#and there’s an endless selection of other examples I could give

[macadam]

I think why I’m so elated by every piece of weird ass transformers lore I learn about is that I enjoy seeing what writers can get away with in such a big-name franchise. It’s gotten exhausting watching every franchise slowly lose its charm over the ages in pursuit of being palatable to the masses.

There’s definitely something to be said about how writers don’t get to put their all into these mainstream stories because they have to be so palatable. It’s hard to enjoy what you make when it has to walk the tightrope between being a compelling story, and pleasing shareholders. Stories lose their heart, when writers can’t make it theirs, y’know?

Seeing the stuff that slides in transformers media, the weird shit that is still slipping through the cracks, jro in his entirety, feels like a deviation from that. The first thought that always goes through my head is “haha how is this official canon media. Who okayed this?” And the answer is probably no one, really. The writers get to have fun. We still get to see a glimpse of the insane well why not quirky 80s toy ad that transformers started off as. It brings me a lot of joy to see that the goofiness and absurdity is still there, somewhere.

The fact that so much of the weird lore sits right on the surface is so wonderful, too. These aren’t some obscure side comics, or a failed tv show. So much of it is at the very front of the franchise.

It’s nice to see transformers writers still winning, I guess.

[hiswitchcraft]

Do you have any thoughts/information about like

Enchanting/blessing an existing object? Idk if I'm using correct terms but placing magic onto something.

I used to when I was a little more physically capable stitch sigils onto my stuffed animals and have thought about undoing stitches to hide spell jars or crystals in the stuffing (before of course redoing the stitches) so that they can be a lil magic.

But I've also like the idea of attaching spells to things like jewelry (I don't have many that have actual crystals or anything) that look cute and I'd love to use as a charm, and I also always like the idea of attaching magic to letters and gifts to wish good fortune or protection on the recipient? Blessing on shoes maybe for safe travels and avoiding injury, or similar charms on other pieces of clothing... I just wouldn't know how to go about it, especially with things I want to keep physical alterations to a minimum with.

Enchanting is the term you're looking for I believe! Stitching sigils into stuffed animals is already so creative, inventive and resourceful I can't imagine you needing my help. But I do have plenty of thoughts and maybe I can give you a bit of guidance or further inspiration!

A Rough Guide to Enchanting

When you enchant something, you are basically just transferring a spell, or specific energy onto an object so it holds a certain property.

There are any number of ways you can do this. There's probably useful methods I won't list here, haven't heard of, or haven't though of. A lot of spell methods and components can be applied here and I'll go over some of them and then how you using or mixing them might look!

Herbs - This is the first method that comes to mind when I think of enchanting. You can set out a small object in a bunch of herbs that correspond to the property you want overnight. A lot of people also put the herbs in water, which could be magical, add a candle or put the whole thing under the full moon. You can also make this method more complicated by mixing in other methods but I get into that below!

Sigils - Sigils are your best friend here. You can draw them out in smoke, water or oil. You can burn them and mix the ashes in water or oil. You can draw them onto things. Sew them into things. You can draw them on yourself, and much more. The possibilities are endless. A very simple way to give an object a property is to put a sigil on it.

Anointing - You can make a magical water or oil by setting it out under a certain moon phase or astrological event, mixing things into it it, or drawing sigils in it. Then you can anoint the item with that. You can also burn things like sigils or herbs and use the ashes in this way or in a mixture for anointing, transferring the sigil spell to the object.

Smoke - Another way to use plants and herbs, select an herb (that is safe to burn) or create a bundle of herbs and burn them to create smoke. Let the smoke envelop the item to enchant it with the property or properties of those herbs.

Elemental enchanting - If you wanted an object to generally have the properties you associate with an element, you can enchant it with that element's energy. So for example you could bury an object under the full moon to give it the Earth's energies.

Mixing methods & using other ingredients I think all the methods above can work on their own can but you can also mix them or add other ingredients! If you wanted to, you could use smoke, then anoint the item, and let it sit out overnight under the full moon in herbs/an herb mixture/or with other ingredients in a bowl besides herbs, like sigils, or even tarot cards. I love using tarot cards in spells! The possibilities are endless here. Get creative with the ingredients you use.

Petitions You can get creative with the other ingredients besides herbs or sigils but there's another component I want to suggest here, and that is petitions. I have a post about them here but basically a petition is a sort of instruction set or contract with a spell for exactly what it will do, when it will do it, and when or what will stop it. This is a great thing to include in all spells in my opinion but it's particularly good for when you need something very specific and may be useful if you want to enchant something with a property or goal that's less general or just unusual. It also may be use to give the enchantment a fuel source or a kill switch. This is what makes petitions great for all spell work!

Visualization & your own energy This is both a step you may want to include and a little more an advanced suggestion. So first of all, when you enchant or do any spell really you can visualize the energy for the enchantment going into the object and focus to raise energy to charge the spell. Another thing you can do, if you are familiar with manipulating energy is to manipulate your own into the object to charge it or connect it to you.

Some final thoughts I can see why you'd want to enchant jewelry. That's probably one of the most common things people like to enchant because you wear it all the time, ideal for warding in my opinion but anyways! I know you mentioned wanting to enchant things like clothes or accessories without altering them too much and hopefully I covered that plenty. I think creating a mixture of herbs or other ingredients and setting them out in the full moon is idea for jewelry although many of the methods I mentioned could work. Using sigils with some mixture of Theban script would be an obvious choice for letters. I made and enchanted a bookmark for my girlfriend this way. But of course some of the other methods I mentioned would work as well. I'm so into DIY that I'd probably just create a patch or draw sigils on clothing or shoes... but not everyone wants that look, y'know? You could just draw sigils on the bottoms of shoes or use magical water when you clean the shoes. You could also use smoke. We're back to the possibilities are endless!

I think all of your ideas for properties to enchant objects with are great and I hope this helps you accomplish every single one of them, if you need help don't be afraid to follow up or message me!

[filmorgue]

After concluding their tour of the expansive facility, Flint is left in awe and filled with anticipation for what lies ahead. It seems as though her life is taking a turn for the better compared to her previous mundane existence. She feels a sense of belonging and relief as she embarks on this new journey. Meeting some of the teachers and getting a brief introduction to some of the students, it is definitely a refreshing change from her previous school. However, she can't quite say that she completely "fits in" just yet. This is only the beginning, and there is still so much she doesn't know. For example, what was Van Hellstring referring to when he mentioned "sensitive" books being locked away? What secrets do they hold? Despite his warning about asking questions, her curiosity persists.

They approach some doors leading to the outside balcony.

L: We've come to the end of our tour Ms. Lockewood. Any questions?

F: Um, just a couple. You said the archives was one of the many ones you have. How many exactly?

L: Ah yes, well in this realm, the possibilities are endless. But in the 'mortal' realm; I say about five...give or take. All modernized I might add just to avoid suspicion.

F: There's more back home? Why haven't I've heard of them?

L: Well, to give you a brief history between our two worlds. Mortals and the Realm of Magic have never really been on the same page to say the less. In fact, we've only agree to coexist in the last decade. And as an extra safety precaution, I took the liberty of placing each facilities in excluded areas

F: But why the secrecy? Wasn't that the whole point of the..treaty?

L: *chuckle* It's hard to believe, Ms. Lockewood, but there are still people who don't accept us for who we are, and the feeling is mutual. Even though I personally don't feel the same way, I have a responsibility to protect and support my students and others. Interestingly, just like you, only a select few trusted individuals are aware of this place and others like it.

F: But what about me makes me...special?

L: That my dear....only you can answer for yourself

He gave a mischievous smirk before something else caught his attention. He face towards the entrance portal and the smirk fell from his face.

L: Please excuse me Ms. Lockewood. There's something I have to take care of. My apologies

He gave a respectful bow before vanishing from her sight. Once again, suspicion crept in, prompting her to look in the direction he had been gazing. To her surprise, he was standing on the bridge, but he wasn't by himself.

F: Who could they be?

?: That's council

Someone spoke from behind her. She clutches her chest before scolding the culprit. Why do everyone like to walk up behind me?

S: My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you, I just couldn't help but overhear your question. Names Seth by the way

F: Oops, excuse my outburst. But I'm Flint, nice to meet you. Gave me a bit of a heart attack but it's fine. Umm, what was you saying again?

S: Hello Flint, it was a pleasure to meet you as well. As I mentioned earlier, those individuals conversing with Hellstring are none other than the other headmasters, who refer to themselves as 'The Council'. It is highly likely that they are the most esteemed and exclusive magic council of this century.

F: Interesting, are they really that significant?

S: With no one else willing to take on the job, and considering their unique ability to survive for an extended period of time, it seems like the logical choice. I can see the reasoning behind it, don't you think? -smirks-

S: You don't have to fret about encountering them frequently. They only appear once in a blue moon, typically at special events or private sessions such as the one you are witnessing now.

Flint shifts her focus to the group. From a distance, she detects a menacing and ominous vibe emanating from the other two. She's not one to typically make snap judgments. Nevertheless, she believes she should trust her instincts this time.

F: So what's their deal? Is there anything I need to know about them?

S: Among the three individuals, Van Hellstring stands out as the most relaxed, despite his rather intimidating name. They are undoubtedly the wealthiest beings in the area. However, when it comes to the other two, I strongly recommend keeping your distance or proceeding with caution, especially with Ms. Edith Lynx. From a distance, she may appear to be a kindhearted lady, but be wary of her sharp tongue. It seems that she only has genuine concern for her grand-daughter and doesn't particularly care for anyone else.

F: Grand-daughter? Does she go here?

S: Oh yeah, I've seen her around, but I've never actually hung out with her. However her bloodhound of a boyfriend makes it hard for anyone to get close. All puns intended. If you spot them together, you'll understand. He's always keeping a close eye on her, but that's nothing compared to what Ms. Lynx is capable of. Word on the street is, she's not a big fan of 'mortals' like you.

Flint gulped nervously and reminded herself to avoid the intimidating vampire woman.

S: And finally, the legend himself, Vladmir Straud. Despite Van Hellstring being the main headmaster of FilMorgue, it is Straud who provides the majority of the funding. There isn't much information available about him, except for the fact that he is the eldest among them all. He is believed to be the longest-living vampire in existence, a true enigma. Only those closest to him have any insight into his motives. Rumor has it that he is the mastermind behind The Council and the Realm Magic Court Order, a governing body that represents each occult group, known as the House of Magic.

Flint nodded her head taking in all the information Seth shared with her. Took one final look at the headmasters. This really going to be an interesting school year. Interrupting her train of thought, a loud chime was heard throughout the facility.

S: That's our cue to regroup in the main hall

F: Oh alright, right behind you

Chapter 6 "The Council"

previous/next

[mcdgarroth]

Not sure if anyone has said this yet, but I feel like “Drift Away” from Steven Universe is very similar to Shad and Irene.

For example:

“And then she smiled, that's what I'm after. A smile in her eyes, the sound of her laughter”

In a flashback, we see Esmund say he will use the relic to protect the people, while Shad explains he’s doing it because he’d do anything for Irene.

“Happy to listen. Happy to play. Happily watching her drift away.”

When Irene started to lose her emotions, and drift herself away from Shad.

“Happily waiting. All on my own. Under the endless sky. Counting the seconds, standing alone. As thousands of years go by”

After Shad’s physical form is destroyed, he’s stuck in the Nether dimension, not knowing what came of Irene.

“You keep on turning pages, for people who don't care. People who don't care about you”

I feel like this could be interpreted in two different ways. Maybe this could be Shad’s thinking towards Irene; he’s upset with her for constantly choosing giving more of herself away for people who she doesn’t even know, people who he believes is just using her. Or it could be for Shad’s feelings towards the other Divine Warriors as tensions start to rise between them.

“And still it takes you ages. To see that no one's there. See that no one's there. See that no one's there. Everyone's gone on without you.”

When the Divine Warriors choose Irene’s side without knowing why Shad has turned against her. (which is finding out she turned their daughter into a relic) They move on, while he’s stuck in the Nether.

“Finally something. Finally news. About how the story ends. She doesn't exist now. Survived by her son (reincarnation? Part of her soul?) And all of her brand new friends.”

Shad finding out about Aphmau.

“Isn't that lovely? Isn't that cool? And isn't that cruel? And aren't I a fool to have - Happily listened. Happy to stay. Happily watching her drift

Drift

Drift away”

Shad’s anger that Irene gets to live on with a fresh start as Aphmau. He has to carry the memories of their life together, while she gets to forget, which he sees as cruel. He’s angry that this is where happily following Irene had gotten him. He feels foolish for ever having trusted her.

I can’t really remember what is canon and what is my own interpretation, but I hope this all made sense lol. I think another song that fits is “The Exit” by Conan Gray, however only a few select lyrics.

[stormiclown]

The Most Hated Girl In Paris Au: Chloe Salt and Possible Redemption

Overview: Listen, I may not like the direction Chloe’s character has taken or what she represents [the white woman tears, rich, privileged, nepo-baby, classist, fascist, racist], but I myself love a redemption journey, ya know, as long as they prove that they deserve a chance or earned it!

One of my (many) problems with Chloe Bourgeois isn’t her nonexistent redemption arc but the fact that many of her stans and a select number of characters within the show are just handing her chances on a silver platter (which she acts like she’s entitled to anyways) without any effort on Chloe’s part to earn or deserve them. This is not a redemption. This is just handing a spoiled brat undeserved chances of the off chance that she’ll change. And she doesn’t. In fact, it just makes her look worse.

That brings me to my next point: Consequences. This is how I knew for a fact that Chloe’s “redemption” arc was never real from the start. Because never at any point during her arc was she given any actual long-term consequences for the way she behaves or how she treats people. In Writing 101, the foundation of a character’s change for the better would be them realizing that their actions have an impact on other people, their surroundings, and/or themselves. The next step should be a slap in the face from reality. For the rug to be pulled underneath them and they’re forced deal with the fact that it isn’t always about them and that they are not all that. But with Miss Bourgeois, we never see any of that. If anything, she believes that she’s entitled to the endless chances at redemption that everyone keeps giving her. And is actively defended by others who correctly call her out on her inability to grow and learn. When people try to help Chloe change or give her an example to follow, it just inflates her ego. No wonder everyone’s given up on her.

With these writing and character flaws in mind, I’ve come up with an AU where Chloe’s actions have piled up and now she has to decide if she wants to make things worse for herself or actually change and be able to love.

It starts with Queen Wasp, where the train crash incident actually leads to numerous people pressing charges against her, whether they were on the train or had family members who were on the train. Since Chloe is a minor, the best they could do was an ankle monitor for an indefinite amount of time. Given how she’s also stolen a miraculous, she’s not allowed to be outside when there’s an akuma attack.

In typical Chloe fashion, she just keeps digging her grave while cheering herself up. By making everyone else feel worse. However, seeing as Chloe was being held accountable by the law, the school staff feel more comfortable punishing Chloe for her bullying and harassment of other students. She threatens to get her “Daddy-kins” involved, but they argue a point back that makes her blood run cold. If Mayor Andre Bourgeois cracks down on his daughter who has been famously dubbed “Train Witch” it may be the final push that’ll end with her father not being re-elected. Seeing no other way out of it, Chloe must go through detention for the first time in her school career.

Given how Roger Raincomprix stands for the pursuit of justice and safety, I have no idea how he still allows Sabrina to be friends with someone who by all accounts, should have a criminal record. In this AU, Officer Raincomprix forbids his daughter from being friends with Chloe and to steer clear of someone he views as a budding criminal. Parents of the students who attend Francois DuPont also follow suit. They tell their kids to stay away from the Mayor’s daughter and to not associate themselves with her. They’ve done this before the train incident. (As we’re shown in canon, Chloe ruthlessly bullies her classmates and people outside of school. It’s not far fetched to assume that she regularly bullies kids from other classes). Now, effectively friendless and a social pariah, Chloe has to endure scorn from both her school mates, adults, and the majority of Paris. She now the most hated girl in Paris.

Bustier would also wake the fuck up. I know she likes to see the best in people (to a toxic degree) and believes that love conquers all, seeing her student, the one she’s made endless excuses for, actively endanger the lives of innocent people including one of her own classmates (Marinette was on that damned train for gods sake!) should’ve been enough to shake her faith in Chloe or shatter it completely and question if she was really going about this in the right way. This also causes her to re-evaluate the way she’s been treating Marinette and her other students when comes to her blatant favoritism of Chloe. In this AU, the train incident is the last straw and Bustier decides that she isn’t going to force her students to forgive her. You know, because she almost killed one of them and it wouldn’t have been a good look. Now that her second biggest enabler has switched sides, her classmates are more encouraged to stand up for themselves and not take her shit lying down anymore. Marinette (who also pressed charges against Chloe) calls Chloe out on her crap more often, reads her the filth that she is, and isn’t cowed by her usual threats anymore. When Chloe acts up in class, Bustier holds her accountable and gives her three strikes. On the third strike, she sends Chloe to the principal’s office for the first time.

With Adrien, he finds it difficult to look at Chloe. While he defended her and brought attention to the fact that Ladybug lost a miraculous (by accident) on national TV, maybe hearing that one of his classmates almost died because of Chloe’s poorly thought out choices, might make him view Chloe in a completely different light. And since Gabriel Agreste is all about self preservation, he refuses to allow Adrien to associate with Chloe anymore. Chloe possibly looses her childhood friend and this is what finally breaks her.

In canon, Chloe is used to hatred, but refuses to acknowledge why so many people want her to rot. But this much hatred on a national, possibly even global level would be enough to destroy anyone. Especially a 13-16 year old teenager. But knowing that her best friend since diapers possibly views her as a monster is too much and she falls into despair. Because at least before Queen Wasp, people acknowledged her existence, even if the attention was primarily negative. Now Post Queen Wasp is a hell that she is solely responsible for creating. People either refuse to look and pretend she doesn’t exist, or they show her that she does exist and lash out at her in a flurry of suppressed rage and vitriol.

Her melt down comes later. At the beginning, she toed the line between not caring, and being annoyed that things weren’t going her way and that everyone was making a big deal out of nothing. No matter. Everything will blow over soon and life will go back to the status quo, with her as the Queen and everyone else as the peasants beneath her feet. But it doesn’t go away. Because unlike the show, people remember. They remember and aren’t willing to forgive or forget. And this is the first kick to the gut, not the disapproval, not the shame, but the fact that the usual routine has been changed and is unfamiliar. People like Chloe have one fear: The status quo being challenged.

A large part of the reason Chloe thinks she’s untouchable is because people aren’t willing to challenge the status quo (aside from the class beginning to stand up to her in season one). And if they do, they end up apologizing for thinking the worst of Chloe, or told to back off by other characters. If anything, every one of her victims would be well within their rights to spit in her face and double down on their worsening opinions of her. After all, Chloe hasn’t given them a reason not to. She has a record of being at her worst when people are actively challenging the status quo she’s created which riles her up into further cruelty. Now that a new status quo has been formed, one that she doesn’t have any control over, she has no power and it increasingly becomes more unbearable.

Every time someone or something deviates from the usual status quo that she’s used to, a little part of her soul dies. Her father refusing to go along with her whims anymore is another slap to her face. As Mayor Bourgeois has been her biggest supporter ever since she was a baby. In canon, Chloe has always taken her father for granted, but his disapproval wounds something deep within Chloe, which contributes to her mental break down.

This is due to the fact that Chloe is a very rigid person who thrives off of a set routine that she forces everyone around her to follow. People like this can’t accept change, and instead of learning how to adapt, they try to destroy the source of that change which just makes things worse for them. And that’s what Chloe has attempted to do. But every time she tries, she is always shut down by the people around her, which makes h things even more horrid in her eyes. If the show is any indication, Chloe cannot learn and cannot adapt because everyone always bends over or forget to hold her accountable. This does not work for a chronologically story driven show like Miraculous Ladybug. Since Queen Wasp wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg, all of the problems people have with Chloe are brought out into the open as people openly bond over the fact that she’s getting her just desserts. Right in front of her. Que tantrum and then scorn.

It’s a terrible loop in which, Chloe’s own inability to change and adapt contributes to the endless cycle until one day she breaks.

I’ve written this AU out this way because Chloe Bourgeois does not deserve a redemption to be handed to her. What she deserves are long lasting consequences and several reality checks that will force her to actually look at herself and ask herself if this is truly how she wants to live for the rest of her life. Then, and only then, will she deserve to at best have a chance redemption.

But even if she does change for the better, she isn’t owed forgiveness by anyone.

Redemption isn’t about forgiveness. It’s about personal growth.

[inventors-fair]

Basic Bits: Back to Nonbasic Winners

Wow. You guys stun me with your creativity every week, and this was clearly a popular contest, which means even more quality designs. Lots of gushing to be had in commentary, but the gushiest is about to follow.

Endless Vista by @halfsilveredmirror

This is absolutely one of those cards I passed over dismissively, before doing a double take and coming back to it. At first, this just tracks as Terramorphic Expanse with extra steps, but the way it works allows for some really interesting interplay. If you have a solid nonbasic in your hand but have already used your land drop for the turn, it can be fun- especially if that land enters tapped naturally, in which case this actually gives you more mana than Terramorphic would- since you can play the basic next turn untapped. Obviously there is the concern about Terramorphic #3 and how much it improves consistency in lower power decks, but I honestly think that’s pretty negligible. This design is an excellent example of how a very small change can completely alter how you play with a card.

Lake of Valkmir by @hiygamer

Okay, so one thing I expect to mention in the rest of commentary (when I get around to it) is how “can’t” is more interesting than “can only” when it comes to magic restrictions. Given the Kaldheim flavor, I expect this was made to play with foretell, just like Vega. However, let’s consider this from the other end- if you had made the second ability “spend this mana only to cast spells from exile”, this land would SUCK. Power level wise and also as a design, it would be restrictive and limiting. But by selectively preventing a common use for the mana, you gently guide the player towards using it for the intended purpose, while still allowing for clever players to use it for other shenanigans. Powerstones are a great example of this same principle= imagine how bad they would be if you could only use the mana to cast artifact spells. Anyways, rant over, good design, love the flavor text.

Forsaken Barrens by @misterstingyjack

There were a lot of Desert cards this week, so it seems only appropriate that one of the winners is the one that ties them all together. Historically, Deserts have a unifying theme of sacrifice/graveyards, which few other land types get to claim. This slots right in there with the rest of them, and honestly reads like a real card to me. Cycling the amonkhet lands lets you color fix, or use it to get an extra use out of your sacrificing deserts. It’s just such a cool card that does so much with one ability. If I had any nitpicks, it would be that I thiiiiiiink this should have the gray frame instead of the gold one? Since the inherent mana ability is colorless and not any color? Feel free to fact check me on that one though.  

See you soon for the runners!

[toxooz]

How does going to different realms work?? Bc like there are demons and dragons and stuff so is there a designated place where there's a portal(if so is it like a train where you have to show ID so they know you're from that realm?) or do the ppl from the other realms have like magic to just teleport there?

WHELL i think every portal is a little bit different and theres only a select few in the world that's known and its split up in categories like these:

the first category yeah it's just one big open portal what people can go through in one stationary building that's similar to an airport or train station. These kinds of portals probably go to places that are overall pretty safe and allowed to the public and I'd say there's only about 6 or 7 of these in the world bUT surely not all of them could be completely safe. Maybe there are hostile portals that possibly caused towns to be abandoned or maybe the portal gives off harmful emissions (there may have been Chernobyl instances where authorities have to contain said portals).

The next category is if the portal is a growth on someone, like Wig for instance, and I'd say these have a bigger possibility of being more dangerous perhaps??? The portals may end up killing the holder and when they're genetic, the location outcome of the portals may be similar according to the family tree.(ex: if ur father had a portal that went to New York or somthn then your portal would still end up in new york too but maybe a couple miles away from your father's) I say these could be more dangerous because the formation of the portals is still wildly unknown in the world as in someone could be born with a portal that could have endless possibilities for example Wig's portal is literally a portal that is just an endless trippy abyss that would destroy someone's brain if they got thrown in and Wig is a fukkin nutcase criminal!! he has absolutely thrown people in there before and he'll do it again so that's why I think the portals that form on someone could be more dangerous bc the portal outcomes are a wild card and the person holding it could already be a danger to society. It is super rare though mainly because I'm sure there was a time where people who had portals were killed off bc of that OR somebody probably did use their portal for mass evil so now most of the time ppl who have portals are required by the government to get them shut medically or chemically (which is what Wig had to do before he was disowned so he ripped it back open)

The other category is similar to the last in which the portal is tied to the person who has the power to get there which is what Kari does to go to her lil dragon fairy world. Except instead of being a physical growth on someone is more so psychological and more brain oriented. Kari can go to her realm by thinking/meditating and whoever's touching her/ near her she could probably take with her. These aren't really as much as a danger to society as the physical portals mainly bc it's harder to identify. I think the connection to said portal may also depend on the brain activity and possibly unique chemicals/neurological connection in the brain that are able to activate it??? These chemicals/ neurons could be genetic/ species related too which is why Kari being part dragon has the same world location as all the other dragons that live in that realm

The last category is pretty rare too since most of the undiscovered ones are, well, undiscovered or located in places nobody can get to. The harpy portal is in this category after the big ol Harpy queen took all the harpies back and tried to make the portal unobtainable deep in an untouched forest (until Cinder accidentally found it lmfao). These tend to be harder to see too, looking like mere illusions or a trick of the eye so that one would walk right passed or through it. Possibly there are 1 or 2 deep in the ocean that are unusable for both sides bc of the water pressure so its just kinda There but yeah portals as a whole are seen as a tricky thing in the world, and most of the time they happen by chance of nature, like a volcano forming from tectonic plates moving, or like a black hole, ect. so nobody has been able to successfully create or destroy portals, there have probably been several disturbing experiments done to study more about them ie. someone trying to invent teleportation by making a new portal and the horrors within that alone or someone trying to time travel somehow u know how it goes bUT YEAH 😤

[7-ratsinatrenchcoat]

GUYS

I figured it out.

HOW TO REDEEM HAWK: A CHARACTER ANALYSIS

I've said in the past that Hawk the pig is one of my least favorite characters ever in media. I hate the motherfucker. I have a more in-depth analysis on why he sucks here if you're interested. I gave some examples of ways he could be redeemed within the show, but neglected to mention ways similar characters have been redeemed in other shows.

On that note, I present to you: Zenitsu.

This guy is technically introduced during the Final Selection arc, but we don't really get to know him until the endless mansion. His first real scene is him begging a girl on the side of the road to marry him, because he's hopelessly convinced he's going to be killed by a demon soon. Our main character Tanjiro, being the guy he is, pries him off the poor girl and convinces him to leave by offering him food. Seems like a cool way to introduce a comedic relief, right? Pretty much.

But that's not all.

Zenitsu is, for the most part, a whiny little bitch who is less useful than an overcooked spaghetti noodle. He can't fight- he says so himself- and will not shut up. He's set up to be funny, yes, but also annoying as hell.

Until they get separated in the mansion and Zenitsu passes out in fear of a demon, and then sleepwalks his way into badassery. Okay, so he's weak when he's awake and strong while he's asleep! Cool trope reversal, but seems a little one-dimensional.

Yeah, except...

He isn't.

(For context: Tanjiro's sister, Nezuko, was turned into a demon. She can't be exposed to sunlight or she'll die, so Tanjiro carries her in a box to keep her close during the day. He left the box behind to protect the two kids outside the mansion, but they ended up following him inside, so Nezuko was left alone.)

Zenitsu does not know what is in that box, other than it is a demon, nor why said demon is so important to Tanjiro.

All the context he has is a passing comment from Tanjiro that what is in the box is more important than his life. That's all it took for Zenitsu to but himself between Inosuke (a dude we don't really know yet, but who is attacking the box) and this wack ass backpack his new friend is strangely attached to. It's very clear that Zenitsu has been getting the shit beat out of him for a while now, but continues to prevent Inosuke from harming the box.

Cool story, Rat, but what does this have to do with Hawk? Great question!

Zenitsu could very easily have become the same kind of character as Hawk- intended to be comedic relief but coming off as annoying, as well as being a convenient plot device for the author by getting the gang into unnecessary trouble and creating conflict solely to serve the narrative. Super annoying and wholly unappreciated.

But this moment- this brief conflict- gives him significantly more depth. He's willing to undergo intense physical torment to protect a belonging that is important to his friend who he met just a few hours ago. This is where he differs from Hawk, who takes every opportunity to create problems for Meliodas and the Sins and be a general inconvenience with no redeeming qualities.

Does Zenitsu still have the capacity to be annoying? Of course. Is he mostly useless? Yeah, but don't hold it against him. The point is, he's given the potential to be better, and actually acts on that potential when given the chance.

This has been a TED talk. Thank you for coming.

[l-1-z-a]

Interview With The Sims 2 Producer, Tim LeTourneau [11 February 2004]

The most successful PC game franchise of all time is Maxis's The Sims. Will Wright's acclaimed people sim extention of his Sim City ideas has sold countless millions of copies in both full, deluxe and many expansion packs. Now the developer is working hard on the full fledged sequel, The Sims 2, and HomeLAN got a chance to chat with Maxis producer Tim LeTourneau to get more info on the sequel.

HomeLAN - First, how much pressure does the development team have to make a game that is as successful as its predecessor?

Tim LeTourneau - The Sims franchise has had huge success and we definitely have set the bar high for The Sims 2. I wouldn’t call it pressure, but rather, our development team has the desire and drive to make The Sims 2 the first next-generation people simulator.

HomeLAN - Maxis could have continued to create expansion packs to the original Sims. Why was the decision made to create a full blown sequel?

Tim LeTourneau - Our goal was to expand The Sims to a whole new level with The Sims 2 and allow you to immerse yourself in the Sims’ world like never before. We now have more realistic Sims, lifetime gameplay, unstoppable customization, and a whole new 3-D world. These are just a few of the endless features in The Sims 2.

HomeLAN - What were the development team’s main goals in making The Sims 2?

Tim LeTourneau - There are several goals set for our development team, but the main goal is to have our players immerse themselves fully into this next-generation simulation. We’ve created dynamic environments and dynamic Sims, so players will continually be drawn back in to experience something new. The game and gameplay can mean different things to different players, so we want to surprise and entice current Sims players and attract new players as well. These are just a few examples of what we are striving for with The Sims 2 development.

HomeLAN - How much team does Will Wright give to the development of the sequel?

Tim LeTourneau - Will Wright is present in everything that we work on at Maxis. Each of our games are built on concepts and mechanisms that Will has created and imagined. We are fortunate to have him share his ideas in each development process and we enjoy working with him.

HomeLAN - Much has been made of The Sims 2’s storytelling features. What can you tell us at this time about this feature?

Tim LeTourneau - Storytelling has always been one of the coolest aspects of The Sims games. With The Sims 2, we definitely have big plans that expand upon this popular feature. In the new storytelling mode, you can capture pictures during your gameplay experience, create and edit a photo album, add captions, and share the albums with other players via The Sims Exchange on www.thesims2.

Another new mode dubbed camera mode, provides you with the opportunity to travel all over the game environment as if you were a Sim. You will be able to see the expressions and emotions of the Sims who are the stars of your stories. We are also introducing the new movie maker feature which puts you in the director's chair by letting you create your very own Sim videos. The movie maker comes complete with custom settings so you can create the best footage with your computer. Combined with the new camera abilities, movie maker will let you produce stories that are more dramatic, cinematic and entertaining than ever before. There are extraordinary stories out there that no one but the storytellers can possible imagine and we can’t wait to hear them!

HomeLAN - How much more customization will The Sims 2 have in terms of creating the actual Sims?

Tim LeTourneau - We have focused a great deal on the customization capabilities in The Sims 2 and are looking forward to see what you create. Create a Sim is incredible and amazingly detailed, all the way down to the Sims’ DNA, their nose size and shape, width of their mouth, and the eye color selection. You have complete control over how your Sims look as well as how they will act. You can set their personalities, aspirations, and relationships. You may even spend hours just creating your Sim!

We also wanted to give you more control over how your Sims’ neighborhood develops, offer more architectural options when building a house, and provide the option to create community lots that all Sims from the neighborhood can visit.

HomeLAN - What sorts of new situations and environments will be seen in the sequel that was not possible to put into the original?

Tim LeTourneau - The fact that there are now six age ranges for your Sims and they have awareness of their familial relationships, gives way for more dynamic and dysfunctional behavior. Imagine the family chaos that could result when Dad comes back after an alien abduction.

HomeLAN - How has the AI been improved for the sequel?

Tim LeTourneau - The Sims are more intelligent, aware, and responsive to other Sims and their environment. With new facial expressions, body animations, and the ability to pass on genetic traits from generation to generation, the Sims have really come to life. They understand their relationships and act accordingly. Your Sims will have memories, so their past experiences can influence their future behavior. For example, if a Sim witnesses another Sim experiencing a critical life moment, they can respond to that, as well as gossip about it to others. This alone creates a much richer set of relationships than previously seen in the original Sims game.

HomeLAN - What other gameplay features in The Sims 2 do you think are important?

Tim LeTourneau - Something really cool we’ve done for The Sims 2 is revamp the build and buy modes. This is one of the features where you can spend a tremendous amount of game time and use your creativity. You can also get lost in creativity with design mode where you can build in 3D, create decks and foundations, manipulate lighting, and decorate objects on the fly.

HomeLAN - What can you tell us about the graphics engine for the sequel and how it compares to the original?

Tim LeTourneau - The Sims 2 has had a complete graphical overhaul featuring a fully 3D environment that is more lifelike and dynamic. We are now allowing you to view and play the game from any angle and zoom in close to see every last detail from the expression on your Sims’ face to food on the table. Instead of feeling like you are looking down from a bird’s eye view, it now feels like you are in the room with the Sims.

We’ve also given the Sims a more complex skeleton that permits a new level of realistic motion. The old paddle-hands have been replaced with articulated fingers, and the rigidity of their faces have been replaced with animated and communicative expressions. Your Sims’ hair and clothing can also move so it gives a subtle feeling of life that is really fun to see.

HomeLAN - How much support will Maxis give to people who want to create mods for the game?

Tim LeTourneau - Player made content creation and easy access to content made my others is a core feature of The Sims 2. There will be various tools available to allow the community to customize virtually every element in the game, from clothing to hairstyles to the furniture in the homes. We have put in a great deal of effort to make this a more seamless aspect of the game as well. You will be able to drop new content into the game and use it immediately, rather than pour thru directory structures to do achieve this same goal.

HomeLAN - Will there be a demo of The Sims 2 released before the game is sent to stores?

Tim LeTourneau - There are no current plans for this at this time, but we will keep you posted!

HomeLAN - What is the current status of the game’s progress and when will it be sent to stores?

Tim LeTourneau - The game is coming along great and you can expect it to be release in the second half of 2004.

HomeLAN - Is it safe to say that expansion packs for the game are in the works?

Tim LeTourneau - There are no current plans for this at this time.

HomeLAN - Finally, is there anything else you wish to say about The Sims 2 at this time?

Tim LeTourneau - We are really looking forward to getting the game into the player’s hands!

Links:

The official Sims 2 web site

[ebook-2]

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Reasons For Leaving Religions Part 2 https://ebook-2.com/ https://downloads.ebook-2.com/ Reasons for leaving religion PART2. An in-depth look at the Islamic religion written by. Ehab Bakr. Researcher in the comparison of religions. 2022. Introduction. This book is a personal vision and conviction that I reached after reading many, many books, and I do not want to impose this conviction on anyone and I do not want anyone to be convinced or follow it, but it is only a gateway to another world, a gateway that every sane person who wants to pass must pass through. To know the answer to the riddle of life. I am not an atheist, and I know very well that there is a powerful and capable entity outside space and time that has made the universe and created beings, but I did not find this entity in all the Abrahamic religions. This entity may have (made and left), or it (made and watched) as it happens in laboratory experiments, or it (made, watched, and will be held accountable) or will be selected. The assumptions are many and endless, and every hypothesis needs study and analysis. All of these assumptions we will not be able to confirm or test because the information does not exist, and since life in all of our eyes is a place for testing and evaluation for people and knowing the good and the bad, it is more correct that this test be without any cheating or discrimination, in the sense that the presence of religions in our lives is a facilitation This test is for some people, who were born and found themselves on these religions. For example, if we assume that the religion (Jewish, Christian, Islamic) is the truth and that whoever adheres to the teachings of this religion is the winner, you will find that there is discrimination for the owners of these religions, because they were simply born and found themselves condemning these religions, but whoever was born finds his family, society and country worshiping idols , and thus was indoctrinated from a young age to worship idols, is in fact wronged. Example: If you want to take an exam for a group of students to find out who are honest among them, so that you can rely on them and give them trust or reward them. Will you say to them (I will test you in honesty, and whoever lies is a loser)? Or will you test them and watch them from afar so that you can judge them rightly and know (the truthful and the false). The natural thing in this test or any other test to judge character and morals is that it is a (secret) test, and the examinees do not know that they are required to show the moral side of their personalities, because if their character is bad and their morals are lacking, all that is required is representation and claim during the examination period that they are People to create, and the result is that they will all succeed. Is this considered an exam? In the past, if I wanted to test one of the employees in a company to find out his honesty and whether he could steal if he met the conditions, or if he was an honest person. In this old test, I used to put some money in a place where this person passed, and if he found the money and then took it without announcing it, I would fire him from work, but if he left this money or announced its existence, I would hire him because he is an honest person. But this test has become very old and known to everyone, and if you now repeat such a test, everyone will succeed even if they are all thieves because of their knowledge of this trick. What I mean here is that knowing the type of test in some tests definitely affects the result, because some tests, especially those that test (character and morals), must be confidential and complex, and the examinee must not know that he is in an exam until the result is real and fair. Therefore, if the world is truly a place of testing, then I believe that God should not announce himself, nor send us messengers with religions and teachings that will make a part of the people who have reached these teachings succeed while they do not deserve success. I also believe that a God who is wise, capable, powerful, and creator will not need anyone who praises Him, prays to Him, worships Him, and humiliates Him, because He does not need all of this. That we are in an exam, or that we are a scientific experiment in a laboratory for higher and better beings, or that there is a Creator who performed this miracle and then got busy with something else, all of this does not matter and we cannot be sure of it, but the important thing is that we live in this world during our short life with love and affection And tolerance and morals, so that the earth is a safe place for life, and life is happy, like the paradise over which religions fight. Make the earth a paradise during your short life and coexist with love and tolerance. #religion #leavingreligion #leavingyourreligion #9benefitsofleavingyourreligion #leavingareligiouscult #exreligion

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[writertothemaximum]

hiii i just wanted to say that your writing makes my day and it has always been delightful to read some of your pieces to the point i'm re-reading them ;o;;

do you mind if i ask what your writing process behind one shots and longfics are?

;w; omg thank you so much, the fact that you are taking the time to reread makes me so happy, I always wonder which pieces of my writing stand out to people more than others...It's useful info for me to continue improving, as well.

My process of writing longfic and oneshots is relatively similar, but with a few key differences!

(More under the cut)

For writing program, I just use Google Docs, but I have it a bit customized so it looks like this:

The main thing that helps me is the dark mode, and the endless page, because I only post online, so page view doesn't really help me, much.

Either with longfic or oneshots, my inspirations usually come from art that I see, but I always try to think of a distinct "theme" whenever I write anything, and have every single point connect back to that "theme" or idea, no matter how trivial it is. This theme can be literally anything, but usually it's something like "I want to write about the different ways people handle loss of control" or "I think fingering buttholes is hot, so I'm going to try and make it as hot as I possibly can, so that other people can understand how hot it is."

I see characters as tools to tell a good story, and regardless of how much porn is there, it still needs to be a good story, you know! If you just wanted senseless fucking, why would you read it when you could go watch porn? I need to give the reader that reason.

I also really like to write themes that subvert expectations, or force the audience to see a new perspective that they might have not otherwise considered. My femdom works as an example of that, as I would often read femdom self-insert fiction I felt was......."wrong"? idk, it wasn't hot to me, and it didn't feel like my kind of femdom. So I put my skills to where my mouth was and! I think it turned out well!

So once I have that theme or general idea (and by this point, it's usually pretty easy to select/create the characters that fit that), I make a rough outline. For oneshots, this is usually just in my head, unless there's a really specific scene in mind? But for longfic, I plan out....a lot. Not everything, but my outline for Niki's (Morbid) Kitchen was around 5.5k before starting so uh.

My outline usually consists of bullet points so, it'll be like this:

-This is the location/conflict

>chara does something

"Hey, you should probably use this dialogue"

-this happens next (oh no)

Or something along those lines.

Then, after that, I just fill it all in!

Occasionally, I will write without an outline but uh...yeah it can get messy, so I prefer to use one.

I've been told that I edit as I go, and I usually reread as I write. I hate completed drafts sitting there, so I often miss a lot of stuff when I do a light proofread, so I apologize for any typos you've seen. Feel free to point them out in my comments or in an ask here.

When it comes to the prose itself, I write in third person limited, past tense so uh—Third person, but also from a character's perspective. I like to see it as them telling me the story.

Additionally, something that helps me a lot is to think about "Show, not tell," so if a character is stressed, instead of just. saying that they're stressed, they will cross their arms, their heartbeat increases, and they start saying meaner things. Something like that.

I like to think about how I, or people I know would react to a situation, and also what reaction would help connect best to that theme I decided at the beginning.

If you don't already know, I am working on a longfic called Niki's (Morbid) Kitchen, featuring Niki as a cannibal and Hiiro as a budding yandere. If you'd like to read it, you can here:

Well, I hope this gave you some insight, and thank you again for reading!

[thebonarius]

Wedding Witch

It's no nut november and we won't talk about hentai games. How about a lewd one instead? Today we're talking about the game Wedding Witch; developed by Chowbie (& Quick Turtle).

You can buy it on steam.

Story:

You and a witch named Belle fell in love and decide to have a wedding. For this grand day she decides to go into the forest of the succubus queen and pick some flowers and get some potions that "physically enhances" herself.

Gameplay:

It's a "Vampire Survivors"-like (i've seen someone coin the word VSlike) game. However, instead of surviving 30 mins and fighting the grim reaper, you're complete several missions/stages and the fight the succubus queen. Those missions can be chosen as, like a rougelike, there are different paths you can choose to get to the succubus queen. There are 4 mission types available:

Eliminate: Kill a certain number of enemies

Time Attack: Survive a certain amount of time

Unsealing: A cauldron thing is walking around you and you got to fill it with mana to unseal it. The nearer you are to it, more mana goes to it in a higher frequency. But be careful because if you're too near it will attack you!

Boss Fight: Survive a certain amount of time until the boss spawns. Defeat the boss and you'll beat the stage AND get a flower Speaking of, your power improves in two ways: Flowers and Level-ups.

Flowers are either earned through boss fights or found somewhere on the endless map, just like pumpkins which contain intant use items. Those give different bonuses, be it more XP, making your melee weapon do more damage or have it shoot stuff. Level Ups grant you a selection of 3 (through an upgrade 4) options like passives or spells. Spells come in form of 6 different types: Projectile, Area, Physical, Familiar, Explosion and Curse. At the start of a game 2 random "basic" spells are chosen that you could pick (Be careful you can only learn 6 spells per run!). But you can skip them and fill your slots with the spells that you get after each stage. But how do you get spells from a specific types? Well… That's the selling point, Potions! Each Spelltype has a corresponding potion, for example you get Explosion spells by drinking the "Big breasts potion" or the Projectile spells via the "small breasts potion". But i won't tell you more about the other potions except that Belle has several transformation-stages at (when your meter is at 1, 4 and 6). To end this section let me briefly talk about the coin shop. During your games you collect coins which can be used to give you permanent stat boosts which are useful!

Final Score:

Story: Simple

There's not much to talk about. But it's charming.

Gameplay: Pretty Good

It's a time-consuming and addicting game! And the best part it's fun! Here's my tierlist about the spell types:

Projectile > Explosion > Curse > Physical > Area > Familiar. So yeah Flat is justice!

Lewd Stuff: Dopamin

The only thing i can say is Neuron Activation

Playtime: 7.4h

It's a good way to spend around 10-20 minutes (depending on the difficulty) for a single run. Those 7.4 hours is how much it took me to 100% complete the steam achievements

Overall: Got married several times

When i saw the trailer with the small breast potion i lost my shit and i had to buy it immediately. I'm pretty sure you're better off playing vampire survivors instead (considering both are, at the time of writing, the same price), but it got it's own charm. And the drawings are real pretty (no hentai, just nsfw stuff).

[unfoldingmoments]

Bailed Out

Just had a recent argument with a friend who bailed me out in last minute.

There was a guy who was having relationship problems with his girlfriend. He briefly mentioned the issue to me but didn't go into detail. After church, he said he needed to meet up with his friend first, while I had to pick up my sister and her baby according to their eating schedule.

In the end, he didn't update me and left me hanging, choosing to enjoy the company of his friends (more than one person, which I didn't expect). He mentioned that he rarely gets to see them every 3-4 months and they were also dealing with similar relationship issues, so they wanted to share and learn from each other.

He assumed that I wanted to spend more time with my sister than with him, but he knew about our plans beforehand and didn't object to them. So I thought it was okay with him.

Furthermore, he came up with another excuse, thinking that I wasn't interested in hanging out with his friend or going to the mall. He believed that I wouldn't want to listen to his problems and would only talk about my own issues, leaving him as the listener. He needed someone to listen to him and offer advice, but he never brought up this concern with me.

He refused to admit that he was wrong and instead said I wasn't flexible enough when he changed his plans. He also suggested that because I am single and older, I might not be the best person to discuss these issues with.

Our conversation became heated because both of us were focused on defending our own ideas of right and wrong, proper etiquette, and such. Despite considering me his best friend for the past three years, we've had many arguments along the way due to our differences.

From my perspective, based on the apology language test by Dr. Gary Chapman, author of "The 5 Love Languages," my way of apologizing is to genuinely admit my wrongdoing and show repentance. I cannot accept lies.

I told him that I can be flexible in urgent matters, life or death situations, but otherwise, it's not nice to bail on plans. There shouldn't be discrimination when it comes to meeting people because if you prioritize meeting someone, it means you should be available at that time. Otherwise, chaos would ensue if people started discriminating against each other.

I felt unimportant and realized I might be wrong in this argument. He, on the other hand, felt entitled to treat me that way because of his feelings at the time. I told him that if I were the president, he wouldn't bail on me regardless of his feelings. He argued that friendship and government are different. I find this reasoning to be nonsense because if he can treat me this way, he could treat others the same. Being selective about who you prioritize is not cool.

That's what I disliked about his excuse, and I was the one who had to approach him multiple times until he finally explained his reasons. It's just an example of how most people are selfish and tend to hide or disappear when they are at fault. Not many people can admit their wrongdoings and instead look for excuses to gain empathy or avoid responsibility.

I would have been more understanding if he had told me about the situation beforehand, not after it had already happened. Yet, when I confronted him, he kept giving me endless excuses, making me feel like the bad guy. I don't think a gentleman should act this way, especially when he always preaches about his discipline and such.

Although some arguments aren't about winning or losing, making an effort to admit your mistakes is important if you truly care about the person. I know it's difficult to ask for forgiveness, especially from those who matter most in your life, like your family or life partner. However, we must understand that forgiveness is necessary if we want to move forward. We must also forgive those who wrong us because they might not fully grasp the impact of their actions. If we're wise and mature, we should accept the situation for now and take action if we can, but if we can't, let's leave it to God.

I hope we can become better communicators, be more forgiving, and have patience when dealing with life and the complexities of relationships. It's inevitable that life has its ups and downs.

Happy Monday, everyone! May the rest of your day be wonderful.

[menuandprice]

TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Review

If you’re a fan of enjoying savory appetizers in a fun environment, what could be better than Endless Apps at TGI Friday’s? “Endless Apps” refers to limitless appetizers, and TGI Friday’s has a vast range of tasty appetizers that you can either enjoy before your meal or in place of a meal. The franchise has offered this deal for a limited time on more than one occasion, and it’s a welcomed addition to the menu – as most endless, bottomless, unlimited deals would be. While your tastebuds are warming up, let’s dig into this TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Review.

History and Inspiration

Crave-worthy appetizers have been a part of TGI Fridays since the beginning. The franchise introduced the Endless Apps deal for “people who don’t like to see a good time end.” You can pick out one appetizer, then another, then another until your heart and tummy are content. With this deal, customers can order unlimited refills. It was launched in 2019 for a limited time, but the deal was so popular that TGI Friday’s announced that the deal has made a comeback, and this time, it’s here to stay.

Types of TGI Friday’s Endless Apps

Unfortunately, not all of the appetizers listed in TGI Friday’s menu aren’t available in the Endless Apps deal. Only a few selected appetizers from the actual menu and a few other added items are available. These include the following: Mozzarella Sticks Boneless Buffalo Wings Loaded potato skins BBQ chicken flatbread Pan-seared potstickers Green bean fries Sesame Chicken strips Meatballs  Fried pickles TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Review Can’t decide which appetizer to choose? That’s the beauty of this deal – you can order more than one item. You’ll likely be allowed only to order one item at a time, but that gives you enough time to decide your ordering strategy. Do you order the newer items first and work your way backward to the classics? Do you order alphabetically? Do you opt for a more adventurous approach? Close your eyes and point at the menu. As the deal suggests, the possibilities are endless.

1.      Taste and Texture The Endless Apps are all delicious- I know, I’ve tried each of them. They’re all rich in flavor and packed with savory ingredients, mostly fried and saucy. My only complaint would be that every once in a while, something tastes like it’s been sitting in the kitchen too long, or it was re-heated. I’ve noticed this more with the loaded potato skins- almost as if they’ve been re-cooked or overcooked. I can overlook this as long as they’re loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream, which they are, but in a case such as this, my next order would be something less “heavy” and dense. The buffalo wings are always a great choice- the chicken is juicy and tender, and each piece is drenched in sauce. The Sesame Jack Chicken Strips are also on my list of favorites. Golden brown chicken breast strips are coated with crispy Japanese panko breadcrumbs and toasted sesame seeds, then tossed in their famous Jack Daniel’s sauce. I love this sauce with its sweet, barbeque flavors. Overall, I’d say you can’t go wrong with any of the choices. 2. Are they healthy? Ordering the Endless Apps is like a party for your tastebuds, and like most parties, the food is delicious and non-nutritious. Most of the items are full of carbs, calories, and sodium. For example, the Boneless Buffalo Wings soaked in the sauce has 1,190 calories and 4,450 mg of sodium. You might think the crispy Green Bean Fries would be a better choice, but those come with 900 calories and 1,720 mg of sodium. The Fried Pickles only have 110 calories, but be careful if you start dipping them in rich sauces. If you’re looking for healthy, you might skip the appetizers altogether and go for a Cobb Salad (also savory and filling). 3. Are they Worth it? Some restaurants only offer their special deals on certain days or during specific hours. However, TGI Friday’s offers its Endless Apps all day, every day, even though it was previously only available from 9 PM to closing. Now you can pop in any time to get this deal, so it’s like Happy Hour every hour, every day. The options are some of my top favorites, my kids and friends enjoy them, and the price is unbeatable. This is a fantastic deal, and it’s definitely worth it.

Photo by TGI Fridays   Final Verdict For just $10, you can have endless refills and a wide array of choices, which makes this an incredible deal. The fact that you can order it any time any day makes it even sweeter. Paired with a $5 cocktail during Happy Hour, and you’re set. 

TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Nutrition Facts

Below is the calorie count for the appetizers available with this deal. For a complete nutritional list, visit TGI Friday’s nutrition page. Mozzarella Sticks – 1,100 calories Boneless Buffalo Wings – 1,190 calories Loaded potato skins – 1,430 calories BBQ chicken flatbread – 460 calories Pan-seared potstickers – 590 calories Green bean fries – 900 calories Sesame Jack Chicken strips – 1,090 calories Meatballs – 790 calories Fried pickles – 110 calories

TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Pricing

TGI Friday’s Endless Apps are only $10 per person. Considering each appetizer on its own is between $9 and $12, it’s quite a deal. You likely won’t be permitted to order one Endless App and feed a table of 4 to 5 people, but if there are just one or two people in your party, you might get away with one order. Just be sure to tip your waitstaff very well! If you’d like to keep up with all the special deals and promos going on, be sure to join TGIFriday’s Rewards program. What do you think about our TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Review? Have you tried the Endless Apps deal? Which choice has been your favorite? Do you like to order one of each? Or do you prefer one dish over the others? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.   The post TGI Friday’s Endless Apps Review appeared first on Fast Food Menu Prices. Read the full article

[lewisibarra1512]

My relaunched money saving challenge and the current state of E3

Guess I have some explaining to do, since both polls have already announced Universal as the officially declared winner.

For those who missed out, I did two polls surrounding my future summer vacation plan as to whether it'd be E3 or Universal Orlando Resort in general. And theme park wise, they chose the latter. Many gamers who wanted to visit E3 were pretty much stumped over the fact Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft opted not to partake in future events. Which brought myself into something I'm about to consider doing and fessing up what's been going on. Do me a solid and hit the jump if you're ready!

Reason A: My money saving challenge now in effect again - Because of that one incident where I got broke by paying a scammed gift card and failing to buy a tee from online for Christmas (already sold out), I was given a new raise. And the result of me getting it was that I've relaunched my money saving challenge. Here's how it works: By earning even more money to save up other than a raise, I'll be keeping it nice and simple just by selling baked goods and artwork. In example, chocolate cupcakes with edible alien shaped sugar biscuits; the latter having a cute smile. They'll go around for a dollar, since there's nothing to affect me in any way. If successful of making a proft, I can save up even more until 2025 where my future summer vacation plan will revolve around the selected winner. And yes, it's none other than Universal Orlando Resort. With Universal already dominating the theme park market, coupled with the fact I now have a soft spot on it and the Jurassic series (Mainly Jurassic Park and Jurassic World), the Creative team is also under construction down in the Epic Universe site where the new Donkey Kong coaster will take place. We all know Universal Studios Hollywood has its own Nintendo World area with only one ride involving kart racing and beating against a bunch of turds, but I'm not going to experience that. When the race starts, I'd rather be sleeping and pretend I ran out of batteries. Or I could just avoid the dumb drama and take out my Switch by playing a real arcade racer known as Cruis'n blast anywhere. Back to the DK spot. Besides the new coaster themed from the original Donkey Kong Country, the new area will also have a meet and greet section, merchandising and some interactive activities. For the latter, I'm betting on Diddy with a great big hug as a photo op pose while Donkey Kong stands there feeling a bit lonely. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for King K. Rool being confirmed unless Nintendo gives everyone a new DK game, no matter if it's 2D or 3D. Otherwise, I'm blaming that con artist from hell. As my relaunched money saving challenge commences, visiting Universal Orlando will mark the first time I'll be flying to Orlando by giving other parks like Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure a shot. In addition, I plan to stay at a local hotel that's entirely next to Universal's Epic Universe, where I can enter the park as fast as possible. It'll most likely be around $96 just like the Endless Summer Resort series. Or it could just be like Aventura or Cabana Bay at about $140. Fortunately, because of the construction site currently happening, I'll be taking a breather from various sources like YouTube and other Universal themed news until the holidays arrive. That's where I get to have a huge break from it in case anything new happens so I don't get treated with the slow pace. Visiting Universal Orlando for the first time will be an instant success for my money saving challenge, so I plan to keep it nice and simple without jumping in on the inflation scenario. Not going to raise prices, so don't worry. But the one thing I feel worried about is the next part.

Reason B: The unfortunate and declining state of E3 - Back in the 90's, E3 was the go-to source of announcing new and upcoming video games and consoles targeted for a hardcore demographic. Everything since 11 May in 1995 showcased SEGA, Nintendo and Sony; the former of whom backed out of the console wars around 31 March 2001 when Microsoft entered the scene. E3 is based on three words consisting of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, hence the name, where it featured celebrity appearances and game devs explaining how games and consoles worked. It was actually fun and all, and I was already jealous when everyone wanted to enter the expo itself. E3 is currently located in the heart of the Los Angeles Convention Centre, where everything in California seems to grow a big impact beyond the gaming industry. Yes, there were some embarrassing moments revolving Sony's press conference where Kaz unveiled Ridge Racer being played on the PSP and the announcement of Peggle 2 at Microsoft's. At least Hiroshi Yamauchi gave us an inside look at the Nintendo GameCube prior to his retirement and passing, as well as the PS2 kicking into high gear. But other than some… questionable moments, things took a major turn for the worst. In 2013, a Kremling hunting con artist I refuse to say his name publicly shat all over E3 by announcing Nintendo Directs are taking over the airwaves, killing Yamauchi's iconic press conference appearances since the GameCube's unveiling. Nintendo Direct is a name of a web series that centered around an-- uh, games wholly. When the series was launched, there were many views instead of physical press conferences being set up. And that was way back before Covid-19 forced us to stay home. Thankfully, the animation industry kept going while inside the houses and all because there was no sign of live action content on the horizon. This series was followed by State of Play by Sony Interactive Entertainment and Developer Direct by Microsoft Studios. They all made their own until the big 3 decided to cut ties with E3 press conferences. What did E3 and the ESA decided to do next? Try wooing them back with a little help from ReedPop, noted for its array of PAX events. Add a bit of telephones and you've got a plate full of disappointment and annoyance. To my surprise and shock, I was looking forward to my first trip to E3 for this year. But after reading real reports Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft simultaneously not wanting to do with the event in Los Angeles anymore, turned out it wasn't profitable. I felt deeply sick to my stomach people wanted to keep Nintendo Direct on the air and make it permanent so they won't go through a physical press conference nor allowing me to buy an actual ticket. Being a celeb and a game developer simultaneously don't mix well, so having the Direct every February and September while making telephones a household name would possibly open a huge threat towards E3 press conferences. And I believe it's time for me to come out and express my worried statement that yes, E3 is dead and gone.

Oh, yeah. I have another statement I wanna blab it out: The winner is Universal Orlando.

Alright, you can leave now. Show's over. I'm gonna listen to some Raining Blood to help me take my anger out.

[devouredbyghosts]

“I had started the process of erasing myself from the present world in favour of social media - carving out chunks of myself, stretching them into an online skeleton: two people from one, like some kind of medical miracle. I have been doing this for a long time, of my own volition. In the past few years, I’ve spent almost as much time constructing and maintaining my online self as I have my real, human self. I’ve certainly spent more time on Instagram exercising my image than I have in the gym exercising my body.

These two were presentations are not the same person; in fact, they are often two very different people. The online version is static, and therefore easily paused on perfection, because the conditions in that space allow it. The parameters of the actual world are expansive, and people can view you from any angle (literally and metaphorically), while online you need to only fit yourself into a fixed box whose conditions you control and manipulate. The off-line version of me is obviously deeply flawed, though it’s easy to start believing otherwise, because I spend so much time immersed in my online self. Online, I can create someone who is not impatient, does not misspeak, is not self-centered, that’s always standing in the best lighting, and so on and on. The highlights of my life are posted in that space, and everything reacts in predictable ways - that is, the ways I want them to. And sometimes it feels much easier to live in that reality than in the one where I am always flawed and challenged, and occasionally sad.

So what do these two versions of me have in common?

Honestly, not much at all. For example, imagine that over the course of a year I posted images of sentences from this book online, and after seeing several hundred of them, you started to believe that you knew what the book was about, it’s energy and message. Imagine that you then actually got hold of the book and read it cover to cover. Perhaps I had carefully selected passages that reflected the whole - that’s possible. More likely, though, I have selected passages that made the book seem interesting, that put forth the storyline or narrative I liked best. The book could seem like a romance but actually be horror, or it could seem like suspense but actually be comedy, or it could seem well written but actually be a mess. You’ve no clue.

I imagine this is true for almost everyone’s social persona. One of the trickiest parts of social media is recognizing that everyone is doing the same thing you’re doing: presenting their best self. Everyone is now a brand, and all of digital life is a fashion magazine. While it’s easy to understand intrinsically that your presence on social media is only one small sliver of your full story, it’s more difficult to apply that logic to everyone else. Because you actually lived the full night, not just the two second snapshot of everyone laughing, arms around shoulders. All you see of other people’s night is an endless stream of laughing snapshots, which your brain easily extrapolates to fantastic evenings filled with warmth and love, with good wine and delicious food. Comparing your every day existence to someone else’s highlight reel is dangerous for both of you.

At the same time, existing online often feels less risky, less challenging, than existing in the real world, where things often become messy. Online, you can just plug in and edit everything. Plus, there is no body language that you’re forced to interpret. When you try to build a relationship in person, or meet a group of friends, you face the possibility of awkward pauses, confusing body language, and the disappointment of not saying precisely what you mean. In person, time moves steadily past and you either keep the rhythm of the interaction or you don’t. Online, there is only the artificial rhythm you create, the beat slowed down or sped up depending on what you choose. But that’s not quite dancing. Dancing is giving your body over to a larger energy. Dancing is finding the rhythm and beauty and whatever song is playing.

It’s easier to feel connected online then to truly connect in real life. So plugging in becomes addicting. We’d rather sign on and feel some superficial sense of connection than work and possibly fail a true connection off-line. Being in the real world can be uncomfortable, especially after you spend so much time online.“ Kate Fagen; What Made Maddy Run