#i learned CSS years ago for this shit !

[antheraea]

Flash Was Killed Because It Was Objectively Dangerous

I get it, I get the Flash nostalgia and the fondness for old Flash games. I was big on Neopets before they decided to ruin the art and make all the pets samey paper dolls to play dressup with (completely ruining the point of the far more expensive "redraw" colors like Mutant and Faerie and Desert). I have fond memories of Newgrounds games and I even managed to take a class for a semester in high school where I could learn flash.

But I also remember how terrible it was. And you should too.

Leaving aside all of the issues involving performance and inaccessibility (such as being easily broken by bog-standard browser actions like the back button, and its ability to modify web code AND OS code in real time likely broke a lot of accessibility tech too), Flash was legitimately one of the most dangerous web technologies for the end user. An end-user is you, or more specifically back then, child-you.

According to Wikipedia and its sources, Flash Player has over a thousand vulnerabilities known and listed and over 800 of these lead to arbitrary code execution.

What is arbitrary code execution? That's when someone can just run any commands they want on a machine or program that didn't intend it. A fun way to see this is in this infamous Pokemon tool-assisted speedrun where they manage to get an SNES to show the host's twitch chat in real time. It's not so fun though when it's someone stealing all the files on your computer, grabbing your credentials so they could clean out your Neopets account (yes, really, it was a pretty common concern at the time), and other nefarious works. Also, there was a time where it allowed people to spy on you with your webcam and microphone.

Oh and on top of all of this, Flash had its own "flash cookies", which could not be cleared by ordinary means and thus could be used to track users indefinitely, at least until Adobe slapped a bandaid over it by introducing yet another screen an ordinary person wouldn't know to use. (I assume this is how the infamous neopets "cookie grabbers" worked, so they could get into your account. This is mainly what I remember about using Flash back in the early 2000s lol) So it not only was a "stranger taking over your machine" concern, but a bog-standard privacy concern too, arguably a precursor to our current panopticon internet landscape, where greedy websites would track you because they could and maybe get some money out of it, facilitated by this technology.

When Apple decided to block it, it wasn't out of greed; Steve Jobs cited its abysmal performance and security record, among other issues such as an inherent lack of touchscreen support, and Apple cited specific vulnerability use-cases when blocking specific versions before they nuked it entirely. When Mozilla, who makes Firefox, decided to block it, it's not like they would've gotten money out of doing so, or by offering an alternative; they did so because it is fucking dangerous.

Your ire and nostalgia is misplaced. Flash was not killed by our current shitty web practices that ruin unique spaces and fun games. Flash was killed because both Macromedia (its original developers) and Adobe were incapable of making it safe, if that was even possible, and it was killed after third-parties, in an unprecedented gesture, collectively threw their hands up and said enough.

Well, that and HTML5 being developed and becoming more widespread, being able to do everything Flash can do without being a pox on technology. One could argue that you should bemoan the lack of Flash-to-HTML5 conversion efforts, but that requires asking a lot of effort of people who would have to do that shit for free...and if they have to run Flash to do so, opening themselves up to some of the nastiest exploits on the internet.

Nostalgia is a fucking liar. The games themselves I think are worth having nostalgia over (look, I still find myself pining for that one bullet hell Neopets made and Hannah and the Pirate Caves), but Flash itself deserves none of that, and absolutely deserved to be put in the fucking ground. You're blaming the wrong causes. It was terrible.

(specifics and sources found via its wikipedia page, which has a lot more than is mentioned here. and also my own opinions and experiences back then. lol)

[voidpunker]

i heard w3schools.com is really good! although tbh immmm personally not a fan of their tutorials- just idk i dont vibe w it personally, but good resource for looking up specific elements

aand um. idk if its good at all but i personally used dash.generalassemb.ly/ to learn html/css? it was absolute basics though lol but idk it worked for me so !!

I think people need to consider that by posting updates for their projects exclusively to Twitter and/or Discord they are making their projects as inaccessible as possible.

Unless you have a Twitter account or unless you are a member of a specific Discord server, you cannot see updates to this project.

There’s a solution to this.

It’s called MAKE A WEBSITE MAKE A WEBSITE HTML IS NOT THAT HARD TO LEARN AND THERE’S WYSIWYG PROGRAMS THAT MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU PLEASE MAKE A WEBSITE FOR YOUR PROJECT AAAAAAAA

[genericpuff]

All the cool kids use ComicFury 😘

Hey y'all! If you love independent comic sites and have a few extra dollars in your pocket, please consider supporting ComicFury, the owner Kyo has been running it for nearly twenty years and it's one of the only comic hosting platforms left that's entirely independent and reminiscent of the 'old school' days that I know y'all feel nostalgic over.

(kyo's sense of humor is truly unmatched lmao)

Here are some of the other great features it offers:

Message board forums! It's a gift from the mid-2000's era gods!

Entirely free-to-use HTML and CSS editing! You can use the provided templates, or go wild and customize the site entirely to your liking! There's also a built-in site editor for people like me who want more control over their site design but don't have the patience to learn HTML/CSS ;0

In-depth site analytics that allow you to track and moderate comments, monitor your comic's performance per week, and let you see how many visitors you get. You can also set up Google Analytics on your site if you want that extra touch of data, without any bullshit from the platform. Shit, the site doesn't come with ads, but you can run ads on your site. The site owners don't ask questions, they don't take a cut. Pair your site with ComicAd and you'll be as cool as a crocodile alligator !

RSS feeds! They're like Youtube subscriptions for millennials and Gen X'ers!

NSFW comics are allowed, let the "female presenting nipples" run free! (just tag and content rate them properly!)

Tagging. Tagging. Remember that? The basic feature that every comic site has except for the alleged "#1 webcomic site"? The independent comic site that still looks the same as it did 10 years ago has that. Which you'd assume isn't that big a deal, but isn't it weird that Webtoons doesn't?

Blog posts. 'Nuff said.

AI-made comics are strictly prohibited. This also means you don't have to worry about the site owners sneaking in AI comics or installing AI scrapers (cough cough)

Did I mention that the hosting includes actual hosting? Meaning for only the cost of the domain you can change your URL to whatever site name you want. No extra cost for hosting because it's just a URL redirect. No stupid "pro plan" or "gold tier" subscription necessary, every feature of the site is free to use for all. If this were a sponsored Pornhub ad, this is the part where I'd say "no credit card, no bullshit".

Don't believe me? Alright, look at my creator backend (feat stats on my old ass 2014 comic, I ain't got anything to hide LOL)

TRANSCRIPTS! CHAPTER ORGANIZATION! MASS PAGE UPLOADING! MULTIPLE CREATOR SUPPORT! FULL HTML AND CSS SUPPORT! SIMPLIFIED EDITORS! ACTUAL STATISTICS THAT GIVE YOU WEEKLY BREAKDOWNS! THE POWER OF CHOICE!!

So yeah! You have zero reasons to not use and support ComicFury! It being "smaller" than Webtoons shouldn't stop you! Regain your independence, support smaller platforms, and maybe you'll even find that 'tight-knit community' that we all miss from the days of old! They're out there, you just gotta be willing to use them! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡

[m0n0lithical]

Tag Game: Non-Sims Interests

Tagged by @salemssimblr !

Writing: Particularly worldbuilding & character development, with roleplaying being my favorite way to implement both of those. In fact, I originally got Sims 4 JUST as a method to have a handy character creator that allowed for LOTS of customization for my characters (because I was SICK of being unable to find decent face claims for my RP characters)...I just turned out to like way more than just CAS! I still spend most my time in CAS, obviously, but I definitely didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I do.

Web Design/Photoshop: [insert ‘graphic design is my passion’ joke here] I started fiddling with Photoshop as a tiny babby, around age 13-15ish, because I wanted to make my own pretty customized profile pictures for my RP characters. This evolved into learning HTML/CSS to ALSO make my sites pretty on my own, as well. It’s still one of my favorite hobbies, and basically the only one I’d be okay monetizing for a possible self-employment option.

Nature & Animals: I grew up around dogs & cats, and even a horse when I was tiny. I have so much knowledge picked up through pure osmosis I SEVERELY underestimate how uncommon a lot of shit I know about animals (dogs in particular) actually is. I can’t live without an animal companion, and I enjoy just working with them as a whole. I also semi-recently discovered a love for gardening (within the last 4-5 years), which really sucks when it’s hotter than Satan’s asshole most of the year here, so my time outside is SEVERELY limited by my heat sensitivity.

Computer/Tech: Building my own PCs led me to have much more of an interest in the hardware side of things than I expected! I built my first PC around 7-8 years ago, and late last year I built my second one to replace to original one I’d built once it started to really show its age. My new one had me learning how to install a liquid cooling system, which took a bit to wrap myy head around how the HELL they fit into even large cases. I wish I had more opportunities to fiddle with hardware for computers outside of my own builds, but have no way to reliably do so, sadly.

Other Games: I have MANY other games I play & love, in case the abundance of fandom sims I have didn’t make it obvious enough. I play both FFXIV & GW2 as my online games, with XIV being more my ‘social fuck around’ game, and GW2 I...sort of? Do some kinda more serious content. I use that term loosely – I’ve only done a couple of the easiest CMs, and all the rest if just the normal version of raids/strikes, but that’s still much more ‘serious’ than how I treat my XIV game time. I used to play SWTOR as my main MMO, and while I still love it...I really can’t stand what they’ve turned it into. Outside of MMOs, my favorites are: Dragon Age series, Mass Effect series, Baldur’s Gate 3, Tyranny, Greedfall, Saints Row series, Stray, and favorite game of all time is, hands down, Okami.

[crystalistrappedintheinternet]

I'm making a neocities website right now after trying a year ago, getting overwhelmed by all the coding shit and giving up.

So to people that feel overwhelmed at the idea of making a whole website from scratch when you don't even know the difference between HTML and CSS, or just starting to learn anything about coding:

It's okay if your site is just some black text on a white background at first. Or forever if you want. Just get the text there. Neocities has tutorials on how to do this!

You can just start with that. And then if you later want to change the background color, or the font, you can do that too.

I still dont know how to configure the layout builder, but I can put text in a box by using a <div> element and then go over to the css file and make the div elements have a separate color, so thats pretty cool. And I can't figure out how to put images right where I want them yet, but I can find some tile galleries and make them the background image.

Because thats the other awesome thing about neocities! You get to explore other people's websites too! And theyre so cool, its finally a taste of all the websites I wanted to explore as a kid but never managed to find outside of movies and the occasional lucky discovery on my grandparents computer.

Anyways make a neocities website, use freeCodeCamp for coding tutorials (thats what I use anyways) and get out of this gentrified shithole

⬇ make a webpage right now its free ⬇

neocities.org 👈 for website hosting

internetingishard.com 👈 for coding tutorial

w3schools.com 👈 for a searchable index of every html and css term under the sun and live examples of how each one works

sadgrl.online 👈 for a layout builder, if you dont want to do everything from scratch

[jcmarchi]

What’s Old is New

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/whats-old-is-new/

What’s Old is New

I collect a bunch of links in a bookmarks folder. These are things I fully intend to read, and I do — eventually. It’s a good thing bookmarks are digital, otherwise, I’d need a bigger coffee table to separate them from the ever-growing pile of magazines.

The benefit of accumulating links is that the virtual pile starts revealing recurring themes. Two seemingly unrelated posts published a couple months apart may congeal and become more of a dialogue around a common topic.

I spent time pouring through a pile of links I’d accumulated over the past few weeks and noticed a couple of trending topics. No, that’s not me you’re smelling — there’s an aroma of nostalgia in the air., namely a newfound focus on learning web fundamentals and some love for manual deployments.

Web Developers, AI, and Development Fundamentals

Alvaro Montero:

Ultimately, it is not about AI replacing developers, but about developers adapting and evolving with the tools. The ability to learn, understand, and apply the fundamentals is essential because tools will only take you so far without the proper foundation.

ShopTalk 629: The Great Divide, Global Design + Web Components, and Job Titles

Chris and Dave sound off on The Great Divide in this episode and the rising value of shifting back towards fundamentals:

Dave: But I think what is maybe missing from that is there was a very big feeling of disenfranchisement from people who are good and awesome at CSS and JavaScript and HTML. But then were being… The market was shifting hard to these all-in JavaScript frameworks. And a lot of people were like, “I don’t… This is not what I signed up for.”

[…]

Dave: Yeah. I’m sure you can be like, “Eat shit. That’s how it is, kid.” But that’s also devaluing somebody’s skillset. And I think what the market is proving now is if you know JavaScript or know HTML, CSS, and regular JavaScript (non-framework JavaScript), you are once again more valuable because you understand how a line of CSS can replace 10,000 lines of JavaScript – or whatever it is.

Chris: Yeah. Maybe it’s coming back just a smidge–

Dave: A smidge.

Chris: –that kind of respecting the fundamental stuff because there’s been churn since then, since five years ago. Now it’s like these exclusively React developers we hired, how useful are they anymore? Were they a little too limited and fundamental people are knowing more? I don’t know. It’s hard to say that the job industry is back when it doesn’t quite feel that way to me.

Dave: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, who knows. I just think the value in knowing CSS and HTML, good HTML, are up more than they maybe were five years ago.

Just a Spec: HTML Finally Gets the Respect It Deserves

Jared and Ayush riffin’ on the first ever State of HTML survey, why we need it, and whether “State of…” surveys are representative of people who work with HTML.

[…] once you’ve learned about divs and H’s 1 through 6, what else is there to know? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Once again, we drafted Lea Verou to put her in-depth knowledge of the web platform to work and help us craft a survey that ended up reaching far beyond pure HTML to cover accessibility, web components, and much more.

[…]

You know, it’s perfectly fine to be an expert at HTML and CSS and know very little JavaScript. So, yeah, I think it’s important to note that as we talk about the survey, because the survey is a snapshot of just the people who know about the survey and answer the questions, right? It’s not necessarily representative of the broad swath of people around the world who have used HTML at all.

[…]

So yeah, a lot of interest in HTML. I’m talking about HTML. And yeah, in the conclusion, Lea Verou talks about we really do have this big need for more extensibility of HTML.

In a more recent episode:

I’m not surprised. I mean, when someone who’s only ever used React can see what HTML does, I think it’s usually a huge revelation to them.

[…]

It just blows their minds. And it’s kind of like you just don’t know what you’re missing out on up to a point. And there is a better world out there that a lot of folks just don’t know about.

[…]

I remember a while back seeing a post come through on social media somewhere, somebody’s saying, oh, I just tried working with HTML forms, just standard HTML forms the first time and getting it to submit stuff. And wait, it’s that easy?

Yeah, last year when I was mentoring a junior developer with the Railsworld conference website, she had come through Bootcamp and only ever done React, and I was showing her what a web component does, and she’s like, oh, man, this is so cool. Yeah, it’s the web platform.

Reckoning: Part 4 — The Way Out

Alex Russell in the last installment of an epic four-part series well worth your time to fully grasp the timeline, impact, and costs of modern JavsaScript frameworks to today’s development practices:

Never, ever hire for JavaScript framework skills. Instead, interview and hire only for fundamentals like web standards, accessibility, modern CSS, semantic HTML, and Web Components. This is doubly important if your system uses a framework.

Semi-Annual Reminder to Learn and Hire for Web Standards

Adrian Roselli:

This is a common cycle. Web developers tire of a particular technology — often considered the HTML killer when released — and come out of it calling for a focus on the native web platform. Then they decide to reinvent it yet again, but poorly.

There are many reasons companies won’t make deep HTML / CSS / ARIA / SVG knowledge core requirements. The simplest is the commoditization of the skills, partly because framework and library developers have looked down on the basics.

The anchor element

Heydon Pickering in a series dedicated to HTML elements, starting alphabetically with the good ol’ anchor <a>:

Sometimes, the <a> is referred to as a hyperlink, or simply a link. But it is not one of these and people who say it is one are technically wrong (the worst kind of wrong).

[…]

Web developers and content editors, the world over, make the mistake of not making text that describes a link actually go inside that link. This is collosally unfortunate, given it’s the main thing to get right when writing hypertext.

AI Myth: It lets me write code I can’t on my own

Chris Ferndandi:

At the risk of being old and out-of-touch: if you don’t know how to write some code, you probably shouldn’t use code that Chat GPT et al write for you.

[…]

It’s not bulletproof, but StackOverflow provides opportunities to learn and understand the code in a way that AI-generated code does not.

What Skills Should You Focus on as Junior Web Developer in 2024?

Frontend Masters:

Let’s not be old-man-shakes-fist-at-kids.gif about this, but learning the fundamentals of tech is demonstrateably useful. It’s true in basketball, it’s true for the piano, and it’s true in making websites. If you’re aiming at a long career in websites, the fundamentals are what powers it.

[…]

The point of the fundamentals is how long-lasting and transferrable the knowledge is. It will serve you well no matter what other technologies a job might have you using, or when the abstractions over them change, as they are want to do.

As long as we’re talking about learning the fundamentals…

The Basics

Oh yeah, and of course there’s this little online course I released this summer for learning HTML and CSS fundamentals that I describe like this:

The Basics is more for your clients who do not know how to update the website they paid you to make. Or the friend who’s learning but still keeps bugging you with questions about the things they’re reading. Or your mom, who still has no idea what it is you do for a living. It’s for those whom the entry points are vanishing. It’s for those who could simply sign up for a Squarespace account but want to understand the code it spits out so they have more control to make a site that uniquely reflects them.

Not all this nostalgia is reserved only for HTML and CSS, but for deploying code, too. A few recent posts riff on what it might look like to ship code with “buildless” or near “buildless” workflows.

Raw-Dogging Websites

Brad Frost:

It is extraordinarily liberating. Yes, there are some ergonomic inefficiencies, but at the end of the day it comes out in the wash. You might have to copy-and-paste some HTML, but in my experience I’d spend that much time or more debugging a broken build or dependency hell.

Going Buildless

Max Böck in a follow-up to Brad:

So, can we all ditch our build tools soon?

Probably not. I’d say for production-grade development, we’re not quite there yet. Performance tradeoffs are a big part of it, but there are lots of other small problems that you’d likely run into pretty soon once you hit a certain level of complexity.

For smaller sites or side projects though, I can imagine going the buildless route – just to see how far I can take it.

Manual ’till it hurts

Jeremy Keith in a follow-up to Max:

If you’re thinking that your next project couldn’t possibly be made without a build step, let me tell you about a phrase I first heard in the indie web community: “Manual ‘till it hurts”. It’s basically a two-step process:

Start doing what you need to do by hand.

When that becomes unworkable, introduce some kind of automation.

It’s remarkable how often you never reach step two.

I’m not saying premature optimisation is the root of all evil. I’m just saying it’s premature.

That’s it for this pile of links and good gosh my laptop feels lighter for it. Have you read other recent posts that tread similar ground? Share ’em in the comments.

[trashiecat]

hey wait so does my blog like actual webpage just no longer exist even though i can update the theme and stuff ??? every time i try to get there i just get redirected to like the mobile pop-up version ........ tf

[fourteenacross]

So, if you don’t follow me on other social media, I had..........kind of a crazy weekend!

If you are unaware, @twentyghosts and I have been friends for twenty years this year. We met after I joined a mailing list she ran because a mutual friend told me it was full of other people who loved Rent. Online fandom was just finding its feet and most fannish stuff happened on bulletin boards, mailing lists, or people’s personal fansites. It was 1999 and we were fourteen and now it’s twenty years later and we’re still friends and we have literal decades of inside jokes and weird shit we’ve made up together (including a successful podcast), but it all started because of Rent.

So, when Renata got a chance to attend the dress rehearsal for Rent Live and asked me to go with her, it felt very narratively satisfying.

Rent was a HUGE part of my adolescence. I can’t overstate that fact. Between 1998ish and 2005, I saw the musical on Broadway (and a couple times on tour) dozens of times. I made many lasting friendships, people I’m still friends with today. I learned all sorts of skills, including HTML and CSS, but also things like how to socially interact with a “celebrity” in a way that’s not massively embarrassing, how to manage a group of people and delegate tasks, how to be an adult human person on your own in the world. I had a really bad break-up with Rent in the mid-aughts thanks to some friendship issues, but it’s been over ten years and I’ve moved on enough to appreciate what the show has given me. This show is a part of my DNA and always will be, for better or for worse.

(And yes, I’m aware that the show has issues and is “problematic,” as the kids like to say, but it’s also a product of its time and it wasn’t like there was a ton of stories about queer people in the mainstream media in the mid-nineties. We’ve come a long way, and that’s good, but it doesn’t negate the importance of the show Back In The Day.)

Anyway.

Renata and I went on this whirlwind three day trip to LA to attend the dress rehearsal. If you watched the show last night, you know that Brennin Hunt broke his ankle during the dress rehearsal and that the bulk of the final aired product was taken from that dress rehearsal. Life is weird!

We managed to squeeze in some touristy things and see a friend from that mailing list we met on twenty years ago, but the highlight of the weekend was, of course, Saturday night’s show. We had zero idea what to expect--Renata won the tickets in a contest and the contest people weren’t super forthcoming with the actual details of what was happening. The people from Fox were a little better, but we still showed up at the Fox Studio lot on Saturday largely unsure of what was going to happen.

We were given red wrist bands and led all the way to the side of the lot to stand on line with other red wristband holders. We ended up seated in the “back” of the stage, where “La Vie Boheme” and “I’ll Cover You” were staged, along with some other little bits of the show. We could sort of see other stuff happening on other parts of the stage, but there were monitors as well, that showed what the cameras were filming as it happened.

The dress rehearsal ran through exactly like a live taping would. An emcee told us what to expect and walked us through how the taping would occur. It started at 5pm on the dot and was expected to end at 8pm on the dot. They would run through the show and stop for commercial breaks, during which we could stretch and talk while they set up the next “act” of scenes. There was a countdown from each commercial break and the show started up again and ran straight through til the next. The emcee warned us that the footage would likely be used in commercials and behind the scenes footage and special features on the eventual DVD release, so if we were sitting next to someone we “shouldn’t be sitting next to,” that we should move. (Of course, it ended up being much more than that, but...that’s life!)

We had joked a lot during the run up to the show. We didn’t know anyone in the cast except for BVD, Vanessa Hudgens, and sort of Jordan Fisher. We didn’t know what to expect or if we’d even like it. We were still half-convinced the whole thing was an elaborate joke.

But, dang, what a night.

Straight up, I started crying when the song “Rent” started. It was just such a visceral moment--I always get amped up and emotional at that part anyway, but I just couldn’t believe where I was and what was happening and who I was with. It was profoundly emotional in a way I can’t quite describe. Like seeing an old friend after a decade apart, I guess.

Overall, I had a fantastic time. I loved the performance--it was super high energy and emotional. I loved most of the changes they made and the way they adapted the material for the medium. I loved how they made the Life Support group a bigger part of the narrative and how they wove “Seasons of Love” into it. The whole thing felt incredibly true to the spirit of the show. I saw people on Twitter complaining about changed costumes and slightly altered lyrics, which was confusing after a bunch of these live musicals where they added new parts and new songs and all that shit. Like, it’s 2019, a lot of kids watching WEREN’T EVEN BORN when Rent came out. I think it’s good that they added narrative context. Things might make sense to those of us who saw it fifty times in 2002, but less so for people who are so divorced from what the world was like when the show takes place.

Anyway, here are some more random thoughts I wanted to get down, including some stuff I said on Twitter:

Mark’s added narration really helped frame the story while simultaneously acting as another barrier that kept him apart from the rest of the group, which really worked for me.

It was super hard to divorce myself from Rent as a stage show when it came to certain aspects of the experience of watching it. For example, I didn’t start applauding after OSG even though it was a great performance because you don’t applaud after OSG! Mimi comes in too quickly and it slides right into “Light My Candle,” so I wasn’t even prepared to do it. Same with a couple other song breaks.

Also, the designated pee break, “I Should Tell You,” was unavailable as we were not allowed to leave the sound stage once filming started.

The audience was CRAZY for Jordan Fisher. Too crazy--there was a quick reshoot at the end because the screaming at the start of “Rent” was so loud it blew out the actors’ vocals. (more on that later)

There were a couple things that I missed, like “You have to get out of the house,” because sometimes when you accidentally create an entire mega ship you can’t ever shake how much you ship the characters, but I think that they did a good job of adding in enough of Mark’s caretaking in that scene that it would have been redundant.

Most of the line changes seemed to be about contextualizing the show for a 2019 audience or removing things that were inappropriate for television, but there were a couple small changes that didn’t seem rooted in either things, but were objectively MUCH BETTER LINES. “You wanna produce films and write songs? / You need somewhere to do it. / It’s what we used to dream about; / think twice before you pooh-pooh it” was switched to “You wanna produce films and write songs? / You need somewhere to perfect it. / It’s what we used to dream about; / think twice before you reject it” AND THAT IS JUST OBJECTIVELY A MUCH BETTER LYRIC. People were so mad at the change and like....chill, my friends! I have probably seen Rent more times than you, stop trying to seem superior by bashing what is an OBJECTIVELY BETTER LYRIC.

Maureen’s costume and props were AMAZING in OTM. Renata said something like, “I can’t believe that we ever thought Maureen WOULDN’T be super over the top for that number!” and she’s right--with all we know of Maureen, ridiculous props and costume felt right on target.

I liked how the use of cameras helped highlight some small details of the show people might have missed in the staged version. At the end of “Happy New Year B,” when Mimi is “comforted” by The Man, Mark lingers in the doorway to the building and witnesses the interaction. A bunch of people I follow on twitter hadn’t even noticed that when they saw it on stage, and I think it’s such an important moment.

Ditto with the staging of “Without You.” The guys behind us at the show were so confused that Roger was in the hospital bed because, despite having seen the staged show multiple times, the minimalist staging of that scene didn’t make it clear to them that Roger was sick for part of that song. (I, on the other hand, wrote at least three fics about it. It was my favorite stupid angsty thing to delve into for like, six months in 2003.)

I had never heard of Kiersey Clemons before this and she legit was one of my favorite parts. She’s amazing.

After ICY:R, which blew the doors off the place, predictably, BVD exited by our audience section and people started spontaneously sobbing and cheering again as he walked by. He was so fucking incredible.

Jordan Fisher’s real life tears during “Halloween” MURDERED ME.

Okay, so, like most dumb nerd kids who got into Rent in 1998, Mark was my favorite character. I loved him, I super over-related to him, I wrote a zillion words of fic about him, etc. And, honestly, I didn’t know what to expect from Jordan Fisher. But my god, if he wasn’t my favorite part of the show. He fucking nailed it. He was perfect. He was able to pull all of the things I love about Mark from all the different performances I’ve seen and completely encapsulate it in what he did. I walked in like, “eh, whatever” and walked out like, “I WOULD DIE FOR THIS ACTUAL TWELVE YEAR OLD CHILD WHO PLAYED MARK TONIGHT.” 

My favorite segment of the show is “Halloween” through “What You Own.” Predictably. And it was super on fire. Everyone totally nailed all of the emotional highs and lows of those songs. It was so intense and perfect.

HOWEVER.

The one thing they cut that I got legit mad about was the “For someone who’s always been let down...” Mark/Roger exchange. That exchange is important to me and important to that relationship (no matter how you read it) and I was so bummed that it was cut. Most of the changes/deletions didn’t bother me, but that one rankled.

(As my friend Jen reminded me on Twitter, they could have at least replaced it with the NYTW “Love you” exchange.)

“What You Own” was amazing, even though Renata was bummed they cut the “Compulsive Bowlers” line. (If you are unaware, the main Rent message board, which we were both a part of, Renata for much longer than me, was called “Compulsive Bowlers.”)

Okay, so it was after WYO, off stage, that Brennin Hunt hurt his foot. We had no idea anything was wrong at first; we stretched and sat at the end of the commercial break and there was no countdown. Nothing. A few people started running back and forth across the stage, including Jordan Fisher a couple times. No updates, no information. The lights came up. Still no updates. Finally, someone got on mic and explained that Brennin had hurt his foot and that he was determined to finish the show, so they needed a few minutes to reblock the last couple scenes. 

They also informed us at this point that the whole OBC was there (which we knew from social media) and that there was going to be surprise at the end.

I immediately guessed what the surprise was, and was slightly mad at myself for it, because I thought I would be less emotional knowing what was coming.

(Spoiler alert: I was not)

So they brought Brennin out, carried across the stage by two other people with his foot in an aircast. They set him up on the table, got all the lights and things set again, and finished out the show.

There was one terrible/hilarious/terrible moment, where they find out Mimi is sick, where Roger would normally run to the “window” in anguish. Instead, they just cut to Brennin screaming “NOOO!” while sitting perfectly still. We laughed. I feel bad about it, but...I couldn’t help it.

The end was great (another great line replacement: “Time to see what we have, time to see” became “Now we measure how that year has passed,” which is SO MUCH BETTER), etc

And after the finale, when I was already sobbing, they lower this “Rent - 1996 - 2019″ banner and when they raise it, THE OBC IS THERE.

Which, of course I knew the OBC was going to come out and sing SOL. Of course they were. But that did not stop me from losing my shit and full on sobbing.

I still can’t believe that part happened.

Some other highlights: Jordan Fisher and Vanessa Hudgens were so incredibly gracious to their fans. They had very limited free time between “acts” and commercials, but they made a point of giving out as many waves and high fives and smiles as they could in their limited time.

At one point, during a commercial break, Jordan Fisher walked by where Anthony Rapp was sitting in the audience and stopped to shake his hand and talk to him and I got very emotional watching that.

Brandon Victor Dixon is just............so wonderful??? At everything???

We had detailed instructions on when to hold up our candles during “Will I?” and they told us many times that we couldn’t take them with us, but Renata and I were annoyed that we were unable to steal posters and screenplays, as is our right as annoying Rentheads.

(If you know a person who went to Rent like it was their job as a teenager, they probably have at least one “poster” or “screenplay” or “stash” that was stolen from the set.)

They had a lot of nice nods to the classic costumes in places, especially on the ensemble.

I loved how diverse the ensemble was wrt age. That’s not something you get a lot of in the stage show (which makes sense given the cast limitations and needing understudies, etc) that really added to the show.

And, listen, you can take the shipper out of the fandom, etc, but dang, I remember why I accidentally started a fandom revolution by creating Mark/Roger. Mark is SO in love with Roger, my friends.

(Also, my rarepair, Mark/Benny, which I will forever love as well.)

Everyone was so talented and gracious and really seemed to be putting their all into what was happening. The energy was intense and amazing and electric.

They needed to do one quick reshoot at the end because, like I said, the cheering at the start of “Rent” blew out the sound of the first few lyrics. They reshot just starting from “The power blows...” and asked the people in the SRO pits to not ACTUALLY scream this time, but for everyone else to scream and cheer like we did the first time. Jordan Fisher ran through Mark’s first verse and then started in on Roger’s first verse before they cut it and thanked us all for our help, and I stg I’d watch that child’s one man show version of Rent. He was super into it 😂

And I’m gonna finish with this, cut directly from Twitter:

Look, I know this show has issues and is, as the kids like to say, problematic, but it literally brought me almost every good thing I currently have in my life. I met Becca through Rent fandom a hundred million years ago, and that's why I moved to Boston with my amazing Boston friends. I met Renata through Rent fandom and that's why I have a podcast. I met SO MANY PEOPLE who are still dear to me because of this show.

Some of my longest fandom relationships - @isjustprogress, Jen, Priscilla, and a ton more I'm probably entirely forgetting because I'm so emotional right now. If we start breaking off tangentially, I know @leiascully through Renata, and @coffeesuperhero through Mary. I know all of my Boston friends because of Becca. I know so many of you because of Renata and the podcast.

Rent was a thing that happened to me at the exact right time in my life, first online and then in person. I feel like a huge amount of my independence as an adult started to bloom when my parents would let me go into the city alone to meet up with Rent friends. This show is a part of who I am, for better or for worse, and getting to see that performance last night, with one of my best friends in what will be the twentieth year of our friendship was just...enormously powerful and special to me.

So that is............pretty much all of it! I might try and jot down more notes as things come to me, but I am very hungry and want to write a few more words of fic today, so I’m leaving it here for now. Thanks for reading this nonsense, if you did, heh 😅

[unsoundedcomic]

Can you give a little more detail about hosting one's own site for their comic? That option is sounding very appealing. If you don't mind answering: how much does it cost you per month? Is basic knowledge of HTML and CSS enough? When you run into problems, who do you go to for help?

Oh, Anon, it’s so easy! Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS is certainly all you need. All you are doing (assuming your webcomic is just a standard series of unmoving pages) is sticking a static image on an HTML page and making a link back, forward, and to the index. Basic! Copy Unsounded’s html code if you want (just change the artwork pls thx)!

With just a little HTML/CSS knowledge, you are free. You can break borders, do animation, do wacky CSS fades and transitions, rotate images, make them translucent, make them glow, make them judder around violently. It can really break you out of the restrictive comic book box we all put ourselves in for no bloody good reason :D I would love to see more of this! Make my eyes bleed!

But you don’t have to. You can also just display your traditional page.

You’ll probably want an update blog where you can have people comment each time you upload and that will put out an RSS feed, but even then you can go ahead and use something like Tumblr or even a Wordpress installation without endangering the comic itself. These are their own topics, but a little Googling will give you all the info you need.

But for the comic itself, I really think one’s comic should be sequestered, and I hate seeing a comment section under every page. It’s immersion breaking, and there will always be the danger of someone getting into those scripts and compromising the heart of your site: the display of your artwork. I don’t care how paranoid or old-fashioned this sounds. Listen to Auntie Ashley! Don’t do it! :D

As for cost - ten bucks a month, if that, and then a flat fee to buy your URL. You can have your own URL, Anon! It’s badass. Chicks will swoon. Blokes be like daaaaaaaaamn gurl, u a hacker?

I could give you a little primer on how all this works, but smarter people than me have already done the job. Many, many years ago I taught myself HTML just by going through this site. It looked way different then, but it’s still got all you need to get started. I didn’t learn this in school, I just tinkered, followed tutorials, copy and pasted code now and then, and bam. If you need help, Google your issue and you will find two dozen years’ worth of people with the same issue, and the answer to it.

Other people will tell you this is all a waste of time. I could not disagree more. If you are a webcomic artist, HTML and CSS are essential tools in your toolbox!

Look at that, I bolded that shit. I believe in it, deep in my guts.

I believe that a webcomic artist refusing to learn any code is like refusing to learn how to draw hands or colour. Some code is good for you and it’s very good for your art. Webcomics live on the internet. We need to understand our home!

So do it! All of you! Take the power back. :D

[clevertony]

WOW.

Omg I’m so happy right now.

I’m in the last week of my degree, I’m going for an associate’s in web development (and this program and all the crap they’ve pulled on my class has been a SHIT SHOW but that’s for another post), and we have one class that basically the entire class is one big group project.  We’re supposed to be making some website for the school’s IT classes.

The whole class has been awful, the instructors kept dragging their feet with it to the point that we didn’t even have our first assignment in the class until midterms and didn’t get to the point where we could actually start coding until the 2nd week of April (we were supposed to be able to work on the project all semester long), so it’s been HECTIC and confusing and everything is rushed.

We got divided into 2 groups, one group doing the student side of the website and one group doing the faculty/staff side of the website.  I’m doing the student side with 2 guys, one who literally seems to not know a single thing about web development and one who is decent enough with the backend but has horrible taste when it comes to the front end.  Works fine for me bc I’ve been using html/css since I was 12 so I’m fine with doing the front end stuff, he can do the database, and the other guy can just keep constantly sending us messages about how he doesn’t know what to do and then make a terrible powerpoint that I end up having to re-make anyway.  Works alright.

Well I’ve been freaking out lately about how there just is NOT enough time to get this project done.  It’s due Friday, and we don’t have a single page fully completed (the home page is ALMOST all the way completed now, just need the database connectivity, but we still need to do 2-3 more pages as well).  But omg.  I just stumbled upon the other group’s page and I am now SO FREAKIN HAPPY.  I’m literally elated.  I feel 100x better about our project.   This is what our homepage looks like (I smudged out anything that said the school’s name cuz I’m paranoid):

Not great of course, but it’s not terrible at least.  It follows the style guide provided by the school in terms of font choice and colors.  I used bootstrap so it looks a little more put together.  Not a pro website but good enough for 2 years of barely being taught anything by this joke of a program.  

It’s the only page we have done right now, but the others all use the same style sheet and the header/nav and footer are identical on every page, so even if we can’t get all the content added to the other pages, at least the layout will make it look somewhat done.  But I was still worried about not getting a good grade because of how little time we had to finish and the fact that we couldn’t go in depth (like until 10 mins ago I was sitting here worrying about how the website doesn’t look great on mobile and how I don’t know if I’ll have enough time to make a mobile version). Well I’m not worried about that at ALL now.  Here’s the other group’s pages (all of their pages):

(The links on the documents and edit profile pages don’t work btw).

I am ECSTATIC.  Honestly I really hope for their sake that this was just some crude first attempt and they’ve made tremendous improvements and just haven’t yet uploaded them.  I mean I do feel bad because normally I wouldn’t want to see my classmates do poorly but gods I really needed that confidence boost.  

I’ve learned from past solo projects that with the instructors at this school, if you make something look nice, they’ll generally give you an A even if you don’t do all the requirements, because they’re so impressed at your design skills.  

My first semester web design class I literally waited til the last minute, did the entire page in about 6 hours, forgot to include some required things, TOLD my instructor that I forgot to include those things on my project review and for the question that asked what grade we feel we should get I said a B, and she literally said something along the lines of “yeah I know you didn’t do all the requirements but I’m giving you 100% anyway because it looks like you put a lot of effort into it” (I didn’t.  I could have done WAAAAAY better).

2nd semester we had one big project that was the final project for 3 of our classes.  We needed a C# program that was connected to a database, and then we needed to make a javascript heavy webpage that was along the same theme as our program.  I focused so much on making my C# program perfect that I ran out of time to do my javascript project.  I literally had nothing.  During presentations I saw some of the programs my classmates made, and none of them even bothered to change the default font and window color, let alone use images like I did.  Got an A for all 3 classes.

So I’m hoping the instructors will just continue their pattern of being wowed by basic css skills and a bit of photoshop knowledge and hopefully we’ll get a good grade even if we don’t finish everything.  

God I really feel so much better after seeing that.  I’m a horrible person.  I shouldn’t be feeling better because my classmates aren’t doing well.  But I just can’t help it.

[innuit-opp]

Creating my own Tumblr theme

I spent the entirely of last summer, and most of the fall working with web development. I spent time learning JavaScript frame works and working with HTML and CSS. I basically only stopped working on it recently, maybe last week.

All that being said, I am still bad at CSS, especially positioning. I learned to make things easier with Tailwind, since a theme is basically all styling Tailwind and its conversion to standard CSS.

I first tried to make a Tumblr theme almost 10 years ago at this point. I watch a video, saw the person open JavaScript and then turned the video off and starting watching whatever dumbass shit I used to watch when I was 12. I'm older now and learn a lot about web development as I said.

I figured the smart thing to do would be create a basic layout of the project in Tailwind (told you I'd be using that), this is what I came with

Not the greatest thing, but I think its good for my purposed. I might pick a new color pallet, this one looks terrible. I'll keep updating the post

[chaotic-aro-incarnate]

Fun little mini obsessions/hyperfixations I have had during lockdown and/or while back at home during break

Wanted to become a Franciscan monk because I watched a few YouTube videos about them (I am not and have never been Catholic and am not a cis male)

Decided to memorize the names and locations of every country in the world including teratories and at my peak reached about 90% accuracy

Attempted to teach myself to be ambidextrous by practicing writing with my left hand. Got bored after a week or two of not improving

Once made a spreadsheet cataloging the reported heights of about 300 male kpop idols back in 2018 (pre-pandemic days. The only thing I have to blame is adhd and having a four day weekend as a high schooler with no impulse control)

Similarly, made another spreadsheet around the same time where I attempted to catalogue the birthdays and ages of kpop idols in order to see when the most popular birthdays were (got at least 100 idols on that list)

Taught myself needlepoint embroidery

Watched a 14 part lecture series on the history and development of Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism) (I am not Jewish)

Watched a shit ton of other videos about other forms of religious mysticism and now I might be doing my senior thesis on the topic

I only went down that rabbit hole because YouTube started recommending me videos on it after I had started going down a different rabbit hole about inner-Earth conspiracies and Agartha

Went from knowing basically nothing about conspiracy theories other than the most basic ass ones, to becoming the expert in my friend group (and believing a decent amount of them)

Have tried learning SO many languages (have only succeeded at being somewhat decent at French, aka the language I took for 4 years in high school)

Lowkey became a gamer on a whim

Thought about joining the Foreign Legion as a joke (this was my 18-year-old version of my 15-year-old self considering joining the Navy solely because my mom said she didn't want the military recruiters to talk to me at school)

Decided I wanted to be a boxer when I moved to college for a bit (so far I have made zero progress on this and doubt that I will) Two years later I briefly became obsessed with a boxer from Kazakhstan because I half watched one of his fights on a tv at Applebees while zoning out of a conversation

Also once spent a few weeks obsessed with the concept of hockey but never watched a game and cannot name a single player or team

Tried to listen to an audiobook of Das Kapital by Karl Marx and got through a couple minutes before giving up

Taught myself basic coding for html and css like 5 years ago and forgot all of it. The only thing I did with it was change the background of my tumblr blog back then to have a gradient.

This list in non-exhaustive btw. And also not including like every fandom thing I obsessed over for a bit too

[chiseld]

one year of coding!

I just started coding “Crack”, the password-cracking program from pset 2! It’s the “hacker level” problem, so it’s not a requirement – I could just submit the problems I’ve already completed and move on – but I want to at least give it the old college try first. It hasn’t scared me off yet, though – actually it’s being pretty fun so far, though I’ve only just begun. I wrote a shit ton of pseudo-code to organize my thoughts.

Still feeling pretty great about completing the Vigenère cipher though, y’all! Still loving cryptography, still having a great time, still moving way too slowly through this course, haha. But I love it.

I can’t even remember what I spent all my coding time yesterday working on... let me check GitHub. Oh right! I added the temperature conversion button to my FCC weather app project. Not a big update, but still an important one. That means that I have now TECHNICALLY fulfilled all the “user stories” for that app. It’s still ugly af though (haven’t done a single line of CSS yet), so it’s not even close to being done. I’m planning on adding some pretty backgrounds from Unsplash that automatically change depending on the weather at your current location.

Anyway, on to the main update: Ten days ago was my official one-year coding anniversary! I only just realized it today, or I would have made a celebratory post on the day itself. Man, I didn’t know much back then. I wasn’t a COMPLETE know-nothing, but I was certainly far from calling myself a “coder”. I’d never created any functional web apps on my own, and now... well, I’ve created a few. A very few. :)

But more importantly, I’ve learned so much, even if I haven’t put a lot of it into practice yet. I’ve gotten a solid grip on JavaScript, am quite comfortable using HTML and CSS for my purposes, love the simplicity of jQuery, have dabbled in Bootstrap, Ruby, Swift, and React, introduced myself to concepts such as version control, testing, JSON, AJAX, APIs, Rails, Heroku, Node, DOM manipulation, and the Chrome debugger, went to my first-ever IRL coding meetup, have become a religious user of Git, feel right at home in the command line now, even sampled Scratch and have now moved solidly into the realm of C, where I am having a blast. So yeah... life is good!

[irungracepace]

Suffer-more, I mean Sophomore year

I've had this blog for about 3 years now and looking back at posts just 1-2 years ago. I seem like a completely different person today.  

My sophomore year of college has thrown a lot of trash at me. Working through that garbage, taught me many life lessons and more about myself, as they left me #shook, #triggered, and #salty.

I usually post about positive things on my blog, but life has thrown me into a deep hole. This is simply my raw innate response to help those going through similar experiences feel less alone. I plan to learn and grow from this. I am not trying to promote anything in this post.

When I was in high school, running was my passion. It brought me more joy than anything else in my life at that point. I could never imagine that being taken away. Today, I have not run in 10 months and have not raced in 2.5 years.

2 years, 5 stress fractures, and 40+ pounds later, I've never had a chance to experience the same magnitude of joy. Life is not just about running, but it’s about the path that took to get to this point that affects my whole life.

During the summer before my freshman year of college, I was instructed by me ex-doctor to put on 20 pounds in two months before I would be "cleared" to run on the team even though I was never diagnosed with an eating disorder.

With my eagerness and excitement to start college on a positive note, I accomplished that medical order trusting that it was the right move. However, putting on 20 pounds in two months required plenty of habit changes, which violently turned against me, and carry on to this day.

I've dealt with many setbacks during my freshman and sophomore years of college. I emotionally ate my way through those setbacks, leaving me trapped in this damn coat of hydrocarbons.

I could care less about how I look, but it's what that 40 pounds of mass symbolizes: my loss of control, weakness, and setbacks.  

This year, this body seems as if it’s detached from my mind, making its own decisions. That is why I feel more hatred about it than anything. I hate this body for taking control of my life by giving me 5 stress fractures and deciding to waste time to binge eat. Hell, it's the reason why I can't even wear contacts because I can't stand looking at this body so it needs to be censored.

I cut off some people from high school, didn't go to many events, and stopped posting much on social media because I'm trying to avoid receiving comments about this damn body. Even as I know it's not my fault my body is doing that, this mass reminds me of all the setbacks that were not my fault. I feel terrible doing so, and hopefully, I will never have to do anything like this again because I will learn and grow from this.

I hate this body because it's the reason I keep getting injured - physically and emotionally. Every step I take exerts a greater force on my foot because of F=ma. it's not used to all this extra mass in such a short period of time. And then my body's like, "Oh okay let's give you another stress fracture, which means it's time to increase affinity to food so that we can further increase m as it's directly proportional to F, and F is directly proportional to stress fracture!" And I'm like, "wtf body what does food have anything to do with this?" and then body takes the wheel.

----

Even though this body can treat me like shit, myself and the body are two separate entities.

I'm very pleased with how my personality, maturity, and life direction has grown this year, despite the internal battle with this body. I also made many friends this school year because I didn’t isolate myself. I’m very happy to have met these people.

During fall quarter, I earned straight A’s in all my classes. However, winter quarter was when shit hit the fan - I got my worst grades since my sophomore year of high school because my mind was a turmoil.

For the past 4 years of my life, I wanted to go to medical school, become a neuro or orthopedic surgeon, and run in the Olympics as I run my blog. This year, I have decided that I want to pursue video game design and computer science/engineering/art instead and started to create my own game, Cell-fie.

This decision was terrifying, as I spend a lot of time beefing up my resume to make it stand out in medical school applications. I spent the majority of my academic career focusing on biology and medicine, suddenly switching to computer science was like diving into unknown. However, it wasn’t a blind decision since I took Java programming before college and self-taught myself HTML/CSS, javascript for my blog, and Photoshop for my art. 

I’m so happy to discover my passion.

Instagram also gave me a lot of anxiety. Since being injured, not posting about running, and decreased my posting frequency from every 2-3 days to every week, I  experienced a net lost about 150 followers. I was close to 5.5k on my main account when the school year started, and now I’m close to 5350.

During spring quarter, I let many things go. I took on a “not giving a flying shit” mentality about things I couldn’t control and telling those things to “f*** off” when those thoughts were coming because I was angry. However, by doing that, I started feeling a lot better. I also stopped going on social media often, and now I only check it once every 1-2 days on average. As a result, I didn’t binge eat for an entire month, which is the longest I’ve ever gone since it started. Then shit hit the fan when finals occurred.

After treating this body like trash by sleeping 5-6 hours a day for 11 consecutive weeks and eating at random times (dinner at 12am, etc) because it was not cooperating, this summer I plan to respect it again so it will give me what I want and be hella dope again. I’m not vain, but those symbolic hydrocarbons in the adipocytes will best damn get hydrolyzed. Go lipases!

http://irungracepace.tumblr.com/aboutme

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #101

“be the wildest of the pack, screaming amen and attack“

you run into the ex that hurt you the worst; what do you say to them? i wouldn't say anything. i'd at least hope i wouldn't, but i have a pretty big feeling i'd smile and do a really bitchy wave at him. but i'd hope i'd just smile and pass by him. do you think everything happens for a reason? i guess. do you watch stand-up comedy? i don't actively seek it out usually, but yeah. do you attend church regularly? no. personally believe you can be a perfectly good christian without going to church. what is your preferred video game console (if any)? playstation 2 had the best games. if you got a call from a friend in jail, would you bail them out? nope. one, i don't have that kind of money, and two, if you're rightfully in jail, i'm not helping your ass. do you need things thoroughly explained to you for you to understand them? yes, particularly academic stuff. have you ever felt pressured to do something you weren’t ready for?  yeah have you ever worn jeans that were red, purple, blue or pink? i used to have maroon skinny jeans. loved those things. do you have a criminal record? no. have you ever been asked out by someone you didn’t want to be with? yes. have you ever had to spend the night at a hospital? too many nights. have you ever dated someone with longer hair than yours? no. have you ever worn flip flops in the snow?  dude, it doesn't matter what the weather is, i always wear flip flops if i have to have something on my feet lol have you ever broken a heart?  i don't know, but i doubt it. ever been though a really tough breakup? it was more than "tough" have you ever struggled with substance abuse? no. how about self-harm? yeah. how long have you been listening to your favorite genre of music? since the 6th grade. what is a common misconception that people have about the country you live in?  everyone knows america's stereotypes, so i'mma talk about nc. more than anything, everyone's a redneck, according to the rest of the country. that and we're all conservative as actual fuck. do you always shut your computer down when you’re finished with it? no. do you dread filling out the about you box on most websites?  no. starting it can be kinda hard tho. did you ever have those glow in the dark stars on your ceiling? i think so... would you ever get a matching tattoo with a s/o? i actually plan on doing so once/if i get married. i want to get a simple, kinda crooked heart with the words "you're awful; i love you" written inside of it in a childish font. it's a reference to the song "love me dead" by ludo. do you have a lock number or pattern for your phone? no. just don't feel that i need to. just another thing i have to remember. what was the hardest language you’ve ever tried to learn? latin. fuck that shit. do you have any food intolerances or allergies? bananas give me heartburn that makes me want to actually die. do you have any pets? how long have you had them? teddy, 9-10 years, cali, four years, bentley, year-ish, venus, not even a month. do you prefer female or male vocalists?  don't care, but i know i listen to more males. were you ever into that gel bracelet craze?  no. what do you do when you have ‘me time’?  watch mark or more rarely listen to music, rp have you ever met someone online that you wanted to meet in real life?  just to name a few: sara, connie, mini, megan (at least, once i did), emma, shaylee... give me an example of a sick death metal band. cradle of filth, brother. have you ever worn your boyfriend's clothes?  ex's, yes. has the school ever taken away your cell phone? no. i didn't use my phone in class. is there a name that you hear and cringe? rachel. do you and your dad get along? yeah. amazingly. he had no reason to forgive me for that letter i wrote him. have you ever made your own layout for myspace? lol myspace. but no. i don't know how to do 99% of css stuff. would you rather be called cute or hot? cute. i don't like being called hot. do you use youtube more for music videos or for funny videos? funny videos. what’s your favorite thing about summer? literally the one and only thing i like about summer is swimming. would you rather own a pet polar bear or pet penguin? if it was entirely docile and you put aside the fact that they need to live in the cold, a polar bear. but considering i don't live in a cold habitat and they're not docile, realistically, a penguin. do you prefer ice cream on a cone, in a bowl, or in a cup? cone, although it's difficult for me because of my lip ring. it gets in the way lol. are you someone’s best friend? i think i'm colleen's, if you're not including her husband. do you have a secret life? kinda. would you live with someone without marrying them? yeah. do you prefer bar or liquid soap? liquid. is your favorite animal endangered? no. how many schools have you been to in your lifetime? five do you carry pain relievers with you at all times? no, but maybe i should. i get headaches a lot. have you ever done something outrageously dumb?  more than once. last person who gave you a ‘good morning’ text? no clue. maybe tyler, but i'm not sure. what is the weirdest or cutest aesthetic you enjoy? weirdest, gore. cutest, pastel goth. strawberry shortcake or strawberry cheesecake?  neither. did you ever own anything from lisa frank as a kid? SO MUCH SHIT what are your most used emoticons?  c:, ;v;, ;-;, etc. have you ever used a bath bomb?  no. who is your favorite water pokemon? vaporeon which fictional character can you not stand? hmmm. oh my god, maybe ashley from re4. she's fucking annoying. what common advice do you think never works?  for those depressed: "just do this and that, it makes you happier!" people don't fucking realize how hard it is to do simple things, and usually doing them only stresses the individual out. what seems obvious to you that doesn't seem to be for other people? in most cases, spelling. what's a joke that you like? i actually don't like things that are general, accepted jokes. they're almost always cheesy. i like more witty things that aren't intended, if that makes sense? what single thing makes someone instantly undateable to you? does drugs. how short is too short for shorts/skirts? if your ass is showing do your parents trust you? should they trust you?   yes to both. what’s your favorite led zeppelin song? "kashmir." dat beat tho. if you knew you couldn’t get caught, would you rob a bank? no way. wouldn't be able to live with myself. have you ever dated someone in the military? no. i personally wouldn't be able to. like can you say stress. ever been prescribed narcotics? yes, xanax. maybe another or so. what is an irrational fear that you have? whale sharks. there's no possible way for them to swallow a person due to their esophagi being so small, but my mind doesn't care lol best part about winter: snow<3 did you attend your high school prom?  i went when i was a sophomore because my boyfriend of the time was a senior, then i went for my senior year. would you give your bf/gf a second chance if they cheated? absolutely not. what foreign language do you wish you spoke?  german. would you rather get money or presents for your birthday?  money. buy my own shit. do you have any exes you can’t stand anymore?  i'll talk about each one that's ever had the title "boyfriend." aaron and i are fine; it was a total puppy love deal so we never had a real relationship. he was cool, but we don't really talk anymore. we're facebook friends, though. juan, yes, i can't fucking stand him because he's a goddamn pig that keeps getting into trouble. jason, i wouldn't say i can't stand him. i loved him once and will always have residual feelings for him. tyler, i wouldn't say i hate him, but i definitely want nothing to do with him. how old do you think you’ll be when you move out on your own?  that's a question i don't like to think about much. i firmly believe i'd never properly survive on my own. so probably not until i move in with a significant other or i mature a lot more to where i can handle myself living alone. what’s something people always assume about you that isn’t true? that i'm a cold person because i don't say much. people tend to think i hate humanity in general and want nothing to do with anyone. on a scale of 1-10, how much do elevators scare you?  a seven, maybe. i'm really scared of them getting stuck. do you like slim jims? they are my true loves have you ever received a hickey from the last person you kissed? that is a fucking disgusting thought that literally makes me cringe. no. do you still talk to the person you had your first kiss with? no. if you had to live off one type of fruit, which would you pick?  strawberries. kiwi is a close second. how often do you drink monster? never. tastes like poison. when is the last time you did something illegal?  a few days ago when i downloaded some songs. do you give a good back massage? well considering giving jason one always ended up becoming more than a massage... what has been the scariest experience you’ve been through? overdosing on otc things and just waiting to see how badly it would fuck me up. thankfully, it literally did nothing other than almost make me puke briefly. you can bet your ass my sinuses were clear as fuck tho lmao what’s your greatest insecurity?  weight would you strongly prefer to go out with someone of your own skin color/racial background?  nope. i don't care. say you’ve started seeing someone you really like. as far as you’re concerned, how long will it take before you have sex? there's a lot of variables here. one, i think i'm going to continue being abstinent, but i'm not entirely sure anymore. two, it depends on the person. exactly how rapidly are we becoming close to the other? is jealousy healthy in a relationship? i think it is at a very mild degree. being a bit "territorial" with your partner is a good sign, to me. it's defending someone you love and showing you don't appreciate someone else showing them romantic affection, even if you trust your partner. should evolution and creationism be taught side-by-side in school?  i personally believe both of those branches should be electives. neither should be in the mandated curriculum. have you ever cosplayed? no, but honestly, i'd love to. is it wrong to sleep in a bed/cuddle with a friend (of the sex you’re attracted to) when you’re in an exclusive relationship with someone else? cuddling, yes, but sleeping together with a person not of your preferred gender doesn't seem wrong to me. how do you feel about government-subsidized food programs (free lunch, food stamps, etc.)? they're beneficial for people who need it. do you believe that heterosexual pornography is degrading to women? why just women and heterosexual? pornography is degrading to everyone involved. do you support the exploration of outer space? if yes, would you consider taking a trip into space, or even to another planet? i think it is important, but we shouldn't spend as much money as we do on it; we need to be more concerned about the planet we live on. and i personally wouldn't. is it okay for men to wear makeup? what’s your opinion of male crossdressers?  sure. wear whatcha want. would you let your children under 13 watch movies with full nudity?  HELL NO will you teach your children to believe in santa? i don't want kids, but hypothetically, i would. i really don't like the idea of lying, but i absolutely adore my memories of my own raising believing in santa. christmas was so magical. what is your opinion concerning strip clubs?  honestly? cesspits. is there any aspect of your sexuality that you would be too embarrassed to ever share with a match? i wouldn't say "embarrassed," but i know i wouldn't like to share the fact i find penises remarkably hideous. i find both genitalia to be extremely unattractive. what’s your passion?  meerkats, youtubers, silent hill, world of warcraft bc fuckin' nerd, heavy metal music have you ever been harassed and/or bullied?  no, thank christ. pick one: crash bandicoot or spyro? SPYRO! i like crash too, though. do your parents drink? dad doesn't anymore, mom almost never does. could you forgive a boyfriend or friend who physically hurt you? fuuuuck to the no son are you a funny person? lol no how do you feel about bob marley? his voice is fucking awful when you were younger did you have a neopets account? i sure did. do you have any gay family members? yes, an uncle. do you look intimidating? besides having a serious resting bitch face, i don't know. your last ex calls wanting to hangout, what do you say? nah son. could you go the rest of your life without drinking alcohol? yeah. what’s one fruit you love in drinks? strawberries have you ever tried wine? no, don't particularly want to. i know it's really bitter. have you ever just laid outside and looked at the stars? i used to do that while catfishing with dad. it was on a cement decline for boats to get into the water, and it was pretty comfortable to just lay on your back and look up at the stars while waiting. some of my favorite memories. could you date someone shorter than you? yes?? why would height have anything to do with it?? have a crazy side? not really, no. ever been kissed by a legal adult when you were a minor (or vise-versa)? yes. i like to forget it ever happened. ever been kissed by someone you didn’t want to kiss? see above. ever been walked in on while you were making out with someone? lol almost. thank god for fast reflexes. ever stopped kissing someone because they had bad breath? ha ha yep. i don't do morning breath. ever thought of someone else while you were kissing someone? no. did the one person who hurt you the most in your life apologize? yes, but i sincerely believe he didn't mean it. what's the last thing you and your ex talked about? jason, a lot. i was trying to gain closure, and i think i did. pretty sure the last thing he really said was stop saying "i'll try" and start saying "i will" or something like that. tyler, essentially to stop fucking texting me. have you ever thought about getting your lip pierced? it's been pierced before and it is again now. are you on medication for anything? bipolarity, anxiety if i need it, birth control, and an allergy med. what was the worst mistake of your life? letting jason become the entire universe to me. could you ever be friends with somebody who was homophobic? i am friends with a homophobe. i don't necessarily "respect" her opinion, but i tolerate it. i firmly believe everyone has the right to their own. does virginity matter to you?  i personally believe you should save it for someone you really, sincerely, absolutely love and plan to stay with, but i don't demean people who don't wait. regardless though, i firmly believe that you should at least feel that you love the person. how would you describe your sense of humor?  extremely dry. ever written fanfiction for anything? believe it or not, no. i don't even read it. would you rather get a tattoo or piercing? a tat do you listen to a band a lot of people don’t seem to know about?  ugh, otep is agonizingly underrated. how do you feel about children swearing? i'm against it. i believe a certain level of maturity is required to really know when it's appropriate to swear or not. what's a unique thing about your fashion sense? probably the fact i can look like a geek one second then a goth the next lol how do you feel about your weight?  i loathe it, but i feel better about it ever since finding out my weight gain wasn't my fault; it was a mood stabilizer i was on for a year or more called abilify. it's unbelievable how much that shit fucked me over, and it did absolutely nothing in terms of my mental health. my current psychiatrist pointed out how it absolutely destroys your metabolism, and he was honestly stunned when i told him no one else that i'd been seeing pointed that shit out, especially my primary doctor, who had some training in psychiatric meds; and the disgusting thing is, she occasionally acted angry towards me about it and really did make it seem like i didn't care about my health and wasn't trying. ugh. i am still remarkably bitter that i'd been put on a medicine that has a side effect of weight gain anyway considering i've explicitly told every psychiatrist i've ever seen DO FUCKING NOT put me on something that causes weight gain, because i've been through it before and worked my ass off to lose all the weight i'd gained from paxil years before. but thankfully, since being taken off abilify and loads other medications, i've been losing weight rapidly since my body can no longer sustain what i'd gained. it helps that my appetite has returned to normal; well, maybe even less than normal, but i'm not complaining. like it's brazenly obvious it was medication considering it's not like i started exercising or something, and i haven't gone on some diet. i legitimately pray that i can return to what i used to weigh. do you like to comment on other people's surveys?  only on close friend's. do you have any racist friends? yes, and it's the same story with the homophobe: i don't like your opinion, but i'm not going to generalize you as a whole terrible person just because of one belief. i'll never agree with you, but still. do you wear glasses? what style do you like better?  yeah. mine are kinda like big, geeky ones. do you prefer lemons or limes? lemons. would you consider your voice high, low, or in the middle? definitely low for a woman. any songs that make you laugh out loud when you hear them?  "i just had sex" by the lonely island ft. akon will, at the bare minimum, always make me smile. it's so silly. was your first kiss perfect? i wouldn't have had it any other way. how do you handle breakups? welp. if jason's and mine was any indication, i sob for over a year straight, get PTSD from it, want to die daily, and y'know, shit like that. i couldn't be more thankful that i'm over that shit. if you had to get a tattoo, where would you get it? there's a few that i'm debating on being my next. there's a big, very detailed one i want on my right, upper arm, but i'm sure it won't be my next because it's going to be fucking expensive. one that has a good chance of being my next is a cool design i found that is geometric and has a badass-looking ram in the center, then in an arch over it, i want the lyrics "maybe i'm a misfit, maybe i'm different; it will never be an average existence" from "rise, rebel, resist" by otep. i think it looks really cool with the design because the graphic kinda radiates a sort of dominant, resilient aura. i'm not sure where i'd get it, though. another that has a good possibility being next is a design that has a few tiny koi fish going around the wrist in a slight angle. it's really cute; i'd get it on the top of my left wrist. i also like this triangular design that has a watercolor, fire-like texture sprayed over it; in a pretty chiseled font, I want "Gefährlich ist wer Schmerzen kennt" ("whoever knows pain is dangerous") written over it, from "feuer frei" by rammstein. i'd get it on top of my right hand. this one has a high chance of being my next one considering the budget will probably be kinda small. lastly, another with a good shot is getting the anxiety ribbon with the lyrics "you can't kill what you did not create" (from "just when you thought we couldn't get any more emo, we go and pull a stunt like this" by motionless in white; yes, seriously) beside it. i'm thinking of getting it on my right forearm, on the side. WOW that was long pardon me and my tattoo ideas. do you wear your seat belt in the car? always. what's your biggest turn off? if you believe illnesses are only real if they're physical, i will immediately fucking hate you. like i know i say a lot i respect other's opinions, but that is one i will never, ever, tolerate. have you ever set a marshmallow on fire? yes. i'm awful at roasting marshmallows. thinking back to your relationships, who ended it? counting everyone who's had the "boyfriend" title, plus a "friend" who i briefly acted like more with: me, me, me, him, me. do you know anyone who's been arrested? i think i don't... have you ever tried to reconnect with someone from your past, but were unable to find them/get in touch with them? multiple online friends. do you believe that the more that you give, the more you will get?  in general, but not always. what is something you've recently discovered that you're absolutely in love with? how did you come across it? this is by no means recent, but the last thing i discovered that i fell in love with was rhett and link, whom i started to watch daily over a year ago. i was first exposed to them by my ex, but back then, i never watched them with him. big mistake lol. i actually don't recall how i re-discovered them... what was the first social network website you joined?  myspace. what is the worst natural disaster you've experienced firsthand? hurricane floyd. do you like to receive feedback on things you've made or done? i mean, sure. it's nice to see what others think. do you own any webkinz? ... i have ~40 in a bag in our attic. do you swoon over british accents?  O BOI do you prefer wolves or foxes? foxes. do you prefer opossums or raccoons?  opossums are cuter. did you ever have tea parties when you were little? only if nicole wanted to. she had this disney princess tea set that she loved to play with. choose one character: pooh, tigger, piglet, eeyore? eeyore was adorable. tigger's cool too, tho. choose one character: mickey, minnie, donald, daisy, goofy, pluto?  goofy do you listen to kpop, jpop, or cpop? no. have an acquaintance who's obsessed, though. which baby animal is your favorite? meerkats. like, have you seen pups?? chocolate or strawberry milk?  strawberry milk is fucking repulsive, so chocolate. does your job allow piercings or tattoos? currently unemployed, but i wouldn't work anywhere that didn't allow either. do you like rollercoasters? never been on one, probably never will. i'm too scared of throwing up. how old is your oldest and youngest friend? oldest, 30 or 31. youngest, 17. did you tease freshmen in high school? no, why would i?? i was one at some point. what is your favorite... bird? mammal? reptile? fish?  barn owl; meerkat; cobra; koi, maybe. what's your favorite bubblegum flavor?  i really like that watermelon one from i think hubba bubba? tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? i got a moose from the huge cabela's hunting store in ohio when i was young, and i named it brownie. i have him still sitting on my dresser<3 what are your favorite memes of the year so far? this is such a millennial question lol. are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?  hateclub. idk, i just find them remarkably annoying. have you ever been a featured member on any website? yes. a sh fan site. do you prefer hot chocolate with or without marshmallows? without, but i can do both. who’s the last person you had a sleepover with? chelsea. who do you talk to about personal problems? sara, more than anyone <3 what would you do if you got pregnant? be fucking terrified, angry, but keep the baby, but give it up for adoption. when was your first kiss? 2012 ideal weather conditions? like 55 degrees, cloudy. the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? if it's the *most* embarrassing thing i've ever done, why would i want to talk about it? can you name 5 people that you used to be close to, but aren’t anymore? explain why. 1.) megan - she lied to me about essentially everything. 2.) mini - she just... stopped talking to me and now only does on her time. 3.) jason - he just about ruined my entire life so i no longer want any association with him. 4.) brianna - she found a new group of friends in middle school. 5.) jenna - we also just kinda stopped talking. it was hard to keep up considering we never went to the same school. she did call me the last time i was in the hospital though, which i thought was incredibly sweet. have you ever been told that you were good in bed? not explicitly, but i think the actions spoke for themselves. do you think you would make a good mother? no. i don't like being around others a lot and also don't fancy being responsible for another person. then there's the fact that there's a chance that after investing all that time into someone, (s)he could just grow up hating me. do you hate slang words like ‘tits’ and ‘shag’? depends on the word. do you ever watch wildlife shows? they're my favorite shows. would you pose naked in front of a million people for a million? no, actually. i am way too self-conscious and the embarrassment wouldn't be worth it. do you download music illegally? yes. been a habit i've had too long to break. favorite snapchat filter? i don't use snapchat, but of those that i know, i like the flower crown one. ... or is that instagram? idk. what's the worst thing you have ever done? acting in a way i shouldn't have with "just a friend." how many times have you been to the hospital? too many times. i don't know anymore. maybe six. top 10 favorite songs? in no order, here are some that i really enjoy atm: 1.) "false flags" by massive attack; 2.) "do i wanna know?" by arctic monkeys; 3.) "third day of a seven day binge" by marilyn manson; 4.) "pumped up kicks" by foster the people; 5.) "trap door" by ozzy osbourne; 6.) "face down" by red jumpsuit apparatus; 7.) "milk and cookies" by melanie martinez; 8.) "deep six" by marilyn manson; 9.) "daddy issues" by the neighbourhood; 10.) "why'd you only call me when you're high?" by arctic monkeys. i'm sure they're more that i like more than some, but i can't think of all right now. what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) dry in most places, oily on my face. what is your crush’s first and last initial? DM are you going to change your last name when you get married? yes. what is your favorite condiment to go with french fries?  ketchup do you like to eat stir fry?  ew. what color is your mp3 player?  my ipod's hot pink. have you ever laid in a hammock? yeah. we used to have one. have you ever lost a pet in a tragic way? how did you cope?  our goldendoodle got spleen cancer and declined in health in literally like a week. he had to be put down, and i was there for it. it was hard to get over. what can’t you go a day without doing?  eat, drink, use the bathroom, watch mark & do other shit online, watch gmm if it's a weekday. have you ever led someone on? why did you do so? don’t you think that it’s mean to do that? rather just not talk about it. i was a stupid kid. do you like gore? ... it's my aesthetic lol. but i have my limits about it. do you own any choker/collar necklaces? i have multiple. my favorite doesn't fit anymore and the other probably doesn't either. did you have a “scene” phase? no, i had an emo phase lol do you find it easy to trust others? nope if your s/o smoked pot/did drugs would you care?  i wouldn't date him if so. do you like hickeys? i don't not like them if they're private. what time do you go to bed? any time from like 10:30 to 3:00 or so. do you hate the person you fell hardest for? no, but i don't like him. do you curse around your parents?  totally open with dad, usually don't say "fuck" around mom. are you monogamous or do you prefer open-ended relationships?  monogamous ever made out with a friend? no. how would you rate your sex drive? normal, i'd say. if you had to have a color for a name, what color would it be?  uhhh. of those off the top of my head, maybe blue. if you had kids, would you worry about what they did online? of course i would. the internet has some things kids should never see. i doubt i'd go through their history though, if i'm being honest. i'd hold issue with that if my mom did it, so i'm sure my own kids would. have you gone mental?  oh you have no idea. would you take your kids to visit a black santa clause? why or why not?  yes?? what the fuck is this question?? do you remember the first conversation you had with the person you have feelings for? i don't remember, i just know he first called me "lip ring girl" because he didn't know my name lol do you know your best friend’s middle name?  colleen, and i think sara's is jane, but i'm actually not sure if that's just part of her first name. have you had sex with a black person? no, but i'm not opposed to it. have you ever had a serious conversation with your dad?  yes. he took me out to lunch one day and we talked about my recovering from jason. do gay, lesbians, bisexuals or transgender people bother you? nope. can you tolerate children for a long period of time? NO. just another reason i shouldn't be a mom. have you ever became attracted to someone you weren’t at first because their personality made you find them physically attractive?  yeah, jason. were you more fond of swings, monkey bars, or seesaws as a child?  boi i charged for the swings every time. what is the worst way to break up with someone? through text/any kind of messenger, omg. what must you have in order to sleep well at night? a fan on. what will you name your future son or daughter? i don't want kids, but if i did, the girl would 100% be alessandra and the boy would probably be luther. have you ever thrown a party for a pet? no, but i always give teddy a peanut butter sandwich "cake" for his birthday. what do you consider the greatest threat to mankind? greed. what is your favorite thing to do with your girls? just chill. if your one true love hit you would you still love him? fuck that shit. would you want to meet the man of your dreams if he dies in a year? no. like can you say traumatic. how did you meet your best friend(s)? colleen, girl scouts. sara, youtube. who introduced you to the band you love? all others besides ozzy, metallica, and korn, myself. what song reminds you of your first love? "easy to love you" by theory of a deadman. i couldn't listen to it after the breakup until very recently. what do you think of teenagers getting married? probably a bad choice. it works sometimes, sure, but you still have a lot of growing up to do. what movie that johnny depp plays in do you really like? "alice in wonderland" can you introduce yourself to a new person easily? NOOOOOO which disney princess had to go through the most pain? good question! maybe rapunzel? like can you imagine being locked in a tower for that long?? do you believe you can only be in love once? absolutely not. do you believe in premarital sex? i have mixed feelings. i'm more accepting of it than i used to be, tho. “once a cheater always a cheater.” true or false? no. just because you cheated once doesn't doom you to cheat again. do you believe its possible to fall out of love? yes, i lived through that experience. do you know your blood type? yes, a- are you catholic? i was raised roman catholic, but i'm not anymore. what kind of job did your mom have when you were growing up?  she was an assistant teacher for the special needs kids. have you ever stayed up all night on the phone?  this one time with jason. do you think that fishing and hunting are wrong and why or why not?  hunting is wrong if you don't eat the meat, imo. i have no problems with fishing because it doesn't kill the animal. what do you put on your french fries?  ketchup, sometimes. do you like mustard? yup. what’s the funniest nickname you have?  i don't really have a funny nickname. would you ever keep your favorite animal as a pet?  no. meerkats are very destructive pets. it's not legal in the u.s., anyway. what is something you eat but everybody else thinks it’s gross?  i've heard a lot of people don't like peanut butter. which celebrities would you have a threesome with? i wouldn't have a threesome with anybody. i don't support them. favorite character from "finding nemo"? it's always been dory. through time, i've also developed a respect for gill. do you change your type of music regularly? my music "type" hasn't changed since i was in the 6th grade. ever met somebody who seem like they hated life? i know a lot of people like that. do you look forward to the spring? absolutely not. welcome to the life of one allergic to pollen. which area of the sciences do you enjoy the most? genetics do you care about your weight? of course i do, everyone should. if you could spend the day doing absolutely anything with anyone anywhere, what would it be like? go to the zoo with my mom. is there anyone who lives in the same house as you that you can’t stand? nicole's dog. i tolerate him, but i do not like him. are all of your friends virgins?  to ask an adult if all their friends are virgins, realistically, has an obvious answer. not saying all adults aren't virgins, but you get me. it's more rare. but who are virgins and who isn't is none of my business. who's the last person who gave you a "good morning" text?  girt messaged me good morning via facebook, if that counts? i don't text a lot of people, so no one really tells me good morning. do you have something you’re supposed to tell someone, but you haven’t yet? no. do you like going to museums? yeah! what is a cliche thing that happens a lot in anime? the most unique-looking character is always the protagonist. if you believe in a god or higher being, do you think that they are vengeful and will punish you for your wrongdoings? vengeful, no. will one be punished, probably. what is your favorite scene from your favorite film?  it's super cool when alice fights the jabberwocky. do you have a hard time being around people whose opinions on alcohol and drugs differ from yours? nope. so long you don't do drugs or drink excessively around me, i don't care. what is something you thought could/would never happen to you that has happened to you? i attempted suicide. how often do you get on facebook? sometimes multiple times a day, sometimes none at all. do you think girls deserve more respect just cause they are girls? no, that's ridiculous. is there anything specifically that you’ve been worrying about a lot recently?  job stuff. where do you spend a majority of your time when you���re at home? i am literally always in my room. which deadly sin are you most guilty of?  sloth. who makes you feel the most unappreciated?  my grandmother. if heaven and hell are real, which one are you going to?  i ask myself that. there are a number of things in the old testament that i 110% disagree with, but then there's the fact that according to the bible, jesus' resurrection is kinda what nullified the "old" sins. hence why, for example, christians can eat pork or whatever. the old and new testaments are what separate christians from jews. but i'm quite sure the more "common sense" sins weren't suddenly made fine, but hell, how do we really know what's a "common sense" sin to a god and which ones aren't? idk. have you ever seen your dad cry? i've seen him tear up only once in my life. have you ever had a pet rat?  tezzeret, rhoka, rhett, link. i want another pair. could you go a year without sex? i've gone 21 years without it, so. do you like pudding? chocolate pudding, yes. what’s your favorite kind of doughnut? i like original cake, glazed, and chocolate frosted. do you ever trip over your pets? occasionally, teddy especially. teddy always lies on the side of my bed when i'm there, and he will not move when i get up for something until he's sure i'm not coming back to the room, so i have to step over him. do you think polygamy is wrong or acceptable? i don't support it. what is one natural disaster you are afraid of? TORNADOES do your wrists ever hurt from typing too much? that's some amateur shit, brother. haven't had that issue for years. is there any song that makes you think of your dad? "sweet child o' mine" by guns n' roses. if i ever get married, i really want that to be the father/daughter dance, although i don't see how to really dance to it... have you ever taken a picture of you kissing someone? once. what is the last thing you did on powerpoint? a final project for my art class my senior year. if you were upset, who’s the first girl you would go to? sara, most likely. are you afraid of falling in love? yes, because i'm afraid of being hurt. could you forgive your best friend for sleeping with your bf/gf? definitely not. if you’ve ever had and quit a job, did you actually call in and quit or put in your two weeks notice or did you just stop showing up? my first boss and i talked in the back room and he was so understandable. he was super chill and a great guy. second job, i texted my boss. do you tend to baby or take care of the people you date, or do you tend to date alpha types that take care of you? both. depends on situations in regards to how i act. how would you feel if the person you were interested in refused to perform oral sex on you? fuck, i'd be happy. i don't like oral. honestly, does it bother you when your friends make questionable choices? or are you usually unaffected by how others live their lives? of course i care, because i care for them. i don't want them to make mistakes that they'll regret. have your parents ever expressed interest in you taking up a certain profession or hobby? they don’t have to have had pressured you into it, but maybe just as a suggestion? yes, my mom reminds me i should be a vet a lot. hypothetically speaking, if you ever give birth to a son, would you have him circumcised? yes, for health purposes. do you ever get frustrated because you have great ideas for a talent you don’t have? for example, you have a good idea for a song but you don’t play an instrument so you can’t share it, or you have a great idea for a video but don’t know how to use video software, etc. yep, with drawing. i can picture things so vividly, but when it comes to drawing them... nnnope. who was the last person you talked to on skype/video chat? we've never actually video chatted, but sam and i used to use skype for voice chat every day when we played wow together. does your significant other/crush know about your tumblr? does he/she look at it? no, but i wouldn't be embarrassed if he did. but he'd probably judge me for it being a fandom trashcan lmao have you ever had shower sex?  no, and i never want to. sounds uncomfortable and dangerous as fuck. did you masturbate today? i don't masturbate. do you believe in karma as in “what goes around comes around?” no. not everyone who has done wrong ever gets what should be coming to them. how many brothers does your father have?  none. does your best friend have any tattoos?  sara, no, colleen, yes. are you a skittles person, or an m&m person?  skittles have you ever had a seizure?  no what was your gpa in high school? over a 4.0 are you better at telling stories or writing them?  writing them. name a band that you can’t decide whether you like them or not.  i pretty much know whether i like a band or not. nothing's coming to mind. what’s one word that annoys you when people use it out of context?  "retarded." don't fucking abuse it around me. what fast food restaurant(s) can you absolutely not stand?  arby's. ew. does it annoy you when people say “omg” or “idk” in a normal conversation?  it's a weird pet peeve i have, yes. do you have any best friends that you only know online? most of the best friends i've ever had are online. are you afraid of needles?  no. like don't get me wrong, the needles used for shots make me uneasy because they're so long, but i think that's kinda natural. do you have any plans set out for your future? if so, what are they? obtain a steady job, hopefully as a photographer, probably get married before moving to the mountains of nc because fuck the coastal plain. have you ever had a concussion? if so, what from?  yes. i passed out and landed on my chin. do gay people make you uncomfortable? no, unless i'm being flirted with. have you ever heard of the cranberries?  i've heard of their song "zombie," which i enjoy. who has the ability to hurt you the most emotionally?  my mom. do you have the same political views as your parents? we're all mostly conservative, but we have some varying views. be honest, do you miss your ex? not anymore, no. if he couldn't handle me at my worst, then i don't need him. if you have siblings, who do you think will be married first, you or them?  i'll go through them. ashley is married, misty's in a serious relationship so maybe she will be next, i don't think bobby or katie are dating anyone, nicole's got a boyfriend but so do i, so between us two, idk. do you like pastel colored hair?  omf aesthetic are there any cracks or scuffs on your phone?  no. how old were you when you got your first car?  i haven't had my own car. do you feed your leftovers to your dogs?   teddy will get something occasionally because he doesn't fucking beg like cali and bentley. what tricks does your pet do?   teddy can sit, say hello (shake), lie down, and say please (beg).  cali can sit.  bentley can't do jack shit. who is your favorite character on your favorite television show?   fma: edward elrich; that '70s show: probably hyde. who is your pet most attached to in your family?   teddy, me.  cali, mom.  bentley, also mom because nicole gives him zero fucking attention.  i'm the only one who gives venus attention because yeah, snake. out of all the colors of the rainbow, which one is your favorite?   assuming shades and tints are not included, purple or red. would you ever be interested in going on a proper african safari?  OMG YAAAAAAAAS if you had to be a teacher, what subject would you be able to teach best?  english have your parents met the person you’re currently interested in?   mom knows him well, dad's seen him a good number of times before the divorce. are your eyes the same color as your siblings’ eyes?  only bobby and i have blue eyes. do you prefer glazed or powdered donuts?   glazed. when you first meet somebody, do you stick out your hand for them to shake?   i usually don't initiate it, no. do you know someone who has asthma?   yes, my mother and grandmother what is the most controversial thing you've done?   uhhh... download music, maybe?? how many people have you kissed in your life?   three, but i like to pretend one never happened. what’s your favorite restaurant?   olive garden. do you act on impulse or do you think things through?   it varies depending on the situation. do you think the usa bullies other countries?   sometimes, honestly, yes. have you ever taken a shower with someone else?   with my little sister as a kid. can you taste the difference between pepsi and coke?   immediately. what was your first pet? do you still have this pet?   a beautiful collie named trigger; she was my dad's dog.  but no, she died when i was very little, so i barely remember her.  don't remember how she died.  i was told she swallowed her tongue, but i know you can't technically do that, so. what is your favorite thing to learn about?   meerkats. who’s one person who changed how you viewed something?   a number of people. what annoys you most in a person?   um.  maybe closed-mindedness?  intolerance? whose bed did you sleep in last that wasn’t yours?   colleen's. in a relationship, do you think about the future, or now?   both.  you need to consider both if you want a healthy relationship. are you a patient person?   NO.  i am the most impatient fucking person. are you pale or tan or kind of an in-betweener?   the irish is strong in this one. is life pointless?   i fail to believe we'd be here if it was. would you ever spy on a boyfriend/girlfriend if you were suspicious?   no, what the fuck.  be an adult and be upfront about it. when was the last time you were bitten by an animal? what kind of animal was it?   some weeks ago by our dog bentley, but it was just a playful nip.  he needs to learn to stop doing it, though. what was the last band or artist you discovered?   boyfriend's kinda got me into powerwolf.  heard of them a looong time ago, but never actually listened to them. do you have a favorite song by the cure?   "she sells sanctuary" are there things you’ve never told for fear that others would judge you?   yes. can sex ever be casual?  i do believe it's possible to have it casually, but i don't support it. what celebrity are you dreading the future death of?  there are many.  there are some who i think when they die, i will probably die with them. do you neglect your friends when you have a significant other?   no. do you own a gun?  no.  i know i by law can't because of my suicidal and depressed history, but i'm unsure if those i live with can for the same reason. if you had to delete one year of your life, which year would it be?   20fucking16 what is your favorite christmas song?   if you wanna count "the nightmare before christmas" songs bc who the fuck knows if that movie's more about halloween or christmas, i love fall out boy's cover of "what's this?"  if i can't include the movie's soundtrack, i like "the most wonderful time of the year." what is something that has really impacted your life?   more than anything, my breakup. what did you and your ex fight about most?  me and jason, uhhh... i don't really know?  we argued sometimes, yes, but i can't really think of a main topic...  as for tyler and me, we only fought once and that was the end of it. do you have a foot phobia?  it's not a phobia, but omg i still hate feet are you embarrassed by any of the songs in your itunes?   lol yes.  my collection of melanie martinez songs is so random. do you like raisins?  omg no have you ever gone on vacation with your boyfriend/girlfriend?   not with my current one, nor with any exes. have you met the last person you kissed's parents?  no.  known each other seven years and i have literally never seen his parents lmao have you ever been to a sports game?  yeah.  dad and i have been to like three hockey games. do people ever misspell your name?   yes.  people want to spell it as "brittney" all the time. have you ever had roommates?   yes.  when jason and i lived together, our friends, who were also a couple, lived with us. have you ever made a sex tape?   no, and i never would. do/did you skip class?   never one class exclusively.  i would fake sick to stay home occasionally lol have you ever felt yourself fainting?   twice.  one occasion where i did, and another not that long after where i know without a doubt i would've if i hadn't gotten down on my knees. have you ever been friends with someone with bipolar disorder?   yes. who’s the last boy to make you cry?   jason last girl?   my mom has anyone ever threatened you?   yes. would you ever own a rat?   i've had four and would like two more, but this time from a breeder.  i just don't like getting pets from pet stores... they honestly give no shits about them. has your mouth ever been washed out with soap?   no, but i'd be threatened with it as a kid. would you genuinely be okay with having a woman as president?   yes??  what the fuck is this question?? what’s the worst feeling in the world?   heartbreak, in various forms. what’s something you wish you could take back?   things i don't want to talk about. what happens to you when you get nervous?   i sweat, my heartrate goes up, i fidget a lot, i knead my hands, and i stutter badly. have you ever snuck out? how many times?   no. who’s the first person you kissed, and would you like a do-over?   jason, and no. who scares you?   jason, because i know what he was capable of. what’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do in your life?   learn to let jason go. do you prefer cupcakes or muffins?   muffins do you and your dad get along?   yes.  i wrote him a letter after the divorce though that he never should've forgiven me for, but he did.  he is a wonderful person that i am so so thankful for. <3 who was your high school crush?   first was kyle, then girt, then jason. do your nails grow out round or square?   round have you ever been on crutches?  no. did your mom sing to you when you were young?   i don't think so. does your boyfriend have a job?   way to assume everyone has a boyfriend.  but whatever.  yes. do your siblings dye their hair?   no. did you have a role model growing up?   yes, steve irwin. what's the greatest lost you've endured?   jason. is there a situation or person you haven't been able to get over, forgive or what-have-you?   i'm over him, but i haven't exactly "forgiven" jason. did you give anyone their first kiss?  no. what animal did you last pet or hold?  pet, dog, hold, snake. were you born perfectly healthy or with some (or a lot) of health issues?   i was perfectly healthy. did you ever catch any bugs or insects with your friends as a kid?  me and my neighbor hunter would catch SO MANY bugs. have you ever been disrespectful to one or both of your parents?   yes to both. do you believe in sex before marriage? is it against your religion?   eh, mixed feelings.  i think abstinence is for me tho.  as for if it's against my religion, i actually don't know if it's mentioned in the new testament, so idk. when you sign your name do you use your middle name?   no. do you have a shower curtain or door?   curtain has anyone ever mistaken you for being gay/lesbian/bi?   i've been mistaken as gay before. does the thought of being pregnant gross you out?   let's be real here, pregnancy is disgusting. did you ever have to share a room with one of your siblings?   my younger sister and i did when we were little. do you remember those "the land before time" movies and if so, who was your favorite character?   i loved those movies.  pretty sure my favorite was littlefoot. what band, musical artist or song do you feel you’ll never get sick of?   more than anyone, ozzy and metallica.  my first metal loves. do you think you’ll be a good mother/father?   no, and thus i don't want kids. is it hard leaving people behind?   if you actually gave a shit about the person, it always is. do you watch "the walking dead"?   no, i don't watch tv. have you ever had to get a tooth pulled? if so, what for?   no, but i may have to get this wisdom tooth on my bottom left jaw out.  it causes me to bite my cheek a lot. if you’ve ever babysat, do you like it?   i did once and i never will again. have either of your parents gone to jail?   no. do you know a hoarder?   i know two. what’s a reasonable amount of time before two people get engaged?   i mean... it depends.  people get close at different rates.  but i'd probably be doubtful if it was any less than like two years. what’s something you’ve done that not many people can say they have?   uhhhh... hm.  i don't really know.  i mean not many people can say they've been to a mental hospital at least five fucking times, but that's nothing to be proud of. what tv shows did you grow up watching?   just to name a few: "pokemon," "bear in the big blue house," "rugrats," "spongebob squarepants," "the amanda show," "rolie polie olie," "the crocodile hunter," etc...  lots of stuff on nick, disney, and animal planet. what were your favorite toys to play with as a child?   these plastic dinosaurs that i had. do you enjoy the arctic monkeys?  they have three songs i really love, one being one of my all-time faves.  i've heard a few others that are all right. what type of criminal would you be?   i wouldn't be a criminal to begin with.  but if you're asking like, what am i most likely to do to make me one?  idk. do you get attached easily?   once you start showing me i can trust you, yes.  but i don't mean this in a romantic sense; i learned my damn lesson.  i'm doubtful and very cautious when getting attached romantically, but as far as friendships go, once i think you're all right?  yeah, i get attached. what were you like when you were a kid?   i was hyper, weird, and really talkative.  only thing i've maintained is the weirdness lol would you go against your moral code for money?   no.  i have a really devout moral compass. what is your happiest childhood memory?   really, i have a lot.  the memory of me waking up early to play any of the original "spyro" games is strong with me.  i also used to love swimming on the first day of spring with nicole; we'd always pester dad to put the pool up as soon as spring was here.  we wouldn't even wait for the water to warm up lol.  then i have a distinct memory of dad teaching me to ride a bike, and i loved that.  playing baseball with dad was fun, too.  all things considered, i had a good childhood. have you ever had an imaginary friend?   no. if you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?   that's a hard question, but i'd probably take away greed.  it is the fuel behind a LOT of things. is there someone you don’t ever want to be out of your life?   many people, but more than anyone, my mom.  i have no fucking clue where i'd be without her. do you think you can love someone without trusting them?   not sincerely, no. what is a career you dream of pursuing but realistically you shouldn’t?   meerkat biologist.  i wouldn't survive in the heat. do you like 80s music?   quite a bit, mostly '80s metal. what kind of food is your favorite? (Ex. mexican, chinese, thai, etc.)   american how would you feel if you were drafted for the military?   NNNNNNOPE who is your favorite harry potter character?   i don't know much about hp. what is your favorite queen song?   "bohemian rhapsody" is the only correct answer what topics are you really shy about and don’t like discussing?   i don't talk about my hobbies period. who did you last pinky promise with?   probably colleen. do you drink bottled water?   if i absolutely have to drink water, i'll get it from a bottle or preferably a water filter that's been in the fridge.  i can't drink tap water. do you donate blood?   i did once in high school, but i don't think i will again.  it was a very stressful experience for me because i was afraid of fainting. have you ever swam in a river?   yeah.  welcome to the south. in what month do you start christmas shopping?  i don't have my own money, so i can't christmas shop to begin with. have you ever posted a question on yahoo questions?   no. do you still have clothes from your high school dances?   i have both my prom dresses have you ever felt manipulated?   yes. what is your stance on getting revenge?   childish. do you have a ceiling fan located in your bedroom?  no, but mom wants to install one.  my room is extremely hot, and the one desk fan i have in here is far from enough. disney’s "frozen": yay or nay?   nay.  so disappointing.  the pacing was awful and the story was so predictable. what does your best friend think of the person you love/like?   sara doesn't know him, colleen loves him. ever thought you knew someone, but it was all a big lie?   meet my former best friend. any music videos make you cry?   "hurt" by johnny cash really gets me, as well as "one" by metallica, but i wouldn't say i cry. do you delete people from facebook if their views are vastly different than yours?   no.  however, if they start pushing their views on me or straight-up bash mine, then yes. do you like to climb trees?   i wouldn't know, as i've never climbed one.  like 99% of trees here in nc are pine trees, so no branches are low enough to climb. have you ever played the "tomb raider" games?   omg so we had two.  i remember buying the first one, but my brother had the second one, i'm pretty sure.  might have been the first.  i got too frustrated with the first one, which i played as a teenager, but when i was very young, my sister and i loved the second one.  only our brother was good at it, but ashley and i would love to play and always lure the old butler into the freezer lmao. beatles or rolling stones?   i legitimately only like one song by the beatles.  i enjoy the rolling stones. what is your favorite accent?   british or scottish what was your first favorite band?   green day do you feel uncomfortable sharing drinks with other people?   yes. do you call any of your friends by their last name?   i call my boyfriend by a portion of his last name have you ever cried in school?   yes, but only in the bathroom comes to the top of my head. do you remember the first computer game you ever played?   not the absolute first, but i remember "putt-putt," "freddie the fish," "oregon trail," then there was this one i LOVED where i think some friends were preparing for a friend's birthday?  i think it was a lion?  i have very strong memories of a game that it think is called "amazon trail 3;" i played that game obsessively. were you baptized?  yes.

[foxehrobot]

In high school I played Neopets.  I played the shit out of Neopets.  I learned to code HTML and basic CSS because I played Neopets. 

A couple years ago I got paid to build a website for work, using the skills I learned playing a Stupid Pet Game.

Later on I started playing Wajas and learned quite a bit about closed market economics and marketing.  I know damn good and well, from experience, that just putting a product onto Amazon and letting it be searchable isn’t going to get you sales.  You have to advertise it.  I could go into detail but it’s almost lunchtime and I’m hungry.

How to put “wrote fan-fiction” on your résumé:

Leveraged an inventory of established fictional character and setting elements to generate a disruptive custom-curated narrative entertainment asset.