#You can even see! I didn't leave behind all that many guidelines! It was just the paper being awful!

[sysig]

Btw, this is what editing on this paper has been like (Patreon)

#In other words: Hell #Lol #Normally I wouldn't show my process but I Must drag this paper it is So bad #Plus you can see some of the other little tricks I do! I leave things mo~stly alone but I will sometimes cheat where I can! #I'll also reconstruct if something can't be saved or if I just forgot to draw something on paper lol - or if I ran out of room #Ughhhh these edits took foreverrrrrr #I did some quick math on it somewhat recently actually #An average single edit takes ~4 minutes of continuous work #Averaged between the low of a couple minutes and high of getting into double digits #There was a whole thing about each page having approx. 30 doodles and each doodle being 4mins of editing and each set being 6 doodles etc. e #Basically I put a lot of time into my art and the majority of that isn't even drawing lol #I have Got to find a way to flip that metric... #But with these - these Easily averaged into the double digits each #It's mostly cleaning - stray lines don't take much time at all! Even reconstruction isn't bad #But for whatever reason this paper just Textures Horribly #Leave my blank spaces blank! I don't want toning there! #You can even see! I didn't leave behind all that many guidelines! It was just the paper being awful! #Some of it's still there if you tip your screen at certain angles #I can't because - broken hinge lol - so I mostly had to guess where to hit #Ugh. I'm just glad I'm finally done with this paper #I miss Norcom so bad :( I haven't been able to track down a distributor for years now

[do-you-know-this-adhd-character]

SUBMIT THROUGH THE FORM IN THIS POST, NOT MY ASKBOX, FOR YOUR BLORBO'S SAKE. I WILL LOSE SUBMISSIONS IF THEY AREN'T ALL IN ONE PLACE!

Hi! I've never run a poll blog before, but I like the "do you know this character" type blogs and I searched and didn't find one for ADHD characters so I decided I'd make one!

Submission Guidelines

Both canon and non-canon ADHD characters are allowed, but YOU MUST PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR NON-CANON ADHD CHARACTERS! I completely understand just looking at a character and going "oh they have the Vibes" but it's not enough to be posted on this blog. Even just "they exhibit a lot of impulsiveness and distractability" is enough for me to go on - just give me SOMETHING to work with. However I reserve the right to not post a character if I don't think the evidence is compelling enough, i.e., if you don't list any traits that are specific to ADHD.

YOU MUST SUBMIT THROUGH THE FORM, NOT MY ASKBOX. I am, of course, ADHD myself, and I need all the submissions in one place or I'll lose them.

Got it? Here's the link to the form.

About the Mod/Blog

TRYING not to reveal my main yet, but you can call me Mudkip if you'd like. She/her only please, do not use any other pronouns for me including they/them. I am an adult. I was diagnosed with ADHD at a very young age and have it bad enough that I consider myself disabled. So ADHD rep is very important to me! And I'd like to both learn about ADHD rep I might not have heard of, and spread awareness of what ADHD people are like through the characters that people might not even realize are like us.

My icon is the character 707/Seven from Mystic Messenger, I chose him because although it's a bit hidden he is canonically ADHD! There's a call where he talks about how he talks to himself, and if you say "I heard people with adhd talk to themselves a lot..." he agrees with you, as well as displaying other ADHD traits through the whole game.

...is this entire blog partially part of my agenda to spread the word of canon ADHD Seven? Maybe.

Header is Zack Fair from Final Fantasy VII; he's not canonically ADHD but there's strong evidence for it and I couldn't resist using the "Me? Gongaga." meme.

I often can't resist making non-poll posts on this blog, although I swear I try. If you're just here for the polls you might want to filter the tag "not a poll"!

Tagging System, for your searching or filtering convenience

#poll - the polls. this only includes "do you know this character" polls, not any other polls I might do. #not a poll - anything that doesn't get the above tag. Including other types of polls. You know what I mean. #canon adhd character - polls for characters that are canonically ADHD. #noncanon adhd character - polls for characters that aren't canonically ADHD, but have solid evidence behind the headcanon. #poll results - a reblog of an ended poll with calculations of how many people know the character and what percentage of those people know/see the character as ADHD. #poll reblog - any reblog of a poll that isn't poll results. #other polls - polls from other blogs. #blog management - anything about the running of the blog. #ask - asks. I don't know what else to tell you. #approval inquiry - asks asking if a character has been approved for posting. #submission inquiry - asks asking if a character has been submitted.

this was part of the original pinned and I always like seeing this part of poll blog pinneds so I'm leaving it

I'm supposed to tag other polls for visibility, right? This was largely inspired by @who-do-i-know-this-man and @doyouknowthisdisabledcharacter as well as @do-you-know-this-queer-character !

If you want to know if someone's been posted, check below:

Polls in progress:

Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation (noncanon)

Leonardo from Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (noncanon)

Mungojerrie from Cats the Musical (noncanon)

Achilles from the Iliad (noncanon)

Tajima Yuuichirou from Ookiku Furikabutte/Oofuri/Big Windup (noncanon)

Benrey from Half Life VR but the AI is Self Aware/HLVRAI (noncanon)

Crowven Corvuson from Cemetery Mary (canon)

Finished polls (under the cut):

Martlet from Undertale Yellow (noncanon)

Zell Dincht from Final Fantasy 8 (noncanon)

Skimbleshanks from Cats the Musical (noncanon)

Goku from Dragonball (noncanon)

Yuma Tsukumo from Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal (noncanon)

Moritz Stiefel from Spring Awakening (noncanon)

Sydney 'Syd' Novak from I Am Not Okay With This (noncanon)

Yuki Takeya from Gakkou Gurashi/School-Live! (noncanon)

Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson series (canon)

Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music (noncanon)

for personal reference - have done results for the below

Lift from The Stormlight Archive (noncanon)

Tim Drake from DC Comics (noncanon)

Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece (noncanon)

Apollo Justice from the Ace Attorney games (noncanon)

Stella from Winx Club (noncanon)

Roy Harper from DC Comics (canon)

Michelangelo from Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (canon)

Tony Stark from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (noncanon)

Aiden Clark from School Bus Graveyard (canon)

Serpaz Helilo from Vast Error (canon)

The Doctor from Doctor Who (noncanon)

Ronan Lynch from The Raven Cycle (noncanon)

Leo Valdez from the Percy Jackson books (canon)

Moth Flight from Warrior Cats (canon)

Ramona Quimby from the Ramona books (noncanon)

Joey Pigza from the Joey Pigza books (canon)

Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables (noncanon)

Spinner Mason from Degrassi: The Next Generation (canon)

Lupin III from Lupin the Third (noncanon)

Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (noncanon)

George Beard and Harold Hutchins from Captain Underpants (canon)

Alex Woodroe from All the Feels (canon)

Agent Curt Mega from Spies are Forever (noncanon)

TG from Castle of Nations (canon)

Shawn Spencer from Psych (canon)

Sydney Scoville Jr. from Grrl Power (canon)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng from Miraculous Ladybug (noncanon)

Zagreus from Hades (noncanon)

Sherlock Holmes from Sherlock & Co. (canon)

Ash Ketchum from Pokémon (noncanon)

Misfire from Transformers (canon)

Herlock Sholmes from The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (noncanon)

Christine Canigula from Be More Chill (canon)

Aubrey Little from The Adventure Zone: Amnesty (canon)

Lt. Columbo from Columbo (noncanon)

Billie from Billie Bust Up (canon)

Wei Wuxian from Mo Dao Zu Shi (noncanon)

Jimmy Casket from VenturianTale (noncanon)

Sara Eriksson from Young Royals (canon)

Magnus Burnsides from The Adventure Zone: Balance (noncanon)

Scout from Team Fortress 2 (noncanon)

Luz Noceda from The Owl House (canon)

Zack Fair from Final Fantasy VII (noncanon)

Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson and the Olympians (canon)

April Polls' Day posts, for posterity - ran polls on non-ADHD characters:

Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Zenos yae Galvus from Final Fantasy XIV

P.I.X.A.L. from Lego Ninjago

Brutus the Ducky from Real Life and also Rubber Ducky Hell (our only canonically non-ADHD poll subject)

Sophia from Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (please play it)

#poll #poll blog #adhd #actuallyadhd #actually adhd #disability #neurodiversity #neurodivergency #uhhhhhh what else #we will see how this goes i guess #if youre familiar with me you can probably guess who i am but im not super concerned abt being found out lol #just anon for now

[freerangeranger]

//hi, I see blogs like this and it looks like fun, I'm thinking of joining in on the fun and making something similar(might not), any unspoken rules or tips you could sare with me?

ooc: Ironically I only joined the community recently - everyone here is super great and friendly! I highly recommend joining in on the fun!

Here is a list of tips to get the most out of Pokeblr: (Note this is not comprehensive; just things that i noticed during my very brief time here)

Joining Discord Servers:

There is quite a few of them, and a lot of planning and organization for events and plot lines goes on behind the 'curtain' so to speak. There is a little list of a few I know of: Pokeblr 18+ - I'm on this one!! People here are great! Its only for people who are 18 or older. realpokemon - Massive amount of people :) PKMNIRL RP chat - Smaller, or so I'm told. its been recommended to me but I've never actually joined.

There are probably a ton more; but joining servers is a great way to make friends and get the most out of the community.

Etiquette and Common Courtesy:

Communicate: If you want to be a part of a event, or do a more organized RP with someone - MAKE SURE THEY ARE OKAY WITH IT! I've seen people inserting themselves into stories, using other people's characters without permission and taking over plot lines that have already been planned. Just ask! people are super great with adding newcomers into their plots!

Interact: Reblogging, commenting, leaving tags and sending people asks are great ways to talk with other people. Reading people's intro/pinned post is also very important - some people do not want to RP with specific blog types. I personally only really interact with human-run blogs and avoid pokemon-run blogs and wildly non-canon or time travel/divergent canon blogs. Its' a combo of my personal ethics (i would personally overthink the concept of speaking, highly intelligent Pokemon, and the laws that go along with it) but mostly has to do with the stories I want to tell. If I'm not interested, or not having fun, then I'm not going to interact.

Do your Own Thing!: This might seem counter-productive to the 'interact' tip; but hounding people and 'chasing trends' so to speak isn't where the fun is. This is an RP community at its' core - you should spend some time building up who you want your character to be and forming your own personality on the site. - Here is a great post by @pokemoncenter sharing advice on how to make a character. It is VERY good advice! (Fun Fact: I didn't even have Honey's name when I started the blog; she gained one as I went.)

Following Blogs: Follow as many people as you can. I am not kidding. I have 174 people I'm technically following at the time of writing this post. Do I interact with all of them? NO! But it keeps me updated on most parts of the community, even parts that I personally have no interest in. Plus it's fun to watch other people's plotlines even if you are not in it! (You can always unfollow people once you find your niche)

Blocking and DNI: Kind of a repeat of the 'Interact' tip, but its worth talking about. If a plot line or topic makes you uncomfortable, blocking is a valid option. You don't always have the right to tell someone to stop; but you do have the power to tailor your experience. Make sure to respect other people's boundaries, and don't be afraid to set boundaries for your blog as well! If you aren't sure what someone's boundaries are - ASK THEM! I cannot emphasis how important it is to communicate with others. (Note: If a post violates the Tumblr Community Guidelines and the person doesn't take it down, report it. No RP or arguing can solve that.)

In all honesty - you get out what you put into it. I spend a while making a PDF 'Missing Pokemon' form for the Ranger Union to compliment the current plot line I am involved in and people love it!

In conclusion - have fun, ask questions and don't be afraid to make a couple of blogs/side blogs and try out what characters and portions of the community that you like the most.

Hope to see you around here soon!

#asks #ooc post #tips and tricks #pokeblogging #irl pokemon #rl pokemon #i joined bc pokemon brainrot #and wanted to chat with people who also loved pokemon #any edits i make is trying to fix formatting - tumblr drafts are scuffed

[firespirited]

It'd been a while since I'd done a r-dblr purge (mark red and block if they are actively cruel to trans people within the first page of their blog. You'd think feminist issues would be the bulk of posting, it's r-dical feminism after all and all the issues are ongoing. BTW I don't block people for hating men, they have a right to vent and it takes time to understand the systems at play that do allow for decent men even if you're not ready to to partner with any cishet ones) I probably marked and blocked 150 today, many 18-24 years old, lots of them lonely.

Doing the scan of a blog to make sure I'm not marking someone who didn't get the dogwhistles in a bigoted post means you see a lot of the content they're angry about.

I too hate porn unless it's safe sane and enthusiastically consensual.

That means performers who know exactly what they are getting into, who have alternatives if they want a different job and can set boundaries without being pushed or blacklisted for it. The majority of porn doesn't fit but the advent of amateur, onlyfans and ethical studios gives people options to view porn where no-one is hurt.

I also believe that all viewers need to know that pron is sex stunts and some things will not work for them, cause chafing or stds, cause injury if perfomed for real. That should be part of the viewing, a little PSA 'don't try this at home we're actors, we rehearsed the hair pulling so no-one's scalp got torn and switched condoms and edited it out'. Honestly I find most of the porno tropes misogynistic, macho and racist even though we've mostly left gonzo behind.

Straight Male performers aren't allowed to be shown as into their partner... when behind the scenes they get quite tender, briefly besotted with their partner when it's not an ego driven star.

I also have hard boundaries about what kind of porn a partner would watch. I pay extra for no slavery in my chocolate and expect a partner diligent enough to get their porn from people not getting boundaries violated or work injuries.

But there's no nuance to rdfm anti porn stances. They're going off trafficking victims and Linda Lovelace's speeches when sex work like marriage is a whole spectrum from a heinous crime to chosen job. And we have the ability to hear from all of these women. What they really want from their industry, from activists, from society at large. The in person full contact sex workers I've known were doing it so they could be present during the day for their children or get a higher education without their study time consumed by a low wage job. Another was seeking validation and briefly being loved, her rl relationships kept imploding because it was never enough or she'd push them to see if they'd love her anyway. That wasn't exactly sane. But you can't force anyone into getting meds and therapy if they're not ready.

There were articles about how marriage hurts women who must leave their family and join the husbands and instead of talking about the part of the research that showed that women who got men to move in with them were able to negotiate better work and pay equality, it was just desist and kill all men.

Funnily enough it's my "not really feminist", "don't like the term" , mum who originally sent me the study with a quote from Moses in genesis explaining Gd's guidelines "Therefore a man must leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife". Funny how many abramic religious marriages ignore that you can't be momma's boy and a husband and definitely not move your wife in with your folks.

Anyway that's this month's observations, those who actually did have 2nd wave posts on top of hating on transness are very young and are often starting out with the non black non queer reading from 30 years ago after a superficial lib fem alignment with zero reading. Often in college or just out of college having been 'peaked' against what they perceive to be mainstream feminism after seeing crime and inequality statistics. If you're interested in reducing terfs, a good place to start is outreach and local online bookclub where you can get the word of intersectionality and sisterhood out before the gcs groom them.

There is an initial curiosity, there is still that spark but it is being answered with unnuanced conclusions with simple explanations and "solutions" that shut down futher investigation.

There were also a couple of detrans afabs who will probably choose to be gnc or non binary or retransition when they're more comfortable with how they can be men. This is a systematic problem with trans medicalism that wants to stick people into binary boxes and insist they perform masc men and femme women. That's not a patient based approach and it's part of the conservative restrictions on the way gender care is allowed to exist at the fringes of healthcare.

#saf #Observations on rdblr #Feminism

[faz-tastic]

Rules and guidelines

Mun is very new to the fandom and still learning all the lore, please be patient with me. If I seem behind on something important or new, please try find an audio learning aid for me as I do not do well with reading.

Mun is also very slow to respond, in part due to my issues with reading and in part to my issues with Tumblr in general, it tends to break very often on me and I only use mobile because it breaks less often than desktop, which I know many will disagree with but it doesn't matter because every device and every person is different so don't even try to get me to change my device, it's not happening, and nothing you can say can convince me.

If you cannot be respectful, you will be blocked, I've heard tales of the toxic behavior some fans exhibit and I will not put up with it, I've been on this hellsite since I turned 13 you can't scare me off of it.

I don't care what this site or the games say they're rated for, we are keeping it pg 13 here, and if you don't know what that means you shouldn't be on the internet to begin with. Gratuitous violence will be faded to black the exact same as adult fun times, I don't care if they're different I'm not writing the gore and I'm not reading the gore, robots and weird remnant infused zombies are one thing but the murder of children is another entirely.

If you don't like any of these, kindly fuck right off, I'm not here to please you I'm here to have fun and if I'm too busy trying not to puke cuz you decided to get graphic that's not fun that's torture, watch a slasher to get that kind of entertainment don't ask me to write one for you.

If you send a bunch of questions following the same vien and they get ignored one of two things is happening: I've gone on hiatus without warning or I'm purposely ignoring you and you've filled up my inbox. If I'm purposely ignoring you, there's a high likelihood you didn't read all of this post thoroughly enough, go back to the top and start again.

If I have to add something because of someone specific I will tag them, this does not mean you should go harassing them it means I want them especially to see the new rule they caused so they can't say they didn't know if they do it again.

Cussing is allowed, but slurs and personal insults are not. There's a difference between calling a character an asshole and calling the person playing the character one. If you genuinely feel I am being an asshole and it is not something I've covered in these rules, please dm me and speak to me respectfully about it, if a solution cannot be reached then we may come back to it later after thinking about it a bit, but if you're not being respectful then there will be no coming back to it and I will drop your ass like a hot potato.

Using disabilities as insults are grounds for instant banning, I do not tolerate that shit as someone who has a high rate of disability in my family and is autistic with ADHD and barely passed highschool for a lack of help and accomodations. If you want to insult me, you're better off actually pointing out things you've noticed about me, like the fact I can't spell, it's also not effective but at least it's honest.

I am a very sarcastic and dark humored individual, but even I have lines I will not cross. If you don't like my sarcasm and dark humor or if you cross the lines it will be best for you to just leave.

#rules #guidelines #dont be an ass

[theluminoussunflower]

and they were roommates (oh my god they were roommates)

(lots of sports jargon, sorry)

also tw for suicide (you-know-who) and brief vomit

stephanie meeks was a star golf player at henley

she was the best at the school and ranked tenth in the state

+29 to par, total score 100, average difference 25.23, and she looks good in the skirt

amelia anderson was the fastest runner on the junior varsity softball team at trinity school for girls

she had the most stolen bases, but no one ever ran when she caught behind the plate

.275 batting average, 10 stolen bases, 13 caught runners, and she looks good in the trousers

and welton academy doesn't have girls sports teams

it's funny, it took years to plan and prepare for girls to attend welton, to build extra dorms, hire more teachers, create guidelines specifically for girls

and yet, mr cameron couldn't get girls sports teams up and running

instead, they all took home etc

which was fun, they sewed holes in their tights, made cookies

but no boy was in home etc

it's just... funny

stephanie started playing golf in an attempt to get closer to her father

it didn't work, but now she has a better swing than him

amelia started softball after her mom died in order to blow off steam

she was too little for the outfield, let alone the infield, and she couldn't pitch fast enough

thus, putting her behind the plate

stephanie and amelia reminisced about their old schools a lot, especially pertaining to sports

they liked the community their sports brought, they always knew their teammates had their backs

stephanie was still friends with the henley golf girls (who were no longer golf girls) but didn't see them as often because they weren't practicing every day

amelia hadn't spoken to her teammates since she left trinity, leaving a social aspect unfilled for a while

"maybe we can find that again" stephanie suggests "with the dead poets society"

amelia shrugged

that was something her dad had

she had softball, that was her thing, amelia the catcher

'anderson' on the back of her jersey was for her, not her dad

the society honestly felt like stepping into her father's shadow even more

and she didn't like it

"i don't want to be the mini-girl version of todd anderson," she says "i'm amelia anderson... you know, i should really drop my last name, it's not mine, it's my father's"

"you could go by your mom's surname" stephanie suggests

"that was her father's surname, not her's... i could just be... just amelia, like madonna, or prince"

"okay just amelia, do you have the answer to number fourteen?"

"literally, i wasn't talking to you, richie"

anyway, all this to say

stephanie and amelia bonded very quickly, being roommates and all

weirdly, they didn't have many similar interests (stephanie was very sciencey and amelia was all humanities), but they liked hearing the other talk about their interests

amelia's eyes would glaze over when stephanie talked about constellations

stephanie would pretend to know who lord byron was

it's a great system

they do everything together

homework in the library, studying in the junior lounge, making fun of mr cameron

neither of them is particularly girly, nor tomboyish, they had the best of both worlds

stephanie has long hair that she would curl when going out and she liked makeup, but put her in a skirt or dress outside of school and she will s c r e a m

amelia has short hair just above her shoulders because she doesn't know how to do her hair, every time she's tried to apply mascara, she's stabbed herself in the eye, but she feels like a ~princess~ in a dress

they balance each other out nicely

anyhow, one day, they were going to the bathroom together (as girls do), and amelia stops in front of the portrait of the brunet boy outside mr dad's classroom

she could have sworn he was smiling when she first saw it

now, the corners of his mouth don't curl up anymore

"do you know who this is?" she asks, thinking maybe stephanie would have welton/henley insight that she doesn't

but stephanie shakes her head "no clue, i bet your dad would know"

"i get the feeling he wouldn't tell me"

"what's that mean?"

"i don't know, i just feel like he wouldn't"

"okay, then i'll ask him"

at the end of mr anderson's class, he says "okay, any questions before i let you all go?"

stephanie's hand goes up "um... who's that boy in the painting outside the classroom?"

mr anderson freezes, no expression crossing his face

his eyes fall to the floor, completely silent in the room, all his students watching him

he leans against his desk and crosses his arms, stroking his body as if to comfort himself

"he was a student here at welton," he says "he was here when i was here... so a long time ago"

the students force a laugh

"his name was neil perry" it looks as though it pains him to speak

amelia leans over to stephanie "N.P.?"

"he passed away while attending this school"

students gasp and their mouths drop open

"did you know him?" stephanie asks

todd purses his lips together, eyes still on the floor, he nods "we were roommates"

oh my god they were roommates

"um... you're all dismissed" and he disappears into his office

the students collect their things, worried for their teacher

that was fucking sad

all the new poets gather down the hall

"that's who N.P. is from the cave" amelia whispers

"never heard the name before," evan says, everyone else agreeing

"but your dad said he was here the same time neil was," pittsie says

"yeah so?" amelia asks

"so, if we know when mr anderson was here..."

"...then we'll know when neil was here," stephanie says

"there are annuals in the library," richie says, "when was your dad here, amelia?"

"well, he transferred high schools, i think he was here fifty-nine to sixty and sixty to sixty-one"

"on it"

so the search begins

and search means looking through literally the first annual they pick off the shelf

it doesn't take long before they find the memorial page for neil perry

"no shit," richie mutters under his breath

it doesn't say how he died, just that he was seventeen and will be missed and all that bullshit

while amelia looks through the annual, she notices something... odd

charles dalton wasn't in the annual

anywhere

not mentioned or anything

"but his initials were carved into the wall" she says

"maybe they were carved in a different year" evan suggests

"no, they're eroded the same, definitely done at the same time" pittsie says

why wasn't mr dalton in the annual?

"did he kill neil perry?" richie says in a low voice

"he would be in prison, stupid" stephanie says

"maybe he didn't get caught"

"that doesn't explain why he's not in the annual"

"whatcha kids doing?" mr dalton comes out of nowhere

richie shoves the annual into his bag and the new poets pretend they were working on their homework

(or staring at the globe on the table if you're evan and don't have your homework out)

"homework" pittsie says

"good on ya, kids" he wanders away

"cold-blooded killer, i'm telling you"

evan elbows richie in the hip

amelia and stephanie are in their dorm, absolutely losing their minds over this mystery

from what we know, mr dalton and mr cameron were at welton at the same time, mr anderson and neil perry were at welton at the same time, mr cameron and neil perry were at welton at the same time, but according to the annuals, mr dalton and neil perry weren't at welton at the same time, and mr anderson and mr dalton weren't at welton at the same time

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"forget this, i'm just gonna ask my dad"

"look, i don't think that's a good idea"

"why not?" amelia asks

"well, your dad seemed kinda broken up when i asked about neil"

amelia stares daggers at stephanie

she thinks about her father curled up on the floor of their living room, barely able to cry anymore

she thinks about her father being unable to get out of bed

she thinks about her father leaning over her mother's body dying body saying "you'll be okay, honey, you'll be fine"

"you don't know what my dad is like when he's broken up"

amelia marches down to her dad's apartment, stephanie trailing

"just stay out of sight, take notes or something"

stephanie stays behind a wall where mr anderson couldn't see her when amelia knocks

when her dad opens the door, she sees he's in his pajamas even though it's five in the afternoon, his eyes are swollen and red, and his glasses are off

"dad, have you been crying?"

"i... um..."

amelia sits her dad on the bed "what's going on?"

"nothing... i'm just..."

"is this about neil?"

he doesn't answer

"were you two close?"

stephanie doesn't know, but todd nods

"do you want talk about it?"

it's quiet again

"amelia, i just want you to know... i love you so much, it aches"

"yeah, i know"

"and i couldn't live with myself if you thought otherwise"

"trust me, i know"

"amelia, i'm serious"

"..."

"..."

"what happened to neil perry, dad?"

... well, you know what he says

amelia comes around the corner where stephanie is, eyes wide, stepping as though on a tightrope

step...step...step

she walks past stephanie...step...step...step...

once she knows her dad can't see her, she throws up onto the lawn

stephanie pulls her hair out of her face and rubs her back

amelia is typically good at keeping her Bad Emotions to herself, but the knowledge of a student's suicide, even from thirty years ago, crashed onto her with an insufferable weight

"he was just a kid, steph! he was just a kid!"

amelia and stephanie don't go to dinner that evening

they lay on the wooden floor of their dorm together in silence

stephanie wants to hug amelia

amelia wants stephanie to hug her

but neither move

and neither get what they want

"i think i would be messed up thirty years on if you killed yourself" stephanie whispers eventually

"luckily i have no plans to do so," amelia says

"neither do i"

"good... i don't think i can take another heartbreak"

they sleep on the floor

amelia dreams of neil's smile

stephanie dreams of neil sobbing in her lap

they still don't know why mr dalton wasn't in the annual

~

wow!!! wtf

i know this is kind of a crappy place to leave it, but i'm currently on a break, so i might not post for like a week as i'm w family

taglist!!! (please lmk if you want to be added or removed)

@chloe-octavia

@aedan-mills

@regina-della-poesia

@justarandompjofan

@sapphicnoel

@iguanamuppet

@maisietheweltoncow

@finding-an-angle

@srj901

#dps 2: electric boogaloo #dead poets society #tw suicide #tw vomit #sorry that was so sad wtf #honestly if you hate me i get it

[squish--squash]

I Had Too Much Free Time on My Hands, So I Did Something...

I was getting bored with definitely too much free time on my hands, and instead of doing something productive I instead just created an "experiment" if you'll call that. Basically, I wanted to test a couple of claims regarding the thumbnails of Dream's videos, which are:

One of Dream's friends are in more of his thumbnails than himself

George has appeared in a thumbnail but has NOT been in the video himself

couple other stuff for fun really, like how many times x friend has been in a thumbnail

And so... I opened up a spreadsheet on Google, and set off to work.

Before I show off my "data", I wanted to lay down my ground rules for what I counted as being in the thumbnail, and here they are:

In order to be in the thumbnail, someone's Minecraft player model has to be seen (and in George's case, this extends to his face irl)

In order to be counted as featured in the video, this can be either by being physically present in the video by hearing them talk, or having clips used by that person

And so here is my "data", split into smaller sections so I can commentate:

Here are the first 30 videos, along with a key at the top left. "x" means that the person is in the thumbnail, but isn't technically considered to be in the video set by my guidelines above; "xx" means that the person is in the thumbnail and is also in the the video. The category "None or other" extends to the videos that show neither Dream or any of the friends listed, and/or videos that show other people such as PewDiePie but nobody else

What is interesting is the fact that the first friends that are shown in one of Dream's thumbnails were Bad, Skeppy, and Techno in his first Minecraft Unsolved Mysteries video. What's also interesting is the fact that George, Sapnap, and Antfrost were debutted in the same video, the "last to leave the circle" challenge video. I also find it funny that it took 19 videos for Dream to finally show his skin in a thumbnail, and the first time you see it, it's only his arm because he's in first-person!

Anyways, onto the second section:

now this one is pretty.... interesting.

First, there are two videos in this that have someone in the thumbnail, but not in the video; and that someone is George.

The first one is the second video with the increasing speed challenge that Dream and Sapnap did. George was supposed to join them, but fell too ill to record, so he didn't play and didn't talk much. I put him down as "in" the video for the first part because he does say hi in the beginning of the video, but the second? I couldn't hear him at all, so he's technically not counted as being in the second part; I imagine he might've left them to rest.

The second one is a coded video featuring a fake 1.16 nether update that only has Dream in the video, but has George in the thumbnail and description. This was probably because George helped a lot with coding the fake update.

Moving on, you can also see some text in another one of George's boxes. This was in the blizzard video, where it looks like you can barely see George's skin in the background, as shown below:

While I'm counting this, you can of course choose to omit this judgement if you think otherwise, just make sure you follow that decision later on.

The final observation of this section is the fact that the first video that has Dream in the thumbnail with another person is in the first manhunt video, and that other person was unsurprisingly George! I just thought that was pretty neat (Also, the first video that depicts the Dream Team in the thumbnail is right below it!)

Here's the third, now:

Now, I like this one a lot, because a lot is seeming to happen. For the first time, the "None or other" category isn't the majority! The majority this time seems to be Dream this time, with George a close second. This is also where the 2v1 and 3v1 manhunts started, so we're also beginning to see Sapnap and Bad reappear in thumbnails. Also, Karl makes his debut, and Techno reappears for a second time (at the very bottom, sorry I cropped a tiny bit of it)!

Moving on, here's the final section:

Here is the final batch of videos, along with the final counts of how many times each have appeared in a thumbnail. As you can see, the majority this time looks to be split between Dream, George, Sapnap, and Bad because of the manhunts. Also, Ant makes a reappearance, and Sam makes his debut!

Also, the reason I didn't count Dream in the survivor vs 3 hitmen video was that you can't see physically see his skin, you only see an outline from behind some dirt. Due to my guidelines, this technically makes him not in the thumbnail, despite it being obvious that it's supposed to be him. You can also omit this judgement and add another tally for him if you disagree tho

Anyways, looking at the final results and..... I'm not surprised that George comes in first place. If you can't see it well, here are the ranks from most frequent to least frequent: George, Dream, None or other, Sapnap, Bad, Ant, Techno/Skeppy, and finally Sam/Karl

Anyways, coming back to my "hypotheses": what are the answers? Well, here they are:

One of Dream's friends are in more of his thumbnails than himself This has been proven to be true, as George appears 3 more times than Dream (If you omitted the blizzard video of having George and added Dream being in the second hitmen video, then there is only a single video difference between them 0-0)

George has appeared in a thumbnail but has NOT been in the video himself This is also true! and if you go by my guidelines, then it's actually happened twice!

Anyways, I had fun doing this, hope this got a laugh out of someone.

Also, this wasn't meant to be serious, so if you disagree or think something's off, I don't mind you doing your own "study" and adding on.

Anyways, here are some bonus "facts" to end this:

George and Sapnap were in a thumbnail together before Dream was in one with either of them, and that video also featured their old skins so many don't even recognize them until they click on the video

The most amount of people featured in a thumbnail from Dream has been the most recent manhunt with 6 people

The only two people to have been shown alone in a thumbnail have been Dream and George; everyone else has been with at least one other person in every thumbnail they're in

I'm still laughing over the fact George really does appear in more thumbnails than Dream on his own channel, man's down that bad huh? /j

#long post #mcyt #dreamwastaken #georgenotfound #dare I tag it? I dare #dreamnotfound #< implied #sapnap #dreamteam #dream team #dteam

[solesurvivorpaigeargot]

HOLY HELLO Sketchy friends, followers, and fans! It's that time again, time for...

SHIPPY SATURDAY!

The heck is happening here? Here's an FAQ~ Wanna support the event? Here's my Ko-fi!

That's right, it's FINALLY the last Saturday of the month... and I've decided it's high time our Quotable prompt evolved into a Dialog prompt! This is gonna work a lot like previous Quote prompts, but with an extra twist, so please make sure you read the guidelines for a valid request before sending in!

ONWARDS!

To make a VALID Shippy Saturday request, please send me the following in an ASK to my ASKBOX:

The COUPLE you'd like me to sketch up ---- OC? Heck yes! Canon? Hell yeah! All characters welcome, so long as they're from Fallout ---- OC x OC? Cool! Canon x Canon? SWEET! OC x Canon? DAMN RIGHT.

The NUMBER of the dialog snippet you'd like me to art them saying ---- Got more than one favorite? You may list up to THREE in your ask, in order of preference, to help the artist avoid repeats <3 ---- Still can't pick? Send in 'Dealer's Choice!' and the artist will pick one for you.... oooor possibly make up some fresh dialog on the spot ;3

What KIND OF RELATIONSHIP your couple has with each other ---- Romantic? Platonic? Professional? Familial? Rivals? Neighbors? Despite it's name, Shippy Saturday is about all kinds of human connections, not just the romantic ones! ---- Is your couple part of a larger OT3 or poly group? Tell me who else is part of the relationship; they probably won't get arted, but they might add their two cents to the scene from off-frame XD

IF YOU'RE SENDING IN AN OC!! ---- Send your request ask FIRST, without reference information ---- THEN send your OC's reference information to me via my Tumblr IM ---- Don't have any reference pictures, but you can type of a written description? Great! I love working from written descriptions! :D [ No, really, I do. Give them to me :D ]

After that, you can leave all the rest to me! :D [ I.e Please do not request poses or specific actions ]

Hokay? HOKAY! With all of that out of the way, let's get onto the dialog snippets! These are taken from various things I enjoy, as well as some of my own work. These quotes have been modified to gender neutral pronouns, to remove most proper nouns, and for brevity.

[ Some of these quotes have multiple speakers! That will be shown like this! "Speaker A" -- "Speaker B" ]

"Yeah, well, I'm a victim of circumstance" -- "... I thought you called it your pecker."

"Here, you look cold."

"You are so lucky I love you." -- "Damn right."

"You know the routine." -- "Yeah! WE do all the work, YOU get all the credit!"

"I want you with me, but... I'm scared." -- "Trust me. Trust me to take care of myself." -- "I trust you, it's the rest of the world I'm terrified of!"

"No breakfast?" -- "I did it yesterday-- bologna and beans, it's your turn." -- "No... It was eggs. I did eggs... over easy." -- "The hell you did! Bologna and beans, it's your turn!"

"I like the kind of person who can handle themselves... think on their feet."

"So you were ahead of me." -- "I don't know about ahead, but I've been behind you ever since you fried those mannequins."

"Don't make me say it out loud..." -- "... I can say it first, if that'll help."

"Nooooooope... five more minutes." -- "We were together all night." -- "Didn't count... I was sleepin'."

"Well, this is very serious" -- "IT IS!" -- "You, you destroyed a door." -- "Colonel, we're talking about a test on an armored vehicle, that will carry people into combat." -- "Right, but this door is property of--" -- "The shell barely penetrated the door." -- "okay, but now it's all bent out of shape. How are you gonna get it back on its hinges?" -- "I'LL BUY THE ARMY A NEW GODDAMN DOOR!"

"Sorry, I thought... I thought you were trying to buy something I'm not selling."

"I'm busy." -- "Too busy to look up?"

"You can't kill people just because you don't agree with them." -- "You see, that was the ONE point me and the doctors could never agree upon."

"Would you ever consider having a drink with an enlisted solider?" -- "Depends... does the enlisted soldier think I need one?" -- "What are they gonna do? Kick you out?"

"Thanks" -- "No problem, anytime."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up-- one day it's gonna happen to you. Someday someone is gonna ask you, who is it? And a face is gonna jump to the front of your mind, and it's gonna completely sandbag you... I can't wait to watch!"

[to a peacefully sleeping person ] -- "Good moring, Mx. ___, this is your wake-up call. Please move your ass."

"I say we run for it" -- "Running isn't a plan, runnin's what you do when a plan fails!"

"... Normal Illinois, is that on the map?" -- "Yes, Sergeant, it is." -- "... is it normal in Normal?" -- "... Uneventful, I think, is the word."

"Now-- how many brahmin does it take to make a stampede? Is it like... three or more? Is there a minimum speed?" -- "Wish a stampede up your ass."

"I don't mind being a secret of yours."

[Right after THE BIG FUCKING KISS] ".... let's not make it a year before the next one, okay?"

"If we were serious about money, we'd quit being hired hands--" -- "Handymen! We are han-dee-men." -- "Oh whatever! We'd quit this and go find some real money."

"Please... don't go where I can't follow."

"Alone is fine! I can do alone, it's worrying after them that's got me all wound up!" -- "Have you considered that's because alone is NOT FINE and you don't wanna do it anymore?" -- "---!!"

"This is not the first time you've been here." -- "We've been down this road before, that is correct." -- "Several times, in fact." -- "I hadn't been keeping count."

"And you must be ___, I've heard all about you." -- "I deny everything."

"First time I saw you? I thought to myself, that's the kind of person BRICK WALLS jump outta the way of." -- "Figured you'd be safer behind me rather than in front of me?" -- "Damn right."

"Just keep looking at that beautiful sky; that's the sky that'll be over our roof when we're done." -- "What if we don't finish the roof? Then we can look at the sky all the time."

"Yeah, well... maybe a friend is what I need right now."

"Next thing you know the Feds will be at our door; Sorry, time to move out, Eminent Domain." -- "Down honey, down."

"Even a heat-seeking missile can miss a target." -- "... you taped so many hot-plates to the test target you could fry an egg at 20 feet, and it STILL missed by a mile."

"My dear, my darling, love of my life...." -- "What do you want?"

"What I mean to say is... you make here a better place to be. For me. Easier. Does that make sense?"

"Calm down, you make it sound like a war." -- "What do you people have against being prepared?!"

"This is not just a report, it's a deadly weapon." -- "Sir, an M-16 is a deadly weapon. A report is just a pile of paper, unless you plan to inflict a lot of extremely vicious paper cuts."

"Stupid son of a bitch, knocked himself out cold..." -- "Cold my ass, he's dead."

"Y'know, in baseball, a guy who hits .400 is consider pretty damn great." -- "In baseball the losing team isn't killed by their opponents."

"Hey... I love you. Did I tell you that today?"

This post is going online at 8 PM, June 24th, 2021, US Pacific time. The askbox will open for requests until 6 PM, June 25th, 2021, US Pacific Time. Get yours in now!

Arting will begin at 9 AM tomorrow morning, see you then! :D

-Loor

#Sketchy Saturday #Sketchy Saturday Prompt #Shippy Saturday #Shippy Saturday Prompt #Dialog Prompt

[chaos-is-beautifvl]

Broken

Chapter II: Crocodile Tears

previous | next

↳ series masterlist | criminal minds masterlist

warnings: let me know if i missed any ; cops, police stations, interrogation rooms, mentions of anxiety, panic, and murder

word count: 1072

She was sitting on her old wooden stool, back hunching slightly as she leaned forward to add the tiny details to her painting. She leaned back, a smile coming across her face as she inspected the artwork. It was nowhere near done, but she was still proud of the portion she had completed.

She stood up and walked into the kitchen to wash her paint-stained hands in the sink. As she was washing them, a knock came at her door. She yelled out a 'just a second' before quickly finding a towel laying around and wiping her hands off as she made her way to her door.

She peered into the peephole of her door, which gave her the view of her apartment complex's hallway. Not knowing who the person at the door was, she didn't unlock or open the door. She had watched way too many horror movies to know that you don't just open your door for a random stranger.

"Police! Open up!" the voice out in the hall said. The girl raised an eyebrow, confused as to why the police would be at her door. 'Maybe they need help with a case or something,' she thought as she started to unlock the door. Little did she know, they weren't there to ask for her help, rather accuse her of committing said crimes.

She opened the door to see two police officers instead of just one. She assumed the other had joined when she stepped away from the door.

She smiled politely at the two men, "Hello, officers. What can I do for you?"

One of the men spoke, his voice gruff, "Are you Y/N L/N?"

The girl nodded and was about to ask what they were there for when she was interrupted. The man who spoke stepped forward, turning her around and putting her arms behind her back. Panic washed over when cold, metal cuffs clung to her wrists, even more so as the officers escorted her out the safety of her apartment and into the back of a police car.

She was replaying the events of today in her head as she sat at the table. At some point, in between the agents coming in and leaving, her wrists went numb, so she no longer felt the irritation of the metal digging into her skin. It was the only good thing that'd come from her sitting there.

When the door opened again, she popped her head up a little to see who it was. Agent Jareau, from earlier, came in with a cup of water and a somewhat thick file in hand. She set the file and the cup down to remove those wretched handcuffs.

The girl sighed in relief, slowly rotating and massaging her wrists to get the blood flow going again. When the woman carefully slid the water over to her, the girl was ready to gulp it down but wasn't sure if she should, so she just looked to the blonde.

The woman nodded her head, a small smile on her face. With that, the girl lifted the paper cup to her lips and took a long drink. Her throat was no longer dry like the Sahara desert from the anxiety and stress of her current situation.

She then set the cup down and sat up a little straighter before turning to the woman, who was now sitting in the chair across her.

"I'm not really- uh, sure why I'm here," the girl started, trying to keep her voice steady. "I've never killed anybody, and I certainly haven't been an accomplice."

The blonde, blue-eyed woman sat forward in her chair, arms perched onto the table. She sighed before opening the file to the right of her. She looked at the girl as she pushed the manila folder over to her. The girl gave her a confused look before peering down at the contents.

Her face contorted into one of shock, panic, and confusion. Are these real people...? It seemed as though every person inside the manila folder was killed using different methods, each one as gruesome as the one before.

She looked up to the woman as she tore her eyes away from the people. The pictures having shown them before and after their murders. They all looked so happy, but their fate was grim. Something about them seemed oddly familiar to the girl. Her voice shook as she spoke, "You think I did this?"

"There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that led us to you." The girl's face dropped. What evidence could they possibly have on me?

"Listen, Agent Jareau," the agent nodded her head for the girl to continue, "While what happened is truly terrible, I had nothing to do with it."

"Well, you see, the problem is that you have interacted with all of these people. Either through your work or by simple passing." The girl looked back down at the faces, and a small gasp left her mouth when the realization hit her. She had interacted with these people. Some were regulars at the book cafe she worked at, and some had contracted her to do artwork for them.

The girl shook her head, a hand rising to her mouth when the imagery of those people murdered entered her mind. Tears filled her eyes, not in remorse but shock and fear. What in the hell going on? And why do they think I'm involved?

She cleared her throat, correcting her posture, "I didn't do this, but I would like to get a lawyer." She spoke meekly, afraid that if she spoke any louder, she would crumble.

The agent nodded and picked up the case file. Before she walked out of the room, she turned to look at the visibly frightened suspect, who had a stray tear rolling down her cheek.

The only things that came to the agent's mind were: Is she crying because she feels remorse? Or is it because she got caught? Or could it possibly be that she had nothing to do with this and was crying because she was scared? Or could her crying be all a part of her act?

The agent wasn't sure. She closed the door behind her and stepped into the conference room where her team was waiting. The same team who had just so happened to see the entire interaction from a small camera in the corner of the room.

a/n: how are you guys liking it so far? if you would like to be tagged, just let me know. also, requests for the cm characters are open. i predominately write for spencer, but i'm willing to write for the others. guidelines are in pinned post!

#third chapter out friday #broken series #my writing #chaos-is-beautifvl #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid series #spencer reid x y/n #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds fanfiction #spencer reid imagine

[silvanable]

I hope your requests are open! I didn't see a post whether they were or not 😅 but I was curious if I could request Theo, Arthur, Comte, Napoleon and Leo with M/C that has crazy amounts of tattoos? I'm working on my 2nd sleeve right now and my back piece is almost done! I feel like tattoos like that are totally unheard of in their time lmao thank you in advance!! 🕸

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦

congrats on almost finishing your second back piece! honestly i adore people who get tattoos ( i’m terrified of needles so for bravery ) and the fact that the designs can get so intricate.

i especially love this request because you’re right, it is unheard of! so i’m here to supply the demands.

i actually did do a bit of research on tattoos and as mentioned in comte’s part, up until about the 1970s they were only evident in tribal cultures ( symbolism mostly ). they became popular in the 70s and more widespread!

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦

↪  GUIDELINES

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦

ー ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

would marvel at a s/o who’s skin is marked over with ink.

he would certainly be intrigued, calling it a mystery of it’s own.

arthur would find it intriguing.

he would want to understand how the ink from a tattoo is different from the ink one might use will a quill or pen.

not to mention the fact that it does not smear off is impressive.

tattoos are uncommon ( read: really don’t exist ) in the 17th century beyond those that serve the purpose of tribal or cultural means.

but still that is uncommon to come across and those who are aware of tattoos would associate them with “heathens” and “uncultured”.

there would be an interrogation lots of questions about the process, the details, etc.

even if his s/o isn’t all that great at describing the process and answering his questions he still gathers the general idea.

feel like he would have the most reaction to learning the ink is placed in the skin by repetitive needle pricks.

it leaves that question, that is most certainly voiced, whether it is painful and how someone could sit still like that.

and if the tattoos happen to hold various meanings or value to his s/o, expect to be bombarded because he will want to know each story behind them.

he would definitely trail his fingers over them. tracing the outlines of each design.

expect lots of endearing and flattering comments. he has to make it known how much he adores his s/o’s skin and masterpieces.

ー COMTE DE SAINT GERMAIN

it’s not that big of a shock for comte.

after all the man is a time traveling, immortal vampire.

he’s been to the 21st centuries where tattoos were fairly popular ( specifically after 1970 ).

plus tattoos were a great deal in many ancient civilizations and cultures.

so having a s/o with a lot of tattoos would not faze him.

on the other hand, he would be very curious about their tattoos, as he knows sometimes they have special meanings.

he is respectful about it, when he asks his s/o about their tattoos.

will marvel time to time when having tea with his s/o.

he will not stare though. it’s rude and he is a gentleman.

would have the most knowledge of how s/o got their tattoos.

but still would ask questions when appropriate about the process.

his touches are very ginger when running over s/o’s tattoos.

mostly slow and calm as he admires and follows the detail.

personally see him as having a bit of a protective streak with a s/o with tattoos.

on one hand would absolutely love to give his s/o clothing that would show off the art that decorates their skin.

but also this is 17th century paris.

soooooo the other hand would be him trying to make sure his s/o was well covered so no one would give them grief about their tattoos not that he would let anyone though.

ー LEONARDO DA VINCI

this man is also an immortal vampire.

so while it would be something intriguing, i don’t think having a s/o with lots of tattoos would totally shock him.

i believe he’s aware of the door and its purpose throughout the different time lines and if i’m wrong oops.

now that’s not to say he would not be surprised when first seeing them.but he would.

especially because tattoos were a very cultural things.

but also it was seen as savage so that would raise some questions.

it’s just something so strange and he’s never seen it before.

will probably be the most forward in touching his s/o’s tattoos.

he’s gentle with his touch in case it might hurt them, but it would be a genuine curiosity of how their skin would feel.

is quite surprised to find that beyond the appearance, nothing seems different about s/o’s skin.

the most forward with questions.

he knows his s/o comes from the 21st century and things are different but it’s still a wonder.

may or may not have a few sketches of his s/o particularly to capture the designs on their body.

if s/o has a lot of tattoos, specifically normally hidden ones you can bet your sweet butts he would have his s/o show him.

absolutely would get his s/o to pose nude just to capture the perfection they are, a masterpiece of a masterpiece.

ー NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

i’m going to say that napoleon is probably not all that fazed by a tattoo (or many) on his s/o either.

this man was an emperor and if we’re talking historically he did traverse and dominant many lands with varying and exotic cultures to the one he came from.

but it would certainly be something that he’s curious and maybe a little wary of.

probably would not touch them, at all, and avoid placing his hands on his s/o where their tattoos are.

it’s not that he’s being rude but he’s uncertain of what might happen if he touches them.

personally believe he would view them like scars or live wounds, which is why he’s afraid to touch them lest he hurt his s/o.

or that it might even be a cultural thing from the future and touching them might be rude.

his s/o would have to explain to him when he eventually asks about them only after his s/o questions why he seems so scared of them.

explaining that they aren’t anything that hurts them is one thing but explaining how they came to be on their skin is another.

napoleon is rather calm, there’s only ever the brief flicker of concern his s/o picks up in his face as they explain.

he’s cautious at first, when finally touching the decorated skin of his s/o.

eventually he doesn’t hesitate and grows to quite admire them.

when his s/o is sleeping in his arms he will trail his fingers over them ever so lightly so he doesn’t wake them.

ー THEODORUS VAN GOGH

he’s an art dealer and i’m saying it now, tattoos intrigue him because of the artistic factor.

really tattoos are art and the medium is needles, ink, and skin for canvas.

honestly theo is most likely to glaze over the fact that the tattoos are permanent.

why? well because the first time he sees them on his s/o he assumes that his s/o was drawing on themself.

it isn’t until later when he sees s/o with the same drawings every day does he bring it up.

so has to explain that they aren’t ordinary drawings and are actually embedded their skin.

that surprises him.

theo is a gruff guy but as he has a passion for his brother’s work i feel it would be all art in general.

the tattoos would be a surprise but i also see him wanting to understand how they’re made, considering he’s never seen such a thing before.

there are questions. lots of them.

but all of the things he asks are professional. revolving around techniques, properties, and they get more in depth the more his s/o explains.

having a s/o with inked skin would be something he might secretly take great pride in, because essentially s/o is a walking masterpiece.

it would not be uncommon for his s/o to catch him staring.

not that he’s being rude but whenever they’re around theo finds himself mapping the exposed art on their body.

he just likes to admire them okay.

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#Ikemen Vampire #ikemen series #IkeVamp #ikevamp arthur #Arthur Conan Doyle #ikevamp comte #comte de saint germain #ikevamp leonardo #leonardo da vinci #ikevamp napoleon #napoleon bonaparte #ikevamp theo #Theodorus van Gogh #ikemen vampire headcanon #ikemen vampire headcanons #ikevamp headcanon #headcanons

[lilmissbacon]

Adding Characters to the Big Four (RotBTD)

I've already made a post about just "How the Big Four Work so well (discussion)" which talks about their personalities are and what their stories have in common, as well as what criteria they follow.

So if you want to understand exactly what I'm talking about I'd recommend you read this first:

Now I'm gonna go into what characters would fit and why. So if you want to add other movies to this world, I would recommend Moana, Epic, The Croods or maybe even Hotel Transylvania and here's why:

Moana – Begins with narration but ends with a song. Although it's a song that sums up what Moana had learned and what her people have now become. So it is, its own form of narration. She also goes through the journey of finding herself by becoming a wayfinder like her ancestors.

Moana definitely adds to the groups resources with being friends with the ocean, knowing about the realm of monsters and being friends with Maui & Te Fiti. She would definitely get along great with the big four friend dynamic in many ways.

Hiccup: through their ability to lead and quick thinking. They also both understand what it's like to grow up on an island with their fathers being the leader who expects certain things from them.

Rapunzel: because they understand going against a parent's wishes and working to make their dreams/wishes come true. They also have the same type of bubbly personality and would converse well.

Jack: they both understand what if feels like to be chosen for something they feel they're not ready for and what it feels like to be an outsider from the people around them.

Merida: their tough and somewhat playful nature as well as their diplomacy skills match each other so well. They'd definitely be the closest of the group because of their strong personalities.

Out of a friend group consisting of: the girly-girl, a troublemaker a nerd and a tomboy, she fits into the literary dynamic through being the 'athlete.' In battle, consisting of: a leader/strategist, a healer, a sniper(bow and arrow) and a speed fighter, Moana fits in as the 'close combatant' in battle.

The magic also can still follow the guidelines of rotg. They speak about Gods but what if there really aren't any? The only 'God' we see is Te Fiti, who is the bringer of life. Or in other words; Mother Nature. The God that had raised Maui could've actually been the man in the moon and that would be how Maui was given magic and doesn't age. He goes around, calling himself a demigod but in reality, he's a spirit. And of course he's able to be seen since everyone on Motunui believes in the demi/gods.

Seasonally, Moana would most obviously be put in summer. But there are a lot of people who feel that adding more characters to the big four kind of breaks the seasonal aspect and that's fine.

But here me out.

The seasons effect the land on earth but if Moana is a spirit of the ocean, then she's effecting the rest of the earth's surface. The ocean doesn't necessarily have seasons so you don't need to apply one to her in order for her to add to the group. BOOM! Loophole!

I believe she's the BEST additional choice out of them all. Plus she'd definitely be chosen to become a guardian because *cough cough* SHE SAVED THE WORLD FROM DECAY.

Eep – A lot of applications for Moana fit for Eep too. She has narration at the beginning and end of her film. She'd fit in literarily as the 'athlete' and battle-wise as 'close constant/brawler.'

She also kind of has an arc of finding herself by leaving her cave days behind and following the light with her family. And being that she's from the caveman days –a time even before Moana– she could definitely add to the group with her survival skills.

Eep's dynamic with the others would be:

Hiccup: he understands overly strong women and would be able to keep up with her. She also has an innocent side to her and would be enthralled with his inventions. She'd just sit there and watch him work 😆

Rapunzel: being that Eep is getting a new friend in Dawn (who reminds me of Rapunzel) in "The Croods 2," I would imagine Rapunzel would also be intrigued with Eep's scars/adventures and Eep would be more than happy to boast.

Merida: their roughness and competitive nature would make them the best frienemies. They'd be closer than ever but do nothing but wrestle and compete.

Jack: like how Eep would boast with Rapunzel, Jack would boast with Eep. She would be in love with Jack's magic and he'd be more than happy to show off.

There really isn't a magical aspect to compare with rotg so the world can still fit into the dynamic here.

Eep is witty, optimistic, energetic, speaks without thinking and fails to plan ahead a lot. Therefore, as a seasonal spirit, Eep would bring spring.

MK – Begins with narration but doesn't really have any at the end. She can add to the groups resources by knowing about the leafmen and the whole mini society, of course.

The magic also stays in line with rotg and it probably helps that the creator of Epic was also the author of the Guardians of Childhood books that inspired rotg. The moon is what blooms the pod, so it's possibly the man in the moon passing his magic into the pod so it gives the next queen her powers.

In the literary dynamic, MK would be the 'city girl' friend-wise and the 'reanforcement' fight-wise. Getting along with the rest would be:

Hiccup: she would be a sense of familiarity with MK's dad being a scientist and Nod's sarcastic nature. Hiccup would also be very intrigued to learn more about the Moonhaven kingdom.

Merida: their stubbornness and being able to understand having a parent that doesn't listen.

Rapunzel: their (new) love for nature and exploring. As well as being able to understand the pain of losing a loved one.

Jack: understanding the feeling of being invisible to the people around you. MK definitely felt this way after her mom died and when her dad wasn't listening. She mentioned how she felt alone to Ronan when he brought up the "many leaves, one tree," line.

I believe she could've been chosen to become a guardian because she did save an entire society and forest. Seasonally, I believe MK would be made into a fall spirit. There are certain places that relate to or even represent the seasons. When you think of Fall, you think of trees. Spring relates to a field/garden, summer relates to a beach and winter relates to just about everything being in snow, but usually frozen bodies of water. She's also very dependable, willing to work, disagreeable and easily irritated. All traits that relate to Autumn.

Mavis – Probably the least workable candidate. There really isn't any narration in this movie and she also doesn't really "find herself" either so her movie criteria don't really work here.

But her character criteria still does. The magic still fits because we know that spirits are created by the man in the moon. If we go by the GoC books, the mim is alien magic. But who's to say that earth didn't have its own magic in the form of monsters (which can also fit for the realm of monsters from Moana.) So the magical dynamic still works.

She could also add to the group by knowing about monsters as well as being a vampire herself. She could turn into a bat or travel as smoke to sneak around places to find information if need be.

She'd fit in literarily as the 'gothic (not so much as personality but by style)' friend-wise and the 'sneak attacker' fight-wise. Getting along with the rest would be:

Jack: there are many takes on the Jack Frost myth and in a few of those takes, he's a monster. The reason for this could be because Jack has come across Hotel Transylvania and the monsters could see him (not being human and all) and he befriended Mavis, knowing she was lonely. They have the same type of fun personality and are both great with balancing tricks. I can imagine Jack getting Mavis into trouble through pranking the hotel guests.

Rapunzel: they'd both be able to understand being locked up in some way by a parent and wanting to travel the world. They both also have naiveties about the real world and would be learning things for the first time together.

Merida: through their daily activities and love for food. I could imagine them trying each other's scream-cheese and haggis😂 I'd also imagine Merida being the one to help Mavis socially catch up.

Hiccup: much like Eep, she'd be incredibly intrigued by Hiccups inventions. I think she'd even try anything to assist him while he's testing certain things. I can imagine him also being the one to help Mavis socially catch up as well.

She's very curious, friendly, energetic and tender-hearted as well as undecided and talkative. So seasonally, she too, would go to spring. She unfortunately can't go into sunlight but there are plants that actually do better in darkness. That would be where she specializes.

I hope you all like this. I hope you find this whole thing very interesting and informational. If you have any other characters you think could add to the big four, I'd love to hear it.

#the big 4 #the big four #rise of the guardians #rise of the brave tangled dragons #rotbtd #how to train your dragon #httyd #tangled #brave #hotel transylvania #the croods #epic #moana

[rixxy8173571m3w1p3]

The Truths Found On Petram Viridios IV (1/?)

What started out as an idea for a short one shot grew into a multichap that I'm almost done editing. I think 🤔 it'll be either 4 or 5 chapters long depending on how long each chapter will be after I'm done editing. Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy.

In this fic you learn how easily things can change, but how it effects you isn't always a bad thing.

________________

Chapter 1: The Phenomenon

There was little difference to what was happening around you at the moment. There were no little green men, or yellow submarines, neither were there tangelos, or bags of golden rings, but there was a blue-haired man with plenty of dreams. Still, life was swell; summer was around the corner, and you were reading in the garage just to be near Zeta-7; he was working on his latest piece of tech, and you were distracted by his charming quirks and ticks. If you hadn't known any better, you'd say it was business as usual. Yet, it was because you had been acquainted with Rick that the previous blindspots of your world were made known to you; conscious of the rare events which were going to take place in another quadrant of space.

A phenomenon was going to occur; one which would not happen again for another 1000 years; the blooming of the Milleannos flower. Legends say that those who touch its pollen might live forever, and those who smell its perfume might be cured of all that ails them, but those claims were supposedly unsubstantiated. There was to be a gala to celebrate the occasion; all in attendance were respectable, distinguished guests and because of Rick, you were also invited, but there were rules; strict guidelines which were to be obeyed unless you wished to throw away your life. And although you weren't happy about them, you were willing to abide by them for Rick's sake. However, there were a few things you didn't understand. "Rick, why won't we be allowed to dance together?"

His hands paused their activity, and his body sagged a little; dreading the reminder not because he's informed you already, but because it pained him to remind himself that he couldn't spend a once in a lifetime occasion with you. "B-because according to the laws of Petram Viridios IV, you are assigned a um - a party companion which is determined according to the alignment of your spine, carbon dioxide levels, as well as daily water intake. And due to the variety of guests, everyone must stand at least six feet apart to avoid air poisoning. However, if given an a-air helmet in order to assist with breathing, then I believe that the last rule isn't as severe. It's - there is a-a lot to remember."

Currently, he was piecing together the circuits and connecting the wires which would power his reflective shield. It was going to be worn under his dress shirt and would be undetectable under their scanners; as a precaution of course. "Ricky, you know I barely drink water." You weren't a fan of water, but you enjoyed flavored beverages and if you did drink water, it was always carbonated first. "I mean, I can get past the distance thing, but what am I supposed to do if I'm assigned to someone I don't like, and have to spend hours being bored and jealous that you're next to gorgeous, realistic fembots from Westworld?"

Unlike you, Zeta-7 drank so much water, you wondered how he wasn't rushing to the bathroom every five minutes. The only other people who drank that much water were beauty gurus who wanted to keep their skin in tip-top shape; you could really try harder if you wanted to. Good naturedly, he answered. "Gosh, y-you don't have to worry about that. I know a fembot when I-I see one."

You raised a brow at this, but seeing as he meant it literally, you listened on. "No s-siree, I won't be assigned a party companion because I'm going t-t-to be assisting the king in protecting their sacred relic."

How Rick became designated to assist with such a task was beyond you, but there seemed to be a glimmer of slight pride in the fact that he'd be so lucky and privileged as to be near the legendary flower, as well as to the beings who revered it. He was determined to find out the truth behind its properties, and if his hypothesis proved true, then he had a plan. You enjoyed when he was diverted with schemes; not the kind which was evil in nature, but the ones which could end happily or inconclusively. Anyway, you two were discussing how to go about it all.

The discussion had gaps of pause where he'd need to concentrate on bits of wiring that needed to be soldered or bent. Without distraction, you were more aware that it was humid, especially with the garage door being fully open for proper ventilation; bits of your hair stuck to your face and to the back of your neck despite how you'd try to tie it. As annoying as it was, it did have its draw; every so often, you'd catch Rick staring and you'd feel a thrill for it could be a year or ten years, but his shy tendencies would never stop being endearing; why he felt the need to reign himself when you were cool with him checking you out was something you hoped he'd someday become more comfortable with, but for now you'd simply giggle and wink at him to let him know you knew. He did his best to focus on the task at hand, but it wasn't going as well as he had hoped for it happened more than once that you'd have to hand him a tool he was blindly reaching out for. "You wouldn't happen to know who my party companion is," you inquired, as you were tying your hair up for the umpteenth time. "do you? And if you do, can't you change them?"

Giving you that look which always preceded his speeches of why he couldn't do that random illegal thing, he explained with kindly patience. "I could change th-the records, and assign you to someone I know, but that wouldn't be legal."

"I know."

"However," he brightened as he paused his work to face you fully. "I do have a copy of the guest list. Give me a-a moment to pull it up on my computer. Hmm," he wondered more to himself then out loud. "that's odd."

"What is it?"

Drumming his fingertips on his workbench, he double-checked his calculations, then went over and wrote it all out on a chalkboard to be sure. Tapping the freshly used chalk tip to his chin in thought, leaving a little powder on his face, he nodded when it seemed satisfactory. "According to um - to my calculations, it's possible that it's either the Salamandrian chemist, V'gha Khadaka or the Chordatan Knight, Noathamas."

"Is there a correlation between the two?"

"Other than their similar water intake levels, they both enjoy their privacy. However, I'm a-a little stumped as to how it might be possible to be assigned to them both. None of your occupations are similar, neither is there a species similarity, but I'm sure I'll figure it out before the event."

Great, just great. That sort of information wasn't all that helpful, but you pressed a kiss to his cheek to ease the worry which he had been hiding. You wondered if it was too late to back out, but for the most part you were determined to be there for him, even if it meant odd company. "Alright. Um… is there something I should keep in mind before I go dress shopping?"

A quick glance at your current outfit made him smile. You were wearing an old band tee and jeans with so many patches, that they were more patch then jean. "I-I don't think so. Almost anything is fine. Though, y-you might want to avoid plant-based materials in favor of synthetics just in case."

"Okay, I think I can do that, but don't be surprised if I look like I just walked out of a 1980s prom. I'll have you know that being slightly flammable is a dream of mine."

He chuckled at that and patted your shoulder. "Hohoho, I'm sure it'll be fine. You - you always look pretty in whatever you wear."

"If you mean that I'll be so fine, that I'll light up the room with my razzle-dazzle, then you better watch out. You never know who'll be charmed without my knowing."

Now, there had been little to no weight to your phrasing just now, but he felt differently. Giving your shoulders a squeeze, there was a distant, far off look in his eyes that you could only recall from specific occasions. It was a mix of longing, sadness, and regret, but you couldn't pin it on what exactly. It was as though he were trying to convey by sight that there was something he ought to do, that he ought to say, but as quickly as it had appeared, it left and was replaced by acceptance. He pulled away and returned to his previous task while you used a spare computer to begin the search for the perfect dress. He said it'll be fine, and you certainly hoped so.

____________

Adjustments in gravity made you feel as though you could jump in and out of craters as though you were wearing moon shoes; that is until you stepped onto a ship or station, then you felt as though you had fifty pounds tied to each foot. You were grateful for the terrain stabilizers that Rick placed in your flats a few adventures ago, otherwise, you would've already been worn out.

You two arrived a few minutes apart by way of the designated ship which held a variety of guests. To explain, the ship itself was a marvel and a work of beauty as far as intergalactic travel was concerned; its mechanical parts were held together by a compound whose main ingredient was a type of scarlet amber. Piece by piece, it had been crafted by a mixture of living matter and tech so advanced, that it'd have taken 300 years of Earth-based studies to understand a fraction of how one of its panels could work; probably sooner for someone like Rick.

Your eyes trailed the conduits as you were led through hallways that seemed to spiral and spill into larger hallways with varying temperatures and design and you wondered how it was those conduits crossed over and branched off like veins, but you had no time to find out and didn't feel privileged enough to ask as you were led into a cabin. Multiple voices hushed, but resumed to their usual loudness once you had settled into what appeared to be a loveseat with the coloring and texture of a pumpkin; it was your assigned seating, but it was not as soft as you would have liked.

It wouldn't be till later that you'd find out that Rick had traveled in a cabin on level 4 while you had been on level 2. In your cabin was a being composed of pure energy, with a name not spelled in letters but in frequencies, who was one of the musicians. A few feet away, was V'gha Khaḍaka; he was tall, sure-looking, had smooth, striped skin which glistened, and a tail strong enough to break someone's spine in a blink; the good thing was that he hadn't been trained in combat, but was simply a scientist who enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge. And a few feet away from the Salamandrian chemist was the knight Noathamas; he stood at half your height, but his chest was puffed out in such a way that made him appear larger, while his round amber eyes and curly whiskers gave him a soft, cuddly appearance; you had been warned by Rick that his appearance did not reveal much about his character and to watch out for him.

It was uncommon but not unheard of to be assigned multiple party companies as you had been; you were matched up to both V'gha and Noathamas due to your odd chemical makeup. Who would've thought that drinking a La Croix before leaving home would confuse their scanners? Goodness, you were grateful that it was a quick trip, and when it was time to depart the ship, you were escorted by two guards before you were given a helmet; it was nearly invisible except for its indicator light which was shaped like a flower, and it blended in with your dress; a colorful sequin cocktail dress you found on eBay. Not far from you were both your companions, who gave off the impression that they were your entourage rather than dates for the night. You saw Rick from a distance, and you knew he was trying to play it cool, but his eyes were sparkling with affection, although he knew he was supposed to suppress it due to the strict traditions imposed by the royal family; he looked away as he was escorted by six guards, but part of you wished that he hadn't.

You took a deep breath to calm your giddiness; this wasn't the time to allow your emotions to carry you away and affect the mission which was to get through the evening. V'gha could pick up on your subtle changes in body language, and thanks to a universal translator in your helmet, you could understand him. "From what I understand," he commented with a surprisingly smooth, velvety voice. "he's the smartest man in the universe. Is that true?"

"Maybe," you replied nonchalantly, "but he's more than just a brain. I heard he's a great lover. Not really my type," you lied because Zeta-7 suggested that you keep the details of your relationship with him a secret; again for safety, but you thought boasting up his reputation wouldn't hurt. "though, to each his own."

"Do you know him personally?"

When questions like this were thrown at you, it made you wonder about the curious people who meant it to sound nice, but in actuality wanted to test the waters as to how much can they ask so soon. Glancing at your nails, you feigned disinterest. "I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give out that type of information."

"You two are the only humans here." he stated matter of factly. There were humanoid beings but he was right. "It doesn't take rocket science to figure that much out."

"How would you know," you retorted with an air of certainty. "you're not a rocket scientist."

"You're right, I'm not. However, I do dabble into it from time to time. I'm sure he does too. I can smell the exhaust from here."

Hmm, perhaps this event was going to be more interesting than you thought. You shared a look of understanding with the chemist, and thought that perhaps you wouldn't need to be so wary of him; his charisma gave him a charm you hadn't yet decided if it was welcomed or should be ignored; whether his earlier comment was out of egotism or curiosity. And before you could make a comeback, Noathamas commented. "Shall we find our assigned seating and continue from there?"

"Sounds fine. Why don't you two walk ahead," you suggested with a coolness you didn't know you had. "I'll be sure to follow."

When you were sure that they were far enough, you took out your miniature glass terrarium necklace, which held a shrunken sunflower that had an iridescent shimmer on its petals; the one Rick had given you after a memorable date; it was made to remind you of how he saw you and you were very glad it had gone undetected under the scanners you passed through. And in your mind's eye you could still see the glimmer and shine of his electric blue eyes as he had taken in your appearance this afternoon before you two departed Earth; oh how he had wanted to kiss you and hug you but had refrained from doing so in order to double-check if he had all his supplies. His compliments had been many as he drove into the inky blackness of space, but when he parked at the station which was at the midway point, and you two lined up to board the ship which took you to this strange world, his face became neutral; his job made him good at that. You kissed your lovely necklace, replaced it so that it laid underneath your dress collar, and your heart called out to him in the void which was Petram Viridios IV; hoping you wouldn't have to go the through the evening without seeing your beloved again before you made yourself appear neutral and made sure to stay at least six feet apart from everyone in your midst.

Tbc

#doofus rick #doofus rick x reader #Rick Sanchez x reader #j19ζ7 #j19z7 #rick j19z7 #Rick Sanchez #rick and morty fanfic #rick and morty fanfiction #rnm fanfic #rnm #my fanfiction #My fanfic #My writing #My works #fanfiction #rnm fanfiction

[michaelandy101-blog]

The 'Ethics' You Didn't Know Existed in Design

New Post has been published on http://tiptopreview.com/the-ethics-you-didnt-know-existed-in-design/

The 'Ethics' You Didn't Know Existed in Design

Just the other day, I was Googling something in a rush and came across a blog post that I thought would give me all the information I needed.

But, when I clicked on the page and tried to start reading the post, the entire screen went dark and a giant “Subscribe to our email” CTA popped up — completely interrupting my experience.

I looked around for a “No thanks” button or an “X”, but I almost couldn’t find one. Just before I went to click the back arrow, I noticed a very faint, tiny “X” that was nearly the same color as the CTA background. It was obvious that this site’s designers wanted to trick visitors into signing up for an email list before reading their content.

Not only did this CTA almost backfire by causing me to bounce off the site, but it also made me judge the brand’s morals.

Although some business people might not think a code of ethics matters in design, it does.

In this post, I’ll explain what design ethics is, what guidelines ethical designers might use, and a few tips for avoiding questionable design ethics.

What is Design Ethics?

Using design ethics, often referred to as ethical design, involves producing graphics, web pages websites, and visual aspects of technological products that are not misleading, valuable, and helpful to customers. It also involves considering aspects like user experience, inclusion, audience pain points, and accessibility when producing, reviewing, or adjusting designs.

Why are ethics in design important?

One of the best places to highlight your brand’s mission, as well as its ethical values, is in your marketing and designs. After all, these are the areas of your company that prospects and customers might see most.

While ethics, inclusivity, and accessibility are not necessarily always top of mind for some busy marketers or designers,, it’s incredibly important to review any public-facing projects from an ethical perspective.

Today, more than ever, consumers are paying attention to the moral standards of brands. Research shows 62% of consumers are attracted to brands that have strong, authentic ethical values.

When companies are considered ethical, consumers trust them, feel like the brand cares about their experience, and identify with the company. On the other hand, when brands use tactics that feel unethical, consumers lose trust in the brand which could lead to less brand loyalty or purchases.

Ultimately, every aspect of your brand’s design contributes to the message you’re putting out. If you want to create content and that demonstrates your company’s values, you should regularly review your brand’s design ethics.

Ethics in Graphic Design

When creating marketing content like landing pages, web experiences, or other visuals, ethical graphic designers consider a handful of guidelines. Here are just a few:

1. Designs should not be misleading.

You should aim for your designs to engage people and nurture them towards converting. Your designs shouldn’t mislead, pressure, or coerce audiences into doing or thinking something.

In the intro, I noted a website I visited that tried to pressure me into signing up for email before I was even able to read their content. This just one of many sneaky dark pattern design techniques.

While it’s not uncommon or unethical to create colorful or embellished designs that draw attention away from an “X” or opt-out button, dark pattern designs happen when designers make an obvious and conscious effort to trick visitors into doing something, such as giving out personal information.

For example, making the “X” nearly invisible and darkening content behind a pop-up ad so visitors think they need to convert or subscribe to email list to see content is a dark pattern technique. You might also see similar techniques in spammy emails where the unsubscribe link is hidden or made illegibly small so you can’t easily find it.

While it’s understandable that you want to get as many people as possible on a promotional email list, tricking visitors into subscribing for something is not the answer.

Why? If the contact didn’t want to get signed up for the email, they might complain about the sneaky design, mark the email as spam, and unsubscribe immediately. If they aren’t annoyed to the point of unsubscribing, they might not engage with the email because they weren’t expecting it or were never interested in promotional content in the first place. This, in turn, could negatively impact email performance and future deliverability.

Ultimately, sneaking consent from visitors isn’t likely to create major engagement or brand loyalty. So, if you must use a similar tactic or an automatically checked box in your design, make sure the text is large enough so visitors can see it and easily uncheck the box if they aren’t interested in your offering.

2. Designs shouldn’t hurt the user experience.

We’ve all been on a website where an ad or full-page CTA blocked the content we wanted to see. Sometimes, this gets so annoying, it causes us to leave websites entirely.

When we bounce off a website with too many pop-ups or design glitches, the site not only loses visitors and credibility, but it also loses SEO strength.

Designers should make sure they’re creating experiences that nurture an audience member into doing something rather than force-feeding them an offer or advertisement. To do this, they should be asking themselves, “How can I design valuable online experiences that help visitors rather than shamelessly selling products to them?”

At HubSpot, we encourage companies to nurture leads rather than using unethical or desperate marketing tactics to trick them into signing up for something. Our natural lead nurturing approach can be seen right on our blog.

Each HubSpot blog post includes unintrusive CTAs at the bottom of the page, as well as a slide-in CTA that appears when the reader has scrolled passed a certain point in the post. Here’s what the bottom of a post looks like:

Not only do these CTAs fit smoothly within our blog design (and don’t cover up the content), but they also relate to the content we’re posting. This way, the reader gets a taste of our expertise in our blog content. Then, they can choose to dive deeper into our offers.

With unintrusive CTAs like this, we primarily send offerings to contacts that want them most, are likely to download more free resources, and might turn into qualified leads later on.

3. Messaging, disclaimers, and policies are clear and legible.

In the design below, another example of dark pattern design, the disclaimer, “Your subscription will renew automatically. You can cancel at any time,” is so small you might not notice it.

Image Source

Because of this, visitors might give credit card information not realizing that they’ll be charged without being asked at the end of their free trial. Ultimately, when someone’s card is surprisingly charged for a service they didn’t want because they didn’t see this message, they might get annoyed with the brand, unsubscribe, and potentially complain about the small text.

On the other hand, if your text is legible and understandable, you might only receive the customers that understand free-trial policies, are serious about your service, and won’t rush to complain if they forget to cancel their subscription before the credit card charge.

4. Use proper representation and embrace inclusion, whenever possible.

Ethical designers always ask, “Does this design accurately represent groups of people discussed?”

Between 2011 and 2015, Access Icon embraced inclusive design ethics when they revamped the International Symbol of Access — often seen on accessible parking spots or wheelchair-accessible bathrooms — to better represent people with disabilities.

While the original symbol showed a simple stick figure sitting in a static wheelchair, the new symbol shows a person’s arms moving with their body tilted forward as if they’re actively moving or speeding in their wheelchair.

Image Source

The new design came after a 2011 Boston-based street campaign, where Access Icon members placed a moving body over the static body on accessibility signs.

Image Source

Although Access Icon did not intend to replace or criticize the original symbol, created in the 1950s, the organization wanted the new version to create an “occasion for asking questions about disability and the built environment, in the largest sense. Who has access—physically, yes, but moreover, to education, to meaningful citizenship, to political rights?”

Between 2012 and 2015, state governments, cities, major companies, and local businesses around the world adopted the symbol.

By refining this design, the group aimed to accurately represent people with disabilities as mobile, energetic, and empowered, rather than as static, less mobile figures. Ultimately, they realized the original design wrongly depicted those with disabilities and created a new design that solved for it.

Ethics in the Design of Technology

Design ethics doesn’t just stop with imagery or website UX. Tech products, software, and other tools also need ethical designers to create smooth, pleasant, and trustworthy experiences for customers. While technical or product designers think about the ethical guidelines noted above, there are a few additional standards they might follow:

1. Designs should be accessible.

In recent years, accessibility has been a major topic in the world of tech and product design. Although you might not realize it, people with varying accessibility needs might be using your product. And, when your product is accessible to more people, more people can use it and buy it.

One recent example of an accessible technology design was Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller.

After learning that children with physical disabilities, such as missing limbs, were having trouble playing Xbox video games with the console’s controllers, Microsoft developed an adaptive touchpad controller, which enabled people with multiple types of disabilities to play games with their friends.

Image Source

Aside from two circular touchpads, which replace small controller buttons, the Xbox Adaptive Controller features large programmable buttons and can connect to external switches, buttons, mounts, or joysticks that make gaming more accessible for users.

The process of designing the controller was highlighted in a Super Bowl ad called, “We All Win,” which you can watch below:

On a smaller scale, accessible technological design could also involve including accessibility tools and symbols within your software interface or web page. 

For example, some brands might offer an accessibility icon at the bottom of their website where you can click to adjust settings for a smoother experience if you have a disability. Or, to make their site or UX accessible to people in other countries, websites, like HubSpot’s offer an icon and menu that allow you to toggle between languages:

2. Designs should promote safety and security.

In 2020, many people are thinking about data security as many are buying smart devices and software for workspaces and their homes. With many devices listening to our voices, logging our lifestyle habits, and even recording health data, some worry that this information could be sold, stolen, or used unethically later on.

Because of data concerns, many tech firms are emphasizing security in their overall product design.

For example, when smart home devices with virtual assistants initially hit store shelves, consumers panicked when they learned that some devices, such as Amazon’s Echo, would surreptitiously record them.

To make consumers feel more secure with Echo devices in their homes, Amazon designed each device with a very visible mute button on them. When the button is pressed, the Echo’s light ring and the button turn orange to visibly show people that the device has deactivated recording.

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While this button might make Echo owners feel secure at home, it might also ease the nerves of prospects who see it in product shots or Echo ads before purchasing it.

3. Consider or respond to unexpected ethical dilemmas.

If you’re helping to design a new piece of technology, you should consider all of the potential ethical dilemmas it could create and create a design that could either solve for them or ease your audience’s concerns.

In 2018, Netflix was forced to address a design strategy on its platform when a recommendation algorithm was panned across the web.

The algorithm in question, which Netflix called, “Artwork Personalization,” aimed to show users show thumbnails based on the design traits of thumbnails they’d previously clicked. While it sounded like an interesting personalization experiment, consumers quickly argued that this personalization was racially targeting users.

Specifically, some users noted seeing primarily content recommendations with white people in thumbnails while some BIPOC users saw mostly thumbnails that showed people of color. While Netflix denied that the algorithm targeted users by race, the news went viral.

In this scenario, had Netflix designers and developers researched their design tweaks or audited it from an ethical perspective, they might have been able to tweak the algorithm before launch.

How to Promote Design Ethics

If this post has inspired you to develop a new ethical standard for your designs, here are a few next steps you can take.

Audit Your Past Designs

Even if your designs have been successful in the past, it’s still good to re-audit them to ensure that they continue to promote design ethics. For example, you can look at your website or product’s design to ensure that they’re accessible, easy to comprehend, and inclusive to all potential web visitors.

Review Your Current Projects.

Whether you’re working on a product, website, graphic, or software-related design, reviewing it from a design ethics perspective might lead to a successful launch with fewer risks of complaints or concerns from the public.

Pivot if Needed

Sometimes a design tactic you once embraced is now considered out of date. For example, a design symbol that used to be culturally acceptable or valuable might now be seen as a misrepresentation or offensive. When you notice things like this changing, it’s smart to adjust or modernize your design tactics.

Want to learn more about design and ethics? Check out this post for additional information on dark-pattern design or this post on ethics in modern marketing.

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[romeulusroy]

Uh dear nonny, what the fuck 😅 Enna has worked so hard on this and in case you didn’t know, she has other life beside this blog too. (A life which has violently thrown her around her ship’s deck during the past year too…) If someone here is selfish, it’s you. If Enna wanted help with posting, I’m sure she would have done it already.

I was proposed sharing my blog too once (and the asker was asking it in a very similar way with you, hmm 🤔🤔), but I just don’t like to look at my blog and realize that it’s not only my handwork anymore. It’s not only my pride anymore. I’d always have to ask about changes from my partner(s), I couldn’t customize my blog freely anymore and it just wouldn’t be the same. Right now I’m very proud of my blog and the network of friends and nice people who I’ve gotten all on my own, without any help. Also sharing my blog might drive me into thinking that everyone follows us just because of my partner/other writers who are apart from my blog. Also what makes you think Enna or anyone else has someone in her mind who she wants to share her blog with? At least I wouldn’t want to share my blog with anyone if it ever came to that. I’d want someone whose writing pleases my eye and my blog’s general style too and who’s willing to share at least some of my fandoms with me. Maybe it sounds selfish, but this is my space and has my rules, I can do whatever I want (which is following Tumblr's guidelines ofc 😅) without asking permissions from anyone.

If you want to read Enna’s writing, re-read some of her old work. Or tell her that you love her writing and are eagerly waiting for her to post again (but not rushing). That’s what I do when a writer hasn’t posted in a while and I miss their writing. But if that isn’t enough, then you have to just wait. You don’t pay Enna to write, so you don’t have the right to say such things to her. Patience is the key here. Most of us do this for free, so we can be on hiatuses for 10 years if we wanted to or had to, nothing is forcing us to keep writing here. We get the same quality of life whether we write these or not. We do this so we can put smiles on people’s faces and we don’t want this to feel like a slave work but honestly, people like you make it feel like the latter sometimes. Personally I'm staying here just because of my friends and my newlyfound love for SaB and its blooming community right now because a lot of people in other fandoms are so judgemental and rude. If I didn't have friends here, I'd be long gone.

Also people are dropping out from this community and people like you are part of the reason why. Think about that and what you’re sending to people next time you come around. Either be supportive or ask these kinds of things KINDLY (“hey, just wondering, would you ever be willing to share your blog with anyone? 😊 Just wondering if it would help you with your blog's posting consistency, but I understand if not.” is quite a contrast to “yOU DON’T POST ANYMORE, WHY CAN’T YOU GET SOMEONE ELSE TO PARTNER UP WITH YOU BECAUSE I WANT FICS QUICKER TO READ???”) or keep quiet. Thank you.

(Ily Enna ❤️)

Jenni!!!! I love you so much, I can't even put it into words 💕 You're so freaking kind and thoughtful and I just turn into a big emotional mess when I see an ask from you 😘😘😘

Honestly you took the words right out of my mouth. Like, I understand how frustrating it can be to see the lack of posts, but that ask was uncalled for and hurtful, like what I do/what other content creators do isn't enough. It's not at all selfish to want something, especially something ad intimate as this, to yourself!!! Idk if people don't understand this (?) or simply don't care, but it takes a lot of guts sometimes to post writing, whether that be a muti-part series, for OCs, reader inserts, therapy, etc. It can be scary with new fandoms, characters, styles, or simply getting out of a rut and finding your footing again, leaving you vulnerable.

And people have lives. It's not like we get paid to do this, or it looks good on a resume, or extra credit for college. Content is created out of enjoyment. When people aren't enjoying it anymore, demanding more and more, it's easy not to want to do it anymore unfortunately. I've thought about quitting a bunch, and though hiatus' are helpful, it ends up destroying whatever we've built up. I know I've heard it from others who say they needed a break, but didn't take it because the exposure and the likes/reblogs of their content were finally picking up. Their work was finally being recognized. But that's an awful thing to have to skip on just to be recognized.

Really it's the friendships that keep me here :) If I didn't have you, and so many others, I would have called it quits a long time ago. To make a long story short, please my loves, just be kind. I'm not just saying to be kind to me, but any content creators you follow and value. Rereading and reblogging older things means the world to me and I'm sure others 💌 Asks like that can be really hurtful, especially when you have no idea what's going on behind the screen. We can all stand to be a little more thoughtful towards one another :)

Thank you for this Jenni. Really, it means the whole world 🥰 !!!!!! Xoxoxo💜💖💜💖💜💖💜💜💖💜💖💜💖💜💖

#i know that was kinda long #but just be nice my loves #be understanding #encouraging #and if you really dont have the patience #then just unfollow #it beats sending a hurtful ask #you can always follow again if they choose to post #but really its the person that matters #the creator behind the content #not just the content #:) #ask #dl