#sass Creative Mesh

[apixellife]

sass [olivia heels] @ Cosmopolitan

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[twstfanblog]

So I was up wayyy too late last night and I had an idea for Manhwa D (this is really long sorry but also not sorry) ((thanks for getting my creative juices flowing))

Crewel and Crowley go back in time and they both remember. They wake up one night when Yuu is eight, look at each other, and instantly know that the other knows. At 1am they start panic planning how to move away and disappear out of the social world to keep their daughter safe, working strangely well for once.

At some point though they come to the realization that YUU DID NOTHING WRONG. Sure, she had a little more attitude and sass than most other nobles, and sure, she showed her love through gentle teasing - but why should they root up her life when the people who truly did something wrong was the FL and the trio?? Besides, Yuu had enjoyed her life of parties and social events and fine art. Who were they to take that all away from her in favor of hiding her away?

No, it would be much better to do something about the ones who harmed her in the first place.

Yuu wakes up to her parents suddenly becoming 4x more overprotective and doting. It’s a little annoying that they constantly need to know everything that’s going on, but really, who is she to complain when her new night routine is being smothered in kisses by her fathers right before falling asleep?

Crewel and Crowley use their knowledge of the next 13 years to turn their grand duchy into even more of a powerhouse, forging connections with merchants and nobles alike who will make it big. At some point their duchy rivals the power of the imperial family. They cut of connections with the Ashengrottos and the Al-Asims in favor of other noble families. They can’t really cut ties with Malleus, so they opt to send gifts over for his birthday instead of actually attending.

At first Yuu is devastated when her parents tell her she can’t be around the trio anymore, but Dire and Divus sit her down and have a long discussion about how the boys haven’t treated her well and that she deserves better, more caring friends. Thus starts the rounds of new playmates.

Yuu’s first friend comes in Leona, the second son of Duke Kingscholar, two years older than Yuu. Although both Leona and Yuu her hesitant about the idea of being each other’s playmates, they hit it off because of how well their personalities meshed, and because they could match each other’s level of sass. Mostly they would sit around and snack while playing chess and other games, or lounging around outside and talking about everything and anything.

Idia and Riddle initially start out as schoolmates to receive tutoring with, but they all end up getting along well enough and they all just kinda hang out at the Crowley mansion along with Ace and Deuce, Riddle’s child attendants who get schooling alongside him, and Ortho, Idia’s little brother, who had a major heart attack as a kid and as a result has a heart made and fueled by magic.

Lastly comes Vil. Yuu met Vil when Crewel and Crowley decided to sponsor up-and-coming actors. Of course, they already knew who they were going to sponsor because they knew who would make it big, but they hosted it as an audition and Yuu came to watch. They had planned for Neige to become one of Yuu’s playmates, but after the audition Yuu had ran over to Vil and started GUSHING about his amazing acting and how he portrayed the depth of his (villain) character. So, Vil became the playmate instead. After gaining some real friends and seeing who different it was from before with the trio, she finally sees what her fathers meant when they said that stuff about the Malleus, Azul and Jamil.

Time passes and Yuu is living the life. Her parents are taking revenge on everyone in the past who ever harmed her. That son of a viscount who drunkenly spilled wine on her dress at Yuu’s 16th birthday party in the first timeline? An anonymous tip is sent to the police about the viscount’s fraud and illegal business ventures, and a month later the viscount is imprisoned and the rest of the family scattered.

Yuu looks back at her old friends in the trip with disdain but not hatred. She realizes that they didn’t like her and she is upset because she was genuinely trying to be their friends, but she knows that it wasn’t that serious and they were all just stupid kids. Nothing came of the dislike for her (this time). Besides now she has real friends who treat her better than ever and value her.

The trio are all having a hard time, because besides realizing how much they missed Yuu and realizing that they cared, their families have been on the decline because of the lack of a good relationship with the Crowley Duchy. Their parents don’t understand why the duke suddenly cut them off. But the kids? yeah they realize.

Yuu is living the dream life. She’s beautiful, smart and powerful. She’s the flower of high society and is not only close friends with loads of highly talented people, but also has lots of female friends. She even made a personal connection to the powerful Diamond merchants by helping and befriending the leader’s only son, Cater Diamond. As for romance, this time around Yuu falls for Leona.

They both fall for each other slowly as they grow up. The reason is basically the same for both of them; that reason being that the other took the time to get to know the real them, saw who they really were, and still accepted them with love. Yuu didn’t care that Leona was the moody second son who felt inferior to his brother, she just saw him as the extremely intelligent, strategic and strong guy he is. Leona didn’t care about Yuu’s sassy and *sometimes* bitchy attitude, he saw her for the badass she is.

Leona also loves how strong Yuu is and how she always seem to know how to get her way. Also, because she’s one of the only people who seems to acknowledge any of his feats, and she does so with absolute adoration and awe on her face. Yuu loves that even though she is strong and can defend herself (Crewel and Crowley forced her to take martial arts so no past mistakes were repeated) both physically and in a battle of wits, Leona is always there to help her is she needs it; willing to say the rude things she can’t in fear of ruining her pristine reputation and coming to her help when faced with an attacker. It felt nice to have someone who she can depend on, but can also depend on her.

After Yuu turns sixteen, Leona asks Crewel and Crowley to court Yuu, and they accept. He then asks Yuu herself and she also accepts. They begin courting (dating). Leona is a surprisingly romantic lover. He knows that if he’s anything less than perfect her parents will disapprove, but he also wants to do these things. He thought it was a hassle at first but Yuu’s smile when he shows her love, whether it be big or small, makes his heart leap with uncharacteristic joy. Yuu and Leona continue to see each other until, on her 21st birthday, Leona pulls Yuu into the garden in the evening and proposes to her.

Imagine to the joy that Dire and Divus felt when their daughter, dressed to the 11s, walks in hand in hand with Leona and proudly shows off to her fathers the absolutely gorgeous ring on her finger. The date is quickly set for the wedding and all the planning begins. Dire and Divus want this to be the biggest and best celebration ever held in the grand duchy. After all, these are going to be the people who eventually rule over it in the future. (For sure Leona is going to take the Crowley name so he can help Yuu rule over the duchy)

The date for the wedding? The date that Yuu died in the past timeline. It’s Crowley and Crewel’s final FU to the past and all the happened in a nice full circle moment. In the past this was the worst day of Yuu’s life, the day she realized her friends hated her and when she died. And now, it’ll be the happiest day of her life where she’s marrying the man she loves with her real friends watching and supporting her, ready to start a new chapter of her life, one that no one the future of, but Dire and Divus know it’ll be a good one.

- I kinda just dumped my feelings onto this so I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry if this was a lot to look at/read. Bye!

This is a mini manhwa in of itself and I ADORED IT! Yuu x Leona honestly makes a lot of sense with the waybyou built their relationship up. This was so cute to wake up to!!!

Manhwa D is a lot of Crewel and Crowley actually working together and confusing their staff even more and what the fuck kinda relationship they have.

The saddest part is that they WOULDN'T have that talk with Yuu about how the trio treat her isn't okay, because its how they fucking treat each other. And Yuu's smart enough to point that out and question why its ok for them to say mean things about each other all the time and just...put up with it???

Crewel and Crowley stay married for their own selfish reasons and in this AU its to the deservice of Yuu because literally they just need to divorce and co-parent from their separate estates.

Yuu would still be closer to new friends over time but then they'd point out from what she said, the way the trio were treating her wasn't ok.

Yuu: What do you mean? That's how my dads talk to each other all the time?

[castlebyersafterdark]

i will comment fully, but its possible that i over-medieval'd this whole fic so that even the workshed they were in was filled with wood and crates and period-accurate details haahha

in my vision it had the same atmosphere as the byers' shed where will was first taken, golden light through slatted wood, musty and woody etc. a great callback to the show (the famous painterly s4 shot of them in the sunbeams too!) and mike and will looked amazing with that low sunlight beaming through!

fav details: flouncy robe (was NOT expecting the extra layer of flounce - look up organza, chiffon or tulle fabrics for your costume as the mesh layer!), mike's feral snarl (the line about a lamb and a wolf?! 🥵) and also just the whole dynamic of the fantasy chat, how it was a combo of different movies and hollywood versions of period drama etc, plus erotic novels, camp, even 80s comedy they might have seen at the time? it was so a great mix it worked so well, so so creative and inspired. i smiled so much as i read and definitely laughed out loud a few times at will's sass and the way they were perceived by the party. and shot through with true emotion like the other couple at the fayre! it was so atmospheric. so good i'm really glad you wrote it and i hope you enjoyed it because i can feel the work that went in, a passion project for sure. you should be really proud!

🧙�� ✨

Awww thank you!! I do feel proud. It was certainly... a feat of endurance. But I did it! Yayy.

That's so cool you had visions shifting into a more thematic, medieval (oh my god I just spelled that right without spellcheck for the first ever?? woah. anyway) setting because we can imagine for Will and Mike, they also might have gotten lost in the fantasy at times, shifting between the reality and somewhere more fantastical - like when Will was in the parking lot and he daydreamed the cars were tents on the outskirts of a battlefield. I really love that take away because that's the vibe!!! Yess!!!

The flouncy robe!!! In the Stranger Things comics and Will's drawings of Will the Wise from early seasons, we see that character as an old man wizard, and I think in season 3 his drawings become more like himself in reality. So I loved crafting this vision that he experiments with a look for himself even further removed, still very mystical?? The little robe I just adored for him. And the dialogue!! Nothing fills me with more joy than readers getting what I was going for there and YES - you did get it. It's kind of frankensteined from multiple reference points because they're nerds, they're dorks, they're also so overcome with lust that while trying to maintain character it's all a mess. Influences from DnD which is just improv and a combination of lofty, over the top mimic of high fantasy and tongue in cheek realism. Mike pulling from erotica novels he's secretly read. All over the place. Glad it worked because the challenge was - what would two nerdy 18 year olds really talk like? It couldn't sound like a porno. But it couldn't sound Shakespearean. They needed to sound like... horned up nerds hahahahah. And I think I conveyed that.

Anyway, I love talking about this story. It rotated around in my brain for MONTHS and I genuinely feel accomplished. Even having published two little fics and soooo many posts on this blog - I feel like I've finally added something to the fandom I'm pleased with. Thank you for all the kindness!!!! 😁😁😁😁

[elenaesmoved]

You didn't reblog it here but Im gonna love on you anyway because I can. <3333 My favourite thing about your portrayal- well for one? It's the only other nina fc ill write with, and definitely the only Elena. You know Im picky and elitist, and I think you capture Elena extremely well. You have her sass, her fears, her grief down so well that I genuinely enjoy seeing your threads cross my dash.

And like Klaus, you have given her a very original take in your main verse. Youre so creative and I love seeing how you mesh book and show worlds together. No one could ever write either character like you do because youve taken such great care to make them so unique and yet so true to their canon personalities.

Your Elena was actually one of the first blogs I followed on here, did you know? I bet if you go all the way back to the archive and search my url youll see the ask i sent about how I loved your take on Elena. That still stands today. Both of your blogs are some of my favourite portrayals. You're doing amazing baby girl. Keep being the fantastic writer that you are, I'll always be cheering you on from my dash <3

ㅤㅤdfkslaj stop it before i actually cry!! positive feedback means even more here, so i really appreciate you taking the time to send something in, especially something so detailed 🤍

[ask-the-badman]

The kiss caught her by surprise, but pleasant and very welcomed. With a hum, her lips worked back against his firm ones- already feeling the heat of the moment rising. His next words light a small fuse in her mind... which can be guessed by that quirk of her brow and twitch of her lips.

But she hardly even pulls back enough to look at him properly, enjoying the heaviness of having one of his big arms draped around her waist again- her favourite accessory. Snug against her hourglass form.

"Oh wow, I been on your mind, huh?" the playful sass that always radiates from her is thick as she tosses her head and makes her eyes big before rolling them. "Next, you're gonna be tellin' me how you been restless, tossin' and turnin' cus ya been up thinkin' about me all night!" the woman has to laugh, "gotta be honest, didn't think there was much room left in that brain for anythin', let alone lil ol' me to occupy a single thought in that big head of yours."

She gets cheeky, winding back up nice and close in his thick embrace again, her voice low, a husky whisper in his ear, "thought you had enough bodies to keep you warm? Nah, guess it's the new year. Most of them's must be past their expiry date by now, is that it?" another snickering laughter hisses out of her before her lips are on his again, hands finally admiring those big swells of bicep yet again.

( I got to finally play some last night! I guess everyone's had time to master them? I was playing Bones and those Wyatt's were no-scoping me like a pot-bellied middle-aged man obsessed with the army playing cod is2g... it was a war zone with Bones having Nam flashbacks and all. Just had to take it all in... A DISASTER!! But he is SO fun to play. I don't know how Wyatt's are tagging me like that, the aim system is so bad.

Johnny in his button up on the graveyard map... I'm panting like a dog over here. Shirtless on the storm gas station map, too, is dangerous. I don't know why or how I just keep ending up in his dumb arms! Stupid sexy Johnny!! My teammates are like where are you going?? I don't know!! he told me to be a good girl and come sit at his feet. AM I GOING TO ARGUE? No. I'm not stupid. I'm smart. Peak survival instincts. Big brain strats.

You've been thinking about me? I feel so bad, it's been like, 100 years and I've just been withering away to life, keeping you both waiting,,,, :( well I've been thinking about you too!! Thinking about how I should get up and reply dammit and summon all this creative energy from the gods.

Tag it as whatever! Dommy mommy is so cute lol I don't even have a name for lil miss no-name store brand bimbo over here. I'm terrible. Johnny Lover #210 tramp stamp across her back.

Glad we can now both get back to it, though. <3 )

"Shaddup..." Johnny growled while his lip curled into a nasty sneer of teeth and gum.

He was annoyed, not just with her but himself for missing her sassy insults and belittling comments. Her warmth and the way her curvy, soft body felt pressed against his own. Or her lips against his as he begrudgingly reciprocates with a silent fondness, lips and eyes locked together in a sultry stare.

Should have kept his mouth shut, but he had honestly missed her. Missed this seductive, if frustrating, vixen.

Pulling away to get some air, he stared down at her with narrowed eyes. "Yer lucky yer so damned cute, an' brought beer..." he hissed before grabbing up another bottle to crack open and take a few generous gulps from then offering it to her.

(I've been lacking in some TCM time.. played a little during the 2x exp event but honestly haven't played since. Hopefully I'll have more time to play now, need me some Johnny playtime or getting murdered by the man.

Take me to Church Johnny at the graveyard is too perfect, I need to take a million screenshots of him there in it because it's just so damned... Chef's Kiss. It's like they knew he would mesh well in that button down in an abandoned church.

DommyMommy it is, lol. But I feel on the lack of creative juices, kind of why I've been slow to reply on top of it being so cold here and how tired I am after work. All rather draining, but yeah! Definitely glad we can get back to it, just don't force it, alright? Take you're time driving Johnny up the wall, lol)

[formerheroeswhoquittoolate]

OKAY WE'RE DOING IT please forgive the complete lack of organization

dick "my parents loved me but they're dead" grayson vs kate "my parents are alive-ish and have both tried to kill my friends" bishop

dick "knows a billion fighting disciplines from the best teachers" grayson vs kate "this is a lamp it basically works the same as a nunchuck" bishop

dick "would let deathstroke kill him to save the world" grayson vs kate "absolutely refused to let wiccan do the same thing" bishop

dick "bludhaven pd" grayson vs kate "licensed? private investigator" bishop

dick "raised in the circus" grayson vs kate "almost got killed at the circus twice" bishop

haly and lucky! disabled dog twins (yes I know lucky is technically clint's shhhhh)

canonical knowledge of asl (jericho/clint)

the sheer amounts of sass from both of them is astounding

also both have a/multiple? canonical sa that was basically never addressed again, but they're very different and provoked very different reactions in them both

billionaire dads they are loath to take money from, albeit for very different reasons

dick "all the siblings" grayson vs kate "estranged older sister and that's it" bishop (I forgot about this format sorry)

spent the end of their teen years / beginning of their young adult years in a team of the sidekicks/kid versions of major heroes and ended up mostly leading it

mentally fucked but not quite as bad as their mentors, who are unequivocally significantly more fucked. in fact, both are regarded as the better version of their mentors in a lot of ways (including by their mentors)

conversely and also, constantly trying to get out from under their mentors' shadows. will always be considered the sidekick, no matter how competent and badass they are

also also, took up the mantle of their mentor when their mentor was presumed but not in fact actually dead. so that's nice

dick "parented an assassin child for a year" grayson vs kate "took a demon baby on a road trip during the apocalypse" bishop

weird and kind of complicated dating histories that I would really rather not delve into. heavily bi-ified by the fandom.

weirdly respected amongst much older and often more experienced heroes. probably due to extreme competence if you ask me

dick "used to be spyral and had to obey" grayson vs kate "chronically refuses to comply with shield orders" bishop

dick has been exposed to his fears many a time (fear toxin, knight terrors, etc) while kate basically has no idea what her greatest fear is but it could be a lot of things honestly

both have moved to try and escape their mentors' shadows. multiple times. including moving to california. none of these attempts have worked. sorry guys

complicated relationships with heights

have never been honest with their feelings for longer than five minutes of their own free will

dick "chronic older brother" grayson vs kate "try to protect me and I'll arrow you in the face" bishop

anyway yeah I feel like their dynamic would be crazy. they're so similar in some ways and so vastly different in others. it works in whatever genre. crime solving? cop/pi dynamics, dick's experience vs kate's sheer boldness, endless amounts of banter. vigilante activity? two drastically different and extremely effective fighting styles, leadership instincts that might clash or mesh depending on the situation, creative solutions to crime problems that probably involve acrobatics. espionage shenanigans? dick's bad memories of spyral coupled with kate's absolute disdain for spy agencies, wild disguises, probably at least one ballroom scene where they could have an emotionally fraught conversation about growing up rich. there are So many options. maybe I need to write this.

someone must have done something to me because I suddenly have a weird amount of thoughts about kate bishop and dick grayson as extremely competent detective/crimefighting buddies and I do not know where they came from. anyway if anyone wants to see my only mildly hinged list of thoughts on this let me know!

[imthepunchlord]

On the subject of luck (both relating to the Miraculous and just magic stuff in general) it's something that's kinda subjective in a way.

Think about, say a coin flip. Two people settle something by flipping a coin, it lands on heads. Good luck for the person who called heads, bad luck for the person who called tails.

The way I think of it when using it as a magic force is that good luck is used defensively (good things happen to you) and bad luck is used offensively (bad things happen to your enemies), which actually meshes the Chinese idea of cats being lucky and warding off evil spirits and the Black Cat Miraculous having the power of misfortune in a way that makes more sense than in cannon imo.

Of course, cannon is so slapdash that fixing one aspect of it makes it harder to fix the rest; making the Black Cat Miraculous of Misfortune sort-of fit in a Chinese Miracle Box just draws more attention to how out of place the Ladybug is. Trying to make one of the second tier Miraculous fit with one of the Wu Xing elements just makes it more obvious how none of them fit together very well with that concept.

The only way to make it really work is to overhaul the whole thing, but at that point it becomes almost unrecognizable from the source material.

...sorry that turned into a little rant

Oh no, it's fine. That at the core is the biggest issue I have for doing an ML rewrite and reworking the lore.

There is potential there, but with how they went about it, it just doesn't work. It's very clear that a lot of research they did is surface level. No one can say in confidence who is what element of the 5.

Honestly, I think the best thing they should've done was reveal that Fu doesn't have the Chinese exclusive set but has miraculous he gathered, and they're all from different sets. And that's why they don't make sense or work as a whole, they're not the true Chinese set.

Another idea is that of the 5 (maybe Zodiac too), they're all free lwamus that pick their own humans. Could even off how Gabriel got Nooroo, Nooroo sensed Gabriel’s want for a change and whoops, got himself trapped.

And that to me is fun to think about, all the kwami swap potential! And would the kwamis really pick their canon holders? What shapes their view? Do they go for who's best for their power? Or who appeals to them personally whether the best fit or not? Probably depends on the kwami.

But like, Tikki, I honestly see her picking Alya over Marinette. Based on canon, Tikki is going in expecting a ready to go hero! And that's not Marinette, that's Alya.

Wayzz came to Fu long ago because Fu was afraid and alone.

Adrien would pull in Kaalki/Stellr, not only is he fabulous and famous, but he wants freedom, which is a big symbol of Horse.

And Marinette, the miraculous prodigy that she is, imagine her pulling in multiple. Like, Mullo/Savvy comes because Marinette wants to go unnoticed, Trixx comes for her creativity and brilliant mind, Pollen because Marinette has all the making of a good Bee, but needs growth and confidence, Sass comes because she is selfless, Plagg comes because she should learn to relax and put herself more first (not to say they'd all be for sure, but they are swaps I like).

To make what canon has work, that would be my top two suggestions: Fu has miraculous that are randomly grouped together, or kwamis are free and these are the ones that happen to be in Paris. And either way, break away from these being THE Chinese Box. Not everything magical needs or should come from China exclusively.

[tipsycad147]

Make The Best Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade With Your Calendula Tea

Written by Sass Ayres

Turning calendula tea into a nourishing, delicious, and absolutely refreshing fresh-squeezed lemonade is an incredibly easy way to give yourself some relief in the summertime swelter. It’s also a way to reap the rewards of calendula’s immune-boosting medicine. This lemonade recipe is quick and easy, so refreshing, and sweetened only with raw honey, a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals on its own.

HERE YOU’LL FIND: Is Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade Good for You? The Health Benefits of Calendula Other Recipes With Calendula You’ll Love How to Make Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade with Honey Tips & Tricks for the Best Lemonade Other Botanical Beverages For You to Try Recipe for Immune-Boosting Calendula Lemonade

Calendula is one of my go-to plant medicines for the inevitable wintertime attack on my immune system. In fact, it’s my favorite herb to include in super medicinal veggie broths and luckily, also makes for a delightful summertime refreshment to help keep you your healthiest self all year long.

Is Fresh Squeezed Lemonade Good for You?

What could be healthier than literally drinking juice freshly squeezed from a fresh fruit?!

Lemonade has so much potential to be a healthy beverage, however, it’s often overly filled with sugar. Oftentimes, the sugar used to take off the edge of the tartness isn’t even real sugar. Instead, it’s artificial sweeteners that, to be frank, where never meant to be consumed by humans in the first place.

And to hammer the nail in ever further, more often than not, fresh-squeezed isn’t even fresh-squeezed!

Leave it to us humans to take nature’s goodness and try to make it better.

In this homemade calendula lemonade, not only are we letting the vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds shine through, we’re also adding in incredible immune support.

That’s the beauty of DIY’ing; we have complete control over the ingredients that are going into our food and herbal home remedies.

The Health Benefits of Calendula

This immune-boosting calendula lemonade is chock-full of all the benefits of calendula tea with the added nutritional and medicinal benefits of lemon juice and raw honey.

In addition to its immune benefits, calendula has a long history of medicinal use. Accordingly, it has been used to treat amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation), fevers, conjunctivitis, cuts, bruises, scrapes, and an entire slew of inflammatory skin conditions.

Here’s an overview of the health benefits in this lemonade:

Ingredient  Calendula

Nutrition  Fatty acids, High in antioxidants (contains lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene, quercitin, rutin, & others)

Medicinal Benefits  Antiseptic, Anti-tumour, Anti-fungal, Antioxidant ,Antibacterial Anti-inflammatory, Promotes wound healing, Stimulates menstrual flow Supports & builds immunity, Stimulates bile & aids digestion, Stimulates the lymphatic system ,Demulcent (cooling, soothing, healing, relaxing)

Ingredient  Lemon

Nutrition  High in vitamin C, calcium, potassium, magnesium

Medicinal Benefits  Antioxidant, Alkalinizing (anti-inflammatory)

Ingredient Honey Raw

Nutrition  High nutrient profile that includes B vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, & zinc

Medicinal Benefits  Anti-fungal Antioxidant Antibacterial Calming & conditioning for skin/hair

Other Recipes With Calendula You’ll Love

Calendula & Honey Raw Cheesecake vegan & gluten-free

Ultra-Nourishing Body Oil with calendula, chamomile, jasmine, and lavender

Super Medicinal Veggie Broth with calendula for extra immune support

How to Make Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade with Calendula & Honey

Lemonade isn’t complicated. Lemon plus water and sugar equals lemonade.

However, we’re deviating just a little bit from the basic recipe to amp up the healthy factor and add in some old fashioned herbal medicine. Here’s how this lemonade is different:

Swap out water for calendula tea. Instead of plain water, you’ll use a strong, cooled calendula tea to make up the bulk of this recipe.

Swap out processed cane sugar for honey. This lemonade is sweetened with honey. Raw, local honey is always your best and most nutritious option.

Equipment Needed

Citrus Juicer (Go handheld with this handheld citrus squeezer or this manual juicer. Or get fancy with an electric juicer.)

Small Sauce Pan for steeping calendula tea

Fine Mesh Strainer for straining calendula tea (I often use THESE strainers.)

Quart-sized Glass Jar or Pitcher (THIS makes a perfect lemonade pitcher.)

Measuring Cups

Long-handled Spoon for stirring

Ingredients

Fresh Lemons

Calendula Flowers (fresh or dried)

Water

Honey (raw and local if possible)

Method

Make calendula tea. First, you’ll make a strong calendula tea by steeping fresh or dried calendula flowers in hot water for 10-15 minutes. (Be sure to cover the tea while steeping.)

Squeeze lemons. While the calendula tea is steeping, you’ll squeeze your fresh lemons.

Strain calendula tea & stir in the honey. After 10-15 minutes (or longer), you’ll strain the calendula tea and stir in the honey while the tea is still warm. This will help the honey fully incorporate into the tea, as honey is very hard to dissolve in cold liquid.

Add all ingredients to a quart-sized pitcher or glass jar & stir it all together. Then, you’ll pour in your fresh-squeezed lemon juice and honey-sweetened calendula tea. At this point, you can taste the lemonade and add more tea or water if it’s too sweet for your taste. (But keep in mind that the ice will also dilute the sweetness.)

Pour over ice & enjoy! Lastly, fill a cup with ice and pour in your fresh-squeezed calendula lemonade. If you’d like, garnish with a slice of lemon, a fresh calendula flower picked straight from your garden, and/or a sprig of fresh mint.

✺ HERBALIST’S TIP ✺ Do you love lemonade, but don’t have access to fresh or dried calendula!? You can substitute your favorite herbal tea in this recipe. Some great options are lavender-chamomile, tulsi-rose, or spearmint. Get creative with it!

Tips & Tricks for the Best Lemonade

How to pick the best lemons for juicing?

Only fresh lemons can truly give that fresh-squeezed lemon taste. At the grocery, look for lemons that are plump and tender to the touch. The more tender, typically the juicier the lemon. Also, the heavier the lemon and the thinner the rind, the juicier it will be.

What’s the best way to squeeze fresh lemons?

There are so many ways to juice a lemon!

Use a fork! This method is simple and requires no special equipment. First, slice the lemon in half. Then, holding one half of the lemon in one palm and a fork in the other hand, use the tines of the fork to work around inside the flesh of the lemon. Gently squeezing the lemon with the other hand while you work the fork in helps as well. With this method, I recommend juicing the lemons over a fine-mesh strainer to catch the seeds.

Use a handheld strainer. A handheld strainer is a handy tool to have around the kitchen and makes quick work of juicing citrus.

Use a manual strainer. Manual strainers are nice because they come with a handy little reservoirs that are oftentimes graduated. Not only do they catch the strained juice, but they make it really easy to tell how much juice you have.

Go electric! An electric juicer is my preferred juicing method. Not only is it fast, but it always seems to yield the most juice as well.

How long does fresh-squeezed lemonade last?

Your homemade lemonade will last about a week in the fridge. Every time you pull it from the fridge to pour yourself a glass, just give the lemonade a little swirl in case anything has settled.

Can you freeze homemade lemonade?

Yes, you can! However, I’d recommend freezing your fresh-squeezed lemon juice by itself. You can pre-measure according to the recipe needs. When you’re ready to make lemonade, pull from the freezer and add straight to your warm calendula tea.

Other Botanical Beverages For You To Try

Banana Milk with Ashwagandha & Chamomile

Pink Paloma with Chamomile-Infused Tequila

Ginger Mint Hot Toddy with Licorice Root

Fennel & Earl Grey Grapefruit Spritzer

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade with Calendula & Honey

Course: Drinks Difficulty: Easy  Servings 4 servings  Prep time 20 minutes

This calendula lemonade is a refreshing treat with added immune-boosting benefits. You can use a sweetener other than honey if you like, just remember that many sweeteners will need to be dissolved into warm water first. And store-bought lemon juice isn’t nearly as delicious, but will work in a pinch! If you really don’t care to squeeze a bunch of lemons, but want that fresh taste, use a little bit of both store-bought and fresh squeezed.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups hot water

3 tablespoons of dried calendula flowers (or ~8-10 fresh flowers or 2-3 calendula tea bags)

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 large lemons)

Ice

Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish (optional)

More water or calendula tea to create your desired sweetness (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a small sauce pan, bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, add the calendula flowers, cover, & let sit for 10-15 minutes.

While the water is infusing, squeeze your lemons. If you prefer no pulp, use a fine mesh strainer to separate the juice from the pulp.

After 10-15 minutes, use a fine mesh strainer to strain the tea from the calendula flowers. While the tea is still slightly warm, stir in the honey until completely dissolved. (I like to do this after the tea has cooled quite a bit so as to not destroy too much of the medicine in raw honey, but while it’s still warm enough to easily dissolve the honey.)

In a quart-sized mason jar, pour in your honey-sweetened calendula tea and add the lemon juice. Either use a wooden spoon to stir or put a lid on the mason jar and shake to combine.

At this point, you can taste the lemonade. If it’s too sweet or too tart for your taste, add more water or calendula tea until it’s to your liking.

Fill a glass with ice, pour in calendula lemonade, and give it a little stir. Garnish with fresh mint if desired & enjoy being refreshed while boosting your immune system! Leftovers can be stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for about a week.

Is there anything more refreshing in the sizzling summer sun than an ice cold glass of something delicious? I’m a tremendous fan of squeezing in the botanical bliss wherever I can and I hope you also enjoy this immune-boosting calendula lemonade.

Here’s to the plants for helping to keep us happy and healthy human beings all year long!

https://www.botanyculture.com/fresh-squeezed-lemonade-with-calendula/

[datodinicshit]

Friday July 10, 2020

Devotee Challenge: Hermes

How do you perceive Hermes?

Hermes is a bit like a shooting star. He's bright and flashy and very fast. I get Hermes as "Glad-Hearted" and "Joy-Bringer" and "Luck-Giver." I call Him the Light of My Life, because He shines like a diamond in the sun. He brings laughter every time we meet. He's a Darling, but He's also a Fucking Tease and the biggest flirt. Hermes is made of sass and jokes, as I know Him.

He was the first god who I told I loved in a romantic way. So, I think that colors His appearance with me rather A Lot.

Methods of Communication?

Best for Me: music-shufflemancy, tarot, dreams, synchronized signs, dashomancy, writing, and empathy.

Hermes' Preferences: He has a history of hijacking my mp3 player and the music library on my PC. He will use whatever his conversational partner is most receptive to, however. He's a Messenger and Communication God. He can be pretty creative and adaptive.

Historically: I mean if we're going legit old-school, the Greeks had oracles. But I'm fairly sure prayer is a universal method across time.

Is Hermes often compared to another deity from a different pantheon or culture?

Hermes has been compared to other Tricksters, because He is one.

Beings such as the Arch Angel Gabriel have also been brought up, because Hermes is a Messenger.

I've seen Hermes compared to (even merged with) gods such as: Anubis, Loki, Odin, Thoth/Djehuty, and of course Set/Sutek given both are Tricksters and gods of Borders and Foreign Interactions and whatnot.

There's also Hermes Trismegistus but that's a whole other ball of twine I don't care to unravel atm.

Does Hermes fit with an Archetype?

Hermes does fit with an archetype. Trickster. Helper and Hindrance to humanity.

Hermes is a little shit, ok? He's done good and bad things within His lore. And honestly, Tricksters get such bad press because of the nature inherent in the archetype. People need to chill. In my opinion, Tricksters are the most human-relatable deities because 9 out of 10 times They act as we do. Or maybe we act as They do? Either way, I find that comforting and so I mesh the best with Tricksters.

What kind of relationship do you want with Hermes as devotee?

*Grins.* Hoo boy. This question takes me back. At one time I was very close to proposing a spouse relationship.

I do love Hermes. I consider Hermes a friend, family even, and I like the idea of companionship. I have a lot of baggage around devotee language and formalities. Just. Its a Thing with me.

Boundaries? Yeah. I've got em. They're between Us tho.

Are we platonic? *Squints.* No. I love Him. I always have. Shit, I fell for Hermes damn near the moment we met. Took me 9 months to actually tell Him that tho, because I wanted to make sure I sincerely meant it.

Do I worship Hermes? Yes. The way I worship the gods closest to me, because He's part of my "inner familial circle." I pray to Him when I'm scared. I keep an altar for Him so He's always welcome. I make offerings. I assist those that want to know more about Him when I can. But I prefer a closer relationship with Him, because He's Family and Friend and Love.

How does your relationship with Hermes affect your everyday life?

I don't keep strict schedules. They make me itch. I'm allergic, you see. We fly by the seat of our pants around here, for my mental well-being.

Do I want to include Hermes in my daily life? Of course I do. I am a bit tied up atm, however, because of a Certain Bastard. Hermes knows this. He's pretty amused by it and approves, so I'm not going to fuss over it. (There! *sticks out tongue*)

Before Odinicfuckery of 2020 began, I did a lot of blogging for Hermes. Art, sharing music, cartoon-watching, and all that shit. So yeah, daily-life shit is a green light.

What are Hermes' interests outside of any lore/canon associations?

Hermes loves the band Queen. So jot that down. He's a bigass drama queen, so, Freddie Mercury? I mean. C'mon? Freddie Mercury? Yeah. Let that sink in a bit.

He loves coffee. And shopping. And the internet...but you see that can all be tied into lore because: God of Travel and Commerce and Communication. So, as with Odin, all the mundane shit He enjoys, I can argue ties into His lore. He's got His sticky fingers in Everything.

Recon or No Recon?

I'm eclectic. I've already had this argument with Odin. So let's say I have a heavily modern practice and my gods say its "all the same shit."

Now, that's just Us. Within my practice. Ok?

My actual answer is no. No Recon.

Hermes: You made kernips for me before!

Me: Yep. So, on rare occasions I go old-school for the godfam. But its rare.

Is Hermes proud or remorseful about His stories and lore/history?

Stand by for Sass. Here lemme pick a fun one.

Me: Hermes are you remorseful you stole Apollo's Super Special Cows?

Hermes: [laughter]

I interpret that as a "no." Here's the deal, it was funny as hell and resulted in cool shit for Apollo later down the road.

Welcome to Trickster Religions! They fuck with shit, but 9 times outta 10 better shit comes of them fucking around.

What's Hermes expect from our relationship?

I did some personal talking with Him over this. And what He said stays with me and a few choice friends. I will say this: He expects me to "Stop Look and Listen" and have some fucking fun along the way.

[guardians-of-exo]

How would you ship your mutuals?

Ah I’ve seen this floating around lately and I was kind of hoping I wouldn’t get it because I’m so bad at these (thank you though anon, I really do appreciate it❤️) I’m so bad with these as I have a really hard time with words (ironic coming from a writer I know 😅). I have a terrible memory, which is why I never remember names (I am so sorry). I’ll do my very best, so please don’t be too offended if you think I got it wrong ❤️

@xiudonut I think I remember doing this for you before and my answer still stands. You’re very supportive and so kind, very hardworking and a little bit of a science nerd like me. So I think Minseok would be the perfect match 😍 

@jongin-be-my-jagi At first I found you quite intimidating but quickly figured out you’re a real sweetheart. We’ve found that we have quite a lot in common trough the various tumblr games though you’re a lot cooler than me😂. I’ll have to go with Jongin for you - I actually found him intimidating at first as well, but we all know he’s a huge softie. And I think your personalities would mesh quite well ❤️

@heartcravings I get the vibes from you that you’re a really compasionate person who cares a lot about other people around you. Idk why but I think either Kyungsoo or Minseok would be a good match for you, I get the same vibes from you as I get from them ❤️

@the-freefeather My fellow Hufflepuff with the big heart and sparkly personality. I see you meshing well with Chanyeol as I think your personalities would complement each other really well 😍

@lavandiaghostgirl My sweet and dear friend. Though I know you hold Baekhyun in your heart (don’t tell Chanyeol), I think you and Kyungsoo would complement each other really well. His calm demeanor would suit yours and I tihink it would be good for you ❤️

@baekinmylife You’ve gone out of your way to try and cheer me up recently and I am so so grateful that you’ve been there for me. You’ve brought a smile to my face. Which is also why I’ve chosen Baekhyun for you - our soft boy that always wants to make his Eries smile😍

@xiuminscheeks We’ve been mutuals for a while though we only really started talking recently. You came to comfort me when I needed it and it meant the world to me. You and Junmyeon kind of give me the same vibes, which is why I’ll pair you with him. Both sweet, kind and caring people ❤️

@justasouthernlady You’re probably my biggest hypeman and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at your comments to remind me why I love writing. You always support me and care for me no matter what. I think you and Yixing would be really good together, you’re both very hardworking people who care too much about others and sometimes forget to care about themselves❤️

@babychickastrology I’m not sure if you’ll see this as I know you’ve been offline for a while, but I couldn’t leave you out. You’re so very kind and creative and I detect a little sass from you too, idk if I’m wrong about that😂. But that is why I think you and Sehun would make a good match ❤️

@theloveinkimkai And last, but never ever least, my dear dear friend. You’ve been there for me pretty much since the beginning and I’ve loved our talks❤️ And while our Nini is in your url, I’m gonna have to match you with Jongdae. You’re not exactly alike, but I have a feeling you would mesh really well with his quiet (mostly😂) caring personality and your huge heart ❤️

[apixellife]

New Friends

Bring Spring to Life with Sass Gnomes! Welcome May with the charming new addition to the Flower Gnome Collection, the May Flower Gnome, and meet his sunny sidekick, Suzy Sunshine Gnome, holding a bright oversized sunflower! Both are perfect for your spring decor, garden displays, or gifting a smile. Add a little gnome magic to your home today, only from Sass, and only at The…

[heroquills-a]

s1lentsnip3r replied to your post: hmmmmmmmmmm……….. i feel like doing a random mun...

bet

cracks knuckles.

@s1lentsnip3r @chaosmixed @metallumdash 

words can’t describe how impressed i am by how much you bring your muses to life bwaze. i used to like, not really give a darn heck about metal sonic at all? but after that first thread we had where sonic and proxy got into a fight, i was immediately hooked. you just do such an incredible job at fleshing out characters that i otherwise wouldn’t have really thought much of before and you just have this unique and interesting spin on them that feels fresh. i love the way you play the chao and whisper’s wisps and atia is just a little gremlin but i love them so much, and i’ve literally never seen anyone play chaos before. you just have this way of utilizing that potential that your characters and concepts have and it’s just really awesome to watch. i love it. absolutely a stellar roleplayer. absolutely stellar mun!!

@skyfcx @masterprotector @cosmcther

ties you to a chair. listen here little mister. youre probably one of the OG ppl in this rpc that i’ve lowkey looked up to since first joining. you’ve already heard it plenty of times already but your writing is just ?? stellar ?? from the way you use colorful idioms, expressions, metaphors, to how you capture movement and action in such an engaging way. it’s always a treat to read. the way you portray your muses is just always spot on and i love how seamlessly you capture their mannerisms and speech patterns. your headcanons for tails and knuckles just make me so giddy they just feel so right for their characters, and as far as rosalina goes--- while i know next to nothing about the mario franchise or this character in particular i’m still intrigued enough to peek in on what she’s up to every now and then. over all, you’re a rad roleplayer and a fun person to chat with ooc !! 

@chaosbcrne 

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. i adore how you write shadow. i’m constantly blown away by how authentic he always feels and how realistic you write him while still remaining accurate and true to his character. like i legit cannot even think of any other place or media i’ve seen besides the games themselves (before sega started botching up his character anyway) where he’s portrayed as accurately as you write him. you manage to balance the serious, aloof, hostile side of him with his playful, competitive, smug side AND the inner naive, almost child like side almost perfectly. and then there’s more, because you add so much depth to him and realistically expand on so many unexplored facets of his character and his roots !! you can just tell this is a character who’s endured so many hardships and is still trying to recover and move on, and despite everything that’s hardened him into the person he is today he still has that innocent curiosity about the world and it makes me so emo every. single. time. you just put so much work into him and it shows, from your icons to your headcanon posts, to even the most minute detail. even when you host events you just go So Hard at it you’re literally out here setting the standard dude. and don’t even get me started on your writing style. i was hooked by the very first thread we did, i felt like i could never hold a candle to it honestly. just. the way you narrate shadow’s feelings and thoughts, how you capture his actions, his movement, his speech patterns, is just so good. and your vocabulary is so colorful and rich. just. hgnfhg its top tier content ALRIGHT you inspire me to push myself and to keep improving all the time and i have to say i couldn’t ask for a better writing partner. i love you so much eph 💕💕💕

@1110-01111011

hello yes trikey i love your omega so much. i’ve never really thought much of the death bot before but seeing all the headcanons and fleshing out you do for him just makes him so much more interesting and fascinating. down to the most intrinsic detail you put in for him it’s just really cool to see and adds so much to him that just !! i love it man. every time i think abt omega now my mind just automatically goes back to your portrayal because he is Just omega. i appreciate all the depth you add to him and his relationships to the rest of his team, it’s so pleasing to see and really helps solidify how strong team dark’s dynamic truly is..... not to mention your art is hecking gorgeous??? like damn dude, goals. anyway,, thank u for the blessed omega content. absolutely 10/10

@coolxnxblue @oforbis @hcrofraid @mastcrplanncr @powderbluestreaks

toxi i immediately fell in love with your sonic the first time we ever interacted. you just capture his sass so well, i just could not stop giggling that first night. he’s still my favorite sonic in this rpc, to be honest. and don’t even get me started on your other muses. it still baffles me how you manage to take on such a huge raster of characters yet manage to flesh them out all so well. every one of them feels so evenly developed and solid and just like bwaze you make me care about characters that i otherwise wouldn’t have before. i feel like i have a huge newfound appreciation for eggman bc of you and unsurprisingly he’s now my fave eggman on here hands down. and it goes without saying your writing is just, phenomenal. you capture dialogue so beautifully, the way you narrate on the feelings your characters are experiencing is engaging, to the point i’m lowkey intimidated by it sometimes LMAO. also your AUs are just rad as hell? and rlly interesting?? and your art style too ????? 10/10 roleplayer, i just think youre neat.

@antibadnik @godcontained

hey you? yes you. i love your muses so much. i especially love how you write amy, to be honest. she’s been my favorite character since forever and like?? you do just such a good job with her? i appreciate that you choose not to erase her intense affection for sonic, because more often than not i see people tone it way down to almost non-existent and it really is just such a big part of her character. i like the way you delve into that mindset of her’s, and expand on it and how it affects her. i also just. love your writing too. you just have this way of conveying feeling in your writing that’s always a punch to the gut you can feel it that hard. your headcanons for elise are really interesting too and definitely nothing i’ve actually seen before, what with how her powers work and how having to go emotionally dormant has effected her after all this time.  also, i love ava. she is baby. it’s so cool getting to see a mute character!! all in all, its just good content man. god i love football.

@team-phantom @heartfelt-silver

pandaaaa i adore you !!! you were like my first friend in this heckin rpc. all of our dash shenanigans always have me wheezing and i just love your boys so much. i can certainly say without a shadow of a doubt that zero is one of my favorite takes on infinite. its hard to believe that he’s the same jackal who almost completely helped eggman take over the world--- he’s just come so far, he seamlessly fits into the rest of the cast. i adore how he works off of his team, and all their own unique little quirks that set them apart from each other. your headcanons and lore for your muse is just so sweet. and god i can’t get enough of your art?? your doodles always are a blessing to see ;-; i always appreciate you youre just such a sweet and kind mun, you’re so welcoming of ppl here and have this way of making ppl feel at home in this community. it absolutely wouldn’t be the same without you. keep it up <3

@lightdash @heartlop @enrichedheart

YOU. yes you. ame you’re so freakin’ cool and sweet. you’re always so nice and welcoming to people in the rpc it’s always a treat getting the chance to talk to you !! you’re another one of those peeps i look up to in this community TBH and youre muses are just portrayed and written so well!! i can just tell you’ve poured many years of thought, consideration, and work into your muses to the point that they’re just so finely tuned. i love the aesthetic you utilize for you blogs, from your icons to just the way you go about formatting your threads? and not to mention, your art style ??? is just so cute ??? ngl i lowkey wanna collab with you one of these days bc i just adore how you draw the sonic cast ;_; thank you for being a part of this rpc !! you’re wonderful !

@projectlightfox

moggg you’re so nice and chill to talk to. i love volt and harmony so much... they fit in really good with sonic world and mesh well with just about any characters i’ve seen them interact with so far--- even if its someone they don’t get along with. i’ve said it before but theyre just a really charming little duo and im always happy to see them on my dashboard. i love the overall aesthetic they got going, two travelers roaming the world from dimension to dimension. harmony is just a little bundle of precious fluffy joy and her interactions with sonic always make me cry. and volt--- he’s such a good dad !! he’s a really neat character and i’m certainly interested in learning more about the both of them. and as i said, you’re a rad person to talk to, i appreciate how welcoming and supportive you are of people. and your art style? absolutely adorable. thank you for being in this rpc ;-;

@dieviskais @solfading 

king!! i’ve never seen anyone write the way you do, choosing to shift the view point onto the reader as if they themselves are the muse. it’s such a unique and interesting way to look into your muse’s mindsets and express how they are feeling and what they’re doing. your take on silver is very fresh compared to the way he’s typically written. i appreciate you don’t take the baby silver uwu route like don’t get me wrong he IS baby but he’s not a baby. you certainly have really neat headcanons surrounding his backstory and how he grew up, it’s nice to see the grim reality of his harsh bleak life being represented. it’s good !! your other muses are intriguing too and i’m eager to learn more about them. i love auburn?? he’s a really cool oc dude his aesthetic and powers are A+. and you know, i may be terrible at expressing it but you’re a delight to talk to!! never feel bad or discouraged for popping into my dms i honestly appreciate the company ;-; thank u for being u

@orbviously / @cubeviously

THESE TWO BOTS. i love them so much. literally every time i see orbot or cubot now in any context i just think back to your portrayal of them hebby, they’re just so dang spot on and good. i love how you go about interacting with people with these two tbh it never fails to make me giggle. i love your art style too it’s just pleasing to look at! you have so many creative AUs for these bots i’m honestly impressed by how much you manage to create with these guys man--- from their human/bot designs to their mobianbot designs theyre just so cool ?? even your other muses are always entertaining to watch regardless of what fandom theyre from youre just so fun to interact with. and just, you’re always a pleasure to talk to ooc, youre always putting a smile on my face! youre awesome hebby 

@fishing-purple-cat

yes hi. sunny your take on big is so blessed. you’ve done so much justice for him. i’ve always really liked big tbh but i just love how much depth you put into his character, his backstory and his mannerisms. i love that you like,, actually give him a personality outside being a slow thinker. i can tell you’ve really developed your writing style with him, it speaks volumes about how much work you really put into writing him and it shows? heck, you even go the extra mile to draw your own icons and hang on i need a second to gush about your art because holy DAMN dude. your anatomy and painting abilities are nothing short of impressive--- especially your nack for painting backgrounds. i srsly gotta commission you at some point when i’m able to, heck. anyway, the rpc certainly wouldn’t be the same without you here

@lnfinitc

dude i love your take on infinite. he’s just about everything he should have been in forces, and even more. i love how malicious and intimidating you write him and your take on his speech patterns is just straight up eye-candy. i love your writing style, its so flavorful and rich--- your headcanons and lore on how infinite works is just astounding. and i like how you incorporate your drawings into your replies or threads too like even if its just icons your style is so heckin pretty ?? gosh dang. i’m definitely looking forward to interacting more in the future bc ur muse is just really fun and you seem like such a rad person !!

@pistolbitten

uhhh hello yes... while we haven’t interacted very much so far i JUST GOTTA SAY, i super enjoy your take on fang. from what i can tell he’s very well-rounded and fleshed out and a really interesting villain. i may or may not’ve been lowkey paying attention to that angel’s thesis thread you were doing w bwaze and aaron and i gotta say. holy damn. fang just done FUCKED UP. im certainly looking forward to him and shade interacting lmao. your writing style is so good too hh... just yeah i don’t have a whole lot to say if only because we haven’t interacted as much as i have with some of the other ppl on here BUT i certainly am looking forward to bc you seem cool. i’m loving what i’m seeing so far. have nack shoot sonic. DO IT.

@mobian-merc @funis-infinite 

duuuudeeee. i’ll be honest i was super intimidated by you at first asdkjsah i don’t even know why i was ??? but like. you’re so hecking nice and fun to talk to ;_; scourge is an actual literal dipshit yet you manage to make him very likable and you have such a fun take on him. i’ve always been a little conflicted on the character tbh because of how popular he is and he seems like the type i’d like but i knew nothing about him and was kinda put off by the over hype sometimes, but honestly? your portrayal won me over. i love him now. he’s so stupid and hE’S GREAT. your infinite also seems so cool too i gotta hecking respond to that starter you made me when i get the chance, im looking forward to infinite & sonic just. talking and sassing eachother probably. i really like your writing style too!!! and your icons are absolutely gorgeous ok. alright, that is all.

@flyinginfreedom

uhhhhhhh hello i love your rouge so much ???? she’s literally so cool... you capture her aesthetic and over all mysterious yet cunning vibe perfectly and it’s just always a pleasure to see her on my dash. i loved her interactions with sonic during eph’s roadtrip event so much. your headcanons just feel so her and spot on, and you still manage to add so much depth and personality to her i just love it so much. i love your blog’s aesthetic down to the icons, and even the way you format your threads. over all just a stellar rouge blog and a really cool & chill mun!!

@rosehammcr @antihedgehog

hi rosie uhm i love your amy so much ok. she’s such a sweet heart, i love how you incorporate her tarot cards ?? it’s literally so cool... and the accuracy on those readings is shocking. she’s just such a sweet heart god i’m getting emo thinking abt her tbh like amy is !! one of my fave characters and !! you write her so well !! and your eggman too, god he’s incredible. i love how sinister yet goofy he can be he’s just a perfect combination of intimidating and silly. your takes on orbot and cubot also bring a smile to my face and i love how you incorporate them into your interactions!! you also just seem like a rlly rad person and i’d love to interact more !! yeah !

@a-wind-of-freedom

yuniiiiiiIII !!  you’re such a sweet heart and your sonic is too. i’ve never seen someone play sonic the way you do before and it’s certainly interesting and unique !! you’ve got so many neat an thought out verses and AUs too, theyre all really intriguing !  our interactions with our sonics are always rlly blessed tbh starlight is just precious. i always appreciate getting to work with you as well for commission stuff, you’ve really been helping me out in that regard. plus you give me something artistic to work on and the chance to push my talents ! ;-; all in all you’re just a really sweet person and have a kind aura about you ! ;;

@champiionic

clears throat. hi yes you’ve been one of my fave sonics since day one. you’re just so creative with your muse its honestly impressive how many things you’ve able to come up with for sonic. from the portrayal you bring to the table down to your muse aesthetic its always just spot on you’ve got the blue speedster’s whole vibe down to a T. and your writing is just ? kisses my fingers. beautiful. your sonic is just so dang authentic, seeing him on my dash is always a pleasant sight. and i know this post is namely about sonic rpc muns & muses but i already love bubbles and blossom. i used to watch powerpuff girls when i was rlly little so its a real nostalgia trip to see them on my dashboard.

@hcpebloom @rcsebloom

bunny !! ur heckin sweet.. i love ur amy so much HSDFHDJ she’s just so soft. and unique too!! your headcanons for her are just so cute and make her stand out in her own way and i just appreciate that yo. and i admittedly don’t know a whole lot about cosmo since i havent really watched that far into sonic x but you’ve certainly got my attention with her. we just gotta interact more man ur muses are so precious !! ;_; 

@fortruechaos 

you !! your shadow is so good dude ! your portrayal of him is just so hecking accurate,, i highly appreciate how noble you write him to be. he’s serious, he’s prickly, but he’s got the world’s best interest at heart and it makes my heart do the fluttery thing. your writing is so good too gosh. no to mention youre just so hecking nice ??? youre just overall a rlly sweet mun & i appreciate your presence here in the rpc

@glittcrngcld @livelifc

hey fretcher ? ily. your muses are just so good from your canon characters to your ocs, i just love them sm?? and your ART? i swoon every time i see your doodles on my dash i’m still not over those doodles of lilly and azure ;-; not to mention your edits are scarily good like shit dude teach me your ways. your takes on your muses are awesome man i love ur sonic he’s such a MEME. and elise !!! she makes me so emo god. thank u for your blessed portrayals of these characters ! @elektrisch-felidae​

YOU. precious is just, precious?? HAH. i love her, she’s so cool tbh. she’s so chill and laid back and seems like the kinda cool cat sonic can totally vibe with. you yourself are also rlly chill and fun to interact with--- even if we haven’t much so far. its no secret i just love sonic ocs so much and precious is just awesome. i love the idea of electricity powers. absolutely need to have sonic hang with her more ;;

@coldheartbeauty 

SPEAKING of cool cats with cool powers, i love raven. her sass is just super entertaining to see on the dashboard tbh. i have to see her and sonic get into a sass off one of these days. her powers are also really cool too ? she reminds me of blaze in a sense, but just completely different in her own right. i also just hella love your art style its so cute, your doodles are always adorable to see!! 

INHALES. ok. im done. if i missed anyone i am so sorry i ran out of steam. thank you all so much for making this rpc such an entertaining, dynamic, and creative place to be !!! 

[calleo-bricriu]

Gotta be honest: I dislike that "OC Struggles in the RPC" post that occasionally hits my dash.

This one, right here.

In short, because it comes off very, "If you won't RP with my OC you're an elitist dick" even though I'm certain that wasn't the OP's intent.

But, as someone who has been writing the same Harry Potter OC (this one, right here) since 2001 and has played dozens of OCs in MMO settings, D&D, etc...starting from about 1988 on through now, let me just address the post point by point.

1. "That soul crushing feeling when you see 'no OCs' in someone's rules."

That's a you problem.

Nobody is obliged to write with you.

Perhaps that person has had numerous poor experiences with OC players in the past and just wants to avoid it happening entirely.

Perhaps they find it difficult to find ways to interact with OCs.

Perhaps they simply don't care for OCs when there are dozens of canon characters, including characters that are so minor that they might as well be a skeleton outline of a character.

None of those are invalid reasons and none of those are personal insults toward your OC or your writing; grow up and move on.

2. "Constantly having to dumb down your canon"

Look, if you're finding multiple people over multiple fandoms are telling you that your OC is too overpowered--just to cram it all into one word--you do need to stop and consider if they may be right and, if they are, if you care enough to change it.

There have been times I've looked at criticism I've had on Calleo and decided, "Yeah, they're right, that is a bit much" and other times when I've decided that yes, they are correct, but I don't care because I'm having fun as are the people I write with, and times where I've just plain disagreed.

It's also possible that your OC just isn't a good fit for whatever person is telling you that, and that's nobody's fault; not everybody likes the same things.

3. "Adjusting to adapted canons"

Literally nobody is forcing you to do this.

Everyone makes concessions now and again so things mesh with the group, that's part of what roleplaying is: A group activity.

If you feel as though you shouldn't have to adjust to someone else's adapted canon the problem is on your end and you're clearly not a good fit for the other player so maybe look elsewhere.

4. "The amount of your own canon and lore you have to sacrifice to do that."

Again, nobody is forcing you to do so.

This comes up a lot with people whose OCs are related to major canon characters and some of it is a big reason why it's generally recommended to not try and write those outside of established games.

In established games, the other players know this aspect of your character and, since you're part of the game, have implicitly agreed to go along with it.

For independent blogs, it does take longer to find regular RP partners because by having a backstory like that, it can feel like you're trying to force your, let's call it, adapted canon, onto canon and not everyone is going be on board with that idea or, at the very least, are implying that anyone who writes with you has to go along with it.

Again, that is not their fault and it doesn't mean you can't write an OC like that but you do need to be aware that if you choose to have something like that in your character's background, it's going to make it more difficult to find regular canon RP partners and that fact is entirely your fault, not the people who RP canon characters.

Same applies for those times when your OC has multiple rare abilities; the abilities might be canon but, sticking with Harry Potter as it's the main fandom I play in, if your character is a genius at everything, has the Standard Abusive Upbringing, is a metamorphamagus, is an animagus (usually unregistered and mastered by age 12 or so), is part-something-not-human, is a "transfer student to Hogwarts", is a major canon character's until now unknown sibling/cousin/best childhood friend, can cast all sorts of difficult magic before they even hit school because they're just that smart, is an orphan, and can sass Voldemort to his face without consequences--people aren't really going to want to write with you for several reasons.

- It looks like you haven't fleshed the character out well and are just throwing a pot of tropes at the wall to see what sticks.

- Writing with characters like that always feels like a dick measuring contest and if you dare try to hint that the OC might not be better at or just as good at something as a canon character, the most typical response is for the OC's player to get mad and tell you you're being elitist or bullying them.

5. "When you mention wanting to write a canon, people that have never shown any real interest in your OC jump out of the woodwork to encourage you to do it."

Yeah, there's no polite way to say this: If this is what happens to you, it generally means your OC is poorly thought out and can only hit one note (i.e. YOU only show interest in writing certain things; angst, shippy threads, etc...but never want to branch out to anything else) in your writing. That gets boring after awhile.

In short, your OC is probably a little boring and a little two dimensional and the reason your friends are encouraging you to write a canon is because they don't want to tell you that and know that a canon will be more interesting on virtue of you not having to make up all the source material the way you  have to do with an OC.

6. "When you do it, that canon gets more attention than your OC ever did."

See #5. Your OC was probably a kinda dull one trick pony and your friends were trying to be nice about it.

7. "The alternative of that: When your first character was canon and you transition to writing an OC, people suddenly disappear."

See #5. Your OC was probably a kinda dull one trick pony in comparison to the canon character you were writing, and your friends were trying to be nice about it.

8. "Fandom OCs that outgrow their fandoms and muns tha tfeel they have nowhere to put them."

That's lack of creativity on your part, not an "OC struggle".

This character of mine has had fragments of his personalty spawn off into roughly thirty or so different characters across multiple fandoms. On occasion, I've directly ported him into another fandom, just changing the Harry Potter specific things into things that fit the new fandom.

9. "Endlessly worrying if your character is too sue-ish, even after x-amount of years."

Stop caring.

Seriously, stop caring.

Caring about that usually ends up making you kind of less than fun to write with on an OOC level and on an IC level most people take it too far in the other extreme and end up with a character that's about as engaging as wet cardboard.

Not to mention, no matter what you do, there are always going to be people who will think your OC is "too sue-ish" no matter what, simply because they're an OC.

Focus more on people who are interested in your OC and not on the people who don't like your OC (and block them if you have to). You'll have a lot less stress and a lot more fun that way.

If you can't stop caring due to anxiety, get to a therapist and get on meds or--stop roleplaying until you get your house in order. If you get that stressed over roleplaying, it's not worth your mental health to continue; just go write fanfic.

10-13. All the stuff about female OCs being held to higher standards than male OCs.

This, unfortunately, is true. It's extra true if you're a female OC that gets into any sort of relationship, platonic or otherwise, with a canon character.

It's a pretty across all fandoms thing too, and it's definitely unfair.

I know 100% that if Calleo were a female OC, he would not have even a fraction of the interactions and threads that I have with him; people would think he's bitchy, stuck up, and annoying as all hell--and he is, but he's a guy, so it somehow funny and endearing I guess.

I think he’s often bitchy, stuck up, and annoying as all hell and I’ve been writing him for close to 20 years now.

He'd also probably be written off as some kind of slut because I've always written him as being in open relationships and often having multiple open relationships going at one time.

14. "People assuming simple, stupid things"

Yeah, that's not OC specific. Not even close. It's good form to always read someone's about and rules page, even if it's a canon character, because nobody plays even canon characters exactly the same.

15. "Feeling like you have to jump through hoops to keep up with everyone else and keep your character fresh and interesting so people don't lose interest."

Again, this is not an OC specific thing. Canon, unless a series is ongoing, is pretty finite, and anyone writing any character has to keep their character fresh and interesting and not just write variants of the same thing over and over or people will get bored of them as well.

A pretty good litmus test here is to look at it and see if it's just one or two people who lost interest or if it was a whole lot of them.

If it was just one or two people, that sucks, but it happens. We've all been dropped at some point.

If it's a LOT of people, it's time to take a close look at your OC and what you're writing to make sure you haven't just turned into--well, the literary equivalent of wet cardboard.

16. "Canon blogs that shit on OCs--you realize you were OCs too right? What would the original writer of your canon think?"

Well, if it's Anne Rice, she'll probably think to send a cease & desist.

That joke aside, be glad they do; it's a big red flag to avoid them as they're likely overall unpleasant people even if their writing is good. It also saves you from wasting your time trying to interact/write with them.

Remember that part about not focusing on the people who aren't interested in writing with you? Go read it again.

17. "No seriously, it can be so discouraging writing an OC. How many ideas are you killing by snubbing OCs? The future of creative media is in our hands."

Miss me with this emotionally manipulative bullshit.

Nobody is obliged to write with you and nobody is obliged to like your OC.

If a canon blog rejecting your OC is enough to kill your ideas, that's your problem, not the canon blog writer's problem.

If you can't find someone to RP your ideas with you and you really like those ideas, I'd suggest writing fanfic.

If you really want to RP those ideas, you'll either have to keep looking until you find someone who also wants to RP those ideas, or you'll have to be willing to do some compromising to make those ideas work in a way that other players will find interesting.

If your OC always has to be center stage and the best at everything, or you only want to write ship threads, or you only want to do angst, or your OC is always being injured, nearly killed, in emotional distress, etc...all the damn time, that gets boring for everyone else really quickly.

That's a you problem, not an other writers problem.

18. "Has someone stolen my canon?"

Look, if the stuff further up on this list is an issue for you, I guarantee you nobody has stolen your canon.

In general, nobody will steal your canon; there are not infinite numbers of ideas and tropes are very common both in canon canon and for OCs.

Unless someone straight up lifted everything about your character and just changed the name and whatever face claim you're using, there's about a 0 % chance they stole your ideas.

19. "Is my canon too similar to someone else's?"

See the bit in #18 about common tropes; given that, probably.

The bigger question is does it bother you enough to rework your OC? If it doesn't, stop caring.

If it does, get to work reworking your OC.

20. "Do they think I stole their canon?"

Have they said something? Do you have overlapping RP circles? No? Then they probably don't know you exist, let alone think you've stolen from them.

21. "And what do you do when somebody does steal your canon? It can be so hard to prove and it's so easy for it to be dismissed."

If it's hard to prove, it's too generic to have been stolen unless they just did a direct copy paste.

22. "Having your OC written off because of the face claim choice - that face is constantly typecast, nobody takes it seriously, they've been overplayed and ruined."

The only people I've had, 7 years of Tumblr RP, give two fucks about face claims are:

- Control freak admins of organized games that usually fall apart within 6 months due to drama typically caused by the control freak admins. I actually had one game have the admins get angry at me because I wouldn't stop doing cosplay for Calleo's pictures and just pick a celebrity.

Bullet dodged there.

- People who are also just generally unpleasant OOC; if a face claim alone is enough to make someone not want to RP with you (and it's not a case where the person whose face it actually is has been clear about them being uncomfortable with people using their pictures in that manner), that's a red flag that that person, if you somehow still want to write with them after seeing that, will likely be incredibly, bizarrely dramatic in all the wrong ways.

Sure, some of them are fine and they just have a hard time picturing an OC who also looks uncannily like Taylor Swift, but people who have things in their rules about refusing to write with people who use certain icons should be taken as either a red flag or a, "Well, I dodged a bullet here."

Also, in case nobody has told you this: Icons are not necessary for RP. They often add absolutely nothing to the post or thread that isn’t just as easily accomplished by using words. There’s nothing wrong with using icons but, you know, run far, far away from people who require that you use them.

Maybe instead of getting into the mindset that nobody wants to write with your OC because they’re an OC, take a look at your OC, ask people to give you honest and constructive feedback about the character (even if they tell you things you might not want to hear), consider working on your OOC personality as the victim mentality or using emotional manipulation about ~*~*how hard~*~* it is to write an OC to try and guilt people into writing with you is incredibly off putting on every level.

The more someone whines and complains about how nobody wants to write with them, honestly, the less interested I become in writing with them.

You also have to put some effort in, and that includes answering submitted memes or people who write you starters (or like an open starter call from you); if you fail to do that more often than not (and no, ‘low/no muse’ is not an excuse when you use it all the time, especially when you clearly have muse and are responding to whatever Themed Thing--usually angst or shipping--you get but ignore anything else or take ages to reply to anything else), the people sending those things in will assume you’re just not interested in writing with them and will stop trying.

And, bottom line?

If even you can’t sell your OC as being interesting and write off lack of interest from others as Unfairness Toward OCs, why should anyone else be interested?

If you have an OC that’s legitimately interesting, engaging, and not based around generally disliked tropes (across fandoms those are usually related to a canon character, multiple rare abilities, the OC being able to somehow always ignore or overtly go against social norms and suffer exactly zero consequences--or worse--be adored and admired for it by everyone, and Not From Around Here, in that order), and aren’t unpleasant OOC, people will want to write with you.

If you don’t, well, that’s your problem, and no amount of posting about how hard OCs have it will make people interested.

[bagelswrites]

Hello :) I'm curious : what are your favorite broships in BTS ?

Well this is just a MEAN question, now isn’t it? Next, you’re going to ask me which of my children* is my favorite, aren’t you? 

*siiiiiiiigh*

Every pairing in Bangtan is just fucking phenomenal and has mountains of evidence to back it up. It’s one of the great things about Bangtan. So while there are some I gravitate toward more than others, I love them All, and all for very different reasons. SO! Instead of answering the question you actually asked (because I am a rebel and easily distracted) I’m just going to tell you what I love about every pairing. Buckle up! (This is going to be a long one)

Going in age order because it’s just easier this way.

Yoonjin - The old dude roommates! Yoongi completely buys into Jin’s dad jokes and Jin puts Yoongi in his place. Their dynamic is so close to equal, but with this nice push and pull of Yoongi technically being the dongsaeng but Jin respecting Yoongi’s music abilities and near-deputy-leader status in the group. I mean, they push their beds together to watch movies. They’re the quiet bros who somehow manage to annoy the maknae line and I love it.

2seok - The world needs so much more 2seok in it. The way Hobi teaches Jin dance? The way Jin watches out for Hobi? The laughter between the two of them (anyone remember beat boxing in LA?) is so much fun. They also probably have secret meetings where they plot the best ways to embarrass the rest of the group at any given moment. They’re the goofy and underestimated bros who support one another.

Namjin - Listen. Namjin are married. Whether it’s platonic or romantic or simply comedic, they are bonded for life and I love it so much. Jin is Joon’s safe place. He seeks him out in stressful situations or in interviews, gravitating toward him like a moon around a planet. And Jin is just so fucking PROUD of Namjoon and supports his leadership. Joon said in his vlive this weekend that Jin’s twitter selfie gave him joy all day! They’re the parent bros who would still spend most of their spare time together even if there were no kids to take care of.

Jinmin - THESE TWO. How they manage to be gentle and savage at the same time, I have no idea. But God it’s fun to watch. Jimin laughs at every single one of Seokjin’s dad jokes. Jin DELIGHTS in making Jimin laugh. Jin enjoys feeding Jimin during Eat Jin and Jimin is so very happy to be there. The amount of Jinmin on the Wings Tour is actually kind of amazing – seems like Jimin is backstage during Awake every single night and I love it. They’re the Sass Bros who will likely try to feed you within an inch of your life.

Taejin - This is possibly the MOST hyung/dongsaeng relationship within the Jin pairings, amazingly enough. He’s still the hyung to all the others, but I see him treating Tae as his little brother maybe the most of the others. There’s lots of hair petting and chin scritching and back hugs. Then again, it’s probably a 50/50 split on who initiates those first. And Taehyung is ALWAYS coming to Seokjin’s defense, especially over the teasing of the other members, just like a good little brother. They also have like ZERO boundaries with each other – showering together, accidental kissing onstage, wiping frosting off Jin’s face and eating it right there on camera. They’re the overly affectionate actor bros who cannot take themselves too seriously.

Jinkook - My love for Jinkook goes back to predebut, when Kookie almost quit because he was so homesick and Jin made sure he felt loved and cared for. And now Seokjin screams at him “I raised you on my BACK” which is delightful. They also seem like they would prank the members together, given the opportunity (I’m thinking of the Eat Jin where Jin was screaming and Joon came in all worried and they both played dumb without even rehearsing it). Jungkook is Jin’s baby in a different way than the hyung/dongsaeng thing Jin’s got with Tae, but Kookie kind of babies him right back (and Jin is possibly at his silliest and “youngest” around Kook). They’re the snuggle bros who probably shouldn’t be left unsupervised.

Yoonseok - Okay. You know how I said I didn’t have favorites? Well, if I DID, it would be this one. Hoseok is afraid of nearly everything and whenever he’s scared, he goes straight to Yoongi. And Yoongi is never anything but patient and kind about it – and possibly the most tactile he ever is with anyone in those moments. He LIKES being this outlet for Hobi and never fails to pump him up before he has to do something scary. Their Sope stuff is just so funny and silly and amazing. Hoseok brings out the most joyous part of Yoongi, and Yoongi allows Hoseok to be himself. They’re the rapper bros who probably spend more time in the studio giggling together than actually getting work done. 

Sugamon - These two have been through some SHIT together and made it to the other side, bonded by fire. They know each other’s darkness and wounded places better than anyone else, but it’s only made them kinder and more gentle with one another. The way the interact on stage when one of them is rapping? Ooph. They support each other so well. I imagine their creative styles don’t always mesh, but they have worked so hard to find middle ground. Yoongi’s quiet caretaking and Namjoon’s propensity to get trapped in his own head are a perfect match sometimes. They’re the musical artist bros who will always have each other’s backs.

Yoonmin - “You know.” “I know.” UGH. These two are my bias and bias wrecker, so it’s only reasonable that I love this pairing. Plus, the sunshine/grump dynamic is always fun. Jimin can get away with shit that no other dongsaeng would even attempt. Yoongi is so whipped for him, I cannot believe it. They look out for one another in very specific ways. They’re the perfectionist bros who pull each other back from the brink at just the right moment. 

Taegi - Taehyung seeks Yoongi’s approval more than the other hyungs. Yoongi finds Taehyung charming and infuriating in equal measure. It’s more sunshine/grump dynamic, but it’s different. I have a feeling that, in the early days, Tae kind of exhausted Yoongi. But you can also see a deep bond and a fuckton of affection between the two of them. In group things where Tae is being ridiculous, you can almost always find Yoongi in the back with a hand over his own mouth or his lips pressed tight, trying not to lose it over how adorable Tae is. They’re the Daegu bros who’ve found the same rhythm.

Sugakookie - I think Yoongi is kind of stunned by Kookie and his abilities – he’s always one to unabashedly appreciate talent. And Kook, well, sometimes when he looks at Yoongi, I get the strangest vision of a toddler wearing a toolbelt so he can build stuff just like his dad. Their adorable recurring bit about the lamb skewers is sweet and brotherly and I love it. They’re the “sleep is for the weak, sleep is for a week” bros who probably need someone else to tell them both when to quit. 

Namseok - There is not enough Namseok in this world either (there’s not enough HOSEOK in this world, let alone Hoseok paired with another hyung, but that’s a different too-long post). Namjoon wants nothing more than to shove Hoseok into the spotlight where he belongs (they way he hyped Hobi’s intro and 1Verse and a million other things? My heart). And Hoseok may be a moodmaker with everyone, but he’s especially attuned to Namjoon’s mood – he can bring a gentle peace to Joon in the most turbulent times (I cannot stop thinking of them on Navy Pier in Chicago on Now 3, just a week after the threat in NYC). I think that Namjoon might be Hoseok’s quiet place, and Hoseok is a special kind of comfort to Joon.  They’re the 94 liner bros who need each other like air.

Jihope - We probably have the most “candid” footage of these two, both in volume and in actual honesty. They are always playing around with cameras together. Their friendship is easy and fun and incredibly supportive. They pester each other so much and cannot keep their hands to themselves. They help each other burn off excess energy backstage. They’re probably the most likely to take a joke too far but also the fastest to forgive each other. They’re the empath bros who help one another recharge. 

Vhope - The silliness between these two. Hobi indulges all of Tae’s random thoughts and Tae is more than happy to play with Hoseok when the mood strikes him. I’ve always said that in the Bangtan Family where Jin is the mom, Joon is the Dad, and Yoongi is the uncle/grandpa, that Hoseok is the noona who takes care of the kids when the actual adults are too tired. This is never more apparent than with Vhope. Jimin is the mom of the maknae line and Kook often refuses to be mothered (except by Jin and usually only on his terms), so Tae is the best and most willing outlet for Hobi’s cheek-pinching form of nurturing. They’re the skinship bros who have to be told a million times a day to calm down and shut up and they don’t actually care at all. 

Junghope - There’s something so comfortable and natural about these two together. They dance hard and play hard and aren’t afraid to ask each other for what they need. I especially think of the Bomb where Hoseok asks Kookie to pet his hair to help him sleep (which Kook indulges with a soft smile) and the episode of Bon Voyage where koala’s the hell out of him and plays with HIS hair. They’re more… equal(?) than any other pairing between the hung line and the maknae line, despite the age gap. It’s almost like age doesn’t matter to them. They’re the dance bros who can calm each other with just one touch.

Minjoon - Another not-picking-favorites favorite. Jimin looks at Namjoon like he hung he moon and Namjoon looks at Jimin like he IS the moon. If Jin is Joon’s Safe Place, then Jimin is his Home Base. He just melts whenever Jimin is involved. On the flipside, Jimin needs to be needed and Joon is able to drop the leader mantle and need Jimin *outloud.* In fact, I think there are times that Joon thinks he’s taking care of Jimin and Jimin is only letting him believe that because he knows Namjoon needed someone to take care of right then. They’re the over-thinker bros who always put the other first and, in so doing, manage to heal themselves.

Vmon - I would really like to know Tae’s IQ because I think it has to be nearly as high as Joon’s. Or maybe his intelligence and pattern-finding and out-of-the-box thinking can’t be measured in the same way. But no matter, these boys are both geniuses and their artistic interests follow the same unconventional path. They probably have really interesting conversations about the most random shit. Plus, Joon finds Taehyung stinking adorable and Taehyung wants to impress him all the time. They’re the artsy fashion bros who probably believe they care about the other more than is reciprocated because they both believe they’re simultaneously too much and no enough. 

Kookiemonster - Oh man, this relationship is defined by hero worship amped to eleven. But the funny thing is, it kiiiiind of flows both ways. I think Namjoon is just as impressed with Kook as Yoongi is. And, although he’d probably never admit it out loud, Joon positively thrives on the attention Kook gives him. And Jungkook wants nothing more than Namjoon’s attention. He chose BigHit out of all the other agencies scouting him BECAUSE OF Namjoon. But Nams is ceaselessly impressed by all the things that Jungkook can do and how hard he works and lets him know it. They’re the hero bros who make some of the best collabs.

Vmin - They’re two halves of the same whole, destined to be each other’s Person. They’re best friends and partners in crime and always game for whatever scheme the other has and unafraid to talk about the important and the mundane and everything in between. They’re the soulmate bros who will live next door to one another long after Bangtan and raise their kids side-by-side and turn into grumpy old men together, mark my words.

Jikook - Listen. I have many many things to say about Jikook and I’ve said most of them before. But in addition to those things, Jungkook looks startlingly similar to Jimin’s actual little brother and if you don’t think that impacts their dynamic, then you’re crazy. The push-pull between them that so many people interpret wrongly (and abusively more often than not) is mostly due to Jimin’s instinct to baby him and Jungkook’s desperate desire to prove himself. But their brotherhood bond is STRONG and irrefutable. They’re the peacock and bunny bros who laugh their way through very real and very useful competition.

Taekook - I cannot think of a better description than littermates. They are both PUPPIES with boundless energy and enthusiasm who love each other simply because they’re brothers and why WOULDN’T THEY? They’re the video-game playing, anime-watching, snack-time-turned-wrestling-match kind of friends and it’s simple and pure and occasionally violent but don’t for one second mistake that for shallow or temporary. They’re the bro-iest bros that ever bro-ed.

OH! And listen. I do not ever participate in ship wars (who the fuck even has TIME for that?), but there is one ship-related fight I’m always ready to have and it’s about SHIP NAMES. My god, people. It’s not Yoonkook. You have the opportunity (and fandom support) for the name SUGAKOOKIE and you choose Yoonkook? That’s not how this works. That’s not how any of this works. The only ones I might be able to bend on are Sope and Sin, but even then… Boys, you were too late to that party and the names have already been decided by ARMY. Sorry. Taekook know what’s up, though. 

———

*I don’t technically have kids, but that’s really only a matter of biology and not affection because I’m a spare parent to two amazing and wonderful kiddos and I’m also an auntie-ish thing to about nine more (plus an actual biological auntie to two MORE), so I think the comment still stands. And I totally don’t pick favorites. Never. Not once. Not even on the days involving poop and tantrums. Nope. Never happened. And you can’t prove that it did.

[coach-jellybean]

Flames, Dames, and Rainbows

I feel so alive surrounded by flames.  It was that slow, pulsing, steady pain; the absence of flames in my life.  What is it about our spirits that mesh so well?  I do not know.  I love the way they gently toss their heads to the side, dropping their eyelids slowly—maternally.  I love the sass that pulls their S’s, puckered lips and raised eyebrows.  I love the carefully coordinated outfits, the clean manscapes, and cologne that carries that perfect balance of sweet and masculine.  I love the puns and the creative ways about… everything.  “Let me know when you get here, I said.”  “I’m queer!” he texted, when he arrived at our meeting spot.  We stood in front of a Thanksgiving meal set for friends, it was our habit to bless the food.  He smiled coyly, and said “In the name of Brittany, Madonna, Mariah and Cher…”   They are truly blessings.

Sometimes slow, pulsing, and steady pains have their way of becoming forgotten, and the numbness becomes norm.  When my flames moved away, my LGBTQ family kind of dissipated with the absence, and I just accepted that others already had their families and I wouldn’t find my way into another.  I can’t quite say I’m there, but through Sanchez, through LGBTQ Club, through GALA, and my summer job too—I’m surrounded by rainbow, and I’m so thankful to be surrounded by a community I’ve been missing, and a kind of love that I’ve been yearning for.  

Happy Pride Guahan <3

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Getting To Know...

Nonô.

London-based Brazil native Nonô dropped her brand new single ‘No Drama’ last week. On this hot new offering, the young talent serves her signature lyrical sass and knack for a catchy beat over the warm, rhythmic production. It tells the story of a relationship, where the one partner weighs on the other, courting conflict - and that these gender stereotypes of being ‘too much’ can work both ways.

We had a chat with the singer about ‘No Drama’, her influences, songwriting process and more. Read the Q&A below.

How are you? How have you been coping with the COVID-19 lockdown?

"I’m good! I’m very privileged and grateful to have been able to have spent the whole lockdown at home plus working on my career. I focused a lot on trying to learn new skills and also taking some time to breathe - it’s crazy how we can forget how to take a pause sometimes."

You've just released your new single 'No Drama'. What's the story behind the song?

"I wrote 'No Drama' about a relationship I had that didn’t work out. The whole relationship became very overwhelming and he was always so dramatic about everything that I would or wouldn’t do - so I wrote a song about it. Plus in the mainstream media, women are usually portrayed as overly attached and dramatic and I wanted to show that isn’t always the case and it happens in both sexes."

Who/what has the biggest influence on your sound?

"I believe everything and everyone has a big influence on my sound, I’ve been listening a lot to Kojey Radical, Rosalia, SG Lewis and Tayla Parx though so I think my latest lyrics and melodies have been influenced by these amazing artists."

What’s your songwriting/creative process?

"My creative process is: after hearing a beat or an instrument, I record a few melody ideas on my phone and then when I hear back, some of the mumbly melodies actually sound like words haha so from then I just mesh the words with whatever I want to talk about."

Are you working on anything at the moment? And what are your plans once lockdown has been lifted?

"I’ve been doing some sessions during quarantine but right now I’m more focused on planning the next steps for my next singles! Oh man, I actually can’t wait to go to pubs and restaurants again - I’m so tired of my own cooking, even my family is asking me to retire my “chef” apron hahaha plus, going back in the studio and meeting some awesome people."

nonoofficial · NONÔ -- No Drama

‘No Drama’ is out now.