#apparently I'm almost a tumblr OG

[2boldlyqueer]

Hi, you reblogged a scam from fullbarbarianblaze, who is promoting a donation scam. They have had this scam running for a very long time, and this link leads to a post with the trail of all the usernames they've used to run this scam, starting with their header name, vero-og. https://www.tumblr.com/kyra45/740721061635768321?source=share

It has been going on for months, meaning that their story of constantly needing "just $370" for insulin is dishonest. Their PayPal name is "Sophia Magubo" which is not a Native American name, but an East African one. (This PayPal account has also been consistent through all of these blogs they've held.) Since they apparently live in the U.S., they should know by now that the price of insulin was capped at $35/pen, meaning that even if they were unable to buy a single unit, a full box of pens (3) would cost $105 plus tax.

Their insulin reading photo shows a 592, which could not last for months on end. Typically a reading of 592 is severe and would warrant a hospital visit if they were out of insulin. It could lead to a coma or death, not waiting idly by for days, hoping for tumblr users to donate to your PayPal.

Please, before interacting with a donation request, check their blog. Do searches of the text username through the tumblr search engine or reverse image search their photos, as some users have compiled scam lists. (e.g. kyra45, anonthescambuster, azalea-alter) Many donation requests are honest, but there are plenty of repeat scammers who are taking advantage of people's sympathy and generosity.

If you are interested in supporting a family whose fundraiser has been through a vetting process and is in danger of being killed in Gaza, please replace your post from fullbarbarianblaze with a post supporting @/nesmamomen. If you have any questions about how to determine the legitimacy of a donation ask, feel free to contact me through DMs or askbox.

While it does appear that this person is scamming people, I have some issues with this ask, to be honest. You have good intentions, which is why I'm responding to let you know about these concerns, instead of just ignoring it like I initially planned to.

Context: I am a white US American with type 1 diabetes, and my response is based only on how things are in the US. A lot of my diabetes facts aren't sourced because they're things I learned from my doctors, or in my time doing advocacy and educational outreach with the American Diabetes Association in high school and 2017-2019.

Firstly, just because someone's PayPal name does not match the ethnicity or nationality you think they are, does not mean they are lying. This is an incredibly slippery slope to start on. Interracial and intercultural marriages exist, and are quite common in the US.

This is especially true of Native American people, who face a ton of issues around the concept of "blood quantum" and not being counted as Native because of it. I am not Native American myself, so I highly recommend you look into what actual Native Americans have to say on the topic. Here's one place you can start:

ID: embedded link for "Blood Quantum and its role in Native Identity - The Indigenous Foundation" with an old black and white photograph of four Native American men in European style formal suits. /End ID

Highlight from the article for our purposes:

Blood Quantum, as a way to ascribe Native American membership, has dire consequences. Blood Quantum policies are little other than genocidal and will eventually lead to the extinction of indigenous people. For example, if the blood quantum limit is set at ¼ in tribal enrollment, and intermarriage proceeds, natives will eventually be defined out of existence. It is almost as if this erasure was premeditated by the government.

While you and I aren't actively trying to legislate them out of existence, by judging a Native American for having a "not Native" name, you are perpetuating the idea of what a Native American is or is not, and that by marrying and having a child with someone of a different culture, that child is automatically not Native enough.

Secondly, the information and assumptions you include about diabetes are not accurate. You say the reading they show is too high to last for months on end. It is possible to be that high for many weeks and sometimes even months. Typically it's before diagnosis, and it will lead to miserable symptoms and long-term complications, but it's not unheard of.

They also never claim to be in the 500s for months. As far as I can tell, that idea is coming from the same image with the same number being used for multiple campaigns. While I can understand you being reasonably skeptical of this, I could also fully see a miserable diabetic who isn't great with tech thinking they could just use the same picture.

One of the things that happens when your blood sugar is too high is that your brain literally doesn't work right. You aren't getting enough glucose into the cells that need them because it's all stuck in your blood, which causes irritability, trouble focusing, fatigue, confusion, and other mood changes. Keep this in mind whenever you say that this person "should" know something about diabetes, or that they would certainly be going to the hospital with a blood sugar that high.

Personally, the one time I had to go to the hospital for a high blood sugar, four people had to talk me into it, and I was told later by my family that I begged the doctors in the Cardiac Care Unit to let me go home because I could treat it myself (I was in the CCU because my blood sugar was high enough that my heart was in danger of failing, and I was told afterwards what happened because my brain wasn't functioning enough to form memories). I also tried to decline an ambulance when my blood sugar was severely low, as I knew in my addled state that my insurance wouldn't cover the bill and that I didn't have $2000 to spare.

Regarding the price of insulin, I live in a state with very robust Medicaid that I'm on, and I have issues at least twice a year with my insulin supply. Recently, I had to get a friend to give me a vial of hers to get me to my refill day, as I ran out two days before my insurance would let me get it, and it would have been almost $100 to fill it early.

Let's take a look at GoodRx to see the best prices possible in a less kind state to live in, like Texas. The amount of insulin required per month varies wildly depending on person, but Native Americans tend to have insulin resistance, so I'll go with 4 vials, as I'm highly insulin resistant and use 6-7 vials a month.

ID: screenshot from GoodRx of prices for 4 (10ml) vials of insulin lispro 100 units/ml in Austin, TX (73301). Prices are: Walgreens $51; Walmart $114.21; CVS Pharmacy $93.50; HEB Grocery $101.68; Community, a Walgreens Pharmacy $51; Costco $114.40 with Special offers available; Target (CVS) $93.50; Randall's $104.52 with Special offers; Walmart Neighborhood Market $114.21 /End ID

Indeed, it's not $370 like the person was requesting, but it's potentially more than you suggested. And it often doesn't make sense to buy one vial when you need more in a month, as it is more expensive.

ID: screenshot from GoodRx of price of 1 (10ml) vial of insulin lispro 100 units/ml in Austin, TX (73301) from Walgreens, priced at $19.50. /End ID

They also do not specify which insulin they need. If this person is not on an insulin pump (highly likely with the level of care Native Americans tend to get, which I will get into shortly) they most certainly need more than one kind of insulin. The most common combo of insulins these days is insulin aspart or lispro (fast-acting insulins) and insulin glargine (AKA Lantus, a long-acting "basal" insulin). It's possible to be allergic to any of these (I am allergic to glargine) and you can get a different kind, but it takes a major fight with your insurance if you have one, or a higher price if you don't.)

Right now, Lantus is so kind as to have a major coupon available that brings the price of their insulin down to the Medicare cap of $35 for everyone (because the cap you mention is only for Medicare recipients, though it has had rippling effects across all levels and kinds of insurance.)

ID: screenshot from GoodRx of prices for Lantus (1 carton (5 solostar pens) 3ml) in Austin, TX (73301). Prices are: Walgreens $35; Walmart $35; HEB Grocery $35; and CVS Pharmacy $35, all marked as Exclusive discount. On the Walgreens line is the text "$518 retail Save 93%" with the price crossed out. /EndID

Notice that teeny grey writing there with the retail price? $518 for a month of Lantus! A shitty pharmacy could absolutely get away with charging up to that price, without letting their customers know about the discounts available.

I mentioned that I'm allergic to Lantus. Last year, I ended up buying a month worth of the version I can tolerate (Tresiba/insulin degludec if you're curious) out of pocket to have as a backup. I paid about $80 for it, which tracks in Texas as well, though it could be double or worse depending on the pharmacy you can use:

ID: screenshot from GoodRx of prices for insulin degludec (1 carton (five 3ml flextouch pen…) in Austin, TX (73301). Prices are: Walgreens $84.92; CVS Pharmacy $160.34; Randall's $183.09 with Special offers; HEB Grocery $184.34; Walmart $189.82; and Costco $200.46 with Special Offers /EndID

Given all that, this person could easily have to pay $370/month if they have bad/no insurance, a shitty pharmacy, and don't have a doctor that will help them get the least expensive options. Not everyone knows about GoodRx and other ways to save on medications.

In fact, my biggest issue throughout your ask is that you have multiple statements on what this person "should" know about our healthcare system or diabetes in general. This is, to be frank, a very privileged view of health education in our country, especially for Native Americans with any concerns.

ID: A Native woman in casual modern clothing looks into the camera neutrally, posing in an office /End ID

Highlight from that article for our purposes:

Indian Health Service, the federal agency responsible for providing health care to federally recognized tribes, is chronically underfunded and doesn’t administer specialty care. So, depending on where one lives on the reservation, a person may have to travel hours for things like cancer treatment, behavioral health services or even to deliver a baby. 

You know what requires specialty care? Diabetes! Now, technically speaking, you can get diabetes care through a primary care doctor. That said, every single primary care doctor I've ever had has deferred to me as the expert in my diabetes, as I have significantly more training on it from my specialist care than my primary care doctor does from their schooling.

What does proper diabetes education look like? When I was diagnosed, I spent a week in the hospital learning how to manage. Then, I started seeing a diabetes endocrinologist (endo), a certified diabetes educator (CDE), and a diabetes ophthalmologist, with the endo and CDE being available via phone and email 24/7 (with a response time typically under 24 hr). (Also available at my kick-ass diabetes center are diabetes specific social workers and art therapy, which I only don't use because I have a therapist I love.)

From my diagnosis in 2007 up until the pandemic, I saw at least one of these specialists every 3 months. On top of that, I had access to classes outside of these appointments where I could go learn about a specific diabetes concern with a bunch of other diabetics (for example, I took a 3 hour class entirely dedicated to how to drink safely with diabetes!) Frankly, a lot of these appointments are dedicated to repetition of important things, because you have to learn so much to manage your health that it's impossible to remember everything, especially if you've only heard it once when you were still processing the diagnosis in the first place.

Imagine having to do all of this, but needing to drive over 50 miles each way, when you're already poor and struggling to survive (an assumption we can make about a Native American begging for help paying for medication online, especially considering the higher rates of poverty they face.

All minorities across the US tend to be left behind in diabetes education and support, and while there are many groups working to help, they aren't able to get to everyone. (Intense irony, I tried to access the CDC's Native Diabetes Wellness Program during this search, and initially got sent around multiple dead links! Even when you try to access the info it's not always there! Plus, it's type 2 specific, which is a whole other rabbit hole I'm not going down right now other than to say it can be hard to find type 1 specific info and they are very different diseases.)

All of this to say, while there are legitimate reasons to believe that user is a scammer, many of the reasons you included in your ask are not, and are instead based on anti-Native American ideas and medical misinformation. This quite honestly makes me less inclined to believe you, and it weakens your argument. All that was necessary was saying that the same exact paypal, story, and image have been used across multiple accounts (ideally with a link to proof, like another user who sent an ask about the same person did.)

[alwaysoc]

Tumblr's searching method for posts while on your account is almost comically inconvenient.

First off, private posts/reblogs made by you don't show up no matter what you search, even if you go by tags. Even if it's recent.

This is my dang account! Why would I want it to be private to ME?

"Well just copy and paste the link of your private posts!"

I don't wanna open up Google Docs every time I do that! Even if I did use this method the whole thing would be a hassle to me personally.

Plus, as far as I can tell, in mobile, you literally CAN NOT get links from private posts. This is especially true if you have a post you didn't reblog, and wrote and made yourself, in which case the share button is nonexistent and you can't go to the OG poster, because you ARE the OG poster, and there's no share link!

It doesn't even really matter if they have tags, are public or not, because even if they do and they are, if they're too old, or buried under too many posts, it seems like they don't show up even if your post is public.

Can't remember any specific tags, but you can recall what the post is about, a sentence, or a specific word?

Too bad! It STILL won't show up if you search for it!

Aaasyuugggg! This is so awful, and I'm very mad!

I was only able to find my public post I was looking for after scrolling for literally 23 minutes! This shouldn't be a thing!

And what's up with not having some kind of filter thingie for your blog? What if I wanna find my first three posts I ever made without scrolling for ages? Why can't I do that? Huh?

What if I wanna see only the posts I'm tagged in? What if I only want to see posts that have tags? Or only posts that aren't reblogs?

If there IS a way to filter, or sort through things, I haven't found it on the mobile app!

"Just use the web version then—"

My computer is in the room where my sleeping Grandma is, do you THINK I want to take time to get it and boot-up my 7+ year potato computer?

(This is the exact reason why I never use the Spotify app on phone (honestly I don't even use it on PC anymore either), because basic things like PICKING A SONG is available on PC with zero restrictions (as long as an ad doesn't play) but you have to go through some kind of 3-minute intermission since the app plays a song you don't give a hoot about and isn't even in your playlist, before your entire playlist shuffles and shoffles around for NO APPARENT REASON!)

I hope there's some kind of convenient addon or thing I just didn't ever catch or something, because this is incredibly annoying!

"Wow! You don't seem to want to compromise at all! That's a massive you-problem! Maybe if you lowered your standards—"

No. This type of thing is over nearly every other fairly-popular app where you interact with others. So why is it such a chore for Tumblr to implement it?

I shouldn't have to be inconvenienced by something that is solved on every-other social platform!

Yes, it is a me problem that I don't want to scroll all over my blog to look for that one post, but this me problem doesn't exist on whatever other social sites I go on!

[lost-technology]

Issues of Fandom Past

I am sorry if I am feeling a little jumpy about blocks lately. (Turns out I solved the mystery as to why so many of my blogs are blanked out on some reblogs / replies from a mutual I've seen - the ops aren't doing it, it's because the moot apparently has a privacy setup for only moot reblogs / replies and I just realized it! Tumblr mechanics stuff. I swear, I've been on this site for years and learn something new every day. It's like playing Skyrim...) I think it's because I did run into, a couple of days ago, someone who didn't have my main blocked (didn't know about it) but had this blog / the Trigun blog blocked and I know why. I saw an old name from SPOOOOOOKY fandom-past come up on Ao3 and was all "Oh, I know that name!" and looked at their profile and saw their listed tumblr profile name, which I recognised when I tried to reblog something insightful I saw them say in terms of a '98 episode-review without commentary. And, nope, they had me blocked. I thought they would have forgotten about me or just not know me anymore / not find or care about the new username. Oh, well.

We had beef, like, 20 years ago. Over 20 years ago. This was someone who was part of a friend group in the old fandom I had a lot of fighting with and, ultimately, I came away with it feeling that I was the one who was mostly if not wholly in the wrong. My fighting started with the friend group when a then-friend of mine would antagonise people and then act like the bullied victim when they responded and would then rely on me as a "good friend" and a more aggressive person to fight their battles for them. Well, that's how it started and not where it ended. I got into it on my own with this set of friends and did my own wankery. I got into it with even more people because I used to have what I'll just lay out as "church-views" and hadn't yet accepted / contended with / or even knew it was a term - my own asexuality with mild sex-repulsion and got really pissy about people's ships and kinks in fandom and harped about the "immorality" of putting non-canon kinks into mah fandom! Yes, I was one of THOSE. But we all get older and hopefully wiser. Cringe dies (or gives way to new and hopefully more benign forms of cringe), but is forever remembered. I do remember, at some point, emailing a letter of apology to one of the friends in this friend-group addressing all and it being taken with gratitude, but I still hadn't examined everything that I needed to deal with at the time. I moved on since then, but I guess this is why my guts clenched when I saw one of the folks I used to know popping up again out of the Internet woodwork over on ol' Ao3 with updated fic-sets and on tumblr. I found out about the block when I was testing the waters on a comment-less reblog, in hopes I was forgotten, maybe, that my new username was unknown, or that we'd reached, after all this time, a level of truce. I don't want to try to be friends, but I think it would be nice if people in the old guard fandom could just pass each other in the hall, wave to each other and move on. Enjoy each others' art and insights, even. I see some people pop up from the old guard fandom. I haven't seen any of my old friends so far and have seen people I do not know who were apparently in other parts of the Internet in OG Trigun fandom who talk about it... but there are a few people who I see a name I recognize and gut-clench. No desire to fight because I'm like "Yeah, I was wrong, you were right, I've moved on," but get that clench because I am filled with shame over it all and am reminded of it. And then there's the matter of people whom I'd probably had problems with probably do have new usernames / different usernames on here and it's almost like? I'd like a list? So that maybe we can preemptively block each other so we don't accidentally share from each other and recoil from it if one or more of us aren't ready to clean-slate each other? I'd like to be clean-slated, but that is only something that guilty people want.

[hypaalicious]

I honestly don't even need to dress up AS the characters to be happy. I just want their clothes 🤣🤣🤣 Ignis especially. I just want to feel that fancy 🤣🤣🤣🤣 but yeah I've seen all the crap people give cosplayers these days and it really irks me. Like. If you don't like it, move on? It's not like you HAVE to look at them? And 90% of the jerks couldn't even do it better anyway.

Omg yes please. And Ignis has to wrestle with the logic that Noct might still be alive somewhere despite all the facts. And Gladio has to work through his emotions better this time damn it! He needs and deserves the same amount of growth as everyone else!

Exactly! Like. The female mcs can be fun without being annoying. Soft without being weak willed. And cool without being emotionless. Like come on. If your males can be, so can your females! There's literally no reason it has to be treated differently.

I agree. That's why I said I don't think I'd count Noct as "broody". I've just seen a lot of people outside the Fandom call him emo and broody and stuff and I'm like. Nah. He had legit reasons for his pain. And he didn't wallow in it ALL the time. Just the second half. BECAUSE AFTER ALTISSIA HE DIDN'T CATCH A DAMN BREAK TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK FROM EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.

It sounds horrible but I love blind!Ignis and Nocts growth to much to not play to the end each time. Not like I'm happy that Iggy is blind but the way it affects the story and the way he takes it in strides really impresses me from a narrative POV. It hurts. But it's beautiful in a way, if that makes sense. I'm on my 3rd new game+ in like.. A little over a month I think? And I'm gonna go to the very end again 🤣 even if the alt ending is the only true end to me lolol

I kinda want many fictional characters’ clothes, but I fear it’s gone be like… how something looks good on a mannequin and then I buy it and it looks like garbage on me 😭 Because I mean let’s face it, they have the power of anime on their side 😂 Some of these outfits stay plastered to the right spots on their body at all times, some defy physics in ways we don’t realize until it turns out you need body tape to keep some shit looking good… stuff like that.

I think that’s why I like FFX-2; it was an entirely woman-led FF and it was just a group of chicks kicking ass with full personalities. And while Yuna was focused on reuniting with Tidus, that wasn’t her whole thing. Idk why Squenix can no longer do that 😂

Noct in the OG concept was broody and emo, and tbh I am so glad they didn’t go with that. Yeah, it would have been in line with what folks apparently wanted, but I’m over the stoic protagonist trope. Seeing the boys hang out and just be a bunch of dudes on a road trip was a great choice, imo! And no offense to Lunafreya, I’m so glad that the romance was an afterthought in the game, cause tbh square doesn’t really do romances well enough to shoehorn it in almost every damn game.

You are stronger than me cause I can’t take the pain and the disharmony the group had after Altissia 🥲 I know it gets better but I was in PAIN going through all that! I could only play through the whole game once, and the DLC once. I still haven’t played Ardyn’s DLC and I highly doubt I’ll go back to do it at this point either, it’s been years 😂 But the good thing about being on tumblr when it dropped is that I pretty much got the gist of it all through gifs and screenshots and discourse so I don’t feel I missed out in the end.

[sundayskin]

15 Skincare Things I Don’t Give AF About Anymore (skincare level: ~enlightened~)

Well, well, after another whatever months of radio silence, as usual, the poster child of Tumblr skincare blogs returns (just kidding... or am I??).

If you're new here, welcome to what I'd call one of the UNESCO OG skincare blogs on Tumblr. Okay, maybe that is a bit of a stretch. If you've been here since SUNDAYSKIN's origins, like I'm talking back in 2017, I really, really love you. Like, really. You're awesome.

The lowdown is that I've been knee-deep in skincare since I discovered it in my teens. Fast forward almost a decade (damn I'm old wtf), and I think I've reached the point where it's not something I have to stress about or try to figure out anymore.

I know what works for me, what doesn't, the finish and feel I like, the ingredients I want to use, etc. Of course, I'm still learning and trying new things, but I've got a pretty good understanding of my skin or skin in general.

Maybe you are new to skincare (welcome to the rabbit hole, enjoy the fall) or maybe you've been figuring it out for just as long as I have. Whatever the case, here are 15 skincare things I used to do or care about, but now I couldn't care less. 😎

Have I become lazy lazier, or did I just reach an enlightened level of skincare? You can decide.

1. Using the same routine every day/night

Though I ~typically~ use the same products daily or on a rough routine (back and forth, once a week, etc.), I don’t force myself to follow the same 1-2-3-step routine every day nor do I use the same products every day, save for my prescribed acne medications (sigh). I used to obsess over consistency, as in applying the same things in the same order every single day/night, but I think you should instead just consistently take care of your skin, in whatever way works for you.

My verdict? Tweak your routine based on your skin condition at the moment. Eventually, you’ll instinctively grab whatever you need from your skincare vault. You’ll get there, babe. Trust the process. 

2. Drying my face completely

A recent(?) trend in skincare, at least in the US, seems to be about how a towel can harbor a lot of bad bacteria and therefore you should wash your towel often and/or have a designated face towel.

Whether or not your towel has been causing your acne or other skincare woes is debatable; I know good and well many people around the world have the clearest skin but don't give a toot about the towel they use to dry their face. I'm sure it can matter, but I don't think it's going to be a deal-breaker.

My mindset here is why not be "better safe than sorry." I think it wouldn't hurt to try more gentle or hygienic ways to dry your face. My favorite face towel is by INNELLISilk. It's cheap, it's soft, it's apparently made of things that are more antibacterial than your typical towel, it's got one of those tiny hole thingies that lets you hang it places — it checks all my boxes. Though I like to have this towel on hand, I typically use facial tissue to dry my face once a night. A (large) cotton pad would also work.

The whole 1-use tissue for your face is another trend these days, but if it sounds wasteful to you, opt for the designated face towel (preferably a material that won't completely dry the water on your face). A soft facial sponge works too (wet it first, please). You could even go rogue and use no towel at all (wipe as much of the moisture off with your hands as you can).

Bonus tip: whatever you use, it's best to have some leftover water on your face. Apparently, if you let your skin get completely dry in between cleansing and treatment products, your skin will actually start the process of producing more oils. It's also just pretty uncomfortable to have your face dry up. A moisturized, hydrated face is something we all need, regardless of "skin type."

3. Having a routine that's "quick & easy"

My "ultimate skincare goal" used to be that [x]-step, 15-minute skincare routine that I imagined was what the perfect, put-together skincare routine looked like. All the popular products, quick, easy, effective. Girl, stop that nonsense! Everyone is different, so the perfect routine is one that is beneficial, comfortable, and doable for you.

These days, I put on a YouTube video, watch a show, or have Kpop MVs playing while taking my time to go through my routine (E'Last, Just B, Cravity, Enhyphen, and P1Harmony are my fav groups atm, FYI). Sometimes that's 20 minutes, sometimes it's an hour. Take your time, learn about your own skin, and do what works best for your life and schedule.

ps. if you're in need of someone/something to watch/listen to, I've got to give a shoutout to Ulrike Scherer. She's got a YouTube, podcast, and blog. If you really love skincare, and miss the long-form, slowed-down content of the bygone days, namely on YouTube, this is someone you must check out. She's so transparent and passionate about skincare, and she's really helped remind me why I love skincare. It's become my new favorite thing to have her videos or podcast playing in the background when I do my skincare or when I'm just trying to relax. It's seriously like casually chatting with a friend about skincare, and I NEED that comfort in my life rn.

Subscribing on Youtube or liking some of her videos takes seconds and is FREE, so please, please, do it if you can. I'd love to see her hit 1,000 subscribers soon. She really deserves the recondition. Thanks in advance if you check out her content.

4. Using only “safe” green-level ingredients

I used to check all products on an ingredient-checking website like Cosdna, and if there was any ingredient listed as being "unsafe" or comedogenic, I'd almost immediately decide not to further research the product, let alone purchase it.

Unless it has an acne-causing or irritating ingredient that is almost universally shunned — which is unicorn-level rare when it comes to the products I consider buying — I don't worry about what Cosdna says about the product's ingredients being potentially comedogenic. Granted, whether an ingredient is prone to being comedogenic is a real thing, but I think how your skin actually reacts might be different. I'm not a chemist. You (probably) aren't either. The people who formulate products usually know what they're doing. They don't see a negative ingredient and say, "hey, we should add this to the formulation for no reason."

Usually, you just need to try a product to see if it works for you. Others might hate it; others might call it a holy grail. It's you that really matters. This is your world, babe, and don't let them tell you otherwise.

The jury votes that the "safe level" of ingredients should always be considered with a grain of salt.

5. Doing my routine at the same time every day/night

This just isn't practical for me, but I used to think it was another "must" for clear, healthy skin when I was still a skincare baby. I think the premise of recommending this is so that people who may have a hard time doing their skincare every day (busy, forgetful, etc.) will sort of be forced to remember to do it morning and night. If this is you, go ahead, set a morning and night alarm, and see if that helps you stay on track. For me, it's good enough that I do my routine once when it is light out and once when it is dark, lol.

6. Trying new products ~just~ because they are trending or popular

When I was newer to skincare (see a pattern here?), my approach became buying products that were trending or super popular rather than buying products that I needed or that may have addressed the specific issues I was having.

Now, I almost purposefully don't purchase the most popular, trending skincare products (you know, the ones them Tiktokers Tiktok about). Not to say the popular, trending products aren't worth considering. They are ~usually~ popular for a valid reason, but just don't take the popularity as equal to the product being effective for you. There's often a lot of behind-the-scenes marketing and sponsorships etc. etc. also taking place, so it can be hard to see if a product is popular for a good reason or if it is being made popular.

It's my new thrill to find products that are lesser-known hidden gems, like products that are actually holy grails in Korea/Japan/etc. rather than being primarily popular in the US (the products we say we "discovered" but are old news or not actually popular in the place they come from, lol). I never just buy trending skincare because it's the hot thing of the time anymore. The old me is dead and gone.

7. Using products as they are meant to be used

Let me start this with a precursor that some products certainly need to be used as instructed (like acne prescriptions) or some can't be flexible in how they are used (you shouldn't use cleansers as a serum, for instance, though I'm sure by mid 2025 there will certainly be a product like this, lol).

Besides that, back in the ancient times, if a toner was labeled as a "toner" or a serum as a "serum," that's exactly how I'd use them in my routine. The reality is that you can use most products, whether it is a toner, ampoule, essence, sleeping mask, etc., in any way that works for you. I told you: this is your world. Now believe it!

8. Following the standard Korean skincare routine

I think I often bought products in the past just for the sake of filling in the spots of a typical Korean skincare routine, a routine we in fact declared as the universal Korean standard, i.e., oil cleaner, foam cleanser, toner, essence, serum, etc. I actually used to be a huge believer in essences, thought they were one of the most important products to include, but I haven't used an essence in so long! These days I just use serums as my after-toner-before-cream step. Simplify your routine only a couple of steps or make it super complex and detailed — it's always been up to you.

9. Finishing products *because* I spent money on them

If I'm only 1/10th of the way through a serum or spot treatment and I don't like it for whatever reason, I don't shun myself for moving on to a new product or purchasing something else.

Can it be wasteful sometimes? Yes. Do I sometimes waste money on an (expensive) product that actually doesn't work for me? Yes. It happens! Skincare is a journey and there will be hiccups. Unless, well, you're perfect. Then, congrats!

If something is not working for you, or worse, having negative effects, stop using her and try to instead find someone in your life that might enjoy the product. Last resort? The trash (recycle if possible!).

Tip: some of the best ways to avoid tossing full-sized products and wasting your money is to really do your research before purchasing a product and by trying sample sizes before committing to the full.

10. Using extraction tools

...because it's better than using your hands, right? Nah, listen.

I've bought extraction tools maybe 2 or 3 times in my life, and every time, after a couple uses, I throw them out like I'm throwing out the cake I bought despite being on a diet, lol.

I don't think using a tool to take out blackheads to pop pimples is better than doing it with your hands. I think the best route to clear, healthy skin is to not pick or pop at all.

Better alternatives are exfoliating products, clay masks, pimple patches, and gentle cleansing tools like facial sponges. Let's keep the extraction tools in the hands of skincare professionals, okay?

11. Refrigerating products 

Girl, let me tell you.

I used to be almost obsessed with making sure my serums and creams and whatnot were kept refrigerated. I think I've been through at least 3 or 4 mini fridges over the course of a couple of years. When they didn't work as well in the hotter months or when the power went out, I'd literally move all my skincare to another fridge in the house like I was transporting a donor's organs to a hospital. I sprinted, y'all. S p r i n t e d.

Then, I had an epiphany. When I tried a refrigerated SPF, didn't like how it applied, then coincidently tried it again when I had removed it from the fridge at room temp, wala: it has now become one of my top-3, ride-or-die SPFs of all time. We love a good skincare plot twist.

I found out that I actually like my skincare applied at room temp more because they're truer to their texture and soak in better. Of course, this is case-by-case and has a lot to do with preference, but if you are on the fence about it, I'd say a beauty fridge is a luxury that isn't really necessary.

I thought it was necessary because I was under the impression that products needed to be colder than room temp to last longer, stay "stronger" longer, etc. This isn't really the case. Unless specified by the product description, products, SPFs included, are made to survive just fine in typical, real-life temperatures. If you're room is extremely hot, in direct sunlight, or the temp fluctuates greatly throughout the day, a mini fridge might be a solution. Heck, a mini fridge that is off might be a solution. To me, a dark, cool place like a drawer or somewhere in your closet is just as good, if not better (cause the whole texture, application stuff mentioned before).

Mostly consistent, out of direct sunlight, and not-too-hot conditions are what you want. Odds are, you can get that without a designated beauty fridge.

12. Making diy masks and skincare with kitchen ingredients

Back in the day, I used to make homemade masks with things like lemon (report me!), oatmeal, banana, egg whites, turmeric, you get it. I probably haven't done anything "homemade" or "natural" since my teens. Mostly because I have the finances to buy plenty of real, packaged skincare and masks to use made by people who know what they're doing, lol. There's no point for me anymore to try and make something that might be good or safe for the skin.

I think making DIY skincare masks was my old thing because it was a way for me to try new things and take care of my skin when I didn't have the money or means to buy the variety of skincare easily available to me today.

Homemade things aren't inherently bad or not worth it. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Or maybe you just like experimenting and trying more natural, handmade things. That's cool too. Just make sure to research what ingredients to avoid using, like, you know, straight up lemon juice from the fridge. Oopski!

13. Judging a skincare product by price

Expensive products must be better or more potent than cheaper ones, right? I probably don't need to explain this to you, but the price does not always relate to how good or effective a product will be for you. There is actually probably more popular and effective affordable skincare than there is luxury, triple-digit products. There's so much affordable, amazing skincare these days that luxury to me is anything over $40, lol.

If you want to invest some money on your skin, see a dermatologist or get a professional facial treatment. The next best thing is an at-home skincare tool, but those require careful, experienced hands and a boat load of research. Careful now, these are dangerous waters.

14. Buying products that are *only* for my “skin type”

I've recently been thinking "skin types" aren't really a thing. Hear me out.

I think of "skin types" now more as "skin conditions" or just the current state your skin's health is in, not as something universally true to you or something you were "born with" like the color of your eyes or hair (even those things can change overtime too!).

Of course, I'm not trying to say that perfect skin health equals "normal" skin that isn't oily, dry, or combo. What I'm trying to get at is that you shouldn't feel the need to put yourself in a box and only buy products marketed toward your "skin type." Just because something is said to be oil-free or for oily skin doesn't mean dry-skinned ladies/guys won't like it. It also doesn't mean that it will automatically be what my oily skin peeps need.

Real-world application-wise, I'm not sure how helpful this insight is, lol, because buying products that were created for your "skin type" isn't technically wrong/bad. Maybe just venture out a bit, remove that "for oily skin" or "for normal skin" filter when shopping for skincare online, try something you might not immediately think is for you. You might find a holy-grail product that's marketed toward a totally different skin type/condition. Always look at a product holistically.

15. Patting versus rubbing in

To be or not to be. But like, who cares? Do what works for you, in skincare and in life, bud. Just be gentle and give your stuff time to absorb. Maybe you didn't even know about the pat vs. rub debate. It's that old.

If you want an extension to this, check out 10 Things I Used to Believe About Skincare but Now I Know Aren’t True *tea spilt on myself*. Yes, if you notice, there are a few similar ideas on there. We recycle and reuse here, as we should.

FYI, SUNDAYSKIN also has an IG, @hellosundayskin. There's no real useful content on there, but sometimes I'll upload what I've bought recently. It's usually just cute photos. Visit at your own discretion.

Anyhow, I'm actually, quite literally, going through a life crisis rn. Still, I was able to somehow write this long a** post. I've actually come back to it on and off for a couple weeks now, or has it been over a month?

I'll be back once my life isn't in shambles... it might be a while. See you then.

[loveofafangirl]

20 Questions Tag Game

Thank you for tagging me @the-soot-sprite 💖

Rules: make a new post and share your answers.

1. Why did you choose your url?

Because I am a fangirl who loves a lot of things. I had many sideblogs and then made this as an everything blog... but I’ve since made more sideblogs. 🤦‍♀️ I need a time out.

2. Any sideblogs? If you do, name them and say why you have them.

I have way too many to possibly even try to explain. Just put me in Tumblr jail. I should probably be banned from ever making another one.

3. How long have you been on tumblr?

OMG so long... This blog is apparently 9 years old. WTF.  I did not know that. Now I’m questioning why I’m still here. I’ve been sucked in. Send help. My original main is over 11 years old...clearly I need help or time out.

4. Do you have a queue tag?

Nope. I’m too lazy for that. 

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

I love fandoms. I love creating and enjoying other people’s creations. My IRL friends do not so I found new friends with similar interests. I also love getting lost in the blackhole that is tumblr. 

6. Why did you choose your icon?

Dancing Zemo is my jam! It is one of my favorite commissions.

7. Why did you choose your header?

The Falcon Captain America & The Winter Soldier White Wolf is my favorite thing currently. As is my sweet Zemo. I’m absolutely in love with the cute cheeb images I commissioned from the talented @weetlebeetle so I had to make them my icon and header

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

Fanfiction: “I’ve Got You” Baron Zemo x Reader

Gifset: Good Omens/Ineffable Husbands “Heart Eyes Appreciation”

I also have a Pretty Little Liars rant that apparently has 1,500 notes, but I’m not linking that though LOL (It was right before I gave up on the show. Apparently I had some thoughts... well questions that tore the plot apart.)

9. How many mutuals do you have?

No idea at all

10. How many followers do you have?

On this one blog or all together? Because that’s too many blogs to figure out ha

11. How many people do you follow?

I honestly don’t know... I have more than one main and follow different fandoms/blogs on different accounts (again, just put me in Tumblr time out or send help)

12. Have you ever made a shitpost?

Not lately, but yes.

13. How often do you use tumblr each day?

Not as often as I used to just because real life, but far too much time. Mindless scrolling is a wonderful pastime.

14. Have you ever had a fight/argument with another blog? Who won?

No. That’s way too much work. No drama llama!

15. How do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

Reblog what you want. But if you like something, reblog it. Likes don’t help content producers spread their work, only reblogs do. So if you enjoy something and want more of that content, then please support the creator by reblogging. It means the world. Plus who doesn’t want to enjoy new content?

16. Do you like tag games?

Yes, they are good distractions and help me avoid writing. Procrastination at its finest.

17. Do you like ask games?

I do, but I don’t typically get asks. 

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

It really depends on the fandom and that fandom’s size. So it’s an objective concept. And unfortunately there are some people that get too caught up on it and then you get the big blog vs little blog fights and just no. No drama! Everyone create and be happy.  ❤️ 

19. Do you have a crush on a mutual?

Not unless Zemo is a secret tumblr mutual 😉 

20. Tags?

Feel free to ignore if you are not interested

@animnerd, @charistory, @arizemo, @daniel-bruhhl

[asperrusual]

hello tumblr user asperrusual...hope your evening has been enjoyable. May we hear your thoughts on Seteth Fire Emblem ? It seems I have been hit with the "hyperfixation" and it apparently concerns this man.

i swear one day i'll answer asks in a timely fashion ah, seteth fire emblem. everyone's favorite youth pastor/career counselor. one of, like, three legitimately good fathers (living or otherwise) in the game. a phenomenal pair of tits. yes, i enjoy that green man a great deal and not just because he shares his english VA with my OG FE blorbo lyon, either

i love his initial wariness (that for me becomes more and more reasonable with every playthrough). i love his relationship with his daughter, fraught as it may be at times from his smothering. i love watching him defrost over the course of his relationship with byleth. he's... legitimately just such a good character.

given we saw flayn in the trailers, i'm almost certain he's also going to be present in some capacity in 3 hopes, which is a relief. he deserves more time in the spotlight.

[bluejayblueskies]

hello! i hope it's okay to ask, i was wondering if you have any good merfolk/selkie tma au fic recs? i've been looking for them on ao3 but apparently i'm not very good at filtering because i can't really find anything aside from the 3 or 4 i've read already. feel free to ignore this if you don't have any or just don't feel like answering! thank you either way<3 (also i just wanted to say i love your tma fantasy week fics, i read most of them at 3am and they made me so ridiculously happy)

 thank you so much! 💛💛💛 i’d be happy to give some recommendations!

i’m not sure what you’ve already read, so i’ll just include everything!

(list begins below the cut)

The Sea Calls Me Home | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: mothjons | tumblr: @mothjons

When Martin Blackwood takes a job working at Peter Lukas's estate, in the highlands of Scotland, he meets an odd man down by the shore, who looks at him like no one ever has. This man proves to be another secret Martin Blackwood must keep, for more reasons than one.

To be so sure of a love the world denies is a heavy burden to bear. But bearing it was, and will always be, a choice. And it's one that Martin has chosen.

Mer!Jon, Historical AU! One of my favorite TMA fics. Heavy on the angst but has a happy ending, and the writing is beautiful!

What Belongs to the Sea | jonelias, lonely eyes, jonmartin, rated M | Ao3: TwoDrunkenCelestials, WhyNotFly | tumblr: @twodrunkencelestials, @apatheticbutterflies

“My grandmother taught me about selkies,” said the tattooed man.  “Said it’s good luck for them to grace your ship.  To treat ‘em right, and they’ll guide you safe.”

It had seemed like a reasonable thing to believe.

Selkie!Jon, angst with happy ending. Has darker themes, so be sure to heed content warnings! The endgame ship is jonmartin.

Breathe in the Salt | jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: SqueeneyTodd

Martin Blackwood works in a lighthouse that echoes too much against a sea he doesn't care for.

The lighthouse isn't meant to have people in it.

Selkie AU focsed around mystery! Martin’s mother is a selkie and he works at a lighthouse that has some very strange happenings. Jon, Tim, and Sasha come to investigate.

as the clouds roll by | jongeorgie, jonmartin, rated T | Ao3: PitViperOfDoom | tumblr: @pitviperofdoom

If Jon had a penny for every time someone stole his coat and told him it was for his own good, he would have two pennies. It wasn't a lot, but it still happened twice.

Selkie!Jon, angst and hurt/comfort. Featuring terrible person Jurgen Leitner and Kitsune!Georgie. This is the prequel to and i won’t let you choke which is also excellent!

kith, kin and tread softly | jonmartin, timsasha, rated G | Ao3: bibliocratic | tumblr: @bibliocratic

Jon is 100%, bonafide human being before Beholding gets its hands on him.

This is not entirely true for the other members of his team.

and

Their existence narrows into endurance, survival. Knowing how hard every day is going to be and surviving it anyway, hand in unlovable hand.

Or: Despite everything, the OG Archive crew live through season 4.

Fantasy AU where Tim is a phoenix, Sasha is a mermaid, and Martin is a selkie. Featuring hurt/comfort, found family, and averted apocalypse

A Box of Sea-Scented Memories | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: ArtificialDaydreams | tumblr: @artificialdaydreamer

When Martin was a child he moved to a small town by the coast and his best friend just also happened to be a seal who loved tuna fish sandwiches, headpats, and bringing him gifts. The shoebox of treasures was practically all he took with him when he left a year later.

Jonathan Sims' childhood friend has just returned after almost twenty years spent apart. Sadly Martin doesn't recognize him, and it's not like Jon can tell him about being a selkie. It's a good thing Martin has a lot of experience talking with seals, and Jon's an excellent listener.

Selkie!Jon, childhood friends AU. Very very cute, and seeing this plot bunny come to fruition has been lovely!

It Will Set You Free | jonmartin, rated G | Ao3: cinnamoniic | tumblr: @cinnamoniic

He’s heard the stories. He knows his mother wouldn’t take another step on land if she could help it, not anymore. It took a long time for him to feel comfortable walking alone on the beach without anticipating torches and pitchforks at his first footfall, skin-thieves and scoundrels looking to steal him away.

Martin’s supposed to avoid humans, but he’s never been great at resisting temptation. In the aftermath of a dreadful storm, he finds himself and his sealskin coat trapped in the home of his mysterious human crush, Jon.

Selkie!Martin, hurt/comfort. My favorite part of this fic is Martin not really understanding human things!

and, just to include some of mine:

to take the road less traveled by | polyarchives, rated G

Once upon a time, in a land divided by water and mountains and the hands of men into fourteen kingdoms, there was a prince. His name was Prince Timothy of the House of Stoker, ruling over the land of the fae, and though he was neither fae nor human, he would do as a prince should, even if his heart lay beyond, in the kingdom of ever-watching eyes.  So when his father commanded him to venture beyond the land of the fae and into the spiraling forests of the Twisting Deceit, wherein lay a tower so high it was thought to touch the stars, and rescue a trapped princess from that tower, Prince Timothy donned the lightest of leather armors, plucked his bow from the armory, and left his kingdom behind in the glow of the rising sun.

Of Prince Timothy, his lovers, and a princess trapped in a tower.

Fantasy AU with Selkie!Martin (and others). A fairytale-style fic with multiple character perspectives coming together over the span of the fic.

delphinus | jonpeter, rated T

Three and a half weeks ago, Peter had packed enough supplies for four months, set sail from port, and had breathed in the salt of the sea with a relief that was as palpable upon his tongue as the taste of brine. He would cast a net over the side of his ship and inspect its contents for anything that might spark his interest (or, on occasion, make a sum of money). More often, though, he simply released the mass of wriggling fish back into the sea and settled for watching the sun dip below the horizon, with only the gentle rocking of the boat to keep him company.

Two and a half weeks ago, Peter had pulled the net over the side of his fishing boat, straining at the weight of it, and found a pair of sharp brown eyes staring back at him.

Mer!Jon, no fear entities AU. In which Peter is not as terrible as he is in canon and there is an approximation of fluff.

[initiumseries]

Hi!

Can you rec good dc movies or series

I’ve been trying to get into it and you seemed like a great person to ask

I’ve been trying to answer this ask all week and tumblr just will NOT let me post images so...here we go. I'm not gonna lie to you, this is almost entirely going to be animated, so you if you don't enjoy animated content, sorry in advance, but personally, I've found that DCCU < MCU and DCAU > MAU, and since you didn't specify what *kind* of series...here’s the list: 

Batman the Animated Series

It is a little dated, but imo it really sets a foundation for understanding the original comic world, especially if you're not really into comics, and season, I wanna say 4 is a complete revamp.

Batman Beyond

It’s basically a continuation of Batman’s story, except he’s old and Terry McGinnis takes over for him. Set in the distant future. I loved this one.

The Dark Knight

I think it’s a strong movie that holds up and really reflects back on the classic take of Batman you’ll see in the animated series. 

Wonder Woman

I debated putting this here because I didn’t love wonder woman, and I especially hated the ending. But everything up until then was okay. 

Justice League/Unlimited

This was my *favourite* as a teen. I especially liked, in JLU when the Justice League end up meeting themselves from another universe, and they are totalitarians, right at a point in the JLU where they’re trying to decide how much control they should have in their own world. And the alt reality JL call themselves the Justice Lords and they are mad oppressive. It’s great. Strong stories and great character development the whole way through.

Arrow

Honestly, only the first few seasons. Apparently the CW wanted to develop Batman and WB said no the CW developped Batman the Green Arrow instead lol. As with most shows, it gets shittier by season, but the first 3 are probably the best. I liked Oliver best when he was throwing billionaires of buildings and shit. Because that is ethically just lol.

Smallville

Oh my GOD the first 2 seasons are chaotic as hell and I LOVE IT. If you’re not up for taking the show too seriously, season 1/2 are actually really fun. I have a lot of nostalgia for OG Smallville though so it may not feel the same for you. Season 3 onward gets really slick and organized and it loses some of the charm, and it also gets mad weird with the whole Lana/Lex thing, but Kirsten Kreuk and Tom Welling have INSANE chemistry, so if anything, watch for them. 

Teen Titans

OG Teen Titans had everything, slapstick comedy that you’d expect from animation, great themes about emotional growth, maturity, ethics of right and wrong, great action, some violence, good emotional moments. All of it. Some of it was TOO cartoon-y for me, but that’s because it’s still a kid’s show and I’m an adult, so that’s not a condemnation of the show, just that there’s some episodes I could go without.

I think that’s it! If I remember anymore off the top of my head, I’ll likely add to this. Thanks!

[feline17ff]

*Rising from the depths to log in to Tumblr after literal years*

Tl;dr: How I would imagine grown-up PPG world to be

My qualifications: grew up with PPG, had a PC game, t-shirt, official online games, went to a PPG themed event at a mall, I think I even had 3 stuffed dolls

Now, my turn on how I think the PPG and their world would grow up + some angst for the network + teen issues for teenagers + opinion from a qualified PPG fan for the OG fans

1. They were good people so they would help people and be kind without a second thought. No, they won't do drugs or be abusive etc. It might be edgy, but that's not the PPG. The PPG are wholesome and amazing. They also love and respect their family and other people.

2. Blossom would be a scientist or doctor, biotechnology, nanotechnology, idk. Prof would be super proud. Angst: annoyed that prospect of science is dependent on corporations and investors, e.g. Insulin cost in US, lack of investors for renewable sources, etc.

3. Bubbles. I've seen people think of her as pursuing animation. Game design would work too. Tbh more thought needs to be put here. Angst: maybe she's frightened of growing up, being an adult. Adulting is hard and she wants to go back to being a kid. She loves her stuffed animals and there's nothing wrong with playing with them as an adult, but she could be using them as an unhealthy mechanism to deny real life. There's a term for this but idr now.

4. Buttercup. Firefighter, police officer, something physical would be good. Angst: She loves sports but can't participate because her powers are an unfair advantage so she could never pursue that dream.

5. Professor Utonium. He is a great dad and professor. See number 1.

6a. RRB. I understand the shipping potential and a lot of fans would love it...but watch "The Boys Are Back In Town" and you remember just how awful they were (remember Bubbles and the slug?). The original show was a superhero show for kids, the RRB are villains. Unhealthy message here if you go with shipping them right off the bat.

6b. It could be enemies to unwilling allies to casual acquaintances to friends to more than friends. But it has to be earned. They have to be redeemed. They have to show that they are redeemable.

6c. How it could go out is the RRB are villains, a big threat for the PPG. Which they are. Mojo Jojo and Him are their father figures so when it seems like the girls finally defeated Mojo, they go in a blind revenge rage against the girls. Absolutely no romantic/sexual tension, please, that would be disgusting and distasteful. He's not dead though so when it's revealed he's alive, the boys are ecstatic. Maybe the girls had something to do with saving him or finding him alive and nursing him back to health. Maybe not.

6d. The boys are back to normal and happy to be a family again.

6e. Idk, Boomer might be in a life-or-death situation and his brothers don't believe him and he almost dies but the girls save him. It can't be Brick or Butch coz they'd be aggressive. Boomer would be curious. Anyway, I don't like romance so we're gonna go the platonic way. Boomer finds better siblings in the girls, because, well, they are! So he discreetly becomes a friend and their inside-guy to villain happenings.

7a. Romance between the PPG and RRB. I'm ace and aro so ideally I would love all platonic, nothing romantic, but there's this unspoken soft spot for my fellow fans who I've never met. So this is for you guys!

7b. Boomer and Bubbles find some mutual interest and/or just like each other's company coz their families can put pressure on them. I would love if they'd go the ace/aro platonic married friends with tax benefits situation who play video games together instead of kissing and the other thing.

7c. Blossom and Brick eventually bond over their love of their families and that they'd do anything for them. But will have to work on this in Brick's case coz it's not at all apparent in the original that the boys care about each other.

7d. Buttercup and Butch can bond over things they think are fun but not 100% good or bad like their families want. Like, illegal racing (I think it's called drag racing) would definitely interest both of them. And since they have superpowers they can go to more extremes than humans. But his family may think he's wasting his potential, Buttercup's that she's doing something illegal even if no one gets hurt. Similarly, extreme sports but even more extreme coz they're super and can't get hurt. Like, full-on adrenaline junkies. And bros, brotp, regardless of if a romantic relationship is where it leads to, at least at first.

7e. Or just keep them as villains? Like the original? No platonic or romantic relationship at all. That'd be super funny for my ace/aro self. Haha, imagine the shippers' frustrations. Priceless.

8a. THE BRO CODE. And, by extension, THE SISTER CODE. They are color-coordinated so I don't need to go in detail of who's with who even if it was never official. But no, I cannot digest a non-color pair here, not at all. It's fine up to their colors, but beyond that, it feels disgusting. Like, what if a pair got married and but it's like they had kissed their in-law??? No, please, icky.

8b. Respect the CODE. Their relationship with their counterpart may be romantic or platonic, but with their counterpart's siblings it should definitely be platonic.

8c. If the girls are gonna end up with the boys, it has to after they've matured and shown they're good people. If not, then they could remain platonic friends. Could also hint at something more with their counterpart if at the end of the series they're still not ready yet. Or they could just remain single :)

9. Ms Bellum as mayor? Makes sense. She might be overqualified though, maybe she takes an easy job so she can relax most of the time? Or she's also in charge of the FBI or something. And I don't want ex-Mayor to never make an appearance. He should be a regular too, at least as regular as Ms Bellum. Maybe the adults (Prof, Bellum, Mayor, Ms Keane) can have a monthly golf hangout thing.

10a. The villains are iconic. English isn't my first language but I've heard the term "campy" been thrown around, I think it means what I think it means but I'm not in the mood to research. Mojo has to be a chimp, idk how. Maybe like the butler from the Umbrella Academy, or Salem from the original Sabrina the Teenage Witch. (And don't you dare make Sedusa disgusting. Make her PG like the original did, you cowards! Maybe she's just really good at conversation and manipulation mind games, idk.)

10b. Him. If you wanna go gritty with him then watch the episode that scared and scarred me, the one where the girls just want a simple race but they go forward in time. It's scary. I'm not going to watch it again but I'm 90% sure it was Him.

10c. But you should also remember that Him is really fun too! Like the ending of the riddle episode, the ending of the birthday episode. Him is super powerful for some reason but can be nice. Chaotic neutral I think.

10d. Actually, all the villains are chaotic neutral. As someone pointed out, the comics make them out to have a gentler side, and so do some of the episodes. They're supposed to be fun and evil, but ultimately just fun and funny and campy but not too serious.

10e. Could go the MCU Loki route and have these fun villains be cartoonishly evil, but get progressively more anti-hero. Because they are! They were exactly like this in the cartoon! Remember the episode with the baseball? Babysitter? The riddle episode?

10f. For an edgier take, Him's superior could be the main bad. We never had a clue where his powers came from so you should be free to make it up as you please. But read the wikia to be sure.

10g. The RRB are villains and they should be treated as such. Imagine if the 3 RRB all have different ideas of how they should fulfill their evil legacy / bad boy shtick. Like Brick could be subtle embezzlement or manipulation, mafia. Butch could be gangs and stuff, rivals with the Gang green gang but doesn't have the skills to be a gang leader, could be Brick's muscle / right-hand guy / the guy who does the dirty work. Boomer idk, maybe a pickpocket? Or like his bros know he isn't cut out for this so they dis him and so he's technically on his own and free but sad so be pursues other avenues (see 12).

10h. Let the actors have some fun with their villain shtick! (And also the heroes ofc) It'd be way more fun to watch.

11. Narrator. He'd be fun. I haven't watched any eps in years but I assume he's there for witty commentary and funny stuff. Would love if people interact with him and he replies and has to change his tone to make it seem like he's not biased against the villains or something.

12. I'm not gonna scroll up. Buttercup had a crush on Ace. Blossom and Bubbles thought it was funny to kiss the RRB. All 3 of them were okay with kissing the boy, whose name I don't remember, when they figured out that cooties aren't real. What I'm saying is, as much as I wish they'd be aro, they're not. They could be ace but they're not aro.

13. I just had the best idea! There was a post that the girls were created through science and the boys through "witchcraft". I'm sure magic exists in the world, see Him, so what if Boomer pursues magic and witchcraft, wizardry, sorcery, whatever. Idk. The girls have careers so the boys need careers too, they're the same age.

14. Please have an end in mind. Be like The Good Place, ATLA, Carmen Sandiego. If it's a villain of the week thing without an overarching story, then fine, have lots of a seasons like normal cartoons. But, if you want an overarching plotline, stay on it and end it when it's time. There are so many shows that kept adding seasons that I left them.

15. No, I don't want them in dumb tiny dresses. Don't Harley Quinn them. Give the characters and the actresses the respect they deserve. Give them comfortable, practical dresses first, cool and aesthetically pleasing second.

Can't think of anything more rn. I definitely think all the villains should be anti-heroes by the end of the series coz they've all had their good and kind and fun moments.

P.S. Remember their powers! Only Blossom has ice-breath and only Bubbles can speak squirrel. She can also speak Spanish but the others could have learnt over the years if they wanted to.

P.P.S. I would love if we could have some closure on the PowerPunk Girls and the RRB's mirror counterparts. But it has to be campy and funny and NOT slutty or too serious.

P.P.S. How the show should be: Campy and funny and NOT slutty or too serious.

[lovenona]

LONG ask ahead, sorry T^T

*arrives in a hurry after 2-3 days* *slow, appreciative clap at the ted talk* sweetie, have you got any idea how much i adore hearing you ramble about the creation process??? seeing the whole love and dedication you hold for the odyssey makes my day! (and nooo, i'm totally not reading it again bc i want to have all of it in mind for tomorrow and bc it inspires me to no end hahaha what do you mean :) )

here comes yet another question: what kind of powers do you possess to write so beautifully. your writing literally punches me in the gut every single time, even the simplest of things!! it's hauntingly beautiful and i'm living for it!

(and another one) how did you find out how the odyssey was going to end?

also, it's rambling time because i've been thinking. (i do that sometimes.) each chapter title is a reference to a greek myth, and, in particular, odysseus' myth (no clue if i've written his name right, i've always knew him as "ulysse" in my mother tongue ^^;). and so my brain went: oooh nice, greek lore ^^ and then: yo wait. hold up. which brings me here: analysing the chapter titles. (bear with me please, and feel free to ignore my enthusiastic rambling/correct me if i'm wrong which i probs will)

so first, we have the prelude. david and calypso. while i'm sure david has his importance it's almost 1 am as i'm typing this so i'm going to focus on calypso. poor nymph is stuck in an island because of the will of gods for a reason i've forgotten. but here's the catch: while she cannot leave, others can come to her (good ol' odysseus for instance) until they leave her all alone again. and the cycle unfolds again and again. which brings us to a nice parallel with reader's situation at the beginnig. she, after all, is stuck on an island with no way out but stories. comes the dilf supreme toji aka an odysseus of sorts, until he leaves her. so she's alone again. calypso there illustrates a passive state of sorts. she cannot leave, or so she thinks: while she wants to, we don't see her try per se until sukuna comes in.

ah yes. sukuna’s arrival. chapter title: neptune’s hands. Neptune, god of the seas, all powerful, also known as Poseidon absolutely terrifying if provoked — which is something Odysseus did! well, man is smart enough not to do it to his face. but he did stab a cyclope, which happened to be neptune’s son. son who swore to a haughty Odysseus that he’d pay for it. in consequence: instead of going back to Ithaca without that much of trouble, Neptune goes: nope mate, and promptly sabotage his return (with a storm who leads his ship astray if my memory is correct). Neptune serves as a catalyst in here, to properly start the action. and it so happens to be sukuna’s role! he is, as well, the one who starts reader’s journey — well, odyssey in this case ;) — by making her this offer. plus, if we consider reader as being calypso, a nymph, and sukuna as being Neptune, a god, it shows their difference in power. sukuna is a fearsome curse, captain whose name is enough to strike fear in the cruellest pirate, who can and will kill reader should he get bored of her. reader is but a printer’s apprentice, so weak compared to him it hurts.

ah, yes. the narcissus pool aka siren gojo, aka me simping so hard for this man I might squirt with the mere mention of him. yes, siren gojo is that powerful, feel free to lure me in with them baby blues sweetie *blows him a kiss* hem. anyway. long story short, an oracle said: if narcissus sees his reflection, he’ll die. people prevent him from seeing himself. ofc man is so handsome it hurts and has women and men alike running after him, including a nymph named echo. he rejects her. hera is somehow involved in the mess and makes it so that he stumbles upon a river and sees himself. entranced by his beauty, he desperately tries to reach himself and stays near the river until he dies. this one is a bit trickier (especially considering I’m writing this as I go with no coherent preparation whatsoever but damn if I’m not having fun). but. *proceeds to read it again* *sighs in ‘why the hell ain’t siren!gojo real pls sir take me’* anyway. it’s never mentioned in narcissus’ myth, but I’m pretty sure he was tempted to look at himself. at least once, considering he could wonder why on earth all those people kept falling for his looks. (or he could be pretty dumb. let’s say he isn’t) so he’s tempted by his own reflection. just like reader’s tempted to follow segsy siren gojo. he doesn’t up until hera is involved and ends up seeing his reflection. he falls. not literally, but in love — with his own self. here it’s different (and the reason why i’m strugglingTM to gather coherent thoughts). gojo is the very embodiment of this temptation — so he acts as narcissus’ reflection here. he’s the one seducing reader, the one luring her until she falls in the waters, just like narcissus did. she didn’t die though, unlike him. (thank you sukuna. I guess. yes I would’ve given my life for gojo to consume me in both ways and??) now, this is very simp-tainted (sorry bout that ^^;) and the thing I’ve noticed is this: narcissus isn’t a character in the og odyssey. could it be bc to my absolute despair, gojo’s not as much of an important character as sukuna and toji? only you know!

(the hades, psyche analysis comes in tomorrow *looks @ time* *sees it's 1 AM* well, later on! have a lovely night/day!)

- the LRE (who's very happy tumblr allowed her to do paragraph breaks/to have a pirate history book recommandation! thanks about that one btw, it'll come in handy for a ff of mine (yeah it involves pirate gojo))

wait this is so precious n thoughtful oh my gosh 😭 thoughts n vibes under the cut :’) 

first of all THANK U!!!??? ur making me blush out here omg my hEART 😭 

as for ur first question, ur SO SWEET n IM LOSING IT bye i genuinely don’t know i just scream and throw a bunch of commas and metaphors everywhere and somehow things happen 💀 i read a lot (english major vibes) and it’s very helpful because i tend to imitate writers/phrases/books that inspire me while i'm figuring out how i want to write !! 

secondly: how did i figure out the ending of the odyssey??

answer: i think i just stumbled across this one 😭 i was brainstorming w my bestie (@/suedebunn) n she originally suggested a different version of the ending that i was like “oh wait” and then i played with it for awhile until i arrived at the version i have now ! i want to tell u more about how i arrived from point A to point B and what the process was but i will withhold because i am not giving anything away >:)

onto ur TITLE ANALYSIS!! this is SPECTACULAR! ur pretty much on the nose for all of them god damn i don’t have much to add :’) i’ll give u some of my takes tho!!

david and calypso – ur absolutely on the nose for the calypso aspect; david’s just a passing nod to the pirates of the caribbean portrayal of davy jones and the doomed relationship between him and calypso (mirroring the doomed relationship between toji and reader since he leaves them) 

neptune’s hands – yes! yeah! sexy! pirate sukuna is being compared to a sea god!! also a minor teaser but sukuna’s hands are important symbolically ;-) 

narcissus pool – ur brain is so big here god damn 🤲 narcissus is more of a loose reference to the idea of pride/ temptation and also hollowness/mirages (the emptiness of a reflection versus the tangibility of the real thing) so it’s not immediately a reference to the odyssey itself or even the myth (i'm taking creative liberties bye homer) but probably the best entity to use when describing gojo – the dichotomy between pride/emptiness is a lot more apparent in part 5 

gosh thank u sm for this!! excited to see what u have next!!!!!!

[goretzkastits]

i don't mean it in a offensive way haha but i actually don't understand what's hot about a man being angry or being aggressive towards another man or towards anyone... i've seen many posts on tumblr in blogs of all kinds (not only football) and apparently many girls are turned on or whatever but that... i feel that it just feeds toxic masculinity... a man who is aggressive towards other men will eventually (almost always) end up being aggressive towards his gf and other women... men (and women) should never be aggressive and much less strike another man nor anyone lol (except of exceptional cases in which physical violence is necessary to defend your life) ... i feel like it just ends up reinforcing stereotypes , equalling masculinity to competitiveness, aggression, violence, instead of gentleness, calm, peace.... the manliest of men in a fight is the one that says fuck it lol and just walks away or tries to separate those who fight... sorry for the rant but it's just something i¡ve seen quite a lot (also on your blog, that's why i say no offense! ) and i really really dislike it ....idk, when i have a son i will try to explain those things to him although i'm sure it will be no use lol bc those stereotypes are way too ingrained in society, unfortunately... anyways have a nice day!!!

I understand where you are coming from and I can only speak for myself, but to me there is a huge difference between being angry and being aggressive or even violent. Anger is a valid feeling and I know that I’ve only posted about Leon being angry. I did not watch the match last night, but from what I gathered Emre fouled Thomas (correct me if I’m wrong, I also think Emre got barred from playing in the next match?) and I think it’s natural for Leon to get pissed off about that and get protective about his teammate. Anger per se is not a “bad” feeling and personally to me that in itself is not inherently tied to (toxic) masculinity. I’m also a huge fan of women’s expression of anger but that does not really have to do with anything on this blog. While I do agree that toxic masculinity is a huge issue in football, it’s also important to consider that it literally is a competitive sport, regardless of whether men or women play it and it’s a contact sport at that, so you can’t really expect calmness and gentleness on the pitch. Also Leon’s intense reaction is most likely due to the fact that he used to play for Schalke and well Schalke/Dortmund is THE og rivalry and I do think that’s something that sticks with you. To me, as long as everything remains within fair play, I do not see an issue with what happened. As for aggressiveness, that’s a whole different story and I do not condone it when men (or anyone for that matter) are aggressive simply for the sake of being aggressive. No one has anything to gain from that. However, I do not think that you can generalize like this and say that anyone who is displaying aggressive behavior towards someone else will eventually hurt women. That’s quite the accusation, especially considering this team has actual issues with players who have committed violence against women in the past. 

[thefirsthogokage]

I posted 15,709 times in 2021

417 posts created (3%)

15292 posts reblogged (97%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 36.7 posts.

I added 1,940 tags in 2021

#cats - 526 posts

#leverage - 253 posts

#dogs - 200 posts

#lend a hand - 180 posts

#bears - 170 posts

#eliot spencer - 139 posts

#a dog breed - 133 posts

#doggos - 132 posts

#leverage redemption - 105 posts

#christian kane - 102 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#apparently the best way to show people the gay in spn is to show them bits and pieces of the show and then let them go back to the beginning

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

SPOILERS FOR 911, 4.13

(sorry I can't do cuts on mobile)

First of all, huge, HUGE thank you to @tenaciouswaste for the link to the episode so I could watch it.

Secondly, I'm going to be honest with you guys: I don't see Buddie all that much in the acting, - in the places I do, it's entirely because of Ryan, - but I do see it a bit in the directing/editing choices. Though I mostly don't see those until looking on tumblr. And it's lacking in places it could be, tbh. It's really inconsistent. But tonight, TONIGHT I saw something watching the episode first hand; in the moment.

Eddie getting shot and Buck having his blood on his face?

Please tell me there are Buffy watchers that watch this show because THAT WAS THE WILLOW AND TARA SCENE FROM BUFFY EPISODE 6.19 !!!!! (Linked there for you guys, in case that wasn't clear.)

Wait.

Holy shit.

HOLY SHIT!

Dude!

DUDE!

The clothing! The colors of the clothing!

LOOK:

See the full post

113 notes • Posted 2021-05-18 04:44:35 GMT

#4

Ffs, we don't need explicitly canon OT3 on Leverage: Redemption! We don't! We have Word of God Confirmation ffs! And if we get it within the show in the way some people are asking for, then the show won't feel the same as the original because of how it's all been done in such a gracefully, beautiful complex way. And as someone who excepts OT3, and is perfectly happy about it from many angles, the fact of the matter is I don't need it infront of my salad! THAT'S NOT THE POINT OF THIS SHOW AND IT'S NOT THE ART WE FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SHOW FOR! I get relationships shoved down my fucking throat on every other goddamn show I watch. That's not at a level of art that the OG Leverage was. It is layers of wonderfully beautiful that almost no other show out there could ever fucking touch! IT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO GODDAMN SPECIAL!

Ffs, we have Word of God confirmation, we don't need more explicitness than that on screen! Why do you want it to be explicit on screen when it's already in there subtly and with WoG confirmation and done within the show in such an amazing way? WHY?! IT'S ALREADY THERE AND YOU KNOW IT!

And for those of you saying, "I want it, but I'll live without talking about it," GREAT! I'm not actually talking about you! I'm talking about the fuckers that say they want "canon OT3 or there will be hell to pay!" YOU FUCKERS ARE THE ONES I'M TALKING TO!

AND JOHN WANTED A HELL OF A LOT LEFT OPEN TO INTERPRETATION TO ALLOW FOR FANFICTION! NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE LAID OUT BECAUSE WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT LEAVE PEOPLE TO WRITE? THIS WAY WE CAN LET PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN THEORIES ABOUT THE SPECIFIC RELATIONSHIP OF OT3!

I get it, you want to know seeing yourself in the character is valid, but allowing certain things to be left open to interpretation let's OTHER PEOPLE continue to see themselves in these characters! WHY do you want that to be taken away from THEM?!

OT3 IS ALREADY FUCKING CANON! IT'S FUCKING CONFIRMED! PLEASE LEAVE IT AT THAT AND SHUT THE FUCK UP SAYING THAT YOU NEED TO SEE SOMETHING MORE EXPLICIT ON SCREEN BECAUSE THAT ERASES THE REP THAT'S ALREADY THERE! IT ERASES THE REP YOU AND COUNTLESS OTHERS ALREADY SEE! IT'S THE SAME MOTHER FUCKING PROBLEM IN THE FUCKING SUPERNATURAL FANDOM!

DONT LET THAT SHIT IN OUR HOUSE!

YOU ARE ERASING THE QUEER AND POLY REP THAT IS ALREADY THERE BY SAYING IT'S NOT CANON UNLESS YOU GET SOMETHING ON SCREEN WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE WORD OF GOD CONFIRMATION OF WHAT WAS MEANT BY ELIOT'S STATEMENT IN THE OG FINALE!

WHAT THE EVER-LIVING-FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE ERASING THE MASTERFUL SUBTEXT AND SUBTLE-ISH TEXT THEY HAD TO PUT IN THROUGH DIALOGUE AND COSTUMING AND BEHAVIOR THAT THE CREATIVE TEAM POURED THEIR LOVE AND SOUL INTO TO SHOW YOU OT3 WAS THERE?! THEY DID THAT! AND YOU ARE ERASING THEIR HARD WORK AND BEAUTIFUL ART BY SAYING IT ISN'T THERE ENOUGH! YOU ARE ERASING JOHN ROGERS' AND THE CREW'S METICULOUS WORK BECAUSE YOU WANT MORE?! FUCK THE FUCK OFF! WE DONT GET STORIES THIS, BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED DOWN TO COMPLEX DESIGN AND COMPLEX BEHAVIORAL ELEMENTS, IN NEARLY ANY OTHER GODDAMN SHOW OUT THERE! THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS IN THE SUBTLE DETAILS PUT INTO THIS SHOW IN SUCH A GODDAMN ARTISTIC AND BRILLIANT WAY, AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO ERASE THAT BECAUSE THEY CANT APPRECIATE ART! IF YOU REALLY LOVE THE WRITERS, THEN ACTUALLY APPRECIATE THEIR WORK, DAMNIT!

BE BETTER THAN THOSE IDIOTS THAT ROAM THE SPN FANDOM THAT SAY "THIS WASN'T ENOUGH" WHEN IT WAS SPLAYED OUT EVERYWHERE! BE BETTER THAN THAT!

157 notes • Posted 2021-05-06 03:05:35 GMT

#3

Gina Bellman's Twitter, April 5th, 2021

(Link)

Pretty impressive shape it's in, all things considered.

215 notes • Posted 2021-04-05 15:35:50 GMT

#2

Dean Devlin: Twitter, May 19th, 2021

217 notes • Posted 2021-05-19 21:57:40 GMT

#1

April 23rd, 2021

See the full post

7717 notes • Posted 2021-04-23 17:49:50 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[nyxelestia]

Hello Nyxie, I just wanted to drop by and tell you that you are an awesome person and don't deserve hate that you get. Also wanted to ask you about how do you think TW will end? Many TW meta people have predicted the end but they are mostly anti-Scott and make bizarre predictions, I just wanted you ask you, as you mostly keep Scott's character true to his and make meta's unlike other people who will not be named. (Also sorry for my english, I'm not a native english speaker) Thank You. 😊😊😊

Hey, anon - thank you so much! ♥ And I'm so sorry for taking so long to get back to you sooner. I've been a bit bogged down, lately.

Anyway, I'm going to say right now speculation ahead of time is really not my thing, so I don't have that much insight to offer. What I do have...

Firstly, I've seen a lot of meta - from Tumblr and from elsewhere - jumping to some pretty insane conclusions in their speculation. So I'm going to say that for the most part, I'm relying only on the previews, and on Davis' actual comments and interviews about the show...which really isn't much to work with.

Davis describes the 6B finale as basically an Eldritch abomination. But the sneak previews so far have been about Hunters showing up and coming after the pack.

Normally, I might suggest that this will end in an Aesop about humans being the real monsters or the real ultimate monsters...except that's been one of the central themes of the show since the very beginning, when Kate was the one who murdered innocent people in cold blood for no reason (whereas most of Peter's victims were not innocent and every kill furthered his agenda in one capacity or another). The real villains in Season 2 were both also humans (Matt and Gerard), the Darach used to be human, and many (if not most) of the assassins from Season 4 were humans, too.

Now, that said, Teen Wolf's narrative formula at the seasonal story level is always a 2-villain one. Every season starts with one threat while hinting at another one - only for the hinted threat to turn out to be bigger than the immediate threat. So if the "H.P. Lovecraft inspired monster" is a separate villain/antagonist from the Hunters, then most likely, the Hunters will seem to be the immediate threat, only for it to turn out to be someone or something else.

This is further supported by the combination of Davis' comments about the emotional narrative of the series finale, and the preview for Ep. 611 in particular (in conjuction with the overall 6A preview). Davis remarked that the OG pack are about to leave college, when something happens to "pull" them back (or hold them back). He describes the conflict as being a question about whether or not Scott can really leave the town for a bit, while also claiming that the story is about "the outsider" (though this was said in relation to Theo).

Now, the extended preview of 6B seems to be Scott having some flashbacks about the Argents while out in the woods with Malia and Lydia, and the three of them trying to figure out who'd shot a specific bullet. The 611 episode preview seems to show a moment just after/extending from that scene. So it looks like the season is going to start with someone or something getting shot, and the bullet/the shot somehow making the teens suspicious of Hunters, possibly even/especially Chris Argent. This will, based on all the previous seasons, take up the teens' attention for some time until a bigger threat (the "disgusting" monster that Davis seems to be looking forward to) surfaces.

Davis also mentioned that we're going to be seeing some familiar faces...but, he also kept saying Season 5 would have stuff that it never did and never seemed to indicate was ever planned for or in the works, so I'm hesitant to trust his worn on anything.

I have pretty low expectations of the final season, to be honest. Davis has no real grasp of contrast - i.e. he comments that he hates the "cliches" of high school moments or scenes because "they have no tension". What he fails to realize is that they're not supposed to - they are supposed to create moments of calm and peace that can then be threatened or broken by the actual, plotted tension. He's really great at writing emotional darkness...and nearly useless at telling any other kind of story outside of that. Based on the interviews, he's almost proud of how emotional-but-otherwise-nonsensical 6A was. He often throws things in just for the hell of it even when it adds nothing to the plot and when it's nonsensical enough to even detract from it.

Meanwhile, he apparently can't think of stories for characters of color that don't interest him, but he has no problem beating dead horses into the ground, such as "Malia's relationship with Peter" - one which she clearly does not want and has no interest in, having chosen her last name to be Tate and calling Mr. Tate her dad and calling her adoptive mother and sister her family. (Even all the way back in Season 2, Davis strove for cheap adoption drama, and for some reason he can't let it go. Combined with the prevalence of shitty or abusive fathers in his writing...Davis' daddy issues are showing and that man really needs family therapy, stat. Or he's fine, but only really knows one or two formulae to generate family drama and has no idea how to work outside of those.)

I digress.

The emotional question seems to be about whether or not Scott, the town's (in Stiles' own words) sworn protector, can really leave it behind. Is this in the pragmatic sense of, Can Scott afford to leave the town's safety in the hands of the parents and the Next Gen pack? Or, is it the more abstract sense of whether Scott can leave supernatural trauma behind to pursue his dreams? Or both?

Davis says he's not a big fan of high school cliches, so he may very well end the story with "Scott has to abandon his dreams to stay in town to protect it" to be edgy. I hope not, but I wouldn't be all that surprised either way.

Conversely, though - the Argent family nutjobs have been at the root of almost all the villains and problems of Teen Wolf thus far. In Seasons 1, 2, and 4, the main villains were Hunters, the villains of 3A only existed because of a psychotic Argent Hunter (everything going back to Gerard turning on Deucalion in the past), and in Season 5, Marcel was trying to bring back his best friend, an Argent ancestor. The villains of 3B and 6A have so far been the only ones to not be resulting from or connected to the Argent family nutjobs in some manner. (Those were also the seasons where the Good Argents shone the most - Allison stepping up to the plate as a leader until she died in the 'line of duty' in 3B, and Chris dedicating so much time and energy to protecting the pack and even bonding with the mother of an alpha werewolf in 6A).

So it could very well be that some distant remnants of the Argent family, or other Hunters besides, are more directly connected to the Eldritch abomination - or may even be trying and failing to use it. Or, much like even the most monstrous forms started out looking human (i.e. La Bete stemming from Mason and Sebastian), it could be that the monster is looking lik Hunters, or somehow 'hiding' behind/being masked by Hunters.

I'd say "we'll see", but 6B is supposed to be getting promoted or even aired by now, and the fact that it's not is worrisome...