#out of notes

[fallsekings]

OOC: I just wanted to throw a pet peeve out there. It is really upsetting when someone assumes that, just because something is a cartoon/anime, that it's automatically for children and only for children. There are adult cartoons and anime out there and there are a ton of them. In the year of our Lord 2025, please don't write something animated off as "for children", without knowing anything about it. It's just another medium for telling a story, just like anything else. And I understand that some people just doesn't like animation, and that is fine. I'm specifically talking about people who are looking at an animated series and automatically being like, "pshh that's for kids".

[mentalitynotes]

Things to know: 1. Blog is still under construction 2. 99% of the muses do not currently have Bios 3. Black Velvet posts will like be nsfw or sexual themes. 4. If you have questions about the Characters or setting PLEASE ask. 5. Most characters will be MultiShip/MultiVerse 6. Maybe one day I'll have like a google version of shit but honestly .... I might be to lazy 7. I'll add more when I need to.

[mentalitynotes]

especially since I have so many and ya gurl needs more disk space.

RPers, please reblog this if you’re okay with ICONLESS threads!

[footlongdingledong]

i dont care if mondays rife,tuesday qednesday full of strife, thursday fuck my baka life, its friday im in sucks

[nathaniacolver]

arcane ships be like

i love a show that teaches equality (😭😭😭)

[drjackabbots]

the thing about the mummy movies is that you really spend most of the time thinking "wow brendan fraser's character is so cool" or "man oded fehr is so mysterious and heroic" when the fact of the matter is that these two

are the absolute most batshit insane heroes in the entire franchise

these two are intellectual loner siblings with archeology backgrounds who read and speak ancient egyptian, hire a dude directly out of prison to take them to a lost city of gold, and fight mummies literally with their bare hands. twice.

no one in these movies stands a chance against the carnahans. frankly they're lethal in how willing they are to make the absolute and most undeniably deranged decisions. jonathan pickpockets a dude on fire. evy's resurrected from the dead and immediately remembers how to use sai. they're racking shotguns from a cliff in this scene and then proceed to blow away half the antagonists.

rick and ardeth should be so lucky

[fallsekings]

So the county I live in has 50,000 people altogether. The town I live near (notice I said "near" and not "in") has a population of under 2,000. And yes, the down town area has old Italian masonry buildings. We have one restaurant and one hotel. We have several fast food restaurants and many many churches spread out throughout the county, though, and no movie theater. None. A lot of what's being said in this post is accurate, although we do have a hospital. Just one though. I wouldn't trust it for major surgeries however....... We go to the next county or next state over for that.

Advice for writing about small towns

So I come from a small (midwestern) town. And I mean - an actual small town (less than 1,500 population). I’ve lived in towns of under 500 population, and in towns of about 2,500 population, and in towns of 15k population, and in cities of 100k, and currently in a 700k city. 

So here’s some things about small towns you might not know if you’ve never lived in one:

If it’s got a population higher than 30 thousand, it’s not a small town. It’s just a town. Hell, I’d probably argue that if it has a population higher than 10 thousand it’s not small town, but I’m being generous. However the people in towns 30k–50k probably think they’re in a small town (they’re not).

The experience is vastly different depending on how far you are from a small-large city. And by that I mean - the people are vastly different. 

Are you less than 60min drive to a city of 80k+ population? the people are probably less likely to be farmers, more likely to work in said small-large city and commute (which doesn’t mean that everyone commutes or that no one is a farmer). The people probably lean slightly to the right of the closest city, but aren’t necessarily staunch conservatives. The town sizes probably bottom out around 2k min. 

Are you more than 2hrs drive from a city of 80k+ population? The town is more self-sufficient. Most work within their small town or a nearby small town. Depending on the terrain, more people are farmers. They’re probably mostly conservative, both socially and fiscally. The town sizes could be as small as 300 people.

The farther from the city, the more likely to be conservative, more likely to be farmers (depending on the terrain).

Population 15k+:

This town probably has a (singular) hospital, several doctor’s offices, probably a dozen department stores - and if it’s rural enough, probably a couple kinds of hardware/diy type stores (lowe’s, menard’s, home depot etc.)

There are several options for vets and at least one emergency vet 

1-2 dozen hotels

If it’s got anything touristy, double the hotels (2-3 dozen) - touristy being water, especially large lakes, hiking trails, fesitvals, nearby ski resort - any thing that would draw people there on vacation, even if it’s only people from that region 

Also add a “down town” area - boutiques, nice restaurants, probably a theatre

It has at least 4 options of elementary schools, and 3 options each for middle and high schools. It might have a community college (but probably not). There are private or charter options, specifically for religious students

There are multiple denominations of churches (catholic, lutheran, baptist, episcopal etc). Depending on ethnic make-up, it may or may not have a synagogue. It probably won’t have a mosque.

If it’s in a rural-ish area (the closest towns are all smaller) it probably has some kind of shopping mall. If it’s the smaller town, it may not.

It’ll have several bars, probably clustered in a central location, with a few others a little farther out from that area. 

This town has a few coffee shops (3-10), but may or may not have an actual starbucks. At least one is a local place, at least one is a chain (starbucks, dunkin, biggby). 

People drive everywhere. There is a bus system, but only the “down town” area would have issues finding parking. Most businesses/hotels have their own parking lot.

Most people live in houses but there are a few (3-7) apartment complexes, most of which are several buildings

There will be lots of restaurants, mostly chains or small mom & pop places, with at least a couple niceish options

This town might even have its own airport, but likely only serves regional flights to “nearby” larger towns/cities. Regional means like, less than 2hr flights, so that’s probably a bigger distance than you’d think.

There are dozens of gas stations and at least a dozen fast food places

Is it on a freeway? increase the gas stations, fast food places, department stores etc. 

This town probably has a rec-type center with a community pool and courts and what not. There are several options of gyms.

Population 10k ish:

May or may not have a hospital - if it does, it’s small. A few doctor’s offices, a couple of department stores, at least one hardware/diy type

A few vets, may or may not have an emergency vet

a dozen or so hotels. again - double that if it’s got smth that would attract people, especially water.

may or may not have a “down town” area

2-4 options at least of elementary, 2-3 options of middle and high school. No community college.

Still at least a few options of churches. Still might have a synagogue, still probably doesn’t have a mosque.

Probably doesn’t have a shopping mall, but might have a “business district - basically a few intersections with most of the stores, hotels, and restaurants.

Probably has at least two, maybe three coffee shops. At least one is a chain.

Probably doesn’t have its own bus system unless it’s near enough to a town of 15k+ or more - people drive everywhere. There’s plenty of parking.

Most people live in houses, but there are a couple of apartment complexes. Mostish of the houses have yards, but some might not.

A few options of restaurants, but maybe only 1-2 niceish places. A couple chain, a couple mom & pop. 

It would be strange for this town to have an airport. May have a landing strip at most, but unlikely.

There are probably half a dozen to a dozen gas stations. Several fast food places.

Is it on a freeway? increase the gas stations, fast food

This town might have a community rec center w/pool. Still a couple options of gyms.

Population 5k ish:

This town doesn’t have a hospital. It probably has 1-3 doctor’s offices. At least one department store

2-3 vets, likely no emergency vet

3-8 ish hotels or inns 

Might have a quaint but very small “down town” area

Likely only 2 options of schools, maybe only one high school. Possible to go to school with same people your whole life

2-3 options for churches. Probably doesn’t have a synagogue unless there’s a large Jewish population 

There’s no shopping mall of any kind, but probably has an area where most of the businesses are - at most 2-3 intersections worth

Probably has a coffee shop or two, but might not. Could be a chain or a local - but probably a local.

There’s no bus system unless it’s near enough to a town of 15k+. People drive everywhere.

Most everyone lives in houses. Most if not all have yards. There might be 1-2 apartment complexes but maybe not.

There are a few restaurants - mix of chain and mom & pop places. Might have a nice restaurant, but only one.

There’s no airport.

There are probably 2-6 gas stations, maybe 1-2 fast food. 

Is it on a free way? increase the gas stations and fast food.

Likely does not have its own rec center/pool, but probably has 1-2 options of gyms.

Population under 2k ish:

No hospital. Probably has one doctor’s office, but might not if it’s close enough to a larger “small” town. No department stores, but probably at least one, maybe 2 decent grocery stores. Could be a local chain or a mom & pop.

Probably has a vet’s office, but just one. 

1-2 inns/motels. If it’s an older town, it has like, a street that’s mostly made of older style buildings and is the “down town” - just a couple of blocks

Just one school system - elementary through high school. Everyone goes through the same school - you probably graduate with the same people you went to kindergarten with

1-2 churches. Probably no synagogue

There is probably a generalish area where the store/post office/school/etc is, but those are probably just as surrounded by homes and yards as everything else.

This town probably doesn’t have a coffee shop, and if it does, it’s local, not a chain.

There’s no bus system unless it’s close enough to a town of 15k+. People drive.

There might be an apartment complex. Everything else is houses. The houses pretty much all have some kind of yard.

There are probably two restaurants, probably both local. Nothing fancy. 

No airport.

Probably 2ish gas stations.

Is it on a free way? add a gas station and a fast food restaurant.

There’s no rec center (unless maybe an outdoor like, field type rec center), but still likely has at least one gym.

I could keep going down but I think you get the idea. If you’re writing about an actual town, do research on its population. If you’re making up a town, think about what size you need it to be to have the things you want (or don’t want). 

If your “small town” has more than one hospital, it’s not a small town. If it’s got a population above 10k, there is definitely more than one (and likely, many) hotels. 

Is it near decent-sized water (largeish lake, ocean)? People probably have vacation homes there. That increases property value and tourism. Even if it’s not a like, nationally-known vacation spot, people within 100-200 miles could likely make weekend trips there.

Is it the largest town within 75-100 miles, even if it’s under 20k? it’s probably got more department stores and other such industry bc it’s serving a population greater than its own. if there are other towns nearby of equal-to-larger size, it might need less of those things.

[beepboopappreciation]

Is this anything

[monstermonger]

Now the ash dances with the snow....

Lil winter dragon stickers ♡

[toad-in-a-trenchcoat]

Temperance needs to pay child support.

Follow-up

[clearcutcasualty]

“Do you think seahorses write fpreg” and the many other riveting things my friend texts me right before I go to work

[fallsekings]

OOC: I've been told before that I took roleplaying too seriously and it's taken me a long time to figure out what that means. I feel like it's held me back from having fun writing in a way. Don't get me wrong, I like writing characters "in character", but I feel like there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. The way I've been doing it keeps a muse from becoming truly my own because I've had this need to be as true to canon as possible. For example, I've had Jorah only be in love with Dany or I've said that Obi-Wan would be too much of a Jedi boy scout to do x, y or z. But in doing so it's kept me from exploring new potentials and new possibilities.

My strictness to canon has always been a bit stressful for me because I keep worrying about if I am portraying a character right or wrong and if I couldn't get in the correct headspace for a character, then I wouldn't write anything at all. I find myself doing this in a book I've been trying to work on for ages. It's like I feel like I have to be perfect before I can write and I have to tell myself right now that this is tumblr roleplay, it's not that serious. Or we're all writing for our own enjoyment here, why do I expect perfection out of myself?

I feel like this is all a part of my hang up, amongst other things, as being a big reason I don't write as much as I used to.

Anyways, getting caught up in perfection is not always a good thing, is my point in all of this. There is "staying in character", and then there is, "trying to be so perfect that it can and will ruin a good/fun story." When staying in character keeps you from developing that character and making them your own, then it will be hard for you to maintain that same level of excitement for that character that you had when you first start writing them. If you don't let your muse develop outside of the "canon materials box" that some of us puts ourselves into, then sometimes that can develop into a stalemate.

I hope you all get where I'm coming from. I'm not dissing "strictly canon" writers here. I'm one of those myself. But I feel like I should, personally, as in myself, should start opening myself up to newer possibilities or my blog will continue to stagnate. I honestly feel like that is my biggest problem at the moment. I have been trying to put my finger on why it's difficult for me to write the past few years and, yeah, my mental health plays a big part in that, but this perfection mentality doesn't exactly help me either.

[fallsekings]

I can relate to Katniss a lot tbh. I live in the general area that district 12 is in, and as you can imagine coal mining is a big thing here, just as it is in the movie/books. My dad worked in the mines and I worried a lot about him coming home every night. Although he didn't die in the mines, there were times he would come home injured quite badly from accidents in the mines. There were a lot of close calls he was lucky to get out of.

I also dropped out of college, to help my grandmother take care of my grandfather, who had developed stomach cancer and had to have his stomach removed. Before this he had a stroke several years beforehand, and so he had trouble getting around on his own. I wanted to be there with them, instead of away at college, just in case something happened and I couldn't be there to help when they needed me.

I read a post on Reddit that asked what Katniss would be like if she lived in the real world. And I was so frustrated with the answers. I think people don't understand that Katniss is an extremely realistic character.

A teenage girl who raises her younger sister, is the main breadwinner in her home, and sacrifices her life for someone else's . In the books she literally sacrifices her life for Prim's, but in real life she would sacrifices her childhood and her future. How many Katnisses do you know that dropped out of school, don't have a social life, didn't go to college to be the provider of their house.

Unfortunately there are more Katnisses in the world than I want to admit. Young girls forced to take on very big responsibilities.

I did that, I dropped out of college to take care of my sick mother. I was her and my elderly grandmother primary caregiver at 17 while I was providing for our house.

Katniss is a girl forced to be an woman because other adults around her failed to protect her. Unfortunately realistic, but that's why I love her so much.

[beif0ngs]

I had a different name back then, you know. Powder. You kind of remind me of her.

[the-muppet-joker]

Setting a hard boundary: stop eating onions as if they are apples you are freaking me out

[peachandpinwheel]

one of the hundred things I love about Andor is that in the end, all the villains were destroyed not in an epic showdown with the rebels or whoever but by the machine that they worked for. syril was a faceless casualty of the genocide he helped create. dedra was done in for putting ambition over conformity to the machine, and she took down partagaz, who essentially created her, along with her. even heert was quite literally killed by his own droid and his own men. all of them were crushed by the wheel they dedicated their lives to keep turning. it's just so deeply deeply satisfying.