#using this chance to make the tumblr entry for the video

[saltprince]

Thank you for 10K views on the End of Ragnarok lyrics video!!

[ultimate-sword-showdown]

Welcome to the Ultimate Sword Showdown...Rematch!

In this tournament, we'll have 64 swords compete to see which is the true winner. This is the second iteration of this tournament, so there are some new rules.

New Contestants

New competitors will be chosen in the exact same way as before. I will personally sort through the list of submissions and choose a list of swords I think look or sound the coolest or most interesting. This means that receiving a high number of submissions will not guarantee any sword's spot in this tournament, although a high volume of submissions for one sword may draw my attention towards it where I had ignored it before.

Speaking of ignoring submissions, if you submitted a sword last time and it did not make it into the tournament, you may try submitting it again and you may have better luck this time. I will try to pay special attention to swords I glossed over last time. I will also of course be looking at swords that were not submitted last time.

Returning Contestants

Any sword that did not make it past Round 1 in the initial iteration of this tournament will be eligible for resubmission, and I will try to match it up with a competitor against whom it might stand a better chance. This means that a total of 32 original contestants may try their hand again. I have removed the barrier for entry, and any returning sword that receives even one submission will be automatically included.

A list of the swords eligible for resubmission, as well as a list of all swords disqualified from this tournament due to making it past round 1 last time, is under the cut.

Guide to the Form

Name of sword (e.g. Sting, Excalibur, Ghirahim). If the sword does not have a name, put N/A or something similar and be sure to put extra descriptions of which sword you are talking about in the other boxes.

Series of origin (e.g. Lord of the Rings, Arthurian legends, The Legend of Zelda).

Wielder (e.g. Bilbo/Frodo Baggins, King Arthur, Demise). If the sword is from a video game and is wielded by, say, both a boss and later the player character, specify the boss over the player. If the sword has two primary wielders list both. If the sword is wielded by a family line or something similar, specify the group as a whole. If the sword has too many wielders to list, put "many" and describe in the box below. If the sword has no primary wielders, put "none" or leave the box blank.

Describe the sword. This is where you get to gush about all the details. If there is no picture provided you can describe it physically, but also describe the ways it's been used, if it has any special powers, its personality if it is sentient, and anything else you think might be important to know. This is what will draw my interest the most!

Write up a description to be used in the tournament or provide me informational sources (new!). This box can be used to help me out in any way with putting the tournament together. You can write up a short but informative description that will be included under the polls in the same style as the ones I wrote for the last tournament. Alternatively, if you have a particularly informative wiki link, tumblr post, or any other source you recommend I pull information from, you can place it here as well. Anything helps!

Include a picture of the sword. Paste a link to a picture you'd like me to use for the tournament. You can also paste multiple links, with pictures of swords by themselves or while wielded. You can also link gifs you'd like me to include. I may include multiple pictures for more swords this time around than I did last time.

Notes about submitting swords:

I am hoping the definition of a sword is obvious, but a sword should have a hilt and a blade that is longer than the hilt. Daggers and spears do not qualify.

Any type of sword counts--everything from shortswords to broadswords to katanas.

Swords from books count.

The keyblades from Kingdom Hearts are...close enough.

Dual-wielded swords or identical swords in a set can be submitted together. More than like...four swords that are all distinct from one another should be counted as separate swords.

Sentient swords count.

Characters who transform into swords are allowed so long as that is their main gimmick (i.e. a character who transforms into a sword once in episode 30 and never again is not truly a sword).

You can submit as many swords from the same media as you would like (in separate submissions), but I will only include a maximum of three swords per IP in the final tournament.

The form can be found below.

Structure of the Tournament

The form will be open until December 12th. I will warn you 3 hours before I close the form. After the form is closed, I will begin working on the bracket and should have it up within a couple days of closing the form.

As before, I will be writing up a brief description for every sword. This will be pulled from a combination of the information I received through submissions, and whatever I can find on online wikis. However, a new addition to the tournament is that after I have gathered images and written up descriptions, but before the tournament starts, I will release a full list of descriptions and images, and there will be a ~3 day buffer before the tournament starts for you all to look over my work and correct anything I may have messed up--spelling a major character's name wrong, a mistake in the information, a picture of the wrong sword, etc. (all things that happened after the polls went up during the last run of this tournament). During this time I will also allow you to submit your own description, if you think you can write a better one. You can submit a description to me in the replies or reblogs of the post, through the askbox, or through DMs. Please specify what it's for. I will also post this new description for others to verify that your information is correct. Perhaps with thorough peer review, we can completely eliminate misinformation. *flexing arm emoji*

After this ~3 day period, the polls will be finalized and Round 1 will begin shortly after. All polls will run for 24 hours, except for the final one which will run for one week.

Rules

You can submit as many different swords as you like.

Please do not spam the submission form. As described above this will do nothing for you. Additionally, I use submission numbers to help me seed the bracket. Please don't screw up my seeding. Just...don't.

Propaganda is allowed and encouraged! Send it through reblogs, asks, or a separate post. Be sure to tag me in your posts, and if reblogging, add a tag like "propaganda" or something to let me know you want me to reblog it.

Please be civil to your host and to your fellow voters. If toxicity becomes an issue I may have to disqualify competitors from the tournament. Do not make me do this.

Also, please be respectful of me and my decisions. I am only one host and I cannot be perfect all the time, but I will try to make decisions that are fair. If you have complaints, please make them civilly. This was not an issue last time, but it bears mentioning again. People can be ruthless on their silly little social media blorbo polls.

Miscellaneous

Mod goes by The Bladesmith.

Original tournament masterpost

I have no idea what tournaments are still active these days, so I won't tag anyone this time. If any tournament hosts happen to see this, I hope you will help a fellow host out and signal boost this for me. It would also help for non-hosts to reblog if you would be so kind. *smily face*

Under the cut: List of tags, list of eligible returning contestants, list of ineligible contestants

Tags:

#sword showdown -- all posts related to the sword showdown.

#sword showdown rematch -- tag exclusively for the second iteration of this tournament.

#not sword showdown -- any posts not related to the sword showdown.

#sword showdown polls -- all sword showdown polls.

#sword showdown propaganda -- all propaganda.

#sword showdown updates -- important non-poll posts related to the sword showdown.

#the bladesmith answers -- answered asks.

#the bladesmith speaks -- general posts.

Contestants eligible for resubmission:

Sword of the Creator (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Dawnfang/Duskfang (The Elder Scrolls)

Leo's Katanas (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Rose's Sword (Steven Universe)

Serenade (Dead Cells)

Blue Rose Sword (Sword Art Online)

Sword of Sanctuary (Lego Ninjago)

Myrtenaster (RWBY)

Sword of Heroes (Kung Fu Panda)

Buster Sword (Final Fantasy VII)

Sword of Night (DC Comics)

Ninja Sword (Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja)

Aatrox (League of Legends)

Wirikidor (The Misenchanted Sword)

Masamune (Final Fantasy VII)

The Blade of Ahrah (Dust: Elysian Tail)

Exor (Super Mario RPG)

Demon Blood Sword (Adventure Time)

Nightblood (Warbreaker/The Stormlight Archive)

Murasama (Metal Gear Rising)

Tessaiga (Inuyasha)

Firelink Greatsword (Dark Souls 3)

Fusion Sword (Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children)

Dragonslayer (Berserk)

Crissaegrim (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)

Falchion (Fire Emblem)

Need (Valdemar)

Stripes I and II (Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt)

Beacon (The Adventure Zone)

The Sword (Cardcaptor Sakura)

Excalibur (Soul Eater)

Monado (Xenoblade Chronicles)

Swords not eligible for submission:

Jack/Sumarbrander (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)

Doomblade (Kirby)

Sword of Protection (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

Sasha's Heron Swords (Amphibia)

Sunsword (Dungeons and Dragons)

Caliburn (Sonic and the Black Night)

Stygius (Hades)

Ghirahim/Sword of Demise (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

Riptide (Percy Jackson)

Sword of Light (Dragon Quest)

Aegislash (Pokemon)

Sword of Fire (Lego Ninjago)

Lucky Seven (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

Zangetsu (Bleach)

Galaxia (Kirby)

Pure Nail (Hollow Knight)

Excalibur (Arthurian legends)

E-Ming (Tian Guan Ci Fu/Heaven's Official Blessing)

Holy Moonlight Sword (Bloodborne)

Sword of Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride)

Grass Sword (Adventure Time)

The Transistor (Transistor)

Diamond Sword (Minecraft)

Fierce Deity Sword (Majora's Mask)

Sting (Lord of the Rings)

Sword of Dios (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

Darksaber (Star Wars)

Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle)

Master Sword (The Legend of Zelda)

Glamdring (Lord of the Rings)

Eyelander (Team Fortress 2)

Mortal Blade (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)

[beccasafan]

1D Fanbruary 2023

So I've been wanting to do something nice for the fandom, but I've also been thinking about how to help the fandom help itself. These ideas have settled into Fanbruary!

Each day during the month of February, you can earn entries by commenting on fics on AO3, reblogging fic posts, or reblogging art posts.

(I am super awful about lurking and not reblogging content myself, so this is definitely something I need to be better at myself!!)

At the end of the month, I will randomly select 7 people. Each person will receive an eGift Card to Redbubble. (I am based in the US, please see the Rules for a note on international users.)

$25

$20

$15

$10

$10

$10

$10

If there are any clarifications needed for the rules, they will be edited into the original post. Chances that I'm forgetting something at the time of writing this post? Eh, 83%.

To submit an entry, fill out this form. Please make sure you have thoroughly read the rules below.

Rules

Limited to the 1D fandom and 1D-related content only.

1 entry per AO3 comment / 1 entry per Tumblr fic reblog / 1 entry per Tumblr art reblog.

DO NOT REPOST CONTENT!! Tumblr entries should be reblogs of an original post from the author/artist of the content.

Art content can be a manip, gif, video, drawing, painting, moodboard, etc. Generally, something that took work to make original.

Each entry must be unique throughout the month. Example: reblogging the same fic (even if posts for different chapters) will not count as multiple entries. Commenting on AO3 and reblogging the same fic on Tumblr will count as 2 entries.

You may not submit a reblog/comment for your own content as an entry.

There is a max of 5 entries per person per UTC day. Please do not flood the form with entries. I won't count any more than 5 per day, please don't make things difficult for me.

Reblogs should include commentary tags in addition to any categorical tags (date, fandom, trope, etc). AO3 comments don't need to be deep or profound but should be more than just keysmashes.

AO3 comments may not be anonymous. I need to know who you are!

If your Tumblr username and AO3 username are different, please make sure that there is an obvious link between them so I know they belong to the same person.

You must allow Tumblr messages or asks - I can't send you a gift card if I can't communicate with you.

I'd prefer to do Redbubble gift cards so that the money hopefully loops back to fandom content creators.

Redbubble gift cards are available in AUD / CAD / EUR / GBP / USD.

I am willing to discuss alternatives with each winner and send a gift card to another company.

This is technically open to all international users, but note that purchasing a gift card for someone outside the US will be tricky. Many cards will only work in the country of purchase (Amazon, Starbucks, etc). I will incur a fee for any currency besides USD.

I am willing to discuss alternatives to Redbubble and winners outside the US but note that I may need to adjust the prize amount to account for currency conversion and fees.

[digitalmarketingagencypeshawar]

Peshawar Digital Marketing Agency: Crossing the Digital Divide

The thriving capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Peshawar, has witnessed a notable increase in the presence and influence of digital marketing organisations in the quickly changing digital world. These organisations are leading the way in converting conventional company models into innovative, web-based businesses. Among the platforms they use, Tumblr sticks out as a special and successful tool for digital marketing, providing a variety of chances for brands to engage with their audience in a creative and efficient manner.

Digital Marketing's Ascent in Peshawar Peshawar's digital marketing landscape has expanded rapidly in the last several years. In order to improve their online visibility, local businesses—from classic handicraft stores to cutting-edge tech startups—are increasingly resorting to digital marketing services. Search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing, social media management, and online advertising are just a few of the services that these firms provide.Digital Marketing Agency In Peshawar offers wide range of digital topics.

Tumblr:

A Missed Opportunity in Online Advertising The social networking and microblogging site Tumblr is frequently eclipsed by industry heavyweights like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. But because of its special qualities, it's a useful tool for digital marketers. Rich multimedia material, fully customisable blogs, and a vibrant community are all made possible by Tumblr, and these features can be especially helpful for niche marketing.

What makes Tumblr special?

Creativity and Customisation:

Brands may develop aesthetically pleasing and highly customised blogs with Tumblr thanks to its versatile interface. With this creative freedom, brands may successfully communicate their identity and values.

Text, images, quotations, links, audio, and video are just a few of the types that Tumblr can handle when it comes to rich multimedia material. Because of its adaptability, marketers may employ a variety of content formats to interact with their audience and increase user engagement.

Community Engagement:

The robust and lively communities on Tumblr are well-known. Using these communities, brands may interact with consumers who have similar interests and develop a devoted following. Benefits for SEO: Tumblr blogs have good SEO. A brand's presence on search engines can be increased by having a well-optimised Tumblr page, which will increase organic traffic to the main website.

How Peshawar's Digital Marketing Agencies Use Tumblr Peshawar-based digital marketing companies are starting to realise Tumblr's potential. They are using the platform as follows:

Content Creation:

To cater to the interests of Tumblr's wide user base, agencies provide visually appealing and captivating content. Blog entries, info-graphics, films, and interactive materials fall under this category. Community Building: Agencies assist brands in gaining a devoted and robust following on Tumbler by actively engaging in these communities. By interacting with users via direct messages, re blogs, and comments, they promote a sense of community and fidelity.

Campaign Management:

To reach a wider audience, agencies use promotional posts and targeted advertising to manage and carry out marketing campaigns on Tumblr. To improve campaign performance, they monitor performance data and make necessary adjustments.

Brand Identity:

Agencies assist companies in building a strong online presence on Tumblr by creating personalised themes and unified branding. The uniformity of the brand across all digital platforms strengthens trust and brand recognition.

In summary Peshawar's digital marketing environment is dynamic and changing quickly. The city's digital marketing organisations are skilled at using Tumblr and other platforms to help businesses reach their target audiences and meet their marketing objectives. Because of its distinctive qualities, Tumblr is a useful resource for innovative and community-focused marketing campaigns. The importance of these agencies will only increase as more companies realise the possibilities of digital marketing, spurring success and innovation in Peshawar's business community.

FAQ

1. What is the purpose of using Tumblr for digital marketing for my company? Tumblr has several benefits, like blogs that are incredibly customisable, support for rich multimedia material, and active community involvement. These characteristics might make your company stand out and appeal to a specific type of customer.

How might a Tumblr digital marketing agency benefit my company? On Tumblr, a digital marketing agency can support with content creation, community building, campaign management, and brand identity establishment.

Is Tumblr appropriate for all kinds of companies? Tumblr may help any business trying to interact with specific communities and improve their online profile, but it's especially useful for companies that can use creative and graphic content.

What are the advantages of Tumblr for SEO? Because Tumblr blogs are SEO-friendly, they can raise the visibility of your brand on search engines. Tumblr optimised content can increase organic traffic to your primary website.

What distinguishes Tumblr's community involvement from that of other platforms? Creative expression and a strong feeling of common interests are what fuel Tumblr's community engagement. With regard to particular issues, users frequently establish close-knit communities, which facilitates brand engagement with highly engaged audiences. Businesses in Peshawar can improve their digital marketing tactics, expand their customer base, and succeed more in the digital sphere by knowing and leveraging Tumblr's distinctive qualities.

Q6: How can companies assess whether their efforts in digital marketing are successful? A6: Key performance indicators (KPIs) such website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement metrics, return on investment (ROI) from advertising campaigns, and search engine rankings can be used by businesses to gauge the effectiveness of their digital marketing initiatives.

Q7: How does content marketing fit into the plans of digital marketers? A7: Content marketing is essential for building a brand's credibility and authority. The target audience is drawn to and engaged by high-quality content, which also generates organic traffic and bolsters other marketing initiatives like SEO and social media marketing.

Q8: Are there any particular trends in digital marketing that Peshawar businesses ought to be aware of? A8: Trends like the growing usage of video content, influencer marketing, mobile optimisation, personalised marketing experiences, and the expanding influence of automation and artificial intelligence in marketing are things that businesses should be aware of.

Q9: How can Peshawar-based digital marketing companies assist with brand development? A9: By developing a strong online presence through consistent branding across several digital channels, interesting content, well-placed advertisements, and proactive social media management, these agencies help to establish brand recognition and loyalty.

Q10: What qualities ought companies to consider before selecting a Peshawar digital marketing agency? A10: Companies should seek out an agency with a track record of accomplishment, experience in the relevant field, a wide range of services, a clear grasp of their objectives, open communication, and a cooperative mindset.

[gintama-polls]

One last call for nominations for the next long tournament, a favorite episode tourney.

Under the cut is the current list of entries, taken from the Gintama THE FINAL-related survey. If there's an episode not in the list below that you want included, feel free to nominate it using the above form by this Saturday, the 20th.

Entries:

1: You bastards!! Do you even have a silver soul?

3: Nobody with Naturally Wavy Hair Can Be That Bad9: Fighting should be done properly

20: Beware of conveyor belt

25: The hot-pot is a microcosm of life

32: Life Moves on like a Conveyor Belt

38: Only Children Play in the Snow

48: The More You're Alike, the More You Fight

61: On a Moonless Night, Insects Are Drawn to the Light

65: Youngsters learn the value of life from rhinoceros beetles

77: Yesterday's Enemy, After All Is Said And Done, Is Still The Enemy

87: Perform A German Suplex On A Woman Who Asks If She Or The Job Is More Important

99: Life And Video Games Are Full Of Bugs

103: There's A Thin Line Between Strengths And Weaknesses

105: It's All About The Beat And Timing

111: There's Almost A 100% Chance You'll Forget Your Umbrella And Hate Yourself For It

119: Within Each Box Of Cigarettes, Are One Or Two Cigarettes That Smell Like Horse Dung

142: Life Is A Series Of Choices

153: Sleep Helps A Child Grow

166: Two Is Better Than One. Two People Are Better Than One

175: People Of All Ages Hate The Dentist!

180: The More Precious The Burden, The Heavier And More Difficult It Is To Shoulder It

184: Popularity Polls Can…

187: It's Goodbye Once A Flag Is Set

201: Everybody's A Santa

203: Everyone Looks Pretty Grown up after Summer Break

204: Use a Calligraphy Pen for New Year's Cards

205: Meals Should Be Balanced

211: Ghosts Aren't the Only Ones Who Run Wild around Graveyards

214: Tis an Honor!

215: Odds or Even

216: I Can't Remember a Damn Thing about the Factory Tour

217: What Happens Twice Can Happen Thrice

220: The Bathhouse, Where You're Naked in Body and Soul"

230: It Would Take Too Much Effort to Make This Title Sound like a Text Message Subject

231: When You Go to a Funeral for the First Time, You're Surprised by How Happy the People Are

237: Please Take Me Skiing

241: We Are All Hosts, in Capital Letters

246: Festival of Thornies

247: Letter from Thorny

256: The Meaning of a Main Character

260: Pinky Swear

261: Unsetting Moon

264: Liquor and Gasoline, Smiles and Tears

265: Dog Food Doesn't Have As Much Flavor As You'd Think

268: An Inspector's Love Begins with an Inspection

272: A Reunion Also Brings to the Surface Things You Don't Want to Remember

273: When Compared to Time in Heaven, Fifty Years of Human Life Resembles Nothing but Dreams and Lottery Tickets

275: 9 + 1 = Yagyuu Jyuubei

282: A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes Over and Over

287: He's the Sweet Tooth, and I'm the Mayo Guy

296: Take the Initial Premise Lightly, and It'll Cost You

297: Keep Your Farewells Short

301: Ninja Village

304: Those Who Protect Against All Odds

305: Sworn Enemy

311: Jailbreak

315: Nobume

316: Farewell, Shinsengumi

320: Zura

322: Ten Years

323: Paths

326: Siblings

330: My Bald Dad, My Light-Haired Dad and My Dad`s Glasses

333: All the Answers Can Be Found in the Field

335: The Super Sadist and the Super Sadist

341: Guardian Spirits Are Also a Part of the Soul

342: Try As You Might to Make a Natural Perm Go Away, It Will Always Return

346: Geezers Carve the Things They Shouldn't Forget into Their Wrinkles

355: Rabbits Leap Higher on Moonlit Nights

356: Making a Dull World Interesting

361: The Creatures Known as Humanity

364: Two in Girl Years Is Equal to Ten in Man Years

366: Dun Dun

367: Gintama Final Ending Scamming Trial

Gintama: A New Retelling Benizakura Arc

Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya

Gintama The Final

[sixty-silver-wishes]

Welcome to Sorcerer's Glade, a choose-your-own-adventure story using Tumblr polls!

In this story, whatever option the most people vote for determines the direction of the plot! I'll try to update weekly as the results roll in. The polls themselves will be on a separate post, which will be linked at the end of this first entry. Have fun! -

Part 1

With classes out for the summer, many students in your town are planning to go to the school carnival. It's a great place to hang out with friends, pig out on junk food, maybe even kiss your crush at the top of the Ferris wheel, and the ticket sales all go towards funding the school's extracurriculars. You may be too old for kiddie coasters and Tilt-A-Whirls, but most of your classmates will be there, and maybe you'll have a chance to relive some fun childhood memories before you head off to college next year.

It's the first day of summer vacation, and you're hanging out at your best friend Emma's house, considering inviting her to the carnival. But before you can ask, Emma pulls you onto her bed, opening her laptop. "Look at this," she says, opening a YouTube video. "You know Sorcerer's Glade, the old theme park?"

Of course you know about Sorcerer's Glade; ever since Emma found out about it a few months ago, it was all she could talk about. The abandoned theme park just a few miles out of town is set to be demolished soon, and Emma's been obsessed with the idea of breaking in and snapping a few photographs before it's bulldozed and replaced with a shopping mall. Still, you decide to humor her. "Yeah?" you say. "What about it?" She plays the video. "Look at this," she said. "People are saying it's a ghost."

The video quality is grainy, filmed on an out of date iPhone as ghost sightings so conveniently always happen to be, but you can barely make out a dark shadow slipping behind the rusted beams of a decaying roller coaster, overgrown with moss and covered in fallen branches. "It's probably fake," you say. Emma beams at you. "But wouldn't it be cool if it was a ghost? One of these comments says it could be Rebecca Williams, a little girl who fell off the roller coaster back in 1995. The park didn't want to take responsibility and got shut down after her death, so now her ghost haunts the coaster." "You don't really believe-" you start, then shake your head. What are you saying? Emma loves all things spooky and paranormal, from aliens to Bigfoot. A ghost in an abandoned theme park fit right in with all the cryptids and conspiracies she's always going on about. You look back at the video, the shadow flitting about onscreen. Is it just some clever editing, or could that really be the spirit of a dead girl, not long from where you live? Either way, you decide to change the subject. "Hey, Emma," you say. "Do you want to go to the school carnival with me?" Emma furrows her brow. "The school carnival? How about we go to Sorcerer's Glade instead? If Rebecca is really there, maybe we could find out for ourselves!" You wince. "Maybe Rebecca, um, just wants to be left alone," you say. "We don't even know if that video is real or not."

"Yeah, but even so, the park's going to be torn down soon. I want to see it before that happens. Besides, Justin and Opal already said they'd come; you don't want to miss out!" You don't know how Emma got your other two friends to agree to this, but she's right- you don't want to miss out. After all, they'll all be spending the first day of the summer going on some adventure, and the school carnival would be boring if you went alone. "Okay," you say. "You got me." "Make sure to pack for urban exploring," Emma says. "I'll meet you back here in an hour, okay?" "Sure," you answer, although doubt still hangs in your mind. Nonetheless, you go home and empty your school backpack, crumpled-up worksheets and battered binders falling out onto the floor. You've never been urban exploring before, and have no idea what to pack, but you decide to fill it with things that you imagine you'd need- your phone, some water bottles, snacks, a poncho, a notebook... soon, your backpack only has room for one more item. You're considering bringing either a small knife or a flashlight. Both could have their uses- after all, in the video Emma showed you, the park seemed all but overtaken by nature, and having something to cut vines out of your way, or to defend yourself if it came to that, could come in handy. But on the other hand, a flashlight would be useful for exploring dark spaces... although doesn't your phone already have a flashlight built into it?

Click the link to vote on what to bring!

[sasukeweek2023]

Sasuke Week 2023 will be a fandom event spanning seven days, from July 17 and ending on July 23, Sasuke's birthday, and each day will have a theme (or several) connected to Sasuke, for which you’ll be creating an appropriate fanwork! It’s an opportunity to showcase fandom creativity, particularly for the corners of it that really enjoy Sasuke ;)

What content will be accepted?

Anything that you can usually create within a fandom, which includes but is not limited to:

Fanart

Fanfiction

Gifs

Edits/Graphics

Cosplay

Parallels/“Web-weavings” posts

Video Edits (fancams, AMVs, etc.)

Analysis/Meta posts

Moodboards

Spotify playlists (or any kind of music playlist!)

etc.

Can anyone submit/participate?

Sure! There’s no entry fee, no sign-up requirements, nothing. Just be someone who likes making fanworks and who likes Sasuke! But do make sure to check out the rules.

Are NSFW works allowed?

Sure! Tasteful nudity, smut, anything you’d like. If you’re posting it on Tumblr, however, be careful, it’s very unclear what will happen.

Can you link your works from other sites (Twitter, AO3, ffnet, Wattpad, etc.)?

Yeah, go nuts! Just make sure you do link it on Tumblr, though; very big chance that whatever you worked very hard on will be missed if you don’t, given this is primarily a Tumblr event!

Can you submit your works onto this blog?

Yes, of course! If you’re too shy to put it on the main tag yourself, you can very much submit what you’ve created for each day on the sasukeweek2023 blog.

Is this for profit?

Nope! This is a free event for free, paying in nothing but love for Sasuke :)

Are the works created for Sasuke Week, such as fanart or fics, going to be taken and used by the moderator somewhere, such as compiled into a zine, or reposted onto another platform?

Nope! The works posted will be reblogged onto this blog, or posted onto it in the case of submissions, but that’s where they’ll stay! Your content will not be reposted anywhere and nothing will be done with it that you haven’t approved of, it will remain safely where you can see it.

How should I tag my works for them to be seen?

Tag your posts #sasukeweek2023, which will be tracked, so they can be reblogged onto this blog!

(If you have any other questions, check the rules. Otherwise, the askbox is open!)

[annanguyen1807]

Entry 6 | Summative Reflection

"I had never thought that I would love to study education until I study E-learning unit".

A little bit about my background is that I graduated with a Bachelor of Business English and had over five years of experience in consulting for Canada’s overseas study and immigration. As a response to Entry 1, I believe that I am an auditory learner because I prefer listening to people sharing their knowledge, thoughts, insights and emotions. Hence, I can identify what personality they are and stimulate them to discuss what they are thinking about various aspects of life. It means I like face-to-face meetings rather than online conversations. Furthermore, although I was born in the era of the Internet, I am not really a tech-savvy person.

I remembered that I used to dislike joining online classes. However, when Covid-19 broke out, there were many limitations and challenges for people to connect directly. This is a period in which the digital revolution has significantly developed and people need to change their way of interacting, working, teaching and learning. Today, people tend to prefer working from home, studying through digital platforms, and contacting colleagues/peers via social networks. This makes me more fascinated by technology than I used to be. Therefore, I have enjoyed the E-learning unit and gained a lot of knowledge from this.

Through Assessment 1 - An educational blog, I have learnt how to create a blog and share my learning journey. To be honest, I never write a blog before, so it is challenging for me to get familiar with this platform. I have learnt how to create a blog, edit its appearance, and share content. Although there is a problem that WordPress via the university’s website could not be accessed, I already created successfully a blog on Tumblr which is simpler and easier to use than WordPress - I think. Furthermore, 6 entries in the blog including Podcast, SAMR model, Video recording, critical thinking, text response and reflection, ... give me to experience new colourful creative learning. I have chances to enjoy interesting lessons, find out new information and knowledge, and learn from my peers; especially, we work together and have a lot of fun doing tasks.

For me, my favourite part of assessment 1 is Gamification/Quiz platforms because I can learn and entertain at the same time. Also, the atmosphere is relaxable in the classroom due to learning through play. However, although games can make lessons more fascinating, I do not agree that they can boost children’s intelligence and productivity, but distract children from studying and focusing on fun (refer to my Entry 5).

Overall, e-learning is a revolutionary and creative learning approach; however, it can require learners to have basic technology skills for them to gain knowledge from it. Furthermore, it can be challenging for developing countries to implement e-learning due to lack of advanced technology and tech-savvy teachers, but anyway it cannot be denied its benefits to make education more interesting, attractive and approachable for everyone, age, personalities,...

[diaryofawhimsicalmaniac]

September 1st, 2024 [2:34 AM]

A friend had asked for my help with her resume. I had many friends resumes before, and frankly I enjoy the editing process. I know how to bullshit and make things sound fancy like I know what I'm talking about. Not lying on paper but certain words can make someone stand out and really highlight their experience and skills. I'm better at doing that for people than for myself. I have a solid friend group at this stage of my life and I am confident in their skills and capabilities. I want nothing more for them to shine and pursue the life they desire for themselves. I'm so happy to know such amazing and loving people...and more importantly I'm grateful for having these people who love me whole heartly and truly support me. Even despite my annoyances and flaws, they know who I am and how I operate.

When my friend sent me an old copy of her resume, I simply downloaded it and when I got the chance to work on after work. I just finished it now and when I was going to send, I actually read her previous email, and it stated that she needed it that night...which was yesterday. Whoops. I sent it to her anyways because regardless I know she could use the new revised resume. For a moment I felt bad that I didn't read her email correctly however I know that there was only so much I could do on my own time. Homegirl and I talked about me helping her a week or so prior... but we tend to both leave things to the last minute. One of the many quirks we share and have a mutual understanding about each other. In the past, I would have been guilt ridden...beating myself up for not doing all that I could have for a friend. Overlooking their responsibility in their own matter and shouldering the blame. Or the worst part...younger me possibly wouldn't have even followed thru to help at all...I would have been in my mind, not acknowledge my capabilities and panic about not doing things correctly and face rejection...so instead of trying and put my best efforts forward, I would have ignored the texts and situation all together. Pretend I never got the message...

I would let my insecurities get the best of me and out of stress, I would detached myself. I did this often when I was younger...it didn't make me a good friend or reliable person..

I was highly aware of this

it torn me apart

I was reminded of all these feeling when I was helping my friend. We had we worked together on her resume a few years before, and I had just came across a saved copy recently on my computer! So I had looked thru several thumb drives and folders to find it. Came across files that I had saved from college when I was 19/20 years old. Photography and Philosophy essays, word docs with links to YouTube videos and Tumblr pages that don't exist anymore. Fanfiction idea pages. Still pretty solid story ideas if I do say so myself. Among these docs were journal entries that I wrote to myself...some were reflections of the year and what I did, what goals I didn't reach for myself or even where I had traveled to that year. It was such a time capsule to see where I was at that time and what I doing...or how I was feeling...

There was one file in particular that was rather...I don't know how I would categorize it...Sad? Concerning? Insightful??

Eye Opening and Depressing for sure tho...

It was a letter I wrote to myself when I was 20. I forgot how much I hated myself...how unhappy with the person I was. The language I used towards myself really reflected how much pain I was in...I had this grand vision of the type of person I wanted to be however my insecurities and coping mechanisms were playing their part in my self-sabotage. I was disgusted with what I saw in the mirror and was no near of the type of person I wanted to be... When I talk about my early 20's, I refer it to a dark time of my life...a period of being stagnant and unhappy. Heavy shit...my mental now is lighter in comparison to how I was back then.

Perseverance, Boundaries, Faith, Good Friends and Weed really does make a difference.

Currently, I am 30 years old.

I am happy with the person I've become. I still have a version of myself in my head that I make comparisons to but I'm better at reminding myself to enjoy the person that currently exists. It helps that I have my friends who I tend to and they in return tend to me. Healthy boundaries with myself and others and acceptance for my flaws and the motivation to continue to grow and thrive. I don't wish to live my life in dread anymore, I'm living my life and I am here to enjoy the journey for as long as I'm able to.

I hope my friend gets that job she wants. Her resume is quite impressive...if I do say so myself

.

[cakhost]

Click the "keep reading" if you want the long version on why I deleted several of my discord entries:

What lead me to doing a deletion was one big ball of RSD events that just cascaded into too many feels for me to manage and deleting/purging nearly all my posts minus the ones in https://discord.com/channels/288920509272555520/681637456331669669 seemed like the only way to make the pain finally stop. Getting to my posts around 6/11 quickly made me reconsider my decisions because my autism can't handle itself, which is neat but a bizarre thought to be met with. So that plus me starting to calm down was what eventually allowed me to stop deleting my posts; though not before my brain set a goal of at least getting rid of all of June's posts at the time, which was dumb but it also made my brain happy. Brains are dumb. -n-

And I guess that ball-o-RSD also made me realize that I unfortunately have trauma mixed in when I have RSD! I don't want to go back to when I was in denial of my autism but I kinda wish it will stop with the Everything for a second. >n<

And also made me realize I gave the keys to the LRRord to someone who I'm terrified of and would very, very like to put some distance between myself and them as much as possible. Now the chance of said scary person actually doing anything to me though LRRord is unrealistic, if we ignore how much fear loves to ignore logic for a chance. It does make me uncomfortable if that person is lurking and possibly reading my posts on here, gathering intel to use to try and further manipulate me. Of course, I am aware of them trying to manipulate me now so the chance of them being able to do that is slim. But the damage has been done and I have unintentionally made LRRord unsafe for me a tiny bit. :c

What changes does this mean from me on this? I'm not going to go to a lurker-only. I'm going to respect the mods because hey, I know now that my wall-o-texts can get pretty bad. So if I catch myself doing one, I'll do something similar to this post: make the main of it on my tumblr and then post a link to that tumblr post back to discord, hopefully remembering a brief description on what the tumblr post will be on. I'll get some practice on this with the posts I have deleted because I didn't back up any of those and while I remember some of what I posted, I don't remember everything so maybe something will fall through the cracks.

I will cut back on being personal, mostly stick to video game games maybe touching on different posts as the mood strike me.

For what it is worth, I am sorry for doing the deletion at all. I sort of was getting in my own head on how that might look to outsiders and how that might suck seeing me get rid of what I did. Maybe I really should invest in a burrito blanket so if I do have any more RSD episodes I can just "Go to your burrito" myself and that will stop me from doing this again. I hope.

Thank you for your time! Have a great time and stay safe! Xxx

[ten-ten31]

Dear Yuletide Writer 2022

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Thank you so much for agreeing to write for me! :) I can't tell you just how excited I am. This is my second Yuletide, and I’ll try to give you as much inspiration and fangirling as a point to jump off of as I can, so I hope you’ll find some useful bits and pieces here. I am very much looking forward to reading whatever you come up with. Don’t stress about writing for me - as long as you have fun with it, I’m sure I’ll like my gift. :)

Please feel free to browse my ao3 (KitKaos) and/or tumblr to get an idea of what I stan, like, read or write. I hope I can give you some broad ideas and inspirations in this letter to help you plan. The prompts below are nothing more than ideas, though - feel free to ignore them or to fall back on my general likes if you have a better idea. :)

Gifts are enabled in AO3, so treats are welcome! :)

Oh, and should you, esteemed Yuletide Writer, want to write in German instead of English, then I'm definitely okay with that. I'm fluent in both, so whichever you feel more comfortable with.

If there's something missing or if you have a question, you can reach out to me via the mods.

_______&_______

General likes (in no particular order):

friends-to-lovers or even enemies-to-lovers (with all the drama of grudginly admitting that the other party maybe isn't all that terrible and all)

found families

fake dating

pining

crossdressing

undercover missions

drunken shenanigans

reconciliation between estranged characters

second chance romance

characters torn between two sides (e.g. two different loyalties, or love versus duty)

gestures of affection and intimacy (such as forehead kisses, cuddling in bed, holding hands, massages)

casual intimacies

hurt/comfort (especially with an emphasis on the comfort)

seduction (especially seduction/corruption of someone who's less experienced and/or initially reluctant)

games: truth or dare, playing drinking games/strip games for fun, seduction games

Can't Stop Thinking About That Thing I Saw Completely By Accident (a.k.a. various flavours of accidental voyeurism)

competence porn

masquerades

tattoos

body details (freckles, moles, tan lines, goosebumps, acne, scars, burns, wrinkles, etc.)

redemption arcs

consent play/negotiation

firting/teasing/banter

temporary de-aging

Identity porn

unreliable narrators

snark/banter/wordplay

mysteries/investigative work

travel/exploration

any kind of scene you can sneak in there about cooking or eating food (also characters being picky about certain foods and other characters going to some lengths to accommodate that)

descriptions of food and especially impressions of taste (if you want to make it kinky: food play)

I also have a bit of a hand fetish - so descriptions of hands are always welcome

epistolary fic (letters, journal entries, passive-aggressive post-it notes are great and amazing and I love them; long conversations in tweet or chat fic form exhaust me a little)

bisexuality

I am happy to read about trans/genderfluid/genderqueer character interpretations, if that's what you want to write (though I would prefer them to be tagged rather than a surprise)

steampunk aesthetics

casefic

humour

worldbuilding

character development

fish-out-of-water situations

pop culture references

breaking the Fourth Wall

coffeeshop AUs

spy AUs

musical episode (AUs)

dystopian AUs

any kind of alternate history AU

crossovers of my fandoms

_______&_______

Do Not Want:

rape/dubcon/noncon

watersports

scat

humiliation

A/B/O

soulmates AU

vampire/werewolf AU

second-person pov

character bashing of any kind

racism/sexism/ableism/misogyny as the main focus

any form of bigotry, unless fighting against it is a plot point

PWP

excessive descriptions of blood/gore

Mpreg

_______&_______

Opted-in mini challenges

Crueltide (for Pieces - L’Arc~en~Ciel (Music Video))

Wrapping Paper (for all of my requested fandoms)

Chromatic Yuletide (for B:WFA, Dial H for Hero, and Sweetest Kulu)

...

_______&_______

FANDOMS

In alphabetical order - I do love all of them equally!

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures (Webcomic)

- Tim Drake, Duke Thomas, Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon

What can I say? This version of the Batfam is just so fun to read, wonderfully endearing and wholesome! I love the dynamics between all the characters and the slice-of-life concept of it all. No matter if other superheroes or villains or the GCPD are involved, it’s always character-driven and a clear focus on that. I love how they all get a snarky tag when they’re introduced, how it plays with visual quotes, how it can be light and funny, and at the same time deep and from the heart. With other comics or stories in general, I usually have a favourite character, but with B:WFA I just love them all together as a chaotic mess of a family! Of course you don’t have to write all of the requested focus characters, though; feel free to pick and choose as fits the story best.

Prompts:

More games on and off patrol between the siblings (B may or may not know about or approve of)

SO many stories behind the online pictures in Ep 53! So Duke is a Tarantino fan and writes online movie reviews? Give me some of that. So Tim has concert tickets for date night with Bernard? Give me some of that. So Nightwing has some dedicated online stans? I bet his siblings are teasing Dick about it endlessly and mercilessly. So Jason is trying to online date? There sure are some weird responses to that.

What else has Oracle found (and had to scrap) online?

More of Aunt Kate’s queer relationship advice to Tim!

Where to find it: Webtoon.

Dial H for Hero (DC Comics)

- Miguel Montez, Summer Pickens

The 2019 12-issue run is just pure love! There is worldbuilding galore, relatable characters, a wonderful coming-of-age and initiation plot, interdimensional shenanigans, the question how Joe Average could get addicted to sudden superpowers, and so much fun with the concept of Superhero Secret Origins. Summer is a wonderfully strong and caring female lead and Miguel is a self-conscious little oddball.

Prompts: 

5+1 times Miguel ran into his meet-cute crush

5 times Summer was the perfect wingwoman + 1 time Miguel wasn’t self-involved enough to actually return the favour (I know I haven’t put Jinny Hex in my character list for my YJ 2019 request, but I would love to see her and Summer hit it off really well and, well, the rest is history?)

More about Miguel and Summer's adventures at the Daily Planet

Feel free to include any other ((teenage) superhero) cameos you feel like. Please do not pair up Summer and Miguel romantically - although I don't have any problems with a fake relationship fic for them. ;)

Where to find it: Your trusted comicbook supplier.

Pieces - L’Arc~en~Ciel (Music Video)

- any / worldbuilding

I’ve been a Laruku fan for a long time and “Pieces” has always been one of my favourite music videos of theirs. The mood of the song is beautiful and the story told just so haunting and intriguing. It starts right there with the (cursed? demonic? avenging?) dagger in the hands of a New York street vendor, who is not (or not that we know of) affected by its curse. He tells its story, in which it’s always the more powerful party getting killed by the blade. Now, apart from the interesting dynamics/symbolism that the lead singer killing his bassist/bandleader carries, it kind of redeems the blade a little, doesn’t it? Also the ones killing with it don’t seem to realize what they’re doing until it’s too late. The music video tells so many (human) stories with a common theme and a common (supernatural) protagonist (= the dagger) that I just want to see this universe expanded upon.

Prompts:

Sicily 1899 is the beginning of the story, but it can harldy be the beginning of the dagger. So how did it come to be and do what it is and does?

Warsaw 1940 is also a very intersting part because we don’t see the killing per se, just the result. So how did the boy end up killing the much larger soldier?

What (else) does the dagger see/perceive? How does it find or even choose its “victims”?

Where to find it: YouTube

Sweetest Kulu - Celina Kalluk

- any

I recently became a mom, and looking for things from as many different cultures as I could find that I could read to my daughter I discovered this wonderful lullaby/poem/song of wishes. I instantly fell in love with the beautiful imagery and the ebb and flow of the language and the beautiful relationship with nature within it. I would love to be able to read my daughter more stories within the same mythic space, so to speak.

Prompts:

Kulu grows up, and tries to always carry the Arctic world‘s gifts in their heart

How do the animals and spirits mentioned experience the day little Kulu was born? 

What kind of stories will Wise Wind tell of Kulu and other humans?

Where to find it: Your trusted bookstore; there is also a read-aloud version on YouTube.

Young Justice (2019 Comics)

- Kon-El | Conner Kent, Tim Drake

So I only requested two characters because I’d love to read something with them as focus - by no means should the other characters be left behind (e.g. the look in Bart’s eyes when he first meets Cissie again haunts me ever since I first read the comic; and for Jinny Hex see my Dial H prompt above), I do believe Young Justice is such an amazing group because of everyone pushing everyone else to be their best (stupid, bickering, snarky, teenage drama) selves!

I loved the 1990s/2000s series, and as such was over the moon when the 2019/2020 run came out, dealing with all the reboots and all the people and memories lost in between the cracks there. I love how Bart is the one to corral them all, and to remind them of what they are. Friends, first and foremost! BAMF superhero friends that go above and beyond for each other! I love how Kon returns that favour. I love the image of them crashing on Naomi’s couch that one night, just because. And since I’m a TimKon shipper (also a TimBernard stan, even if that hasn’t happened at the time of that particular run - but please don’t feel obliged to write any kind of ship fic/pairing, I love gen just as much!!!), I especially love the friendship and general dynamic between those two idiots.

Prompts:

Kon‘s time / adventures being lost in Gemworld, especially the more domestic kind, with a sudden wife and child thrown at him

5 times the others remember Kon‘s name + 1 time they don’t need to

5+1 of why Drake may or may not be a good superhero alias

Where to find it: Your trusted comicbook supplier.

_______&_______

Overall, I’m sure I’ll love what you have for me, and I'm looking forward to reading it! <3

[ltdbanana]

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Sksksksanoopanoop sksksks and i oop anoop anioop scrunchie girl hydroflask vsco girl white tiktok /FszhmNstlt Both of these expressions, however, have been traced back to Black female, drag, and/or LGBTQ communities. The former is meant as an expression of excitement or awkwardness, the latter a playful way to acknowledge a mistake. The terms sksksk and I oop are also associated with the stereotypical VSCO girl. Lifestyle trends include health fads, using eco-friendly products, drinking out of Hydro Flask water canisters, using disposable cameras, and taking pictures of hangouts with friends in coyly free-spirited poses. Trends especially mocked center on a beach-y, 1990s aesthetic popular in the 2010s, including scrunchies, the color yellow, friendship bracelets, high-waisted jean shorts, baggy tie-dye tops, Birkenstock sandals. The first Urban Dictionary entry for VSCO girl was published in July 2019, and articles on several popular websites were considering the term and trend by August. VSCO itself praised, perhaps ironically, one mocking “VSCO girl transformation” video, posted in June 2019 and since earning over 1.5 million views. ” This included trying to become famous or go viral by posting a lot of pictures involving designer clothes (e.g., Nike Air Force 1 shoes and Lululemon athleisure wear) and lifestyle trends (drinking coffee with oat milk).īy summer 2019, the term VSCO girl spread as a slang insult online as more social videos on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms stereotyped her as an obsessively trendy, vain young woman.

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In January 2019, YouTube user Greer Jones posted a satirical video in which she explained how to become “the ultimate VSCO girl. This latter use of VSCO girl anticipates how the term evolved in 2019. (The phrase calls up similar constructions like Tumblr girl, e-girl, and Tinderella, as well as Valley girl and preppy girl before them.) Other instances use VSCO girl, likely with an ironic tone, for a young, white woman who posts perfectly-and enviably-attractive pictures online. Some of these instances apply the term to describe a young woman who is a loyal user of the app. We can find the phrase VSCO girl in 2017–2018. If you'd like help with any issues, please visit vs.co/help to submit a ticket.Since launching in 2011, the app VSCO (formerly VSCO cam) has allowed users to edit photos and videos with preset filters and other tools, which they then share on the app itself or on other social media, such as Instagram.

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[mortimermcmirestinks]

I love Twitter.

I love how it's full to bursting with so, so many artists, poets, essayists, and philosophers, all regularly checking, so if you shout out to the guy who wrote your favourite episode or the lady who drew your favourite picture, they might respond. if I draw a fanart of Ezri Dax right now and post it to twitter, there's a very good chance that Nicole DeBoer will see it and maybe even like or comment.

I hate Twitter.

I hate how the very structure, the bones of it, the muscles and sinew and code, all drive the conversation toward hatred and vitriol, because that's what sells. I hate how it rips apart anyone who goes there for parts, and I hate how it only shows you things that will make you angry because when you're angry, you're engaged.

I love TikTok.

I love the low barrier of entry for art. I could make a TikTok just for silly funsies and make a silly little joke and then immediately meet five hundred people who all laughed at my silly little joke. I love how easy it is to find and explore different ideas and stories and works of art, and I love how the rigid restrictions of form promote creativity in creation.

I hate TikTok.

I hate how it erodes attention and I hate how it promotes unhealthy lifestyles. I hate how it encourages every kind of opinion for content, with the good opinions and the bad opinions at the same volume, and I hate the lack of transparency about how anything works makes it insanely unreliable -- using TikTok for anything beyond brief, momentary giggles feels like trying to tightrope walk over quicksand during an earthquake.

I love Facebook.

I don't use Facebook anymore, but I love how my parents can reconnect to people they haven't spoken to for fifty years. I love how they talk excitedly about "remember Jerry? he's on Facebook!" and how they talked to him for hours about his new wicker business. I love that the structure makes it so easy for them to communicate with others from their lives.

I hate Facebook.

I hate how it's slowly pulling apart my dad's ability to concentrate. I hate the structure of the site putting ideas and images and thoughts into the minds of millions of people to dangerous result. I hate how they have a vested interest in dismantling democracy and harming people, and I hate how it's so ingrained in our world that there's nothing we can do.

I love Instagram.

I love all the art, and the comics, and the videos, and the comedy, and the memes, and the screenshots, and the designs, and the photography, and so, so, so much more. I love how easy it is to scroll through and see all the creation going on from the people I follow.

I hate Instagram.

I hate how it makes people envious and needy. I hate how the structure of it makes you addicted and weakens your self-reliance and confidence. I hate how obsessed it is with visual appearance and superficial things, and I hate how all the things I love about it are such a small part of the platform.

I love Reddit.

I love how it's full of a thousand little gardens of fandom, with each garden full of its own flowers and fruits and succulents. I love how easy it is to find and connect to other people with your interests. I love so much of the long, winding, rambling, silly, memey conversations in the comments. I love the AskReddit threads on ridiculous topics and I love the stories I read on WritingPrompts.

I hate Reddit.

I hate the culture of dickish egocentrism. I hate the Musk fandom. I hate the smug self-righteousness. I hate the fact that the people who run Reddit keep trying over and over again to reinvent and intrude on the users on the site, and I hate the anti-progressivism that seeps into every corner of it.

I love [tumblr].

You know why I love [tumblr]. I love the art, I love the fandom, I love the culture, I love how the shitty design of the site makes it so much healthier of a place than other social media, I love the customisation of posts, I love the energetic nature of people here and how willing they are to support newer people. I love the memes. I love Out Of Touch Thursday and I love Neil banging out the tunes. I love writing my Shakespearification posts and I love when people reblog them with excited tags. I love how so many of the people here have their eyes wide open to the injustices of the world and, weirdly enough, I love how the absolute lack of mutual respect here makes it so that nobody's afraid to voice their weird-ass opinions about how Spider-Man would make a great My Little Pony, and I love how immediately twelve people will not only jump to their defence but will make fanart. I love the sheer, unrestrained, and genuine creative energy.

I hate [tumblr].

I hate how it's so small and weak now that so few people see the art and the fandom. I hate how the culture is slowly seeping out into the wider world and weakening. I hate how the shitty design of the site is slowly making it unsustainable (for the love of Jesus, please give [tumblr] your money). and I hate, I hate, how the fact that so many people on this site have their eyes wide fuckin' open means that the injustices of the world are laid completely bare to see, and if you spend enough time here, you'll learn all about all of the genocides and gentrifications and political collapses and destruction and bigotry that so many people experience every day, being posted on this little hellsite because that's all they can do in the face of existential horrors.

oh, and I hate the antivaxxers and terfs. fuck terfs and fuck antivaxxers.

and more than anything else here,

I hate how capitalism did this.

There's nothing to love about capitalism here. Capitalism is why artists on Twitter can only do art in their spare time because they're struggling to survive and capitalism is why Twitter spends so much time making people miserable to drive engagement. Capitalism is why professional TikTok creators are so scared about the unreliability of the platform and capitalism is why TikTok sucks "content" from everything you create on it. Capitalism is why my parents are so tired that they wind up spending time on Facebook and capitalism is why Facebook has so much power to fuck up democracy. Capitalism is why art is such a small part of Instagram. Capitalism is why Reddit is trying so hard to reinvent itself. Capitalism is why Tumblr has to pathetically beg for money. Capitalism is fucking vile.

[abbyofthecosmos]

How I study Spanish

I started learning Spanish in school 9 years ago, but I only did it for 3 years. I’ve tried to keep up with the practice since then, but life always seems to get in the way of really dedicating myself to it. Here are a few things I do to keep it ticking over. These tips are aimed for Spanish learning but most can be applied to any language!

The main thing to get down is vocab. Even with limited grammar knowledge, you can understand a a great deal if you have a lot of vocab under your belt. So if you’re like me and don’t have an awful lot of time to spend studying, make vocab your focus. The grammar will come too with time, but don’t hold yourself back by trying to understand every single conjugation or new tense that pops up.

Pretty much all language learning boils down to the more content you consume = the more you know. So make sure you’re keeping on getting that input as that’s the way you’re going to improve.

You can find loads of free short stories online just by googling, for example The Fable Cottage has a bunch of traditional stories, and you can choose whether to hide or show the English translations.

People advise differently when it comes to reading: some say read a whole chapter without looking things up, others say try and understand every single word before moving on. My preferred method is read the whole thing once through to see how much I can understand, maybe reread it a second time to try and understand even more, and on the third time through look up any vocab I’m missing.

Any new vocab I find I make flashcards for: Anki is great for this if you don’t use it already – and it’s free to download on desktop!

Your next great source of free content for keeping up that input is YouTube! Whether you’re watching vlogs in Spanish, 5 minute grammar/vocab lessons, or shows designed for beginners like Extra, there are so many different options. Have a search about and you’ll definitely find some channels that work for your way of learning. Some channels I like to watch are Spanish Playground, Why Not Spanish and Spanish Like a Pro.

The next tip that you’re bound to hear on any “How to Learn a Language” advice page/video is to talk to people in that language. Now if you’re extremely socially awkward like me, this is easier said than done. I can’t think of anything worse than talking to strangers in my terrible accent and getting all of my words muddled! So the ways I get around this are:

Join online groups on social media such as Tumblr and Discord. Talking over text is way less daunting than in person, and if there are native Spanish speakers in the group you can also pick up on the way people talk casually to each other (rather than the formal speech that is taught in textbooks), ask for tips on anything you are confused about, as well as pick up some internet speak!

Talk to yourself! This might feel a bit awkward at first, but just having a ramble to yourself when alone is a great way to practice speaking without actually having to talk to people. Narrate what you’re doing, talk to an imaginary person about your day, or as I sometimes do, have a one sided conversation with your pet!

Another easy thing you can do to increase your exposure to the language is to change the language of your phone. Chances are you’re familiar with where everything is located anyway, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to navigate even when it’s in a different language. You can always switch back if you get confused!

Linked to the tip about talking out loud, is when reading, say it out loud as well. While reading stories or sentences in your textbook, say the phrases out loud to get a feel for the pronunciation. This also gets you more used to speaking, and makes what you’re learning sink in better. I personally really like Duolingo (they also have a really good Spanish podcast if you haven’t checked it out!), and I find it helpful to repeat the sentences out loud when doing lessons. You can also try echoing people when watching videos – pause and repeat phrases you hear to try and echo the proper pronunciation as best as you can.

Finally, one tip that I really need to listen to myself, is write! Writing for 10 minutes about your day is a great way to pick up on any gaps in your vocabulary, and put everything you have learnt in to practice. It’s also really fun to go back to earlier entries and see how far you’ve come since then!

I hope these tips were helpful, and happy learning! 💫

[bigfrozenfan]

It's really no wonder so many in fandom are leaving Tumblr for good, with all the problems this platform has. One of my favourite recent misfires is this one:

Today I tried to edit a post of mine fifteen times (!!) until it happened to work. I guess maybe that was because there were ads loading in the background, and that's much more important to Tumblr than having a working platform. It's also why image posts take almost forever to load .... even in the app by now! I don't even need to wait for gif's anymore and I'd rather scroll on to the next entry (sorry Giffer, but Tumblr doesn't want me to see your work anymore!). The browser version hasn't been usable for me for years because of this:

Despite my DSL internet connection! Why is it that I don't have such problems on any other platform? Can someone explain this to me?

Recently, the dashboard has started "jumping" back to the previous post while you are trying to read the current entry! In addition, the app crashes more and more often when scrolling or resets back to the beginning, to the post from half an hour ago. I now cancel trying again and prefer to close Tumblr until the next day.

The only posts I can always see almost immediately are the endlessly repeating ads after every third or fourth post.

When I create a new text message, like this one, I have to save it without pictures and re-edit it before I can add pictures like I used to, or I create a few more lines of space until it works and then delete it again. Seriously now? Very convenient and sooo time saving, Tumblr crew!

Some other funny error messages:

A few other oh so "convenient" features: If you want to embed a video at a certain position in the post, it principally ends up at the end and simultaneously overwrites the last line of text entered.

Have you ever tried to create a long message in HTML format and edited it once or twice? You're lucky if Tumblr doesn't mess things up, delete lines, or throw the format completely out of whack.

Tumblr has still not managed to display the date and/or time of messages, after all these years. Twitter has no problem with this.

Difference between app and browser version: the app takes over the tags when reblogging or makes suggestions, on the computer: non-existent.

Previously, Tumblr on the computer would display a post edited from the blog in this blog again, in the same place. Now you automatically jump to the dashboard, because Tumblr knows so well that you wanted to go there anyway. Haha! So you can search the blog from the beginning again and scroll for so long that you get bored of it.

Tags...hahahaha! Why should Tumblr even be able to show all the tags you've ever entered for searching on your blog. No, only the ones with the most entries are shown, the rest are completely uninteresting. I haven't been able to find my own entries this way for years, even though I still know exactly which tag I entered for some posts! Functioning search functions on Tumblr? Not a chance!

I'm sure I've forgotten a lot, but isn't that enough to make you stay?

[letoscrawls]

Hiiiii

I hope you're doing well!

I would like to ask if u have and advise about starting and art account on insta. I have a small one here on tumblr but people say insta is better for art accs. So I just create an account and start posting? Or do I promote myself in some way, maybe taking dtiys and other challenges?

Thanks in advance:D

Hi! thank you so much for checking on me! :) 

okay, i get this question quite often and i wish i could give you solid advice, but the problem with instagram right now is its algorithm. when i started my account it wasn’t that fucked up, so i don’t really know how it is for new artists who have just started their accounts now! but i can tell you that it really affected every artist, even the bigger ones, so please keep that in mind. if you “fail” to reach your audience it’s not your fault, instagram is literally sabotaging artists and i don’t know for how long it’ll be “the best platform for art”. so just to warn all of you, i don’t want you to compromise your mental health for a social platform that makes money out of our stress and insecurities, i’ll try to share what i think could work because sharing art can be really rewarding and shouldn’t be an ordeal so i’d be happy to help somehow!!!!!

so this is the “algorithm tricks” part: 

when i first opened ig, i remember my stories were viewed by at least 100 people for the first two days even though i had less than 10 followers, so i think that’s instagram way to encourage you to keep posting, so my first advice would be to post your art in the stories too, at least for the first week or something?? now, i know the algorithm is currently promoting reels, so if you’re skilled with those go for it! make videos of your creating process and stuff like that. it’s important to inform your followers when you make a new post bc the chances of it being noticed are higher, you have to do the work bc ig won’t show that post to most of your audience (did i mention that i hate whoever made this algorithm?? yes??) i’m not really sure about this but i think ig prefers the reels you make with their set of editing tools instead of just uploading a pre saved video (i think it’s their way to sabotage those who post their tiktoks), i’ve never tried them so i don’t really know what they’re like, but i’m pretty sure tiktok is way better. i read somewhere that IGTV aren’t ig big thing anymore, so i don’t think you’d get much engagement from them. in general i’d say to always promote your posts in your stories and to wait at least an hour before editing a post bc i think you’ll lose engagement if you edit it right after posting (i know, it’s so stupid).

the use of hashtags is the only thing that i approve, because it’s an helpful tool made by social media before it got so bad and they really help you to reach more people (that’s like their purpose, i just wish there weren’t dozens of other stupid rules to follow in order to be noticed besides hashtags). so using tags like “art”, “artists on instagram” and “daily art” along with tags related to the pic you posted (like the name of the character or the fandom etc) is really helpful, just don’t use unrelated tags bc it’s annoying and idk how convenient it is :P the last thing is promoting your posts by using the sponsored feature; i never used that because i’d rather eat a slug than give money to instagram, but if you have the possibility and you are okay with that then you could try!

now for the “artsy” part

artists have found many ways to bypass the algorithm and keep the community alive over the years, challenges are probably the best way to do so! dtiys are awesome, not only they help you get more recognition, but they also make artists incredibly happy! i should host one very soon myself, i’m looking for a pose and an outfit to draw one of my ocs in, hopefully you’ll see it soon! i cannot explain how happy it makes me to see people draw a character of mine, and it’s great to see them in so many different styles, so i highly recommend dtiys! usually the artists who host them post the entries in their stories too, so yeah, you should definitely try those! there are other challenges like art vs artist, memes etc, it’s incredible how creative the community is despite all! and lastly, draw fan art! contributing to a fandom with your art is so cool, personally i prefer it over original content most of the time, i feel the need to share my point of view and to let out all the idiotic thoughts i have when i consume some kind of media so i’m really biased, but every artist is different, so don’t force yourself to do something if you don’t feel like doing it! drawing something you don’t particularly enjoy because you want to get recognition is gonna make you burnout REALLY BAD, trust me, i personally think that passion>effort, so never forget to put your enjoyment first!!!! 

okay this took me a while and i hope it was helpful! good luck!!! i definitely forgot something dskfjhis