#hacks in a nutshell

[lyraasskywalker]

strangers to boss-employee to enemies to boss-employee-again-but-with-more-trust to friends to not-my-coworker-anymore to friends-again to you're-in-my-head to we-have-a-relationship to enemies to forced-to-be-coworkers to lovers

[studyblr-perhaps]

Misa Explains 1: Spintronics in a nutshell

A series of posts where I will explain bits and pieces of physics I have gathered throughout the my foray into this wonderful science. Warning, these will be long.

Highly inspired by @chemblrish and @minmin-vs-physics 's posts on their fields, check out their posts (linked on this post in various places!)

Wait what even is going on?

Okay, first of all, why are we even talking about spintronics, whatever that means? Now, we live in an age where we need devices, right? Phones, TVs, laptops, name it. All digital devices come under electronics, which is a cluster of what we call "logic devices" (verrry loosely speaking) with various functions, made with expert circuitry to create our sophisticated "smart" devices. Whew. That's a lot of words. But what does it mean? It means that the very device you're using to view this post is made up of very tiny mini devices, which are made to utilize electrical signals (current, flow of electrons) to make it store information, read information, or perform logic tasks ("AND", "OR" "NOT" and the rest. Let me know if you want me to explain those, but this is not the point of the post so I'm letting them hang in the air for now).

We store digital information in the form of 'bits' (I swear all of this is relevant, please be patient) which is a computer's language of storing and using information. If you've watched any show involving hacking, you'll see stacks after stacks of "1"s and "0"s on their high contrast screens in that radioactive green font (general older sister advice: don't use high contrast it hurts your eyes), these are bits and the basis on which logic devices work. Each combination of 1s and 0s makes a different information, which is the backbone of computing. Now, how these devices make 1s and 0s is again a whole course on electronics, so I will skip over it to just preface that they exist and that's how we make digital devices.

All these years, we have used semiconductors, which allow moderate amount of current flow from them (in contrast to conductors, which allow free flow of electrons, and insulators, which do not allow flow of electrons) to make transistors, which are currently the building blocks of circuit-making devices.

[here's a picture containing ICs (the bug-like looking thing covered in wires) which have tiny transistors inside them, and the LEDs, on which the lit ones are "1"s and unlit ones are "0"s. This was my project for one of my courses!]

In electronics, a very famous law called Moore's Law, states that for increase in tech and development, the amount of transistors in integrated circuits (IC) doubles every two years. This moves proportionally with the increase in use of semiconductors, because transistors are made using them.

Every device maker's main goal is to make a device faster, smoother, and more functional. Which means, more transistors, better semiconductors. Moreover, the smaller space occupied by the ICs, the better. But obviously there's a limit to how much we can decrease the size of the transistors. One is the technical issue of creating such a small object, which will require highly precise instruments which we are not in possession of/ not feasible in the long run. The second issue is the working. "Will a semiconductor keep it's properties when they layer is so small?" is a valid question to ask when we go further down in scale. In simple words: in the long run, improving semiconductors for transistors will be difficult. Moore's law plateaus, and the number of transistors doesn't double with two years. What now? We can't just stop developing better computing devices, not just smart devices, astronomy, medicine and other scientific areas also require reliable, stable and fast computing devices.

Which means we desperately need new materials (and techniques) for logic and memory devices.

Hold on, when's spintronics going to start?

Okay background information done. Now we move onto spins and why we use it. We know that atoms are made of protons, electrons and neutrons. Out of these, electrons "revolve" in "orbits" around the nucleus, which holds the protons and neutrons. I put "revolve" and "orbits" in quotes because essentially it's a cloud of probabilities and we have no clue what path it truly takes. Electrons reside in what are called 'orbitals', which are balloon-like spaces which have a high probability of the electrons being present in (@/chemblrish explains orbitals better here).

Now along with the "revolution", electrons also considered to have a "spin". We don't really know if it "spins" the way Bayblades do, but regardless, they have an angular momentum, which is classically something rotating objects possess (@/mimin-vs-physics goes more in depth on quantum mechanical fun stuff) Either way, we don't know why it has angular momentum, but we know it does (at least I have no idea if we've figured it out??). And in true human fashion, we see anything new and think "now how can I utilize this for my benefit?"

Years and years of research later, we figured out something interesting. The angular momentum which the electron spins contain, and the angular momentum of electrons in "orbits" can interact! This interaction is called Spin-Orbit Coupling (SOC) and it causes a bunch of other fascinating phenomena in quantum mechanics. One of which, is that it if we supply electricity into a metal plane, we can align the electrons and their spins in such a way that it causes a stream of current (remember: current is essentially a flow of electrons in one direction) with aligned spins to move into a different layer perpendicularly.

Okay but what does all of this have to do anything with Spintronics?

We're finally at the part where we can discuss what Spintronics is! We can use our now generated spin current to make electronic devices (hence, spintronics!). So, how do we make these tiny devices?

What we first take is a heavy metal (these are metallic elements/alloys with high atomic numbers, which have a lot of free electrons to use) and make a very thin film of it. (The procedure of making thin films is very interesting, and I will make the next post on it!) We can now pass a stream of current/electricity* parallel to the surface of the thin film, which will give us a stream of spin-aligned electrons bouncing to move into an upper layer.

For the upper layer, we add a thin layer of a ferromagnet. A ferromagnet is a type of material which readily aligns its spin on one direction when under a magnetic field (contrary to this are paramagnets which weakly align their spins, and diamagnets which weakly align their spins opposite to the applied field).

Now remember the electrons with their spin aligned which wanted to move into the upper layer? Yeah once they are given an upper layer to move into, they flow into the layer, bringing their aligned spins with them. This spin can now affect the ferromagnet's spin, and align it in either the direction of the applied electric field ( the one applied on the heavy metal layer. I'm marking it as * for you to check which electric field I mean) or directly opposite to the direction of the electric field. This alignment can be measured. The value doesn't matter, only the direction. Is it parallel to the electric field or anti-parallel? "Up" or "down"? "Left" or "right"? Or, in terms of electronics, "1" or "0".

And look! We now have a way to make a tiny device which can display values of "1" or "0"! We used an analog signal (electricity) to create a digital output (1s and 0s)! That is electronics! But because it uses spins, it is called Spintronics.

Because we use Spin-Orbit Coupling, these devices are extremely precise and fast. And the layers of heavy metal/ferromagnet will be in the ranges of nanometers (10^-9 m), so they are also extremely small. We can also choose materials with properties we like (high melting/boiling point, low reactivity) to create devices which can work in extreme conditions (high heat, pressure, reactive areas).

And here we have it! We've made spintronic devices!

End of post disclaimer: I am a Bachelors student and I will have mistakes. I also tend to exaggerate. So if I have made a mistake in this post, please inform me nicely in the comments or tags!

[rbtpracticeexamus]

Your Brain Isn't Broken, It's Autistic: The Real Tea on the Lived Experience

hey tumblr. let's talk about autism.

not the textbook, puzzle-piece, "very special episode" version.

we're talking about the real, lived-in, day-to-day experience. the stuff that doesn't always make it into the pamphlets. this is for the newly diagnosed, the self-diagnosed, the questioning, and the allies who genuinely want to get it.

this is the infodump you've been looking for. it's about what it actually feels like to navigate a world that wasn't built for your brain's operating system.

we're diving deep into the social weirdness, the sensory chaos, the internal logic, and all the "plus ones" that tag along for the ride. this is the real tea.

for a more foundational look at the what-and-why of ASD, this helpful guide is a solid starting point.

okay, let's get into it.

1. Socializing on Hard Mode? Nah, Just a Different OS.

one of the biggest things people associate with autism is being "socially awkward." and yeah, the vibes can be off sometimes, but it's not a deficit. it's a difference.

imagine everyone else is running on Windows and you're running on Linux. both are powerful operating systems, but they don't always run the same programs or use the same commands. that's the autistic social experience in a nutshell.

The whole nonverbal cues thing is a lot.

neurotypicals have this whole second conversation happening underneath the words. it's in the eye contact, the little smiles, the tone shifts, the way they're standing. for an autistic brain, that's like trying to watch a movie while reading the subtitles in a different language and listening to a podcast at the same time. it's just too much data.

eye contact? it can feel physically painful. like someone is staring directly into your soul. it's not about being shy or dishonest. sometimes we have to look away to actually hear what you're saying.

"Why are you so literal?" bc why would you say something you don't mean?

the neurotypical world is built on a foundation of things people don't actually mean. "let's grab coffee sometime" is a social placeholder, not a plan. "that's an interesting idea" can mean "i hate it but i'm being polite."

for us, words often mean what they mean. we take things at face value. this can lead to us being seen as blunt or even rude, when really, we're just being direct and honest. we're not trying to start drama; we're trying to communicate clearly.

check out this in-depth resource if you want to know more about the diagnostic side of things.

Friendship, but make it autistic.

we absolutely want friends and deep connections. but the way we build them is different. forget small talk. it's a painful, pointless ritual.

real connection happens over special interests. you like the deep lore of a specific fantasy series? i can talk about it for five hours straight. that's friendship. it's built on a shared passion and genuine, unfiltered enthusiasm.

this is based on a concept called monotropism: the autistic brain's tendency to have a very focused, tunnel-vision attention system. when we're into something (or someone), we are really into it.

Social Life Hacks: For Us & Our Allies

If You're an Ally: Just Say What You Mean

Be Direct, Pls: skip the sarcasm, idioms, and hints. it's a kindness. instead of "wow, the trash is really full," try "can you please take out the trash?" it removes the mental gymnastics.

Assume Good Intentions: if we seem blunt or don't make eye contact, it's not a personal attack. we're probably just being honest or trying to concentrate. assume we're doing our best.

Ask About Communication: some of us are way better over text than on the phone. asking "what's the best way to chat with you?" is a huge sign of respect for our processing needs.

If You're Autistic: Find Your People

Scripting is Valid: it's okay to have pre-planned lines for common situations (ordering food, answering the phone). it's not being fake; it's a smart way to save your precious brain energy. it's a life hack.

Lean Into Your Spinterests: your special interests are a beacon. online forums, discord servers, clubs, conventions that's where you'll find other people who get it. your people are out there.

Self-Advocacy is a Vibe: it's okay to say, "hey, i'm autistic and i need things to be a bit more direct," or "eye contact is hard for me, but i'm listening." telling people what you need is a power move.

2. The Sensory World: Why Your Brain's Volume Knob is So Weird

the autistic sensory experience is a wild ride. imagine your brain has a mixing board for all your senses, but the labels are worn off and some of the sliders are stuck at 0 or 11.

it's a constant state of extremes. this is because our brains can either over-register (hypersensitivity) or under-register (hyposensitivity) sensory input.

Hypersensitivity: When the World is at Full Volume

this is when your brain lets everything in. sounds, sights, and feelings that NTs filter out can be overwhelming, distracting, or even physically painful.

Sound: the hum of the fridge is a roaring monster. you can hear the electricity in the walls. a crowded cafe is a literal wall of painful noise.

Sight: fluorescent lights are searing torture devices. a cluttered room is visual chaos that makes your brain short-circuit. busy patterns on a carpet can make you feel dizzy.

Touch: the tag on a shirt feels like a shard of glass. a light, unexpected touch can feel like an electric shock. the texture of certain foods (looking at you, mushy bananas) is a full-body violation.

Smell: someone's perfume from across the room can be suffocating. the smell of cleaning products can give you an instant headache.

this constant sensory assault leads to sensory overload, which is the fast track to a meltdown or a shutdown. it's your brain's emergency brake.

Hyposensitivity: "Is This Thing On?"

this is the opposite. your brain isn't getting enough sensory data, so you actively seek it out. this is "sensory seeking," and it's all about getting the input your body craves.

Sound: you love loud music with deep bass. you thrive in noisy environments. you might make your own sounds (humming, singing, vocal stimming) just to feel something.

Sight: you're mesmerized by spinning objects, flashing lights, and super bright, saturated colors.

Touch: you crave deep pressure. this is why weighted blankets, tight hugs, and even crashing into things can feel so good and calming. it helps your brain know where your body is. chewing on things is also a big one.

Taste/Smell: you love extremely spicy, sour, or crunchy foods. you need that intense flavor profile to even register that you're eating.

and yes, you can be hypersensitive to some things (sound) and hyposensitive to others (touch) at the same time. it's a custom cocktail of sensory chaos.

The "Hidden" Senses are a Big Deal

it's not just the main five. two other senses are key to the autistic experience:

Proprioception (Body GPS): this is your sense of where your body is in space. if this is off, you might be clumsy, bump into everything, or not know how hard to press when you're writing.

Interoception (Internal Dashboard): this is how you read your body's internal signals. if this is wonky, you might not realize you're hungry, thirsty, or have to pee until it's an absolute emergency. it also makes it super hard to identify your own emotions. you feel something big and uncomfortable, but you can't tell if it's anger, fear, or just needing a snack.

Sensory Survival Kit: IYKYK Edition

Tame the Overload (Create Your Bubble)

Light Control is Non-Negotiable: ditch the "big light." use lamps with warm bulbs. get dimmer switches. wear sunglasses inside if you need to. no shame.

Headphones are Your Best Friend: noise-canceling headphones are not a trend; they are a medical device. loop earplugs are also a lifesaver for filtering sound without blocking it completely.

Curate Your Comfort: cut every tag out of every piece of clothing. find your brand of seamless socks and buy 20 pairs. it's okay to have a "uniform" of safe, comfortable clothes.

Build Your Sensory Go-Bag

This is your emergency kit. a small bag with your essentials: headphones, sunglasses, your favorite fidget toy, a chew necklace, a calming scent (like a lavender roller), and a safe snack (like crunchy pretzels). never leave home without it.

Let Yourself Stim: stimming (rocking, hand-flapping, pacing, fidgeting) is not weird or bad. it's a natural, healthy, and incredibly effective way to self-regulate. it's how your body deals with being over or under-stimulated. don't let anyone make you feel bad for it. organizations like the Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) are great for learning more about stimming acceptance.

3. Inside the Autistic Brain: Routines, Glitches, and Big Feels

so much of the autistic experience is internal. it's about the internal architecture that dictates how we handle the world.

Routines are Not a Quirk. They are a Lifeline.

to an outsider, our love for routine can look rigid or obsessive. but from the inside, routines are a life-saving anchor in a chaotic world.

the world is unpredictable and sensorially overwhelming. a routine creates a predictable path through the day. it means we don't have to waste our limited battery life on small decisions like what to eat for breakfast or what order to get dressed in.

that frees up cognitive energy to deal with the hard stuff, like a last-minute change of plans at work. a broken routine isn't an "inconvenience." it can throw our entire system into chaos and trigger major dysregulation.

Executive Function? My Brain's CEO is on an Unscheduled Vacation.

executive functions are the skills that let you plan, organize, start tasks, and manage your time. it's your brain's project manager. for many of us, that manager is brilliant but also perpetually overwhelmed and easily distracted.

this is executive dysfunction, and it looks like:

Task Initiation Failure (aka The Wall of Awful): you want to do the thing. you need to do the thing. but there's an invisible wall between you and the thing. it's not laziness. it's a brain glitch.

Planning is Hard: the instruction "clean your room" is meaningless. it's too big. we need it broken down into "1. pick up clothes. 2. put clothes in hamper. 3. clear off desk."

Time Blindness: we have two units of time: "now" and "not now." gauging how long something will take is a superpower we do not possess. this is why we're often late or ridiculously early.

Object Permanence (for tasks): if something isn't right in front of my face, it ceases to exist. this applies to chores, emails, and sometimes even friends.

Emotional Regulation is a Full-Time Job

we feel things. a lot. our emotions are dialed up to 11. joy is ecstatic. sadness is a deep abyss. but managing these huge feelings is a massive challenge.

Alexithymia is a thing: this is the clinical term for "i feel a very strong emotion but i have no idea what it is." it's like your internal dashboard is flashing a giant red warning light, but the label has fallen off.

Meltdowns vs. Shutdowns: this is what happens when the system overloads. it's an involuntary neurological response, not a tantrum.

Meltdown: the "fight or flight" response. it's an external explosion of distress. crying, yelling, hitting things. it's the brain's pressure valve releasing.

Shutdown: the "freeze" response. it's an internal retreat. we go quiet, nonverbal, and might seem completely zoned out. it's the brain pulling the plug to prevent further damage.

Boss Up Your Brain: Life Admin & Emotion Hacks

Get Your Executive Function in Order

Externalize Everything: your brain is for having ideas, not holding them. use sticky notes, phone alarms, visual planners, to-do list apps. get it all out of your head and into the physical world.

Embrace the Spoon Theory: this is a classic neurodivergent metaphor. you start the day with a set number of "spoons" (energy units). every task costs spoons. socialising costs a lot. a quiet day at home costs less. when you're out of spoons, you're done. it's a brilliant way to explain your energy limits. you can read the original essay at But You Don't Look Sick.

Body Doubling: can't start a task? have someone else just be in the room with you. they don't have to help. their quiet presence can be enough to get your brain over the "wall of awful."

Master Your Emotional Thermostat

Name It to Tame It: get an emotion wheel chart. when you're feeling a big, confusing feeling, look at the wheel. just finding the word for it ("oh, this is apprehension") can make it less scary.

Have an Escape Plan: know your personal signs of overload (getting hot, talking faster, hands tensing up). when you feel it starting, have a pre-planned exit strategy. "i need to go to the bathroom" is a universally accepted escape hatch.

Create a "Nest": have a designated safe space in your home. fill it with your comfort items: weighted blanket, soft lighting, headphones, a good book, your favorite stim toy. this is your charging station.

4. The "Plus Ones": When Autism Brings Friends (ADHD, Anxiety, etc.)

autism loves to roll with an entourage. it's super common to have other conditions hanging out, too. knowing about these is key to understanding your whole experience.

Anxiety & Depression: The Usual Suspects

anxiety is basically autism's best friend. i mean, if you lived in a world that was constantly too loud, confusing, and demanding, you'd be anxious too. masking (pretending to be neurotypical to fit in) is a direct cause of chronic anxiety.

depression often follows. feeling constantly misunderstood, isolated, and exhausted from the sheer effort of existing can, unsurprisingly, lead to depression.

AuDHD: The Ultimate Neurospicy Combo

ADHD and autism have a huge overlap. so many of us have both. welcome to the world of AuDHD. it's a life of contradictions.

understanding ADHD is a game-changer for many autistics, even without a formal diagnosis. resources from orgs like CHADD can be super helpful.

Tummy Troubles & Sleepy Struggles

the brain-gut connection is real. chronic GI issues (constipation, food sensitivities, stomach pain) are incredibly common for us. so are sleep problems. our brains often don't want to shut down, leading to insomnia and wonky sleep schedules.

Comparing the Vibes: Autism vs. ADHD vs. AuDHD

So, What's the Vibe Here?

the autistic lived experience isn't a tragedy. it's not a puzzle to be solved. it's a different neurotype. a different way of being human.

it's the joy of a perfectly textured food, the deep comfort of a weighted blanket, the pure bliss of infodumping about your special interest to someone who actually wants to listen. it's seeing the patterns and details that everyone else misses.

your brain isn't broken. it's autistic.

and the best thing we can do for ourselves and for each other is to stop trying to force the Linux brain to run Windows. instead, let's get curious about what it can do. let's build a world with more accessibility, more acceptance, and a lot more grace.

you are not alone in this. your experience is valid. welcome to the club.

[axa-rusher]

BTR random fact :

some Big Time Rush songs were leaked around 2011-2013 because a group of people hacked Kendall’s email account, they also leaked some Kendall’s private messages and photos, and published it on Tumblr.

In a nutshell, the action itself was done by a very dedicated fan who ran a popular Tumblr blog, which over time had built a reputation for frequently dropping exclusive photos and similar items of Kendall's.

Everything blew up in April '13 when she/her friends pushed the limit a little too far (there were about 3-4 songs leaked within the span of a few days, one of which was a recently made third album demo).

The buzz made its way to Kendall's management who got the FBl involved. She got in very serious trouble over it so I don't like spreading her identity or username (nor much about this incident in general) out of respect for her privacy.

(there is kendall who’s talking about leaks and hacking in the link i posted : time code 7:11) btw i have a LOT of random facts/funny facts/serious facts ( literally : 🤓☝️) so if u want a precise subject i can talk about it

[latenightskycotl]

Big news for beta testers and hopefuls!

In a nutshell, beta is being reworked to tighten up control and address cheating and hacking. March 20th, TGC is going to wipe all beta testing accounts and remove everyone, and start anew with a new and different application process. It used to be somewhat of a free-for-all, first-come-first-served on beta openings. They had little control of who got in, and narrowing down the hackers and people who shared content before it even went live was pretty much impossible. To that end, they are going to have us apply for a position in beta, and anyone who passes and agrees must sign an NDA.

While I don’t like spoilers, hackers, or anyone who games the system or ruins it for others, I have shared beta images after the content has released in live. No formal agreement was required before, but going forward it’s more official, and I’m going to honor their request and not share any at all. So many have shared content that was still in the works they stopped showing us content until the last minute. In many recent previous seasons, we didn’t even see the ending of the season in beta, so it couldn’t be leaked by anyone.

Plus, I might not get back into beta after the reset anyway. I haven’t seen the application, so I don’t know the expectations beyond this news release. They may require testers to turn in a certain number of reports or play a certain number of hours weekly. They may ask some testers to focus on one area or particular problem. They may also do regular wipes of beta, pulling in all new testers each time (though I think that is unlikely). We really don’t know. I generally play the way I would in live and just go from there, turning in a report when I see something that hasn’t already been reported (usually by the time I see it, there are already reports filed in Discord) or using the screenshot reporting function to show them something that doesn’t look right. In the future, they may want more than a casual tester.

So, after what I have in the queue now posts - maybe a weeks worth of posts, I have them scheduled to share once a day - I will no longer be posting images from beta.

I’ll still share tidbits, hints, shared spaces from “that cannon guy” and music by “GREEN APPLE” (they almost always include that on the tag so that’s what I named them). Those are all in live. I’ll warn you to save up candles or hearts when an item I think will be popular is upcoming, though I won’t give hints about the item itself. I’ll also continue to share anything else I feel you might find helpful or interesting. I usually play right at reset, so I’m in a good position to post a warning about a bug with dailies. I don’t do in-depth reviews or exhaustive lists on where to find everything. There are enough who do that already.

I’ll figure out a new blog name since skycotl_before_and_after won’t really fit any more. It’s been fun. I hope you enjoyed seeing how the game has gradually changed. And if you decide to try being a tester, good luck!

[sapphicscholar]

Plot of Hacks (HBO) Season 2* in a nutshell

*both canon and fanon versions! We love a versatile meme

[skinks]

JOE. first of all: a reminder that i love you and think you are simply one of the coolest people i know. i hope you're doing well. SECOND: can you talk to me some more about Becoming a Tradeswoman? i have a SERIOUS lack of confidence in my intelligence/brainworthiness/ability, and have always done white(ish) collar work, but. idk. the idea of working at something more practical (idek what it would be) has always kind of hung around the edges of my brain. no idea where i'd start, how i'd even find out whether i'm GOOD at practical work, whether i could hack it...how did you get started?? i remember your farming days, of course - did you just do it as a summer thing to start? how'd you get into it? anyway. whatever you'd like to talk about would be wonderful. you're amazing. OKAY BYE<3

SARAH HELLO!! First of all may I say ilu too and I think you’re rad, I hope you’re doing well also. I’m just working/exercising/watching movies mostly and have begun the process of buying my first flat, so I’m pretty tired but busy and happier for it.

Sorry it took me a minute to reply to this message, I’ve been thinking it over all week as it’s a wide-ranging topic. People’s routes into any type of work will be as varied as the people themselves, but I can share a little of my own experience for sure.

I live in a rural-ish area with a ton of agriculture, so I got into practical work at 16 when my first ever job was helping out on a farm nearby. My parents went to school with the guy who owned the farm, so soon I was earning money for bottle-feeding calves and mucking stalls. Then I moved to a different farm where I got to help with calving and a bunch of other work, including when I first got to operate forklifts and other heavy machinery.

My friends were all either waitressing or babysitting in town , and I was earning nearly double what they were and having a blast doing it without any of the horror stories of customer service. Most of the time I was on my own, left with the meagre responsibility of a lot of heavy lifting, but it made me feel accomplished. I realised I got such a rush from picking up how to operate a piece of machinery and making myself useful, being trusted to complete a task with a definitive outcome I could SEE. So much schoolwork seemed abstract and arbitrary outside of maths/science - even though I loved reading and was great at writing English papers, it frustrated me that success was graded on subjectivity. Maths is definite. Moving haybales from one barn to another until you’re done is definite. I responded to the constant sense of achievement you get from completing practical tasks and seeing your work make a direct impact on the job. It made me feel more powerful and confident, which was a lifesaver as a miserable teenager getting the self-esteem bullied out of me every day.

From there I quit university (once again couldn’t stand the arbitrary un-structured mess that was research and essays) and went back home to work on another farm. Learned how to drive ATVs, hitch horses into carriages, hitch trailers onto cars, cultivate a garden, build fences, wrangle and lamb sheep, etc etc. In my spare time I chased that high of learning a new practical skill through sports; tried archery, skeet shooting, weightlifting, crossfit, etc. I think having a propensity for sport since childhood does help your confidence in practical work, because you’ve already developed your sense of physicality and proprioception. You’re better coordinated, in a nutshell, but it’s not a dealbreaker for someone who’s not sporty.

Basically, every tiny skill I picked up in all my jobs has just built my confidence in my ability to learn a new one, it’s as simple as that. I could drive a car and muck out a stall, so with good teachers I was able to drive a forklift and lay turf, so I was able to then hitch a tractor trailer, so I could then build and fix an electric fence, so I could prune fruit trees, trim hedges, milk cows, dig ditches, build drystone walls, and rig up a mobile generator in the back of a pick-up so I could sand down logs all day.

Your confidence in your ability to learn is the only thing that matters, but you have to give yourself the chance to START learning. Knowing I had learned how to do all those things meant I had enough confidence to apply to an engineering training course at the local trade college. I yearned to learn more skills, to have the access to equipment and training I hadn’t before, honestly, because of that feeling of power. It makes me feel powerful to learn how to weld, how to use all the machines we have at work in order to be a functioning, useful part of a team.

For a long ass time though I felt the way you’ve described; totally lacking in the confidence to do this type of work. I get that, I really do, and I’m gonna tell you I SERIOUSLY doubt you lack the intelligence or ability to do trade work. I know that sounds like platitudes when you haven’t had the chance to even try it yet, but I’m telling you as someone who’s been there and has gotten over that self-doubt hill. You do not lack the ability, you only need the opportunity to try this work and good teachers to help you. If someone belittles you for asking questions when trying to learn something new, they’re a shitlord bastard who doesn’t deserve to be teaching you, and aren’t worth your time.

Can you think of any skill you’ve picked up and now don’t have to think about to complete? Can you drive, or bake, or follow a craft tutorial? Play a videogame? These types of activities require the type of hand-eye coordination, attention to detail, and subconscious adjustment of technique that are the basic building blocks of practical work imo. A forklift control panel or a metalworking lathe look intimidating, until you’ve been shown what to do and are carefully allowed to try it out for yourself a few times to build your confidence.

After that it’s just practice. I find it far, far easier to weld pipes than to… brainstorm initiatives, or whatever it is people do in offices. That’s a question you need to ask yourself with respect to all of this too, like I said before, what type of work brings you the most satisfaction? Do you like the idea of the precision inherently necessary to tool work, or does the black and white nature of it stress you out? Do you like the idea of focusing solely on a task that is literally at your fingertips, that YOUR skill has a direct effect on? If nothing else, the very fact that you wanna try is a great sign!

In terms of where to get experience, I’d say volunteering is your best bet initially.

- national parks or environmental nonprofits. Look for practical volunteering opportunities! my rangering organisation always has path building/invasive species removal/habitat maintenance sessions available to the public, maybe there’s something similar nearby to you that you could try. It’s so fun and rewarding!

- local farms or animal shelters. Ask around, see if anyone is looking for an extra pair of hands. I travelled in NZ Aotearoa using WWOOF, and there are wwoofing farms literally all over the world. the majority of them are geared towards people just looking to help out, you really don’t need to have any practical experience to go wwoofing

- local trade cooperatives. This is a long shot but it is something I’ve seen crop up in bigger cities here. people will set up community workshops where you can go along and make use of the tools and equipment in a more amateur and inclusive environment, and they’ll often run classes. maybe there’s something similar near to you, and it’s a way to try different things to see if something clicks!

- practical toys. Like, model building kits or even construction toys. It’s a small start, but maybe a good one for you to see how you feel about following plans and building something!

- classes, again. I know you said you’re not sure what you’d even wanna try, but if you have the time and the money, could it be worthwhile taking a class or two, just to try something? leather or wood working? blacksmithing? do you like the thought of being inside or outside? Making things or fixing things? heavy lifting or small precision work? All of it?!

I’m not the best at giving advice, but I do believe in the human ability to learn tool usage with proper instruction. Our ancestors could build their own homes and start fires to make clay pots, and they didn’t even have youtube to tell them how to do it. All it really comes down to then is confidence, and you DESERVE confidence.

Why the fuck shouldn’t you learn how to work a trade, or at least try something practical! That’s what life is about, learning new things. Especially since you’ll meet all sorts of cool new people doing it. You’re a kind and intelligent person, and so long as you’re fine with making a mistake or two, owning up to it, and asking for help when you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll be fine and dandy. I swear it!!!!

[bluektw]

Heey let's talk about Moonvale chapter/episode 2

Spoilers ahead if you haven't played but I'll try to keep that on a minimum

So, my biggest critics in episode 1 where:

Excessive AI

Too many minigames and less chatting

Pay2win

In a nutshell, the only part I liked was that the story was hooking. So let's talk in topics.

AI: It's still there, but it's less, the new profiles give them some more depth other than the ai photos, thought if you look close enough you can see some of the photos are still AI (I think Eric's profile is the only one without any AI?), could it be better and don't have AI? Yes, but I think perhaps they'll hire the actors and ai will start to fade

Minigames: Do I like their style? No, they look childish. However, I think now it's more balanced, story and minigames are almost toe to toe, and I like how now it's like 1 star to go up if we are in a tense situation (like if you didn't use a premium option)

Pay2win: this was what I hated most, because it got me Episode flashbacks, my biggest point was that we had limited gems and the cost to use them is way too expensive (you start the game with 30 gems and the first image is like 19 gems) and you only get one gem per achievement, so it didn't work.

Do I still hate the gems? Yes, do I think this time is more fair? Yes

Now we have many options, changing coins for gems, more gems per daily achievements, and a multimedia package (my favorite part even if I didn't buy it) cause now it's more ways to get gems to use or buy the package and only use gems for other stuff like games, the prices could've lowered, they didn't, sadly, but at least I had more chances to unlock stuff.

Now let's talk about the story.

I remember I didn't like flirting with Eric in episode 1, but after replaying it I don't exactly mind, he's supposed to be a love interest like Jake is, sure it's messed up some achievements are for flirting and I'm pretty much still into Jake (love of my life) but I his time around I wasn't as mad, in fact with time I did kinda fall for him.

I LOVED seeing Nymos and the others, I like how they didn't forget the MC, how they are scared for her and it's understandable they would shut down communication in Duskwood cause they knew Jake was talking to people there, especially MC who they hacked, so it makes sense they would try to isolate him, I'm scared for him, and I hope he's ok. Also, for the first time Cleo made me happy? The way she was talking so softly in that call warmed my heart.

I liked how we got to know more about Adam, how now they do feel like friends (except Violet, she's too quiet, and something I thought she has lots of pictures of Adam in her profile so romance?), Charlie and Ash are definitely the closer ones, I liked how we had so many video calls, I loved seeing Eric more, and seeing the hotel with Ash.

Like I said before, I fell for Eric, especially in episode 2, not sure why exactly, I do think the videocalls helped a lot. He just became such a good character in the sense of his personality, he's brave, he's curious he's a bit dumb cause of that curiosity but he's lovely.

I think that's it, I liked episode 2 a lot more than episode 1, so thinking only of Moonvale:

Ep. 1: 5,5

Ep.2: 8,5

Obs:

Loves of my life (the one from Duskwood and the one from Redlog)

[srhunt]

Red Dead Redemption 2 Chapter 6 In a Nutshell

(Spoilers Under Cut)

Seriously, everyone sees Arthur hacking up a lung, pale as a ghost, barely keeping food down, occasionally passing out and they’re all like, “Arthur, come help me with this physically demanding task” like wtf guys??

I don’t even know how many characters know Arthur is sick.

Only one who’s expressed consistant concern in my playthrough in Reverend Swanson. Micah’s only mocked Arthur (add that to the “List of Reasons I Wanna Shoot That Bastard”), and for everyone else when I’ve talked to em, Arthur is more concerned for their wellbeing, checking on them. Occasionally I get a “are you okay? You don’t look good.” to which Arthur responds “I’m fiiiiiiine”

(Only added Sadie because she’s part of that group who’s making Arthur do things without asking ONCE if Arthur is okay)

[thenullproject-archive]

❌Welcome to the Null Project - Prologue.❌

TW: Blood, gore, multiple character death, (some) jumpscares, disturbing/unsettling content.

The purpose of this blog is to recover a project/event made for @kiingkiismet ’s discord community created by Kuiper (kismet), @elitebuster2012 , and @greynightshade in October 2020 called The Null Project, also called “NULL” by past participants and myself.

Video recovery credits from the defunct twitter to @cosmiicchaoss !

NULL was an ARG/unfiction, interactive “who dunnit” Halloween project surrounding the death of my character, Crux. There were clues and mini puzzles littered around the discord server before translating to a more immersive game medium such as Minecraft that multiple people in the server had access to.

The community worked together to figure out the active, ever changing storyline that spanned from October 2020 to (estimated) January 2021 before it was abandoned in Act 2-3 due to life issues.

4 years later, I feel comfortable enough to showcase this for my current community who would otherwise have no context for this alternative universe that concerned a major character in Kismet’s custom species and universe, Starliians, and how influential it was even though the events and snapshot of the characters and their behaviors in that time were apart of an alternative universe.

❌Disclaimers❌

1. Lost media — Due to mental health issues and a hacking of my account in 2021, a lot of the media has been lost to time and have not been recovered, so a lot of the crucial details would have to be filled in second-hand in “in a nutshell” posts for context, including the various in-character role play events as the community created self-inserts that were also apart of the story as some were friends of Crux, in character.

Also due to a lot of things being lost media, I’m gonna be editing and updating things with the help of friends and community members since my memory is shit LMAO. that being said, a lot of posts will include a “last updated” thing to show what was edited, when, and why. There’s also a lot of omitted community members since some of them I do not associate with anymore for personal reasons.

2. This is an AU and not canon — for some characters, their presentations, actions, and experiences are not going to be accurate to their canon if you know them as they are in my normal universe. Despite some feats being carried over into my main stories, a majority of these events ARE NOT CANON or NO LONGER ACCURATE. A lot has changed in 4 years lol.

3. This is no longer an active story — If you’re a person unfamiliar with my world or my stories and you stumbled here by accident, welcome! this isn’t anything to really follow other than to archive an event that is dear to my and my community’s hearts. If you are still interested, however, follow my main blog for my active projects that are still being worked on and involve a lot of these characters, or follow me on my main socials!

Act and RP Tags:

ACT I | ACT II | ACT III (incomplete/lost)

CRR - Community Roleplay Responses: the in-character roleplay responses to events. This will also be notated in posts that involve them.

Character/Group Tags:

This is to jump to anything involving specific characters or to link to their bios, some characters belong to friends and my community, they will be credited accordingly!

The Resistance (the “good guys”):

Crux | Puns | Ember/El | Jackson | Kamikaze | Soliana | Esmeralda | Arietta | Rinny | Sylvan (previously named Eden) | TBC…

The Nyxian Cult (previously called The Somnii)

Nyx | Cassian | Bradley | Ouen | Izotl / Jag | Jackie

Other:

Misc | Shitposts | Fan Art

Last updated: 10/20/24 - 4 PM EST

[synthient]

"The Tardis Did It" theory + Boom

My big theory for the upcoming season of Doctor Who is that "the tardis did it." In a nutshell: I think she's been using her perception filter to bring a story to life for the Doctor, just like the birth machine in Space Babies.

I don't ascribe every weird or fantastical thing that's happened so far in rtd2 to "the tardis doing it" (because I have a spirit of whimsy in my heart). But I operate under the assumption that, at minimum, she's been doing the following:

Trying to maintain "the mystery of Ruby Sunday," by actively sabotaging any attempts to learn who Ruby's mother is

Creating the Susan Twists (already canon as of Empire of Death)

Creating "a boogeyman for the babies" - Sutekh and the pantheon

Making it snow

(Why would the tardis make it snow? I suspect the first time it happened, it was a basically arbitrary side effect of whatever weird memory-editing was happening with the Doctor and the cloaked figure. And then the Doctor invested that arbitrary perception filter effect with meaning - "I wonder who your mother is" - and the tardis ran with that.)

Now. If I were correct, I'd expect to be able to look at rtd2 s1, and find some ironic echoes. Some indirect foreshadowing. Think: the way that most of s9 consists of standalone stories that aren't directly connected to each other or the finale, and yet they all keep posing questions like "how does the Doctor deal with death," and "what are his ethical responsibilities re death and time travel," and "how would he react to Clara's death specifically."

I might particularly expect to find echoes and mirroring in a Moffat episode, because he loves that shit.

So, although Space Babies is the obvious ground zero for "the tardis did it" foreshadowing... For the moment, let's talk Boom.

This is one of those "random" prolongings of the Ruby's mother mystery that felt so cheap post-Empire of Death, yeah? Why wouldn't the ambulance be able to pull her mom's dna from the fascist databank? Especially right after giving Ruby's "calendar age" as 3082 years, which demonstrates that it has access to her birth year from ancient earth records. Did it just happen to glitch out?

Did someone hack the ambulance?

When it starts to snow, it's in direct response to Ruby's question. Let's assume, for a second, that Ruby Sunday, regular human with a regular human mother, isn't actually the one who's been causing the snow. Who would have heard her?

How about...the universal translator, who listens to (and seamlessly edits) every word of every conversation?

The Doctor once again invests the snow with meaning ("No, it's Ruby! This has happened before. It's good, it's good, the snow is good. Where there's snow, there's ho-") And mid-sentence, the snow freezes in mid air. Accompanied by what I can only describe as an "electronic power-down" sound effect. (Note: the ambulance didn't power down. It's still on and functioning in the next shot). Like...a tv being paused, and then turned off?

"It" = the snow, obviously. And Ruby? (How can she just stop?) And the show itself? (How can it be derailed by a companion death 3 episodes in?)

As Ruby is dying, we zoom in for a close up on the Doctor, and the visuals and sound start to "glitch." The editing jumps choppily between split-second images, accompanied by a sort of "analog" noise that puts me in mind of a projector skipping, or a CRT tv (or, uh. the bullet sounds in Undertale).

Clearly, the Doctor is having a panic attack. But is that all that the "analog glitchiness" signifies?

Okay, I've gotten a little granularly focused on the Snow Scene TM. Let's zoom out a little.

What's the overall conceit of this episode?

You're waging an imaginary war, against enemies that don't exist. The only threat is your own machine, and your willingness to believe in its fantasies. "Do you get it? Do you g-g-get it?"

Anyway!

John Francis Vater "impossibly" hacks into the system (a little like how the ambulance was maybe-hacked into not revealing Ruby's mother?). But the system fights back, because "the algorithm will do anything to protect itself."

Heyyy, so, uh, what do the ambulances remind you of, design-wise? Their rectangular shape? Their association with the color blue? Those lights on top of them?

By the way. After being offscreen ever since the Doctor ran outside at the start of the episode, this is our first shot of the tardis:

Her light lit up blue. Like the ambulances. Positioned as if she's looming behind them.

The Doctor gives Mundy a goodbye hug, and we immediately cut to an even more looming shot:

You know how next season's Belinda is played by the same actress as Mundy? You know how the tardis (as we're explicitly told in Empire of Death) used her perception filter to 3d-print Susan Twists across time and space?

You know how "the mystery of Ruby Sunday" just came to an odd, anticlimactic end? After they traveled to the fascist databank in the memory tardis, not the real tardis? And now the Doctor - the story - needs a new companion, and a new mystery?

The Doctor offers one parting bit of meaning: "Death defines us. Snow isn't snow until it falls." And as the tardis fades away, we get one final, pointed snowflake:

[nopekido]

Azure Kite’s ending in .Hack//G.U. in a nutshell

Haseo: I’m a brave boy! Azure Kite: ❤ Haseo: NOT A BRAVE ENOUGH BOY FOR THIS!!!

Video for context:

[peppereddaze]

OKAY- HOLD ON-

So I just had a really weird dream last night- a really weird one! I dreamed about how the newest Layton game came out- you know it- ‘World Of Stream.’

I dreamed that I got it for Christmas and that I played it!

I can’t even begin to explain what happened!?

So-

Luke is grown and a detective and friends with this older famous engineer- who made everything in the now highly steampunk-futuristic looking America!?

He was like half robot! Had a visor and everything that showed his little emotions! Gold and blue steampunk-style look with these epic steampunk gauntlet claws! He actually was disabled- an amputee only having his one leg and the rest of his limbs where missing after an incident and replaced with cool prosthetics! He was also half-blind. His name was Arlo! I can’t remember his full name but it was Arlo! It was probably something cooler- but I’m calling him Arlo!

A ‘comic relief’ and mascot character of this little robot character named Whim! They were small and blue and had these little pipes that went from their back to their head which steam came out of! They had a full-face visor that showed their expressions through icons and such! They were like Arlo’s first creation and they looked more janky, goofy but- Omigosh I loved them!?

They were witty and a lil sarcastic but in a funny way and just- helpful and they had character and a story! They were loyal as anything to Arlo and joined the little main cast perfectly.

So like usual- drama and mystery’s occur about some flip-flop book of memories, Arlo looking familiar to Layton-

Apparently Arlo was revealed to be Luke’s older and missing brother, something about how Arlo used to be Layton’s apprentice. They one day went exploring in a cave and Layton being a archaeologist- trying to find the magical book. They find it and stuff happens and the cave collapses and Layton or apparently someone used the book which erased any memory of Arlo’s existence!? Even to his parents, even to Hershel, even to himself??

Arlo was trapped and badly injured which eventually led him to be found by people and living a new life in making gadgets to better people’s lives, then Arlo becomes the tragic villian of the story who wants revenge on Layton and chases him around with a giant mechanical spider mecha. Like damn- petty much? Plus pretty big stretch for a motive… but whatever.

Layton tries to reason with Arlo and apologies- it seems to work as Arlo settles and seems to forgive him before he suddenly slashes Layton across the cheek in like a really cool cinematic moment!? Like in a real tense and real animated moment- even a Luke gasp. Layton does dramatic fall. Hits ground. Luke’s casual- nah crying out “Proffesah!”

Whim also being there and looking horrified.

Luke is angy and Arlo is sad about that and stuff.

Flora was in some scenes for some reason- I don’t know when but she suddenly appears and disappears at times!?

More stuff ensues!

The whole story in a nutshell is just meeting Luke, wanting to go on little mystery’s, learning about mystery book, Layton and Arlo slowly remembering each other and Luke being happy for his two friends to meet finally, Whim moments, Arlo realising and remembering and turning bitter and turning to revenge mid-way and just-

Whim realising their creator is not who they think they am and agreeing to help to hack Arlo’s robo army…?

And then trying to destroy Arlo- Whim is also infected by a dangerous glitch or virus?

Whim practically sacrifices themselves and that part I was crying about when I woke up!?

Like this isn’t even real and I was sobbing!

I don’t know what to do with this dream but it was so random and just so- vivid that I had to post it!

If anyone has questions about this plot I can try and answer them??

There’s a lot more to say I’m just trying to wrap my head around it all!

I am trying to write this before I forget it! D:

[funtimespringscare101]

@chaosverse-mainblog Finally decided to show off the finalized design of Darnell who, for newcomers, is FireStar’s story’s human protagonist.

I headcanon that after the canon story and during the events of Mario’s Madness, FireStar and Darnell to have this sibling like relationship and like with Nene later on, FireStar loves to play the big sister with both him and Sam, who is Darnell’s friend from who he got the SMW game from.

Headcanons:

As shown in the FireStar introduction post, Darnell is a programmer and the one that experimented with the game and sort of created FireStar.

He's the guy who helps from outside the game realms (FireStar's game, M's Cartridge etc) and provides aid if neccesary. He is in a nutshell stuck with her now lol.

He introduced Sam to FireStar and she was so cool with the literal glitched princess that she confused FireStar so much you'd think she broke her.

Actually had a normal ass family, he just created his own hole when he experimented with the game's data so much.

He likes Pepsi a lot

Got all the sass you expect from a black person, and he is one that will watch your back, learned that from his mama.

Darnell makes ROM Hacks for fun, they’re mostly like the kind Luigikid plays.

Bonus Full design:

[tobiasdrake]

Oh, and then we have to deal with the fallout of the bad motive.

So, that First Blood Perk. Obviously the game wasn't going to let that actually be a thing, because it would deprive us of a core feature of the games: the Class Trial.

Honestly, I might have more respect for the game's whole "Rise up against Danganronpa itself!" thing if they had. If they actually let the killer claim the First Blood Perk and walk. Fuck you, no fun Class Trial will be had here!

That would be aggravating. But it would be aggravating in a way that feels truly resonant with the game's ultimate goal of tearing down Danganronpa brick by brick. The game is later going to say that the fandom is part of the problem and appeal to them to become part of the solution. So. Yeah. It does piss you off that we never got to play the fun trial game, doesn't it? Maybe you should think about that.

(Though I still wouldn't want the killer to actually be Kaede, especially with the crime scene clearly showing that she couldn't have done it. I'm not actually that impressed by "Your PC is the Blackened" after we already did "Your PC is the Mastermind" one game ago.)

But no. You knew they were going to cop out. I knew they were going to cop out. Despite insisting repeatedly at the end that they are making an unsatisfying Danganronpa experience on purpose, they are still trying to do that as a satisfying Danganronpa experience so they wouldn't dare deprive us of such an important feature.

So how do they cop out? Is it because the killer themselves don't know they're the killer and thus can't claim the perk? Could it be that the killer wants to weaponize the Killing Game to kill us all, like Hina and Nagito have tried in the past?

Nope. The killer decides she wants to get caught and die so that Shuichi can develop and grow as a character. That's it. That's the reason.

This is how Kodaka, recognizing that what he's about to do is a pretty shitty thing to do to an audience that he's spent time getting hyped for this character, tries to grease the wheels. It's not technically a Fridging because she wanted to die! She chose to sacrifice herself on the altar of Shuichi's growth! She climbed into the refrigerator and slit her own throat! That was her choice! So you can't be mad about it! She had complete agency over the reduction of her character to a footnote in the real protagonist Shuichi's personal journey! I didn't do it! SHE did it!

Whether these are valid reasons that make it Okay, Actually or if they're just overcompensating paper-thin excuses to justify an incredibly mean-spirited prank, that's up to you. I think you know where I fall on that dichotomy.

What's especially weird about the First Blood Perk is that it makes sense in retrospect. Trying to cancel the Class Trial makes perfect sense as something Tsumugi might do to conceal her own involvement in Rantaro's death and role as the true culprit. But it was offered well before any plans for killing were ever even a teensy-tiny thought in the back of anyone's minds.

So either Tsumugi is secretly an omniscient 4-D chess predictive grandmaster who knows every single thought that will ever pass through the minds of every single person in every single second of every single day only pretending to be an incompetent hack, or this was pure serendipitous coincidence. Something that seems complex and compelling but is actually a hollow, vacuous shell devoid of any real meaning.

Which is true? Eh, whichever you want to be true. The game's actually proud of itself for never committing to its own story, so there is no actual truth behind anything that happens. Even the reality show stuff ends on "But what if THAT was another lie and the REAL REAL real plot has never been revealed!? I'M SO CLEVER."

"This seems meaningful but actually it doesn't really fit quite right and in fact it might just be clever-sounding nonsense the more I think about it" is basically V3 in a nutshell.

[soniabigcheese]

Does anybody who has a Facebook account, remember Frank the Christmas Gargoyle?

In a nutshell, it was feud between this woman and her neighbour - nicknamed Karen - regarding her display of a gargoyle called ... you guessed it ... Frank.

Notes of complaint were sent, to which this woman retaliated in the most humorous way possible. By adding more and more 'inappropriate'* items to her porch

*as in items that are not usually linked to Christmas not rude phallic stuff- more like Halloween stuff with festive decorations and hats etc.

Sadly, the account was hacked and had to be taken down. But during the covid pandemic, this gave followers some sort of hilarity

And why did I post this? Because someone made a video and posted it on Facebook and it brought a smile to my face