#and then ill like have a kid or whatever or ill be teaching art for kids and all the kids will be shocked when they find out my first name

[milkweedman]

I got a job as a summer camp counselor for kids ages like... 6 to 13 or so, and i get to teach arts and crafts ! Which i am just. So ridiculously excited about. But im having a hard time figuring out what kind of projects are kid friendly (especially for the little ones). Here are some attempts at making some sample projects. On top are two very simple friendship bracelets, which im very happy with and which is definitely going in the curriculum, and on the bottom are two crocheted pouches (the laptop im using as a background is tiny, btw, as are the pouches). Those im not sure about, if for no other reason than i only have 45 minutes with each group of kids, and i just dont think theres time. I made the small one in about 20 minutes, so its maybe doable. But if the beginning demonstration is 10 minutes or so, thats only half an hour for kids who are totally new to crocheting to make something.

Anyway, if anyone has any fun arts and crafts ideas for kids that take... a very minimal amount of time but still teach skills that arent cutting paper and glueing it to other paper, im all ears

#its rly hard bc... 1) time constraints and 2) my boss wants the kids who only want to spend like 10 minutes on something to still come away #with something cool #i completely understand why but also .... i really dont know any crafts that are done in 10 minutes #with the exception of the friendship bracelets #anyway i do actually have quite a few ideas but i dont really know how feasible any of them are #and also i really only have the time to teach like... 6-8 different things bc we're not doing arts and crafts every day #i would just kind of hate if the only things we do is collages or pipe cleaner things or popsicle stick whatevers #i remember doing a ton of that stuff as a kid in school and i hated it so much. and after the first time i didnt exactly learn new skills #if id been taught crochet as a kid i would have been so happy #and i mean i know i was not a very typical kid #and my experiences were not universal at all. which is good. #but i still think ill have failed if i dont teach them SOMETHING that has an actual use and function beyond 'something to do w your hands' #the previous arts and crafts leader wants to have them color pirate hats thatve been printed on cardstock #like.... i guess...? its not a bad activity obviously but esp for the older kids that is not gonna be fun or engaging at all #if you tried to get 13 year old me to color a cartoon pirate hat for 45 minutes i would have screamed #also that is something they absolutely are learning or have learned in school... and it would be cool to teach things they wont learn #in school.....idk #i cant tell if any of this is reasonable or not lol

[biracy]

I think it's deeply unfortunate that conversations about "representation" have become dominated by the issue of gay representation and That's It. I'm someone who thinks mainstream gay representation matters, but I also understand why it's easy for so many people to go "well I don't NEED boring lame high school romcoms for LOSERS. The only 'representation' I need is like, idk, weird furry comics made by the fagdykes online! Become unmarketable!" when the only issue on the table for them is sexuality. But I think it's not useful to take that mindset and apply it to "representation" as a broader concept, because in my experience at least it becomes quite different when the issue is less "the only mainstream representation for me is something I find kind of boring" and more "I don't think I have ever seen a person who Looks like me be presented in mainstream media in a positive or desirable light" (which applies to all sorts of stuff including trans stuff, body stuff, disability stuff, race/ethnicity stuff, etc.) Obviously I love subcultures and I love niches and I love Finding Community With Other Freaks or whatever, obviously I love that! But I also, as someone who is of Many Overlapping Marginalized Identities, Kind of want to see people who look and act and live like me be presented as People. Visibly trans characters who have things going on besides just experiencing transphobia or gender dysphoria, openly Latino characters who have things going on besides just experiencing racism or xenophobia, neurodivergent or mentally ill or socially disabled or whatever characters who have things going on besides being Weird or Creepy for the sake of a joke, chubby or fat characters who have things going on besides being demonized or mocked or A Message About Body Positivity. Characters who are People, the way like. normie white guy characters get to be lmao, and not just tools to teach some kind of lesson. "You shouldn't look for that in mainstream media/pop culture" well why not? Why shouldn't a culture's popular media represent the people that make up that culture? Not everyone is an online 20something attuned to the best queer indie art of the decade, yknow, and people who exist outside of our subcultures deserve "representation" too. Ever since I was a little kid I had an affinity for openly Latino characters on TV or in books, and that hasn't gone away. Different kinds of people Exist and deserve to be seen in art that isn't relegated to being "alternative" or "niche." Because while I am alternative, it's not my body or my upbringing or my social problems that make me that way. No human being should be considered a "deviation from the norm." Don't let art and culture forever belong to those who have deemed themselves "the norm" through continued subjugation

#open mick night #lgbt #boricuaisms #selective mutism #gender #and all the other shite i post about #oh also all of this also applies to discussions about 'slurs' re: people using 'slurs' to literally only ever mean homophobic slurs #and obviously none of this is exclusive to the specific identities i bring up (latino neurodivergence etc) that's just My lane

[levshany]

What's your favorite thing about Belos? Do you have any headcanons about him? Also, I love your art and how you draw him!

My favorite thing... Should I pick just one? Well, if we're talking about the look, it's his hair. If we're talking about the temper, it's his hardworking

And here are my headings about him. I'll start with the most common ones, and end with personal ones that I haven't seen from anyone yet:

1. Belos is a retrained left-hander. He holds all the instruments with his left hand, but writes with his right, since it was previously believed that left-handers subject to devilish influence.

2. Phillip's mother was burned on charges of witchcraft. Perhaps little Philip even had to witness this terrible scene.

3. Belos was often ill at the beginning of his journey through BI. And I'm not talking about a curse, but about local infections, to which he had no immunity. Over time, his body adapted, and later the curse itself began to neutralize all poisons and infections.

4. Belos really had fun while communicating with the Collector. These two have the dynamics of a king and a jester, and the jester is allowed to interact with the king as equals, making fun of him, giving advices, and generally talking to him as a friend. Thanks to this feature, a trusting relationship was often built between the king and the jester. With Collector Belos could afford himself to forget he was an emperor and just chat about whatever came to mind.

Perhaps Belos could even tell Collie details of his life that he could not discuss with anyone else. He was going to get rid of the kid anyway and didn't allow them to have contact with the outside world, so there was no need to worry about spilling something to anyone.

5. It was Belos who built the portal door. This headcanon even has confirmation in Philip's diary, where one of the pages depicted scheme of this very door

6. The picture of the witches dancing around the campfire is based on one of Belos' real memories. I'm sure witches have such parties/rituals, and Belos was a witness to them. I like this massive wall of fire and it seems to me that it is somehow connected with the fire that occurred during the battle of the brothers

7. Some people think that Belos doesn't eat anything other than palismen, but I headcanon that he still eats normal food, it's just that his diet is severely limited due to his inability to digest most of the foods of the demon realm

8. Little Philip didn't allow anyone except his brother to touch his head and hair. This is the intimate area

9. Belos wrote a huge number of magic books. It is unlikely that this person was limited to only one diary. To keep order in the covens and teach witches the "correct" use of magic, books and guides were needed. So Belos wrote at least a book for each coven, but I'm sure there are many more. Maybe even Belos signed some of them with pseudonyms.

It is possible that some of his works have survived and are still used to this days for an in-depth study of a certain type of magic.

Wooooo, so far these are all the heads that I remembered for now! I hope you enjoy it :3

#the owl house #toh #belos #emperor belos #headcanon #belos headcanon

[irlythyra]

A Little Miracle

Summary: Aziraphale secretly visits Earth again.

Warning: Good Omens S2 spoilers.

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

For the first time in thousands of years, Aziraphale finds no pleasure in the food he's eating. Blandness and dullness—these are the only things he can feel at the moment. But it would be rude to decline Nina's hospitality, so Aziraphale tries his best to fake a smile, making sure to savour the eccles cake and tea Nina gave him for free.

 

"Are you sure Archangels can just, take a break, Mr. Fell?" Maggie asked Aziraphale, staring into the man's eyes with deep concern as she perched herself on the chair next to him.

 

"Ofcourse! I have some authority; I can do what I want! Well...I can't always do what I want...there are rules. I do what God wants! Yeah,  that's what, hmm, ahem, so!" He stops mid-sentence. Can't have himself questioning God again.

 

"How are you and Nina?" he asked Maggie, successfully changing the subject.

 

Maggie tries to hide the glee on her face; her small grin slowly turns into a wide, flustered smile. She leans in closer, excitedly telling the angel how she and Nina have started going on dates just this week. "I mean, I waited six months for her! Not that it was a task really; I would wait years for her, thousands of years in fact." She exclaims.

 

"Hmm. Thousands of years. How patient."

 

At this moment, Aziraphale finds himself distraught. Of course he's happy for the soon-to-be couple, but hearing those words...

 

How long did Crowley wait for me?

How long did I wait for him?

 

Aziraphale spent his whole afternoon in the coffee shop before saying goodbye to the pair. Nina gave him the most comforting hug. During the hug, Nina whispered in his ear, "Mister Crowley has been sleeping in his car parked in front of your, well, Muriels' bookshop. Everynight." She urged him to visit him.

 

He could only nod and smile, although he doesn't think he'd have the guts to follow through ("I'll think about it," he thought). Aziraphale ventures to the bookshop next.

 

He knocked on the door before opening it. A loud gasp echoed throughout the room. "Sir. Aziraphale!" Muriel stood there with her hands balled into cute little fists, which she excitedly shook. A loud thump came after she dropped the stack of books she was holding.

 

"Muriel...no, those are first... editions." He stumbles through his words, realizing that this is Muriel he's talking to. Aziraphale scans the entire room, seeking comfort in the familiarity of the place.

 

The chandelier seems intact. The books are properly dusted. The floor isn't dirty. The kid.

 

Kid?

 

Aziraphale took a step back. There is a kid scribbling away in his book. With crayons, markers, and everything. What, when-

 

"Muriel? My book? This kid?"

 

"It's erasable, sir! Don't worry, Mr. Crowley made sure all the art supplies are washable or erasable," Muriel proudly explains.

 

Aziraphale sauntered into the room. His eyes were directed only at Muriel. "Crowley?" he asked.

 

"Yes sir!"

"And this is whose kid?"

"Mr. Crowley's sir."

 

Aziraphale's stomach fell ill. Muriel can see the quiver of his lips; however, she does not comprehend what it means. He turns around, attempting to blink away tears. His?

 

"What do you mean?" Aziraphale turned in her direction again, staring at her eyes, hoping that she contradicts his thoughts. "Oh!" Muriel replies, giggling in the process. "He isn't technically his, sir. He's taking care of him."

 

Quite dramatically, Aziraphale puffed out a breath. As if he wasn't breathing the whole time. "Yeah, he said he found him on some street. Mr. Crowley said he's an orphan, whatever that is. " He reckoned that Crowley was not bothered enough to explain it to her.

 

He left the bookshop pretty soon. He made sure Muriel was adjusting well. Apparently, Crowley has been assisting her, explaining relevant human terms to her, and teaching her how to act like a convincing human. The whole time, his chest tightened. Every mention of his name drove him crazy.

 

To clear his mind, if that's even possible, he walked around the street. Inevitably, he ended up thinking about Crowley again.

 

Should I check on him? Should I talk to him? What would we even talk about?

 

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't realize it was already night, that he circled back to his bookshop, and that there was a familiar bentley in front of him.

 

"Oh, dear," he breathed out. He reluctantly walked closer to the car, sneakily peering through the window. Just in case he changes his mind about talking to him. As he did, he saw the most heartbreaking thing.

 

There in the car lay a scrawny redhead, sleeping soundly, clutching a piece of paper that seems to be a picture. Aziraphale noticed the picture he was holding. It was a picture of them during his magic show. He almost let out a small cry. Beside him was a container of travel sweets. On the back seat was the most horrid sight.

 

His potted plants were all rotting, dry, and...mushy? If you look even closer, you can see random bits of food being devoured by worms, ants, and bugs. The plants are barely alive; he can tell by the slight shiver they make every now and then.

 

Oh, Crowley, darling, what happened to you?

 

Aziraphale was about to knock at Crowley's car door, but before his knuckles reached the glass window, a blindingly bright light appeared behind him, and with it came an elevator 'ding'.

 

"Eugh."  he grumbled, already knowing what was going to happen.

 

"Sir. Aziraphale sir."

"Yes, yes. Leave; I'll be there." he said.

 

Aziraphale stared at Crowley one more time. Flicking his hand in the air for one miracle. Then he left for heaven.

 

The next day, Crowley wakes up. Miserable once again. He sits down and fixes himself through the rear-view mirror. "What in the..."

Crowley looks behind him in disbelief. His plants are alive, and their leaves are greener than ever. The bugs and worms are nowhere to be found, nor are the bits of food he throws in the backseat. His eyes turned watery before a stream of tears fell down his cheeks.

 

"Aziraphale."

#oneshot #short reads #fandom ships #good omens #azicrow #good omens s2 #IHATEHOWTHISSHOWHURTSSOMUCH #neilgaiman:why? #aziraphale #crowley #im crying #angst #michael sheen #david tennant

[toastytrusty]

carolinas journey to becoming agent carolina is something so fascinating to me because it's something we know virtually nothing about. the state of the church family in General prior to the war is something so intriguing.

like, carolina definitely did dance as a kid, that feels like a given. the 1st grader going to ballet practice after school every day to the highschooler juggling 3 different types of martial arts classes every week to cope with the imminent threat of extinction pipeline is too real. her stern but caring father who just wants her to be the best she can be pushing her to learn acrobatics and gymnastics and her distant but loving mother who just wanted her to survive teaching her to defend and take care of herself.

although the dysfunctional family interpretations are good, i think it's a lot more interesting if, prior to the war, they were a picture perfect american nuclear family. no ill will, just high expectations set on an overarching daughter who felt she always had to do better. it makes the drastic change in mr leonard churchs demeanour that much more impactful. it's made clear in the show that losing allison was hugely damaging to him, so it's not that big of a stretch to say he was a loving father who was affectionate towards his daughter.

carolina probably tried to enlist in the military to follow her mom when the war started. that's what she had been training for all this time, after all. someone would have stopped her; maybe a mother who cared too much about her safety or a father who didn't want to lose her too. but when allison died, of course, everything changed.

her fathers subdued cynicism morphed into fanatical obsession, his warm fondness turning into cold apathy, and he pushed her away. whatever name she once had didnt matter as she became agent carolina, and whatever connection they once shared unraveled as she became a means to an end. previous high expectation for her own sake turned into a required standard; a threshold she could not slip beneath, and it wasn't about her anymore. he wanted to suceed, and carolina wasnt allowed to want anything else.

#rvb #red vs blue #agent carolina #rvb carolina #leonard church

[strawberryjamsara]

since you are one of the people in the surprisingly common YTTD/Project Sekai overlap (by that i mean like 4 other people i've seen who are into both, it's surprising to me since the two games are completely different), do you have any thoughts about which characters from those two games would get along? like, crossover friendship headcanons? i think Anzu would fit right in with WxS

Reko and Shiho would bond instantly! Two musical geniuses whose love for the craft is their life! Plus I think Reko would see a lot of her teenage self in Shiho with how she tends to act cold and push others away, and Reko would want to help a young kid like that out.

I think Kanna and Kohanes “Looks like a normal sweet shy girl but has the strength of ten thousand men, and will say the most insane shit with a straight face” tendencies makes them good partners in crime

This is sort of an idea I’ve had for a while but I love the idea of Keiji accidentally adopting the nightcord girlies, like he drives them to get smoothies and hears whatever Mafuyu and Kanade are saying and asks “Kids can you lighten up a little?” (Hypocrite) Mizuki and Ena are making fun of him. When he goes into the Sekai it’s like this post but Donald Duck is Miku

Anyways speaking of nightcord girlies… I want Sara and Mafuyu to bond so bad… girls with parental issues giving themselves to other people…

Anyways you may think I want Hinako to meet a nightcord girlie but you’re wrong. I’m going in the opposite direction of Hinako’s personality because it’d be way funnier if Hinako met Tsukasa Tenma. This loud, obnoxious bundle of joy is going to cheer you up pink thing whether you like it or not (she does not like it) and it’ll be a slapstick comedy. Hinako deserves a little slapstick I think.

I think Kurumada and Airi should bond. Sweethearts with tough exteriors. You’ve got the punk one and the girlypop one. They’d be great siblings.

Shin and Saki chronically ill buddies! Saki would bully him relentlessly rip king.

Nao and Ena could make art together with Professor Mishima teaching them! It’d be nice for Ena to have a positive role model teaching her art for once.

#project Sekai #your turn to die #colorful stage #yttd #kimi ga shine #reko yabusame #shiho hinomori #kanna kizuchi #kohane azusawa #keiji shinogi #mafuyu asahina #sara chidouin #hinako mishuku #tsukasa tenma #naomichi kurumada #airi momoi #shin tsukimi #saki tenma #nao egokoro #ena shinonome #kazumi Mishima #ask

[torchickentacos]

Pokeani Characters as College/Uni Professors!

Hello anon! Here it is. So, quick note, while I am in college, I do online asynchronous only (long story short, chronic illness and a big family means I need a super open schedule). So... I have barely interacted with any of my professors aside from turning in assignments. I guess I’m saying I don’t really know how professors operate in-person? So, a lot of this is based on my high school experience and any innacuracies can be put down to that. Also, I looked at my own college course catalog for ideas here. Without further ado, let us begin! I only went so far with this one since it took me a while. Maybe I’ll add later. As always, feel free to add on! I love reading what you guys have to say.

Ash: An RA (resident advisor). Technically, age-wise this means he’d probably be younger than his professor peers but age is weird in pokemon to begin with so whatever, moving on from that. He’s about the best RA you could ask for, helping everyone feel safe and included. He hosts game nights, movie nights, takeout food nights, you get the gist. He loves what he does. 

Goh: Quantitative Reasoning. He’s one of the more chill professors, known to hold class with the overhead lights off and calming lamps on with ambient noise. He originally held class in a lecture hall but honestly, it was kind of intimidating having everyone looking down on him, so he moved to a spare flat square room more reminiscent of a high school classroom. His office hours are almost always open and he finds joy in helping students one-on-one. 

Misty: Swimming and SCUBA. Rarely ever in an actual classroom, but when she is she’s always walking around and is definitely wearing her swimsuit under her slacks and jacket. Always wearing flip flops which probably breaks Professor dress code if there is one, but she doesn’t care. She has a squirt bottle (very clearly labeled Gary Oak-do not remove from my room) that she sprays students with if they get snarky with her. 

Brock: Geology. Posters full of rock puns are ALLLLLLLL over his room. He’s actually one of the more professional professors-he values the gift of being able to teach his students, and takes his job very seriously. But he’s also the kind of guy whose powerpoints are entertaining as well as informative, and he probably incorporates memes into his material-as well as he can, anyways. He tries his hardest to keep up with ‘kids these days’ and employs Ash to help him. 

Tracey: Art Appreciation (one of my favorite classes I’ve taken so far). Covers an array of artistic mediums, methods, and eras, but his favorite to teach is always traditional pencil-on-paper-but he has a soft spot for Ceramics and Ukiyo-e, too. A hands-on teacher that likes to bring in examples and have his students do projects whenever they can. He’s a little absentminded and his students have to remind him to turn off the projector or to turn the coffeemaker off or any other little tasks he forgot. 

Gary: Historical Archaeology. Takes his students on digs and is said to be one of the more fun instructors to have, though he’s a particularly harsh grader. He’s known to have a ‘secret’ stash of instant noodles (inspired by @householdpowerhouse ) in his closet, though everyone knows about it. He keeps himself busy with grading and his own research. Someone stole his squirt bottle that he kept for gently spraying dirt off of artifacts and he still doesn’t know who. Only so many people have the keys to his room. 

May: Intro to Theatre, taken in the auditorium. She is known to scoot across stage in a wheelie chair and fall out of it every once in a while. Backstage is mostly tools and woodworking for the tech crew, managed by Clemont, but there is a snack pantry. Instead of ‘live laugh love’, she has various shakespeare quotes around her personal office-a big “a rose by any other name” poster behind her chair. Nobody really knows exactly how much gets done in her class, but it’s fun and everyone passed their exams, and some alumni of her classes went into acting so other staff just let her do her thing.  

Drew: Horticulture. He holds class in a greenhouse, which he had to fight for but ultimately got it approved so he didn’t have to haul plants back and forth across campus. The roses are always missing. One of the classes is hellbent on figuring out who keeps taking them. Drew hopes they don’t. He’s a fairly harsh grader as well as Gary, but in general his classes are well-liked and he’s pretty well respected, even if horticulture is one of the lesser-taken classes. Careful, though-bring sunscreen to his class or you’ll get burnt under the hot sun blazing down through the glass ceiling-but he’s got aloe vera plants for that. 

#god now I need to write a fic of this #or one of you can lmk #pokemon #pokeani #anipoke #pokemon characters as #characters in situations #taylor's tag #pokemon ash #pokemon goh #pokemon brock #pokemon gary #pokemon misty #pokemon may #pokemon drew

[blessedshortcake]

I cannot stop thinking about my au where Mulled Juice adopts Espresso and Captain Caviar adopts Clotted Cream and they kinda just raise them together

Clotted is still the Consul of the Republic but now he isn't part of House Custard but instead he's with Caviar since. He raised him n all that lol

Like I have such a bad brainrot about this and I don't even know why.

More under the cut because I am about to go on a ramble and I don't want to take up anyones tl so open if you wanna know more ig??

AAA okay

I always liked to HC that Espresso got to the republic by his mom smuggling him on a trade ship when the coffee tribe kinda collapsed for whatever reason. Its still a bit hazy with what exactly I plan with her and how Espresso would end up with Mulled Juice but generally I like to think he kept sneaking into his classes or kept trying to listen in from somewhere nearby, or like idk I'll be back with more in a hot second.

Clotted Cream's part is way simpler tbh. Caviar figures out that Custard is abusive after a bit and when Clotted comes to him for safety he kinda just ends up adopting him unconciously.

Oyster also helps them raise the kids, originally I thought of her and Caviar co parenting Clotted Cream but then I had this whole idea of Espresso and Clotted being siblings and all that so that's where we are.

Generally all the Elders kinda pitch in in their own ways, like Vanilla sometimes babysits them and for a while the boys think of her like some kinda weird non blood related grandma figure who they can play cards and old board games with.

Clotted Cream would still be a mage but I am trying to lean him more towards the bomber category like Caviar. He wouldn't have his glock cape (/lhj) since that is a Custard thing but imo being a mage is like a him thing.

He also knows more martial arts here but he is more on the defensive side of things and he also knows how to use a sword because Oyster taught him so. I am still thinking about What exactly his skill would be so I shall be back with that soon

Espresso is a bit more tricky. I think he would still be a pioneer of coffee magic as he is now but with Juice and Caviar raising him, he'd also have way more skills. Like he would also know some martial arts but he would still be more interested in science and engineering than like physical fights.

Juice would probably also help him a lot with learning since he now has way more access to, well pretty much everything tbh. He would teach him more about making stuff and support his research infinitely more like this.

I am imagining their looks being slightly different here too since they have like completely different experiences and wardrobes probably but I cannot draw for the life of me so </3

I hope this was coherent, even if it wasnt ill be doing this again soon lmao-

If anyone wants to talk about this or has like Questions then PLEEEEASE ask me about it here or in my asks or whatever in dms, I am Itching to talk about this as much as possible

Tldr: im insane

#cookie run #cookie run kingdom #caupcakes #cake after midnight #captain caviar cookie #mulled juice cookie #clotted cream cookie #espresso cookie #oyster cookie

[hoonvrs]

Hey saint watchu doin 😊

Honestly had a really bad day today and Ur the only person I can talk to rn. Idk what's up with ppl forcing me to do things I don't like and telling me to stop doing things I love doing. As if whatever I wanna do is always wrong. My school has restricted me to do any crochet in the campus EVEN THOUGH I don't interrupt nor am I distracted during the classes. My mum has told me to solely focus on studies and do crochet in the holidays. BUT now they want me to do extracurriculars. Maybe I'm in the wrong but I have no interest in the acts of singing, dancing, art and other cultural activities. But I have to do them because I do nothing at home. Like I don't take extra classes for playing instruments, or go to other places for tutoring, nor do I learn anything involving self defense, dancing, singing, reciting. I don't even like sports. I just don't like these activities. But I have to do them and I'm being forced because they're 'good for me' and 'good for my future'. Which I get it's completely fine. But is crochet not? Infact I wanted to do a specific activity and my friend wanted to do photography. But since I chose that activity, she has to too because she won't do photography alone. And then she said it's my fault but when I said that I could switch for the sake of her not blaming it on me for the rest of the semester, she said no. I can't deny anything anymore. When they ask me if I want to do something and I say no, they ask why and I just say that I don't want to. But apparently that isn't a valid reason to say no. I would say all of this to my mum but she's friends with my friends mums and would try taking to them about it but I don't want the others knowing. Ill be honest saint you were the first person I could think of because no one else would just listen to me and not go tell someone else or start asking questions. I don't have anyone to talk to anymore. I just wish things were like before when in was like five and I wasn't allowed to meet my friends outside of school. When our parents weren't friends to the point they would steal away the only day my mum had a holiday I could spend time with her on. I wish I had someone to talk to. Now all I can do is look in the mirror, cry, and talk to myself. Saint you don't understand how much talking to u like this is helping me. We don't even know eachother personally but at least I can talk to you freely without any judgement. I just wanna live my life. I've never had a moment in life where I felt free since I was 5. I miss freedom.

-🌜(rant again 😭)

i can’t understand personally but i can definitely feel for you cause i have a friend in the exact same situation and honestly fuck them for not letting you do what you want in your own life, esp ur school cause in what world do they completely nan you from crocheting in school likes it’s really none of their business. honestly the advice i can give ( if you even want any ) is to not do it. nothing teaches a parent a lesson unless their kids rebel cause it honestly so much easier to ask for forgiveness then for permission, and they’ll see in the future all of that was so useless.

with your friend pls try and stand up for yourself, coming from someone who’s literally ignored her own cousins cause they were being bitchy it’ll be better to avoid and ignore her then to have to put up with her attitude. tell her no one told her to ditch photography and that she should learn some independence or she won’t get too far in life, and she might get offended but that’s her problem not yours.

i’m happy that you feel safe enough with me to share this but i’m so upset that you have to go through this, praying it’ll be js an emotional memory when you’re a little bit older with more independence cause parents will learn to give their kids freedom once they’ve hit an age where they can’t control them ( usually uni )

don’t let anyone try to talk you out of what you love or talk you down into staying in a toxic friendship just because you’re ‘parents are close’ or ‘you’ve known each other for so long’ they’re js manipulating you into wasting your energy and effort on stupid friendships and ik it’s easier said then done but you’ll feel so much better without that burden

#inbox — new msg! #my moon :( #ily #🌜anon #( anons! )

[eclvpses]

welcome to marina, FORREST ABBOTT ( demi man, he/they ) ! they are a TWENTY-FOUR year old who has lived over on LOCKE ROW for THEIR WHOLE LIFE and works as a TOUR GUIDE at ELYSIAN MUSEUM and a SERVER at THE PEARL. everyone says they look a lot like ZETHPHAN SMITH-GNEIST. what do you think? — bri, 26, they/she, est.

below are mentions of miscarriages, and mental illness (anxiety)!

stats.

name: forrest silver abbott.

age: twenty four.

gender identity: demi man.

pronouns: he/they.

sexuality: demisexual.

birthday: october 23rd, 1998.

star sign: scorpio.

myer-briggs: infp.

occupation: elysian museum tour guide/bartender at the pearl.

place of birth: marina island.

last played on spotify: enjoy the silence by depeche mode.

general disposition: naive and cheery.

background.

for 10 years it was just forrest and his mama lydia in their cozy little trailer at locke row, he’s never met his dad who left as soon as he discovered she was pregnant, not really interested in raising a kid with someone who struggled to get by even while working three jobs

from a young age forrest had to take care of himself since his mama worked sm, but he always got the concept that it was for him to live a good life and necessary for them to get by, she rly showed it well by making sure he knew how much she loved him whenever she cld b around :’)

it was around this time that things were starting to look up - his mama met a really nice man named marcel n while things moved really fast for them they seemed to be a perfect match, soon she was engaged and giving birth to triplets and they even moved into his place in hyland park, everything was coming up roses

miscarriage/mental illness; unfortunately as soon as things were good they sort of came to an immediate crash - lydia n marcel tried for another bebe before their wedding but she ended up having a miscarriage :( this sort of sent her into a depressive spiral for a really, really long time

it was bad enough that marcel eventually had enough, she wouldn’t take her medication, wouldn’t talk to a therapist, couldn’t even get out of bed, so he said she had to shape up or go back to their place in locke row, and stubborn as she was she packed everything up that night and the 5 of them went back to their little trailer, this time with a lot less room and a lot more responsibility on forrest’s shoulders

since he was about 14 he’s juggled an abundance of jobs to help his family, it was especially hard when they moved back to locke row, he mostly took care of his little brothers and mum when he could but he had art school at the time and work on top of it, it rly was the sort of stress no one shld go thru but he did at a rly young age for quite a long time

details.

lives for their art!!!! their dream is to eventually teach art or run their own photography studio, almost always covered in paint and seen with a camera

still lives at locke row w his family, his mum got a pretty well paying job as a psw but it’s still difficult when u have three 12 year olds running around so forrest watches over them a lot while working as a tour guide and bartender, while selling their art pieces and doing odd photography jobs while they can, whatever will put money on the table

mental illness; grew up incredibly shy and with pretty severe anxiety, they're just used to people leaving so it’s hard for them to trust but he’s also a classic golden retriever boy, if people give him an inch he’ll take it right away but he struggles with approaching people himself, definitely wasn’t too popular in school bc of this

did a double major at the community college for photography and visual arts :yum:

he tries not to do Too many photography jobs cuz he loves it more as their escape than anything, travels around the island a lot to find random locations and will just spend hours taking pictures, u cant see any of the walls in his tiny bedroom theyre jst covered in his own pictures and art

could paint for hours too tbh (see above ofc), does a lot of art classes whenever he has time and money to spare

has never been in a relationship or even with anyone, the most he’s done frankly is casual make outs at parties or wtvr, always kinda chickens out if it ever goes any further……….. has not picked up on the fact that hes a demisexual/demiromantic king<3 probs doesnt even kno what that is LKSHDGKLHSDG

bc of this wtvr friendships hes made hes definitely romanticized, frankly by accident, he can just grow attached quite easily and since hes demiromantic anytime hes ever had a crush on someone its been ppl hes close to n has learned to trust. it confuses him a lot. LKSDHGKLHSDLG

obsessed w 80s pop its easily their fav genre (taste)

connections.

childhood friends!!

also ppl who forced their way into his life, basically jst approached him first n as soon as they showed him any sort of kindness n affection he was automatically like . ok we’re attached fr life sis

neighbours at locke row?? mayhaps?? #trailerliving

ppl at parties who’ve made a move or he’s hooked up w but when it came down to the Nitty Gritty he was like . oh………….. i think my mums calling me……….. i gtg……………………….. jst no explanation. LKSHDGKLHDSGL

i rly lov the idea of him hvin someone he loves to use as his muse……. either fr his art or photography

mayb someone who he actually was almost in a relationship w once upon a time bt it jst didnt work out, timing was off or he backed out cuz he felt bad that he probs cldnt give them his full attention w helping his family etc.

coworkers!!

old college classmates/ppl who take art classes w him??

ok i think those r all the ideas i hv rn. we can also brainstorm. lets get wild.

#miscarriage tw #mental illness tw

[deepest-dope]

I'd love to hear about your OCs.

OUGH oh BOY going to do some one piece characters because of your icon

to start with theres my old "retired" cipher pol agent who while not directly involved with the revolutionary army he does pop over to bother dragon alot. hes literally garps age but hes like the ary's horrible cat but instead of littering their bases with dead mice he brings them dead slavers and the occasional alive ex slave. he "retired" during fisher tiger's attack on mariejois taking a bunch of children with him. his name is Joliceur D. Grigor and hes hated almost every second of his life up until his "retirement" and opening an orphanage to raise the would be slaves he took with him from mariejois plus whatever kids get dumped on his doorstep. hes burned down a bunch of government buildings in particular the few that held any record of him being alive and working in cipher pol.

Dragon is over the years very slowly running out of excuses to NOT outright fold him into the revolutionary army with how much info about how the world government works at little to no prompting. the main reason he doesn't is because he finds Grig annoying. Grig gets why they dont want him in on actual revolutionary work completely and is fine carrying for random orphans they bring him and beating every slaver he sees to death with his bare hands on the side. that and teaching the children he raises to also beat slavers to death with their bare hands. he is actually the bio dad of one of my other ocs but ill expound on that more later. he adopts her like every other orphan put in front of him but doesnt realize shes his blood child until dragon stops to point out shes his spitting fucking image. or well a miniature of him more accurately.

Lily of the Valley of the kuja tribe, and former Greatest Swordsman in the world before mihawk. not that anyone was willing to acknowledge that. maybe because of all the murders. but if they were better swordsman theydve survived so. probably should not have had a child with grig but didnt anyway. making their daughter was a spot of joy in his otherwise depressing life so what can you do. at least she didnt train her because she does not understand limits in regards to adults, i wouldnt trust her to train a kid. shes not the worst mother at least, she dedicated the entirety of her time after daughter disappeared off the kuja pirate ship to tracking her down so. and lets her stay with her dad when she expresses that she wants to because she loves him and also enjoys learning to beat people to death with her bare hands. forgets to let the rest of the tribe know their sister is safe in her rush to get back to killing people with swords though.

Rose of Sharon of the kuja tribe later Joliceur D. Briar, and shes as obsessed with martial arts as her mother is with swords and swordfighting styles. significantly less murderous though. also inherited her dads tendency to care alot about peoples freedoms and follows in his footsteps of being somewhat of a menace to the revolutionary army. but sometimes she leaves them money with the dead slavers so thats nice of her. could technically join the revolutionary but chooses not to. an admittedly deeply selfish person but she has made something of a weapon of it for the greater good of the people she cares about. fucks around alot and finds out alot but thats fine she likes to know things.

#one piece ocs

[curry-and-casteliacones]

Ok so, Orthworm titan has been defeated! I think, just as a little check in. Im going to talk about my opinions on the different characters. Because i'm sure some of them will change down the line and i'd like to be able to come back to this and see what i thought of them!

Warning for about mid game ish?? spoilers? Maybe? Im just talking about characters personalities so warning for that

Nemona- She's pretty fun. I like her energy a lot! But she isn't a favorite or anything. I feel like i haven't seen enough of her personality.

Arven- I adore him. At first he annoyed me, and then i was suspicious of him because of how he talked during the first titan about a "he". But when it was revealed he was trying to help the goodest of boys i actually teared up. If i hadn't been in a room with someone else i probably would have started crying. I absolutely adore Arven's personality. His path is probably my favorite because it feels like it has the most fun story. And you get to interect with miraidon more.

Penny- I don't have a ton to say about her. Mildly suspicious of her just because i don't know much, but i'm trying to see her in a neutral light so it doesn't cloud my judgement. I like her design a lot. BUT WHY DOES SHE NOT HAVE TO WEAR THE UNIFORM?? I wanna come to school in whatever i want >:(

Brassius- I was expecting moody and gloomy, but he's actually pretty cool. I like how much he cares about art. He also got a bunch of bonus points for shocking me with that windmill jump. I like the joke of his ace pokemon and over all he's a fun character. His design is REALLy cool and it's fun to see something that isn't just your basic flowery bright green grass gym leader. (not that i have anything against that, i love all the grass gyms)

Kofu- I couldn't pinpoint why but i did NOT like him at first. I tried so hard to work past it because i couldn't figure out why i didn't like him. But after the market and his battle i came to like him a lot. He's not my favorite by any means but he's a fun character.

Iono- I was already a fan when she was introduced. I love her design and her personality is hilarious. She's my favorite gym leader as of right now. Maybe even my favorite character in the game.

Clavell- Kinda spooky, kinda fun. He seems a bit annoying at times but that might be my distaste for authority. I keep flip flopping on whether i like him or not. I don't dislike his personality so far but he feels like he's hiding smth. Idk. I always am suspicious of characters i don't know enough about lol. Especially cuz i'm not sure if gamefreak is pulling a twist villain again or not.

Jaqc- He's fun :) I like him a lot. Doesn't stand out a ton but he's a cool character

Turo- hmmm he hasn't really done anything that interesting so far... kinda dislike him just because he isn't Sada lol. I liked her design more than his. But i got violet for Miraidon. Again, im wary of characters i don't know enough about....

At this point im too lazy to keep looking up their names and i have a horrible memory (just took all the midterms and the one singular question i got wrong was the language teachers name). So uh... classes only no names.

Math teach- In the first 5 seconds of meeting her i wanted to dislike her so bad. I HATED math as a kid and i still hate math. The only class i did well in was geometry and that's because it felt more like fun puzzles to me. But basic math? I can't do it. No matter how well i know a formula or how much i try and focus i always mess up something small that then ruins everything else. Every step could be correct but ill have gotten confused about how much of something there was cuz i misread the problem and all of a sudden its all messed up. I can somehow get 11 from 5 + 3. I never learned long division. I hate math with a burning passion. So i was ready to suffer at even math in a basic kids game. But she was so sweet. And the problems WERENT HARD. I was so scared it was gonna be basic addition or subtraction or smth and i would suffer. But i realized it was all math i had already been doing in the game already. Calculating damage based on weakness, or figuring out how many of different items i could buy. I wish i had a math teach at some point who had worked with me to make it interesting. And she's so sweet. I literally adore her so much

Art teach- This guy has not made an impact on me at all. He is like a paper lunch bag of a character next to a bunch of cool lunchboxes with fancy patterns. Not bad, gets the job done. But so much less cool. I always loved art tho so i guess he gets extra points for that.

Language teach- he speaks french i rest my case. The only worse thing he could do is be british. Cuz at least the french did wonderful things for cooking. But fr if there wasn't spanish sprinkled in i would be missing every question. At first i kinda disliked him but im kinda nuetral now. (im kidding about the french n british thing for the record. i just jokingly hate british ppl and i dislike french as a language cuz i find it just as stupid if not more stupid than english)

Home ec teach- I Adore him. He's great. I love cooking so much so of course when i saw a home ec class i was in love. I loved the idea of my in game character also being good at cooking(why yes, i am easily amused). At first i was kinda intimidated by him but i liked him still. After te interaction with him in the cafeteria w the pbj i was enamored w his character. he is my little meow meow i think hes so entertaining. I love him

Fighting? Uh battle smth?? teach- hasnt rlly stood out to me in any way. however the interactions w her being bad at cooking were funny and felt like they gave her more character, which made me like her more. I think shes pretty cool but def is overshadowed by other ppl.

History- Cannot figure out why but she kinda annoys me. maybe its the clothes lmao. But idk im trying to work past it cuz i cant figure out if i have a good reason or not yet. So basically nuetral leaning towards negative on her.

Nurse miriam? is that her name- couldnt tell you why but i like her. she just seems fun to hang out with. i like her a lot :)))

As a final note, i really like the little interactions w the diff characters throughout the school and maybe im just a nerd but i actually like going to the classes..... Its fun and i like seeing the characters personalities. (plus answering even the easiest of questions correctly make the happy chemicals go brrrr) Ive always love extra lil stuff that lets you interact w characters in any game, its so much fun.

#ink plays violet #pokemon spoilers #pokemon scarlet and violet #pokemon scarlet and violet spoilers #pokemon scarvi spoliers

[toasterhatesyou]

time for sparklecare hospital oc showing!!!

this is Roa Dee Kill, allotopun being roadkill ofc. he is a racoon (I. drew a racoon from memory. shut up.) who has HORRIBLE luck, basically the opposite of whatever Jay has, and constantly gets Ill and injured, usually by getting hit by cars, not enough to get him killed, but horrible enough for him to be in constant pain and suffering. after being hit by a car one too many times with no one helping him as usual, it was tired of it so he called the sparklecare hospital, hearing it was amazing, and then realizing otherwise fairly quickly. when he attempted to escape later, he was RAN OVER by the SAME CAR that GOT HIM IN THE HOSPITAL, causing him to have his eye lost and him to have the huge car skid mark on his face, which cuddles decided not to do anything about because it would "teach it not to do it again".

likes:

staying isolated: he is DEATHLY afraid of hurting others with it's bad luck, due to the fact when anyone is around him, they'll have bad luck too, so he tries to keep itself away from anyone because he doesn't want them to be hurt like he does

colouring: he usually colours in colouring pages made for kids because it doesn't make him as mad whenever he messes up on the colouring due to bad luck. also because it's fun.

scribbling: he finds it fun to just draw scribbles because his bad luck doesn't do anything to really stop him from doing it (aside from having whatever he's drawing with break), so he finds joy in finally having something to do that his bad luck doesn't have control over

Jay: he likes to hang out with jay, because Jay's luck cancels out his bad luck, so when they're together, Roa doesn't cause harm or give anyone bad luck. Roa never agrees to go out of his room unless it has Jay to go with him. they're best friends, and when they're together, jay helps him calm down and relax whenever he has to go somewhere without jay to help him.

Dislikes:

being in large crowds: as stated before, Roa doesn't want people to get hurt by him, so when it's in a large crowd, he hyperventilates to the point he nearly passes out (or does actually pass out) because he doesn't want anyone to have bad luck because of him.

cars and roads: self explanatory.

jokes about his name: also self explanatory.

sleeping: Roa rarely sleeps, he constantly has nightmares over causing mass destruction by just being in an area and causing all the people he loves to die. he also has nightmares about somehow causing Jay's luck to go away and harming Jay.

ref sheet:

silly backstory art thing:

other art

#sparklecare #sparklecare oc #sparklecare hospital #art

[atopearth]

Bakumatsu Renka Shinsengumi Part 1 - Okita Souji Route

Soo.. I'm really not fond of the art, but I really like Shinsengumi stuff, so I bought this on sale🤣 Okay, I think I'm getting used to the art, it's actually quite endearing in it's own way, mainly because LMAO at that brawl they had with the sumo wrestlers. The story is actually so much more fun than I thought it would be, it's such a riot. Honestly, I wish they made Serizawa more of a jerk, because I actually quite like him right now even though there's no point😭 Otherwise, Suzuka being an actual part of the Mibu Roshigumi, and everyone knowing she's actually a woman is very interesting to see! She seems quite headstrong too, so I'm looking forward to her development. I feel bad for her though. Both her parents were selfish and left her, luckily she was still taken care of by the sister-in-law or whatever she was. LOL when everyone left Saito at the inn after the brawl with the sumo wrestlers, I have to admit, I completely forgot about him too🤣🤣🤣 Even though the guys make fun of her every now and then, it's nice to see that they're all concerned for her in their own ways. I actually think it's pretty saddening to see how Serizawa's actions have become too much to the point that Kondo and them have to "take care" of him. Honestly, I forgot how some of the stuff the Shinsengumi did were pretty "dirty", so when they tried to get Serizawa drunk so that it would be easier to kill him, it really made me feel uncomfortable considering how despite everything that's happened, he was their leader. But I guess the ones who are the most hurt are Hijikata and them because they're the ones who were with him the longest, and probably hoped that it wouldn't come to this. The good thing about it is that Serizawa knew what they were planning and decided to go down with a fight. It felt like, he had already accepted his fate tbh.

Seeing Okita show his illness enough that he actually needed Suzuka to carry him was quite saddening. He's so cool as the swordsman who always smiles as he fights, so it's depressing to see this happen to his body. Wow, that Tosa samurai was so disgusting to kill a child just because he called him out for being less respectable than Yamanami. I feel so sorry for Yamanami, he wanted to teach the kids how to write and wield a sword, and yet this happens because they like Yamanami and want to stand up for him. Like yeah, I can understand why the Tosa samurai dislike the Shinsengumi, but killing innocent children over something like this? Ridiculous. The lead up to Yamanami's death was really heartwrenching and painful. After realising the truth, there was no way he could let go of his desire and responsibility towards killing that Tosa samurai for killing an innocent child. I honestly wish he could be more dirty and assassinate him or something, but considering the person Yamanami was, and how he wanted the samurai to understand what he's being killed for, of course he would challenge him to a duel and kill him in that way. But there's no way the Tosa samurai will let go of this, and even Yamanami himself couldn't live with the idea that he ended up using his blade when it went against his principles of trying to find a peaceful resolution without killing. Yamanami committing seppuku really just broke my heart and I just can't help but cry along with Suzuka because he was a good guy, and he could have been a great teacher to the other children. It's just so sad all around, and I just don't know how to feel, because yes this was the path Yamanami chose, and he had the conviction to go through with it, but like Kondo and all those children, I just really didn't want Yamanami to die like that.

Lolll at the event with Inoue where you make him take Suzuka to Gion so she can get used to it, and he ends up realising that this form of relaxation actually isn't as bad as it seems, and now he can see why everyone enjoys it hahahah, Suzuka "corrupted" him🤣 I think it's really sweet of Suzuka to try and give Okita another perspective towards "killing people" since he views it more as a "game" where he just kinda does it because he does, and kills them because that's how it is rather than understanding that what he's taking from them is their life. I also thought it was sweet of Okita to honestly tell her that he doesn't really understand but he would seriously think about it. Wow, I didn't expect Suzuka to get in the way of Okita killing a Ronin, she really could have died since he didn't expect it. Maybe it'll help him realise what it means to lose one's life through this though, but it kinda felt traumatising for him, so I don't want to say it was a good thing haha. LMAO at Suzuka thinking that something terrible will happen or he'll transform if Yamazaki takes off his clothes🤣🤣 I'm glad Matsumoto (the famous doctor) actually asked Suzuka if any of the guys tried anything untoward to her, and addressed how she is the only woman here after all. Guess it's nice to know that Hijikata's rage is enough to deter these guys from trying anything, and that he would make them commit seppuku for it is definitely the best way for them to understand that they better keep to themselves and not touch her or they're dead.

I'm glad Suzuka finally realised Okita's situation and got the chance to talk to him. As expected, he's been confronted with the vision of her when he fights others, so he's always worried that he's actually hurting her. It was resolved pretty easily with a rather random confession from both of them imo, but I am happy for them haha. I guess not for long because Okita's tuberculosis is worse than they thought. It's always sad to see Okita get so sick (in every game variation of him), but I'm glad he got to see Kondo become a hatamoto and celebrate with them. I love how much everyone cares about Okita and I love how much Okita wants to be with the guys like Hijikata and Kondo who he came from the same dojo with, it's so sweet to see how happy he is seeing their efforts recognised. Honestly, seeing Okita bedridden breaks my heart, especially since he needs Suzuka to shower/wipe him. I can't imagine how agonising it must be, but I'm glad that Suzuka told him to think about if their positions were reversed, and he understood that he would do the same for her if she needed it. Saitani being Sakamoto Ryoma was expected I guess. Just sad to see him die and have the Shinsengumi blamed for it when he purposely didn't say anything to prevent any more strife between the groups. The Shinsengumi killing Ito and then having to kill the rest of the Goryo-eji because they wanted revenge always breaks my heart, it's just so hard to stomach all the bloodshed, the loss of good people and Heisuke who was so young, it is probably true that the Satsuma orchestrated the whole thing to make them kill each other and they probably intercepted the order to tell the others to not kill Ito or he put traitors in there to do it under the Shinsengumi name. Omg it's actually kinda crazy how well Ishida Akira shows through his voice how exhausted and weak Okita has become, it's so depressing hearing him try so hard to speak.

Okita and Suzuka trying out the steam bath (that's good for tuberculosis apparently?) together was so sweet. I couldn't stop my tears when Suzuka asked Okita why he didn't defend himself, and Okita said, in his mind, he already had his sword ready in his hands but when he looked, he realised that in reality he hadn't moved at all. I'm glad that at least in the end, Okita was able to wield his sword just one more time, but I'm still devastated over how much he had to suffer and wallow in helplessness before he passed. He was so strong, and yet he became so physically weak, it's always so heartbreaking to watch that when it comes to his life. My heart really hurts. Omg I didn't expect Suzuka to have Okita's child! That was surprising! I'm glad even though it was random lol. I think I liked how Suzuka ended up going back to Kondo's dojo to teach there and take care of their child, it suits her, and Okita was supposed to take over the sword style, so it's fitting for her to be there to kinda continue Okita's life for him since he wasn't able to.

Overall, Okita's story was sad. The game definitely isn't romance-focused, and I expected that but I think I got even less romance than I thought haha! It's not too bad though because I felt like Okita and Suzuka had a nice respectful relationship where she was able to share his burdens and his remaining life together happily with him. I also liked the confession and thought the idea of Okita realising what it really means to cut someone down when he hurt Suzuka was interesting. Seeing the other guys die throughout the story also made me curious how their stories will work out and I think it's a pretty refreshing take to kinda witness their deaths throughout history. Anyway, I really felt Okita's pain and helplessness throughout this route as his health deteriorated and I think that was portrayed very well for how short their story actually was imo.

#bakumatsu renka shinsengumi

[80zgf]

aw thank u!

idrk tbh, what i want to do is not have to worry ab earning a living and just do the things i want. teaching is not for me, tho i love my kids

yessss i adore artsy photos like that ur so right

ummm i love music, i love driving and listening and singing, or ill knit or color while i listen to music. its very relaxing. i loveee to read (esp fanfiction lmao). i like to hang out with my friends and like go see a movie or go shopping. i love arts and crafts things, making little things just for the fun of it. i like to cook and bake! esp baking, i have a hugeeee sweet tooth lol.

what about u?

i hope you find whatever that is for you :-) u still have time for sure!

i LOOOOOVE music!! i draw, watch youtube or cartoons/anime. i read mostly graphic novels or manga but sometimes the occasional ‘actual book’ :o) i also super love make up and fashion. i fall under quite a few sub genres both in music and style so they mean a looot to me. one of my biggest interest is probably dolls + stuffed animals <33 i love collecting and learning about them. video games too! i’m the nintendo + childhood mmos and flash games type

omg yes cooking and baking are also mega cool! i mostly bake like betty crocker but as for cooking!! i like making nachos and breakfast foods lol. do you have a favorite thing to make?

#💋.txt #musicisthetranslationofasoul

[wjrp]

TwoBitGameTours 1: Bitey Farm Animals, Sim Pathfinding, and God

(written 13 May 2023 at 8:14am)

Sims…Sims are weird little simulated people, and sometimes they drive you clear up the wall.

Much like children or pets…or computers. (Or other groups of beings/things, I’m certain.)

So, a few years ago, I was playing the Sims 3. My Sims at the time had a toddler. They’ve gotta be taught how to walk and talk (you’re supposed to anyway..). Right. I can do that.

So I directed this kid’s mom to teach her kid to walk, I think it was. (I’ll call her Mary because I’ve forgotten what name I gave her.) Kid’s room was off to the side, relatively near their house’s stairway. So this chick picks up her kid. Cool. We’re on our way.

So she walks over to the top of the stairs, puts her kid down… then walks down the stairs without said kid.

Then the “frustration” or “I can’t do that” bubble pops up.

Aaaugh. Why’d you leave your kid at he top and you at the bottom?

It’s funny now. I mean, it was kinda funny then, too, but mixed with “why are you like this”.

If anything, I was frustrated at EA (Electronic Arts) for this pathfinding snarl that happened.

(I really don’t know how difficult programming pathfinding is, but EA is massive. It just felt below their capabilities.)

At the time, I wasn’t thinking too hard about any of this, and figured out how to get her to teach her kid to walk or whatever it was.

Thinking about this now, I didn’t hate her. Not just because any life she had existed in my head, and I rather liked the story I told myself, but like..

She’s wasn’t stupid on purpose. (She isn’t anything on purpose, to be fair.) 

Sometimes we just do not get stuff, and I think God might be unhappy about it, but not every mistake is intentional. Sometimes we blunder about, and get it right eventually. I think God might have rather more patience than I give Him credit for.

——

A few years later, I was playing a Minecraft modpack called Agrarian Skies 2.

(Modpacks are what I like to call “custom content”. It’s stuff that the player base makes, and shares with others.)

Anyway. The story behind AS2 was that the world was wrecked all except for your little teeny floating island in a whoooole lot of nothing. 

This is a very different experience from a typical Minecraft playthrough. In single player, Minecraft can feel a little empty, but it’s got nothing on the potential loneliness of a skyblock playthrough.

There is nothing. No cows mooing, no villagers running around looking like Squidward, nothing. And it takes long enough to get the supplies to make farms, and places for different creatures to pop in to existence. Enough that when you see the first farm animal, you are really happy to see it. (Or at least I was.)

This is where I should mention that this modpack has a thing that makes the farm animals bitey/hostile.

But I realized something, in the midst of this experience of bitey farm animals. And I pondered the same thing with the Sim family in the midst of writing this.

God still loves us. Even when we’re like some bitey Minecraft cow, He’s like “Yay! My kid. I love them. I want to care for them and give them help and support. They are entirely loved just as they are.”

(I mean…I don’t think God might speak quite that informally/colloquially, but I hope you get what I mean.)

And that’s what I still wanted to do, even after watching a pen of sheep all collect on one side trying to bite me. Protect them from being eaten by a wolf (by never setting up the conditions for one to turn up, I think.). Feed them. Get the wool and make stuff.

I realized that God wanted to be kind and loving, even when we, his spirit children aren’t those things at all.

—

I’ve shared the Minecraft part of this in a Fast and Testimony meeting some time ago, but I felt I should share this online.

Maybe it’s because somebody needs it. Maybe that someone is you?

Maybe it’s because I have a hard time actually getting to church. (Chronic illness. It is…unfun.)

But hi Internet. Here’s a thing that I thought of, that maybe someone is asking for.

Even if it’s just me, then it was worth the effort. If it’s you, then I am happy to brighten things for you.

I think that experiences like these are totally possible, presuming the game is clean enough for the Spirit to be there. 

I think that video games and their characters matter. That’s because the people who carry their story of Bessie the cow or Mary, the mother of many, matter. Video games don’t have to be useless fluff, and in fact they can teach you a lot. Or let you make a story. 

Mary may have no life outside the one you carry in your mind. She is 1s and 0s, just numbers.

But you, my dear. You are real. Your feelings are real, even if Mary, her toddler, and her puzzling behavior are just code. A scene, empty of thought, still affects you, because you are that thought.

And those thoughts exist. And since you matter, so do they.

Books and plays and other ways of sharing stories have existed for a long time. People who have no lives outside the mind of many..or one, still can soften hearts, and strengthen feeble knees.

Video games are just as capable of that. 

<3 Windy/WJRP

#sims #video games #twobitgametours #wjrp #religious #christian