#and this is a secondary blog I've been on here for 4 years...

[orangepeelshortbreadcookies]

What do you think show!Colin’s characterization/personality is? It’s inconsistent throughout the series and I’m curious as to what I’m missing as people seem to love him and I feel like I’m missing something. He’s sweet, he likes to travel, he’s got a hero complex (that is never explained why), but he doesn’t seem all that close with his siblings and prefers traveling or seeking out Marina or Penelope

(I’m asking you because I like a lot of your other Bridgerton opinions and wanted to hear your thoughts once again)

Hii!!! First of all, my beautiful friend @dollypopup has a lot of thoughts about his character and she has largely succeeded in converting me from a Colin agnostic to a Colin appreciator. I highly recommend checking out her blog!

Ah, Colin, my neglected little cinnamon roll of failed potentials who deserved better. There were flickering moments in time that I've considered the writers of Bridgerton value him more than an attractive, unquestioningly agreeable eventual trophy for Penelope. I miss those days. I think before the showrunner changed, there were glimmers of Colin's character that would have been worthwhile to explore had they stuck to their guns and followed book orders. I think he has a lot in common with how they wrote Francesca in season 4: he's the most timid one among his brothers. He's walking earnestness and a people-pleaser. He mostly only has a bigger personality when he's among family. He has massive middle-child syndrome, which I think in parts explain the hero complex. He is possibly on the spectrum. He has difficulties deciphering social cues and despite a rich inner life, verbally he is not very eloquent, especially in a public setting. He's honest and probably not very good with money.

(Remember that adorable scene in season 1 when he sings while Frannie plays the piano? The show owes me particularly compensation for squandering that potential).

All of these make very solid foundations for a compelling character to spring from. But then, to come to these conclusions, I'll admit it takes a considerable amount of intepretive work, work that a big chunk of fandom, who prefer fast, easily-digestible content, have no interest in engaging with, and work that the sensationalism-prioritising writing discards to accomodate the short 8-episode format.

I do see where you're coming from with his character being written inconsistently. There were a lot of seeds planted in the first two seasons for his character getting thrown out of the window. Luke N did the best with what he got, and to me Colin comes off as a lost, insecure boy trying out different personalities in order to fit in. To an extent, I even sympathise with the 'Colin gives the ick' camp. There were multiple instances in season 3 where he talked to people (both men and women) about his travels that gave me major 'shallow rich boy after a gap year abroad' vibe. That being said, to pay that off with him eventually confronting his "friends" about the abysmal quality of their conversations was very nice. Such a shame he did not have enough screentime to invest in his true personality away from that scene to better drive that point home, being reduced to a secondary character in his own season. I don't remember Colin ever had any substantial conversation about his travels (which can be character-building and fulfilling) or interests after that confrontation, not one for the sake of his own character-building instead of some detail subservient to Pen's needs for validation. He should really have had at least a moment like the swing-scene between Eloise and Benedict (Colin-Francesca piano duet musings!!! I was ROBBED.)

Honestly, the problem here imo is that the writers, especially ones from season 3, just don't like Colin very much. It's pretty telling when he's the lead character with the least amount of screentime across 3 seasons. Many among the fandom echo that sentiment. His existence (among many other characters that suffer a personality lobotomy) in his own damn season is to absolve Penelope of guilt and consequences for her toxic actions. His hurt, his loss, his feelings, are secondary on the grand scheme of the show's narrative, ultimately they are obsolete and more or less an inconvenience to Penelope's HEA. The same applies to characters like Marina and Kate, and to some extent, Eloise. There are still highlights though, like his utterly distraught reaction at discovering Pen's Whistledown. And despite the ardent complaints about him refusing to share a bed with Pen on their wedding night, I'll maintain that it was one of his best moments, as he was still steadfast in his love for her but also setting clear boundaries regarding his substantial (and pretty fucking justifiable) hurt. I was so proud of him.

[harrypotterprops]

Is anybody here?

It's been years since I used tumblr for the last time and I noticed my blog was and still being so popular here. I started this as a secondary blog for compiling and sharing images that I found useful for doing props. I'm not a graphic designer although I have basic notions.

I leaved that for many reasons:

- First of all, discovering Wizardry Workshop on YouTube (then known as Muggle Magic). I saw the amazing job Danny did with the Chocolate Card printables. His channel and works grew in popularity and quality and, as a fan, he does everything I need for doing crafts. Continuing compiling pngs and jpgs and doing very basic edits became nonsense while having his amazing work avaliable.

- I compiled a lot of stuff and finding new ones began to be harder.

- I was really disgusted by Tumblr's the new politics and UX: censorship, ads, payment functions...

- There was less content related to the Fantastic Beasts franchise and, sadly it was not the same and I didn't like it as much as the main saga. On the other hand, Wizardry Workshop has amazing material and tutorials.

- College, adulthood and health in general.

My love with HP graphic design started in the middle 2000s when I was little and making little crafts with designs made by people on deviantart or myself in paint was a way for feeling this amazing world more real and feeling part of it.

I saw some messages and comments asking for some content and also selling props. I'm sorry for never answering the requests and I'm so thankful for the positive feedback. Although it was never the purpose of this blog selling anything and it's illegal as I'm not the original designer nor related to Minalima or WB. By the contrary, if I ever had an intention, it was promoting the DIY culture by making it easier to have accurate resources as it was so hard to find screen accurate content.

I'll try to share new things I'll find here but:

If you're really interested on DIY, replicas, HP's graphic design be sure you check first:

1. Wizardry Workshop (YT, his own website, etc.)

2. Magyar_wizard_workshop for inspiration and reference. They do the replicas I've never done.

2. magicalpropreference (Instagram)

3. Nurmengart (Instagram)

4. Alarmeighteen and Mondomago for fully readable premium book replicas

Have a nice day!

PS: Sorry for the grammar but I'm Spanish and I'm too lazy for checking or using google translator.

[voca-song-a-day]

Hey everyone! So recently I've been going back through my posts in order to make a better ordered list for myself of what songs I've already featured, and because of that, I also started putting together some information about what Vocaloids and Producers have been featured on this blog the most so far! It was fun putting this together, so I figured I'd post the information as a little end-of-the year style thing!

Some of the exact numbers may be sliiiightly off, but they should be pretty close. And the numbers here are up to date through the song posted today (December 31st).

I'm hoping to start doing this as an annual thing, with updates to the rankings at the end of the year.

Also: as a quick secondary update- I have decided that this blog will start to feature songs using vocal synths of any kind, not just Vocaloid-specific songs. I still intend for Vocaloid characters to make up the majority of songs featured here (and I currently have a long queue lined up that still has only Vocaloids in it), but I will start to add other synths into the mix, and song suggestions are now open for solos featuring non-Vocaloid synths!

Anyway, without further ado: the rankings!

VOCALOIDS

By Vocaloid Name: # of songs they're featured in

(note that this isn't just counting number of solos- it also includes duets, trios, and group songs that that Vocaloid shares with others)

The 15 most featured are in bold!

Hatsune Miku: 388

Kagamine Rin: 145

GUMI: 136

Kagamine Len: 120

KAITO: 69

Megurine Luka: 67

Flower: 64

IA: 61

Meiko: 34

Kamui Gakupo: 22

Yuzuki Yukari: 21

MAYU: 19

Luo Tianyi: 18

Fukase: 16

Otomachi Una: 14

Lily: 13

VY2: 12

Meika Hime, MAIKA: 11

Nekomura Iroha, SeeU: 10

Kaai Yuki, Xin Hua, Oliver: 9 

Meika Mikoto, UNI, VY1, Xingchen/Stardust: 8 

DEX, YANHE, Yuezheng Ling: 7

Aoki Lapis, Rana, Sonika, Yohioloid: 6

Utatane Piko, Merli, Avanna, Kizuna Akari, Miriam, SF-A2 Miki: 5

Tone Rion, CUL, Cyber Diva, DAINA, Galaco, Kokone, Lumi, Kyo, Yuezheng Longya: 4

Haruno Sora, Anon, Kanon, Clara, Macne Nana, Mew, Mo Qingxian, Prima, Ruby, Sweet Ann, Wil, Yuu, Yumemi Nemu, Zhiyu Moke: 3

Hiyama Kiyoteru, ARSLOID, Leon, Lola, Chika, Mirai Komachi, Sachiko, Tohoku Zunko: 2

Azuki, Bruno, Cyber Songman, Gachapoid, Tonio: 1

PRODUCERS

Also by name: # of songs by them featured

(there's a LOT of producers with only one or two songs featured, so I've shorted this list to just the top 15, including ties)

PinocchioP: 27

CircusP: 25

DECO*27: 21

40meterP: 20

GigaP: 18

Neru: 17

Hitoshizuku & Yama: 16

Rerulili: 15

MikitoP: 14

Niki: 13

Nayutalien, Re:nG: 12

JesusP, GHOST, *Luna, KIRA, MARETU, KurageP, HoneyWorks: 10

Kairiki Bear, Jin, HachiojiP, MachigeritaP, OSTER Project: 9

Sasakureuk, UtsuP, PeperonP, EmpathP, EZFG, Reol, Mitchie M, Hachi, Mothy: 8

Hiiragi Kirai, Tohma, q*left, UtataP & Tory Hitsuji, Kikuo, WhiteFlame, Kanaria, Kemu: 7

[kazeofthemagun]

Anonymous asked:

send 🍀 and i'll recommend an oc rp blog

Positivity meme

[.....Oh boy y'all already know where this is going]

[I legally cannot answer this without putting my bestie in the #1 spotlight, aka Bug aka @cursedfortune aka some other blogs I'll mention in a sec. Literally the most amazing person ever and one of, if not the best friend I've made here in my 4~ years of being on tumblr.]

[To preface, Bug's blogs post ns/fw so keep safe if that's not your thing/you're a minor, as well as heavy content to be expected from dark fantasy-themed muses. The details you'll find on the blogs themselves, so I'll refrain from wasting too much time when I could be getting to the JUICE 🥤.]

[The main, the OG, @cursedfortune . Bug's main OC, Mortem, is amazing in every way. Seriously. She's got it all. Looking for a strong, competent female character with an intriguing and compelling backstory sprinkled throughout the blog? They're your Bug. Fancy some in-depth exploration on blue-and-orange morality that transcends human understanding and puts in the forefront the often terrifying workings of balancing forces? They're your Bug. Really, those who have been here for any amount of time probably know but Mortem is Kaze's first and only ship but neither of us went into it thinking those two chucklefucks would catch feels in that way. In hindsight it makes complete sense, but here's the deal: don't begin your journey with this character solely to ship. It won't work that way - shipping needs chemistry first and foremost and female OC muses are already dealing with many users who go in with only the intent to write romance/smut and largely ignore what makes the character so compelling and unique in the first place.]

[Not to give lessons on tumblr etiquette, I'm sure y'all can understand 💜]

[Some other OC blogs of Bug's that I've interacted with a bit less but are nonetheless amazing:]

@bvd11975 That's not a spambot, baby. That's Nes, a special agent of an agency focused on paranormal investigation that plays a key role in Bug's overarching setting. Kickass character, design, story and personality-wise.

@ofmanytxngues A glorious force of chaos lmao. Not *that* Chaos, but uhh.. there's def A Wormy Boi (gender neutral) involved there somewhere. Marie is another character I haven't written with all that much and is on hiatus atm but I simply cannot not give her a shoutout while I'm at it. Marie and Ana riding an ice cream truck when?

Some others that are more WIP atm ^^ you'd have to approach Bug for them. (And their canons! But this is a meme for OCs specifically ;)

[NOW, to take a break from gushing about the best soup to ever soup and give due spotlight to others who 100% deserve it - keep in mind this is based on my interactions with them, as in, I am unlikely to shout out people I haven't written with or otherwise interacted with enough!! This is in no way personal, but rather a natural consequence since there are SO many amazing people and muses on tumblr. 😄]

@halfkuma and @knightshonour . Those two started out as iterations on the same character and evolved into separate people: also feature a healthy dose of secondary OCs and some canons. Rowan is a character I've fallen in love with (figure of speech) very easily since, well, I do happen to enjoy gloomy, doomed by the narrative warriors, and Soulsborne, very much. Halfkuma is a blog based around the Touhou universe with the mains, Roan and Touri, being bear yokai. (Half and full respectively). Furthermore, Slap himself is one of the chillest beans on here and is always a pleasure to talk to and meme with.

@hriobzagelthewanderer !!! Because how could I NOT. Kov is amazing and so is his muse. I was so surprised to see a figure from Polish (and generally Slavic + Germanic) folklore, that I essentially grew up reading about, transformed and adapted into an amazingly crafted muse. Hriob Zagel combines various mythologies + popular media inspirations into one giant (pun intended) goofball who is an absolute delight to see on my dash.

Aaand last but not least (for now!) Though I haven't interacted with her personally just yet, @hexenjagd . Obligatory shoutout to a dark fantasy/Elden Ring-based female OC with some of the most intricate yet well-flowing backstory I've seen on the site. Helena, the Witch-Knight, a person branded by the touch of Death and everything it entails within the setting. Definitely grimdark and macabre in all the right ways and I am here for it. 😎

[countlessrealities]

IMPORTANT - BLOG UPDATES 2024 !

I should have made this post at the start of the year, but between the holidays first and working double shifts later (and now), I never got around to doing it till tonight.

I made sure to include everything in this post, so you guys won't have to jump around to check my pages, so please, make sure to read it.

RULES CHANGES

Interactions: Be interested in at least TWO of my muses, or at least be open to try and interact with a couple of the others, outside your chosen one. This way I'll be able to keep interacting with you, even if I were to lose inspiration for one of the characters you have chosen.

Matching effort: I've said this a few times, but this year I've started to apply this rule. I match the energy and the interest I receive. This goes for sending memes and asks (IC and OOC), offering ideas for plots, carrying on the scene in a thread, and so on. I will also try and reach out first more (even if it might take a while because I'm socially super awkward). However, if the effort remains completely one-sided for weeks, I'm here because I want to interact with people, but I'm tired of spending my time and energy on people who don't want to interact with me, even if they say they want to.

MUSES ROASTER CHANGES

Millie and Stan have been removed from my muse list.

Rick Prime has been added as a test muse.

Muses are now listed and grouped in primary, secondary, tertiary and test muses / request only.

Primary muses: Rick, Morty, Summer, Evil Morty, A-991 Rick.

Secondary muses: Evil Rick, S-314 Rick, Bill Cipher, Mabel, Adrien / Cat Noir.

Tertiary muses: Mercenary Rick, Blitzo, Poison Ivy.

Test muses / request only: Félix / Argos, Rick Prime, B-001 Rick (request only).

GENERAL POLICY CHANGES

I won't be answering drafts so strictly in chronological order as I've tried to do so far. I'll follow my inspiration more, which means that primary muses will get slightly faster replies compared to the others.

For my mental sanity, I'll space out the replies from people who tend to answer me quickly. It's nothing personal, I need to do it not to get overwhelmed.

On the other hand, I'll be more open to brief shenanigans, dash commentary and events-related threads.

Also, if we're mains, we can discuss having a "back and forth" thread (which means a thread with short replies that I'll reply to without queueing it every 3-4 days)

I'll be more selective with who I follow (back), and more liberal when it comes to softblocking people. However, if I softblock you, you can come and talk to me about it (as long as you're ready to be civil).

If you have read this post, please leave a like / comment !

[sorcerous-caress]

I just wanna thank you so much for your completely earned deconstruction of the writer/reader relationship. I have 2 separate writing blogs, and one, my main in fact, I've all but completely given up on until I want to write again. The other is being transferred to be my new main, and I'm not sure if I'll take requests. I've been debating just taking commissions that I'm comfortable with, and posting my own writing when the mood strikes. You've really made me think, and I appreciate that so much! ❤️

I'm not sure if you've had a similar experience, but basically one of my works exploded somewhat and another did to a lesser extent. I was working on other things and all anyone cared about was those two fics.

When I tell you I pored hours upon hours into this super high fantasy rewrite crossover of my favorite game with the same characters, I mean it. My first chapter was over 8k and I made sure I did a bunch of research to nail both the combat, and dialouge.

I posted it, initially meant to be posted between that and one of the fics- only for it to be ignored and instead all I got was update asks. No-one cared when it was right in my rules that it gave me anxiety and made me not want to write.

It got so bad, I literally dropped the blog. I haven't updated my most popular work since 2019 and I've only the past 6 months got inspired for the secondary popular fic. I got so in my head- desperate to do what my readers wanted and not upset anyone. To this day the next chapter sits half written, with me still torn to rewrite it entirely, or just finish it the way I want to and go from there. Yet it's so soured for me. I still love my concept. I still kind of want to repurpose it and flesh it out but I just get such a bitter taste in my mouth and I freeze and get anxiety even now when I re-read it.

Ironically the lack of reception to my passion project was my wake up call. I was genuinely devastated. I had one thankfully amazing commenter(of course on Archive of Our Own), who didn't know my niche little fantasy video game save its very opening hours(It's Final Fantasy 4, in case you're curious), but clicked anyway and gushed about my execution. A whole 4-5 paragraphs. I cried when I read it, beaming ear to ear grin.

If it wasn't for her? I very well may have quit posting my writing altogether and you know what? I still post that fic. Slowly, granted. My 2nd chapter was 9k+ and the 3rd is looking to be over 10k and has taken over 2 years thanks to a lot going on. She posted again on that 2nd chapter though! And I go back and read it when I need inspiration. I'm basically solely posting it for her.

Just...thanks. For sharing how you feel on this. I've always really struggled with feeling selfish, or like I have no right to ask for a comment. I still can put myself down and feel incredibly guilty, especially about that constantly asked about fic. Feel like I should take the likes and update asks with a smile because "that means they like it, obviously, they're asking for more, right?" I don't think people not actively creating and posting get it, and you truly put it into words in a way I've struggled with for years.

I'm new here, and still playing through the game and all, but please know at least I see you. I appreciate all the hard work you do and put in. You don't owe any of anything, and I'm so grateful for anything you choose to share with us. I think a lot of people underestimate how intimate sharing our writing is.

Also appreciate you mentioning the difference in respect between fanartists and fanwriters. SO many people think "Anyone can write." and we get belittled so much faster for offering commissions too. It takes just as much skill, whether people believe that or not.

Just...thanks. For real. You've given me a lot to consider as I work on transferring my new blog over and I appreciate it more than you know. ❤️ -S

That genuinely means a lot, it's an honour to have even meant something to anyone at all.

Especially someone struggling with the same thing I am. Thank you for taking the time to write and tell me this, i never thought anyone would bother to read my rant or take it seriously.

I relate to a lot of the things you've just described, it's really horrible how the world can twist something we love and are passionate for into something that hurts us instead. I'm never forgiving anyone who made me feel anxious about writing a story I was excited about or for posting something knowing instead of feedback I'd be met with asks about updating the more popular story.

And I'm happy to hear that you take commissions, just to make it clear I'm totally against the whole "mixing money with art makes it lose meaning" fiasco. I think it's stupid and people who claim that they don't understand that you can never put art in a box or steal its meaning away, that artists are people who need to eat and pay their bills too.

Your writing more than deserves money, it's something intimate that we pour our heart into, that we take parts of our life experience and memories and put it in the story to give it its own life.

Fuck anyone who thinks writing is below art, just because it's written words. They never consider the planning, creativity, writing style and experience, the research, plot and energy it takes.

If anything at least you can draw and paint while listening to music or watching youtube, you can let your hand go on autopilot every now and then. With writing it's one of those jobs you can't distract your mind from, you have to be present and you have to focus on every word and line, consider every dialogue option and every descriptive word, it's draining mentally and takes so much focus.

Both art and writing are important, all artists deserve respect and compensation for their work. People are getting too comfortable demanding work that takes literal hours from your life for free or a low price, a work they'll consume so quickly and never give a second thought to.

I hope things get better for both you and me, I hope we find readers who appreciate us for who we are, who actually respect and value our work instead of consuming it mindlessly, who understand what it takes to create and the amount of time we're giving out for free.

Who realise that taking 10 or 5 minutes to write a comment under a fic and phrase it politely isn't that hard, how it's literally all we ask for because it means the world to see someone appreciate our effort.

Good luck on your new blog <3 Close the requests whenever you want and open them whenever you want. Write how you want to, and please don't let anyone steal the joy of writing away from you.

[dr-astormylasthurrah]

4/11 yet again (it's 4/17. don't look at me)

Hello gamers. It's been a hot minute.

Mostly putting this here to let people know that I've deleted my main deviantART because I hadn't used it in literal years, but I also forgot that I'd put up all the ASLH and CYAH maps in my stash, so... I'm going to have to go and replace those all at some point, I guess?? I also briefly hosted some of the early ch1-2 graphics on sta.sh as well, as well as the ch1-3 trivia... Unless I actually put it in my secondary dA? I'll have to check on that later. (If you notice anything weird, let me know. I'll also try to fix typos when I have the chance, though... genuinely, it's a little hard for me to read my own writing from now over four years ago, so fixes might have to wait a little bit.)

Annual productivity report: I'm still planning to continue with DRE:CYAH and ASLH Clear Skies Mode... eventually. I scripted most of DRE:CYAH around four years ago, which as noted is a lot of years, and I would like to heavily rework the project if/when I get back to it. As for CSM, I just haven't had the energy or motivation to work on anything related to ASLH. Still, I hope I can grow to love my high school self's stories again.

In the meantime, sorry again for continuing to disappear off the face of the Earth for months at a time. I've stepped away from public-facing social media this year for my mental health and have also been struggling with wrist issues and extreme creative burnout, though I still appreciate all of your kind comments and kudos.

If you have any questions about ASLH or about me, I'll do my best to answer what I can, though I won't guarantee a reply. (Nothing personal, I've just been feeling oddly about sharing myself online these days.) I'll reblog this to the CYAH blog, too, but I'll be closing the ask box there because I genuinely cannot answer much about what I plan for that story or its characters; it's all a little up in the air, and I don't want to say anything that won't end up coming to fruition.

Take care!

[shiftingsatyr]

°•》Introduction《•°

Hey!

I'm Calun or Cal, if you'd prefer, and this is my Shiftblr blog! I hope to make lots of friends here and I'm glad you've decided to check out my little slice of the internet!

the dividers I'm using are by @cafekitsune (Check 'em out, they do lovely work!!)

°•》About Me《•°

°•》I've been in the shifting community for a few years now (Though don't ask how long cause I don't remember lmao) and while I'm unsure if I've actually shifted, I'm still determined to try!

°•》I'm 20 years old and an INFP-T neurodivergent libra, meaning I may not respond to DMs right away.

°•》I'm a Panromantic Asexual Non-binary person and my preferred pronouns are They/Them, though I accept any and all pronouns.

°•》I use alot of emoticons, tone tags and do occasionally swear so if you're uncomfortable with stuff like that, wouldn't reccomend my blog.

°•》My main blog and the one I interact from is @onehugenerd, and if you wanna hear me gush about my blorbo of the week, follow my self-ship blog @complete-idiot-in-love!

°•》Blog Rules《•°

I DO allow: Other shifters, friendly passersby or curious strangers, Anon asks and Non-Anon Asks, questions about shifting or my DRs

I DON'T allow: Homophobes or transphobes, Anti-Shifters, General rude or hateful people

Anyone found guilty of breaking my rules will be promptly blocked from my blog :p

°•》My DRs《•°

°•》Last updated: August 11th, 2024

Each DR will eventually have its own specific tag titled "Cal's [Insert DR name] DR" and a specific post that will be linked in this list. A DR in the "Inactive" list are ones I need to rework

Main DRs:

°•》Witchlight DR

°•》Dear Evan Hansen DR

°•》Pokemon DR

°•》Monster Hunter Stories DR

Secondary DRs:

°•》Baldur's Gate 3 DR

°•》Deltarune DR

°•》Homestuck DR

°•》Tears Of The Kingdom DR

°•》Mario Universe DR

°•》Persona 4 Golden DR

°•》Persona 5 Royal DR

°•》Digimon DR

Inactive DRs:

°•》Nerdy Prudes Must Die DR

°•》My Hero Academia DR

°•》Danganronpa DR

[uncloseted]

1/ Hi! First I'd like to say I really like reading your answers here. Been following it on and off for years. I have this idea to conduct one or several analysis on certain themes present in Skins. Maybe for personal enjoyment, maybe to post it on a blog, maybe to submit an article to a scientific journal, aaand maybe (but it's very ambitious, we'll see) to turn it into a book project. I have a primary background in sociology, so the analysis would mainly be approached from that angle.

2/ I also have a literary background and I am open to any discipline, especially film analysis. History and psychology could also be interesting, but more secondary. I'm of course searching for references on Google by myself, but do you happen to know any interesting academic articles (or even press articles) about Skins? Or even methodology for film analysis in general? Not asking for you to do the research work for me, it's just in case you remember some stuffs you found interesting. Thanks!

3/ (in english or french)

Ooh, let me know if you find a journal that's interested in this kind of thing. I've been writing about this show for ten years, I feel like I deserve an honorary doctorate degree for the amount of analysis I've done 😭 so I would love to publish about it in a more official capacity.

These are a few of the articles that I could find:

Naughty in the Aughties, 21st Century British Adolescent Culture and Alienation in Skins Seasons 1-2 focuses on generation 1 and 2. 

Just a Queer Little Love Story: Skins and the Naomily Phenomenon examines why Naomily is so popular and the impact that it has.

“‘The dark side of Naomily’: Skins, fan texts and contested genres”, focuses on fan reactions to Naomily’s series 4 story arc.  

Skins and the Impossibility of Youth Television is a chapter from a book by David Buckingham, Emeritus Professor at Loughborough University and Professor at Kings College London.  

Transmedia audiences and television fiction: A comparative approach between Skins (UK) and El Barco (Spain) compares the transmedia narratives of Skins and El Barco.

‘Doing it for the kids’? The Discursive Construction of the Teenager and Teenage Sexuality in Skins looks at the show’s approach to sex and sexuality.

My generation(s): cycles, branding and renewal in E4’s ‘Skins’ explores the challenges of getting a new cast of characters every two seasons and the relationship between Skins’ authenticity and its penchant for melodrama.

‘Skins’: A Contemporary Moral Panic is about the opposition Skins received for its depiction of teenage drug use, partying, and sex.

UK youth television: moral panic and the process of US adaptation in Skins discusses the moral panic US censors had over the US adaptation of the show.

Serialising the Queer Girl in Sugar Rush and Skins looks at the way queer girls are depicted in serialized television.

I’ll update this page if I can find more, but it seems like some of them have disappeared from the internet…. and please let me know if you find any that are interesting!

[thatoneguy031]

I've heard that people are making pinned posts, so I thought I might as well do it, too.

Heya. Y'all can call me Guy, and I'm the head honcho for this(more or less) ask blog, and I think there's a few things you should know about me:

-I'm currently in my junior year of high school, and posts happen... basically, whenever I feel like it. If I don't get to an ask immediately, don't take it personally; I'm just a bit busy with other things.

-I'm bisexual, with a heavy, heavy male lean. I'm single too, but I'm not really taking any suggestions at this point. It'd be unfair for someone to show me their face and not have me show them mine. He/Him pronouns, too.

-This is also a Pokemon IRL blog. I only evolved recently, and I'm still getting used to being a Samurott. I'm currently learning about how to battle and act... y'know, like a Samurott. What does that mean, I don't know. But I'm trying my best!

-I like making stories. Like, a lot of stories. I have tons of characters, all of which are all available for asks.

-I'm a really dedicated memer. If it isn't about anything regarding plot development, don't expect it to be taken very seriously.

-I am a huge anime and VG fan. Current playthroughs/playlist of games(Reminder, I only have a Switch): The World Ends With You(Final Remix, the Switch release) Pokemon Scarlet Hollow Knight(I'm lost, please help) Rivals of Aether(Orcane main, Forsburn and Eliana secondaries) Super Smash Brothers Ultimate(I change mains every other week, honestly) Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4(Kakashi, Obito and Minato main) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe(I'm a Dry Bones main, who would've thunk?) Brawlhalla(I'm a Mako main, and Ragnir and Onyx secondaries) Pokemon Unite(I main Alolan Ninetails, but I've been dabbling in Garchomp due to personal reasons you'll see in later posts) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild(I'm lost, help me)

That's about it for me. I don't really involve myself in any political conversations, and I begin to feel uncomfortable when I have to talk about those kinds of topics with people. But, for those who want to know: Pro LGBTQ-whatever, obviously, but I don't pay attention to current events too much. I'm also not racist, if that had to be said.

If you're into the whole p3do or zoo thing, please leave. You genuinely need help, like, now. Oh, and bigots, racists, homophobes and all that jazz can get the boot, too. And I'll slam the door on your fingers on the way out.

I'd prefer if NSFW accounts didn't pay mind to this blog, as I'm trying to make sure that anyone can enjoy this place safely. I'm just want to make sure this place isn't the next Twitter.

As for my ask thingie, the reason why I even made this thing in the first place:

There are some obvious rules here that the public have to follow:

-No NSFW asks. A majority of my characters are children(About the same age as me), and I don't feel right putting them in such risque situations.

-If a character chooses not to answer a specific question. They might have some personal demons they need to fight before bringing up the topic, or they just might... not want to answer directly.

-I'm occasionally gonna be busy making updates to a character's story before I get to questions, so as mentioned before, answers won't be given out in a timely manner. I apologize in advance if there's any delays.

Here's some ask hints, I guess(Color-coded to associate the characters with the stories)*:

-Delta: Ask him about how he feels about Hertz or his living situation

-Hertz: Ask about his "academic" "performance", or why he decided to take Delta under his wing to begin with

-Jason: Ask him about his past experiences with Pokemon or something about Jayden, or something about his friends

-Jayden: Basically the same thing, or something about being the older sister of the family, or how she feels about Cheren and Bianca

-Cheren and Bianca: How they met Jason or Jayden in the first place

-Chris, or any member of his team(Stephanie, Wave, Lucas and David), for that matter: Try to get them to talk about their background or early childhoods

Smudge, Charles and/or Katie: Their hobbies, how they feel about each other, or how college is treating them

Trevor: His music career, and/or how he got into the music bandwagon in the first place, how his current job is going and stuff

Bryant: How he met Trevor, why they're friends, or their general connection

*Obviously, you can ask them anything, but these are some good starts if you don't know what to ask them.

Also, don't be afraid to ask me any questions, either, I won't bite. I'm just a dude tryin' to develop some social circles. Ask me about anything, really. Heck, you can even send anon asks, if you're too shy to show your face(Don't worry about it, I do the same thing all the time). If anything, I'd love to get some kind of advice with how to deal with evolution and all that stuff.

That aside, there are going to be tags on this post that can help you filter what and who you want to talk to, for both your sake and mine.

Now, without further ado...

Welcome to the show!

And I hope you enjoy your time here!

[fairymint]

Good Morning! So i probably won't be able to lift my semi-hiatus this year at all. I've been very busy with certain adult issues combined with scheduling Gender Stuff. Not really 'venting' under the cut, but as an FYI and secondary record (although the situation may be very upsetting to know.)

So barely a month in, we've been served a bunch of legal papers saying that the mortgage hasn't been paid- some out of state bank owns this building now. With intent to sell and evict despite it being an entire complex, supposedly. There's no properties available for rent in town that allow pets, so this may put like 60+ households with dogs/cats out on the street for no reason.

There has also been a demand for delay of sale for two months, after which they must serve a 3 month eviction notice since this is a foreclosure; I estimate the tenants here (us) have until about July to move out.

Dealing with all this has been disrupting my sleep schedule. Both my gender clinic and this building's office (along with my bank) conduct business at like 9 fuckin AM, i normally wake up at 4. And, neighbors and random people will loudly gossip outside my window waking me up to boot. (most ppl in town are spreading misinformation b/c they can't understand a packet full of legal jargon. I have to breathe down necks of official staff to get any info, it's like pulling teeth.) I'm tempted to just force myself to stay a morning person tbh.

We do have possible other places to live that don't rely on corporations and mortgages- homeowner buddies that like us personally and wouldn't kick us out for frivolous reasons. But moving by July will suck, especially out of town. By the time we get that done, I have top surgery plans to make this fall and might be out of action then. and we need to buy a car, still.

So yeah, gonna be busy doing everything to prepare for that. I might not even be living in this town by next year. Managing my mental health with insomnia like this has been a little tough, so my brain will start in with evil things pertaining to my RP self-esteem. There's a constant urge to 'Better' my blog despite not having much time or a clear mind to do it, just been sticking to my comfort zone admittedly. I'm a little irritable otherwise about both work and online spaces being so casually demanding in some corners;;; Hopefully the worst of it is over soon and i get a little break from business shit- we're safe for now and should continue to keep being safe. Thank goodness we're financially stable.

[andnatiabrosca]

I posted 331 times in 2022

That's 331 more posts than 2021!

49 posts created (15%)

282 posts reblogged (85%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@dungeons-and-dragon-age

@notebooks-and-laptops

@merrybandofmurderers

@bearsizedant

@thebimbobaggins

I tagged 139 of my posts in 2022

#birch speaks - 34 posts

#oc: natia brosca - 23 posts

#dao - 17 posts

#birch originals - 11 posts

#dai - 8 posts

#alistair - 7 posts

#dragon age - 7 posts

#natia 30 days - 7 posts

#da2 - 6 posts

#zevran - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#an early microsoft flight simulator? i think? i have no idea what it was called. i think it had a driving mode too. played that one a lot

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Zevran for the blorbo bingo? :]

aalkdjfsljs THANK YOU

(I'm gonna ramble a second, sorry: I just submitted a research proposal draft that was Terrible bc the prof clearly HATED my selection so I just did brief (250 word) proposals on 4 different topics and he gets to pick which, because crying over it is Not It, so ask to love on Zev is. 'Preciated!!!!)

(Also, today/tomorrow is my birthday [due to scheduling error, birthday is two days this year] so. not a good look on the birthday)

Okay: Completed, properly for once:

(I found a new pen I like for text on Krita so I've been using it on everything sue me)

Brief discussion:

He's feral and eats trash and is a bastard (affectionate). Of course. He's like my cat, Pirate Bastard.

Every character I like is now autistic. His SpIn is social interaction. Because it was useful. His secondary SpIn is probably leather tanning, but he hasn't had a good chance for it.

If someone says Zev doesn't need therapy, they need therapy. Likewise, Angst out the door; I relate to him TOO MUCH. Sorry.

I think it's funny if he's perpetually lost. I think it's funny that's all.

And yeah, chihuahua energy because he is Small and Vibrates and Nat carries him around in a purse (spiritually). I think he has Dachshund energy really, but that doesn't quite work. Small, says he's dangerous, but really he just wants to be held in front of the fire while you read a book

4 notes - Posted September 16, 2022

#4

I'm going to try streaming at different times this week! I'll ping here beforehand - I'm streaming on discord so that my computer doesn't explode

come by the server if interested:

I don't know how to run a server/use bot integration so PLEASE let me know if stuff is weird, thanks!

4 notes - Posted September 24, 2022

#3

Leliana for the character bingo? :]

Ended up doing this on my phone so I would Actually Do It so not the most legible lolol. (And I missed with one! It should be "I NEVER want to meet them" instead of "they've never done anything wrong"

I liked leli a whole lot the first time I played but it really has changed since. First time I played I was trying very hard to be Straight and Catholic so she was...illuminating to say the least

But frankly, while I adore her whole arc, I think it really plays best as a mirror to other arcs/as an illumination of her relationship with others & especially the chantry itself. I don't...find her particularly compelling standing alone. I think a huge part of that is her Super Religious shtick.

I generally just think of her as a contrast to Nat (Brosca) and Cassandra, actually

Basically, I am extremely queer and do love her whole thing, but she is just too earnest in her fantasy catholicism to be really important to me

5 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

#2

I keep dying trying to play the battle of denerim and it is really making it hard to finish the game TT

5 notes - Posted August 9, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

ended up doing the ship template for Natia and her crew. my handwriting is Atrocious on tablet, I am Aware.

(Not solid on any of these. Idea from @/dungeons-and-dragon-age, unsure if they want tagged, so not doing so)

Template || picrew

7 notes - Posted May 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[sayitaliano]

4, 29, 30 for the language ask game :)

Ciao!

4. How long have you been learning the languages you’re currently learning? I consider myself a constant learner so: English- I started in 4th-5th year of the elementary school but I almost forgot everything (it wasn't really well planned back then tbh). I studied it more accurately in high school, and kinda kept using it since (with a short on and off period), also thanks to some foreign online friends I made here and there and through another tumblr blog and then on this blog (it makes too many years to count basically lol). French- studied for 3 years in secondary school (scuola media), kinda stopped learning it right after but since it has been planned better (and my area's dialect is pretty close to it) I can still remember most of it (also thanks to some music, interviews and tourists). Spanish- it's been like since 2009/2010? I started around those years I think. Bulgarian- studied for a while between 2012-2014 I think (I'm so bad at remembering dates/years: I start on a whim generally, so I have no clue unless there's an event related as for this specific language). Russian- I think it was on and off (A LOT on and off, like months and months pauses probably) 2014/5-2019, right after I paused from Bulgarian Portuguese- It's somewhere around the same years as Russian Korean- It's been around a year and a half (with pauses again lol), I've become a little more serious/committed in the last 4-6 months I think

29. What do you like learning the most? (vocabulary, grammar, writing skills, oral skills… Whatever you can think of!) 30. On the opposite, what do you dislike learning the most? Answering to these two together, hope it's okay. I like the most learning vocabularies and grammar so to understand what I am reading and in particular what someone is saying. That's what I love the most, understanding people when they speak their native language. (i'd like to speak that language as well, but this comes right after). What I dislike the most.... ofc some grammar passages that are boring. E.g. back to the Spanish verbs LOL sorry Idk why I had this "repulsion", I always wrote/spoke by ear and kinda got lucky 98% of times so I never really checked them out properly but I know I lack in there. Similarly, Russian cases. I haven't really got to study them (tbh I kinda stopped practicing/studying right before getting there)

Grazie^^

[thatwritergirlsblog]

I posted 132 times in 2022

48 posts created (36%)

84 posts reblogged (64%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@thatwritergirlsblog

@world-of-fire-and-flight

@hobocats-fun-pile

@rainbowpitofdoom

@ryns-ramblings

I tagged 105 of my posts in 2022

Only 20% of my posts had no tags

#writeblr - 68 posts

#writing - 56 posts

#writers - 51 posts

#writer - 44 posts

#write - 42 posts

#amwriting - 29 posts

#writerblr - 25 posts

#fantasy - 25 posts

#writing community - 23 posts

#fantasy romance - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 57 characters

#the pacing of this show is genuinely starting to annoy me

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

The most accurate writer tiktok

96 notes - Posted February 4, 2022

#4

Do you want to read a book with:

Primary and secondary characters from various cultures and ethnicities

Complex and brave women

Asexual, bisexual, demisexual and homosexual characters

Close male friendships

A sapphic love story between two women of color

Respectful anxiety and PTSD representation, and

A badass non-verbal character

That also has:

Spicy romance

Epic battles

Rebellion against the rich and powerful

Family secrets

Mind control, and

Long-lost magic?

Then, my book might be for you...

174 notes - Posted June 7, 2022

#3

Why I chose to self-publish

Indie presses, traditional publishing, self-publishing... There are many ways to get your book out there. Here's why I opted to self-publish:

1. Freedom to write what you want

Editors, agents and publishing houses have very specific things that they're looking for. The traditional market is very particular, so if your book doesn't suit that, you won't be able to sell your book to publishers. The traditional market also tends to go through trends, and if your book doesn't fit the current trend... good luck.

The market for self-published books is much wider and you have complete freedom to write whichever genre and whatever story you like. There's also no censorship of subject matter.

2. Complete creative control

I have control over every aspect of my book. No one else decides.

I have the final say on edits, cover design, distribution, marketing, pricing, publication date etc.

I've been dreaming of publishing a book all my life. I'd rather not give someone else the power to screw it up.

3. Career control

I don't just want to publish one book. I want to build a career as an author.

The great thing about self-publishing is that no one else controls your career or your next step. You can plan out where you want your career to go, and you're free to follow those steps. You can also adjust easily when necessary.

I want to write different genres over many years, and now I know that I can do that.

4. Better royalties

With traditional publishing, you're lucky if you get a royalty rate higher than 10%. For a book you wrote!

I'm not about that life. Yes, you have to spend money to self-publish well. You have to take the risks. But the reward is so much higher. I'm talking 40% royalties on print books and up to 70% royalties on ebooks.

You may think that you're more likely to earn money from publishing traditionally, because you'd reach more readers. But that isn't necessarily true. It's really only the BIG authors that get substantial marketing from their publishers.

So, if you're gonna have to do most of the work anyway, why not get paid more?

5. Industry trends

Although this movement is slow, it's important to note that the self-publishing industry is growing whilst the traditional publishing industry is shrinking.

You might not notice it for the next few years, but as someone who wants to play the long game, this is an important factor.

Self-published books are selling better and better, and the services available to indie authors will continue to improve as the industry grows. It's an upward trajectory that I'd like to be on.

So, yeah, these are the main reasons I decided to self-publish my work, but every author should follow the path that works for them (except vanity presses - do not go down that road).

Reblog if you found this post useful. Comment with your own thoughts on publishing routes. Follow me for similar content.

640 notes - Posted January 20, 2022

#2

Tips for Writing a Plot Twist

My debut novel "To Wear A Crown" has plot twists galore, and I received great feedback on them. So, I thought I'd share some tips on how to do plot twists right.

1. They shouldn't come out of nowhere

This is a common misconception - that good plot twists are the ones that come from nowhere and no one can see coming.

Yes, surprise/shock is a big element to plot twists. It shouldn't be obvious. But it shouldn't be completely out of left field either.

What I mean by this, is that you should use foreshadowing. Litter tiny breadcrumbs throughout your novel. The goal is this: if someone reads the book for the second time, they should go, "How did I not see this coming?".

Subtle foreshadowing is the way to get that result.

Plot twists without any prior set-up is often unsatisfying and out of character.

2. Pick your moments

You cannot have plot twists happening left and right every five seconds. The emotion from a plot twist reveal should be intense, and your readers need time to come down after each one.

Pick the right moments in your novel when the tension is high and the foreshadowing has built up. And then after the reveal, give the reader time to breathe before you hit them with another plot twist.

Trust me, this will have a much greater impact.

3. Focus on the characters' emotions

The plot twist needs to be experienced by your characters. The way to get maximum impact out of a plot twist is to focus on the emotions of the characters as it is revealed.

If your POV character had no idea about the plot twist and the reader is finding out with them, the character's shock and betrayal should characterise the scene.

If your POV character was the one keeping secrets and the rest of the cast finds out, show their emotions through body language and dialogue. And let your POV character experience that, and feel guilt etc at it.

Authentic character emotion = reader emotion

4. Use red herrings

That foreshadowing I talked about in the first tip can serve another purpose... making the reader think they know what the twist is going to be.

You put breadcrumbs throughout the story that could be interpreted as foreshadowing Character A as the murderer. But then, it's actually Character B.

Once again, I would recommend for the goal to be for a second-time reader to see those breadcrumbs and go, "Ah I see what the author did here. This was actually pointing to B when I thought it was A."

Play with reader expectations.

5. Avoid cliché plot twist

Unless you're going to subvert a cliche or make fun of it, I would recommend staying away from cliché plot twists, like: It was actually his evil twin all along; The bad guy is the protagonist's father etc.

These will have your readers rolling their eyes, and the impact will be lost.

Reblog if you found these tips useful. Comment with your own advice. Follow me for similar content.

766 notes - Posted February 8, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Abortion in South Africa is legal on request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and under certain conditions afterwards. Abortion is provided free at government hospitals and a tele-medical or 'pills by post' service is provided by Marie Stopes South Africa and Abortion Clinic Johannesburg.

In South Africa, a woman of any age can get an abortion on request with no reasons given if she is less than 12 weeks pregnant. If she is between 13 and 20 weeks pregnant, she can get the abortion if (a) her own physical or mental health is at stake, (b) the baby will have severe mental or physical abnormalities, (c) she is pregnant because of incest, (d) she is pregnant because of rape, or (e) she is of the personal opinion that her economic or social situation is sufficient reason for the termination of pregnancy. If she is more than 20 weeks pregnant, she can get the abortion only if her or the fetus' life is in danger or there are likely to be serious birth defects.

A woman under the age of 18 will be advised to consult her parents, but she can decide not to inform or consult them if she so chooses. A woman who is married or in a life-partner relationship will be advised to consult her partner, but she can decide not to inform or consult him/her. An exception is that if the woman is severely mentally ill or has been unconscious for a long time, where consent of a life-partner, parent or legal guardian is required.

The Constitution does not explicitly mention abortion, but two sections of the Bill of Rights mention reproductive rights. Section 12(2)(a) states that, "Everyone has the right to bodily and psychological integrity, which includes the right ... to make decisions concerning reproduction," while section 27(1)(a) states "Everyone has the right to have access to ... health care services, including reproductive health care." In the case of Christian Lawyers Association v Minister of Health an anti-abortion organisation challenged the validity of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act on the basis that it violated the right to life in section 11 of the Bill of Rights; the Transvaal Provincial Division of the High Court dismissed their argument, ruling that constitutional rights only apply to born people and not to fetuses.

Health workers are under no obligation to perform or take active part in an abortion if they do not wish to; however, they are obligated by law to assist if it is required to save the life of the patient, even if the emergency is related to an abortion. A health worker who is approached by a woman for an abortion may decline if they choose to do so, but are obligated by law to inform the woman of her rights and refer her to another health worker or facility where she can get the abortion.

1,012 notes - Posted June 29, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[thecardigangirl]

Tolkien Tag 2022

I'm here yet another year for a new wonderful Tolkien Blog Party at The Edge of the Precipice. It is the tenth anniversary of this blog event, which promises to be magnificent and isn't disappointing so far so here I am giving my answers to the tag questions once again. This year they are taken from questions of previous years.

1. Who first introduced you to Middle Earth?

Well, it was technically a substitute teacher I had in eighth grade who, at the suggestion of a couple of classmates chose The Hobbit as our reading for our first term ten years ago, partly because the first film in The Hobbit trilogy, An Unexpected Journey, was going to be released shortly. This was what got me to read The Hobbit for the first time, I remember I enjoyed it a lot (and was surprised to see Gollum was in it too, I used to think he only appeared in The Lord of the Rings though I had briefly seen him in a trailer for An Unexpected Journey earlier that very summer when I went to watch Pixar's Brave to theaters) but it didn't really get me into Middle-earth in a strong way. I liked it, did well in the exam and that was all. So I guess the ones who really got me into Middle-earth were my brother and my sister's boyfriend. I first watched An Unexpected Journey at the latter's house with my sister and some of their friends, it was an amazing experience I will never forget. Shortly afterwards, I watched the rest of The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy with my brother, I absolutely loved the movies and my obsession with Middle-earth began.

2. Has your love of Middle-earth affected your life?

Very much so. For one, it has me participating in this blog party and celebrating Tolkien every year, which is an absolute delight. Pretty much everyone who knows me knows I love Tolkien and his works and since most of them don't know anyone else who loves it this much, I have sort of become an authority when it comes to him even though I'm not an expert by any means. My end of degree project for my English Studies degree was about The Hobbit, particularly about how much it has in common with the Bildungsroman. I knew from the beginning I wanted my project to be about one of Tolkien's works. I would've preferred The Lord of the Rings but it was harder to make it about the Bildungsroman if I chose it as the pattern is less evident than in The Hobbit and I couldn't choose another aspect of the novel to analyze that would fit the scope of the project. Not sure this counts too but my love for Middle-earth has also got me to get some related merch, I have a Sting keychain given to me by my siblings as a gift I'm very proud of. It might have affected my life in more ways but these are the ones I can think of now. I wish I had the time to reread The Lord of the Rings and rewatch the films every year as some fans do.

3. Have you ever dressed up like a Tolkien character?

No but I've wanted to dress like a hobbit lady for about as long as I've been part of the fandom. Now I think maybe an elven cosplay would suit me a bit better since my siblings say I look more like an elf (though I love hobbits better). A Galadriel cosplay would be amazing. ♥

4. What people in your real life would you want in your company if you had to take the ring to Mordor?

I remember this question from earlier. Definitely my siblings (what would I do without them?), my cousins and my best online friends.

5. What Middle-earth location would you most like to visit? 

This one looks familiar too. The Shire!!! I've wanted to visit it ever since I first laid eyes on it! It's just so gorgeous. 😍 I love other locations well enough too (like Rivendell) but nothing beats the beautiful Shire for me.

6. Are there any secondary characters you think deserve more attention? 

Lord Celeborn please! I have always found him to be a great character but he won't get any attention at all. I mean, he is Galadriel's husband for a reason and I wish we got to see more of their relationship and his personality. Éomer's wife, Lothíriel of Dol Amroth, comes to mind too, I wish we got to know more about her. Oh and I can't forget my darlings Estella Bolger and Diamond of Long Cleeve. And Pippin's sisters! I want to know what each of them are like. And Sam's children! We only really know a tiny bit about Elanor and that's all. It makes sense since she's the eldest and their lives and personalities are not important to the plot but still!

7. Would you rather attend Faramir's wedding or Samwise's wedding?

Both really, but if I have to choose, I'd rather attend Samwise's! I love hobbit weddings, they suit my style the most.

8. How many books by J.R.R. Tolkien have you read? 

The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and The Father Christmas Letters. Looking forward to adding more to the list.

9. Are there any books about Middle-earth or Professor Tolkien (but not written by him) that you recommend? 

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth by Robert Foster is amazing. I didn't read it in full but it's a very complete and useful glossary of Middle-earth terms. I haven't read this one but it looks promising: Tolkien's Ordinary Virtues: Exploring the Spiritual Themes of the Lord of the Rings by Mark Eddy Smith.

Oh and I used Bilbo's Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning in The Hobbit by Joseph Pierce as reference for my project though I didn't read all of it. I'm looking forward to it as well as to reading his companion book about The Lord of the Rings: Frodo's Journey: Discover the Hidden Meaning of The Lord of the Rings.

10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotations from the Middle-earth books and/or movies.

I have quoted it before in my answers to these questions but here's my favorite quote from the movies and one of the main reasons why I could never hate The Hobbit trilogy as some fans do:

“Mithrandir, why the halfling?”

“I don’t know. Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I found. I found that it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay… Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid and he gives me courage”.

Other favorites from The Hobbit trilogy include:

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit, not a nasty dirty wet hole full of worms and oozy smells. This was a hobbit hole and that means good food, a warm hearth and all the comforts of home".

"He doesn’t approve of being late. Not that I ever was, in those days I was always on time, I was entirely respectable and nothing unexpected ever happened".

My favorites from The Lord of the Rings trilogy:

"I wonder if we’ll ever be put into songs or tales. What? I wonder if people’ll ever say “Let’s hear about Frodo and the Ring”, and they’ll say, “Yes, it’s one of my favourite stories. Frodo was really courageous, wasn’t he, dad?” “Yes, my boy, the most famousest of hobbits and that’s saying a lot“. You left out one of the chief characters, Samwise the Brave, I want to hear more about Sam. Frodo wouldn’t have got far without Sam. Now, Mr. Frodo, you shouldn’t make fun, I was being serious. So was I. Samwise the Brave".

"It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered, full of darkness and danger they were and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come and when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those are the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something. What are we holding on to, Sam? That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo and it’s worth fighting for”.

"Courage, Merry. Courage for our friends".

"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"

From The Hobbit:

"There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something (or so Thorin said to the young dwarves). You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after".

"There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. But sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell!"

From The Lord of the Rings:

"Then Bilbo woke up and opened his eyes. ‘Hullo, Frodo!’ he said. ‘Well, I have passed the Old Took today! So that’s settled. And now I think I am quite ready to go on another journey. Are you coming?’

‘Yes, I am coming,’ said Frodo. ‘The Ring-bearers should go together.’

‘Where are you going, Master?’ cried Sam, though at last he understood what was happening.

‘To the Havens, Sam,’ said Frodo.

‘And I can’t come.’

‘No, Sam. Not yet anyway, not further than the Havens. Though you too were a Ring-bearer, if only for a little while.

Your time may come. Do not be too sad, Sam. You cannot be always torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.’

‘But,’ said Sam, and tears started in his eyes, ‘I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done.’

‘So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them. But you are my heir: all that I had and might have had I leave to you. And also you have Rose, and Elanor; and Frodo-lad will come, and Rosie-lass, and Merry, and Goldilocks, and Pippin; and perhaps more that I cannot see. Your hands and your wits will be needed everywhere. You will be the Mayor, of course, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger and so love their beloved land all the more. And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part of the Story goes on".

Wow, I listed ten? I didn't think I would come up with this many!

These questions were a lot of fun to answer as always. I want to thank our host, Hamlette, once more for this beautiful party. I'm already looking forward to next year's!

[strider-rambles]

holy shit the first motherfucking ramble is an emo one this shit crayz

anyway. uhm. man. as a kin(?) <- dubious but thats how ill be referring to myself for now ive always like. had such a tough time finding not only canonmates, but just.. sourcemates. in general. that i vibe with. i think perhaps my vibes are occasionally mad atrocious, but it's also like. OTHER PEOPLE are half of the issue too you know

takes two to motherfuckin tango, and bro, i'm stepping on these bitches' feet like it's dance dance revolution and like as a dave kin specifically. one who like. was quite young when i got into the fandom however many years ago and, even if i didn't know the term kin back then, i kinda.. knew. or, maybe the fuckin chicken (me) came before the egg (the kin) or whatever but

whatever. it resulted in me being.. kind of in a kinshift for like 4 years during the most formative years of my life

cray-z right

doesn;t matter its just like. because it's been such a present thing through my life ive met.. so many individuals who are like. you know. other kins which is great and all, but like

i haven't found people that i've vibed with for homestuck. the majority of the people i know and interact with now are comfortably in my little kin circle or whatever, are sort of the closest thing that i have to canonmates

nothing for homestuck. well nothing beyond a dirk. but i got lucky with him and i KNOW i got lucky with him because i. we're both kind of outcasts in the community, in the sense that we're. neurotic striders, i guess.

but he's like. helped a lot with the whole feeling alone and being all emotionally constipated about it thing.

but that doesn't help with the other shit

the missing my friends shit, the approaching so many fucking people bein' all like yooo whats GOOD bros and being hit with vibes that clash with mine or WORSE. vibes that WORK WITH ME. but they already have their dave

so whats the point you know?

i'm not going to be THEIR DAVE.

i have so many diverging fucking timelines and like

im dave. im davesprite. im every goddamn iteration of this stupid fucking asshole and MORE.

and

i hate the idea of being the secondary one, i guess. which is funny because. gestures. but like

it's gotten to the point where im so DESPERATE to find people. so DESPERATE to find my bros and my homies and my gals that i like i promised myself i wouldn't do this but i'm actively going "hey i can be your secondary dave, haha" you know. all fucking pathetic and shit

but i just.

i MISS my friends. so bad. and i think part of my struggle is like this is an OLDASS FANDOM. at least in terms of the internet, and so its harder to find people who have those roles unfilled, because like it's already.. you know.

and so like.

i'm stuck here. rambling into the fucking VOID on tumblr because i'm too. fucking. i dont know late??

funny to be late as a time player but womp womp motherfucker, pull yourself up by your bootstraps and start damage control

but like

in all seriousness. i'm losing mad hope

ive gone from being like hey, yall need a dave? to hey, yall need a davesprite? to. radio motherfuckin silence.

and as a result i kinda yap at dirk too much, which totally makes me tweak the fuck out, like, dude. he has a life (albeit a totally like. chill one, that aint all that busy) and he doesnt have the time to like tend to you like youre a child with scarlet fever, and every last word that your whiny little vocal cords can muster could be like... you know. your last. like his ass is NOT writing your obituary

and so like i pull away kinda. and like. because of that pulling away i suddenly have this like. yapping desire that needs to be fulfilled but like i like having peer review. like it keeps it from being a massive fucking echo chamber of just misery and bullshit and like.

yeah

and so i.

i don't know, man. i made this blog for a reason.

i don't know if i thought it would help, or if it would like. help me connect to people, or what

what am i even doin here dawg

like theres just this existential feeling of DREAD here. doomed timeline type shit lmfaoooo i don't know though i

it could bring something good

or this could be something terrible for me

or it could be like journaling. which i used to do in physical books, because i liked doodling back then, but, ive lost that hobby, so like

this exists

but i only journaled when i didn't have friends

i have friends

i think

i just understand that those friends don't want to listen to me. frankly i wouldn't either, i mean like. read this shit again. would you really wanna sit down with your bro and hear this type of shit i don't know. this kinda turned into. something horrible haha

i'm better mentally than i was 4 years ago but whats the point when i be bitchin and moanin and whinin like this still

point is:

i miss my friends. i miss yapping (at) with them. i miss having friends in the first place. i miss feeling like i'm home, kin wise. the irony of the matter is im LOCKED OUT OF THE HOUSE. instead of uhh (checks notes) HOMESTUCK.

haha. im so funny. haha. yeah. uh. ramble over for now. i might pick this shit back up.