#been a very good year tbh! heres to a year of finishing things in 2024 loll | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lilirari · 5 months

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new year's day

charles leclerc x gn! reader ☆ fluff ☆ food & alcohol ment ☆ 1.02k words ☆ heavily inspired by taylor swift's 'new year's day'.

💭 author's note : a very short & simple writing to start off the year ! i've gotten a bit rusty with written works tbh :( anyways 2024 will be charles' and ferrari's year !! 🤞 (delulu)

it was already past midnight, the leftovers and remains of a new year's party clearly evident in your apartment. there's glitter all over the place and empty bottles of alcohol, boxes of pizza, cans of soft drinks, and random polaroids littered the hardwood floor.

a sigh escaped your lips as you rubbed the temples of your forehead, a trash bag in hand. as you looked around the trashed apartment, your eyes landed on the only other person present there.

" you don't have to stay back, you know. " you pointed out, as the other person shook his head. " it's alright, y/n. it's the least i can do... especially after my friends absolutely wrecked your place. " charles mentioned, offering you an apologetic smile as he looked around the place.

you chuckled softly at his words as you waved your hand in dismissal. " it's all good, charlie. you don't have to apologise. i was the one who invited them anyways so i'll take the blame. although, i must admit that it was quite fun meeting them again. they were the life of the party, especially daniel. it would've been pretty boring without any of them so i don't really regret inviting them. "

charles laughed at your words, nodding his head in agreement. " that is true.. they do know how to party well. "

" hmm.. but charles, you really should go. do you really want to spend the first day of a new year cleaning up an apartment that's not even yours ? " you asked, your voice laced with concerned as you picked up a few empty cans and threw them inside the trash bag.

upon hearing your words, the monegasque man raised an eyebrow. " y/n, are you trying to get rid of me ? " he asked as he slumped his shoulders and folded his arms. " i'll have you know that i'm quite hurt by these words of yours. " he commented, pretending to be upset as you suppressed a laughter, trying your best not to crack at his antics.

" oh, you know it's nothing like that, charlie. but i'm just worried that i'll ruin your new year's day. like, you're supposed to be at home having a good rest right now but you're stuck with me here instead. and this is not really an ideal thing to be doing on the first day of the new year, y'know ? " you continued, voicing your concern over his stay as he just smiled.

" y/n, you're not getting rid of me. there's no point in telling me to leave because i won't. i've already made up my mind. i'm staying here and i'm going to help you until the end. "

there was something about the way he looked and smiled at you that made your heart skipped a beat and your breath hitched. he was always so kind to you, a true gentleman. and the fact that you had the biggest crush on him didn't help at all. as you felt your cheeks start to warm up, you quickly tried to cover it with a small cough. " fine. but you can't complain if you get tired, alright ? "

the sound of his laughter filled the room as he gave you a cheeky smile. " deal. "

the remaining hour went by rather silently, with only the sound of soft music playing in the background being heard. the two of you swept the floors, rearranged any of the furnitures which were out of place and picked up all the trash. the only conversation you had in between the clean-up was when charles found some funny polaroids the other drivers took, which made you both laugh until your stomachs ached and you had to cross your arms over your stomachs in an attempt to catch your breaths.

eventually, you somehow finished cleaning up the place and made it look like how it was before it got trashed. you held onto a mop for support as you sighed, the exhaustion from all the partying and the cleaning finally catching up to you.

charles walked back into the room, having gone out to throw the garbage bags into the bins on the street. " looks like our job's done. " he pointed out as his eyes scanned the room, which seemed to be devoid of any irregularities now and looked spotless. his eyes landed on you as you wiped away the sweat on your forehead. " tired ? "

you nodded at his words as you placed the mop back to its original place and walked up to the driver. " a little, yeah. but it was worth it. thank you for helping me out, charlie. i would've never finished cleaning all the mess in a short amount of time without you. " you extended your thanks, moving your lips slightly to indicate a smile.

" it's nothing, y/n. this is why i told you not to get rid of me. " he nudged your sides, showing you his pearly whites as he grinned. you playfully rolled your eyes at his words, before remembering something. " oh yeah, i forgot to ask you earlier. did you enjoy the party ? "

" i did. " charles muttered, his voice suddenly growing softer as he took a step forward. " there's one thing i regret not doing at the party though. "

" hmm ? what's that ? " you hummed, your eyes searching for an answer in his. nothing could've prepared you for his next words though as he placed a hand on your cheek, his eyes landing on your lips for a mere second before darting back to look at you. he took in a deep breath, as his thumb gently grazed your lower lip. " i really wished i had kissed you when the clock struck twelve. "

your eyes widened and you felt your heartbeat pick up it's pace. did he feel the same way about you as you felt about him ? there was only one way to find out. you boldly leaned in, closing the gap between the two of you as you looked into his eyes. " well, can't you kiss me now ? "

charles couldn't have been more happier to hear those words come out of your mouth as he immediately pressed his lips against yours, giving you the answer to your question through this action of his and a memorable way to begin a new chapter of your life.

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aces-and-angels · 5 months

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countdown to 2024 @choicesfandomappreciation

deadlines? we don't know her😗💅🏼 so many works to shoutout- so brace yourselves gang- this'll be a long one

now- without further ado- here are some writers that made my year:

🖤@thedistantshoresproject

sending love to the whole team on board who are working tirelessly to finish this magnificent project. i was so excited to read the demo this year! knowing how long the journey has been and reading the updates each week- i realize how weary yall must be and hope that i can convey my gratitude for bringing back our favorite pirates in one awesome sequel 🖤

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🖤@bloodboundsiege

another demo for the books- and another fanmade project that i am rooting for; i personally have only read through finn's demo but i'm already in love with all the characters. plus- who wouldn't be excited for the chance to romance gaius??? there is a ton of lore in op's blog for all the new lis that i 100% recommend to read through. excited to see what's in store in the new year!

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🖤@hashiedraws

the way i ran to play this story when it dropped😭 if yall are fans of ilw- then you may know that one of the artists released this wonderful vn this year. it's a story that keeps on serving 🎾 the artwork is incredible and the accompanying story is an absolute treasure. i was on the floor- in tears- jaw-dropped. trust me- it was an experience. one i recommend yall take too 😊

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🖤 @lovehugsandcandy

the queen of colt- and tbh- one of my literary muses. your writing is such an inspiration to me and having you back on the dash this year for blades was definitely a highlight 🖤 a snippet from one of my favorite fics this year:

read 'bound' here "Of course. We have plenty of time for that... don't we?" “Because you’re not leaving?” He squeezes her hand. “I’m not leaving.” It’s a whisper more powerful than any rope.

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🖤@jerzwriter

the heart you have is so warm and inviting- and it shows with each work you've shared🖤 i've cherished reading your works for trystan x carolina- picking one to highlight seems cruel but i'll give it a shot lol. their banter/dynamic is so beautifully portrayed and never fails to bring a smile to my face:

read 'tricks and treats' here “There is no Trystan,” he snickered, playfully pulling her close. “Only the Big Bad Wolf..uh.. no.. I mean Grandma! I’m Grandma, trust me.” “Grandma? What big paws you have!” she beamed as he nuzzled into her neck and playfully growled. “The better to paw you with, my dear...” “Well, you can paw me once we get to the party. We’re very late.”

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🖤@theoriginaltortuga

your four part series- 'responsibility, rage, and recent resurrection' was such a good read and deserves some love. it ain't a secret i'm a big ilw fan- and a sucker for bonus scenes. reading a more fleshed out version of connor's eventual turning was *chef's kiss* immaculate- i shamelessly go back to this fic from time to time:

read 'responsibility, rage, and recent resurrection' here Grief and terror had been a part of Connor since the night Devon died. The feelings came and went, but they never left completely and Connor worried that he would never feel peace again. With Devon alive but unconscious, a massacre set for a few days, and the man who’d killed his mother on the loose; those feelings were more overwhelming than ever. Not to mention the anger that had been festering in his chest since his mom was killed. All of it led back to one simple thing: Westchester wasn’t safe.

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🖤@linkysmommy

mother lincoln- i wanna thank you for blessing me with not only ilw itself but ilw fics (and some other works of yours i've recently had the pleasure of reading😉) though, imma pivot real quick from ilw and actually give some praise to another project of yours- and the reason i downloaded storyloom in the first place- open heart: a toxic situation. what a story full of mystery, romance, and ✨bryce✨ (there are multiple lis to choose from- i just really love bryce lmao)

read this beauty right here

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🖤 @saibug1022

the angst legend- i go to you for the hurt lmaoo. but really- it is a talent to write the way you do and i'm lucky to reap the benefits of reading your work. the time you put into crafting your mcs- making them fully fleshed out blorbos- then giving the most heart-wrenching scenarios to deal with- incredible✨ here's some love for the villain stories out there:

read 'a funeral of faith' here “I had no place in Undermount while humans and orcs treated me like an outsider. I was kidnapped and tortured while my friends and two of the men I loved gave up on me and left me to die. And the other man I loved used and betrayed me for power and disappeared when I still forgave him.”

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🖤 @professor-abeloved

prepare to be adored, admired, and appreciated- your mcs are everything to me. the way you write is so special and uniquely you- and i love your work dearly. i've got your fics seared in my brain- here's one of the many (bc we as a fandom silently agreed that linc angst just hits different):

read 'lincoln's bad day' here “Sorry,” Ro called out for what felt like the nth time with an awkward grimace. “You okay? I can get an ice pack or a salonpas or—” “It’s fine,” Lincoln says, clutching his aching jaw. In some weird way, it’s surprisingly… therapeutic? There’s something about a being confronted with such raw, unimaginable Power that has the capacity to utterly destroy you if it chooses, but instead it’s draping a small, lilac cardigan over your shoulders as it looks you over for bruises. read 'lincoln's bad day' here “Sorry,” Ro called out for what felt like the nth time with an awkward grimace. “You okay? I can get an ice pack or a salonpas or—” “It’s fine,” Lincoln says, clutching his aching jaw. In some weird way, it’s surprisingly… therapeutic? There’s something about a being confronted with such raw, unimaginable Power that has the capacity to utterly destroy you if it chooses, but instead it’s draping a small, lilac cardigan over your shoulders as it looks you over for bruises.

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🖤@mydemonsdrivealimo

bless your beautiful, magnificent brain- atp your hcs are my canon lmaoo. bryce and jensen are so special to me and it's no secret how much love you've poured into them through your work. slowly but surely, i'm getting around to reading all the fics of theirs. the ones i have read were amazing. time to shower praise for your most recent work (also i'm rooting for you- writer's block is a biatch):

read 'halloween' here “Hey, sorry,” Bryce said, giving his waist a quick squeeze before unceremoniously flopping into one of the chairs, the force sending it back enough that Jensen had to pull him closer. “You’re lucky I didn’t lock you out and eat it for you,” Jensen said with a quick wave to the food in front of him, taking a seat in his own chair. “M’fucking starving.” He was already shoveling crab rangoon into his mouth, ignoring the steam coming off of it.

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🖤 @aria-ashryver

a ray of sunshine- you deserve the world and more🥰 one thing on my to-do list for the new year is to finally sit down and read SICSIG. from the snippets i've seen, i know i'll treasure the heck out of it. when i do- i apologize in advance for the person i become lmao (give it up for the poly romance yall)

read 'snow in crimson, starlight in gold' here

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🖤@me

self-love, amirite? reading through old works is either a hit or miss for me lol- but the process of writing has been a welcome journey of mine. from the frantic word vomit to staring at a blinking cursor- it's been a ride. and i'm thankful to everyone above for inspiring me to keep moving forward 🖤

read whatever yall want here

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this list could go on and on and i'm definitely missing some people- but to the writers out there: you are the heartbeat of the fandom and we are lucky to have you 🖤

#playchoices #choices #choices countdown to 2024

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literary-illuminati · 1 month

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2024 Book Review #18 – Montress Volume 3: Haven by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

I have been reading one volume of this comic a month, in part as a way to force myself to take it a bit slowly and appreciate the issues and volumes as distinct arcs and works in their own right instead of archive binging, and in part because a volume of comic books being more than ~20% of my reading goal for the year feels like cheating. This has accomplished both of those goals splendidly, but it is making it increasingly hard to come up with different ways of talking about the basic premise of the story. So I’m just not going to.

The plot picks up fairly directly where the last plot dropped off – with Maika having escaped the last maratime city-state she’d found refuge in (now wanted fugitive) and settling into the next one. To secure safety for herself and her little crew of misfits (eldritch god-monster her mom bore and raised her to be a host for, adorable fox-child she treats like shit, terrible cat who betrays everyone, improbably hot noble magic assassin whose technically supposed to be murdering her), she’s conscripted by the royal engineer to assist in repairing the ancient magical shield which protected the city during the last war – which, due to her heritage and the aforementioned eldritch god, she might be the only one capable of safely accessing. That (literally) blows up in everyone’s face just about immediately, and the remainder of the arc is spent scrambling to deal.

Dramatically the volume works very well as a self-contained narrative, though a decade of marvel movies have left me kind of incapable of taking a big climax involving an apocalyptic glowing hole in the sky that seriously. Beyond that though, this is definitely a Lore volume, digging deep into the history of the Shaman Empress, her relationship with Zinn, and what the other Montrum are or want. It also, if my memory is right, marks the point where Zinn finishes transitioning from this terrible quasi-unknowable parasite ruining Maika’s life and turning her into a walking atrocity to just, like, Some Guy. They’re a little shit with an improbably amount of flattering amnesia and also murder a bunch of people but like, they’re a character now. They banter with Maika constantly, and also keep fucking up and being wrong about things. Deeply endearing tbh.

This also marks the point where The Doctor and Maika’s paternal family more broadly starts being a lot more plot-relavent which, going to be honest, I’m kind of dreading. Can’t remember any real details but my memories of the whole upcoming arc basically boil down to ‘at least Maika got that badass clockwork prosthetic out of it’.

Kippa and Ren are basically irrelevant to the actual plot this time, which is totally fine because I love them both dearly and would have happily read an entire issue of them going shopping and having a nice day in the market. Kippa, besides being adorable, does actually get some pretty meaty scenes providing the view from the gutter here though – Maika gets scooped up by a scheming vizier engineer as soon as she walks into town, and also hates people, but Kippa is absolutely the sort of person to go wandering through a sprawling refugee camp doing whatever she can to help. Which is both good worldbuilding and characterization and provides some desperately needed grounding to keep the whole story from vanishing entirely into mythic freudian psychodrama.

Speaking of preferring the social and political storytelling – I’m not sure they ever actually matter, but I do love the two bit characters who occasionally get scenes of their desperate heroic spycraft and diplomacy as they try everything they can to prevent another war breaking out. Their little bit in this volume also does a great job illuminating what a broken mess the politics of the Federation is – given the incredibly vague 1930s-East-Asia analogy underlying the story’s geopolitics, I like that the genocidal power about to plunge the world into war is riven with internal contradictions and five minutes away from a coup with the army and navy barely able to stand in the same room without gunfights breaking out).

Anyway yeah, it’s still Monstress. Still good! I probably sound like a broken record saying it at this point, but the character design remains just sublime, even for very thoroughly secondary characters. Speaking of, my favourite one has now shown up!

#book review #comic #monstress #sff #Marjorie Liu #Sana Takeda

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branmer · 1 month

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by request i have put together a little key of all my b5 stories and ocs that i talk about on here plus some other info about worldbuilding stuff (@impossibletimemachinestarlight tagging you in this since you requested it! i hope this will prove helpful and not just confuse things even more)

first, the fics!!! most of these feature the same characters, but that doesn't mean they take place within the same verse

bmwf or the blood of stars - wip, currently published on ao3. a longfic intended to tell the story of the warrior caste and explore minbari politics from before the em war up until after the civil war. pretty grand in scope and i am currently stuck in the earliest pre-war section, which takes place during branmer's adolescent years. i really want to finish this fic but i've lost steam recently

bla/branmer lives au/and not to yield - wip, not on ao3 yet but sometimes i post snippets here. it's basically an alternate universe where branmer lives and takes part in the shadow war and drastically alters events relating to the minbari as a result. heavy on the warrior and worker caste. if you see me talking about neroon and branmer having a big falling out/break up, i'm probably talking about this fic lol.

b/n fic or i joy in my disgrace - wip, available on ao3. a lighter, shippy fic taking place a decade or so before the em-war during a warrior caste tournament that was really just an excuse to write branmer/neroon. may end up serving as the backstory for their meeting in bla, but totally disconnected from blood of stars (though it shares many of the same characters). i've stalled a bit on this one even though chapter 2 is almost done because i've been quite depressed and struggling to write through it

mlm fic - a silly little au where both marcus and neroon survive and neroon recruits him to help investigate a religious caste grifter who is recruiting humans to a pyramid scheme/cult. eventual neroon/marcus. i've only really written the very start of this one tbh

m/n fic/damnsel fic - intended as a gift for a friend <3 i haven't posted much about this one because i'm trying to keep it on the down low lol. but it's an action adventure romance marcus/neroon fic. i'm about half-way through writing this one and hoping to have it done by the end of 2024

neroon is the bridge - a very silly au where delenn accepts leadership of the grey council and punishes neroon by forcing him to undergo the transformation instead of her. currently working on the grey 17 is missing episode in this au haha

cursed nye fic - a truly terrible joke fic featuring, yes, mpreg. currently unavailable online because im editing it to repost

the warrior caste clans as they appear in my fic (names taken from canon but the rest is mostly me making stuff up/taking from fanon):

star rider - neroon's clan. the oldest and most powerful clan, they control the warrior caste capital, tinarel, plus a good third of the warrior caste fleet.

moon shields - the wealthiest of the clans. they have close ties with the star riders and the two often work together. the moon shield fleet is largely responsible for the immediate defense of minbar and the home system and often gets referred to as the shield of minbar

night walker - the most numerous of the clans, they actually consist of hundreds of sub-clans who allied together to defend themselves against other more powerful clans (like the star riders). infamously quarrelsome, they are the most democratically structured of the clans and fiercely independent. they have the second smallest fleet, but make up the majority of the castes ground forces and night walker regiments are spread out among the other clan fleets. as a result they bore the brunt of the most intense fighting of the em-war and had the heaviest losses. they are very bitter about this

fire wing - the first clan to use aircraft in war, the fire wings still boast the best fighter pilots in the warrior caste. they have medium sized fleet, but there are fire wing squadrons spread throughout the other clan fleets, similar to the night walkers.

wind swords - the smallest and most militant clan. they also have the smallest fleet. despite the relative size of their clan they are surprisingly influential and wealthy, and benefit from controlling resource rich territory that allows them a degree of independence from the rest of the caste. they have a long history of rivalry with the star riders and resent their power over the caste

dark knives - an ancient clan who defected to the shadows during the first great war. nothing has been heard of them in a thousand years but they remain a presence in warrior caste horror stories and folk tales. they feature in bla where they return to cause trouble and do evil things >:)

re warrior caste leadership and such. some people go for there being a shai alyt for each clan or make it a rank similar to captain. for my own fic i have the shai alyt being the commander in chief of the warrior caste (it just made sense to me that the warrior caste would need a chief general who they all answer to in times of war who can act with the grey council's authority), while each of the clans have their own leadership who handle the administration of the clan and its internal running. basically the clan heirarchy/administration is seperate from the military administration and you can be very powerful in the caste as a whole while still being subject to your clan leader/elders. see branmer's dad, kedrunn, who is a very high ranking war leader and serves as an advisor to two shai alyts, but is often in a very precarious position within his own clan because he keeps pissing off his clan leaders :') the balance between the shai alyt and the clan leaders is a Big Deal in warrior caste politics and it's one of the things that makes being shai alyt a really really difficult role. the warrior caste also choose their shai alyt (something the grey council hates and is always trying to influence) through something called the convocation of clans

religious orders/fanes

sanaya - branmer's birth fane/order, a contemplative order based in tuzenor and famous mostly for their religious music. very conservative and proud. were never happy about his mother marrying a warrior

fikeranla/the star seers - the order branmer leaves sanaya to join in bmwf and ultimately the order he serves in most of my fic. a spacefaring order with connections to the warrior caste (particularly the star riders) that has a history of liasing between the warrior and religious caste on contentious issues. dedicated to the study of the stars

my ocs

kedrunn - branmer's father, warrior caste and a star rider like neroon. serves as a sech in most of these fics, but has held extremely high rank in the warrior caste. also very musical! appears in pretty much all my fics except neroon is the bridge and mlm fic (so far), but most prominent in bmwf, bla and b/n fic

eiyamer - branmer's mother, religious caste. a professional musician and honoured shaal. again appears in most of my fics except neroon is the bridge and mlm fic, but generally has a smaller role than kedrunn. most prominent in bmwf, bla and b/n fic

nerzhan - neroon's mother, star rider. rarely appears mostly just gets mentioned. usually dead long before the em war

rashal - neroon's dad, fire wing who married into the star riders. also usually just mentioned but doesn't appear. features most prominently in bla where he is actually alive for once (but might as well be dead if you ask neroon)

kazjek - neroon's ward, star rider. only features in one fic (the m/n one) so far! around 13 at the time of the story and a massive fucking brat. i love her a lot and will likely insert her into other fics if i get the chance (very tempted to put her in bla haha)

morreal - a childhood friend of branmer's, warrior caste and a wind sword. related by marriage to shakiri (who he hates, like really really fucking hates). often serves as the character who highlights the contradictions of warrior caste honour. the wind sword neroon basically. features in all my fic except neroon is the bridge and the cursed nye fic

aiashon - neroon's cousin on his father's side, fire wings clan. aiashon has a prominent role in bmwf (in the very end section post civil war she's actually the protagonist), bla and mlm fic. will likely feature in some small way in b/n fic, m/n fic and neroon-is-the-bridge. aiashon is the character often left holding the bag when everything goes to shit. the opposite of neroon in many ways, she's overly cautious when she should act and learns to be more decisive and bold in the latter half of bmwf

zakat - neroon's childhood best friend, originally warrior caste he converted to the worker caste and became a prominent starship engineer. features most prominently in bmwf and bla but gets some kind of a mention in other fics

rekshival - branmer's mentor and a high priestess of the star seers. features heavily in bmwf, mostly only gets small mentions in other fics which is a shame because she's one of my faves tbh

hyavel - morreal's girlfriend. worker caste, guild of engineers. features most prominently in bmwf and bla but gets an important cameo in m/n fic and will probably feature in mlm fic and b/n fic. hasn't yet appeared in any of my published fics

sashain - a priestess of the star seers and a childhood friend of branmer's. headstrong and aggressive and prone to angry outbursts. she becomes high priestess in branmer's stead when he joins the warrior caste. plays an important role in bmwf, bla and b/n fic. might feature her in mlm fic because i like her a lot

dushenn - aiashon's wife, warrior caste and from the nightwalker clan. not a super prominent character but appears in bmwf, bla and probably mlm fic. im hoping to expand her role a bit in bla and get her doing more stuff

verann - (fuck i cannot believe i forgot verann until now) warrior caste and a fire wing like aiashon. has a cute little triune thing going on with kedrunn and eiyamer. was at one point a candidate to be shai alyt. very high ranking in the warrior caste. features mostly in bmwf, bla and b/n fic. a bit like neroon if neroon were less of a total cunt.

shakat - warrior caste, night walker. massive cunt to begin with tbh, but experiences considerable growth in bmwf and bla, which are the only two fics he really features much in (might make a cameo in mlm fic maybe?). has a big, embarrasing crush on morreal. morreal can't stand him.

beshaal - warrior caste, moon shield. second in command to the shai alyts who preceeds branmer. features in small roles in bmwf and b/n fic, but is dead by the time most of my fics take place

levak - warrior caste, star rider. the shai alyt when branmer is a teenager. only features in bmwf because he is dead long before the em-war takes place

sekhat - one of branmer's mentors, warrior caste and moon shield. served levak when he was shai alyt. dead by the time most of my fics take place and only really appears in bmwf and possibly in b/n fic

rokesh - one of levak's advisors and a rival to verann, married to sekhat. also a moon shield. potential candidate to be shai alyt after levak. was meant to be a more prominent character but i ended up finding other characters more interesting, poor dude. features in bmwf but also gets a mention in b/n fic

kershan - a former star rider who married into the night walkers, lost most of his family on the black star. becomes friends with neroon in bla. features a little in bmwf but has a more prominent role in bla. doesn't really appear in any other fic tbh and i don't think i've mentioned him by name much at all on here either

there are more (SO MANY) but i think that's all the most important ones. branmer also has a warrior caste aunt and a couple of warrior caste cousins who will appear in b/n but they're not important characters. an overabundance of warrior caste ocs and not nEARLY enough workers rip (tbf there are more worker caste ocs but im not at a point where i have though enough about them to warrent a place on this list)

#the minbos #bmwf #bla #b/n fic #mlm fic #m/n damnsel fic #neroon is the bridge #if i have missed any fics please give me a poke #my ocs

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banana-with-a-bow-tie · 1 month

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With Jesus returning this year based on prophecy and stuff I don’t really see a point in life anymore. Don’t have no more joy tbh. I’m sure I’ll be left behind anyway but now it’s just waiting for some random day in 2024 for him to come back. Why bother doing anything with my life? Why bother going to college or hanging with my friends when it’s all ending anyway.

First, no one knows when Jesus is returning. It very well could be this year, but no one has the ability to say so except God and He has not told us when He will return [see here].

Second, imagine you are diagnosed with a terminal illness. You know for a fact you will die in three months. Some people might be inclined to say, “What’s the point? Might as well die now.” But that is three whole months God has given you for a purpose. If His purpose for you on earth were finished, He would not wait three months, He would take you home now to fulfill your purpose in heaven.

We are all living with a terminal illness. Our time on earth is limited, we just don’t know how much we have. But we don’t need to know when Jesus is going to take us home to know there is something He wants us to do here. Every morning you wake up, there is another part of the kingdom to be built up, and the church won’t stop building until the exact moment God says it is finished.

If we love God, the closeness of His return should inspire us to be as faithful as possible to fulfill His instructions for us here so He can find us enjoying Him and trusting Him when He arrives.

“But what if I haven’t been faithful? What if I haven’t been involved in church or grown very much in fighting sin?” Here’s the good news, Christ’s acceptance of you and calling you to be with Him has absolutely nothing to do with how many good things you do or how mature you are. The people serving in the vineyard received the same wage from their master regardless of whether they were hired at the beginning of the day or the end. We are accepted by Jesus because He is gracious and paid the penalty for our sin, no other reason.

If you trust Jesus to fulfill His promise to wipe away your sin because He died in your place and rose again, then the rapture is the most exciting thing there is. It is Christ resurrecting His Church and saving them from God’s wrath, just like He promised. It’s the fulfillment of what you put your faith in. Therefore, with whatever time we have left, whether a lot or a little, continue to trust God and grow closer to Him, sharing with others what He has done for you. Jesus will be with you all the way to the end of the age.

#Ask #end times

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risathefairyofshampoo · 4 months

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Goals for 2024

So this year started, and the first month almost passed, and I've been thinking about my goals for this year. I do have some personal goals that I want to achieve, but for the last two weeks, I've been thinking about my blog and if I want to make any goals for this year (to improve, make things easier for myself, etc.). So here are some goals I want to achieve, or well, work on:

1. Stick to a certain aesthetic

I've been looking back at the readings I've done, and tbh I think they are really ugly. Of course, the quality - so the reading - is the most important but also the way I present it and how I word myself. I just don't like them anymore. I deleted a lot of them and from now on I want to make them more pretty. I'm a big perfectionist so yeah... Maybe you noticed a little change and if you didn't, well now you know ;)

2. Improve your online time / post more

Okay so. What I mean by it is that I want to be more active but also take care of my privat life. I want to find a balance and make both things work. I get a lot of requests and I would like to answer them but I don't have the time, or make the time for it. I'm badly structured and I would like to improve that.

3. Care more about your interests when it comes to readings

Like I said, I do get a lot of requests and I sometimes pressure myself into doing them even though I'm not interested. Therefore I feel like I don't give it my all and make myself feel 'bad' while doing them and thus I don't like to do them and it feels like something I have to do (like it's my job and not hobby).

4. Finish one 'board' for an artist

Okay this seems to be a little extreme but I would really like to just finish one board with 'basic' readings for every member of one group (Ideal type, X as a bf/gf, X as a friend, ideal life, ideal/dream job, personality reading, how does the Kpop-industry view x). And maybe for a soloist but a group seems to be a good goal!

5. Not only post readings but also talk about something you like

This is my blog and I mean yeah I do mainly/only post readings but I would like to talk about things I like and that maybe aren't a part of tarot or kpop.

6. Learn more about tarot and find a better way to meditate

So I'm a huge fan of 'learning by doing' and I mean tarot is done in many different ways and I want to improve my 'technique' (If I can call it a technique) and meditation. I think it's very important to meditate especially if you work with energies, so I want to do it more often and for maybe a longer time (?). I'm not quite sure about it but what I know is that I want to do it more often. And yeah as for tarot I kinda like the way I do it now so maybe if I get better with my current technique, that would be great!

These are my goals and I hope things will improve on this blog and I'm always open for (good!!) criticism and ideas. 🫶

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bookaddict24-7 · 2 months

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REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

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87. Sidekicked by John David Anderson--⭐️⭐️⭐️

SIDEKICKED was a fun adventure following a kid who has extra strength in his senses (sight, smell, etc). He was paired up with a less than interested mentor who is never really there to save him when he needs it the most. While there is definitely an emphasis on the idea of good vs. evil and what that entails (and the black and white levels of moralities that come with these two terms), we also get a pretty good insight into a middle school young teen boy and his varying emotions about his crush and the new kid in his secret sidekick program.

I honestly thought the concept of this book was fun, especially because we got to see the world of superheroes from the perspective of a younger kid. And because I've always been a fan of superheroes and stuff, so that's always a fun thing for me to read. But the tone of this book felt...older? The main character was sassy (which I loved), but his thought processes also felt like this book would have been better set in high school.

But that being said, this was fun for what it was. I felt really bad for him and the hand he was dealt in the mentor department. But I did enjoy seeing how everything came together. I can see 11+ year-olds really enjoying this. I think it would make a good movie too, tbh, made me think of Sky High a bit, too!

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88. Cherry Magic! Vol. 2 by Yuu Toyota , Taylor Engel (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, I'm officially obsessed with this series. I know this is only volume 2, but sometimes I just know when I'm going to devour a series and this volume is it for me.

Still not the biggest fan of the artwork, but I love these two characters and the hilarious thoughts and commentary. I also love this idea of a character who isn't popular being romanced by another character that everyone else wants. I love this and need more!!

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89. Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It took me a while to pick up STAY GOLD even though I knew I was going to love it (I was right). From the very beginning, I was pulled in by the personalities of these characters and how well they worked off each other. I also felt their emotions and frustrations as they navigated the difficult and sometimes dangerous halls of high school. I also appreciated how McSmith navigated the complex emotions teens have of how they are perceived by the people around them.

This was such an emotional punch and I think that some trigger warnings will need to be read by those who are sensitive to suicidal thoughts, misgendering, dead-naming, and homophobic violence. The way McSmith wrote on these topics also showed me how having people who love you surround you is so incredibly important. It was also a great insight into how one's experience can't be seen as everyone's experiences. There was one character who was pushing the MMC to do something that though could be helpful to a group of people, it could be incredibly dangerous for the MMC.

I'm cis, so I am privileged enough to never have to deal with this level of danger, but it broke my heart to see the MMC torn between what others believed to be right and what was right for him.

The FMC had such great character growth and is proof that sometimes patience is a virtue--but also hope.

I just really loved this book and I'm so glad I finally picked it up! Now I have to read McSmith's other book!

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90. Cherry Magic! Vol. 3 by Yuu Toyota , Taylor Engel (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ugh the cuteness. I can't. Watching the MMC slowly fall and realize his feelings? Please.

I remember finishing this book and immediately cursing myself for not having Volume 4 readily available to read right after. I'm excited to see how those around them react to their slowly forming love. I also love seeing the jealousy and how intense the love interest is with the MMC.

Also, something I noticed is that the volumes have a content advisory but these are pretty clean (so far). Gay manga must equal parental advisory, I guess LOL. Please.

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91. The Haunted Forest Tour by James A. Moore & Jeff Strand--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Holy crap, THE HAUNTED FOREST TOUR was such a fun and bloody horror. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. The brutality and blasé way that the authors killed off characters was actually amusing. I don't think there was a heck of a lot of depth into this book, but I honestly just had such a good time reading this.

The one thing I wasn't a fan off and why the one star was taken off was the unnecessary mentions of these creepy men wanting to bend over certain women to have sex with them. It just felt predatory. Like the dude who had to constantly remind himself he was married. Or the ones who were always thinking about having sex with women who had no idea they were thinking these thoughts. It was creepy and unnecessary. God forbid we have a horror book where women aren't sexualized for the sake of making the reader either uncomfortable or just...because male authors can't help but comment on women who are "do-able".

Anyway, other than that, this story was pretty original and so, so bloody. It's a perfect October read tbh. Surprised the hell out of me. Would also make a great movie.

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92. The Escape by Katherine Applegate--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm starting to find that I really like the story told from this perspective. I think this character is one of the more underestimated ones because when we see him from other characters' POVs, we see someone who is one way, but from his perspective, we see his true depths. Which is something he touches on here: he's the funny friend; the one who never seems to take anything too seriously, but this kid wears the humour mask as a survival thing.

This was a great addition to the series because of the emotional aspect. And THE ESCAPE also makes me want to read more of the series just so I can see this character get his greatest wish granted.

Also, loved how great they all worked together!

Will hopefully read the next one soon!

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93. Cherry Magic! Vol. 4 by Yuu Toyota , Taylor Engel (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stop, I can't with this adorableness.

The fact that these two characters are so different but not at the same time kills me. One is very good at hiding their nerves and if it wasn't for these powers, the MMC wouldn't even know it. Sigh, both a gift and a curse.

I love that the character growth in this one--especially as someone with social anxiety--happened so organically. The MMC is going at his own pace but is still keeping the love interest's feelings in mind. I seriously can't wait to see how this all develops over the next few volumes!

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94. Dick Fight Island by Reibun Ike--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My adventures in Boy Love Manga has led me to this interesting work of art.

While yes, the majority of this is definitely porn, the storyline was actually really interesting and unique. And the artwork is freaking stunning. My friend told me that he didn't finish volume 2, so I'll probably just stay with this one and remember the story (cough) fondly.

I'm happy I read this because it was truly something else, but if you're thinking of reading this, be prepared. I don't think I'd recommend reading this on the bus.

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95. Dread Detention by Jennifer Killick--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this book under a different name and I was so surprised to see it was the same book (I just bought a physical copy of this book and the other books in this series, so that was a nice surprised.)

I genuinely really enjoyed DREAD WOOD (or DREAD DETENTION). It definitely gave me EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS vibes, especially with some of the scarier scenes. I love middle grade horror books like this one because it's just pure story--sometimes, older books have too much focus on the characters themselves rather than the scary side of a horror book. I thought there was a good moral story behind this and I think it's great kids will (hopefully) get this message.

I also was reminded of the Katherine Arden middle grade horror books where kids work together to solve monster and scary mysteries.

DREAD WOOD did have moments where it felt older than its intended audience, so I'd probably recommend this to the older side of middle grade.

If you're scared of spiders, you'll either have to miss out on this one or you'll have to find your bravery!

___

Have you read any of these titles? What were your thoughts?

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Happy reading!

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midnightsprings · 1 year

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I have been massively dropping the ball on posting ANYTHING to tumblr about game dev progress - or any social media publicly, tbh - I am currently "rebranding" the IG dedicated to the game for when I have the energy to maintain it, which is unfortunately not right now. Lol.

So...since all of this has been revealed to backers already months ago, I feel comfortable sharing here. These are some sprites that have been FULLY finished* in the past year, along with a short blurb about the character shown. ^^ Apologies in advance that some of these images aren't formatted or watermarked in the same way as others.

Takuto Hirashima is a possible love interest for Mikuru, one of the twin protagonists. They both share an interest in the occult and horror movies. Takuto frequently goes on excited tangents about his interests, and has a photographic memory, so he tends to have a lot of information to spill. He has pretty severe carpal tunnel from being an active gamer.

Noah Reid is a potential love interest for Mikuru, as well. He is a Canadian model based out of Tokyo at the moment, the reason he is in Hokkaido at the time of the game is unclear. He likes to think he's very good at keeping himself shrouded in mystery. He was surviving on his own for several weeks after the outbreak.

Hanako Akechi is a possible love interest for Toshiro, the other twin protagonist. She has a pretty reserved personality, but when she finally reaches her boiling point, you'll wish she hadn't. She doesn't seem to have many hobbies and really keeps to herself. While she used to be a childhood friend of the twins, things soured, and they mostly lost contact. In hopes of patching things up, she managed to follow them to their attended university. It was not well-received.

Kiriko Yukimura is a possible love interest for both Mikuru and Toshiro (not at the same time...), depending on routes chosen. She is Arisa's closest friend, if not her only friend, and they've been bonded since childhood. Kiriko discovered gyaru style growing up, and decided it was a perfect aesthetic for her to build on to. She loves pastels and all things "girly," and at first it made her feel better to have a darker skintone when wearing a fashion known for intense tans in a country intolerant of mixed-race kids. Eventually, she felt really comfortable in her skin, and that shines through in her warm personality.

Kyoko Koyama is Arisa's older sister by 8 years. She is recently widowed. It's incredibly hard to read her real feelings through her expression, as she's very good at masking her real emotions, a skill learned from having to raise Arisa mostly alone. She loves Kiriko like family, and is desperate to mend the strained relationship she now has with Arisa as they both became adults.

A part-2 kickstarter to raise more funds for programming, the remaining art balance, and potentially even help with writing (I have a lot of health issues going on, have to do more conventions now than ever in order to afford rent, and I need hip surgery that I can't yet afford or make time for), and more...will launch early 2024. Please keep an eye on this page for updates!

*the sprites done first in order to be included in the demo are not actually finished, they're about halfway done. Each main character has 2 normal poses + 1 "fight" pose, multiple outfits, etc. In order for them to be done in time for demo publication, they just have 1-2 poses and 1 outfit each. Sprite artist is Sasamekuh!

#Apocalyptic Dream #ApoYume #Game dev #Indie game dev #Horror game #Otome game #Zombie horror #zombie apocalypse #Zombie apocalypse au #Video game art #Dating sim #Amare game #Sprite art #Midnight springs

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a-spell-a-rebel-yell · 4 months

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December

hello everyone, i know it's already day 23 of January 2024, literal almost a month after the month ends and is already on another year, but at least i'm here yaaay (i really need to start writing the monthly post a week before said month ends 😭)

December was actually, just as thrilling cliff-hanging as November! thing is my countdown to my other coldplay show was finally down to under 50 days and it was also the end of the very first semester.

just in the true fashion of my life, my adventure this time is: going back and forth between Jakarta and Tasik in under 24 hours (22 hours to be exact!) on a back-to-back journey just for school and seeing my hometown again 😂

so, as you can tell, i have so many assignments and one of them is a practical skill's lab project where i have a typodont (a phantom model of human teeth embedded in wax) and i pretend to apply orthodontic treatment on it to correct the malocclusion. it was not easy at all. it's quite literally a simulation of what will happen and what should i do when i treat an actual patient. the project lasted for almost five months and even the class didn't stop once the semester break came around, that is why i had to go back and forth between Jakarta and Tasik: i don't want to lose my holidays while still having to attend the weekly class 😂

some will say i'm insane because it's so tiring to do so and indeed it was super exhausting. but if you know me, i'm the type to do just about anything for my loved ones (my parents were staying at Tasik to take care of things and it's been a while i visited my grandparents' last resting place) so it was no big deal at all to endure 7 hours of bus trip each and then 1 hour commute to the station/home. a total 16 hours in 48 hours timeframe spent on the road. and it's worth it, every second of it, because i got to relax and work in the middle of lush green and rice fields... it was the very definition of healing time. i was still under the pressure of stress and deadline to finish that last project, but at least i did it while being surrounded by serene nature and with my mum and dad 😂😂😂 it's such a nice drastic change to do wire bending with all my pliers and stainless steel wires and orthodontic brackets with herd of ducks quacking loudly near me and farmers ploughing soil to plant rice seeds... best part? zero pollution! no light/sound/air pollution whatsoever and i get to see amazing sceneries right out of my windows every day! rain every evening to help me and my mum water the plants (which are thriving!) Mt Galunggung in its majestic full view... woah. it's my best treasure tbh nothing else compares

the most unexpected thing was that our class for that subject/project is usually scheduled on Thursday (so for the first back-and-forth journey i made sure to go back to Jakarta on Wednesday and get back to Tasik on Thursday right after the class ended) and for the second week, my prof suddenly requested us to come to the campus on Tuesday, and guess when did he sent the message to inform us? 6 AM on said Tuesday!!!!! oh you couldn't imagine my panic, how am i supposed to be in Jakarta in less than 4 hours!? thankfully my prof is a lenient one and he let me and kak Mandy (who was in Bandung at the time) to join the class from zoom. another good news is that class is to be our closing session for the project, and that i can just send my typodont instead of coming in person to submit the assignment. yet again Allah's plan is always better than my most carefully thought of one 🥺

the rest of the break i get to spend every day at my hometown just recharging my energy and soaking every positive molecule there is, and my mum have this brilliant idea to buy a table tennis equipment!

at first, not fully knowing the impact of my mum's seemingly random decision, i opposed the buying of said table tennis because it's quite expensive. but after it arrived and i got to play against my mum and dad (who happen to be great players!) i finally understand that my mum knew fully well i don't like outdoor sports (solely because i hate the sun getting my face so red lol) so table tennis is the best option! it's so fun to play and i still get to exert my whole body to get that exercising regime my nutritionist has told me years to do so 😂

for new year's eve, the end of 2023 is the quietest one yet. with just my parents, deep in the greens, miles from the city, and just watching Pengabdi Setan 2/Satan's Slaves 2 (exactly my style hahaha getting my dad to watch it!) i moved over to 2024. just saying and sending out my prayers to welcome the new year and hope i can go through whatever i must face in the future. and again, just how i like it, not many fireworks were blasted so it wasn't that rowdy. it almost didn't feel like NYE celebration, all is calm and cool.

i love slow living, far away from the crowded areas, i could quite literally stay in my hometown at my house and just. be there 😂 it's so easy for me because as long as i have my loved ones with me and a roof above my head, enough to live and get by... that is all. to reach that tranquility and peace of mind is one of the highest priority/goal for me. hope one day after i've accomplished my dreams i get to reside and rest where my heart has always been dwelling.

here's to another journey in 2024, i hope we can together make it through. see you in the January post, that as i said in my Nov one, i'm counting down 3 days to my trip to Singapore and 4 days until i see coldplay again, historic moment as i'll be back to the stadium where i first saw the band 7 years ago!!! see you all soon 💙

#speedrunning thru life #while relaxing in the most novel times #my life my adventure type of thing #alhamdulillah #life is still as good and fun and worth living #:)

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runfast-runfar · 1 year

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Daily Things ☕️ 🥬 🍋 📓 🐱

3/12/23

✨ there have been so really really good positive things in life lately, as well as some really really dark and difficult things happening lately too.

✨ we will start with the good! I officially got hired at my job as a full time, permanent employee!!! I was a temp to hire since November, and last week I was officially offered the position! The company I work for is a start up that has been around for 6 years now, and will be going public by 2025 at the latest. The goal is mid 2024 but by 2025! Which is very exciting! I’m one of ~150 employees, the benefits offered are great, a 401k, I get unlimited PTO, and stocks in the company! And my starting salary is pretty generous for my first job out of college. Bay Area is insanely expensive so it’s not the most amazing pay considering that, but it is higher than a loooot of jobs base pay here regardless. (Peep my daily mornings at work that consist of almond milk/matcha/banana/spinach smoothies, and lots of coffee!)

✨ finished my first piece from my art class! My little lemons using watercolor are officially done!! I love it tbh!

✨ it’s been rainy and gloomy for a little while now, so this morning I took myself to a little local coffee shop, and I challenged myself to get a higher cal drink. So I got an oat milk mocha and it was so so tasty (and cute!) While there I did some reading and people watched (sounds a little weird but honestly I love seeing others interacting with each other and you see so many sweet moments). And then after that I went to paper source and got myself a new journal (just finished my last one!) and I got two new Jellycat friends! I got my little journal the giraffe pal, and my drawing donkey pal! I have stuffed animals that I have in my lap/hold while doing various things. It’s a newer thing but honestly it’s been a huge stimulation helper to have them as fidget/comfort items. So the donkey I have when I draw, and the giraffe I have on me while journaling. (I have a finley bear jellycat I have while playing animal crossings, a Yamper plush for playing/watching Pokémon, a weighted Pluto when watching any Disney movies, Corti my cat jellycat when I take medication each day, and then my oldest stuffed animal Spotty I sleep with. Having them for specific tasks honestly has been really really comforting and nice!)

✨ food has been really really hard. Body image has been really really hard. On the days I manage to eat a bit more than normal I can’t keep the exercise down. And on the days I cap the exercise, I can’t eat more than my safe amount. And it’s made life incredibly difficult. A coworker of mine has noticed the food stuff and while it’s a bit helpful to confide to someone about some of it, it also makes it a bit harder to be getting somewhat monitored about it now. But, I have made the decision with the support of that friend, and my therapist, to enter a treatment program. I still have to ensure my insurance will check out, but if it does, there is an outpatient program I can partake in in the evenings 5 days a week that will work with my work schedule. So we will see how that all turns out.

✨ anyway, I came home after my little morning outing, did two 45 minute peloton classes, then did laundry and watched Mean Girls! And now I’m in bed drinking peppermint tea and watching a documentary on Netflix.

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aviel-the-trans-bucket · 10 months

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Welcome back madlads, today we’re listening to more of Gerard’s solo music. Today we’ll be doing all the non-album singles, meaning my next post of these will be the first of several posts listing to Frank Iero’s post breakup music.

I’m not too sure what to expect but I’m looking forward to it. Honestly I needed a bit of a break after I finish mcr’s backlog (I write my draft structure in advance lol) it was nice but I got that kinda ache in my chest after finishing a good story. I’m looking forward to getting back into new music and moving forward. (So this one came a while after I did the last post because I got really busy and lost track of time, so let’s try and finish the hiatus music before 2024 together ;u;)

Pinkish: Ok grainy, but the vibe is pretty tasty. This is nice, it reminds me a bit of bullets tbh. I’m not sure I know what to call this vibe but like, I feel. Hell-fucking-o that guitar jumpscared me, but it’s sexy as hell!

Don’t Try: oh this is a liminal vibe. It’s like both poppy but also reminds me of sifi sounds and it’s trippy and I like it. This kind of fucks. Oh I like this. I think this might be a new favorite of his solo stuff. Vaguely kinda reminds me of disenchanted. Yea I vibe with this one really hard.

Into the Cave We Wander: oh this sounds nice. This feels cozy, oh I adore this. This is just such a pleasent sounding lovely time. This gives such a calming yet adventurous vibe, fills me with a sense of pure wonder. Gorgeous 10/10.

Baby You’re a Haunted House: ok this feels reminiscent of the classic emo sound. Ok but like, why am I getting Fountains of Wayne? Like vague vague “Stacey’s Mom” vibes. But it’s pretty good. Might take a few more listens to really hook me, same things happened with “I never told you what I do for a living” but now it’s stuck in my brain.

Getting Down the Germs: oooo nice guitar. Ok this also kinda fucks. Man all his solo music has felt just so retro fr. It’s a very chill vibe, is nice.

Dasher: ok I’m not sure what to expect here. It sounds really pretty tho. Just really relaxing and pretty, I like it a lot. Yea this was beautiful.

A Hazy Shade of Winter: ok I’m not sure what to expect here either since I’ve heard this is also a cover. The vibes are something? I don’t know what tho. Haunting intro and it blows your tits clean off! Oh this is what I’ve been fucking craving! Ok this is one of the ones I think I like the sound of the most. This is good as hell!

Happy Together: mmm another cover. Oh shit man, now this fucks. God I love his voice so much. A banger cover, his voice has lived in my brain for years and paid not a cent on the god damn power bill 😔

Here Comes the End: ok vibes much. This kinda slaps shit. Looking back, yea this makes sense this was released in 2020. It vibes but damn that was 3 years ago and both feels like it’s only been 1 but also a full decade.

Well this was nice, a lot of good songs. Sorry if I missed any important ones, I’m just going by the Wikipedia page. My top 5 of the bunch would have to be…

1: A Hazy Shade of Winter

2: Don’t Try

3: Into The Cave We Wander

4: Dasher

5: Baby You’re a Haunted House

So I’m finally done with Gerard’s solo stuff after a long gap between posts of me being busy and then burnt out. I’m hoping to learn more about my music taste by doing this tbh, since Frank’s is next I’m kinda hoping to be surprised a bit. So far I’ve learned Gerard’s vocals are but one aspect that makes mcr music tickle my brain. The constant threat of having my tits blown clean off by a guitar seems to be a secondary factor. Well next up we’ll be doing stomachaches.

#aviel rambles #my bullshit #gerard way #aviel listens to solo content (made during the mcr hiatus)#i’m catching up on old mcr stuff in the off chance they drop a new album post return

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dontfindmethanks · 1 day

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last year this time I was deciding to go with a second job offer over my first (and I'm so glad I did, it's been a great 1st year. I'll be going back for a 2nd! I was so happy! And I am quite sure I would not have been as happy commuting and working at the other school. I chose well and I am grateful. The school building/property and community are nice, too, it is a beautiful thing.)

Also I was a little worried if I would be able to handle the whole year but hey look at that I did!!!! and I did a good job, the kids and their parents like me as a teacher. It's like I found my calling, blessed.

I was also trying to move from practicing with adults and open gyms once a week into level 9-10 team practice. Trying to do 3-6 hours a week even over the summer with no other responsibilities was hard on my body lol. I also survived the injury adversities of my ankle sprain and elbow dislocation...to come out stronger!!!

doing 6 hours a week while working and taking care of myself and socializing some!! I am a c h a m p i o n.

LAST YEAR 2023 MAY Tori was WINNING as a bachelor's degree graduate, but still here in 2024 I have come further - proud of me!

TWO YEARS AGO in 2022 I had finished my first of two years at Kean University, and had not yet started student teaching. I had a really successful semestersx2 with lots of classes/credits, I held the research job and conquered some anxiety by presenting etc.

JASON WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND THERE FOR ME HONESTLY I'M SORRY THAT I'M SO INTENSE AND WAS DOING SO MUCH THAT I HAD A LOT TO ASK BUT HE WAS VERY GOOD TO ME

anyway. Jason and I's relationship was definitely not doing good, though. He was talking to that bitch, and I was a trash bitch or something, whatever. I tried to force us all summer even as he asked for space from me as he moved out of the house -

I am proud to be here, single and broken up from him, in 2024. I have come a long way. 2022 I was struggling to get to trampoline once a week for the hour adult class because I was sad about Jason. Also, part of that was totaling my car May 2022 when I was distracted over Jason while driving, tbh :/ and losing my gymnastics job at garden state over the lack of car (but i was meant to lost the job at garden state, and i love my new car and it's technology/safety feat. a LOT,)

I was pretty awesome to find a new car, and then I took the life guard job...I'm not the type to sit still. That challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. New places, on-call, and it also was nice to hang at pools and put my feet in and swim a little :P

SO YEAH. I'm really proud to be where I am right now in life. As many things as I had good going in 2022 and 2023...2024 is better yet.

What's unstable right now? My relationship status. Dating. Talking. To several people. But no Tinder or anything like that. All organic connections. That's the one area I don't know where I'm going. But like I posted yesterday, it is getting clearer. The list has narrowed. The person absorbing a lot of my free time in confusion is removed now.

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thezoeydiaries · 1 month

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ENTRY #7

Hey people,

It's 12:53AM, and I have been working for the past hour like a lunatic. I was in a very stressful situation, earning a phone call to my work bestie - Jade just to rant and blow off some steam.

I love the people I work with in production, but it's not always cupcakes and rainbows, if anything it's more coffee and the feeling of impending doom waiting to be unleashed at any given time. (Okay fine, that was exaggerated) But in reality, my line of work puts much pressure on employees like me and my colleagues.

There's a lot to unpack here, but the best example I could give you of my work dynamic is the plot of The Devil Wears Prada. Except it's with less fashionable people (but equally fabulous nonetheless). Instead of getting Miranda Priestly — I work with people who are closer to my age and have a different view on work relationships than the old-fashioned "I'm your boss and I'm going to ruin your life" narrative (Oh thank God it's 2024, and a good year for some character development).

I love the people I work with in production, they're actually one of the reasons why I could even stand this job. I don't want to sound like any other 20-something-year-old, ranting about how she hates her job and wishes she could quit but can't for reasons a, b, and c. But the thing is, as glamorous as it does sound working for TV Production, it's just as hectic and stressful as any other corporate job (maybe even more tbh). I hear my peers who work outside of my industry say that my workload is insane and that it's definitely not for everyone. And I agree with that, so many newbies in the company just come and go (not even staying for 3 months) because it gets too much too soon, especially on bad days. And as for my batch, we're already considered the seniors in the program since we've lasted for more than a year (which comes as a surprise to others, because on the regular —most employees last between a few weeks to only 3 months).

I get it, working in TV is not like your typical job and requires so much more out of you than the regular employee. We don't get to clock out, and we don't have the privilege to enjoy holidays or weekends. We only get free time when all our deliverables are done, but we can only do so much in so little time that before we even know it —we're already starting another production week for the next airing. So now that I've painted that picture, let me take you back to the present time.

I was ranting on the phone with Jade about a very common issue in our job and that's the hassle of scheduling the shoots. Just because one has a shoot, doesn't exempt him/her from her other duties to attend like weekly meetings for pitching and post morts (especially for other programs). You have to find a way to make things work for you because each show is like an independent company — they have no business with each other, therefore, they act like the other doesn't exist. So when you're in the middle of scheduling tasks, meetings, and shoots, they will not coddle you just to accommodate the other show. It's either you find a way to be there and fulfill your obligations, or you're not doing your job right. (Even if they schedule meetings at the same time, it doesn't mean it's okay for you to present in one and absent in the other). So whatever it takes, even if you need to split yourself in half, you do it.

And right as I finished my task for the night, there was a sudden shift in my mood. I felt like I was in a higher vibration all of a sudden. It was so noticeably different how I was ranting and in a bad mood one minute, and I was grateful and content the next. It was so unusual that it prompted me to write this blog right now. I don't know what it is, but I have a very good feeling that better days are coming. I can really feel like a good change is on its way, and I feel like I will be receiving blessings upon blessings.

I am just in a good mood despite the heaping amount of work I know I have to get into really early in the morning. I don't know if this is like a preview or a sign that things are finally going to go my way, but I just can't shake off the sense of relief, the overwhelming joy, and the hope that things are finally going to turn for the better.

So I guess the only goal of this blog is to remind you that even if things are not going in your favor, in a split-second God can change it all around and you will be grateful.

Till next time my loves!

Love and light,

Zoey na randomly optimistic

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pocket-elf · 5 months

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New Years questionnaire for 2023/24

(Haven't been on tumblr much the past couple of months, nor have I done this for the past four years but hey, I'm here so lets. I know there are several in my archive. Tbh I think I probably used to use this template on Livejournal back in the day! I've made some edits through the years, including this one)

1. What did you do in 2023 that you’d never done before? I got a job that isn't a temp thing! Sure my previous job was three years in the same place but it was a temp position. This one is solid, if I want to stay. I don't plan to in the long run but it's secure for now. I listened to a lot of new to me music as well. Other than that I don't feel there were any never-done-before type things.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don’t do resolutions but I did some crafting goals, which I did NOT keep. I did finish all my reading challenges though! For 2024 I will keep going with reading challenges but nothing else I think.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No. My friend's mother did though so I was there for her when she needed some support.

5. What countries did you visit? Cambodia and Vietnam. And technically Denmark as the Copenhagen airport is my closest big international airport.

6. What would you like to have in 2024 that you lacked in 2023? The answer to that is always a girlfriend haha. Girls where you at? Hit me up.

7. What date from 2023 will remain etched upon your memory? I can’t remember dates like ever. But I'm trying to remember January 8th and February 4th as the two dates the emo ball started rolling properly this year. January 8th being the day I bought customs maps in Beat Saber (which really is what started it all) and February 4th being the day I took a walk into town for some candy and had the thought "What if I check out what Fall Out Boy have been up to lately" and then it all just well... really fucking snowballed.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I guess landing a job finally, that I don't detest with my whole being.

9. What was your biggest failure? I don't know. I suppose not making as much as I wanted to. That's always the case. But this year it's been very little. Probably cause my style changed so much.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I fell with my bike in May and scraped up my knees and glasses. twisted my shoulder which ende dup giving me trouble in the long run. My right knee took a while to heal from the bad surface wounds (luckily no joint damage) which but stress on my hip and made that problematic. But that cleared up with an intense round of ibuprofen and rest. Elbow is acting up though, probably from work. But I was lucky with the bike fall. Just a few weeks later a friend of my parents collided with another cyclist and ended up in the ICU with brain haemorrhage, fractured skull/ear, needing surgery for arm fractures, etc.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Oh man... I suddenly have had income to spend. Tbh I should probably say plane tickets, cause I really needed that Cambodia vacation. But also like, my whole wardrobe got an overhaul.

12. Did you try any new crafts? (new/replaced question) I made a rag rug on a big loom! It was good fun. I finished weaving in spring but then both me and mum kinda never finished the edges... I guess that's something I need to do in 2024. For the first time I also started working on a big complicated cross stitch. I've done easy things like lil text bits etc, but for my trip I decided cross stitch would be the best to bring for long flight etc as it doesn't take up much space. And ended up converting a still from the video for Black Parade which had me work with like... 10 different shades of blue or something. The main parts are done, I just need to decide what to do about all the white bits (stitches or raw aida) and how to finish the edges as that depends on how I want to display it or what to do with it after. But it was so satisfying to do!

13. Did your home change in any way? (new/replaced question) Kitchen had a big refresh with new floor, painted cabinets/drawers, and new stove/oven. I didn't start the bedroom gallery wall this year but it's been growing a bit. I did however start the living room gallery wall. Turning the lounge half of the living room (the other is sewing space) more and more kinda witchy feeling. Swapped the curtains out for dark blue velvet to go with the lamp and armchair. Got a gorgeous blanket from Disturbia to put in the armchair too so it's all really coming together.

14. Where did most of your money go? Not counting things like rent and food... probably clothes. Gods so many band shirts. No actually let's just say merch. Cause last like, couple of weeks I've bought vinyl and books and such. I did also buy a computer though... but that hasn't reached me yet.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Music. this year has been my year of emo and I love that for me.

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2023? Oh that's hard considering everything. BUT, So Much (for) Stardust was actually released this year, and I fell hard into Fall Out Boy early enough to actually wait for the album (even if mercifully short compared to the rest of you) So probably all of the songs on that album. But Heaven, Iowa literally made me cry the first time I head it soooo

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? Probably happier? At least less worried. I was actually very content not working but money runs out and I was starting to get frustrated by the near hits in interviews, and worried about not getting any more money come spring. ii. thinner or fatter? Maybe the same? I was walking more last winter but now I bike. But something I will say though, my body image has improved a lot. Thanks emo crowd?? iii. richer or poorer? Oh for sure richer. I've had a salary! I've been able to save money.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Sewing. Spending time with friends. Definitely wish I would've played more games.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? I mean... working. But no choice in that really.

20. How will you be spending Christmas and New Years? Christmas I spent with my parents having a good dinner and watching my favourite Swedish quiz show. Very chill. It's currently 25 minutes to midnight as I type this answer. I'm in comfy clothes just chilling in bed. I'm gonna try to time Welcome To The Black Parade for a "Carry on" at midnight. EDIT: I didn't even finish this whole thing before midnight. And yes, Black Parade is absolutely perfection for this occasion.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? Eron I guess? We've spent a lot of time talking in VR as well.

22. Did you fall in love in 2023? Funnily enough this was my answer in 2018, and is this year again: With music yes.

23. Did you try any new exciting food? (there used to be a question about one night stands here but finally I am changing it) I tried to be open to new things in Cambodia. Tried a couple new fruits, really liked the classic Khmer dish loc lac, and omg in Hoh Chi Minh during our lil trip to Vietnam I found a Japanese bakery that had possibly the best pastry I've ever had... a sweet potato bun that looked like a purple sweet potato and was filled with some kind of sweet potato goo. And it was still a bit warm when I got it. Absolutely insane. Reminded me a bit of almond paste but fluffier and ofc not almond. And at the same bakery i got a hokkaido melon bun that was also heavenly.

24. What was your favourite TV programme? Our Flag Means Death

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Not hate, but I dislike some people at work and such ofc.

26. What was the best book you read? The big surprise came this summer with Where Are Your Boys tonight? by Chris Payne. First of all I was weary of the format, and second of all. if you had asked me this time last year I would NEVER have guessed a book with the subtitle The Oral History of Emo's Mainstream Explosion 1999-2008 would even enter my reading obit, let alone become the book of the year. And I knew as soon as i had read maybe half of it that it would be that, no matter what I read the second half of the year.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I mean... just like, so much? But I guess falling properly in love with Fall Out Boy (I had listened to Save Rock and Roll for a bit back in the day but never really went back to first era or did more than give AB/AP a quick look when it came out) just gave me so much. It was what started it all and I love them dearly. I have never listened to My Chemical Romance, and I even said early this spring "At least I won't listen to My Chemical Romance" as I was falling into the FOB trap. Yeah... that did NOT hold up. At all. They're up there in the faves now.

28. What did you want and get? A new job.

29. What did you want and not get? We all know the answer to that: MCR5

30. What was your favourite film of this year? I didn't watch that many new movies that ween't like, shitty Hallmak tbh. But maybe Red, White & Royal Blue?

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 36. I worked, but left a little early to go home to my parents where my brother and niblings were visiting. So played with them, had dinner and cake.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Maybe getting a job that I was excited about and fit my wishes better than what I have. Don't get me wrong though, I am very relieved to have what I have now. I don't hate it and I get paid alright. I guess falling in love and having a happy relationship would've probably been amazing but we're not even close to anything like that so

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023? "Oops we went a bit emo didn't we?". I used to be all about skirts and dresses. Never really wore pants. Now my go to outfit is skinny jeans and a band tee and I never thought I'd be here again (well it was never band shirts, but graphic shirts at least) My wardrobe is dark again. Dressing up for Christmas I just went full goth. I am basically going back to my youth but now I have money and can do what I want. And somehow I like my body BETTER in skinny jeans and a tee. My waist isn't even defined??? But yeah, I've always felt drawn to that like, darker alt stuff, even if it hasn't shown since high school. But whenever it pops up on instagram or what have you I go "aw, yeah... nah too much work. And for the young'uns" etc. So now when it has been realised in a form that works for me in my mid 30s it just feels... right. A homecoming of sorts. Finally here it is. It will of course change and evolve too, and I have never been a hardcore single style kind of girl anyway. But that thing that has been buried but stirring for 15 years is finally free again.

33b. Any other changes to your looks this year? Cut off my hair (I have buzzed sides now for the first time too! I've had it all buzzed and overall cut short, but never this kind of do) and we're back to bright colours. Trying partly blue for the first time and loving it. Also added two tattoos, a second big jellyfish on my left arm (which is currently healing and needs touch ups) as well as a trio of macaronies on my stomach (a souvenir from Cambodia) Also started wearing more rings on an everyday basis as well as shoved a stud earring through a half closed hole in my left ear so now I have an ear climber there, and got a cuff for the other. Also started wearing a small faux septum ring (can't pierce my nose, have to many nasal issues)

34. What kept you sane? Music and talking to people online.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I don't fancy people per se, but all them emo dads are dear to my heart.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? I am just so very tired. But gods, Palestine.

37. Who did you miss? Always friends.

38. Who was the best new person you met? I guess Daniela? She's a good coworker.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023. Just cause you're in your mid 30s doesn't mean you can't change, or take back what you liked about your youth and had just been dormant for a while.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I asked Jacey to help me with this and her suggestion was "I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker colour", which is hilarious considering the drastic change of my wardrobe. But there IS other colour in there. Like green. So let's go with

So paint it black and take it back Let's shout it loud and clear Defiant to the end, we hear the call

To carry on, we'll carry on

Last time (end of 2018) I added some new ones, for looking to the future:

41. What is the thing you most look forward to in 2024? I don't actually know! I have no big plans yet. So I think what I look most forward to is to see what kind of good surprises will show up. And where my musical journey will take me.

42. What is the first thing you look forward to in 2024? Minor things: All the stuff I've ordered (and gifts from friends) arriving. Setting up the turntable I really hope I get next week, and buying a shelf/side table thing at IKEA and covering it in contact paper to make a turntable stand and emo shelf in the living room. But bigger: Callie visiting in May.

43. Any upcoming releases make you excited? I will keep hoping for MCR5. I mean they have to be working on that, I refuse to give up hope. And I'm actually curious about the new season of Doctor Who. Haven't watched that for years, but watched the anniversary eps and the Christmas special.

44. Do you have any big plans for the coming year? Like I said, no big plans! I have friends visiting in May and October. I have no idea what to do about vacation. Was thinking about a hiking week with dad but don't know. I have no tickets bought for anything. Hoping a tour with some band I like comes my way (second Europe leg of Tourdust please! I couldn't make it to Berlin. Make it closer next time)

45. What is something you want to accomplish in 2024? I would really like to go to a concert. Is that accomplishing something? I don't know. But yeah. I would really like to nail a tshirt pattern though.

Adding some stat ones:

46. Number of books read According to Goodreads, 59. Which does include a few kids books and a few comic books that weren't like full graphic novels/collections. 2022 was abysmal so my reading goal was low to start with and I increased it a few times. So I'm very happy with 59.

47. Number of movies watched Letterboxd says 64 individual ones, but with some rewatched (like watching YBC like eight times) it's 71. That does include a couple shorts, and like I said also Young Blood Chronicles. But I didn't log the Doctor Who specials that I did see the last few days some of my friends having done. Never even consider checking if they were there cause it's such a tv series kind of thing for me. If we would count those it'd be 75.

48. How was Spotify Wrapped? Top artists were Fall Out Boy (for whom I was in the 0.01% even!) and MCR. Followed by TAI, Dunes, and Gerard. I knew FOB would win when only half the year had passed cause I had done such a sound bath and didn't stop listening after that. But MCR did well. And they both fought in the top 5 songs, coming out at Love From The Other Side, Sharpest Lives, Heaven Iowa, Foundations of Decay, and 27. The last one was actually a conscious effort the last week to bump it with just a few extra listens over some Black Parade song (I Don't Love you maybe?) because it has such a special place in my heart for some reason. Genre wise Spotify really sucked this year. Somehow I didn't even get a top five which is what you should get, and instead just modern rock and pop punk. How this year has been "modern rock" I do not know. How is there no emo or at least alt rock in there? Or even like... indie or something for my lil side step to The Amazing Devil which I liked listening to at work sometimes. Or whatever they count Hozier as. I should have gotten three more genres!

45. How many tattoos are we at now? When you don't stop at two, or maaaaybe three, there is absolutely no stopping. So with two new ones this year we're at 8. 2024 will definitely bring at least another.

#new years #about me

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