#actively working and choosing to be a better person my beloved

[tepkunset]

Representation vs. Appropriation

When I made a tumblr blog post pointing out that the character creator in Baldur’s Gate 3 included culturally appropriative face tattoos, lot of people decided to bend over backwards to defend this. Excuses I have found while giving my blocking finger a routine work-out thus far have ranged from “Larian Studios is European so they don’t know any better”, to a classic “it’s just a fantasy game, stop being so oversensitive”. But by far the most common poor reaction was, “what if it’s representation?”

Now, two Māori people were quick to jump into this post and say themselves, clear as day, that this is not representation, it is appropriation. That should be enough right there—settlers do not get to decide what is and isn’t representation for us Indigenous folks. But white people not listening to Indigenous voices is nothing new. I’ve been forced to learn that if you want to be taken seriously by settlers, your best chance is to coddle and appease their poor little delicate feelings. So, let’s pretend for a second that these “what if it’s representation?” questions are actually asked in good, albeit ignorant faith, and not just a pathetic gut-reaction to avoid having to critically think about a beloved game. (Which, by the way, I still overall adore myself, mind you.) Let’s pretend they actually want an answer, and give it to them.

It’s very easy to list the examples of positive Indigenous representation I’ve personally experienced in video games, not made by Indigenous folks ourselves, because there’s only one game that comes to mind: Assassin’s Creed 3. The protagonist of AC3 is Ratonhnhaké:ton of the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka people. Ubisoft is a terrible company for other reasons, but they did one thing right in the development of this game: They hired a cultural consultant, Thomas Deer. Deer was able to guide them through avoiding offensiveness and stereotypes, and include proper cultural touchstones that Indigenous players, especially Mohawk players, would want to see. For example, Ubisoft originally wanted to include sacred ceremonial masks in the game, but Deer told them that depictions of these masks would be taboo. He also helped them choose what clothing and jewellery was authentic to the Nation. This, among much more, helped create a truly representative experience. What makes it representation is that it features an Indigenous character in a positive way, without crossing lines into what should not be touched by outsiders. But had Ubisoft decided to ignore Deer’s consultation and go ahead with using those sacred masks… that would have been cultural appropriation.

Cultural appropriation is taking a closed cultural practice and using it yourself, despite not belonging to the culture it comes from. The key word there is closed, as in, something not for outsiders to touch. Eating frybread is not cultural appropriation, because it’s something freely shared by Natives to others. But wearing a fake headdress to your local musical festival is cultural appropriation, because headdresses are sacred regalia not freely shared by Natives to others. It really is that simple: just listen to boundaries set by the People.

“But my fake headdress is just clothing.” “But a fake kakiniit is just ink.” “But my fake totem pole is just decoration.” Except not, and the very fact that you have no respect for the history and meaning behind these things is the perfect example as to why they are not for you. But being told something isn’t for them has always been a hard a pill for settlers to swallow.

The phrase “nothing about us without us” is often used when advocating for rights and respect of minorities. It was first brought into English vocabulary by South Africa’s disability activism in the 1990’s, and has since been adapted across the world as a slogan to mean uplifting voices of the people you claim to want to help, instead of speaking over them. I personally first heard it through EDIRA work (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Accessibility) at my job, and I feel like it can be applied in many different ways, this being one of them. The best representation comes from listening to the people you want to represent. Had Larian done that, they would have known that imitating those tattoos was off limits. But since they didn’t, they took what wasn’t theirs to take. And that’s appropriation.

[miru667]

How do you manage to stay in a fandom for so long? I'm always mario jumping from fandom to fandom every 3-6 months

Oh, so many reasons. I think I've answered this before but in a much more concise way so idk what happened here when I tried to answer again from scratch but uhhh I wrote a lot lol?? Long ramble time. 😂

I found this fandom at a point in my life when I really emotionally needed it, so I got really attached to it. I stayed because of the friends I've made in it and because of the OCs I got invested in, both mine and other people's, and every so often something invigorated my interest like a new roleplay I got to join or new concept art that got discovered.

I'm also just a really dedicated person (for better or worse) and I still have ideas that I want to get out there creatively. I don't get a lot of free time, and I rarely have energy for hobbies after work so my time passes slowly in the sense that I may still be in the middle of appreciating a thing, meanwhile everyone else has already sped through and processed it and moved on.

So I've gotta be really careful about choosing what to spend my limited time and energy on. It sometimes takes me a whole month to draw a piece of art that I'm proud of. It would be a huge waste of my time to spend so much energy on a fandom that after 3 months I think I might not care about anymore.

And like, if it's going to take me a month to draw 1 thing, what am I going to choose? Fanart of a character from a show that I just finished that I might possibly move on from in 3 months? Or art of my darling Audrey OC that I've been developing for years and whom I know will always bring me joy for the rest of my life? It's not a hard choice! Like I'm sure it's obvious by now but I really love my oc. It's gotten to the point that I look for her in every media I consume. I like characters because they remind me of her, and I like plots because they remind me of her. When I watch a movie and end up loving it, I'm not going to be drawing fanart for that movie, I'm more likely going to be drawing Audrey Grace in some way that's consciously or subconsciously inspired by that movie. I'm sure other people with beloved ocs can relate to that, too.

Back to media consumption: I'm constantly watching new things, shows, movies, letsplays, and I'm able to love them just fine, but I never participate in their fandoms (unless you count reblogging fanart as participation. I personally don't). I just don't feel motivated to and I feel like it's unnecessary. I shouldn't need to prove anything. You can appreciate media without engaging in fandom. In fact, I encourage it, because a lot of what I see in fandoms these days is just stressful, at least to me. And I don't want that stress. I'm much happier as a person when I don't have to read other people's opinions, discourse and drama over some show's themes or ships or whatever. I can just quietly revel in my own enjoyment of the show without being tainted by anything else, and my love for it is not any less valid than the person who's livetweeting their loud emotions while watching the same show and putting out fanart 1 hour after every episode. Bless them, though.

And I guess that's mostly what I do these days with the Onceler fandom, too. Appreciating it more quietly these days, I mean. It's just that...I have a fandom related oc so I draw her. And I have friends here so we do stuff together and we reference fandom inside jokes no matter what activity we're doing. If I encounter art that deeply moves me personally, I reblog it, just like I reblog art for other media on my sideblog. When anyone has a fandom history related question, I'm eager to answer because I don't want the past to be misrepresented or misunderstood. And also, since it's been over a decade, this fandom has long ago become my daily normal. I can do whatever I like but I can't really "leave" this fandom unless I delete all my social media and cut off all my online friends. And delete my memories of the past 12 years of my life as well. Just become a completely different person.

So I guess I can reverse the sentiment: I can't relate to people who hop fandoms every 3 to 6 months. 😭 All the power to you, but that's just not the way I happen to live my life, nor the way I engage with the media I consume! The Once-ler fandom was the one exception. It was special.

But who knows, anything can happen in the future. I'm not so proud that I'm purposely blocking myself from looking at other fandoms or anything. I just go with the flow! Right now I'm slowly making my way through jjba, an omori playthrough, a Plague Tale playthrough, and urusei yatsura season 2 (the new anime). Probably nothing will come out of any it except for a bunch of Audrey inspos, but again, who knows. XD I'm also going to an idkhow concert soon, and I've bought merch from their store already. Does that count as participating in a fandom? Maybe not. But now that I think of it, even if I "join" another fandom, it doesn't necessarily mean I'd leave the onceler fandom either, so maybe it wouldn't matter haha.

Thank you for the ask and thank you to anyone who's read my entire answer!

[blue-jisungs]

hi axe! hope you’re doing okay!

i was wondering, if you could recommend/assign one of your fics to each of your moots, which ones would you choose?

take care!

ONGOMTOMEHWOWNWKSJQKWKWKW IM WAS DOINT GOOD BUT NOW IM DOING BETTER BC ANON RHIS IS SUCH A CUTE IDEA WHAAAAT :((( TYSM ILY MWAH !!!!!!! i tried to do most of my moots but im so so sorry if u dont see urself here :(

@slytherinshua zanna zanzan.. you would be [6:27am] , so a huening kai timestamp! i know its short :( but its so soft and peacful, it kinda just has ur vibes?? the piano, kai himself, the sleepyness hehe.... and it was my first ever timestamp so if we wanna get philosophical,, it could also symbolise the fact i was ur 1st followed blog (ill never shut up abt this bye)

@l3visbby mother ud be......... leg day with changbin. im so biased but. but. its goofy, a lil suggestive but also the comfort of it just reminds me of u hehe

@planetkiimchi mattress testing with jisung!!! it was one of my first works w ji (so its also kinda cringey, i apologise) but its so sweet tbh, just like u hehe plus that sillyness hehehehe

@fairyhaos are we surprised i gave u a joshua fic? absolutely not. sunday morning... is so soft :") and the coffee shop au too <//3 its so joshu coded lets be real.... but kinda, so are you? all gentle and so so sweet... can be scary too but pffff rare occurence

@weird-bookworm lol kyky.... arguing about paying with bts!!! its one of the silliest things ive wrote lol so it fits ur tricky, gremlin-y personality heheheeh

@mirxzii okay i know its kinda boring since it was ur req... but its just so... you,, yknow? speaking your native language in their presence with seventeen because you love languages,, and the piece just has a special place in my heart (just like u)

@etherealyoungk again im so so biased w this one ... but! not yet, a hoshi imagine </3 its so sweet actually (pt2 too hehe), and and my first ever hoshi fic :( the mc is smart and reasonable (like u) wheres we also have a cute and lil drunk and very much whipped tiger...!!! hoshi is hoshing and thats so skye.

@ddeonudepressions them flirting with you at the game caterers2022 with enha!!! its silly goofy and filrty... like u............ also i miss u pls come home the kids miss u too

@malarign very much inspired by ur last message but LE(t's) GO with heeseung !!!!!!!!!!!! the playful vibes = you frfr!!! and its so so bf coded i think ud enjoy it!!!

@enluv sigh cocour me n ur love for father figures made me thnk ant this onme deeply so i eventually decided on old people activities with the one and only namjoon!! its my fav thing ive wrote for him, and its :( idk i had fun writing it and so do i when im talking to u teehee

@rubywonu okay this one is a lil,, more like comfort but ?? childish joy with nonu my beloved.... this fic has a special place in my heart (so do u teehee) but also,, i feel the vibes kinda fit u :")

@wheeboo rania.... rania rania rania......... i was thinking of giving u some angst (which i dont really have but lets ignore that) BUT then it clicked. soup&&confession with jeonghan! its a bit angsty,hurt2comfort, nursing, e2l.... whatt do u want more!!!! and also jeonghan himself reminds me of u ?? (mischievous but also somehow an angel pffff)

@wqnwoos okay listen i always feel amazed by hana's works so i can only recommend a fic thats good (i think) and that i actually like LMAO so that would be infinity w vamp!wonu :D its kinda dramatic lol but im proud of this one hehe

@hannieheartuu YLLI !!!! i wanted to recommend a chan fic bc, haha,, hes a maknae and u r younger than me aha,, ha,, and u also have the same vibes BUT. buut. theres a dk fic that i really love and its kinda silly but i feel like its not getting enough recognition LMAO so!! dokyeom junior the seventh teehee

@icyminghao noelle. u r getting one of my favs !!! zzz... with taehyun <3 itsSDFGHJDRFTGYHUHGFDS i love it. im so humble i know but its really great :D the soft sleepy vibes :(( i think ud like it!!

@txt-yaomi okay i kinda... struggled. but lemme explain my thought process: you remind me of yeonjun -> yeonjun is flirty -> no napkins (no problem). boom. amzaing, i know. its short but hes so...... sigh. i love him.

@eternalgyu hannie u remind me of niki so amongst my um library for this goofy guy ive chosen y/n's protection squad which is like one of the most chaotic things i wrote for him lol!! chaotic and mischievous ... like u >:)

[doodle-pops]

Self-Care Day With Glorfindel

𑁍 Personally, he’s one of the best people to assist with a self-care day. He’s the type to engage in all the activities that you wish to partake in because he understands what it means to be empathic.

𑁍 Glorfindel would stumble upon your tired, stressed-out figure, mopping about on the bed and buried under the sheets. When he approaches your form and pulls the sheets back, he’s met with a detached expression, but underneath, he could see the tension and frustration welling up.

𑁍 Being the cheerful person that he is, Glorfindel wouldn’t hesitate to throw himself on you to deliver so cuddles while questioning you on what’s the matter. It’s then when the words slipped past his lips, you’d break down and drop the façade to cry in his arms.

𑁍 When you explain to him that you’re just overwhelmed by a bunch of events over the recent days and you were feeling hypersensitive, he’ll cast you an apologetic look before springing from the bed and marching over to the wardrobe.

𑁍 When he returns after leaving you confused, he’s back dressed in simple attire and ready to have some fun and soft moments to assist with the stress.

𑁍 He will keep you indoors and have most workers move to the other wing to reduce noise, saving only a few for emergencies like ordering food for you both.

𑁍 This is a day where he’s going to let anything you request, slide because he knows it’s for you to ease the pain.

𑁍 If you want to have a bubble bath and spend hours soaking in the tub, he’s massaging you, if you want to build a sheet and pillow fort—you can bet he’s down for that. He is down for all if you want him to read to you, cuddle and take a long nap, or go for a walk.

𑁍 Glorfindel will spend hours away from his work and refuse to leave you to attend any meeting. Even if the King or Lord Elrond required his presence, he’s telling them no, it’s not as important as my beloved.

𑁍 When it comes to the food you choose to eat, he’ll ease up on stealing your treats because he questions your choices mentally and verbally, especially if you have a sweet tooth.

𑁍 During that time, he will ask you how you feel and gauge if you’re still hypersensitive. He’s heeding all your complaints to know whether or not he has to pay your bosses a visit to ease you up or someone else. Depending on your crisis, he’ll either give advice or remain silent and be an ear for you.

𑁍 The best thing he would suggest to you would be to go for a ride throw the forest on Asfaloth. He’ll entertain a picnic with you, feasting on organic meals that are better than some of your food choices.

𑁍 If a river is nearby, then perfect, he’ll suggest you two go for a swim. The both of you will be floating around like otters do when napping. If you are in the mood, a mini water fight to lift your spirits will occur.

𑁍 If one day isn’t enough, he’ll throw in a couple extra days and inform your boss that you are unwell. He’ll allow you to sleep in late to regain your energy and even spend a lazy day in bed.

𑁍 You wouldn’t have to worry about him making you uncomfortable with the loads of questions because as a Lord, he’s dealt with these situations among his soldiers, and has the expert abilities to navigate you.

Masterlist

Taglist: @eunoiaastralwings @noldorinpainter @ranhanabi777 @spidergirla5 @lilmelily @someoneinthestars @mysticmoomin @aconstructofamind @floraroselaughter @the-phantom-of-arda @rain-on-my-umbrella @hoshinokurasa @singleteapot @wandererindreams @asianbutnotjapanese @justellie17 @justjane @silverose365 @bunson-burner

[fictionalmenmistress]

The Private Library

... Of Fictional Men Mistress

Welcome! This post serves as my digital private library... my most beloved collection. None of these works are mine, and all credit is due to the lovely and incredible minds that created these works of art; (which you will find next to their titles, once you choose a category). This is the home to my personal most favorites, and most beloved stories and fanfictions and blog posts I have read. I think about these daily... I adore these. They've made my life better. They've changed my life. They've kept me going during my lowest points in life, and I mean that. I reccomend all of these. These were written by the best writers in the world; true to character, perfectly immersive, so imaginative, feels like you are there.

All of these fanfictions, stories, character & show analysis, random tumblr posts, headcannons, and beloved writings of all types, will be listed in no distinct order, inside their categories. Please Enjoy; explore them all! 🖤🗝☕🥂

The Majorety of these reccomends are for mature audiences, 18+, so if you are a minor, please DO NOT read through these reccomends yet.

Choose a vinyl playlist!

What genre of fandom writing do you want to spin on the turntable???

NOTE: NO LINKS ON THIS LIST ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE! LISTS ARE BEING FINISHED, AND LINKS WILL BE ADDED TO THIS LIST ALL AT ONCE, VERY SOON. PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER MASTERLISTS, PINNED TO MY BLOG, AND SAVE THIS GOODIE FOR LATER! 😉

• Favorite STARWARS Reccomendations: (The Clone Wars, Prequels, Sequels, The Bad Batch) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite BTS Reccomendations: (mostly Taehyung, Namjoon, Yoongi, Jungkook, Jin, Hoseok) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite TMNT Reccomendations: (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bayverse Turtles, 80s, 2003 TMNT, Rise of the TMNT, 2007 TMNT) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite MARVEL Reccomendations: (MOON KNIGHT, WandaVision, LOKI, Loki Laufeyson, Avengers, XMEN, Wolverine, VENOM) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite LIE TO ME* Reccomendations: (Dr. Cal Lightman, Tim Roth *actor*) Headcannons / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite THE BOYS Recommendations: (Billy Butcher, The Boys Team) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite MY HERO ACADAMIA Reccomendations: (Bakugou Katsuki, Todoroki Shouto, Kirishima Enji, Dabi) Analysis / Headcannons / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite Good Omens Reccomendations: (Anthony J. Crowley *The Demon*, Aziraphale A.Z. Fell *The Angel*) Analysis / Headcannons / Fanfictions 🖤

• Favorite "Warden" Hwajin Na *Get Schooled Webtoon* Reccomendations: Analysis / Headcannons / Fanfiction / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite Tom Hiddleston Reccomendations: (Tommy Hiddles *actor*) Headcannons / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite What We Do In The Shadows Reccomendations: (Vladislav The Poker, Viago Von Dorna Schmarten Scheden Heimburg, Deacon Bruke, Stu, Nick "Twilight", Anton The Werewolf, Nandor The Relentless, Guillermo De La Cruz, Lazlo Cravensworth, Nadjia of Axtapos, Colin Robinson) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite SHERLOCK Reccomendations: (Sherlock Holmes *BBC*, John Watson, classic sir arthur conan doyle books) analysis / fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite DC COMICS Recommendations: (BATMAN, The Batfamily, Nightwing, Robin, The Teen Titans) analysis / fanfictions 🖤

• Favorite Impractical Jokers Reccomendations: (The Tenderloins comedy troupe, Brian "Q" Quinn, Sal Vulcano, James S. "MURR" Murray, Joe Gatto) Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite Portal Recommendations: (Portal, Portal 2, Wheatley, Chell, the Cores) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite Ghostbusters Reccomendations: (Dr. Egon Spangler, Dr. Ray Stanz, Dr. Peter Venkman, Winston Zeddermore) Analysis / Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite AVATAR (Na'vi) Reccomendations: (Jake Sully, Neteyam Sully) Analysis / Headcannons / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite Stranger Things Reccomendations: (Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington) Headcannon / Fanfictions / NSFW & SMUT 🖤

• Favorite Tumblr Posts: (random, deep & intellectual, movie, life, advice, or most comedic posts, that make tumblr the greatest platform of all) 🖤

>>> Return to Main Masterlist?

[feralplantwife]

On the 2023 Hugo Awards Disaster

I have a lot of huge feelings about the Hugo Awards disaster. I also have a personal stake, as Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao was the best book I read last year and the most fun I've had reading a book in a very long time, so I'm mad about that in particular.

First and foremost, what the goddamn fuck??? The Hugo Awards are pretty much the biggest awards for genre fiction, specifically science fiction and fantasy, which continue to be shat upon by tweed-cocooned academics and their pick-me constituents.

The fact that they chose to eliminate minority authors and their works for the supposed sake of censorship (racism/queerphobia) has pretty much invalidated the credibility of the Hugo Awards past, present, and future. A major honor for authors has been reduced to a dubious bragging right and the validity of the final results are now nil.

If they weren't prepared for the responsibility involved in holding the convention in a specific country and weren't up to the task of carrying out their duties as a committee within the confines of that country with the bare minimum integrity, then they shouldn't have done so. The Hugo Awards committee have insulted the nominated authors, insulted the Chinese science fiction/fantasy audience, and insulted any even casual enjoyers of genre fiction.

And let's make one thing perfectly clear: there is absolutely no excuse for this, this is blatant RACISM and QUEERPHOBIA and nothing else. If you check my reblog from yesterday or visit Xiran Jay Zhao or Neil Gaiman's own blogs, you can literally follow an email chain where these absolute ghouls pick and choose which authors and works they're going to eliminate without even the slightest hesitation or reluctance. Just business as usual for them it seems!

There is already a huge problem with racism and minority suppression within the science fiction and fantasy genres, which are still largely dominated in the mainstream by cisgender, heterosexual white people, and the literature is still rife with racial/queer stereotypes and bigotry. The fact that these systemic issues have so deeply infiltrated one of the highest honors a science fiction/fantasy author can receive speaks of a downward trend in current sociopolitical practices and offers a dark glimpse into the future not only for these beloved genres but also for us- the readers.

I feel so bad for the Chinese people who voted so diligently for this convention to be hosted in Chengdu, only to find that the authors who represent them (among authors as well) were eliminated behind closed doors for reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with the merits of their works.

Because of the fandom spaces that I exist in, I get people screaming crying bitching moaning over not seeing boys kissing or whatever All The Time, on an almost daily basis, but the people who hurt the most because of the Chinese government's censorship are the citizens that exist under that censorship. Now, because of prejudiced weasels, this includes the truly exceptional authors that represent them on a HUGE scale overseas.

I'm furious with the awards committee on behalf of all of us and especially for them.

What can you do?

Activism takes many forms, most obviously ACTION. An accessible way for anyone to take action and combat this type of shitty behavior from literary influences like the World Science Fiction Convention and the Hugo Awards is to read diversely.

It makes you uncomfortable? Good! It makes you think? Even Better! It makes you learn? That's the best! Every time you buy a book, you're making the statement that this is what you want to read, this is what you value, this is what we need more of.

Can't buy books? Use your local library! Libraries keep records of what books get checked out the most, so if you check out diversely, they'll acquire more diverse literature for you to read. This is literally the basic foundation of how public libraries operate.

Support minority authors, and don't rely upon some committee to tell you which ones are worth reading. Ask BIPOC and Queer readers and authors instead. Our communities know best, and are happy to offer recommendations and contextual information to help you grow as both a person and a reader.

Fuck racism. Fuck the Hugo Awards. And Fuck Dave McCarty in particular.

And don't forget to reach out to info@TheHugoAwards.org and let them know your thoughts and feelings on this matter

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hello! So this question is a little different from the ones you usually get, so I completely understand if this doesn't fit the scope of the blog.

I haven't put out any of my writing before bc its usually deeply personal and im not generally looking for a critique. I do however want to start and I was thinking of doing that through reviewing movies and shows I watch. I want to post some reviews of popular films from my home country through a feminist lens but im worried that when I promote it on different subreddits im going to receive misogynist backlash and hate for my marginalized religious identity. I can't think of any other way to curate an audience. Do you have any advice on curating an audience that would suit my content and/or to deal with the hate I could potentially get?

Worried About Backlash When Curating an Audience

Some things to consider...

1 - There will always be critics, no matter who you are and what you write. If you can't handle criticism, putting yourself out there as a creative may not be for you. Criticism is part and parcel with putting your work out, whether it's novels, music, art, movie reviews, OpEds, or any other sort of creative work. There will always be people who disagree, always be people who don't like what you said, always be people who don't like you and want to tear you down. Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is often considered one of the most beloved novels of all time. It has a whopping 4 million reviews on Goodreads, and 2.2 million of those reviews are 5-stars. However, almost 100,000 people hated it so much they 1-starred it, with some of the critical keywords being things like insipid, overrated, boring, one-dimensional, and anti-feminist. Some of these reviews attack Jane herself... a woman who died over 200 years ago. The point is, no amount of audience creation will shield you from criticism, unless you choose to share your work only with a small, trusted audience.

2 - Consumer commentary isn't a good place for feedback. It's futile to argue that nothing can be gleaned from what people like or dislike about your writing. However, consumer commentary isn't really there for you. Even if it's directed at you, it's really just there for other consumers. People are letting others know, "Hey, I really enjoyed this or I agreed with what was said." If you can read through reviews and commentary without taking it to heart and without responding, if a lot of people are liking and disliking the same things, sure--you can definitely take that and grow from it. Most of the time, though, it's better to just avoid reading the commentary. If you want feedback on your writing, seek it out from critique partners, alpha and beta readers, trusted mentors, and paid services.

3 - Start small, work you're way up. Reddit probably isn't a really good place to start if you want to curate an audience, especially if you want to avoid attracting lots of attention from people who are only interested in tearing you down. Instead, I would suggest something like tumblr, and maybe even bolstering that with activity on something like Instagram and tiktok. Ultimately, most of either platform will be other content related to movies and TV, but now and then you'll post your review (or a link to it wherever it is) and hopefully get a little crossover. The thing to remember is it takes a long time to build up an audience. You're going to feel like you're shouting into the void for a long time, but if you stay active, keep with it, and post good content, the audience will build up over time.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[carewyncromwell]

“I’ll remind you -- I saw you as a friend... But now we’re done! This way, you’re out of my head now! This way, you won’t plague my life! This way, when all is done, You’re out of sight and out of mind! This way, you get what you wanted! This way, you can save your time! This way, you close the door,  And have your damn goodbye!”

~“My Goodbye” from Epic: The Musical

x~x~x~x

Bill! ❤️ My beloved Cursebreaker boy, how nice it is to be able to draw you again after so long!!  🥰

The song accompanying this art absolutely kickstarted this idea -- The Odyssey by Homer is one of my favorite books of all time Odysseus is totes a Slytherin don’t @ me, so you’d best believe that when I heard there was a musical based on it, I had to give the soundtrack a listen, and my favorite of the entire soundtrack by far is this song, originally sung by the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena, and her “protege” and the story’s main character Odysseus. Although yes, Rakepick doesn’t end up being a great mentor for Bill in the game, though, I still think it is important to remember that she WAS a mentor to him, especially since the game’s writers seem to have totally forgotten this as soon as the Bye Bye Bill chapter at the end of year 5 was through. 

Think about this -- Bill, Merula, and MC were Rakepick’s chosen “apprentices.” And regardless of how you see your MC reacting to Rakepick, both Bill and Merula greatly esteemed and looked up to Rakepick as a mentor figure. We do get focus on how much Rakepick’s betrayal hurt Merula and even a bit for MC...but Bill actively chose to pursue Cursebreaking as a career in-game from year 5 on, a year before he met Rakepick. If you choose to have your MC give Bill a gift upon first meeting him, it ends up being a book by Patricia Rakepick about Cursebreaking. Even upon graduation, Bill ends up getting a job at Gringotts, where until the events of the Portrait Vault Rakepick had served as Head Cursebreaker -- you can’t tell me that’s a coincidence, and that Bill pursued employment at Gringotts partly because of Rakepick’s influence and/or Rakepick put in a good word for Bill with her old employers. 

In my personal headcanon, Bill was interested in Cursebreaking even before his OWL years, which ends up being a large reason why he chose to help Carewyn deal with the Cursed Vaults in the first place. And so naturally, upon meeting Rakepick, he knew he could learn a lot from her and was determined to prove himself when she selected him as one of her “apprentices.” Even though Bill could see the flaws in Rakepick a lot better than some of her other students -- namely her arrogance and pride -- he could also see her courage, skill, intelligence, and protective streak, and he took those as proof that she was much more than she appeared from the outside, much like other people he knew like Carewyn and Merula Snyde. And after all, Bill thought, Dumbledore himself trusted Rakepick. That had to count for something.

After Rakepick’s betrayal, though, Bill was thrown into conflict, especially over one particular thing Rakepick had said inside the Vault --

“But with [Jacob] trapped in a portrait inside the Vault, I needed another Legilimens to help me open the door – it’s the only way in, you see.”

“And what did you need us for?”

“Dragon bait. I couldn’t have my key into the Vault on the front lines, after all. I’m afraid all of you ‘curse-breakers’…are merely collateral damage.”

Rakepick had needed Carewyn to open the Vault...but Bill knew Carewyn hadn’t taken to Rakepick the way he had. She’d never fully trusted Rakepick, even after the Head Cursebreaker had protected and helped her multiple times. Bill had ascribed this to Carewyn simply having trouble relying on other people or having the tendency to hold grudges (Merula was a prime example of this, even after how much Bill had seen her improve over the years) -- but ultimately, Carewyn had decided to work with Rakepick even while not fully trusting her, and Bill knew that choice was largely because of him. He knew Carewyn had held back a lot of her more negative feelings toward Rakepick around him for a long time for his sake, and he knew that she probably wouldn’t have gone along with Rakepick as much as she did if not to support him. It was likely she’d also assessed that Rakepick could be useful in helping her reach Jacob, sure, but Bill was still certain that she wouldn’t have interacted with Rakepick as much as she did, even reluctantly, if it weren’t for Bill’s involvement. And, Bill wondered, was that ultimately why Rakepick had even shown him any favoritism or mentorship in the first place...just to make sure that she had that all-important “key” into the Portrait Vault at her disposal? All along, was everything she did for him -- encouraging his dreams and helping him attain that future he so longed for -- all just an underhanded ploy to get at Carewyn? If Bill hadn’t been so determined to see the good in Rakepick that wasn’t there...if he hadn’t looked up to her so much and seen her for what she was from the start...then Carewyn would’ve never accepted Rakepick’s help. He, Carewyn, and the others would’ve gone to the Portrait Vault without her help and freed Jacob on their own, and Rakepick wouldn’t have gotten so close to killing all of them. Maybe Rakepick wouldn’t have been able to get away, and Jacob would be safe at home with his family now, instead of chasing after her. None of what happened in the Portrait Vault would’ve happened, if Bill hadn’t been so -- 

These thoughts haunted Bill for a long time after. They were a black hole that he would desperately try to push away every time they cropped up, knowing that once he got started, he’d spiral down endlessly with no escape. And so he tried to keep himself moving, burying himself in his work, all so he’d be too busy to linger in his own guilt after what had happened and the mistakes he’d made that he was convinced had led to them. Even so, at work, there were definitely times while he was Cursebreaking where he would hear Rakepick in his head, chiding him for his missteps. 

“Watch where you step, Mr. Weasley -- the next trap won’t be quite so easy to dodge.” 

The thought of Rakepick would always flood Bill with pain and resentment. He’d learned so much from her about Defense Against the Dark Arts and about Cursebreaking...and yet now, all of the lessons and advice she’d given him were trimmed with thorns that made him bleed every time he had to use them. Even the position he now held at Gringotts he only had presumably because their ex-Head Cursebreaker thought it would help her keep hold of him, and by extension, his closest friend in the world...both of whom she ultimately saw as things she could use and then discard. Just like Charlie, and Merula, and Ben. 

...Just like Rowan. 

It wouldn’t be until the events in the Sunken Vault that Bill was forced to reexamine all of his feelings about Rakepick...but until then, however much Merula might have hated Rakepick, Bill loathed her just as much, if not more so. It is a true testament to how much Bill loves his family and friends that he so rarely acted on or even expressed it, because he knew that obsessing over or actively taking vengeance on Rakepick would only upset and hurt them. 

[skyloftsword]

Sixth Playthrough of Tears of the Kingdom Done, Have my Thoughts Changed?

Short answer: NOPE. I still don't see how the entire package is bad. Every game ever has flaws, EVEN your precious Breath of the Wild was very flawed. This is still my favorite game ever and I do really like BotW a lot. Story is for the most part really great, excellent soundtrack, gameplay is incredible, wonderful cast of characters.

Long Answer (SPOILERS):

Okay so, when I first played this game, it made me look back at Breath of the Wild and feel kinda disappointed with that game. Breath of the Wild kinda didn't feel anywhere near as focused as this game does (ironic considering most people have been saying the opposite).

The Dragon's Tear quest actually was really connected and told a really, really interesting story that got me invested in the characters. The order should have been forced, HOWEVER, Impa notes that the order of the memories is on the wall in the room of the Forgotten Temple. The Regional Phenomena stuff is what the Divine Beast quests should have been. Only one Divine Beast quest had anything going on before the battle, all four regions have stuff going on in them with the Regional Phenomena. Not to mention the regions are actively being affected by the events of the phenomena going on, with the Zora being injured by sludge, the Rito being starved, the Gerudo being invaded by zombi- I mean Gibdos and the Gorons being mind controlled by Ganondorf's puppet. The Puppet Zelda quest could have been handled a lot better, however I have read people's posts about why Link didn't tell anyone about it and I choose to believe that (because a lot of this game is based around theory crafting, like Josha for example, she's all about making theories of the past). Purah not commenting on you having the Master Sword until AFTER you finish the Crisis at Hyrule Castle quest is extremely awkward, especially if you have it on your back. The Ring Ruins quest is also really good, needing to explore the Zonai Ruins to find clothes from the era of the Zonai. Mineru (my beloved)'s quest is genuinely incredible. Building a construct then being able to drive her around is such an amazing idea.

The cast of characters in this game is filled with really great characters. Yes, the ancient Sages are literal WHO? HOWEVER, outside of them, Impa and the Deku Tree, the rest of the cast is really great. Rauru's character arc is my favorite in the series, topping Groose's for me. Sonia is also a really charming character. Both of them are the parents that this Zelda deserved. Such excellent parents. Mineru's my favorite of the cast solely because I can relate to having VERY unhealthy hyperfixation and work issues. Tulin's a really fun character to be around. Sidon's arc is really, really good in this game and the fact that they tied it back to Mipha's death from the Calamity helps the ties between the games become even stronger. Yunobo went from a bottom-tier character to a very solid character for me in this game (partially because he wasn't associated with Scrapper Eldin quest 2.0 this time). Riju is an excellent leader for the Gerudo, willing to put herself in danger for her people. Purah is a bit awkward in terms of writing but she's still good (and thankfully not tied to a backtracking quest this time).

The music REALLY helps make this game's story stand out compared to every other Zelda game story (besides MAYBE Skyward Sword's). Remember His Name is such a powerful and emotional version of Link's theme. The theme from the final Dragon's Tear is what makes me shed a tear every playthrough. Seized Construct's theme helps make that fight hit harder since its a corrupted version of Mineru's theme. Hyrule Castle's theme is more somber than BotW's, which is fitting. The transition themes between the Sky -> Surface and the Surface -> Depths really help make diving feel even more satisfying. Each Sage's theme fits their personality perfectly.

The gameplay in this game is genuinely perfect. The dungeons (hot take) are extremely fun to do, every time I do them I learn a new method for at least one of their puzzles. The Shrines are FAR better in this game than they were in BotW. The Proving Grounds Shrines feel more like a test than BotW's Tests of Strength. HOWEVER, they, for whatever reason, decided to make MORE combat tutorial Shrines. Now for abilities... Ultrahand and Fuse are SUPER fun to toy around with. Ascend ruined gaming for me because I'm so addicted to using it. Recall is crazy and its incredible how they got it to work as perfectly as they did (also great way to reach the Sky Islands).

Now onto the new environments in this game. The Sky Islands are beautiful. While they aren't for the most part visually distinct, a LOT of them are extremely unique. Lightcast Island is especially a really fun island. Thunderhead Isles and Dragonhead Island are amazing as well. Dragonhead's theme is one of my favorite ambient themes ever, its so calming. The Depths is really fun to run around in, except when you run into a pile of Gloom, that really sucks. Construct Factory and Spirit Temple are literal perfection. Fire Temple is also such a really cool dungeon.

Alright, now that I'm done, did my opinion on this game change after my sixth playthrough? ...No. This game is still absolutely incredible and a masterpiece of a game. No matter how much I get harassed (which I have been harassed multiple times over this), my opinion still remains the same on this game. Yes it has its issues, yes I think there are aspects that could be very much improved, but I feel this way with literally every game ever. Thank you for reading my rambling, have a good day.

[machidielontheway]

i am chatty today because i've got ✨The Anxieties✨

i choose to stop two choirs this year cause i didn't have fun like before (a long while, actually) and i had said to friends "i will come back with you to this other choir, the one we met all in, like you already have since a year". and i really thought i would cause it would let me keep community, and a regular occasion to work on what we'd see with my singing teacher.

but in the last two months i felt so relieved and free to not have to go back to the choirs i stopped, i began feeling like going to this other one would be again 'stiffling', even tho it's at a very low level (beginner level, altho a good beginner level). and that it would become a chore again.

i went to the open session yesterday and seeing all my friends and having fun in the warm up was really, really nice. but the choir work in itself, while of good sound quality and with a good chef, was so sloooow to my own needs. and we can't talk for real when in session, or just quick when the voice working is changing, so it's texting or nothing.

and i felt that i would be soon unfulfilled / bored in it, of the pace, and also the songs are nice but not really my taste (it was once 100%, but now it's only 50% to what i heard was planned.)

cons : - lot of people, mask is somehow accepted. i don't want to go back to singing in mask because it's really hard and creates problems which i have already, in terms of Singing. but given how covid moves lately i also don't want to be in 60 people's company in one medium room without a mask. - "slow" pace, potentially boring "what am i doing here" thinking. i could definitively bring something to do, or just read or something, as lot of people do, but i don't want my choir experience to be "you come for 2 hours and, besides warming up, you sing 15 of them". i know a good numbers of good / high level singers are in this choir and don't mind cause the ambiance is really nice, the quality is here, and the community is good, but i don't think i would have liked it. - i already have three weeks a night taken (danse, tv night with friend<3, and instrument soon if i'm not averse to it after the trial class tonight). going to choir would make it four nights a week taken every weeks (unless i double one night which is possible but not ideal especially on the long term). and i want that time to try new things / try to go forward in my life ! - i don't want to double down on my "choir the last years has been more of a duty sometimes than anything else" and continue and risk disliking it even more. i feel like simply singing in the grass or in a church with friends brings me much more pleasure, simple giddy fulfilling and without anxieties. yeah i can't sing masterpieces i've been dreaming to sing since years, needing 40 persons, but those masterpieces are not going away. they will still be sung in years and years (indodana and baba yetu my beloved)(that, funnily enough, are going to be sung this year in one of the choir i left lol. didn't change my decision) - having "one night more" gives me a little more time to try to be more active in reaching out to friends and proposing drinks or outings or so (....maybe. that's the plan. "if you wish you had a friend like that, be that friend" post)

pros : - singing and spending a little time every week with my friends, who as adult is hard to do in other circomstances ! - not feeling like my friends are having fun and sharing time together and i'm all alone not being there :( - working on what i'm working on with my singing teacher... maybe (loosing your long-time used crutches / wrong things you did because you didn't know better is very hard in context of choir where you body has sooo many automatisms)

So cons are winning a lot. but i'm so scared i'm making the wrong choice !! especially imagining them all having fun and feeling like i'm the one not there, shunned of my own desire. it uh. it hit a little bit deep in the never healed wound in my heart.

[fyrefrostanimus]

That Slay the Princess X FNaF crossover but it's just me thinking about how different versions of The Princess would interact with anyone else but The Hero

Thinking about the Slay the Princess X FNaF crossover a bit more (as a placeholder, it'll be called "Chapter II: Mechanically Broken" until I either think of something better or decide it sticks). I've settled on Michael being the first person to actually meet The Princess after the two accidental multiverse travelers end up somewhere they obviously aren't meant to be.

Since The Princess is away from The Hero for a lot of the time and almost all of Chapters II through IV are on the table, it gives me some room to think of how each version of her would interact with people other than our favorite eldritch crow man.

Quick preface to all of these, but if I do decide to write this random AU into a fanfic or something, the only character The Princess could (not every version of her obviously) feel anything romantic for would be The Hero. It just makes more sense to me that way.

Anyone is also free to remove the crossover AU elements to this post and just use the characterizations I got for all of them! No need to even credit anything, this is general stuff.

Chapter II Princesses

The Nightmare

Like with a lot of other Chapter II Princesses, The Nightmare's Aura of Organ Failure doesn't work on anyone except The Hero. She's a bit surprised at this but at least there's other ways to spread fear out there.

As I just mentioned with fear, she wants to be feared. The Nightmare probably looks at pre-Bite of '83 Mike with a sort of awe that he has his brother so afraid he's crying on the floor half the time (not saying that's good, but she sees it as such).

She doesn't want to kill anyone for the sake of killing, but if it'll make her feared, she'll do it. Her Aura of Organ Failure may not work on most normal human people here, but The Nightmare can find a way around it should the need arise.

The Stranger

Still shaken from the whole "the universe collapsed and now I'm like 5 different versions of the same person all smashed into one entity" thing.

After that, it's each of them pretty act like The Hero and all the Voices: each considering all the options and choosing whatever seems best for them to keep their 5 melded heads (albeit they're probably much more functional since they each control part of the body and actively must work together).

Each Princess making up The Stranger has different views and experiences with killing. I'm not about to rattle them all off, if you've seen a playthrough of this route you'll probably be able to tell which is which.

The Damsel

I was actually considering having The Damsel be flirty, but since her adoration for The Hero is based on him trying to rescue her, it makes more sense for her to be desperately searching for her beloved.

She probably trusts people much too easily. Very naive, and a bit of a doormat. When it comes to anyone except The Hero, she's a bit more capable of questioning things, but it's still The Damsel in there: enough pushing and she'll probably agree. She's pretty much a big child.

The Damsel doesn't want to kill anyone, and it's not like she would know how to do so effectively if she had to.

The Witch

No "crushing everyone to death with roots" here, sorry. Pretty sure you'd enjoy the concept of someone you hate dying in a springlock suit, though.

Outside of her willingness to betray those she knows she can't trust, The Witch's probably pretty mischievous. It's purely my own thinking though, but showing us she could slip that chain off her wrist with a smug look on her face really made me think that.

The Witch would definitely kill those she believes will betray her. And if there seems to be no way to do so, she will find one.

The Beast

Being an intelligent-but-still-feral animal, she'd at least be willing to talk. But as soon as you're a threat, you're dead. The Beast also probably has a chase instinct so maybe don't run away from her.

The Beast can and would and could kill someone should the need arise. And that need is probably that she just got hungry.

The Spectre

While she can't rip anyone's heart clean out of their body outside of The Hero, her reaching her hand into anyone else's living body would probably have some effects. Could probably be fatal depending on which organ and what condition it was already in.

She's snarky and a bit playful. While she wouldn't call anyone outside The Hero "killer", The Spectre would probably find some similar name for another person. Plus, she hates being alone. Even if she's not trapped in the basement of the cabin in this universe, it's like she remembers what it was like in there.

Might be able to kill someone. Definitely could kill The Hero with her usual heart-crushing move, but not anyone else since she doesn't seem able to interact much with solid matter past that.

The Razor

Since The Razor doesn't change much throughout her many chapters, this will apply to all of them.

Don't even try to be friendly with her. All The Razor wants is your blood all over her sharp hands (and body, if she decides to reveal that). She doesn't care about competition as much, although the thrill of battle does get to her like it does with The Adversary.

A very one-note character. While The Stranger seems to be the true parallel to The Razor, I see some similarities in The Damsel in the way she slams into you and breaks herself in doing so during The Empty Cup. Her bloodlust is the only trait she truly has, and once she has nothing to hurt (and gets injured herself), she panics. The Razor is just so desperate to cause pain and death that she will self-destruct when she can't do so anymore.

The Adversary

She wants a fight. The Adversary is here to kick ass and get her ass kicked, and she's not leaving this mortal coil without both of those happening simultaneously (not like she can die).

She probably wouldn't just fight ANYONE, since she wants to push her limits. People she knows are weaker than her are probably safe unless she finds out they can't actually die. A bit impatient too, and irritable.

The Adversary could absolutely kill someone. She wants to as well, but only if it's someone she sees as worth her time.

The Tower

Her Compelling Voice won't work on anyone but The Hero, probably giving her an identity crisis bad enough to quickly turn her into The Fury.

Seems like the type to write a book. If she could accept not actually being a god then maybe she would (but that's not her character).

Demands respect, not knowing that's not how it works here. The Tower adores those who submit to her, but only as long as they do.

She doesn't like physical combat. The Tower would rather break someone down mentally than throw hands.

The Prisoner

Still could behead herself and have her head carried around. But since The Prisoner isn't actually chained to a wall, she'd be less likely to pull that move (she still has the heavy chains that restrict her movement speed though).

She's resourceful, and uses what she has to try and turn the tide in her favor. The Prisoner is mentally prepared for almost any situation, and after (what she perceives as) years of being locked up in a basement she's used to asking questions before taking action.

The Prisoner would definitely kill someone if they directly pose a threat to her, whether they mean harm or not. She'd give them a chance to drop the weapon, but if they refuse, she's not holding back.

Chapter III Princesses

The Wraith

She can't actually possess anyone other than The Hero, but she sure as hell will try to make your life agony if you piss her off. Which would be easy considering she can crush one's ankle with just a squeeze.

The Wraith is still definitely not kind to newly-met strangers, but she'll at least give them a chance to prove they won't try anything. Even after that point screwing up could be a death sentence.

Can and will kill someone if she wants something. The Wraith will take anything she needs in order to reach her goals, whatever they may be.

The Moment of Clarity

Think The Nightmare, but (probably: I am taking criticism for this, and I'm even rewatching ManlyBadassHero's playthrough in order to make sure I'm getting them right) more desperate for companionship.

Almost everything else carries over from The Nightmare. The Moment of Clarity still wants to cause fear, but being rejected in some way really affected her.

The Grey

Burned will be in orange, Drowned will be in blue.

She's overly loving, willing to do anything to make sure she and The Hero can be together. Just not in the obsessive yandere way. I'm pretty sure that, if The Hero found someone else, she'd either be happy that he's happy or switch to the Drowned Grey (which would mean it's not technically her).

I don't think she would want to kill someone (or, like with her leadup in The Damsel, know how). But The Burned Grey could probably pull the blade out of her chest if necessary.

The Drowned Grey is blunt and not much of a talker. Unlike The Den, who cannot speak, she simply chooses not to.

She'd kill you if she had a reason, usually a grudge. But the punishment would likely match the crime, so if you just spilled your coffee on her she'd probably just wake you up in the middle of the night with a splash of cold water. But she could also use the blade impaled in her chest.

The Thorn

The Witch, but barely trusts anyone. The Thorn would be overjoyed if she found someone she could actually trust.

Like with her being trapped in brambles, she tends to find herself in situations where she needs help to get out. Especially since she's now outside of her own universe and can be confused by so many more things.

Honestly, I have no idea if she'd kill someone. I would have carried this over from The Witch, but The Thorn just doesn't seem like the type to be able to kill if in that situation.

The Wild

I think they're pretty much the only one who doesn't interact with anyone outside of The Hero, since it's probably extremely hard for a path in the woods to talk or anything.

Probably likes riddles.

I am assuming so much here and it's mostly based of them being "a curious heart": seeing as The Wild seeks knowledge of at least a certain aspect, they just figure out other fun stuff along the way.

Seems pretty content with not killing anyone. Likely could if they wanted to, but The Wild doesn't mind just being a path in the woods (only talking about The Princess's half, it depends with The Hero since The Wild starts with them merged).

The Den

The Beast, but unable to be reasoned with. If you piss her off then good luck, you're on your own.

The Fury

She can't rip out the organs of anyone except The Hero (at least, she can't without a physical effort). Poor girl can't catch a break: first she finds out her god power of commanding a guy to do her bidding won't work, and now she can't even punish them for it?

She's very spiteful. The Fury doesn't forget, and she never forgives. Well, she wouldn't until she switches to another version of The Princess who has a different reaction.

She would probably kill someone over a minor inconvenience.

The Eye of the Needle

Everything from The Adversary carries over, but is increased ten-fold. The Eye of the Needle would probably be willing to fight more people with intent to kill and be killed.

The Apotheosis

Everything from The Tower, but add on that she's now cocky as well. She won't even bother trying to bend your will to stop your attempts to kill her: The Apotheosis would love to see you try.

Oh my god I'm finally done writing this. It took two whole days to finish as I rewatched a whole playthrough to refresh

[pisboy]

Depending on who you ask, some people consider organic produce to be a scam because the scientific consensus on the nutritional quality of organic vs conventionally produced food is marginal, exaggerated, and/or nonsensically marketed. Whether by design to distract from the fact that organic =/= not treated by pesticides, studies show people care more about their personal consumption & health than environmental impact when choosing to purchase organic.

Generally, organic production is simply more costly due to incredibly numerous factors, which is partially reflected in the price. The crucial thing to understand is that organic certification is based on a series of rules for production which function more as regulations rather than a fuzzy warm pastoral social movement of harmony with nature. Also generally, organic pesticides/nutrient additions are exponentially less effective than conventional options so oftentimes conventional produce is significantly higher in quality AND has a smaller carbon footprint due less frequency of tractor/machine applications.

So basically, an organic certification tells you nothing about the quality of production or the produce itself. It *does* tell you something about what chemicals or practices *haven't* been used during production.

Some ag businesses are willing to jump through flaming hoops if it offers them better prices, but they're also willing to whistle and twiddle their thumbs if keeping the organic concept nebulous is more beneficial than being 100% transparent about what collective organic practices are because the nightmare scenario for a lot of organic farms would be the public deciding that current bar is too low because what they're currently doing is already pretty inconvenient to them in a lot of respects. After all, the collective benefit of organic production is a subjective assessment of a series of rules decided by the USDA and a new standard or even new type of federal certification could always develop if the public demands it.

Partially motivated by anticipation, recently some retailers now require farms to have certain private certifications on top of an organic cert and are dropping any supplier who doesn't, just so they can make a juicy marketing claim that ALL their farms are X, Y, and Z certified and a certain chain beloved for their hotdogs comes to mind... providing a convenient symbol on the label calculated for your millisecond glance over waves of packaging: you know these mixed salad greens are woke.

But one thing I gotta say in my personal experience with private certification groups is there's a certain uhhh carelessness to the fidelity of their claims, which is to say they're often a bit off the mark on their actual impact. It's hard to say what level of commitment these entities have imo but i guess I'll always be weary of private groups being the vehicle for social change. Intent = congruent, communication = questionable, impact = clumsy.

Also take me with a grain of salt bc I'm not providing sources on this post, but this is pretty much just my highly educated perspective on the whole organic produce deal which I have studied and worked in. In fact I'd encourage anyone to look into the claims I make because you (or I) might be surprised.

I should also finally disclaim that farmer's market scale production can be a bit of an exception here, but as far as the food supply chain goes, I'd consider them hobbyists rather than an actual contributing factor on the capital M Market. Any yearly profit over $2000 starts getting Legally Tax Annoying so some farmers actively stick to the smallest scale and are more free to prioritize quality. Some traditionally farmer's market scale farms and LLCs break through to DTC programs but to my knowledge it's an unreliable avenue since demand is incredibly unpredictable, plus they aren't always immune from competition from higher scale farms.

So, is organic a scam? Idk. Probably not if you care about specific chemical usage. I think it's evidence that economy of scale doesn't always prevent "better" farm practices, but in order to do so, industries may rely on some mild deception. It's up to you to decide the worth, but personally, me to you: buy what's cheaper or assess which option looks better. The sources often impact the quality more than the certs.

Oh and one last kicker: sometimes produce which is technically organic is sold as conventional if market strategy suits it (better price, market saturation, etc.).

P.S. Also always wash your produce. You don't know who's touched it since it got packed and put on display - but also don't panic over pesticide residue. Some fruits have a thing called bloom which can look like dried white residue but it's an effect of the hair-like non-smooth surface of wax which the fruit produces naturally. It's especially obvious on blueberries and grapes but apples have it too. Rest assured these get hella washed between the field and packing. But just play it safe and wash everything if you can. Okay bye bye now I love you

[tinnchan]

@thiansong EP 2 THOUGHTS (full ver) better late than never

i hear you crying in pain because of the latest episodes (i've blacklisted the tag but you're THAT loud aksghsks) hope this will manage to bring you back to the times when everything was (relatively) fine 💕

first of all GROWN UP TIAN HIIIIIIIII he is just soooo gentle the way he speaks and acts and dresses everything about him i love him sm 🥺 and yang!!!! he is so cute and literally the best brother and i love that he is fully aware of what their mothers are trying to pull and is actively choosing not to let that affect his relationship with tian

speaking of mothers madam li it's on sight. i understand her motivation and that the way she thinks is very realistic for the era. it makes it worse actually that i get where she's coming from she saw the way her husband and the others treated zhang how easily he was kicked out even though he was his beloved friend and she saw him commit suicide with her own eyes. of course she doesn't want that future for tian. but she is straight up being cruel to her son and from what i gathered it only gets worse later. the fact that he grew up not entirely fucked up is only thanks to yang and bua. when she said he will never be happy if he's like this my heart hurt so bad for tian and for every queer person who ever had to hear something like that from their loved one

the whole sequence with the servant girl made me highly uncomfortable starting with that guy sexualising her and then her sexually assaulting tian after being encouraged by his own mother that was so gross 🤮

to more positive things THE FATEFUL MEETING!!!!!! you've already described it beautifully nads so i don't have much to add but it really isn't easy to make instant connection to work and feel so natural and !!!!!!!! and it was so queer?? and then he saved him!!!! and his shoulder brushed his wound and he gave him his handkerchief!!!!! THE TENDER GAY ROMANCE OF IT ALL

the girl (pim?) is super cute!! also chan is evil and all but i have to say that new hairstyle really suits her 😳

- @ahxu-laowen

Absolutely adore the contrasting personalities of Tian and Yang and how it's exposed so quickly in their introductory scenes. I genuinely think that in a inferior show (or a western show, no offence), they would immediately be bitter/resentful or oblivious to what is happening with the other. But (for now, who knows lol i wont spoil), nothing, not their positions, not their mothers, can come between them.

I want to just keep tian, yang and bua far away from this place, you have no idea.

I DONT WANT TO SPOIL YOU BUT YOU WILL REPEATEDLY WANT TO HIT YOUR WALL AGAINST THE HEAD BECAUSE OF MADAM LI'S LOGIC.

Pin is so beautiful! sometimes, I cannot focus on her scenes because all I see is her! She is so lovely. I am also secretly a Chan stan account.

[figthefruitfaeth]

Hi 🤗 6, 8, & 23 for the fic ask game if you like!

Hiiiiii !! Welcome welcome, nice to have you here take a seat 🍄🫖✨

6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?

I’m not a big rereader/watcher or anything, so I don’t reread toooo many fics unless I forgot what happened, but I’ll share these two fics I’ve read recently that I’ve really enjoyed (I have also been pretty busy last two weeks so not as many reccs)

Anyway, It’s About Old Friends - @fragilecapric0rnn a steddie when Harry met Sally AU I adore! Great take on the story and feels very in line with WHMS as well as being it’s own thing

this text fic - I’m not a big kid fic person but this is SO cute and made me a believer even if just for a day

8. What projects) are you currently working on?

URGH so the active WIPs technically total 11/12 (this means ideas I have at least a few paragraphs for) but if we’re just going off of things I’m thinking about and generally working towards daily—4

beanie baby fic - my beloved <3 Steve dealing with the loss of his mom through a growing obsession with beanie babies. It started as a fun crack idea and then the angst and the grief spilled through and now I’m here sobbing over nip the cat listening to ‘should’ve known better’ by sufjan stevens

your name - part two of the Nancy xfiles series, following Nancy and robin on a case to find someone breaking into secure FBI sites and stealing information. very dusty roads and cracked skin, an empty diner in the desert and the strange version of yourself looking back through the rear view mirror vibes

comphet nancy - she is my manifesto and also my biggest struggle. 90s nancy moves to Chicago to be with her friends and ends up falling head over heels for soft butch robin, and also figuring out she’s a lesbian, in that order. “What about Steve and Jonathan” right well going for the most popular conventionally attractive boy and then immediately jumping to the one you have a trauma bond with -> gay. The fic deals with the toxic cycle that comes with not knowing what you want, and trying very hard to fill that void. very ‘women are people with hearts and minds…but god I’m so lonely’ and ‘hunger’ by F+TM and pretty much any mitski song ever (but especially nobody & love me more)

radio host!eddie - the latest work! This is technically still in the planning phase, or just about to exit it—basically community college au with frenemies to FWB to lovers steddie, with emo metal head loser radio host Eddie and Mariah Carey diehard lost in life and love Steve ( @fragilecapric0rnn instrumental in developing his musical sensibilities). Its got some sleepless in Seattle vibes, it’s got some Community vibes (six seasons and a MOVIE!), it’s got some classic romcom angst vibes. It’s gonna be a multichap fic (11chapter rn?) and I am soooo excited about it, especially the chapter around ‘sugar we’re going down’ by fob which is partly what helped develop the fic into what it is (by that I mean long as fuck) special thanks to @kkpwnall who endured every flipflopping version and will probably endure more

23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)?

At the moment I don’t really have a specific plan as to when I end a chapter, I just do what feels right, gut instinct. Technically every chapter should have its own arc, and together they create the overarching arc of the story, so I’m probably just following that even if I’m not actively thinking about it during the planning process! Though I will say I’ve only got one multichap work published (mail murder I’m coming back to you…one day) and others planned so, check back in a few months and see what I say then kekeke

fic writer asks

[coralsgrimes]

Ben is doing more choose love 💀 your favourite

Soooooo I said it before (a year ago to be exact!!!) but DO NOT SUPPORT CHOOSE LOVE!! DO NOT BUY THEIR SHIT!!

The last time I focused more on Benny himself and my personal problems with his 'message' but lemme expand.

Point one! I cried about this many times before, stop rewarding bare minimum behaviour stop applauding the fish for swimming. Boy should have been a special guest on the activist cuz this is exactly on brand for him - performative activism.

And now onto the charity he endorses aka the one that is the epitome of white saviour complex and a perfect front to boost the ego's of famous people!

I always say do yer due diligence and check for yerself. Benny famously never does. But why would he? This charity seems perfectly fine right? It sends amazing and noble message, is popular, looks so so nice and more importantly for our boy - it's also endorsed by big names.

And what choose love is is a scam, fraud and as I said above, just a make peeps feel better initiative.

They are not even an independent charity, they are collective fund basically owned (and giving money to!!) by a company (prism) that helps the richest of the richest to avoid taxes lol that's for starters.

The last two years should have tanked them when it comes to credibility. Reports of harassment, bullying and mishandling of sexual misconducts AND their cover ups and victims blaming. They been cutting out people who disagree with their shite.

What they pulled in Dunkirk and Calais went without even a slap on the wrist. They gonna do that again. And what they did is they pulled out of funding their partner organizations and prevented them from securing further funding for months. In winter they left hundreds of refugees without help as they were solely dependent on them.

They also publicly said that they are tired of helping certain groups of refugees and can they please stop being refugees cuz they tired of helping them and also these specific groups of refugees do not look like the victims they imagined. Yeeeeee x.x

They are absolutely not clear about their funds as they don't even handle the financials, choose love is just a selling front for people who want to feel better about themselves. They be reporting huge support and then say they outta money.

So yeah, the nice message is there but it's just a nice wrapping and there's a steaming pile of shite inside. If the charity is all about nice looks, sells a targeted product and is beloved by celebrities? Mostly red flags cuz it's not a charity but a fucking PR campaign...

Some links for ye to check out but do yer own looking as well. Not only now, always.

Also just to be a bitch. Boys inputs as a saviour come always weeks if not months after the fact, are one offs like 90% of the time and yessssh are just a good old make me look good attempts....

[james-smith07]

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