#but you can probably google it based on the details provided

[theresattrpgforthat]

Learning How to Play Forged in the Dark: Part 1, The Action Roll.

If you have never played a Forged in the Dark game before, picking up one can be intimidating, and that includes Protect the Child. I’ve talked about some general pieces of Forged in the Dark play before, but today I’m going to try and bridge the gap a little more by explaining the basics of the Action Roll, as well as Position and Effect.

The Action Roll.

In most Forged in the Dark games, the Action Roll consists of rolling a pool of 1-4 d6’s and looking for the highest number. Let’s look at the different outcomes.

6 = success. Multiple 6’s (Crit) are like a Nat 20 - you get the best possible outcome!

4 / 5 = partial success. You do the thing, but you also get a consequence or a cost.

1-3 = failure. You likely don’t do the thing - and the situation gets worse.

This is the basic roll for the bulk of Forged in the Dark games, and everything else stems from this rule.

Alright, now let’s talk about two axis of detail that are added to the Action Roll: Position & Effect.

Position

Position is how the GM communicates the difficulty of the thing that you, the player, are trying to do. In other words, it describes how bad things could get if you fail. There are three different Positions: Controlled, Risky and Desperate.

Controlled -> Failure is more like an annoyance, or something you could potentially avoid.

Risky -> Failure is going to suck a little.

Desperate -> Failure is going to suck a lot.

Effect

Effect is how the GM communicates the potential of success. To describe it in another way, it’s a measure of how much of your goal is achievable. There are five different levels of Effect:

None -> As is, you can’t do it.

Lesser -> You can do it… kinda.

Standard -> You can do it.

Greater -> You can do it well.

Extreme -> You can do it with the best possible result.

Position and Effect are combined to communicate to the player the stakes, as well as provide a shorthand to detail the span of possible outcomes based on the roll. The default combination is Risky/Standard - failure might suck a little, but if you succeed, you can do the thing. However, depending on the narrative situation or the rolls that have happened previously, you might be in a fire-fight with just a knife (that’s pretty Desperate), or perhaps an ally has handed you a grenade (that’s probably going to have Greater Effect).

This is a chart that indicates some of the outcomes that may happen depending on the result you get depending on your Position. The bottom row lays out the five possible Effects, and the number of ticks on a clock that they might correspond to.

On my next post, I’m going to explain how you combine Position & Effect with the tools on your character sheet. This is just a starting point - players have a lot of control over what the final outcome looks like!

If you want to start learning how to play Protect the Child, I recommend taking a look at the Google Spreadsheets linked on the store page and flipping through the character tabs. The Quickstart characters are 90% fleshed out and can give you an idea of what different character pieces can look like, and there’s a rules reference for how to roll underneath the stats for each character.

I also believe that playing is one of the easiest ways to learn, so if you want some hands on experience, hop into the playtest discord! There is at least one game happening every week designed to be easy for first-timers to hop into and give it a whirl.

If you want to read more about Forged in the Dark play, you can check out my intro to Forged in the Dark, as well as my explanation of Clocks!

[para-dweller]

Privacy is in a terrible situation right now.

Especially on the internet. You know, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter(X), Apple, and even Tumblr all collect information about you to show you scarily accurate advertisements among other things.

Why does this matter?

This isn't about hiding information, it's about protecting information. You wouldn't let me know your entire life, your diary, all your photos and text messages, so why do you let random companies do the same?

Privacy Guides - Why Privacy Matters

So how do you stop this?

You can't. But you can lessen this. So I'm going to show you a non-exhaustive list of what I've used and what I know of that may help your privacy. I would recommend you go to privacyguides.org after if you want a better explanation. I'm just here to show you cool things.

Disclaimer

I am not a library on this sort of information and this is what I choose to use. I may be incorrect and you may have differing opinions. Also, this may be too extreme for everybody. Use what works for you. Again, I would recommend you go to privacyguides.org after you read this for a more in-depth and better explanation.

VPNs

You know what a VPN is. You've seen the sponsorships. VPNs are one of the most popular privacy tools, but know that they are not the only tool that you'd need. This list is evidence of that.

I would recommend Proton VPN, Mullvad, and IVPN for most users, as they provide a far better amount of privacy and features than VPNs such as Nord VPN, Surfshark, and Express VPN. If you really want unlimited devices go with Windscribe.

I personally use Proton VPN due to the fact that I use their other services.

Browsers

You should probably know that Google Chrome is basically spyware at this point. The issue here is, almost all Chromium-based browsers are. These include, Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi. The only real exception would be Brave, but they've got leadership issues, which may not be a deal breaker for you.

So what do you use? A Firefox-based browser. This obviously includes Firefox, but most Firefox-based browsers are privacy-focused. The browsers that I recommend are Firefox, Librewolf, the Mullvad Browser, Waterfox, and Brave.

There is also the Tor Browser, but that is a whole 'nother can of worms that I will not go into. All I will say is that if you are in a high-risk environment(such as an oppressive regime) or you need absolutely no one to know that you searched that one thing, you may want to use the browser for anonymity.

I use Firefox as my main browser, with Brave as the browser that I use if something doesn't work on Firefox. I also use Tor if it is a high-risk situation.

Search Engines

Google, Bing, and Yahoo! all log your searches, you need alternatives. This is relatively straight-forward.

I recommend, Qwant, DuckDuckGo, SearXNG, Brave Search, and Startpage. Both Qwant and DuckDuckGo are fairly similar as they both use Bing search results and say that they don't track you. SearXNG is more complex, and I will not go into detail here. If you really want Google search results, use Startpage. And if you don't want your search to rely on Bing or Google, use Brave Search.

I use Qwant, mainly just cause its European.

Passwords

Passwords are the keys to your digital life. And most of the time they're not that great. You know the drill here, make passwords like this- XmaE7PEj2hq9ed$w - but you can't really remember them. For that you need a password manager.

I recommend Bitwarden, Proton Pass, and KeepassXC. Bitwarden and Proton Pass are more convenient, but you are trusting a single entity, reputable ones, but still. KeepassXC isn't as convienent, but you have near full control over what happens to it.

I use Proton Pass, as I use other Proton services.

Email

Email is identity, you almost always use your email in order to register for sites like Tumblr, and sites that aren't anything like Tumblr. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo! all use your email inbox in order to gain more information about you for their companies. There are quite a few email providers, but I've only used and recommend two.

I recommend Proton Mail and Tuta Mail. Both are good email providers, although Proton would be better if you use other Proton services, like I do.

I use both Proton Mail and Tuta Mail for separate email addresses.

Aliases

Email Aliases are also very important for private email. Your email is your name, if you want to private, you'd go under pseudonyms. That's what email aliases are.

I recommend and have used Simplelogin and Firefox Relay. Email providers like Proton and Tuta also give you aliases when you pay. I don't know how well these work, but I assume that they work the Same as Simplelogin and Firefox Relay.

I use Simplelogin.

Devices/OSes

Phones

Now let's turn up the extremity to 11 as we look at your devices. Phone-wise, avoid Apple, they say that they care about your privacy, but they don't. Apple is better than Google, but I'd only recommend using an iPhone if you already have one, and it still has support left. If that's the case, then follow privacy guides like this one by Techlore(His channel is also really great for privacy guides). You should probably use a Google Pixel. Sounds weird as it's owned by GOOGLE, one of the companies that we don't want to be tracked by, but if we go with the Pixels we can use custom ROMs.

Most ROMs exist for your privacy, they are based on the Android Open Source Project(AOSP) which means they can run most of your favourite Android apps without messing them up with Google. In order to run most of your apps however, you're going to need some way of running Google Play Services. This is a backbone black-box that Google forces most of your apps to use in order to function. CalyxOS and LineageOS with MicroG both have MicroG, an open source implementation of Google Play Services. GrapheneOS just straight up uses Google Play Services but sandboxes it so that it can't get its tentacles all up in your phone.

I recommend going like this:

You have a modern-ish Google Pixel phone, go with GrapheneOS.

You don't have a Google Pixel, but your phone is still supported by CalyxOS, go with CalyxOS.

Your phone isn't supported by either of these but still is supported by LineageOS with MicroG, go with LineageOS.

Your phone isn't supported by any of these, you can do as much degoogling as you can.

Techlore also has a fantastic guide on Android Privacy.

Desktops/Laptops

Apple isn't actually that bad here, its better than Windows at least. But Linux is KING when it comes to privacy and security. There is definitely a learning curve here. Pin the terminal, you're going to use it a LOT. Also be aware that on Linux you won't have every single app that you're used to. If you don't really want that hassle, just go with Mac.

Linux distros that I recommend(for beginners) are: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, and Elementary OS.

I use Ubuntu as it's the only one that I could get working on my computer.

Other Pieces of Advice

Use an Ad-blocker! Ads are terrible for privacy as companies can get their trackers in completely unrelated sites via their ads. I use and recommend uBlock Origin.

Don't use any personally identifying information online. Don't use your real name, a picture of you, your voice. The less you give to the internet, the more private you are.

Mix and Match! Explore what works for you. You might be okay with changing OSes but you might be a bit too reliant on GMail. That's fine! Just use what works.

Again, please go to privacyguides.org after this. This did not even scratch the surface but I hope this was useful to you in some way.

[red-handed-tamarin]

tam is opening writing REQUESTS (free)

CURRENT QUEUE STATUS: DOING THIS AGAIN BUT QUEUE IS CURRENTLY FULL

These are not commissions, though in some administrative ways they may be treated as such (i.e. a queue with limited slots, attempted adherence to prompts, due dates / limited time turnaround etc.). I will be opening up a queue to write pieces FOR FREE. See below for guidance!

~~

How many slots will be open?

For now I'll be opening three slots at a time. This seems like the most manageable number for me at the moment but could change in the future.

~~

What is the word count limit for requests?

The absolute minimum word count will be 300. The maximum word count offered will likely be 1000, but in general, I'll be shooting for the 500-800 word range.

~~

What kind of requests are you taking?

There are MANY things I'd be very happy to write, so don't feel limited by the will-write list below; anything not specifically blacklisted can be requested, but I reserve the right to turn down any request for any reason at any time.

WILL WRITE:

fanfiction, original fiction, or nonfiction (such as meta)

first, second, or third person

OCs, reader inserts

any non-PWP genre

a variety of formats

most kinks

incest

ao3 categorical archive warnings: rape, underage, graphic violence, character death

WON'T WRITE (BLACKLIST):

real people fiction (rpf) involving anyone who is NOT the requester; I'm willing to write the requester into the story if that is desired

harry potter or any jk rowling content

pure smut (I'm just no good at it)

scat/watersports

woundfucking

MASTERLIST OF MY FANDOMS (wip) (don't feel beholden to this, I'm just providing it for inspiration and reference)

~~

What do I need to include in my request?

The following elements are critical for any request (please ensure they are included!):

characters/ships and what media they're from

a specific scenario

a desired resolution

squicks / do not writes (DNWs)

whether you are OPEN to nsfw content or would prefer all SFW

information about an OC or self-insert: name/nickname, pronouns, physical description and style, personality, relevant backstory points

Optional elements include (I can't make any guarantees but I'll see what fits!):

preferred genres

favorite tropes

any and all additional information about OCs/self-inserts. I'm very interested in every little detail, please share!!

Here are some examples of strong, viable requests:

"please write yusuke and kuwabara from yu yu hakusho having a beach day together with a kiss at the end! I don't like poly, so please don't include that, and I'm not interested in NSFW at this time. I also prefer fluff and friends-to-lovers, and I don't mind if it's first person."

"I request dick grayson and jason todd, both batman characters, training together while jason is robin. it can be open-ended, but there should be a mutual attraction there. jason can be and probably should be underage in this, but not younger than 14. would love to see nsfw content if the mood strikes."

"I'm looking for someone to write for my OC, who is a pokemon trainer based on myself. here's a link (x) to my character's profile on my tumblr. it would be really fun if this OC could be shipped with brock; they're both 15 at the time. I really want them duking it out at a pokemon gym. my character should win and then brock should ask my character on a date. please keep it SFW and pretty vanilla, but I really like flirty text messages, so if you wanted to make textfic part of it, that would be cool."

"can you do some analytical nonfiction about anakin's relationship with droids in star wars, and how it has to do with his history as a slave? I personally think he personifies things that people depersonify because of that, but I'd like to know your take. if you have anything to say about sexual violence please tag it and put it under a read more, that stuff upsets me."

~~

How do I submit a request?

You can submit a request either on or off anon on tumblr, or you can use this google survey!

Notes:

Writing pieces will typically have a turnaround of two weeks or less. This is NOT a guarantee.

Once written, the piece will be posted publicly to my AO3 and I will tag you. Please let me know if you want to remain anonymous! Requests CAN be made anonymously on tumblr, but I won't be able to tag you upon completion, so please make sure to subscribe on AO3!

I will never knowingly use AI for any aspect of my writing.

Please signal boost this post!

[sebsrainbowbicycle]

Are you saying Temu isn’t worse than google?

No. What I’m saying is that people do not understand how companies and governments use, and have access to, their data. The difficulty when talking about this is that data protection is different depending where you live. In the EU and UK, GDPR applies which is my specific area of professional knowledge. GDPR applies to companies operating within those countries, as well as anyone professing the data of people who live in those countries. This affords a level of protection that other countries do not.

Since I was specifically talking about the US in the post I am assuming you are responding to, let me give you an overview. Unlike the countries that fall under GDPR, the US has many different federal and state laws that concern certain aspects of data protection, (some states do have comprehensive data privacy laws), but in a lot of states data collection by companies is unregulated. What this means is that they can buy, sell or share your data without telling you. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/04/21/us-data-privacy-protection-laws-a-comprehensive-guide/)

In their Congressional Testimony, Caitlin Chin-Rothmann explains that although “the Fourth Amendment protects individuals from “unreasonable searches and seizures,” and requires government entities to obtain a warrant with “probable cause” to infringe upon their “persons, houses, papers, and effects”” that the government is increasingly using compelled and voluntary methods of obtaining an individuals personal data, without the need to obtain a warrant, or legally justify why they require that data.

In essence, the US government can (and will) approach any company based in the US (and other countries if their headquarters are in the US) and either buy your data, or compel the company to provide the data. There is a reason why a lot of EU companies will avoid using data centres based in the US, and why google opened data centres in the UK and EU.

Now. Let’s look specifically at the two examples here: Google and Temu. They are processing the data of people all over the world, and have to comply with the various data protection laws for every country they do business in. Does that mean they are fully adhering to it? No! But it does mean that should they fail to comply, there are financial penalties, and in some cases complete restrictions on processing data.

In googles privacy policy they detail the data they collect, and clearly state they use that data for targeted advertising. They also state: “We also collect the content you create, upload, or receive from others when using our services. This includes things like email you write and receive, photos and videos you save, docs and spreadsheets you create, and comments you make on YouTube videos”

Anything you do, share, receive or make using a google product is collected by them. This includes contacts, calendars etc.

They go on to detail what information they share, either via consent from the individual, with domain administrators, with affiliates or trusted business partners, and for legal reasons (including enforceable government requests).

Now in Temu’s privacy policy which is less detailed than googles, they advise their activity is very similar to google. They don’t state they process data from anyone’s device automatically with the exception of the below:

To conclude, I am not saying that there aren’t companies who are nefariously collecting, processing and sharing your data. But with big corporations, it’s naive at best to assume they are safer than any other one. Your level of protection is directly linked to what country you are in, and what country the business is based in. GDPR countries are, in my opinion, offered some of the best protections there is, but it is by no means perfect. Data is big money, so working under the assumption that every company you engage with, is trying to use your data to make them money. My opinion is that both Google and Temu are collecting and selling data, probably unlawfully, but almost every other big corporation is too. My advice is to read the privacy policies, and do everything you can to protect your data being collected.

[anabdaniels]

Cultural tradition

Paring: Agent Whiskey x Female Reader

Word counting: 840

Rating: +18

Warning: Brief implied smut.

A/N: Let's pretend I ain't late with this. I'll already apologize for any possible mistake related to Christmas celebrations in the USA because Google may have confused me a bit hahaha. This is based on the Christmas traditions we have here where I live (south of Brazil), but I believe it can work with any other cultural habit if you ignore a few details.

Main Masterlist | Cowboycember Masterlist

You always had wondered what it would be like to have your own Christmas night, at your house with people you really cared about, and that moment was finally becoming a reality.

Of course, you bugged Jack’s mind for a moment when you started to talk about your plans for December 24th, and only then did you remember that you two had been raised into different Christmas traditions.

“I understand that this might be confusing to you, but it’s so weird for me to just celebrate on the 25th.” You shrugged with a soft expression, playing with one of Jack’s hands.

“To be honest, I liked the idea of having celebrations.” He chuckled softly “I’m totally up to do it.”

“Fine!” you sounded excited “Then we’ll have to do some groceries tomorrow and I hope your barbecue skills are not rusty.”

“Barbecue?” Jack questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, because turkey ain’t an item of the party.” You answered calmly.

“This gonna be quite interesting.” Jack shook his head with a smile.

The further you got into the grocery list, the more confused Jack was while trying to realize what would be the result of it, since you bought some stuff he couldn’t promptly associate into any familiar recipe like rice, corn, peas, and short ribs.

As time passed in the kitchen, Jack could only get more interested as the whole dinner started to take shape. The peas and corn jointed with potatoes, mayonnaise, and a bit of parsley, turning into a salad; the rice would be cooked to be a side dish, and the short ribs having the barbecue grill as their destination, but not without you making Jack surprised and confused once more with your instructions to season the ribs only with coarse salt and nothing more.

“Honey, are you sure about this?” Jack questioned one last time with the salt jar in one hand, making you laugh.

“Yes, Jack. I’m sure, I’ve helped my father and watched my uncles do this a thousand times, I’m sure about what I’m telling you.” You affirmed while moving your attention from the onions you were cutting.

“If you say so…” he chuckled and started to add the salt to the ribs, then looking at what you were doing “What’s that?”

“Well, back home we call it vinaigrette, even though it has nothing to do with the French dressing.” You shrugged after finishing chopping the onions and added them to a bowl with chopped tomatoes, gently mixing them.

“Only gets more interesting.” Jack said sincerely.

Not that later, the guests showed up, your dear best friend, Ginger, Tequila, Jack’s parents and sister, and Theo, their dog. You were a bit worried if they would engage the idea when you made the invitations and all of them accepted without thinking twice, then suddenly you had been transported back to your child and teenagerhood, having a lot of people you loved and cared about sitting on the backyard and having a good time while drinking and eating.

You were prepared for any strangeness from them about the unusual meal, but as you listened to the compliments and saw the food you were sure would result in a bunch of leftovers disappearing, you couldn’t be happier for having been able to provide a good Christmas dinner for your family.

Which, for sure, included your cowboy.

Of course, you knew that Jack was a man of appetite, that soft stomach hadn’t appeared out of nowhere, but he definitely exceeded your expectations, eating everything as if it was the best thing in the world, probably because it tasted very much like that. He liked the food he had grown up eating on Christmas period, but something prepared by you with that whole emotional meaning would unquestionably be his favorite, what with the addition that everything on that dinner had hit right on his tastes was the recipe for a complete success.

“Finally, I can break free.” Jack said while watching the cars leaving the ranch, undoing his belt and opening the button of his jeans.

“Maybe you should try a non-vacuum-packed one next year.” You joked holding one short rib, finishing eating it.

“I’ll ignore your audacity because that dinner of yours was a masterpiece of food.” He shook his head and sat on the chair in front of you, taking advantage of the fact that you were sitting on the table to caress your thighs.

“Wise decision.” You chuckled and cleaned your hands on a napkin.

“I can’t with you sometimes.” He smirked and leaned forward to plant a kiss on the side of your knee.

“Daniels…” you sighed quietly as his lips moved further on your skin.

“C’mon, sugar, y’really didn’t expect me to want some dessert after such a good dinner?” Jack concluded his question with a nibble on your inner thigh.

“Can’t say you don’t have a good point.” You smiled already running your fingers on his hair and relaxing on the table, more than happy to be eaten out by your once more hungry husband.

[theworldbrewery]

Hey I'm thinking about running a game that take place (partially) in "the real world." Do you have any advice for that? Specifically for running a setting that exists and can be "fact checked."

Haven't run something like that myself, but it's very possible -- there are plenty of non-D&D systems that are set either in the real world or in an alternate-universe version of real life.

A lot of the things that can come up in that type of situation are similar to what comes up in full-fantasy settings like D&D -- if I set a game in a forest and I put a camel there, my players would probably question it. It's just that it's much easier to hand-wave these 'errors of fact' by saying it doesn't work that way in your world.

But sometimes you think a certain cultural practice is widespread and refer to it and suddenly you're players look at you like you've grown a second head. To some degree it's unavoidable; practice taking that kind of pushback in stride.

The more specific you are about reality, the harder it is to avoid the fact-checking you're worried about.

I'd say there's a couple different solutions.

First off, do your research about anything you plan to be specific about, especially things that will be important later. If your plot hinges on the fact that there are no big cats native to North America and your players point out that cougars exist, that's a story-breaking error. It breaks immersion and the suspension of disbelief when you say things they know to be false (and you're not doing that in-character which could mean the character is wrong/lying). Even if you think you know something, it won't hurt to double-check. Take notes; ideally, take a serious interest in the things you're planning to include, so it's easier to remember these things.

(This matters most in factual disputes -- dates, numbers, names, and trivia.)

Second, use what you already know to provide your base of support. Set the real-life part of the game in a modern setting, or in a historical period and place you're very familiar with (or familiar with the popular depictions your players might recognize). Have elements of the story draw on things you're personally interested by and know a lot about. On the flip side of this, you can also rely on things your players aren't familiar with. If you're the only one who's ever spent time in San Francisco, they are unlikely to try to 'catch you out' on whether or not there's really a mafia front Italian Restaurant off I-80. Frankly, they may not even check to see if there's really an I-80 in San Francisco. If you set it in a small town where all of you grew up...they might push back more if you forget the mayor's name and make up a new one.

Third, fictionalize. There is no town called Derry in Maine, and yet Stephen King set like half his novels in or around that town. It's probably based off a real place, or a composite of places, that he actually knows. Players can't tell you off for making up details about a city that doesn't exist -- or at least, if they do, they're being ridiculous since you do the same thing in your fantasy setting. Invent a micro-nation like Genovia, or imply that this setting is actually a slightly-to-the-left version of reality, not a one-to-one, which absolves you of major errors.

But honestly, I think the biggest advice I can give you is this:

If your players are trying to fact-check you all the time, your players might not be very good players.

Halting gameplay to make fun of you for misremembering the native range of brown recluses or to Google the length of Ronald Reagan's presidency is a dick move. It's one thing if your players do this occasionally, or if it comes up when you get something wrong about one of their personal interests, but if they are pointing out mistakes all the time, that's mean-spirited as hell.

It's also deeply uncool if they can't let it go, or won't respect it when you tell them 'above the table' that you need them to just buy into the thing you're telling them even if it's wrong in real life. Sometimes we suspend disbelief for the sake of having a good time; if your players refuse to do that, the problem is them, not your lack of encyclopedic knowledge.

[1d10tch1ld]

DSMP _+ DID THEORY!!!! LISTEN UP!!

My brain has cracked the code! "why does ----- f-----k------e DID???" the reason is your probably on drUgs cause I am smarter then you at your game and here is my actual defense of DID to take it away from the misinfo of sysmeds 1!!!!!!!!!!!! (Disclaimer: this could be triggering depending on the person and doesn't really detailed many instances of trauma as it can't fully go into each depth yet as there are many types of trauma and it is not limited to the following: name calling, neglect, emotional neglect, bullying, and harassment.)

(this is all based on scientific research and can be backed by google searches relating to the topics although had not prior been used in this way ---- the example was created by me as some of the symptoms or experiences linked/matched up and aligned themselves to the situation)

sleep deprivation was common in the overlapping communities of the DSMP ..... Kids usually had to stay up late to watch the streamers play as well as their immersion.

"Splitting" which could be seen as similar to DSMP characters being akin to the creators as if by a mouth piece of a fake version of themselves as the dissociation started to blur, their sense of self was fading away as they could recall the characters they had so cared for and been with thick and through (trauma) which made it hard to stop thinking about the character.

Trauma in the DSMP lore could have been similar to that of what the kid experienced or it could have been triggering to these dissociation episode or periods of gap in memory which would form amnesia also if the kids couldn't keep up with all the lore yet still remained hyper fixated on it.

other reasons:

ADHD was a comorbid factor as it played a role in kids who already had circadian rhythm disorders as well as providing hyper fixations combined with the sleep deprivation caused dissociation and eventually derealization.

Assigning meaning to the lore of the DSMP and what it represents helped assign patterns of thought into the kids heads which made it easier for the symptoms to be more severe.

Escapism periods from/away from trauma meant they were more likely invested within the DSMP lore and the characters as it was on-going, waiting for more episodes to come out with majority of fans anticipating what would happen next

A sense of community within the DSMP - once again escapism

Hyper fixations, and bright colours or engaging activates

(I might have to make it more clear in a while! but this is the simple basics for now in written form, I will be using visual diagrams in the future for reference point as well as summing it up.)

[frevandrest]

I would like to ask a few things, I hope you can help me.

Is there any English translation of Monar's biography? I have heard/ read that it is the best SJ biography that is currently available and I would very much like to read it. Or if there is no English translation can I acquire the book in an ebbok format so that DeepL/ Google can help me translate it? (So far I've only managed to find printed copies on Amazon.)

Is Olivier's biography trustworthy - I am currently reading it and I don't know what to think. (The denial of his running away, the speculation about Masonry...)

What about Boulant's recent biography? I have it but I have read mixed reviews about it.

What do you think of Le silence de Saint-Just?

And finally, there is a novel SAINT-JUS & DES POUSSIÈRES. What is your opnion of that one?

Sorry for the plethora of questions, hope I didn't inconvenience you.

Hello!

There are no official translations of Monar's biography. Only machine translated and shared unofficially around here (more info in private message if you wish). You can download the German original here: https://perspectivia.net//publikationen/phs/monar_saint-just Also, a note on Monar: His biography is very detailed (over 800 pages) because he goes into details such as how the Oratorian schools operated, Palais-Royal, Convention, etc. It is also very meticulous in terms of providing sources and it's the first place I look when I want to track something SJ related. But the biography itself... It is very good, but sometimes subjective (as in, explain/analyze things as in "this happened because SJ probably thought X" or "SJ must have intended Y"). This is not something that ruins the bio, but be careful when figuring out what happened. Now, many bios do the same thing to villainize SJ, while Monar defends him, but it's important to be aware of author's guesswork.

I've read Ollivier's "Saint-Just et la force des choses" a long time ago and now I can't remember what I thought about it. I do remember it was written in a more philosophical (?) style that was difficult for me to follow, but it's because my French is not great, to put it mildly. I know the book is more known as the film made based on it (undeservingly? I am not sure).

I have Boulant's biography but never read it in full. I skimmed through it and didn't see any new info, but I will need to check it in full. I can't even say why it received mixed reviews.

I have the book (Le silence de Saint-Just) but never got to read it. This can be my reminder to do so!

I heard of "Saint-Just & des poussières" but didn't have a chance to read it. Perhaps one of my mutuals know more?

Sorry, that wasn't super helpful!

[guzsdaily]

[Re]starting my self-hosting journey, and why

Day 80 - Jan 24th, 12.024

Yesterday I "woke" up my old computer as a server [again], now the fun part starts. But, why am I self-hosting?

Why self-host?

The short answer: for me, it's fun.

The long answer: to start, if you don't know what self-hosting means, here's a small explanation from our good old Wikipedia:

Self-hosting is the practice of running and maintaining a website or service using a private web server, instead of using a service outside of someone's own control. Self-hosting allows users to have more control over their data, privacy, and computing infrastructure, as well as potentially saving costs and improving skills. Source: Self-hosting (web services) - from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In summary, it's like if you used your computer to run something like YouTube, instead of connecting to the internet to use it. Self-hosting can be really advantageous if you care a lot about privacy, control of your data and how it's used, not only that, but if you're a developer, you know have a lot more power in customizing, tweaking and automating services and tools that you use. And because the data and code is on your own machine, you aren't locked-in into a cloud provider, website, yadda yadda. There are people who can explain this better than me, and nowadays self-hosting isn't that hard if you know a thing or two about computers.

Personally, I plan to use self-hosting for three reasons:

Privacy and data control, of course;

Network control, aka. Ad blockers in the hole home's network with something like Adguard Home and a private intranet with Tailscale;

And, the most useful, automation. I already talked about here and there, but I hope that I can automate my social medias, daily journal publications, and things like that using my home server, specifically with something like Gitea actions (or in my case, Forgejo actions).

Maybe something like federalization also, I don't know yet how hard it would be to self-host my own Mastodon or [insert another ActivityPub-compatible instance here] on my computer.

Something which I also plan to do is to run my own Invidious and other frontend-alternatives for myself, I already use public instances and pretty much de-googled my online life nowadays, so why not try self-hosting also? Maybe even open these instances to my friends? So they can also have more private alternatives? Or maybe I'm dreaming too much? Probably.

How to self-host?

If you're somehow interested about self-hosting after this amalgamation of an explanation, and do not know where to start, I would recommend taking a look at CasaOS or YunoHost, these give you an easy-to-use User Interface (UI) to manage your server and services. I tried both, CasaOS being what introduced me to self-hosting, alongside this video on how to install it on Linux and use it.

Nonetheless, this is my third try on self-hosting, because the two previous options didn't serve my current needs and also because I'm liking the idea of using NixOS, which is how I'm configuring my home-server now. And it is being kinda great to share common configuration and code between my desktop and home-server, without counting also the incomparable control of using it instead of the docker-based solutions I mentioned (but again, I wouldn't recommend using Nix in your first try of self-hosting, even less if you don't have any experience with it or programming in general).

I already have a Forgejo instance running now, and I hope that tomorrow I'm able to configure Adguard Home on it, since these are pretty much the two main reasons and purposes of this server. Also, Tailscale is also configured, pretty much just services.tailscale.enable = true, that's it.

I have to admit, I'm kinda loving NixOS more and more, and it's also making me love even more Linux in general. It's always great to learn and try something new. Hopefully in some days I will make a more detailed post about the hole system that I'm creating to myself, it's kinda scary and interesting the scale that this "productivity system" is taking.

---

Today's artists & creative things

Playlist: Braincell.exe has failed to load - A stimming playlist - by Aliven't

---

Copyright (c) 2024-present Gustavo "Guz" L. de Mello <contact.guz013@gmail.com>

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) License

[dinner-with-strahd]

Strahd von Zarovich - Ask Blog Information

🧡 OOC Information 🧡

[aka the place i can be as syripsy as i want. hehe lowercase letters, go!]

hii! im syrips (any pronouns 30 y/o), im a shameless strahd simp and i made this blog because i enjoy rping as strahd as a DM. so i was like 'well this seems like an enjoyable way for others to rp/engage with strahd too'

another reason is because when i DM with strahd, i literally forget what strahd says/does and it bums me out.. at least with these i can reread them ooc and be like 'woah, thats cool!!' or w/e HAHah

anyways im new to rping on tumblr so pls feel free to message me ooc if needed, thank you and hope you all enjoy this silly little ask/rp blog, my beloveds!!

🦇 Rules / Info: 🦇

Please Read: Strahd's default mannerisms may come off as abusive, toxic, and/or triggering. Please be mindful of trigger warning tags and sensitive content. Read the Legend below for alterations, adjustments, requests, and information so you have a comfortable and consensual experience!

Anon asks are fine, but anything that seems nsfw and I can't confirm your age will probably not be answered.

Must be 18+ for nsfw asks. Your profile must have your age or indicate in some form that you are 18+.

I have no limits with what I receive, but I will tag, warn, and spoiler sensitive/triggering content to provide a safe space for others. I love enabling all forms of fictional/rping indulgence, but I also want to make sure we're all enjoying it in our own consenting and fun ways.

"Dinner with Strahd" was chosen as my url because it usually holds a very immersive meaning to players/DMs. However, interactions with Strahd are not assumed to be literally in the dinner hall unless stated with (dinner) or implied through context.

🩸 Default: 🩸

If something is not stated, these are the defaults that I do for Strahd. Some are based on canon, and some based on fanon. If you want him to react or behave in a specific/different way, see the Legend below.

Strahd is a vampire, with a visual appearance of someone in his mid 30's to 40's.

Strahd is Bisexual.

Strahd's default pronouns are he/him.

Strahd is patient, charming, and predatory.

Strahd is only intimate/predatory to adults.

Strahd is an unreliable narrator/host.

Strahd will respond as though you are communicating in person, with a letter/familiar, or a sending spell.

Strahd supports trans/queer rights because he wants to see his Beloved's radiant smile in the perfect form.

🖤 Legend [do people still call it that??] 🖤

[Closed bracket things] : i use this when i want to talk OOC

(Parentheses) : you tell me what you want in here. it can be as vague or as unlimited/detailed as you want. more detail = more accuracy. examples are below

TW : i will use this, along with the spoiler/keep reading thing, along with the tw in the tags for sensitive/specific content

Parentheses Examples:

you can add this anywhere, but i recommend in the beginning or end of your ask/message.

Example:

"hi strahd you smell dumb hehe (fluff, PC: Zinnira - fallen aasimar, rogue, sent letter with rat)"

then wham he'd respond with a silly/wholesome/funny banter or message - easy peasy!!

Random Suggestions for words to use if you want to use the Parentheses:

(fluff/comfort/good/nice/etc.) : use words like this for nice, wholesome and/or comfort strahd response

(beloved) : strahd will respond as though you are his beloved. yes, that Beloved.

(enemy/rival/conflict/etc.) : use words like this and strahd will respond as though you are his enemy [or he is yours]

(scary/evil/creepy/possessive) : im fine with these but please add if you have any limits/hard no's/boundaries, i want you to enjoy it and not actually be uncomfortable irl/ooc!

(PC - race/lineage, class, etc.) : give me context of your PC! [you can even send me google docs for context hehe i love reading]

(f/o imagines) : strahd isn't my f/o, but i enjoy these. you can also add words like if you want it to be cheesy, fluff, flirty, scary, funny, sfw/nsfw, etc.

([gender or pronouns here] Strahd) : adjusts strahd's gender/pronouns

([personality style/alignment] Strahd) : adjusts strahd's personality/alignment

(in person/dinner/letter/sending spell/etc.) : use words like this if you want your ask/message to be received in a specific way

(other oddly specific stuff) : literally go wild, this is your little ooc bubble of telling me what YOU want. have fun, my beloveds! 🧡🧡

[dodger-chan]

I was cleaning up my Google docs folder and found some old fics I started and honestly am never going to do anything more with. And where is the place for that sort of thing but Tumblr? So, I did a quick clean up edit and, here you go.

“You could be kinder to her, you know.” Jaskier’s words were quiet, but clearly meant for Geralt to hear. He lifted his eyes from his book to glare at the bard, but Jaskier stubbornly kept his head down over his own book. He had been interrupting Geralt’s reading all evening with the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the table and quick scraps of a tune. It seemed he was no longer content with mere annoyances and was moving on to conversation.

“You’re referring to Yennifer? The woman you called an uncharmable snake this afternoon?” With all of the upheaval in the world, the continued hostility between Jaskier and his former lover had provided a comfortable bit of normalcy.

“That is me being kind.” True, Jaskier had called Yenn much worse on many occasions. “I’m not saying that you need to forgive what she did, much less trust her implicitly. But this cold indifference is painful, Geralt, painful. If I knew you less well, I’d think you didn’t love her anymore.”

“How can I love her after what she’s done?” It was the question that had been haunting Geralt’s mind since seeing Yenn with Ciri outside of Cintra. It was a question he had no good answer to. Except that he did.

“With even more guilt and self-loathing than usual, based on what I’m seeing.” Geralt coughed out a bitter laugh. “Love is not something we choose. It falls on us like a sudden rain, knocks us back like a gust of wind, chews up our hearts like a ghoul. We can only choose how we react to it. Perhaps you should forgive her, if only so you stop punishing yourself over it.”

“You’ve never liked Yenn.” Geralt kept his tone flat.

“Still don’t. Probably won’t ever.” Jaskier agreed.

“So why are you defending her?”

“How would you behave if I had betrayed you and Ciri?” Geralt’s mind took a moment to catch up to the change in subject.

“You didn’t.”

“I would have.” Geralt looked over at Jaskier, who was now carefully studying the pads of his fingers. “That, ah, firefucker, as Yenn called him, is a shit interrogator but he would have gotten what he was looking for soon enough.”

“You didn’t know…” But Jaskier was looking back at him with an expression of affectionate disbelief and Geralt fell silent. A cold feeling crept up on him. Jaskier had always been observant, always paying attention to the little details. He may not have known the location of Kaer Morhen was the way he knew where the best brothels in Oxenfurt were, but he could have gotten the mage here. He felt like he should apologize, but he wasn’t sure which of the many apologies he owed Jaskier it would be. Instead he said, “Everyone breaks under torture.”

“Obviously, or far fewer people would use it.” Jaskier scoffed. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought I could hold out as long as I did. Perhaps love does make a man able to endure. But if Yennifer hadn’t shown up to rescue me it would not have been enough.”

“You want me to forgive her because she saved you?”

“Yennifer lost her chaos. Maybe losing it hurt; she never said. But what she lost with it, her purpose, her family, her entire identity, that is something that eats away your soul. And that’s not even considering how long that pain demon was feeding on her, offering to return it all in exchange for one little girl. If that mage had burned all the flesh off of one finger, only my playing would have been affected. I would still have been able to compose and teach. Probably I could even have relearned to play a little. I would not have held out past one finger. If I had betrayed you, it would have been for fear of a fraction of her loss.

“I want you to be kind to Yennifer because it was only the barest of chance that kept me from betraying you, too.”

“She had other options.”

“Did she? I think if she had, she wouldn’t have been happy to see me in Oxenfurt. No, not happy,” Jaskier corrected himself, “relieved. She looked at me like I was a hot meal and she hadn’t eaten in days. Now, many people do see me that way, but considering our history, does that sound like a witch with other options?”

It didn’t.

But whatever Yenn had been through, however limited her options were, she had still made a choice. A choice that had nearly killed Ciri.

Forgiveness was impossible. Kindness, at the moment, was beyond his reach. Opportunity was the only thing Geralt had to offer.

“I will allow Ciri to train with her.” Opportunity and time. Perhaps they could give Yennifer what he could not.

[twinhood-2dot0]

Spotify's Top Tracks, Analyzed (To the best of my abilities, that being, programmatically, and not lyrical, because I'm not a songwriter)

Good morning Alex, I’m delivering on the promise I made last week (was that a promise? I think I just stated it, anyways). Yeah there’s nothing much to preface, I’m just gonna go straight to the data.

Audio Features

Spotify’s API provides a few details on tracks, namely in the context of this post, danceability, energy, valence (How “happy” a track is purely based on the music I assume, I don’t think lyrics are factored).  You’ll notice the graphs contain acousticness and instrumentalness, however that data is not accurate, it’s sometimes 0 and sometimes a very low number which does not accurately reflect the track (the features range from 0 to 1).

Songs above 500 Million streams

So, apparently, top songs are on average pretty danceable and energetic but not overly, and happiness seem to be almost balanced.

Top 50 Songs right now (actually, a few days ago, but the calculation takes time and tends to fail midway sometimes so I am not going through that ordeal again)

Seems like it’s pretty much the same, except sadness slightly wins out this time, I guess we Gen Zs really are a depressed generation.

Over The Years

2017 was apparently the best year for music. I would have thought 2013 or 2014, but that’s cuz I’m an EDM gal and all the bops came out in 2013-15.

Decades

2010s wins by a considerable margin, obviously, but 2020s somehow has more than the 2000s??? I probably shouldn’t be surprised but it’s only been 3 years (yeah, apparently 3 years have passed. Doctor Manhattan probably just decided to delete 3 years like he did with the DCU, I refuse to believe it’s been three years) so you get why I am. 

Keys

Probably less interesting but the most popular keys are, in order, C Major, C# major and minor, and F# minor. I find it kinda funny that the most basic scale is the most common. Also, take this with a grain of salt, Spotify can be inaccurate, I forgot to factor in confidence because I’m no therapist smh Spotify can get their self confidence issues sorted out elsewhere.

Genres

500M+

This one’s kinda predictable I guess, but do not ask me what trap and post-teen pop is. I know trap is EDM but it’s kinda not my EDM. Also, get this, the most popular country is Canada, by a huge margin. There are 51 Canadian pop artist, while the runner up UK Dance has 18. I didn’t know Canada was so big, off the top of my head I can only name Justin Bieber and The Weeknd. Also, the next region is Toronto rap lmao

Top 50 RN

Yeah I have no idea what these are.

Mine because I’m self obsessed

I added a “pop not edm” category because a large amount of the EDM artists I listen to are also pop so pop becomes my top genre :/ My top country is Sweden :P obviously. I can’t for the life of me tell you where the R&B came from. I don’t even know what that genre is (Oh okay I googled and apparently Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston are R&B).

Finally, the Artists

Not the most popular, just the artists with the most tracks in the top 682.

Nothing too special here sadly, it’s just everyone you’d expect. I’ve never heard a song by Drake but he’s always #1 or #2 on monthly listeners so :P and here’s mine for good measure

I'm dumb and I forgor to include the words charts, so I'm editing this in now

"The" is obviously the most common word, most common noun is also obviously, love. I also included two word combinations, and the most common turned out to be "let me", albeit with only 4 appearances. Tying for second are "like you", "can't stop", "what you", "the middle", "save your" "your tears" and "gimme! gimme!" which is because of ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man after Midnight), and Save Your Tears appears thrice, one being the original track by The Weekend, and 2 remixes with Ariana Grande which seem to be identical, I'm not brave enough to subject my ears to both of them, but they're both 3:11 minutes so I'm gonna assume they're exactly the same.

You can find my horrendous code and JSON for all the compiled data in this Github repo

Byeeeeee

I thought this was a more interesting topic than it is :P sorry, anyways, see you on thursday, buh-bye - Alia

[skipperdencker95]

funny 3

Finest Funny Animal Movies Of The 2021 Humorous Wild And Cattle Videos These April Fools' memes will make this day of practical jokes a bit extra bearable. A job that requires no experience, pays nothing, and has no days off? That's motherhood, however these mom jokes will... Funny describes one thing that causes enjoyable, particularly laughter. Funny can describe someone who is making an attempt to amuse others. It can also describe someone or one thing that's suspicious or odd. Funny has a number of other senses as an adjective and a noun. Amusing, comic, comical, droll, humorous, laughable, risible, zany.

But “whatever” made it humorous instead of staying because the butt of the joke herself. At its most basic stage, the Rule of 3 establishes a sample, then ends with something sudden. It’s type of humorous, and your mind perks up as a end result of it was an sudden flip to the Rule of three. Uncle Google says that “be surprising” is the way to be funny. One approach to be surprising is to play with numbers. "The article really goes over a lot of detail. Good job." % of people informed us that this article helped them. Be very careful with being humorous about sacred cows, from faith to politics. Everything may be funny however generally if you go "too far" in someone else's eyes, they'll call you on it. Funny additionally describes someone who's trying to get others to snicker or is trying to amuse them.

Humorous Quotes

Be an active listener and be taught every little thing you probably can about comedy. Listen fastidiously to others, actually hear them, and understand what they're about. There's nothing extra humble than admitting that you could always be taught to be funnier from other people. When you're busy focused on folks other than yourself, you'll get a greater sense of tips on how to help others through humor.

Bring vs. Take Both words imply motion, however the distinction might b...

What’s most essential is someone’s heart, but the lack of training can, in some instances, put an end to any lovey-dovey emotions.

It’s funny how Pat all the time disappears whenever there’s work to be done.

We never actually grow up, we solely learn how to act in public.

This is much easier than trying to provide you with jokes on the spot.

If the timing is all mistaken, don't mess with the joke. The worst you are capable of do as a funny person is attempt to deliver a joke after your window of alternative has passed. Don't worry, you may have plenty of alternatives to crack by way of the silence along with your whip of a wit. Misleading animal is what we referred to earlier as shock.

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Even if all you do is cobble collectively your individual humorous plan based on one admired trait from each person, you'll be bettering your remark abilities tremendously. Immersing your self like this will assist you to develop a toolbox of techniques you should use to be humorous.Comedy has taken the podcast world by storm lately. Comedy podcasts by individuals like Marc Maron and Joe Rogan can be found at no cost online and have hilarious interviews, jokes, and tales you can upload to cellular devices. The means that Joel and crew simply kind of... Leave her to her fate was sort of darkly funny, whether it was meant to be or not. What’s most important is someone’s heart, however the lack of education can, in some cases, put an finish to any lovey-dovey emotions. We've compiled a list of a few of the best jokes about mom nature for you to take pleasure in. Cats have a novel and amusing personality that makes them considered one of web's favourite creatures. My dad and mom continually have remarks and behaviors that are sudden.

You would possibly assume that the story of you tripping and falling at the grocery retailer doesn’t qualify as a joke. Actually, jokes are harder to inform in real life than stories. A joke is a fake story that units up for a punchline. If the punchline falls flat, you discover yourself looking like a fool.

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On April 1st, everyone can get in on the enjoyable. These easy April Fools’ pranks for kids are sure to... Can't find the right words for Dad this Father's Day? These humorous Father's Day quotes are sure to get him... Use one of these pickup traces to create a spooky connection. I am so intelligent that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.

[the-sleepy-archivist]

Software of the Week: Stirling PDF

Details:

Purpose: Locally hosted web application that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files (manipulation, conversion, etc.)

OS Supported: Windows, Mac, Linux (anything that can run Docker containers)

Installer Size: ~245 MB-~953 MB depending on the version

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Languages Supported: 38 languages supported

License: Free and open source

Download Link: https://github.com/Stirling-Tools/Stirling-PDF

Over the last year or so I've been trying to replace online services in my life with offline alternatives for a two reasons.

Privacy. I don't have to worry what a bunch of strangers are doing with the files/information I give them. I try to give people as little data as possible; even if I trust the company providing the service in its current state, there is always the chance it will be sold to others I do NOT trust, and by then it's too late; my data is already out there and I don't have a say over what the new owners do with it

Availability: I don't want to depend on third-party service to always be up and running. The service could be having issues, or worse, the entire service could disappear from the internet (looking at all the YouTube to MP3 websites that Google keeps taking offline).I don't want to have to keep hunting down and vetting new services if my preferred one is down for some reason

The privacy aspect especially comes into play when I need to manipulate PDFs; rotating or removing pages, signing documents, converting from PDFs to Word or vice versa, etc.. Often the PDF is sensitive, and even if it isn't, someone could probably infer a bunch of information about you (or someone at your IP) over time based on what you upload.

Enter Stirling PDF, a self-hosted app that has functionality for just about every PDF manipulation you can imagine.

I'm serious. There are 46 different functions listed in the documentation, ranging from common (merging PDFs) to esoteric (redacting/blacking out specific words or phrases within PDFs). If you need to manipulate a PDF, Stirling PDF probably has you covered.

If this intrigues you, I encourage you to spin up an instance of Stirling PDF on your own system. I've linked their GitHub repo above, but if you happen to own a Synology or UGREEN NAS, Marius Bogdan Lixandru (AKA MariusHosting) has written a fantastic guide to getting started here (and also his website is just a nerdy delight all around).

[digitaltravelexpert]

How to Build the Best-Ranking Travel Blog Worth Following Now

What does building the best-ranking travel blog worth following in your niche require? We are going to discover the key ingredients for running a travel blog that stands out and keeps readers coming back for more, all supported by our expert insights and practical advice. Truth be told. Travel and tourism may seem the easy-welcoming sector due to its relationship-based nature. But one thing is certain. Passion might ignite the fire but it takes courage and expertise to keep the fire burning. We all love following and google catchy titles like these: profitable travel niches to grow your Travel Blog In 2024, Is travel a good niche for blogging, What travel niche is most profitable, How to find travel blog niche, What is the most profitable blog niche. Well, I have nothing against looking up the best-ranking travel blogs worth following in your niche. It is even a good thing in some scenarios. There are so many sources around the web discussing the best blogging platform, how to start a WordPress blog, and email marketing best practices for bloggers which most of us have used or still use.

Reasons to Follow the Best-Ranking Travel Blogs in Your Niche

Yes, following top-ranking travel blogs in your niche can be a smart move for several reasons: 1. Inspiration and Ideas: These blogs can provide fresh ideas for destinations, itineraries, and unique travel experiences. By seeing how successful travel bloggers craft content, you can also get inspired to explore different angles or stories in your niche. 2. Learning from the Best: High-ranking travel blogs often have polished content strategies, effective SEO practices, and strong engagement with their audience. Observing how they structure their posts, use photography or video, and market themselves can teach you valuable lessons on growing your platform. 3. Networking Opportunities: Engaging with top travel bloggers can open doors for collaborations, guest posts, and partnerships. Building relationships with influencers in your niche can expand your reach and visibility. 4. Staying Updated on Trends: Travel trends change rapidly, and following the best blogs can help you stay current. Whether it's new travel apps, emerging destinations, or sustainable travel practices, top blogs are usually on the cutting edge. 5. Motivation and Benchmarking: Tracking the success of other bloggers can motivate you to improve your content. It gives you benchmarks for success and goals to strive towards. In sum, studying and engaging with top travel blogs in your niche can be a great way to hone your craft and grow your following! Now, let us pick one scenario among the above-cited: Learning from the best-ranking travel blogs. How can you build the best ranking-ranking travel blog in your niche? What does it take to start a niche travel blog?

How to Build the Best-Ranking Travel Blog Worth Following in Your Respective Niche

This is the cornerstone of this blog post as we explore a few things, probably not so common, that should be your guidelines as you plan to start a travel blog in the niche you are passionate about. Let us do it. Before getting into details, let’s build a current persona of the future best-ranking blogger. Why is this persona even important? The purpose is to assess your capabilities of becoming the best content creator not just the average travel blogger. Blogging will surely require your time and resources. Why not do your homework first?   And one super important thing: Your travel blog will be attached to your name. You don’t want to embarrass yourself with some unrepairable faux pas that may occur once you’ve started your travel blogging journey. So, let us look at our future travel blogger. Persona: Future Top Ranking Travel Blogger - Name: Alex Carter  - Vision: Aspires to leverage travel as a tool for promoting peace, cross-cultural understanding, and uplifting lesser-known destinations. Alex believes in using travel to connect people and bridge cultural gaps. - Background: Alex has worked extensively in the hospitality industry, gaining deep insights into customer service through years of experience in hotel management. Also, as a former tour guide, Alex has firsthand knowledge of curating memorable travel experiences and a love for showcasing history and culture. - Skills: Recently mastered digital marketing, with a focus on SEO, content creation, and social media strategies. Alex is equipped with the technical skills necessary to build a strong online presence and connect with a global audience. - Hobbies: Passionate about history and culture, Alex loves diving deep into the local customs, traditions, and untold stories of every destination visited. - Personality: Humble and non-judgmental, Alex embraces all cultures and perspectives, creating an inclusive space for travelers to share, learn, and connect. - Future Goal: To become a leading travel blogger who not only showcases destinations but also promotes peace and understanding through storytelling and immersive cultural experiences. Now that we have a clear picture of one of our future worth-following travel bloggers, she/he will need to pick a niche they can specialize in. Based on the persona, there is a great variety of travel niches and sub-niches to choose from. For the sake of clarity, let us pick five of them Based on Alex Carter's persona, here are five travel niches and sub-niches that would align well with their passions and expertise. Sub-Niches For Expert Travel Bloggers

1. Cultural and Heritage Travel Sub-niche: Exploring lesser-known historical sites, promoting the preservation of cultural heritage, and telling the stories behind ancient civilizations, customs, and traditions. 2. Peace and Conflict Resolution Travel Sub-niche: Visiting regions with a history of conflict to highlight peacebuilding efforts, connecting with local communities to share stories of reconciliation, and promoting travel as a tool for cross-cultural dialogue and understanding. 3. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Tourism Sub-niche: Showcasing eco-conscious destinations, supporting local economies through responsible tourism, and highlighting authentic travel experiences that promote environmental sustainability and cultural preservation. 4. Off-the-Beaten-Path Destinations Sub-niche: Uncovering hidden gems in underrepresented countries or regions, promoting destinations that are often overlooked, and encouraging travelers to explore new places while respecting local cultures and environments. 5. Culinary and Cultural Immersion Travel    Sub-niche: Focusing on food as a gateway to culture, highlighting local cuisines, traditions, and the stories behind them, while offering in-depth insights into the history and cultural significance of culinary practices. What next? What will make the new blog the best ranking in each of the above travel sub-niches? By definition, the best-ranking travel blog is the blog that established itself as a reliable source of information for travelers, fellow content creators, students, and possibly academics. The best blog isn’t just necessarily defined by SEO, social media, or any digital marketing metrics. It is the vote of your audience that counts. Here is the thing, Search engine algorithms may promote your content, but the true vote comes from your audience. In the end, they are the ones consuming your ideas, not the algorithms. How Does the Audience Vote for the Best-Ranking Travel Blogs?

But the way, do they? The best blog isn't solely defined by SEO rankings, social media metrics, or digital marketing tactics. While these tools are important, the real magic happens when your content genuinely resonates with your audience. If you focus on creating great travel content that’s not only useful but also deeply engaging, you’ll naturally stand out from the crowd. Rather than chasing after fleeting trends or self-serving interests, such as just seeking profit or superficial enjoyment, invest in authentic travel storytelling that truly serves your audience's needs. When your content provides real value, addresses your readers' interests, and reflects a genuine passion for travel, your audience will become your biggest advocates. They’ll share your work organically, champion your blog, and help it grow—often without any prompting. In essence, if your travel blog stands out by putting your audience's needs first and maintaining a sincere, ethical approach, you'll build a loyal following that actively supports and promotes your content.

Best-Ranking Travel Blog Ideas You Can Use Today

Travel Blog Domain Idea: TheKindJourneyNotes.com Overview: TheKindJourneyNotes.com is a travel blog dedicated to promoting peace, empathy, and cultural understanding through authentic travel experiences. It combines practical guides with inspiring stories to foster a more thoughtful and connected world. The blog is designed to educate, inspire, and engage a diverse audience by showcasing the meaningful impact of travel. Content Focus Journey (How-to Guides) - Content: Practical advice and step-by-step guides on planning and experiencing travel in a way that emphasizes cultural respect, ethical practices, and personal growth. - Keywords: “ethical travel tips,” “cultural immersion guides,” “peaceful travel destinations,” “responsible tourism practices.” Notes (Personal Experiences) - Content: Personal stories and experiences from travels that highlight moments of connection, learning, and cultural exchange. These stories aim to illustrate the transformative power of travel. - Keywords: “compassionate travel narratives,” “uplifting travel experiences,” “cross-cultural interactions,” “serene travel experiences.” Goal/Mission: Educating the World Through Travel Experiences. The blog aims to demonstrate how travel can be a force for good, fostering understanding, respect, and empathy among people from different backgrounds. Target Audience Travelers - Needs: They seek meaningful travel experiences that contribute to a peaceful world. They value content that helps them make ethical travel choices and understand the deeper impact of their journeys. - Content Benefit: Practical tips, inspiring stories, and advice that make their travel experiences more impactful and fulfilling. Travel Professionals - Needs: They are interested in enhancing their understanding of how to create authentic connections between destinations and travelers. They look for insights that can improve their service and promote responsible tourism. - Content Benefit: Case studies, best practices, and ethical travel strategies that can be applied to their work. Scholars and Tourism Experts - Needs: They aim to understand the broader implications of tourism on societies and cultures. They require in-depth analyses and discussions on the impact of travel. - Content Benefit: Research-based articles, interviews with experts, and thoughtful discussions on tourism’s role in fostering global empathy. Scaling Up and Monetization Building a Community - Engagement: Foster an active community through interactive content such as webinars, Q&A sessions, and collaborative projects. Encourage reader contributions and discussions. - Social Media: Use social media to share content, engage with followers, and build partnerships with like-minded organizations. Monetization Strategies - Sponsored Content: Partner with ethical brands and travel companies that align with the blog’s mission for sponsored posts and collaborations. - Affiliate Marketing: Promote travel gear, ethical travel services, and booking platforms through affiliate links. - Products and Services: Offer digital products like e-books on ethical travel, planning guides, or exclusive webinars. Consider a subscription model for premium content or a members-only community. - Consulting and Speaking: Provide consulting services for travel professionals or offer speaking engagements on ethical travel and cultural understanding. Expanding Reach - Guest Contributions: Invite guest bloggers and experts to contribute, diversifying content and reaching new audiences. - Partnerships: Collaborate with universities, non-profits, and travel organizations to expand visibility and influence. - SEO and Content Marketing: Continuously optimize content for search engines and engage in content marketing strategies to attract a wider audience. Content writing for travel websites demands constant updates and continuous learning from your experience. In Summary: Look ahead of the year in review, TheKindJourneyNotes.com will be a beacon of ethical travel, offering valuable content that inspires and educates. By focusing on authentic storytelling, meaningful engagement, and diverse content, the blog will build a loyal audience and generate revenue while staying true to its mission of promoting a kinder, more connected world. FAQs: How to Build The Best-Ranking Travel Blog Worth Following What is the best travel blog?The best travel blog in the niche is one that offers authentic, compassionate travel stories and practical insights, focusing on cultural understanding and ethical experiences.What are the main features of a travel blog?A travel blog typically features engaging content about destinations and experiences, including practical tips and personal stories. It often includes high-quality visuals and interactive elements to captivate and inform readers.How do I become a successful travel blog?Focus on creating genuine, valuable content that resonates with your audience and reflects your unique perspective. Build a strong, engaged community and leverage ethical practices and effective marketing to grow your reach and impact. Final Thoughts In conclusion, while the travel and tourism sector may appear approachable due to its relationship-driven nature, building a top-ranking blog requires more than just enthusiasm. It demands a blend of passion, courage, and strategic expertise to truly stand out and engage readers. By applying the key ingredients and insights we’ve discussed, you can create a travel blog that not only attracts but also retains a dedicated audience. Remember, it’s your ongoing commitment and skill that will turn your blog into a standout destination in the travel niche. Read the full article

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SEO Strategy For a Small Business

 Most small agencies have constructed a internet site to create an online presence. They realize the more targeted on line site visitors they have, the extra leads they could generate. However, in contrast to larger groups, many small organizations don’t have a huge finances for seo (search engine marketing). 

How to build a small business search engine marketing method

A stable SEO strategy can help bolster web traffic and generate extra income leads. Focus on enforcing the following key elements to get the most from your small enterprise search engine marketing strategy with the help of the best SEO company in South Delhi.

1. Use the right keywords on your search engine optimization approach.

For small businesses, the usage of the right keywords is crucial to success. You’ll want about 10 to 20 keywords first of all. 

What are your potential clients typing into Google? What are their needs and wants? Try the subsequent approaches of determining powerful key phrases: 

Listen on your customers to discover keywords

Listening on your customers is an powerful way to collect key phrases. Is there an average question they ask? Is there a general provider that incorporates maximum of your sales? For instance, a small electrical enterprise may additionally discover that most of its paintings is primarily based on domestic outdoor wishes. Therefore, an excellent key-word or word may be “outside electric services.”

Incorporate lengthy-tail keywords

 Long-tail keywords are phrases of about three to five words. You’ll probably get a higher ranking for long-tail keywords considering they have much less competition. 

Use area-based totally keywords

Location-primarily based keywords can assist improve your nearby advertising strategy. For instance, instead of “outside electrical services,” try to rank for “outdoor electrical offerings landscape lighting fixtures Greenville SC” or “hang backyard string lighting fixtures Greenville SC.” 

Check your website searches

 If you have already got a internet site, look at the effects coming from its search characteristic. Customers might also kind their unique desires into your seek bar, revealing exceptional keywords to attention on.

Use key-word tools

Don’t neglect keyword equipment just like the Google Ads Keyword Planner or SEO Book’s Keyword Suggestion Tool. They are clean to apply and permit you to drill down extraordinary keywords and their reputation.

2. Get featured in on line directories to enhance your SEO scores. 

Popular on-line directories help in  ways: 

Online directories feature your internet site hyperlinks

Online directories are an ideal external useful resource to function your internet site links. When you have an outside website of authority, like a outstanding listing, that links again on your web page, your on line ranking will improve.

Online directories boost your enterprise’s credibility

Being featured in a reputable listing increases your business’s credibility. When you appear on multiple online sources, your enterprise will seem relied on and recognised.

There are many loose web sites wherein you may listing your business

Notable directory web sites encompass Yelp, True Local and Hotfrog. Make positive your listings appear on authoritative websites, due to the fact Google doesn’t look at each list website favorably. With listings, pleasant is higher than amount. 

3. Use blogs to pressure your SEO method.

Regular, recommendation-driven, and optimized small enterprise blogs must be a core detail of your search engine marketing strategy. The more content material you've got, the better your target audience can locate you online. Want to get expert guidance, contact to Top SEO company in South Delhi.

Blogs are a manner to create informative, valuable content material that entices your target customers to engage together with your logo. Blogs permit you to do the following: 

Give recommendation.

Tell a tale.

Provide a case take a look at.

Highlight developments.

Communicate with your target market.

Showcase your knowledge.

Build a rapport with present day and ability customers.

Blogs improve your on-line search ranking within the following ways: 

Blogs are an opportunity to create various unique keyword-centered URLs.

Blogs offer content material to share on social platforms.

Blogs drive visitors to your website.

Blogs function your keywords to help with organic searches.

For pleasant search engine marketing effects with your blog, remember the following: 

Keep weblog posts around 750 to two,000 words.

Focus on one keyword or keyword word for each blog post.

Include relevant images with alt tags on your blog posts. 

Include numerous inner links for your blog content. 

4. Use outside linking as part of your search engine marketing strategy.

External linking refers to websites of authority that link again for your website. Like online directories, they help boost your on-line presence and display Google that your internet site is an authority on a selected topic. 

However, you should be considerate and intentional along with your outside linking and cognizance on relevant bloggers and revered on-line guides. Having depended on web sites link lower back for your website additionally increases your usual enterprise credibility and enables you stand out as an professional for your subject. 

5. Optimize your website to enhance your search engine marketing method. 

Optimizing your website is a technical search engine optimization tip that can improve visitors, assist with seek engine ratings, and reduce friction.

When optimizing your internet site, make certain every net web page has the subsequent factors:

Correctly positioned headings, e.G., H1, H2, and so on

Keyword-centered meta descriptions

Keyword-targeted alt tags

Keyword-targeted URLs

Also Read :

How To Create a Small Business Marketing Plan in eight Steps

How to Manage your search engine optimization strategy