#everyone reading this: [quietly unfollows]

[moregraceful]

1, 3, 5, 6?

I was like this will be easy if we narrow it by team but very difficult if we do it broadly...fuck around and find out 😩

Anyway for hockey:

which character do you relate to the most from your fandom?

GOD. I almost said Connor McDavid bc I too suffer the agonies but I am like, not nearly good enough at any one single thing to claim I'm like the next next one. YOU KNOW WHAT. maybe Cole Caufield, bc a) we're both short kings, b) I also get ripped up when my goals and life plans fall apart but I am Learning To Love The Journey, c) we love the homies and the homies love us, d) good size for huggin, e) my social circle is wide and affectionate enough that people get a bit 🧐 about interactions with my friends too, and f) the whole thing at the NTDP where him and Jack Hughes were BEST FRIENDS!! WHO SHARED EACH OTHER'S SUCCESSES!! LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE PRE-DRAFT PROFILE ON THEM MENTIONED THE OTHER!! AND THEN GETTING DRAFTED AND THE RELIEF ON COLE'S FACE WHEN MTL FINALLY PICKED HIM AND HOW EXCITED JACK WAS FOR HIM!! and now they're like the most underrated ship of the 2019 ntdp draft class and no one in fandom or the media ever thinks of them as a pair (except me, bc I have brain damage) but the love is still clearly there. anyway that whole situation of: childhood best friends who successes made each other what they are but the relevancy of that has faded overtime as they've grown up but there's still clearly a lot of love and affection...to drive this ask straight into a bridge, I recently found out one of my best friends in middle school died and I was thinking a lot abt how I hadn't spoken to him in over a decade (just due to like drifting apart, not a falling out or anything) but the fondness I feel for him is still so visceral....it's abt what we take with us as we grow. The love is still there, even as we fade out of each other's lives.

mainly we're both so fucking short. no way that dude is 5'7. no way

3. what is your favorite ship?

this is so hard bc as people get traded and the narrative evolves, my tastes change and I drop ships...anyway generally any Cale Makar ship makes me insane due to aforementioned brain damage (except natecale sorry to natecale nation but that's my one single notp) but rn I am sitting here so impatiently waiting for people to GET ON BOARD with Devon Toews/Cale Makar. Devon Toews is HANDSOME. AND CONFIDENT. AND HE WEARS PINK SUITS. you think he isn't blowing Cale Makar: most boring man on the planet's mind on the reg? You know how Cale never smiles anymore but sometimes he smiles around Devon??? my god. The photo of them at the Nuggies game looking like boyfriends?? kill me??? like I know the story of my fandom engagement is just me noodling from Cale Makar rarepair to Cale Makar rarepair but I stg Avs fans we GOTTA open our hearts to Devon Toews. GOTTA.

5. who is your favorite character (and maybe why?)

I love Cale Makar and Cale Makar hates me, because I keep writing weird rarepairs about him. My Avs fandom has kind of faded with time but every once in a while I see Cale Makar photo or gif or quote about how boring he is and there's a little kaiju in my head that rips a building off its foundations.

Also every Asian guy who has ever played the game and wasn't a douche bc they are my people and I must stan my people. Robo I love you. Kailer I love you. Nick Suzuki I love you, you monotone doofus. Matt Dumba? Make him commissioner. Paul Kariya I wish you ran DoPS and I also wish your husband would get off Twitter.

6. when you first think of the fandom, what image comes to mind?

This is SUCH an interesting question. like there's definitely vibes and memories and stories that come to mind immediately, but an IMAGE...maybe the fake worlds kiss photo from the inimitable @msmargaretmurry's fic The Next Next One which haunts me in my sleep. I have like real visceral memories of sitting in the Denver airport choking back tears when I got the final installment of that fic in my inbox, that is also an image. also this photo is the first photo I ever reblogged of hockey (I was a hater for SO long, sorry about the tags) and it still hits 8 years later. the joy on everyone's faces!! it's cute!!

Thank you for the ask my friend!!

[godkilller]

🐍

[teyamsatan]

Hi x i wanted to talk about something that has happened to me recently, because i feel like it needs to be addressed lol. I would have never considered talking about it if the person in question had had an ounce of maturity and respect, but she obviously doesn’t, and it’s my reputation on the line and my fault for expecting it hahahah.

So a few days ago, the whole Jake is Jacob debacle happened on tumblr, which to me was cute and harmless and fun. Now some people really feel the need to bring other people down and prove (to themselves only, let’s be honest) how “superior” and “intelligent” they are, so she started making fun and basically insulting the OP of the post, which really upset me. I didn’t say anything about it and quietly unfollowed the person, because if i find content I disagree with, that is (to me) the only way to approach the situation.

Anyway, later, i was made aware that she continued trash talking people in the fandom, continuing this tired narrative that despite being the one to initiate it, she was the “victim” bullied by “kids”, which i resented, for a couple of reasons.

1. Ageism is ageism no matter the form it comes in. It is no different to shit on a person just for being young and minding their business, than it is to do so with people who are older.

2. I’m tired of the “i was here first and therefore i am inherently better than you” stupid narrative. You don’t get a cookie cause you found something sooner, pls PLEASE understand that.

3. The “everyone is so young” bs is simply not true. I am the same age as her, so are some of my mooties or just a couple years older, and we’re all here, and we’re all trying to have a good time, and that’s what matters. None of us are out here flaunting our age or our maturity, because it is inconsequential.

4. Saying to someone that their “pre-frontal cortex” isn’t fully developed, is fucking ridiculous. What a stupid argument. You’re really going to insult someone for something they have reasonably absolutely no control over and try to use it as an insult against them? Girlie, in 2023? Do you understand how stupid that is? You think you’re superior cause your mum pushed you out a few years earlier like you had anything to do with it??? Like idk that is wild to me.

5. You can’t insult people on here for “being young and dumb” and how much “better” and “more mature” you are, and then in the same breath pick a fight with them and be willing to die on that hill. Because if you have any sort of common sense, that would imply that you must be succumbing to their levels and you are not capable of having any higher level discourse. Like how do you not see that that you're just proving to everyone how immature you truly are?

So, i wrote her an ask. Not on anon, not trying to start anything, just an ask telling her my opinion and telling her that as someone who is the same age as her, her behaviour is disappointing.

Now i need you to see the message because she won’t show it to you, because she wants to build this narrative that people are “harassing” her. Please note that nobody is “harassing” her. If i wanted to harass her, I could and I would not do it with my username intact. I wanted to her to understand the opinion (that i share with my friends and mooties) of someone who’s the same age as her. She won’t answer it because she knows there is no way to spin this in her favour.

Instead, what she can do, is what she does best. Trying to spin this negatively, insulting me and my writing (you’re 26 and the best you could come up with is “god awful cringey ass fics”? ouch, that hurt.) and tagging it “neteyam imagine” cause what person who wants to read neteyam fics doesn’t want to see that. Now again, she is blocked for me because I absolutely do not want to engage with people like her, but i was made aware of this and since she’s talking about me and could potentially come to people’s inboxes or dms and talking trash about me, i wanted you besties to know and to read everything and make your own minds about it, having all the information, not just what she deems appropriate to give you.

Anyway, sorry for this long ass rant, but it needed to be said. Please, if you don’t agree with someone, especially if it’s over something so incredibly trivial as a name, let it go. It’s not worth it. If it’s something not trivial, block. It’s not worth it. Insulting someone for things they have no control over doesn’t put you on top, it makes you a dick. Acting like you’re inherently better cause you’ve been in a fandom longer isn’t cool, trust me. Just please, save your energy and put it in your art, in your job, in your relationships, in yourself.

Now, i will go write my cringey ass fics 😉 good luck besties, and smooches.

ALSO!!! DO NOT engage with this person. PLEASE. Please do not prove her right. Please do not leave her anon hate or anything of the sort, please please please. It’s not worth it.

[thief-of-eggs]

Do people not know how to use the block button anymore? Or the back button for the askers that came here from AO3?

Holy fuck, you curate your own experience. You (hate anons) are choosing to continue to make yourselves and those around you miserable instead of shutting up and moving on. You’re the ones that keep reaching out and actively sending on hate, fueling this cycle of misery rather than using the damn block button or unfollowing the blog/tags/whatever is putting this on your dash.

I’ve been quietly watching this whole thing go down and haven’t been compelled to say anything until now because Egg and the others seemed to have it handled but if for some reason this saga bothered me as much as her content seems to bother you, I would have taken my own advice by now.

I will never understand why people go out of their way to be miserable and to drag others down with them.

Anyway, sorry about the anons. (I’m not sure if there’s more than one or if there’s just one person with wayyy too much time on their hands. I’m also not sure which one sounds worse.)

I haven’t gotten to read a whole lot of your stuff, but what I have read so far seems cool. The anons have bad taste as well as poor internet literacy.

100%, the internet is vast and the possibilities are endless- meaning that you are completely and fully responsible for what content you engage with, especially on platforms like this.

It’s is so easy to block creators you don’t like. To click the back button. To not engage.

It reads as incredibly insecure to need to share with a creator how much you dislike them and their work. Like, you cared that much that you couldn’t just let it go and move on with your life? It took up enough of your brain space that you needed to come to my blog and tell me to my face what you don’t like about me?

It’s just incredibly immature, in a world where our experience is our responsibility.

Thank you @fanby-fckry for your encouraging words <3 it is nice to see a few kind messages in my inbox amidst all of this. I don’t know why this suddenly provoked all the attack dogs, but everyone is jumping on the hate bandwagon and as you said- whether it’s one butthurt person or many, it’s just… not a jazzy experience?

Anyway, thank you again, your support means a lot <333 This is a general message to the rest of you to stop being so silly, it’s not that deep. You can very easily block me, I promise the world won’t end if you do

[hellfiremunsonn]

Seven Days. Eddie Munson x Reader.

Seven days.

I do not allow my writing to be republished anywhere other than my own blog without my consent

AN: with the current news of the Roe vs Wade I wanted to write something involving abortions and what as people with uterus’s should have the right to do. With support from everyone around them. My blog is PRO CHOICE and if you don’t agree with that, then kindly unfollow me. I wanted to write this, so if anyone who has been through this, can have a comfort character to comfort and support them. I know I may not write the best Eddie as someone else, but if you can find some sort of comfort from my writing then I’ve done my job.

The procedure of the abortion is updated to how it would be now, if you take the pill. Because in the 80′s it wasn’t around until much later and I wanted it to be more relevant for the people who have experienced it during more modern times. 

18 + IF YOU ARE NOT 18 OR OLDER DO NOT READ OR INTERACT WITH MY WRITING. IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR MINORS. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEDIA YOU CONSUME.

Word count: 2431

Warnings: Talk of abortions, process of abortion (ie: medicine, symptoms, what to expect) emotional from said experience, fem reader, super supportive Eddie.

The warm sun coated my back as I sat on top of a picnic bench furthest from Eddies trailer anxiously waiting for him to get home from school.

I avoided him and everyone else for a week. I didn't contact them at all, I simply disappeared. Seven days since I knew. Pulling out a crumpled looking box of cigarettes from my pocket I took one out and placed it between my lips as I searched for the lighter next. Bringing the small metal lighter Eddie had once loaned me to my face I cupped my hand around the flame, protecting it from the wind. Inhaling deeply I closed my eyes. Letting the burn from the nicotine inflate my lungs before blowing it back out.

Quiet footsteps crunching the dying grass beneath them distracted me briefly as I turned to see the small ginger girl I had become so familiar with. Max. She was like my little sister, and I saw her often seeing as I was always with Eddie, considering he lived only a few meters away.

Stepping up onto the bench and sitting down on the table next to me she rested her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her, giving her shoulder a small squeeze. "Where have you been?" She whispered.

"Home" I said quietly, flicking the end of the cigarette slightly, allowing the ash at the end to fall off and blow away in the small breeze. "I fucked up Max" I said feeling tears well up in my eyes. I know it wasn't the best idea to confide in such a young teenager, but Max's brain was too big for her own good, her hard life making her learn to grow up a little sooner than she needed to.

"What happened?"

Leaning away from her slightly, I reached into my other pocket. Pulling out that stupid plastic stick and handed it to her. She held it in her hands for a moment before muttering. "Shit"

"Yeah" I nodded. "Shit"

Placing it between us she leaned over, taking the half smoked cigarette out of my hands and pulling it to her lips, inhaling softly and exhaling without a single cough. "Aren't you like, not supposed to smoke and shit?" She asked while handing it back to me. A small smile played on her lips, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

"Aren't you a little young to be smoking?" I teased back.

"It's been a rough year" she sighed.

"I'll drink to that" taking one last drag I snubbed the burning end into a dent in the wooden table, making sure to not leave behind even the tiniest of embers that could result in a fire. Max returned her head to my shoulder, interlocking her fingers with mine while we sat for a moment in comfortable silence. The breeze shifting through the trees making them sound like waves crashing in the distance.

"You know what ever you decide to do, you have all the support, from all of us"

My breath hitched. How could such a small gentle human know so much more about the world than I ever could.

"You're my sister" She said quietly. "I just want you safe and happy"  A small sniff escaped and she aggressively wiped at her eyes. "I am not crying" she stated as if trying convince herself more than me.

We shared a laugh before turning our attention to the gravel crunching beneath the wheels of eddies van. Slipping the stick back into my pocket I stood up from the table with Max following after me.

"C'mere" I said opening my arms which she gladly engulfed herself in. "I'll catch up with you later yeah?"

"Sounds good to me" she said into my chest. I gave her a quick kiss on the head and watched as she reluctantly walked up to her door step, watching me make my way towards Eddie. Clutching his leather jacket around me a little tighter as if it was going to protect me from whatever happened next.

He didn't notice me at first, minding his business like he usually would, humming to a song and tapping his fingers against his thigh. But the sound of my footsteps on his make shift dirt drive way made him turn his head.

"(Y/N)" he breathed. He looked tired. The discolouration under his eyes, his skin looking unusually pale. I knew it was because of me. Because I vanished without saying anything. Something I told him I would never do.

"Hi" I said quietly. Unable to look him in the eye so I opted to stare at the tips of my very dirty converse. "Can I come in?"

"Of course"

He unlocked the creaky metal door and I followed him up the few steps into his trailer. the familiar smell making my head spin and my heart squeeze. Being away from him for so long had hurt me more than I thought. I sat down on the couch while he leaned against the counter searching my face for any sort of answer.

Finally breaking my gaze away from my feet I looked up at him through wet lashes, tears falling effortlessly and I choked back a sob, crying into my hands. Eddie quickly came to his knees in front of me cradling my face in his hands. "What's going on?" He said softly. Comforting strokes of his thumbs against my cheeks. Taking a shaky breath I reached into the pocket of his leather jacket, pulling out the pregnancy test I took seven days ago, and placed it into his hand.

He leaned back, now sitting down completely on the floor, the test held loosely in his hand. His brows furrowed. "How long have you known?"

"Seven days"

"Seven days?" He repeated. "You vanished for seven days because of this, and didn't tell me?" I could see as he tried to control his breathing. I knew he was angry with me, I was angry with me.

"I was so scared Eds... I'm still so scared" I said staring into my empty hands as if they would somehow give me an answer. "I didn't-" I choked. "I didn't know what to do baby" Fresh heavy sobs coming out from my chest. Getting up from his position on the floor he sat next to me, pulling me into his chest. I clung to him tightly. "It's okay" he whispered, stroking my hair out of my face. "It'll be okay, we will be okay, but most importantly, you will be okay" He held me for a moment. Rocking gently back and forth, attempting to sooth me with small shushes.

"What do you want to do?" He asked after a while.

"I... I can't" I took a deep breath. "Not now Eddie... I can't be a mom right now"

He nodded sympathetically holding my face in his hands. "Okay, and that's fine" He kissed me on the forehead.

"Are you okay with that?"

"It doesn't matter what I'm okay with, it's your body, your mind, your soul, that has to endure anything and everything about this, and truth be told, I don't think I'm really ready to be a dad right now either"

I don't know what I expected. I knew Eddie would be supportive, but I never expected him to be just so understanding, of everything. Being an eighteen year old parent wasn't on my bucket list, and I don't think Eddie would want a kid before graduating.

"Will you go with me?"

"For you I'd go anywhere"

The follow up appointment was two days later. I still hadn't returned to school, and stayed curled up in Eddies bed everyday until the school day was done and he would finally come home. He was upset that he couldn't come into the appointment with me, but the nurse had to ask me many questions including if I was being forced to do this, which I wasn't and Eddie would have never forced me to do it. I swallowed the pill in front of her and after a few minutes of extra explanation I was allowed to leave.

The drive home was quiet and Eddie held my hand the whole way and didn't ask any questions until we made it about half way home. "So can you tell me what's going to happen?" he said rubbing his hand up and down my leg.

I cleared my throat and looked out the window. "So I took the um, what's it called, it had a weird name" I reached forward into my small bag unfolding the paperwork I had been given. Scanning the pages until I found what I needed. "Mifeprestione. She said I might feel a bit nauseous but most women feel fine, and then a day or two later, I take these" I said shaking the box, hearing the pills rattle inside. "Misoprostol, but I stick them between my cheeks and like my gums for half an hour and they'll dissolve, and then whenever they're tiny, I can swallow them" I folded the paper back up and tucked it away into my bag again.

"And then what" He asked rubbing his thumb against my hand.

"Um, then I start will start cramping and bleeding, one to like four hours after taking the Misoprostol, and that can last a couple of hours or couple of days... Kind of like a heavy period. But I can bleed lighter on and off for a week or two after" I sighed, followed by a deep breath. I kept feeling like I couldn't get enough air in my lungs.

Eddie nodded along, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "I have to go back a week or two later, just to make sure it, you know, worked"

Pulling back up to eddies trailer he cut the ignition but neither of us moved, just sitting in the silence. "What can I do to help" He said quietly. His eyes were glossy. I had never seen him cry or get even remotely close to tears. Eddie would get emotional about almost everything, he was passionate about every word that came out of his mouth. But looking at him now nearly broke my heart. Tears brimmed my own eyes. Unclipping my seatbelt I got up onto my knees and wrapped my arms around him. Hugging him tightly. I felt his hands fist my sweater against my back. Like if he let go of me I would disappear into thin air before him. "You're doing more than enough" I reassured.

Pulling back from me, he held me at arms length, still gripping the fabric against me. A single tear rolls down his cheek and I leaned forward and licked it away, gaining a small laugh from him.

The next few hours weren't too bad. My uterus ached as it contracted harshly, and I spent most of the time in the small bathroom of Eddies trailer while he sat outside the bathroom door. I refused to let him in with me, I couldn't let him see me like this. I felt embarrassed... As if he wasn't there when I tripped UP the stairs and scraped my knee, or when I got drunk for the first time and puked all over his shoes, or when I went the whole day with my shirt on inside out and didn't notice until he told me, or that time I cried into him after watching a stupid romance movie, or when I was pmsing, and cried because my shoelace came undone.

After feeling like the worst of it was over I decided to take a shower. "Eddie?" I said quietly.

"Yeah baby? You okay?" He asked quickly from the other side of the door.

"I'm okay" I admitted. "Can you grab me some clean clothes? I'm going to take a quick shower"

"I'll leave em on the counter"

My shower wasn't long and just like Eddie said, a fresh change of clothes were folding on the tiny counter. Thankful for him giving me one of his shirts to wear I slipped it over my head, untucking my damp hair from the collar and pushed it out of my face. Hesitantly I opened the bathroom door,  finding Eddie exactly where he was when I entered the bathroom hours before now.

"Hi" He said softly. "Lets go lay down" He said said getting up from the floor, grabbing my hand and taking me to his bed. I crawled across his bed curling up into myself tightly under his blanket. I watched him while he shifted around his room, ridding himself of his tight jeans and into a pair of pyjama pants. He took his rings off and dropped them onto his dresser, each of them clunking loudly on the wood.

Scooting himself next to me, he opened his arms for me inviting me into his chest, but I couldn't bring myself to move to him. Tucking my head into my hands I let out a soft sob. Leaning on his side propped up by his elbow while he rubbed my back with his other hand. Slowly removing the blanket it I had pulled up over my face, he smoothed my hair out of my face and tapped my cheek with his finger, encouraging me to look at him. With a sniffle I raised my eyes to his. "I feel guilty"

He nodded. "Yeah... Look I know you know this" He said rubbing his thumb against my cheek. "But you have nothing to feel guilty about, you did what was right for you"

"Yeah... Maybe not guilty so much, but kind of like...  Like" I struggled to find the words. "Like a fuck up? Like, we fucked up, and now I'm here with you and I'm so glad I did what I did, but I feel so guilty that I'm okay with it?"

"Okay first of all getting pregnant doesn't make you a fuck up, and getting an abortion doesn't make you a fuck up, none of this does. Did we mean for it to happen? No, but it did, and we're working through it, and you made one of the toughest choices someone can make, and you've been so fucking brave about it, and I envy that courage. It's something not everyone can you, but you did, and I'm proud of you, and I support you, and I love you, okay?"

I nodded holding back more tears, but finally moved over into him. "Thank you" I whispered.

"I'd get the moon for you if I could"

"I do really like the moon"

"Yeah you really do" He kissed me on the head and played with my hair until I eventually fell asleep.

[aerodaltonimperial]

I think you're a fantastic writer though I get the feeling you have some insecurity (?) about writing ships other than HOOKhausen. Not insecure in your abilities, but insecure in that you think people won't like it or we'll stop reading your work. I think you should write whatever you like and feel confident about it. There's enough room for every ship in the sea of fandom. Make yourself happy first, always! No matter what ships or genres you write, I'm happy to be in this fandom with you.

Okay, anon, I had to sit with this one. Because youuuuuuu.... just hit the nail on the head here. I am ABSOLUTELY insecure as shit about this. I GUESS THIS IS CONFESSION TIME WITH KATY. I did nothing but Hookhausen for like, what, 6 or 7 months??? Literally was a MACHINE. I have written 13% of the AO3 tag?? My name was HEAVILY CONNECTED to this ship. And noooooooow... now I'm worried that everyone is going to unfollow me when I'm not writing what they came here for anymore.

I don't know if the push-back/disapppintment is all fabricated in my head or not, but at this point it probably doesn't matter, because I feel it regardless. I feel like I am letting people down! Sometimes a lot!! And then I get really guilty. And then fandom becomes less fun for me. And I feel like everything else that I write needs to come with some sort of apology, which you have clearly seen me adding. I am actually really glad that this was picked up on, because I have been quietly (other than with Vamp) getting super nervous and panicky about this for easily over a month now. This has been a source of stress for me haha.

I cannot explain how nice this was to hear that you aren't all going to leave. I'm assuming once Danhausen comes back that I will get some mojo back, but at this point, I am tapped out. There are only so many variations on the same story I can write without new content to inspire, and I've reached that point. And I've been like, actually stressing about this for weeks and weeks. LEGIT STRESSING OVER THIS. I am super pumped to have more stories I am following now and I am EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED to a lot more now, and I just want to write more bullshit LOL so thank you. For prompting my big spilling of my insecure guts all over my blog. Cause this shit been real, I can't even lie. ❤️❤️ I appreciate this more than you may ever know.

[celticcrossanon]

I do not agree. W fans didn't start this pitiful war. They started criticizing William and then some people who once loved the Queen as much as Charles and William started attacking Kate calling her a deceived mistress. At this rate the Charles fans will go beyond the stage of hatred of the Sussex fans. I miss the queen. I agree, the energy is cold and almost vengeful from Charles.

Hi Nonny,

I miss the Queen as well. I wish I had more time to adjust to her being gone before we had the coronation of King Charles III.

As for the current conflict among royal watchers, I think that people have different perceptions of who did what when depending on what blogs they read and what mail they receive in their inbox. All I can do is curate my own online experience, which means quietly unfollowing blogs where I disagree with the majority of what is being said and just scrolling by the stuff I disagree with when it is in the minority. I still think this might be an attempt to make the royal fandom turn on itself and I am not here for that. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and if they keep it to their own blog then that is fine as far as I am concerned.

As for the fans of King Charles themselves, I am sure that they come in all shades of liking or disliking other members of the royal family, just like the fans of The Prince of Wales or of any other person. All you can do is remove yourself from what you see as hate and keep to the content that you like. You can't change how other people think and behave, so all you can do is look after yourself.

[killian-whump]

Five Posts I Hate:

#1: This blog is safe for ________.

Like, my blog isn’t dangerous for anyone, aside from fictional characters played by Colin O’Donoghue. It is literally safe for everyone and anyone else. Saying your blog is a safe place for [fill in the blank] kinda implies there are people / groups / individuals that your blog is NOT safe for. And that just leaves me wondering if you’ve got booby traps laid around the place or something. I suppose it would make sense if the blank was filled with “minors” or “work” but I can’t even remember the last time I saw someone post either of those - as that seems more like something you’d put in your header if it was important enough that you wanted people to actually see it when they come to your blog. Otherwise, it would just be pointless one-time posturing, wouldn’t it?

#2: Unfollow me if you ________.

Well, that’s just not how any of this works. Content creators of any kind don’t get to dictate who consumes their content, let alone based on arbitrary things like their personal / political / religious views. I mean, if you have a real beef with someone specific, you can block them, but you can’t ask people to self-censor your content from their view because something they do / believe is unappealing to you. Hitler himself could reanimate his corpse just to quietly follow your blog and there is nothing you can do to stop that motherfucker’s eyeballs from devouring every post you make - short of not making those posts.

Mind you, if people are doing it for the viewer’s benefit (say a whump blog warning folks, “Don’t follow me if you faint at the sight of blood”) then that’s another thing entirely. In that case, you’re warning people that if they ignore your warning, it’s at their own risk. Otherwise, it’s basically saying, “Punish yourself for holding this belief that I find abhorrent” and, like, no one’s going to do that? Why would they? Why should they? It’s 20-fucking-23 and it has always been true that people you don’t like are going to consume and even enjoy your content. Get over it.

#3: Reblog this to show you care about _______.

Fuck you. Just... fuck you. I care about whatever I care about, and it’s my business what those things are. I share them if I want to share them. I leave them unspoken if I want to leave them unspoken. NO ONE should ever assume people care about or don’t care about things based on what they post (or don’t post) on their little internet blog. I could care about an issue with the power of a thousand suns and I still won’t reblog a post that contains this wording or anything like it, because fuck you for implying that anyone who doesn’t reblog your shitty ass do-nothing post on the interwebs doesn’t care about whatever it is your post is about. Seriously. Fuck off with that shit.

#4: Vote for ________.

I’m as apolitical as they come, but I’m all for politically-minded people encouraging others to get out there and vote. I even think it’s great when celebrities support those kinds of messages. I DON’T like it when non-voters are shunned or not voting is treated like an invalid choice for citizens to make, but I’m 100% for people reminding others when an important election is near and giving positive encouragement to take part in the process.

But such messages stop being okay the moment someone starts telling people who to vote for. Now you’re no longer trying to get others actively involved in the electoral process - now you’re trying to game the system by increasing the number of votes your chosen candidate receives. Adding those few words has now turned your entire post into nothing more than political propaganda. EVERY individual has the right - and the responsibility - to vote for whichever options THEY feel are best, NOT the ones YOU feel are best. Encouraging others to read up on all of the issues, candidates, and offices involved is responsible citizenship. Telling them to go vote for your candidate because you said so is utter bullshit.

#5: Tag five friends / blogs...

How ‘bout I tag NOBODY, so I don’t give five people warm fuzzies at the cost of everyone else’s feelings? How ‘bout I tag NOBODY, so everybody can decide whether they want to take part in whatever shenanigans the post is up to? How ‘bout I do whatever the fuck I want and you stop telling me what to do?

[whcwashe]

hm

anyway

you ever run into a situation where like .... someone you've been mutuals with for years, LIKE YEARS, who you've always had a good relationship with (or at least you thought you did, idk), just like ....

unfollows you on One of their blogs. Just one. And that's suddenly the only blog they use. And sure, it COULD be a mistake, because every once in awhile when someone reblogs your promo .... they'll reblog it as well?

But similarly .... they should be able to see on the dash that they're not following you. And they're pretty explicit about only interacting with mutuals. And it's defs not a sideblog. And you can't be like 'hey, is this a mistake?' or even be like 'hey, what happened?' because people can cater their experience here, they have the right to do that. and they have the right to unfollow you, and you're all adults here, and this is just for fun, so cornering them for any reason would be wrong, and also rude.

So you just have to settle with the idea that they just .... decided they were tired of you, or didn't like your writing or something and just quietly ..... left. And it feels like a whole friendship you had just kind of dies on the vine, because if you're not on their dash, and you can't interact without disrespecting their boundaries, then that friendship is just .... gone. No closure, no goodbye, it just stops.

idk, it's just sad, in a way, I guess. I mean, people just decide they don't like you and disappear sometimes, and that's fair on their part. That's the way the world works. Sometimes relationships, as vague as they may be, just stop. And I feel like, as an adult, I should be able to brush that off, but it still feels kind of upsetting. Especially because I know it has to be something I did, and I'll never be able to adjust that, or find out what it was. So I just kind of assume it to be me, in general. The whole package is bad, I guess.

I am also stuck in a rut because I know my writing is repetitive, and boring. And Liv isn't fleshed out, and she's not creative, and frankly -- I'm not a great communicator OOC either. I'm distracted, and I'm flighty, and I complain a lot, and I'm regularly just the worst. And I make people feel unwanted (I don't mean to do that, I promise. I love each and every one of you, and I mean that so strongly, I wouldn't follow you if I didn't enjoy your writing. I just love the shit out of everyone, and their creativity).

I should try to be better, probably. And I shouldn't blame my standoffishness on anxiety and ADHD -- I mean, I do have those, but I also need to take responsibility for having a shitty personality, you feel?

I don't know where I was going with this, I'm just in my feelings, and I'm sorry about ... me, as a person, in general. This is not fishing for compliments, I just can't stop talking now, and tbh I have no where else to dump these feelings, lmao. I should have put it on a blog with less followers, maybe. Except -- if you do read it, I do want to express that I love you, and you are all so creative, and you should be so so proud of what you put out into the world. And I should really say that directly to people more often.

Ok, that's all, I guess.

[call-2-arms]

😒 - what annoys you?

MUNDAY ASKS!

Omg, this is such a loaded ask because... fucking everything atm LOL. I have reached the old age part of life where literally everything just annoys me and I have no patience. No, no, it's likely because I'm just dealing with a lot and am a little unhappy atm with schooling and how busy work is lol. I'm usually a very chill person, but these days people's lack of patience has REALLY bothered me. It's like covid made everyone a complete and utter selfish prick. People have become so much more rude and inconsiderate and selfish, and it's really disgusting, and it's made me lose a lot of hope in the human race. Also, people are just... stupid! I feel like anyone working with the general public would agree, but goddamn how can some of these people survive when they can't even manage to read a fucking sign on a door? It's just ridiculous. If everyone just took a breath and had a little bit more patience, it would be a lot better, but that's obviously too much to ask for these days (:

I guess if we're talking tumblr specific (or RP) since the question doesn't really specify, I'm going to say that some peeps just need to calm the fuck down with their shit on here. It's a place to enjoy a hobby, not scream and whinge to get attention. I mean hey, it's your blog so you do you, but don't complain when people unfollow you because you're being kind of a twat. *shrug* The amount of drama that some people involve themselves in is pretty ridiculous at times.

I have dealt with a lot of insecurities in my life, I've fallen into toxic relationships with others and let them use me, and I've learned from those mistakes. I also dealt with them quietly because... that IS an option. There are ways you can deal with it in a mature manner instead of childish callout posts or whatever. At the end of the day, that's entirely your choice, no one is forcing your hand, and if you decide you wanna do that, then again... you do you, but when people feel inclined to leave and not deal with that shit? Don't cry over it. The world is shit atm, and no one wants more drama on their hands when they come here to enjoy themselves.

I personally come to tumblr to relax, and do a hobby that I find fun and a means to escape the bullshit of reality which is a giant miserable fart atm. I don't come here to see people acting like children and winging because this person said that and this person finds this problematic and oh you don't like this person YOU'RE THE DEVIL wah wah wah. Honestly, get the fuck outside and touch some grass, you daft c*nt. (lol not you obviously!)

[emeraldgreaves]

Ask meme emojis!!! 👀👨‍👧‍👧✏️ ily 👈👈🦷

right back atcha 👈👈 😎 💕

👀 Do you have any WIPs that you would never let see the light of day? If yes, what are they about?

so yes and no? there’s nothing i consider to be super Cringe Fail writing because luckily all of the fic from when i was twelve is several computers away, but there are some WIPs that I’ve quietly sunset due to lack of interest in finishing them, mostly for fandoms i’ve left. there’s also a decent chunk of plotless conflictless self-indulgent slice of life stuff that I don’t share or post because imo it’s just not interesting to read? basically the grown-up equivalent of putting polly pockets in a cute shoebox diorama, except everyone has an apartment and a fulfilling career and a functioning vacuum cleaner

👨‍👧‍👧 Do you tell people in real life that you write fic? 

absolutely not LMAO my husband knows because we live in the same space and i trust him with information about things i like, and one of my IRL friends is aware of it because she also has a tumblr. i will occasionally talk about writing as a process in the abstract with my mom, but if she or anyone else I know in meatspace found this blog i would probably burn everything down and deny it until the day i died

✏️ Do you write every day?

I try to get at least a couple sentences down every day of actual writing because ira glass is right and you’ve just gotta fight your way through. for a while i had a (secret, privated, unfollowable) tumblr blog where i’d put down at least 100 words of whatever I wanted every day, but posting and retrieving from it is such a hassle on mobile that I cut out the middleman.

ask meme: send me an emoji and I’ll talk about fic stuff!

[spam-1997]

Hey! Important message. 

I just heard something interesting. Not to channel my dad and do the whole ‘ I don’t know what’s been going on here but cut it out ’ shtick, but I’m really fucking angry right now. I’m about to lose my temper. This is not a vague post, I’m being very direct. I just don’t know the blogs of everyone involved but I know some of you are following me.

Correct me if I’m wrong.... but am I really being told right now that someone has made an entire callout doc on my friend, the person i write cerise and spaz with-- god, if you can even call it that, it’s more like a call out sticky note, I read the whole thing-- about the one time you had a mild disagreement in-character and some communication problems on the dash, and then politely discussed it out of character and didn’t resolve the conflict in a desired fashion and so decided to part ways?

And you’re telling me there are a select few on my dash who think this behavior isn’t the manipulative and mean spirited thing to do? As opposed to what.... walking away quietly and agreeing to disagree like an adult? Plotting out a resolution and ceasing further interaction on amicable grounds? And exactly to what end do you think this is justified? What are you after if it isn’t to bully a guy with your little mean girl clique? For christ sake, I’ve moderated servers where people got into all out screaming fights who are still on speaking terms. It’s called being an adult and having the emotional intelligence to know your personal lack of chemistry doesn’t deserve the other being publicly ostracized from all relations ever.

But sure. New ultimatum... Cut this shit out forever, disavow it, and don’t ever do it again or unfollow and block me! I don’t at all want to spend time around people like you, you’re the kind of thing people hate tumblr rp for.  Gee, I wonder why.

[sinfulduck]

Self therapy session with Duck

Me: I was just rejected and utterly humiliated online. I can’t move on from it and I’m paralyzed.

Duck: hey, rejection and humiliation are part of life. Many people experience it online. You should accept what happened and forgive yourself. That will help you move on.

Me: you’re right but how do I do that?

Duck: well what happened?

Me: I posted in a sub Reddit to voice my opinion. People did not receive it well, I was ridiculed and I felt so humiliated I deleted my account.

Duck: why did you post on there?

Me: I wanted some support I guess. I thought more people would share my opinion. I was dead wrong though and now I feel so hurt.

Duck: it’s human instinct to want to seek out community. I understand why you wanted to do that and there is no shame in wanting support. What we have to remember is that online communities are not always supportive. Can you think about the other perspective? About why they responded this way?

Me: yes… I was dramatic, I am dramatic. I mean… I’m talking to myself right now. I think I worded it wrong as well, I’m not sure my intentions were communicated clearly. I can understand why someone would react negatively, not everyone thinks the way I do. But I also don’t think they read the entire thing. That may also have been due to me wording it wrong. But really did have the best intentions.

Duck: do you think you can rectify the situation ? Can you talk to them ? Clarify your intentions ?

Me: no… it’s Reddit…. I mean I want to. In many ways the response confirmed everything I said. I had a parasocial relationship with these people and they didn’t actually care about me, the community as well I don’t know them personally. In many ways, they are right. But no, I can’t try to rectify things. Reddit is scary.

Duck: so you are feeling humiliated, what else ?

Me: hatred toward myself. I feel small, like I want to disappear and run away. I feel alone. I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself but now I’m flying solo I guess. And intense regret for doing that.

Duck: why do you regret it?

Me: well… I guess it’s becuase I wish i could’ve avoided these consequences. I don’t regret what I said. I stand by it. I will not support companies that do not denounce genocide.

Duck: so you wish you left quietly, not posted, just unfollowed them.

Me: yes and no. I do not believe in going peacefully into the light. I am kinda proud of myself for making a bit of a stink. I mean… I really pissed some people off. There were so many comments. I hope this starts a discussion, I hope the guys see what I wrote, I hope others will take a stand. But at the same time, I feel awful.

Duck: hey bro, you tried doing something really hard. Activism isn’t easy, despite what people may think. It involves being vulnerable and putting yourself out there. Yes you may not have done it perfectly, but be kind to yourself. You’ll get the hang of it eventually, and no matter how you word it not everyone is gonna agree with you. But that’s okay! Because you don’t need other people to validate your opinions.

Me: you’re right. I know you’re right. But I still feel terrible.

Duck: don’t deny your emotions, don’t try to intellectualize yourself out of it too. Yes, talking like this is better than just rotting away in your bed, but you should tell someone about how you’re feeling too. Talking will help you process your emotions.

Me: and if I have no one ?

Duck: treat yourself with some compassion broski. You def have people. You don’t have to do it right away. Take a few days if you have to. Shower, do your skin care, this will stop you from overthinking the situation. Go to the gym, practice mindfulness, and talk to me. Your imaginary duck therapist.

Me: you’re right. I think I will take a shower. But I can’t stop thinking about it.

Duck: hey, that’s okays how about we reframe the scenario? Maybe there’s a lesson here, you can take this experience and help you grow. Could you do that?

Me: yes, I can grow from this. I need to stop relying on others to validate my thoughts and feelings. I need to learn that shame does not define me, my mistakes do not define me…. And I need to not be so dramatic.

Duck: that’s great! But hey, being dramatic is not necessarily a bad thing. I think a lot of people like you because of your antics. It’s charming.

Me: okay we need to stop this before I just start ego stroking. Thanks duck!!

Duck: no problem, sexy ;)

[charleslebatman]

Then you have your opinion and I have mine but I just think that certain people opinions about his relationship and how he should be and act a bit parasocial ? If you get what I mean ? Saying things like decisions hurt or touch or even writing a whole paragraph from that anon overanalysing things just because he wasn’t very keen to take a pic for once even tho he took a lot of other pics in Lisbon feels very parasocial/intrusive ? That’s all but the essential and most important point I was talking about is maybe not overreact if he is trying to “disappear” a bit and maybe not appear as much as before considering he probably now understood that lost of people know him and “track” him ? Maybe he genuinely tries to finally set boundaries as he didn’t do before even when lots of people were crossing the line with him ? Sorry for the ranting

When I said touched, it's not like it was a parent who did something that was redhibitory. 😂 But yes, I think some fans may have been hurt when he unfollowed that Palestian account (even if it was connected to Ferrari). Touched that as a French person, he's not interested in who he dates and that she has ideas that I consider abject as a concerned person. And racist ideas. It's his problem and his life, and fortunately so.

My whole life isn't ruled by Charles' life, his career or him. Just writing that makes me very uncomfortable... 🙃 Yes, that would be really parasocial and very unhealthy.

I'm shutting down the blog and quietly getting on with my life, with my worries and my joys. I assure you that even in the world of gossips, I find some very problematic stuff, but I'll keep quiet.

I love F1, I'm a fan of drivers, I just want to know a bit more and really question myself about the person behind it and their personal evolution.

At the moment, I think Charles' fans, even if many of them keep quiet and you don't read it, are confused about the turn he's taking and his evolution. Everyone has their own way of expressing it, and I know it's a lot to read several opinions. I know that the accumulation effect quickly wears you down, and it gives a feeling of too much and exaggeration.

But I think it's also complicated for many people to express themselves in native english, when many of us aren't native either. The number of synonyms I want to use, and particular turns of phrase specific to my language, are often impossible in English. So you keep it simple, and it quickly loses the essence of what you wanted to say in the first place. Anyway, don't forget that too. I'm talking about gossip with native speakers, of my language, it doesn't sound the same at all. And that's just blabla.

Talking in another language put quickly a very neutral filter, too neutral perhaps. It also sounds immediately dramatic.

So, as I said, I can understand your point of view. I've seen more parasocial behavior coming from "purists", from kids and from people bashing on gossips than people interested in gossips. I think it’s more this kind of people who took the disrespect to ring at his door. Not people into gossips honestly.

As I said, gossips are both negative and positive at the moment, and are a good reflection of the networks at the end.

They put the human side of drivers back into perspective, and put an end to this very creepy idealization. And yes, I admit that some behaviors are too much. As with everything, in the end.

We use parasocial for everything and nothing I find, I think in the end each fan has a kind of parasocial relationship on a tiny scale, in the sense of a fan relationship that is created. It's still parasocial whether you like it or not. You're a fan of someone who doesn't know you at all. 😂 And the completely enlightened and creepy parasocial, where there you get into dark places. Often called erotomania, I think. Anyway another topic, another debate. I'm not a psychologist so well. 💀

Charles does what he wants obviously, but it's simply all these contradictory behaviors that raise questions. And as a fan I wonder, the person I've come to appreciate over the years just seems into something I don't really understand or support. After all, it's his life. Whether people bounce back or not is another matter.

[adamnagaitisnews]

Okay, it's like i have to break my promise not to write publicly, i hate it. but this one, i really want everyone to see it. first of all, i want @carolsfeelgoodstuff to read it bc she won't leave me alone and won't contact me personally.

We'll talk the concepts of YouTube and self-sufficiency.

1)YouTube.

YouTube is the world biggest platform for videos, it allows to upload the largest and the best quality videos possible. Also, YouTube is the first place anyone would go searching. I cut my vids to pieces to be able to upload every second available without violating the copyright of the original owner. Sometimes my vids get blocked, sometimes the rightholders unblock them, it's a very complicated system, and we're not talking about it today. but i always try to make everything stay on the channel the longest time possible. Why? It's done for the fans who may come not today, not even tomorrow. A year, 5 years, 10 years, whatever. It's an archive of everything in one place available for everyone from everywhere in the world. That's it. That's why i care about quality so much. Everything is categorized by folders (for the times when he is super famous ehehe) for quick search.

So, it's YouTube.

Now your favourite part. The word 'EXCLUSIVE' (my ass ™). That's where we come to the concept of

2) Self-sufficiency.

When i first started it, i was different, let's say so. I thought im gonna do something and people will love me (i know, ridiculous, ive grown up since then). It was not about archive, it was about me wishing to be included. Long story short, it failed. (i strongly believe everyone knows this story of me attacking people out of the blue like a rabid dog. Am i proud of it? No. But what's done is done.)

I had two ways. To stop doing what i was doing or to go on alone. I chose the latter :). This channel was the first thing in my life i didn't abandon after 5 minutes. I enjoyed every second of it. Editing, making covers, avoiding blocking and deciding what im gonna do next. Adam turned out a perfect muse for me. I never get tired of his face and he always inspires me to try something new. Months later, I understood that i didn't need to be included anymore, it was so enjoyable that i knew even if everyone unfollows me today, im gonna start from scratch tomorrow just because i love it. Even when it sux.

I stopped asking people here and on twitter to subscribe (i do ask on yt but it's a common practice). I became self-sufficient.

Wow! You ve read up to this! EXCLUSIVE (my ass ™).

When i discovered Branwell's vids, i was sooo excited (my ass ™), i posted an extract on twitter immediately but no one seemed interested. I won't describe the circles of hell i went through to upload it to yt in THREE, CARL, pieces to make it available all over the world. And i still wanted everyone here and on twitter to see it. The word EXCLUSIVE (my ass ™) seemed to fit the best to draw attention, bc i was absolutely sure no one saw it before. Then @wifeofbath asked me where i got it, but i was still pissed (not proud), and never responded. As simple as that.

You gonna ask me why i said no to you. Speaking both Louvel and Hamlet, when i do something i find especially appealing, i feel an urge to make a post here and on twitter. Even if no one likes it. it's a ✔️ for me. Like mission completed or something.

Speaking Hamlet in particular, first, because i wanted to gif this one myself. Hamlet is a really big deaI for me. Second, i was dumb and it took me longer than expected to find it (on rutracker, my ass!). Third, im so so so sorry to say it aloud, and please don't take it personally and for fuck's sake dont stop giffing, but like i said, i have nothing to lose. Im a rabid dog :). i stopped visiting tumblr as often as i used to because i couldn't find other people's posts through the mass of your gifs. I got irritated and just left quietly and went into post'n'go mode. Tbh i was embarrassed when you wrote me here through the question form. Also, later i found you annoying, and im sorry for that.

So these were all cases when anyone asked me for a source of anything.

Everything i post i found in open sources, it's like a sport for me. First you find it, then you post and then there's this russian roulette moment - will it be blocked or not? Or will i have to cut the shit out of it to make it available all over the world? With those videos, Im concentrated on yt only, i dont aim to upload it anywhere else, bc see pt. 1. I don't own them, i dont care who else posts them and where. Ive learned my lessons and i wanna go on in peace.

Thanks for reading this,

Seems like im finally free now,

If there are any questions, please ask, im gonna answer.

❤️,

Al

[tfrohock]

Always have an exit plan: Twitter, Musk, and social media in general

In case you’ve been under a rock somewhere, you probably already know that Elon Musk is in the process of purchasing Twitter. Frankly, in the overall scheme of the world’s problems right now, that purchase is a teeny drop in the bucket of the ills facing us. Even so, the news gave me a slimy feeling, like I’d stuck my hand into a hole and came out with a handful of worms. Of course, I feel the same way about Zuckerberg and Facebook. Unfortunately, due to my job and my writing, I have to maintain a profile there, too, so keeping a Twitter profile isn’t much different.

A lot of people I know are leaving Twitter, others are staying. I’m not here to pass judgment on either group. I’m not leaving Twitter, because I want to remain in control of my profile and data while I decide what I want to do. At the same time, I’ve been quietly deleting DMs, and I’m looking at some deletion software to use after downloading my tweets. I’ve also been trimming my feed, frankly because I’ve followed a lot of people who followed me, although we rarely, if ever, interact. I also continue to follow several people who are either no longer monitoring their feeds, or who haven’t posted anything in over a year. So I’m just unfollowing people who aren’t really connecting with me at all. This has more to do with Twitter’s twitchy algorithms than anything else. I’m not seeing my friends’ tweets, and when I’m missing moments with my friends, social media becomes useless to me.

I’m also backing away from people who use their feeds to quote tweet or retweet every single controversial thing that rolls across the Internet so they can argue about it. I have a subscription to a reliable news source, which I read once or twice a day, so I don’t need everyone else’s news streams amping my blood pressure forty times a day. The other thing is that instead of making an actual point, these people aren’t doing anything other than engaging with the very things they claim to hate.

Engagement = promotion in Twitter-speak, and I refuse to be another set of eyes for someone’s umbrage, or engage in promoting vile messages.

That doesn’t mean I ignore social justice. Screaming on Twitter is simply a way to vent. I’ve chosen to think deeply about ways I can be an asset for socially responsible programs in my community, where my actions will [hopefully] have meaning.

So what’s next?

Having watched both Twitter and Facebook over the past year, I can say I’ve been formulating an exit plan long before now. Tik Tok is taking over the digital world and will soon replace both Facebook and Twitter, which are seen as your parents’ social media. Eventually Tik Tok will give way to some other new and improved social media and so it will go from now on. In other words, never become too reliant on “free” sites that are asking you to perform for their audience (MySpace, anyone?). The sites will come and go at the whims of the billionaires who run them.

Some folks have suggested moving to Patreon or Substack, which is really safer, because you’re monetized there, which means the sites are actually making a percentage of whatever you’re making to stay afloat. Those types of sites are usually safer in the long run, because they’re experiencing steady cash streams.

Personally, I prefer to keep my own website/blog/newsletter in one place. Due to the limitations I have on my time, my configuration here is more convenient for me, and I’m extremely fortunate to be able to afford it.

Therein lies crux of my exit plan. I said I’d be moving more to the blog a while back, and the Twitter sale was the impetus for me to finally say meh, I’ve had enough. I’ll still be around Twitter for the time being, but being active on a platform versus being “around” are two different things. My blog feed will run through Twitter and I will also post it on Facebook. The blog is also set up to run through my Tumblr feed, so if you’re more comfortable in a Tumblr community, you can follow T. Frohock there, too. Pictures on the Tumblr site might or might not display properly, but if you need to see them, you can definitely come here.

You can also subscribe to my newsletter. If I write more than one blog post a month, I’ll usually send a link summary in the newsletter. Occasionally, I’ll just make the blog post my newsletter; however, newsletter subscribers get more than links to blog posts. The password and link to subscriber only material such as Los Nefilim shorts is only in the newsletter.

Social media, and Twitter especially, used to be a lot of fun for me in the beginning. I’ve met a lot of marvelous people all over the world and I still find the some incredibly informative threads (looking at Ali A. Olomi here). There are so many people with whom I want to remain in touch and read their blogs and hear their ideas, but I just don’t want to wade through thousands of tweets about terrible things to get to them, so I’ve subscribed to their newsletters and blogs.

And here is another thing I discovered when AT&T caused our Internet to go out for seven days (and just for the record, AT&T, it’s still squicky). I had no way to update the blog or newsletter, and although my phone does have a mobile hotspot I can use in an emergency, it’s not something I want to rely on. So I spent my evenings playing laser light with Emerson, reading, or working on my own book.

My anxiety levels went down. Way way down. And my creativity levels went up.

All this means my exit plan might lead me to an off-ramp of discovery. I’ve been reading a creative writing book suggested to me by Valerie Nieman called What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers and I’ll be sharing some of things that I’ve learned from it with my newsletter subscribers. The work on my novel has jumped dramatically. I’ve had more short story ideas that I want to pursue. There are just so, so, so many things are going on and none of them have to do with performing online to make rich men richer.

Ever since I first went online, I’ve promised myself I would always have an exit plan for various platforms, because nothing lasts forever on the interwebs, nothing but the fun and laughter you’ve all given to me. The Internet is a wide open place, and we have multiple ways to stay connected. We need not depend on any one platform, only on each other.

Watch for me …