#i would LIKE to accomplish other goals of Writing Some of Book & Reading Other People's Books

[pegglefan69]

two phone calls + therapist session all before noon have resulted in enough fatigue & back pain that I need to go lay down. okay.

[mastermark1960]

I am once again so disappointed with the leftist demonazis constantly spewing nonsensical drivel every time they don't like someone elses opinion. Demonazis are so far to the left that they agree with and use the propaganda tools of the two worst extreme right ass holes that ever walked the earth. Hitler and Stalin both treated their own people with such disrespect and callousness that they created concentration camps and gulags to silence any opposition to their rule.

The following information comes from the holocaust encyclopedia. I wrote comments that are not after bullet points.

• The Nazis were skilled propagandists who used sophisticated advertising techniques and the most current technology of the time to spread their messages.

Think of CNN, MSNBC, NPR, ABC, CBS, NBC, all other "news outlets" for example the New York times, Boston globe, and Washington post are but a few. They don't report the news but continuously give us their opinions on everything. The 5ws are desperately needed to stop their propaganda. We can include the woke organizations like Disney and Hollywood movie makers for spreading propaganda for the demonazis.

• Once in power, Adolf Hitler created a Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda to shape German public opinion behavior.

▪︎Nazi propaganda played an integral role in advancing the persecution and ultimately the destruction of Europe’s Jews and all political Dissidents. It incited hatred and fostered a climate of indifference to their fate.

Think of how the demonazis allowed the likes of BLM and ANTIFA to destroy many cities. No action was taken by those in power to stop the destruction or prosecute the perpetrators. Then remember the hissy fit they had when they allowed, yes demonazis allowed, Republican protester into the capital. The demonazis prosecuted 100s of peaceful republican protesters. If the republican protesters were acting like BLM and ANTIFA the Capitol would be a smoking ruin.

• The Nazis wanted Germans to support the Nazi dictatorship and believe in Nazi ideas. To accomplish this goal, they tried to control forms of communication through censorship and propaganda. This included control of newspapers, magazines, books, art, theater, music, movies, and radio.

• When the Nazis came to power in 1933, the German constitution guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Through decrees and laws, the Nazis abolished these civil rights and destroyed German democracy. Starting in 1934, it was illegal to criticize the Nazi government. Even telling a joke about Hitler was considered treachery. People in Nazi Germany could not say or write whatever they wanted. 

Examples of censorship under the Nazis included:

• Closing down or taking over anti-Nazi newspapers; 

• Controlling what news appeared in newspapers, on the radio, and in newsreels;

• Banning and burning books that the Nazis categorized as un-German.

• Textbooks are a good example of how propaganda and censorship worked together in the Nazi regime. The Nazis used both propaganda and censorship to control what students read in school. Nazi censors removed some textbooks from classrooms. New textbooks taught students to obey the Nazi Party, love Hitler, and hate Jews.

The demonazis took over education with the creation of the Department of education in 1979.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 introduced federal student aid and loan programs. These give away programs allowed higher education to run amuk with ever increasing cost of degrees. This needs to stop now.

Demonazis try to stop the political middle and right from voicing their opinions by controlling who can and can't post on many social media sight. Censorship at it worst. Thank God Elon Musk bought out Twitter and turned it into X. No more censorship there. Of course the demonazis scream foul.

We The People who love the United States of America must stand by her in her hour of desperate need. If we don't our great country is doomed. I know this is a long winded post but I felt it was necessary to explain how dangerous the deep state and New World Order are. This is why I call the democrats demonazis as the word fits perfectly.

Thank you for reading this post. If you like my post please repost it and start calling the democrats exactly what they are, demonazis.

[genericpuff]

Hey quick question.

How do you know if you should make a webcomic? I have this story idea that’s been floating around in the back of my head that I think could work well for a comic series. But the problem is I’m mainly used to writing screenplays and more traditional writing.

What I’m saying is, how can I tell if making a webcomic is worth it or if I should stick in my comfort zone?

I mean, there's no definitive right answer when it comes to "knowing" if you should make a webcomic. It really just comes down to you. Do you really like the medium? Do you feel your story has to be told within that medium to achieve its goals?

Same thing goes for whether or not it's "worth it", it really comes down to how you define that. For some people, simply posting their comics online to a few readers each week is worth it. For others, if it doesn't get into print or publishing or whatever have you, it might not be quite so justifiable to keep up with. Neither is better or worse than the other, both reasons are valid because it ultimately comes down to what we as individuals are trying to accomplish and what we define as "worth it" on a personal level.

I actually live on both sides of the spectrum right now because with Rekindled, posting it on Tumblr and getting all the great feedback and company through the audience it's gained makes it worth it. But that worth was defined by my expectations going in - I wasn't making Rekindled for money (legally I can't), I wasn't making it to get an Originals deal or anything of the sort, I was just making it because I found myself deadset on going through with it after months of it living in my head rent free, and so what I've gotten out of it as a result is very much worth it, all I was really looking for was maybe some other readers who would enjoy reading a transformative 'foe fiction' from a former LO fan and I've found those readers in spades simply due to the demand.

Time Gate, on the other hand, was something that I wanted for years to be a 'successful' project, defined more by actual tangible growth and gain. Because I came up with it as a kid, for a long time it was my "magnum opus" project, the thing that I wanted to see get turned into books and an anime and a video game and all those sorts of things as 'proof' of how good it was. Of course, I know now years later that those expectations were WAY too high and it resulted in me feeling incredibly depressed over it for ages. It made it hard to work on and even though I did have some readers, I didn't see it as "worth it" because my expectations were a lot higher than that of Rekindled's going in. But that was simply a matter of experience at that point, because I had been making original comics for so long, when I went into Rekindled I knew a lot more what I was capable of, what I wasn't capable of, and what boundaries I was willing to put down for myself. Even still, I do still want to return to Time Gate some day and when I do, I want to still treat it like a series I want to get off the ground as an actual published piece of work - it's just that this time around, I actually know how to make those steps and be proactive in my approach (and I know where to keep my expectations) which is certainly a perspective and skillset I didn't have when I was 15 LMAO

I will say, realistically speaking, it is a lot harder to pursue webcomics as a writer, because the reality of this medium is that most people who go into it are artists who learn how to write to make a webcomic, not the other way around. Unless you're willing to learn how to draw - which is a whole other skillset that requires years of work and patience - you're likely going to have to seek someone to collaborate with and - I cannot stress this enough - it's not going to be someone you simply find on reddit who's willing to work for free. Again, many of us as artists went into webcomics with a project already in mind, so most artists are already working on their own passion projects, trying to convince someone else to work on yours is just not realistic or fair. I'm fortunate enough to have @banshriek along for the production of Rekindled and even then I still pay for their contributions out of pocket, they're as invested in an LO rewrite project as I am (and thus they're given a lot of room to make suggestions in both the set designs and the writing), and I still had to carry the first 20ish episodes on my own before they joined along, i.e. I would still be making Rekindled if they weren't onboard, but having them is a massive help that's taken the comic to a whole other level in its artistic production.

But that doesn't mean it's hopeless! There's a lot of interest right now in webnovels and writing comic scripts is still a completely viable way to get into the comics industry if you're really interested in doing so (fun fact: before I was making comics, I wrote fanfiction! This is probably not shocking to hear all things considered LMAO) There's a reason Webtoons owns Wattpad now, webnovels are a no-brainer when it comes to adaptations to visual mediums, and webcomics have become part of that environment by extension. So at the very least, if you want to get your story out there, there are loads of ways to do it that don't require you to make a comic - but if you really want to make one, there are ways to get into that industry through writing in other ways such as pitching scripts to comic publishers and/or going indie with webnovels. Ultimately, if many of us webcomic creators stopped drawing our works, we'd still be coming up with stories to write, because that's what's really at the heart of these sorts of projects. So even if you can't get into comics right away due to lack of visual artistry, that doesn't mean it's off the table forever ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡

Sorry, that was a lot of rambling but I hope it helps ! Remember to keep your goals and expectations manageable, and most of all, write lots! You'll be doing it anyways regardless of whether or not you get into comics, so whatever value you see in getting into comics is up to you to determine! You don't have to know right away, it might be something you'll find along the way or have to adjust as you get more experience, but don't stop yourself from getting creative and messing around until you find out what works! You won't know if it was worth leaving your comfort zone until you try it <3

Good luck! (•̀ᴗ•́)و

[nenelonomh]

how to create routines (and the benefit of good routines)

let's start with this: what is a routine?

a routine is a set of behaviors that are regularly followed, without much thought or planning. it is a habitual way of doing things that becomes ingrained over time. routines are less structured and more adaptable since they focus on the order in which tasks are done, rather than the specific timing.

routines are consistently mistaken to be the same thing as a schedule, except a schedule is a planned outline of tasks/events that are completed at specific times. essentially, routines focus on establishing consistency and habit whereas schedules are about precise time management and task prioritisation. both have their purposes and benefits--routines are typically better for an effective wake-up or bedtime.

here's some steps to help create better routines:

set clear goals define what you would like to achieve with your routine. maximising productivity? improving health? learning more?

start small begin with small, manageable habits that you can consistently perform and add to these over time.

focus on consistency try to perform your routine at the same time every day and establish it as a habit.

plan for obstacles just because routines require significantly less planning than schedules does not mean that all planning is ignored. think about what may derail your routine and plan ways to overcome these challenges.

track your progress tracking your progress can provide accountability and motivation. for me, once a month i sit down and write my current routine (morning; night) and compare it to my desired routine (morning; night). then i try to close the gaps. other ways to track your progress include keeping a journal or tracking in an app.

be flexible life is unpredictable. be prepared to adjust your routine as needed while staying focused on your goals.

reward yourself celebrate your successes, no matter if they seem small. this is essential as it helps to maintain motivation, and cement your identity as someone who values their routine.

but joanne, what are some good habits to start with?

don't worry! i got you.

☆ wake up early. this helps prevent stressors of time, and gives you the ability to add more things to your morning routine.

☆ exercise. i will forever preach exercise. a quick session can boost your metabolism, focus and mood.

☆ positive affirmations positive affirmations boost your mindset and confidence and will help so much in the long run.

☆ make your bed in the morning so many people don't make their bed in the morning, and i seriously don't understand why. it makes you feel more put together and is a small task that accomplishing can set you up for a day of wins (compounding).

☆ healthy eating opt for nutritious, healthy meals over quick and easy foods that lack to improve daily performance and focus. if you're looking to be more healthy through routine, this is huge change to make-- even if you just start with one homemade meal a day.

☆ spend some time in the sunlight spending time outside (and in the sun, if the weather allows) is a massive mood booster and will improve your entire day. lots of us need the break from screens, so having a mindful sit or walk outside is the perfect habit (morning, throughout the day or in the afternoon).

further reading:

firstly, atomic habits by james clear is THE BEST habit book out there. it provides a step by step on how to create new, good habits and maintain them and also instruction on how to stop bad habits.

the seven habits of highly effective people, by stephen r. covey is another AMAZING nonfiction work that focuses on changing your mindset and views to change your habits.

here's a website link with more of the best books about building habits and structures: click here

i hope today's post is helpful,, if you know any more resources, let me know so that i can create a giant post of self-education on routines, habits and structures.

(images are from pinterest)

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Hi, I looked through your recent posts about north and south to try and see if you had posted about your specific topic but couldn’t find it and didn’t want to risk serious spoilers. I’d love to know what exactly you’re writing on and what your perspective/research question is so I can keep that in mind while reading and ask some informed/related questions.

Hi!! I'm really sorry it took me this long to answer.

One way of explaining it would be this:

It is often jokingly said that North and South is "Pride and Prejudice for Socialists" and "Pride and Prejudice and Labor Disputes", which is a funny joke, but of course not entirely accurate -Gaskell is by no means writing Austen pastiche, and definitely a whole lot of people lured in by this description are shocked and put off by the novel when they find it doesn't have the lightness, satire and quick wit of P&P.

Gaskell is often presented within the "authors to read next" once one has finished Austen, and that is on first approach, a rather strange thing, because they are very different in pretty significant ways. Where Austen writes satire and comedy, Gaskell writes heartfelt, sometimes sentimental drama. Rarely someone dies in an Austen; rarely no one dies in a Gaskell. Courtship is central to Austen; parent-child relationships are central to Gaskell. Austen writes contemporary pieces; most of Gaskell's work is historical. Austen writes mainly from the gentry space, Gaskell from the professional middle-class space. Even when they coincide in the confidentiality of their prose, Austen is more like the friend with the latest gossip, and Gaskell more like an old aunt telling old-life stories by the fire. And yet, there is something to the connection. They certainly feel closer to each other as storytellers than, for example, how Gaskell's work compares to Dickens or Charlotte Brontë, which were authors she personally knew and interacted with.

My intuition is that the similarity or connection people see is through the ethical world their works seem to inhabit. Austen has been described as an Aristotelian more than once; Aristotelian philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre dedicated most of a chapter in his After Virtue (a well known text to anyone who has studied ethics in a philosophy school or as part of a philosophy degree) to argue that she is one of the last representatives of the Aristotelian tradition of the virtues. In very summarized summary, through an ideal image of the accomplished gentleman or the accomplished lady, Austen draws the picture of virtues as habits that make a person better and make that person more fully human. Honesty, generosity, patience, prudence, justice, wisdom, are not theoretical imperatives but lived modes of being in Austen. In that sense one can say that Austen is ethical. She focuses on personal character and growth.

Gaskell has that line in the background, but seems most interested in community dynamics as mediated by friendship, and to friendship Aristotle dedicates two full books (chapters) of his ten-book Nicomachean Ethics; friendship is central and essential to the Aristotelian understanding not only of ethics but of politics (and ethics and politics are to him a continuum strongly connected by justice). Again, too long to explain and I don't want to bore anyone XD but for Aristotle a flourishing human community is one where the citizens are friends -that is, people that strive to better themselves and promote the common good by associating with each other to pursue these goals. Aristotle also has an extended notion of friendship; what we call "friendships of convenience" and think of as false friendships, he thinks are legitimate if partial forms of friendship, structured around pleasure or utility.

My original goal was to present this Austen-Gaskell continuity and defend the idea that Gaskell's work represents an Aristotelian understanding of ethics-politics through the way it draws communties and relationships within those communities, and the sketched solutions she presents to community problems. I wanted to maybe make a comparison between the more detailed perspective of N&S, and then discuss the idealized community in Cranford, the community in crisis in My Lady Ludlow, and the vicious community in Lois the Witch. Alas, my advisor, a reasonable person, said I'd have enough with just N&S and deep down I know he's right XD

Hope that explains it (?) and please feel free to reach out again!

I have been asked about it before here, and I told it a different way there.

[flatland-a-2024-translation]

Section 22. How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and of the result

[Table of Contents]

My failure with my Grandson did not encourage me to try sharing my secret with anyone else in my household, but it didn’t drive me to complete despair either.

I had learned that I couldn’t rely entirely on the catch-phrase “Upward, not Northward”, but instead I needed to create a demonstration that would allow the public a clear view on the whole thing, and writing seemed the best way to accomplish this goal.

So I spent several months writing a textbook on the mysteries of the Third Dimension. But, in an attempt to avoid the Law if it was possible, I didn’t talk about the Third Dimension as a literal physical Dimension, but a sort of Thoughtland, where, in theory, a Figure could look down at Flatland and see the insides of all things, and where, in theory, a Figure with six Squares and eight terminal Points could be found.

But while I was writing this book, I found myself constantly restrained by the impossibility of drawing the kinds of diagrams that were needed to explain the concepts. Because, of course, in our country of Flatland, there are no books except Lines, and no diagrams except Lines, all in one straight Line, and only able to be told apart by difference of size and brightness.

By the time I’d finished my textbook, which I had titled, “Through Flatland to Thoughtland”, I wasn’t certain that anyone would be able to understand it.

In the meanwhile, I was living my life under a cloud. Everything that used to make me happy made me miserable; and everything I saw tempted me to speak out with treason, because I couldn’t help but compare everything I saw in Two Dimensions with what it really was when seen in Three, and I could barely stop myself from making these comparisons out loud.

I neglected my clients and my own business as a lawyer to spend my time in contemplation of the mysteries I had once beheld, that I couldn’t share with anyone, and I found myself losing grasp of the memories as the days progressed, finding it more and more difficult to clearly remember them even in my mind’s eye.

One day, about eleven months after my trip to Spaceland, I tried to imagine a Cube, and failed. But even though I succeeded afterward, I wasn’t certain, (and I haven’t been, ever since) that I had imagined it correctly, in line with reality.

This made me more depressed than I had been before, and made me determined to take some sort of action, but what kind, I didn’t know.

I thought that I would even be willing to sacrifice my life for the Cause, if I could at least convince anyone. But if I couldn’t even convince my Grandson, how could I convince the highest, most evolved Circles in the land?

But despite this, sometimes my passion was too strong for me, and in my venting I let slip dangerous words.

I was already considered to be dangerously close to scorning tradition, if not outright treasonous, and I was acutely aware of the danger I was in.

But I still couldn’t entirely stop myself from bursting out with suspicious and half-blasphemous phrases and comments, even when I was with the highest of Polygonal and Circular society.

For example, when the question was raised about the treatment of the lunatics who’d said they had been given the power to see inside things, I responded with a quote from an ancient Circle, who had declared that ‘prophets and inspired people are always considered by the majority to be mad’, and I couldn’t help but use expressions like, ‘the eye that sees the inside of things’, and ‘the all-seeing land’.

Once or twice I even let slip the forbidden terms ‘the Third and Fourth Dimensions’.

As the final nail in the coffin of a series of minor slip ups, at a meeting of our Local Speculative Society held at the palace of the Prefect himself, some extremely silly person read an elaborate paper claiming to know the exact reasons why Providence had limited the number of Dimensions to Two, and why the trait of Omnividence was given to that Supreme Being alone…

And I forgot myself completely, and told the entire exact story of my whole voyage with the Sphere into Space, then to the Assembly Hall in Metropolis, then to Space again, and how I returned home, and everything I’d seen or heard during the incident, in both reality and dream-vision.

At first I tried to pretend that I was describing the imaginary experiences of a fictional character, but my excitement quickly forced me to throw off any attempt at disguise, and finally, in a fevered pitch, I ended with a grand speech attempting to convince all of my listeners to rid themselves of their prejudices, and to become believers of the Third Dimension.

Do I have to tell you that I was immediately arrested and brought before the Council?

The next morning I was standing in the same place where just months ago, the Sphere had stood himself.

I was allowed to begin and continue my story without any questions or interruptions.

But I already knew my fate, because the President had noticed that a guard of higher-level Isosceles, with angles of almost at, or a little below 55 degrees were originally assigned to the room, and he made sure to dismiss them before I was allowed to speak, replacing them with a much more disposable class of Isosceles, whose angles were only 2 or 3 degrees.

I knew what that meant. I was going to either be executed or imprisoned, and my story was going to be kept secret from the world by killing everyone in the room except for the President, and there was no point wasting such expensive, high-degree Isosceles when when there were cheaper options available.

After I finished my story, the President, maybe seeing that some of the younger Circles had become sympathetic to me because of my apparent sincerity, asked me two questions:

1. Could I explain or show what direction I meant when I used the words” Upward, not Northward”?

2. Could I show or describe to them the Figure I was calling a Cube, without repeating the same list of imaginary sides and angles over again?

I declared that I couldn’t provide any more evidence, and that I would just have to stick to the Truth, which would be sure to prevail in the end.

The President replied that he agreed with my assessment that I couldn't offer any proof beyond my word.

He sentenced me to lifetime imprisonment, and said that if Truth intended to free me from my cell to preach my gospel to the world, then I should trust Truth to bring that about.

In the meantime, I wouldn’t be forced to suffer any discomfort that wasn’t necessary for keeping me locked up, unless I gave up that privilege through misbehavior. And if I behaved well, I might be allowed to visit my brother, who’d gone to prison before me every now and then.

Seven years have passed, and I am still a prisoner.

Except for the occasional visits from my brother, I have no company except for my jailers.

My brother is one of the best Squares. He is just, sensible, cheerful, and even feels some brotherly affection for me, but I have to confess that my weekly visits with him, in one sense, cause me the bitterest pain.

He was there when the Sphere manifested himself in the Council Chamber. He saw the Sphere’s changing sections, and he heard the explanation of this given to the Circles.

Since that time, barely a week has ever gone by in these long seven whole years when I haven’t reminded him of the part I played in that manifestation, and given him detailed descriptions of everything I saw and felt in Spaceland, and repeated endlessly the arguments for the existence of Solids through the progression of Analogy.

But, and I hate to say it, my brother still hasn’t understood anything I tell him, and flat out refuses to ever believe in the existence of a Sphere.

So you see, I have no students of my own, and, as far as I can see, the Millennial Revelation was given to me all for nothing.

Prometheus up in Spaceland was chained and punished for bringing down fire for mortals, but I, poor Flatland Prometheus, sit here in prison for bringing down Nothing for my countrymen.

But I continue on in the hope that this autobiography might, in some way I don’t know how, find its way into the minds of humanity in Some Dimension, and might stir up a group of rebels who will refuse to be chained by limited Dimensionality.

That is what I hope for in my lightest moments.

But alas, I cannot always be so optimistic. A heavy burden weighs on my mind – I can no longer honestly say that I am certain of the exact shape of that once-seen, often-longed for Cube, and in my nightly dreams, the mysterious chant of “Upward, not Northward” haunts me like a soul-devouring Sphinx.

It is part of the punishment I endure for the cause of the Truth that I experience seasons of mental weakness, when Cubes and Spheres fly away into a realm of impossible things, when the Land of Three Dimensions seems almost as impossible as the Land of One or None. Even the hard wall that keeps me from my freedom, and these very tablets I am writing on, and all the other physical realities of Flatland itself, seem like nothing more than the ravings of a diseased mind, or the baseless fabric of a dream.

[Table of Contents]

[breesays]

My son, my sun

Where did my little boo learn to talk to plants? We take plant babies from Gramma Lita's massive yard, recently started propagating them in water. Nothing for the first couple of weeks. Then Des said, "Mama, let me hold them" - and he took the bulb in his hand, looked lovingly at that little would-be-could-be plant and spoke to it in a way that astonished me. "You are so beautiful" he said. "You are doing such a good job. I am so happy to see you." I died, they thrived.

Four nights ago we unwrapped a fragrant bath bomb and I said, "Mmm, rose" and he started serenading me, from the "wonderful roses" part of "Til There Was You" and who can even do that? I feel like if I want to sing something, even casually, I have to start from the top. He vocalizes the percussion part of songs. Chh chh chh. Probably not revolutionary, but something new for my brain.

Some of the moms who got a spot in TK are reporting back that one of their kids "goals" for the year is to count to 20. Oh. Des can count to 100, and in Spanish. The other day he taught me how to say "knees" in Spanish, which is when I found out he can sing "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" in a second language. He remembers numbers really well, and has a good grasp of time. He can math way more at 4 years old than I could at like, 7 years old - and that's just because it's interesting to him, measurements and doubling things and how old was his friend Felix when he turned 2? Sometimes I just have to say, "That is a calculation I can't do on the fly, buddy."

He's growing his hair out long so he can make it curly, like his friend Vienna and his cousin Emerson. I wish he liked to read books together more, but maybe that will come later. It's OK if that's an interest we don't share. We make up new words until we're too tired, me channeling the IKEA catalog. Sometimes he says, "I have an idea - let's count to the highest number we know" to which I reply, "That does not sound like fun to mama, can we play a word game instead?" He also loves blowing up and popping balloons. Actually, he loves doing a lot of things with balloons - keepy uppy, birdy-flying, inflating then deflating, using them as stamps, talking about them on his imaginary YouTube channel...

He likes to eat seaweed snacks and will basically try any food at least once. He loves tomatoes, so much so that he will eat them like an apple. He steals my sushi and told me the pumpkin seeds needed "more paprika."

He makes funny observations. I took him to my work party recently and I told him Erica was in charge. When we looked back at photos from that night he asked, "Does Erica ever go home?" I said "Yes, of course, she has two kiddos of her own - why do you think that she doesn't?" He said, "Well, she's in charge."

My therapist is retiring at the end of the year, and then I won't have anyone to tell me what's healthy or adjusted anymore. I told her that sometimes Desmond says, "You know, Mama, I love Dada more than you." I respond: "That's OK, my love for you doesn't change." It doesn't hurt me, it makes me curious - what is he trying to accomplish? That non-judgemental curiosity they tried to summon from the depth of my cold being during the "can we save this marriage?" time - there it is! Therapist said: It's remarkable that he even vocalized this. It's called secure attachment.

For awhile I also wondered - does Des need therapy during this transition? He has asked why we don't live together anymore and I said, "not all families live together" - but all the families he knew of, did. So we got a couple books. Representation. Therapist said: Unless he is acting out, or it's disrupting, he is ok. Again, the fact that he's even asking these questions is GREAT. I do a value a good question-asker.

I'm still writing my book of essays and I've recently hit 38K words. I've considered publishing under a pseudonym, because I don't want to FIGHT about asexuality. I just want some previously unlearned people to know that it EXISTS. I publish most of my revelations and feelings about being Ace on my Medium. The blog that upset him was titled "Ace Week 2023" - and posted on Medium. I didn't have the time or mental capacity to react at the time. I just chose not to. Spiral, if you must - I will not add any fuel. But I did feel mad, when I unboxed that compartmentalization --

Sometimes I want to be kind and gentle and empathic because, wow we didn’t know anything, did we? There wasn’t the vocabulary for what I was experiencing. There were no alternate storylines to draw inspiration from. But sometimes I am furious, violated, underestimated. 

If you just light the path, everyone will find their own way there, right? I’m the deer in headlights, then I run towards the inevitable crash. Scampering off into the unlit wild was somehow more intimidating. So, blind yourself. Numb yourself. Anything to get to the other side.

[pendarling]

8 Tactics To Prove Your Characters Are REAL Friends! 🔐

Character interaction is very important and key in a story. When wanting to accomplish a certain goal bad or good, your protagonist will need to have at least some supporting characters to really help them.

Here are some tips to improve your writing and make your characters worth dying for! Friendships that feel, look and sound real!

The awkward stage needs to happen before the real stage: like instant love, instant friendship is equally as weird. How is it that you can glance at someone and feel the click? Unless your characters have been watching each other’s actions and are intrigued/interested in their responses they can’t feel that. Have your characters communicate with each other about themselves, start simple, their favourite colour or whatever and then let them share more about themselves and come into contact more. This is a skill that romance authors like to use, they put two characters in situations that bring them together every time and force them to interact. We’re not aiming for exact romance but rather a platonic relationship that leaves readers thinking “I love that character I hope to see more of them in the future.”

Characters that are already friends: Show us how they’re friends. Let them be the type who is always there to comfort them, tell them what they need and give advice. Also! Don’t have just one character doing all the work! A real relationship needs both people to be involved in each other and nurture one another. How can you have a character say they’re best friends but never have their back?? Please work on both characters and give them a reason why they care about each other. What has the other done for them? Don’t make them blindly loyal all the time!

Your characters are not decorations or a criteria to be met: I have read too many books and watched too many shows that leave this “best friend” as a background character. They are uninvolved in the plot or storyline, they have no idea what’s going on with the protagonist, and worse of all the protagonist goes on chapters and chapters with little to no interaction with their supposed “best friend”. You can’t keep doing this with characters in your world, even if your protagonist is a secret hero or an agent, isn’t the whole point of the story the intensity of never knowing and having mystery and secrets? The protagonist should feel bad for hiding so much information from their good friend and everyday the friend should feel like they are losing their friend ESPECIALLY if they really are best friends then that character is actively working towards finding out their secret. Add some mystery, some suspense, if there is no mystery or suspense in your story then your book is NOT IN THE RIGHT CATEGORY. Don’t bait readers into believing we are reading a suspense novel and whiplash us like this. Believe it or not, you can involve the friend in their personal life too, it can still be suspense in many other ways but I’m telling you now that if there wasn’t a reason to make your readers care about this “best friend”, to make us worry about their safety, reputation etc… then don’t give your protagonist a “best friend”, that is just a classmate/workmate.

Don’t have characters spoil every little detail of their lives immediately: Think about how strange would it be if someone who isn’t your closest friend did that to you the first time? It’s a bit unrealistic to get someone to immediately open up to you. And no “they’re the protagonist/they are just a really good talker” doesn’t work. Even if your character is a master manipulator it takes some time to have someone become manipulated it’s not instantaneous and easy or else you’d have everyone be a manipulator and that wouldn’t be so interesting and fun anymore would it? Put your characters into situations that reveal to us little by little who they are. Now as the reader we may know more about the protagonist but the protagonist doesn’t automatically know everything about everyone. What if this friend of theirs has a bad memory or past history? What makes this character think our protagonist is worthy enough to let them be vulnerable? How does the protagonist give their friend the attention they need and deserve and what makes them drawn to them? The mystery is what keeps a reader reading, do not tell us everything or else what’s the point? Let the readers SEE what’s going on in their lives so we know who this person is. It’s boring to focus on the protagonist all the time! Keep us questioning and put the answer in the next chapter, we don’t want plot holes. Then throw in another NEW question at the end of that chapter to keep us hungry for MORE. We want to feel worried not only for the protagonist but their friend as well and how this will affect their friendship. Remember: the story should be about changing. A book that starts and ends the same is pointless, what did we read it for?

The comparison: This is optional for a character that is very social or even just a little socially extroverted. Give your protagonist multiple friends, have them all with their flaws, each one of their own lives different. Then overtime let your protagonist begin to hang out with one or a small group of characters in particular more often. Let them filter out their friends and choose the one friend they believe is best for them. That lets readers feel closer to this one character and ALSO believe that they are the best and most trustworthy. The more we interact with them, the more we hear or see them in the story, the more emotionally attached we become. Humans are programmed in a way to choose what is best for us to succeed in life, you need to understand that this applies to your characters too. If you have already applied all the reasons listed then your protagonist will be able to express vulnerability with this character too and vice-versa. Each person should have slowly been proving to each other that they are suitable to become life long friends. That way when we see our friend in any situation the reader can immediately think “OH! I know that character!”

Good friends don’t need to have everything in common!: One of the worse and boring things that could possibly happen in your novel is characters that share similarities on everything! Where is the creativity in variations? What are we supposed to work with? This is bland and will kill your story. You can still have a lot of common interest and even just one single difference but it will be harder to work with. Having differences is good, trust me. But you might be wondering… won’t that make them fight a lot? Refer to Number 7 below!!

Have them argue: You can’t possibly convince a reader that your two or three etc… characters are all best friends and seemingly never had an argument. How will the reader know how they overcome their differences and handle a problem together? We need to see how well they do in solving issues between them and sharing their thoughts and feelings. That’s how you can flesh out a character really well. Plus this is a really good setup for a character arc of emotional, physical, and spiritual development. We need to see what makes them keep coming back and holding onto their friendship every time.

If your characters hated each other to start: This is very similar to the above Number, you may have a novel where you got characters who used to hate each other but now it’s awkward. Those enemies can still argue! Yes! Because as we’ve stated we can see them fix problems and work together. This will bring them closer and— trust me if you do it really well you can take the “best friends path” or the “turned lovers path”. The power will be all to you!

~~~

MASTERLIST

[tokidokitokyo]

2023年5月31日

TL;DR: Don't feel inadequate if your language learning journey is not the same as that of others. Your path is valid and you are doing great!

May seemed to just speed on by! And now it's time for my monthly Japanese study log. I think this month I felt a lot of shame for not having time to do the big goals that I have set for myself, and seeing people on langblr or studyblr accomplishing a lot of big goals makes me feel inadequate. It's important to remember that your language journey is your own, not someone else's, and there is no shame in going at your own pace. I try to focus on the things that I accomplish and not make the journeys that other people are on into some kind of impossible standard to hold myself to. Look at your own learning through the lens of how far you have come, and you will feel less like you are lacking.

つまり、自分なりに言語の勉強を続いてね。周りの人の道は自分とは違っても、自分でも成長していますね。これからも続きましょう！

5月はあっという間に終了です！今からは日本語の勉強日記を書こうと思います。今月は大きいな目標をなかなか進まなくて辛かったです。それに、タンブラーやインスタグラムの勉強垢をよく見てて、なんか自分が足りないって感じていました。日本語や言語の勉強は自分のやり方で自分のペースで進んだ方がいいと覚えた方がいいと思いますから、それを頑張って思い出そうとしています。他人の成長を見ながら自分の成長が足りないなと思うことはよくやりますが、それを辞めるように努力します。一か月や一年前の自分を見たら、今まですごく成長してきたと気づいたら、足りなくないとわかるかもしれません。

My 2023 Goals Progress

I laid out some broad goals for my Japanese study in my 2023 Japanese Language Goals post, so, as always, I start off my update with my progress towards these goals.

1. Read one page a day of 日本の歴史366 (にほんのれきし366) everyday in 2023.

How is it going? Good! I am finally getting back on track after setbacks from late work nights, illness, and vacation time. Since this is a page-a-day study book, I would have preferred to keep reading in order and to catch up on the days I missed reading, but that was physically impossible due to a lack of time in general. So I am continuing on even though I skipped some days because it's good reading practice and I still learn vocabulary and kanji daily.

2. Finish 日本語総まとめ N3 (にほんごそうまとめ N3) workbooks.

How is it going? Good! I have been doing one workbook daily entry per day for at least 2 days a week. There are 4 workbooks (Vocabulary, Kanji, Grammar, Listening) with 6 weeks and 6-7 daily entries per week. I am still on Week 5 out of 6 weeks, but I am progressing much more than I did last year (or the year before that lol).

I take my time with each lesson, reviewing the vocab/kanji/grammar points meticulously, so that I absorb the information rather than just rush through it. Sometimes I already know most of the vocab or kanji or grammar, but other days require more focus. I feel like I am retaining more information by doing it little-by-little, rather than just trying to get as much done as possible in one sitting. In May, I didn't review the lessons afterwards and throughout the week, so I might take some extra time to do that once I finish the series.

3. Review and learn the first 6 levels of the 常用漢字 (じょうようかんじ), specifically the 教育漢字 (きょういくかんじ) up to grade 6.

How is it going? Okay. I have been trying to focus on Joyo Kanji in my kanji reviews, so I went back to Grade 1 kanji to start my review. It helps me to figure out which ones I know well and where I am struggling. Goal: Review through at least grade 3 during the month of June.

4. Read at least one book every two months.

How is it going? Not great. I haven't had the time (nor the motivation) to pick back up the books I stopped in March, and I'm trying to be okay with that ^^; I would like to pick back up one book in June and try to finish it by July. One thing that I am continuing to read is the Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-kun manga series (in small chunks, usually before bed).

5. Improve my speaking and writing by finding a tutor.

How is it going? It could be better. I am going to set a deadline for finally finding a tutor. I just worry that if I find a tutor I won't be able to commit to a regular schedule and I'll just drop off like I have before. I keep thinking if I had more time to search for a tutor it'd be more permanent, but I think I am just procrastinating (shocked gasps from all). There's also a small worry about the financial commitment, but I am going to try to be frugal in other areas to allow for this luxury. Goal: I will find a tutor by June 30th (or at least start making regular appointments with tutors).

I've also added on to this goal that I would like to start writing sentences on HelloTalk so that I can get feedback without needing a tutor. This might help me to get motivated to improve instead of being terrified of making mistakes. Goal: Write one sentence a day on HelloTalk in June.

6. Study Japanese for at least 10 minutes every day.

How is it going? Good! Thank goodness I have been studying Japanese every day for so long that it's not even something I have to think about trying to fit into my schedule anymore.

May Study Log

This month my top study areas were Vocabulary, Kanji, and Speaking. I spent the least time studying Grammar and practicing Writing.

Study Methods I Used in May

Social Media

Not only did I use apps like renshuu.org (flash cards) and Easy Japanese (articles in Japanese) to study in May, I also used Instagram and started back up on HelloTalk. The idea is to interact with social media in a meaningful way by reading and writing in Japanese. I commented on other user's posts and reached out to some of them as well to start a conversation. The only drawback to this method is that you can get lost in endless doom scrolling if you don't focus on what you are there for (i.e. interaction) and just get lost in the algorithm.

Conversation

I speak Japanese daily (with my husband and son) and since my son is starting to speak in 3-4 word sentences and to copy our speech patterns, I am more mindful of what I am saying to him and how I am saying it (for example, using 大変 instead of やばい ^^;). However, when speaking with my husband it is easier to fall into a Japanglish routine with him, to drop formality and be lazy with sentence construction, and to speak in a more masculine way (because I tend to mimic the speech patterns of those I am speaking with). I have recently made a few Japanese mom friends with whom I can practice Japanese conversation. So I try to utilize our play dates by speaking both formal and casual Japanese, being mindful of my interactions, and trying to utilize new words or grammar points. Using Japanese is the best way to improve it, after all. The only drawback is that the conversation practices can be spaced few and far between, so spending time mindfully speaking at home is also important.

Reading

I have been doing far less reading than I was at the beginning of the year, but I still try to read something for just a few minutes a day to practice reading. Either an article, manga, or even just social media, just to keep myself practicing. Like conversation practice, the best way to improve my reading skills is to keep reading. The drawback is that if I try to read a book but then I have to put it down for a while, I forget what was happening or I lose my motivation to keep reading it because I feel like I am not making progress. If reading books is just not feasible due to a time crunch, I find it much better to read something shorter (articles or part of a manga), and I try not to be hard on myself for not reading a whole book when it seems like everyone else is reading tons of books every month.

Going Forward in June

Be continuous with 日本の歴史366

Focus on grades 1-3 of 教育漢字

Start regular italki tutor sessions

Write in Japanese on HelloTalk

Read one of the books I started earlier in the year by the end of July

I've been studying Japanese for a long time and I still feel inadequate a lot of the time. If you have studied Japanese for any amount of time, please be proud of yourself. You've done something that a lot of people only wish they could do. As always, I wish you much success in your language endeavors, and I hope we can continue on this journey together (no matter where our paths take us)!

長い間日本語を勉強しててもまだまだ足りないと思てます。今までちょっとでも長い間でも日本語を勉強している人に伝いたいことは、よく頑張ったね！日本語を勉強したくても勉強したことない人もたくさんいますので、勉強している人はすごいと思います。そして、自分なりにつづいてください。これからも、皆さん勉強の成功と成長を願っています。どんな道でも、一緒に勉強を続きましょう！

[theladyragnell]

1, 2, 6 ,8 for the book asks!

How many books did you read this year?

A whopping 165! Might be 166 by the end of tomorrow depending on how much I read vs. how much time I end up spending trying to finish a fic to post before the end of tomorrow.

Did you reread anything? What?

Yes! I love rereading. I reread the whole Murderbot series by Martha Wells, a bunch of Tortall by Tamora Pierce, The Devotion of Delflenor by R. Cooper, a few classics (Sense & Sensibility, Rilla of Ingleside, The Box-Car Children), In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan, and a few romances.

Weirdly, there are a few every-year rereads for me that I don't think I did this year! I'll have to read The Goblin Emperor and some Eva Ibbotson pretty early into 2024. (I could SWEAR I read The Goblin Emperor last winter, though. Maybe I forgot to write it down???)

Was there anything you meant to read, but never got to?

Oh, absolutely. I did a really bad job of reading the books on my shelves particularly over the last few months, and as a result, I have something like 30 unread books in my possession. And I fully respect people who can have shelves upon shelves of unread books waiting for the right mood or a rainy day! But I get antsy when I'm over 20, so it's less that there's one specific book I wanted to read but didn't get to, and more that I bought too many books and need to spend several months Not Doing That.

Did you meet any of your reading goals? Which ones?

Yes! I finished the book bingo I participated in, by which I mean I got a blackout on my card, which was way harder than I thought it would be, so I feel really accomplished about that.

My other major goal was to read less and savor more, but I really didn't do that one. I mean, technically I think last year I read 167 books so I'll come in juuuuust south of that, but it really doesn't make much difference at that point. So I failed at the savoring!

But at least I succeeded at the bingo!

[alostwanderernotfound]

Actions that help some types of memory loss, mental tiredness, forgetfulness, some impulsive behaviors, headaches, absence seizures, and other issues with the nervous system

Some individuals experience a lot of different troubles that impair their life. Memory problems hurt our ability to accomplish our goals. Many individuals have said they have similar problems. These impairing issues are not always recognized. We are expected now to just live with these problems.

I am going to list some actions I have found that work for me and others to improve these problems.

1. Close your eyes like you are about to sleep. Put your fingers on top of the skin covering your eye. Place a small amount of pressure on the skin over your eye (eyelid). Move the skin covering your closed eye (eyelid) up and down. Do this motion up and down, up and down, up and down multiple times. Do this motion at least 3 times to each eyelid. It is also possible to perform this same action with one eye open and one eye closed. Move your fingers up and down only over the eyelid skin of the closed eye. The more pressure you apply the better this technique will work. Please remember that pressing very hard on your eye can cause eye damage. Do not perform this action with a high amount of pressure. This also works best if you use as many fingers as you can on the skin covering your closed eye. Pressing down over the entire eyelid skin of the skin covering your closed eye will make better results. It will still work as long as you perform the action on both eyes.

2. Close one of your eyes. Look upwards towards the sky with your open eye. Try and focus your eyes on seeing your eyebrows. Now look down only with your eyes. Your neck and head should not move up or down during these actions. Only your eyes should be moving when seeing up and down. Try and focus on seeing the side of your jaw bone of your face. Move your eyes up and down quickly.

3. Place your hand on your head. Find the area of your head near your spine. Here on your head you will find 2 raised areas of skin and bone. These 2 areas will feel slightly different in comparison to the other areas of the skull. On my head they are close to where my spine connects to my head. These two objects are at approximately the same height as the top of the ears. The two objects are approximately 2 inches apart. Apply pressure with your hand or use a solid object to put pressure over both areas. A large object covering a large space when applying pressure provides more relief than a small object. Using only your fingers for this can make the sensation of a headache worse. Using objects like books or someone’s entire hand with fingers and palm works better. You will know you found the right area of your head/skull when you immediately feel better.

Many people say that the motion of their eyes moving from right to left and left to right causes their memory problems to get worse.

This repeated side to side motion of the eyes causing issues in our brain would help explain in science of why hypnotism works. This would also mean by reading left to right or right to left instead of up and down is causing our problems to get worse. Many older languages used to write and read in an up and down motion. This may have helped prevent sickness and why we associate up and down versions of some languages as formal, sacred, and religious.

The up and down motions of these two actions I listed above help move the eye in the opposite direction.

I take medicine for seizures. This medicine directly affects the electricity conduction from human nerves in my body. That is the primary way I help prevent my problems with forgetfulness and memory loss. These types of techniques I listed above help me when I notice that these issues are getting worse when I try to read or drive. These are temporary fixes that can help anyone with these issues in an emergency, so that they have time and the ability to feel like they can clearly think to leave a dangerous situation.

Stay safe.

[seeingteacupsindragons]

Lmao here, have the most ridiculously broad and all-encompassing writer ask ever to distract you:

How in the hell do you make a plot?

Jk, mostly. 😅 This is more a ramble than an ask I guess. I keep tinkering with the idea of actually writing A Story, but I just. I don't know. I get so bored so fast with the process of moving characters from Point A to Point B. I just want to stick people in a room and make them talk. (Or possibly make out, depending on the scenario.) Or I want to spend thousands of words just going on and on about a character's thoughts and emotions. That all works well for oneshot fanfics, but it's awful for doing longer fics or attempting something original. I just don't know how to make characters Go Places and Do Things and Have Goals. Which like...obviously you're not going to be able to magically solve that problem for me in a single post, but...any tips to get started that don't involve falling into the inescapable dungeon of Outlining?

Plot has always been an issue for me. Many moons ago, an agent told me that my book had a great voice but nothing actually happened in it: it was like one of those narrators you'd say you'd listen to read a phone book. Except, you know. Maybe it'd be nice if it wasn't a phone book.

I've had a tendency in the past to, ah...just have a series of things happen. Which is not actually a plot. It's a katamari ball. You can't just write things happening for several thousand words and then be like "ta-da!"

Well, I mean, you can. But it sure wasn't gettin' me an agent.

I'm getting better at this, I think, and structuring stories in general. Tiadane's book was the first book I got notes back from a CP that didn't basically say "the pacing and structure of this is fucked."

(Of course, I'm changing some of that anyway, but it's more incidental to other things I'm fixing than the major concern)

That said, it usually takes me a zero draft (first draft) to really figure out what the story is about and how to take it there. Every single ending for a story I had in mind before I got there has had to be ripped out. Every. Single. One. For ever novel I've ever edited. I'm so bad at getting to an ending I envisioned, because if I actually let the characters develop and change and the world build around them and the themes come through, where I wanted them to end up and the scenes I envisioned, is never really the culmination of how to do it.

A plot is really how a story develops. For me, this is generally character-based. For some people it's the world, for some people it's the actual events.

For a character story, the plot is basically what events are the catalyst that bring them to where they're going. How do they get there, and what happens to them to push them there? How did they react, and to what?

For a world story, the plot is generally focused on unfolding events around the world. I've seen this done with characters in different areas and or characters traveling, or even just in a kind of Epicenter. The plot will be how the world is changing, or how the world is being revealed to the reader, and what that means.

For a story of events, the plot is generally encircled around how things happen, who caused them and why, and what they do when they do happen, and what else they cause to happen.

I usually have a good strong start for about 10k words, and then the plot fizzles out as the initial concept I was running with has sort of been fulfilled and something needs to happen from it.

The way this happened in Tiadane's book was that he basically jumped into a goal, he completed the steps he set out to do, but it all went very wrong. And while he managed to get out of that disaster and take a breather, he had a couple choices: he could give up, or he could try something else to accomplish the goal (and what), or he could clean up the mess he accidentally made, etc.

Each of those would have been a very different Character, obviously. But what the important part of this character story was, was that he made a choice based on who he is as a character, but that he was the one reacting and doing something. There's characters stories about passive characters who don't do much, but they're not especially common because when a character isn't making choices (or perceived not to be), it gets really hard to reveal a character and the story doesn't go anywhere.

Sure, you could keep throwing things at them. But if those Various Things That Are Happening don't feel tied to something before (the character or other events), you have a string of events, not a nicely rising tide of story.

So it's not a matter of "things happening" but "which things going to happen to them after they did that?" and "what things are they going to do now?" and "what things are going to tell you what you want readers to know about the character?"

Sub character with world or events, as necessary.

Okay NOW I'm done, for now.

[myloveforhergoeson]

i'd love to read some good ol' hockey romance novels but idk where to start lol; would you happen to have any recommendations? (it's totally cool if not!!)

YES OMG ok but something you must understand about me is that all of my book recommendations come exclusively from booktok or instagram so please take this with a grain of salt. i like them dumb, stupid, cliche, and smutty!

i am very new to the hockey romance genre, so i only have two books that i have read as of now to recommend, but i've got three on my to be read list so i can talk about those too <3

the one i just finished is called behind the net by stephanie archer and friend... god... i thought this one was just going to be just like pwp but there was plot and it was good and had me actually shocked something so interesting popped up in this book bc i had expected something completely different. it centers around jamie, a hockey player (goalie) for a fake team called the vancouver storm who trades his life playing for a team in new york to move home and take care of his mother after a series of mental health crises. he's a bit mean, a little arrogant, but he is mostly and above all... say it with me... MISUNDERSTOOD. god i eat this shit up. his counterpart is a young woman named pippa who just got out of a pretty one sided (read: slightly emotionally abusive) relationship with the only guy she'd ever dated. her ex is a pretty famous musician and it's her dream to write and record her own album one day, but after the break up and a little bit of a traumatic experience with her ex and his manager, she's not quite sure that's the right choice for her. she's very sweet, determined, and overall someone i found to be a very interesting character. anyway, she ends up as his assistant, chaos ensues, things happen that i won't spoil, but i enjoyed it very much.

(he calls her songbird a lot and though i do not have the claim on the pet name every time he said it my mind immediately went rames rames rames rames like a dog chasing after a squirrel)

i've got a little journal where i keep track of all the books i'm reading and i gave it a 3/5 stars on quality of writing, 5/5 stars on the strength of the characters, and a 4/5 on the plot. and my own extra rating, 4/5 on the spice scale

also! the author is writing a series that includes other members of the team and some minor characters from the first novel! the next one comes out in a few days and i can't wait to pick it up!

the first book i read out of the hockey romance genre is a book called icebreaker by hannah grace - this one was pretty popular when it came out and many people have many opinions on it. here are my own which are very general because i read it almost a year ago

the summary of the book is a little misleading, the main conflict is supposed to revolve around the captain of a fake college hockey team (nate) and a figure skater (anastasia) who's shooting for olympic gold having to share an ice rink after the one the figure skaters use is put out of commission. long story short, anastasia blames nate, but they're put in a bit of a forced proximity situation that lasts like... five chapters max. the rest is them figuring out their feelings for each other yada yada which is fine and i enjoyed but it was not what i thought the book would mainly be about. so, personal warning there lol. this one is a bit closer to pwp, but both of them have goals they want to accomplish and they help each other through that. i liked stassie a lot and found her to be an interesting character - watching her fall for nate was very sweet and i think i would have enjoyed it even more if i really liked him. he was just kind of mid to me with his only two personality traits being rich and team captain. but also, as a college student myself, i liked the atmosphere of the school they attended, the dynamic between stassie and the other players on the team as she slowly got to know them, and the way both nate and stassie worked to better themselves in order to be with each other!

in my journal i gave the quality of writing 3/5, the strength of the characters a 3/5 and the plot a 2/5 (it would have been 4/5 but i HATED the epilogue. if you read this book do not read the epilogue your life will be so much better without it) and my own special 3/5 on the spice scale

this one is also a series involving the other players on the team! the second book came out a few months ago and i'm planning to read it soon. it's been sitting on my shelf for ages.

i would recommend behind the net over icebreaker, but both were enjoyable to me!

on my hockey romance tbr:

the graham effect by elle kennedy

wildfire by hannah grace

the fake out by stephanie archer

but, i am a well-rounded (romance) reader so if you'd like to know my favs or other books im reading or like reviews just lmk... i'm slowly turning this blog into one where i just share whatever i want instead of it being focused toward my story LOL

[bondsmagii]

but genuinely; I used to be that person who criticized “reading challenges” and hardcore readers until I started doing the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge myself and I was like hold on actually reading fast is dope as hell, like you want to actually get through your reading list? fucking read

welcome to the LIGHT, anon. something that genuinely baffles me is a lot of the same people will talk endlessly about things that they want to do -- it might not necessarily be reading, but they'll have something they want to do/finish/accomplish, but they shit incessantly on setting goals. and like. I get it. setting a goal means committing. and committing means a possibility of failure. but christ. if you don't even try, you've already failed.

I didn't pop out of the womb reading. I used to read voraciously as a child, but when I hit my mid-teens I got nerfed by mental illness and major ADHD, and for about a decade I read maybe a book a year, if I was lucky. and I was always talking about how much I missed reading, and how I had all these books I wanted to read, but I never fucking read them. so guess what. they didn't get read. then in about 2018 or so, I started trying to read a book a week. and it was a NIGHTMARE. it was so much effort that I barely made it. I raged and gnashed my teeth at god over the fact I had to read 30 pages a day to make it. but eventually... it got easier. I pushed through, and started to like it again, and my attention span improved, and reading became easier, and I started to look forward to it. I read 49 books that year. after reading maybe 15 for the almost decade preceeding it.

the next year, I decided I would try to read 50 books. I made it in at 51. in 2020 I set my goal to 50 books again. I read 130 books. now my yearly minimum is 100 books and it is easy so long as I have some discipline. I read for 4 hours minimum a day, excluding weekends (where I read if I want, but also give myself room to do other things, like going out etc). so that's 20 hours over 5 days. this would have been unimaginable to me even a few years ago. now I couldn't imagine going months at a time without reading. not to mention the numerous benefits that reading gives: a way to pass the time, genuinely makes you smarter, makes your vocabulary better, improves your writing, improves your critical thinking, and so on. it's such a manageable thing to do, and the benefits are insane.

and I managed all this because I challenged myself and did shame myself when I didn't do it when I could have. sometimes self care is looking at your own bullshit and saying fuck you actually.

[sam-loves-seb]

new year's ask game for fic writers:

thanks for the tags @mybrainismelted and @rayrayor !

1) What fic did you have the most fun writing this year and why? Or, if you can’t decide, what was most fun about writing this year for you?

i had the most fun writing what we stay alive for this past year, it was really a passion project of mine that turned into this wonderful labor of love

2) What’s a scene/story that you finished and felt “wow, I really accomplished that, that actually went so well”?

probably loving you with no conditions, i've always really wanted to write a fic with that premise but i put it off for a long time because i was worried i wouldn't do it justice. but in the end, i think people really liked it, and it's one of the fics i'm most proud of tbh

3) What helped provide the most inspiration for stories, if anything? Was it poetry? A song on repeat? A gorgeous gifset? A walk outside? A book you read that made you want to change everything? Whatever it was! Tell all.

unfortunately the thing that inspires me most continues to be running/exercise. i cannot even begin to tell you how many plot bunnies/outlines i wrote in my head during runs last summer when i was training for a race. idk what it is, but when i'm locked in with my headphones on, my mind starts to wander and it gives me some really good ideas (and some wild ones, but those are fun too from a creative standpoint)

4) What is something you want to share about what you’ve written this year? A particular line, a comment that made you feel really good, a scene that was difficult to write — you get to choose! What do you wish someone would ask you about when it comes to what you’ve written?

god, i don't know. i've gotten a lot of really wonderful comments this year, too many to pick just one.

a scene that was difficult to write would probably be all of chapter four of orange juice, that fic overall is hard to write (but i still want to finish it someday)

but i write more fluff than anything so i also wanted to add a scene that was really fun to write, and that was writing mickey high as fuck in i need you (like cake on my birthday)

and to start off 2024…

1) Do you have any writing/creation goals for the year? What are they?

my goal for the year is to write two (2) complete multi-chapter fics. i mostly exist in the oneshot world in the shameless fandom, but i miss plotting big long fics and i really want to try and stick with at least two this year.

2) Is there a fic or idea that you’re really excited to be able to continue to work on in the new year (shout out to my fellow fic writing folks who take forever to finish wips, sometimes it’s nice to be able to continue working on something even if you wish you’d gotten it done! Now you get even MORE time with it!)

i think rock star mickey au is the idea that i most want to see come to life in 2024. i've been plotting it in my head since like july and one day i want to be confident enough to actually write the vision that plays on a loop in my subconscious.

3) What’s something new in your writing you want to try/are going to try? A different writing style? Different fandom? Darker works? Fluffier? Longer or shorter?

god, i mean, i guess i want to try writing more smut? i don't write a lot of it rarely any ever but i want to put a little bit in my big bang fic, and maybe some in some other fic ideas i have too. so yeah. maybe i'll try more of that in 2024 idk don't quote me on it.

4) What’s something you love about your own writing that you will continue to appreciate in the new year?

honestly i really like the way i write dialogue. it sounds very natural to me, idk if anyone else agrees, but when i re-read some of my fics i'm just like yeah exactly he would say that

(and maybe it's bad or wildly out of character but idk. i like it.)

tagging anyone who wants to play <3 happy 2024 my friends!

[pinkrangersarah]

Another year has come and gone, and I honestly don't think my depression had hit harder than it did in 2023. I normally don't do "new year resolutions" because I know I won't stick with them, but there are legitimate changes I'd like to make and goals I'd like to accomplish.

I'm going to pin this post to my blog and reblog it at the end of 2024 to see how much I've grown and accomplished (if I remember, I build up my queue but I honest to god don't check my personal very much).

Finish reading five books. I know that's a super low number, but I'm a procrastinator and a slow reader. I also have a horrid habit of getting side tracked. This year I think I only read three books and started four others.

For the love of God, go outside more. Take a walk. Find that jump rope that I can't remember if I donated or if it's lost in my Narnia closet somewhere. I hate the outdoors and I hate exercising, but I'm pretty sure I'd be less tired and my health would benefit in other ways that I can't think of if I went outside aside from going to work.

Learn Spanish. I get quite a few customers at work who don't speak English very well (and sometimes I get some that don't at all). I want to learn Spanish so I can assist them easier; I always feel terrible when I struggle to understand them or we have to resort to Google translate. (I also get customers who speak other languages, like Chinese or Korean, but the majority is Spanish so I'll start there.)

Finish writing a draft. I have two (technically three) projects open right now, and I want to finish at least one. Storytelling is a passion of mine, and as ridiculous as it sounds, I'd like to make a career out of it.

Get my driver's license. I am 28 years old and I can't drive; it's a phobia of mine that I'm legitimately tired of. I'm less ashamed of it now that I'm older and understand that it's not that uncommon, but there are things I want to do and places I want to go. I cannot and do not want to rely on people to transport me for the rest of my life.