#it's very important and also fun. and then you can share those images with a friend

[taffywabbit]

reminding myself there are no truly "bad days", because every single day, someone somewhere in the world has taken a photo of an extremely tiny animal and shown it to someone else, and that's very good actually

[loveyourownsmiilee]

Important things said about Buck and Eddie for season 7:

I just think it’s super important we take a look at everything that’s been mentioned by Tim, Oliver, & Ryan about Buck and Eddie. So here’s a comprehensive list of important things mentioned about their storylines and their relationship.

Tim Minear:

"I've had a lot of fun writing Buck and Eddie, and playing their dynamic," he says. "Their friendship is the core of that coupling. I'm trying to hit it in every episode.”

Oliver Stark:

"He's just looking for his happiness, and he's willing to put himself out there again and be open to feeling things. He just wants to be happy.”

“…this really open relationship where they can confide in each other and they can step up and be there for each other in a way that feels very soft. I just think that's a really lovely, and in fact (an) important thing to be able to show on this TV show."

"They've both become quite embedded in each other's lives. "I think they've kind of bonded and connected on so many levels, whether it be work, their personal lives and then add in that kind of fun dynamic where they clearly do just get on well. I think it's just a nice recipe for a good relationship, however you choose to see it."

“We've joked about it over the years of, oh, Buck 1.0, 2.0, 3.0. This is like a whole new upgrade. This is not just a new version. I think we're looking at a brand-new man.”

“I don't think it's a conscious "I know what I want, and I'm going to go and get it." I think it's more just I'm open to things, and I'm open to floating wherever the wind takes me. And if this feels good, great. And if it doesn't, we throw that out and we try something else. I think he's just in a very open phase of his life where he just wants to find the things that bring him joy.”

“Yeah, I feel like he's always had this image or this view of what he should be doing and how life should be looking for him, and I think that can actually be quite restrictive. By him dropping those beliefs and just opening himself up to the world, I think he's going to find himself in a much better position.”

“There's some really beautiful stuff between him and Eddie and kind of them being open and sharing things with each other that they may have been reluctant to share with—I know how that's going to be taken. [Laughs] But it's true. [They're] there for each other in a very kind of open and nonjudgmental way.”

"There's something about the show when you get to see these guys doing their job, but also the personal side and the way those kind of blend together,"

“They get to show up for each other in different ways. Moving forward there’s almost like potential for things to come up in a not so great light. But we get to see their friendship persevering, and them being there in ways they didn’t necessarily expect for each other. And I just, it’s a really lovely journey for them this season.”

Ryan Guzman:

“I think we really want to make an impact on this new network and give everybody exactly what they want, and then something they didn't know they needed.”

"He is actually starting to figure out who he is outside of 'I am an Army man who has a silver badge! ... He's way more than that. He's starting to live in that [feeling] a little bit more, and I think that's freeing to him.”

"It's the blind leading the blind. In a moment of chaos, Eddie doesn't really have a sense of direction, so he reaches out for the closest person, and that closest person is Buck.”

“Outside of Christopher, it was really Buck. He was the next go-to, and I love that friendship. I love how he's able to lean on another male figure and really be vulnerable with this man and allow himself to go there because in today's society, that's not really a thing. And I would love to see that more.”

“So I would say that, yeah, outside of Christopher, Buck would be the second closest thing that he can have as a relationship.”

“And Eddie was a mess. I think at that moment, the friendship had a turning point and now has allowed Buck and Eddie to really share as much or whatever they'd want, the scariest things in the world they could share with each other. And we're going to be seeing more of that this season.”

“I think Eddie's going to have a let go moment. He's going to have some fun, I feel. He is going to have a great time trying to just let go and see where that gets him.”

“Eddie's journey thus far has been fraught with highs and lows, but he's overcome many hardships and has continued to work on becoming the best version of himself and growing into the person he wants to be.”

"I believe these are all very relatable stories, and I don't feel like individuals necessarily find the right partner; I feel like they become the right partner,"

"He's able to be a little bit more honest with himself and maybe slow things down because he would much rather instinctually want to just get into another relationship and be monogamous with one individual and then hope it works out.

"He's taking more calculated steps, so ! believe there's some hope there for Eddie just based on the fact that he has a better sense of who he is."

"And then go to Buck and say, 'I trust you with my child, and I see how much you put in for my son; this goes beyond friendship, and I love you to the core. To have that sense of vulnerability is a sense of strength that has been shown.”

“Well, there’s something brand new for both of us. I can only say that much.”

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

02/24/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast&CrewSightings; Samba BTS; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Damien Gerard; Guz Khan!; SaveOFMD Crew Billboard; AdoptOurCrew Saturday Sillies; Making A Difference; Articles; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika;

Been a long Saturday yall. Hope you enjoyed the BTS and general clown/honking going around!

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

= Samba Schutte Feat. David Jenkins! =

Samba's back with more BTS for us today!

This time the Crew Shoutout is for Chaos Dad himself: David Jenkins! So good to see Chaos dad having such a great time BTS. We love you David!

Videos on Tumblr:

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys decided to take it up a notch today on his Tiktok/Instagram and tell... someone they've created a monster. Who might that be?

== Damien Gerard ==

Our crew-mate @patchworkpiratebear got a Cameo from our lovely Father-Teach, Damien Gerard! There's a bit of a story behind it, see below! Cameo link

== Guz Khan! ==

Hey! It's been a hot minute since we've seen our friend Guz Khan-- and now he's showed up on a cat! Good to see you sir!

== Save OFMD Crew ==

There have been questions raised about the billboard that the SaveOFMD Crew have been posting teasers for on their socials. The Crew had a meeting today wherein they discussed the concerns of the fandom, and have taken that feedback to heart. They are currently working on a clear information packet regarding the logistics of the current billboard efforts. They have kindly asked for your patience while they finish putting those last touches together!

== @adoptourcrew Saturday Sillies! ==

Our friends over at @adoptourcrew were kind enough to set up a new Saturday Sillies this week! This time they made custom OFMD Wordles! There were WAY too many images to include in the recap, so if you'd like to check them out, please visit the tumblr post below!

Wanna play? You can visit a tumblr post here

== Making a Difference! ==

Thank you to everyone who contributed to, or shared the fundraiser for Trans Pride Brighton! They've finally met their goal and can stay open another year! You made a serious difference in the lives of trans and non-binary folk in that community!

== Articles ==

Deze HBO-serie is gecanceld, maar had een 95% op Rotten Tomatoes

Schwule Romanze zwischen Piratenkapitänen

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies. I hope you had a fun Saturday/Sunday wherever you are. I know some of you are already closing out the weekend. We made it through another day-- and there's all sorts of action going on across all the platforms. I hope you got a chance to have fun, but also to rest. I know you know this, but even though I do too I often forget it. Rest is so very important. It's so easy to burn out, especially when we're constantly exposed to so much online. I think to myself "oh it's fine I'll just get a few more things done" and then it's suddenly 3 hours later and I've had only 4 hrs sleep in the last 30. Please please please give yourself self care today. Go brush your teeth, or take a shower. If you feel like you can do more, brush your hair, or make yourself a nice cup of tea. Do something for you that makes you relax and feel rested. On your last day of the weekend, make sure to take a few moments to yourself and just remember how awesome you are. You may not feel like it sometimes, but I can tell you now you truly are Awe-some. You bring so much life and love to this world and you deserve all beautiful things you want. Anyway, I'm very sleepy and I'm rambling again (what's new). Sleep well and enjoy your day lovelies, see you tomorrow.

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

I'm being lazy tonight again yall. Just two goofy gifs that caught my eye, sorry I am running on fumes. Tomorrow I'll try to find some themed ones for ya <3

Rhys Gif: Courtesy of @fandomsmeantheworldtome

Taika Gif: ohnotheydidnt.livejournal

[kisilinramblings]

After the Wish - Adrien's side

Hi, everyone! Are you ready for some scene analysis? Like the title says, this post will focus on Adrien's scenes following the Wish.

Before I start though, I am very well aware the ending bring a lot of very passionnated and very opinated minds. This is why I am asking to please keep an open mind and keep things civil. I won't tolerate any bashing or rude comments. Both on this post and in my inbox. Keep in mind this analysis in my own interpretation of the shots and scenes based on my cinematographic knowledge as well as my viewing experience and memory of the 5 seasons of Miraculous.

I am sharing this analysis because I love the show and because analysing helps me better understand what I see.

Also, this is a leak free analysis. I only analyze and make conclusions based on what it is shown to us on-screen.

So, if you are ok with staying respectful and open to see the episode through my lens, you are more than welcome to continue reading.

Without further ado, let's go!

After the whole universe was engulfed by the light of Gabriel's Wish, the white screen fade to a close up of Adrien sleeping. Marinette's head then block the shot temporarily before Adrien awaken, smiling. We can guess she kissed him.

This shot personally reminds me of the fairy tales in which the knight kisses the princess to awake her from her curse. And it isn't coincidental if the very first image we see after Gabriel made the Wish is Adrien. There is meaning in that. In fact, I want to point out the shot choice itself because I find it unusual.

We are facing a tight close up facing directly Adrien while he is sleeping and then awakes. Normally, we are more used to a medium shot which allow to see the character is lying down and frame both characters. The camera is also normally placed on the side and not directly facing one particular character. Again in order to see both actors at the same time. Think of Disney Snow White or Sleeping Beauty for example.

And even in more modern ones.

You know which other character in the show who had their eyes closed, often shown in a frontal angle and who we were anticipating to wake up? Émilie.

Except this isn't Émilie who awakes, but Adrien.

Not only this tight close up gives a lot of importance and relevance to him, but Adrien is so in our face that it feels like nothing around him mattered, not even the kiss Adrien received. What matters is Adrien. Solely him. And Adrien is smiling.

Then the camera starts to expand little to little to unveil Adrien's "new world". In cinema, we are quite used to start a scene is with help of wide shot before cuting to closer shots. Here, it is the other way around. Which confers a sense of mystery to the scene.

The first thing Adrien sees is Marinette, the girl he is in love with, at his side, bathed by the summer sunlight. The light choice hints we got a time ellipse between this moment and the previous scene.

As Adrien rises up we see their friends having fun in what we guess is the Agreste Mansion Garden.

The artists are painting a mural inspired by Delacroix's famous painting Liberty Leading the People where the characters are remplaced by La Résistance members and led by Ms Bustier depicted as Liberty herself. She is leading the youth to freedom, to a better future.

The rest of the class and their allies are playing in the pool or chilling together.

This series of shots show us the Agreste Mansion garden flourishing with life. In the background, the flowers are all in full bloom, the plants cover most of the gray stones of the mansion, garnishing those with vibrant green tones. On-screen people laughing and having fun.

Hawkmoth (Party Crasher) : I don't feel any negative emotions. There's only... Joy? What is going on in my house?!

This series of shots shows how we are at the opposite at how life used to be for Adrien. His friends can come over and party with him. We see members of both his family and found family. Adrien isn't trapped inside his home-prison anymore. He isn't isolated anymore. He is surrounded by people who love and care about him. And Gabriel is absent from the picture.

Like Bug Noire said earlier during this episode, Adrien already had all of that before the Wish. Adrien went to school and made friends on his own. He wanted to have a birthday party at his home (Bubbler). He wanted to hang and have fun with his friends on multiple occasions. But Gabriel was always the biggest obstacle for Adrien to have those moments, those memories.

It is Gabriel who kept his son isolated. Because Gabriel was living in the past and was unable to move on with life while Adrien decided he wanted more in life than being stuck inside a cocoon. And at the end of Revolution, Adrien knew what he wanted :

Adrien : Father, please, I know what I want. Let me live my life here in Paris with Marinette and my friends. Gabriel : You must go through with this like an Agreste. That's what your mother would have wanted. Adrien : No, I'm sure that Mom would have just wanted me to be happy.

And, in the end, Adrien's wish is fulfilled.

One last sidenote before I continue concerns that one shot.

Despite not being in the center of the shot, Nathalie seems to be doing better than the last time we saw her. She has a least more colors and has gained her red streak of hair back. Her pose however seems... limited. Maybe her body is still weak from the illness afflicting her. Maybe it is due to budget constraint. Or maybe it is both. And remember what Bug Noire said to Gabriel at the end of their fight : she estimated Nathalie had only a few hours left. And we are weeks from now. Either Bug Noire was wrong in her prognostic or Nathalie survived.

Émilie : Adrien will be well surrounded. He'll have you Nathalie, and he'll have his father, if Gabriel agrees to give up on his madness... and on me. Adrien will have all the love he needs to be happy.

Anyway, the group pauses their activities to watch a new show called "Monde Nouveau" (litteraly "New World") and hosted by Alec.

Alec as we know, has changed to become an icon about being yourself and making your dream come true. And him being the host of that new show instead of a character like Nadja, means that we are looking at an happy and positive vision of things.

He interviews Caline Bustier, now both Mayor of Paris and mother of a girl named Harmonie. She shares her program for a better future to us, the audience.

As she talks about her eco-rules, we see sketches supporting her vision. At the bottom right, we recognize the Tsurugi company logo, but next to it there is a new one we haven't seen before.

Next, we see an unveiling of the statue of Gabriel Agreste, which confirms that Gabriel has died. His statue is made of recycled Alliances put out of commission after Monarch's last attack.

Gabriel's statue is his entire height. Gabriel was already a tall character when he was living and his statue is even taller than him. His chin is up, proud. It is almost like he is superior, looking up like that. The camera slight low angle also contributes to this impression I have. Also, he holds a pencil like the designer he is.

Tomoe : Beyond the visionary entrepreneur and the genius creator, it's the hero we celebrate today.

This is how the Parisians in-universe see him. They are unaware of Gabriel's secret identity. They are unaware of the truth. They only know of the image the professional him gave away and they believed he died in an attempt to stop Monarch.

I want to point out the fact Gabriel's statue is made of Alliances. The very tool he uses to try and defeat Ladybug and Chat Noir. He turned Adrien and Kagami's image into avatar for this product against their will to sell both the Alliances and an illusion. He deformed the truth with their avatars by presenting them as a couple (Revelation), or make deepfakes out of them (Representation and Conformation). Now, Gabriel's statue, his image, is made of the very same tool he used. And the Alliances, despite being put out of commission, still contribute to blur the line of what is truth and what is false in regards of his character to the masses.

With this statue made of Alliances, the parisians are honoring the "perfect" and "pure" image they have of Gabriel. I cannot help but think that this huge statue is bound to create great shadows. And even if the real Gabriel is gone, something of him remains and will continue to have an impact.

Tomoe then talks about continuing Gabriel's legacy. To us, the audience, those words have an ominous double meaning as Tomoe was Gabriel's ally until the end and helped him in many of his schemes. And she confirms she will continue that work.

Caline then gets to talk about her new school model which pleases very much everybody as they cheer all together. It will allows Marinette, Adrien and all their friends to remain together while allowing them to explore and grow in the field that please them respectfully.

Then we cut the the sun setting as the cheers are fading away. It is the end of the day and everyone has gone home.

Adrien is now alone in the garden where his mother's statue used to be. White butterflies are flying around. Marinette joins him as he is fidgeting with his parents' twin ring.

Marinette : You are not wearing it? Adrien : When Ladybug gave it to me, she told me how my father helped her defeat Monarch. At the risk of his life.

With this, we know that Ladybug granted Gabriel's dying wish.

Gabriel : Marinette. Make sure that Adrien never knows about the villain that I was, but instead, that he remembers the times I tried to be a good father.

Was it Marinette's place to accept that burden to cover the truth? To acquiesce to her archenemy's demand? Of course not, but that is how kind she is and how flawed she can be. For Adrien's happiness, Maribug is willing to do so. We, as the audience, know it can only last so long the secret is sealed. And no one among Gabriel, Marinette, Nathalie, Félix, Kagami nor Plagg is aware the secret was already breached outside the family circle.

But for the time being, everyone who knows will keep the fact that Gabriel was Monarch a secret.

But even without the truth, Adrien is conflicted about his feelings towards his father. We see that as Adrien answers Marinette's question, he leans a bit towards her, but there is no contact. His eyes are fixated on the ring. Adrien is distant and inside a bubble of doubt about himself. There is a weight, a legacy, he associates with that family ring that he is not sure if he can bear.

Adrien : I don't know if I'll ever manage to be like him.

It is only when Marinette puts her hands on his, covering the ring and the expectations that come with it, that Adrien finally look at her, brought back to here and now. Marinette reassures Adrien he doesn't need to be like his father. Adrien can just be himself, without having to live up to any expectations placed upon him.

Marinette then proceeds in slips the ring on his finger. Adrien is free and in control of who he wants to be, of what he wants to do, no matter his background. The past doesn't matter anymore. He can just focus on what is ahead of him.

In this short shot reverse shot, we see a bit of Marinette's head in Adrien's shot, however in Marinette's reverse shot, she is framed alone.

This bit has of a shift in the discussion. Marinette made contact with Adrien, entering his "bubble". She has established a connection in their discussion. Her words are reaching him and moving him.

Adrien : You always find the right words, Marinette. When I'm with you, I feel so... free!

And now they are in synch. Both say "I love you" to the other at the same time, which make them laugh. And Adrien wraps Marinette's hand as if he never wants to let her go. As if he will protect and cherish her with all his might. She makes him that happy.

As the white butterflies illustrate, there is no negative emotions around. Only pure hapiness. Only love. And they are kissing where Émilie's statue used to be.

Émilie's message in Collusion : Adrien shouldn't have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes. Our little prince has the right to create his own vision of happiness.

In other words, Monarch did not win. Émilie won. Gabriel has used the Wish, yes, but his wish was different than the one he wanted to make for 5 seasons. And it is not unusual for Gabriel to do everything in his power to grant any of Émilie's wishes. And her final wishes were : for Gabriel to let go of his madness, to not bring her back, and for Adrien to be happy.

And the ghost of Émilie can now rest in peace and stop haunting these walls. And Adrien can fully love Marinette the way he wants without any obstacle in the way anymore.

And all points to the Power of Love has ultimately won. Even the most important characters in those scene all have a link related to love.

Adrien was created by love. Ms Bustier promotes love as one of her teachings and she was akumatized twice out of that very emotion (spread love, protect the children's future). And she got elected as Mayor. Alec who interviews Ms Bustier is also another character who is now full of love and care. And Marinette fought for love. Even the Agreste Mansion Garden is associated to love. Gabriel and Émilie got a scene there during Evolution. Marinette and Adrien got a romantic date there as well. Heck, this is even where Nathalie shares she was ready to help Gabriel out of love.

Love may falter or even fades away for a time, but right now, in Adrien's scenes, love is fully blooming.

Back to the scene, as Marinette and Adrien kiss, the camera zoom out at the shot crossfades, giving the impression their kiss is everlasting. And ultimately fades to white...

... before the white suddenly cut to Nadja Chamack's news report where she interviews Professor Du Bocquale about the international event that had happened.

Using both the news reporter and the scientific, we transitioned to Marinette's Guardian of the Miraculous pov. The sentimentality and dream life is over, it is time to get back to the facts and reality. The Happy Ever After is not quite accomplish yet.

And that will be developped in second eventual part because I am reaching the limit of images allowed in one single Tumblr post ^^;

Anyway, thank you for reading this far and stay tuned!

[thedragonqueen1998]

Today at work i got insanly inspired to write and once i got off work, i immidiently went on my phone to type it out. XD I just finished a 3 hour long writing ses(had a 15 minute food break in the middle). ^^ Probably just gonna forever gonna be a wip thing, but it was fun and i'm kinda proud of it. Despite it being rough in some parts, mostly because i wanted to rush to the 2nd half and i didn't wanna get stuck, i'm happy to share it. ^^

It's a kinda long, so i'm gonna add a Read more line to not fill your dash with text. Also, first time trying formatting out! XD

So, originally this post was just gonna be a "i actually wrote something! Look!" thing, just showing of some work i did, but after writing the reason why i wrote a line a certain way, it went into something very sad and kinda dark, so if you don't wanna read about death, a light mention of suicidal thought and grief... just stop after What even is my life.

Idk why i wrote it, but it took alot of effort and it feels... important to me, i guess. Part of processing and such. So, yeah. Read at your discretion. Thank you for your time. 💜

Ezio had many regrets in his long life. Not being there when his father and brothers were arrested. Of not being there more for his sister and mother. Of not trying to be together with Cristina. Not being able to save her. Or being able to save Uncle Mario and Monteriggioni. But biggest of all, not having spent more time with his family before the execution.

He had love, but didn't cherish it. Didn't truly feel it and took it for granted. But unlike so many others, Ezio could take those regrets and change them. Thanks to Desmond.

When he walked into the Library, he thought he might get an answer or two in return for many more. He truly didn't expect that calling out Desmonds name while the Apple bathed the walls in gold would result in it being answered by the being himself.

The being looked like a man, clad in a white light, eminating from a strange device under his right arm. His face looked like an exact replica of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's face, though his build was closer to his. Broad shoulders hidden underneath a strange hooded white doublet and long legs wearing strange tight fitted pants made from a material he did not recognise. Even the scar was the same as his! Was Ezio made in the image of the one he was the Prophet for? Was Altaïr the herald? All questions Ezio wondered, but not knowing if Desmond was like Minerva or not, he dared not waste any questions if the beings patient was thin.

But first: "Are you Desmond?" He had to know, have it confirmed, even if the being appeared after the name was called.

"Ezio? Is this the Library? Am i seriously bleeding while dying!?" Desmond was looking around at the empty tomb, before his eyes returned upon Ezio.

"Yes, this is Altaïr's library. You are bleeding? I do not see any blood and you are dying!? Is there anything i can do to help you? Please, my lord. Tell me what i need to do to save you." Ezio was desperate to know his purpose and if all his life lead to this moment, where he could save Desmonds life, he would fulfill it.

"There's nothing you can do. I am dying semi willingly and even if this is some Animus infused death hallucination, it is nice having my last moments with you, even if your not really here. I am so sorry i couldn't answer any of your questions or try to save you from losing everything. You never deserved any of it. In the end it didn't really even matter. I am sorry you wasted your time chasing riddles and ghosts." He looked so grieve struck while saying it and the look Desmond had while gazing down onto Ezio could only be described as lovingly.

"What do you mean? Could you have saved my uncle!? My father and brothers!? Why didn't you if you do not think i deserved it! I have served the Brotherhood almost my entire life, sacrificed so much trying to find out what Minerva meant and now your telling me that it was all for nothing!? If you think i wasted my time then give it back!"

Desmonds eye's widen before softly smiling and saying: "Your right, you wasted your time and sacrificed too much for nothing. Let's change that."

Before Ezio knew it, the world went white and he knew nothing more.

—————

When Ezio awoke, it was to a bed he hadn't seen in almost 40 years. His childhood bed and his room. He couldn't believe it. He was given a second chance. To live his life. To right wrongs. To save his family! To think going to the Library would result in this!

At the thought of the Library, Ezio suddenly remembered Sofia. To have forgotten her and even abandoned her without a second thought left Ezio feeling guilty. Would she wait outside the Library before realising he would never come back? Or because he is now in the past, a past where he intends to change the future, would she never meet him? Never exist? The thought of her hurt, but like so many others, Ezio knew that him being in her life would have risked hers. Even if she knew and accepted it, it is still better if she never got the chance to know him and inevitibly suffer because of it. Same with Cristina. Though he could now choose her, he knew that despite the many mistakes in his life, the Brotherhood was not one of them and his refusal to properly let her go killed her. Letting that life affect her once again was too cruel. It was for the better to just let her go.

Federico nudged him with his elbow. "Brother, what has you thinking so hard you look like you bit into something bitter?"

"Nothing much, just wondering what i should get." Ezio smiled and laughed. He was currently out with his family on a trip the market. The last time around, he had decided to sneak off to spend some time with a girl he didn't even remember the name of anymore instead of spending time with his loved ones, to his great shame and regret. This was the last thing his family had done together outside of dinners before the execution in 3 days. That he missed out on it was one of his biggest regrets, but Desmond let him change it.

That Ezio might never truly understand or know what or who Desmond is, how he watched him in the Vault or even what Minerva's people and the Pieces of Eden truly were will forever haunt him, but the trade to see his family again and to even be able to save them is a fair trade. He can go his life wondering these questions and maybe try to find them now that he will have more time, thanks to already knowing the Templars plans and who will be an enemy or ally.

He felt a finger poke him inbetween his eyebrows.

"There you go again Brother. Thinking too hard! Be careful or you might hurt yourself." Federico teased before yelping and then laughing when Ezio pushed him.

"Please don't start fighting now sons." Their father said before turning back to the stall owner to continue discussing what wares to buy and the prices.

"Sorry Father!" Ezio said before giving his brother a teasing look that promised this was not over.

Ezio remembered this day well enough. Not to remember the woman he decided to chase, but enough to know that when his family had been at the market a horse had run wild there and according to Claudia, nearly trampled her down in the confusion.

He was a bit sceptical to believe it was as close as she had made it out to be, but he knew horses much better now than he did before. After years of riding them to and from places in the chase for his targets, he knew that having one running towards you in a blind panic could scare anyone. Even though he knew to be wary of them and treat them with respecy during his original childhood, he didn't truly get how these gentle beings could be as scary as his sister had made the poor creature out to be.

According to his family, it had been a war horse, bloodied, running around in a blind panic, probably scared from a skirmish. Being chased by guards hadn't helped and eventually the guards got a good shot at it and put it down.

Ezio wanted to save his sister years of fearing horses, so he kept an eye and a ear out for any signs that the animal was on it's way.

There. A scream. Everyone stopped and looked around for the source. The source was still hidden by the crowds, but in the distance you could start seeing people moving away from something coming this way and the screams were getting closer.

Ezio breathed and slipped into his Second Sight, the Eagle Vision, as he now knew Altaïr had called it. Or more accuratly, Eagle Sense. With the years, his constant use and need for it had changed his Sight. It had become much stronger, letting him see farther, expanded his hearing, to let him hear his enemies heartbeat and even know what moves they were going to make. Even let him know where his enemies was going to go on a patrol route.

It truly was a gift and now he would use it to try and predict where the animal would go, as to lead his sister and family away from the danger. Then he saw it. The shine of something important. Something that glowed as strongly as the Apple of Eden had. The horse.

There was much about his Gift he could not explain. He had tried, but it is much like explaining sight to a blind person. Why things he didn't even know about could glow gold and lead him to the answer. Why allies glowed blue and enemies red, nor how he could tell friend from foe and now. His Sight told him, with the same intuition as telling friend from foe, that this horse was Desmond.

How is Desmond here? Why? Did he lie about dying? Or was certain death only a large chance that Desmond beat? Ezio supposed it did not matter. If he lets events play as they had before, Desmond would be struck down by an arrow within minutes. Oh, maybe Desmond had tried to prevent his father and brothers demise, but was struck down in the attempt? Though, why choose to do it as a rampaging horse? Either way, Desmond was clearly panicking, almost upon him now. If Ezio could not calm him down, his death was guaranteed.

But how? Ezio has just seconds now to plan a way to stop him before he is trampled down.

Then, he finally realises, that among the bright gold he shines, he also glowes blue. Such a deep colour which he has only seen in the greatest friends or closest family and he knows, Desmond would never harm him. The look of pure love on Desmonds face made more sense now.

So Ezio decides to not move and simple raise up his hands, as if to pet the horse.

"EZIO!"

————

Desmond was in pain. He knew that Juno lied about his death being quick and painless, but god, why did it have to hurt so much!? During his hallucination, it wasn't nearly so bad! And can't forget the weird nightmare he's having ontop of it. He's a goddamned horse on some battlefield. He was rearing up when the nightmare started, neighing as his rider was shot and killed by an arrow.

There's so much blood. The smell strikes fear in his heart. There's so much red. He slips into Eagle Vision and there's even more red. Not a spec of blue. A sword slides against the armor he is wearing and the screech of metal is too much. He bolts.

He needs to run. Away from the monsters with sharp sticks. Away from the smell of blood and death. Away from the shadows hiding hunters. They follow him. They chase him for a long time.

He is getting so tired.

He needs to get back to the barn. His owner would make everything alright. He would croon soft noises he did not understand, but the tone was soft and gentle. He would give him a treat while brushing him down after a hard days work.

He did ride him into scary battles he did not understand, but afterwards he would wash and groom him extra thoroughly, while feeding him the best apples, crooning more sounds in a happy tone. He would repeat one of the few sounds he understood, which meant "him" and "pay attention to me".

Dante.

But he wasn't on his back anymore and he didn't hear his voice. Just the loud, scary noises of more men in the shiny hard thing. They had the pointy sticks too and tried to take the things dangling from his mouth. Only his owner can touch that! Only he is to be trusted with them.

Running is getting harder, there is large, straight hills in the way and the path is narrower with many strangers in it.

There is still so much red. He can still smell the blood, feel it clotting his fur. Too much red!

Blue.

Suddenly there's blue in front of him. He knows blue means ally. Though why and how this person is blue confuses him. But he is Blue and running him over is not good, but why is he standing there!? Does he not see the red!? Smell it!? Does he not understand we need to run!?

"Desmond"

That single word pierces the fog of fear and wild panic that has flooded Desmonds mind. Ezio is in front of him, hand already gripping the reigns while the other rests on his muzzle.

"There we go Desmond, everything is alright."

Desmond still feels phantom threads of fear, but with Ezio's calming blue glow and his voice saying gentle reassurances, it feels far away.

Now with his mind fully human and not driven by horse instincts or memories, the question becomes: How and why the fuck is he a horse in 15th century Italy with Ezio!?

What even is his life.

————

So, a couple parts i'm stupidly happy about is the "He had love, but didn't cherish it. Didn't truly feel it and took it for granted." part. This, as you can probably tell was inspired by the famous quote "When I was a young man, I had liberty, but I did not see it. I had time, but I did not know it. And I had love, but I did not feel it."

I believe Ezio didn't fully understand liberty until he tried to live a peaceful life with Sofia and realised he would always fear Templars taking revenge on his family and time, because the knowledge that he would never see his children grow up to adults had never been a concern before he met Sofia. He probably thought he wouldn't have a family at all.

But love. Love he would understand what he missed. He would understand it just days after he lost his father and brothers. Those moments you missed out on. Of opportunities to spend time that you squandered away. Time you will never get back, because in real life we don't have time travel.

And now i understand it. Before the end of the last year, i was like Ezio before the loss. Before i lost my grandparents only a few weeks apart.

Those opportunities to spend time was rare and thankfully i took most of them, but i still squandered it away by not actually spending time with them. I just visited and hid away in my room, wasting the time by sitting on the phone.

I will forever regret that because ny memory is shit and besides a few childhood ones, i have no memories of them. I still remember their voices, they were pretty distinct thankfully, but how long until i forget that.

It hurts and as someone who is afraid of death and it's finality, such a reminder that time and love is finite is soulcrushing. It is only recently that i have truly started to think of my grandparents and i guess try to process the fact they are gone forever.

When we first got the news that my grandpa had died, i was even more glued to my phone, not wanting to acknowledge what was happening. I also didn't wanna sleep and only got some when i passed out from exhaustion. We even went to the doctor to get time of work and some sleep medication i didn't dare end up taking.

I even had thoughts of just taking all the pills and just sleeping, to get away from the pain forever. But i'm thankfully too much of a coward, so it just stayed thoughts. I'm doing much better now and as i mentioned, i think i'm starting to process the fact that they are gone.

So, yeah. This post went in a direction i didn't expect. But it feels important and maybe in a few years i can look back at this post and see a snapshot of who i was and reflect on who i am now. So, here's to the future me and anyone else who needs to hear it:

I hope things are going well and if they're not... well, things get better. They always do. You're loved and even if your loved ones are gone, they live on in you. You will carry that love with you, for the rest of your life. 💜

[marsosims]

hi, hello! hope you have a wonderful day and lots of fun with the new pack! i was wondering how to decorate/build in the new world to make it realistic bc i want to lean into the whole SEA flair without making too sterotypical i hope you know what i mean lol so some help from someone who's filipino like yourself would mean lots for me!!

Before I answer this question, I'd just like to preface that I am NOT an expert and I'm just sharing my personal thoughts and ideas :)

-

marsosims' tips to decorating tomarang builds

Use references. I think this is probably the most important tip that I can tell you. Use references, you won't regret it! Whether it's from google earth, Pinterest, or even drawings - you have a TON of reference materials!

Here are some illustrations: Top image is a still from the movie, "Hayop Ka!", Bottom left from Arlo Jhan Bayot, Right from Albert Tan

Here are some pictures - these ones are more or less middle class, but some shared characteristics between most of them are bright walls (usually cement, wood, and the occasional fake brick wall), fenced in yards (if you could call them that), wrought iron, and most importantly, plants.

PLANTS. GO CRAZY. SEA countries are located in the tropics, which means that they have very diverse foliage... SO like go wild if you want to (especially if building in the more rural part of Tomarang). People will also have a lot of potted plants, like:

(Bougainvilleas are usually a favorite - idk if the sims has any like it?)

OPEN LAYOUT FLOORPLANS. Most houses are open concept, and hallways for residential buildings are pretty rare in my opinion.

Another thing to note are dirty kitchens, which are basically outside kitchens that you do all of your cooking so that the smell doesn't stick to your things (this is important because as I said - most houses are open concept). Cooking inside is also pretty unpleasant because SEA COUNTRIES ARE HOTTTT.

Use tiles. With interiors, I'd say that it usually varies but a staple in most homes are tiled floors, because they are cool (not in a fashion way and more a literal way) and are resistant to floods.

I almost never see people have wooden floors unless the house was an ancestral house or the house is on the cheaper side (but even then, I usually see cement or tiled floors). If you do see some wooden floors, my bet is that they're one of those cheap linoleum / vinyl ones (idk what they are exactly)

I also never see people use carpets or rugs - probably a bit too much of a hassle to deal with (but they do exist!).

As for walls, they're usually just left as cement or wood. Wallpapers weren't all that popular until recently during the pandemic when people got bored and started putting up wallpapers ksdhbfsd

Use wooden furniture where possible! Plus points if you use glass somehow. Most things are wooden, and usually do not match with each other. It actually drives me crazy at home because none of the wood tones match, but it's comforting in a way. You can see an example of this on the image above. If things weren't made of wood, they were usually plastic :)

Display those trophies / certificates! Filipinos are VERY proud of their achievements. Feel free to display those trophies, certificates, etc. front and center of your homes, where guests can see them.

-

These are all the things I can think of! I'm sorry it's a little rambly kscfksdfh I tried my best o7

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot them my way. ALSOO I'd just like to reiterate that these are just based on my personal experiences and thoughts and not everything I say may not necessarily be true for every SEA person (or even Filipino). OK BYE

[riaki]

PHEW okay. rn im working on a yoshida fic but i completely spitballed and went off the rails ...... so um. might be a while before that comes out, so take some (many) thoughts and drabbles of weird stalker boy instead !! yoshida hirofumi x reader

@twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat take this for yoshi fluff n some mild angst.. for now......

i feel like yoshida would definitely be the kinda guy to give his all in keeping it together; especially with his position as student council president (that he's only half-committed to, really) topped off with his life in the private sector of devil hunting, his image is extremely important to him. not because he has a huge ego or is self-obsessed, but he knows that a lot of people look up to him and rely on him. that being said, he's (probably, yoshida lore when) only human, and he's bound to struggle and wrestle with the workload he's chained to, and it can often get the best of his emotions and stress him out.

so a little word of encouragement here, a sweet 'washed your dishes and your clothes cus i saw you were busy' there would be everything he needs to spur himself on even if he's exhausted; hearing the phrase "i'm proud of you." from your mouth in your sweet, sweet voice? makes it all worth it. 

all considered, he doesn't want you to do too much for him; he never lets you pay for your shared meals or drive the two of you home, BUT you should give it your all in trying anyway! acts of service for him seem subtle, but they really mean the world to him when you try so hard to lighten his burden. he thinks it's the most endearing thing on the planet. on the days he lacks the energy to even utter a small mumble of protest, he'll let you take the wheel- but those days are rare, so capitalize on the opportunity! being a gentleman is tiring, so make him coffee (not black) instead of letting him buy the headache-inducing cans of sickeningly sweet caffeine from the vending machines outside his apartment when you rise early enough to; let him fall asleep in your lap and gently play with his hair while you handle a homework assignment for him or two. bonus points if he wakes up to something sweet or savory made by those hands of yours that he loves to hold so much; do that, and he might just dream of marrying you the next time he indulges in an afternoon nap in the confines of your arms. 

(and when you hold him to your chest and whisper sweet nothings into his ears on the days he's earned further affection from you? it makes him feel like he's being granted a visit from the heavens, though hell knows he'll never make it up there. but, if he thinks he's being honest, it doesn't matter to him- not when you're right in front of him, a taste of divinity. not when you're gently tracing each slope and ridge in the shape of his left ear, thumb tenderly prodding at the soft skin between the cold metal piercings on his ear. it's like you're mapping out just this minuscule section of his body, and he's found himself praying to whatever's out there that you'll always be here to give him this; that one day, you'll have ran your fingers over every inch of him, memorizing the intricacies of the very bones in his body.)

to me, his primary love language would definitely be quality time- more so for him than you (but he still hopes you enjoy it enough to indulge him. makes him feel like a kid in a candy store with free reign over his monthly allowance.) meaningful talks with you and silly fun banter is all he needs to take his mind off the stresses currently throwing him for a loop and let loose a little. that’s one of the reasons why he fell so head over heels for you— you make it a little easier to breath whenever you’re around him. also... he loves the look on your face whenever he surprises you with gifts, so count on an uninvited bouquet of flowers in some varying hue of your eye color, or surprise boxes of jewelry- that is, if he can afford it. if not, he'll take you out when the weather is pleasant enough and you're in the mood for a cup of boba or an evening out in the nearest shopping district, browsing the warmly lit stands as the chatter of people bustling by fills your ears and he holds onto your hands in the simple pretext of not wanting you to get lost as he buys every mouth-watering festival food you lay your eyes on without hesitation. maybe he'll even treat you to a quick stop at a standing ramen restaurant- and if you're too tired to support yourself on your own two legs, he has no problem carrying you. after all, with his private devil hunting, you both know he's more than capable of that. and so, rest-assured you’ll return home on those gleeful days with full stomaches, bags n boxes full of sticky dango and fresh glistening apples the shades of a red autumn, and giddy smiles coupled with painted strawberry blush that dusts your cheeks and stains your ears. and if, throughout that entire vivid night of fireworks and sweet n savory scents drifting from stalls and the treats in the hands of vivacious children, you happen to get some crumbs or powder on your cheeks, he's more than happy to wipe it away with an affectionate thumb and earnest smile— or even lean in for a taste straight from your flushed skin.

on the topic of his side job in the private sector, though- yoshida prefers to keep you as far away as possible from the side of his life that's three feet deep and counting in missions at the Bureau. and of course, he takes no pleasure in lying to your face, especially when he realizes that you realize the half-assed mutters that fall from his lips don't answer the questions you demand answers to. 

he knows it's a necessity, though. so he never tells you the truth when it comes to this matter. 

but you can only see the tip of the iceberg of cold, guilty pain that washes over him when he watches your trust in him slip like you're loosing your footing; the excuses he spins that you don't buy and the way he feels like he's being scrutinized beneath your burning gaze as your eyes rove over the rough cuts on his arms and the blooming purple bruise on his jaw that you know isn't a love mark (or at least, you hope so. your mind won’t let you consider the possibility.) makes him feel guiltier than ever. on every other occasion, he never shies away from your gaze; for one, he’s well aware of how attractive he is, but all the compliments and shy confessions he’s ever received feel minuscule when you look at him like he’s your world, so loving that it seems to make the sun shine an inkling brighter and the birds outside his window sing a little sweeter amongst the symphony of nature. but on less pleasant occasions, when it feels like you’re appraising him— no. not just him. appraising his words, weighing them on a golden scale that’s supposed to be unbiased towards the truth, but your heart can’t take the strain when you consider the possibility of him lying to you, and he feels more distant from you every time you look at him in a way that makes him want to shrink away and shut himself up from your prying eyes that he knows are only well-intentioned— which is all the more reason why he falters under the weight of them.

but it’s not like he’d ever tell you that, though. so really, it’s up to you to decide how you act; to probe him and risk a few unintentionally harsh words aimed in your direction in the hopes of confronting the issue head-on before it’s too late, or simply sit back and let it fester until it’s grown out of control and manifests into a hurtful argument for both parties. miscommunication is the enemy to your relationship :(

that being said, yoshida is a bit of a control freak. when things don’t go the meticulous way he’s planned them out, he starts to loose his cool pretty easily, stressing his pretty head off about this and that, biting on his lip and curling a hand into his dark hair. really, though, it’s a simple fix— he tends to get overwhelmed easily only when it comes to things like this, n so all you have to do is tear him away from whatever’s preoccupying him and hold him, soothe his nerves by running your hands through his hair and rubbing gentle circles into his back. like i said, acts of service are really meaningful to him, esp w his line of work— makes him feel all fuzzy on the inside, like there’s a cluster of stars in his chest, his heart stuttering like a broken engine and a bouquet of lilies flowering in his stomach, petals clogging his throat and making it impossible for him to voice his gratitude. and so, after he calms down, he’ll take your hand and pepper little kisses on your knuckles until you ask him to stop with a bright smile and a laugh that sounds like the trickling melody of a running spring water stream.

but that’s an if, though. yoshida might not always manage to calm down— and sometimes his frustration will get the better of him. it might be difficult to manage; he’s so composed and collected for the most part that the meticulous patience required to deal with his boiling vexation might be unfamiliar to you, so it’ll be a bumpy slope. so try to be understanding in the case that he ever snaps at you, and know that he never means to hurt someone as important to him as you. give him time, and he’ll come around. <3

[sunniedesi]

Future Diary "The Live World"

Did you know that back on July 29th, 2012, there was a live concert for almost all Future Diary songs? Well, this little gem in Future Diary history is known as The Live World, a concert held at Shibuya AX to promote the Future Diary anime. It featured not just Yousei Teikoku and Faylan (the artists who made the OPs and EDs for the show), but also the voice actors and singers of the character theme songs.

For those unaware, each Future Diary character has at least one theme song to their name. These songs come from the “Future Diary Inspired Album,” which had two volumes. Yuno and Minene were the only characters to receive two songs each, as well as an extra song with their love interest. You can find the first and second volumes of this album on Youtube thanks to SingerOfW.

All of the character themes were performed at the live event along with the OPs and EDs, except for the 4th’s and 5th’s themes. “The Creator,” a song attached to the pilot of the show, was also not performed at the event. The reason why these three songs were discarded from the concert are unknown; however, I assume it had something to do with time constraints and lower popularity than the rest of the songs. 

The event was recorded and sold as a Blu-Ray with almost three hours of content. The Blu-Ray disks of the performance began sales on November 29th, 2013, along with the sale of the Future Diary Blu-Ray Box. The recording was divided into two disks. It also included two bonus gifts: an eight-page booklet and an additional 9-minute recording of the making of the event. This 9-minute recording has yet to surface online.

There was also a raffle for a free ticket to the event. To enter the raffle you had to get the three volumes of the limited edition Blu-Ray CDs. Volumes 1 and 2 came with application tickets, while volume 3 came with the postcard you were supposed to mail the tickets in.

One of the more important aspects of this concert is that Madness Rain and HAPPY END, the OP and ED for Redial, were first unveiled at the event. Future Diary’s “Next Project” (which we now know as Redial) had recently been announced by that time, and the release of these two songs made anticipation for this project grow bigger. This is evidenced by a blog post I found from a girl who attended the concert, who shared her own thoughts of what she speculated this “next project” to be:

It seems like the ‘next project’ isn’t a ‘Paradox’ story, but an original story; however, since I saw Akise-kun on the visuals of the OP, it can’t be about the first world, so I think it might be related to the third world… (Source.) 

Speaking of blog posts, Esuno also made an entry on his blog talking about his time at the event! The entry reads:

Today I went to ‘Future Diary’ The Live World at Shibuya AX. We were not allowed to take pictures inside so I only have a picture of the entrance (insert photo that wasn’t archived by the Wayback Machine T-T). It was a passionate and fun concert. I enjoyed the performances from a seat on the second floor. Both Kawahara-san (12th’s VA) and Shiraishi-san (Kousaka’s VA) made great MCs, the music and the visuals from the anime were wonderful; a very fulfilling three hours. Thank you to all of the performers, and especially the audience who came all the way in this heat! (Source. Side note: Esuno’s blog doesn’t exist anymore, so that’s why the link is on the Wayback Machine).

The Live World also had some of my favorite Future Diary merchandise. Here’s a list of all the merch sold at the event: 

A pamphlet, neck strap and clear file with the same image as the event poster:

A purple T-shirt inspired by Uryuu Minene, which has an image of speakers blasting on the front, and an image of a grenade on the back:

The event set included a black T-shirt, a drawstring bag, and a waterproof phone pouch (you could use your phone screen even if it was inside the pouch):

A pink sign light:

A pink towel scarf:

A “neck cooler” (a type of scarf filled with cooling beads):

There were also two T-shirts sold, unrelated to the event, made by a company called MARS SIXTEEN. This company makes anime-related goods, like these MN inspired T-shirts. Sadly, there are no pictures of the red shirt, though it is said that it had the DEAD END graphic on the front, while the picture of the 12 diary owners was on the back. The Yuno shirt also came in gray instead of purple:

Bonus: not merch, but here's a random staff shirt I found (terrible picture quality, I know):

Videos of the event can be found on Youtube, namely of Yousei Teikoku’s performance of Kuusou Mesorogiwi, and also all of Faylan’s performances. However, none of the character theme songs played at the event have surfaced on Youtube. 

… That being said, the contents of both Blu-Ray disks have been uploaded to a site called BiliBili (it’s like a Chinese NicoNicoDouga). Here are the links for disk 1 and disk 2. 

Before I end this post, I have to talk about the 12th’s theme, performed by his voice actor: Kawahara Yoshihisa. When I tell you my jaw dropped to the floor… this man showed up on the stage, fully decked out in 12th’s costume. Mask, belt, tights, everything. Kousaka’s VA, Shiraishi Minoru, also showed up dressed like a middle schooler. Let me tell you, Esuno wasn’t lying when he called them great MCs, they absolutely stole the show. The backstory of why they agreed to dress up for the concert is in the second track of the Radio CDs, which I talked about on my last post, for anyone interested.

[soracities]

Hi! So I tried not to say anything about some anti makeup posts I saw on your blog but I need to say this. I think you're very wise and I agree it's very important for us to love ourselves as we are. But some people like myself doesn't care about 'empowering' of makeup or whatever but we just have fun with it and we just love it. I say we because I know there is a lot of people like me. Yeah, we are feeding capitalism or whatever, but world is beautiful and it's also terrible so people trying make themselves feel good, have fun, ect. I see a lot of people who don't wear makeup and i'm happy for them! I didn't wear makeup until i turned 20 i think and felt good.

One thing I wanted to add is in response of post about feminine girls. I think everything needs balance and sometimes people tend to overreact in their opinion and divide everything in black and white. Personally I never cared how women around me looked and what they were wearing. But I would like to have same treatment, and not to feel silly for wearing pink or feminine clothes.

Sorry, I don't know English very well so maybe I can't translate my idea entirely. What I'm trying to say i think everyone should do what they like and leave each other in peace.

Sorry for this essay, just wanted to share my point of view.

Hi, anon! I'm sorry for the delay in getting to this, but I appreciate you writing this (and your English was fine, don't worry)

I think the main argument of those posts (and my own feelings about this) is not about makeup on its own, or even judgement about who does and doesn't choose to wear it--what they are criticizing is a particular part of the society we live in which puts a huge emphasis on women's beauty and appearance in order to fulfill an idea of what a woman "should" be, and the role that makeup plays in that as a result. Because whether we like it or not, whether we believe in them or not, whether we feel pressured by them or not, these expectations do exist. How we personally respond to them does not change that.

I personally don't have an issue with makeup or the concept of it (in almost every culture on earth, humans have been using makeup of some kind for literally thousands of years)--but what I do have a problem with is when we treat makeup, or other traditionally "feminine" forms of expression as neutral things when they are not. A comb or a hair tie is neutral--it's just a thing. Lipstick and eyeliner are also just things, but only when they exist by themselves--and in reality they don't exist by themselves: they exist in a world where we value women on their physical appearance before we value them for anything else--lipstick and eyeliner exist to emphasise parts of your appearance, to make you look a certain way--and in a society where we put so much importance on women looking a certain way, they aren't just ordinary things you toy around with for fun. You can have fun with them, but it doesn't change their role. They can't be treated as exceptions from the world they are used in.

I think sometimes people assume that being anti-makeup is the same as being anti-women-who-wear-makeup, which misses the point (and also suggests a very dangerous idea which I think, sometimes, is why people respond so angrily to these criticisms: because if we believe that being anti-makeup = being anti-women, then therefore makeup = womanhood, and this is simply not true). Whether you wear these things just for fun and to enjoy yourself isn't what is being talked about because these criticisms are not about you on a personal level: they are about looking at a society that is as image-obsessed as ours, and asking why makeup has the role that it has when 1) it is almost exclusively aimed at women--women who, as a group, have been historically marginalised, and whose value, historically, has almost always been measured in terms of their beauty before anything else and 2) the makeup that is emphasized, the trends and styles that come and go, are often not so much about self-expression (if they were, people would be freely wearing all sorts of wild colours and styles: when we talk about "makeup culture" it's not the same kind of makeup used in the goth, punk, or alt scenes for example where makeup plays a very different role) but almost always about achieving or aspiring towards a type of beauty that is valued or expected: to make you look younger, to make your eyes brighter or larger, to make your lips bigger or sexier, your cheekbones more prominent etc--again, on their own, these things may not be a big deal, but they exist in a world where having these looks means you are valued in a certain way as a woman. And when this exists in our kind of world, where the power dynamics we have automatically mean women's perceived power is through beauty, and where we insist so much on women being a particular kind of beautiful (and this starts in childhood) we have to ask and investigate WHY that is--why this type of beauty and not another? why (almost only) women? who benefits from this? who suffers as a result?

The argument of "not all women" wear makeup for empowerment misses the point of these criticism, because it is focusing on a person's individual choices in a way that suggests our choices can define the world we live in, and they can't. We are deeply social animals. Therefore, how we appear to each other and to ourselves is a socially influenced phenomenon. This applies for race, for sexuality, and for gender. How women are perceived at large, in different social structures, is a social phenomenon influenced by the societies we exist in and the values of those societies. These criticisms are about the society we make those choices in and how that can affect us. For you, makeup may be something fun and enjoyable and that's fine. I'm not saying that's untrue or that people don't feel this way or that you are wrong for feeling this way. It's also not saying that you are brain-washed or oppressing yourself for it. But it doesn't change the world we live in. Someone feeling perfectly happy to go out with makeup or without makeup, and feeling no pressure to do either, is great--but it doesn't mean there aren't a lot of women who do feel pressured into wearing it, and that pressure is a social one. It doesn't change the inequality that exists between how women's physical appearances are judged compared to men's. It doesn't change the fact that almost every childhood story most kids hear (that aren't about animals) have a "beautiful princess" (and very little else is said about her except that she is beautiful) and a "brave" knight/prince/king/whichever: the princess (or maiden or whatever young woman) is defined by how she looks; the male in the story by how he acts.

It also doesn't change the fact that so many young girls grow up hearing the women around them criticize various parts of their bodies and that they carry this into their lives. It doesn't change the fact that we expect (in Western countries at least) for women to have criticisms about their appearance and they are "stuck-up" or "full of themselves" if they don't. It doesn't change the fact that magazines photos, red carpet photos, films, tv shows etc., feature actresses who are beautiful in a way that is absolutely above and beyond exceptional (and who either have had work done cosmetically, or are wealthy enough to be able to afford to look the way they do through top-class makeup artists, personal trainers etc) but who we think are within the "normal" range of beauty because faces like theirs are all that we see--how many famous actors / entertainers can you name who look like they could be someone's random uncle, or "just some guy" (writing this, I can think of 5). Now how many actresses, equally famous, can you think of that are the same? Very, very, very few.

The point of those posts, and why I feel so strongly about this, is that we have a deeply skewed view of beauty when it comes to women, because, as a society, we place so much on how they look in such a way that it is not, and was never meant to be, achievable: therefore anything that contributes to how women look, that markets itself in the way that the makeup industry does in this day and age, needs to be questioned and looked at in relation to that. No one is saying don't wear eyeliner or blush--what they are trying to say is that we need to be aware of the kind of world eyeliner and blush exists in, what their particular functions as eyeliner and blush do in the world that they exist in, that we exist in, and how this does impact the view we have on makeup as a result. Your personal enjoyment may be true to you and others, but this doesn't change the role of female beauty in the world because, again, our personal choices don't define the world in this way. Often, it's the other way around. And we cannot deny this fact because, while it may not affect you negatively, it does affect others.

I absolutely agree with you because I don't care how other women around me choose to dress or express themselves, either--that's their freedom to wear what they want and enjoy themselves and I want them to have that freedom. But my view is not the world's view, and it's certainly not the view of a lot of other people, either. I don't care if another woman loves pink and wearing skirts and dresses--but, like makeup, pink, skirts, and dresses, are not neutral things either. They're tied to a particular image of 'femininity' which means they are tied to a particular way of "being a woman" in this world. I'm not saying, at all, that it's wrong to wear these things. But I'm saying we can't treat them as though these are choices as simple as choosing what kind of socks to wear, because they aren't. They are choices that have baggage. If a woman is seen as being silly, childish, or treated unequally because she enjoys cute tops and ribbons and sundresses, that's not because we are demonizing her choices, or because being anti-makeup is being anti-woman (again, it is absolutely not): it's because we as a society demonize women for any choice. That isn't because of anti-makeup stances--that's because of sexism.

You mentioned that you want to be treated the same as anyone else for wearing feminine clothes--but the fear that you wouldn't be isn't because of the discussions critiquing makeup and other traditionally "feminine" things--it's because we live in a society where women are constantly defined by how they appear on the outside, and no amount of our personal choices will make this untrue. Whether you are a girly-girl or a tomboy, you'll always be judged. And, in reality, when women follow certain beauty standards they do get treated better--but this doesn't mean much in a society where the standards are so high you can never reach them, and where the basic regard for women is so low to begin with (not to mention the hypocrisy that exists within those standards). This is what all those criticisms towards makeup and "empowerment" are about: it's about interrogating a society that is built on this kind of logic and asking why we should insist on leaving it as it is when it does so much damage. It's saying that that if we want everyone to truly feel free in how they choose to present themselves we have to go deeper than just defining freedom by these choices on their own, and look at the environment those choices are made in. And that involves some deeply uncomfortable but necessary conversations.

Also, and I think this important to remember, views on makeup and the social place of makeup will also depend on culture and where you are, and the beauty expectations you grew up with. And when it comes to the internet, and given American dominance online, a lot of these posts criticizing makeup and the way makeup is being used to sell an idea that wearing it is "empowering" to the woman (which is basically saying: you are MORE of a woman when you wear it; you are stronger and more powerful because, in our society, beauty is portrayed as a form of power: it tells you, you can battle the inequality women face by embracing the role beauty plays in our lives but it doesn't tell you this emphasis on beauty is part of that inequality), are based on the way makeup is portrayed in mostly English-speaking Western countries. My views are shaped by what I grew up seeing, and while a full face of makeup (concealer, primer, foundation, mascara, highlighter, contour, blush, brow tint, brow gel etc) may not be daily practice or even embraced in a place like France or maybe other places in mainland Europe (but that doesn't mean they don't have their own expectations of feminine beauty), they are daily practice in places like the US and Britain, and this is what most of those posts and criticisms are responding to.

We can argue as much as we want about makeup, but when you grow up in a society where women feel the need to put on makeup before going to the gym there is something seriously wrong. Embracing makeup and enjoying makeup is one thing, but it cannot be a neutral thing when so much of it is about looking like you're not wearing makeup at all, or when we assume a woman is better qualified for a job or more professional when she wears it. It cannot be a neutral thing when a singer like Alicia Keys goes makeup-free for a red carpet event and it causes a stir online because people think she looks sick (what she looks like is normal--I would argue above normal--but wearing makeup to cover up "flaws" is so normal now that we genuinely don't know what normal skin is supposed to look like because the beauty of these celebrities is part of their appeal: they are something to aspire to). It is absolutely very normal for me, where I am, to see young girls with fake lashes and filled in brows: it's not every girl I pass, but it is enough. I'm not saying they are miserable, or brain-washed, or should be judged. I can believe that for them it's something enjoyable--but how am I supposed to see something like that and not be aware of the kind of celebrities and makeup tutorials that are everywhere on TikTok and YouTube, and that they are seeing everyday? How am I not supposed to have doubts when people tell me "it's their choice!" when the choices being offered are so limited and focused on one thing?

I never wore makeup as a teenager and I still don't, but a lot of that is because I grew up surrounded by people who just didn't. Makeup was never portrayed as anything bad or forbidden (and I don't see it like that either)--it was just this thing that, for me growing up, was never made to be a necessity not even for special occasions. I saw airbrushed photos and magazines all around me, for sure, and I definitely felt the beauty pressure and the body pressure (for example, I definitely felt my confidence would be better if I wore concealer to deal with my uneven skintone, and I felt this for years). But I also know that, growing up, I saw both sides. No makeup was the default I saw at home, while makeup was the default I saw outside. And that does play a part, not just in the choices you make, but in the choices that you feel you are allowed to make. No makeup was an option for me because it was what I saw everyday, even with my own insecurities; but if you do not see that as an option around you (and I know for most girls my age, where I grew up, it probably wasn't) then how can we fully argue that the decision you make is a real choice?

If I wanted to wear a cute skirt outside, for example, and decided to shave my legs--that isn't a real choice. And it cannot ever be a real choice, no matter how much I say "this is for me" or "I prefer it like this" because going out in public with hairy legs and going out in public with shaved legs will cause two completely different reactions. How can I separate what I think is "my choice" from a choice I make because I want to avoid the negative looks and comments? And how can I argue that choosing to shave is a freely made choice when the alternative has such negativity? If you feel pressured into choosing one thing over another, that's not a choice. Does this make sense?

This is how I feel about makeup most of the time, and what I want more than anything else is for us to be able to have a conversation about why we make the choices we do beyond saying "it makes me feel good" and ending the conversation there. Again, I'm not saying people need to stop wearing makeup or stop finding enjoyment in wearing it, but I think we tend to get so focused on our own feelings about this and forget that there is a bigger picture and this picture is a deeply unequal one. That is what this conversation is about. I hope this explains some things, anon, and if I misinterpreted anything please feel free to message me again. x

[mamas-filly]

A Recipe for a Gold Star Girl- An analysis of @mama-scarebear ‘s posts

Given how many girls are (correctly) trying their hardest to make mama-scarebear feel nice, and gain her attention, I thought I would share what I have learned over the past few days!

A brief talk of methods first though! I spent 5 hours categorizing each of Miss Grizz’s posts with a discernible theme and put them into a spreadsheet (available on request) with separate categories for posts she made, posts she reblogged, images, text, and an additional consideration for things that she has posted more than once! I then put that into a simple calculation to see what percentage of posts fall into which category, and then ranked the categories (okieee, they might just be fetishes, but it's fun to use big words) based on how much Mama posted about them!

Based on my findings I can say definitively that every girl looking for Miss Grizz’s attention should be DIAPERED composing 45% of all indexed posts! (WOAH). That's nearly 4x as much as the runner up! Every little girl should absolutely be ready to be using their pants as opposed to the potty from now on! What if, however, you don't have any diapers to wear? That's just fine cuties, since #3 on our list covers using your panties just like a diaper anyhow, what's important to note is that potty training is just far too difficult for any Gold Star Girl. We skipped over our second most dominant category, but it's something you can do every day! Humiliate yourself, at least a little, it's good practice to know you're better off debasing yourself for Mama than clinging to some shred of adult pride. It is a well known secret that Mama’s of any kind like to feel wanted, and our #4 category Dependence shows that well. Its okay if you are still embarrassingly self sufficient (I struggle with it too it’s okay) since that's something that little girls tragically must be at times, but if you're struggling to tie your shoes, or look pitifully to Mama for help with some basic tasks, you might just make her swoon. Gold Star Girls live to please, wanting to make their bodies and minds as accessible as possible! Being dumb can just help with most everything we’ve discussed so far, and if your brain is small and pliant (like A Gold Star Girl!) you can still help mama feel nice, by letting her have free run of your body! An important side note on being dumb, is that with some help from Mama, you can become even more attractive! Just be willing to let her warm steady hands guide you into a shape she likes. A Gold Star Girl should also have a high pain tolerance, pleasing Mama isn't easy, and you should expect to make some mistakes! In order to help us be our best selves for her though we might be punished to help us stay on the right path, and the better we can take those punishments the better girls we are!

In order to cover absolutely everything that Mama’s talked about would take a very long time, and undoubtedly get far too long (might even make me smarter, Goddess forbid) so instead I'll mention the two most important remaining points at once. You, prospective Gold Star Girl, should be Obsessed, and Corruptible While they fall into the single digits of the percentage of total posts, these two attributes are what Mama Grizz herself posts very frequently! You can always be worse for her, you can always indulge more, and you should be very glad that she helps you be that way.

[sorcerous-caress]

Picture this:

An adventuring party that consists of all non-human party members. They’re all capable at their respective classes but they also often but heads with each other over the most ridiculous of things. The only thing that keeps them from falling apart really is their leader and party mediator who makes sires no goes too far. They all admire their leader but the thing that bothers them is… well they have no idea what they look like other than their general silhouette. Their leader is never seen without having their entire body covered and they alway have a mask on too.

The others have bets over what their leader is ranging from fey to changling to demigod. Someone suggested maybe human before they all laughed at that suggestion after all their leader went up against owlbears like they were nothing there was no way.

After some time, the party goes looking for their leader cause dinner was ready at their camp. They catch their leader, by a small lake, in the middle of disrobing only to reveal a human who was practically the walking definition of the word ‘PRETTY’.

The human leader goes about bathing themself without care while the rest of the party secretly watches them lather and rub over every curve of their body. The party members’ heads now all filled with images of their leader’s naked body, their human leader’s naked body.

Their leader who they have also told repeatedly in passing how much they’d love to fuck a human like they were sex doll. There was no way they could ever tell their leader that they knew. Who knows that they’d do, leave? Hell no. Better to make the leader become the team’s new secret maturbation material then have them leave.

-🦑anon

We must have been part of the same hivemind in a past life anon, this is fucking delicious.

Especially the last part. No like I adore the idea that humans are discussed amongst other races when they think no human is nearby.

Maybe they're even respectful to humans when they're in human cities and act totally normal, but on the road when it's just them with each other, they start making inappropriate comments.

The tieflings mentioning how they'd love to fuck a human stupid, it doesn't even seen that hard to do with their already small brains.

The half-orc comment on how the human race are practically just fleshlights as they are, making them even more useless and stupid would just ruin the fun of hearing them beg for more.

You, the cloaked human leader, just walk silently amidst the group as the conversation spirals.

The two elves in the back are quietly having their own hushed conversion amongst themselves. At first, you think they're not even paying attention to the conversation, but then some of their words slip louder than other and you hear bits and pieces.

How one human can never be enough, you need at least 3 or 4 to fully be satisfied. It's too sad that humans get too emotional and jealous to allow themselves to be shared like how they were meant to be. The other elf agrees and adds how important it is to train that stubbornness out of them, make them docile and submissive, a collar and some fitting clothes really do wonders in showing them their rightful place.

And those people are your team who you've been leading for a long while now, the "heros" that most human cities celebrated and sang praises about. You wonder if they always thought this way, had these conversations when out of earshot.

You attempt not to draw attention to yourself, let them talk it out. Your dwarf companion, who you've been secretly looking up to for a while, nudges you and asks why are you so quiet.

You say you're just...not used to conversations like these before.

He stops, looks at you still, then laughs.

Saying he fully understands, he too was very repressed during his stay in a human city. How such a tease these humans tend to be without being aware of it, how each time one wandered into his smith shop and curiously admired his handworks, he imagined bending them over the counter and letting them keep the forged weapon as a gift.

You just nod.

The dragonborn leans closer to you, their big arm wrapping around your covered shoulders as they whispered against your mask as if sharing a little secret.

Calling you leader, promising to take you to a very lovely pleasure house that has the most beautiful of humans. It's a spot they frequent and the humans there know how to take two or more people at the same time, they can be surprisingly flexible even with their full and slutty bodies.

The conversation trails off there as the githyanki in the party barks at them to stop bothering their leader and wasting time, that they should be on gaurd since they are travelling through the woods.

"Besides," the Githyanki says, "you can't be sure that no humans are around here"

"Relax, the closest human settlement is days away." The gnome finally speaks as they put their map away.

"And their kind is known to stray and wander far," The Githyanki replies, "I can still smell their filthy scent, it's fogging my mind and making me more agitated. How can a whole race just walk around smelling like they're begging to be bred."

You force yourself to keep walking, to not give out any hint or even a twitch.

But yeah, you get the idea, just absolutely the most filthy locker room talk. The more time the leader spends with the party, the more your companions open up about their filthy fantasies about humanity.

How tight they feel, how smooth their insides are. Both the Tiefling and dragonborn remark how they love the feeling of their soft insides against the ridges and pumps on their cocks. how the scales brush against the human insides with each move and plunge.

The drow women comments on how their men make much more fun toys than drow men, how they're so full of themselves and their big egos that she loves breaking. Riding them until their cute little penis starts hurting then making the human eat out their own cum out of her.

Maybe one high elf secretly admits to liking being dominated by humans. How they get lost in their own head a lot, humiliating the elf and holding their arms behind their back as they fuck them. How they taunt the elf for lusting after the humankind and how disappointed Corellon must be in them.

The dwarf admits that he likes to be gentle, rewarding with the cute humans and praising them. Teaching them all the ways they can please him and how to suck him off like an eager puppy. Remarking how humans tend to be the most fast of learners.

Suddenly standing up, your moving cuts the conversation around the campfire short.

You say that you're going to have a bath in the nearby lake, wishing them a nice mean and leaving immediately.

Unaware to the fact it was the githyanki's turn to scout the area around the campfire. Oblivious to how the drow guy followed after you in the shadows when no one was paying attention.

[choochooboss]

Magma event details!

Please check the rules below if you plan on joining our events!

A few words about Magma for newcomers:

Magma is a free browser based art program where participants can collaborate and draw on the same canvas at the same time! Magma works on both PC and mobile devices! Magma has most useful art program tools! But some are a little difficult to find, like layer opacity lock. You can export the images as PNGs and PSDs so you can save and keep all your layers etc.!

Hosting a session is easy! Set up a new canvas and share the link and that's it, you can start drawing. You can do public sessions like mine, or private sessions just with your close group. Update!! Previously you were able to use Magma anonymously without making an account, but this option does not exist anymore.

Our Magma event rules

Have fun! These events are meant to get you inspired, get to know other artists and create awesome art and ideas together!

Everyone is welcome to join my sessions! Doesn't matter where or when you join. You don't need to draw anything there, you can also just come and chat with us and watch others do their magic! Lurking is totally fine too!

Avoid drawing too big! Make sure to leave enough space for other people's drawings! Mind that there are 40-80 people partaking in these weekend events! (Max. 1/6th of the canvas per drawing is ideal!) We recommend to zoom in at 100-150% before you start drawing to avoid this. However! If you have an idea that others can contribute to, I'd be excited to hear it!! Those are highly appreciated!

Avoid drawing over the canvas frames!This is for possible future use in i.e. collages & personal aesthetics. They are there for a reason.

Keep it PG!

You are allowed to paste reference images in the session to use as a base etc.! Please remove them when you don't need them anymore and make sure not to cover areas where others are currently drawing!

When you are finished with your piece, please flatten your layers! The Magma total layer limit is 60 layers per canvas and it gets full rather fast. We have set a 8 layer limit per user/canvas. (If you have used layer effects in your piece, start flattening from bottom to top so they get preserved correctly!)

If you want to post/share Magma art that features other artists' works, you must ask for their permission first! This is very important!! Simple blur/solid color to hide them is ok, otherwise editing other people's art is not!

If you need more time to finish your piece, please let me know as soon as possible! If you know you aren't going to finish yours, please release the space for others to use!

Don't hesitate to ask anything! We are very happy to help out make the most of your session! Our regulars are all friendly and helpful, and my co-admin and mods are able to assist with i.e. getting your layers back!

Other tips!

Some users have experienced disasters losing layers for good by pressing CTRL + X, we recommend avoiding that for now!

Save regularly! Magma is a server based program so it's not as stable as your usual art programs, and also when the program refreshes you might lose some of your progress. Better saved than sorry! You can export the whole canvas as PNG, JPG & PSD!

You can have up to two Magma sessions open in your browser at once!

If you log out of the session you might lose rights to your layers. Please ask either the admin or approved users to give your layers back to you!

If Magma is going slow for you, it may be fixed by turning off the graphics accelerator. Go to Edit > Settings > Turn off Graphics Accelerator.

Merge layers with layer effects starting from bottom to top! For some reason Magma messes them up easily otherwise and the results will not look like you want.

Magma has a text chat we love to hang out in, it's of course optional but we would be happy to have you there!

You can send private messages to others by being on the same canvas with the receiver and clicking their icon!

Magma also has a voice call option. We prefer not to use it, but it's easy to misclick the button! Don't be alarmed!

We're continually figuring out new features and bugs in each session, I want to note down all of them to make the sessions as smooth and fun for you as possible! Let us know if you have any issues!

Also something notable: it's always well appreciated if you draw official Pokémon characters! Most of my followers are into submas or Pokémon in general so as the host I'd like to offer content most would enjoy! Some events welcome OCs but the free doodle session will always stay open for your characters!

After everyone is done I start post-processing the images. It may take a while until they are ready to be posted, please be patient! I will post the art on both my Twitter and Tumblr. You can use #jun's magma events for tagging your posts!

See you in our next event!! All aboard! <3

[tai-templates]

🥀⸝⸝ ♡︎﹒LEAVE MY CORPSE TO ROT " 』 . . . RP Template ! ─── Free to use (with credit!)

It's been a while since I made another sheet, and tbh - I felt a bit rusty haha. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into it full swing sometime, though it'll depend when the next RP servers I make open up.

Anyway this one's been really fun! I love flower themes and I kind of really wanna try something out of my comfort zone soon but I'm not sure what yet. Ah well!

I also wanted to put here again the ZCleo artwork I used are not mine! Here's the links to the artists if you would like to check them out! ♡

[ wormtime123 ] [ redIifes ]

Instructions on how to edit below.

Notes :

I've made this as easy to customise as possible for those without image editing programs!

But some parts may still require it! (ie - the img on page 3)

[ Important ] This sheet uses a lot of Google Drawing elements! They are not editable on MOBILE (let me know if i'm wrong).

In fact like 70% of the text boxes are Google Drawings. Some of the photos are Google Drawings to allow you to replace images with your own easier!

[ Important ] Some images have been layered with effects/frames that make it so you can't access the text boxes underneath it! Simply right click the frame/item/etc, go to 'Order' and then 'Send to Back' in order to access what you need! Send it to the front again when you're done.

Please make your own copy of the sheet! Do not send me requests to give you permission to edit the sheet! Making a copy will give you your very own version to edit! pls guys my email-

How to get your own copy [DESKTOP] ・Open the link ・Click on the 'File' button on the top left ・Click on 'Make a Copy' ・Name the file, and click 'Make a Copy' ・You can now edit your own copy!

How to get your own copy [MOBILE] ・Open the link on your Docs app ・Tap on the 3 dots on the top right ・Tap on 'Share and Export' ・Tap 'Make a Copy' and name the file! ・You can now edit your own copy!

How to edit . . .

Images! - [ DESKTOP ] Right click on the placeholder image and select 'Replace with' and choose your downloaded image. - [ MOBILE ] Tap on the image, and at the bottom there should be an image icon. Tap on that to look for the new image you want to use.

Google Drawings! [ Not Possible on Mobile ] [ This makes up a big portion of the texts and images on the sheet ] Double click on the Google Drawing. - Or you can click on the Google Drawing, and then click on the Pencil icon to edit it.

Some Google Drawings have been layered with frames,images,etc to make it look pretty - but blocks access to the text boxes under it. In order to access them - right click the item thats blocking you from accessing the text box/image and go to 'Order' and then 'Send to Back'. When you're done - just go to 'Order' and then 'Send to Front' again to put it back into place!

♡ Let me know what you think! ♡

[ophelyia]

Sigil Magic

Symbols are the language of our subconscious mind. They have great magical power and are used in many rituals. A sigil is a coded image of our desire, embedded in the subconscious. By creating a sigil, we give our desire a certain structure, charge it with power — and start the fulfillment process.

Seance of Magic:

There are literally dozens of traditional ways to practice sigil magic now, and anyone can easily come up with another dozen symbols. Come to think of it — absolutely each one of them will work!

The main thing is to follow four simple rules in the process of this fun magic:

✶ First, you know exactly what you want.

✶ Second, you assert your will to get it, focusing as hard as you can on the result you want.

✶ Third, you create a magical seal that will do just that.

✶ And last (but not least!) is you must keep silent about what you have desired.

Enchanting:

✶ First of all, you should define your wish. It should be very clear and be contained in a single brief sentence. You must present it so vividly, as if it were not a wish, but a specific intention.

✶ Next, you should create a sigil. It can be a monogram or a mantra that you create on your own.

To create a monogram, write down the wish, remove all the repeating letters and make any figure out of those remaining: the letters can be inscribed into one another, placed on top of each other, or add pictures to them. Remember that this is your magical seal and you are free to do whatever you want while creating it.

✶ A mantra is created in the same way, only the remaining letters are transformed into a meaningless phrase or word that you chant throughout the day.

✶ Once your sigil has been ready, it must be charged. This can be achieved through meditation (detachment from the wish) or visualization (maximum focus on the wish).

✶ The process starts! After performing the ritual, it is necessary to pull away from your desire, to forget about it for a while. In order to do so, the most common practice is to use laughter — get distracted with a joke or watch a comedy.

Useful Tips:

✶ If you wish for something lasting and as a rule intangible, such as self-confidence or health, it is better to put the sigil in a place that you can easily observe. Where your wish comes into your life once (a new car, job promotion), after visualization you should hide the sigil and try to forget about the wish for a long time.

✶ You can practice making sigils and supplementing or transforming them as you specify your wish.

✶ You can also include your loved ones in this practice and share the symbols you have created without revealing their meaning. Since you receive a useless symbol this way, forgetting about it (thereby kick starting its implementation program) will be easier.

✶ To improve the result, we recommend adding the symbol of the respective planet to your sigils:

Sun ☉ — success and fulfillment of wishes.

Moon ☽ — enhanced intuition, emotions.

Mercury ☿ — communication, knowledge, advertising.

Venus ♀ — harmony, beauty, love, material possessions.

Mars ♂ — leadership, initiative, physical strength.

Jupiter ♃ — good luck, growth, education, faith.

Saturn ♄ — protection, support, rewards or karmic work.

Uranus ♅ — freedom, innovation.

Neptune ♆ — creativity.

Pluto ♇— important changes, transformation.

[mooncaps]

Childhood Joy: Sailor Moon Edition

In the midst of re-examining my life, I've dug up a bunch of old photographs and I thought it might be fun to share some of these.

I forget the year, but judging by the wrapping paper I'll assume this was a Valentine's Day gift from my mom. And of course I loved to make goofy faces for the camera.

I think this was later that same day. The candy heart suggests that it probably was.

Not sure what occasion this was, but I was very pleased with these curtains.

This was one Christmas or another when I got Mercury and Jupiter.

Me with some fanart I drew. Try not to get jealous of my artistic talent.

Guess which bunk was mine, lol. (We did have matching bedspreads at one point.) I shared a couple of pictures of this ages ago on this blog.

I loved this comforter. It's one of the things my grandmother made disappear when I made the mistake of leaving it at her house. Nearly 30 years later and I'm still kinda salty about it.

This was my 9th Birthday. My mom made me a Sailor Moon cake.

And she drew this super cool picture.

I got a lunch box too.

A Lego fanwork next to a shampoo bottle. Presumably I had used the bottle as a reference to try and approximate her design with the Lego bricks. I think my mom helped me. I shared another image of Lego Moon a while back.

She was accompanied by Lego Mars. You can also see the lunchbox behind them and the curtains from earlier on the right.

Not sure when this was, but there's Venus. I know I had Mars and Princess Serenity too, along with various other toys and VHS tapes, but I haven't found any photos of when I received them.

And there's a season 2 poster I had on my wall.

These memories still make me smile. Sailor Moon was really important to little me. I'm sure I've talked before on this blog about some of the ways the show influenced me. I can also remember playing as Sailor Moon with my Crescent Moon Wand and Crystal Brooch. I think I remember accidentally leaving the Crystal Brooch outside one time and going out to find it the next morning after it had been rained on. I can remember brushing the hair of my dolls. For some reason I was determined to un-twintail Usagi's hair. I can remember doing several drawings of the characters.

I think I'd stay in the warmth of those memories forever if I could.

[mochiwrites]

Would you have any writing advice/tips for someone just starting out? I hope to one day be as skilled as you are!! <3

oh my gosh this has been sitting in my inbox for way longer than I've wanted it to T^T but yes!!! I have Many a tips (also sobs??? at you??)

write down. everything. little ideas, dialogue ideas, notes for yourself, future scenes, even if it's one sentence or two. write them. even if you think you'll remember it later

this one is kind of a give or take since I know some people are organized chaos and work better with that but -- try to keep all of your notes for stuff in one place. organization helps a Lot with writing (I say, as I have my notes for songbird spread out over four different apps)

outlines are your friend!!! I love outlines! chapter outlines, fic outlines. they're incredibly helpful in keeping yourself on track and knowing where your story is going. of course, this comes with saying: your outlines are Not set in stone. sometimes while you're writing, the story takes a different direction than you thought it would, and that's okay! sometimes plans change and the original image you had in mind doesn't fit with where the story is going. don't be afraid to plan something again with different ideas! it's all a part of the creative process

outlines also help a buuuunch with pacing of a fic.

speaking pacing, pacing is incredibly important to a story. you don't want things to feel super rushed or super slow either. granted, pacing can be tricky to figure out, but that's something that comes with lots of practice. I suggest looking at like. other fics or even tv shows (I use some animes I'm very familiar with as examples for good pacing)

research. if you're dealing with a topic or a concept that you don't know much about, do some research. I know this one sounds like a given, but I cannot tell you how many times I've read a fic that dealt with something like ptsd and. it was So abundantly clear the writer didn't do any research on it. and was writing based on very old fandom stereotypes that are Not in line with what ptsd actually is. so research is important!

if you're like me and you have trouble visualizing things, get reference images! they're super helpful. I use reference images a ton when I'm describing rooms and buildings. I can't visualize those too well in my head, so I go to google and look up the kind of building or interior I'm trying to describe. ofc, this expands to basically anything too -- clothes, items, scenery, cars

this is probably the most important piece? don't write for numbers. I know it's a lot easier said than done, because at the end of the day we're all human and we like sharing, we like talking about what we've created. and sometimes it's really easy to compare to others and get caught up in how well a fic is doing based on the kudos/comments/hits, etc (god knows I'm incredibly guilty of it jhhgfhfjg). but the really important thing is that you write for you. write because you're passionate about an idea, or you're excited to see something in your head come to life on the page. focus on your passion, your excitement, and you will find the people who share that. it'll happen naturally. write for the excitement and fun of writing <3

(I also have a whole tag now with other advice posts >/////< there's a lot of stuff in there that I hope can be helpful!!)