#will I ever learn to be concise when asked a question

[nipuni]

Hey, Nipuni! First off, I want to say that i love your work sooosoooo much and i can’t even truly describe the impact it’s had on me. You’re an inspiration to me!! No matter what your interest is in i will always be a fan. I was really curious and wanted to ask, i think you’ve talked about it a looong time ago but, how long do you reckon it takes your to do your fully painted illustrations these days?? and how long do you wait before posting it, assuming you aren’t sure if you’re satisfied with it. I’ve just been struggling with overworking my art and feeling like it’s not ever ready to post so i was curious. 😟

Hello!! I'm so late to reply I'm so sorry!! Thank you so much for the kind words!! to hear that my work can have such a positive impact on someone is the greatest compliment truly 😭❤️ and thank you for sticking through all my interest hopping too haha

These days it takes me anywhere from 2 to 9 hours most of the time, non consecutive if I can help it, and I usually sleep on them at least one night before I share them. But I've held on for over a month to some just because I didn't think they looked quite right, so I keep coming back to them every now and then and do some small tweaking until I reluctantly post them either out of frustration or exhaustion haha I don't have the patience or the attention span to work on the same thing for very long to be honest, so I've adapted 😆

The truth I like to remind myself of is that once I share something all my focus shifts to my next idea every time so whether I could have done better or not doesn't matter once it is out of my hands. I can always do better on the next one, there is just the comfort of letting go and a fresh start.

I've struggled with overworking pieces to death a lot too. It stems from anxiety really so it's a matter of building confidence, the point at which art is ready to be shared is arbitrary after all. You can convey a message or idea just as effectively through the roughest of sketches to the most detailed oil painting, the rest of the work is mostly towards aesthetic value.

On the technical side of things, when you grow frustrated with a piece to the point where you start to resent it is a good indicator that you need a different course of action. Sometimes bringing in new references can help you find the issue, sometimes the problem is structural and buried under piles of unnecessary detail and you have to go back and redo or remove something you were reluctant to, and sometimes the best thing you can do is to let go and come back to it with fresh eyes when you have learned more. As for studies, working from big to small, training for speed and on a time limit has helped me. Anyway I think I've started rambling, I hope any of this helps!! Remember that art at any stage is better than no art at all!!

[cultkinkcoven]

“It’s just the way that you record your conversations makes it seem like Lucifer is talking to you directly and that’s not possible.”

I’m gonna ask you all something that might sound really wild.

Have you ever tried it? Like no, seriously.

Have you ever actually just written everything down? No filler, just pure communication. Ask. Answer.

Actually. I’m serious. Have you done it? How many times have you attempted it, how consistently?

Have you ever entered into the ritual space, into a meditation, into a trance, into an operation, with the intention of recording whatever you receive, regardless of if it makes sense? Have you ever just listened?- not just with your ears, but with your everything?

Do you trust your God?

Can you truly submit to them without needing to have control?

Do you trust yourself? Have you learned how to?

Are you comfortable with the possibility of getting it wrong? Of failing and having to try again? Of having to be consistent and keep practicing until it is right?

Are you comfortable with the prospect that sometimes, there really is nothing? Sometimes, you are unsuccessful, and you have to take that failure and try again tomorrow.

Are you comfortable with the prospect that it takes devotion?

Don’t get me wrong, you should be using tools. I use tools: tarot, dice, sticks, pendulums, etc. Results that are replicable across multiple mediums are stronger than those that aren’t. Messages that I am unsure of can be verified with tools and tests. People who aren’t able to or uncomfortable channeling or sensing using their bodies are just as capable of doing great work with tools.

But have you ever genuinely just tried to strengthen that muscle? Your own ability to perceive and locate. Your ability to identify your God’s voice and differentiate it from your own?

How often have you practiced that?

My writings sound direct? Thats the goal. To filter through all of the other noise and get down to the most important point, the symbol, the message, the reason why I came in the first place. When I experience these conversations or events they are abstract, messy. When I write them down and read them out in plain text, it becomes clear. Individual insights reveal an entire message, an entire concise conversation- and that is what is valuable for me to document. When it tracks, it tracks, and there is infinite value in recognizing when it tracks.

I enter into a space of trust. I ask him. I record what I receive. Not necessarily the image, the sensation, the synchronization, the result of the dice roll, but the idea. The message, the core. What is he trying to tell me? What is he revealing now that I previously did not know? What can I learn from this response?

Later I get to interpret. I get to realize “that shit made absolutely no sense” or “holy shit this makes a lot more sense now” or even, “nope, that was me not him, I got distracted, I influenced too much, I need to try that again.”

If you think these things are impossible, maybe just try it. Maybe it won’t be for you, maybe that’s not the kind of craft you’re personally meant to partake in, maybe you have other talents. But I always think it’s so interesting when people claim this act is impossible. 1 because, offline, in very established cults and organizations- this is very common knowledge- everyone kind of understands how this works- but 2, because it usually comes from people who would never really be in the position to experience it even if it was real.

At some point in my practice I stopped caring about proving magic. It’s one of those 101 things, proof is great, don’t get me wrong. But impact, that’s the gold. Can I prove in any real way that Lucifer said anything to me? No- not really. But I do feel my mind shift and I do have that “holy shit- wait” moment, and I do learn something, I do leave that ritual different than I entered. And my questions are answered. And I return because I trust he will answer me again. That’s faith.

So yes, my communication does seem direct. I challenge you, even just as an experiment, to record your next communicative session in a very plain and direct way. What did you want to know? What do you think they said? Take as long as it takes. Sometimes you won’t get an answer for a whole hour. Sometimes it’ll feel like there’s so much you can’t write fast enough. Sometimes you fail and need to try again later. That’s the beauty of the game.

Try it.

[lady-griffin]

#ArcaneSeason01 | When and how did Jinx develop fishbones?

Thank you for your ask Anon!

I’m sorry it took me years to finally answer it, but at least I’m answering it the day S2 airs, so that’s something, right?

Also, I worked on this before S2 aired (before I watched it), so if something turns out to be wrong - oh well, I did my best. Again, sorry for the super late response.

Fishbones – The Idea and the When

This might surprise a lot of people since many see Fishbones as something Jinx specifically made for Silco, but the show’s details make it clear Jinx had the idea for Fishbones before she ever met Silco.

The main evidence being one of Powder’s drawings -

The bottom drawing depicts the very basic concept of Fishbones - a shark shooting a fiery blast out of its mouth with a bullet above it.

Fishbones is clearly a power fantasy of Powder’s, which makes sense. Violence was beyond the norm for her growing up and unlike Vi, physical hand to hand combat was not something she excelled at.

Now, her having this fantasy or dream weapon doesn’t make Powder some evil child who was always going to be violent, she was a kid growing up in a violent world, who wanted to be useful, so it makes perfect sense she wanted to have (make) this “ultimate gun” – especially since shooting was something she truly excelled at.

I would also argue, she has more of a desire to create weapons that are uniquely hers, rather than just weapons to hurt people. Because despite all her insecurities she’s always been confident in her own artistic and general self-expression.

Powder obviously admired her sister and wanted to be like Vi, but she never tried to be Vi. She pursued things she was interested in and even what she was good at, rather than abandon all of it to be more like Vi.

In many ways, whether as Powder or Jinx, she's always remained true to herself.

Her weapons, particularly Fishbones are arguably proof of that. As, the same drawing (or a near identical one) is hanging up in Jinx’s lab in ep. 4.

Indicating Fishbones is still something she wants to make, despite how much she's changed and is different from her younger self.

Bonus Material -

Additionally, we have a promotional image of what comes with The Collector’s Edition of Arcane, giving us a clearer picture of said initial drawing of Fishbones.

As well as the blueprint three of Jinx's weapons (including Fishbones) and her other drawings.

Her blueprints are interesting to me, because they’re this mix of childishness and sophistication.

There’s a lot of “maturity” in how the actual drawings are clean, concise, and well-made. They don’t have Jinx’s usual scribbling style or aesthetic, which is evidence of something I’ve always believed about Jinx – her art style is simply just that, her style of choice.

Mostly importantly these are blueprints; meaning Fishbones is no longer just the abstract idea of a shark with a fiery blast, but now an actual idea of a possible weapon to be used.

Now in general it’s hard to tell what specific age Jinx drew something because of her scribbly style, but I’m leaning towards her being on the younger side for these.

Though it's more than possible she made the blueprint of Fishbones after Silco took her in.

Nonetheless, Fishbones has been an idea of Jinx’s long before Silco entered her life - meaning he wasn't the sole for reason why she built Fishbones.

Fishbones - The Design (Inspiration and Reason)

Now, I do agree with the common consensus that Fishbones was made with Silco in mind, specifically his love for sea monsters – BUT he’s not the only one with a love for monsters.

If we pay attention to the details, it's obvious, Powder had an affinity for monsters as well, even a fondness for sharks specifically. 

Which is just the cutest thing ever.

Can you imagine how happy Silco was when he learned his newly adopted daughter loved sharks and other monstrous creatures?

I know that has nothing to do with your question, but I just can’t get over that. Seriously, imagining that scene is just way too cute.

Evidence of Powder’s Affinity Towards Monsters

Ep. 1 - Shark plushie

In ep. 1, we see a shark plushie right before Vi goes to comfort Powder. Now, either Powder made this plushie herself or it was made for her, but either way it’s obviously Powder’s.

It also looks very similar to the rocket she shot from Fishbones – the grin especially.

Act I - Powder’s grenades

Throughout Act 1 we see several of Powder's grenades and also hear her talk about them. Note how she designed them, she didn’t simply draw a cute little poro or dragon on them, she actually designed them to be little creatures themselves.

She goes even further, by giving them names and pronouns; which to me, shows how many of her weapons are meant to be their own little creatures, not just weapons.  

Fishbones is a great example of what I’m talking about – because he’s not a bazooka with a shark drawn on him, he’s an actual SHARK bazooka.

Plus, I’m using he/him pronouns instead of calling Fishbones an it, because of the intentional “life” and personality Jinx has imbued into this weapon, and also from how she interacts with him in other League media.  

Ep. 6 - Powder drawing monsters

Vi has a hallucination/memory of Powder drawing the monsters they made up to outdo one another, so even though Vi said she went too far at times and Powder got scared, clearly Powder loved their game.

Which, by the sounds of it, was solely made up with the purpose of keeping Powder happy and entertained.

Ep. 7 and Enemy (mv) - Powder's battle helmet

With its eyes and teeth, clearly her helmet is another one of her monsters. And again, we don't simply see a cute figure simply drawn on the helmet, instead what Powder did here, like with her grenades, is turn her helmet into its own little monster.

Another couple of tiny details

In ep. 1 - Powder picks up something from the trash when Claggor and Vander are leaving the Last Drop and it looks very similar to the teeth of her future chomper grenades.

Even if they're not the same - Powder she clearly saw something that resembled sharp teeth and kept it.

There’s also her clapping monkey toy and while that's not a monster, it’s still a pretty creepy toy.

In the S2 trailer - Shark hoodie.

I know I said I was only focusing on S1, but I couldn't not talk about her hoodie, because she's wearing a shark hoodie!

It’s interesting - because some say this is her fully embracing Silco and his legacy while others claim this her returning to being Powder once again, as she's wearing something similar to what she wore when she played with Ekko – with the markings on her cheeks and everything.

I think it’s 100% both of those things, while also just Jinx being Jinx – someone who has always loved monsters and sharks.

-

Now I genuinely believe Fishbones was a gift for Silco; it’s just that Fishbones was always going to be Jinx's weapon. If anything, Jinx made Fishbones for Silco AND herself - something for the two of them to share.

Because if Silco had lived and they had attacked Piltover together, Jinx would’ve still been the one firing Fishbones, Silco would’ve been standing right there next to her of course, but Fishbones was always going to be her weapon.

Fishbones - The Physical and Literal When

My theory is that Jinx has tried to make Fishbones over the years and was finally only able to complete him (in a few days), once she figured out hextech (Acts II & III.)

The main Fishbones drawing I've been talking about proves he wasn’t thought of and then made and finished in a few days, rather he’s been in the works for a while.

I also think the scene in which we see the drawing is some great foreshadowing.

The unrefined hextech crystals landing top of the drawings of Fishbones and her family, right after her breakdown (ep. 3).

Fishbones may have only been an idea at the time and maybe that's all he could've ever been, but once the crystals were refined into gemstones, there became a way for Jinx to bring her vision to life.

I could also argue, that without the tragedy of losing her family and Silco taking her in - Fishbones may have never existed.

Even with Powder's fantasy of Fishbones and her being more than ready to use her grenades, she's never actually hurt anyone before, not as far as we know. It's possible if things stayed relatively the same, Powder would've ended up freaked out or scared of the reality of what her weapons can do.

Jinx on the other, being raised by Silco... not so much.

-

I'm so glad I noticed all these monster and shark details, because initially my timeline for Fishbones was that Jinx came up with the idea for him and executed said idea in less than a week.

While Jinx is beyond impressive, when would she have time to do that?

Seriously, even if Jinx didn't get any sleep (more than likely) there are only so many hours in a day and she was doing a million other things.

But with this new (very loose) timeline, well everything makes a whole lot more sense.

It's still beyond amazing Jinx made and finished Fishbones in the time frame she did – but it’s more doable (for her), especially since Jinx has shown to be able to accomplish a whole lot when she’s under a time crunch.

But like I've said, I believe Jinx has been working on Fishbones for years now and I’m guessing she couldn’t make her specific vision of him into a reality because she didn’t have a strong enough power source; so, he was put on hold.

But once she cracked the gemstone/hextech – it was “simply” a matter of redesigning Fishbone’s design to be a hextech devise.

Basically, I think Jinx was able to finish Fishbones by the finale, because she salvaged her previous protypes of him for parts

None of this is easy or simple by the way. Fishbones truly shows how much of a genius Jinx is. Seriously, consider the fact that at the end of S1 the three experts on hextech and known inventors of its devises are Jinx and the two literal creators and founders of Hextech.

That's amazing.

Jinx taught herself hextech by using the notes and research she stole from them, which is beyond insane and I feel like so many undercut how truly impressive that actually is.

In addition, Fishbones' existence shows us how inventive, adaptive, and weirdly enough practical Jinx is.

The last one may seem odd, but remember Silco told her she needed to crack hextech sooner than later, so, working with a design she's been struggling with for years and adapting said design to be a hextech one; rather than just starting from scratch is really practical of her.

And Jinx did all of this while remaining true to herself and her aesthetic, because she's all about that self-expression and creativity.

Jinx wouldn’t/couldn’t design just any weapon for Silco, especially not for his war against Piltover, none of those weapons would've been good enough for him or for her.

The weapon she made to help Silco finally turn the tables on Piltover, would've had to be something significant and meaningful to them both, because this is important to them.

So, even though Silco never saw Fishbones, I know he would’ve absolutely appreciated and loved him.

Fishbones was made to be something the two could share in a way; if anything, he’s a symbol of their bond as well as all the things they have in common, in particular their shared love and admiration for monstrous creatures.

And I absolutely love that so goddamn much, because in a way Fishbones shows Silco and Jinx were “always meant” to be father and daughter.

Who else would’ve truly appreciated her giant shark bazooka?

Who else would’ve found Silco's sea monsters to be just as beautiful and awe inspiring as he did?

Summary

Fishbones was an idea of Jinx’s long before she ever met Silco and what started out as power fantasy of a young powerless girl, became not only a reality, but her ultimate show of power (at least for S1).

Fishbones was made for Silco’s sake though, Jinx was going to present him to Silco as the weapon to turn the tables on Piltover.

He's a shark because of Silco's love for sea monsters AND because of Jinx's own love and fondness for monsters (+ sharks).

Fishbones also, at least I think so, shows their bond as father and daughter over the years.  

In regards to when Jinx made Fishbones, I think since Silco took her in, she's likely tried to make him a few times, but he's never worked – likely because she didn't have a strong enough power source.

But once she figured out hextech, she was able to implement the tech into her redesign, and by using her other skills and knowhow, Jinx was able to create the perfect weapon for herself.

[acetypeface]

Random TUA Headcanons, Pt. 1

I was thinking about what sort of uncles (and aunt) the Hargreeves siblings would be. Since we may get to see those dynamics in s4 (the Klaus and Claire pic has got me hyped) it's time to share my silly thoughts.

This isn't speculation; I don't really do that. These are merely random ideas of mine (and all very soft because I can't be an angst writer all the time). Enjoy! ^.^

Below the break.

LUTHER

Helps teach them how to drive, and really enjoys it, too.

Has karaoke sessions in the car with his nieces when he drives them around. He tries to sing all the parts and makes them laugh.

Takes them to planetariums, rocket launches, and shows them how to work a telescope; he'll map the night skies with them for hours.

Was always the favorite when it came to playing hide-n-seek or tag; he invented a game called "crazy monk" where he makes scary faces and chases them around the house.

Could carry one niece on each shoulder easily; they loved it.

DIEGO

Is there for them after their first break-up. He takes them to a rage room and they have a grand time smashing things to bits.

Teaches them self-defense, as well as how to properly throw a knife. He may have gifted them their first knife a little too early, though.

Attends all of their sports games and track meets, and is there to scream and cheer from the sidelines (or shout at the ref if needed).

Learned how to style hair so he could give his daughter and niece all sorts of fun and dramatic hairdos; on speed dial for "crazy hair day" at school.

ALLISON

The one who takes them out for their first drink when they turn 21.

Likes to buy a lot of little presents for them, although they'll occasionally get jump-scared by something huge, like a new car.

Loves to go on trips with them; was definitely their travel companion for their senior graduation trip.

Helped them get ready before prom and took way too many pictures, all of which she cherishes greatly.

Would absolutely be the one to give "the Talk", because all of her brothers were too awkward to do it for their own children. Is excellent at giving a quick and concise sex ed course.

KLAUS

Would love to take his nieces to get their nails done (he'd get his done, too).

Loves to go get ice cream, boba, and other little treats with his nieces.

Is definitely the one bringing home puppies, kittens, hamsters, etc. as birthday presents.

If any of his nieces/nephews were to come out as queer, he'd be wildly supportive. He'd go with them to get their hair cut and buy new clothes if they were trans, or support them at Pride, or just overall be the coolest uncle ever.

FIVE

Acts like he could care less, but remembers all of the tiny, insignificant details such as their favorite color or favorite flavor of ice cream.

Will pick them up from anywhere, no lectures, no questions asked. Also won't tell their parents if they don't want him to.

Became very distressed the first time one of his nieces was bullied; his siblings had to remind him that he was not allowed to murder a kindergartner.

Unironically refers to them as his siblings' "spawn" and "offspring".

Asks his nieces for help when it comes to using his phone.

Would take his nieces to Starbucks or Dutch Bros (is this too niche to my area?), even if he thinks their coffee tastes like shit, because he likes to see them smile when they drink their overly sugary drinks.

(UMBRELLA) BEN

The absolute best at reading bedtime stories. He'd do goofy voices and end up keeping his nieces awake because they'd be too busy giggling.

Helps them study for tests and exams (they always get the best grades when Uncle Ben helps them).

Is an extremely good listener and gives some of the best advice. He never judges them for their mistakes, but always suggests how they might grow and move forward.

Happy to help his nieces on their curiosity voyages; likes to take them to museums and other places of learning.

VIKTOR

Would attend every musical, dance recital, talent show, and performance his nieces were in. He'd be in the back with big bouquets of roses and whistle and cheer at all the right moments.

Likes to take them to do the ordinary, menial things he wished he could do as a kid, such as going to the zoo or an amusement park.

Loves to talk and FaceTime with his nieces; he never misses a single call.

Is happy to pay for any artistic hobbies his nieces want to pursue, such as music lessons or drama camps.

Have any other headcanons about the Hargreeves as aunt and uncles? Lemme know in the replies or the reblogs!

[femmefatalevibe]

How do I sound and appear more intelligent and sophisticated? I've read books and stuff but how do I apply the knowledge in real life? How do I make my everyday vocabulary more sophisticated? Ik the general advice to read books and converse with people etc, but how do I actually apply it irl?

Hi love! Here are some of my suggestions/tips:

How do I sound and appear more intelligent and sophisticated?

Keep your language and explanations simple & concise

Speak slowly & deliberately: Take your time between sentences, and pause between your thoughts. Always think before you speak. Silences, while slightly awkward, are not always best avoided

Use the proper propositions when speaking: Avoid small grammar mistakes (know when to use less vs. fewer, I vs. me, graduated from an institution, etc.)

Articulate complex concepts into layman's terms: Break concepts down into different parts of the conceptual equation – chronically, from beginning to end or outcome to origin, simultaneously moving parts/micro-stories or situations; Use analogies (metaphors, mundane/real-life examples, or hypothetical situations) that require the same thought-process or methodology)

Apply conversational "show don't tell" when sharing a story: Describe the situation using the 5 senses to convey the implied meaning (e.g. "I could feel the pit in my stomach." vs. "I was nervous.")

Use subtle tonality to convey particularly emotional or significant points while speaking

I've read books and stuff but how do I apply the knowledge in real life?

Relate cultural references or learned concepts to add clever humor to everyday conversations

Create parallels and analogies to outside information to convey your understanding of what someone is saying, ask more thoughtful follow-up questions, or smoothly transition into a new conversation topic

How do I make my everyday vocabulary more sophisticated?

Use everyday/simple sentence structure and replace one simple word choice with another more sophisticated word that is equally apt to the message you're trying to convey

If you're ever confused about whether a particular synonym makes sense to use IRL, look at how it is used in the dictionary sentence examples and in other books/articles

Ik the general advice to read books and converse with people etc, but how do I actually apply it irl?

Reiterate a concise, simplified version of the other person's anecdotes to convey your understanding. Drive the conversation forward by asking specific follow-up questions based on one "part" of the idea or story

Use cultural parallels to convey your understanding of what the other person is saying (sounds like this TV show character, like a certain artist, historical/current event, etc.)

Leverage metaphors to connect the dots between the points you and your conversation partner are making. Make an insightful connection to break up the air time between their anecdote and contribution

Conversational word choice should be used to create vivid images in people's minds – to paint a picture of the concept, scene, emotions, or sensations one would engage with or experience if the person was living your conversation in the present moment

Learn how to use wit conversations – context and delivery are vital to its success and positive reception

Hope this helps xx

[summerofspock]

Tagged by @shichidikai and @bageltopia to answer 20 writerly questions. Thanks so much for the tag! Some of these answers are embarrassing lmao

How many works do you have on ao3?

194 (in my defense I have been on there for over 10 years)

What's your total ao3 word count?

2,392,769 😩

What are your top five fics by kudos

Just One More (It Couldn't Hurt) - Star Trek

Car Trouble - Good Omens

mad or well-advised - Good Omens

South Downs - Good Omens

Under Construction - Good Omens

What fandoms do you write for?

Currently? One Piece and I'm fiddling with Arcane behind the scenes without posting. But I have written for Avatar The last Airbender, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, The Magnus Archives, Silmarillion, My Hero Academia, and MXTX works.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

OK so my inbox is a fucking mess. I do try to respond to comments but once I fall behind I fall so behind. And once I start getting mean comments or concrit, it's hard for me to go back and respond to comments on a fic. Usually, I'll respond in a big wave to comments on the last chapter before posting the next but sometimes I forget.

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't really write unhappy endings. 🤔 I currently have an abandoned wip that ends at an unhappy spot and I have a few dead dove oneshots that are pretty angsty but no multichaps. Maybe feather of lead.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

They are genuinely all so happily ever after fluffy that it's hard to choose. Maybe Car Trouble. Or after all the angst, you might consider the ending of such small words super happy. Idk.

Do you get hate on fics?

Depends on how you define hate. I get comments telling me I made incorrect choices or that my fics are wrong in some way for doing xyz. I get character hate. I've been told I'm a bad person for writing certain kinks or tropes on pwps or that I'm perpetuating stereotypes and that's damaging. Annoying shit like that.

Do you write smut?

Lmao yes

Do you write crossovers?

I've done it once! Star Trek/Good Omens for shits and giggles.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

One time. It got taken down fairly quickly though.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yeah! A handful of times. It's always so cool when people ask.

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes. With my beloved collaborater naromoreau. I think we have like eight fics we wrote together? Probably about 200k collaborated words at this point. I've learned so much from her and nothing is as fun as writing with her.

What's your all time favorite ship?

I will probably never get over spirk.

What's the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Hot Sugar. I'm so sorry but I lost the will.

What are your writing strengths?

I am a fast writer. My methods of getting through writers block almost never fail. But those aren't strengths that translate to the page.

On the page, I think I'm good with character psychology and motivations which I think shows up well in dialogue, pacing and plot beats. My writing is concise mostly because if I don't have a reason for including something, I will cut it. I'm a brutal editor and will kill my darlings without remorse.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I am a fast writer lmao which sometimes means I write too much and quality dips massively because the mental reservoir will empty and I end up tapping an empty well. While I like to think I am concise and efficient at conveying things, I sometimes think I "underwrite" or perhaps "overtell."

Thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages?

As a younger writer, I did it but only because I spoke that language. I think there might be value. Here we come back to, if you can make a compelling argument for *why* it serves the story then I'm open to it but also you better check with someone who is fluent.

First fandom you wrote for

Star Trek. Unless you count my notebook scribbling of inuyasha fic when I was 14.

Favorite fic you've written

God ok. I've written nearly 200 fics across a gazillion fandoms so there's a few. Most recently life in your shape for One Piece because I challenged myself to write something low conflict and loved how it came out. Watermark from Good Omens. And Grossly Undeserved from Star Trek.

I just love writing about what love means to different people!!!

If you read this whole ass thing then have a kiss on the forehead and know i love you.

I'll tag @naromoreau @softzosan if you'd like! Most other folks I know have gotten tagged already!

[misc-obeyme]

mc cant make bread at the house of lamentation. unless its one with a very short resting time and while beel is away at a game/other time consuming activity bc otherwise he just. eats the raw dough. and likes it like a sweet lil weirdo. and of course he gets rly guilty abt it seeing mcs face when they come outta the kitchen like 'does anyone know what happened to my bread 🥺'

sometimes if he knows mc wants to make bread hell make a point to stay out for most of the day so hes not tempted. otherwise mc has to go to the demon lords castle (fancy and prolly has a proof box, but availability can be spotty) or purgatory hall (risk of solomon)

also, since the devildom tends to be much warmer than the human world i bet rising/rest times are cut much shorter. but it begs the question of if yeasts native to the devildom need higher temperatures to activate. probably i feel thatd make sense.

also mild fluff headcanon: barbatos sees mc's interest in the differences between human world and devildom yeasts and helps them build a lil sourdough starter experiment where they make ones from the different types and see how they compare :) And since starters can become specialized to the bacteria of the person who made it (when its mixed by hand) they obvs have to each do a set of human world and devildom starters (barb likes to give them bread made from the starters specialized to him cuz it feels like a way of marking mc :3 )

do i know how to be concise? no. is bread science sick as hell? yes. -🥐

YO I love all of this!!

Okay okay, Beel eating bread dough, though. And deliberately making sure he's not home when MC wants to bake bread, that is so so CUTE. Poor baby Beel can't keep himself away from the bread dough and has to leave the house entirely so MC can bake some bread in peace, please that's adorable.

I definitely think the castle is probably the best option for alternative baking locations. As you pointed out, Purgatory Hall is too risky.

I know nothing about yeast. The only bread I've ever baked has been bread that's actually cake. You know, like pumpkin bread and zucchini bread. They're really cake, right? They taste like cake. I think it's the loaf formation that causes people to call them bread. All of this is to say that I feel I have learned some new facts about yeast. It never ever would have crossed my mind that the Devildom temperature would impact the rate at which yeast rises. And I LOVE the idea of native Devildom yeast!

You killed me with that fluffy Barb headcanon... BARB give me all your bread made from your specialized starters lasdfkjldfkj. Everyone must know whose bread I'm eating!! Please that's such a cute way of being possessive and so totally his style. It's like this one is mine, but I'm not going to be loud about it or anything. I'm indicating it with my bread. I love it. I love him.

Once again, I know nothing of bread baking, but I would give my soul to have a sourdough starter experiment with Barbatos. It's such a cute little scenario, I absolutely love it.

Ahhh what would I do without you bringing all the baking knowledge to my ask box, 🥐 anon?? I'm really in love with all of these ideas!

[kabsey]

Hi! I wanted to ask question #3 from that Rook Origin post about your Crow Rook!

Thank you so much for the ask! I am always happy to yap about the Crows and De Riva Crows especially.

Question 3 is: "How did Rook end up with the Crows? Did they join willingly? Were they sold to the Crows? How old were they when this happened?" I answered some of this in a previous post, but I will gladly share more (perhaps more concisely, though no promises).

Ilene was 11 when she met Viago. I fudge with ages a bit compared to what canon suggests, so in my headcanon, Viago was about 20. (Teia was 18, Lucanis was 17, and Illario was 16; ergo, by the time of Veilguard, Viago is 39, Teia is 37, Lucanis is 36, Illario is 35, and Ilene is 30.)

So a 20-year old Viago who is not yet a Talon is assigned a job in Ansburg. While traveling the city, he cannot shake the feeling that he is being followed, and as it happens, this time it's not just the paranoia talking. After he completes the job, he's confronted by an 11-year-old elvhen girl who tries to hire him with a ludicrously small amount of coin. The target? Her mother, who is days from death via cancer and desperately wants a peaceful release.

Against all reason and better judgment, Viago agrees—but not in exchange for coin. His price is that she must accompany him back to Antiva and train to become a Crow (because any child that can follow him through a city without being seen has a chance of being a solid assassin).

Ilene accepts and joins him more or less willingly, not just for her mother's sake but because she has no other family, no real friends, and nowhere else to go once her mother is gone. Plus she is smart and eager to learn and explore new things, and being an assassin sounds sick.

And thus Rook de Riva is born. (My headcanon also deviates on that point: my Rook gave herself that name when she arrived in Antiva. New life, new name. She doesn't even realize that Viago knows her real name until the immediate aftermath of the Elgar'nan fight when she cries in his arms and he tells her she did well. Later she asks how he knew because she doesn't remember ever telling him, and he's like, "Yeah, you told me your name the night you became a full Crow. You were super drunk and got all sentimental. It was terrible.")

The Crow Rook origin question post is here if anyone else would like to ask about my Rook or answer questions about your own!

[sunnywalnut]

I've got so many new followers....

Uh.... hi? Everyone?

Nice to meet y'all. ^^

As for intros..

My name is Sunny. Or Walnut. Sun. Wal. Whatever you like, honestly. I'm not picky. And I do like nicknames so I'm vibing .

I am a man. So he/him for me, please.

20 years old. Yeah I know I'm childish. I like to have fun. But I am quite literally an adult and have been for some years, so there might be the occasional reblog about adult topics. That being said, if you're under the age of 18, don't ask to dm.

I do a few motivational posts, both for myself and everyone else, as well as long winded poetry, oc posts, rambles, vague creative writing, and just random shitposts with a dash of Internet activism. Because I like it when the world is a better place and you should too.

DNI: homophobes, transphobes, fatphobes, racists, sexists, Zionists, antisemits, ableists, and all the other big bads. If you drop comments harassing people, I will delete and block you. That won't fly here. This is my space and you will respect it as such.

I have recently turned off anon asks because of this. You can, however, send me asks and request to be anonymous when I respond to them! I will simply just screenshot the ask, crop out your url/name, and reply to it in my own post.

That all being said, if I actually DO post something that is harmful or doesn't sit right, please let me know in a respectful manner!

My intention is never to hurt people. I know for a fact that I can get caught up in my own head and my words can get jumbled (as can anyone else's) so I am more than willing to listen and learn, as well as explain my points of speaking to try and figure out better ways to make them clear.

Keep in mind. I am Autistic. Meaning I have a disability that sometimes makes it harder to make connections between words and emotion, reading tone, and also making sure that my words are clear and concise.

If you have a problem or disagreement with anything I have said, it would be very much appreciated if you would be kind, direct, and respectful when explaining it to me. I might not get it at first, so I will ask clarifying questions, but it's only ever to understand the situation thoroughly.

Thank you and have a good day!

[mamawasatesttube]

Hello, I'm pretty new to the Superboy fandom. Can I ask you this question:

This part on his Wikipedia page caught my attention.

Do you know the instances (issues, panels, lines, etc) where Kon-el expresses that he doesn't want to be considered Superman's sidekick or similar sentiments?

I would really like to understand more about his feelings regarding his role in relation to Superman and his feelings toward the big man himself.

Thank you, and I apologize if any part of my ask sounds rude to you.

hoookay this is probably gonna be a bit of a doozy but i'll try and keep it concise!!!

first of all, rec-wise, you're probably gonna wanna read the entirety of "reign of the supermen" and "the return of superman". which is a lot, i know, but there's so much going on there that it's honestly hard for me to pick and choose any single issue out of it that would make sense as a standalone.

so at first, before clark himself comes back on the scene, we get things like the classic "don't ever call me 'superboy!'" panel as well as things like this:

where it's clear that kon sees himself as superman, the "real" superman. he does also acknowledge that he's young and he needs to learn to be and do better, as when john henry irons tells him he needs to accept responsibility for his showboating causing frank the helicopter pilot's death, so it's not like he's a full-on arrogant jackass about being the best already, but at this point "superman" is his entire identity. he's not shy about the fact that he's a clone, either; he tells lois, and later, everyone in metropolis via tv, that he is a kryptonian clone and obviously not the og superman himself, but he's still insistent that he is superman.

a fun side note here: this is actually before the retcon that kon was a human with a metagene, so he is actually a full clone of superman!

in fact that's part of why lois knows something is up with cyborg superman in the wake of the destruction of coast city. it's not entirely relevant to the question of their relationship except that it IS my favorite interpretation and also i think it adds a particular flavor to kon's relationship to superman as the gold standard he was made to achieve, the model he was made to emulate.

"Superman... the first Superman... didn't let Doomsday trash his town... and I won't let these creeps rip it down!"

superman is his role model in every way. he respects him a lot even in death and wants to be as much like him as he can. at this point kon's definitely a hotheaded and easily-distracted kid, but he's also all of three weeks old, so...

"Ripping free of this trap would be child's play for Superman... but I'm his clone, aren't I?"

so we can see from early on kon definitely ties his sense of self and his sense of self-worth to "how am i measuring up to superman?" that's a recurring theme we'll see with him over and over.

by the end of the fight with hank henshaw, kon has fully accepted that superman's back and is The OG:

"Check that, Blondie. I'm not Superman. That guy's Superman! The one and only!"

after this we get the "actually a human clone with a ttk metagene" retcon and kon's departure for hawaii:

he leaves for two primary reasons: a) to make a name for himself because he wants to be worthy of the superboy/superman mantle and the s-shield, and b) because editorial wanted superboy to be its own separate title. he thinks the world of superman and wants to make him proud, essentially, while also maintaining his independence.

(clark is also around and interacting him during that retcon arc but i'm a little tired and don't wanna go hunt down any more panels right now, so ... that's for another day.)

and then of course there's superboy (1994) #59, where kon actually gets the name kon-el, something incredibly meaningful to both him and clark:

in summary: kon really, really looks up to clark. he wants to be worthy of his trust and often berates himself when he feels like he's not being enough like superman. his strong drive for independence is part of that: he wants to be totally independent and capable on his own, just like superman.

[frogofalltime]

Hi, could I ask you if you have any tips or advice for transmascs in the closet to friends and family??? Thanks :0

hello ! thank you for the question. this is going to be super long because i have lots to say about this and i'm incapable of being concise so i'm sorry about that :') i hope this helps even a little bit and please feel free to send more asks if you need anything else, clarification on what i mean, etc !! remember your identity is valid and important whether or not you are closeted. but i know it's extremely hard when you can't talk to anyone in your life or be yourself. you can always talk to me about it. and one day, i hope, you will be free to be whatever you want to be, without limits or restraints. for me personally, moving out from my parents' house has helped me discover who and what i am, and accept myself as trans instead of trying to fight it. i have so much freedom to dress and present the way i want, and i'm even on the waiting list for gender affirming care. i know it's not accessible for everyone to move out and live independently and gender clinics don't exist in a lot of places so i'm extremely privileged and lucky to have this option. i honestly expected to stay in the closet my whole life, and it was a pleasant surprise to finally be able to come out at least to some people. but no matter what, there is hope for your future, and i promise it gets better. hang in there <3

anyway, here's my advice !!

if it's safe to do so, if there's even one person in your life you are comfortable to come out to, it helps a lot. do you have any trans / queer friends you can talk to ? or someone you know would be an ally ? of course you absolutely Do Not need to come out to anyone ever, your safety is the most important thing, and it is entirely up to you. i didn't come out to my friends until i was entirely sure of What to come out as — i spent many years knowing i wasn't cisgender or heterosexual but i was afraid to accept it because of religious reasons and i was never sure how to tell people until i figured it out for myself. but it helped a lot to have one or two trans guys / nonbinary friends i could talk to even many years before i came out. i learned a lot from them. and the same with asexual and / or aromantic friends. knowing other people with similar experiences helps you to understand what you are and having their support helps a lot when you are closeted to everyone else.

in the UK and probably a lot of other countries it is being enforced that if children tell teachers or medical professionals about things like their gender identity it has to be reported back to their parents. so if you're under 18, please please please be extra careful about who you tell. when i had therapy the fact that a lot of my mental and physical issues were related to gender dysphoria was not even mentioned, even though it was so obvious. this is probably because my mother was always in the room during therapy sessions and they knew my family is religious so they didn't want to cause any problems. but i do kind of wish it had been discussed back then because i could have saved me a lot of mental illness and physical health problems that i still struggle with now. i wish i could have had some support and acceptance growing up, but unfortunately i didn't know anything about lgbtqia+ until i moved to england aged 14, and it took me a long time to accept myself as queer because of religious and cultural prejudice. i hope you're able to access more support and kindness than i was.

the fact that you're in my inbox means you're already in a queer space on the internet and that's really cool and important especially if you don't have that in real life !! of course be careful and exercise internet safety, but it's good to have an online safe place to be yourself and engage with the community. me and robin (@etherealspacejelly) are both transmasc with experience of unsupportive families and being closeted, and there are many more people like us on tumblr or elsewhere on the internet who are happy to share our experiences and help other people. community is so important and we have to look out for each other.

i also find it helps a lot if you refer to yourself using your pronouns and chosen name (if you have one) in your head and when talking to any trusted people. my brain can be really mean to me but i have become stronger at fighting it because of this. whenever the voices in my head are being unkind, they often use my birth name and call me a girl. but i know that i am not, i have so much evidence to the contrary, so it can help to shut them up. something i find really gender affirming is to tell myself "binya, stop procrastinating", "come on binya you need to eat", "binyameen get himself in the shower challenge", "guess who still hasn't done his homework", etc. when i am with my family, if i do this in my head it helps a lot, because they are always calling me by my birth name and she / her pronouns which doesn't feel right at all.

you can also tell people your chosen name is a nickname / username, or go by a shortened version of your name that sounds more gender neutral. i chose a boy name that is actually pretty similar to my birth name, so it's plausible that it would be a nickname that my friends call me. i used this method with my brother because in the summer i changed my name to binyameen on snapchat and didn't feel comfortable to come out entirely to him (i'm working up to it, and i know he will be accepting, i just don't feel ready). on instagram i kept my username as my birth name (to prevent people from asking questions / not being able to find me when they search my name) but i put my chosen name in the name box. so when i am messaging my friends it comes up as binya. an alternative option is to have your username as a hybrid of both names, or something random that doesn't involve your name at all, like how on tumblr i'm frogofalltime. but if i changed my instagram username now i feel like i would have to put my birth name in the name box otherwise people would say something, so i haven't done that.

idk if your family is religious or not, but if they are, that tends to make it a lot harder, so i'm sorry. if you also are religious, it helps a lot to find even one person or group online that is queer and of faith, and to remind yourself that God created everything to be fluid and evolving and not confined to boxes. we cannot categorise things that are inherently complex, and why would a loving Creator create something only to hate it and force it to conform or be punished ? i'm muslim, my faith is still very important to me, but i'm also a scientist and i believe in my own version of islam that is very personal and different to the mainstream. if something makes me uncomfortable i consider why that is and reconsider my beliefs. because i am not sure of anything but i know a lot of what i was raised to believe is not compatible with how the world and the divine feels to me. it helps to find my own way to practice my religion and worship God.

also, idk if you have this struggle, but my parents expect me to wear the hijab. i compromise this by wearing it as loosely as i can, or putting a hat or hoodie over my head (which feels a lot more masc). whenever i go to the masjid or any islamic gathering or event i dress appropriately and sit in the women's section but it does make me uncomfortable. in fact one of my flatmates is muslim and she has made multiple comments about how she's glad we have an "all girls" flat because she doesn't have to worry about covering up to go to the kitchen. this makes me feel uncomfortable and guilty because i don't know if she would be comfortable living with me / walking around in her pyjamas / with her hair out if she knew i was a guy. personally i didn't mind people seeing my hair when i wore hijab because i didn't actually want to wear it anyway. but i know my flatmate feels more strongly about it as she has mentioned this a few times, and i don't know what her opinions on trans people are, so i feel bad whenever i see her. i also had this issue a lot growing up when getting changed for PE at school. i would avert my eyes and try not to look at anyone because i didn't want to invade their privacy. so my advice is to find a compromise that meets your parents' expectations but also helps you to feel less dysphoric, and avoid looking at people's bodies if you can help it, in case that would make them uncomfortable.

use gender neutral toilets / changing rooms if they're available but don't feel bad if you have to use the women's. i certainly don't pass well enough to use the men's and i haven't been in a men's bathroom or changing room for like ten years so i don't feel safe going in there, especially because i'm closeted to most people. it's a lot easier to just go to the women's and try not to think about it. i think every place should have gender neutral toilets and individual changing rooms and showers, as this would be better for privacy as well.

if your parents want you to have long hair maybe you can look at images of men with long hair to make the dysphoria go away. lots of men have had long hair especially in other cultures and time periods. my brother (who is two years younger than me) had beautiful long black curls that he kept for four years before cutting it in september and he looked extremely handsome. if you have pinterest, maybe make a board and fill it with pictures of guys that you share traits with, it helps a lot in my experience.

talking about hair, if it bothers you a lot and you're allowed to without making anyone suspicious, i do recommend cutting it. having short hair has given me so much confidence in my identity and whenever i look in the mirror i see a boy much more often than i used to (although i did used to think i looked like howl pendragon or a prince from the olden days when i had longer hair, especially if i tied it back). i had to keep my hair long as a kid but from the age of 12 i cut it to chin length and kept it as short as possible although it was still a "girly" enough hairstyle to not upset my parents too much. then last year i shaved my hair off and donated it to charity because i moved out and my parents can't control me anymore. i explained why i did it later, but my mother got really upset and asked if i was lesbian, so i did have to partially come out to her even though i was absolutely not ready for that conversation. but i didn't tell her everything. so yea do be cautious and probably don't do something that extreme without permission. if you do want to cut all your hair off, you could explain beforehand that you want to donate your hair to a charity that makes wigs for kids with cancer, and maybe even start a fundraiser for it. if its for a good cause they might be more supportive; my father actually said it was a beautiful gesture that i donated my hair, and he wasn't upset / angry with me like my mother was.

as for clothes, if you live in the west or a country with less enforcement of gender norms, we are lucky to live in a society where it's relatively normal for women to wear men's clothes. i grew up in saudi arabia where there are strict rules about clothing — in fact everything is super gendered. or at least it was when i lived there, i know some things have changed in the past few years. anyway, women had to wear black robes and were encouraged to cover their heads and even their faces, while men wore white robes and if they covered their heads it was using a traditional cloth in a different style to women's hijab. we had to wear skirts or dresses at school too. i live in england now and it's a lot more relaxed here, and there's usually an option to wear trousers at school. i was sent to a girls school where almost everyone wore the skirt uniform so i wore one to fit in, but we were allowed to wear trousers if we wanted to. and in fact it's probably even more normal to see girls wearing jeans and baggy sweaters than to see them wearing skirts and dresses in everyday life. idk where you live, maybe you're in a country like saudi arabia, or maybe you have strict parents, in which case you may have to compromise for your safety. for example when i lived in saudi arabia i would wear trousers / shorts and a t shirt underneath my robes — i even went through a phase where i wore dungarees every day, which was a bit inconvenient when i needed the bathroom lol. you can also wear masc shoes with the excuse that they are comfortable, because they tend to be wider and a more practical shape.

for special events i do tend to wear a dress or traditional clothes from my culture just to avoid any conflict with my family. however it does make me feel very uncomfortable and i would prefer to wear a suit or even just my normal clothes if i could. i remember crying profusely before prom because i felt so dysphoric in the dress i was wearing, and having so many meltdowns about eid gatherings and weddings i had to attend for the same reasons. if your family is more accepting than mine maybe you can wear a smart shirt and trousers if you don't want to wear a dress, or if there's a traditional outfit in your culture maybe you can find a version that feels more comfortable and gender neutral. for example the pakistani traditional dress is shalwar kameez (a tunic and wide pants) for all genders but they come in different styles. i prefer to wear shalwar kameez that is loose fitting and a more plain design so it looks kind of like men's rather than women's.

on the subject of clothes, this can be difficult because it's not really possible to bind when you're closeted as people will probably notice and ask questions. one good thing about wearing hijab is that it covers your body and chest, so i was able to combat a lot of dysphoria without raising any issues because my parents wanted me to dress that way anyway. i had a very feminine phase when i was trying to "fix" myself and "be a girl" because i thought if i tried hard enough i would "be normal". of course it doesn't work that way but i did my best even though it made me super dysphoric, because i thought this was the only option i had. i don't recommend doing this if you can, but it's a very normal experience for trans people, so don't feel like it invalidates your identity "because you used to be so girly". of course anyone can wear skirts and dresses and pink and feminine clothes, it should not be restricted to women ! in fact i still like wearing certain dresses sometimes, they make me feel really cool ! but if it makes you uncomfortable, then don't force it.

experimenting with clothes until you find your style is very helpful. definitely get your clothes second hand if you can to avoid spending much money or damaging the environment during this process btw !! at my university we have a clothes swap where you can leave your old clothes and take new clothes that other people have donated. i've been swapping a lot of my feminine clothes for masculine clothes that way. since coming out i've been dressing in a way that feels a lot more like myself, but even before then, even in my feminine phase, i always wore clothes that hid the parts of my body that made me dysphoric. baggy trousers help a lot with dysphoria about your hips and thighs because they hide a lot; the same goes for loose-fitting shirts, sweaters, hoodies etc for hiding your chest, waist and hips. using a satchel can be better than a backpack if you feel like backpacks accentuate your body shape too much, but the right clothes and backpack can be very gender affirming too ! i wear mostly men's shirts, coats, and sweaters, though i do tend to get women's trousers because they fit more comfortably around my waist, but i choose a shape that is loose and masculine.

again, if you feel confident in your body and you like wearing clothes that don't hide it, that's really good !! and i'm very happy for you and proud of you if that's the case !! i just am listing some things that help me personally with dysphoria which also don't bring me judgement from people i'm not out to, because like i said it's normalised for anyone to wear this style of clothes in this part of the world. idk about things like makeup because i've never worn it in my life, and i've only painted my nails like three times ever, but if you like these things go for it ! i know plenty of guys (cis and trans) who wear makeup and nail polish sometimes and they look really cool !

as for underwear i like to wear the kind of men's / boys' underpants that are like little shorts. i get them in size small / medium or age 13-14 years. i find them very comfortable in general, especially in summer when a lot of women worry about a "visible pants line" showing through their clothes, you don't get this problem. i also don't wear bras, only sports bras / compression vests that cover everything and just look like a binder that doesn't make you flat. i have no idea what my bust size is because i've never been measured. i refused to wear anything on my chest until i was 11, then my mother made me wear crop tops underneath my shirts "for modesty", but i didn't actually develop breasts at all until i was 16 and i only tried to wear bras for like one year before i gave up and went back to vests and sports bras.

however, i would say to be careful around underwear if you live at home and someone else does the laundry. my mother gets very weird about me wearing this type of underwear. she thinks it's bad for you not to wear a proper bra (but this is scientifically incorrect !) and she says she can never tell which underpants are mine and which are my brother's. i also get the feeling that she doesn't approve of me wearing men's underwear because of religious reasons ?? and she definitely wouldn't approve of a binder. so when i'm at home i sort the laundry myself and take my things to dry in my bedroom so she doesn't notice. i also used to wear big plain white or black women's briefs and i still have them although i don't wear them much; they help too if you aren't able to wear boxer shorts, because they cover a lot and are just more comfortable in general.

idk how old you are or what your transition goals are, if any, but if you are considering things like hormones and top surgery, i know it can be very difficult to figure out how you will do this without your family and friends finding out, or even if it's an option for you at all. i'm very lucky to live in england and i am over 18 so i can access gender services without my parents knowing. the waiting list is around 5 years long which gives me plenty of time to think about what i want and how i will balance this with my family etc. i really want top surgery but i know it's something my family will notice and also the amount of money it costs and the recovery time afterwards makes it into a big thing that i can't really do in secret. however, that's a problem for future me, and i imagine it's the same for you too. stay strong, and i hope you'll be able to find a way to transition without having to deal with a lot of issues with your family.

my mother is also really weird about my body hair and facial hair, so be careful with that too. i'm naturally very hairy, it is probably because i'm half pakistani, but i also might have PCOS or endometriosis because my periods are very irregular and intense, i need to get that checked out. anyway, when i was younger my mother encouraged me to shave my armpits and legs, and to pluck out my moustache, chin hairs, and monobrow. it's sad because i used to like my moustache and eyebrows as a kid, and i liked seeing myself as a guy in the mirror, but i was also bullied about these things at school, which made me so self conscious that i couldn't leave the house without sorting all of this out, and i used to shave my arms as well. it got to the point where i got really bad eczema in my armpits because shaving them was irritating the skin, so i decided to stop, and now i just trim the hairs occasionally (because if my underarms are too hairy this also makes my eczema worse and harder to treat). i also stopped shaving my arms and legs, and i don't pluck out my facial hair at all. this saves me so much time and pain and effort, i look really cool, and very androgynous. but my parents and other family members make comments about it all the time, they say i look unkempt and i've let myself go, i'm giving them a bad reputation, etc. so i guess you have to find the balance between gender euphoria and safety from your family and friends getting suspicious or judgmental. if your family aren't too conservative maybe you can talk about feminism and how body hair is natural for every mammal and the culture of women being hairless is really toxic etc ? but again, please be safe, sometimes it's better to compromise and conform until you are able to be more independent, even though it really sucks.

getting your period can be extremely challenging when you're transmasc so you're not alone if it's difficult for you too. my mother never understood why i was so distressed by it, because she was excited to get it when she was growing up, and she always wanted breasts too, but i was very afraid of puberty. a nonbinary person i know takes birth control pills to stop their periods because they make them so dysphoric, but please be aware these pills have oestrogen in them so they can have a feminising effect, so they're not for everyone. other trans people i know use tampons or menstrual cups so they don't have to see the blood like you do with pads. however i know this can also cause dysphoria because you have to interact with a body part that feels like it should not be there. i personally have never used tampons or menstrual cups because i don't want to touch that area of my body if i can help it and i also have a lot of sensory issues. i try to use reusable pads when my flow is not too heavy, because you can wash them and use them again so it's better for the environment. i also use big disposable pads when it's too heavy for the reusable ones. funnily enough if you're wearing a thick sanitary pad in your underwear it makes a bulge that can kind of look like you have male genitals lol. idk if that's something you want — i definitely don't want bottom surgery myself — but it's pretty cool either way. also please take care of yourself if / when you menstruate, it's a hard time, take painkillers if you need to, and do your best to ignore all the gendered language around this stuff. a lot of men, boys, and nonbinary people menstruate, including myself, and it should be more normalised.

swimming and exercise are understandably big issues for a lot of trans people. i recommend wearing breathable fabric so you don't overheat. i am lucky because as a muslim i'm expected to cover my body, so i have an excuse for how i dress at the pool or the gym. i usually wear a men's shirt that is designed for sports or surfing, sports leggings (or joggers if i'm not swimming), and a compression vest / sports bra and underpants underneath. if i go swimming i make sure everything is made from that fabric that they make swimming costumes from, and it's all black because that hides your shape better. i actually want to get some long swimming trunks like my dad has, they're very comfortable and much more gender affirming than leggings. i don't go swimming much tbh, i wish i could but it makes me dysphoric, and showering afterwards is annoying, especially because i have sensory issues and eczema. normally i take off the shirt and leggings and shower in my compression vest and underpants. that way i can get most of the chlorine off my skin but i don't have to be exposed in the public showers / changing rooms. if you can't get away with wearing so many layers like that maybe you can wear a compression vest and cycling shorts, you can even get women's swimming shorts, so people don't question it.

as you're closeted maybe this doesn't apply to you but i do like being slightly open with my identity when i can. i have some subtle indicators that i'm trans that i wear sometimes. please please only do this if it is safe !! i never did it in the past at all, not until i came out to my friends, and i know that transphobia and homophobia are getting worse and worse, so i am very cautious about being visible in public. but for example i made a bead lizard in the trans flag colours and i hang it on my bag, and i have some pride badges that aren't super obvious. it's like "if you know, you know", but if people ask anything you can play it off as just an accessory with colours you like, etc. it makes me feel affirmed in my identity and also i feel like i am showing other trans people they're not alone. personally i love seeing someone wearing a pride pin or seeing stickers on lamp posts and walls around the city expressing support of queer people, trans rights, etc, so i recommend looking out for those or even creating your own if it's safe to do so.

on social media like instagram where there's an option to put your pronouns in your bio, i recommend not putting anything in that box if you're not comfortable with it, because putting she / her would feel wrong, but putting he / him or even they / them or a mixture could make people ask questions. for a long time i had she / they in my bio because i felt like it was safe. but then it made me uncomfortable, because i really hate being called she or her but i didn't feel like i could put they / them without people saying things, so i removed it. after a few years i became braver and put they / them instead, and then i changed it to he / they when i felt more confident in my identity. however i am still worried that my family and people i'm not out to might notice and say something, but nobody has done so yet. but yea please take care. your safety is more important and you don't owe anyone an explanation of who you are.

overall, i hope these tips are helpful for you, but please let me know if you need anything else. i have no idea how old you are, where you live, what your family and friends are like, what your feelings about your body are, how you like to dress, what gives you gender euphoria and dysphoria etc, so i'm just saying my own experiences, if you feel differently that's fine and it does not make you any less trans :)

you are loved and your identity is beautiful and i am so proud of you for coming to me for advice. you're doing so well <3

[pathos-logical]

Do you know of any resources or posts specifically about captioning comics? I am very new to this, but I love comics and I make comics so I want to learn how to caption them properly. Thank you for your blog and all you do!

Delighted you asked this, since it gives me the excuse to share one of my top favorite posts about exactly that!!! I used @/TheQueerWithoutFear's addition in this post as a personal bible when starting out with art IDs! I think this post also has advice which is generally applicable to lots of comic IDs, since people can get bogged down writing every single detail of a piece when the broad strokes would do and thus detract from the overall comprehensibility of an ID. I also really appreciate this site as a great resource for examples on how to write concisely and with an audience in mind, and this post also lays out a lot of good tips! I'll round out this post with some general advice/guidelines:

Neither alt text nor caption IDs are better or even necessarily more accessible than the other; what matters is good formatting (so please don't put IDs below a readmore or use anything but plain text, use sentence case and primarily formal language, use brackets and "ID/End ID" formatting for caption IDs but omit them from alt, etc!)

For comics, especially long ones, I personally favor conciseness over strict fidelity to art, though this is highly subjective and depends on the piece and sometimes my mood. What I would boil this down to is that you don't need to include every detail in a piece to write a good ID, and using narration/prose is often more understandable than transcribing visual techniques (Ex: "She notices something to the side" is clearer and more succinct than "Action lines next to her face indicate she saw something to the side")

Organizing an ID's information in a top-down format is best for comprehensibility: start with who/what is featured (and where they're from, if applicable) and what they're doing, and then move on to background, style, and details

Last, you're welcome, and thank YOU so much for reaching out!! Artists like you make the world go round!! Please feel free to reach out if you ever have more questions, and have a wonderful day!!!

[theproperweirdo]

Okay, after an embarrassing amount of time skimming dialogue and the internet I think I figured out the Lord thing.

Now I think you’re absolutely correct in assuming Bryon is teasing Lorsan because Lorsan hates being called ‘Lord’, however I do genuinely think Lorsan counts as a Lord. Just not by the definition you’re thinking of.

Now I did quick actually have a conversation about Lorsan’s lore with you a while ago. I’m gonna attach a screenshot below cus it’s partially relevant (and to save you the scrolling because it’s already kinda buried rip)

(bare with me, this is super long. I know I’m yappy)

To start Lorsan is 100% still considered a prodigy in Journey. When you first encounter Bryon in the dark forest we get the following dialogue -

And when prompted with “Do you also possess wind whispering ability?” (Yea the grammar isn’t great in this game)

And later on we get -

(Wandering Tangent time: It isn’t actually stated that Lorsan flunked in school. Now I can definitely see where that comes from since the Jade Academy quest with him reveals he absolutely *HATED* his school years. In one of the dialogue sections of that quest he outright says he never listened in class and instead learns everything he needs to know from traveling in the dark forest. So he was definitely still super smart just a terrible student lmao

I would also like to throw out a personal anecdote and say that as someone who did well in school when I was younger I also absolutely hated school. When school is easy it gets incredibly boring and to me it makes sense that Lorsan’s not the type to sit in one place for too long with nothing to do. Not a super important tidbit but I think it adds character :3 )

Now you’re probably asking: where tf are you going with this? Good question! I have never once claimed to concise, apologies.

So Lorsan is smart and considered to be way above his peers in regards to wind whispering, what the hell does that have to do with the ‘Lord’ thing?

He definitely doesn’t own land and he definitely isn’t of noble lineage, but I would like to introduce you to this specific definition of the word lord:

Lorsan is a lord cus he’s just really good at his job lmao. To bring back the earlier dialogue he’s “specifically renowned for his mastery in wind whispering”. So there you have it! He’s shown mastery in a field and great power as a magical prodigy and Bryon will not let him live it down. Ever.

TJIS IS SO CUTE AND FUNNY 😭😭 and I think it makes sense! I compliment the references, especially cause Dialoge can be tricky to pull or find. (Lorsan is a prodigy in windwhispering but is easily distracted and can’t sit still… ADHD Lorsan real)

Imagine Bryon being fed up with Lorsan’s gloating and going “my apologies, Lord of the wind 😐😐 goodness, I should not have questioned the great and intellectual lord of the wind 😐😐 I’m so sorry my lord 🤦🤦” considering Lorsan is annoyed enough that he tells him to stop also means this has been a long term thing 💀 I might have to draw this out as a comic

[blush-and-books]

what do you think donna’s favorite movie is? im sure it’s some obscure experimental film no one’s ever heard of but i’m gonna say i think it’s carrie 1976

okay so this calls to attention and extremely important question regarding donna's character: is donna a film buff?

i can't respond to asks with any concise or short answer so buckle up!!!!

we know her as a lover of theatre, and while that doesn't mean she isn't into film, it is common that people are into one more than the other. so when we propose that she would like a really lowkey experimental film, that implies that she knows some deep cuts about film that are never really explored in canon; instead, we know her as a shakespeare lover and broadway girlie.

(however, if someone were to show her maya deren's short film meshes of the afternoon, which is like low-hanging experimental film fruit, it would absolutely change her life LMAO)

i am tempted to say that donna would be into the old hollywood classics and/or films that are more day-in-the-life or depicting the everyday, with some stellar acting performances. what comes to mind is Running On Empty (dir. Sidney Lumet, 1988), Ordinary People (dir. Robert Redford, 1980), or Faces (dir. John Cassavetes, 1968). lowkey donna gives me the vibe that she'd LOVE that movie subgenre that's just white heterosexual couples in miserable marriages screaming at each other for almost two hours.

on the other hand, i love to imagine her getting down with fun movies, rom-comy vibes, like Moonstruck (dir. Norman Jewison, 1987), When Harry Met Sally (dir. Rob Reiner, 1989) The Birdcage (dir. Mike Nichols, 1996) or To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (dir. Beeban Kidron, 1995). I'd say that When Harry Met Sally is probably one of her favorites of all time - it's romantic, it's witty, it's New York, and it's probably everything she wanted.

now this is even more oddly specific but it must be said that donna probably is obsessed with nicole kidman and would be particularly fixated on everything that nicole did when her career was blowing up in the 90s, because nicole had that amazing red hair!!! im talking Moulin Rouge! (dir. Baz Luhrmann, 2001) and Practical Magic (dir. Griffin Dunne, 1998). donna probably went as nicole's characters for Halloween.

i also want to add that i love the idea of her being into older horror films, like Carrie (dir. Brian De Palma, 1976) as you mentioned, and also the original Exorcist (dir. William Friedkin, 1973). donna being a horror lover feels just strange enough to work really well for her character, but i esp like the idea that she takes to classic horror movies!!!

now this is unrelated to everything i just discussed but she would absolutely LOVE Chicago (dir. Rob Marshall, 2002) starting Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones.

we see her engage a little with harvey in his movie quoting but we never get to learn much about her own interest in film, so it all comes down to how much knowledge and passion for it that we think she has and if she values any kind of pretentious cinematic taste in the same way she is a longtime fan of live theatre.

[tarttygoodness]

20 Questions with a Fanfic Author

Saw this. Loved this. Let's do this!

1. How many works on AO3?

28 with 2 drafts ready for publishing and a further 5 well underway.

2. Total AO3 Word Count?

266,413 words

3. Top 5 Fics by Kudos

Pretty, Pretty Boy (WIP) Kudos: 590

Post S3. It's off-season and Roy has finally had his long-awaited knee surgery and Jamie has agreed to support him through his recovery and rehab. Roy has an interesting reaction to the strong painkillers he needs to take following his operation.

2. The (Painfully Slow) Education of Roy Kent (WIP) Kudos: 363

When Roy is asked to go and meet with Phoebe's new teacher over some concerns about her behaviour, he is sure this new guy is to blame. He heads to the school, determined to sort it out and get to the bottom of the problem. However, he realizes very quickly that he might like "the bottom" of this problem more than he should. As well as the rest of him.

3. Being a Good Fucking Football Coach by Roy Kent Kudos: 323

Jamie stumbles on Roy’s open laptop and realises Roy has started writing what appears to be a coaching manual. He starts reading it and realises many of his tips are pretty Tartt-related. He also learns a few other things too.

4. The Cruel Summer (WIP) Kudos: 315

Roy starts having sex dreams about Jamie and this begins to cause issues at work. This started out as an idea for a 12-ish chapter fic but it has gradually evolved into my very personal, very wordy love letter to Ted Lasso as a show, and two crazy idiot boys who really do belong together, even if the show hedged about making it canon. 

5. The World Was On Fire (WIP) Kudos: 257

When Ted Lasso gets in Roy's ear about putting aside his differences and making peace with Jamie for the good of the team, he probably meant for the boys to have a chat. But nothing is remotely normal between these two boys, and they end up a little side-tracked after Roy accidentally gets a glimpse of Jamie's underwear.

4. What fandoms do you write for?

Been writing on and off for decades. Only published on A03 in Ted Lasso, but I LOVE my AUs and I've done Ted Lasso crossovers with the Princess Diaries (current WIP) and done a Ted Lasso homage to A Christmas Carol. Got an AU crossover planned with Lucifer.

I also have published art in Buffy, Brokeback Mountain and Interview With A Vampire. I have also published original works - mainly from my university writing days.

5. Do you respond to comments?

I honestly do try but I'm ADHD and at times, I really struggle. But my god, do I love reading comments. So makes my day.

6. Angstiest Ending?

I'm mainly found swimming in the fluff and softness pool although I can't resist some good old-fashioned angst on the way to spice things up. However I do have a legitimate angsty ending planning for this WIP: The Sound of His Name

7. Fic with the Happiest Ending?

Is it bad to say that I have finished very few of my WIPs?? But I tend to aim for a happy ending regardless so these are happy:

Flame In My Heart (gift fic for Valentines Day)

The Reading Nook (collab with JigsawSaturday)

Tuesdays with Leslie

8. Do you get hate?

Thankfully no. My comments have all been from lovely folks.

9. Do you write smut?

Hell. Yes. It's rare that I don't write smut...lol. Not sure if I'm any good at it but I do love it all the same.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Yes, a Princess Diaries AU. And a crossover with Lucifer planned.

11. Ever had a fic stolen?

I'd say not.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic?

Collab, yes. Co-written, no.

14. All-time favorite ship?

I am a RoyJamie truther. But I have SUCH a soft spot for Jamie Tartt with Paddy O'Gara.

15. WIPs you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

No - I'm planning to finish them all.

16. Writing strengths?

Not sure? I think strengths are best described by others. I have a passion for writing and I think this is what sustains me on the days its hard to get words down.

17. Writing Weaknesses?

I can't be concise for shit. I babble like a fucking baby.

18. Thoughts on mixed language dialogue?

No opinions ?? I haven't encountered any so I don't know enough to comment.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I was mad about horses when I was younger and I have a memory of writing a fiction story about The Man from Snowy River.

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

I am so proud of a few that I've written that get almost no love at all on A03... lol. But I write for the love of the characters and a love of story-telling so it matters not. These are my 3 faves and I wouldn't change a word of them:

Tuesdays with Leslie

A (Richmond) Christmas Carol

The Ballad of Roy and Jamie - this one is the retelling of Ted Lasso as a Man from Snowy River-style ballad.

[geminiagentgreen]

Hi!! I have a really important question, if that is alright. How do you know when God is speaking to you? People have told me time and time again to listen but I don't really know what exactly they mean by that. I can only understand it in a literal sense but I know that God isn't going to literally come to me and talk to me in person like that

I want to learn how to listen for His voice. I ask Him so many questions and pray for help. But I really don't know how to expect the answers and I don't really feel like I have anyone to really ask this question to

Regardless if you're willing to answer this or not, I hope you have a blessed day

To say that I'm honored that you would ask me this is an understatement, and I have prayed that I will not dishonor the Lord or fail you with my answer, and I will pray more afterward.

How do you know when God is speaking to you? Well, the Lord uses many ways to do so: have you ever had a strong inclination to go out of your way to return something to someone? To stay behind at the construction site when everyone else has already left? Have you seen someone in tears, and instead of waiting to pray for them in private asked them if you could pray for them? Have you found yourself moving into the unknown instead of staying in your comfort zone? Has a stranger or a friend ever imparted wisdom upon you at what could only be described as the best possible time?

The truth is the Lord will use a million voices and a million situations to speak, and you can know that it was Him speaking when what was (or wasn't) done lines up with His values, teachings, and what pleases Him.

As well! We have scripture! When we better know His Word, we can better hear Him through what He had already said; if there is nothing new under the sun, then there is nothing in scripture the Lord hasn't addressed - all that might be different are the small details surrounding the situation, but at the heart of every situation is something the Lord has already spoken on. (I say this, may my biblical discipline and understanding increase for myself!)

And then there is this: have you ever felt yourself feeling disappointed in yourself for not doing what is right? Have you found yourself feeling convicted by guilt or shame? That your life isn't what you think He'd be happy with? And then have you ever felt like stone after doing more and more of what you want and not what you know God wants of you? If you have found yourself apologizing to Him, you have heard His call to come back to Him. There's more I'd love to articulate with this point exactly as I myself and currently experiencing this in my own life, but in short: to feel repentant is to respond to the call of God.

I suppose if there was a more concise, catchy way to sum this all up, it might be something like "if what you're feeling or hearing in your own head doesn't sound like you, and it's bugging you to do better, it's probably God", but don't go putting this on t-shirts or anything just yet.

May the good Lord Almighty bless you and your life, He has certainly blessed me and mine with your presence, friend ♥