#a lot of these tend to be very limited and cause you trouble down the line

[ctommy-chileno]

My experience in impulse buying game development software has given me great knowledge

[paragox]

Ninjago Headcanons - Fire Element

Some Worldbuilding stuff starting with the Fire element.

So Kai (and fire elementals in general) have kind of an inner flame. This inner flame will vary on intensity in normal days depending on the weather.

If its too hot outside Kai's body temperature will lower to compensate for the weather and avoid overheating but he will feel sluggish/sleepy, when this happens the best he can do is take sunbaths to get the warmth his flame won't give him [Like a Lizard].

If its too cold Kai will felt like he's burning, this will dry his skin and make him incredibly thirsty, it also tires him out more because he's using more energy, he's gonna be a bit more active/awake but if he doesn't have the necessary energy to keep the flame at the necessary intensity then he's probably gonna pass out.

So there's this thing that if his body tried to acclimate too fast to an incredibly sudden change on the temperature then his inner flame will make his temperature clash either giving him fever to the point of Hyperpyrexia or get his temperature so low that causes Hypothermia. (The flame can acclimate, but not suddenly, in the case of trying to do so is not uncommon for said flame to have trouble controlling how much it has to upper or lower the temperature which causes the crash)

This is specially dangerous with snow and water, for the suddenness and quickness is Water, since water is quick to cling to his body and suck the temperature out; the colder the water the easier and faster is for him to get hypothermia, meanwhile Snow works similarly but is effects take more to settle on, however is more dangerous if left without intervention since the cold lasts longer and is more difficult to revert. In these cases the best way to restart the flame is an active campfire.

He's also kinda waterproof and fireproof, the heritage of merlopian genes [I don't care if that book is non-canon] makes him just a bit better at handling water than previous fire masters but not by that much, unlike Nya who definitely benefits more from the waterproof abilities

Here's the thing, he's (and Nya) aren't 100% fireproof, in your daily life sure, they are, but in an hypothetical case you could put him on a very high fire and he would resist... For some time.

At some point if the temperature of the fire is high enough and constant it'll not only overload him (which can also cause a temperature clash) causing his inner flame will also start to go down because is trying to compensate for the temperature outside but his "fireproof" body also will start to wear out eventually making him able to get burn. Think of its like oxidation, a decent amount is fine but it'll eventually break his barriers causing harm.

When he uses his powers he uses a lot of energy he constantly needs water and food (something he shares with Jay), the first because he can enter on a dehydration state very quick and the second for energy, depending for how long he used his powers he might need to moisturize his skin. Also their bones tend to get a dark to black coloration, Kai's particularly are black, Ray's are more dark maroon for example.

Funfact: He didn't had a clash on the volcanoes because he unlocked his true potential which gave him a boost and temporarily immunity, otherwise he would've quickly overheat and his flame would've eventually shut down because of how hot it was around.

A lot of this is cause because he's not a pure elemental (See Nya merging with the sea) so his physical form is what causes a lot of these limitations, is the same with the others too, where they able to become their elements most of these problems wouldn't really exist.

Ps. The more he uses his power the better is his body at managing changing temperatures fast and better resistance to high temperatures. It still can hurt him tho but is less likely to happen the more he gets used to his powers, S1 Kai and DR Kai have very different limits.

Ps. 2. He does have an affinity with fire-related animals, this is however tricky as there aren't a lot out there, unlike Nya who has afiinity with general sea animals Kai's pool is limited to creatures like dragons, phoenixes, etc.

This is an affinity, he has an easier time getting to common ground with them, it doesn't mean he can actively let's say, speak dragon.

Ps. 3. Fire (and heat) elementals like the sun, they swear they sometimes hear it whispering to them... Kai thinks the sun is loud, obnoxious, annoying and is this close to get a water gun.

Also, solar flares are a nightmare, while it gives a boost of energy to fire and related elementals the sudden spike and fall can be painful, unfortunately for Kai he's on the side that besides getting the energy boost he gets the pain part too, it messes horribly with his inner flame (similar to solar eclipses) and it feels like a sudden stab somewhere in the inside, usually close to his heart, the pain eventually fades but Kai absolutely hates it, it also causes a sudden spike on his temperature which can cause a slight overheat.

[diagonal-queen]

hunting dogs with an energetic s/o pleaaaase😭

oooooooooooo omg i love this one <33

Hunting Dogs with an energetic S/O

♡ pairing: Fukuchi Ouchi, Jouno Saigiku, Tecchou Suehiro, Teruko Okura (platonic), Tachihara Michizou x gn!Reader

♡ synopsis: How do the Hunting Dogs react when they have an energetic S/O?

♡ cw: Mention of alcohol in Fukuchi's part.

note: Tbh at first I didn't wanna write for Fukuchi because he and I have a complicated personal history (I don't like him that much) but like it was actually really easy and fun! That was a nice surprise hehe <3 Apologies for errors and I hope you enjoy x

Fukuchi:

He thinks you're so cute!

You're like his little cheerleader (you're shorter than him most likely) and he enjoys having you around to keep him on his toes (he can't use his age to get out of anything when it comes to you)

You'd be constantly challenging him to fights and stuff and trying to rile him up (he thinks it's endearing though and might entertain you for a little bit, because he can. Just playfights and cute stuff like that lol)

To be honest he's an enabler and would probably encourage you to cause trouble somehow. I mean it's not like anyone can tell you off (unless they wanna face off against FUKUCHI??) (it's entirely possible that on some technicality, you are an enemy of state)

You and Teruko are best friends (obviously). As for the rest of the group...nah they actually kinda like you too. You keep their boss happy so like it's a win-win really

If you're someone who drinks...oh man you guys. Oh man you two are going to cause a lot of trouble

Fukuchi might be kinda crass but let's be real he's probably super old school romantic and he'd like to dance with you (and doing so would also wear you out so he can like nap lmao)

He just loves to entertain you because he simply can't get enough of that joyful look in your eyes.

Jouno:

He also thinks it's cute but he doesn't match your energy at all. Jouno appears very calm and cold so you contrast each other a lot

Jouno has to be there to reel you in when you get too silly T-T he's grown quite good at it. He would give you a limit on coffee/energy drinks (if you drink those)

He always acts all exasperated and keeps telling you to calm down and all that, but he secretly loves your personality and doesn't want you to change at all sksjksksjs

He thinks it's actually quite romantic how you balance each other out that way, even if it can cause clashes or disagreements sometimes between you two

Jouno spends most of his time around rather serious people (being a Hunting Dog and all) so being in the presence of someone lighthearted and more bouncy is rather refreshing.

It's almost kinda reassuring for him that you're so energetic because he can hear you well, and so it's really easy for him to tell how you're doing in case he needs to be there for you or something when you're feeling blue y'know?

No because all the other Hunting Dogs are always looking at you two like 'how...how did this possibly happen' (they love you but they did not expect Jouno to date someone like you lmao)

He loves the way you sound, but just try not to be too loud lol

Tecchou:

This guy. He doesn't know what's happening most of the time with you T-T he can't ever predict you

Outside of work, when you guys go out on dates and stuff, you're always dragging him around and he kinda just goes with it. He likes your spontaneity and how you've always got little surprises for him

You two like going on physical-based(?) dates together (for some reason the only thing in my mind is those indoor trampoline parks?), you like them because they accommodate to your energy level and he likes them because exercise or something. lol

Is surprisingly good at keeping up with you! Or so it seems, at least. He probably isn't that good but he tries his best for you <3

Tecchou loves his down time, so you two tend to make deals along the lines of 'we'll spend our time now doing [energy-exerting activity] and then we can cuddle later' or something because you guys compromise and are healthy like that 😌

He really really likes you as you are but he's not good at showing it, so though he may seem tired of you sometimes he really isn't

There are times where he'll step up and be the responsible one of the two of you, but that's only if he has to be (he doesn't want to stop you because he thinks you're adorable as you are)

If you're also clingy, he especially loves that about you because Tecchou is like glued to you 24/7 (outside of work lol)

Teruko (platonic):

You're like two peas in a pod because you match one another's energy so well

You guys are just constantly bothering the rest of the Hunting Dogs and they're tired. They can't really get mad at you though, because usually Teruko is the instigator, and also if they said anything to you she'd kick them

Though, you're more of a fun energetic and she's more of an 'I'm going to cause as much mayhem as possible' energetic so you have to be the voice of reason a lot of the time

That being said you two do like pranking people and stuff (not just when she's off work- Teruko isn't above ruining the days of the other Hunting Dogs), sometimes using her ability to do it

When Teruko's feeling down or about to throw a tantrum, you're always there to lift her spirits and vice versa (Jouno and Tachihara are very grateful for this (they're conflicted about their feelings towards you lmaooooo))

You're probably giving her a lot of piggy back rides

You can read each other like open books and that makes it really easy to talk about your issues and feelings free of judgement (at least really harsh judgement)

She takes surprisingly good care of you when you're feeling sick or something, because she needs her partner in crime back ASAP! (and she loves you a lot <3)

Tachihara:

He'd be chill with any personality his partner might have so he's totally fine with you being energetic. He's very adaptable!

That being said he is kinda tired sometimes (man is a mafioso and a soldier) so he usually sorta just lets you run wild on your own (and, if you want to, mess with his colleagues) and just doesn't do anything about it lol

That isn't to say that he's actively encouraging you to be chaotic- he's still at least a little sensible

Tachihara is very appreciative of the fact that you're always there to cheer him up and keep him going. Your energy is infectious and he benefits from that fact quite a lot

For your birthday or something else special he'd take you to a concert (where you can scream and jump around all you like) where your faves perform <3

You and he would pull all-nighters every now and then, and spend the whole time watching terrible movies and doing other stupid random things together

Dates with Tachihara are as frequent as he can make them with his packed schedule. He likes to spend as much time with you as he possibly can because you make him feel happy and motivated

You're very well liked by both the Hunting Dogs and the other Port Mafia members (you're probably close with Gin also) and that honestly makes life a lot easier for him lmao

would love to go on a måneskin tour with tachihara and scream along to read your diary with him ngl

[floorbacon]

Dorky FH/DW HCs I have because… I love Seth

These are not gunna be in any distinguishable order

Seth is an absolute menace as he gets older (thinking about 17/18). He’s not as impulsive (aka STUPID) now, and far more calculating and clever. It makes for making sure he stays outta trouble very hard for his poor parents and grandparents, especially now that he’s not so easily caught.

He always has at LEAST one dagger on him. Usually wears a sword too. Even thou they’re not magical/named weapons, he’s still really good with them.

He likes to leave his wings out. He used to leave them out almost 24/7 but after he broke a few vases his mom demanded he put them away when inside the house.

Speaking of the wings, his parents were a bit horrified by them at first, but figured they just had to accept it since the wings showed no sign of going anywhere.

Bracken and Seth are are terrifying duo when they’re sharing a braincell, and the two of them have probably done something mildly illegal at some point. (Most likely something human-ish illegal, with Bracken not realizing)

Knox won’t ever admit it, but he loves hanging out with his older cousin. Seth isn’t quite as thrilled, since having Knox hang about limits what he can get away with (KARMA TIME, EXPERIENCE HOW ANNOYING YOU WERE)

His poor parents aren’t quite sure what to think of their kids anymore. They’ve never really told their parents what they’ve gone throu either, mostly because they doesn’t want to scare them. So the two of them tend to tone things down or omit things if they’re telling stories and their parents are around.

Knox has a habit of trying to impress Seth, which has caused him to be in DEEP TROUBLE a lot by now. Seth usually is able to bale him out but he’s a bit fed up with it. Thou if there’s any schemes involving gold… he’s usually right there with Knox and the satyrs (and he can usually get away with some gold now thanks to all the things he’s experienced).

Kendra’s attending college, and she moved in with Bracken as soon as she legally could. Seth crashes at their place a lot, since it’s a short flight from Fablehaven to their apartment. He’s more comfortable with her or his grandparents than with his parents now after all his adventures (aka, TRAUMA).

Bracken’s not quite sure how soon he can propose to Kendra. Seth keeps teasing him about it but he can’t figure out if Seth’s being honest or just playing with him. Besides, he’s nervous about asking her parents for permission. What does he tell them? “I’m a unicorn-turned-kinda-mortal and I want to marry ur 19 yr old daughter?” *poor guy has a bad case of NERVES*

Seth isn’t too worried about college. He figured he’d just see what happened. Besides, he missed a lot of high school stuff and has had to do a bunch of make-up tests to show he was where he was supposed to be. Thankfully, having already been switched to being homeschooled helped a lot.

Bracken’s also looking at colleges. He thinks being a history professor would be hilarious. Or maybe an archeologist or something. He’s just trying to figure out how to apply since he doesn’t really have social security numbers or transcripts…

Knox has been trying to convince his parent to let him live with Seth at Fablehaven. His parents have (unsurprisingly) said no. So Knox is limited to summer and winter vacation visits. His parents aren’t sure why their children are so obsessed with staying with their grandparents, but they’re a little hurt. They’re happy Knox and Tessa are good friends with Kendra and Seth thou

Seth has accidentally convinced Knox’s parents that he’s a juvenile delinquent, and they’re worried he’s a bad influence on Knox. Seth just wants to know why they always hand him “get help” brochures every time he sees them.

Tessa is still beloved by the fairies. She’s also fascinated with Bracken, and the ex-unicorn has happily accepted her as a sort of niece.

Seth keeps up with all his magical friends. He invited the satyrs on outings for fast food, and Calvin will usually tag along too—thou not as much now since he’s married.

Seth is something of a legend and terror to the wraiths and darker beings at Fablehaven. He’s able to still talk to them and enslave them like he did as a shadow charmer, but as a shadow healer he often goes about and helps them. Sometimes they seek him out. He’s always happy to help them, thou the rest of his family isn’t as happy when these terrifying monsters pop up.

Now that he has the translocator, he tends to teleport places. Especially other countries. Why fly when you can just teleport? He’s offered to take his parents on vacations but they’ve turned him down. Saying they would rather not use an ancient magical device.

[magical-glimpse]

Hexing, evil eye and everything harms

So, I recently got hexed and talked about it, and I think this is a great time for me to talk about what hexes are and how to protect yourself from them, as a continuation of my two protection posts.

First, what is baneful magic ?

In the dictionary :

Baneful : Causing harm, ruin, or death; harmful. Portending harm; ominous. Having poisonous qualities; deadly; destructive; injurious; noxious; pernicious.

Usually, what people call baneful is actually super relative to culture, religions and individual practice. it can includes : hexes/curses/jinxes, love spells, domination spells, blood magic, binding, banishing etc. There is a lot of rhetoric from different people that try to keep people away from these spells. For example the rule of Three, which states that everything you put out comes back three times, is a Wiccan religious belief that is in no way applicable to all witches. Some people's views of "karma" or other "universal justice" ideas. I am personally of the opinion that, if your guide and your moral compass agree, there is nothing wrong with giving universal justice a little boost with a bit of a reasonably measured hex. But as a general thing, it should take place in an informed, cultivated practice and not just a "i'm mad at my ex so i'm gonna pick this random tiktok spell i saw and write his name on it". No. That is the best way to get yourself in trouble.

What is a hex ?

A hex is, at its core, someone sending negative or unwanted energy your way. We can commonly see a few types of hexes:

The Evil Eye, the most common, easiest one, that everyone probably got at one point in their life. At its core, the Evil Eye is about people wishing ill intent on you from seeing you succeed. As an example, I made eye contact with someone that was jealous of me while i was on stage and i almost tripped on a floor that had no reason to make me trip. It is usually considered to be easy solved by not showing your achievements you know are jealous, basic cleansing, throwing salt over your shoulder, using a talisman etc. I'm pretty sure most if every culture has a concept of evil eye so look into what you resonate with best (in the limits of what is open to you).

The Jinx: it's almost the cute version of an hex ? It's like causing a bit of a bad luck, like missing the bus, breaking your phone screen, missing an appointment etc. it tends to not last very long, a few hours or so.

The hex: it is both a general term and what people tend to do. It's the " can't keep one up with a new gf", "have constant bad breath", "flat tire", "might lose your job" one. it can wildly vary in intensity depending on your current protection, how close the target and practionner are and the nature of the spell. The Curse: This is when shit goes DOWN DOWN. Generational trauma typa shit, illnesses might pop up typa shit, divorce typa shit. To this day, I have never seen anyone being truly cursed. Usually the energy ends up being transformed into lessons for the descendants or the target after a while, and its goal it to point out specific toxic behaviors or issues rather than just cause chaos.

How to cast a hex ?

I am pretty sure i answered a ask about this once, my goal here is not exactly to give a recipe for all hexes but at least guidelines so you know how to start and where to look. Hexes, just like all spells, are about creating an energy and sending it. In this particular case, it is about creating "mud" and throwing it at someone. Here is the thing: you cannot throw mud without getting your hands dirty. How dirty your hands get depend on what you are throwing, if you are taking precautions and how much you are cleaning after. I know it gets told time and time again, but don't do a hex as your first spell if you dont have a good handle yet on protection and cleansing spells. The reason why they are recommended for beginners is because they are easy, don't typically explode in your face easily, and they are diverse, therefore allowing you to test out what you vibe with and don't. Also, they teach you necessary skills. Otherwise, it works as any other spell. If you do it with leeway for the universe (and you take precautions and cleanse) the cost for you will probably be energy, headache etc. If your goal is to specifically make a certain situation happen for someone, it will require a sacrifice on your part, that you may not have control over. I am currently being coached and taught about spellwork, so in a few months I might revisit this post and explain things differently and add more info.

How to know you have been hexed ?

If bad shit starts happening out of nowhere, it might be worth asking the question.

Here is a list of things I have experienced or have seen people experience from being hexed:

nightmares

sleep paralysis

bad luck

fire alarms going of at specific hours

people being unusually mean or intolerant to you

getting weird or scary visions (VISIONS, not hallucinations, if you are not intuitive this does not apply, if this is not already in your belief system this does not apply)

stuff falling, breaking, not working, getting lost etc

having difficulty reading, channeling

feeling blockages

getting sick, nauseous, getting a migraine, getting a crisis of an already existing illness

getting into arguments

protections and wards acting weird

pets acting weird

The thing is, any number of those things can happen for a hundred reasons that are not even remotely spiritual. If there is another possible explanation, check it first. I promise you it is a lot more likely than someone hexing you.

Okay, so now i know i got hexed what do i do ?

Congrats you got hexed.

Start by not panicking.

Even though it sounds scary, it is probably a lot easier to get rid of it than you think. You can start by checking my protection 101 and protection 102. Cleanse deeply yourself, your room and your spirit and add some protections. Once it is done, if you still feel negative energy around, you can try cleansing one more time, or it may mean your guides are inviting you to look into yourself and heal some parts of yourself that the hex brought out.

After you got hexed

This is the official point where you can start throwing hands with the person that sent you the spell. No, i'm kidding. Okay, maybe not. But yeah, it is a point where you restore your protections and can pat yourself on the back for succeeding at getting rid of an hex. Good job!

[content-paparazzi]

hurriedly posting my osomatsu-san oc cause i'm slackin on artfight but crave community </3 the yumematsu fandom WILL blow me up in 3 days!!!

infodump below the cut:

motsune-kun is a 20-something year old bachelor living in the akatsuka district of japan, serving as a wise-cracking, smartass character parallel to the matsuno sextuplets. they're much more well-adjusted than they are, mentally and emotionally, but despite how he carries himself, he's still just as much of a loser as they are.

you'll often see them working part-time jobs or whatever's needed for a skit role, appearing most often as a friend of choromatsu's or stocking shelves in the convenience store, lurking just close enough to hear the latest gossip from whoever sits down.

when it comes to moritsune's backstory, however, there's a hint of melancholy. he doesn't elaborate much on his life, but it is known well enough that motsune moved away from his family as soon as he was able to become financially independent. some say it was because of a troubled home, while others say he ran away for being unsatisfied with his life. either way, he refuses to bring it up.

i haven't written out moritsune's relationships to the sextuplets or the other characters in detail yet, but as stated previously, you'll usually see them hanging in places someone like choromatsu would frequent the most; think comiket, popup cafes, konbini, etc., (when they have the money for it, that is).

i'm not quite ready to say who exactly i have him yumeshipped with yet as i usually tend to keep those things between friends + i'd like to flesh out motsune-kun himself some more, but if you're one of those people who knows, then you know. ;)

random fun facts and miscellaneous info about moritsune here:

at their best, they're very knowledgeable on niche topics you'd otherwise never hear about or expect from them. PLEASE ask him for media recommendations.

at their worst, they're very nosy about other's business and will use what he's picked up on if necessary. no matter how much he denies it, the guy likes gossip.

he's allergic to cats, which is very depressing for him

besides me obviously, they're based off a handful of anime/game characters, including but not limited to: konata izumi, aoi mukou, and tomoko kuroki, as well as a few streamers and content creators i enjoy

he has a younger sister named yukari who he hasn't seen in years, but if they were to reunite, she'd be around 19-20. i'd imagine the both of them to sound a lot like yasuna and sonya from "kill me baby"

and that's that! i really should draw the poor bloke a lot more, but my brainrot is a foul disease and it IS terminal.

[rainbowsky]

What’s an entertainment ban in China?

That's a really broad, vague question.

There are many entertainment restrictions in China, so this question could be answered in multiple ways depending on the context you're asking about.

Disclaimer: these are tricky, politically-charged topics, and verified information can be difficult or impossible to find. What follows is my understanding based on my study of this industry over the past few years, and will of course reflect my views and values. YMMV.

I think maybe the likeliest context you were asking about is the 'ban' around specific national days or events, when people do not share or discuss topics related to entertainment or other frivolous subjects out of respect for the occasion. Fans are asked not to post about their idol at that time, as it is a sign of irreverence and disrespect and can lead to trouble for that star.

There are a wide variety of restrictions around entertainment for censorship reasons. What people are allowed to do, wear and say, who is allowed to participate in particular types of roles, etc.

There are certain entertainers who, because of their behavior or the behavior of their fans, may be quietly or openly banned from certain types of public roles or appearances, or whose projects or status in the industry might be put on hold temporarily or permanently. The severity varies depending on the situation. Zhang Zehan is someone most readers will remember as being 'cancelled' fairly comprehensively in this way.

China's entertainment industry is tightly managed by the government, with a stated goal to help shape and guide the values and behavior of the population and embody communist ideals. Entertainers who are not deemed appropriate role models, or who show through fan behavior that they aren't able to appropriately guide people onto righteous paths will come heavily under the scrutiny/punishment of the government and of the public, so these things are not trivial concerns.

If an artist's fans don't properly observe national occasions, for example, and they post a lot and discuss a lot about their star on a national day of mourning or a date of significance to the party, they would be putting that star at serious risk of being cancelled both by the government and by the public.

Over the past few years the government has openly targeted fan culture and has been cracking down heavily on it. Fan groups are viewed as leading young people astray, causing major disruptions and problems, corroding social values and overall needing to be brought under control. Many restrictions, policies and statements from the government have been enacted toward this end.

The government takes a very dim view of any group that can rapidly mobilize based on shared ideas or values that are not government-sanctioned. LGBTQ groups have been heavily targeted in recent years for this reason. Pride parades are no longer allowed, and pro-LGBTQ groups have been shut down without any warning.

It's not because homosexuality is 'illegal' or 'banned' as many Westerners assume. Homosexuality is legal in China and there are even some limited rights afforded citizens and that benefit homosexual couples (more on that in Pie's excellent post). Rather, it's because of the threat to authoritarian power that large, impassioned movements can tend to represent.

This is actually why a lot of gay men who are turtles will avoid sharing their turtle status openly; because they don't want GG and DD to appear to be leading or inspiring a political movement.

Anyway, I hope this somewhat answers your question. If it doesn't, please feel free to write back with a more specific question.

A few related posts:

Nationalistic posts and why they shouldn’t be mined for candy - directly relevant to point 1.

Propaganda and false equivalence - relevant to point 2.

Politics in the fandom - relevant to all of this.

You can also explore the related tags for more on these kinds of topics. But make sure you do so directly from my blog (rather than from your news feed) or you'll get a bunch of unrelated posts from all over Tumblr.

[foodandfolklore]

Tools you Do NOT need

I got more things I want to add to my list of recommendations of what to keep on hand as a kitchen witch. But I figured it may be more productive to share my opinion on things most Kitchen Witches don't need. Now, this will be my experience and based on what I've heard from others. And if you have anything listed and love it, don't get rid of it or stop using it! Just if you see some of this stuff on videos or advertised; maybe pass on them.

Silicone Spoon

Silicone is great for a lot of things, and I highly recommend you have a silicone spatula for scraping. But a Silicone spoon is so impractical. It tends to be a plastic form spoon covered in a layer of silicone, so it doesn't have the same flexibility as a silicone spatula when scraping edges. Silicone also tends to be soft, so it's not unusual for it to cut or tear. For a spatula that's fine, because it's a solid piece so it can still work fine with a few nicks. But for a spoon that has a layer of silicone, it means there's a change for moisture to get in-between the layer and cause it to start separating. Not to mention the fact Silicone will melt at high heat. So if you're mixing something that can get very very hot, like oil or sugar, your spoon may melt. Then there's just the fact nothing sticks properly. Which sounds great for cleaning, but can be a pain if you're trying to check if a sauce or custard is done. Stick with a wooden spoon and use a silicone spatula when you want to scrape.

Garlic Press

A controversial one for sure! You see these used all the time in cooking videos. But they are so impractical. All the garlic doesn't even go through the press, and you still need to sever the end from the press. Mincing garlic with a chef knife is far more effective. However, I know not everyone has the dexterity to mince garlic. So, some alternatives: Blend a big batch using a food processor, and freeze portions for later. There's a few videos on ways to do this, but my favourite way I've seen uses a ziplock bag and chopstick. Use a microplane grater. Just grate the gloves using a microplane and you'll easily get the fine pieces you are after. The neat thing is a Microplane can be used for a variety of foods, while a garlic press is limited to just...well garlic.

Egg Separator

These can be really cute and funny and sometimes make fun decore. But, realistically speaking, they don't work any better than just using your hands. Or if you hate touching egg, tipping the yolk back and forth between the cracked shells. Every single fancy egg separator I have seen is just as effective, and yolks have the same break rate (which is low) Save your money, save your space, don't get these. Oh and a quick note about eggs; don't get egg holders. Yeah they're cute, but for something that only has one purpose, they can take up a fair bit of space. Instead, try using standard shot glasses. It's what my parents had us use when we were kids.

Specialty Peelers/Cutters

I'm talking big, turn style apple peelers, pineapple peeler and corer, banana slicers; anything that's for one specific type or size of food. You really don't need it, and it takes up space. Just use your vegetable peeler and knife. If you have trouble cutting evenly, perhaps consider a mandolin. These allow you to slice a variety of foods thinly. Just take great care, as these are very sharp and it can be easy to slice off a finger tip if you are not using proper safety measures.

Turkey Baster

I have one of these in my kitchen drawer since moving in with my SO years ago. Neither of us have ever used it. A baster is used for 1 thing which can be substituted for a ladle or large spoon. Many people still see this as an essential for cooking meat though, so take this with a grain of salt. I'd also add roasting pan; since any time I make a roast now I grab my Crock Pot. But I'm aware a roasting Pan has it's uses for other people.

More Jars and Containers

This might seem weird cause I put glass jars down as a needed must for Kitchen Witchcraft. This is not a PSA for those of you who have just started your collection and have maybe 20 jars. This is to those of us who have accumulated over 200 with realistically only enough space for half that. Stop it. Maybe start giving some of your jars away that you've washed and reused from products. Same goes for plastic containers. I have a habit of saving my large yogurt containers, but they just started taking up too much space. Find a balance is all I'm saying.

I may make an ingredient list later; but that's far more subjective.

[the-dance-of-italy]

hey- it's the same anon who sent that long ask about the chosen lol. the boycott the chosen account does not have their asks on so i'm like.. hoping they see this

i don't personally know about contacting the cast members. i personally think we would gain much more traction on instagram because a majority of the fanbase is active there & they post there very frequently and primarily. all the posts they posted supporting israel were on instagram. i thought once the cause gets enough traction it might pressure the actors involved that i named, i hadn't thought about contacting them directly and i don't really know if that'll work, thoughts on that??

i did mention shaan sharma particularly because he's on sag-aftra board of directors and i haven't seen anyone else talk about how sag-aftra is supporting israel too. since he's involved there we could get a lot more attention directing attention to how sag aftra's pro-israel. and like, mention shaan sharma on the list of people remaining silent, and how he's in the chosen too

the thing is, it's my personal opinion that it might actually be worth switching to insta entirely? i said before in the other ask that i was just going to make my own account but i don't have the time or energy to fully run it; i also don't really know how i'd do it. the tumblr fandom for the chosen is very minimal, and stuff that happens on tumblr tends to be really contained. i don't know how many people there are on twitter though. like i strongly recommend that we shift our focus to insta, make like actual posts with the chosen's tags because the insta algorithm is pretty good with showing tagged stuff like that. remember the pride flag controversy? almost all of that was within instagram and it was enough to get that video response out of multiple cast members

also, i could make some infographics if needed/requested. i do realize anyone could theoretically because it's not too hard to design but right now im offering to make infographics for instagram or possibly twitter (i don't know how it works there haha)

i just personally think right now that it's unlikely for that entire cast & crew, every single person, to support israel wholeheartedly alongside dallas jenkins. (especially luke dimyan; he's vocal about arab and yeah, he could support israel too, but still) if there's enough conversation & backlash on the internet, it could be enough to motivate/provoke some of them to speak up. it's also optimal timing tbh because season 4's released in theatres next month, this is the first time they're making money off their episodes, and if enough people cancel tickets it might do something. although im honestly pessimistic that we'll gain enough traction in time for that or that enough people would even care. but still its worth trying i think!!

man i realized this was long and i'm sorry haha, so basically tl;dr i could help with infographics if needed. and i think we should really prioritize spreading posts on instagram.

Seeing as things are going, i too agree that containing ourselves to just tumblr and twitter is limiting us. It may be too late to prevent Season 4, but there's still time for the future seasons, and the less support they have for the last seasons the better.

I can work on the IG account myself ,im always on my phone anyway. Its still the second week and they havent given me any heavy assignments yet haha. If its not too much trouble, i would accept if you (or anyone who see's and wants to do it) could make the infographics / or any other graphics for the account. I would, but my other laptop broke down and the one im usin doesn't have Adobe installed yet 😅.

[kipcobblestone]

hello!!! starting on tumblr a bit bc I want a place where I can post just fuck all cause dats what drey ( @clusterpuppy ) is doing tee hee, also free place to infodump bc Insta has a limit 😭

this is just a little dump about the stuff I’ll mainly post just to give context of it all!! The three above are Selphie, Kip, and Cariad and they make up a party called “The Irregulars”, and the story called Under The Grave that me and Drey are working on is very centric around these three and the characters that pertain to their stories!!

I’ll go into a lot more detail below!! More info about Under The Grave and the characters—

Under The Grave was an ongoing DND campaign that me and my boyfriend are turning into a running story, and hopefully want to work on making it a playable campaign for others to enjoy too! But a lot of the stuff you guys will see me post is more along the lines of the story stuff. The story centers around a party of three characters, their party being known as “The Irregulars”!

Selphie Leoxidor (she/they)— a Neutral Good Sea Elf Bard; the main character of the party, and the main person that the BBEG is targeting! They’re a chosen one of the BBEG, Tharizan, in the journey of wiping himself from existence with the help of mortal prowess to undergo a battle that will rid of him in entirety. she’s super optimistic, outgoing, and hopeful, and tends to be the light at the end of the tunnel in most case scenarios! she’s disabled in a wheelchair with her legs being paralyzed from the hips down from a terrorist attack against her, but a close party friend artifices her a pair of working legs that she struggles with at first, but is slowly learning their usage through the story! they’ve got a good head on their shoulders and is personable, as loyal as they can get when it comes to helping her friends.

Cariad Heulwin (he/they)— a True Neutral Aasimar Paladin; a military runaway, as his best friend acted out a kamikaze attack on the military base he was zoned to, and now resides in a cottage much further out and away from society. they’re a much more introverted person, but have a good soul, they’re just slow to trust when it comes to the party coming into his life, ESPECIALLY with the Tharizan issues tagging along. this flares up a lot of the PTSD and trauma that they have in regards to the shit they struggled with in the military, but eventually he finds a newfound trust within Selphie and Kip, and they become the best of friends. He’s a pretty rational and logical thinker, stoic in his nature but to those they really care for, he would lay down his life for them.

Kip Cobblestone (any pronouns)— a Chaotic Neutral Halfling Rogue; the anti-hero of this little group who was a homeless urchin in the capital for as long as he could remember. once getting together with the party to adventure, she considered Selphie and Cariad (well… cariad took a little longer but that’s besides the point) quick friends! As the stuff with Tharizan commenced, a lot of the guilt that he held and buried in his past was dug up and picked at like a fresh wound, so they’re very paranoid throughout the story. Still trying to remain whimsy and charismatic, she holds on close to the connections that he’s made in hopes that they’ll work through it all together and help each other through the darkest hours. he’s always bouncing off the walls, and will always be causing some form of trouble if you take your eyes away from them for one second…

Each of these characters get their backstories uncovered through a series of events that are split into tarot cards! Lots of characters from different backgrounds show up, lots of scenes, lots of action, lots of emotion, the whole shebang! Now, to go into a little more about the BBEG…

Ityx Tharizan is the founder of the country of Artror, the place where all of this occurs. He is also the embodiment of selfishness, fizzing out of his physical form and into an energy that bleeds into the veins of society. He’s always thought himself to be the stain of the world, and was actively seeking out those who he thought were strong enough to kill him so that the world could suffer a lot less. Now, with Artror, the society is falling apart at the seems. It’s an active dystopia, a world where monsters and aberrations reign above all, and the celestials and fey are the scum of the earth; the rest fall within the middle. Artror is a massive hyperbole on what would reflect the real world in the state that it is, touching up on a lot of subjects that would make most people very uncomfortable… so that puts into perspective just how miserable this universe is. Tharizan feels as if his presence dissipated that the messed up world would seek balance and return to a utopia that he has sought out in his head. Tharizan chooses a group of four people, one of these people being Selphie, to carry out the job of killing him.

All in all, the Irregulars find that Tharizan had been planted in each of their individual lives planning up to the point where they’d all be together. Lots of things get revealed to the three of them that they didn’t even really stop to consider. I’m keeping this pretty vague because I have yet to know what I AM gonna post about, but it’s just a basic summary of what the story is about!

But yeah that’s pretty much it for the most part!! If there are any questions about anything there’s an ask box open I think and I would absolutely enjoy going into more detail about anything that pertains to this story. Me and Drey work on it a lot, especially the characters and their relationships and I look forward to having this account to just. dump about it all!!

[topduck48]

I saw a post where someone had submitted their headcanons of Duck, if you don’t mind, I have a few for my human AU, I don’t have a lot, and I’m still working them out. What do you think?

- Duck’s pocket watch belonged to his grandfather and was passed down to his father and then to him. It is said that it is the most accurate watch on the railroad. (My dad told me that back in the day, all the workers on the railway would have their watches specially cleaned and maintained and set at the same time so they’re all accurate, my dad has my great grandfather’s pocket watch that he used on the railway.)

-Duck’s big dream for when he retires is to settle down and buy a sailboat and sail the world. He likes to watch other people’s boats in the harbor while he smokes and watch them struggle with it, (his favorite was watching the couple argue over their big expensive sailboat because they parked it in the shallows not realizing that the tide was going to go out, and the boat was just going to roll onto its side onto the rocks.) Duck’s not quite sure if he would want to spend so much money on a sailboat when he can only use it for part of the year. It’s also one of those cases where the stuff for the boat is more expensive that the actual boat.

-do not put Duck and Diesel in a room together, you are asking for trouble. That, and Diesel’s idea of a shower is a can of body spray which stinks so bad.

-one time Duck complained to sir Topham Hatt about Diesel’s “hygiene” in hopes that Diesel would get written up forcing him to take a bath. Diesel did, and Duck’s reward was getting a can of body spray with a zip tie on the nozzle hurled into his engine’s cab as he drove by gassing him out.

(Diesel still never took a bath)

-Duck has a few living siblings, he’s from a big family but isn’t really close with them.

-Duck got Polio when he was a child that effected his left leg. He can walk now, just with an elbow crutch and has a brace on his leg with a raised sole. Because of this, he tends to waddle when he walks and can’t climb stairs very well. And he often likes to hit people with his crutch when they don’t do their work or are getting on his nerves.

Hope you don’t mind if I tell you my headcanons. Sorry if this isn’t what the ask button was for.

No I don’t mind at all! I’m actually really enjoying reading people’s headcanons and adding my own opinions. The ask button is definitely for things like this.

I absolutely agree with the first one, it makes perfect sense for the most orderly and punctual individual to have a perfectly timed pocket watch. I think that Duck has a lot of things passed down from his grandad, and he keeps them all in perfect condition.

I also agree with the second one. While I personally don’t think that Duck smokes, I think that Diesel does, and it tends to be something that causes friction between the two since Duck doesn’t appreciate the smell, the excessive coughing it causes, or the fact that it stains your clothes and teeth. Going back to the main point, I do agree that he would want to sail when he retires, but he tends to overthink on whether it is worth it since he could only use it for limited parts of the year, and the things needed for the boat is more expensive than the actual boat. For now, he goes on sailing trips whenever he has time off, and even has quite a bit of knowledge about it. He absolutely loves watching people struggle with the boats, and can easily tell if someone doesn’t know what they are doing. His favourite is definitely snobbish couples buying big, expensive boats and not knowing how to work them, he always finds himself chuckling while watching them.

For the third one, I also agree. Diesel loves winding people up, and he finds Duck’s reactions highly amusing. Duck finds Diesel to be an arrogant, immodest, improper individual who needs to learn a great deal about self dignity. As for the smell part, I think that Diesel smells of cigarette smoke and oil. I think that Duck is highly sensitive to smells due to his sensory issues, so these smells immediately make him very uncomfortable.

Duck definitely complained about Diesel’s smell, and so did the big engines. As for the throwing the body spray into Duck’s cab, wouldn’t that explode since deodorant is highly flammable and there is an open fire box in the cab? Personally, I think that Diesel instead decided to take his cigarette break (breaks that he decides when to have, much to the annoyance of The Fat Controller) right next to Duck and “accidentally” blow cigarette smoke in his face, causing Duck to shout at him. Not caring or listening in the slightest, Diesel just laughed and walked off, much to the fury of Duck. And no, he never took that bath that he was ordered to have.

For the fifth one, I personally think that Duck is an only child. I do think that he has quite a few cousins though. I would say that he is from a medium sized family, and apart from at Christmas, he doesn’t really see them very much. Partially due to him being so busy, and partially due to some of his family not really knowing much about him. He is very close with his parents and grandparents though, and has a great amount of respect for them, especially his grandad.

Finally, for the sixth one, I personally think that Duck’s waddle is due to him struggling with spacial awareness and how his body moves and takes up space (I do hope that that makes sense). I also think that he is hypermobile (which is a reason, as well as his autism, for his struggle with balance), which causes his joints and muscles to stiffen and/or ache. His joints also click a lot, and he sometimes needs to click them or stretch them otherwise they feel stiff and he feels uncomfortable. He can still do his usual activities, but sometimes he needs breaks. I do think that he has a cane, and he definitely loves to hit people with it if they are getting on his nerves or not doing what they should be doing. He has a cane to help with his balance and stability, and he has a large collection of canes, even a few with duck heads on them to match with his name (his canes are practical and classy at the same time). I do still like your headcanon though, and I’m sure that it is one that I have seen from someone else as well.

These are all just my opinion.

[kny-stardust]

Chapter 18 – Alliance

Word Count: 2042

Summary: Meeting an expected group of demons and humans, you form an unlikely alliance with them, for the sake of your siblings. But things are never easy. There’s always a price to pay.

“Impressive.” You hear Kanae say. “If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't believe these sleeping cuties were throwing a tantrum just now.” You giggle at her words.

“I raised these two when my mother had to take care of my father.” You say while running your fingers through your brother's hair. “Since they are pretty much small children again, it's not that hard to calm them down.” You tell her before bowing slightly, which was your limit since those two were resting their heads on your legs. “Once again, I'm deeply sorry for the trouble they caused. They've never done this before.”

What you don't mention is that they are bigger and with superhuman strength when compared to their past selves. It wasn't easy to take samples from either of them. They struggled a lot and Tanjiro even kicked Kanao away. You had to scream for them to stop, which shocked them, since you never once screamed, never with them, and not even at their worst tantrums when younger. They stopped resisting and let Shinobu take some blood from them. She left and Kanao followed her, not even sparing you and your family a glance. You then took your time to calm them down, who were crying, especially Nezuko that had never been yelled at. Finally, they fell asleep and you had your chance to talk to Kanae.

“Oh, no. It's okay. Believe me, I've seen worse, both with humans and demons.” The oni said.

“You...” You hesitate before continuing. “Do you all interact with humans very often? I mean, apart from those girls.”

“Yes. Aoi and the other three girls tend to a flower shop while me and my sisters operate a medical facility.” She explains. “Usually, the girls bring someone who's in need and can't pay for medical treatment so that we can take care of them. The only thing we ask from them as payment is to give us a bit of blood, so that we can use it in blood transfusions.”

“So, that's how you feed.” You conclude, to which she nods.

“We'll have to move, unfortunately. I won't risk the children if Kagaya knows we're here.” The oni said with a sad smile.

“Is there something I can do to help?” You ask her, to which she widens her eyes before softening.

“You don't need to bother, (Y/N). It's not the first time we do this, so it's a minor annoyance.” She said.

“Please, let me help.” You begged. “You're searching for a cure, right? I can repay you that way.”

“There are other ways of repaying us.” Kanae said before smiling. “For example, searching for demons who have a high concentration of Ubuyashiki's blood.”

“His blood? But, why?” You tilt your head at those words, confused.

“It's important to develop a cure.” She stood up and walked towards a shelf. “You see, many years ago, when Shinobu and I were being chased by Kagaya's henchmen, we came across this.” She said while showing you something. A parchment, a rather old one.

“What is that?” You asked as you reached out to hold it.

“The way which turned Kagaya into a demon.” She said and you froze on the spot.

“What!?” You screamed, waking both Tanjiro and Nezuko up. “Are you sure?! How... How did you find this?”

“We didn't. It was given to us.” Her response made your eyes go wide. “Back then, we had the help of a rather strange individual. It was them who killed most of Kagaya's henchmen, and it was also them that gave this to us once they've learned that we were trying to develop a cure for demons.” Kanae took it back and placed it on her lap as she sat. “They said that it was this that he used.”

“Is it…” You look at the parchment. “...really?”

“Yes. We confirmed it with Kanao. We managed to turn her into an oni thanks to it, although we had to use our blood to replace the last ingredient, that we couldn’t find.” She explained.

“She wasn't a demon like you? Turned by Kagaya?” You asked her, but she shook her head.

“No. We met her when we found her being thrown out of her home.” Kanae said, her voice becoming lower. “Such a little thing. She was so weak back then. There was no way for her to survive. By that time, we had already made some experiments with what's written here, but we had yet to find one final ingredient. We replaced it with a bit of our blood, and it worked. She survived and became a demon, already free of his control.”

“I see...” You whisper, before smiling. “At least, she's happier here.”

“Yes... She is.” She replied, but her tone was low, uncertain. “Regardless, if you want to help, try gathering demons with his blood. It won't be easy since demons that have larger quantities of his blood... are the ones who gained a great amount of strength from Ubuyashiki himself. I can assure you this: the ones who have the most blood of his are usually the Twelve Demon Moons. I received a lot of blood of his and had yet to meet someone else who could match me outside of the twelve, and even so, I couldn't even hold my ground with those above me. The upper moons... I couldn't even start to hold a candle to them.” She chuckles. “What I'm trying to say is that by doing this you will have to take a lot of risks, however it is the only way to return your siblings to that original form. That alone will be enough already. You don't need to risk yourself more than you already will have to. Do you understand?”

You don't answer her for sometime just looking at your sleeping siblings.

“...even if it's my fault you got discovered?” You whisper, confusing the oni, before she smiles.

“You really don't give up, do you?” She asked with a giggle. “It wasn't entirely your fault, (Y/N). There was no way neither you or Aoi could have known what would happen, nor that you would meet with him. So, there's no need for you to compensate us because of that. However...” Her silence caught your attention, making you look up to her. “If you want to help us so badly, we could use one helping hand or three to move out.” Your face brightens up immediately.

“Really!?” You ask her, your eyes glowing.

“Yes.” She replies with a kind smile. “We already had a place prepared in case we had to move quickly. We'll pack everything tonight and move tomorrow as soon as the sun goes up.”

“But, onis can't move out in the sunlight, right?” You ask her, confused.

“Yes, that’s why it’s the best time to move.” Kanae said. “We have a cart that’s big enough to fit out things and us hidden inside of it. The children will move us out through it. You can help them, and make sure that no demon jumps on us. Would that be okay?”

“Yes! Yes, it would!” You tell her, happy that you can help, which makes her giggle.

“Good.” She nodded before putting the parchment away in her clothes and standing up. “Now, I’ll prepare a room for you to stay in. You should rest for the journey tomorrow. You don’t seem like you have had much sleep lately, do you?”

You are caught off guard by that, but you soon calm down and nod.

“Alright, then. Come with me.” She tells you, walking out of the room, which you follow, with your siblings turned in their smaller form and leads you through the mansion.

Your eyes opened to face the dark room given to you by Kanae and the other girls. A sound nearby had woken you up, kicking your instincts. You still remembered the oni that tried to sneak up to you when you were sleeping on the Final Selection. Not a good memory, however it was good to keep you sharp in any situation. You stop leaning on the chair you were sleeping, looking over to Tanjiro and Nezuko. The window was fully closed, but you could still discern the laying form of your siblings. By their breathing, you can tell they’re still sleeping. How lucky. You tiptoe to take your blade and sneak out of the room, closing the door behind you.

“What are you doing?” A voice behind you makes you draw out your blade, or at least try to, as the person who spoke holds your wrist so you can’t do so.

You turn to her, and notice the oni girl you fought when you first got there. You let go of your breath that you didn’t know you were holding.

“Ah, it’s just you, Kanao.” You tell her. She just stares at you, in silence. You stare back before replying. “I heard a strange sound. I thought it could be something dangerous, so I decided to check.”

“...you’re sharper than you look.” She says before turning away, leaving you stunned where you were.

Just what the hell did she mean with that!?

“...are you just going to stand there?” It’s her that snaps you back to reality, standing at the edge of the staircase. “We have unplanned guests… unpleasant ones…” She tells you before she starts going down, leaving you alone.

You don’t take much time thinking about what it means. You know what it means.

Kagaya’s minions. They’ve finally come.

You rush down the stairs, meeting with Kanao and Shinobu in the entrance. You meet with them, the older oni still with that same smile that creeps you out.

“Oh, my. You’re awake.” She says giggling. “You must be a real deal.” She jokes as you put your shoes on.

“Where are the girls?” You ask them.

“In the basement. Sis is with them, so they must be safe if one of them manage to go past us.” The oni explains as she checks her sharp claws. “What about your siblings?”

“Still sleeping, but Tanjiro will wake up if he feels something is wrong.” You tell her as you stand up. “He’s like that.”

“I see.” She smiles, before holding the handle. “Oh, two more things: stay close to Kanao, you can back each other up; and stay as far as you possibly can from me, ‘kay?”

“Why…?” You ask her. “Wouldn’t it be better if we fought together?”

“Hum… How should I put this…?” Shinobu hums in thought.

“Do it if you don’t wanna die.” Kanao replies, short and rude.

“Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it.” She giggles as she opens the door.

You don’t understand what she means, but you don’t have time to as small light alerts you. You bring your sword forward and unsheath it, and you feel something hit the blade. When you look to the side, there’s a strange looking knife on the floor. Where it hits your nodachi, there’s a small dent. You have a feeling that this is no good and you should worry.

“Greetings.” A pair of identical voices catch your attention as the door fully opens.

In the open garden in front of the mansion, you see a pair of girls with light purple, sharp eyes and short, straight, white hair, using identical kimonos. They were the girls that were with Kagaya and that lady earlier, and they weren’t alone. Around them, there were a dozen or so people using strange black clothes, including masks that hide their faces.

“My, oh, my. If it isn’t the devil’s spawns.” Shinobu said cheerfully as she walked outside. “Tell me, have you gotten lost from your daddy?” Both you and Kanao follow her, the door closing behind you. “We can take you back to him, but you might have to wait a bit before we can send him to the same hell hole you all came from.” The way Shinobu’s voice became cruel and cold gives you chills.

“Silly traitor and your little pets.” One of the girls says.

“You won’t pass tonight.” The other continues.

“Attack!” They say at the same time, and the shadowed figures rush in your direction.

[funkymbtifiction]

Is this an image-type thing?

Sometimes I feel like I am “locked into my image”. My whole life I have been myself and by that I mean that I was always a bit different than others. Not on purpose like “How can I be like nobody else?”, I just was but it never bothered me much nor did it ever cause much trouble. I do realize now though that I have sometimes exaggerated bits of it a little. I have created an image that kind of set me apart from others a little but at the same time it limited me and trapped me in never being able to change. Because while I was very sure of myself and my likes and dislikes I also tend to change my mind. Now what has seemed like an absolute “No, this is not me, never will be” 15 years ago has kind of turned into “Well, I guess I am kinda curious, perhaps I exaggerated a little back then”. But I know I can never admit that because that would totally shatter the person I am (or probably rather the image I created). This is not a constant state of mind by the way but rather something that crosses my mind every once in while particular when something that entirely contradicts my image has sparked my interest a little for a short amount of time. Often those are smaller things and if I think about it is unlikely that any of it will change the way others perceive forever entirely but it will still be there as “that embarrassing moment”.

Do image types sometimes feel trapped in their image and like they can never do anything that extremely contradicts their image? Like the “worked too hard” to appear a certain way (albeit subconsciously) to just “throw it all away” by appearing like the complete opposite even if it is just for a moment? Or is that something that could also apply to other types?

Yes, this seems image-centered, because it’s something you consciously have cultivated, maintained, and it keeps you from admitting to changes and/or exploring because of how it might reflect on you. Image types spend a lot of time thinking about how they present themselves, how others interact with them, their role and/or lack of a role, and their overall approach to life, through the lens of being seen, pointing people toward what they want them to see, and erasing what they do not want people to notice about them.

What you wrote seems social 3 in particular -- being attentive to your overall reputation and acceptance from others, knowing that your new interests would tear down the persona you have worn for so long, feeling trapped because you don’t want to sacrifice your reputation to evolve. In truth, everyone assumes that they are more important in others’ eyes than they actually are -- meaning, fewer people are closely monitoring your actions than you might think. Most people know that people evolve and change their views over time, so it’s okay to shift in new directions -- you can integrate your new and old self, to be part of your over-arching story. And as an image type, you can also find a way to present this new side of yourself in a favorable light, if you choose to share it with others.

[lightandwinged]

School pictures for 2022-2023!

I am thrilled that Sammy decided to go for the laser background. Didn’t even hesitate, as soon as he saw it was an option, he flat out told me, “I’m getting the lasers,” and that did my 90s kid heart good. His came later in the year because he was actually sick on the original picture day, but I love it.

With the twins, you can 100% tell that I bought their picture day outfits before we all sat down and chose backgrounds. Isaac wanted New York City because he is obsessed with Spider-Man, so he needed to be in front of “mine New York City,” and I accept this. Carrie chose pink flower blossoms because that is just how she do. I’m wholly pleased with their portraits and adding them to the roster of “look at my kids growing up.”

Also spring boarding off of this to talk briefly about school and sick days this year.

It’s all basically a lose-lose-lose-lose-lose situation.

If you’ve been watching the news, you’ve probably read about how kids are just all sick all the time this year and ending up in the hospital with RSV and pneumonia and the flu and Covid. Thankfully, we haven’t gotten any thing that particularly bad yet (I blame that Isaac got RSV every year until 2020 so we just know what to do immediately to keep it from settling in his lungs), but it’s a bit like Sammy’s first year at daycare with how often everyone is getting sick. The twins specifically--because their unmasked exposure to other kids has been very limited, they’re just getting every germ imaginable in a never ending cycle of boogers and coughs.

And on the one hand, yes, keep them home if they have any sort of congestion or cough, but this year, it’s to the point where doing that would mean basically pulling them out of school for the entire fall. We’ve been sending them with masks when their coughs get particularly severe, and even then, we have yet to experience a week this year where one kid wasn’t home sick several days. This week, it’s Carrie’s turn, at least partly because our kids tend to throw up when they get boogery and that’s where she is right now.

(well. Where she is right now is sleeping, which is how I know she’s feeling cruddy; she’ll be downstairs later, I’m sure, to revel in finally getting to watch TV without either of her brothers demanding that their show be the one everyone watches, which means today will be a solid 4-5 hours of Gabby’s Dollhouse)

And! And apparently a lot of parents have been dealing with calls from truant officers threatening CPS calls if they keep their kids home anymore, which is like... what? But all of these absences are apparently flagging families and nobody is going to get a doctor’s note for the cold that goes ‘round and ‘round, so parents end up sending their sick kids to school (I don’t mean just sniffly, I mean genuinely super sick), then those sick kids get sent home by the nurse but not before they’ve coughed or sneezed or touched things and gotten other kids sick.

There is legitimately no winning this year. If we all mask up, that’s awesome, but then eventually, masks do come off, and lmao at the idea of getting a healthy portion of the population to comply with mask mandates again (can you fucking imagine the bullshit drama that would cause?). Keeping kids home when they’re sick is also a great idea, but it means that kids are literally missing half the school year and then parents are getting threatened with CPS because their kids are missing school. It’s all an absolute fucking disaster.

You know what probably would have helped things? Improving school ventilation systems. You know what didn’t happen? Improving school ventilation systems.

Ugh. And I feel fairly confident that this is just for a year because it reminds me so much of Sammy’s first year of daycare, where he was sick literally all the time and had an ear infection every three weeks and I got in so much trouble at work over it, so I’m hopeful that next year won’t be like this, but UGH in the meantime.

[monsterfloofs]

We need more content about the doctors!

Like how was their first meeting with the reader? What was their reaction when they heard the nickname? How did their relationship develop?

And some curious questions, are they twins or something like that? Do they have separate personalities? Have a great day~

Yaaaaaaay more spooky doctor content!!

For a handful of the staff, the first meeting with the reader was probably (at least in this first story) chasing the newly escaped patient. XDc

They were working, minding their own business when they see a human poke their head around the door.

Now this is by Zelle's private sector there uh-- there really shouldn't be ANY humans or patients around here. And since Zelle's staff isn't always in the loop about what projects the chairman is working on-- UHHHHH they think you've sneaked all the way down from the normal wards and that's. . . bad.

You probably see a few gently put down their tools and slowly start to move towards you. Catiously, wanting to get close enough to grab you like an alarmed frog and cart you back to where they think you belong.

You uh-- you do the bad thing and RUN

Creepy room full of creepy creetures?? (About 5-7) And they are coming at you now?? No tHaNkS. Don't know what going on in there, don't wanna know!

Which of course they give chase because now they think you know you're in trouble. And making a break for it. X'D

Running down the hall with a bunch of these beans chasing you, is going to alert Merlot who is bewildered and has NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON.

And thankfully they can stammer out an explaination, I am sure Zelle has excitedly babbled about this whole thing to them. How they pulled your soul back into your body made sure you were doing fine, leaving you to rest. Which OBVIOUSLY he must have left you to rest unsupervised and you snuck out. XD

Hahaha it's chaos.

You get to sit with the Merlot until Zelle can get back. And this is probably when you meet Sun, who doesn't introduce themselves, instead curiously watches you.

When Zelle does return they intorduce you to the staff, all of the staff, and there's a lot of them. You don't mention you've already met. . . and they few that chased you don't either ahaha.

--

Relationship wise it depends, and there can be a lot of routes you can take? =3

If you cause too much trouble (Get the achivement: Escape Artist) you get one assigned to you.

If you visit Merlot a lot you meet Sunder, and you can get to know them.

You have an extended stay in the little frankenstein story because you've been patched up and are now being monitored for any issues. And also healing through what happened.

You are pretty much in the same space as all the doctors all the time. And can befriend any of them if you so choose! Some areas are off limits of course but other areas like the lunch room and possibly other activity rooms are going to be shared spaces. Think of it kind of like... a scientific sort of dorm.

The doctors live out their daily lives in here, study, work, rest, eat. At the moment you are living alongside them.

--

Yup! They do have different personalities, they tend to be on the quiet side for the species norm? But getting to know the staff you'll find some are sillier and jolly, some are sterner and quicker to get frusterated. The doctors are more like, a species I have been working on. Some could be related to one another in the building it's possible! The building is pretty large, so there are a lot of these beings around. ^^ ) Not just one or two, they make up a huge portion of the staff! A ballpark thought might be... 100-300 of them?

--

And for Sun and their nickname? They adore it. Even if it was something you might have said offhandedly or to be silly. They will gently prompt you to keep using it.

And if you call them 'Sunny' they will become very quiet and embarrassed dkdkxkkss. It's a cutesy name, not something they would ever picture someone calling them. So that's a very surprising and affectionate term. They like it a lot.

Sun is a little bit of a special case compared to the other doctors. They are Merlot's Assistant, and also work very closely with Zelle at times. They appear to be one of the highest ranking of the doctors just from showing who they work with. Sun also looks the most battleworn. They are pretty scarred up underneath their clothes.

They have been through a lot.

and original story constraints have you dealing with them quite a bit because you are under Zelle's watch, which means natually the upper staff all keep an eye on you too. ^-^ )

And while Sunder is a high ranking doctor they spend a lot of time with Merlot, giving the two of you the ability to bond since Sun has more free time on their hands to show you around then the tall shy guy.

--

Relationship wise Sun is protective. Sun is also battle worn, which makes them tense when you are out of the facility and moving about the city. They can't really help that fact, and they probably don't recognize this trait until you gently bring it up to them. ^^; )

The closer you are, the more you mean to them, and the more worried they will be about your safety. Which makes them tense and a prickly if strangers get too close. Key word is strangers, people they know they don't really mind-- Though if Zelle is teasing you too much and you're getting visibly upset or agitated. (If Sun is in a relationship with you) They will confiscate you from the chairman. Giving Zelle an annoyed huff and carrying you off.

Alone, Sun is sweet and tender. There's safety in secluded spaces, so they don't feel as though they have to be on edge. They tease you a little but it's more on the affectionate side.

For the anxious reader, relasionship!Sun will wrap their tail around your ankle or your wrist, or put a hand on your shoulder or the small of your back. Little, "I'm here for you" gestures if you're feeling overwhelmed.

(♡˘︶˘｀♡) I hope that answered your questions! ♡♡♡

[hxrricvnes]

c. | ryann lux matthews.

Is that KATELYN NACON? No, that’s just RYANN MATTHEWS. They were born on 06/11/1997 and are a WITCH living in Northknot Town. They work as a BARTENDER AT THE GRAPEVINE AT NIGHT and RAVING RAVEN DURING THE DAY. Some say they're HARDWORKING and CARING, but I’ve heard others say they're PARANOID and OVERPROTECTIVE. When you think of HER, don’t you think of A CHILDHOOD NEVER HAD, WARM COFFEE ON A COLD MORNING, LIGHTNING VICIOUSLY STRIKING ACROSS THE NIGHT SKY AS THE SKY WEEPS?

A E S T H E T I C

the smell of the air after it rains. a childhood never had. sleepless nights with pale skin shining in the moonlight. magic radiating in waves. warm coffee on a cold morning. a sisterly willpower to protect. a sparkle fighting to shine once again. lightning viciously striking across the night sky as the sky weeps.

M U S I C    P L A Y E R

“  miss the person i never got to be . . . never got to be wild like the horses , naive like a child . horrors of the world came knocking , knocking  .   ”   wild horses  by  grace powers. “  i will send out an army to find you . in the middle of the darkest night, it's true . i will rescue you. there is no distance that cannot be covered . over and over . you're not defenseless . i'll be your shelter , i'll be your armor . ”  rescue by lauren daigle “  all the battles , all the wars , all the times that you've fought . she's a scar , she's the bruises , she's the pain that you brought . there was life , there was love , like a light and it's fading out . ”  broken home by 5sos

P E R S O N A L I T Y  

ryann learned early on how to be independent. she never wanted to be home but also kept to herself. no one ever pushed her to open up. so due to all that, she does take a minute to warm up to people. but despite everything, she is extremely kind and always willing to help someone in need. she basically raised herself and from the age of 13 she raised her brother. so all she really knows is how to look out for others. once she becomes close with people, she tends to put their needs before her own. which isn't always a bad thing, but does make it obvious how little she care about herself. she's working on it. she's also very smart despite not going to school past high school. in her teens, school was her escape and then became her way of making sure she knew all she had to for her brother. she had little time for herself and basically had to learn it everything and do it quickly. anytime she's faced with learning how to do a new task, she manages pretty quickly. ryann's also known to be very respectful. some of it steaming from the years of abuse and only being able to refer to her own parents as "sir/ma'am". but also coming from the fact she of all people knows how well people can be at keep secrets. she doesn't know what everyone is going through. also known to be extremely hardworking. as soon as she was able, she would work any job she could. she had to provide for luca. and nothing was off limits. she has slowed down a bit, but still does work two jobs.

H E A D C A N O N S

born in england to robert and lisa matthews, ryann never stood a change to having a good childhood. the matthews never wanted children but they worked for a man who told them that once ryann was of age, he'd take her so he could take her power. unlike robert and lisa, the man knew that the matthews came from a powerful bloodline and if it hadn't been for their own efforts to dull their own powers, he would have taken them instead. despite knowing that they wouldn't have to keep her long, they treated her poorly. as soon as she could walk, she was left alone. and due to her age, she got into things and made messes. this caused her a lot of trouble and the abuse turned more physical. even though she didn't understand fully, the pain was enough to let her know that she wasn't allowed to do much of anything. suffering from years of abuse, ryann did try to run away a few times. especially after she reached the age of ten. that was the age she realised that those accidents that seemed to happen when she was scared or upset were because of her magic. she had overheard her parents talking about it. but her parents wouldn't let her since they still planned on just handing her over. not that ryann knew that. when she was thirteen she stopped trying. that's when her brother, luca, was born. ryann fell in love immediately and started taking care of him without being told too. which her parents were fine with. the only reason they kept him, was because they figured when their boss showed up again, he'd be happy to take both and would repay them since they were offering double now. the young teen age promised that luca would never have to hurt the way she had. he was never neglected and ryann took all the physical abuse for him. anytime he accidentally did something wrong, she said it was her. once she was eighteen, she had enough money saved up for her and luca to leave england so she packed up and came to the states. living on and off the streets for awhile. woking any and all jobs to get buy and save up. it took her a little less then a year to have everything fully sorted and she was able to reconnect with everett, a childhood friend who told her about northknot. she was only nineteen at the time. besides with everett, she struggled cause while most people seemed nice and left her a long, she didn't miss the judgement either from people who thought she was a single teen mom with a six year old. and while it didn't matter what people thought, it did remind her of why she has a hard time letting people in. she was there for a little over a year when luca was taken while she was at work. and despite knowing she had people now who would help her, she left right after him without letting many people know. it took her about three months to catch their trail, but by that time, the hunters had taken luca back to england. they planned to return him to their parents so they could give him over to the man from before. this is when ryann learned the truth about all that. once she found her brother again, she had to deal with the hunters, who were holding onto him waiting for instructions. ryann ended up using her powers, but despite having learned more and finally having the hang of things... her fear and anger took control and she killed the hunters. despite knowing they were bad and it was in protection of luca... and that she'd do it again for luca, it still haunts her. being reunited with her brother wasn't the end of things. she now knew the truth and feared for her brother's safety. so she decided to not rush back. instead, she used this time to study harder and practice her magic as well as help luca learn more. spending more time looking over her shoulder then feeling safe. after a few years of this, she knew luca was tired of moving around so much. so she made her way back to northknot. it was the only place she's ever felt safe. she didn't want one bad event take that from her. being back for the last few years now, ryann has relaxed a little more, but with everything happening around town, she's still pretty stressed.

C O N N E C T I O N S

witch friend. this is a person she met here in northknot and maybe didn't know much about magic until getting to northknot. they bonded over figuring things out. ryann isn't in a coven right, so maybe they aren't either or are new to one and they help ryann out a little and get her to join with them. someone connected to the man who wanted to steal ryann and luca's powers. they don't/didn't know about ryann or luca. but just had that connection to the man. once they find out, they can either work again ryann or try to help her. whatever works. MORE: friends. co-workers. someone who just doesn't like ryann. etc.