot of things despite the time frame, so make sure to always study !!! I’ve seen people improve like crazy within a year or two, it’s really impressive.

(Of course, always remember to stretch and Have Fun, takes breaks. ALSO imo to make media you gotta digest media, so it’s good to seek out animations and art to absorb or take inspiration from 👍👍, Kiki’s Delivery Service is my favourite analogy for being an artist 😭)

[wintersangelic]

how to turn your spotify playlists into cds! (tutorial under cut)

hey dolls! shout out to @lolita-cain for recommending i drop this tutorial! here's how to turn your spotify playlist into a cd!

what you'll need

a BLANK cd-r

an external cd drive that can burn cds (if your computer doesn't already come with one!)

windows media player (this tut's going to use windows media player legacy bc i find it more aesthetically pleasing)

Avery CD labels (optional, for decorating)

an inkjet printer (optional, for decorating)

a spotify playlist

let's start!

Part One: Making The Playlist

Find your spotify playlist for inspo. You're gonna need to do this the old fashioned way, and download songs as MP3s onto your computer. I recommend doing this by using a youtube to mp3 converter site! there's a bunch out there, find one that works for you!

When you have your mp3 files downloaded, open up windows media legacy player (as I call it, WMLP). Drag and drop your files (one at a time!) into WMLP! Each file will come up with a blank album cover + "unknown album", "unknown artist," "unknown genre," "unknown year." You can right click to edit all of that information! In order to replace the blank album cover, copy the desired image by right-clicking and hitting "copy image" (ctrl-c doesn't work for this). Right-click on the blank album cover, and hit "replace album art." You may get a notice saying something along the lines of "this art can't be replaced while the song's in use", despite the song not currently playing. You'll be fine, the album art will automatically change as soon as you click out of editing that track's information.

Create a playlist by hitting the "Create playlist" button at the top of the WMLP screen! Come up with a name for your playlist.

Add songs to the playlist by right-clicking their names, hovering over "Add to", and clicking the name of the playlist! If you can't find your playlist name, check the "Additional playlists" tab!

Part Two: Burning the Playlist

After your playlist is ready, hit the "Burn" tab in the upper-right corner of the WMLP screen. Click and drag your playlist into the space below the "Burn" tab, creating your burn list. This is what will play on your CD-R! Note: CD-Rs have limited space. Know how many minutes your CD-R can play before burning!

Plug your CD-R drive in, and load your blank CD-R in the drive. Click the button that says "Start burn" in the top-right corner.

Wait for your CD-R to finish burning! WMLP will tell you when it's finished. You can also set up WMLP so that after a CD-R is finished burning, it automatically ejects from the CD-R drive!

Part Three: Decorating!

You can decorate your CD-R however you want, just make sure to only decorate the top side, and use products meant for decorating CD-Rs! This tutorial is going to use Avery CD labels for decorating!

Avery CD label sheets will tell you to visit the Avery website's templates page, and what digital templates are compatible with the physical sheet.

Play around with the digital template! Get to know its features!

When you're done with your design, hit "preview & print" in the lower-right corner.

Click "get pdf to print."

Click "open pdf."

Before you hit the print button, load the label sheet into the printer face-down. When in doubt, print a test page on regular paper!

If done correctly, your CD design will print on the right side of the label sheet! Peel it off, and place it onto the top of your blank CD-R!

Part Four: You're done, happy listening!! Good luck, I'll do my best to answer any questions!

[sl-vega]

meet the bands!-introducing: C✧LESTIA

☆ y/n-the guitarist and founder of the band. Ever since you picked up a used guitar at your local music shop, you haven't been able to stop playing. You're completely self-taught, but you've managed to make it this far with only YouTube tutorials and improv so you must have some talent (of course a certain purple-haired bastard would beg to differ)

✯ lumine-the vocalist and co-founder of C✧LESTIA (not to mention your childhood bestie!). Her and her brother both took singing lessons when they were younger so she was the first (and only) person you went to when you needed a vocalist. She's the big sister of the group, and when she's not rehearsing for a gig or tuning her instrument, you can find her nagging her brother.

𓄼 furina-C✧LESTIA's bassist and former president of the drama club. She's the most recent addition to the band. Furina got into music after losing her passion for acting and she's proven to be an amazing asset to the band, and an amazing friend. Due to her former acting career, she can usually pull some strings to get you guys into certain venues.

❥ kokomi -C✧LESTIA's keyboard player, and proud member of the chess club. Despite her cute and lady-like demeanor, Kokomi adores war-games and anything involving cunning strategy. She joined when you caught her playing piano in the music room alone. Kokomi is also incredibly popular among your peers, so her joining the band immediately gave you guys a surge of popularity.

❋ yoimiya-the drummer and self-proclaimed "comedic relief" of the group. She went to middle school with you and Lumine, so when C✧LESTIA hosted auditions for a drummer, she was quick to try out. Despite having no prior music experience, she's surprisingly good at playing the drums. Her family also owns a fire-work company so she's accustomed to loud bangs and booms.

✧ mona-C✧LESTIA'S amazing manager. She claims that she only sticks around 'cuz you guys feed her, but she actually enjoys the band's company. (She won't admit this but) You guys are the first group that she's truly felt at home with, so she always risks life and limb when it comes to getting you guys gigs (even though she always plays her efforts off).

additional notes: 

-FIRST PROFILES DONE

-so proud of myself

-editing the html for this took FOREVER

-but it's worth it

-not much else that i wanna say

-just proud of this :3

masterlist

<prev ll next>

.° ༘🎧⋆₊˚ෆ-MY HEART BEATS FOR YOU

Pairing: [BASSIST!] Scaramouche x [GUITARIST!] Reader

Genre: rivals/enemies to lovers, rivals to friends to lovers, fluff, crack (?), comedy, angst (?), slowburn, high school au, band au, modern au, social media au, smau

Synopsis: You're the lead guitarist for your band, C✧LESTIA and Scaramouche is the bassist of 5WIRL. The two of your bands have a friendly rivalry, but you and Scaramouche don't. On top of being academic rivals, you and him have never been on good terms. Always one-upping each other in grades and in music. Even your bandmates have grown tired of your constant bickering with each other. But when your usual practice hub gets flooded, you and the rest of C✧LESTIA are forced to find a new place to rehearse. So when 5WIRL offers to share their studio with you who are you to refuse? Of course, this forces you to spend time with your sworn rival whether you like it or not. But maybe the two of you can overcome your differences and actually be friends?

Or maybe even more?

(OPEN) TAGLIST: @featuredtofu, @levianamor, @danfelions, @thatoneswordgirl, @lolmeowing, @bananasquash, @xiaosantenna, @glxssmemories, @kaitfae, @mujiwuji , @peaceindreams, @peaceindreams, @freyao7, @rinquin, @justpeachyteastea , @ladyninggs, @b2ne, @skyoverkill1, @scaradooche, @morallyrainyday, @adres-tia, @justadvena6, @agaygothicmushroom, @huanator, @seaofdata, @kyon-cherri, @aether-darling, @ukinya, @sketcheeee, @ibawa, @shutingstar, @eutopiastar, @kunimix, @wonderful-worlds, @ectomotive, @yourfavoritefreakyhan, @b4tm4nn, @h3xi2g0n3

[videostarblogs]

4. hime gyaru

hime gyaru, also know as princess gal, is a subculture of the broader gyaru fashion movement from Japan. it blends hyper femininity, elegance, and opulence, drawing inspiration from princesses and rococo fashion. here is a detailed breakdown of hime gyaru.

origins and development

hime gyaru emerged as a subculture of the gyaru fashion movement in the early 2000s. gyaru, which means gal is Japanese, is a youth fashion subculture that emphasizes glamour, beauty, and rebellion against traditiona; Japanese beauty standards.influences by european rococo and Marie Antoinette aesthetics, hime gyaru combines elements of japanese kawaii culture with an extravagant and princess like style. brands like Jesus diamante and Liz Lisa were instrumental in popularizing the look.

key motifs

elegant and opulent clothing: hime gyaru putifts often feature dresses and skirts with luxurious fabrics, laces, ribbons, and frills. silhouettes are typically aline or fit and flare to enhance a feminine, princess like appearance.

pastel and soft colors: the color palette includes pastel pinks, white, creams, and other soft, delicate hues that add to the fairy tale charm of the style.

statement hair and accessories: big, voluminous hair is a signature of hiem gyaru. hairsty;es often includes large curls, bouffants, and elaborate updos, sometimes adorn with tiaras, bows, and floral headpieces.

luxurious details: pearls, rhinestones, and other sparkling embellishments are common in hime gyaru fashion, both in clothing and accessories. shoes after featured high heels with bows or other decorative elements

doll like makeup: makeup is characterized by flawless, porcelain skin, dramatic false eyelashes, and gradient or glossy lips, the overall look aims to create a doll like, elegant appearances.

music

hime gyaru fashion doesn't have a very specfic music genre associated with it, but j-pop artis and idols who embrace a cute elegant style, such as kyary pamyu pamyu and AI otsuka, often resonate with the aesthetic.

here are a few other music artists I suggest personally!!!!!!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Momoiro Clover Z

Faky

Babymetal

Guso Drop

Sakura Fujiwara

Necronomidol

Mary’s Blood

Lovebites

Broken By The Scream

movies

films and media that feature princesses or luxurious, elegant settings align well with hime gyaru. movies like Marie Antoinette directed by Sofia Coppola and Disney princess films provide visual inspiration for the opulent and regal aspects of the style.

here are some other movies to watch as well!!!!!!!!!!!

Kamikaze Girls (2004)

Paradise Kiss (2011)

Boys Over Flowers (2005)

Hanayome wa Yakudoshi (2013)

Sailor Fuku to Shichinin no Kobanashi (2012)

Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi (2007)

Himitsu no Hanazono (2012)

Koibito ni Hanataba wo (2011)

Love Exposure (2008

books and other medias

manga and anime: shojo manja and anime that feature beautiful, elegant characters and romantic storylines often appeal to hime gyaru athusiasts. titles like nana ny AI yazawa and cardcaptor Sakura by clamp showcase characters with a sense of style that resonates with hime gyaru

magazines: japanese fashion magazines like ageha and egg often feature hime gyaru style, providing readers with the latest trends, makeup tutorials and hairstyle ideas.

social media: platforms like Instagram, youtube, and TikTok are vital for hime gyaru fashionistas to share their outfits, makeup routines, and diy projects. influencers and fashion icons within the community play a significant role in popularizing and evolving the style.

moodboard

outfit inspo

overall, hime gyaru is a glamorous and elegant fashion subculture that celebrates femininity, opulence and a fairytale princess aesthetic. it combines luxurious clothing, dramatic hairstyles, and doll like makeup to create a look that is both extravagant and charming.

make sure to like, reblog if you'd want, and follow my blog for more fashion breakdowns and inspo

videostar signing off.................

[ruruumin]

apollo.

₊˚ ᗢ synopsis; your childhood friend and bandmate moved away from your hometown to pursue music, leaving you behind. you break away from the punk rock scene, slowly building up your idol persona until you eventually move to tokyo, not to find love, but to find yourself.

⤷ genres/warnings; smau, band/idol au, slow burn, pining, fluff, angst, implied sexual intercourse, social media drama, scandals, toxic relationships, fem!reader.

⤷masterlist; here.

LEADER - (name)

inspired by nana osaki, she’s the leader of her girl group: Apollo which debuted one year ago with a foreign agency called Star Throne Records

having dropped out of high school from a rumor, she chose to pursue music. she was in a punk-rock band called SVNSTRS as their vocalist with lumine and two others. they disbanded after her ex-boyfriend left for tokyo. she dropped her punk aesthetic and turned to japanese pop with lumine.

her favorite vivienne westwood accessories and clothes are gifted to her by a fan.

RAPPER - lumine

inspired vaguely by nana komatsu, she’s the rapper of Apollo, and joined at the same time as (name) while also moving in with their boyfriend childe.

she finished high school without (name) while being in the same band, she was the guitarist and played for several years before moving. she was hesitant about the disbandment and felt betrayed by (name)’s ex-boyfriend and her choice to stay behind. she also dropped the punk aesthetic and changed her appearance.

LEAD DANCER - hu tao

she never expected to be an idol. she thought she would work at a convenience store for the next 30 years, so when Star Throne Records showed an interest in her dance tutorials on YouTube, they quickly contacted her. she blew up overnight with her impressive dance choreographies, and her connections manager zhongli only helped her rise to stardom.

SUB DANCER - ayaka

unlike hu tao, she wanted to be an idol from the start. she was from a small, rural town before moving to tokyo. she's popular with her old girl group, HYDR0 back home. she likes to ramble about recent shows that she watched. 

her older brother is an actor for several commercials and the two of them get compared a lot. she wants to make a name for herself. other than kokomi, no one else in the band knows about her complicated relationship with her older brother. she doesn’t want to be seen as just “ayato’s little sister” but an idol first and foremost.

VISUALS - kokomi

started out as a small time photographer for weddings and models. she met ayaka two years ago and they've been close friends ever since, sharing a love for photography and idols. 

her boyfriend, gorou, stays back in their hometown to help out his family. she visits him whenever work is slow or when she can.

NOTES & RELATIONSHIPS:

lumine worries about (name) more than anyone and finds it frustrating seeing her and a former friend be separated, yet so intertwined at the same time. she wants the two of them to suck up their pride and get together officially but understands that (name) won’t lose herself in the relationship

hu tao & (name) weren’t on very good terms at first. the latter was too standoffish during their first meeting and that impression left a bitter taste in her mouth. they only started to get along after (name) dropped a cd featuring popular rock artist, xinyan. the two of them would exchange words of praise for the artist and while (name) can be reserved, hu tao ultimately respects her privacy

ayaka & kokomi don’t have many thoughts on (name), only that she’s a talented singer from a town they’ve never heard of. they understand that something is going on between her and the guitarist, kazuha, from blank rounds but along with hu tao, they don’t want to assume anything, and choose to support her and lumine

[chaotic-orphan]

Whumpuary No.8

Which media genre do you like whump in?

The answer is all of them!!

Obviously whump writing and whump stories and drabbles have my heart, [my faves are listed here] but I love a good gif and a good piece of whump art.

Like some whump art just captures more than words can express and it’s instant, like straight to the veins, whumperflies to the brain, instant hit, mmm, mm, mmmm

Some of my fave examples below!!

NUMBER ONE IS THIS GEM!!!! It’s a german movie about Jesus coming back in the modern day but look at that delicious whump [ALSO IF ANYONE FINDS A DODGY STREAM OF THIS MOVIE PLEASE LINK ME, I HAVE LOOKED EVERYWHERE😭😭😭 and there are more whumpy scenes apparently!!!!!] it’s called Jesus Cries (2015), Actor Sabin Tambrea but look at the way he can’t even tilt his head down, yum!!

Now!!!! I love a good “Here’s how to draw whump poses” tutorial because the poses are always so whumpy and intimate!!!! And also, “whump pose references” because it does fuel that hamster getting on the wheel of whump in my brain like *bites fist* but some more concrete examples are like these—

This one by @whump-side is the reason Intoxicating fear exists… it is probably their own OC but I saw it and I was like yes, and thus Kit was born heheheh— or maybe I saw this after I did the original prompt, and I was like oh that’s Kit, but ANYWAYS!!! Lives rent free in my head all the time, and they do such good art

This one as well by @baka-satan like GUH NEED I SAY MORE???

[freakinator]

yknow in hindsight its very in character for me to get into lifesteal considering my fav life series season is last life, my fav genre of minecraft tutorials since forever are ones about traps and Especially secret bases, my fav dsmp arc is the manburg presidency, my fav hc arc is s6 prank war, my fav hc event is s6 demise, i prefer mc mods with simple yet game-changing mechanics over ones that overhaul the game, noir is my fav genre of media, ppl stuck in death games is one of my fav media tropes, and im a huge fan of gore and psychological horror

[linkablewritingadvice]

Self Publishing Promotion Advice

Once you’ve self-published a book, it can be frustrating to try and get eyes on it. How do you direct traffic to your book on Amazon or any other platform?

What NOT To Do

Never pay for “book promo” accounts or reviews.

These accounts do not attract followers that want to buy or read books in any specific genre, and they don’t curate the books they post. They do not send meaningful traffic to your book. They are a scam and a waste of money. 

More info:

Questions To Ask Book Promoters on Instagram

Book Promotion Instagram Scams

Never post a link to your book in an online group or forum without EXPLICIT permission.

The vast majority of forums, subreddits, discords, etc. for writers are constantly getting spammed by people promoting their books. Typically, this is against the rules of that community. Posting in a community in a way that violates their rules is not a good way to build recognition for your name and work. Also, you are not likely to find people who want to read your specific book by shotgun blasting your link around the internet. 

Many places do have weekly self-promo threads or other specific opportunities for writers to self-promote. Look for those and be sure to read and follow all their rules. But know that there is still a very small chance that you will find a meaningful number of readers in the population of people who happen to be skimming these self-promo threads, especially ones that are not genre specific. 

Don’t push friends and family to buy and review your book.

If people who don’t frequently read and buy books in a certain genre all visit your book’s listing right when it launches, it can confuse the algorithm and keep your book from being shown to the right people. Any money you make off people buying your book out of personal obligation will never amount to much and is not a good use of people’s time, money, or good will. 

What TO Do

Make sure your book is attractive

Good cover art and a strong tagline and blurb are critical. No amount of ads, links, swaps, etc. will help you if, once you get that visibility, people don’t like what they see. 

Look at the books that are the top sellers in your categories on Amazon. Notice trends and patterns in their covers and blurbs. Do research on what makes a strong blurb. Many online writing communities will give feedback on blurbs (be sure to read and follow their rules before posting!). 

There are a lot of free resources and courses out there on how to write a compelling blurb. Here are a few to get started:

Reedsy article

Fix My Story

Blue Ink Review

You can also hire a professional cover artist or someone with expertise in your genre to help you with your blurb.

Learn Amazon and Facebook/Meta ads

Amazon and Facebook ads are some of the most powerful ways to get your book seen by people who are likely to be interested. Like any powerful tool, there is a learning curve when it comes to making them work for you. But time spent learning this tool will ultimately be MUCH more effective than just about anything else you could try.

There are lots of people out there selling courses and books on how to use Amazon and Meta ads. My recommendation is that you start with freely available resources and then decide whether you have specific questions or want professional advice in specific areas. Some people understand the data and analytics dashboards but need help writing ad copy that drives clicks while others might need help understanding how to target ads or evaluate their success.

You can watch videos about it, like this one from Michael La Ronn or this one from David Gaughran. 

Or you can follow written tutorials, like this one at Kindlepreneur, this one from Jane Friedman, or this one from Written Word Media.

Start reading and searching around and learn as much as you can. When you are confused about something or find a gap in your knowledge, search for videos or articles that address that particular issue. 

When it comes to paid courses, I have personally enjoyed the Ad School course from Bryan Cohen, and I’ve also heard good things about Mark Dawson’s courses. The Self Publishing Titans have pretty great SEO, for what that’s worth. Always check out someone’s free resources and look at reviews of their course on other platforms before dropping big bucks.

Use Author-Specific Platforms To Attract Readers & Get Reviews

There are a number of websites that cater specifically to self published authors trying to connect with readers. Many of them work by letting you offer free review copies to readers who are interested in your genre. They read your book for free, then post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever else you want them to do so.

These sites do not guarantee readers or purchases just by doing the bare minimum - they are tools to use, and you need to learn how to use them effectively for your purposes. Read their documentation. Join the site as a reader to see what things look like from the other side.

These types of websites often cost money for premium features. Try noodling around with their free version before deciding whether it will be worth it. 

Some websites in this vein to check out:

BookSprout

BookSirens

NetGalley

Reedsy Discovery

Run a BookBub ad or promotion

BookBub is a specific website that lets people browse for books on sale. You can run ads on BookBub or use their platform to promote a sale on your book. More here: BookBub Promotion Tools

Use A Free Reader Magnet To Build A Mailing List

The website BookFunnel lets you upload a free book (or novella, or short story, etc.) that people get to download in exchange for joining your email list. This is called a lead magnet or a reader magnet. If you have a good reader magnet with an attractive cover and blurb, and you join the right swaps and promos, you can very quickly build a mailing list. 

Fun tip: Since having a cool, genre-appropriate cover is key for this, one thing I like to do for a lead magnet is browse through pre-made covers, buy one I like, then write a novella that fits that cover!

Once your lead magnet is up on BookFunnel, you can use their platform to join “swaps” or “group promos,” where your book is promoted by other people or in conjunction with other similar books. You can also post a link to your mailing list signup/book download page on your own social media or wherever else makes sense.

There are other websites that let you do this too - many of the author promo websites linked above have similar features - but I’ve only used BookFunnel, and I find it very easy to use. 

You will also need to use a general newsletter platform like MailChimp to connect to your account, but I find it pretty simple to understand once you’re setting things up. And then, of course, once you’ve built a mailing list, you have to use it effectively!

Resources:

The Ultimate Lead Magnet Guide

How To Use BookFunnel Like A Boss (video)

How To Start & Grow Your Mailing List

Grow An Organic Social Media Presence

This is a tough one, but for some people, can be pretty fun. Figure out which social media platform has the most active readers in your genre - Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, probably, but different genre readerships tend to congregate on different ones. Look at the social media of successful self published and traditionally published authors in your genre. See what they’re doing and figure out what’s working. Then do that. 

Follow and interact with readers and writers in your genre. Create catchy content that fits the vibe of what is working on your feed. Use analytics tools to improve. 

There are lots of tools and guides out there to using social media, from gaming the algorithm, using the best hashtags and keywords, posting at the ideal times, and creating the most ‘viral’ content. You can use a program like Canva to create images and videos. 

You can go deep down the social media rabbit hole. There are third party services and platforms that let you post different content and compare its performance. The best thing to do is tons of research, then noodle around with the different dashboards and tools available.

How Successful Authors Use Social Media

The Ultimate Social Media Guide for Writers

Social Media Writer Guide

Of course, those links above just scratch the surface of what’s out there. Start working on this, and you’ll soon discover what you need to figure out. Then search for tutorials or guides on that. 

Hire Marketing Help

If you are struggling with marketing your book and want to hire a marketing professional specifically to help with this, there are people out there who will lend their expertise to you in exchange for some money. 

Know exactly what you want to hire for - design and copywriting to create effective content? One-on-one coaching and tutoring for you on understanding the back-end of running Amazon ads? A pre-packaged ad campaign they’ll run for you?

Be careful that you are hiring a professional with credentials in exactly what you are trying to do - run Amazon ads, build an Instagram following, create frequent click-worthy videos, etc. Do not fall for scammy “publishing services.” Check someone out on Writer Beware and/or look for reviews on other websites (not just theirs!) Ask to see work they’ve done for other clients and their data on how well it worked. 

You could look for a social media marketing company like this one or this one  - search for digital marketing or social media marketing -, or an author-specific one like the ones listed here. These are all just examples - I don’t vouch for any of these and have never used any of them.