#and also the regular monthly stuff

[crescentfool]

i have become the very thing i sought to destroy

[welcometogrouchland]

I've decided I need to post at least some of my DC art backlog or I may actually explode and die

[lettuce-gremlin]

Hrm... one bedroom apartment in the city that's $1,250 per month... which is still a bit out of my price range but definitely better than literally everything else I've seen so far

[savethepinecones]

i need to stop scrolling through the watcher stuff i feel like im not seeing anything new its just the same arguments over and over again

[tobiasdrake]

I really do love how much you can tell about Doomguy just from looking around his room.

Like. Yeah, all the stuff you expect to see is there.

He's got his big ol' gun rack.

What appears to be a rock he uses as a punching bag.

Whetstone for sharpening his knives. All the Real Manly Violence Man stuff you'd think would be there.

But also a pair of nunchaku. Doomguy has never used nunchaku in any of his games. Those are just there because apparently he's the kind of dork who likes to play around with nunchaku and pretend he's doing kung fu.

Also a jump rope. Gotta keep his cardio up for all that running and jumping he has to do.

He reads Guns & Bullets magazine, but he also reads Science Monthly. Which makes sense that he'd be a bit of a techie since....

...he seems to have made his new Praetor Suit by disassembling the old one and rebuilding it to be higher-quality. You can see from the guts of the suit that it's powered armor, and he just... knows how to work that.

He's mad. Not stupid.

He also reads cooking magazines, of course. His only friend is Doom J.A.R.V.I.S.; He's gotta be self-sufficient. Though how he got those pizzas delivered is certainly beyond me.

And, of course, he has a collection of regular books that he likes to read as well. Though his taste in literature reveals a certain trend.

Also, he reads comics.

So many comics.

So, so many comics that he's left discarded comics lying around on his munitions cases. This man is a nerd.

And if you doubt his nerd cred, remember that he even keeps collectible toy displays. Doomguy is explicitly the kind of person who will go out of his way in a firefight with the forces of Hell itself to go snatch up a new toy for his collection.

He even has collectible toy figures hanging out on his computer desk. He put a little hard hat on one of them.

On the other side of his desk, he's got some leftover pizza from the inexplicable delivery service, plus takoyaki flavor chips and some candy. It seems Doomguy is a fruity candy kind of guy, not a chocolate guy. Man after my own heart.

Oh, you know he has shredded every single surface of the Fortress of Doom at some point. How do you think he learned to react so quickly in combat?

That is, of course....

When he's not ROCKING OUT with one of his three separate guitars. I bet the middle one's his favorite. It has a place of honor under the giant demon skull.

Some people might say that a record player and casette tapes are old-fashioned but cut him some slack; He's a Gen X-er.

Of course, there's one thing that any walk through Doomguy's room reveals more than anything else. The one thing that matters more than the world to him. The thing that drives him in his every waking moment.

He loved his bunny rabbit. My favorite thing about the portrait - Well, my favorite thing about it is that it's a piece of fanart that got officially canonized, but aside from that - is that he's wearing his Praetor Suit in it.

That's not something he brought from home. He commissioned an artist to paint that after becoming a Night Sentinel. He still loves his poor, late bunny rabbit.

And he keeps her close to him when he's home.

[dashcon-two]

Our First Update!

Hi everyone! Wow, the reception to DashCon 2 online has been insane. We are so incredibly grateful for the support! We know that there haven’t been a ton of updates in these past few weeks, but we promise that we’ve been planning a bunch behind the scenes. We're going to be going over a lot of information here that we covered in our newsletter, along with some more behind-the-scenes details. 

If you haven’t subscribed to our newsletter, please consider doing so! We’ll be putting out monthly summaries of important updates, alongside regular short posts here on our blog and these longer summaries.

NOTICE 07/9/2024: We're currently having some trouble with the newsletter and cannot guarantee that you'll receive our summary right away. We're sorry for the inconvenience and working hard to resolve the matter

WHY HAVEN’T THERE BEEN MORE UPDATES 

Frankly, a lot of the stuff we’ve been working on is pretty boring. We’ve been working a lot on budgeting and logistics, what you’d expect from a con that’s still pretty early on in development. We also haven’t wanted to rush announcing anything just to have something to put out; we don’t want to make promises that we can’t keep. We have more in the works, we promise, but we’ve been taking time to make sure that we’re laying a strong foundation for all future plans. 

To be completely honest, we originally planned on publically announcing our plans in mid-September, which has definitely impacted our publication schedule. When we learned of Strange Aeons’ DashCon video we realized that it would be a great time to reach out to her (which we’d already planned on doing), and go public with our plans. We were also concerned that if we went public after her video it would be assumed that this was a cashgrab aiming to ride the hype from her video. Because of this, we’ve had far less to announce than we would’ve necessarily liked. However, we’re now at the stage where we’ll have a more consistent update schedule going forward. 

OUR TEAM

To start, we have received a lot of questions about our team and experience. The DashCon 2 team is a mishmash of people in and around the convention world. For specifics you can consult our  About Us page, but as a collective we have people who have worked professionally as event/programming coordinators, volunteered at conventions/festivals/renaissance fairs, and of course, we've all been attending conventions as guests for over a decade. 

If you’re interested in potentially joining our team, we’ve now opened up volunteer applications for people interested in helping organize DashCon Two. Please fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch soon!

Our team is also working hard to connect with other people in the con scene, especially in our local area. We’d like to give a big thanks to Jenn from Dangerous Ladies for consulting with us and shouting us out on Twitter. Please check her out on Twitter @dangerousladies!  If you’ve been involved in con organization and wouldn’t mind having a quick chat with us, we’d love to hear your two cents! Please contact us through this form.

VENUE

Unfortunately we don't have a specific venue confirmed yet. We’ve been in contact with a variety of venues available around our preferred date, but we're still negotiating the details. We cannot confirm anything until paperwork has been signed, but know that not matter what, we will be paying for our venue in advance.

Because of some new venue updates (that we can't talk about yet), the date of our event may be subject to change, but will remain within the month of July.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS

The team is thrilled by the excitement so many Canadian artists have for vending at DashCon 2. Vendor applications are not open yet because we haven't yet signed for the venue. Once the venue is confirmed we'll be able to finalize our numbers, including attendee expectations and price.

Thanks for reading! The DashCon 2 Team

[adorkastock]

Where can you find free AdorkaStock poses? I SHALL TELL YOU! AdorkaStock.com has a free gallery that gets ~3 new poses every week. You can sign up to get weekly or monthly email digests of the new poses, too. Tumblr! You are here! I post poses from time to time. There's no regular schedule, I'm a disaster princess. Bsky - I post poses here! At random. Behold my chaos. Old DeviantArt Archive - while I would eventually like to get everything onto my own site and off DA, there's still thousands of images in this gallery for now. Patreon - there's a TON of free stuff on my Patreon! You can sort by the Free tag to find them and you can also browse my Archive Post. You can sign up to get free stuff there, too. ♥

[furiousfinnstan]

Hello~ I'm Nina Andrej a wannabe digital artist/writer after a lot of health issues I've decided to give this whole online artist thing another go because I can't do regular work 🥹🔫.But this time on kofi instead of p*treon.So if you ever liked my silly art please consider becoming my monthly kofi supporter.I will try to update at least twice a month also I will be dumping my nsfw stuff there because tumblr is well tumblr.

notable work:

the haunting after a fire(my shitty free poetry collection)•I have a piece in the :) beloved zine issue 3•something's not right bookmark design•anakin pain.jpg

links:

commission info•society6•p4ypal•instagram•redbubble

my art tag/my writing tag/my comics tag

under construction:

a webcomic? finally??•substack•my website

[sapphicmsmarvel]

cassian x reader: dating a high maintenance girlie

Hello, if this seems extra its cause it is but this is quite literally my high maintenance routine. This is just one of my favorite parts of life and I love the idea of these big burly men doing skincare with their girls. 

i’m a high maintenance girly bc i like to be. pls this isn’t a pick me bullshit type thing. Im a girls girl yall. 

-This man doesn’t know shit about self care. 

-He knows the basics but like, nothing that would genuinely make him feel comfy in his own skin even more than he already is. 

-He uses 3-in-1. Technically 4-in-1 because face wash is separate formula than body wash but you digress. 

-Y'all know that stereotype of a guy glowing up after getting a girlfriend? You guys were the blueprint for that. 

-You taught him his hair type (2A), his skin type (dry), his preferred scent profile for himself (spicy, woody, aromatic). What his favorite types of care products are, he loves leave-in conditioner, cream cleansers. He’s not a fan of super heavy moisturizers because he’ll get overstimulated.

-These are just things this man has never thought about. 

-When you two leave the house for a Court Duty, you end up doing Cassian's hair. He wants to look nice, for lots of reasons, but especially because he wants to be let back into Summer. He wants to be able to take you on Summer Court dates! 

-He lives for that sliver of time you’re able to squeeze in before going somewhere. You doing his hair, him staring at you in the mirror if you’re behind him. If you’re in front of him, his large hands on your plush hips as you bite your lip in concentration trying to make his wild hair look nice. The feeling of your fingers through his scalp and how even when there’s a knot, you never tug or pull hard enough that it hurts him. You’re gentle and sweet with him even when he thinks he doesn’t deserve it (spoiler: he always deserves it) 

-He loves how high maintenance you are, it helps him remember to take care of himself. 

-You do a little self care sunday reset type of thing. It helps you get ready for the week. 

-He finds these routines utterly fascinating. 

-He begs to watch you do them, not even in the dirty way but it's just so interesting to watch. You also banned him from getting frisky when you do the routines. This was your time, he was welcome to watch but he would step out if you asked because you needed to be alone. 

-Some days, your routines are a bit more intense, such as the monthly waxing for your legs and armpits. Coochie too. 

-He flinches every single time he watches you wax some part of you, especially the coochie. He kind of has an attachment to that part. 

-You do the whole shabang sometimes. Wax legs, armpits, etc. Exfoliating shampoo, regular shampoo, conditioning mask, conditioner. Then the body stuff, exfoliating, shaving any parts you didn’t want to wax, double cleansing your body with antibacterial then the fun scented stuff. Then when you’re out of the bath, face extractions, face wash, whatever else you want to add. And then body creams. Then you’re done. 

-He’s just amazed every single time. 

-He also loves that you make a little thing out of it. You make it fun for you. There's a whole closet filled with different scents, treatments, formulas, etc. 

-You always smell good. There are deodorants shoved in every single bag you own, every room for that matter. Massive perfume, bodycare, candle, anything that makes a room or you smell good, you have it. 

-Even going to bed, you put perfume on.

-He loves that you say “I only wear it for myself Cass, it’s just a bonus that you love it.” Because he knows it’s true. 

-Sometimes he goes in just to sniff around. The fool just stands there and sniffs stuff. You had no idea why he decided to sit in the closet and sniff things in the dark. However, you did know that when you opened the door to see a nearly 7 foot tall clown smelling your beloved collection, you screamed bloody murder. 

So loud Azriel came running with his knives. Cassian just looked at you like “what’s your deal bro?” 

You were trained by two of the most powerful warriors, yet your first reaction was to scream. 

“Why didn’t you try to fight me?” Cassian asked, “I’ve seen you kick someone down for less.” 

“I am in my bathrobe Cassian! You want me swinging my legs around with my flaps out?” 

Azriel chose to leave the room after that. 

-You also always have perfectly manicured nails. And somehow someway you taught your tricks to the Valkyries so now they are able to have beautiful nails while still disemboweling enemies. 

-Great, now he and Az have four she-devils with perfectly manicured nails and glossy hair that can slay their enemies with one swipe. The four of you were feral together. He wouldn’t be surprised if he walked into the camps one day to see some guys dead because they were sexist. 

-You also got him and Az roped into these skincare nights. 

-He loves sitting there with a face mask on and you using one of your crystal rollers rolling it onto his skin. Bougie bitch eats it up. 

-One of your favorite things to do is wear a sheet mask and hide in a closet.  Scares him every single time. 

-Your stuff is everywhere, you’d be damned if you were uncomfy in your own home. After talking to Cassian and Azriel to make sure you weren’t being a shitty roommate, you kind of went crazy. 

-Lip balms in every room, hand creams, candles. Hair ties and claw clips. Fuzzy blankets stashed in every trunk you could find. 

-Rhys made fun of it, but ate his words pretty quickly when Feyre saw the beauty of having lip balms and hair ties/claw clips stashed everywhere. (and he later found the joys of said products and gave you a gift basket as an apology….you didn’t even remember that he judged you because you simply didn’t care).

-Also, the guys live in fucking luxury. The home always smells good, they never have to worry about chapped lips or dry skin. Or pesky hair in the way. Anywhere they want is a blanket or cute pillow to prop their heads up. 

-they were living like animals until you showed up.

-Cassian having a mate is the best thing to ever happen to Az. 

-Feyre, Nesta, Elain, Emerie, Gwyn, Morrigan and even Amren shop your stash of body care if they wanna smell a certain way for a certain fun time (wink). 

-Even Nuala and Cerridwen will approach and ask you. Obviously you say yes. You own so much you’ll never get through everything in time. 

-Plus you’re a Girls Girl. You’re gonna be there for your girls in your life.

-Speaking of the ladies in your life. 

-When you and Cassian have twin baby girls, you were ecstatic. Either way you were going to be happy but you always wanted a girl and now you have two!

-Teaching them how to take care of their skin and hair has been the best for you and Cassian. He loves watching his girls play with their hair. He loves having his hair braided by them. 

-Family self care nights become a Thing (that sometimes an Uncle or Aunt will join).

-He loves you because you taught him how to actually care for himself and his mental health. You showed him how he needs to stop and appreciate the smaller things. That not everything has to be a chore. 

-He loves you more than anything, maintenance and all.

[elvenbeard]

Reposting the boyo for a little interest check!

No mysterious third or fourth options, but if you have an opinion not covered by the poll, feel free to leave a reply! :D

I'm asking cause I had fun doodling Kerry and I love doodling stuff for others (and it would be a good excercise for sure too!). AND also I'm obviously asking cause I could use the money xD I'm still paying monthly rates for my current laptop since my old one broke at the start of 2023 and I'd be so happy to finally have that monthly monetary burden off my back xD So I'd open a whole bunch of slots - not sure yet how many (probably between 30-50), and how or when I'd go about working through them (most likely a google form where you submit your ref pic - as these would be simple sketches 100% based off of ref pics). I could also imagine streaming some or all of it, for some additional entertainment value xD

A "not more than 1 hour spent per drawing" kinda deal, or even something like pay what you want style comms. Also yeh, not just Cyberpunk as a fandom obviously, anything goes, OCs as well, (and I'll also draw your mom or your pet if you wanna xD) as long as you have 1 good reference screenshot/photo for me to work with! (obligatory disclaimer that exceptions may apply in a few highly specific cases - when in doubt just ask!)

Would super appreciate some feedback and if you'd reblog this so more people see :D tysm!

(also, my regular comms are also still open btw! link in my pinned post!)

[eywamygoddesswrites]

— 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓭 — (multiple x fem!reader) | 1

pairing: avatar men x fem!human!reader

tags: just men taking care of the reader during her period, can be seen as platonic/romantic

warnings: like one pussy joke and that's about it HAHAHAHAHA

a/n: neteyam, lo'ak, ao'nung, and rotxo are aged up! this is for the men characters since i don't want it to be too long. the ladies of avatar will have their own post because let's all be honest, we love women. also i made this 'cause it's currently shark week and everything hurts ;-;

also sorry for the lack of any new fics. i'm hella hella busy with school and i have duties next week (just 3 days) but i will be in the hospital with no data sooooo yeah :cc and the rest are regular f2f classes. i hope y'all understand.

also, happy one month everyone!! i've been posting for one month now and i hope we continue this flowery road together 💙 anywhos, i hope you guys enjoy!

word count: 1.3k

jake sully

this man was a human in his previous life, he knows what the fuck he was doing

when you got your period in the middle of work, jake (with his strong avatar senses) caught a scent of you

he asked norm where they keep women's pads and norm pointed to where they were

he got some pads and getting a few more stuff that you liked

some chocolate bar, a venti cup of coffee/juice/tea, and a heating pad

you were surprised when he stood beside you with said stuff in his hands

then you finally got the idea

oooooooohhhhh… is it that time already?

yes, baby girl. but don’t worry, i’ll help you

he goes with you until you reach the lady's comfort room

he gives you the pads and tells you to holler for him if you need anything else

waits for you while you do your thing

younger!jake would rock back and forth on his feet and bite off the skin of his lips (a habit i canon him of having) while he waited by the door

older!jake would go to get the stuff he forgot if he forgets and comes back before you knew he even left

once you were done, he suggests you take a rest now before the cramps start

you told norm this and being the great friend he was, he lets you go rest

jake would be there for you like your personal cocoon

he would massage you abdomen, lower back, head, or wherever you felt pain in

would get you whatever that is you need

just honestly the best in the bunch since he knew what human women go through

neteyam sully

you yo daddy’s son !!!11!1!!

but for real, he’s like a mini jake with neytiri’s face and her nurturing aura

he learned how to care for human girls because of his dad

literally cried when you first got your period since he thought you were dying

but jake reassures him it’s a normal thing human girls go through (since na’vi girls and women don’t go through this | i agree with the fanon that na’vi women don’t get periods)

would learn basic human anatomy just so he understands what was happening during your periods

kinda scared because of the side effects of periods

would do anything and everything just for you to be comfortable during your monthly bleeds

since na’vi bodies were a lot warmer, he uses his hands as heating pads to put over your abdomen

would purr when you’re on his chest as he massages your lower back

sings his songcord to you to lull you to sleep

kisses are a must with this man

would litter you with kisses to make you smile and feel better

he just loves you :ccc

lo’ak sully

obviously, like neteyam, he knows that human girls get their period

he’s similar to neteyam but a bit different in his approach to periods

he didn’t really know what he was supposed to do at first

like, should he massage you or should he not because it might worsen your pain

do you like chips or chocolate more?

what pussy size you got because there are so many pad sizes—

tAMPONS ARE A THING WHAT—

lowkey scared of that thing and why tf does it go in?!>!?!

still, his effort counts really

it’s the thought that counts

he still helps you around (even with the smallest thing like grabbing a cup of water)

would follow your commands especially when the pain is unbearable and you need assistance

he would stay with you in your room even when you sleep just in case you wake up and need help (even if you told him it’s okay to go home and rest. he insists on staying)

would go to norm and ask for extra gas air when he runs out of it

would bring you some pandora fruits because weirdly, you crave them more than the regular food you eat

would treat you greatly 1000/10

tonowari

like his son, he didn’t know what periods are so he asks his friend jake about it

upon learning what they were, he immediately goes into his ‘teddy bear’ mode

he would be cuddly as fuck

like  c u d d l y  cuddly

a cuddle bug for sure

he would always bring you fresh food to eat

would help around your home despite being a busy man himself

would treat you as if you were a porcelain doll

would weave you a reusable period underwear (with the help of ronal) so you can just clean them and reuse them

would do your laundry and wouldn’t be bothered by the blood stains at all

when you need him (especially when you’re a lot emotional), he would stay with you until you feel better

doesn’t matter if you fell asleep. he will do his duties once you wake up and say that you’re feeling better

only then he would be comfortable enough to leave to tend to his duties

would ask tsireya and ronal to look after you especially when he’s a lot busier and can’t go to you physically

overall like my man jake but a lot more domestic

would recommend to everyone

ao’nung

he didn’t understand what a period is and why you got them because he didn’t care at first

you’re a sky person, the cause of distruction

but you were different (or whatever jake sully and his kids say)

but the more time he spent with you, he must at least learn what you go through, being your period

it was weird that you had to go through this every month until you become old

like, his mom and sister never got these so why were your kind cursed with them?

would ask jake or his kids what he can do to help you out

you stayed in a makeshift house with regular oxygen so you can eat without having the stupid mask on

ao’nung literally didn’t like the mask he has to breathe pandora air in but after one time that he didn’t use them, he didn’t like the feeling so he uses them religiously when he’s with you

he would bring you gifts and meals he caught so you don’t feel too isolated when you don’t leave your home

would ask you constantly what you were feeling and if you feel uncomfortable at every moment of the day

are you okay? does you abdomen hur—

i’m fine ao’nung!!

would still ask for confirmation if you’re really really okay

would carry you every time you leave your house (even if you went out to walk and stretch your legs)

shy with physical affection (hugs, kisses) so the most he can do is carry you

call it his love language in a way

rotxo

he was absolutely lost when he sees you bleeding. like neteyam, he thought you were dying

he thought he would never see you again

but when you explained that human women bleeding was normal, he was like:

dude, that must suck so bad

it does, rotxo, it does

but still, he wants to help you out the best way he can

like the other metkayina men here, he would bring you food to eat and bring little trinkets to make you feel better

since metkayina bodies were a lot cooler than omatikaya bodies but still warmer than human bodies, he does his best to warm you up

he stays with you as much as he can just so he can help you

craving for a certain fruit? he’ll get it for you

need a soothing cream from ronal? he will get it for you

you feel tired? he can go into your home, use the stupid-looking gas mask to breathe and stay with you longer, and keep you company

he’s just a sweetheart man give him compliments pls

taglist: @nyotamalfoy @hanhanartz @murderousmushroom @myvath @iwaslikeblah

— part 2 with the avatar ladies here

[twstfanblog]

LMAO jack is worried about the wrong thing! A period≠heat but ovulation=heat

Also, in theory, couldn't Yuu just ask for maternity pads? After people give birth hospitals usually give them huge pads so that they can heal without worrying about staining their clothes and bed with blood. Although I can see why they don't get those because 1) all boys school kinda makes people forget those exist 2) that would attract attention cause what do you mean a staff member at NRC is buying maternity pads monthly??? 3) Crowley probably doesn't know, and while that's mostly a good thing, it can also mean that they can't bring stuff that could tie to pregnancy on school grounds on a regular basis without some permission

Lowkey, the biology difference Period Drama brings to light can be so annoying to deal with because it always calls into question what else it effects. The reason Twist girls dont get periods is that instead of removing the lining altogether, their internal magic just refreshs it to it's former state. Which more than likely will extend to what happens after birth. And if it didnt, again, Magic. They can just heal things very easily with spells and potions in a hospital setting. So more than likely maternal pads don't exist past an actual sheet they put down for the birth that's then removed after they heal the mother up.

I made this idea for a reason based purely on the idea that periods dont happen in Twist because MAGIC. It's a lot of world building potential for a world that always had magic as an alternative to common problems plus how that would change things as an evolution standpoint.

Im guessing you're coming from the period drama romance series. But yeah they are flying blind a lot and will make their own wrong assumptions on how the period actually works. As much as Jack knows, you get your period because you aren't pregnant -> its probably to make you more likely to have children to avoid this painful process -> this is a really kinda fucked up heat.

Im not stating the things im writing in this series as facts, not until the Ignihyde part where Idia and Yuu really deep dive because Idia needs to properly update her medical file and to do so he needs to actually understand what the fuck is happening and he doesn't trust Yuu's second hand knowledge.

Peace and love. This feels charged the more I read it over, but I really just mean it as a way to explain the way my world building shaped up from this one silly idea.

[not-poignant]

August 2024 Writing Round-Up

Here’s the monthly round-up of everything written and posted in August 2024!

Here’s the chapters that were released:

Underline the Black 93

Underline the Black 94

Underline the Black 95

Underline the Blue 18

Underline the Blue 19

Constellations 09

Constellations 12 (Gary+Efnisien Tier+)

Underline the Blue 20 (Gwyn+Augus Tier+)

Underline the Blue 21 (Gwyn+Augus Tier+)

Chapter Commentary - Underline the Blue - 18 (Mosk+Eran Tier)

Chapter Commentary - Underline the Blue - 19 (Mosk+Eran Tier)

FANFICTION

A Stain that Won't Dissolve 41

A Stain that Won't Dissolve 42

~

All Patreon early access chapters are mirrored at Ream, which is anti-censorship, author-friendly, and supports diverse fictional writing.

~

Behind the scenes I wrote 30,204 words in August across Underline the Black, Constellations, and Underline the Blue. In reality, I only wrote one chapter of the last two, and seven chapters of Underline the Black. The most I've written in any month this year. This is why there was no Palmarosa update! I'm so sorry!

The burnout is real, folks. This month (September) I'm also starting back into my tumour/cancer surveillance (I have 3 head/neck tumours, 2 have been treated with radiotherapy but never shrunk, and 1 hasn't been treated at all, so they all need regular monitoring for the rest of my life). This stuff tires me out, the scanxiety is real.

I feel like one day I'll look back on 2024 as a really hard year, and I know I'm not the only one. If you're reading this now, and you're going through a hard year, I'm sending you love and solidarity, because there just seems to be a lot of shit going on for mostly everyone. Please hang in there, we all deserve better years.

~

As always, you can support the stories you love by subscribing over at Patreon and Ream! You can also follow for free, and just get email notifications of news and other things that I release to everyone. :D

[ididit-allofit-foryou]

Chronic Illness Products: Tried and Tested by a Fellow Spoonie

Hey! I’m Rain, and I have various chronic illnesses and disabilities, including: POTS, chronic migraine, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue. The following products are some that have helped me with my symptoms!

Migraine Ice Head Wrap

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BN7TV6N/?coliid=I2CB88I8424KRB&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

This is great because it can be either heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer. It has gel in it and it is heavy so it puts a little pressure on your head. It also has velcro closure so it can be adjusted for head size and pressure. You don’t even have to put it in the freezer if you like it cold, because if you keep it at room temperature (my house is usually between 68-71 degrees F) it will get cold by itself and it can help for a while, about 10 minutes before it gets warmed by your body heat.

Monthly Pill Organizer

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V53JTM6/?coliid=I2IBUBXDTRNU36&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I hated having to refill my pill box every week, so I got 2 monthly organizers and use one for morning and one for night, and I only have to fill it once a month! I like this band because it is easy to open and each week comes out by itself so if you travel you can take just one week with you. I also like that they are all in a case and it closes for safe keeping.

Bed Tent

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T4JV6ZT/?coliid=I33UE149JTQBTG&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

This is more expensive, but it is absolutely worth it if you have migraines. It has 6 zippers: one on each side, one on each end, and the top part of each end flap has a second zipper that opens a mesh area if you want air or light. You can close it entirely, and it makes it dark even in daylight, but it is still breathable and not stifling. There is also a pocket at one end that can hold a TON of stuff. I keep snacks and things in there for easy access. Finally, there is a little circle hook on the top where you can hang a camping fan or light if you want!

Cooling Neck and Head Towel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JH4H5AS/?coliid=I3L6Z4MFFV2IK1&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

There’s a few different brands of these, and I couldn’t find the exact one I have, but any will work! My brother used this brand for when he played sports–I use mine to cool my neck when I’m nauseous lol. It stays cold for longer than just a regular rag and the water doesn't get everywhere.

Neck Pillow

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MQ416CR/?coliid=I34LO7QKQ5H4Z&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Simple, yet effective. If you have POTS or any other condition that makes it hard to sit up for long periods of time, or a condition where you have neck weakness/pain, then this is for you. Riding in a car? Recline that seat a bit and put on a neck pillow. 10/10 much better car experience.

Cane With Seat

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DPOOCC0/?coliid=I133WRLIWPH40D&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I have POTS, and I use a wheelchair for most places that require walking, but a lot of areas where I live are not wheelchair-accessible. So, I use this! If I feel dizzy, I can just open the seat and sit down for a bit until by body chills the fuck out.

Electric Toothbrush

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LJNZW3Y/?coliid=I189MT1VEIKUTZ&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

It doesn’t have to be this kind, but since I can’t stand long enough to brush my teeth very long (or at all some days), I use an electric toothbrush to get a better clean in a shorter amount of time. They cost a bit more, but less than a cavity filling.

Shower Chair

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NM77DJ2/?coliid=I1SRRBS7ISI3E1&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

If you feel dizzy in the shower, or can’t stand very long due to pain, or for whatever reason, and are considering getting a shower chair, this is your sign to do it!! It has helped me so much and makes showering SO much easier and way less daunting.

Bath Pillow

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9WG925R/?coliid=I1C4T2MUPR33WU&colid=OPCCR26R0SR4&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I have chronic pain and laying in the bathtub in warm water can help with it, but it also hurt my neck to lay on the hard surface. Not anymore! I’ve also seen full-body bath pillows that would be GREAT but I don’t have anywhere to store it. For this one, I just keep it in the tub all the time.

That’s all I could think of at the moment, but I will reblog this with more items if I think of any! Feel free to add to this list yourselves!

[niuniente]

Hey Niu~ Do you have any smaller wonders you'd recommend visiting in Japan

Sure!

OSAKA

If you go to Osaka around the end of a month, there's a monthly temple flea market in the Shitennoji temple yard. It's arranged on 21st and 22nd of each month, and regular people are selling there their old stuff, as well as booths selling vintage kimonos, yukatas, haoris etc., ceramics, decorations, lots of antique items, statues etc. Take a subway to Tennoji station, the temple is next it. Read more here!

In Osaka, near Tenma JR railwaystation, is a takoyaki shop owned by an 86 year old lady called Hiroko. She's been making takoyakis for 60 years in that shop. You might have seen this image set of Hiroko giving a piece of her mind about people complaining that her food is too yellow (if not, see it - it's hilarious!) Her shop is called たこ焼き 寛子（ひろこ), Takoyaki Hiroko (Hiroko). The address is 5 Chome-6-3 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0041, Japan. If you use subway, get off at Ogimatchi station to get to her store.

If you love toys and anime merch, there are two good spots for these in Osaka; one is the famous Den Den Town and other one is Kiddy Land in Umeda.

You can get to Den Den Town the easiest from Nipponbashi metro station. Just head towards south. You can also walk from Namba to Den Den Town as it's just right the next corner.

Kiddy Land is a bit harder to locate in the gigantic Hankyuu department store (which is like multiple building spreading across the whole Umeda) but you can get there the best from Umeda station. Kiddy Land has lots of toy stores, like Miffy, San-X, and a mixed store of everything cute, and also a Lego store. If you go out from the building from the door next to the Lego store, you can walk a few ten meters to a big Loft-store. It also has some merch, typically San-X and Sanrio and Disney stuff, but on the top floor of the same building there's an anime store. They sell lots of art books, replica swords and also special collectible statues like Japanese deities.

Special mentioning goes to the Namba Daiso (Namba Daiso Nansan-dori). It has 5 floors, all stuff with 100 yens. It's very near Namba metro station, easy to find! If you want to get super fancy and you've got a big budget, the Takashimaya department store is near this Daiso. You can find all kind of food items there, some with ridiculous prices. There's also Daimaru department store in Namba in close proximity - they sell fresh made taiyaki cakes in the bottom floor's food section.

KYOTO

Near Kyoto, you can find a small town of Arashiyama. It is the most well-known for its ancient wooden bridge and bamboo forests. People go just walk around into the bamboo forest. Many movies and TV series has been filmed in that forest. There's a direct train service to Arashiyama from Kyoto. Arashiyama is especially gorgeous at the end of November when the fall has arrived to Kansai area. It's apparently also super pretty during cherry flower season in spring. There are lots of temples in a small area, too, if you want to explore them.

(Here's the famous bridge).

In Kyoto, there's a design shop of SOU SOU. Now, SOU SOU makes and sells handmade tabi shoes, kimonos, yukatas, string bags, dishware, and wonderful print tabi socks but they also have their own, traditional Japanese café at their Kyoto store called Sou Sou Zaifu. You can get only coffee and matcha tea here - the order is hand made in order in front of you. It's very quiet and idyllic, intimate place. I accidentally went here to find shelter from a rain and it was so lovely. Even the shop itself is worth the visit, if you're interested in fashion and design! Read more here.

(Sou Sou Zaifu cafe. It seems the same guy is still working here. He was very friendly!)

TOKYO

If you travel in Tokyo, about 45 minutes by train from Tokyo is the city of Saitama. Saitama has a Sayama Hills at Tokorozama, which is also known as The Totoro Forest. Hayao Miyazaki has taken inspiration to Totoro from Sayama Hills. It was hard to find any information of this place in English (and even in Japanese!) in the past, but nowadays there's information in English. Read more here (with a Japanese map)

[thewhumpyprintingpress]

10 Ways To Support Your Favorite Small Presses

(these tips also work for supporting your favorite authors!)

Reblog reblog reblog! Reblogging their posts on tumblr is one of the best ways to help new readers find them.

Tell a friend. Word of mouth is golden. If you enjoy a book, recommend it to a friend who you think will like it too!

Leave a review. Whether you review on your social media, reading tracker app (e.g. StoryGraph, Goodreads), or on your preferred book retailer, every review helps.

Request that your local library purchase their books. And if your library has a service like Hoopla, see if their books are available for check out!

Subscribe to their newsletter. Most presses have semi-regular email newsletters where they give publication updates. By subscribing, you can keep up to date on new books and other fun stuff. (Plus, you might get cute cat pictures)

Give a one-off donation via Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, etc. Everything so far has been completely free. But if you have a little cash to spare, this is a great way to show your support.

Pick up an ebook. You get to read an awesome book AND support your favorite press??? It's a win-win! Also, if your press has their own store, consider purchasing directly from them rather than through a third party.

Pick up a physical book. Not only do you get to support your fav, you also get to add a beautiful book to your bookshelf! And if you purchase directly from them, you might get some extra goodies or even a signed book!

Become a member on their Ko-fi, Patreon, etc. One of the biggest struggles with publishing books is the lack of consistent income. Providing monthly financial support can help the press stay steady during slower periods. And it probably isn't as expensive as your think! (Here at WPP, our Ko-fi membership tiers start at $1 per month)

And finally, let them know that you enjoy their work! Publishing is a long, lonely process that involves a lot of smashing keyboards and trying to decide where the commas should go. Telling them that all their hard work has paid off and that you enjoyed what they created will make their day. I guarantee it.