#top 5 best programming languages

[dedalvs]

Fiat Lingua Top 10 for 2024

It's time for the annual Fiat Lingua rewind!

Background: I created Fiat Lingua over ten years ago with the idea that it could be something like the Rutgers Optimality Archive: A place where conlangers could post work that they wanted to showcase, or work that was in progress. We've had tons of contributions over the years, and some standout work I'm really proud of.

Using our fancy statistics program (you know, the free version) we're able to determine the top 10 visited posts for this year (though, note, the numbers for the current year's December post will always be down a little bit, since it didn't have a full month. If you'd like to take a look at it, Carl Buck created a new workable orthography for Klingon from the original!). Here they are!

NUMBER 10

We have a tie...

"A Naming Language" (November, 2016) by Jeffrey Henning: A fantastic (and short!) essay about how to create a conlang sketch (or naming language) specifically aimed at authors. The author, Jeffrey Henning, was the most important person in conlanging from the 90s through the mid-2000s before his seminal website, Langmaker.com, died.

"Down with Morphemes: The Pitfalls of Concatenative Morphology" (March, 2014) by David J. Peterson: Honestly, I'm touched. And baffled. Why this paper, published ten years ago which hasn't touched the top ten the past two years, is suddenly on it is absolutely beyond me.

NUMBER 9

"Afrihili: An African Interlanguage" (April, 2014) by William S. Annis: Afrihili is an a posteriori auxlang from the late 60s that uses Bantu languages as its source. If you haven't read about it, you must. This article took sixth place the past two years, but this year dropped to ninth!

NUMBER 8

"Tone for Conlangers: A Basic Introduction" (April, 2018) by Aidan Aannestad: This is the third time this article has been in the top 10, but it slipped one place to number 8. Conlangers continue to find this introduction to tone quite valuable.

NUMBER 7

"Names Aren’t Neutral: David J. Peterson on Creating a Fantasy Language" (March, 2019) by David J. Peterson: Down two spots from last year, this is my article on best practices when coming up with names in a fantasy setting—even when no conlang is present.

NUMBER 6

"Introduction, A Note on the Terminology and Linguistic Methodology of This Paper, and Section I" (February, 2012) by Madeline Palmer: So...this came out of nowhere. This was an early series that helped me avoid having to do a bunch of work for Fiat Lingua in the early years. I was grateful for the runway! I have no idea why, after more than ten years, the dragon language Srínawésin is now getting attention after getting next to none in the past, but…it's getting attention—in a big way. Anyone know why?

NUMBER 5

"Patterns of Allophony" (April, 2015) by William S. Annis: Definitely one of the most popular papers on Fiat Lingua, William illustrates graphically a number of very common sound changes. This article has been at #3 the past two years but tumbled two spots this year to #5.

NUMBER 4

"Hieroglyphs of Fneise" (April, 2024) by Jason Lynn: New to Fiat Lingua this year and new to the top ten, everyone loved this new article about the hieroglyphs of Fneise, created by Jason Lynn, friend of LangTime Studio!

NUMBER 3

"A Conlang-Venture: A Select-A-Feature Adventure" (January, 2024) by Jessie Peterson: This MAMMOTH .pdf is honestly one of the greatest conlang achievements ever. Clocking in at over 700 pages, Jessie created a hyperlinked choose-your-own-adventure demonstration of how to evolve a naturalistic conlang. This document is nothing short of amazing.

NUMBER 2

"Grambank & Language Documentation: Zhwadi and Its Features" (June, 2023) by Jessie Peterson: Even her massive conlang-venture .pdf couldn't top her incredible resource from last year. This is a short description of how to use Grambank in conlanging with a link to a fillable Google spreadsheet any conlanger can copy and use to introduce their conlang to others. Last year this made #4 on the list, and this year it jumped two spots!

And now for the top viewed article for 2024 on Fiat Lingua...

NUMBER 1

"A Conlanger's Thesaurus" (September, 2014) by William S. Annis: The king is back! Last year my article on how to create a surreal conlang took the top spot. This year? Not even in the top THIRTY! It's like it was wiped off the face of the internet! Whether it's top spot or not, though, William Annis's resource on how to create unique words with unique interrelationships and associations has proved useful to conlangers of all stripes. As a reference work, it is unparalleled in terms of usefulness modulo brevity.

* * * * *

And that's it for 2024! I'm looking forward to posting more conlang articles next year. If you are a conlanger, a conlang-researcher, or conlang fan who has something to say in .pdf format about a specific conlang or conlanging in general, please consider submitting something to Fiat Lingua! We take any and all articles related to conlanging in whatever form you have them. I'm also happy to help you think up ideas, or refine those ideas you have. There is no strong review like in a fancy journal: I just want to get what you have up. I'm especially in interested in hosting personal conlang stories—stories about how or why you started to create a language, or your experience creating your own language—personal stories that are often lost, but are so vital, as there is an absolute dearth of literature about conlangers! If you think you have even the seed of an idea, please get a hold of me! I want to share as many stories and ideas as I can.

[481mclarg]

Scared to love you | AL65

★ I've never been good at telling people how I feel, but you make me want to try.

STLY       •       FANFIC + SMAU.

    • Arthur Leclerc x Male!Oc driver

« K » This is my very first smau/ff on here & my very, very first work on ENG. I was trying to write a MV33 AU, but clearly things happened

Warnings: homophobia, sexual content & mention of sex, absent parents. (basically, shitty childhood). !! English is not my first lenguaje. I'm trying my best.

★          introduction. | one. | two. | three. | four. | five. | six. | seven. | eight. | nine. | ten. | eleven. | twelve. | thirteen. | fourteen. | fifteen. | sixteen. |

Deaken Bluman as... Matteo Lombardi.

📱matteolombardi

LOLO . . . 22yo : 5 de February '02. aquarius.

🇮🇹📍sicilian boy, english-italian driver ; 🐎 Ferrari Academy ; 🏎🏁Prema Powerteam.

 ┈─ Just stay with me. Lean on me today. In my warm arms, take a break. I want you to. ─┈

Arthur Leclerc as... Arthur Leclerc.

📱arthurleclerc

LELEC . . . 24yo : 14 de October '00. libra.

🇲🇨🧾 monegasque ("french") driver ; 🐎 Ferrari Academy ; 🏎🏁 Prema Powerteam.

          STLY     •                                     Introduction.

[ 💻 ] Google News. 2020.

Matteo Lombardi joins the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Lombardi takes another step towards Formula 1. The British-Italian driver was selected by Maranello to join the Ferrari Driver Academy.

FDA | Arthur Leclerc, Dino Beganovic, and Matteo Lombardi for the Scuderia’s young driver program.

Ferrari Driver Academy is pleased to announce three new talents joining the group of students in the company's driver training program. These are Arthur Leclerc, Dino Beganovic, and Matteo Lombardi, three young drivers who demonstrated during 2019 that they have the qualities to participate in the Scuderia training school.

   

   

[ 💻 ] Google News. 2021.

F3 | Prema Powerteam announce 2021 line-up.

The Prema Powerteam will feature Dennis Hauger, Arthur Leclerc, and Matteo Lombardi.

  

  

[ 💻 ] Google News. 2023.

BREAKING. Matteo Lombardi to race for Ferrari in 2024.

  

   

[ 💻 ] Google News. 2024.

Scuderia Ferrari HP: @/Charles_leclerc and @/arthur_leclerc7 will be taking part in Friday's FP1 session as team-mates. You won't want to miss this 🤩

  

 

          It's finally happening. «We made it.» He thought, as he went back to bed, hiding under all his blankets.

  

 

 

  

   

  

[ 🗺; 🇮🇹 ] Maranello.

          With Giancarlo Girotti as his trainer, Matteo had become one of the most feared and hated drivers on the karting grid. He was only eight years old, competing with other little kids but also many other older drivers. Age wasn't an impediment to having resentment towards the Italian.

          When the news of his joining the Ferrari Academy was published, none of the drivers who knew him could be surprised. If it wasn't Ferrari, it would be the academy of some other big team.

          Most still remember him as a little kid, shorter than the rest and who could barely manage a mix of Italian and English that only a few could understand. Neither his age, size, nor the language were an impediment for him to lead in more than one race, placing himself comfortably within the top positions of the championship.

          His professional career was successful from the beginning, but complicated. Money was a big problem for the teams, just as his isolation was for him.

          "He is a talented child, what the teams want" without friends, Matteo learned at an early age to hate the press. "Beginner's luck, right?"

          Luck? An innate talent? Talent would have been getting into a karting and winning races without training; lucky to win a championship that way. Spending months training from the morning to the night was not talent, or even luck. He hadn't spent years working hard on his training for them to classify his achievements as random, detracting from him.

          —Never give them the pleasure of seeing you angry, Pupo. —His coach told him, noticing on his face that feeling that was beginning to brew deep inside him. —That's what they want, for you to react, for you to lower yourself to their level. —With curious eyes, the dark-haired boy saw the gray-haired man next to him, listening to him attentively. —Are you going to stoop to their level? —

          —No. —he quickly denied. The old man almost let out a half smile.

          —Things are shown on the track, Pupo, and you have already proven to be better than him. Than all of them. —Matteo nodded. He had to be better than the others, show that it wasn't luck, that he tried harder than anyone there.

          He wanted to scream at them, to explode, but he knew it wouldn't be necessary. Hitting another driver wouldn't help, it wasn't good for him either. Beating them on the track would be more rewarding, when he can see them from the top step of the podium, smiling at the camera in interviews, posing with a brighter medal or a bigger trophy.

          He is better than them on the track. He had to be better, and he trained to be the best. He didn't need to talk in interviews, brag with words, if the results made it clear who is on top.

          —What do I have to say? —he asked his coach, knowing that he was next for the post-race interview.

          —You know what to say. —Simply, but it seemed to be enough for the boy, who nodded and start walking towards the journalist waiting for the champion of the race.

          «Last question, are you worried about any of your rivals?» The boy didn't have to think, before denying:

          —My only rival is myself. —

481MCLARG | 11 . 01 . 2025 | CORREGIDO.

[baddiewiththebook]

Over the Years | e.m x reader | p. 5

-> The origin story of Eddie Munson, and how he fell in love with the worst person he possibly could - his best friend.

-> eddie munson x you (she/her)

-> friends to lovers, slow burn, angst

-> warnings - strong language, suggestive themes, smut [18+]

a/n -> This chapter goes along with the next. As promised, the second part will come out within the hour of this one being posted.

-> <-

September 1982

“I hate boys.”

You let yourself into the Munson household by using the spare key "hidden" underneath the 'Welcome' mat on their front porch. It's become a little habit of yours to barge into their home.

Wayne sits on the couch with the television on far too loud for anyone with a normal hearing range. Unfortunately for him, Eddie has left him nearly deaf with all of that noise coming from his room. It would have been a quiet evening by himself with Eddie out at band practice, but Wayne should know better by now that you'll show up like you live here.

When you plop down next to Wayne, he doesn't hesitate to offer the plate of food he's just dished up for himself. He wrestles with his age to get off the couch, then walks through the kitchen to find a new plate.

“Thanks,” you chew through a dry biscuit. Wayne says he likes the outside crispy, but you’re sure that he will be down to nothing but gums when these rocks break his teeth off soon.

Wayne rounds the kitchen island with a brand new plate of food for himself, and an extra napkin for you to hold under your chin. Although he knows very little about clothes, he can see the shine still on that new blouse of yours. He would hate to see you ruin it with some gravy and a bucket of fried chicken.

Wayne sits down again next to you, “Eddie isn’t here.”

You sniffle over the pile of mashed potatoes, “I know.”

Dressed up like you’ve got somewhere to go and you have no one to take you there, Wayne can make a guess of why you might be here.

“What happened?” Wayne nudges you.

You’ve got on the nicest pair of pants you own with a bright blue top and a pair of kitten heels. You’ve taken your mother’s jewelry, which Wayne is sure she’s not pleased about.

“Isn’t that your mom’s necklace?” Wayne asks dumbly.

You cross your arms. “Rodney ditched me.”

“Who?”

Kids these days and their drama. Wayne can hardly keep up with Eddie, and now he’s got you here crying on his couch. You’re hardly a bother anymore. It’s more bizarre when you’re not here eating his food, watching his television and napping on his couch.

“Rodney said we’d go out Friday at seven,” you tell Wayne. “It’s Friday. It’s eight. No Rodney.”

Wayne could not imagine disrespecting a young woman like that. You've got to be out of your mind if you think making a promise like that can just be tossed out of a window.

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” he pats your knee. “Want me to kick his ass?”

Wayne’s become a father figure to you in a way, since you don't have one. Your mom refuses to tell you anything about the man that got her knocked up. That's a direct quote from what she says. You're not being rude.

“No,” you let a soft laugh sneak past your sorrowed heart.

Wayne's television hums. You watch the wheel spin onto one hundred dollars, and the contestant cheers as she gets to guess another letter.

“Brook Shields,” you guess the answer.

Wayne cocks his head at you, “how did you get that so fast?”

You shrug, “I’ve seen Endless Love.”

“Endless- what?”

“Keep up old man,” you joke.

Wayne grunts, “not you too. I get enough of that shit from Eddie.”

You sit with Wayne that evening with dry eyes, except for the occasional tear falling from laughing a bit too hard at his bewildered expression when you fill in nearly all of the answers to the game show he loves so much.

“What are you going to do with that brain of yours?” Wayne asks as the program nears the end, and the screen begins to dim.

You shrug your shoulders, “I don’t know.”

“You’ll go to college though, won’t you?”

“I can hardly afford groceries,” you reply.

It is an honest answer. Your mom is out of a job, aside from her new night time prowling. She tries to sneak out while you’re tucked into your blankets in your bed. It doesn’t always pan out that way. You’ve heard the heels clicking in the kitchen, before she leaves into the night time.

She’s back before you wake up. And, she’ll take you off to school before she goes to bed for most of the morning. You can only assume this by the way she’s dressed in pajamas without any makeup when you come home.

Wayne watches from afar. Your mom has been stepping back in their friendship recently, and he wonders if everything is okay at home. When he does catch glimpses of her through the living room window, she's a bit gray and a bit dull. Her usual cherry cheeks are sunken. Her eyes are swollen. Her clothes are scandalous in her own definition.

A flood of headlights break through the blinds in the Munson trailer. If the lights aren’t enough to warn you that Eddie is about to plow through his front door, then the absolute deafening sound of bass and guitar blasting through the speakers in his van would give you enough of an inclining.

Kicking his boots off in different directions outside the home, Eddie stamps out his cigarette on the porch railing, and he flicks the nub somewhere into the night.

Dancing his way into the trailer, Eddie first catches you sitting next to Wayne in a bright blue get-up. Isn’t it a bit much to be that done up for some boy? Yes, he knows about Rudolph. That silly little boy from one of your classes. He’s been following you around like he’s got a leash tethered around that funny little sweater vest he wears to school. Really? A sweater vest? It’s a bit pompous if you ask him.

Randy has got to be the most snot-nosed booger-eater that Eddie has had the misery of meeting. He’s got these judgy little eyes that squint in Eddie’s direction any time you hang around him at lunch. Not to mention how bushy his eyebrows are. If you like caterpillars that much, Eddie can find you one around the trailer park that you’ll like much more than - what’s-his-name.

“How was your date?” Eddie hesitates to hold back to venom corroding his teeth. It’s silly to be jealous of some guy. Eventually you would be with someone, and Eddie would find his someone. It’s just strange to not have you at band practice. You haven’t missed a single one - well, now you have.

Your face falls at the mention of Rodney.

In the past few hours, you forgot about the ache in your chest that Rodney never showed at your front door. The absent sore on your heart reopens. Your throat closes a bit.

There was a pinch of hope that you held onto that he might show up with a reasonable excuse. Or, he’ll at least be bold enough to show up and to beg for a second chance. With the time approaching midnight, the odds are withering away into nothing.

“Good,” you fib.

Naively, you lie to Eddie.

“How was practice?” You ask secondly.

A spark lit his bottom on fire and he was bounding about the trailer like a wild animal. Excitement radiates off of his skin.

“You won’t believe what happened tonight!” He yells a bit too loudly for old Wayne, who wiggles his pinky into his ear. “We got a call back from the Hideout! They want to see us perform!”

“That’s great, Eddie!”

“Congratulations, kid.”

Wayne has to stand and clap Eddie on the back to congratulate his nephew. The pair of them look to each other adoringly, before either of them remember that you’re still there on the couch.

“I should go,” you know how late it is, and your mother - er - she would be shivering in worry by now. Probably. “I’m really proud of you, Eddie. Can I come to the show?”

“There’s no way I can perform without my best girl,” he wraps you in a strong hug, “Tuesday at seven! I want both of you there!”

“You got it,” you punch his chest a bit awkwardly.

When you do leave, Eddie takes the spot you once sat in on the couch. He switches programs because whatever game show Wayne is watching is not to Eddie’s taste. Eddie prefers something that will make his skin crawl.

“Ed,” Wayne clears his throat, “I think we should talk.”

“Talk?”

Wayne stands in front of the television blocking Eddie from flicking to yet another channel.

“Your little friend got stood up on her date,” he teeters back and forth, unsure if you want Eddie knowing this. But, you’re his best friend as far as Wayne is concerned.

Eddie frowns, “what?”

“She’s been with me all evening,” Wayne sighs. “The poor girl is rattled. I mean- you know you cannot do that to a woman, right?”

Wayne begins to turn everything into a lesson. As he lectures Eddie, the lines of reality begin to blur. You’ve been stood up by this douche? Nothing gets past Eddie like that. The ridges of his knuckles turn whiter than snow.

“Eddie,” Wayne scratches his forehead, “I need you to promise me that you’ll never treat a woman like that. You know better, right?”

Eddie hasn’t brought a girl by the house yet. It doesn’t occur to Wayne how horrible the people treat Eddie at school. He assumes it’s just a bit of play and a bit of teasing. Eddie can handle himself for the most part.

“Yeah,” Wayne snaps out of his head when Eddie finally speaks up, “I got it, Wayne.

-> <-

[Sep 1982 . . . again]

tags -> @leelei1980 @sheneedsrocknroll92 @jesuisbuginette @starrywhitenight @meetmeatyourworst

[bloomzone]

Can you make a guide inspired by Jang Wonyoung ??

WONYOUNGISM:THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF ! ৎ୭ ॱ ₊ . *

PART 1

THIS GONNA CHANGE YOUR LIFE TRUST ME WONYOUNG EFFECT IS REAL !

CHAPTER 1

CONFIDENCE

Confidence, like that exemplified by Jang Wonyoung, is cultivated through a combination of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and proactive mindset. Firstly honey, it's crucial to understand and embrace your unique qualities, recognizing that what sets you apart is what makes you special. This self-acceptance forms the foundation upon which confidence can flourish. Secondly, practicing self-love and focusing on your strengths and accomplishments helps to build a positive self-image. Setting clear goals and working towards them provides a sense of purpose and direction, boosting confidence with each milestone achieved. Additionally, paying attention to body language—standing tall, making eye contact, and using open gestures—projects confidence to others and reinforces it within yourself. It's also essential to cultivate assertiveness, expressing your opinions and needs confidently while respecting others. Stepping out of your comfort zone regularly and embracing new challenges fosters growth and resilience, further enhancing confidence. Surrounding yourself with supportive people and maintaining a positive outlook on life can also contribute to confidence. Finally, learning from setbacks and viewing failures as opportunities for growth rather than personal shortcomings helps to maintain a resilient and confident mindset. Overall, confidence, like any skill, is developed through consistent practice and a willingness to embrace both successes and failures along the journey of self-discovery and personal growth.

CHAPTER 2

SELF LOVE

To love yourself, start by practicing self-care and self-compassion. Treat yourself with kindness, respect, and understanding, just as you would a dear friend. Don't be harsh on yourself Focus on your strengths, accomplishments, and unique qualities, and embrace your imperfections as part of what makes you beautifully human. Set boundaries to protect your well-being and prioritize activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. Practice positive affirmations, gratitude, and mindfulness to cultivate a healthy self-image and inner peace

CHAPTER 3

SELF CARE

self care program idea !

self-care program inspired by Jang Wonyoung's approach:

1. Morning Skincare Routine (10-15 minutes):

- Cleanse your face with a gentle facial cleanser to remove impurities.

- Apply toner to balance your skin's pH levels and prep it for hydration.

- Moisturize your face with a lightweight moisturizer suitable for your skin type.

- Finish with sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays.

2. Healthy Breakfast (20-30 minutes):

- Prepare a nutritious breakfast with whole grains, fruits, and proteins, such as oatmeal topped with berries and nuts or scrambled eggs with vegetables.

3. Exercise Session (30-45 minutes):

- Engage in a physical activity that you enjoy, such as dancing, jogging, or practicing yoga, to get your body moving and boost your mood.

4. Midday Relaxation Break (15-30 minutes):

- Take a break from your daily activities to practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or stretching, to reduce stress and promote mental well-being.

5. Healthy Lunch (20-30 minutes):

- Prepare a balanced meal with lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains, such as grilled chicken salad or quinoa bowl with roasted vegetables.

6. Afternoon Self-Care Ritual (30-60 minutes):

- Treat yourself to a pampering session with skincare treatments, such as a face mask or face yoga, followed by a relaxing bath

7. Quality Time with Loved Ones (1-2 hours):

- Spend time with supportive friends or family members, whether it's going for a walk in nature, enjoying a meal together, or simply having a heartfelt conversation.

8. Evening Wind-Down Routine (30-60 minutes):

- Unplug from screens and indulge in calming activities, such as reading a book, listening to soothing music, or journaling about your day.

9. Bedtime Skincare Routine (10-15 minutes):

- Repeat your skincare routine from the morning, cleansing your face to remove makeup and impurities, followed by toner, moisturizer, and eye cream. ( U don't need to use expansive shīt, look for what is good for ur skin !)

10. Quality Sleep (7-9 hours):

- Ensure you get enough restful sleep to allow your body and mind to recharge for the next day, aiming for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

CHAPTER 4

STUDY

Studying effectively requires a combination of strategic planning, focused concentration. Start by setting clear goals and breaking down your study material into manageable chunks. Create a study schedule that allocates specific time slots for different subjects or topics, ensuring consistency and accountability. Find a quiet and comfortable study environment free from distractions where you can fully concentrate on your tasks. Use active learning techniques such as summarizing, teaching others, and practicing retrieval to reinforce your understanding and retention of the material. Take regular breaks to rest your mind and recharge, incorporating activities that promote relaxation and mental clarity. Prioritize self-care by getting enough sleep, eating nutritious meals, and staying physically active to support your overall well-being and cognitive function. Finally, stay organized, stay positive, and stay motivated by celebrating your progress and accomplishments along the way. By implementing these strategies and nurturing a healthy study mindset, you can optimize your learning experience and study more effectively.

CHAPTER 5

WORKOUT

To workout like Jang Wonyoung, it's essential to incorporate a combination of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises to support her active lifestyle as a performer. Wonyoung likely engages in cardio exercises such as dancing, jogging, or cycling to improve her cardiovascular endurance and stamina, crucial for keeping up with intense dance routines and performances. Additionally, she may include strength training exercises such as bodyweight exercises, resistance band workouts, or weightlifting to build and tone her muscles, enhancing her physical strength and stage presence. To maintain flexibility and agility, Wonyoung may incorporate stretching, yoga, or Pilates into her routine, which can also help prevent injuries and improve overall body awareness. It's important for her to listen to her body, rest when needed, and stay hydrated to support her recovery and performance. By adopting a well-rounded workout routine that combines cardio, strength, and flexibility training, Wonyoung can stay fit, healthy, and ready to dazzle audiences with her performances.

[wyllzel]

get to know your tumblr mutuals tag!

i was tagged by @nfly5, thank you laura!! :))

1. what's the origin of your username?

i think wyll ravengard of bg3 fame and lae'zel also of bg3 fame should kiss and fall in love and ride dragons into the sunset (or, rather, the astral plane) together :)

2. otps + shipname

wyllzel 🥰 and vivwall (vivienne x blackwall dai) at the moment for sure!

i'm trying to think of more, but honestly i'm p easygoing when it comes to ships haha i'll take a peek at almost anything that seems compelling 🫣

3. song stuck in my head

"purple lace bra" by tate mcrae for uhhh no reason 🤫 and "feel it" by d4vd for also no reason LOL (🎶 you told me once that i was crazy i said babygirl i knooooowww but i can't let you gooo (away!) 🎶)

4. weirdest trait/habit

i have a growing aversion to cold drinks lol it's starting to feel odd drinking something that isn't hot... that's not that weird though, i think i'm just becoming a grandma LOL

5. hobbies

photoshop!! i like making gifs and edits and such :) i've also been writing a lot more recently which is crazy, i haven't felt this inspired or productive in forever :'D thank you DA lol 🩷

i am also v much a webtoon enjoyer (my all-time fave is "trash belongs in the trash can!" but i'm currently v invested in "nevermore," "i'm the queen in this life," "sisters at war," and "momfluencer"!), but i'll read manga (tatsuki fujimoto my GOAT) and comics (invincible also my GOAT)

6. if you work, what's your profession?

i write internal software documentation which means it's architectural, high-level design stuff... not so much code-specific, but the reasoning behind why software components are organized the way they are. it's not very fun, mostly mind-melting... i work closely w engineers and it's kind of a toss-up whether they'll be nice/patient or think i'm stupid lol

but my brain now contains so many company secrets :^) if you ever have any questions about data storage/virtualization i can possibly help lol

7. if you could have any job you wish, what would you have?

funny story—i applied for grad school, and i've been accepted to an english m.a. program that starts this fall!!! 🥹 we'll see where i go w that, but i'll likely enter education!

8. something you're good at?

uhh i suppose BG3 LOL i beat honor mode twice! 🎉 (i'm still trying to figure out how DA works 🤔 DA2 hard mode is chill idk if i'd ever do nightmare tho 😬)

9. something you hate?

ok it's not rly a "hate" thing but it does irk me when i see fandom claims/arguments that don't cite specific quotes/screenshots/instances lol (the english major in me activates and i am consumed by the thought "🚨‼️ where do you see this in the text 👁️👁️🫵" LOL)

10. something you forget?

the grief 😂🖐️ it creeps up on me! almost cried in my cubicle multiple times this week. haha.

11. your love language?

receiving is probably words of affirmation? giving is probably gifts, i like making silly things for my bestie (eg. fenris keychain lol) and finding weird stickers for my brother 🤡

12. favorite movies/shows?

my letterboxd top 4 are:

everything everywhere all at once (2022) (saw it twice in theaters and sobbed thru both times)

nope (2022) (BRILLIANT movie, so smart)

challengers (2024) (so fascinating!)

lust, caution (2007) (i need to rewatch this one expeditiously)

as for shows, i love succession (2018-23), invincible (2021-), and the twilight zone (1959-64)!

13. what were you like as a child?

apparently very friendly, outgoing, and extroverted! i would just run up to my fellow kids and yap at them?! i do nooot do that anymore lol

14. favorite subject in school?

english/literature!!

15. least favorite subject?

oh man, i was so bad at science, especially biology/chemistry... i could scrape by in physics bc i was decent at math, but it was still awful...

16. what's your best/worst character trait?

worst...??? according to my last annual review, i need to be more confident in the workplace LOL 💀 + sometimes i let my anxiety get the better of me... i think that's just a lifelong struggle thing though, but i know i can improve to be a better friend and such 💪

best... multiple reviews from mom-aged women say that i am a "nice" and "sweet" person so hopefully at least that means i can leave a good first impression haha

17. if you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be?

i'm not a huge fan of what-if-ing personally, but i do wish i were on vacation 😆

18. if you could travel in time, who would you like to meet?

i'm currently very curious about my paternal grandparents... it's hard for me to conceptualize why they got married... and how my dad grew up... i guess i would want to witness some of that??

tagging: hello again haha!! @creaking-skull @andrewknightley @coolseabird @genderdotcom @bladeweave @grey-wardens @maironsbigboobs no pressure again :))

[crippy-tangerine]

Growing up autistic when not fit into “gifted program” category (because brain cannot do that stuff!), but also did not have needs met enough to get the specialist education you probably needed, is strange… (/neutral tone). Our experiences don’t really line up with either of the experience “categories” people mention on here. (Nobody’s “fault”, just observation!). Never seen our (specific?) experiences talked about, so here goes nothing, we want to talk about our school experiences with undiagnosed autism (and comorbidities), because been thinking about it a bit… Realising that maybe find more people similar experience if actual talk about it.! So…

Warning for mentions of bullying, ableism, suicide, abuse, social isolation, eating disorders, generally poor mental health!! Not happy post, skip if this is a sensitive group of topics for you! (/genuine and serious tone).

Putting all info under cut, please only read if you ok to!!

-> So. Go from the… From the start… Not really “school”, but sort of is? Americans call it kindergarten- is where children age like 2-5 years old go? During weekday? We went there when still no mouth words (or only a couple basic words? Cannot remember). Used sign language apparently most things. But apparent not interested in talking verbally. But not remember any of this time (not surprising).

-> We went to a tiny school in tiny rural village from that age until we were 11(?). Have speech (unreliable with verbal shutdown) this point. Was no special education in that school, or gifted program- instead all kids put in one big class and get same lessons. Except the “slow” kids like us… We were “bottom set” for mathematics, which meant getting pulled out of the group classes + sitting in the corridor with the other “slow” kids and trying to learn stuff whilst sat on the floor in a cold corridor. Do not have enough memory to comment on how our lessons were different from the others, but is fair to say they did not help..

-> It is possible the corridor lessons were done when the rest of our class had “golden time” (time to play instead of a lesson). But unsure about that right now (memory loss).

-> We would struggle hugely with homework (specifically mathematics + whatever minimal science we did at that school). Routinely sobbing over simple sums and equations because our brain could not understand, and we would be yelled at by parent for not getting it and being “difficult”. Getting regularly told “you’re not [insert ableist word], so why can’t you just figure it out?”.

-> We were “behind” our best friend in school, and would get compared to them by our own parent often, because “couldn’t you be more like them?!”. Very unhappy experience to be told you’re not good at something, but also not allowed be bad at it, and the only thing you’re allowed to be is worse than your friends. Uncomfortable “middle” space. No peers around us to relate to because socially isolated (aside from best friend). Misunderstandings with best friend too- socially confused and not able understand other children. Out of place.

-> In our next school still in the “bottom sets” for stuff. In none of the “gifted/top sets”. Having new concepts introduced constant and unable to understand them or apply them, crying from stress and fear regularly, mental health declining (many reasons- school work didn’t help).

-> Unable to keep up with coursework for any subjects, struggling more as years go on and coursework increases. Failing exams, not turning in work, unable to focus in lessons so not writing any notes…. All dismissed as us being difficult, lazy or anxious. “You’re smart you just need to try harder!” when we are already completely past limits.

-> Got assessed at some point for specific learning disabilities (stuff like dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia) for exam accommodations (because we couldn’t finish any exams we did)- met criteria for multiple. Never diagnosed with anything though, not told that brain is clinically slower/“worse” than 99% of our peers in some areas; instead just given extra exam time and told that is all “anxiety”. Not allowed view self as gifted, also not given language identify with disability. Left in middle space yet again and told to “try more”.

-> Extra classes/“revision sessions” during our lunch times with teachers (all our friends except one got to go eat lunch, go to clubs, chill out- but we were often in little classrooms trying to learn science theories everyone else already learned).

-> “Worth” routinely measured by academic success (it was… One Of Those Schools… /negative tone). We were not “worth” much. And we were visibly Other because of the autism and stuff. So bullied by peers and staff throughout entire six(?) years there. Hated by staff (poor mental health, visibly “mentally” disabled, “disobedient”/“difficult”/“lazy”/“rude”, queer/trans in bigoted school, etc.).

-> Ended up in position where missing months of coursework, rarely handed any work in, had no notes for anything was meant to have learned (had to copy friend’s work in all our free time) and we were fully convinced would fail the major exams (to be able change schools).

-> Routinely missing classes because panic attacks, autistic shutdowns, general anxiety + fears (and a hatred for all classes, teachers, students at this point). Hiding in the toilets for hours because not able leave school (gated/locked doors). Walking out of classes midway and not going back in because unable cope.

-> Unable mask autism + antisocial traits as much as used to, obviously combative and demand avoidant (now seen as “scary” by all peers because verbally aggressive, picked fights with teachers over their bigotry, generally unable to pretend to like people at all, rude and physically took out violence by hitting/slamming objects). Hated by most of peer group and teachers, losing friends did have.

-> Took big exams running on fumes. Fumes. Our revision for them all consisted of listening to free tutors on YouTube as we did other things, and then cramming written versions of other people’s notes the night before each exam (and the 30 minutes before the actual exams…). Mostly given up at that point- planned on killing ourself if we did not get the marks we needed. Passed most of them somehow. (To a lot of people’s surprise).

-> Moved to new school. Behind from start in some areas because wasn’t caught up with work at last school. Complete train wreck mentally. Spent all free time in “quiet room” (the room for all disabled kids to hide basically). School knew vulnerable from start- but chose subjects found easier, so managed keep up with coursework vaguely for first few months + get by (sort of). Easy to clock as autistic at this point. Visibly mentally unwell from OCD compulsions/eating disorder/depression, more visible Tourette’s symptoms too. Wearing headphones with music on through all lessons. Teachers mostly allow for us specifically because so visibly distressed. Few times not allowed headphones (because substitute teachers), dissociate whole class not able do any work. Not really able remember details any of this time (amnesia again).

-> No “sets” anymore for classes- randomised classes with other students. Completely isolated outside of “quiet room” (disabled) friends, because all abled students could see that “different”/disabled in some way and avoided. Meant had nobody to copy class work from when not able keep up in certain classes. Fell behind more.

-> Start having other disabled students point out that visibly disabled- have other autistic students say stuff like “oh just assumed you autistic too”. Teachers all aware some degree that very unwell (not able hide it anymore- having severe dissociative episodes in classes, doing OCD compulsions during classes, unable speak to/look at other students, looked visibly sick from eating disorder, etc.).

-> Became obsessive over schoolwork- trying meet “perfection” standards for written notes, homework, practice exams. Not meet the standards. Distress over that and difficulty with life generally meant spend all free time in/out of class doing schoolwork. Fixated on doing well- but not able do well because brain not work like that still. Made worse because still told that “very smart”, pressure meet that standard even though never able actually reach unless spend hours (like 3+ hours) on one piece of work meant spend one hour on (example).

-> Missing classes again. Having pick which classes able sit through because unable be in class long enough do a full day (only a few hours maximum in day already, because classes spaced over 5 day period- still unable do that though). Having to leave school grounds regularly because not able stand being in school environment (because too many people, sensory overload from noises/smells/sounds).

-> Not able handle friendships. Still verbally combative, very distrustful, defensive, easily provoked (and became very unkind when provoked). No real understanding what friendships/relationships “meant” look like. Meant vulnerable to abuse, which took because assumed “normal” relationship things. Assumed because nobody else respect boundaries (platonic), okay if happen in relationship (non-platonic) too.

-> One day we just snap. Dissociative episode during lesson. Spend whole time try keep eyes open and not let roll back into head. Virtual laying on table. Lesson end, friends who in lesson with us all concerned, we just go “no fuck this, going home”. Walk out, travel home (impressive, not sure how manage). Barricade self in room for week solid. Not respond anybody during week, ignore all screaming, angry rage from parent outside room. Simply lie in bed dissociative haze, seven days. Not remember it really (no surprise). Never go back that school. Referred emergency mental health care because completely insane this point.

-> Attempt school 2 extra time as adult. First time not even make it back into school setting- enrol then never turn up. Second time manage few months, crash out again because needs not met (still not diagnosed autistic). And never return again. Honestly no plan for us ever go back- disability too severe this point even sit through one class.

-> TLDR: undiagnosed, crashed and burned repeatedly through childhood. Socially isolated + ostracised, bullied by teachers/staff, unable keep up with workload but struggles all dismissed as “laziness”. Dropout age 16-17ish. Complete dropout- no online no part time, nothing. Consume by how bad disability get. Unable function anymore. Not ever given “community” other kids- barely treated human by peers anyways lot of time. Not given language understand disabled. Certain not “gifted” though like other friends.

So… Not relate to “super gifted kid talented perfect student” autistics. Not relate to autistics in special education (because never put in it). Somewhere in messy grey area between. And never see that talked about really. But maybe others relate.?

So here you go- example what a late-diagnosed autistic experience can be like. Is reason one million why late diagnosed not equal low support needs. Our life dumpster fire because mid-ish support needs but never have needs met (and now worsening disability = support needs increased over years). Late diagnosed autistics not all these savant types, super masking, unable tell disabled… We (personally) undiagnosed because neglect + inability get right healthcare.

By the way. This post not say have “easier/harder” time than any other autistics. Just bit different than experiences seen talked about more on here. This not about who have better/worse time. Just want talk about own experience, maybe find others who relate!

This also not meant be “vent” post. Want explain right so others able understand (misunderstood a lot and get harmed because that- so like explain when can).

Okay this all for now, bye, sorry long post…

[azrielslostshadow]

Modern!Azriel Headcanons

Modern! Azriel/ Navy Seal! Azriel x reader

Wordcount: 900ish

Warnings: annoying drill sergeant, couple curse words, not super gendered (like one mention of a dress)

A/N: az is a cutie in this one too :)))

Modern!Azriel who grew up in the same trashy neighborhood as you and cass and rhys. 

Modern!Azriel who was determined to make it out despite what his shitty father and half-brothers had to say about it. 

Modern!Azriel who was somehow top 10 in your graduating class despite missing like half of junior and senior year to work and help his mom pay the bills. 

Modern!Azriel who got a 1500 on the SAT and a 96 on his ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test. 

Modern!Azriel who knew that his best chance out of the hood was the military (also probably not the best way to work out all his anger)

Modern!Azriel who convinces cass to join him and they both enlist in the battle buddy program together. (they both deploy together so they always have a homie to rely on)

Modern!Azriel who is a fucking 6’4” unit and is recruited by the navy bc he’s massive and a genius and secretly speaks like 5 languages (bc his mom is an immigrant and they’re like that) 

the drill sergeant just about dropped and foamed at the mouth at the sight of azriel and cassian (drill sergeant goes on a tangent about finally getting some “real sailors” and the rest of the unit literally hates them bc yeah he’s right they don’t compare)

Modern!Azriel who (alongside cassian) gets asked to apply to seal school and they graduate with some of the highest BUD/S scores the navy has ever seen (his mom is super proud and makes him mole de pollo bc its his favorite and she loves her son and his friends)

Modern!Azriel who makes it to captain in six years instead of the average nine bc he’s just that good

Modern!Azriel who always remembered you as his kind coworker from his trashy minimum wage dishwashing job in high school and definitely not as his friend’s cute younger sister.

Modern!Azriel who remembers every time you brought him dinner and badly lied about how you hated to waste food and didn’t know what to do with the leftovers so he wouldn’t feel bad about eating it (bc times were tough in HS and he really wasn’t eating enough at all)

Modern!Azriel who just kind of slowly blinks at you when him and his unit walk into the museum that you’ve been working at. 

Modern!Azriel whose chest tightens with something strange when your whole face lights up after recognizing him. 

Modern!Azriel who has only had casual flings (mostly bc he was always away for work) but feels his heart drop to his feet when you press your lips to his left cheek and give his arms a little squeeze. 

Modern!Azriel whose whole body relaxes when you pull him into a hug. who’s knees almost give out when you rub your manicured hands up and down his biceps and whisper about how you missed him–how you were worried about him. 

his whole team will harass him later about his reaction and beg for the details behind your history because even though they’re navy seals they’re really just chismosas on the inside. 

Modern!Azriel who is seriously so confused as to how you (someone who was so kind and loving) could be involved in counter-terrorism.

Modern!Azriel who is shocked when you explain to him that the art world is full of criminals and that terrorists especially love to use expensive art as methods of payment for whatever horrible acts they want to commit. 

Modern!Azriel whose chest puffs with pride when he hears you tell your boss that you have full faith in his unit and their abilities bc “azriel isn’t the kind of man who lets people down”

Modern!Azriel who is supposed to be paying attention to the baroque painting on the wall but can’t take his eyes off of you in your beautiful, floor-length, velvet gown. 

Modern!Azriel who takes out two things in one night: a secret terrorist cell and you to dinner. 

Modern!Azriel who realizes he hasn’t been able to have a serious relationship bc he’s been in love with you this whole time (read: since he was literally 9 years old and you told him he had the prettiest eyes in the world)

Modern!Azriel who wears the matching bracelet you got him every single day. especially when he’s deployed bc a photo of you might actually be too dangerous for the field

Modern!Azriel who never tells you exactly what he does just that he’s the captain of a navy seal unit bc its classified, but you still worry (especially bc you’re a historian and can almost immediately tell where he’s been in the world based on the souvenirs he brings you)

Modern!Azriel who almost bursts into tears when you tell him you love him first bc he’d  been struggling to get the words out for weeks

Modern!Azriel who gets to experience softness from someone other than his mother for the first time in his life

Modern!Azriel who is in a healthy, positive relationship with someone who loves all of him including his flaws. 

Modern!Azriel whose partner teaching him about emotional maturity and communication and slowly walks with him down his healing journey

Modern!Azriel who is pathetically in love with his partner and can’t wait to start their life together. 

[razzek]

Top 5 MOST useful tools for blind people just starting out

Top 5 most fave tools for the blind overall

Top 5 least useful

Top 5 fucking weirdest and/or funniest

This is a big ask and I will do my best to answer, with the caveat that I am just a single blind person with memory issues who doesn't remember everything my blind friends have told me. XD I am counting other people as tools in this list because a person with eyes sometimes is a handy tool for us. XD

Top 5 MOST useful tools for blind people just starting out 1. White cane 2. Blindness skills training through centers, government programs like Vocational Rehabilitation, Orientation & Mobility specialists, and anywhere you can find it 3. Membership with the National Talking Book Library aka NLS in your state (US); I think the UK is RNIB and Canada has one, not sure about other countries 4. Supportive family and friends and other blind people if you can find them 5. Screen reader (NVDA is free for Windows, iPhone has VoiceOver, Android uses TalkBack)

Top 5 most fave tools for the blind overall 1. White cane and/or guide dog 2. Text to speech, screen readers, audio books, audio described movies and tv 3. Accessible smart phones (often iPhone but Android is catching up) 4. Bump dots (stick-on tactile dots you put around your home) 5. Braille and refreshable braille displays/notetakers

Top 5 least useful 1. Sighted people inventing crap without talking to any blind people ("smart" canes, "smart" shoes, dangerous devices you hold in your only free hand that claim to tell you what's in front of you but actually don't, screen reader breaking "accessibility" overlays, etc...) 2. That ring which only shows one braille cell at a time (that's not how anyone reads) 3. Strangers giving/yelling vague directions ("It's right over there!", "Oh my god watch out for the stairs (that you are halfway down)!", giving directions to the guide dog who doesn't speak English or any language because they are a dog...) 4. Hot liquid measuring devices (always broken, the noise they make is so fucking loud it's caused me a lot more injury than just sticking my finger in the hot liquid, will wake up the neighbors) 5. All but one use case of AI claiming to be for the blind, at least as far as I've seen

Top 5 fucking weirdest and/or funniest 1. Ping pong balls (good for measuring hot liquids) 2. Funnels (really helpful for pouring liquids) 3. The lanyard strap that sticks to the back of your phone so you can wear it around your neck (looks silly, is incredibly useful) 4. White cane holster (yes it's a thing, I have at least three XD) 5. Things being organized Very Specifically (close your eyes and YOU try to find the remote after someone put it in a random place! XD)

[reyaint]

ari.gen members | kwon liu zhi ruo

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

date: february 5, 2025. i missed school today. i'm so exhausted and sore.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"𝑶𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒚"

✧˖*°࿐background

zena, born as Kwon Liu Zhi Ruo in Hong Kong, China, grew up in a multicultural household. her father is Korean, and her mother is Chinese, giving her a unique perspective on the world. raised between the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong and the more serene Korean traditions, Zena learned to blend the best of both cultures. From an early age, she was drawn to music and performance, excelling in both singing and dancing.

her passion for performance began in her teenage years, where she became involved in her school’s music and dance programs. Zena's natural charisma and energy made her a standout performer. she soon transitioned into contemporary and K-pop-style dancing after discovering groups like 2NE1 and EXO.

zena’s journey into music began with her love for Chinese opera, which her mother introduced her to. her vocal training was heavily influenced by this traditional art form, which explains her clear, powerful voice with a sharp, operatic quality. she also excelled in modern dance, particularly in K-pop styles, blending traditional and contemporary elements to create her unique stage presence.

before signing under DeadSound Entertainment, Zena and the other members of The Genesis Crew performed together, honing their skills in various styles of dance, singing, and stage performances.

like many other members of the group, Zena began her training under JYP Entertainment. During her time there, she honed her vocal skills and improved her dance technique. however, after growing frustrated with the company’s restrictions on creative freedom, she left JYP with the other members, and they all found a more supportive environment at DeadSound Entertainment. this transition allowed Zena to explore her personal style and contribute significantly to ARiSEN: GENESiS’ creative process.

"𝑺𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚, 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆"

✧˖*°࿐basics

დ. stage name. zena დ. full name. kwon liu zhi ruo დ. korean name. kwon ji ra დ. english name. zena kwon

დ. date of birth. march 23 2002 დ. place of birth. hongkong, china დ. nationality. korean-chinese დ. ethnicity. korean-chinese დ. race. asian დ. languages. —chinese (100%) —korean (100%) —japanese (94%) —english (91%) —haiqinian (87%) —tagalog (84%)

დ. height. 178.5 cm (5’10″) დ. weight. 47 kg (103 lbs) დ. zodiac sign. aries დ. blood type. A+ დ. gender. female დ. pronouns. she/they დ. sexuality. pansexual დ. s/o. n/a

დ. personality. —her confidence shines through in her performances and interactions with others, and she is often the one to lift the spirits of the group when things get tough. as the life of the party, she brings a playful, carefree energy to the group dynamic, encouraging her members to have fun while working hard. —however, she also has an inner strength and determination that allows her to push through obstacles when needed. —she’s someone who can lighten the mood with a joke or a quirky dance move but is also extremely driven and protective of her teammates when the time calls for it —she’s not afraid to take charge when necessary and can rally the group in tough situations. her determination to reach the top is a driving force for her, and she isn’t afraid to push others to reach their full potential. —zena has a close bond with Ky, as they both share a similar drive to succeed but approach challenges in different ways. While Ky tends to be more grounded and calm, Zena brings a sense of adventure and excitement, which balances out the duo’s dynamic.

mbti. ESFP (the ) enneagram. 7w8

"𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒔"

✧˖*°࿐career

დ. training period. 2013 to 2017 დ. company. jyp entertainment ( 2013 - 2015 ), deadsound ( 2015 - present ) დ. group. arisen genesis (2018 - present)

დ. rep color. magenta დ. rep emoji. 🐯 დ. positions. lead vocalist, lead dancer, rapper

დ. their performance style is bold and fiery that combine sharp, controlled movements with fluid, expressive dance. Her ability to seamlessly transition between different styles makes her stand out as a versatile dancer, capable of performing both graceful, elegant routines and powerful, high-energy sequences. her dance style fuses traditional Chinese dance elements with modern K-pop routines, creating an unmistakable signature style.

დ. her stage presence is dynamic and commanding, often pulling the audience into the performance with her intense gaze and powerful movements. She’s known for using facial expressions to convey the emotions behind each song, giving her performances an added depth.

დ. zena’s personal aesthetic often incorporates bold colors and dramatic contrasts, from sharp angles in her choreography to vibrant, eye-catching costumes. zena’s role is crucial in shaping the group’s sound and visual identity.

დ. on vocals, Zena is known for her vocal runs and ability to transition seamlessly between high notes and belting. Her operatic training adds an extra layer to her vocal delivery, which is both captivating and technically proficient. her dancing is also highly synchronized with the rest of the group, but Zena’s natural flair for expressing herself shines through in her freestyle moments. Whether it's during group routines or solo performances, Zena brings an unmatched level of passion and energy to the stage.

"𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒕"

✧˖*°࿐facts

დ. she is a huge fan of spicy food and often posts about trying different spicy dishes from around the world.

დ. she has a deep love for traditional Chinese opera, which influences both her vocal style and performance.

დ. her natural hair color is black, but she occasionally experiments with different shades, from silver to pastel colors, to reflect her ever-evolving persona.

დ. zena is an extreme thrill-seeker, enjoying activities like bungee jumping, skydiving, and hiking to connect with nature.

დ. she’s known for her love of animals, particularly tigers and pandas

დ. zena is also known for her distinctive sense of humor and is often the one to crack jokes or lighten the mood in the studio.

დ. hobbies: photography, trying new foods, dying her hair, fashion

დ. inspirations: exo, 2ne1, BoA, BTS

დ. her fashion style is a mix of bold streetwear, high-fashion elegance, and edgy aesthetics. her wardrobe choices are dynamic, experimental, and futuristic, often balancing boyish and feminine elements in a way that feels uniquely her own.

დ. personal motto: "Chase the fire, never look back."

[dedalvs]

Fiat Lingua Top 10 for 2023

It's time for the annual Fiat Lingua rewind!

Background: I created Fiat Lingua over ten years ago with the idea that it could be something like the Rutgers Optimality Archive: A place where conlangers could post work that they wanted to showcase, or work that was in progress. We've had tons of contributions over the years, and some standout work I'm really proud of.

Using our fancy statistics program (you know, the free version) we're able to determine the top 10 visited posts for this year (though, note, the numbers for the current year's December post will always be down a little bit, since it didn't have a full month. If you'd like to take a look at it, Carsten Becker did a version of "Silent Night" in his conlang Ayeri!). Here they are!

NUMBER 10

"Road Trip Conlanging with Kids" (August, 2023) by Mia DeSanzo: Fiat Lingua is supposed to be an archive of long, detailed conlang articles, and also short, breezy conlang ideas, and this is one of the latter! It's less than a page long, but a fun idea, and it was quite well-received!

NUMBER 9

"Art & Anxiety: Conlanging through impostor syndrome" (February, 2023) by Jessie Sams (now Jessie Peterson): This is a personal reflection by @quothalinguist on how she has dealt with impostor syndrome, and how it's impacted her conlanging.

NUMBER 8

"Taadži Linguistics" (March, 2023) by Lauren Kuffler: This is a wonderful introduction to the Taadži language, which features a writing system reminiscent of Mayan epigraphs.

NUMBER 7

"Tone for Conlangers: A Basic Introduction" (April, 2018) by Aidan Aannestad: Making a second consecutive appearance in the top ten, Aidan Aannestad's introduction to tone has been an invaluable resource for conlangers producing tonal conlangs for just over five years now!

NUMBER 6

"Afrihili: An African Interlanguage" (April, 2014) by William S. Annis: Afrihili is an a posteriori auxlang from the late 60s that uses Bantu languages as its source, and it is fascinating! One of my all-time favorite auxlangs, and William provides a wonderful introduction. Of interest, this article was number 6 in the top ten last year, as well!

NUMBER 5

"Names Aren’t Neutral: David J. Peterson on Creating a Fantasy Language" (March, 2019) by David J. Peterson: Up four spots from last year, this is my article on best practices when coming up with names in a fantasy setting—even when no conlang is present.

NUMBER 4

"Grambank & Language Documentation: Zhwadi and Its Features" (June, 2023) by Jessie Sams (now Jessie Peterson): The first of the game-changing mega-resources for conlanging Jessie created in 2023, this is a short description of how to use Grambank in conlanging with a link to a fillable Google spreadsheet any conlanger can copy and use to introduce their conlang to others.

NUMBER 3

"Patterns of Allophony" (April, 2015) by William S. Annis: Definitely one of the most popular papers on Fiat Lingua, William illustrates graphically a number of very common sound changes. This article once again occupies the third spot of our top ten!

NUMBER 2

"A Conlanger's Thesaurus" (September, 2014) by William S. Annis: We have a new number 1 for this year! This has, historically, been the most accessed article on Fiat Lingua, and it's obvious to see why. The article is relatively short, compared to the information and use you can get out of it. William Annis details ways in which languages relate words to other similar words. For conlangers who struggle either with coming up with words that are different from English in meaning, or who struggle with coming up with words at all, this reference article should prove very useful. Using the word maps in this article, you might be able to come up with words you never dreamt of before, but words which could exist in some language. A great resource for conlangers who are desperately trying to break out of the influence of their L1 or L2!

And now for the top viewed article for 2023 on Fiat Lingua...

NUMBER 1

"A Surreal Conlang" (January, 2023) by David J. Peterson: Quite the surprise! Late 2022 I wrote an article about how one might go about creating a surreal conlang—neither naturalistic nor regular and artificial like an auxlang or engelang—and it went up on Fiat Lingua on January 1st. I think (or hope) it served as a useful jumping off point for conlangers who are looking to try something really different from what they've seen done elsewhere.

* * * * *

And that's it for 2023! I'm looking forward to posting more conlang articles next year. If you are a conlanger, a conlang-researcher, or conlang fan who has something to say in .pdf format about a specific conlang or conlanging in general, please consider submitting something to Fiat Lingua! We take any and all articles related to conlanging in whatever form you have them. I'm also happy to help you think up ideas, or refine those ideas you have. There is no strong review like in a fancy journal: I just want to get what you have up. I'm especially in interested in hosting personal conlang stories—stories about how or why you started to create a language, or your experience creating your own language—personal stories that are often lost, but are so vital, as there is an absolute dearth of literature about conlangers! If you think you have even the seed of an idea, please get a hold of me! I want to share as many stories and ideas as I can.

[innepttia]

@spookyvalentine has FOUR sets of “50 questions about Shepard” list and this is the third!!

Maeve Shepard

First 50 Questions | Second 50 Questions

TW: mentions of alcohol abuse & canon typical death

(Art by tumblr: @/milton-chamberlain)

1. How often does Shepard use the omni-blade?

Omni-blade, not a lot but it’s her favorite weapon to use (ok I know this is contradictory but just go with me). Omni-tool – ALL THE TIME.

2. What does the Virmire Survivor think of Shepard?

Ashley! I think she wishes they were closer, because they really would get along if they both gave it a shot. If Shepard didn’t die, they’d probably have become besties at some point and perhaps Shepard could have still soothed over some of that xenophobic nature of Ashley’s.

3. Top three comfort movies:

Howl’s Moving Castle

Princess Bride

Shallow Grave

4. How many languages can they speak (without the translator)?

Oh, I love that Spooky has asked this in the Mass Effect discord we’re in because I already know the answer now!!

English, ASL (which doesn’t really count for translator-use), and – in my own HC – spacers have a language similar to The Expanse’s Belter Creole.

5. Does Shepard keep a log/journal?

No. Which is a boring answer, but no.

6. What kind of driver is Shepard?

I like to HC that she actually would rather have others drive so she can tinker with something. So, instead of driver, she’s a passenger princess.

7. Shepard witnesses a petty crime. What is their response?

She ignores it! Maeve really cultivates an air of: “If this doesn’t affect me, then I don’t care.”

8. Revenge, or the high road?

REVENGE, BABEEYYYYY – but only in her head because she’s a busy lady and doesn’t have time to really properly act out her revenge.

9. What will always distract them?

Thane, Thane, Thane, Thane, alcohol, Thane, Thane, Joker, Thane, Thane, Thane, etc.

10. Does Shepard ascribe to any sort of faith?

No, but she becomes interested in Thanes.

11. Fondest childhood memory?

By ME2, she isn’t sure her childhood memories are really hers, so she tries to forget them.

12. Most embarrassing adult memory?

In ME2, before Thane’s romance was locked in, she got so drunk one day and drunk-messaged Ashley trying to flirt with her. Then when that was completely rejected, she went straight to Zaeed to try and flirt with him, but she became so distracted in the garbage compactor that she missed her one chance with that old merc. Joker was 100% watching the vid feeds and EDI was monitoring her messages to Ashley.

13. What does Shepard choose to do about Gavin Archer?

THIS mothafuckin guy THIS GUY ohhhhh my god. I think canon choice was “your brother is going to Grissom Academy and you can fuck right off” but the unhinged, more correct choice is: iron pressed against his temple and ending it all then and there for Gavin.

14. Is Shepard the type to gossip?

If it’s gossip with Kasumi, yes, because Kasumi has the best tea and tells the best story. Anyone else, probably not.

15. How does Shepard react to Garrus’s Archangel reveal?

I’m just going to go with the canon-neutral reaction.

16. What was the N7 program like for Shepard?

This was when she was A Good Soldier and A Good Person (pre-ME1), so it went pretty well, all things considered. She was focused and driven and wanted to be the best she could be.

17. Go-to karaoke song?

ANOTHER ONE I CAN ANSWER BECAUSE OF DISCORD thank god. This song because it’s mostly shouting instead of singing:

Fire Woman – The Cult

18. What choice does Shepard make on Rannoch?

Okay so, this one might get me a lot of hate BUT I’ve always accidentally (I’m so serious about this) picked the option here Tali throws herself off the cliff. Like, I’m not joking. It doesn’t matter how many years are between play throughs, or if I’m like, OKAY THIS TIME…!!! I always manage to pick that option. In an AU, I’d really like for the Geth and the Quarians to make peace and build the planet together and I’m just inept at making Good Choices.

19. Which kind of reaper do they think is the ugliest?

That stupid Human-Reaper from ME2.

20. Can they dance?

She can sway to music really well.

21. What is Shepard’s relationship with Hackett?

Mostly annoyed at him. In her eyes, Hackett is up there with TIM.

22. What’s their alignment? Paragon, renegade, a mix…

Renegade all the way. Light up her face with scars.

23. Got any allergies? How bad?

No, because I honestly just won’t remember she has them.

24. When’s their birthday, and how old are they?

Canon birthday and canon age!

25. Trash talk or potty mouth

BOTH!

26. What’s their temper like?

Flares hot, but then it dies down pretty quickly because she’s either smothering it with alcohol or she’s already moved on to the next crisis.

27. What does Shepard think of Bakara?

EVEEEE and not my clone named Eve!!!!! She adores her and will do anything for her.

28. A reoccurring nightmare:

Indoctrination. She can’t shake the feeling that, even after everything, she’s indoctrinated.

And Moon’s Haunted fic.

29. Which news correspondent/journalist does Shepard bring on the Normandy? What’s their relationship like?

Diana Allers and it’s a relationship of: Maeve forgets she’s there until Diana reminds her.

30. Who’s got the biggest crush on Shepard?

Ummm ME!!! Hmm definitely Joker in all 3 games, Garrus in 1 and 2, (and finally a HC) the Geth (and OC) she messages all throughout ME3.

31. What kind of relationship do they have with Dr. Chakwas? Which doctor do they bring her on board for 3, and why?

Good! They’re drinking buddies, except Dr. Chakwas is obviously less unhinged about it.

32. Who has Shepard’s grudging respect?

Javik & Zaeed.

33. Reaction to the window over their sr-2 bed

Kill Bill sirens.

34. Does Shepard want children?

Not just no, but hell no.

35. What does Shepard consider their greatest mistake?

Joining the Alliance.

36. Did Shepard enjoy the heists with Kasumi?

Yes, this was her favorite mission. I think I mentioned this in one of the previous 50 questions, but she was excited for the heist. She was excited to dress up and to have even the slightest potential to not kill anyone.

37. Does Shepard ever play matchmaker?

Ngl, I like Liara and Javik together so I’d like to imagine she helped with that somehow.

38. A silly daydream:

While she was on house arrest after ME2 and before ME3, she daydreamed that Joker would come visit her and they’d rekindle whatever they had before.

Or, she’d imagine Thane would come rescue her like a damsel in distress.

(god these aren’t really “silly” are they?!)

39. What kind of media do they consume the most?

Tech news, but she’s pretty off mainstream media content. She prefers to spend time with her crew in person.

40. Favorite ice cream flavor

Cookies and cream.

41. If Shepard has a LI, what would they say are a couple of Shepard’s flaws? And strengths?

I think we all like to imagine our LI’s being over the moon about our Sheps, and my HCs are no different.

Thane sees her as the spitting image of one of his goddesses. She’s strong, relentless, ruthless, and determined, which are all qualities he admires. In private, she’s soft and a puddle of mush most of the time. I like to think he enjoys taking care of her (e.g. blanket over the shoulders, a good cuddle session, sharing food).

Her flaws come through pretty starkly in all these sets of 50 questions: she can make REALLY poor choices, she can get tunnel vision on certain missions, she can be too brash.

42. Are they quick to laugh, or slow to smile?

Okay, I’m probably going to be annoying with this but I’m going to say both to this one too (like the potty mouth or trash talking one). I think she’s quick to laugh, but it isn’t always genuine. She’ll laugh when she feels like there’s a social cue she needs to meet. She’s slow to smile because those would be her true, genuine feelings.

43. What does it take to earn Shepard’s trust?

Most people have her trust from the beginning. She doesn’t feel like she has time to be untrusting, so her initial trust is easy to get. As long as that isn’t broken, then all’s golden. If the initiate trust is broken then it’s near impossible to get it back.

44. Top three people Shepard thinks are hotties:

Samara

Nyreen

Zaeed

+Thane because he’s her Li so that’s a given

45. What’s the easiest way to gross them out?

Throw up. THAT’S ALL hahahaha but fr gross.

46. What are some of their favorite combo moves with team members out on the field?

Oooohh this is embarrassing for her and me. I always forget team members and Shepard can do combo moves together, so I never do it. So lets go with: she’s a lone wolf who likes to do her own tech combos herself.

47. Can they forgive easily, or are they the type to hold a grudge?

Neither! She’d rather just forget.

48. Does Shepard have a good sense of direction?

She relies solely on her HUD that she doesn’t know anymore!

49. Did they enjoy their party on the Citadel?

Yes, it was nice getting everyone together, but she really missed Thane.

50. What is Shepard’s ending?

Maeve, beloved, goes full destroy ending, which includes destroying herself. I’ve talked about this a lot in the server so I’m not going to get too much in the weeds but… she’s very content with this choice.

+1 …got any kinks?

*looks back at question 33* yes – a choking kink whoops

[cubbieloves]

hi, new mootie! very nice to meet you and can’t wait to get to know you better! anyway, hopefully i’m asking the right blog (you have at least 2, i am taking a gamble lol!) but you get my point haha! mayhaps if it’s okay, top 5 moments or things you like about moze and jiaoqiu? :) (fellow moze enjoyer hehe) anyway, wishing you a wonderful day! if you need anything at all or just want to chat, feel free to dm me (here haha) or come into my inbox! mwah! -Airi 💜 enjoy my favorite hsr memes as a treat hehe~

OMGOMG HI NEW MUTIE AIRI!!! it is so nice to be muties with you!!! i remember reading your jiaoqiu x clumsy!reader ages ago and falling in love with it!!! im so happy that we can be muties now! and yes hueheh this is my main yume blog! (also the memes made me snicker in the cafe im in...)

as for minnie's five favorite moments/things abt moze nd jiaoqiu...

1) i love how jiaoqiu is so observant of even the smallest things concerning moze nd i! this is coming from one of moze's character stories where he notices that moze is silently in pain. hes so observant and i feel he would be the best boyfriend because of that. (AND. AND HE WROTE A LITTLE NOTEBOOK FOR MOZE TO REFER TO ON KEEPING UP WITH STARRAIL. he knows how socially awkward (moze) and shy (minnie) we are and he always does things like that to help us ☹️☹️☹️)

2) for moze i love how he seems very aloof but he actually cares so much. coming from the group chat he had with feixiao nd jiaoqiu where he instantly goes to clean the fish when jiaoqiu asks, and also when he helped find the stray tuskpir in the 2.5 special program, i feel like he would always help you with things. side note his love language i think is gifting.

3) going into headcanon moments with mozeqiumin: mqm did the blind deaf mute cooking challenge once after the entire situation with hoolay. it turned out about as well as you might expect (spoiler it ended with minnie (mute) laughing so hard she started crying, jiaoqiu (blind) nearly getting a concussion, and moze (deaf) having to finish cooking)

4) oo oo heres a little headcanon i love! mqm always go out on little hotpot dates, but after the incident with hoolay, jiaoqiu couldnt eat spicy foods. because of this, mqm instead started going on on tanghulu dates instead. now that he's better, mqm goes on upgraded hotpot dates, now with tanghulu for dessert!

5) my favorite thing tho (and what fully dragged me into mqm) was the scene at the end of 2.5 with feixiao, jiaoqiu, and moze. everytime i watch it i just cry nd think about how much love jiaoqiu and moze must have in their hearts, not only for feixiao but for each other (and for minnie)

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hi! I'm a beginning writer who have recently started to write in English. I am not satisfied about my works in general, I use to abandoned 4/5 fics before writing another one that could satisfy me. I don't know If you already answered this, but could you please give me some advices for becoming more confident in writing in a foreign language? Could you give also any advice to enrich that language's vocabulary? Sorry for my terrible English and thank you for your reply! Love your blog. ❤️

Tips for Learning to Write in a Second Language

1 - Read books in that language - Reading books is the best way to learn how to write them, and it's also a great way to learn how to write them in a language other than your own. When you immerse yourself in a story being told in that language, you immerse yourself in grammar, vocabulary, writing mechanics, and more.

2 - Watch TV and movies in that language - Watching TV shows and movies in the second language is another great way to immerse yourself in the language. Not only can you get a feel for how the language sounds, but you can also pick up on things like cadence, timing, verbal quirks, and other things that are important to dialogue.

3 - Use a language app to improve your skills - If you're able to, try downloading a language app and use it to help improve your skills. Mastering everyday use of the language can help build a solid foundation for less common use.

4 - Find a language native vritique partner - Writing friends are worth their weight in gold, especially if you're writing in a second language and can find writing friends who are native speakers of the language you want to write in. Not only can you pick things up from them and their writing, you can ask them questions when you're confused about things, and they can read through your writing to point out any inconsistencies and mistakes in your use of the language.

5 - Use an editing program - Language editing apps and programs like Hemingway Editor, ProWriting Aid, Autocrit, Stilus, and others can be helpful in making sure your writing is correct--however I wouldn't rely on a program like that exclusively. Some of these programs cover multiple languages, and then different languages also have their own similar apps and programs.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[chronotsr]

No. 5 - D2, Shrine of the Kuo-Toa (August 1978)

Author(s): Gary Gygax Artist(s): David C. Sutherland III (Cover), David A. Trampier Level range: Average of 10, preferrably party size 7+ players Theme: Underground exploration Major re-releases: D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth, GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders

I'm almost speechless. This is the most 1e module cover to ever have 1e'd. It is perfection. The way the combat is perfectly perpendicular to the step pyramid. The bondage gear fishman who has a complete fishhead so you 100% understand he's a fishman. Lobster mommy saluting the troops. It's just….it's what dreams are made of.

So I'm already in love with this module, deeply and irrationally in love with it, before breaking the cover. If you're BORING you might prefer the later Jim Roslof cover art that's got lame things like technical proficiency. Ugh. The shit I have to put up with.

Anyway, there's a lot to talk about with D2! It's a lot of firsts for an official TSR product, and critically it's a lot of GOOD firsts.

It's the debut of the Kuo-Toa, one of the most fun groups of people in D&D! It's the first module that doesn't presume the enemy will be inherently aggressive! It's got a lot of negotiation and learning! The only good type of gnomes debuts with the Svirfneblin! This model of "alien settlement where you are not instantly attacked but you gotta learn the social rules and play along" is just the best. This will be done again in U2 and I adore U2. Yeah it's how it feels to go to a different country, especially one that doesn't speak your language, and just have everything be a little "off" compared to what you're used to, but. To me, it will always be The Autistic Experience. How well and quickly can you learn these bizarro social rules you can't intuit and what's the fewest number of whacks to the head it takes to get there? How long can you swallow your complaints when you see stuff that's obviously cruel, but the people around you don't perceive it as cruel anymore because it's The Way Things Are and they will actively defend the cruelty of it?

Ok, ok, back to your regularly scheduled program.

Gary starts off this week's festivities by telling you to be toxic to your players:

Sometimes it feels like there's three Garys in a trenchcoat and they take turns writing the modules.

So D2 starts in the cave at the immediate end of D1 and, let me derail already by saying that I really, really hate old-style hex maps. I cannot follow them -- I don't mean I don't understand how you're supposed to follow them, I mean it's nearly impossible for me to follow the diagonal to the destination. Your coordinate here is R20. Here is your map. Follow the 20 axis diagonally upward and rightward until you intersect with the R row. Can you do it?

Personally, I can't. My eye cannot follow that straight line, it will get lost in the mix of blank identical hexes and occasional interest objects. I sat here trying to follow it for 5 minutes and I couldn't do it. I need a straightedge to do it. The correct answer is that if you follow the light blue area from the bottom right towards the top left, it's the hex up and left of the fourth fully black hex you run into -- the leftmost of the two touching black hexes. I tested this against a few guinea pigs and no-one else could mange it either. Later we will admit defeat and that this axial coordinate system for hexmaps is, uh, really fucking bad, and replace it with offset coordinates (or even better, double coordinates) which more closely resemble normal cartesian coordinates, and by extension are not Eye Strain Central. They have the downside of different eyestrain (tiny font) and that you literally cannot fit as many hexes on the page, but the point of a graphic is to communicate information and the axial coordinate hexmap is bad at that unless you're playing on a huge table with like, two DM screens.

Yes this rant should've gone in D1, mea culpa. In my defense, D1-2 is, basically one module in two parts, they're not really separable.

Here's the coordinate lined out for you, since I imagine many of you have the same issue:

So, now that I have a headache trying to read, we can get to the actual text of the adventure again. Now keep in mind that max movement rate is 1 hex per 1 inch of movement for the slowest member of the party (so like, your guy wearing platemail has 60ft of movement, 10ft to the inch: 6 hexes per day). This means you could hypothetically arrive at the final location as quickly as 22/6=4 days of gameplay, 3 if no one including hirelings wore plate. That is, if you beelined to D2 by sheer luck, never got lost, never got distracted, never got slowed down, never had to take a rest day. Which is good because the food in The Depths seems questionable.

The first segment of the adventure is mostly reprinted from D1 -- random tables and maps and the like. We do get the addition of everyone's favorite early DND trope: a slavery table! And also happilly we get some goopy guys to move your eyes away from that shit:

Which, is a lot more my speed. More goopy guys. It's a roper, actually, although I frankly didn't recognize it. It looks more like the monster from Dexter's Lab? Apparently Ropers have changed a lot in the last 50 years.

So it's all random tables teasing that we're going to end up arriving at a shrine soon. There is a special entry in the back for the new Kuo-Toa and Svirfneblin, and oddly the Svirfneblin don't get a header? We don't learn much. We know that they're natural elemental summoners, that they're "natural fighters", and that they live at some unstated cave somewhere. They like their stun gas darts, they "communicate with racial empathy" (which I guess means body language?) outside their own domains, deep gnomish at home, and underworld cant when they're trading, plus earth elemental-ese. So they learn a lot as kids. They love them some traps, too, basically they're the gnomish Rambos and I love them for it.

Meanwhile, our titular Kuo-Toa get a pretty standard write-up. Driven underground, human sacrifice, raiders, like their war parties. Their priests like their mancatchers, which are based on lobster claws, they spawn in pools, they can spontaneously generate lightning by holding hands (???), are too slippery to grab, can see both infrared AND ultraviolent, can see you moving through basically any magical means, immune to poison, paralysis, charming, sleep, and are resistant to magic missile and lightning. This is, very very weird. They are wildly powerful compared to their later versions, and the only upshot is that they're readily blinded by light spells. Apparently they go insane with such regularity that they have a dedicated social role to controlling or killing the crazed? Yeah these people are a piece of work.

We get a little setpiece moment here where, essentially, there's a rogue kuo-toa who will offer you a trip across the river for 10g. He only speaks kuo-toa and he'll sicc his giant fish on you if you don't say yes fast enough. In fact, a lot of ink is spilled on this little moment, which in all likelihood will be a brief conversation and some passing of money.

Before you get into the shrine proper, some svirfneblin offer to help you in the shrine if you go halfsies on treasure (with almost that exact wordchoice).

Finally, we end up in the shrine proper, which is keyed so let us enter Keyed Mode ™️

The whole area is lit by glow-in-the-dark lichens, which is a spooky way to reveal the lobster lady idol up on the pyramid

While the party can choose to politely integrate into the crowd and play along, there's lots of little things to harass them into nonconformity. Leeches, horrifying offerings, offerings of increasing amount, having to correctly pronounce nonsense names (Blibdoolpoolp????????), holding a live lobster, it's a good bit.

You can, in fact, visit the goddess, who will give you a boon (if you give an offering) or a geas (if you don't), which also grants you kuo-toa speech and also a mark of loyalty, which is neat. You can also encounter her if you fuck around in the prince's treasure room, so the odds of meeting her are actually pretty good! Note that this is pre-"Kuo-Toa believe their gods into existence" so in this case they are worshipping a (hypothetically) permanent, naturally-occurring deity. Being that this is 1e and she is a she, she is Extremely Naked. She is later called The Mother of Lusts, which is one hell of a title.

If you fail to get the priest-prince when you meet him, he actually has a pretty rock-solid escape plan and will come back with an army. So, probably whack him if possible. I really like when antagonists have the sense to piss off and come back armed, rather than pridefully stand and die. You get the sense that Va-Guulgh is priest-prince because he plans contingencies like this, whereas other Kuo-Toa simply vibe. That being said, the Kuo-Toa are apparently not equipped for a search, so it's pretty easy to ditch them.

Sigh.

We do not have a dramatic declaration of THE END anymore, which is a terrible shame. We instead get a more reasonable "This is the end of the section."

The magic of D2 is more in the play and less in the overview. Like, look at this map:

This is a pretty naturalistic map. This is just how you'd arrange a major structure, rather than the kind of nonsense layouts you see in a lot of early dungeons. I don't put much stock in "Gygaxian Naturalism", I think Gary presented pretty intensely game-y spaces and they only seemed naturalistic by 1970s published product standards, but nonetheless he was paving the way compared to some of the silliness you got in pre-G1 modules. This map is good, I think, in that it becomes super extremely obvious to the players from the moment you enter that they extremely do not want to provoke a full alarm -- this is a shrine where you want to kill as few Kuo-Toa as you can, and as many of those as you can behind closed-doors -- it's time to straight up bail if the alarm goes off because you are not beating the hundreds of guys here if you you provoke them up front.

We end with some rust monster art, my favorite monster that I never use because I think I'd get shanked if I did. See you next time in D3!

[angieloveshua]

“My five starts danmei novels.” Short, well, you do know, not short reasons why I like them.

🎋 —C Language Cultivation.

carrd.

Programming? Cultivation? A pretty man with long hair? Fucking swipe my card— wait, I don't own a card... Anyways, you get my point!

This novel, C Language Cultivation, had all the possible elements to make it into the top of my favourite novels. Did it achieve it? Well, fellas, it is in the post for something!

Believe me, for a moment, I was crazy enough to think that studying Computer Science because of this book was a good idea of a degree (it is, but Angie is a literature girl), so Imagine how good it is.

If you're done with slow burn (I'm never done with slow burn, but there are times when I appreciate a couple who gets straight to the point), read C Language Cultivation! Dong Jun and Lin Xun had THEE tension going on from the moment they've met, and I was screaming with every single interaction.

I believe this novel had one of the best plot twists I've read in my entire life (and I've been reading since I was 10, guys, 10 years old!). I was literally staring into the wall, trying to process what I've just read. I still can't believe how it fucking played with me.

Alas, Dong Jun and I share birthdays! Do you need another reason to start reading it, like, mmm, NOW?

🎋 —Beyond The Outline.

carrd.

Grab yourself to something because this is the second, THE SECOND novel with almost no angst (there are sad moments, but it's mostly cute) that I ranked as a five starts book. The author? Obviously, Mu Gua Huang.

You see, guys, Mu Gua Huang makes me love happiness and to be quite addicted to it. Once I started this novel, I would keep reading it until 5 a.m., and it was worth it!

Beyond The Outline has a precious message behind the hilarious and mysterious situation where two high school students, completely opposite from each other, switch bodies after being hit by lightning. I was this emoji 🥺 all the time.

I love this couple. Shao Zhan 🤧, look, I don't mean to spoil you, but he does something that I was like, “No man will do this for me never. He's the last romantic.” He's the best boy and the best boyfriend. If someone hates him, they seriously need some help.

🎋 —Alpha Predator.

No carrd, unfortunately.

Some of you may say, “Angie, didn't you review this novel before?” And I will do it again.

Alpha Predator is the last novel of the 188男团 (if you don't know, basically, the gongs are all 188 and scummy) and the best I've read from Suida. This book basically fell from the sky for me. I was on a reading block (is that the right term in English?) and needed something that made me retake my usual reading rhythm. May I aggregate that this has been the best novel I read in 2023 by so far? It is.

As the title suggests, Alpha Predator is an ABO world where rank plays an important role in society. The ML and scummy gong (mi bebé solo estaba jugando) is an S class Alpha, which means he is the one on top of the pyramid. I love Qu Moyu, and I am willing to defend him with my life. I accept that I tweeted that he was a stupid Alpha, but we all make mistakes, hahaha.

I love QuShen. 💜 They are my favourite 188 couple, and the best, in my not so humble opinion. They admire each other, and they come to love each other despite all the misunderstandings, and that makes me 🤧.

If you like scummy gongs and trust my taste, give it a try!

🎋 —Po Yun.

carrd.

What do we have here? My last reading, the best crime book, and the novel that made me couldn't look my chemistry teacher straight in the eye! The last point is kind of a long story that I'll tell you some other day.

Anyways, who are these sexy gentlemen? I'll introduce you to Yan Xie and Jiang Ting, the protagonists and couple of Po Yun!

I have great memories of reading this novel. I remember sending voice messages to one of my friends about this book: “Girl, you wouldn't believe what just happened...” Dalia and I agree that this is an amazing book.

I also found it quite realistic in the aspect of how much can drugs fuck up someone's life. I won't elaborate on this because it's spoiler, but you will piece a lot of things once you know about a certain character past.

As for the romance, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, WHY THE FUCK I WASN'T IN THAT WEDDING. I WOULD HAVE CRIED WHILE DRINKING EXPENSIVE WINE (I don't even like wine). They're HOT and they LOVE each other.

🎋 —First-Class Lawyer.

carrd.

Look, maybe I wouldn't have dropped out of law school if it were as entertaining as this novel, but it wasn't in my case. Putting that new fun fact about me aside, welcome to First-Class Lawyer by Mu Su Li.

This novel is set in a futuristic environment, so Yan Suizhi and Gu Yan are not just lawyers but interstellar lawyers. Amazing, isn't it? The mystery involves the other planets, so you'll see them space-travelling to find out the truth. And if that didn't sell you, Yan Suizhi is “dead.” Yup, our main character was awakened from death and put in another body in the first chapter. As the critics (me) say, “You know the book is good when the author kills the protagonist in the first page.”

The couple, aw. Imagine having someone you could tell anything, it doesn't matter how insignificant it is, and that they listen to you and that they love you so much —that's Gu Yan and Yan Suizhi. They're also teacher × student, from those who like that kind of dynamic!

As I told you in the beginning, this is written by Mu Su Li, author of QQGK, which means it is freaking good!

Some of you may be wondering, “Where the fuck is BAB?” I'M WAITING FOR OFFICIAL ART. 😭 HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO ART BAIT YOU IF THERE IS NO OFFICIAL ART???? /cries in it's my favourite book and it doesn't have art even though it was signed to a lot of publications

[coughs] I hope you like this pt. 4 of Angie recs! I don't know when I'll post the next, but this is my humble effort of making you read these amazing novels!

[universityguru]

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