#i want to hibernate to january

[motelhoneyy]

if this account is dead for a minute its not bc the hyperfixation is dead its probably bc i’m dead bc it’s finals week

[leithillustration]

January lasts for at least 5 months, while the entire summer is condensed into one afternoon.

literally what the fuck do you mean its still january. how is that remotely possible. its been six months minimum

[nature-played-a-trick-on-me]

Full of mug cake and sadness

[rielzero]

Well now it's just flu, still mild, but I can't function like this.. Lol. Had to cancel appointments. I am staying in bed and watching Marvel's What if..?

My throat hurts so bad thoughhh

[adviceformefromme]

LOCK-IN SZN [YOUR 8-WEEK ACCELERATOR] Week 5

NEW MONTH ENERGY - MOVEMENT MARCH

This is literally the month of all months for transformation. This is where you take your embodiment to ANOTHER level. This month you are showing up. No more writing goals, no more wishing and waiting. This month is for MOVEMENT. You move. You take action. You make better choices. That is all you do this month. Move towards the version of you that has the things you desire. Move towards a life you dream of. Move with grace, with flow, just keep moving. 

Here’s what I’m doing to accelerate my transformation this month. 

Dr Joe Dispenza Meditations daily - 1hr (these guided mediations are backed by science and are PROVEN to create transformation on a cellular level. But it requires a daily practice).

Daily journalling - the morning pages which is 3 pages of free writing to empty mind and access deeper wisdom within. Also this is a proven method in The Artists Way a book written by Julia Cameron that unblocks creativity. 

Finding my community. I have joined a conscious business accelerator programme which is 2-3 sessions per week for the month of March. This is going to support mindset shifts for my transition from employment to self employed as I leave my career in tech this month and surround me with the energy for high level income and business success. 

Investing in my image. As a visual person seeing myself as a representation of my next level is HUGE. This means dressing and looking like the thriving, abundant, radiant version of myself that has the dreams I desire. Investing in skincare treatments, ensuring my wardrobe reflects the woman I envision myself as. This means dropping cash. Removing items from my wardrobe that no longer align. Booking appointments. 

Doing the most important tasks before 12pm. This is KEY. Feeling accomplished feels GOOD. Doing those difficult tasks before midday means I don’t feel guilty, or skip putting myself and my goals first. The world no longer comes before me. I am the most important person in my life, and it’s time my actions show this. 

Letting go of the past once and for all, limiting my references to my past trauma in conversations. Redirecting my speech and thoughts towards what I want, not what I don’t want or what has hurt or harmed me. The more I do this, the more I shift my energy towards the life I desire. 

Daily connections with God, through gratitude, daily prayer, reading the word and listening to sermons. This is key for my character development and grounding with the one who loves me the most. Receiving and accessing this love daily allows me to flourish and is a priority in my transformation journey. 

Habit stacking. Reading during my sauna session. Doing my workout during my daily dog walk. Listening to a podcast as I walk to across the city. Preparing lunch as I prepare breakfast.  

There’s a lot going on this month, but the most important thing is choosing yourself daily. Choose you EVERY single day. That is the practise, you choose you, and do it again and again and again. The more you make you a priority, the more you respect yourself, the more you invest in yourself, the more life will start to mirror that, the more shifts you will see in how people treat you, how your income becomes a reflection of your self investment. 

So this is your opportunity for DRASTIC change. More so than January. March is for MOVEMENT with nature, shedding the old, making way for the new. It’s truly the most magical time of the year. So come out of your hiding place, your hibernation, your excuses, and MOVE into a new you. Shed your old skin, it’s not serving you, it never was. A new beginning awaits. 

[ceilidho]

So the bear shifter Price has awakened something in me. Thank you, hopefully I dream of it tonight!

I haven’t yet but here’s hoping :((

it would be even better if you were aware of Price before the whole “dragging you into the den mid hibernation” thing, like maybe you both live in the same small town and you worked at the grocers as a cashier.

You know Price as the gruff, taciturn park ranger that comes in once a week to load up on steak, cold cuts and fresh produce, but he’s always fresh off work, a little rough around the edges and not quite fit for human interaction just yet. So he just grunts and nods when you tell him his total, towers over you and never really makes much eye contact. He’s always made you feel nervous, like a schoolgirl with her first crush, but it’s a safe kind of crush. The kind that feels fun to indulge in because there’s no possibility of reciprocation, like you can just ogle him and pine over him without having to worry about what you’d do if he felt the same way.

And then it’s mid January and you’re trudging home alone after your shift and you cut through the forest because you missed the last bus and you don’t want to spend an hour walking home and that’s when a sleepy, gruff Price wrests you into his humid, cozy den fitted with fur throws and blankets. In between the bitten off, incomprehensible growls that sound more animal than human, you hear him say something about smelling you, about needing to feed you - says you’re too small for the winter months, won’t be good for the cubs.

Something about the humidity of the den makes you suddenly so tired, boneless, pliable when he goes to move you, when Price curves himself around you in the furs and reaches down to slide a hand between your thighs. Grunts when he finds you wet and wanting, sinking a couple fingers in and palming your clit. He doesn’t talk much still, but he says good girl when he cants your hips and slowly stretches you out on his cock. Feeds it into you achingly slow, like molasses. Like nothings due for another few months, so why rush it? He’ll take his time so you’re nice and happy and sweet come spring for cubs.

[wings-of-ink]

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to pop in and say hey and give some updates. They're all very mild, but I feel like I've been quiet lately so I wanted to pop something out here for you so you get a feel for where I'm headed.

I have some asks that have piled up and I will be chipping away at them here and there. I had a weird week that I am recovering from, and my mind has been super unfocused lately. I'm doing better now, but had a bout with a few days of insomnia and anxiety. I am already a sleepy-sad mess in the winter, so this does me no favors. I'm popping in when I have some bursts of energy. Your asks and comments have made me smile, think, and get pumped for the days to come though, so I thank you for that. ^_^

Even though my energy is down, I am still finding enjoyment in working on some of the extras! Even if I can only work in short bursts, it's helped me find some respite. I have worked out a short-form character creation for the Cursed Birthday extra. I also have that outlined. My goal is to have that released by the end of this month!

I still plan on opening a Patreon soon, but I have kept putting it on the back burner as I focus on just making it through this time of year, lol. I am just so stupid-tired most of the evening when I have free time and am very over it. In future years, I'll be working ahead during the other seasons and then take a solid block of time between December and January off. I vote that we hibernate.

Before I open up Patreon, I want to have some work banked up and ready to go. Part of the benefits will be voting on what you want to read, but I need to have some basis to go off of for that and content to put out in between. I'll post some teasers and samples so you can see if the extras I have in store will tickle your fancy. I have a running list of both SFW and NSFW extras I'd like to write. Someone asked me earlier to spill (leak) some of my tea on these, so I will happily share a few things I have cooking in my noggin.

Regular (mild) Extras: * A series of stories about being "snowed in" with each of the ROs and how they spend the day with MC. * Each RO will get character-specific stories, featuring cute and romantic moments for things like Zahn's birthday or baking cakes with Oswin.

Spicy Extras: * A series of tales that are erotic dreams that the MC has while traveling with the group. Anything can happen here. * Each RO will have stories featuring spicy content relative to their character's desires. For example, in the first month of Patreon, Oswin will be featured in the spicy tier. The story is titled, "Honey," and is interactive. You can use your imagination. (shout out to the anon who already read my mind and called me on this, lol)

**Addendum** I remember what else I was going to include here so I'm editing. I have some corrections (typos and grammar and such) and a patch for Zahn's moment in Chapter 5 to put through but I cannot get the itch "Butler" application to work on my laptop still. I can't patch without breaking saves all over again. I am trying to find another computer I can do this on so I don't break saves just for a patch.

I think those were the main bits I wanted to touch on (hell if I actually remember, lol). I am recovering from my weird week and am happy it's the weekend. My new kitties are doing fabulous as well. They are very cute and keep me on my toes. Oh, and Arlo knows how to open doors, so there's that. Miles, who was very shy at first, has become a sweet little socialite too.

Arlo just looks grumpy, but he is an absolute ham.

Miles likes to lay with his feets dangling.

[timefall-if]

FEBRUARY

hi everyone! happy february ^^ i want to start posting progress updates at the beginning of each month, so that you guys are kept in loop with everything that happens with the story.

i didn't get as far as i'd hoped in january with chapter 1 (sorry, i've been hibernating 😔), but we're slowly and surely getting there! i keep going back and forth between writing a shorter time skip at first with younger MC, or starting right away with a longer time skip with grown up MC. either way, things are coming along nicely and i'm still aiming for a release in february. maybe not early february like i said initially, but still february!

not much else to report, just continuing to write chapter 1! 🫶🏻

[hatefulbread]

january feels and reads

it's a cold southern morning where i am, and getting started has been more difficult than i can grasp.

this winter reminds me of the winters i grew up with; freezing nights, not a week goes by without flurries or freezing rain, oil radiators at the ready for when the heat pump can't keep up. we haven't had a winter like this in over 12 years and it makes me wonder if i was this reluctant to get out of my warm bed as an adolescent.

when it's this cold in the morning, snow piled on the ground right outside my window, all i want is to curl up under my calico quilt with a serene book and a velvet latte. it feels criminal to give up this simple want to log into a laptop and stare at spreadsheets for hours on end. especially when the sun goes down at 5pm.

i spoke with my mom for some time last night about this seasonal dip in energy and fervor. everyone i speak to these days feels the same. it makes me wonder what our lives would be like if society would just let us hibernate for a single season. don't we deserve it?

anyway- i came here to share my upcoming reads with you, not drone on about the winter sorrows.

upcoming reads for this month;

1. 'our wives under the sea' by julia armfield

2. 'butter' by asako yuzuki

3. 'the sentence' by louise erdrich

4. 'the end of the world is a cul de sac' by louise kennedy

i often read multiple books at once so my adhd can wander as it pleases. i couldn't tell you how i'm able to keep up with them all, especially because reading is the only thing i can do this with.

i woke to a sweet comment on my first post from someone searching for a new platform for community, as am i. as many of us are aware, tiktok is going away within a few days. i am one of many who found such amazing community on that app, both in the booktok community and the sapphic community. i feel so upset with our government for having to let go of such a shaping part of my personhood, all under the guise of national security. we're losing our ability to see raw and real news in real time and i hope we can all take a stand to reject this censorship.

i'm confident we can all find that community somewhere else, though it may take time. none of us are new to trial and error, so persist, we shall. perhaps tumblr will be that community for us. perhaps perhaps perhaps. see you soon.

[antimony-medusa]

Makes The Rain Different

Techno had thought that Phil was going to be sleeping next to him when he was unconscious, the same way that he did when Techno was not hibernating. He felt his stomach knot unpleasantly. “You’re going to the other house?” Phil blinked at him, cap of the pen in his mouth. “Well sure, I mean, you gotta get your fuckin’ soul to stitch back together while you sleep, I don’t wanna bother you.” Techno was well aware of the after-effects of the totem slamming his soul back in his body after the anvil hit. He didn’t want to discuss—that. He didn’t want Phil to leave him alone either. He raised his eyebrows down at Phil. “I put up with your snorin’ normally, don’t I?” Or: the execution left more than one type of scar for Techno to deal with, but he doesn't have to do it alone. Day One: Bed

Status: 1/1 chapters, updated 16 March, 1,260 words

Fandom: Dream SMP

Rating: General

Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Phil Watson | Philza

Relationships: Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza

Tags: Domesticity, hibernation, Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza are Best Friends, Sharing a Bed, Disability, acquired disability

Guess what guys it is day one of @techzaweek and buckle in cause you're going to be seeing a lot more of me in the next week. A whole week for techno+phil posting? I have been working on this since January. And I also decided to try to work on writing fics that are not 10k, so hopefully I won't be dropping entire novels on you. Like this one, totally reasonable. Some disability feelings and emduo friendship, which I'm sure is shocking to anyone who sees my page. I hope you enjoy!

[thefluffyrailway-official]

Coral's mental update:

Hello everyone, sorry for being insistent with the same but things are just getting worse. It may look like i just want attention. But the truth is that i'm scared. And a bit dissapointed on myself.

I'll explain you from the beggining:

Well you see... At first, this blog was something like an attempt for a sequel from the original series, or maybe a version where everyone was animals. Then, with the inspiration on @steam-beasts (<3) I added a infection-like stuff that made the engines animals. But in the recent days i couldn't do much stuff.

Okay, most of you know that.

Nothing comes to my mind, and when it does i have no time to do it or i fail doing it!

I always try animations but i can't make them because i have no fucking idea how to animate.

And i want this to become something, a story that might become a passion project in the future. Maybe a little home-made series or movie, a little book, just to enjoy and that doesn't need to change the original lore.

But since i've got The Railway Series, that became a bunch of good ideas i will not be able to make.

-A couple like Toby and Henrietta having a child before the infection in a mechanical way (Fusing the parents' parts to build a new different machine) I had this idea just yesterday about Harriet.

Or the bunch of stories that are always giving empty traumas to the characters and don't fit with the original lore. (*ahem* Hannah *ahem* Gordon *ahem* GODDAMN THOMAS!!!!)

I see the other ttte blogs and fans and how they make stories that respect and follow the original lore in a beautiful way... And then i see me... My blog is just a silly bunch of stupid stuff without sense that i do without reason.

I wanted to follow a chronological order to post, so you all could feel it closer, like if it would be really happening! But as i don't have time to draw, many good ideas are in the trash because it's late for posting them. Like Oliver not wanting to go hibernate to stay with his newborn pup or Annie not having that conexion with her pup. Did you even know Annie struggled a lot to connect with Aiden?? Of course not! I never said that! I was more focused on the next pup that i did NOT FOCUSED ON MAKING HER RELATABLE OR AT LEAST NOT A SECONDARY CHARACTER IN HER OWN STORY!!! Annie and Clarabel's pups were supposed to be born on January and February! But i got impatient to introduce them and ruined many good ideas!!!

I rush things too much! and now my blog looks terrible to me though you say it's cute and good.

I'm so grateful to you all for those nice words and please, don't get mad at me. But I didn't want it to be only cute...i want it to be a story that may be catchy or at least that could look like a series!

But that won't be possible anymore.

I'm thinking of remaking all, maybe starting from beggining. Take a long brake and start from the first episodes, not in a chronological order depending to the real time, a chronological order depending on the real lore.

Sorry, i failed with the only thing i wanted to do. I failed to you and i failed to myself.

[eyesteeth]

yknow christmas may not exist in tsv but i think santa would fit right in

he’s absolutely corporate enough. a smiling face you see everywhere for the season. buy some products. maybe it’ll appease him.

he’s an elderly, jolly figure, not scary like those unauthorized gods. and if people believed hard enough, there might be a town of equally jolly elves up there at the north pole. wouldn’t that be lovely?

if you’re good, he’ll leave a gift. if you’re bad, well. a god must feed. and he sees you when you’re sleeping. he knows when you’re awake. he knows if you’ve been bad or good. so be good, for goodness’ sake.

he can get in your house through the chimney despite his size. he can get to EVERY house within 12 hours. that’s god powers baby

populous morality control AND recognizable seasonal branding in one. snow comes down and you start thinking about him, the Jolly Man In Red. and sure you may not believe. but when he’s in every advertisement, do you want to risk the possibility of literally being raked across the coals for the season? didn’t think so. so be a good little worker for your sake.

mall santas could be saints. get your flesh warped and mind twisted until you’re identical to every other santa in every other store. put your kid on his lap. he’ll send the wish to the big man via the Mall Santa Hivemind. he promises he will, with his too-rosy cheeks and his too-glittery eyes. and little ones remember: you better watch out! you better not cry!!

the one downside from an exec standpoint is that he’s only active for two months. you get a week into january and he’s not relevant anymore. he gets a brief mass recollection halfway through the year, and maybe a couple kids go missing as a result, but he’s underground, perhaps literally, for the rest of the year. he’s hibernating. he’ll be back next year to spread holiday cheer.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hey Raven! Hope you're doing well, and I hope you had a great holiday, if you celebrate, that is.

I hate to clutter your ask box with something like this, and you don’t have to answer, you can just read this with an open mind, but I feel you're the only one I could go to with this without being straight-up attacked. It's also why I'm asking anonymously.

But, what's your stance on the whole war between the JP and EN versions of the game? I'm not asking you to pick a side or anything, I just wanna know your thoughts.

Obviously, I'm an EN player, and idk if you seen, but there's some hateful things out there about us, and honestly, it's hurtful and disheartening to every time I get up here. And it's always on this we as players can't control. Mainly the dialog translations and it's changes.

I've seen people calling us dumb and weak, saying we water down everything because we can't take it, etc. I've seen people saying we don't know how to really correctly and analyze characters and that we're not even playing the same game. They say we've ruined the game, the fandom, and that they wished it was never localized. I've also seen quite horrible things, but I don’t wanna repeat the things said, but yeah.

And the kicker is, it's only the JP side I've seen post this stuff. I've seen more hate come from that side more than anything, and of course not all, like you. You're my fave btw.

So yeah, thoughts?

Hello, hello! ^^ I’m not really a super big celebration person but I’m hunkering down for a cozy hibernation this winter ❄️ I hope everyone had/will have a good 2023 holiday season~

Before I provide my response to the question posed in this ask, I want to make sure we're all on the same page for this discussion first:

Please be advised that my perspective is coming from that of someone who started off playing JP in March 2020 and then picked up EN when it came out in January 2022. I have played on both servers since their initial launches.

When I refer to TWST JP and EN fans in this post, I am only referring to the English speaking fans (as in, English speaking fans who play JP and English speaking fans who play EN).

For the sake of simplicity, I will be disregarding “hybrid” fans (English speaking fans who play both JP and EN) as a separate category and will lump them in with “JP” fans (English speaking fans who play JP). This is because I assume most mixed fans started off with JP and then adopted EN later on.

I am not talking about ALL English-speaking JP and/or EN fans here; I am only talking about the ones Anon described in their ask.

As the Anon said, I ask that you go into this post with an open mind; do not assume that I will bash JP and/or EN, take sides, defend or condone toxic attitudes, or that this post exists just to “stir the pot”. That is not the purpose of my response. The purpose is to have a meaningful and constructive discussion about TWST’s fandom culture, particularly as it pertains to English-speaking fans. I hope that in talking about this, we can better understand “the other side” (however you may personally define that) and work toward making the fandom space more welcoming for all.

Please read the entire post and think about your own choice of words before commenting and/or sending in an ask about this topic, should you choose to.

To the Anon that submitted this ask and to anyone else that plays EN and may have had similar thoughts: I’m sorry to hear about the negative experiences you’ve had in the TWST fandom. I hope that this post brings you some peace of mind, if not at least some catharsis for what you may be feeling.

Firstly, it’s important to understand the mindset of both JP and EN fans. As such, I will delve into the background and the development of each side. It is NOT meant to justify either side, but rather to inform you on how each perspective originated and grew to what it is today.

The animosity and opposition to an official English version of TWST has been present for a while. An English version of TWST has always been contentious, even long before the localization was announced. Some wanted it to happen for accessibility reasons (as some people find it tedious to hunt for translations) or were supportive of the idea because it means a larger fanbase and thus more potential to make friends or to discuss the game. Others were more apprehensive of the quality of a localization (as much tends to be cut or censored to make the content more palatable) and/or claimed that expanding the fanbase in such a way would bring in more “bad apples”.

When EN first came out, it did, in fact, expand the fanbase. However, many were quick to notice the many (and I do mean many) errors and short sightings present in it: frequent spelling and grammar mistakes in the game and on official social media posts, inconsistent phrasing, incorrect translations, game-breaking glitches, frequent censorship, half-hearted promotions, etc. EN also became infamous for its absolutely brutal pacing of content in the early days, particularly related to the limited story event schedules (including back-to-back Halloween events). This, in combination with EN’s constant pushing of paid gems (which occurs far more frequently than in the JP server) has left a bad taste in JP fans’ mouths. To them, TWST EN did not make a good first impression and continued to misstep again and again. This is especially true of the many dialogue changes to make the TWST localization more “culturally appropriate” (which is the definition of what a localization is; there is a reason why TWST is not called a translation, which would be a more accurate/“faithful” or direct translation of the dialogue).

The claim that “EN fans are weak/can’t handle the real story” likely arises from how EN has removed or altered details which may offend western audiences. This includes things like the term “master”, the mention of Azul’s weight, Kalim’s “30-40” siblings, etc. These are conscious decisions made on the part of the game localizers to make TWST more broadly appealing and appropriate for a western audience, where such topics are contentious or considered taboo. This is adapting TWST to a new culture so that it can (in a dry business sense) perform well. However, I also want to mention that some cultural changes EN made do significantly alter the story/characters (such as Jamil no longer stating his family will be on the streets if they defy the Asims; in EN he only says his parents will be mad at him), particularly if you are viewing through an EN-only lens. Unfortunately 😔 as much as I can point the nuances of localization out, there will always be fans who still oppose any sort of censorship. This is also true of the anime and manga community in general, and this post isn’t large enough in scope to tackle those issues. I only mention this here to help you, the reader, better understand the changes from Disney/Aniplex.

A lot of the original negative feelings that were there before EN was announced were then confirmed by the official release, and this strengthened the dislike of EN on the part of JP fans. These JP fans may then become hostile toward EN fans who defend the localization (whether or not they have the context of TWST JP) because, in the eyes of the JP fans, the localization is not as good as it could be. Ultimately, it seems like their intense feelings stem from passion for what they love and not wishing to see it “desecrated” rather than an actual hatred of fellow fans. JP fans are upset because they fear EN fans are not getting the full scope of the characters and a story they enjoy, and they want others to appreciate those aspects of TWST as well.

Of course 💦 the fact is that EN fans are not responsible for the localization. But EN is there and that is what is the easiest and the most time efficient for English-speaking audiences, so most people will go with that rather than alternatives (ie hunting down fan translations). The issue is that some JP fans conflate simply consuming the localization as being bad or the “wrong” thing to do, and thus, by proxy, extend this frustration to EN fans themselves (especially those those are EN only and have zero prior knowledge of JP) and not just the product. Again, this is because they tend to see JP as the “full” version, without the changes or censorship present in EN. This inevitably leads to discrepancies in understanding between JP and EN, whether due to staggered release of new content or how the characters are presented differently between the two servers. To those who say “the versions are basically the same except for minor changes”, I disagree. There are several dialogue changes that appear small in isolation, but because TWST’s narrative is told primarily via dialogue, those “small” changes are actually very large and can drastically modify how one perceives a character or situation without explicit knowledge of JP to balance it out. When Jamil is made an “employee” rather than a “servant” and worries about his parents being mad at him instead of his entire family literally being on the streets for defying the Asims, it takes away the bite from his motivations. When Cater inserts a #WOW that wasn’t there in JP while Riddle is breaking down sobbing, or makes him come off as far more insensitive than emotionally aware. These are just a few examples, but they are very prominent ones that can change how an EN only fan sees things. The idea that “we aren’t even playing the same game” can ring true to some JP players because of this.

It cannot be helped that EN fans would interpret the characters and stories differently when the localization is their only or primary source of TWST content. Not everyone has the time or the desire to look for more accurate fan translations (not all fan translations are the same quality), as some JP fans have suggested. If EN fans want to, that’s great! It’s nice to expand one’s knowledge and to be cognizant of the changes between the versions. There are many blogs out there dedicated to educating people on these matters, and many EN and JP fans alike flocking there to be informed. But that level of engagement shouldn’t be demanded of anyone. To deem those that don’t engage in “further research” as “lazy”, “dumb”, or a “fake fan” is not acceptable, not in the name of love or otherwise. The expectation to “do homework” only puts pressure on EN fans to be a certain way or else be rejected by the fandom, and that only breeds more hatred and negativity. It makes EN fans feel “not worthy” of being a fan unless they study up, when the truth of the matter is that no matter how much we like TWST, it’s… media at the end of the day. People are free to consume their choice of media however they like, and that includes casually or at their own pace. It’s not fun to be in a fandom where others are breathing down your neck and policing everything you do, especially since these spaces are meant to be a temporary escape from reality. If JP fans meant to gatekeep in an effort to make others recognize the “real” greatness of TWST, then it’s failing because this kind of attitude only serves to drive new fans away.

Among EN fans, there is this idea that “JP fans are stuck-up”. I can understand where this thinking comes from, as I have witnessed hatred for EN myself which comes unprompted and has killed many conversations. Admittedly, some points are geared toward the company themselves (and those are valid), such as rushed and/or inaccurate translations or the pushing of paid gems, but I’ve also seen my fair share of nastier, invalid comments directed at EN fans. There are JP fans who actively hope that EN will shut down or who outright dismiss EN fans because of the version they play, thinking of their thoughts and opinions as “lesser” or doubting their media literacy skills. It’s true that this behavior is out there in the fandom, and that is unfortunately a sad reality.

That being said, JP on EN hate is not the only form I see, and nor is it the majority. It goes both ways (and I would say about equally for all, although this is just based on anecdotes and not objective data). There is plenty of JP on JP hate (particularly when someone spreads mistranslations around as though it were the truth) and EN on EN hate (arguments over what is and is not appropriate to ship, differences in headcanons, harassing fans that fall outside an “acceptable” age range, etc). There is also EN on JP hate which feeds into a dangerous back-and-forth with JP on EN hate. I briefly mentioned before that EN fans tend to believe JP fans are elitist, and this leads to assumptions being made about anyone that critiques EN and sometimes lashing out about it. I myself have previously been accused of “hating” EN because I often make posts commenting on the changes made between EN and JP (which ones I think work and which I think don’t). This preemptively defensive behavior drives another wedge between JP and EN fans, making JP fans reluctant to engage with EN fans, which then fuels the belief that JP fans think they’re “better” than EN fans (when really, some JP fans may be intentionally distancing themselves for their own wellbeing). Additionally, a lot of behavior deemed more acceptable in western oriented fandom spaces (such as moral justifications, taking pictures without crediting, callouts of other fans, and incorrect use of fandom tags) are not so for JP spaces (or those familiar with JP spaces). There have also been times when EN fans harass the actual Japanese-speaking side of the fandom (be it Japanese fans or the devs themselves) and demand (not ask, but demand) content that caters to them or free translations of fan comics they make. When EN fans fail to observe such “basic fandom etiquette”, it leads to JP fans thinking them rude or entitled, which makes JP fans reluctant to interact with EN fans and, again, feeds into confirmation bias. It’s a viscous system.

What is “ruining” the fandom is not just one side. There has always been turmoil present in fandom spaces. It just appears more visible now that TWST’s popularity has grown to this scale. Right now, both sides (JP and EN) are antagonizing each other because of a loud minority that’s attacking the other side. That minority then gets extrapolated and assumed to be behavior of the entirety of the other side, and that is what keeps the hate going.

If I’m being entirely honest 😔 I don’t think these tensions will realistically ever die out; the fandom is too large to “stomp out” what has already been established in its culture. When both sides are fueled by something so strong—a passion for TWST—it’s hard to seek out and/or to consider alternative perspectives. We become fixated on their own negative experiences and fail to think about where the “others” maybe be coming from, and then close ourselves off from discussion. That promotes isolation and contempt rather than friendliness and cooperation.

If we want change, then it starts at an individual level and in smaller TWST communities. We shouldn’t assume the worst of “JP” or “EN” fans; we are all TWST fans. Let’s keep open-minded and welcome other fans and their diverse schools of thought. And if you don’t feel comfortable with that, that’s also fine! You’re allow to keep a distance and curate your online space as you like; just please don’t go out of your way to disparage others, you have your own lane and others have theirs. Don’t encroach on other lanes.

Maybe we don’t necessarily agree with each other or we think may hold different opinions—but that’s good, isn’t it? The freedom of thought and the open exchange of ideas promotes flexible thinking and can lead you to see things from a new angle, or perhaps develop a new idea of your own. If we all thought the same way, then life becomes boring or it can cultivate an “us versus them” narrative that sparks online wars.

Let me put it this way to close off the post: isn’t this the message that Twisted Wonderland itself is trying to teach us? The true value of attending Night Raven College isn’t just about receiving a good education. Countless times it has been stressed to us (and often by Lilia, the oldest and wisest of the core cast, someone who used to be resistant to opening up to outsiders) that it is vital to understand other people in spite of how different we may be. Let’s take a page out of the students’ book and try to live up to that ^^

[tolkienrsb]

Hey all!

Your friendly Mod Team is slowly digging itself out of our winter hibernation, looking blearily at the sun that is slowly reappearing in the sky.

And we look at each other and go, "You know, we could fit more people in that cave!" 🤔🤔🤔

And so we turn to you, lovely participants (current, former, or in between), with the best offer of this dark January.

We're seeking at least two new mods to join the fun (and work, I won't lie and say there's none of that😉).

If you want to learn more or feel like you could be a good fit, now is the chance. Send us an ask or dm, a discord message if you have a direct line of communication, or simply email the mod team at tolkienrsb@gmail.com so we can have a chat about how we run the event and what you think you'll be able to help us with as we work together to make TRSB 2025 as awesome as last year's event!

Xoxo,

The TRSB Mod Team

[coolnonsenseworld]

Northern Lights 🌌

All pieces in the Calendar, (which you can pre-order right now in the shops), are inspired by DanceAU. DanceAU is the sappiest fluffiest story I ever started and I planned these pieces to be their Bucket List kind of year. A challenge of self care and growth per month so to speak.

I did not finish DanceAU. If I did, it’d probably have an actual name, instead of being “DanceAU”☠️ so if you want to see fragments and pieces for it, they are only available in the PDFs with Patreon content (also available in the shop), as of this day. I do want to finish it though and I'm making time for it, but being unfinished, won't stop me from making post-plot stories, even if I can’t call them canon per se - just an imaginary year they could go through, and to inspire your own year to be joyful each month!

January's goal was supposed to be more of Lance's wish - Keith isn't much into cold. He loses heat quickly and likes wearing big hoodies even in the slightest draft. But it's not like he hates it completely, in fact, it gets him warm cuddles whenever he asks for them, cups of warm tea and cocoa, and sometimes the chill can be pleasant too if there is nothing else to do - so he'd agree to a trip up north, to taste a little bit of wintery life. Cold still makes him feel like it's hibernation time, but Lance's upbeat humor about the smallest things (spying on birds which came to the feeder, staring at the snow like it's curing his depression, helping random people push their car out of the snowbank) and fascination with freezing his ass off to see Northern Lights - would make him consider this time well spent.

[robot-carl]

I swear I'm alive. Just have been in a bit of an art block and also January is cold and I just want to hibernate. But have this small offering of a new pfp.