#are from angles that are relatively less popular

[rauferes]

I just wanted to say it's been really nice getting to be horny on main in the Emmrich fandom. I haven't had that dynamic with my friends for a while, and I've missed it.

It's also nice that everyone I've interacted with has fun sharing him. OUR boy toy.

[1-800-deactivatednearu]

click to see the first image at full size!

[image description: two digital drawings. first is of scout's ma as a drag queen. she is posed like the engraving on the side of the ambassador, standing with one leg bent slightly and a smug smile. she holds one open fan in front of her thigh and the other behind her head, both blue and with "Bang!" written in white cursive. the front fan is slightly bloodstained. she wears a navy pinstripe sheath dress that buttons up the front and a detached shirt collar and bow tie. the collar is square, with lapels like a suit jacket. she has blue eye shadow, red lipstick, and sharply contoured cheekbones.

second drawing is of spy sitting at her feet as she lights his cigarette, holding his jaw in her hand. scout's ma wears a lighter blue dress with long sleeves and a back cutout, striped with yellow and dark blue. spy is a drag king is a large black furry coat with light brown trim, a straw hat, pink pants, and a leather harness. /end description.]

shes mama but she also responds to mommy ;)

(she/her pronouns for mama, he/him pronouns for james bondage (drag king spy)!)

the thought process talk got a little long, see more under the cut!

the main inspiration was honestly her beehive and the hand fans in the ambassador engraving and then i ran with it :) was looking at her and thinking that her design is so distinct its fairly easy to keep recognizable (for anyone curious, its the beehive, headband, mod dress, square neckline, belt)

the first design is based off spy films! the ambassador was an incredibly strong influence . i would not call this a masc look by any stretch of the imagination but i was aiming for relatively more masc . i was somewhat inspired by james bond i think? but its not too unique of a look . it can be any spy . it could even be tf2 spy! which is why she has a matching belt and watch

a bit of a relic of the past (as in ideas on the cutting room floor) is that her sleeves are so puffy because i was considering having her dress be made of a shiny material and i like how light looks on scrunchy shiny material :)

the fans say bang because i think it would be incredibly funny to snap them open . dont worry about the blood . i was planning for her to have a gun strapped to her leg but theres no space for it, unfortunately :(

the second is the result of challenging myself to vary her dress a little more while keeping the same silhouette . its not too exciting in changes construction wise! but the back cutout is because i love rendering skin and if the angle permits it then... i was leaning more into the mod dress look with the patterning this time around, its a lot lighter this time around in colors because i deserve more fun coloring this time around! tossed in yellow as the popular accent color of choice .

james bondage is far less inspired whoops . the plan was more or less "i want to make him look like an expensive cat" . the leather harness was realizing i have got to capitalize off the bondage part . i do not know how to feel about the wearing it over a jacket that big

with james bondage i went pose first, then clothes, then clothes on the pose. which is to say, this outfit is probably more exciting without the jacket . whoops!

[image description: digital sketch of spy's full outfit from the drawing of him with scout's ma. obscured details: his black gloves are at opera length with belts attached, the straw hat has a ribbon that match his pants, the pants have two buttons as opposed to one for the fly, and he is wearing ankle length boots with stilettos and red soles. end description.]

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: bluegill

This series goes all over the world; from the tropics to the poles to the deep sea. After all that, it can be nice to go home. For this Wet Beast Wednesday I'm going back to my spawnpoint of Illinois and discussing the state fish: the bluegill.

(Image: a bluegill underwater. It is a round fish flattened on the sides. It is green on the top ans fades to yellow on the sides. The underside of the chin is bright blue and behind the head is a bright orange patch. End ID)

Lepomis macrochirus is the most popular and famous of genus Lepomis, known as the sunfish or true sunfish (not to be confused with ocean sunfish). These fish are native to freshwater lakes, streams, wetlands, and rivers of North America and all share a fleshy ear flap extending from the operculum and are usually quite colorful. Bluegills are large for sunfish, which isn't saying much. Adults can reach and average of between 10 and 30 cm (4-12 in) and the largest bluegill on record reached a whopping 41 cm (16 cm) and was weighed in at 4 lbs 12 ox (2.2 kg). Bluegills and flattened and deep bodies with fused dorsal fins and spines in both the dorsal and anal fins that help prevent predation. The fish are brightly colored, but coloration varies widely based on size, diet, time of year, location, and many other factors. Because of this, two bluegill can look like completely different fish. Their bodies can range from dark green to orange, darkest on the top, and they usually have green faces with blue markings on the chin and bottom of the face that give them their common name. The "breast" region just below and behind the head ranges from yellow to orange and is usually a bright orange in mature males. A key feature is that the ear flap is black. Bluegills usually grow more brightly colored during mating season and less colorful other times of the year. There is a series of vertical stripes going down the side of the body that can quickly be darkened as a threat display.

(Image: a bluegill in a net with its stripes in full display. End ID)

Bluegill are skilled swimmers thanks to the shape and flexibility of their fins and the amount of fine control they have over them. This lets the fish maneuver gracefully through obstacles and confined spaces that other fish would struggle in and turn while not having to move forward. Bluegills are also one of a relatively few fish that are skilled at swimming backwards. This requires very different fin motion than swimming forwards. When swimming forwards, bluegills use their tail fin to provide thrust with the other fins helping with steering as is typical for fish. While swimming backwards, the dorsal and anal fins provide thrust while the pectoral fins are moved in a rowing motion to provide steering. Bluegills are also fast swimmers, their slender bodies allowing them to cut through the water at high speeds. Bluegills are also often used as an example when explaining the c-start escape response. This is a behavior found in tons of fish used to escape from danger. When the fish senses danger, a group of specialized neurons called Mauthner cells activate and control the escape response. The fish bends its body into a C shape. This shape allows for maximum thrust when it rapidly straightens its body out again for a speedy getaway. The c-start escape response is heavily customizable, allowing the fish to shoot off at nearly any angle it needs.

(Image: a young bluegill swimming amongst lilypads. It is not as round as the larger fish and its colors are more muted. End ID)

Bluegills are found in freshwater systems east of the Rocky Mountains (so most of North America) but they have been introduced west of the Rockies and to other parts of the world. They are very adaptable fish that can live in a wide variety of environments. It is probably easier to list bodies of water in North America that don't have bluegill than the other way around. They prefer to live in areas with cover, live brush, aquatic plants, and shady spots. Bluegill are diurnal predators that subsist on aquatic invertebrates like insect and crayfish larvae and worms, along with the occasional smaller fish. In times of famine, they will eat aquatic plants and algae or turn to cannibalism. Like many fish, bluegill feed through suction and they need to get within under 2 centimeters of they prey for the suction to be effective. Bluegills are also prey to larger predatory fish, turtles, birds, raccoons, and otters. Bluegill are mostly active in the morning and evening and will often move between feeding grounds and shelter during the day. They are reported to be aggressive to each other and other fish. Sighs of aggression include darkening their stripes, flaring their ear flaps, and biting.

(Image: someone holding a very fat bluegill. End ID)

Bluegills mate in the summer between May and August. Males will build nests in rocky or sandy bottoms by clearing away sediment to expose hard surfaces. The nests are circular and 15 to 30 cm (6-12 in) in diameter and built in shallow water. Males will swim around their nest to try to attract females through displays and grunting noises. Females carefully analyze the male's displays and appear to prefer males with larger ear flaps. Once a female chooses a male, they will circle each other as the male acts aggressive. Once they meet in the middle of the nest the two will touch their underbellies together, with the male on top, and the female will lay her eggs as the male fertilizes them. The eggs sink into the nest and stick to hard surfaces. After mating, the male takes the kids in the divorce chases the female away and will guard the nest until the eggs hatch and the larvae swim away. During this period, the male will aggressively defend the nest against anything that comes near. They have been known to approach and bite snorkelers who get too close. Females can produce between 1,000 and 100,000 eggs depending on their size. Bluegill will mate multiple times each season. Larvae live in the shallows and feed on plankton. They grow rapidly for their first three years and then slow down. Bluegill can live up to 11 years, but usually live between 5 and 8 years.

(Image: bluegill nests seen from above. The nests are circular depressions filled with pebbles. Each nest has a male hovering over it. End ID)

Bluegill can hybridize with other sunfish, though this is rare in the wild. It usually happens when two sunfish species live in an area with limited nesting ground. The most common hybrid is with the green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) to produce an offspring called a greengill. Greengills are highly varied in appearance and typically between their parents in size. Most greengills seem to be the result of a male bluegill attracting and mating with a female green. Greengills were long thought to be stile as are most hybrids, but a least some second generation hybrids have been discovered. Greengills do have reduced fertility compared to their parent species. Another hybrid that is less commonly seen and not as well studied is the pumpkingill, a hybrid of bluegill and pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus).

(Image: a greengill being held in someone's hand. It is more elongated than a bluegill and reatins the orange breast, blue chin, and black ear flap while being otherwise darker than most bluegills. End ID)

Bluegills are classified as least concern by the IUCN, meaning they are not in danger of extinction. Bluegills have been introduced to waters well outside of the native range by anglers and they have become an invasive species in multiple countries. They are banned from being imported in Germany and Japan because of how invasive they became. Bluegills are highly popular among anglers. They are small and easy enough to catch to be a good target for beginners and large bluegill are a good example of panfish, fish small enough to be cooked in a frying pan. Large males are particularly easy to catch due to their aggressive defense of their nest. Many places have very low populations of large males. Lakes and ponds are frequently stocked with captive-bred bluegill to attract anglers. Population management is important because bluegill can damage the local ecosystem if their numbers grow too large. They can also be introduced to ponds to try to help control aquatic insect populations. Bluegills have little fear of humans, especially in places where people feed them. I personally have been SCUBA diving in a quarry where people feed the fish and the bluegills swam right up to me. Bluegills that are very familiar with people are know to allow themselves to be pet. Bluegills can be kept in captivity, though they need large tanks and tend to be aggressive to other fish.

(Image: a larval bluegill. It is a long, white fish with small fins and a very large eye. A scale identified part of the tail as being 2000 micrometers long. End ID)

[ltwilliammowett]

Reflecting circles

The reflecting circle was invented by the German geometer and astronomer Tobias Mayer in 1752, with details published in 1767. His development preceded the sextant and was motivated by the need to create a superior surveying instrument.

A Mayer circle, 18th century

It is a complete circular instrument graduated to 720° (to measure distances between heavenly bodies, there is no need to read an angle greater than 180°, since the minimum distance will always be less than 180°). Mayer presented a detailed description of this instrument to the Board of Longitude and John Bird used the information to construct one sixteen inches in diameter for evaluation by the Royal Navy. This instrument was one of those used by Admiral John Campbell during his evaluation of the lunar distance method. It differed in that it was graduated to 360° and was so heavy that it was fitted with a support that attached to a belt. It was not considered better than the Hadley octant and was less convenient to use. As a result, Campbell recommended the construction of the sextant.

Jean-Charles de Borda further developed the reflecting circle. He modified the position of the telescopic sight in such a way that the mirror could be used to receive an image from either side relative to the telescope. This eliminated the need to ascertain that the mirrors were precisely parallel when reading zero. This simplified the use of the instrument. Further refinements were performed with the help of Etienne Lenoir. The two of them refined the instrument to its definitive form in 1777. This instrument was so distinctive it was given the name Borda circle or repeating circle. Borda and Lenoir developed the instrument for geodetic surveying. Since it was not used for the celestial measures, it did not use double reflection and substituted two telescope sights. As such, it was not a reflecting instrument. It was notable as being the equal of the great theodolite created by the renowned instrument maker, Jesse Ramsden.

A Jean-Charles de Borda circle, by Étienne Lenoir 1775

Josef de Mendoza y Ríos redesigned Borda's reflecting circle in 1801. The goal was to use it together with his Lunar Tables published by the Royal Society. He made a design with two concentric circles and a vernier scale and recommended averaging three sequential readings to reduce the error. Borda's system was not based on a circle of 360° but 400 grads (Borda spent years calculating his tables with a circle divided in 400°). Mendoza's lunar tables have been used through almost the entire 19th century. Edward Troughton also modified the reflecting circle. He created a design with three index arms and verniers. This permitted three simultaneous readings to average out the error.

A Troughton Circle, 1803

As a navigation instrument, the reflecting circle was more popular with the French navy than with the British.

M. Daumas, Scientific Instruments of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries and Their Makers, London 1989

William Edward May, A History of Marine Navigation, G. T. Foulis & Co. Ltd., Oxfordshire, 1973

Richard, Dunn, Navigational Instruments, London 2016

[lillified]

do the characters, both autobots and decepticons, know primus is essentially their planet or do they view it as a myth? do they see primus as a god or worship him?

hey! that’s a very good question, which leads into the topic of:

Religion

There are several different accounts of the exact details of Cybertronian history, and that is down to several factors: decades of major conflict, information control, the hostile reign of the Quintessons, attempted eradication of language, and many other individual issues to boot. One idea especially in contention is creation.

The account which has dominated discussion for the majority of modern history is one of a divine creator, Primus. The thirteen original Primes, considered to be the first Cybertronians, recall an immense being, Primus, being the source of all life. Many accounts (including Alpha Trion himself) take this literally, depicting Primus as a sort of deity. In this version of events, all elements of Cybertronian history, including the Primes themselves, take on a very mystical quality.

Though the religious angle is the popular one, a different version of the narrative gained interest into the later stages of the Zeta era, especially in scientific circles. Cybertron is not actually a “planet” in the scientific sense of the term—in reality, it is a mass of rock, metal, and space debris encasing a massive “superorganism,” a planet-sized living thing on which the Cybertronians are comparatively microscopic. It is from this organism that all Energon is extracted, and, as far as science is aware, this organism is the only naturally occurring source of it that exists. Its death would inevitably mean the death of all Cybertronian life, in time.

Nobody is in debate about the existence of this organism: what makes it controversial is the speculation surrounding it. Recently, a wave of scientific questioning has posited an evolutionary link between this organism and all life on Cybertron, suggesting that, in one way or another, the superorganism is the last recorded ancestor. The theory suggests that Titans, a class of life on Cybertron, are the closest relatives of the Cybertronians, establishing a direct link to the planet’s modern inhabitants.

Albeit plausible, this theory is extremely controversial in religious circles. Many modern fields of science have named the planetary being the “Primus superorganism,” which, in the minds of many, is sacrilegious. Titans being related to modern Cybertronians would undermine many of the proposed ideas of divine destiny and significance spread throughout history. The Titans themselves are “monstrous” in appearance and behavior, and the idea of Cybertron’s forefather being something so unrecognizable is an existential prospect. In the modern day, these opposing clades of belief, called “divine truthers” and “Titan originalists” clash mercilessly.

While a breadth of modern knowledge supports the latter conclusion, it does beg the question: if this is true, why do so many, including original Primes themselves, dispute the idea? The answer may also lie in history. Alpha Trion fought on the side of Prima in the First War, a devastating conflict which split the original Primes and their people down the middle. Following the defeat of Megatronus and their allies, it was in Prima’s favor to control all accounts of history, writing them to be in his favor as the destined winner of this conflict. Even following his death, and, eventually, the reign of the Quintessons, this reasoning stuck around, finding new life as a way to hold up pre-Quintesson era Cybertron as a wonderful, utopian society. Alpha Trion was not a stranger to omitting and adjusting his accounts of history to make his place in it less controversial. Still, though, there is a very real chance we will never know whether he believes what he says.

[alilbatflies]

Just Cake #3

by popular demand (2 people asked) (hello) (thank you for commenting! it means a lot even if I don't manage to answer perhaps)

Part 1, Part 2

... ... ...

“Look who we’ve caught,” an entirely too sweet voice said. “Well, aren’t you two adorable?”

The villain was growling now. A low, guttural sound which the henchman has only heard in life-threatening situations, usually forced out by the desperate struggle of survival. Now it was a promise of violence, get closer I dare you, a promise of slaughter and doom.

They tried to angle their head to glimpse whoever had the honour of experiencing such a threat.

The person shuffled to the side, no doubt measuring them in turn. They were all cloak and magic glowing through two bright orange eyes.

Supervillain.

They were so screwed. Utterly fucked.

The supervillain measured them both.

They seemed… wary. Ridiculous, given that the two potential threats were trapped in a power-suppressing net. Ridiculous, given that the supervillain was a supervillain for a reason—spectacular amount of magical skill and all.

Although the henchman could admit they wouldn’t want to be facing their villain’s growling and claws either. Even through a net. There were holes.

“You’re not superhero.”

The confusion triggered by such statement startled the villain out of their instinctual reaction. They stopped growling, although they were still baring their teeth.

“I was not expecting anyone else,” the supervillain said. “Perhaps that pesky hero who lurks around them sometimes, but not a fellow criminal.”

Fellow criminal, huh? The henchman assumed the supervillain was trying to convince them that they’re all on the same side. Perhaps the idea of a potential furious threat unsettled them, no matter the current cage around it.

Well, it wasn’t like they particularly wanted to stay in the bloody uncomfortable trap.

“In that case,” the henchman said, “I suppose you wouldn’t mind getting us out of the net?”

“Should I?”

…the henchman had assumed wrong.

While they probably were on a similar kind of boat regarding their criminal activities, the supervillain hadn’t had any proper motivation to let them go. They weren’t especially close or anything.

And yet, still standing there. Still watching the two criminals swinging in their net as if they somehow held the answers to the universe.

The supervillain had options.

First, they could let them out. The best outcome but severely unlikely.

Second, they could close a bargain of some kind. I’ll only let you out if… which was less favourable, but it would still mean getting out relatively quickly.

Third, they could leave them trapped.

It occurred to the henchman that while there was little chance of them making it out then, the supervillain couldn’t possibly know that. Their villain’s powers were speculated on so many levels it had led to more confusion than clarity in the industry. That could work out in their favour.

The henchman was no mind reader. They couldn’t possibly know how much of a threat did the supervillain consider them at the moment. Nevertheless, the supervillain was still standing there.

Nevertheless, the supervillain didn’t seem entirely convinced leaving them hanging was their best option.

They could work with that.

They decided to play their cards according to their instincts. The villain still hovered over them, a display of teeth and taunt like an arrow ready to take flight and slaughter. Their most wild card, a whisper of carnage. A terrifying ace.

The henchman loved them so.

“You had no quarrel with us before this… incident,” the henchman said. They focused on keeping their tone light, conversational. “Although, now that the situation has changed, perhaps you’re excited to find out how we settle the score, hm?”

Their look met the orange eyes. The supervillain probably found them crazy, threatening from within the containment. They felt insane. They felt the thrill run through them.

“Let us go, so the beast doesn’t have to claw its way out.”

On cue, the villain growled.

The supervillain hesitated.

It was a brief and finely concealed blip of emotion, barely slipping past the dangerous façade. Surely the villain couldn’t be so terrifying as to startle them. And yet.

The supervillain drew a smile, entirely too sharp in its flawless elegance. “Of course.” Then they proceeded to pull shears out of nowhere.

The henchman tried not to be impressed too bad. They hadn’t had much time to ponder about the practicality of the supervillain’s pockets relevant to such level of preparedness, since the net was cut down. There was little regard for the fact they would hit the ground.

The henchman couldn’t care less about the fall as their magic roared to life inside them. It pushed along their bones and crashed into their skin from within. It settled then, nesting in their body like a monster in its cave.

Belatedly, they realized the villain shielded the back of their neck and head from impact with their arm.

There was absolutely no dignified way to get out of the tangle of ropes.

Once the henchman managed, they realized the villain was standing over them protectively, placing themselves between them and the supervillain.

The villains stared each other down. It seemed a stalemate.

“I appreciate you understand plans fall through sometimes,” the supervillain said. “It was not my intention to harm you.”

“As displayed,” the henchman noted quietly.

The villain considered this. They nodded in acknowledgement.

The henchman itched to get out of another’s territory. They were sure the villain didn’t want to linger either.

“Could you give us directions from the forest?” they asked. “We would dislike to meddle with any of your other… endeavours.”

The supervillain tilted their head.

“What I mean is…” The henchman pulled the net up from beneath their feet, holding it out. “We wouldn’t want to mess with your handiwork.”

The supervillain grinned as they took the cluster of ropes, a little feral, a little genuine. They did point the two in a certain direction. They tipped their head at the villain before seemingly dissolving back into the forest and vanishing.

“Bloody hell.”

The villain inclined their head. Then they turned and started away. “Luckily not.”

“Luckily not,” the henchman huffed in echo, following short behind. “Extremely insightful as always, boss.”

“Hm.”

They luckily didn’t stumble into any more traps on their way back.

The henchman was so not sleeping that night.

...

Part 4

[joshfuckingkiszka]

𝔈𝔫𝔡 𝔊𝔞𝔪𝔢 - 𝔍𝔐𝔎

jmk x f!reader

first of many, enjoy ;)

THIS BLOG IS 18+ MINORS DNI

warnings: mentions of alcohol, fake dating trope (it's a fave and I not be sorry), bit of angst, josh is a cutie

taylor's version masterpost

reputation masterpost

☮

Young Starlet Caught in Compromising Position!

Your publicist was less than pleased about the headline. Even though you had insisted nothing had happened, and that picture was simply a case of a bad angle. It wasn’t looking great, though. To be fair, the picture was pretty bad. A bruise painted your neck, lipstick smudged around your mouth as some guy grabbed your hips from behind.

It would be hard to explain yourself out of that one, to be honest. Regardless of whether the picture was accurately depicting your actions of the night, the fans had seen it. Your image had already been tainted in their eyes, and it would be nearly impossible to recover. 

Big reputation, big reputation Ooh, you and me, we got big reputations, ah

Rather than attempting to, it was decided that you required a rebrand. It started with the incorporation of darker clothes into your “wardrobe” - quoted only because it was what was chosen for you. Interviews began to shift to questioning the possibility of heavier music, to which you would coyly suggest it was possible. 

Then you released a new single. It caught the attention of rock fans everywhere. There was a sudden call for a genre change, which you hoped so desperately for. The last few years of your life had made you feel like a sell out. You traded the humanity and meaning in your music for tracks that would generate streams and ranks on charts. 

Within a couple years, no one remembered the popstar you had been. It was all about the rockstar you had become. And you were a big one. 

It wasn’t overwhelming anymore. The work you put in was hard and abundant, but it was genuine. It showed in the love that poured from the fans over social media and in the crowds of your sold out shows. 

A world tour was in the talks and an opening act was in question. Someone suggested a band you had heard a handful of times before: Greta Van Fleet, not that you ever really had time to immerse yourself in a new band. From the videos you’d seen and the songs you’d heard, you would be lucky to have them on tour with you. They were getting relatively popular and you knew you had to strike fast to get them on the setlist. 

“I have a surprise for you!” Gene, your publicist, exclaimed in a sing-song tune. 

“Ugh, last time you said that, I had a snake draped over my body. Still mad at you for that, actually.” You only looked up from your phone for the last sentence, otherwise preoccupied with a daunting game of 8 Ball with your best friend. 

“Well, this one I’m not sure is much better, if we’re being honest,” he trailed off, “the label loves you, you know that.” 

“Uh oh.” You weren’t worried. 

“But in a recent poll, they found that fans think you’re …how do I put this …boring?” He strung his words together carefully, as to not offend you. It wasn’t his tone of voice that concerned you. 

“Boring?! I’m practically fucking a mic stand every night!” 

“Not enough anymore, babe.” He was being rather nonchalant, and you realized that being called “boring” wasn’t even the main issue that was being presented. 

You narrowed your eyes at him, “So what are they going to do about it, Gene.” His name came out like the sparking embers of a fire on the forest floor. 

And I heard about you, ooh (yeah) You like the bad ones too

That was how you ended up at an intimate restaurant in Nashville, across from Josh Kiszka. He was nervous and it was actually kind of cute. It reminded you of a real date, something you hadn’t had in ages. 

“I like your dress. Green. That’s my favorite color,” his eyes raked over the silk of your dress. It extended to your ankles, a slit daring to expose your leg. The straps were a little tight, and prevented you from wearing a normal bra, and the tape holding up your breasts was peeling from sweat. 

“I know,” you chuckled, “everything about this is set up to be as persuasive as possible.”

“Oh. Either way. It looks great on you.” He was genuine, and as the night went on, you found that it wasn’t even his most endearing trait. 

Just as the clock was about to hit 11, he was standing on your front porch, wishing he didn’t have to leave. This was an arrangement, a plan to draw attention to the both of you, driving up streams and ticket sales. 

As you stood on your porch, hand lingering on the door as if it was a riddle, so close to him that you could practically taste the wine on his lips, you realized something. You realized that you were going to inevitably fall in love with Josh Kiszka, undeniable force meets immovable object. It was almost expected that dread would fill your stomach as you recognized this fate, but it never came. Instead, butterflies flew in its place. 

I've passed days without fun, this endgame is the one With four words on the tip of my tongue I'll never say

A month and half later, and several dates to show, you had proven yourself correct. But, who could blame you? What about Josh wasn’t lovable? 

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” you announced to the meeting. There were a few label executives, Gene, and Josh with his team. 

“What?” Josh was the first to say anything, and his face portrayed betrayal. 

“Yeah, what he said,” Gene added. 

You sighed, “I don’t want to pretend to be in a relationship anymore. That’s not what my job is, and I don’t see how it adds any value to my music.” 

“B-But, this is what’s going to sell the tickets. A love story, performing together in the throes of romance.” You glared at the executive. 

“No, our raw talent and meaningful music will sell tickets. I will not be told who I can date, when I can see them, and especially when I can break up with them. If that’s a problem, I’m sure another record label would have no problem meeting my demands.” 

This is what drew Josh to you: your fiery passion. In spite of that, he was upset, especially since you hadn’t even discussed it with him. He was under the impression that you liked him, maybe even liked him. God, he felt like a middle schooler again, paired with the pretty girl for a project only for her to ask for a different partner halfway through. 

I don't wanna touch you (I don't wanna be) Just another ex-love (you don't wanna see)

As it turns out, the label no longer had a problem meeting your demands. You waited outside the board room for Josh, pulling him aside when he came out, head hung low. 

“It’s not you, trust me.” 

“Oh, then it’s you?” 

“No. Listen, I don’t want to be told to date you, or what happens over the course of our ‘relationship.’ I don’t want the pressure of having to pretend to love you.” 

“I get it, believe me. You don’t have to explain.” 

“I want to do it by myself, on my terms. Love you, I mean. And believe me, I do.” 

He looked up for the first time, his eyes were beautiful. But you already knew that. 

“I don’t want to have to forget you, and never see you again because the tour is over. I want our love to be ours, and no one else’s.” 

Josh smiled, he agreed.

I wanna be your endgame, endgame

〚taglist〛

gvf: @doodle417, @brokenbellz, @gretavanfleas, @pyrojoshy, @greta-van-chaos, @xserenax-13, @hayley1623, @kdarling1, @autumns30, @keighoe, @chalametpwk, @sammysvanfeet, @shawnsthighs, @gretavanbitches, @sammiejane22, @gretavanbestie, @jordierama, @alexxavicry, @spark-my-nature, @rainy-darling

joshy: @prophetofthedune, @loofypoofy, @gretavangracee

[destinyc1020]

Oh the Denzel quote is interesting n i have a lot of thoughts. Michaels been a top actor for awhile so atp i dnt think he really needs to engage in social media as much rn. Bt i look at someone like Z who was obvs on Disney bt built a following at the beginning of her career by using socila media a lot. Then once she got more acclaimed roles (n prb just got tired of being online), dsnt use it as much bcuz shes a A lister now. Denzel is from a different era where social media wasnt important, now it is. I have no idea if the young actor from Sinners (who sings) is on social media bt he could use social media to his advantage esp since he is a singer and actor. If you have different interests/talents than just being a actor, i think social media can help with that (Dua Lipa has a book club thats become a business). I would assume some type of social media following can help you get brand deals quicker, if that smthn a newbie is interested in. I think some actors can also do too much posting-take Sydney, who i think can lay off on the posts esp since shes a top young actor. You dnt want yr IG to look yr an influencer instead of a actor.

I totally agree with every single thing you said!

While I would rather prefer an actor just not be on social media at all vs. posting all the time like an annoying influencer and attention-seeking weirdo 🙄 , at the same time, we're not in the 90s, we're in 2025, and unfortunately, social media is here to stay, and it has a great influence on casting decisions for SOME studios, especially if they want to ensure butts in seats for their movie.

I follow Michael, and I feel like he has a great balance on his social media account. He posts work-related stuff, but he also posts some personal stuff too, once in a while. He doesn't do too much. He's not cringey lol.

But if he wants to post less, then that wouldn't be bad either I guess? I just think that for poc, it's already hard anyway to get recognized in this industry. With Michael's track record, he really should be more of a household name than he is (jmho), but it's Hollywood, so, ya know. 🙄

Listen.... I'm all for an actor doing WHATEVER they want to do, and whatever makes them feel most comfortable. Even if posting a little more would help boost their image or popularity a bit more, I'm not going to say that an actor HAS to do anything, because let's be honest, not every actor out here wants to be a superstar. Some just wanna act and don't really want immense fame. They want to just still be able to live life normally or at least relatively normally lol.

So, whatever makes an actor most comfortable is what I'm fine with. If an about doesn't want to own social media, or rarely wants to post, then that's their right, and I fully respect that.

At the same time, I do agree with Denzel as well to some degree. It's like the old saying, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? 👀🤷🏾‍♀️ If an actor makes themselves TOO overly accessible, at the same time, it can lessen or cheaper their brand. This is probably why "movie stars" have kind of lessened in number.

When you can easily check your favorite celebrity's social media page, or see a glimpse into their private life that they post, or easily take photos with them while they're out and about and then post it to your feed for all the world to see, it makes them seem more ATTAINABLE. And movie stars were always UNattainable. That's what made them so special. We weren't on their level.

Now, actors are so attainable that we feel like we're on THEIR level now, and in some way, it makes them less glorious. We can now buy soap with their bathwater, and we now have fans asking actors for their phone numbers while out and about rofl 🤣 😆 😂

It's crazy!! 🤪

Anyway, i totally see what Denzel is saying, and in a lot of ways, he's right! The problem is, he's coming from an angle of an older generation where the world was a lot different back then. Newer/younger actors may have to play a slightly different game. The road to fame is slightly different these days.

[necrolatryst]

Short History of Popular Magical Orders of Vampyrism

Note: This article will address the three largest Vampyric Orders and not the Houses and Covens, as that will be too much of a venture in one article.

Temple of Set was formed after a disagreement on the future of Satanism between Anton LaVey and Michael Aquino in the 1970's. Aquino wanted a more academic and magical society, but LaVey preferred the less ceremonial and trully hedonistic approach. Religious (Setian) versus epicurian (Satanic) is how I percieve this dichotomy of these Left-Hand Path organizations.

In 1984 Lilith Aquino, Michael Aquino's wife, created the Order of the Vampyre. There is little documentation outside of the Order itself. Short articles here and there and Don Webb's (Uncle Setnakt's) book, Energy Magick of the Vampyre.

While the Church of Satan wasn't into the mystical so much, some members branched out creating the Temple of the Vampire. The Temple of the Vampire is like a 'secret hidden in plain sight'. All of the literature and teachings are available for purchase directly on their website. Benefits of active membership are all of their Teaching material is half the price and free reign of their Lifeforce Forum.

Temple of the Vampire was founded by Nemo in 1989, or at least publically announced, as a mail order group. You would send $10 monthy and recieve a newsletter with their Teachings. Today it is still only $20 with a government ID and you are thus an active member.

A more recent Vampyre Order is the Black Order of the Dragon within the Order of Phosphorus run by Michael W Ford. The literature is spread throughout several books, the most prominent being Book of the Witch Moon, Akhkharu and Sekem-Apep.

Michael W Ford formulated his philosophy as a former member of Order of Nine Angles, and as far as I have researched, he left them and their bigoted ideals behind. Ford started to study the works of Andrew Chumbley and Austin Osman Spare. He was fortunate enough to have correspondence with Kenneth and Steffi Grant, unoffical archivists of Spare.

Commonalities and Differences

Although each of these groups share the vampire as archetype and the 'psychic' method of feeding, they also each have unique ways of presenting. It must be understood that the vampire has a rich history from zombie like creatures in ancient folklore to beautiful pale skinned sex icons in modern media. Black Order of the Dragon seems to be the only one respecting the folkloric vampires with its diverse approach of black magic through working with hags, varcolaci, and even werewolves.

Order of the Vampyre and Temple of the Vampire consider themselves outside and wholly different then the general Vampyre Community. They are each an elitist branch of Vampirysm that considers the larger Vampyre Community below them and filled with ignorance and criminal activity, namely blood drinking.

That elitism stems from their roots in the Church of Satan, as they espouse being the 'only real Satanism!' Both the Aquino family and Nemo knew Anton LaVey personally and you will find a large portion of Temple of the Vampire members also share membership with the Church of Satan, so it makes sense they all share the same close minded approach.

Controversy and Conclusion

Note: I cannot say for sure if these claims are true or false, as people fall into the Satanic Panic logic, or on the other end, blind devotion. As with all things secretive and relatively unknown, proceed with caution and assume nothing. Educate yourself first and foremost.

From White Supremacy to child grooming, rumors abound in all spiritual circles, especially those in the domains of Satanism and Vampyrism. The only group with any solid evidence of such is Order of Nine Angles. They have associations with Atomwaffen Division (also known as the National Socialist Resistance Front), a White Supremecist para military cell with assissination attempts on military personnel.

In the Tempel ov Blood literature, an offshoot of Order of Nine Angles, they espouse the ritual killing of humans and grooming of children either for vampyric feeding or ritual sacrifice. The Order of Nine Angles signed a public letter to disband, but they most likely just went underground to rebrand.

Michael W Ford left Order of Nine Angles and their philosophy behind as mentioned earlier. He now runs a Left-Hand Path online occult shop and makes YouTube videos on his brand of Luciferianism.

Both the Church of Satan and Temple of Set did have Nikolas Shreck as High Priest for a number of years who was the founder of the Grotto Werewolf Radio during his time with the Church of Satan. Radio Werewolf wqs heavily influenced by the Nazi Skinhead movement as a reflection of the Nazi Youth philosophy. They used various forms of recruitment including neo-nazi punk shows, megaphone preaching while driving, and handing out flyers. Shreck left the Church of Satan decades ago and is now calling himself a Setian Buddhist or some such.

While Michael Aquino is a former General who helped found and develop the Psychic Operations division of the U.S. Military, there is no evidence of a satanic cabal within the government. There are rumors of child grooming and human sacrifice related to Aquino but nothing beyond speculation at this point.

Sources:

Stephen Sennitt, Infernal Texts: Nox & Liber Koth, Page 47-50: Radio Werewolf, The Original Falcon Press, 1997-1998

Stephen Sennitt, Infernal Texts: Nox & Liber Koth, Pages 17-19: Satanism, Blasphemy, and the Black Mass, To Original Falcon Press, 1997-1998

https://extremismterms.adl.org/glossary/order-nine-angles-o9a-ona

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53141759 (O9A and links to violent extremism and pedophilia)

www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1989/04/27/AIDS-tests-urged-for-Army-day-care-kids/8139609652800/ (allegations against Aquino that were soon discarded due to lack of evidence)

https://cdapress.com/news/2021/jul/15/man-convicted-sexual-abuse/ (this isn't about Michael Aquino of the Temple of Set. Sharing to show how misinformation could have possibly been spread)

[nadekofannumber1]

An interesting phenomena I’ve seen get more popular recently is English covers of japanese songs made by japanese people. For the sake of translation some could say how they do it is more reliable than the simple literal translations you get for anime OPs generally speaking (which require more digging to often get a good reading of the meaning).

Unfortunately I don’t exactly recommend listening to all of them, as a lot actually prioritize the translation over the flow even for bigger songs with official english covers. It’s a quirk of translation honestly, it really shows the little things between something like style, literal meaning, and nuanced meaning in translation text.

This is also an English cover made for japanese people. It fascinates me honestly, compared to other translations the ending song is way more arc literal here than there. But also because it’s more about the translation I still think it’s an interesting resource to consider. Honestly I’d like some more of these sorts of things just from a translation angle. Translation miscommunications cause a lot of interesting misinterpretations of how something is intended to be read, I suppose because something like otaku music or OPs are such a quick job and extremely hobbyist relatively speaking people pay attention to it less and occasionally decide to go off vibes or concepts that while fun in a divergent way might accidentally make something make less sense. But that’s translation for you! It’s fun because it’s imperfect.

If I gave an example of misinterpretation via cover I’d go for aishite, for changing to be cooler in translation I could say that the first zetsubou sensei op runs on a turn of phrase of “my axis shakes” (more on the concept of stability and picking apart a saying in an overdramatic serious/silly way, as the show really likes to do) but that didn’t quite go through on many subs and instead got lyrics about the fraying of rope which is fun but not what is said (I do think it’s a fun one though). There’s a lot of interesting examples of these things, higurashi’s first op’s early translations is a good example of misinterpretation. A part of that op is built on more traditional japanese schoolkid horror involving wordplay and refrences to children’s games (some of which have English counter(or at least similar)parts with names that change regionally but I believe are most popular as Simon says, blind tiger, Marco Polo.) however the translator didn’t know this and thus mistranslated under the assumption that it was going for a more traditional horror theme lyrics, even though games are pretty integral to the identity of the series.

Anyway all this is to say that I think it coming from the other side is interesting.

[saltedsnailstudio]

how do you print your linocuts so beautifully on fabric?? every time i try it’s so salty and illegible! :0 is it the ink you use?? thanks!

Aw, thank you!

So, honestly, there’s a lot of different things that go into a successful fabric print. Experimentation pays off - try a bunch of different things and take note of what works! I’ll share a bit of what I’ve learned in my own trial and error:

Choosing the right fabric is absolutely CRUCIAL. You want something with a nice, tight weave and a relatively smooth surface. I’ve gotten to a point where I can usually tell by touch if a fabric is going to print well, but I still screw this up occasionally. I’d suggest snagging an old bedsheet from a thrift store and going to town testing different techniques with it. Seriously, old bedsheets tend to print beautifully, especially the cheap ones that are a blend of cotton & synthetic fibers.

You’ll have to ink your linoleum block slightly more for fabric prints than you would for working with papers. Laying down many thin layers of ink onto your block rather than one thick layer is the way to go. Build up the ink gradually. I then lay my blocks face down onto fabric to print, the opposite of how I print onto paper. With paper, the paper lays on top of the block. With fabric, the block lays on top of the fabric.

I use a woodzilla lever press to get an even distribution of pressure but I’ve seen folks achieve beautiful results just by pressing hard with their hands, barrens, or standing/stepping onto the block. In my experience, it’s very easy to accidentally shift the block when printing on fabric by hand so you want to be extra careful to press straight DOWN and not at any sort of angle that may smudge your print.

I know other printmakers who prefer to work with rubber (such as speedball’s speedy carve) when printing fabric rather than linoleum. I always prefer to work with battleship grey lino, but there are some benefits to working with rubber. Linoleum is slightly porous, meaning it will absorb some ink, where as the ink will just sit on top of a rubber surface. The slight squishiness of rubber tends to mean you need a bit less pressure to get a legible print which can be really useful when printing on fabric. I’m not a huge fan of the way rubber carves but if it doesn’t bother you, you might have better luck with that.

Finally, you mentioned ink. I use cranfield caligo safewash inks for all my prints, both paper and fabric. I absolutely love working with these inks. They’re oil based inks but they’re water soluble before they dry, so they’re a bit easier to clean up than traditional oil inks. (Please keep in mind you should never be washing oil ink down drains, though! It pollutes our water!! A tiny bit of vegetable oil and wet wipes/alcohol will do the trick when cleaning up.) once the print is dry, it’s no longer water soluble thus it’s safe to hand wash any of my fabric prints with cool water. I’ve messed around a bit with speed ball’s inks before and honestly…………………. I hate them. I know they’re super popular but I despise working with them. I greatly prefer the texture of the cranfield inks.

Sorry for chattering on and on, but there really is a lot of different variables when it comes to printing on fabric (and honestly I just love to talk shop). I hope something in this monologue is useful to you, anon!

[richmond-rex]

this sounds a little petty 😂 - or maybe it's a genuinely valid piece of frustration, idk - but whenever I see a list of Tudor queens or Tudor queen consorts and Elizabeth of York is either 1) not on the list or 2) regarded as one of the less "important" (what does that even mean? idk but people keep saying it) queens, it irritates me so much. You'd think people who care about the Tudors as a historical dynasty would give the first Tudor queen her due, but apparently the most she's good for is vague and rather inaccurate comparisons with Henry VIII's queens. Particularly Jane Seymour, even though I really don't think there's much of a "parallel" between the two women's personalities, queenship, marriages or even appearance at all.

Elizabeth was SO IMPORTANT for the inception of the dynasty. So damn important. Henry VII's route to kingship from 1483 did not begin with him. It didn't begin with him angling for the throne or people angling for his right to the throne. It began with Yorkist supporters trying to put the Princes on the throne and then beginning to consider their sister Elizabeth of York as the Yorkist heiress. Their loyalty to Henry VII was primarily as the future husband of Elizabeth of York, that's where he gained the majority of his new supporters, including William Stanley who was of immense, history-altering help in Bosworth, came from. (I thiiiink you had reblogged a post of yours with someone's additional added tags about this that framed it a lot better, recently but I can't find it rip). That is obviously not discounting Henry's competence or his capabilities or his victory, or Margaret Beaufort's admirable actions, but I just feel like Elizabeth of York's importance to the Tudor dynasty can never be overstated. Her position as his queen and wife were so important for his road to kingship AND the way he secured his reign and dynasty afterwards. Without Elizabeth of York, it's highly doubtful that Henry would have been able to gain the throne the way he did (at least, not without a significant more time, effort and a MUCH higher chance of failure) and it's also doubtful that he'd be able to secure it the way he did, because their unification from two opposing sides was a major factor in his propaganda and collective perception of their marriage, and the comfort, strength and support it evoked.

Obviously, this is within the bracket of the Tudor queens (because they're a very famous dynasty and all their queens are significantly better known than a lot of former or latter ones), but it's just frustrating??

again - I hope this doesn't sound very petty 😂

Hi! Sorry for taking so long to reply, but don't worry I get your frustration completely (and I share it too). I remember once seeing an incredibly pretty illustration for the Tudor consorts depicting all of Henry VIII's queens AND Philip of Spain..... and it didn't include Elizabeth of York. After Catherine of Aragon, Elizabeth was the longest reigning Tudor consort, being queen for no less than seventeen (17) years! She was immensely popular at her time which can be attested not only by the several presents she received from noble and common folk alike but also by the fact that she was the subject of a popular ballad that reimagined her as a romantic heroine (The Most Pleasant Song of the Lady Bessy), and the subject of songs during her lifetime. Her death was lamented by commentators from Ireland to Rome, and her reputation for charity was well-known. She was so popular in her time, it's a bit ironic that she has become, as Amy Licence puts it, 'the forgotten Tudor queen'.

(Of course, it's all relative as you said: we're talking about the Tudor perspective. Elizabeth is still more well-known than Philippa of Hainault or Anne of Bohemia, for example, if only because she's known in relation to the drama of her brothers and uncle, or because she's known as Henry VIII's mother).

In terms of importance, it's staggering how much her role has been downplayed. And I'm not only talking about the establishment of the Tudor dynasty, which is usually cited if only in brief terms. Her legacy lived on. As pointed out by Michelle Beer, for both Catherine of Aragon and Margaret Tudor, Elizabeth was the only queen consort whom they had experience observing, and her queenship style would have impacted their own. But going back to the establishment of her husband's reign, her importance was so much more than simply providing him with the supporters he needed (which is so often reduced to merely 'lifting a finger for a wedding ring'). I will never tire of pointing out Elizabeth's active participation in diplomacy, communicating with European princes in order to protect her husband's interests. If on one hand, Margaret of York was writing to the Pope asking him to lift his sanction of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York was writing to him to do exactly the contrary and reinforce his sanction.

She was an integral element of her husband's reign that went beyond her dynastic blood. Elizabeth provided a more human/accessible image at court celebrations and feasts, formal occasions and receptions of foreign delegations. Not for nothing, she was so frequently found at Henry VII's side on those occasions. Symbolically, she seems to have been greatly valued by Henry too, and I don't mean it simply by how her family symbol, the white rose, was integrated into official Tudor imagery. I'm also talking about how much weight he seems to have given to their union. In terms of art commissions done by Henry, their marriage was constantly alluded to in a way that referenced prophetic discourse: we have their marriage bed where Henry and Elizabeth are portrayed as the new Adam and Eve (Christ and the Virgin), the royal chapel at Greenwich where they were depicted holding hands (I will talk about it in the future), the family portrait where Henry and Elizabeth are depicted as if re-enacting their wedding vows, and even the shared tomb he commissioned.

Elizabeth of York was important and was valued on so many fronts, I daresay she was one of the most efficient queens in terms of successfully upholding her husband's reign. When it comes to Henry's ascension, I think Elizabeth and Margaret Beaufort might have been equally important (considering Margaret's articulation/funding and her claim from which Henry derived his own). But after Henry's ascension, my opinion is that Elizabeth was even more important for all the political, symbolic and of course, emotional support she provided her husband. They seem to have been a very effective partnership, and I doubt his reign would have been as successful as it was if it wasn't for Elizabeth.

So yeah, it is frustrating that she's not given the real importance that she's due when it comes to discussing Tudor history. Whenever she is talked about, she's so commonly relegated to a passive dynastic and decorative role, a trophy wife, it's insane.

[existentialcowboy]

Pens

It can be inaccurate—and sometimes a bit of an anachronism—to have everyone up until recent times writing with quill pens. Quills have been around a long time, to be sure, but their era of greatest popularity and usage was relatively recent. So what did writers use in the Middle Ages and Antiquity?

Reed pens were common, and the ‘thrifty’ choice. Yes, a piece of stiff reed, pointed with a knife and resharpened as needed. The Romans used them. The ancient Egyptians used them (and maybe even invented them). Being more-or-less flat, they create a very different sort of line than a quill, something much more like a broad-nib pen.

This is not to say quills weren’t used all through man’s history. Any pointed object is likely to have been dipped and used. And, of course, brushes were invented too, very far back. Metal-nibbed pens were created and used, and were the popular choice of those who could afford them. More than a few medieval manuscripts were written with them. The uncial and black-letter forms, and those of the early cast type from the Renaissance, reflect the shapes such pens create.

The quill makes a quite different sort of impression on paper. One does not achieve wider and narrower strokes from the angle at which pen meets paper but from how firmly one pushes down. The tip is more flexible than in those other pens. This led to noticeable differences in handwriting in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries when the quill became more popular. Those differences were reflected in the typefaces created (but that’s another subject).

So, certainly, give your scribes quill pens if you wish, but remember they were not the universal choice, and relatively rare in some places and periods. Details such as dipping a reed into an ink-pot provide a certain authenticity and a different flavor to the worlds we create on our own paper—perhaps even with a pen.

[imaginasianduck]

Thank you for art, God. Here’s to more years of sketches and artwork.

-----

Hi here are some more cars I’ve thrown together over the past few months

The Tarantino BC19 Adriatico Spyder is a grand touring focused version of the regular BC19, with a retractable hardtop and a gated manual to make the perfect road and day a decadent experience. Minerva’s second favorite car, behind her beloved Superberlinetta. I’ve shown this one on Twitter before, but there are some additional views thrown in to this version you’re seeing here. Another car I showed on Twitter but tweaked a bit for this group picture is the Eastwood Motors Razorback SC, Eastwood’s latest muscle car. One of the manufacturers that defined the muscle car archetype from its birth in the 1960s, Eastwood has spared no expense in making sure that the Razorback is loud, quick, and loves going sideways. The sun might be setting on the traditional American muscle car—considering Eastwood’s own Slade is now rumored to go mid-engine for the next generation—but, with the Razorback SC, Eastwood is making sure it will not ride off into the sunset quietly. Speaking of the Eastwood Motors Slade, that last generation’s also featured here. This is one of the cars I drew in ArtFight, but I never drew it with the door closed or from the front angle, so here it is showcasing just those views. It’s quite difficult compared to a Kusunoki Habu, but like the Habu, the Slade delivers a fantastic balance of casual fun and track readiness, with plenty of variants that dial up the power. Immensely popular—you can’t go three minutes in Amadis County without seeing at least one. Rounding out the three Eastwoods in this upload is the Eastwood Motors Celeritas V-Max. A rare hypercar from the Eastwood stable, the Celeritas V-Max was built with reduced downforce and produces more than 1500 BHP—with a very modified Slade engine as a base, no less—on the quest to do 300 MPH. Modern supercars and hypercars owe a lot to the Fujiwara Anima. Though the Anima is just a sports car, its superb reliability and ease of use made it clear to the world that a mid-engine car didn’t have to be difficult to live with. It set such a high standard for performance cars that Kusunoki keeps one in their museum as a token of their respect and acknowledgement of the Anima’s contribution to the car world. From across the pond, the Rochefort Azore is an important piece of automotive history and Rochefort’s fame, with classic 60s beauty and impressive technology (for its time). As long as you take it for a spin knowing that it’ll win more beauty prizes and gazes than races, you won’t be disappointed. But it’s no bore—its naturally-aspirated V12 sings, and it’s still quite comfortable and spacious (relatively speaking) despite its age. The Mishima Peo is not the quickest car here—in stock form, at least. With a very vibrant and passionate tuning community, it’s not uncommon to find Peos running with extreme engine upgrades or swaps that make them produce three to four times the stock car’s power, and there’s a plethora of bodykits and parts available to modify them into anything from a street car, to a weekend time attack monster, to a professional-grade race car, and anything in between. Shoyuwave’s grassroots (and even top-level) racing just isn’t the same without one of these present. Lastly, the other ArtFight car I made was the Ryberg Thresher. It’s a muscle car debuting in the same decade as the Slade. While the latest Thresher is now mid-engined (and forms the basis for the R427, yet another car I created for ArtFight), the older generations of the Thresher started out as front-engine rear wheel drive machines. Threshers are a little more forgiving to drive than the Slade, but don’t be fooled—they love a good drift and can be very easily persuaded to start one.

What’s your pick from this lot?

-----

Thanks. Twitter. deviantArt.

[lepetitfruit]

Oooh, an opportunity to talk about obscure stuff from work? HELL YEAH.

Diamonds and diamond stimulants are really interesting, so much so that my entire post-secondary education is on gemstones and their uses. Fair warning, this post will include some(extremely fair) judgment about people's choice of diamond simulant, because some are OBJECTIVELY better than others. Anyway, I digress.

This got suuuuper long, so explanation is below the cut.

When talking about diamond simulants, you have a BUNCH of options. This includes glass, plastic, white sapphires, cubic zirconia, and moissanite. I'll also be talking about lab grown diamonds here, because while they aren't diamond simulants, they kinda fall into the realm of 'things people use to replace natural diamonds'. There's going to be a fair amount of technical explanation here, so be warned.

Starting off with the worst options: glass and plastic. Glass and plastic are being lumped together because they have pretty similar uses and problems. Glass and plastic diamond replacements are used almost exclusively in incredibly cheap costume jewelry. Both are soft, scratch and chip easily, and look nothing like real diamonds. The "look nothing like real diamonds" thing is for a few reasons, though mostly because of surface texture and refractive index.

Surface texture refers to how the surface of the stone looks(crazy, right?). This uncludes stuff like polish lines and the crispness of the facets(facets are the flat areas on a cut gemstone. I'm never sure how much about this sort of stuff people actually know, so I'll probably explain some obvious stuff. Bear with me). Because plastic is so soft, the facets tend to have very rounded edges and are less distinct. Diamonds have perfectly flat facets, and sharp divides between them. Polish lines on plastic "stones" are very rounded, as opposed to being sharp on a real diamond. The surface texture of glass is more similar to diamonds, with facets being flat. However, glass isn't very durable and so tends to have small chips along the edges of facets.

White sapphires have become a more common simulant recently, though still not nearly as popular as cubics or moissanite. This is in part because lab grown white sapphires are relatively inexpensive (depending on size of course, but about a nice evening out for 2) and extremely hard. Diamonds are of course the hardest material available, and are a 10 on the moh's scale. Sapphires are a 9, glass is a 5.5, and plastic varies, but is lowwwww. White sapphires are a generally pretty good simulant in terms of wearability and surface texture, but don't replicate the diamond look very well for 2 reasons- refractive index, and fire.

Refractive index does matter for glass and plastic, but because the surface texture makes it immediately obvious they're not real diamonds im not going to talk about it. I'll explain more on RI later.

Refractive index is a number that represents how much a ray of light will bend when going from medium to another. In this case, that is air to sapphire(or whatever other material we're discussing). Refractive index also determines what angle a ray has to hit a surface in order for for to reflect, rather than refract. I warned you there would be science. Diamond's refractive index is 2.42, while sapphire's is ~1.76. The higher the refractive index, the more light bends when it enters the medium. Also, the higher the refractive index, the steeper the angle needed to enter the medium. Okay, I promise it gets interesting again here. Because sapphire's refractive index is so much lower than diamond's, it has to be cut differently to achieve the same result. The angle needed to make the light reflect, rather than refract, is much narrower for sapphire than for diamond. This means the stones must be cut deeper to keep the same amount of brilliance, and even then sapphires are much darker. I have a diagram, because refractive index and stone cuts are reaaaallll confusing. This one is specifically about diamonds, but it illustrates the point well.

stop shaming people for being passionate about the things that they love. stop mocking people for having unusual interests. like, honestly, i'm so tired of feeling embarrassed for being "too much". if being too much means having deep interests that fill my life with romanticism and excitement, then let me be!!! i'd much rather listen to anyone ranting about their latest obsession with 16th century swords than have a boring ordinary conversation with those who shame passionate people

[goldenmiragemarionette]

When most people think of Botox, they immediately associate it with smoothing forehead lines or crow's feet. However, this versatile treatment has evolved far beyond its initial cosmetic applications. One of the most transformative yet less discussed uses of Botox is for facial slimming and jaw tension relief—a dual-benefit treatment that addresses both aesthetic concerns and functional discomfort. For Glasgow residents dealing with a square or overly muscular jawline, teeth grinding (bruxism), jaw tension, or related headaches, Botox offers a sophisticated solution that can simultaneously enhance facial contours and provide significant relief from painful symptoms. This treatment has become increasingly popular among both women and men seeking a more refined lower face or respite from the discomfort of jaw tension. This comprehensive guide explores how Botox works for facial slimming and jaw tension relief, what Glasgow patients can expect from treatment, and how to determine if this approach might be right for your specific concerns. Understanding the Masseter Muscle: The Key to Facial Slimming and Jaw Tension To appreciate how Botox works for facial slimming and jaw tension relief, it's essential to understand the anatomy of the masseter muscle and its role in facial appearance and function. Masseter Anatomy and Function The masseter is one of the primary muscles of mastication (chewing) and is located at the angle and ramus of the jawbone. This powerful muscle: •Connects the zygomatic arch (cheekbone) to the lower jawbone •Is responsible for elevating the mandible (closing the jaw) •Generates significant force during chewing and clenching •Can become enlarged through habitual clenching, grinding, or genetic factors The masseter is one of the strongest muscles in the human body relative to its size, capable of generating forces of up to 90 kg (200 pounds) on the molars. How Masseter Size Affects Facial Appearance The size and development of the masseter muscle significantly impacts lower face shape: •Overdeveloped masseters create a square, wide jawline and can make the face appear more masculine •Asymmetrical masseter development can cause facial imbalance •Pronounced masseters can create the appearance of a heavier lower face, even in individuals with normal body weight •Genetic factors in some ethnicities predispose to naturally larger masseter muscles The Connection Between Masseter Hypertrophy and Jaw Tension For many individuals, enlarged masseter muscles (masseter hypertrophy) are directly connected to functional issues: •Bruxism (teeth grinding) causes repetitive strain and enlargement of the masseter •Jaw clenching during stress or sleep leads to muscle hypertrophy over time •Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders often involve masseter hyperactivity •Chronic tension creates a cycle of muscle tightness, pain, and further enlargement This connection between form and function makes masseter Botox a uniquely valuable treatment that can address both aesthetic and therapeutic concerns simultaneously. How Botox Works for Facial Slimming and Jaw Tension Botox (Botulinum Toxin Type A) works through a precise mechanism that makes it particularly effective for treating the masseter muscle. The Mechanism of Action When injected into the masseter muscle, Botox: 1.Blocks neurotransmitter release at the junction between nerves and muscle fibres 2.Reduces muscle activity by preventing the signals that trigger contraction 3.Induces partial muscle relaxation without completely disabling function 4.Gradually leads to muscle atrophy (reduction in size) over time due to decreased use This controlled weakening of the masseter muscle achieves both aesthetic slimming of the lower face and functional relief from tension and pain. The Dual Benefits: Aesthetic and Functional Aesthetic Benefits •Facial slimming - Creating a more oval or heart-shaped face •Jawline refinement - Softening a square or masculine jawline •Facial balancing - Improving proportion between upper and lower face •Contouring - Enhancing the definition between cheeks and jaw •Asymmetry correction - Balancing uneven jaw development Functional Benefits •Reduced teeth grinding - Decreasing the force and frequency of bruxism •Tension relief - Alleviating chronic jaw tightness and discomfort •Headache reduction - Minimising tension headaches originating from jaw muscles •TMJ symptom improvement - Lessening pain and clicking in the jaw joint •Teeth protection - Reducing damage from grinding forces The Treatment Difference: Masseter vs. Cosmetic Botox Masseter Botox differs from traditional cosmetic Botox in several important ways: FeatureMasseter BotoxTraditional Cosmetic BotoxTarget AreaMasseter muscle (jaw angle)Expression muscles (forehead, eyes, etc.)DosageTypically higher (40-60 units total)Lower (20-40 units for full upper face)Primary GoalMuscle size reduction and/or tension reliefWrinkle reductionDepth of InjectionDeeper into muscle bellyMore superficialResult TimelineGradual over 2-8 weeksVisible within 3-14 daysEffect on FunctionReduces excessive force while maintaining normal functionReduces dynamic movementTreatment FrequencyEvery 4-6 months initially, potentially less frequent laterEvery 3-4 months The Ideal Candidate: Is Masseter Botox Right for You? While masseter Botox can be transformative for many patients, determining if you're an ideal candidate requires consideration of several factors. Aesthetic Candidates You may be an ideal candidate for facial slimming with Botox if: •You have a visibly square or wide jawline due to masseter enlargement •Your lower face appears disproportionately heavy or masculine •You have asymmetry in your jaw appearance •You desire a more oval or heart-shaped face •You've noticed jawline changes due to teeth grinding or clenching Functional Candidates From a therapeutic perspective, you may benefit from masseter Botox if: •You've been diagnosed with bruxism (teeth grinding) •You experience regular jaw tension, soreness, or fatigue •You suffer from tension headaches originating from jaw muscles •You have TMJ symptoms that haven't responded to other treatments •Your dentist has noted wear on your teeth from grinding When Masseter Botox May Not Be Suitable This treatment may not be appropriate if: •Your wide jawline is due to bone structure rather than muscle development •You have certain neuromuscular disorders •You're pregnant or breastfeeding •You have an active infection in the treatment area •You have unrealistic expectations about the degree of change possible The Consultation Process At DR Q Luxe Skin in Glasgow, determining your suitability for masseter Botox involves a comprehensive consultation: •Facial assessment - Evaluating muscle development vs. bone structure •Functional evaluation - Assessing jaw movement, tension, and symptoms •Medical history review - Ensuring no contraindications exist •Goal discussion - Understanding your aesthetic and functional objectives •Treatment planning - Creating a personalised approach based on your needs Glasgow Patient Perspective - Sarah, 34:"I'd been told by my dentist that I was grinding my teeth at night, and I'd noticed my face looking wider in photos. During my consultation at DR Q Luxe Skin, the doctor spent time examining my jaw muscles and explained how they were overdeveloped from years of clenching. What I appreciated most was the thorough assessment—they determined exactly how much Botox I needed based on my muscle size and the balance with the rest of my facial features." The Treatment Experience: What to Expect Understanding the treatment process helps patients prepare appropriately and sets realistic expectations. Before Treatment Preparation for masseter Botox is straightforward: •Avoid blood thinners (with doctor's approval) for 1 week before treatment •Discontinue certain supplements like fish oil, vitamin E, and ginkgo biloba •Stay hydrated before your appointment •Arrive with a clean face free of makeup in the treatment area During Your Appointment The treatment process at DR Q Luxe Skin typically includes: 1.Facial cleansing - Thorough cleaning of the treatment area 2.Muscle identification - The practitioner will ask you to clench your teeth to identify the masseter 3.Marking - Strategic injection points are marked for precision 4.Botox administration - Several small injections into the masseter muscle on each side 5.Post-treatment care - Application of ice if needed and review of aftercare instructions The entire procedure usually takes 15-20 minutes, with minimal discomfort described as brief pinching sensations. Immediately After Treatment Following masseter Botox, you can expect: •No significant downtime - Return to normal activities immediately •Possible mild tenderness at injection sites for a few hours •No visible changes to facial appearance initially •Normal eating and drinking can be resumed immediately The Days and Weeks Following The results of masseter Botox develop gradually: •Days 3-7: Initial relaxation of tension and reduction in grinding/clenching •Weeks 2-4: Noticeable softening of jaw contour begins •Weeks 6-8: Maximum facial slimming effect achieved •Months 4-6: Effects gradually diminish as Botox wears off Glasgow Patient Perspective - James, 42:"The treatment itself was much quicker and more comfortable than I expected—just a few small pinches on each side of my jaw. I didn't notice any immediate change in how my face looked, but within three days, I realised I wasn't waking up with the same jaw tension I'd had for years. The facial slimming was more subtle and gradual—around the three-week mark, I started noticing my face looked less square in the mirror, and by six weeks, several colleagues commented that I looked like I'd lost weight, even though I hadn't." Results: What Can Realistically Be Achieved Setting appropriate expectations is essential for patient satisfaction with masseter Botox. Aesthetic Results The degree of facial slimming varies based on individual factors: •Patients with significant muscle hypertrophy typically see more dramatic changes •First-time patients usually notice a 15-30% reduction in lower face width •Subsequent treatments can provide additional refinement •Results are subtle and natural rather than obviously "treated" •Facial shape changes are generally perceived as overall slimming rather than specifically jaw-related Functional Results Therapeutic benefits are often more immediate and consistent: •70-90% of patients report significant reduction in teeth grinding •Tension relief is typically noticed within the first week •Headache frequency often decreases by 50% or more •TMJ symptoms like clicking and pain show variable improvement •Protective effects on dental work and natural teeth are cumulative over time The Timeline of Results Understanding the progression of results helps manage expectations: TimeframeAesthetic ChangesFunctional ChangesDays 1-7No visible changesBeginning reduction in grinding and tensionWeeks 1-2Subtle softening beginsSignificant decrease in muscle hyperactivityWeeks 3-4Noticeable slimming effectEstablished new pattern of reduced clenchingWeeks 6-8Maximum facial contouringOptimal functional improvementMonths 3-4Maintained resultsContinued functional benefitsMonths 4-6Gradual return toward baselineGradual return of muscle activity Before and After: Visual Changes The visual changes from masseter Botox typically include: •Reduced width at the angle of the jaw •More defined transition between cheek and jawline •Less prominent jaw angles when viewed from the front •More oval facial shape overall •Improved facial harmony and balance Treatment Protocols: Customising for Optimal Results At DR Q Luxe Skin in Glasgow, masseter Botox treatments are tailored to each patient's unique needs. Dosage Considerations The amount of Botox used varies based on several factors: •Muscle size - Larger masseters require higher dosages •Treatment goals - Aesthetic vs. functional priorities •Gender considerations - Different approaches for feminine vs. masculine ideals •Previous treatment response - Adjustments based on prior results Typical dosage ranges include: •Mild slimming/tension relief: 15-25 units per side •Moderate treatment: 25-35 units per side •Significant muscle reduction: 35-50 units per side Treatment Frequency and Long-Term Protocols The optimal treatment schedule varies by individual: Initial Phase (First Year) •First treatment: Establishes baseline response •Follow-up: Typically at 4-6 months based on return of symptoms or muscle size •Adjustment treatment: Often at 6 months with dosage refinement based on response Maintenance Phase •Aesthetic maintenance: Typically every 6 months •Functional maintenance: Every 4-6 months initially, potentially extending to 6-9 months •Long-term changes: Some patients experience lasting muscle reduction after 2-3 years of regular treatments Combination Approaches for Enhanced Results For comprehensive facial contouring, masseter Botox is often combined with: •Chin enhancement with dermal fillers to balance the lower face •Cheek augmentation to create more definition between mid and lower face •Jawline definition along the mandible edge for a sculpted appearance •Neck Botox for platysmal bands to enhance the jaw-neck junction For therapeutic purposes, complementary treatments may include: •Night guards for additional teeth protection •Trigger point therapy for associated muscle tension •Stress management techniques to address underlying causes of bruxism •Physical therapy for TMJ-related issues Comparing Masseter Botox to Alternative Treatments Understanding how masseter Botox compares to other options helps patients make informed decisions. Aesthetic Alternatives for Facial Slimming TreatmentAdvantagesLimitationsComparison to Masseter BotoxBuccal Fat RemovalPermanent results, Addresses fat rather than muscleSurgical procedure, Potential for excessive hollowing with ageMore invasive, Irreversible, Different target tissueFacial LiposuctionRemoves fat deposits, Can be precisely targetedSurgical procedure, Recovery time, Doesn't address muscleMore invasive, Addresses different cause of fullnessFacial Slimming MassageNon-invasive, No downtimeLimited efficacy, Requires ongoing sessionsSignificantly less effective, Temporary resultsContouring MakeupImmediate effect, No medical interventionTemporary, Requires daily applicationNot a true treatment, Just visual illusionRadio FrequencyNon-invasive, Addresses skin laxityMinimal effect on muscle bulk, Multiple sessions requiredAddresses different aspect of facial appearance Therapeutic Alternatives for Jaw Tension TreatmentAdvantagesLimitationsComparison to Masseter BotoxNight GuardsProtects teeth, Non-invasiveDoesn't reduce muscle activity, Requires nightly useComplementary rather than alternative, Different mechanismMuscle Relaxants (Oral)Systemic effect, May help with overall tensionSide effects, Daily medication, Non-targetedLess targeted, More side effects, Different administrationPhysical TherapyAddresses multiple factors, Teaches long-term managementRequires ongoing sessions, Active patient participationComplementary rather than alternative, Different approachStress ManagementAddresses root causes, Holistic approachResults vary widely, Requires lifestyle changesComplementary rather than alternative, Different focusSurgeryPermanent solution for severe casesHighly invasive, Significant recovery, Surgical risksLast resort for extreme cases, Much more invasive Frequently Asked Questions About Masseter Botox Will masseter Botox affect my ability to chew or speak?When properly administered by an experienced practitioner, masseter Botox should not significantly impact your ability to chew or speak. The treatment is designed to reduce excessive muscle activity while preserving normal function. Most patients maintain approximately 70-80% of their chewing strength, which is more than adequate for normal eating. The dosage is carefully calculated to achieve the desired aesthetic and functional benefits without compromising essential muscle function. In the rare case that a patient experiences any difficulty chewing very firm foods, this is typically mild and temporary as the body adjusts to the treatment.How much facial slimming can I realistically expect?The degree of facial slimming varies significantly based on your starting anatomy. Patients with substantial masseter hypertrophy (enlarged jaw muscles) typically see more dramatic results than those with naturally slimmer faces. Most first-time patients can expect approximately a 15-30% reduction in the width of the lower face at maximum effect. This creates a more oval facial shape without looking unnatural or drastically different. The change is generally subtle enough that others will notice you look refreshed or perhaps as though you've lost weight, without specifically identifying that your jaw has changed. For more significant reshaping, a series of treatments over time may be recommended.How does masseter Botox compare to buccal fat removal?These treatments address different anatomical structures and are often complementary rather than competitive options. Masseter Botox reduces the size of the jaw muscles, creating a slimming effect along the angle and lower border of the jaw. Buccal fat removal surgically reduces the fat pads in the cheeks, creating more defined cheekbones and reducing fullness in the mid-face. Masseter Botox is non-surgical, temporary (lasting 4-6 months), and can be adjusted with each treatment. Buccal fat removal is surgical, permanent, and cannot be reversed if the result is too dramatic or if natural facial fat loss occurs with age. At DR Q Luxe Skin, we often recommend starting with the less invasive option (masseter Botox) before considering surgical alternatives.Will I develop resistance to masseter Botox over time?True resistance to Botox is rare, occurring in less than 1% of patients. More commonly, what appears to be resistance is actually one of several other factors: insufficient dosage for muscle size, improper injection technique, or unrealistic expectations about results. Some patients may require dosage adjustments over time, but most continue to respond well to treatment for many years. Interestingly, many long-term masseter Botox patients actually find they need treatments less frequently over time, as the muscle gradually becomes conditioned to reduced activity and may decrease in size even between treatments.Can masseter Botox help with teeth grinding (bruxism)?Yes, masseter Botox is highly effective for reducing teeth grinding and clenching. Clinical studies show that approximately 70-90% of patients experience significant reduction in bruxism symptoms following treatment. By partially relaxing the masseter muscle, Botox reduces the force generated during grinding episodes, which not only protects the teeth but often decreases the frequency of grinding as well. Many patients report that their sleep quality improves, morning jaw pain resolves, and associated tension headaches decrease. While not a cure for the underlying causes of bruxism (often stress-related), masseter Botox provides effective symptomatic relief and protection against the damaging effects of grinding. Conclusion: The Transformative Potential of Masseter Botox Masseter Botox represents one of the most versatile applications of this remarkable treatment, offering both aesthetic enhancement and functional relief. For Glasgow residents concerned about a square jawline, facial asymmetry, teeth grinding, or jaw tension, this minimally invasive procedure provides a sophisticated solution with minimal downtime. Read the full article