#it makes it more enjoyable but also turns it into a chore

[babywriter]

Imagine you have a girlfriend. Now imagine she drops out of college. No more big shot career for her, college was just too stressful. What do you do? You ask her “what’s the plan? What now?”. She says she doesn’t know. She doesn’t have anything lined up and she can’t think of anything. Can’t think of working at all, even. It gets to the point that she says she’d love to be a housewife. That’d be the life, she says. You tell her that being a housewife is work. There are chores to do. She says she understands. That’s how it started, you as the breadwinner, her as the housewife.

But then what happens when she doesn’t take care of the house? Goes out with friends instead? What happens when you’re the one also doing the cleaning and cooking? What’s the point of being with someone who’s acting like a child? You tell her she’s been acting like a little girl. She confesses, she’d love to be a little girl, do nothing she doesn't feel like. Alright, new arrangement. You do everything.

Obviously, she loves it at first. But you, kinky as you are, decide to also get some enjoyment of the situation. You do everything? Fine, but then you pick her clothes. Sillier and girlier than ever before. You make sure she watches Disney movies, sleeps with her stuffies. All very exciting stuff. For you, for her. Then, you decide to teach her a lesson as you didn’t actually expect her to enjoy this. She has to sleep in her own room. That’s the first big change. Then, you bring in the diapers. That, she did not enjoy. Calling you daddy is one thing, but using her diapers? Slowly, but surely, losing control over her own body?  Yet, she doesn’t even have the right to change her diapers. You have made her completely and utterly dependent on you for everything. And slowly, but surely, she learned to love it. Relying on daddy for everything and leaving her all the time in the world to look pretty and play. Now, imagine you have this adult baby girlfriend. Imagine the two of you are going out tonight to see some friends and that you’ve dressed her as in the picture above.

Imagine that it’s time to go and just as she was throwing a tantrum, she climbs on the chair and becomes dead silent. She turns her head and you imagine just how filled up her diaper will be by the time you arrive.

Photo credit: Diaperbrats.com

For more stories by me: https://reamstories.com/babywriter

[pathetic-sapphic]

Arcane characters with an S/O who can sing??? 👀

Arcane characters with a S/O who can sing

VI is so in awe of your impressive talent, she thinks your voice is the most beautiful sound she ever heard. She loves listening to you sing while the two of you are doing household chores and will often join you! She also loves when the two of you are dancing to some instrumental music and you start humming. Brags about your singing abilities to anyone who is willing to listen, she is just so proud of you.

JINX loves blasting loud music and singing along to the lyrics at the top of her lungs. So when you decide to join her and you sound so damn good while doing it, girlie falls head over heels for you. Fixes an old, beat-up karaoke machine so the two of you can have loads of fun together. When she has an episode, she asks you to sing her a lullaby as it calms down her mind and silences the voices. The soft rumble of your chest, your calming heartbeat and comforting voice are the only sounds she ever needs to hear in order to be happy and content. Genuinely tears up if you ever sing a love song aimed towards her, it makes her feel so loved and appreciated.

The beauty of your voice was one of the first things CAITLYN noticed when she met you. She had her suspicions of your talent and she finally got her confirmation when she caught you practicing one day in your apartment as you thought she was at work. Little did you know she left early because she wanted to surprise you and spend a nice evening with her love. Caitlyn would quietly lean on the doorframe and wait until you're done, after which she'd start clapping, startling you in the process. After this, she calls you her siren because your silky voice never fails to hypnotize her and make her fall even more in love with you.

EKKO has a huge soft spot for artistic people who are passionate about their talent. He loves hearing you practice and will encourage you to start performing (if you don't want to, he's cool with that, it just makes him feel more honored because he's the only one who gets to hear an actual angel sing). When he catches you singing a lullaby to a child from the Firelight hideout who had a nightmare, Ekko feels like the luckiest guy in the world to love someone so kind and wonderful. Always compliments your efforts and talent and often takes you out on karaoke dates. It makes him feel so alive to be able to sing along with you that, for a brief moment, he forgets all the burden he carries on his shoulders and actually feels like a carefree boy once again.

SILCO greatly supports and indulges into this passion of yours. He often asks you to sing to him whenever you're hanging around in his office and he decides to take a break. He is a great lover of good music and having a darling with such an enjoyable talent is incredibly satisfying to him. Your voice brings him more joy than any old record ever could and he is very possessive of it. He makes you promise him that you will not sing to anyone else other than him, as your beauty is only for him to marvel at and praise.

If you're up for it, VANDER would love to have you perform at the Last Drop. Oh, the way he'd boast to his patrons about how that beauty on the stage is his partner and how lucky he is to have you. You actually turn out to be quite a distraction to his work, as Vander has a hard time keeping his eyes off of you. Always makes sure that your favorite drink is waiting for you after each performance, telling you to drink up and that you've earned it. Knows that you're the one after he catches you singing lullabies to his adopted little rascals. Vander sees you as a literal blessing and a perfect addition to their family.

Pretends unimpressed at first, as SEVIKA doesn't see singing as something useful for their cause or survival in ruthless Zaun. However, eventually you manage to get under her skin and she finds herself equally annoyed and in love with your humming while you're doing things around your apartment. With time, she starts to seek out your voice and even tries to sneak about in order to listen to your beautiful singing. Once you catch onto her unvoiced pleasure in hearing you, you start singing more clearly and loudly when doing chores and she actually gives you an awkward but heartfelt compliment for your talent. Sevika admits it's not the worst sound to listen to and soon she cannot imagine going about her everyday life without hearing her beloved's tunes.

VIKTOR is so amazed by your voice and makes sure you are always aware of how fascinating you are to him. Before meeting you, he rarely indulged himself in listening to music but it has become a crucial part of his everyday life ever since he met you. If you ever go through the trouble of learning a song in his native language, Viktor genuinely cries and kisses you silly. How has he gotten so lucky to be blessed with such a divine and gifted partner? Viktor is content with never knowing the answer to that as long as you stay by his side and bless his ears with your brilliant tone which is always heavy with love whenever you speak to him.

Being so well-versed into the arts, MEL can practically sniff out your singing talent the moment she meets you. She has a good eye for noticing skill and passion, which proves itself correct once again when she hears you sing for the first time. She is immediately enamored with the emotion and effort you put into your singing and patiently waits for your little performance to end before giving you a very impressed applause which is followed by praise as sweet as honey. She is conflicted when it comes to other people, because as much as she likes to praise your gift in front of others, she also wants it to be your little secret. After all, her darling's innermost and deepest traits are only for her to witness and she keeps such things guarded under lock and key. As audacious as Mel is, she is just as equally possessive.

[soracities]

hii! do you ever get into a huge reading slump? i would say ive been in one for about 3 years now and im desperate to escape it and read again but i cant find anything that's 'popular' enjoyable and have no idea where to start in finding content and books i actually enjoy by myself without tiktok or booktube 😭

Oh I've been in a particularly bad slump for at least 2 years so yes, absolutely! I think the key thing here is to try and remove the pressure off yourself as much as you can: don't look at every book you approach with the mindset of "THIS is will be the antidote to my reading slump" or "THIS novel will save me" because it will most likely stop you from actually enjoying the book: when you go in with such high expectations, you're also bringing a very distracting form of hyper-vigilance with you, waiting for the magic moment to hit, counting the pages until it does, being too conscious or worried when it doesn't in the way you envisioned it. It will turn reading into a chore, an endurance test which you either succeed or fail at, and this will only cement the slump further.

Everyone is different and I don't know what kind of books you like most, but the best thing I can advise is to go back before your slump and see what some of your favourite reads were. One way to ease back into reading is to revisit books you loved and read them again--this eliminates some of the pressure and I think it can also help rebuild that excitement because you know you're returning to familiar ground you've enjoyed before. That, or find other works by those same authors whose writing / style you liked and slowly expand from there. I don't log my reading through apps or websites anymore (and I stay away from booktok like the plague but that's a whole other conversation)--I have an ask on how I find my books here and I hope that helps too--but I've heard really good things about The Storygraph so if tiktok and booktube haven't done it for you, this might be a much better way to move towards books you actually enjoy because it's based on your preferences, not an influencer's or what an algorithm is pushing.

Whatever book you decide to try next, I would also advise you to start slow and / or small if that's what you need (more here)--don't force yourself to plow through several hundred pages in one sitting or 2 days. Sometimes breaking a slump is far more sustainable when you do it chip by chip, slowly, but consistently in a way that makes it less daunting than thinking you have to finish 2 novels every week. Something as simple as setting aside 15 minutes to read in bed before you go to sleep each night can do it. You can also look at audiobook versions, or short story collections in whatever genre it is you enjoy most!

Best of luck, anon, and I hope some of these answers will help 🤍

[dancinglikebutterflywings]

Camping | Lee Know

-> Pairing: Lee Minho x Reader

-> Request: No

-> Synopsis: You go camping with your boyfriend.

-> Warnings: None. No use of pronouns.

-> Word Count: 310

-> Requests: Open until 31st June

Lee Know Masterlist | Tag List Sign-Up | Requesting Guidelines

©️ 2024 dancinglikebutterflywings - do not copy, modify and/or repost anywhere.

“Jagi-ya,” you hear Minho trying to get your attention. Looking up from the bowl of ramen you’re eating, you look at your boyfriend. He gives you a cheeky smile and snaps a photo on his phone. You give him an unimpressed look before going back to your food that he had cooked over the campfire.   

What was supposed to be a weekend camping trip with your friends turned into one with your boyfriend after all your friends had backed out. Knowing you were disappointed because you were excited and looking forward to the trip, Minho took the weekend off so you could still go.   

“Do you want to go for a walk on the trail after we’ve cleaned up?” he asks as you finish eating.    

You smile and nod your head as you move to get the dishes cleaned. As you gather the empty bowls and dirty utensils, Minho joins you, his playful grin still lingering on his face. He begins to wash the dishes while you dry them. The chore you dread the most starts to feel surprisingly enjoyable with his company.  

Once the last dish is dried and put away, you both set off on the trail hand in hand. The air inside the woods is crisp and fragrant, carrying the scent of pine and earth. As you continue your journey, Minho's passion for the outdoors becomes evident. He points out various plants and birds, his knowledge of the wilderness impresses you. His knowledge of things is just one of the many qualities that you find attractive. 

In this moment, surrounded by the beauty of nature and guided by Minho, you realize that it's not just his knowledge that draws you to him. It's his way of making you open your eyes to the beauty of the world. With every step, your bond with him and nature deepens. 

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[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

hey, may i please request domestic headcanons with zora, luck and yuno?

Hiya~! ^^

Of course! It's been a while since I've gotten anything domestic. Hope you like this!

Pairing: Zora x gn!reader, Luck x gn!reader, Yuno x gn!reader Fanfic type: Headcanons Length: ~0.75k Genre: general/fluff

Zora

Zora is very good with housework. Which surprised you in the beginning, because he certainly didn’t look the part. But it turned out that he was more than familiar with doing things around the house.

The first time you had asked him to do laundry, you expected him to mutter something, or maybe even ask how does one do it, but he just uttered a “sure” and did as he was asked to do.

Late it turned out that he had had to learn how to do housework ever since a young age, which explained why he was so knowledgeable. And it was then that you realized that a lot of little things just ‘mysteriously’ had got done, without you doing them or asking someone to do them. Which meant that Zora had done them in passing.

It was a habit he had, doing things as they appeared and he got around to them, without a word. He never made them seem like chores in the sense that it would have been taxing to do them.

Little did you know, he found it .. nice, to be able to do chores, now that he had someone in his life. The idea of coming home to a neat house, was lovely. And he was damn sure that he was going to do his part in assuring that it’s take place; that the house was clean, the laundry and dishes were done.

He was also an excellent cook. But not in the sense that the food would have tried to be more than it was, just good, simple home cooking. Heart-warming food.

Yes, he was an excellent spouse, who had no issue taking care of the house.

Luck

Luck isn’t well versed with housework. He does know how to do the basic chores and how to clean, because he had to participate at the orphanage, but he’s not big on it. In fact, when he was still young, he broke more while cleaning than clean, which is why he was excused more often than not.

But after joining the Bulls, and being a part of the squad in making the Hideout into a home, he begun taking more responsibility with domestic chores. Which didn’t mean that he still liked them, but he did do his part.

However, he never fusses about chores. Yes, they are something that need to be done, but if you’re having a bad day, or he can just get a feel that doing housework is very taxing on that day, he’d do something fun with you instead. The dishes can wait. The dust can be swept on the next day.

And he will take care of his share too. He might not, still, be the best at housework, but he can cook simple food, he can dust and do laundry. He is able to do all the things that is required, but making life enjoyable is more important to him.

His goal is to make you laugh, and keep you happy. And sometimes he does bring you flowers after a cleaning day just to cheer you up.

You are the most important thing in his life.

Yuno

Yuno is able to handle all chores due to growing up in the orphanage, and he is very organized and meticulous about it, usually preferring to stick to a predetermined cleaning days in order to handle the chores.

Though in the Golden Dawn, he didn’t need to partake in them anymore. But in an odd way he misses it, even if only a little bit, because it was a part of his childhood. All of the kids, Sister Lily and Father Orsi just worked together to get the church cleaned. At the time it wasn’t particularly fun, but it grew to be a treasured memory nonetheless.

Especially since as Spade Royalty, chores aren’t exactly in his future either.

But he does stay very organized throughout his life, and at times you can catch him dusting something with his magic, even if he wouldn’t need to. It’s just a little quirk of his.

Once he surprises you at a trip to the country side, where he has rented a small cottage for the two of you, and he cooks for you. Just because he can. And it’s like you two were living quiet, simple life, even if for only that trip.

He finds joy from little things, along with being able to chase his dreams; which include a life with you.

[smute]

i know how insane this sounds but laundry has become one of my favorite pastimes. i am 100% serious. i was looking forward to doing laundry today because the weather is perfect for airdrying and was shocked to find my hamper empty? im also finding more and more enjoyment in housework in general. i love cleaning and tidying up, now that i am finally somewhat organized and most things have a designated place. i have somehow managed to turn this sisyphean hell into a wellspring of dopamine. most chores provide both visible progress and instant gratification and i now realize that the only reason why i always hated doing them was that i was overwhelmed with too many other responsibilites. i cook dinner almost every night now, even after a busy day, and i dont mind doing the dishes. in fact, i delight in the low stakes challenge of loading the dishwasher as efficiently as possible and i love handwashing the pots that are too big to fit. i vacuum almost daily because it is so satisfying, and i spend every free minute decorating my space, hanging pictures, making my bed, watering the plants. i oil squeaky door hinges now, and i rewire lamps, i pull weeds in the front yard and paint walls in the basement. PLEASE WILL SOMEBODY JUST LET ME BE A QUEER STAY AT HOME DAD im not built for salaried work

[dendrobium-writes]

Reading

A Doll tends to its daily chores, sweeping, dusting, maintaining its Witch’s home. Its sisters were also tending to their duties, but this? This was its area of the cottage. The eastern hallway, where the study, workshop, and lab are all located.

A ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign had been hanging on the door to the study for quite some time. Normally, this wouldn’t be of any consequence. Her Witch was simply busy, and didn’t want to be disturbed. However, the sign had been hanging there since 8:30 in the morning! Over ten hours! She missed lunch, evening tea, and dinner. And in response to calls for her attention, simply reiterated that she was not to be disturbed unless it was urgent.

She must be incredibly busy. What could she possibly be doing? Research for an especially important project? Brushing up on the fundamentals of her craft? Perhaps reading up on dollcrafting techniques or magical theory?

These thoughts and questions gave it much to ponder as it tended to its chores. Of course, the Doll was happy to just be helpful, but having something to speculate on made its work much more enjoyable, beyond the simple fact that it was productive.

Enjoyment and productivity are two sides of the same coin, after all!

The time is now 9:00 in the evening. The Doll is making its final rounds through the eastern corridor before returning to its quarters for the evening, when suddenly the doorknob on the study turns! The Doll stops in its tracks and turns to observe...

The door creaks open, and out steps the Witch of the manor. Barely dressed, disheveled, and looking as if she had just woken up.

“Good evening, Miss!” The Doll curtsies, giving an enthusiastic greeting. The Witch jumps back with fright before regaining her composure. “Y-yes, good evening Doll.” She responds, her face reddening with embarassment.

“You must be hungry. You have not left your study for over twelve hours! Would you like something prepared?” The Witch smiles and shakes her head. “No, Doll. I’m fine. I brought plenty of snacks in with me.” The Doll bows. “May this one inquire as to what it is you have been doing all day?” At that, the Witch’s embarrassed look returns. “Oh, just... Reading.” “Reading?” The Doll repeats back. “You must have been conducting important research!” It chirps.

“Truthfully, I wasn’t doing anything of the sort. I was reading fiction. Stories... I feel I’ve wasted the whole day.” She says, looking down at the floor.

The Doll tilts its head. “Wasted? Were you not enjoying yourself?”

The Witch looks back up, meeting the curious gaze of her Doll. “Well yes, I was. But it--” “Then it was no waste!” The Doll cuts her off.

The Witch stands in stunned silence for a moment, as her Doll smiles innocently up at her.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” She says with a smile, patting the Doll on its head.

[kokorosfanfics]

Domestic Kokichi headcanons ft. Kokichi being soft for s/o

I love Kokichi. He's so darn loveable. I see him and I'm just falling in love with him. -Mod Kokoro

Domestic Kokichi Ouma Headcannons.

*Definitely snuggled up together every night. He's very affectionate and clingy towards you.

*Absolutely has a white board in the bedroom mapping out your next pranks together. You've become co-leader of Dice just by being with him.

*Every time you try to get out of bed in the morning, whether to get dressed or grab food, he latches his arms around your waist and makes you drag him.

*Probably enjoys cooking together. Will find new random recipes online. If you both like it, you try it out together.

*Kokichi definitely plays around in the bath with you. You two splash each other and horse around so much you make a huge mess afterwards.

*You two help each other with haircare. Brushing, washing, styling, all of that.

*You two often like to have matching outfits. You're constantly twinning together.

*Has made you a DICE uniform.

*You've painted each room with checker-patterned walls. The colors used in the checker pattern vary from room to room.

*Your floors are also checker patterned.

*So is the ceiling.

*You even have the house exterior painted checker-patterned. Your neighbors gave you a "I'm not mad, just disappointed." Look.

*Every time there's a holiday coming up, you two are always the ones with the most extravagant decorations.

*Sometimes you can get a little obnoxious with them. You blew up an inflatable Santa larger than a two-story home with a music box blasting Jingle Bells on repeat.

*Your neighbors hate you every December, but their kids find you guys hilarious.

*Speaking of, you go all the way out with candy during Halloween, so your well-liked there.

*You two definitely go overboard with fireworks. You fire more than anyone else. Kokichi always ends it with a firework that spells "I LOVE S/O" in the night sky. You do the same with one that says "I LOVE KOKICHI."

*Your vehicles get a checker pattern too.

*You both think it's funny to drive a two-seat bicycle around the neighborhood with airhorns attached in the middle of the night to terrorize anyone and everyone who complains about your antics.

*The children think it's funny so they started doing the same thing, but only they do it every day regardless of what happens.

*Some people have moved away because of you.

*Your antics have been video taped by the neighbors. You've gone viral online a few times.

*Every time you have to do household chores, Kokichi finds a way to turn it into a fun game. Chores have become more enjoyable since then.

*You two have karaoke night in your living room almost every night when you have the energy for it. Sometimes Kokichi has the windows open for everyone else in the neighborhood to enjoy.

*Every time one of you gets sick, the other always nurtures the other back to health. Lovingly spoon-feeding each other, cuddling and all that.

*Loves playing with your hair. Thinks it's the most fun thing to do.

*You play with his too and he loves it.

*Kokichi loves sharing a domestic life with you. You do too. After all, what's not to love?

[killuagirly]

I am so glad I can help keep your inbox company! You truly are amazing at what you do!

This one is a little bit different , but I'd like to see your take on it. Ciel, Dagger, Joker and ( If you don't mind since you did such a fantastic job in the last one) Alois finding their soulmate( They can each be the same way they find a soulmate or unique for each person. Whichever you would like to do!). Please and thank you!

Ciel, Alois, Joker, & Dagger[Separate] x Reader

Summary: In a universe where you are bound to one another by some circumstance, what might your soulmate think upon your first meeting?

Notes: For this, I'm assuming you mean like soulmate AUs?? Like y'know, red string of fate, time stops once you meet them, etc. Also, I thought the last one with Alois was a bit ooc..? This one is probably worse, and I finished the last half of so on my phone. Some AU prompts//ideas sourced from this post.

CW: None, really.

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Ciel

AU: You get flowered tattoos wherever your soulmate receives a scar.

☆ "Ah! Not again.." You spoke aloud to yourself in the Phantomhive Manor's garden, wiping off your clothing. The scrape on your knee would be visible to the Earl if he had seen you, not to mention your clumsiness that was unsuitable for a noble. You had merely tripped and fallen over a stone slightly out of it's place, but the cement was enough to make blood trickle from the open cut.

☆ You turned around to see a baffled Ciel, almost frozen in shock. "My apologies Earl Phantomhi-" your voice trailed off mid-sentence seeing the floral tattoos blooming on his knee, the same place where you had just sustained your injury. Wordlessly, he walked to you side and took your hand in his. "Let's get that looked at, shall we then?"

Alois

AU: You can see every color except the color of your soulmate’s eyes until you meet them.

☆ Walking around town was enjoyable on a lovely day like this one, but it'd be far more lovely if you could see the blue hues of the sky above you along the little things you pass by. A sigh fell from your lips, wondering if you would ever meet this blue-eyed one that was meant to be your soulmate. In that instant, you bumped into someone walking next to you who seemed to be headed in the same direction.

☆ You turned to apologize, but instead your entire body froze as his gorgeous icy eyes were brought to life, lighting up with a color you'd never quite been able to make out before. The blonde had a similar shocked expression as yours, before letting a smirk play it's way onto his lips. "Well it certainly is a pleasure finally getting to meet you, love."

Joker

AU: Every so often you will get flashes of what your soulmate is seeing at the time, however your soulmate does not know when it happens.

☆ You were going about your daily chores as usual, excited for tonight. A lovely decision you made for yourself, to see the Noah's Ark Traveling Circus while it was nearby! In the middle of your activities, a sudden flash of what you knew to be your soulmate's sight came to your mind. The image you had seen seemed to be an up-close of your soulmate having a conversation with a woman wearing a black cleavage top, how prosthetic hand outstretched in hers.

☆ You had seen the girl before, as well as the prosthetic hand your soulmate possessed. Later that night however, you were not expecting to see that same woman and that same hand of whom was meant to be your eternal lover. Your eyes met his during the show, you were seated in the mid-section but you could still tell from that look in his eyes that he was thinking the exact same thing.

Dagger

AU: Everyone has a journal that allows them to write back and forth with their soulmate.

☆ It was in the journal you possessed for communication with your soulmate that you had learned so much about him. Not just that he was under educated and had sloppy penmanship, but the both of you would often exchange the events that played out throughout your day. You'd often have to correct his misspelled words, but you didn't mind. After all, now you knew you'd get to meet him in person soon.

☆ From what the both of you had shared, you knew that he was a first-tier performer in the infamous Noah's Ark Traveling Circus which was currently in your area. Nervousness and excitement blended together and filled your body as you stepped into the main tent. You almost instantly knew who Dagger was, previously describing his appearance to you. With time before the show begun, you tapped his shoulder and he turned to face you. A shocked look came over his face, you hadn't told him you were coming tonight. "Oh m' God. 's really y'."

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Masterlist

[otrtbs]

hiiii !!! you’re like my favourite writer ever. the whole reason i got into the marauders is because of my love for art and finding art heist baby 🙈

i live in aus and i’m turning 17 soon. i want to do a degree in art history but im scared it wont get me anywhere? what do you think??

hi!!! thank you so much, this is so sweet!!! <3

well, as someone with 2 degrees in art history i am afraid i will be a bit biased here but i say absolutely do it if it's something that you love and are passionate about!

being completely candid here i had the best time in school. the BEST time. i loved every second of what i was doing and learning and it never felt like a chore. then for about 5 months post-grad i wanted to find a very large hole and bury myself in it because i could not get a job that utilized my degree to save my life. they were either extremely low paying (seriously, no person could live off of that wage and they were also PhD preferred) or entry level jobs calling for 5+ years experience ???? Like. GET. REAL. (not to worry tho i just recently got a job (aye) as an exhibitions and collections specialist at a museum so we are so on the up and up again)

also being candid here. you're never going to make a ton of money in this field. you're not gonna be "rich" and 95% of it is who you know. the art world is small. TRUST. also, most positions in an art historical field require at least a master's degree tbh. a lot would prefer a PhD especially if you're looking to do curatorial work in any time period pre 1920s. (so if you're an impressionist/baroque/renaissance kinda person be prepared to get a PhD and be prepared to learn another language aside from english to get a good job in the field) <- i do find that it's easier if you're more modern and contemporary focused to get on with just a masters degree

that being said, if this is what you want to do. if this is what you love. it is never a waste and you will find a way. (if I can find a way anyone can find a way). my best advice is talk to your professors, do internships, work if you can !!!! volunteer at your art museums!!!! meet and talk to the museum professionals in your area and NETWORK!! (I can't stress enough how many times someone has been like "oh you worked [redacted] did you know [redacted]?'" and i could be like "yes!!! i worked under them for two years loved her!! blah blah blah" it goes a long. way. i've had professors send me gallery writing guides and artist biography guides from when they worked at the MET so i would know how to write them, academic advisors in scotland know my art history professors in undergrad and subsequently became my bestie by extension, curators at a museum i volunteered at teach me how to work archival systems when they had a free minute)

talk to as many people as you can!! network!!! get some experience in archival systems, instillation work, art historical research!! work with your local university's/city's museum or archeological center! that way, when you're on your inevitable 239823 interview post-grad, someone at some gallery will be like "oh you worked here? under so-and-so???? you're hired"

i love it. what i do doesn't ever feel like work to me, it's exciting and fun and enjoyable and not something i do so i can do other things. it's not something i do just to make money. it's hard. post-grad is hard. but it's hard for a lot of people rn, not just art historians. i'm always gonna say go for it!!!! it is never a waste to do something you love!!

[cerise-on-top]

How do you think Laswell met her wife? What's domestic life like for her when she gets to go home?

Have a lovely day!

Hello! A second CoD post today since I was able to write this fairly quickly! This is about how I think Laswell met her canon wife, but everyone can interpret this however they like! I hope this is enjoyable!

Laswell Meeting Her Wife and Domestic Life With Her

If we’re talking about someone inserting themselves into the CoD world, then I’d say it’d be however the person intended to meet her. However, if we’re talking about her canon wife, then I’d likely have to say through work. It’s not uncommon for someone to meet through work. Besides, I can imagine the CIA having a few women working there as well, a few more than just Laswell. So, there’s a chance another one of the women working there was also into girls. And that’s likely one of the main factors that drew Laswell to that specific woman.

Don’t get me wrong, Laswell doesn’t develop crushes easily, she doesn’t now, she didn’t back then, but it would likely be that feeling of unity, of not being alone, that would draw Laswell to her future wife. It’s not often someone would have come out back then, especially not to someone you’re not sure about, so she knows something like that is an honor. And it’s that which would make her subconsciously like that woman more than the other ones, wanting to spend more time with her, get to know her better. And in those years she’d have known her, she’d eventually fall in love with her. Laswell knows what she’s feeling, but she’d test the waters a bit at first. To anyone outside it would be obvious she likes that woman more than anyone else. Given that she gives her lots and lots of gifts to gauge her reaction, takes the time out of her day to spend with her and overall just compliments her, it’s hard to not think there’s something going on here. Laswell doesn’t realize this immediately, but she will eventually.

Afterwards I’d say it was probably her wife who asked her about that sort of behavior. And, a few days later, either of them would have probably confessed they like the other. And thus a few years of dating commence.

After a year or two, Laswell would have proposed to her. Although she sometimes did lie awake at night, thinking about what it would have been like for her future wife to propose to her instead, she was just that smitten by her. As she works for the CIA as well, Laswell knows her wife is just as capable as she is. Maybe she doesn’t know as many languages, but it doesn’t matter to her, once they go on vacation Laswell can play interpreter. And on vacations they went together. Not very often, mind you, since the both of them were stationed anywhere in the world, but they would try to see the nicer parts of the world together. Amsterdam, Kyoto, Vienna. All of that stuff. By that time, they had already long since moved in together.

So, it isn’t often the two of them get to see each other in general, but that’s why they cherish what little time they can spend together. Their love never falters, and when they’re alone behind doors it’s kind of sickeningly sweet how they treat each other. It used to be worse when they were younger, but they’ve since mellowed out a little bit. So, when Laswell is home, her domestic situation can be a bit lonely. But for the sake of this ask we’re going to say her wife is actually home this time.

She doesn’t like to cook very much, so there won’t be too many homemade meals. Her wife can only be convinced to stand behind the stove whenever Laswell eggs her on, promising her a small reward, such as going to the cinema together. Her wife never cooks alone, only with Laswell. All those other times she either eats out, grabs something that only needs to be heated up or orders food. It’s only with Laswell that she can get over her disdain of cooking.

However, other than that, the two of them will take turns doing chores. If either of them just came home from work, then the other will take care of cleaning, washing clothes, putting away stuff and so on and so forth. They usually do their tasks together. So one of them will clean the dishes while the other one cleans the kitchen. If all tasks are done for either of them, then they’ll help the other. Since they’re both aware teamwork is important, something they learned throughout their careers, they would never hesitate to do so.

Laswell’s wife is a more traditionally affectionate woman than Laswell herself. She loves to give her wife a kiss every morning and before work, make her coffee and maybe toast some bread while she’s at it as well. As she usually gets up earlier than Laswell, she usually gets those things out of the way immediately, but won’t wake her up. It’s usually the loud coffee machine that does.

Overall, the domestic situation between the two of them is very loving. They don’t see each other that often, but whenever they do, they make that short amount of time count. With a kiss and a hug from her wife here and there, Laswell never ends up touch starved either. However, the only thing that had been bothering her about her wife would be her nagging about her smoking. That’s why she’s trying to quit now, just to keep her happy. Happy wife, happy life, after all. Whenever Laswell gets to see her wife content, she’s happy as well. She’d go through all nine circles of hell just to protect her and make sure nothing would happen to her. And at some point in her career, she likely has done that already.

[yukidragon]

Hey Yuki, I was thinking about this the other day and it would be hilarious for Jack to stumble upon Rick Astley’s ‘Never to Give You Up’ and start singing along to it before his Sunshine looks back at him with a quiet terror because of the Internet. (Bonus points if he starts to troll them with the song and also, ‘Together Forever’ sound like a happy ending for Jack and his Sunshine)

Pffffff, that it's very fitting, especially since "Never Gonna Give You Up" and "Together Forever" are part of Jack's official spotify playlist. Sadly, it was released in 1987 and 1988 respectively so he died before he could listen to them during his lifetime. Alas. I'm sure [Redacted] would've loved listening to them.

So that gives me the image of Jack doing chores around the apartment, listening to an oldies station on the radio that specializes in 80's era music, and "Never Gonna Give You Up" comes on. He hums along, swaying to the beat, maybe singing along to the lyrics a little, since it's such a catchy song, and it really speaks to him.

Alice in the living room vaguely hears the Rick Roll song through her headphones and checks what tab on her computer is playing it, doing work of her own on her laptop. It's then that she takes her headphones off and realizes Jack is listening to the song unironically. He looks so cheerful about it too.

There's a moment where Alice just has to stare at him bobbing to the beat in the kitchen, the gears in her mind locked up for a moment between flashbacks of the internet pranks and accepting, yeah, Jack would like that kind of song, wouldn't he? He's from the 80's after all.

...This isn't going to be a regular thing, right?

At the same time it makes Alice wonder how Jack would react to being rick rolled and... she just can't resist. She starts snickering and loads up some webpages in preparation and brings her laptop into the kitchen.

Jack, naturally, is delighted Alice wants to join him. Oh? The song? It's catchy isn't it? Yeah, he likes it a lot! He could listen to it all day. It's almost disappointing for him when it comes to an end.

Alice feigns innocence and says that she wanted to show him something she found on her laptop.

Jack, ever eager to engage in his sunshine's interests, turns off the radio and looks at the webpage - something harmless like a link to a recipe. Oh, Alice wants him to check this out? Sure he'll-

Suddenly the song starts and Jack jumps a little as the music begins and the video plays. Then there's excitement! Oh, it's the song! Alice found it for him. The music video is pretty cool too. He watches it with unironic enjoyment, happy as can be.

Alice takes pleasure in his happiness, but that doesn't deter her from her mischief. When the song is over Jack wonders why the link brought him to the video instead of a recipe. He's still not used to computers or the internet and has needed her help to catch up with that technology. He's quick to learn, but there's still a lot that he doesn't know.

Alice shrugs noncommittally and suggests he try the link again. It leads to the song, of course. Jack chuckles a bit, but pauses the video this time. He can listen to it later. He wants to help his sunshine now.

Strange. Why does the link not work? Jack wonders. He clicked it like he was supposed to. He asks Alice if he did anything wrong, and she says nope. Maybe he should try another link, she suggests, then directs him to another tab where a link supposedly leads to pictures of kitties.

Again comes the Rick Roll and Jack is even more confused. Again clicking the link results in the same thing. He's wondering if there's something weird going on with the internet.

The next few links do the same thing and Jack is absolutely perplexed. He even checked the link addresses and they all go to different places, yet always he comes back to the video! What's going on?

Of course, Jack is a clever man and very perceptive, especially when it comes to his sunshine. It didn't escape his notice that Alice was snickering and fighting to keep a straight face the entire time, highly amused about something, especially when that video starts to play. Finally he gives her a suspicious look and asks if she has any idea what's going on, his tone making it clear that he knows something is fishy here.

Alice, between giggles, suggests he tries another link. Jack looks at her with a smirk, guessing now that he's being pranked. He says that somehow he has a feeling he knows that this link that claims it leads to an article about llama racing is going to be a lot more musical than advertised.

Jack is just outright looking at Alice as he clicks the link, starting up the song while staring at her, and she can't hold it together, cracking up. He's amused and chuckles along, thinking the humor comes entirely with the prank.

When Alice eventually gets her giggles under control, she does explain the full context of the Rick Roll and what turned the song into a meme. She just gave him a demonstration of it, as all internet newbies fall for it when they first go online.

"Even you, sunspot?"

Alice lets out an overly dramatic sigh coupled with an exaggerated eyeroll. "Wayyyy too many times as a kid. My online friends at the time thought it was funny."

Jack, of course, is a good sport about being pranked by his sunshine. The two of them have a nice chat about it, laugh over it, and Alice even shows him some popular remixes to the song, though he likes the original the best.

By this point, Alice has helped Jack get his own Spotify-equivalent (Stripeify?) account so he can play his favorite 's songs whenever he likes and doesn't have to wait for them to appear in rotation on the radio. It's full of 80's songs mostly, naturally, but there are a couple he found from listening to her playlist that now always remind him of her.

Jack gets also a little more savvy about the internet and meme culture from this. He decides to get a little payback of his own, though not with link misdirects. Instead he suddenly starts humming and singing the song when Alice least expects it. It becomes a bit of an in joke between them.

Jack still loves the song unironically, and sometimes he sings it not to tease Alice, but more as a stealthy promise to her. It's so fitting for their relationship after all. She's so shy about things going further than friendship between them for the longest time, but he'll never give her up, never let her down, and so forth.

In a way, Jack can say all the things that he's thinking of well before things change between them, sneakily masquerading it behind a song that becomes something special between them.

Of course, the song leads Jack into listening to the other songs by Rick Astley. "Together Forever" is another favorite of his for obvious reasons. He and his sunshine will be together forever, never to part... and he'll move heaven and earth to make sure of that.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur

[roseyange]

mammon comforts mc after a long day

♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧

- gn reader!!

- fluff! fluff! fluff!

- there is a shower scene but it is very much sfw, just sweet mammon taking care of his human :] ALSO! established relationship!! ALSO! mentions mc not eating ot because of strained schedule!

♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧

days can be draining. yes, staying in the devildom, living with your boyfriend and his brothers, and being able to see your beloved devildom friends whenever you please was fantastic, but some days still dragged. between juggling school, work, family dinners, household chores, school and royal party's you were expected to attend, along with whatever activities you found enjoyment in, it could pile up quickly and bury you deeply in exhaustion.

today, just so happened to be one of those days.

waking up late after forgetting to set your alarm the night before, munching on a piece of toast as you ran from the HOL to RAD only to make it 10 minutes after the first bell rang. getting held back and into the lunch break, just to talk with one of your professors about a assignment that was coming up didn't help start your morning either. you left the class room with just enough time to grab a bowl of soup that was left over in the cafeteria, drinking it from the bowl like it was a warm cup of tea on a fall afternoon. you didn't even get a 3 minute lunch break until the bell rang to indicate your next class starting.

after the fiasco of your school day, you had more work to do at the school after hours. the halls were empty as you speed walked to the meeting room. papers from a professor that were needing to be delivered to Diavolo before the meeting started fluttered in your hands as you quickend your pace. you were able to push through the big wooden double doors to the meeting room just as Diavolo sat down and was opening his mouth to begin the meeting. you quickly handed the papers to Barbatos with a nod as you plopped down in your chair between Mammon and Satan, quickly making yourself comfortable as Diavolo made his opening statement.

the meeting went over the supposed time. it was supposed to end around 7 pm, but instead went on to 9pm, no thanks to the polite chitchat that kept everyone in their seats after the meeting had officially ended. your stomach growled, your head throbbed, and your back ached from the uncomfortable chair in the meeting room. normally, you would push past the negative of the day and look for the bright outcome, but today had been just a little too long, your classes seemed to drag on just long enough, and lucifers normal concerns at RAD meetings just seemed to be endless nagging.

today was awful, to put it simply.

the track back to HOL took less time then normal, thanks to the quicking of your pace to not get caught in the brotherly chitter chatter of your fellow house mates, not wanting to hear if an argument sparked in between their playful banter. once home, you politely refused dinner, saying you needed to shower and start homework before tucking in early that night, just needing a few moments to yourself to decompress.

as soon as you got to your room, you closed the door and let out a long sigh, leaning againts the now closed door and letting your book bag fall from your shoulder to the ground. rubbing your face, you pulled whatever little strength you had left and started walking twords your bathroom. you lazily kicked off the black dress shoes of your uniform and yanked off your tie, throwing it onto your bed along with your coat, being forgotten into the mess of blankets and pillows. you flicked on the light of the bathroom, walking to the shower and turning the nozzle to start the hot water, looking forward to the heat againts your skin. as the water warmed, you quickly changed out of your clothes. once fully undressed, the days atire laying lazily in the corner of the bathroom, you felt the water before stepping in and finally letting out the breath you didn't realize you had been holding. the hot water running down your front and the rhythmic tapping of the drops hitting the tile floor below you was a sweet repetitive sound that could lull you to sleep. the weight of the day finally running off you, but your exhaustion still sat heavy on your chest.

after standing for a minute, hoping for the water to fully refresh you, you decided to sit down. you continued to let the water hit you from the front, this time settling into the floor, your aching legs pulled up to your chin as you just sat, enjoying the silence and serentiy of the moment.

of course Mammon noticed you were acting a little off. what kind of boyfriend would he be if he just ignored you like that? Mammon had been around you long enough to pick up the small things you do to show how you felt. the way your shoulders seemed to lean forward, or the way you would zone out and play with the ring ( his ring might he add ) that sat delicately on your finger. the way you didn't walk to RAD with him this morning, and the big driving point being you skipped dinner. you always gushed about how you loved dinner with all seven of the demons. it just wasn't adding up.

so he did the only thing he could think to do, to bless you with your handsome boyfriends presence. he trailed down the hallway to your room with two cup noodles, planning to pull you from your studies to spend time with your favorite demon. he knocked first, waited, then called your name. when he didn't hear a response, he opened the door, peaking his head in to make sure you wernt changing before fully coming in. he scanned the room as he shut the door with his foot, not seeing you anywhere you normally would be. his eyes fell on your bookbag lazily discarded next to the door, and the trail of your shoes and uniform accessories leading to the propped open bathroom door. he sat down the noodles on your desk and picked up your scattered uniform pieces, folding them and placing them gently at the foot of your bed so you could find it all easily in the morning. he then headed into the bathroom.

he once again knocked lightly on the door, not wanting to suprise you too badly at his presence. but again, once he didn't hear a response, he slowly walked in. he looked in the shower, the glass door fogged up slightly but he could still see your slumped body on the ground. at first, his heart dropped, seeing you on the ground made him automatically think worse thing worse, but then he noticed your finger gently drawing lines on the floor. he couldn't help but put a hand over his chest and let out a long breath in relief.

taking this opportunity, he slipped out of his own clothes, kicking them into the same corner as yours. he opened the glass door, the sound alerting you that someone was there, but you didn't move. he sat down behind you, arms wrapping around your stomach and resting his head againts the middle of your back, just below your neck.

both of you could honestly sit like this for hours, the hot water spraying you both as you sat in such an intimate position. being with one another. there was a comfortable silence that filled the shower, no words needing to be said, just a warm environment now filled with a humble love between two star crossed lovers. you locked your pinky finger around Mammons middle finger, just a very small action to acknowledge him being there, and not wanting him to leave.

after a few more minutes of sitting like that, Mammon slowly released you to your disappointment. he instead grabbed your shampoo that sat on a shelf in one of the corners of the shower. he slowly lead you to turn around to face him, having the water now hit your back. you looked up at him once you sat comfortably in your new sitting position, he smiled at you softly as he poured some of the shampoo on his hand, lathering it together and then brushing it tenderly through your hair. you couldn't help but close your eyes at the sweet touch of your boyfriend. the way he used his fingerpads to rub in the product, making sure not to hurt or scratch you. once your hair was throughly lathered, Mammon couldn't help but smile as he put his hands together trapping your hair in his hands, leading your hair up into a little mohawk, a laugh leaving his mouth as it fell over with a soft smack againts your face. you couldn't help but smile at your dork of a boyfriend as he got back to what he was doing, directing you to lean back a little so he could rinse out your hair. one hand laid sideways on your forehead, to keep water and soap from running into your eyes as the other worked on getting all the soap out of your hair. once the shampoo was done, he quickly applied conditioner, using his fingers to gently comb out any tangles or knots that had worked their way into your hair.

you couldn't help the feeling of tiredness slowly drag you down more and more as your boyfriend spoiled you with his love through his actions. the feeling of his fingers massaging your scalp when he applied the soaps to your hair, or the ease that fell in between your shoulders while he washed you body gently with a soft wash cloth with one of your favorite bodywashes. the feeling of being pampered was fantastic, and the foggy haze that hung in your head thanks to the day had seemed to wash off and down the drain just like the water did.

once Mammon was content with his job, he quickly washed himself, then turned off the water. grabbing a fluffy towel from the rack next to your shower, he wrapped it around your shoulders then gave his hands to you so you could stand up. you wrapped the towel around yourself to your liking as Mammon did the same to himself, grabbing one more towel and slowly starting to dry your hair with it. once he was done, you went to take it from him to do the same to his hair, but he stopped you. mumbling something about knowing a trick, he quickly shook his head like a wet dog, water flying everywhere as he shook out his hair. stopping and looking at you with a goofy grin, laughter leaving both of your mouths as you threw the towel on top of his head, at least providing some sort of help.

you both headed into your room, Mammon grabbing his favorite shirt from the dresser you both shared, then handing it to you. he absolutely loved to see you in his clothes, and making it his favorite shirt? put him instantly on cloud nine. you quickly changed without hesitation, pulling it over your head as you shot a little pose for him. he whistled and clapped in response, his signature smug smile pulling on his lips as his cheeks started to turn red at the sight of you. he quickly changed into a pair of sweat pants and a tank top, then handing you the now luke warm noodles he has brought to you earlier as you both sat down on your bed, passing stories about the day to each other.

once the noodles were done, the containers were tossed aside into the trash. your homework laid unattended, still sitting snugly in your book bag. your clothes Mammon had loving placed at the foot of your bed now laid on the floor, being kicked from their place without a second thought. you laid in Mammons arms in the dark room, laying faced into his chest, arms wrapped lazily around his middle while his arms are wrapped tightly around you, holding you close.

" I love you mc. " Mammon mumbles into your hair, moments away from the two of you drifting off to sleep.

" I love you too Mams. "

♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧

literally haven't written anything like this in like 4 years, I hope yall enjoyed o/ just needed a lil comfort from a long day :,)

[headchamberlain]

(Ivan Fluff ^_^)

Okay because I made people(and myself) sad with my last post I decided to write Ivan fluff this time!!

Ivan Goncharov-centric!

'Selfcare'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ivan made a hum, his fingers hovering over the different kinds of tea in the cabinet, before choosing chamomile tea. He hadn't tried that one yet, surprisingly, so there was a first time for everything.

Today was a self-care day. It wasn't like he had any of this planned out, but there was never a better chance to relax. His master was out for a few days, the other RITHOD members minded their business, and he already finished all of his daily chores. He wasn't sure when this perfect chance would come again. Probably never.

Self-care wasn't something Ivan normally practiced. It was rare he had free time, and he wasn't sure what to do even if he had free time. His life revolved around the RITHOD and Fyodor, he didn't have days where he focused on himself. But after numerous people kept telling him to take a break, get a therapist, relax a little, etc etc... he decided now would be a good time to take their advice.

He'd managed to look up a few ways on how to practice self-care. He had struggles while reading, but luckily, he also had the ability to simply go to images and understand what the text said in a much faster way. Taking warm and bubbly baths was popular and so was drinking tea and doing skincare. Understandable, that would be easy. Now he just had to avoid being a perfectionist while doing everything.

...

And, it was much more enjoyable than he had expected. It actually baffled him.

During the bath, he had expected he would think about everything he could have forgotten since he was alone with his thoughts, but no. His usually tensed muscles were relaxed and his mind was calm.

During the skincare process, he had expected he would constantly worry about taking precise amounts of things and trying to mimic every last detail of the tutorial he had watched, but no, it was actually quite fun and he got to try the products he seldom used.

During the process of making tea, he had expected he wouldn't like the new flavor, but no, it was actually something much more enjoyable than some other kinds of tea he'd tasted. In fact it came out almost perfectly.

Despite being used and not given much freedom, today, he managed to sit down, and relax. He could take care of himself for a bit. And it turns out he really fucking likes taking care of himself and feeling happy.

And he knows he will do it again sometime.

[buriedalienfma]

This week I got caught up with the first three episodes of the second season of 'My Adventures with Superman', and I wanted to share some of my thoughts. Last year, I reacted to each episode as it came out, but it felt like too much of a chore to do the same for the second season this time around. The show has become less episodic and more serialized in structure, so it makes less sense to view them one at a time, so I've decided to simply wait for more episodes at a time, and then talk about it.

Obviously, there will be spoilers here, so keep that in mind when reading this.

So, my first impressions of these episodes are pretty positive. This continues to be a solid and entertaining show, and though I have some nitpicks, they're not enough to dampen my enjoyment of the show. Here's some of my brief thoughts on these episodes :

"More things in Heaven and Earth"

I like that Clark still has some anxiety over being an alien. Would've been easy for the show to side-step that after the events of the first season, but that isn't just something you can just 'get over', so I like that it continues to serve as a source of angst as a character.

Clark trying to come up with a grand romantic gesture for Lois during Valentine's day is cute. I like the brief shout-out to the Donner Superman movie with Clark's little poem. The show finds a pretty clever way to resolve that conflict, with Clark showing Lois the Northern Lights at the end of the episode. 

Extremely hilarious that its Jimmy of all people who inadvertently pushes Lex Luthor into his turn into villainy. 

This episode has a lot of exposition about Clark's nature and of Krypton courtesy of the Jor-El hologram from the first season. Still not a fan of the concept of the 'Kryptonian Empire' and how the Kryptonians were shown taking other planets. Makes them fall into the rather generic alien invaders trope when they're usually depicted in a more nuanced way in the comics and other media.

I do, however like that Clark gets to bond with Jor-El in this episode. It's nice that Jor-El gets to have some dad moments here, especially with how he scolds Clark over putting Lois in danger. What's funny is that this is echoed an episode later, with Lois's dad scolding Clark for the exact same reason. And the final goodbye between Clark and his dad is quite touching.

The show is still struggling with its villains. It really says a lot that I can't even remember the name of the dude with the Mech suit in this episode. Thankfully this is mitigated by the fact that the main villians are written well for the most part.

Overall, not a bad way to start the season. It sets up some intriguing new plot points while seamlessly continuing to follow through on the ones that were set up in the first season.

"Adventures with my Girlfriend" 

Lots of cute moments between Clark and Lois here. I especially like that little bit when they're messing around by the elevator shaft at the penitentiary. It's such a tongue in cheek call-back to the ending of the fifth episode in the first season, especially with how much people blew that moment way out of proportion. 

I like the complicated relationship between Clark, Lois and her father in this episode, with each character trying to reconcile their differences with each other. Would've been easy for the show to make the father a one note antagonist, but he has his fair share of sympathetic moments that make him a lot more nuanced. 

On the other hand, the villain of this episode, Atomic Skull, is rather under-developed. I have also noticed that the character designs for some of these villains are unfortunately somewhat uninspired. This is especially true of the characters that have suits of armor, as they all have the same hexagonal-metal-robot aesthetic, and thus none of them really stand out on a visual level. 

I love the little visual gag of showing how much money Jimmy is spending each episode. Also like how Jimmy's little side story flows into the main plot, with Jimmy helping Clark and Lois rescue her father and the other inmates at the end. 

Having Luthor casually knock down Parasite in this episode when he was such threat to the heroes in the previous season is a really good way to establish Luthor as the new top dog this time around. 

"Full Metal Scientist" 

As a Full Metal Alchemist fan, I very much approve of the title of this episode. Also fully recommend the Full Metal Alchemist anime and manga to anyone who hasn't checked it out yet. 

It's so funny that Lois's dad still hasn't figured out that Clark is Superman despite how obvious it is. Really like that the show continues to play with that secret identity trope. We all acknowledge that Clark hiding his identity behind a pair of glasses really stretches the suspension of disbelief, but its still such a fun idea to play with even if its in a tongue in cheek way. 

We get our introduction to John Henry Irons here ! I do wish that his suit of armor had a more unique flair to it, as its a little generic looking, but it's still cool to see this show's take on the character. 

Final fight at the end of the episode is a little underwhelming. The Metallo robots in this episode are nothing more than canon fodder - just a bunch of faceless goons that Superman and Irons can beat up.

So with all that said, this might be one of the more weaker episodes. There's some intriguing new plot points with Superman's new powers manifesting in this episode, and the rivalry between Lois and Vicki culminating with the latter offering the former a new job offer, but the main plot itself is a little under-cooked. 

In spite of my complaints, I will stress that the show continues to be entertaining, and I love how it keeps trying to come up with fresh and unique takes on these characters and concepts. I'm still a fan and am looking forward to the next few episodes. 

[oneriderratbug101]

Alright so, in part because I see my tempest post gaining some traction, I want to talk for a second about Wizard101's aoe meta.

Nono come back, I see you walking away already, this isn't just going to be a rah aoe bad aoe meta bad post. There are way too many pieces of content about this issue that don't actually make any points and just say the issue is there. We know the issue is there, we all feel it, that's why a shitpost where I spent 5 minutes manually typing out the word tempest (that's right, not a single word was copy pasted) is doing so well right now.

Part 1 - Why hasn't anything been done?

I'm going to say it right off the bat, I don't think a lot of us really tend to think about how much of a nightmare aoe must be to balance. In the current state of the game, aoe is basically necessary for quality of life. This raises what seems like one of the biggest dilemmas in balancing history though- there is no middle ground for these spells. The only point in which these spells would be nerfed enough for the community to not spam is if these spells were made practically unusable. Because of the unique amount of time battles take in a turn based mmo vs literally any other mmo, using single target spells can feel like it takes forever, and is wildly inefficient. Other games with more traditional gameplay loops can make up for aoe's effeciency by having it in a middle ground, but because we have long turn based instances rather than open world quick fights as our main battles, if the aoe is in a "middle ground" we will still spam it as if it's op. There isn't a pure balancing fix to the aoe problem. In order to fix the aoe spells from a game design perspective, a system is going have to be added, changed, or the entire gameplay loop get reworked. Needless to say, that's probably not happening, and I can't really blame KI on that one.

Part 2 - What's the problem?

Alright, so we've established that, for the forseeable future, an aoe dominated metagame is here to stay. However, aoe makes up an incredibly small portion of the vast array of spells we can obtain. Not even just wiping off single target spells from the table, for efficiency's sake, the main aoe spells used are ones we obtain relatively early on in the game. This branches into two very heavily interwoven problems I've seen a lot of people reblogging the original tempest spam bring up.

2a:

This aoe domination greatly thwarts gameplay diversity. That's the main appeal of the post that started this all, really. It becomes a chore to play the game after a while when all it boils down to is the same exact gameplay loop you have been using for years, with no change despite the addition of more and more spells into your repetoire. It becomes tiring, and it makes the obtainment of new spells lose a lot of excitement, getting not only in the way of fun gameplay but also in the way of core progession mechanics. Other games can avoid this issue becoming too large, as the traditional MMO combat style puts you in more control of your character and adds another layer of enjoyment to be had through that. In Wizard101 I have to take drawn out turns to do combat, where in traditional MMOs you have a chance at getting a bit of a rush from the more involved, faster paced button spams. Now, from here, you can bring up the fact that card games have been around for ages and have been able to avoid gameplay loop issues like this for a good chunk of that time, and I will meet you with a

????? Card games have had balancing issues for ages and many people struggle to get into and stay in the hobby, they've got their own thing going on

But yes, I will agree that despite having their own problems, card games can generally avoid the issue of gameplay loop growing too large through being PVP. That's right, all of you Wizard101 PVP mains out there, congratulations, you've managed to avoid this problem! I'm sure Wizard101 PVP has its own problems though. Regardless, let's get into what PVP brings to the gameplay loop table. As opposed to PVE where you face a semi-predictable AI, in PVP you will be put against another real person, formulating new strategies, using a deck you might not know about, and using spells in a more random/unpredictable pattern. PVP has the benefit of novelty, forcing you to strategize differently across your battles, and to think hard about your opponent's next move every time.

I'm not claiming PVE doesn't have anything like this! Just that in the core gameplay of an MMO, which typically consists of a lot of general mob battles, this battle novelty typically isn't all too present.

2b:

We're missing out on a lot of cool spells! Animations, art, sound design, game design, etc, all of that work poured into these spells and we're just tossing them on the ground like that scene from Toy Story! This sentiment was lost in reblogs as I put it in the tags of the tempest post, but I LOVE storm! The ocean themes, general water themes, and of course actual storm themes hit their mark incredibly well for me! And I feel the same about every other school, as well! Tempest was merely an easy vessel for this message, as it's the most stereotypically spammed aoe. As I said before though, when all you're using is the same spell, a certain excitement surrounding the game leaves. I feel we have gone from seeing new spells and going "That's so cool, I can't wait to use it!" to seeing them and going "That's so cool, I wish I had a chance to use it!".

Part 3 - Why is this a problem? (E.g. why not just use whatever spell you want?)

You, balance wizard reading this: when's the last time you've heard something to the tune of "just blade me"? How did that make you feel? Did that extend to other parts of your gameplay? To expand on this, anyone who isn't fire or storm, has Wolf Stormblade ever told you that you can't hit? That you deal no damage? Told to just support or pass? Even fire wizards are sometimes subject to this!

The chances are, a lot of people don't realize how much of an effect the community has on their gameplay. I've even encountered this as early as Unicorn Way, but people care about the meta. You're going to play with people, and a lot of this playerbase can tend to treat their own word as law, and so you will have the meta drilled into you. Hell, sometimes their "meta" is less efficient or just straight up worse than your plan. Putting that aside though, opinions turn into "facts", they then circulate, and then you have been pressured to play a specific way. Before I continue, I'd like us to remind ourselves that this is NOT League of Legends, and that at its core this is an all-ages game in a humorous fantasy setting, and that some of us might be taking PVE gameplay a little too seriously. That being said, I get it though! Circling back to an earlier point, this gameplay loop can be absolutely numbing! Of course after 80 battles against Malistaire just trying to get that one drop you want everyone around you to play with maximum efficiency! It's impossible to always keep in mind that some people might be trying to experience these parts of the game you might have already experienced as much as you can! And in a way, it makes sense, why would we roughly double our already extended battle times through not playing aoe? Metas get popular because they work. They work extremely well. Under Wizard101's current combat system, which is a large part of why I love Wizard101, single target spells are rarely a better option, and instead cost me multiple more minutes in my day.

The next suggestion would usually be to solo, however:

A: Not all content can be soloed, you WILL have to encounter another player at some point, and it will usually be in a setting where these types of players congregate most.

B: Even if more challenging content CAN be soloed, you have to play extremely to the meta, defeating the point of soloing here.

C: This is an MMO. A core part of it is inherently community and other players. Why am I only allowed to have fun while lonely?

Unless you come upon a rare chance and find the perfect group of people, you can't consistently play Wizard101 the way you want. And the problem is much larger than the aoe spells.

So, we have acknowledged we all understand the problem and have feelings one way or another about it. We have described why nothing has been done about it, and what the problem really is. We've gone into the community pressures, incentive to self, and damage to gameplay options regarding aoe and a greater meta. I've also done my best to show that this problem runs deeper and is harder to avoid than you may think. So, what's my big suggested change for Wizard101 and KI to fix this problem?

Nothing. That's right, all this for me to suggest nothing. Unless a lot of random reworks somehow magically make things better, this isn't changing. I don't even necessarily want the reworks, either. This problem is just here. I guess the only actually meaningful call to action would be please, regardless of whether it's Wizard101, some other game, or even just life in general, be mindful of the experiences of others. You may be beating that boss for the 80th time today, but this might be a teammate's first encounter with it. You may be jaded and want to do things as fast as possible, but try your best to remind yourself not to take the sparkle out of the eyes of someone enjoying themselves. Remember- you always matter, and whether or not that's going to be positive or negative is in your hands.

Maybe our game gets better, maybe we get better, or maybe some secret third option happens. It doesn't even matter too much to me, despite this lengthy post. I just wanted to get my thoughts on this issue out there.