#i just wanna be the pretty interesting desirable option one time

[sillylittlefemme]

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[0sbrain]

here's a list of mozilla add-ons for all of you tumblrinas out there to have a better internet experience

also, if you like my post, please reblog it. Tumblr hates links but i had to put them so you adhd bitches actually download them <3 i know because i am also adhd bitches

BASIC STUFF:

AdGuard AdBlocker / uBlock Origin : adguard is a basic adblock and with origin you can also block any other element you want. for example i got rid of the shop menu on tumblr

Privacy Badger : this add on will block trackers. if an element contains a tracker it will give you the option to use it or not

Shinigami Eyes: this will highlight transphobic and trans friendly users and sites using different colors by using a moderated database. perfect to avoid terfs on any social media. i will explain how to use this and other add-ons on android as well under the read more cut

THINGS YOU TUMBLINAS WANT:

Xkit: the best tumblr related add on. with many customizable options, xkit not only enhances your experience from a visual standpoint, but provides some much needed accessibility tools

bonus: if you are into tf2 and wanna be a cool cat, you can also get the old version to add cool reblog icons

AO3 enhancer: some basic enhancements including reading time and the ability to block authors and tags

YOUTUBE

Return of the YouTube Dislike : pretty self explanatory

Youtube non-stop: gets rid of the annoying "Video paused. Continue watching?" popup when you have a video in the background

SponsorBlock: gives you options to skip either automatically or manually sponsors, videoclip non music sectors and discloses other type of sponsorships/paid partnerships

Enhancer for YouTube: adds some useful options such as custom play speed, let's you play videos in a window and most important of all, it allows you to make the youtube interface as ugly as your heart desires. I can't show a full image of what it looks like because i've been told its eye strainy and i want this post to be accessible but look at this <3

PocketTube: allows you to organize your subscriptions into groups

YouTube Comment Search: what it says

FINDING STUFF

WayBack Machine: you probably know about this site and definitely should get the add on. this allows you to save pages and access older versions with the click of a button. while you can search wayback using web archives, please get this one as well as it allows you to easily save pages and contribute to the archive.

Web Archives: it allows you to search through multiple archives and search engines including WayBack Machine, Google, Yandex and more.

Search by Image: allows you to reverse image search using multiple search engines (in my experience yandex tends to yield the best results)

Image Search Options: similar to the last one

this next section is pretty niche but... STEAM AND STEAM TRADING

SteamDB: adds some interesting and useful statistics

Augmented Steam: useful info specially for browsing and buying games

TF2 Trade Helper: an absolute godsend, lets you add items in bundles, keeps track of your keys and metal and your recent trades, displays links to the backpack tf page next to users profiles and more. look it tells me how much moneys i have and adds metal to trades without clicking one by one oh may god

IN CONCLUSION: oooooh you want to change to firefox so badly, you want to delete chrome and all the chrome clones that are actually just spyware and use firefox

HOW TO USE MOZILLA ADD-ONS ON YOUR PHONE

if you already use firefox on android, you'll know there are certain add-ons compatible with the app, some of them even being made just for the mobile version such as Video Background Play FIx. while most of them are pretty useful, some more specific ones aren't available on this version of the browser, but there's a way of getting some of them to work

you need to download the firefox nightly app, which is basically the same as the regular firefox browser but with the ability of activating developer mode. you can find how to do that here. once you've enabled it, you need to create a collection with all the add ons you want. i wouldn't recommend adding extensions if the creators haven't talked about phone compatibility, but XKit and Shinigami Eyes should work

also, don't tell the government this secret skater move, but you can try using both the regular firefox browser and nightly so you can have youtube videos in a floating box while you browse social media.

see? i can block this terf while Rick Rolling the people following this tutorial. isn't that tubular?

[k4pp4-8]

In your future au is Darrel and the rest of the box bots still villains? And if so what's their drive to stay a villain? What they wanna accomplish and ect

OK SO in my future au most of the boxbots kind of abondoned villainy in order to pursue their personal interests.

Shannon became an actress and ended up hosting her own TV show. She started by playing props with her shapeshifting ability in plays but quickly got tired of not being in the spotlight.

Raymond started a solo music career and formed a band where he's the only member (like in canon his band is called "Ray and The Monds") He also did some collabs with drupe's fashion line.

Jethro followed his dream of becoming a dancer and eventually became a dancing instructor so he could help others also pursue their passion for dance.

Mikayla became an author and wrote many fantasy fiction novels, she often goes to conventions to meet fans and sign autographs.

Ernesto used to be an elementary school teacher (this time for real), but he ended up taking another job as a librarian.

Like in canon Fink becomes a popular pro gamer and a streamer.

The only ones who stayed in the villain business are Darrell and Boxman Jr. Darrell took over boxmore and unlike Boxman he doesn't care about attacking the plaza. His only employees are himself and Boxman Jr. So he's pretty much stuck with the worst minion ever.

I know that in canon Ernesto, Mikayla and Jethro inherit the company but that just makes absolutely no sense in my opinion.

Ernesto’s good at business and paperwork but he doesnt strike me as “boss material”. He’s too shy and gets stepped on so easily, i dont think he got what it takes to run a massive business, especially an evil one. Out of everyone in the family, Jethro is the only one who actually left Boxmore to pursue his own dream, so I just cannot imagine him wanting to keep working at Boxmore. He deserves to become a dancer!! PLus he’s the least evil of the boxbot! he doesn’t have an evil bolt in him and he doesn’t even do anything at boxmore. And finally from what I've seen, Mikayla could not care less about boxmore. Like I get that she doesn't do much in the show so we don't really get a good look at her personnality and desires, but there is absolutely nothing in the show that hints at her wanting or being able to run the company.

Darrell is the ONLY logical option for a Boxmore successor. He already does literally everything at boxmore (except paperwork cause that's ernesto's job). He knows how to build machines and robots and he's the only one we actually see do it.

And I think it would be the PERFECT way to show Boxman's character developpment. He would go from being furious at Darrell for stealing his company to willingly giving it to him. That gesture would mean alot to them since Boxman clearly does care about his company, so him trusting Darrell with it would show that he finally started thinking highly of his son.

I know that the ending was a little rushed but I hate that Ernesto, Mikayla and Jethro don't have an ending that fits their individual character. I think they deserve to have something that actually fits them instead of having an ending that feels like it was given to them because the creators couldn't think of something else

[rockybloo]

OH MY GODS AND SPIRITS I FOUND THE POST OF JACK AND THE BABIES!! TELL ME LORE NOW ROCKYYYYYYYY

OK SO BASICALLY Jack and Nana in canon don't have much of an interest in having kids right now or in the future. Jack is rather neutral and his feelings about babies depends on Nana's desires to. And right now she's pretty chill with it just being them.

But I have an AU set in the future in a timeline where Nana decides she's up for having a little them so I can play around with the dynamic of the two as parents.

In this timeline, Jack and Nana were planning on just having one but, due to Nana's Lupine genes (As Lupines tend to have way more than just one kid at a time), they winded up with six little red beans babies. THANKFULLY they have all of Briar Patch to lend a hand so they aren't completely on their own.

While Nana was pregnant, Jack didn't leave her side unless it was an emergency. He didn't want her lifting a finger for anything. And even though Nana is hella strong, she spent a week resting after giving birth to their litter to feel 100 percent again. It was anxiety inducing for Jack because it was the most tired he's ever seen her but after a good amount of bedrest she was fully recovered.

Here's all the babies and their names

Due to them all being little Lupine babies, they have some habits that other babies don't. Like the fact they are very mobile and have inherited Nana's ability to climb steep surfaces like walls and even the ceiling so there's been times Jack has walked into a room and there is just a pile of them in the corner of the ceiling.

Sometimes the light is off when this happens so all he sees are six pairs of eyes glowing in the darkness and he has a minor heart attack.

They also like to be carried. It's not optional to say no as they will simply climb and cling to their parents like they are trees. There have been times Jack or Nana have picked up ONE pup only for the other five to decide "I wanna do that" and just swarm said parent.

They also have their fangs already developed, even as wee babies, so even though they spend a good chunk of time bottle fed like your usual babies, they also will go ham over some meat. If they get one whiff of some fresh meat, whether it's uncooked or raw, they make a beeline to the source. Typically this is just someone who has a plate full of food or a kitchen where someone is prepping a meal.

They are also very much teethers. But to an extreme degree where they have been known to latch onto objects and not let go. They have a very strong bite force even for babies and there's been times Jack has lifted up a chair a couple were latched onto, only for them to come up with it.

I don't know much yet about how they are when they grow up as my brain just really loves the interactions Jack and Nana have with them when they are newborns, babies, toddlers, and wee little kids, but all of them grow up well loved and cherished.

[avissapiens]

What would be the middle ground between nerd and himbo or bro? Like the confidence, looks and slutty attitude + brains?

I enjoy questions like these because there is always a range of answers. The archetype system is super versatile and it opens itself up to a range of possibilities. Its almost sociological in that way. So many theories you could take. So i'll give you a frame work of 3 potential options. And since you wanna be a nerd so bad, i'll use big smarty words here and there to keep you interested.

1) Idealist

I think Himbo works best with a nerdy/intellectual dimension. It takes on an almost manipulative character when a Himbo slut has the cunning to really make use of their body and sexuality. It becomes an active application of the right thing at the right time, using the social clout you have be being perceived as a Hot dumb hole to get ahead. Every area of life is benefitted by being sexy as fuck, you could coast by just on that, but it really makes the difference when out of nowhere you can jump and surprise someone with your competence. Slutting it up while knowing your shit. Being the best of both worlds and using each to enhance the other. Never sacrificing one or the other. As an addendum Nerd "culture" is already pretty steeped with Himbos. Many of the role models and inspirations for what a Himbo should be and look like come from games and media properties. And a Himbo loves playing dress up and fun lil video games with his cheeks out and a cock in his mouth.

Bro is harder to mesh with such desires because with the bro mindset there needs to be an active refusal for intellectual pursuit and the mental stress of thinking too much about shit brah. So for bros i think it'd be more like a light switch. You turn on the nerd when you need it, and then when you're done you shove that loser back in a locker and go about your day.

2) Materialist

These Archetypes are Ideal forms, almost Platonic, existing in a higher realm of ideas. But in the material world I never expect anyone to try and adhere to them perfectly 100%. These are meant to be Aspirational, not Hegemonic. They have a form and structure, but there is always room for your unique performance and identification. To bring a part of you in Heteroglossic dialogue with these concepts and Ideas. In a way these archetypes are rather Bahktinian because I have always developed them in conversation with others or with wider social constructs in mind. They grow and shift and change. They are not absolutist conceptions of the world. So for any further questions about whether one thing or another can co-exist with some aspect of an archetype; I might have my own ideas on it (and my ideas are usually pretty damn good), but the answer can usually be yes if you twist and turn it enough times. That said, ya know, i'm still gonna make my archetypes and ideas how i want to. If you want to call yourself a Himbo or a bull without any of the characteristics or aims of being one, that's up to you, but uhhh me and my colleagues in the abyss will laugh at you.

3) Critical Theoretical perspectives on "nerd"

Why are some of the most common questions i get about the maintenance of intellect? Is it really so great? You already admit that you hate the body being a "nerd" gave you enough that you want to change it. You hate the social situation enough and the kind of person it made you. Why are you so hyper attached to concepts of intellect? I think there is a kind of false consciousness to the allure of being smart. It gives you a sense of superiority, when in reality, its just a tool of your own oppression. What does being smart really do for you? Make you more exploitable to the system. Make you more passive and docile because you understand the way the system works. Make you miserable because you perceive everything through the same Iron cage of rationality(that's Weber for you sociologists out there) that industrial capitalism enforces upon the world. I think its a good thing that nerd is becoming an insult again I think the rise in Himbo worship and a return to muscle and shallow aesthetics is a clear response to whole generations of little kids who were encouraged to be smart nerds because nerds would rule the world one day. Those same kids put everything into being smart, their whole meaning and purpose only to realise that it didn't mean shit. And rather than ruling the world, the nerds only ruined it.

As you can tell, I am procrastinating from school assignments to answer this question. If you wanna support me being able to drop out of university to become a bodybuilder feel free to subscribe to my Patreon or to just come and ask to give me money.

[dcbbw]

Hey, I wonder what it would look like if Liam gave Riley permission to hook up with someone one last time at their party in Las Vegas, and Riley asked Liam to sleep together. It would be very interesting, because PB does not have that option.

Thank you so much for this ask @busywoman! Fun fact: when I first joined the fandom, there was a story of the Vegas fling taking place between MC and her chosen LI (Drake).

*Sighs nostalgically* That was a good story.

This one, probably not so much but here’s hoping you enjoy it! Using my Timing Liam x Riley (The Otters/Baby Riam) for this drabble and including an answer to your previous ask regarding a lighter, happier proposal for them.

Also using @choicesflashfics Week #20 prompt #1: “The word ‘love’ doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what I feel for you.” It will appear in bold.

No one’s eyes but mine have looked this over, so pretty please excuse any and all typos, missing/extraneous words, and/or grammatical errors. MS Editor rates this story as 99% error free.

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Song Inspo: Love You, flowerovlove

Word Count: 1,346

Pairing: Liam x Riley

Rating T for Teen (No triggers, just a couple of curse words and if you sniff really long and very deeply, you may catch a whiff of lemon)

Las Vegas, Nevada

“Is there anything else you desire, my love?” King Liam of Cordonia loudly asked over the blaring music as he helped his fiancée down from the tabletop they had just danced upon.

Riley Brooks did not answer as she concentrated on placing her foot, shod in strappy sandals with too-high heels, firmly on the ground.

“Food? Drink?” The royal persisted.

“Damnit, Liam! I am trying NOT to die here!” Riley snapped, annoyance and fear lacing her voice.

The King’s fiancée was scared of heights, but more than that, she had a fear of falling. Both were a very real possibility when the tables were a good four feet tall. The last thing Riley needed was to faceplant  and suffer a head injury, broken bones, or worse.

The couple were in Las Vegas with their friends and members of Court to celebrate their engagement. Liam had insisted they have a stag and doe party because he could not bear another moment not being by Riley’s side.

Riley didn’t mind; she had tagged along with Madeleine on her bachelorette party and had crashed Liam’s bachelor party during the Engagement Tour. With none other than Drake Walker aka Agent Marshmallow. She had been so disappointed when Drake didn’t beat the hell out of Bertrand, but even more regretful at having to leave behind a plate of steaks.

During their stay, the couple had taken in the sights of Las Vegas, gambled at a casino where Riley lost $2,000 dollars but won $89 dollars and a coupon to the gaming house’s early bird lunch special, valid only Sundays through Thursdays. There had been a magic show, a scavenger hunt, and a night at the hottest club in town. Tonight was the last of festivities; the entourage was flying back to Cordonia in the morning.

Liam pulled her into a protective embrace once she was safely on solid ground, pressing a wet kiss against her temple. “You’re safe, love. I’m here to protect you.”

Riley briefly closed her eyes as she laid her forehead against the crook of his shoulder. The touch of Lim’s strong arms around her never failed to fill her very being with a feeling of safety, of warmth.

“There is one more thing that would make this entire trip absolutely perfect.” She pulled away from Liam ever-so-slightly so she could look him in his eyes.

“And what would that be?” he asked with a tipsy smile.

“I wanna have a fling!” she said excitedly.

Liam’s arms dropped quickly away from her body; his face was ashen-colored, and his expression was one of stupefied disbelief.

“WHAT?” he yelled.

“What? This is MY party! You’ve already had one! Besides, we’re in Sin City. Debauchery is expected, Liam!”

“With WHO?”

“Whom,” Riley corrected as her eyes scanned the hotel rooftop.

Liam stared at the woman he loved more than life itself. This had to be a joke. Why accept his proposal if she still wanted another?

“Lady Riley Brooks, would you make me the happiest man in the world and do me the honor of being my wife?” Liam asked as he knelt on one knee.

Riley looked down at Liam and the diamond ring nestled in the crushed black velvet box, then up at the Statue of Liberty before answering.

“Okay.”

Liam’s brow knitted, and confusion filled his eyes. “That … is not quite the reaction I was expecting.”

Riley stared at him, realization dawning on her face. “Oh … OOOHHHH. Hold on!”

She batted her lashes and pressed one of her palms over her heart. In a simpering, affected voice, she threw her head back and shouted, “YES, LIAM! YES! A THOUSAND TIMES, YES!”

She looked down at Liam when she was finished. “Better?”

The King rolled his eyes. “Let me just put the ring on your finger, please.”

Perhaps it was revenge of some sort because of the Coronation night disaster which resulted in him betrothed to Countess Madeleine. Riley’s hurt and anger had been palatable; the therapy he had suggested they both take part in had exacerbated the emotions.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Swallowing heavily over the sudden lump in his throat, Liam spoke softly. “I promised to never deny you anything. You can have your fling. All I ask is that you never mention it to me. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. And tomorrow morning, you are MINE. ALL MINE for all eternity.”

His lips snatched hers in a searingly passionate kiss before he turned away, disappearing into the crowd. Riley watched him walk away; his gait was stiff and his shoulders slightly slumped. She shrugged before turning in the opposite direction.

Liam made his way to the bar where he ordered a double scotch on the rocks. He swiveled his chair seat around so he could have a better look at which one of his “friends” would soon be fucking his fiancée. Jealousy, frustration, sadness, and hurt flowed through his body.

She said she had forgiven him.

She said his was the greatest love she had ever known.

His dark brown eyes traveled slowly over the crowd: Drake, Leo, Max, Rashad were still in attendance; they were surrounded by Duchess Olivia and Countess Madeleine. They all had drinks in hand, and guffawing loudly at a story Leo was telling.

Penelope and Kiara were holding plates of food, eating while swaying to the DJ’s remix of an American rap song.

He did not see Riley.

Liam turned at feeling a tapping on his shoulder. His eyes widened at seeing Riley. She had a plate filled with buffalo wings and engagement cake.

“Hey!” she greeted as if she hadn’t just asked her intended for permission to have sex with someone else.

“No one took you up on you offer?” he huffed as he turned away from her.

Riley looked confused. “What offer?”

“YOU ASKED ME FOR A FLING!”

Riley bit into a wing, crossing her eyes at how delicious it was.

“Yeah, I asked YOU, idiot! I don’t need your permission to have sex with someone else, and I certainly wouldn’t tell you. Too much transparency is not a good thing.”

Liam faced his fiancée. “Do you want someone else?” he asked as he reached for a piece of chicken.

Riley slapped his hand away. “No. I’m in love with you, Liam. The word ‘love’ doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what I feel for you.”  

She turned to face him, red dots of sauce speckling her lips. “You’re more than enough.”

The relief Liam felt filled his face. “Thank God.”

He tried again to snatch a wing; Riley let him have one.

“But why all the cloak and dagger? You know you need only say what you want.”

He bit into the chicken, his eyes widening in surprise. “These are good!” He attempted to snag another piece but pulled his hand away upon seeing Riley’s arched eyebrow.

“Because I wanted food first! If I told you the fling was with you, I would’ve missed out on these wings! And I may want some pancakes when I get back to my room. A girl gotta eat, Liam!”

Liam leaned into her, his lips brushing against the skin of her neck. “I have a much better way of satisfying your appetites, love.”

Riley giggled when his breath tickled her flesh. “Does it involve pancakes?”

“What about syrup?” he questioned in a husky whisper against her earlobe as his fingers walked up her fabric-covered thigh.

The tip of Riley’s tongue licked her upper lip. “You’re gonna have to do better than that. I’m giving up buffalo wings, cake, and pancakes!” she moaned.

She felt his hand pushing to get between her legs, and she shifted slightly in her seat to allow him access.

“Chocolate syrup,” Liam clarified while his fingertip rubbed slowly against the crotch of her panties.  

“Let’s go! The night isn’t getting any younger!” Riley was out of her chair and halfway to the elevator with Liam close on her heels.

“DON’T FORGET MY PLATE!"

A/N: Not sure if anyone will see this because it is 3:16am and tags are super wonky, not formatting, and I have a head cold; so giving up the ghost here. If you see it and read it, hope you enjoy it!

@jared2612 @ao719 @marietrinmimi @queenjilian @indiacater @kingliam2019 @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie @liamrhysstalker2020 @neotericthemis @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam @beezm @gardeningourmett @lovingchoices14 @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @lady-calypso @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234 @queenrileyrose @alj4890 @yourfavaquarius111 @motorcitymademadame @queenmiarys @choicesficwriterscreations @burnsoslow

[ac-liveblogs]

Hello! Just wanna say thank you to you & kyogre-blue (and the anons) for being like the only people I can find that agree that Genshin's storytelling is wack lol I'm surprised how many people praise the writing when it's so confusingly paced and conflicts they bring up don't really go anywhere or the payoff is lackluster. There so much unnecessary dialogue & the last acts of the main story are always such a big rushed mess!

That being said, I wanted to ask if there's any series(game, anime, manga, etc) you'd recommend that does the things genshin wants to do but better, or even just series you'd recommend in general or wish more people knew about!

Hi anon! Sorry for the late response, I have been adding and removing stuff from this list for a few days. I genuinely don't know why people think Genshin is well written - I can understand people thinking it's good in concept and that some of its high concept ideas are interesting, but the actual story itself? Beyond me.

Thank you in return for the validation - the more I see people go on about how great it is the crazier I feel...

As for recs...

The real issue is that Genshin tries to do a LOT of different things, but there aren't a lot of games that do ALL the things Genshin tried to do. That's what makes Genshin stand out, though obviously a lot of what it does do leaves a lot to be desired... I am mostly going to stick to anime/manga/games per your request, but if you like fantasy worlds with lots of lore there's a lot of western high fantasy that might also be your thing.

And you know, these are gonna be subjective recs.

In general, if you're looking for more JRPG fantasy games - Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Tales of Franchise are good places to start. They're all self-contained stories and you can easily jump from one entry to another. My experience with anything except Final Fantasy is really spotty, but narrowing it down a bit;

Tales of Vesperia and Tales of Symphonia are generally the most well-regarded Tales of games; they're on my 'to-play' list so I can't rec them personally. I am playing Tales of Berseria (very slowly) and quite enjoying myself, but it's supposed to be pretty different to the rest of the series.

Dragon Quest XI is a very well-regarded entry into the series, and the most recent. It's a fun game with a cute cast; it doesn't do anything particularly exciting and is a very standard 'save the world from the forces of darkness!' plot, but it's very cute and I had a good time.

As an generally well-regarded MMO Final Fantasy 14 probably comes the closest to encapsulating what Genshin offers, though I never got far (no shade to 14; I just don't like MMOs). Apparently the guy that wrote FF16 is also a 14 writer, but I thought FF16's writing sucked so take that with a grain of salt. Actually, FF16's combat reminded me a lot of Genshin too lmao. Lots of waiting for skills to cool down.

Final Fantasies 6, 7 and 9 are generally pretty safe jumping-on points - 7 being the most well-regarded for a reason, though arguments on the 'best Final Fantasy' can get vicious. 15 is also open-world but, uh, I got bored and couldn't finish it.

Final Fantasy Remake, Intergrade and presumably the upcoming Rebirth are very good, I just disagree with some choices made (and every they're not ALL bad choices.) Rebirth will apparently be open-world, but it's not a cheap investment to get them all.

Games that have elements similar to Genshin's;

Legend of Zelda; Breath of the Wild inspired Genshin's open-world and though it's not as pretty, it's certainly more engaging. It's not as story-heavy as Genshin. It handles exploration a lot better in almost all regards, imo.

Bravely Default and/or Octopath Traveller (party-based RPGs with HEAVY party customisation options - if you wish Genshin allowed for more variety/options there. Very different experience, BD is a 'complete party' and OT is '8 separate storylines')

Similarly, if you like character/party building and strategy games in general, while I didn't love the story Fire Emblem Engage was really fun to play. If you want a cute party and story, Fire Emblem Awakening is a pretty solid entry too.

Ace Attorney, if you need to detox after Fontaine's attempts at writing trials. Ace Attorney vs Professor Layton has a batshit ending, but its about witch trials, which is cool.

I'd also tentatively recommend Kingdom Hearts. A game about traveling to different worlds, meeting new people, searching for people that you've lost but still care about despite everything. Very fun hack and slash gameplay from KH2 onwards; iconic villain squad and some of the best (bonus) boss fights in the business, incredible soundtrack and plays around with identity and personhood as concepts in more interesting ways than Genshin does. Clunky and cheesy, but still close to my heart. But yes the worlds are mostly Disney.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is both probably currently the best introduction* to the Fate universe and a good game in it's own right. And if you like series with a fucktonne of lore and world-building that take their own spin on history and mythology, you'll probably like the Nasuverse. The original Fate/Stay Night will be getting an official english release later this year, along with Tsukihime. Witch of the Holy Night is also already out - they're meaty visual novels. FGO walked so that Star Rail could faceplant into the ground, etc etc.

Some general adventure anime/manga;

One Piece Live Action: Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this. You might also enjoy actual One Piece, on the off-chance you haven't already seen it. (maybe that's the more sensible recommendation? I really wish I liked One Piece more than I do) After all this time, Romance Dawn is still my favourite One Piece saga.

Hunter x Hunter is generally just good and fun, though its a bit of a slow start. Finally finished 2011's anime adaptation. It made me cry. Also, the Phantom Troupe are just. So fun. Chrollo my beloved scumbag

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Delicious in Dungeon are two adventure anime with extremely different vibes. Though you might already be watching those. Frieren has themes of living longer than your friends and companions, and watching people you care about vanish while you stay young - what it's like to experience that, and how to move on. Delicious in Dungeon is a comedy in a well thought out fantasy world.

Trigun's anime, Trigun's manga and Trigun: Stampede are all very different but similar narratives about a semi-immortal inhuman character traveling across an apocalyptic planet humanity failed to properly settle. I haven't watched the original anime, but the manga and Stampede were both fun.

If you haven't seen Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood yet, rocket that to the top of the list.

I'm currently watching a mid-2000s shonen isekai - Marchen Awakens Romance - with a friend. We're enjoying ourselves so far... at ep 40/ out of 100ish. If it gets bad it's not my fault.

Classic old-school isekai I haven't seen in ages are Inuyasha and Magic Knights Rayearth. Didn't finish InuYasha, actually. Fushigi Yugi is on my to-watch list.

Tsubasa Resevoir Chronicles is a mid 2000s adventure manga that involves a LOT of dimensional travel and found family feels. It gets very mind-screwy by the end and has a sister series partially needed to understand what's going on - xxxHolic, which I also remember liking though it has been a hot minute (over a decade) for both of them. Go manga, not anime. More of a 'alternative to Star Rail' rec, tbh.

I think if you mentioned some specific characters or potential plotlines in Genshin I might be able to offer alternatives? Like, if you liked the House of Hearth as morally grey found family trying to protect Fontaine, I could say you might like Moriarty the Patriot or Bungou Stray Dogs, but a lot of that's gonna be way more subjective than broader fantasy/adventure story recs...

(If you wish Scaramouche had ever been able to confront his creator and his vague allusions to 'having a heart' and personhood/identity were more of a thing - Lies of P! If you liked Diluc but wish he still did anything vigilante-like, you'll probably like... some... Batman media! Depends why you like Diluc! Stuff like that.)

The thing I've watched most recently that I really, really liked was Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. I read the books in high school and revisiting it (and it revisiting itself) was really interesting. The show has some extremely interesting animation choices and generally looks incredible - it's also pretty funny, so there's that. I'd recommend either reading the books or watching the movie first (the entire movie cast returned to voice act Takes Off, actually - and do an incredible job).

I've also been playing a shitton of Castlevania lately. I didn't like the shows very much, but I found myself enjoying the games I got on the Switch store.

[kellanved-ammanas]

Rarepair Weekend Day 2: Pyro/Medic - Spicy | Savory | Sweet

For @tf2rarepairevents Rarepair mini weekend event!

~

With Pyro’s tendency to get a bit excited about the stove top burners, banning him from using the stove without supervision was probably fair. He did almost burn the kitchen down not long after they’d moved to this base. But he was having one of those ‘wanting to try something new’ moments that were hard to ignore. The something new he wanted to try was cooking and so… sneaking into the kitchen in the middle of the night it was.

He could do it in the daytime and just have someone watch to make sure he didn’t set the burners too high but… he wasn’t a child. Being supervised like one was annoying even in cases where it was warranted. Also, he wanted to be able to taste it which he had to take the gas mask off for which he couldn’t bring himself to do when just about anyone could walk in without warning. He could handle being in the presence of flames without being overwhelmed by his desire to feed it until it grew into a roaring blaze.

His resolve almost broke as soon as he started the burner. It was so pretty but so small, making it bigger would mean more pretty to look at it. He reached for the dial but… no! More pretty was also more dangerous and bad for cooking. It would burn the food and that would be bad so he had to refrain. He put the skillet over it, reducing temptation by hiding it.

There not being much of interest in the pantry and not knowing much about what he was doing anyway, he went for something simple; eggs and pancakes. His first attempt at scrambled eggs was underdone and then upon being put back on the stove, burnt. His second attempt was a bit better. He seasoned it with all the spices they had in the cupboard. Which probably would’ve been a poor choice if they weren’t so limited in their spice selection out here in the desert. As it was though, it tasted good enough, to him anyway.

Next was pancakes. Except… how did one make pancake batter? There was flower and vanilla, right? Probably baking powder too. Was that it or…

“Huh? Didn’t expect to find you here.”

Pyro jumped, snapping around to face the kitchen entryway where Medic stood. He wore his pajamas, indicating he’d gone to bed but was now up again and probably looking for coffee. But of all people to catch Pyro here, he was the best option because he already knew what Pyro’s face looked like. And he’d be a hypocrite for caring about anyone else breaking the kitchen rules when just last week he’d done so himself via putting another experiment in the fridge because his personal one in his lab was too full.

“I’m banned from using the burners so I gotta use them at night. I’ve been good though, promise.” Especially now that burners were off while he tried to figure out this pancake batter thing. “I’m not gonna burn the kitchen down… probably.”

Medic gave a tired hum of acknowledgment before walking over to counter where Pyro had left the plate of eggs for now. He picked up the fork next to it and tried a bite. Whether he liked it or not as impossible to guess as his expression didn’t change. But as long as he was here and awake…

“Do you know how to make pancakes?”

“It’s been a long time but I think so. Why?”

“I wanna make some but I’m not sure how to make the batter. Could you write it down for me? I’ll give you some if they turn out good.”

Medic thought about it for a few seconds, still holding the fork. “I’m up anyway so I could just show you if you want.”

“Oh, okay, sure!” That would be even better and a fun time besides.

[aetherhollowarchive]

It's funny how different I think my MC will be to that "Oliver asker's"!

I already mentionned that I can't stomach the "going back to their homeworld" endings in stories like this one, but even past my own distaste, I feel like my MC will be too preoccupied about helping however he can in this world and sort of trying to "make up" to Keyon for the false hope he gave him to really think about going home for the most time. Like, a mix of genuine good will and a true desire to help and a kind of feeling of inadequacy and of being some sort of imposter that has to work hard to prove they deserve people's trust? So basically, I believe he'll be so busy in his own mind with that, that he'll sort of neglect his own "perceived needs" (which would be "going back home"), until at some point he'd simply realize that he IS home - that this new world is what truly feels like it.

So I feel like, the way I see my MC, he'd never go through a phase of wanting to go home because at first he'd just think of more pressing stuff and then he'd feel like he simply belongs in this world and that's it.

Now of course this is all headcanon territorry, but I assume it's a headcanon that will fit in the canon options pretty well? Since I believe you mentionned we'll be able to have our MC change their feelings about the matter a few times during the story and all.

Interestingly though, while I imagine him feeling bad in regards to Keyon and giving him false hope and almost "usurping" his original beloved, I also don't think he'd ever go through a "does he love ME or does he simply see HIM in me" phase. The Sovereign is simply a stranger, so if Keyon falls in love with my MC, then I don't think my MC would feel like it's all about Sovereign after all. Like, they'd have known each other long enough at that point and my MC wouldn't have reasons to doubt Keyon's feelings (he's pretty honest and sort of expects honesty from people too, the way I play him so far).

I don't know why did I go on a tangent here to be fair... I don't have an actual ask or anything! I just started thinking about my MC's thought process and possible evolution when I read that other ask, and I felt like sharing!

Your headcanon is actually a route 🤭 I'm actually kinda surprised so many ppl seem to be interested in the going home route, even after I said it's a disaster route wrote for angst only 🤣 I personally love the idea of immersing into a fantasy world until it feels like home. It may actually be the "right" route as well. While there will be options to change your motivation several times, at the end of the day, the story's goal is to make MC fall in love with the world and the people and care about it more than going home and all that entails. But just to clarify, for anyone else reading this, the option to go home will still be available even if your MC will genuinely want to help and care for the people. But it's a bit of a deal with the devil sort of thing - will MC be happy with the trade? Please keep in mind - angsty disaster route. MC can also have the motivation to go home for the entirety of the story and still turn it down at the very end.

And true, MC can not have those thoughts about Keyon and not compare themselves to OG Sov, but Keyon himself will question things at some point. His route is probably the most affected by how MC treats him though, so it's hard to say what his revelation will be 😅 because I kinda wanna have options to genuinely like him and treat him well... as well as feed into his obsession ✨ All of the ROs will respond to some choices regarding the relationship, but I think his will be the most obvious, at lest with the plot map I have so far. I love HC and tangents so no worries :)) feel free to send them anytime 💕

[two-hands-toward-the-sun]

20 Questions For Fic Writers!

Thank you so much for the tag, @honeyteacakes!! I loved reading your responses. This was so much fun to do.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

35! Some of them are locked to attempt to minimise AI scraping.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

44,236 holy shit

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently, I’m pretty deeply embedded in the Sandman-verse. But I’ve also written an AC Odyssey fic recently.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I’m skipping this one because I embedded so many links in this post and I don’t wanna do it anymore. 😂 And people can just filter by kudos on AO3 if they’re interested.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I respond EXTREMELY slowly, but I make every effort to reply to comments when I have the energy to spare. It means a lot to me when people take the time to tell me what they liked about my stories.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oooh. Good question. It’s either “pour the dirt into our bed” (Ranger’s Apprentice, referencing homophobia faced in a queerplatonic relationship) or “if you want voices in the dark, listen to mine” (Good Omens, after a temptation gone wrong.)

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I write a fair amount of tender stories, so there are a lot of possible answers to this one! Potentially it’s “our place in the sun” (Sandman, Lucienne/Calliope domestic fluff) which is all about coming to rest and settling into love. Another option is “throw down that spade and dig up the garden” (Good Omens, Ineffable Husbands) which is about…pretty much the same thing, now that I think about it. 😂

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Thankfully not. I genuinely can’t understand why people leave hate comments on fics. Sure, there’s a lot of things I take issue with in certain fandoms, but I bitch about that stuff strictly IN MY OWN SPACE, I absolutely do not barge into other people’s spaces to do it. I never will and you can hold me to that.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I WANT TO. I’m working on it!! I actually have a smut prompt ask game queued up for next year, when I’ll have fewer writing obligations. As for what kind, I want to write so much femslash smut. There is devastatingly little in the Sandman fandom.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

OHOHOHO. I have written a Los Simuladores/Good Omens crossover and it is genuinely one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever written. “every morning the same big and little words all spelling out desire” is appropriately zany, hopefully sexy, and seasoned with a dash of angst to balance the flavors.

(Shout out to @jlemonster for writing such a glowing post about it, it makes me happy just remembering it.)

Another crossover I’m working on is Johanna Constantine/Mary Poppins. I PROMISE it will make sense when it’s written. …well, maybe. 😂

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes!!! As part of Fandom Trumps Hate this year I had two fics of mine wonderfully translated into Spanish by @yourneighborhoodneighbor and it was an amazing experience.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope. I don’t know if that would work with my writing habits, tbh. Maybe someday though, if the right idea and right person come along!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Oh GOD. Complicated question!! There are ships I’m currently enamored of, obviously, but who knows if they’ll stand the test of time? I know that Kaz/Inej (Six of Crows) and Irina/Jack (Alias) did something to my adolescent brain that may never be undone, but that’s the closest I can get to an answer to this question.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I’ve got a Good Omens Ineffable Wives AU inspired by Anne of Green Gables that is very dear to me, and has many aspects I’m extremely proud of, but I don’t know if I’ll ever finish it. My interest in Good Omens has flagged of late and unfortunately I don’t know if I’ll complete many of my WIPs for that fandom!

16. What are your writing strengths?

I like to think I have a good grasp on characters’ voices! Also, I think I write tactile and descriptive details well.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

TRANSITIONS ARE THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I have done it once!!! For the aforementioned Los Simus fic. It was so much fun, and a good challenge for me. The dialogue was in Spanish (with very valuable help from @thisisnotjuli) and I loved writing how the two characters spoke in somewhat differing dialects.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Oh, lord. Probably Harry Potter? By hand, in a notebook from the dollar store. I was probably about eight or nine.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

They’re my children. My babies. My beloved frogspawn. I can’t give a definite answer, but…two of the stories that I worried my lip over the most for dread of failing to do them justice, the ones I think I put the most heart and consideration and care into, are “it’s an old song (and we’re gonna sing it again)” (Sandman, Calliope & Dream + healing and rediscovery and intimacy and changed but no less important relationships) and “sister dear, bear me away” (Good Omens, a human AU about gender discovery).

No pressure tags: the usual suspects <3 @pyrocephalus-rubinus @fatcatgospel and Juli, as well as @zorawitch @azi-sings-calliope @cosmictapestry, and anyone else who reads this and wants to talk about their creations!!

[dirthara-dalen]

I worked on this last night, way too late into the night perhaps but oh well what is a sleep schedule.

Most of this will be under a cut to avoid splattering spoilers all over peoples dashes. That section will include my overall thoughts as well.

Ok lets start with the non-spoiler lore updates:

Ligastar is in an active relationship with both Theron and Vilkas Vera (my main imperial agent).

After the events at the end of act 2 Ligastar starts to distance himself from the jedi order, has accepted his sith lord status and has a sith apprentice (Raz'lum) that follows him around during act 3.

Ligastar knew Master Orgus as a child given his mother introduced them after arriving at the jedi temple after fleeing dromund kaas. (I am enjoying working on their relationship in my fic wip)

So above is pretty much what i'm gonna share for now as i wanna keep some stuff secret for the fic i am working on. Now to the 7.5 stuff and how it affects his story! I do plan on making individual posts once two weeks have passed at bare minimum.

Spoiler thoughts + Lore below (warning it got a bit long):

To start, I loved the opening and just how annoyed we are. Lemme tell ya it fit perfectly for Ligastar.

The moment alone with Theron was very nice. I had hoped on my other characters who didn't romance them maybe their love interest would come out to say something but of course not :(

This moment right here does not help Ligastar's current feelings towards the republic or the order. He does feel somewhat personally attacked by everyone in the holocall. He really doesn't understand why they think he can really do anything. Due to his connection to Jeeta, Ligastar genuinely fears another mandalorian war. Shae going missing and dumping everything on him pisses him off.

I thoroughly enjoyed having Sa'har around more. Seeing her slightly more naive perspective was very interesting. Her drive to fix her mistakes really does resonant with Ligastar.

All of the slave stuff. Ligastar found the whole experience on Hutta extremely difficult. He sorta puts getting the shuttle off as his desire to free the slaves takes over given his former slave status. He does sort of regret letting Sa'har blow the barrels but his own emotions were affecting his own decision making at the time.

Finding the prisoners from Ord Mantell was a surprise to Ligastar but i totally saw it coming the moment i saw what the area was called. Ligastar knew the people would probably get angry at Sa'har but he wasn't going to allow it. He did escort them to safety as he felt bad for Petra knowing her sister was here partly because of him.

Matthew mother fucking Mercer go off!!! I love Matt as a va partly because i am a critter so the moment i heard his angry voice i knew we were getting a fight! 10/10 fight. I look forward to picking the diff options in regards to the holocron on other characters.

I was so happy to tell Arn there was no way the order was touching the holocron. In my own personal canon that holocron remains with the Starwing family and is one of the objects my oc Lee, Ligastar's descendant, cherishes due to its history. Also telling Arn that the people on the ship are going to Odessen and will be trained within the force enclave again made me so happy. To put it simply, after the events of this patch regardless of what happens in game, Ligastsar officially leaves the order.

After learning what Shae did, that she freed Malgus...he swears he will kill her the next time he see her. Partly due to being fed up with antics and partly due to a hidden desire for revenge he has harbored for years after learning about her role in the sacking of Coruscant.

Like i said before, after at least two weeks i will be making individual posts that go into more detail for his story.

Lastly....not ligastar related but um...that voice actor change. it's not bad but it was jarring despite knowing ahead of time.

[imanalbertross]

It's Unpopular Opinion Time with Uncle Al!

TTS Proshipping

I'ma gonna make some people mad, but here I go.

Most of the optional ships I have seen/read/heard of for Varian that are not Hugo or maybe Nuru, though to me she reads incredibly lesbian, are really huge proships. I am, of course, talking about cannon characters (You wanna ship him with an OC, go ahead. I don't have to approve but I can remember being young and wishing I had an OC to give my favorite boy-things). For the most part, the characters that are available to him are of a significant age-gap and power-gap, and that's not a good thing.

I feel like it needs to be remembered that so many of these women/men being shipped with him (though in the lists I've seen that don't include Hugo, the only guy they really offer is Eugene, so still a huge proship) are adults. Which is point number 1. No matter who that person is- Cassandra, Rapunzel, Eugene, whoever- going after the 14 year old, even after a gap of time to allow him to age, would be considered grooming.

Why? Well, largely because of just the three I named, they met him as a child (yes, fourteen year olds still count as children in the eyes of the law) and he had sort of a hero-worship attitude for them at first. He had a full on crush on Cass, respected Raps for being a princess and also the fact that she really thinks his alchemy is cool- which seems to be rare in his world-, and Eugene was probably his first gay crush. That puts them in a position to use that respect he has for them in their favor to gain his interest.

So, Cassarian/Cassandrian has a woman literally almost ten years older than him coming back and getting into a relationship with a person she knows had a crush on her when he was a child makes dating him in the future abusive. The reason for this is because she is leveraging this information to get a relationship based on a child’s feelings, which is super creepy. If this was a male YouTuber and a fan, you wouldn’t be shipping this.

Rapunzel is a princess, and knew she was when she met him, so she gets the Cass rundown plus the fact that the power balance between them is insane. Let not even mention the fact that those two are so high in the sibling vibes category that it makes it an extra step of creepy. And is anyone actually shipping Eugene with him? I kind of feel like that’s a fake ship that angry people use as an example of why we shouldn’t have gays in kids’ shows.

The second point is that most of the other characters that end up on those lists are either small children- like 10-12, and he’s 14-16. I don’t know if you know this, but Varian is kind of an exception to the rule, when it comes to 16 year olds hanging out with younger kids. He’s still learning to friend, which is how he ends up with such a diverse group of friends.

I’ve seen Vex in these lists, and she barely wanted anything to do with the main group, and Varian’s villain schtick wasn’t who he really was. We all have a villain arc as people, and seldom is it the person we long to be or would be on purpose if given the choice. Usually, like Varian, we end up pretty ashamed of that part of our lives. But the characters listed that don’t know him probably wouldn’t want that kind of a relationship with him, nor would they be likely to hold similar desires and ideals- this kind of thing can be a deal breaker in relationships.

This said, we also kind of need to talk about leaving Hugo off the list. Is this because he’s from a program that was denied by Disney? Possibly, but it needs to be said. If you want to post about partners for Varian, you need to state “out of the canon characters” because, honey, there are so many non-canon choices. Hugo is just the one that the writers chose. Which is kind of important too, since they built him. They know Varian better than we do.

Being anti about gay ships but fine with straight proships is a rant for another day. But I got to a point with Cassarian that I just needed to point out the genuine nope surrounding it.

[lovemesomesurveys]

Do you want the last dream you had to come true? I don’t recall my last dream, but I’m gonna say no cause my dreams tend to be really weird and random. 

When did you last talk to the person you'd most wanna talk to right now? There isn’t anyone I really want to talk to right now. 

What kind of pill did you last take? My sleeping pill. 

Do you like wearing glasses? I actually do. I feel super weird without them. I think I kinda hide behind my glasses so there’s that, but yeah I have no desire to get contacts or like laser surgery. 

Does your mom know the last person you hung out with? Yes, she knows herself. 

What were you doing 4 hours ago? I was watching Yellowjackets with my mom and bro. I know, I know I’m super late to that show but naturally and no to surprise to no one I’m obsessed already and I’m only on the 4th episode. I was in episode 1. 

What would you most like to eat right now? I’m looking forward to the Taco Bell I’ll be eating pretty soon.

How long were you last in the car for? Uhh like 5 minutes, if even that. 

What is something good that happened last weekend? My aunt came to visit me for a few days and we had fun as always.

Do you like holding hands or do you think it's stupid? I think it’s cute. It’s also not so black and white, like there’s other options you could throw in there. 

The last song you heard, what does it make you think of? I forget what song I last listened to.

How'd you get your last injury? Health related issues. 

What do you like about your birthday? I don’t get as into it like I used to, like I used to get so excited when I was younger. My birthday is just whatever. It’s nice if I’m able to go somewhere, like a little vacay getaway, though. 

Do you like being home alone at night? No.

What first comes to mind when thinking of 10th grade? That was the year I started my emo phase. 

What's the scariest thing that's happened to you? Uhhh.

Has an ambulance ever came to your house? Yes.

The person you're thinking about- what are you thinking about them? I’m not really thinking about anybody.

When did you last skip class? *shrug* I’ve been outta school since 2015. 

Do you like the shape of your fingernails? Ha, what nails?

Did you look at your fingernails for the question above? No. I already knew I barely had any nails to check. 

Whose pool did you last swim in? It was my friend’s boyfriend’s (at the time) community pool. That was a decade ago. 

What's something you like about your 3rd hour? --

Is formspring a good idea? I had one back in the day and it was interesting, but no one ever sent me questions, ha. I just answered the ones you could choose from that were asked by like a bot or something. There was some celebrity tea being spilled on some formsprings, which at the time I ate right up. 

What's your biggest problem at the moment? Meh.

What's the cutest thing someone's ever done for you? Hmm. I’m not sure what I’d say was “the” cutest. 

When did you last see a police car? *shrug*

Why aren't you doing something more productive than this? I have nothing else I need to be doing, let me be.

How many people know about the last person you kissed? A few.

How many different cars have you driven? I’ve never driven a car. 

What did you do on Thursday? I had a doctor appointment in the morning and then just chilled and napped. 

What color was the last thing you drank? Light brown coffee with some cream color. 

What do you do on Fridays? Same shit I do everyday. 

Have you ever had to take desperate measures in a desperate situation? Mhm. 

What door did you last open besides any on your house or car? I haven’t opened any doors in awhile. Kinda hard when you’re bedridden and even if I’m up in my chair I’d still need help. I don’t need to open any doors in my house, so that’a helpful. I don’t go anywhere, except for a doctor appointment, and in those cases I’m being pushed around in a gurney so I can’t open any doors. 

What is the meaning of life? To figure out what that meaning is for you.

[compassionatereminders]

Hey Kat,

I feel like I probably missed a post or two at some point but it sounds like your boyfriend and another person expressed romantic interest for each other and are pursuing a relationship and you’ve given the go-ahead but are also having insecurity thoughts and feelings about it, is that about right?

As a polyamorous person I have some thoughts about this if you are interested (if you’re completely done with advice from strangers then, well, understandable.) One is, often times people who aren’t polyamorous or otherwise non-monogamous can be very judgemental and unable to separate “I basically want this but am having uncomfortable feelings” from “this is bad.” So if you are interested you may want to seek out polyamorous/non-monogamous groups online (and/or in person if that’s an option) to talk about this with people who don’t just assume that not being monogamous is bad.

Another thought is: not all open relationships operate on the same rules/guidelines/agreements/assumptions about the world. And, well, wanting to pursue relationships with more than one person and being ok with a partner doing the same are not the same thing. I’d recommend looking into how other people do things — I know this is a lot of reading but I especially recommend the books Opening Up by Tristan Taormino and, well, I haven’t finished it so I’m reluctant to say I recommend it but a lot of people have recommended Polysecure by Jessica Fern, which is about attachment and non-monogamous relationships. Basically it’s exactly about how to be non-monogamous and also feel secure in your relationship(s). The subreddit r/polyamory also has a lot of beginner-oriented resources. And I’d recommend spending some time thinking about what you want and talking it through.

I am kinda worried for you (it’s a big change! and did you really have time to think through/look into how this might play out?), but that might just be because I’ve read some absolute horror stories and somehow the people with relationship disasters always seem more eager to share than people with happy, low-conflict relationships. Anyways, having doubts about your desirability or worthiness as a partner is pretty normal in this context and absolutely can be gotten through and doesn’t mean this is doomed to not work out, and also, is a polyamorous or otherwise open relationship something you would still want even if Tiny wasn’t in the picture? Is this something that you want for you, and is it something where your boyfriend is going to be as open minded if you find someone else you like as you’re being about him? And is polyamory something Tiny actively wants, or is she tolerating it because she likes your boyfriend?

Are you in a place where if you definitely didn’t want them to pursue a relationship, you would feel OK saying so? Are you in a place where if you start getting treated badly and talking about it wasn’t helping, you could just walk away?

Best wishes,

Ray

I don't mind advice, questions and opinions from y'all as long as they're respectful and don't jump to conclusions without knowing the details. I have actually received a lot of input which I have really appreciated from y'all already. So it's not that I'm closed off to hearing your opinions. To answer your questions: the only reason I'm actually considering this is BECAUSE it's Tiny. I'm generally not that interested in open relationships, and if she wasn't already a person I love and trust, I would be deeply uncomfortable. But because we BOTH already know and love her, I'm open to considering this. Not because any of us *need* an open relationship but because it's her. And Tiny says she wants me there - AND that if I do decide that I don't want HER there, she'll walk away for good no questions asked. So it's not that I don't have a voice in this situation. It's just that I don't wanna use it before I actually know what I want

[seraphsiege]

On Victim of a Siren and its impact on my music journey

I originally wrote the lyrics for Victim of a Siren back in 2018, practicing it on this old 90s Yamaha electric piano that had been in my family since I can remember. It was this big ugly brown piece of junk that only had sixteen sound presets built into it. I spent hours at that thing, practicing video game music or whatever came to mind -- my free time seemed unlimited, isolated on the upstairs floor of my grandmother’s house. That Yamaha seemed to be my saving grace, though.

I turned to Sappho’s poetry during this time, not sure where to even start with lesbian literature. I don’t think I’d met any queer people outside of people offhandedly coming out to me -- I’d been outed in a small town, and I’m glad I was able to be solace for my queer peers, but it was scary. People knew about my identity so openly and I felt like I never had an option to express that on my own time. I was pretty active on tumblr during this time period, so learning about people from Leslie Feinberg to Sappho was what I spent my time reading. 

I was smitten with the literature I discovered. I interpolated a quote within the bridge, my mind drifting to the mountains of the Mediterranean -- a place that I’d get to explore for my own that year. 

There were a few girls at the time that I was yearning for, one of them having these bright blue oceanic eyes behind a small pair of glasses. I think that was my inspiration, although she was never to reciprocate my feelings in the end -- not like I needed her to. Saying anything to her would’ve put me at a lot more risk.

I wrote the second verse about ten minutes before I went to record, actually -- my producer can back me up on this one. The second verse really shows how alluring the siren can be when it comes to our desires, showing a twisted side to how lesbian love isn’t all what it seems. The yearning doesn’t always leave us with a happy ending.

I brought this song to my producer last year, and they were quick to help me put this all together. It was our first time working on a music project that didn’t involve film. I quickly put together a midi file in Logic of the chords, along with various synth plugins, and he was just so quick to go with it. I was shocked that he’d even wanna produce my song for his project. But he knew that I was more than prepared to get this song produced, and he brought that to life. 

I’m not a singer by any means, so getting in front of that mic and singing my heart out was nerve wracking, especially if my voice cracked or went flat. I have a lot of perfectionist tendencies, and I’m still trying to tell myself that I will always be my biggest critic. I still wish I’d spent more time perfecting vocals, but then again, I’d be in the tracking booth all day.

I’m so relieved that I’m able to share this piece with the world and hope that young sapphics out there are able to enjoy this as much as I did creating it. It’s a tale of longing, of drowning, and of unrequited love. I hope to create happier lesbian tales in the future, of course, but expressing my sapphic ethereality has been such an interesting journey thus far.

Listen to it on Soundcloud here <3

[valeriehalla]

so much of my personal experience of gender is outwardly-directed: managing what i look and sound like and how i describe myself, not necessarily because it's what most accurately reflects the parade of Inner Truths in my clowncar of a brain, but out of a need to manage Other People's expectations. this isn't necessarily a problem or a bad thing, it's just an act of convenience! i look at you and say: I'm Girl. but what i mean is: well strictly speaking i'm boy well specifically i'm like kind of a dress-wearing she/her fag but obviously "femboy" wasn't an option on the intake questionnaire at my gender health clinic because there was no such thing i mean i sort of just started ordering gray market titty pills until a local endocrinologist agreed to write me a prescription if i'd just cut that shit out but anyway the tits ARE great and you SHOULD look at them though also whenever i see a hot guy and i go "that's hot" that's still definitely a gay thing however on the third hand when i see a hot girl and i go "that's hot" that's also kind of gay though it's also kind of aspirational like i'm incapable of seeing cool girls without wanting to be more like them so like that's pretty trans of me and i'm not gonna sit here and tell you i'm not trans because i definitely am though at this point it's hard to even say what i'm transitioning to because every year my aesthetic sensibilities and feelings about my own body and sexual desires and social aspirations become more and more decoupled from one another to the point where gender just kind of doesn't exist for me and that's fine because if i'm honest with myself it was always the "trans" part of "trans woman" that interested me the most like all of me is just a kind of project that i'm working on and that doesn't mean it isn't deeply meaningful in fact that's exactly what makes it so meaningful because that's just the kind of person i am like i'm the freak who picked storytelling as my profession so is it any wonder that my Self would also become one of the stories i like to tell anyway this is all getting kind of heady but before we wrap this up i just wanna say i feel like i've gone a couple hundred words since the last time i called myself a boy so i gotta get that in there one more time just because it makes me feel really good though you're not allowed to say it unless you mean it in the right way and as we've just established the right way to mean it is extremely complicated which is why it's so convenient to just say i'm girl