#ALSO return of the paper cutout :]

[purpleleafsyt]

They're the eepiest guys you ever did see

#purplearts #cccc #chonny jash #chonnys charming chaos compendium #cj heart #cj mind #this was a warmup #I don't normally color heart and mind with human skin tones but idk. something possessed me #ALSO return of the paper cutout :] #tfem mind

[coffeecakecafe]

I'm looking at my commissions options right now and wondering if anyone would be interested in other options, like character reference sheets or outfit design commissions?

character design commissions might also be on the table, but I'd love to hear from y'all if there's anything you'd really like to see as an option from me!

(i do mean hear from y'all also like reply to this post if u have Opinions or send an ask or smth I appreciate the likes but it's not super helpful feedback TvT)

#coffee talks #i'm probably not going to offer any lower prices point options at this point #just bc of time sink for returns #but ref sheets could be fun to do!! #i also need to finish the paper cutout project i was doing for ptreon comm ref #but i'm actually still working on batch comms at the mo so it'll be a min

[heizlut]

Praise kink for kazu? <3

he’s my lil baby, definitely a soft dom for sure that would give you endless praises🥲:

Sweet Little Angel

cw: none, this is cute as hell

tags: shy sub fem!reader, soft dom!kazuha, (also lowkey possessive!kazuha), praise kink, mostly proofread

nsfw under the cut

m!list here

ﾟ｡·*･｡*.｡🍁 ﾟ｡·*･｡*.｡🍁 ﾟ｡·*

You were a shy little thing, always clinging to your boyfriend like he could protect you from everything (and he damn well will try his best to do so!). Kazuha loved you, loved everything about you. Especially the way you clutched his arm while you walked or when you’d subtly hide yourself behind him as he socialized with others. You were just too cute for your own good.

Kazuha had recently returned from travelling on the Alcor and made his way to your quaint home in Inazuma. Once you saw him walking up to your home, you practically flew out the door and into his arms making him laugh. You both stayed in each other's arms for a moment before he pulls away first and holds out a wrapped gift and smiles sweetly, "I brought something back for you from Liyue." Your face lights up and you beam at him, pressing little kisses all over his face.

Once inside your home, you unwrap his gift to you, letting the patterned paper flutter to the floor. You pause when you hold up the most beautiful red silk cheongsam-style dress, intricately patterned with golden swirls and leaves. Kazuha sits there smiling as he takes in your reaction but tilts his head slightly when he sees your eyebrows furrow, "Is there something wrong with it, angel?" You study the dress, focused on the cutout that would show off your cleavage and how short the hem of the dress actually was. Your eyes move to Kazuha, "Can I really wear this?" Kazuha looks a little confused but smiles anyways, "Of course, it's for you. Go on, put it on for me."

You peek your head out from behind the bedroom door, cheeks bright red as Kazuha gives you an encouraging soft smile, "Come out. Let me see." You hold your breath as you come out in the beautiful dress, nervous to be wearing something so gorgeous...yet revealing in the right places. Kazuha's breath catches in his throat when he sees you, his vermillion eyes trail down your body. His eyes linger on the little circular cut out in the chest that exposes your cleavage, "Oh, angel... Turn around for me. I want a full view." The blush on your cheeks refuses to go away as you do a slow turn for him. Shit, the dress hugged your curves and your ass so perfectly; the hem sitting pretty on your upper-mid thighs.

"Come here...", Kazuha's words were soft but laced with lust and he holds his hands out to you. You walk over to him and he places his hands on your waist, "Such a pretty angel... Let me take out you in this." You almost choke on absolutely nothing, "In this dress?" Your mind floods with everything that might go wrong if you wore this out, feeling way too shy to wear something like this while walking around Inazuma, "But what if I ruin it, Kazu..." Kazuha's hands slip from your waist and into your hands, "Don't worry about hypotheticals, just let me take you out." He presses his lips to the tops of your hands. You finally relent. Kazuha was just too sweet to deny.

Clutching at his arm as you both walk through Inazuma City, you feel so aware of yourself. You felt the eyes of passersby staring at you and Kazuha was most certainly aware. A surge of pride runs through him that you're on his arm looking the way you do; that you're all his and no one else's. Your confidence was only boosted when Ogura Mio, the lovely woman who ran Ogura Textiles & Kimono's gushed over your dress saying the material, the intricate pattern, and the way it fit you was simply divine. More eyes fell on you when you walked with more confidence instead of leaning into Kazuha's body.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from you when you walked up to Tomoko, the street vendor, and began chatting away, using your little boost in confidence to spur you on. Kazuha was quick to catch Tomoko's eyes wandering down your figure and that bright smile that he flashed you when he told you that he was also offering tri-color dango that day. You smile happily when Tomoko hands you the stick of tri-color dango and you bounce as you excitedly turn back to where Kazuha was standing. Kazuha's affectionate gaze falls on you as you walk back to him, hips swaying and all. Did you know how sexy you looked?

"Got everything you wanted?", Kazuha asks in his usual soft tone. "Mhm!", you express with a cute grin on your face. He hums in acknowledgement and wraps his arm around your waist as you continue to walk. A little crumb of dango sticks to the corner of your lip and Kazuha chuckles, pointing by his own lips to let you know you had a little something. Your cheeks heat up and you giggle, swiping your thumb on the spot then bringing it to your lips, sucking the crumb off your finger.

His cock stirs to life in his pants at the promiscuous action you just pulled with such a doe-eyed look on your face and in that sexy little dress no less..., "Let's go home, angel." You pout a little, "But I was just starting to have fun being out..." Kazuha takes your free hand, "I have something more fun for the both of us at home." You look a little confused because he hadn't brought anything else home with him besides the dress he had gifted you, but you let him lead you home.

As soon as the door shuts, his hands are all over you and he kisses the corner of your lips, down your jaw, and to your neck. You suck in a breath as your fingers tangle in his soft white hair, "Kazu..." He sucks at your neck, leaving a dark hickey in its place as he groans against your skin, "You're too pretty...too cute and sweet..." He trails off as he sucks another mark closer to your collarbone now, "You don't realize what you do to me, angel..." Kazuha's voice was husky as his breath fans over your sensitive skin.

Kazuha presses a hasty kiss to your sweet tasting lips, the flavor of the dango you ate earlier lingered there. He licks his lips as he steps back and starts removing his clothes, tossing them off somewhere in the room, he didn't care at the moment. Your pupils dilate as you watch in awe of the beautiful man in front of you and your hands reach around to the back of your dress, fumbling for the buttons. But Kazuha clicks his tongue, halting your movements, "Keep it on. You look so beautiful wearing my gift."

Arousal pools between your legs, wetting the cute white pair of panties you had put on earlier today. You squeal when Kazuha picks you up and places you on the bed. His vermillion eyes sparkling with affection and desire for you and only you. He crawls up on top of you, kissing you slow but with a heated passion. Kazuha moves down and carefully lifts the dress up to your waist, revealing your cute soaked panties. You whimper his name when he drags the material down your legs and tosses them to the floor, "Be still for me, angel. Let me taste how sweet you are..."

A high-pitched moan falls from your lips as his tongue drags up your wet slit. Kazuha groans against your clit, unable to help himself as he grinds his cock into the mattress at the taste of you alone. He laps at your juices as if he was a starved man, tongue flicking at your clit and prodding your pulsating entrance. Your thighs squeeze around his head as you come undone with the most beautiful noises. Kazuha makes you whimper when he drags his tongue against your entrance, overstimulating you, "You did so well for me, pretty girl. You're always so good for me..."

Kazuha doesn't bother to wipe the sticky slick mess from his lips and chin as he moves up again, capturing you lips in his in a hungry kiss. His tongue licks at your bottom lip, begging for entrance, to which you grant. You part your lips, letting his tongue dance with yours, tasting traces of your own arousal. Kazuha's leaking cock rubs against your pussy; his upper body brushing up against the smooth, silky fabric of your dress. The feeling was overwhelming him, making his mind go blank. He looks deep into your eyes, both sharing a loving and heated gaze. You speak first, your words coming out in little pants of breath, "I want to feel you inside me, Kazu..."

He felt his eyes glaze over at your words and the look on your face and he releases a shaky breath, "Anything for you, angel..." It doesn't take much effort for the fat head of his cock to breach your entrance, making both of you suck in a harsh breath. He's the one that whimpers when he sheathes himself fully inside of you warm, wet walls that flutter around his cock. You wrap your arms around his neck as you look up at him with so much need. Kazuha catches your gaze and whispers sweetly, "Gonna move now, alright?" Your lips part slightly as you nod, "Uh-huh..."

Your expression twists to one of deep pleasure as Kazuha fucks you slow and deep. The drag of his cock in your tight pussy had you seeing stars as his name falls from your lips like a desperate prayer. He does his best to keep quiet as he grunts and moans while your cunt squeezes him so perfectly, wanting to hear each noise you make for him. He simply cannot get enough of you, not daring to tear his eyes away for risk of missing every little expression you make.

Kazuha is mesmerized by you, the way you moan his name, they way the gifted dress bunches at your waist, the way you cling to him desperately as he fucks into you at a sensual pace, and the way your hair is splayed out across the pillow. His heart felt like it could explode with the love he has for you, "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. As if you descended directly from Celestia and right into my arms... A beautiful angel taking my cock so well..." Your lips form a lazy smile, finding it cute that his poetic nature remained with him even during such a sinful act. Your smile turns to an "O" and your eyebrows knit together as he hits that spot deep inside of you.

Kazuha feels his end coming near, but he wasn't about to finish before making you cum one more. His thumb moves to your sensitive clit, rubbing frantic circles as he pants above you, his thrusts getting more sloppy, "Cum for me, angel. Let me hear you pretty moans..." Your vision goes white as you arch your back off the mattress, letting out a cry of pleasure as you release all over his length. "That's it, pretty girl... Fuckfuckfuck-", Kazuha almost collapses on top of you as ropes of cum spill inside of you. His cock throbs to the beat of his racing heart as he stills inside of you. He presses his forehead to yours, eyes locked on each other and your heart swells with the way he looks at you, "You did so well for me. My sweet little angel. I love you..."

ﾟ｡·*･｡*.｡🍁 ﾟ｡·*･｡*.｡🍁 ﾟ｡·*

a/n: got myself in my own feelings with this one🥹

#kazuha smut #kazuha x reader smut #genshin smut #genshin impact smut #kazuha x reader #genshin kazuha #genshin impact kazuha

[purplealmonds]

I watched the Mononoke Zashikiwarashi stage play!!

I watched the performances on 03/29 and 03/30, and I have so many Thoughts. But I’m on vacation and haven’t the spoons to draft them up coherently until I return home in a few days.

For now, I'll do a photo/art dump of my experience.

I arrived a few hours early to the theater (I had to take the train from Kyoto to Osaka, and built in time for potential navigational incompetence). While I waited for the theater to open up, cracked open my iPad and started painting in Procreate.

This is the exterior of Cool Japan Park Osaka's WW Hall. Shaking off a lot of rust from painting from observation, but I'm happy with how the colors came out.

Photo for reference, though I painted it live. Shadows moved quite a bit while I worked because I am slow.

This is the interior of the theater. I was forbidden from taking photo and video of this space, so I painted it it, albeit messily because of the short time I had before the performance began.

Winding back time a bit, here's the cardboard cutout stand the theater staff set out right before they started admitting people into the lobby:

It was a bit windy that day, so it actually snapped in half mere minutes after its installation lmao. Not pictured is the flustered staff tying Mr. Medicine Seller to the railing with some twine.

Selfie taken after the disaster:

Keeping an eye on Mr. Medicine Seller to ensure he doesn't misbehave agains, prints in hand to be gifted to unsuspecting theater-goers:

When I was seated, some of the giftees stopped by to gift me with an acrylic standee and a cookie! The standee is given exclusively to audience members who preordered their tickets super early, so it's amazing I got my hands on one! After the performance, someone also posted my art on their instagram story! O:

The performance visual, gift shop, and posters were also deployed around this time.

Also was pleasantly surprised to see a huge Mononoke Karakusa poster displayed. Unlike typical movie posters, this one was printed on a rather thick matte rather than thin translucent gloss paper.

And here's the merch and goodies I acquired at the lobby:

I was originally buying just the pamphlet, but as you can see I did a few more impulse purchases! I ended up getting:

📖 Zashikiwarashi Pamphlet - Hoping if productions of other episodes are a thing this can become a collection. The Bakeneko pamphlet was also sold here. If there's interest I can do a flip-through video of both the Bakeneko and Zashikiwarashi pamphlets!

🎟️Mononoke Karakasa Bonus Gifts: I thought it was just the clear file and a neat lil trading card but it seems like the trading card is actually a movie ticket??? I’m not gonna be in Japan when the movie comes out though but it’s a nice souvenir nonetheless!

🌇 Mononoke Karakasa flyer - The theatre had massive stacks of them to be taken freely. The first one got a bit wrinkled on my ride back to the hotel, so I grabbed 2 more after watching the 2nd performance!

💿Bakeneko Blu-Ray - This was something I thought I’d never get my hands as a US resident so I was pleasantly surprised they were selling this. Definitely a pretty penny but now I get to watch it at my leisure when I get home! May do a write up about it eventually. The Zashikiwarashi Blu-Ray actually went on sale today, but it only delivers in Japan. Sighhh. I guess I have no choice but to fly back when the Umi Bozu stageplay goes live. Or if it pops up on Mercari some time in August the price gouging hopefully won't be too horrific.

#mononoke 2007 #mononoke 2024 #モノノ怪 #mononoke #butai mononoke #mononoke karakasa #purplealmonds #blogging #2024

[painsandconfusion]

Show Yourself

Showstopper - Part Three

For the record, there's going to be five or six parts (still deciding if I want the last two scenes combined or separate).

(tw: implied character death, stalking, trespassing, yandere, serial killer)

[Previous | Masterpost | Next]

The letter didn’t have a return address. Didn’t have postage. Didn’t have much bulk to it at all. 

Confused, Darian slid it from his mailbox, peeking inside to ensure he didn’t miss another bool - or heaven forbid another fucking round of advertisers - before stopping to flip the envelope over.

It was blank.

Tied up in rusty red string. 

No….is that…was that..fabric? Strips of fabr-

His hands, body, and mind locked in place all at once.

Linen.

Linen - he was right - it was linen. The blood-soaked linen from Showoff’s videos-

Fuck. 

Darian took a desperate glance up the street, then jogged to the end of his sidewalk, head tossing back and forth. He frantically searching the road and memorizing the cars. Looking for anyone suspicious. Anyone with a hood up or…or who didn’t seem to belong there.

Nothing.

Fucking nothing - how long had this been there??

FUCK.

His breath and hands were both moving again now - both shaky as he turned the envelope over in his hand.

He ran back inside, slamming the door behind him. The letter slid onto the table as his hands quickly found gloves and shimmies them on with frantically flexing fingers as he reapproached, butter knife expertly sliding under the paper to pry away the glue with as little damage as possible.

Should he be bringing this into the office? Yes. Could it be stuffed with anthrax or who fucking knows what? Also yes.

But. Darian could just tell them he didn’t realize the letter was from Show until it was opened - that he didn’t recognize the fabric when it was cut so thin.

He could do that.

That was reasonable - people who didn’t spend allnighters staring at the videos woudln’t have noticed. 

He…

..he spent all night watching the video.

He spent all night watching the fucking video and this was right fuckin there in the morning.

Show had been there. Show had been there while HE was there. While he was there watching the fucking video- Fuck-

..he would need to triple check the blackoutability of the basement curtains after this. 

He’s so fucking screwed if Show saw him-

ANYWAY-

Shaking fingers pulled out the small paper, turning it over.

Aaaaand this dude (gn) was a classic. 

Cutout letters from magazines. Nice touch.

Darian’s eyes skimmed the single sentence.

Darian..

…froze.

Staring.

Breath locked up and frozen in his lungs.

..whatever he expected, that wasn’t it.

Fuck.

[image id for the note: 'A fox rarely expects its hound to be as pretty as you <3' in irregular, magazine cutout letters]

[Previous | Masterpost | Next]

(tags: @prisonerwhump @whumpawink @mabledonut @happy-little-sadist @paleassprince @distinctlywhumpthing @wibbly-wobbly-whump @batfacedliar-yetagain @suspicious-whumping-egg @wormwriting @villainsvictim @throwawaywhumper @wild-selenite-caffine @whumpasaurus101 @thecitythatdoesntsleep @whumpworld @whumpberry-cookie @a-galactic-fox @shywhumpauthor @hold-back-on-the-comfort @veyroswin @suffering-and-misery @whump-queen @a-whumped-tea @scribbelle @sunshiline-writes @scp-1296 @salomeslashes)

#implied character death #stalking #trespassing #yandere #serial killer #villain x hero #flirty villain #flirty whumper #yandere whumper #yandere whumpee #??? #kinda? #i dont think darian is really a whumpee #but whatever #show stopper #insider information #show aaaaaaaaalmost had the note say 'which of us is the cat and which is the mouse~?' instead #which is #alarmingly more threatening

[the-monkey-ruler]

Little Bajie (1983) 小八戒

Director: Jin Xuelin Screenwriter: Ouyang Yuping Genre: Animation / Short Film / Fantasy Country/Region of Production: Mainland China Language: Mandarin Chinese Date: 1983 (Mainland China) Duration: 19 minutes Also known as: Little Pigsy Type: Reimanging

Summary:

This art film is a paper cutout. After Zhu Bajie accompanied Tang San to seek scriptures from the West, he was not used to the poor Buddhist life, so he returned to the Gao village to marry his wife and have children, and he was quite happy. One day, he asked his grandson Xiao Bajie to go to the village to help him get wine, and by the way, he picked up Sun Wukong who was coming to see them. Xiao Bajie waited and waited for Grandpa Sun, but he found a piggy bank full of coins. After searching for the owner to no avail, he took it home. As soon as Sun Wukong arrived at Gao Village, he heard the cry of a little girl, and when asked it turned out that she had lost the money. Wukong hurriedly called the landlord to inquire and found out that the little girl's money had been picked up by Xiao Bajie. Sun Wukong went to see Zhu Bajie how to deal with the money, and heard that he and Xiao Bajie were discussing how to spend it, so he decided to punish Zhu Bajie.

Source: https://www.baomalove.com/38655.html

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am-Hgs5-bMI&ab_channel=%E6%B5%81%E9%87%91%E5%B2%81%E6%9C%88

#Little Bajie #小八戒 #Little Pigsy #jttw media #jttw movie #movie #short #animation #reimagining #reimaging #continuation #sun wukong #zhu bajie #zhu bajie centered

[snowbellewells]

Self Promo Sunday: “Beautiful in the Broken Places”

~** MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL MY LOVELY CS SHIPMATES!!! I AM SO GRATEFUL TO SHARE THE LOVE FOR OUR PIRATE AND PRINCESS, AND THE ENDURING FRIENDSHIP IT HAS BROUGHT US, WITH ALL OF YOU!!! **~

Summary: Christmas cookie baking leads to a tender family moment for Emma, Killian, and their rather wise little girl. ;)

Notes: This little Christmas story is full of cookies, cuddles, and CS future family fluff! It was originally a CS Secret Santa gift for @kitsunewingstar in 2018, and it takes place a few years after season six, sometime in the time after Henry leaves to find his own story during season seven, but instead takes place in the peaceful domesticity I hope Emma and Killian were able to enjoy back in Storybrooke as a married couple with a little one.

Also available on AO3 or ff.net if that is your preference...

Snowflakes drifted lightly on the crisp winter breeze outside the Swan-Jones home in Storybrooke, Maine, making the pale, grey day look as wintry and bright as it should a scant few hours before Christmas morning.  The downy flecks of feathered white sifted to Earth, gradually covering the spacious yard leading all the way to their dock and stretch of the shore, much to the delight of Hope Swan-Jones, where she stood on the seat of a kitchen chair, braced lightly by her mother’s watchful hands, peering out the window toward the choppy waves with her little palms on the countertop for balance, looking out the window in awe at the bright, almost magical blanket on the ground, turning dry, wintry brown to startlingly beautiful white.

        “Okay, Hopey,” Emma finally urged, trying to move on with their task before her husband got home for supper. A light chuckle crept into her voice as it often did at using her daughter’s self-chosen moniker. One that she could only imagine came from the little girl’s having an older brother whom she idolized named Henry, and two little friends - Thomas and Ashley’s second child Toby and Philip and Aurora’s little girl Mary - making her think her name should end in a ‘y’ too. Emma would have never imagined herself, even a mere five or six years ago, using cutesy nicknames with a second child of her own, puttering away in the kitchen so the place would smell of fresh-baked cookies for her husband’s return. After all the loneliness, pain and doubt of her early life, and the danger, trial and loss of her first few years as the Savior and lost princess when she and Killian’s story began, what she had before her seemed almost too happy and idyllic to be real. “Ready to get down now?” she asked again. “We’d better start icing these cookies if you want some ready for Papa when he gets home and to leave out for Santa tonight.”

        “M’kay!” Hope chirped enthusiastically, jumping down from her perch to scamper over to the table once more, then crawling back up to sit when her mom moved the chair over into its original place, already bouncing excitedly in her seat as Emma came to sit beside her, patiently showing her how to slather the homemade mix of milk and powdered sugar white icing over cutout baked sleighs and bells, Christmas trees and stars, and gingerbread men and women.  Emma iced with her for several minutes, affectionately amused at Hope’s focused concentration on the task until the oven timer went off, signaling that their final batch of the cookies were finished baking.

        For several blissful minutes they worked happily together in the warm, cozy kitchen, mother and daughter content with the lights from their lit tree in the next room blinking in multicolored accompaniment from the hall and providing a festive glow, Emma’s iTunes playing an eclectic holiday mix as cheerful background, and the sweet scent of cookies baking indeed beginning to pervade the room and whole first floor. Even as she began to move cookies from the baking sheet to the wax paper on the counter to cool, Emma kept an eye on Hope so she wouldn’t wiggle from her seat in her enthusiasm and end up falling. Once again she bit back a chuckle at the way her daughter hummed “Here Comes Santy Claus” and mumbled along her childish phrasing of the words softly in her cherubic little girl voice as she worked.

        All was calm in their little space until Hope let out a dismayed gasp and ‘uh oh’ before the sound of cookie pieces hitting the floor alerted her mother’s ears. “What is it, Baby?” Emma turned fully, ready to comfort and soothe at the sad look on her four-year-old’s toddler face, tears already brimming in little eyes that were an exact blue mirror of her father’s.

        “I broke him, Mama,” Hope cried, holding up the gingerbread man she had been painstakingly outlining in white icing and pressing Red Hots to as accents. Clearly, she had pressed one with a bit too much force and snapped the cookie arm off short.

        Moving over to gently gather the little girl into a comforting hug, Emma shushed the gathering tears, knowing that between the impatience and bold reactions Hope had inherited from her, the passion of her father, and the full measure she had received of both their stubbornness, if Hope’s tears got started it would be a whole different scene Killian walked into than the homey welcome she had planned. “It’s alright,” she soothed, holding the gingerbread man Hope had decorated up for the child’s inspection. “You did a good job, kiddo. He’ll still taste the same - and he’s looking pretty sharp, if you ask me. One arm being a little shorter won’t change how good the cookie is at all. It just makes him...unique.” She added the last bit as an afterthought, but something about her words seemed to connect with Hope as her youngest appeared deep in thought for several moments. When she did pipe up again, her words hit Emma square in the chest, making her blink back quick tears of stunned surprise.

        “He’s like Daddy!” Hope exclaimed, taking back her cookie and seeming to hold onto it with a newly reverent care and pride. She looked to her mom for affirmation, and though Emma found her words clogged tightly in her throat, she nodded vigorously to Hope’s assertion, wanting the child to know how very fitting an idea it was.

        “You’re right, Sweetheart,” she finally managed to rasp through her swelling emotions. “Daddy’s just all that much more special, isn’t he? He may be missing a hand, but he can do anything he needs and then some.”

        Nodding vigorously, Hope went back to work, finishing off the gingerbread man with a big, white icing and red sugar heart on its chest “to make it like Papa’s too” she’d explained, and then continued on to make cookie versions of Mama and Henry and Hopey as well, clearly once again pleased with her efforts.

        By the time Killian blustered in the front door from his job as harbormaster, the snow flecking his dark hair and woolen collar and the chilly wind at his back, calling out to ask where his two ladies were this fine Christmas Eve, Emma and Hope were giggling and singing along to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and licking icing and sprinkles from their sticky fingers over the sink, the Christmas cookie operation nearly complete.

        Her husband’s tall, lean form appeared in the doorway, and for a moment Emma’s breath caught as she sat Hope down and the youngster squealed in delight, running across the room to her papa and launching herself into Killian’s arms. Even after nearly seven years of marriage, multiple battles, curses, separations and reunions, he still looked every bit the dashing rapscallion who had won her heart piece by grudging, gradual piece, and she loved him for it all over again. None of this life they shared would be possible if he hadn’t been willing to stick around and fight for their love, even when she had yet been too guarded and uncertain to believe.

        Their eyes met over Hope’s head as Killian hugged his daughter close to his chest, and the knowing light in his gaze, the glow of warmth he sent toward her with an easy smile assured Emma that in this moment, once again, they understood each other.

        Pulling back to grin broadly at his little girl, Killian asked jovially, “And just what have my two lovely elves been up to all day? It smells like Mrs. Claus’ kitchen itself in here!”

        “We made Christmas cookies!” Hope proclaimed proudly, urging her father forward to the table until she could lean over to reach the particular cookie made in his likeness, and grab it up to offer him. “See Papa? This one is like you. He has an extra big heart, even with his missing hand.”

        Emma could see the pronouncement caught her pirate every bit as strongly as it had her, though - to his credit - he barely seemed to miss a beat, grinning as he blinked misty eyes and planted a kiss atop his daughter’s riotously curling hair. “I do see, my little lass. And that is quite the compliment. I love it.”

        Giggling, but obviously quite satisfied with his effusive praise, Hope held the cookie out, urging her Papa to have the first bite. As Killian oohed and aahed, smacking his lips and singing his little girl’s praises, asking if she was sure she didn’t have Mama use magic they were so good, Emma could only look on with a heart utterly full at how blessed she was to have a home and a family and a house full of love, more than she once could have ever dreamed.

~~~~*~~~*~~~~

        Later that night, when Hope was at last asleep in her room upstairs, after finally being convinced she couldn’t wait up for Santa or he would never come, Emma sat curled up into Killian’s side on the couch in their living room, her sock feet tucked under her, his arm wrapped warmly around her and the pleasing rumble of his laughter vibrating through her from his chest. “Did you tell her that about the cookie?” Killian mused idly, when the nighttime stillness had fallen between them once again. His fingers caressed up and down her arm making Emma shiver with awareness despite the cocoon of blankets and his body heat she had snuggled herself into.

        Shaking her head to his question, Emma could only smile at her husband in fond amusement, both at how he still couldn’t seem to see the amazing man he was to everyone who loved him and that he would believe anyone could influence their own little pirate to believe anything other than what she decided to. “The cookie broke while she was icing it, and I was trying to keep her from getting too upset. I only assured her it would taste just as good, and that it would be unique. She came up with the rest on her own.”

        Killian’s clear, beguiling eyes were suspiciously bright as he shook his head in disbelief. To think that his daughter found him not only whole, but extraordinary, that a child could look up to him of all people, after all he had suffered and all he had done, was still almost more than the reformed Captain Hook could fathom.  “You’re both much more than I deserve,” he whispered against her brow, lips lingering on her skin.

        Emma clutched her husband tightly, humming into his kiss. “That goes right back at you, for me,” she replied fervently, praying he believed how deeply she meant every word.

        Dipping his head to capture her lips fully with his own, cradling her chin in his hand, Killian swept her up, and Emma gave herself over to his ardent embrace, savoring for just one more moment the star lit on the top of their tree and the echo of the glimmering jewels of the many more in the night sky beyond before closing her eyes in bliss. The gift they had been given in this peaceful night together was a special kind of magic all its own - Christmas magic - and she wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.

TAGGING A FEW WHO MIGHT ENJOY: @searchingwardrobes​ @jennjenn615​ @kmomof4​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​ @jrob64​ @apiratewhopines​ @ineffablecolors​ @let-it-raines​ @spartanguard​ @therooksshiningknight​ @teamhook​ @revanmeetra87​ @winterbaby89​ @anmylica​ @cosette141​ @donteattheappleshook​ @the-darkdragonfly​ @elizabeethan​ @sotangledupinit​ @wefoundloveunderthelight​ @zaharadessert​ @xarandomdreamx​ @gingerchangeling​ @gingerpolyglot​ @xsajx​ @ilovemesomekillianjones​ @drowned-dreamer​ @thislassishooked​ @tiganasummertree​ @optomisticgirl​ @shireness-says​ 

#self promo sunday #cs future family fluff #cs christmas one shot #beautiful in the broken places #ouat future ff

[sketchdeath]

scott pilgrim thoughts

i liked it :3 it was really weird but fun

really cool writing! i liked that ramona took the lead. it was a very bold divergence from the comic and the movie um obv but im glad for it. this series was written for the established fanbase of the comics/movie. it felt like someone playing with their old ocs after a change in their life making a new au with the same characters <- nerdass sentence sorry. "a more mature and realized expansion of the story with familiar characters."

the first 5 episodes reminded me of the comics pacing-wise where the characters are just like. doing shit. lot of slow and "pointless" shots and cutaways just for comedy or atmosphere. (vs. the movie which leads each scene super deliberately into the next and everything is pretty much plot focused/"action packed") i enjoyed that the mini-series had the freedom to slow it down while still having a somewhat focused goal (finding scott) (the comics felt Very aimless plotwise IMO) and then after scott returns it picks up and becomes more action action action.

i really liked that matthew patel had a bigger role in the series. and his VA slayed. moody dramatic evil dude.

great animation! the 3d backgrounds were an interesting choice. smart for the fight scenes and not too noticeable against the other painted backgrounds (unless you were like, paying way too much attention to them like i was lmao) though sometimes the characters moving through them felt like paper cutouts moving in 3d space, it still looked nice. the fight scenes were great! although lucas lee's episode (whatever!) kind of dragged on with it.

i also liked that wallace was given a lot of on-screen time and funnies. very good handling of him as a fan favorite. episode 5 that's what boypussy does to a motherfucker. also mobile :)

ramona re-dyeing her hair every episode was cute

edgar wrong and the security guards eating cornettos in the last episode... that was cute. to me.

may divorce be with you

i def dont think that the series could be watched as a stand alone thing. it was great for what it is, and what it is is a response to the existence of the comic + the movie + the fandom + the backlash/crit of the series = this thing existing in this moment now. i don't think that the series will be timeless. (i don't think the film is the most timeless either, maybe as a time capsule of the era.) but it is fun now and that's what matters.

scott pilgrim dating a highschooler got slightly brushed over (plotwise)... which makes sense w everything else going on. im not sure how i feel about scott's apology to her. maybe that's just me i mean its always been a weird thing anyway. im glad knives chau got to be a part of the band and form a friendship with stephen stills. would have been interesting to go into why knives feels like she cant hang out with people her own age. she just existed as this sort of "young fan girl, a bit weird and overexcited"* and her anger and sadness weren't really there in the way it was for other iterations.

*maybe this was just me but because the audience is already familiar w the characters for the most part it was almost as if every character was parodying themselves to different degrees (not a negative just something i observed) really fun and self-indulgent expansion of the series that doesn't re-tread ground in my opinion.

the plumtree song :D also ANAMANAGUCHI <3

#mine #scott pilgrim takes off

[skygodtraumabond]

[A thudding on the roof of the scam van can be heard, and upon opening the back of the van a Dustox with a scarred wing flutters in, settling down on the mattress and allowing two (2) packages to be retrieved, one addressed to Marny and the other to Ray.

The package addressed to Ray is wrapped in a brown paper and string, but has had yellow markings that are vaguely reminiscent of their tattoos doodled on it in what looks like yellow marker. Inside there are a variety of fruits and berries, a chocolate bar, a tin of what look like homemade gummies that have a sweet-peppery scent, a bundle of lavender colored incense and a completely unsuspicious jar of pecha flavored poffins. There is a note attached.]

Ray,

I was out at the market district this morning and I thought I might put together a bit of a care package for the two of you, since I've been wanting to mail something anyways. Just my way of saying I've been thinking of you I suppose.

I have finally finished a bit of a project I've been working on ever since that first time I saw you in the scam van. I see how much stress that motion sickness puts you through and I though maybe I could find some way to help with that. the gummies are made with that meganium tea, and I've been doing a lot of testing to try to find the right dose to calm the nerves and effects without adding too much in the way of drowsiness. Well, unless that's what you need. It's one for the nausea, two for sleep. I was hoping perhaps this might help with the nightmares too, as it does for me, but you'll have to get back to me on that.

It's also much easier to get a wide variety of fruits and such here, it's been a very interesting experience, so I picked up a few more unusual ones for you. And of course everyone deserves a treat now and then, yeah? I heard the poffins were good as well, so I thought I would send some too, do let me know how you like them.

Yours,

Amy.

P.s. The incense is for Nerve. I thought you might be running low, so i picked some up. I hope it's the right kind.

[A letter is sent back in return. It is sent on harbor mail—likely left over from when they were spending time in Slateport. Inside the envelope with the letter itself are a few pressed Kalosian flowers and small clippings from old local newspapers. They're mostly cutouts of the pokemon photos and drawings within.

The letter itself has a few tear stains on it. Seems someone got a little emotional.

The letter reads as follows:

"Amy,

Thank you. Thank you so much. I was running out of incense to burn, and this will definitely soothe things until I can find the herbs needed to make my own again. I'm sure she would love it. If her spirit still carries on these winds, I hope she can feel it. It seems to help quite a bit with the shadow effects too. Funny how, even in passing, she still helps me breathe.

I'm a bit nervous about these gummies. Not just because of your cooking skills, but because I don't know how I'll do with them. I remember I had a much stronger reaction than either of us expected the first time you gave me Meganium tea, and though I don't remember much after that, I at least had your arms to wake up in. Still, I suppose medicated gummies are more of a science thing than a cooking thing, so I guess I'm going to have to trust that it'll be okay. Because you're the scientist. Maybe I can get Marny to supervise whatever happens. She could be your long-distance lab assistant. :)

I think all of us deserve a treat here. Things just keep happening all the time. Poffins are an odd find in Hoenn, but I'll be sure to get back to you on those. I'm holding onto Marny's package right now for when she gets back. She said she was going to visit her parents, insisted I should stay here so her and her new Honedge could bond more. It makes sense, I guess. It's incredibly protective of her, and having me tag along to her family's house could cause it more stress than I care to inflict. I'm still worried about her, though. I trust the Honedge to fight for her, but I'm worried that it might not be experienced enough to defend her in case something goes wrong.

I'm going to go out for a walk. I need to distract myself, and besides, I'd feel bad about spending all this time in Kalos without sending something good back. Maybe I could battle out the funds for some treats. You deserve those too :)

Clear skies be with you,

Ray

P.S: Please give Jester the biggest hug for me. She deserves it.]

#rayanswers #pokeblogging #pokeblr #pkmn irl #edelweiss petals

[cats8books]

Random demon slayer headcannons

These are just some random things I think about daily

So I truly believe that if you are cooking something in the kitchen, Inosuke will just sneak up behind you and grab some random ingredient, (probably like hot sauce or something) and when you aren't looking, he'll just douse the food in it.

Kyojuro wants to try makeup. He sees you every morning putting it on you, and he has this random urge to just go up to you and ask you to do is eyeliner or something.

Giyu really likes flowers. His favorite is the lotus flower. He also likes giving flower to you as a gift. Every person he comes across he matches them up with flowers depending on their main colors and personality.

Genya has tried drawing before. I've got to say, he's pretty good at it. But he usually throws his drawings and coloring's away because of how insecure he is about it.

Sanemi really likes being teased. He will never admit it, nor will he show the likes of it, but inside, he enjoys it and wishes you would do it more. It just shows how much your relationship is growing.

Muzan likes watching horror movies with you. He likes to see you become scared at the more gory parts. He likes it because you always snuggle with him afterwards. He loves the feeling of him holding you in his arms. He likes to know that it comforts you.

Kokushibo actually loves writing. He likes reading his drafts to you and appreciates feedback and tips to help him. He also likes while he has free time and when he is writing, for you to sit in his lap and help him.

Tengen loves paper mache. He loves making it and getting it as a gift from others. He also wants to learn origami. Especially how to make those paper swans.

If Tanjiro has to leave for a mission unexpectedly, he'll leave little notes around the house saying that he had to leave but it reminds you that he loves you. He will also write things like that your beautiful, have a great day, and so on.

Shinobu enjoys a massage every once in a while. She loves receiving them from you, but she's very picky about it. She also likes to do spa days with the face masks and the cucumbers over the eyes and everything.

Akaza knows how to do face painting. He's tried it on his own and on Doma when he's distracted. He's really thankful if you let him do it on you. But it's assured, he does a great job at it.

Muchiro sometimes forgets to eat meals..It's gotten better over the years but he kinda depends on you to help him. He's grateful that your always willing to do that.

Doma enjoys taking showers and baths with you. He actually often doesn't have sexual desires when you both do it, but rather love for spending time together.

Lady Tamayo is with you every second when your sick. She always has the correct remedy's for you and always knows the right foods to make you.

Yushiro will support you with everything. He doesn't often leave your side. But he is a big worry wart and when he has to go out, he makes sure that something is keeping an eye on you at all times.

Obanai enjoys picnic dates. Just so long as the place isn't public, he will take his mask off in front of you. He thinks it's a great way to bond together while watching the sky.

Zenitsu loves cuddling. He especially loves being the little spoon. He really likes cuddling into your chest and breathing in your soothing scent while falling asleep.

Gyutaro knows how to sing. Like really well. He will be very shy about it at first, but eventually, he's singing you to sleep every night. He adores your singing as well, even if it's bad. He likes doing duets with you. He thinks it's adorable.

Daki and you are definitely that character dynamic where she's the popular drama queen and your just her loyal follower. But she will give you a praise just so long as you give her five in return.

Nezuko likes anything you cook. Like every week she'll ask you to bake something that she can savor. But you've learned that she likes cutout cookies better than anything else.

Mitsuri knows all the good food places everywhere. She also knows most of the people in restaurants in nearby places. She earns many friends by doing this, which causes you to make friends with them as well.

Sabito likes sleeping or cuddling with his shirt off and some sort of sweatpants on. He likes this because he believes that it brings you closer to his body so he can feel more secure that your safe.

Haganezuka keeps you away from all the swords and shit he makes. He doesn't at all want to risk you getting hurt by one of them. When he notices that he hasn't been giving you much attention, he will stop his work, take off his mask, pick you up, and the both of you will just go and do whatever you want.

#my writing #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #random shit #headcanons

[ablogmadebyjose]

COLLAGE/DO IT YOURSELF | BURNING IT ALL DOWN

Topics of interest

Paper Cutouts | Childish, amateur, playful

An interesting concept for me to pursue, could develop into different compositions. Good form of media to attempt depth and layering.

Collage | Sustainable, re-use, aesthetic

A close tie-in to my own visual style which means I could create a fairly strong composition.

Do It Yourself | Literally anything!

Endless possibilities, no limits.

CHOSEN TOPIC -> COLLAGE/DO IT YOURSELF(?)

This is it, the final illo of the semester. 9 pieces of work later, I knew I wanted to keep this one to congratulate/mark the end of my second year at design school.

Creative Concept

For the final weekly exploration of the semester, I wanted to create a piece that ties back to the past 9 illos that I have created. I knew that from the start. I had multiple ideas for this concept. From full on illustrations, returning back to my roots in photoshop edits, or even animating. Most of these ideas never came into full realization due to wanting to refine and focus on the analog aspect of this week's theme. I ended up going for a collage which would be able to visually spread my message easily enough while allowing for a more deeper narrative.

Description

Crafting my final piece to mark the end of my second year at design school involved a thoughtful blend of collage and do-it-yourself techniques. Reflecting on my previous nine illustrations, I aimed to celebrate them into a single composition. By opting for collage, I embraced its tactile nature and the opportunity it provided for deeper narrative exploration. I constructed a visual narrative that not only signifies my growth but also represents the fact that I, a designer, shouldn't need to hold onto my work forever. It's great that I made these last 9 illos but I know that everyday I'm learning and growing to eventually make better work.

This piece serves as a callback to my past works, drawing upon elements and motifs from each illustration to create a cohesive narrative. I used a lighter to burn the illos as a representation of me wanting to move onto other work.

There were certain illos that admittedly lacked passion or any creativity, some were made under severe time crunch, and others were given the time needed to be excellent. Regardless of my design process for these weekly explorations, I still loved making each and every one of them and I'd argue a few are some of my strongest pieces of work this semester.

This has been an amazing process to witness and be apart of. My skills as a designer have only grown since the first illo and the major assignments in this class only further strengthen my abilities. It's been a rewarding constant cycle to practise and maintain my skills as an up and coming designer and I can't wait to see what's next for me.

KEYWORDS FOR INSPIRATION

Handmade

Faded

Message in a Bottle

Script

Layering

Blur

ROUGH -> PROCREATE

FINAL -> Analog + Photoshop + a Lighter

#collage #analog #graphic design

[reesemayeanaise-artg211]

Illo 1: Dadaism

Appealing Topics:

Futurism (reject tradition, incorporate dynamicism, technology/youth)

Dadaism (realism vs. industrialism, reject reasoning for capitalism, radical left ideology)

Art Deco (aesthetic objects, symmetry/streamlined, machine-made)

Final Choice: Dadaism. Its satirical yet surreal take on art is fascinating to me.

Keywords: Anticapitalism, Rebel, Collage, Surreal Realism, Satire

Movement Characteristics: Dadaism as an art movement was born in 1916 as a reaction to the nationalistic ideologies that many believed led to World War I. Dadaism, itself, was very closely tied to the radical left of the time. It was inspired by other movements such as Cubism, Futurism, and Expressionism and it’s because of this variety in inspiration and purpose that Dadaism was such a diverse art movement. It quite often mocked materialism and the biases people have towards aesthetically pleasing art, giving its purpose even more meaningful considering most Dada art is not pleasing to the eye in the slightest. This was a way of essentially upending bourgeois sensibilities. Another interesting fact is that Dadaism was a movement opposed to itself! People would often shout “Dada is anti-Dada,” being the ugly, satirical, and subversive movement it was. In the end, it was nonsense. The movement ended in 1924 and was followed by Surrealism.

An Artist/Designer That Appeals to Me: Although he was the main artist people think of in regard to this movement, Marcel Duchamp’s work appeals to me the most out of everything I’ve seen thus far. The amount of satire and mockery in his art is really quite clever (although sometimes crude) and I love his methods of questioning social constructs such as the definition of art.

World Events Influential to the Movement: Dadaism was founded in the middle of the first World War with the intent to both help stop the war and channel their resentment towards it. After the war ended, most of the relevant artists returned from Switzerland to their home countries which acted to further spread the movement internationally. There was also a riot in April of 1919 which stemmed from a Dada event which ended up being the most significant riot during this movement as there were conservative speeches which enraged the crowd about valuing abstract art.

My Concept: Since Dadaism was born out of a revolt for the politics leading up to World War I, I wanted my concept to represent that theme of rebellion and satire. With this in mind, I decided to make a piece mocking conservative talk-show host, Ben Shapiro. I wanted to show how child-like he can be and portray him as a weasel, much like how he acts during debates. This, all combined, should fit the Dada aesthetic (or lack thereof) with a political distaste laced with satire.

Design Decisions: In early iterations it was clear I wanted to portray his child-like nature with a propellor cap and lollipop microphone. Later on I also stuck his head on a weasel’s body to show the weasel side too. It started as an illustration more akin to a political cartoon which quickly strayed from the Dada style. It’s because of this that I instead opted to use a scrapbook/collage style instead. The word “LIAR” was incorporated as word play off of Daily Wire, the media company Shapiro works for. The cherry on top of the cake was the inclusion of a cutout crazy eye, ripped paper textures, and black type with interpretative meaning.

[rhetoricandlogic]

All the World’s a Stage: For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig Alex Brown Thu Oct 4, 2018 3:00pm

Years ago, the Aquitans crossed the sea and invaded Chakrana. Now under strict colonial rule, Chakrans are second class citizens in their own land. Compliance is demanded by a distant king, and resistance is brutally put down by the Aquitan army. Despite the odds, the Chantray family has survived, using their skills as performers to appease the colonizers and remind the colonized of their stolen traditions. They are shadow players, artists who use paper cutouts, screens, and fire to tell ancient folktales through shadow puppetry. Jetta’s brother Akra used to perform with them before he was lured away to the army by the promise of a salary big enough to send home to his family. Akra stopped writing letters a year ago. He never returned. Today, it’s just Jetta and her parents traveling the countryside, a family with no home, no village, no history, no land.

After a disastrous bid to win a trip to Aquitan where she hopes to access a cure for her “malheur,” Jetta falls into the arms of Leo, a brooding, secretive dance hall owner with ties to the rebellion. Leo also has the unfortunate luck to be the illegitimate son of the head of the Aquitan army and a long dead Chakrana woman. Despised by both groups, he is trapped in a suffocating space between two worlds. Yet he has learned to navigate the borderland by exploiting his Aquitan power to benefit the impoverished Chakrans. Guided by Leo’s sordid ties, Jetta and her parents travel to the Chakrana capital for a last ditch attempt to sail to Aquitan. Disaster besets them at every turn, and death stalks them like a shadow.

The first book in Heidi Heilig’s new trilogy finds Jetta standing on a precipice. Behind her is the only life she knows, one of shadow plays and secret magic and unfathomable loss. Just beyond her reach is the life she dreams of, a life of cures and stability and unquenchable love. The only way across the chasm is to descend into the abyss below. Her survival is not guaranteed. The journey could very well kill her. And even if she makes it through, she might still be denied her reward. But Jetta has no choice. She cannot stay on the ledge forever. Will she jump, fall, or be pushed?

Unlike other shadow players, Jetta doesn’t use strings or sticks to move her puppets but instead imbues the objects with the souls of dead animals. She can also see the souls of the dead—from the vana of small creatures like worms and bees to the arvana of dogs and cats to the akela of humans, and even the n’akela, a human soul that can possess the corpses. Necromancy is the domain of Le Trépas, an evil monk who reveled in death and terrorized his fellow Chakrans before the invaders imprisoned him in his own temple. Neither the Chakrana or Aquitans would consider her abilities as a gift. If Jetta’s secret was discovered … no, the consequences are too horrible to imagine.

Jetta is different from most other people in one other key way: her malheur. Although the phrase “bipolar disorder” is never used, it’s clear from the text (and Heilig’s author’s note) that’s what she’s dealing with. Jetta constantly mistrusts what she sees and hears. When she sees lights in the distance, are they souls? Lanterns? Hallucinations? Because no one else can see souls, it makes discerning reality from fiction that much harder. Sometimes she hears things, too, but like the lights, she often can’t tell if a soul is speaking to her, if the voice is coming from a real person, or if it’s all in her head. There’s also a subtle parallel between Jetta’s interactions with the vana and arvana and the difficulty some people with bipolar have with distractions, concentrating, and ADHD.

Heilig doesn’t shy away from pulling the reader into Jetta’s ups and downs. As she and Leo escape from the army by heading deep into the underground tunnels of the Souterrain, Jetta makes a literal and psychological descent into darkness. The days float by in a fog. She barely eats or drinks, her thoughts are as slow and sticky as molasses, and time loses all meaning. Later, Jetta also marvels to herself about how important the little things like brushing your teeth and changing your clothes can feel. I know we all like to joke about self-care, but when you’re locked in the middle of a depressive cycle, something as basic as getting up to open a window can feel like trekking up Mount Everest, and seeing the sun for the first time in ages can make you feel like a person again, even if just for a moment. Although I don’t have bipolar disorder, I do suffer from depression, and lemme tell you that whole Souterrain journey hit too close to home. Heilig absolutely nailed what it’s like.

Eventually Jetta comes out of her depression and swings right into a manic episode. She cleans, organizes, works, does everything all at once. The extremes of the episode wane, but the fundamentals do not. She’s reckless, hyperactive, and irritable. She hardly sleeps and struggles with risk assessment. YA plots often rely on impassioned teenagers acting impulsively, but while the plot mirrors her bipolar ebbs and flows, Heilig makes sure we understand that what’s happening to Jetta is bigger than a trope or plot device. Jetta knows she cannot help her malheur, that it is a part of who she is even if it sometimes consumes her. She’s driven by the need for an Aquitan cure or treatment, and her quest will force her to ask just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it.

The teeming undercurrent of all this lush character work is the biting anti-colonialism commentary. Heilig takes no prisoners with her critique. Lines can be drawn between Aquitan and Chakrana and France’s occupation of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and America’s ill-planned war there a century later, but the novel is not a direct comparison. While the Aquitans think of themselves as benevolent overlords, their true status as invaders shines through. By not shying away from calling out those who resist oppression by oppressing others, Heilig vilifies the conquistadors without victimizing the conquered.

I cannot stress enough how impressive For a Muse of Fire is. Heilig’s characters are evocative and refreshingly unique. The action scenes are detailed enough to drop you into the middle of the fight as if you’re right there with Jetta and Leo. Peppered throughout are snippets of poetry, maps, sheet music, play scripts, flyers, telegrams, and letters that together construct a visceral, vivid world. The sheer volume of disparate storytelling techniques could easily become unwieldy and disjointed, but somehow it doesn’t. As tense at the narrative was, the ephemera carved out some much needed space. Looking in on other characters in non-traditional ways was like being able to finally take a deep breath after holding it in for several chapters.

Beyond the technical craft, Heilig has crafted a stunning epic fantasy rooted in her intersectional #ownvoices background as someone who is hapa and has bipolar disorder. The result is a nuanced, heartrending story that will leave you shattered and begging for more. I was prepared for greatness—this is Heidi Heilig after all—but it still took me by surprise. There was so much I loved about it. SO. MUCH. For a Muse of Fire is the anti-colonial, mental illness #ownvoices, POC-centered, female-led, young adult epic fantasy you never knew you wanted.

#Heidi Heilig #For a Muse of Fire #mahreviews #long post

[raynewritingdownthoughts]

sat mar 25th, 2023

rainy day and i’m really enjoying margaret by lana so much. the way she says the first couple of lines gives me goosebumps. it just reminds me of how i feel sometimes. like oh god here we go, let’s see how this goes.

alex said i looked good today when he brought over my hot chocolate. he’s always so kind to me. he’s a lot younger but i feel like he’s the kind of guy that would be good for me. someone who just oozes kindness and has been through a lot but isn’t warped. i guess i can’t really know what he’s like, but he feels warm. it’s easy to feel how people are in how they interact, even the basics. i don’t really love wearing makeup and i don’t wear much but i often feel like i’m treated better when i do… sigh

i had a lot of dreams last night that i’ve forgotten. before i fell asleep i thought about how cozy i was with ado. i miss the feeling of being held a bit. not by him specifically. ah. it would be good for me to never see him again. i do wonder.. will it? i hope i’ll be okay. in fact, i know i will be. shaken up doesn’t mean that it’s going to affect me that much. life is so like this. it’s so much!

yesterday was so pleasant because both victoria came in and nancy. both of them give me so much energy. i get so excited. she ended up taking a pic of me when she was leaving the store. and invited me to a concert tonight. maybe i’ll go? can’t quite decide. i feel like i need to keep focusing on myself so i don’t get lost in others. don’t want to attach to this person who probably would be averse to it. but honestly, i respect other peoples’ boundaries so well. i’m mostly in need of protecting my own.

time goes by. i stand. i sit. i remember. it’s been almost 5 months alone. 9 months alone was my longest. a year alone seems like the right timeline for now. i’m not ready for anyone. i want to be ready and be the full loving person i know i am. i’m already improving so much and being so vulnerable with my friends and new friends. currie and i, as well as me, ezra, and ryan, have the healthiest relationships i’ve ever had. actual trust, actual closeness. it took time. i have had moments where i demonized and wanted to run away, but i haven’t.

as for morgan, i notice my resentfulness. i send her responses and she can’t return any comment. she sends me stuff and i respond back but i feel myself not truly feeling like doing it. because my needs aren’t being met. and like i’ve come to notice, my expectations have been like -1. we’ll see. i’m going to talk to her when we hang out. state again that i need commitment when it comes to friendship. i want to be interacted with. not just someone you send a few things to do and that’s it.

work is going fine and next next week i’m going to ask for both a raise and for tips to be add to cut flower purchases.

a little bothered that my gyno didn’t test for hpv. that’s literally the reason i wanted a pap smear… so i sent a message to her. if she doesn’t get back, i’ll call. health is a priority.

i want to make another paper cutout tonight. actually watch a movie. do yoga. i don’t think i would actually enjoy a concert tonight. also, depends on price… i’ll think about it.

happy to be alive. i’m doing it.

[offlineflexi]

Hp laserjet 1300 paper jam

9 Mobile device needs to be connected to Wi-Fi Direct® signal of a Wi-Fi Direct-supported AiO or printer prior to printing. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance®. 7 For details on local printing requirements see printing 8 Wireless operations are compatible with 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz operations only. For details, see 6 HP Auto-On/Auto-Off Technology capabilities subject to printer and settings may require a firmware upgrade. App availability varies by country, language, and agreements. 5 Requires an Internet connection to the printer. Exact speed varies depending on the system configuration, software application, driver, and document complexity. For details on local printing requirements see 4 Measured using ISO/IEC 24734, excludes first set of test documents. Full list of supported operating systems and details at. Features controlled may vary by mobile device operating system. For details, see /products/samples/new-hp-laserjet-series 2 Available only on the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M29w only. Measured footprint for HP LaserJet Pro M15/M16 printer series is 100.64 square inches and for HP LaserJet Pro MFP M28/M30 series is 148.2 square inches. Market share as reported by IDC CYQ2 2018 Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker. It is also possible the arm has come off the selenoid, however, if that was the case, when you first turn on the printer it will draw paper thru and jam.1 World's smallest in-class footprint compared only to dimensions of majority of worldwide personal laser printers (defined as monochrome laser printers

Over time the material would disintigrate and all that was left was the glue which held the material. HP had a habit of using a velcro like material to dampen the noise of the arm hitting the center. Your arm is not returning, most likely because it is sticking to the center of the selenoid. If paper is picked up the voltage to the selenoid is turned off and a spring tensioned arm on the selenoid returns to a cutout on the gear assembly to stop the pickup roller from turning. On the right side of the printer is a selenoid which is activated when a print command is received by the printer and releases the pickup roller to pickup the paper. Your issue is not software, but hardware. I will try to help you from memory as it has been a long time. Previously, the jams were just paper jams and the printouts were nice and clean, but now, there are black marks streaked all over the print-outs, similar to the effect caused by a dirty roller somewhere in the printer.Īnybody out there have a similar printer behaving like this or know what needs to be replaced/repaired? There is nothing similar in archives, and others that i know who use this printer do not have similar problems. I have tried the PCL6 as well as PostScript drivers in Windows XP, but no joy. The printer used to do this intermittently (one in 5 pages, usually the third or fourth sheet), now it does this for every page that i print, including the self-test page generated by the printer. The paper feed roller and the paper separation roller have been replaced too, but that did not solve the problem. I have zapped the NVRAM, changed the paper type using PJL to A4 but no luck. This happens for both A4 and US Letter Paper sizes, so it's independent of paper type. Once the first page has been printed, the next sheet of paper in the feed tray is fed into the printer immediately after the first sheet, causing the two sheets of paper to be jammed in the printer. My HP LaserJet 1200 is behaving strangely.

#Hp laserjet 1300 paper jam

[whenitsdarkweilluminate]

Kyiv 2017 – Grand Final

Host: Ukraine Slogan: “Celebrate Diversity” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host Winner: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois Country: Portugal Points: 758 (77.0% of highest score possible) Language: Portuguese General Overview: I can definitively say that 2017 is not one of my favourite years. Part of that is the results, and part of it is the song quality. The Grand Final opens with a video of people looking at bouncing balls, which relates to the contest's beaded necklace logo. Then there's a display of flashing lights on stage to kick off the Parade of Nations, where the flags splash onto the screen. And that's it for the opening sequence! This final feels less bloated than the previous two. But they make up for it by having SO many breaks during the running order, which has become the standard now. Måns even makes a pre-recorded cameo in one of them (because of course he does) to train the hosts. It was cute. The postcards begin with the artists, delegation and press all standing frozen in this generic hallway, until just the artists move. Next it cuts to the usual footage of the respective artists partaking in various activities. Then the sequence finishes by returning to the hallway where everybody else unfreezes. I will forever associate this hallway with 2017. Back in the arena, the bead pattern logo (or are they paper lanterns?) displays the country flag colours.

The stage is a spacious, flat circle, with a wide LED screen behind it and an overhanging mushroom-top-like structure extending outwards. It's less versatile than the 2016 stage. The Green Room, meanwhile, is in the back of the audience, where the delegations sit in pods. Ukraine made sure to include as much Verka Serduchka as possible this year. Her and her mom start the voting, and they later lead the audience to dance to “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”. If this wasn't Ukraine hosting, I'd be annoyed about her overexposure. I'll save that for 2019. Otherwise, the interval contains 3 performances, including both of Ukraine's winning acts (up to that point). First, it's Ruslana singing “It's Magical”, featuring a misty forest, plenty of “oh whoa oh”s, drumming, a grinding beat, and a crowd of dancers. Next, there's a Ukrainian folk orchestra mixed with electronic musicians, which includes those long horns and a buhay. I enjoyed the beat. Finally, Jamala performs the uplifting track “I Believe in U”, accompanied by an outline animation of an embracing couple. And a stage invader who moons the audience right next to her... what the actual f**k. I love how she just carried on unfazed.

The top 3 countries (Portugal, Bulgaria and Moldova) all achieve their best placements, which is cool. Portugal ran away with the jury vote, and their jury score alone kept them at #1 until the top two televote scores were given... which they also won... so not a suspenseful result. The San Marino spokesperson hid behind a cardboard cutout as a prank. While Israel's Ofer Nachshon commented on the IBA shutting down, implying that Israel was withdrawing... only to win the whole thing next year. And LOL at the Bulgarian jury voting for like none of the contenders. Otherwise, this is a top-heavy televote. They rejected many of the jury favourites like Austria, Australia, UK, Netherlands, and even Norway which I wasn't expecting. The televote top 4 is the actual top 4 too (in that order). Bulgaria was just unlucky here – 615 points is more than what “1944”, “Toy”, “Arcade” and “Zitti e buoni” got. Similar to 2016, only 4 entries have no English lyrics at all. Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive From 3rd place in the semi-final to 23rd in the Grand Final. I guess the running order really does matter. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight I read that this is actually about animal cruelty? I liked my interpretation better lol. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life More annoying each time I hear it. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me Netherlands: OG3NE - Lights and Shadows Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma It runs out of steam around the bridge. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo Italy: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma The odds-on favourite to win. All because of a dancing ape on stage. I still don't get what's so amusing about that? I'm very mixed on this one. “Occidentali's Karma” is an undeniably catchy song, but it comes off as snobby and judgemental. The dancing ape is meant to mock too. Francesco spends the song deriding and mocking modern Western culture, saying that we've devolved back to Neolithic times. That intelligence has been replaced by easy answers, “useless dilemmas” and sex appeal. He further mentions the appropriation of Eastern spiritualism, with references to Nirvana and Buddha. While the screen shows a yin yang symbol and Chakras, as Francesco does the gyan mudra pose and the song ends on an “om” chant. Additionally, the lyrics insert English, Sanskrit and Greek phrases to show the prevalence of loan words. It's a sunny production though and the LED screen is colourful. The backing also wear different colour shirts. The song begins with these plucking synths. Then the pre-chrous uses strings and a whirring beat. While the chorus rushes in in a very catchy and dominant way; culminating in an instrumental response after the song title and collective arm swaying (with more arm-swaying figures on screen). There's also frequent backing responses (“ALLEZ!”). And rubbery arm animations on screen. Later, the bridge goes quiet; then the instrumental grows, the whole arena shouts “NAMASTE! ALLEZ!”, and the ape dances to a brief guitar solo. Denmark: Anja - Where I Am Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois (winner review below) Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend They really chose to put this at the end of the 1st half. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy Greece: Demy - This Is Love These vocals are rough. Spain: Manel Navarro - Do It for Your Lover Yeah, no surprise this finished in last place. I'm more surprised that it received any points at all. Because absolutely zero effort was put into this. The song aims for a lazy vibe, but it ends up sounding lifeless instead. The instrumental is beyond basic. The chorus lacks energy and it's banally written – it just repeats the title phrase over and over, with a few “clap your hands” thrown in. The “la la la la lover” hook is flat too... like they're filling time. And the lyrical message (of letting your lover be your inspiration to confront things in life) is sung in such an unconvincing way. The Spanish verses aren't that deep either. Also, that part where the two guitarists face each other looks awkward. Moreover, this entry is too wrapped up in the “surfer dude” stereotypes; between the Hawaiian shirts, Manel's long curly hair, the group standing on surfboards animations, and the LED screen showing beaches and a retro van. Musically, the song has a reggae rhythm. It starts with a minimal acoustic guitar and wave sound effects, while the group stands backwards, staring at a nighttime globe that zooms out from Spain. Then a record scratch starts the chorus, where the drums come in. From there, the rest of the song follows a stagnant guitar/drum pattern. And the bridge escalates through the “just do it”'s, which only leads to Manel's infamous voice crack... Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment “Grab the Moment” saving us from a run of bad songs again LOL. United Kingdom: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up on You The best UK entry of the entire 21st century imo. It's also their highest placement since Blue in 2011, even with a paltry 12 televote points. Emmelie de Forest helped write this too. The lyrical message is touching and Lucie sounds like someone who wants to help and will never give up; although her live vocals are shaky. Her words come from a place of love. She rationalizes the subject's negative self-perception and affirms her commitment to supporting them. She says that opening up is a sign of trust not weakness. She points out the progress they've made but can't see. She begs them to not give up on themselves. And the chorus has this desperate pleading tone, where she makes a firm promise at any cost to herself. My favourite line is “You're not defeated, you're in repair” though. Musically, the song begins as a bare piano ballad, letting the vocal melody drive things. The first chorus starts with this sinking down effect. Then the percussion arrives in the second verse, first with taps and echoing clacks. Followed by thumps in the next chorus. And bellowing drums in the finale, where Lucie delivers a big note. It has an atmosphere by the end of it. On stage, she stands in front of this mirror shell thing, while a galaxy of stars radiate across the stage. The opening shot shows her reflection too. Otherwise, the “now you can see...” part is a good hook, but the bridge transitions weirdly in how it continues the last line of the chorus. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! Germany: Levina - Perfect Life Yet another flop for Germany. The lyrics are nice, but the verse production is way too similar to David Guetta's “Titanium” and they couldn't get away with it. The melody is bland and forgettable too. The chorus is plain. And the stage aesthetic is drab. I can see how this was met with apathy. The song is about how Levina has grown and changed her perspective on life. She previously wanted things to go to plan, but now realizes that a “Perfect Life” is actually imperfect. The best things come from the unexpected and from outside her comfort zone. She accepts her flaws (“almost a sinner”). And she's no longer afraid to make mistakes. She says all this with a self-assured tone too; like she believes she'll be alright. But the composition doesn't do much for me. The “Titanium” production is what pushes the song forward via the brisk jabbing hitting from different directions. The percussion beat appears partway through the first verse to match it. While Levina spends that first verse laying on the floor. Then the first chorus follows a series of dramatic slams, leading to some metronome-like ticking. Afterwards, the instrumental eases off for the second verse and chorus. The latter of which ends with more slams and ticking. And the final chorus has a stomping build-up. Ukraine: O.Torvald - Time Thus begins a stretch of flop host entries that will last through 2021. It's also Ukraine's worst placement ever. Strange, since this is the only rock entry this year. But the chorus isn't that catchy. The “time to look/time to see/time to find” pre-chorus build-up works better though. I also wish they kept the countdown clocks from the national final. I don't get the giant head with strobe light eyes on the ESC stage. Anyways, the lyrics include a bunch of “time” phrases, resulting in the word “time” being said 27 times in total. It's about focusing on what matters in life. The singer advises seeking a peaceful place, understanding silence, finding truth, and appreciating what you have. The intro exemplifies this theme by resembling tunnel background noise. Then the rock instrumentation starts halfway through the first verse. It's more moderate in the verses, while the harder guitar groove runs through the chorus, giving it an angsty vibe. But it's too sludgy to hook me in. The pre-chorus, meanwhile, builds via the drums and the resulting guitar riff. The second one further adds an echoing quirk. There's also a guitar solo later on. Plus this reverse audio slicing sound sprinkled throughout the track. And the song makes sure to wait after each chorus. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess France: Alma - Requiem Not to be confused with Finnish singer Alma. It's funny how the final ends with my top 2. This peaked at #3 on my personal chart. It has a complex production. And the lyrics explore a difficult topic. The only issue is that the staging is missing something. The dizzying, spinning Paris skyline is a neat visual, but it just reminds me of how the French spokesperson always has the Eiffel Tower behind them. Anyways, the lyrics address the idea of death making life feel meaningless. How it's a cycle over the centuries. That the world will go on without us. And what we think is important will be forgotten. But Alma conquers this fear by implying that love is what gives life meaning (“With you nothing ever dies”). It isn't an original message, but it's probably true. Alma's tone and smiles give it a positive spin too. The music is also like a “Requiem” (ie. a funeral song) with the sombre piano; plus the bells and the tense violin release at the start. The violin keeps resurfacing too. But it's the percussion that elevates this. The first verse adds a stomping beat midway (as does the first pre-chorus, which also transitions with a clap). The chorus involves this alluring castanet-like beat and it concludes with a finality slam. The switch to English is kind of abrupt though. The second verse continues the stomps, leading to some heightened percussion, before it stops on the last line. And the bridge moves from bass strings to stretched-out beats to escalating to removing all tension; which sets up the finale well. The Winner: Portugal finally achieves their first win after a record-breaking 49 attempts. Finland previously held this record with 40 tries in 2006. Not only that, Portugal had never even been in the top 5 before this (their best placement was 6th in 1996). They were truly an underdog in this contest. This means that Cyprus, Iceland, Malta are the only countries left from the Cold War era that have yet to win. Interestingly, all three will be contenders in the next few years. Moreover, as of 2022, “Amar pelos dois” still holds the points record at 758. Which even surpasses the combined jury and televote scores of all the 2009-15 winners. It's also the first entirely non-English winner since “Molitva” 10 years prior. Despite the overwhelming victory, this is actually one of the most polarizing winners within the Eurovision fandom. Most rankings that I've seen either have it in their top 5 or bottom 5 of 2017. And I'm no different; it's in my bottom 5. The song just makes me want to fall sleep. There's no melody, no remarkable instrumental moments, no journey. None at all. Salvador sings it like it's a lullaby. I couldn't hum this from memory. And the arrangement is so slow and boring. Also, his winning speech where he trashed the modern era of the contest turned me off. It seemed like poor sportsmanship. I have no issue with appreciating the past, but you don't have to be condescending and snobbish about how the past is better. Anyways, “Amar pelos dois” is a jazz waltz ballad that hearkens back to the black-and-white era of the contest and to old-school romanticism. It was written by Salvador's sister Luísa Sobral. I'll admit it was cute when she sang with him for the winner's reprisal. And I can see how it stands out against the modern entries. The audience holds up their phone lights during the performance, where Salvador remains at the centre audience platform for the entire thing, which is smart. I noticed that the solo performers got lost on the big stage this year. In the lyrics, Salvador states that his legacy is to love his person. That he merely existed before they met. And he pleads them to return, hoping they will grow to love him back. He even repeats this plea a second time. He surmises that “I know that one can't love alone”, which is true; love is a two-way street. But he later contradicts himself at the end by saying “My heart can love for both of us”. So which is it? The lyrics can also be interpreted as clingy; like he's living in this hopeless fantasy, attached to someone who's not into him. The song itself follows an unusual verse-chorus-chorus-verse structure. It incorporates an old-fashioned instrumental and it has a very delicate texture. It starts with a violin intro, featuring some long pauses. Then a gentle, sleepily-paced piano guides things, as the strings reemerge in the first chorus. There's another violin solo that separates the two choruses. Then the second chorus softens and grows. While the final verse sees the piano fade away, as the instrumental reduces down to just a few violin interjections before the piano comes back. The song ends on another soft moment. Verdict: “F” Tier. I don't get this one, and I don't think I ever will. My Ranking: Grand Final: 01. Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess 02. France: Alma - Requiem 03. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo 04. Netherlands: O'G3NE - Lights and Shadows 05. Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment 06. United Kingdom: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up on You 07. Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me 08. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights 09. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight 10. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity 11. Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! 12. Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons 13. Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On 14. Denmark: Anja Nissen - Where I Am 15. Italy: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma 16. Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma 17. Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive 18. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life 19. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy 20. Ukraine: O.Torvald - Time 21. Greece: Demy - This Is Love 22. Germany: Levina - Perfect Life 23. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air 24. Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois 25. Spain: Manel Navarro - Do It for Your Lover 26. Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend Full Ranking: 01. Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess 02. France: Alma - Requiem 03. Iceland: Svala - Paper 04. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo 05. Netherlands: O'G3NE - Lights and Shadows 06. Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment 07. United Kingdom: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up on You 08. Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me 09. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights 10. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight 11. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity 12. Serbia: Tijana Bogićević - In Too Deep 13. Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! 14. Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons 15. Estonia: Koit Toome and Laura - Verona 16. Switzerland: Timebelle - Apollo 17. Finland: Norma John - Blackbird 18. Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On 19. Albania: Lindita - World 20. Denmark: Anja Nissen - Where I Am 21. Italy: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma 22. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Jana Burčeska - Dance Alone 23. Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma 24. Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive 25. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life 26. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy 27. Latvia: Triana Park - Line 28. Ukraine: O.Torvald - Time 29. Czech Republic: Martina Bárta - My Turn 30. Greece: Demy - This Is Love 31. Ireland: Brendan Murray - Dying to Try 32. Germany: Levina - Perfect Life 33. San Marino: Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson - Spirit of the Night 34. Montenegro: Slavko Kalezić - Space 35. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air 36. Malta: Claudia Faniello - Breathlessly 37. Georgia: Tamara Gachechiladze - Keep the Faith 38. Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois 39. Lithuania: Fusedmarc - Rain of Revolution 40. Spain: Manel Navarro - Do It for Your Lover 41. Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend 42. Slovenia: Omar Naber - On My Way “S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Only Teardrops”, “Wild Dances”, “Rise Like a Phoenix”, “1944”, “Satellite” “B” Tier: “Molitva”, “Hard Rock Hallelujah”,“Heroes” “C” Tier: “Fly On The Wings Of Love”, “I Wanna” “D” Tier: “Everybody”, “Believe”, “Running Scared” “F” Tier: “Amar pelos dois” *I decided to move Hard Rock Hallelujah below Molitva and into my B-tier

#eurovision 2017 #eurovision review