#at this point I'm just collecting data from the things people are adding to my relvin post

[revvethasmythh]

I think it's very interesting--and I mean that genuinely--that overwhelmingly in the past week or two, the responses I've seen about Relvin have centered around the idea that "he should have fought" for Imogen or that "he should FIGHT" for Imogen. I've seen this particular line pop up quite a few times in slightly different ways, and I think maybe we should unpack this a little.

Because in the physical sense, Relvin can't really fight. By that, I mean his stats probably look like Gilear Faeths and like, yeah, you can argue that Gilear tagged along during Sophomore Year and therefore, so could Relvin. But Gilear also *spoilers* died three separate times in a 20 episode span, and is only alive at the end because Emily loves him so fucking much and Brennan's resurrection rules in FHSY are more lax than Matt's. Particularly post-Solstice, where there is no resurrection to be had at all if Relvin were to die. If you want Relvin to join the Hells and Fight The Moon And Ludinus Too, it's really not feasible even on just a physical level. That's not even engaging with the question of "why would the Hells even want him there?" They wouldn't. He'd be a nuisance at best and a liability at worst.

If you want to him to Fight The Moon sans the Hells on his own, he's really not capable of that either! He's not a scholar, he's not a magic user, he's--he's a groom. A stablehand. He can't "pick up his pitchfork" (that he shovels manure with) and stand defiantly against the forces that face Imogen & Co. He's really, truly Just A Dude. Which is kind of the point I've been trying to make about him. He's lived his life around extraordinary people, and he is not extraordinary. He doesn't have the tools to fight something like this, which is part of his tragedy. Is there a world where he quits his job, leaves his horses and his home and his life and tries to become a warrior for the sake of his absentee wife and the daughter he loves but doesn't know how to love the right way? I suppose. But wouldn't that be a different story than this one? And isn't it worth finding the meaning in the one we're experiencing now?

If this argument is that he should have fought for Imogen on an emotional level i.e. having been there for her more or more outwardly shown her affection, we kind of run aground of the same problems. The ask here is that we fundamentally change Relvin's character to make him something that he is not. He is a man who struggles with emotions, and was probably desperately scared about what Imogen was experiencing when it happened and didn't want her to feel his fear. Or his thoughts about her mother. And so, yes, he pulls away (for a variety of reasons). And there is a conversation to be had about his choice to withhold information about Liliana--it's questionable. But, then, every option he was presented with was questionable. What do you tell Imogen, who was abandoned by her mother when she was two? That her mother is dead, or that her mother abandoned her? You pray Imogen never develops the same debilitating powers as her mother, but when she does? Do you give her the comfort of knowing someone else had the same powers, the same struggles, at the expense of prompting more questions about her mother? Do you take the chance to be peppered with questions about how these powers work only to helplessly look on and say "I don't know," and maybe send Imogen down the same road as her mother even sooner than she actually did?

There is no good option. There is no heroic version of Relvin that makes all the right choices and becomes Imogen's white knight father, endlessly supportive and wholly committed to her. The situation is too complicated, and Relvin, frankly, is far too much Just Some Guy to be able to really grasp what Imogen is going through or to fight it in an active way. But I do think it's interesting that this seems to be the version of Relvin that the fandom would have found acceptable.

#at this point I'm just collecting data from the things people are adding to my relvin post #and I am Learning Things #critical role #relvin temult #bells hells #also--don't be a dick on this post. there is no reason to be a dick. this is a chill measured discussion we're having about fandom #let's keep it that way

[estapa-edwards]

UNEXPECTED - R. MCGROARTY

paring: rutger mcgroarty x fem! reader

word count:3k

requested? no

warnings: use of y/n.

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I never thought I'd find myself in this situation. Of all the people in the University of Michigan, why did it have to be Rutger McGroarty? I mean, the guy was a hockey legend, scoring goals left and right on the ice and having his face plastered all over campus posters. But off the ice? Let's just say, we were like oil and water.

It all started in Professor Williams' Advanced Statistics class. We were assigned a semester-long project that would contribute a significant portion to our final grades. The catch? We had to work in pairs, and Professor Williams, in his infinite wisdom, decided to pair me up with Rutger. Great.

I slumped in my seat, trying to disappear into the lecture hall's worn-out upholstery as Professor Williams announced the pairings. When he finally called out, "Y/N and Rutger McGroarty," I felt like the entire room turned to look at me, probably to see my reaction. And what was my reaction? Pure dread.

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The first meeting was a disaster. Rutger strolled in wearing his Michigan hockey team jacket, a smug grin plastered on his face as he tossed his bag onto the table. "So, statistics, huh? Should be easy," he remarked, barely looking at the project guidelines I had painstakingly printed out.

I shot him a skeptical look. "Easy for you, maybe. I'm not exactly a math whiz."

He chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll handle the numbers. You can handle... whatever it is you're good at."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence."

As the weeks passed, our project meetings evolved into something entirely unexpected. Rather than focusing solely on statistics and data analysis, our time together became a battleground of differing opinions and clashing personalities. Rutger, with his competitive spirit, always seemed eager to take the lead, often making decisions without even glancing in my direction.

One evening, as we were deep in discussion about our data collection methods, Rutger leaned over the table, his eyes locked onto mine with a mischievous glint. "You know, Y/N," he said, a playful smirk playing on his lips, "I think we should use my method. After all, it's tried and tested."

I raised an eyebrow, not amused by his arrogance. "And what about my method? Have you even considered it?"

He chuckled softly, leaning even closer, his voice low and flirty, "Teamwork? I thought you were just here to witness my brilliance."

I groaned internally, rolling my eyes at his audacity. How had I ended up with such an arrogant project partner?

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

During another one of our study sessions, tensions reached a boiling point. We were deep in a heated debate about the interpretation of our data, and Rutger's competitive nature was once again on full display. He suddenly stood up, towering over me with his imposing hockey player physique, making the small study room feel even more cramped.

"I still think my approach is better," he declared, his tone dripping with confidence and assertiveness.

I let out a deep sigh, trying to keep my frustration in check. "Rutger, can you please just listen to what I'm saying? This is a group project, remember? We're supposed to work together, not against each other."

He smirked, his eyes locking onto mine as he leaned down to my level, his face mere inches from mine. The audacity of his flirty demeanor in the midst of our disagreement only added to my irritation.

"Oh, I'm listening, Y/N," he said, his voice low and teasing, "I'm just waiting for you to see things my way."

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as I pushed my chair back, creating some much-needed distance between us. "Unbelievable," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head in exasperation.

Rutger leaned against the table, his smirk never wavering. "Come on, Y/N," he coaxed, his tone playful, "Admit it, you're starting to see the brilliance of my ideas, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach caused by his relentless flirting. "Rutger, this isn't a game. We need to work together and find a solution that we both agree on."

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Alright, alright, I'll try to be more open-minded," he conceded, though the playful glint in his eyes suggested he was far from giving up on his competitive stance.

​​As we continued to work on our project, Rutger suddenly changed the subject, "Hey, Y/N, are you free this Friday night?"

Caught off guard by the sudden change in topic, I looked up from my notes, "Um, yeah, why?"

Rutger's smirk returned, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Great! How about coming to one of my hockey games? It's a big one, and I'd love for you to be there."

I hesitated for a moment, surprised by his invitation. "I... I don't know, Rutger. I'm not really into hockey."

Rutger leaned in closer, his flirty demeanor returning full force. "Come on, it'll be fun! Plus, you get to see me in action. Who knows, you might even become a fan."

Despite my reservations, I couldn't help but feel intrigued. Rutger's passion for hockey was evident, and the idea of seeing him play, seeing a different side of him outside of our intense study sessions, was tempting.

"Alright," I finally conceded, a small smile playing on my lips, "I'll come to your game."

Rutger's face lit up with a triumphant grin. "Great! You won't regret it, I promise."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The rest of the week flew by, and before I knew it, Friday night had arrived. I found myself at the university's ice rink, surrounded by enthusiastic fans wearing Michigan's colors and cheering for the team. The atmosphere was electric, with the excitement palpable in the air.

As the players took to the ice for warm-ups, I spotted Rutger, effortlessly gliding across the rink, his focus and determination evident. I had to admit, seeing him in his element was impressive. His skill and passion for the game were undeniable, and I found myself getting caught up in the excitement of the atmosphere.

Just as the game was about to begin, Rutger glanced up and spotted me in the stands. A wide smile spread across his face, and he waved enthusiastically in my direction. I waved back, feeling a warm flush of pride at his acknowledgment. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot to me.

My friends, who had accompanied me to the game, noticed Rutger's friendly wave and looked at me with surprise. "Wait, did Rutger just smile and wave at you?" one of them asked, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

I chuckled, nodding in response. "Yeah, I guess he did. He asked me to come tonight." 

My friends exchanged amused glances, clearly intrigued by the unexpected turn of events. "Wow, Y/N," another friend teased, "I didn't know you and Rutger had become so chummy. What's next, joining the hockey fan club?"

I laughed, rolling my eyes at their playful teasing. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't even like him like that." 

My friends exchanged knowing glances, clearly amused by my defensive response. "We never said you liked him like that," one of them teased with a smirk.

I felt my cheeks heat up, realizing I might have been a bit too quick to clarify. "Well, I just meant... you know," I stammered, trying to find the right words. "He's a good teammate and all, but it's not like that between us."

Another friend chuckled, nudging me playfully. "Sure, sure, Y/N. Whatever you say. But we saw that smile on your face when he waved at you. Admit it, you enjoyed being his special guest at the game tonight."

I rolled my eyes again, but this time with a smile. "Okay, okay, maybe I had more fun than I expected. But that doesn't mean anything's changed between us. We're still just project partners."

My friends laughed, clearly unconvinced by my attempts to downplay the evening's significance. "Alright, Y/N," one of them said, holding up their hands in mock surrender. "We'll let you off the hook for now. But don't be surprised if we start seeing you at more hockey games in the future."

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

After the game, as I waited for Rutger outside the locker room, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected experience. Despite our rocky start and the constant challenges we faced during our project, I had gained a newfound appreciation for Rutger and his passion for hockey.

When Rutger finally emerged from the locker room, still in his gear but looking exhilarated, he flashed me a wide grin. "So, what did you think?" he asked, his tone hopeful.

I smiled back, genuinely impressed. "You were amazing, Rutger. I never realized how exciting hockey could be."

His grin widened, his eyes shining with happiness. "Told you, you might become a fan."

As Rutger and I began to walk away from the locker room, we were approached by two of his teammates, Ethan and Mark, both still in their Michigan hockey gear. They wore playful grins, clearly having spotted our interaction earlier.

"Hey, Rutger," Ethan began with a teasing tone, nudging Mark with his elbow. "Is this your girlfriend?"

Mark joined in on the joke, winking at me. "Yeah, Rutger, you didn't tell us you were bringing your special someone to the game tonight."

Rutger chuckled, rolling his eyes at his teammates' antics but not seeming entirely surprised by their teasing. "Very funny, guys," he said, his tone light and amused. He glanced over at me, offering a reassuring smile. "Ignore them, Y/N. They just can't resist a good joke."

I laughed, brushing off the playful teasing with a wave of my hand. "Don't worry, I'm not taking it seriously. But thanks for inviting me tonight, Rutger. I had a great time."

Ethan and Mark exchanged knowing glances, their grins widening. "Anytime, Y/N," Ethan said with a teasing tone. "You're always welcome to come and cheer for us... and for Rutger, of course."

Mark nodded in agreement, his playful demeanor still intact. "Yeah, maybe next time we'll even get you to wear a Michigan jersey... with Rutger's number on it."

I chuckled, shaking my head at their persistent teasing. "We'll see about that," I replied, glancing over at Rutger, who was still smiling despite his teammates' antics.

As we continued to walk towards the exit, Rutger's playful demeanor returned. "I hope they weren't too much for you," he said, his tone light.

I shrugged, smiling back at him. "They're just having some fun. I can handle a little teasing."

Rutger grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Good to know. And thanks again for coming tonight, Y/N. I'm glad you enjoyed the game."

I nodded, feeling genuinely grateful for the unexpected experience. "Me too, Rutger. It was a great game, and you played exceptionally well."

His smile widened, and for a moment, the playful, competitive edge that had defined so much of our project seemed to fade away, replaced by a genuine warmth and camaraderie.

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

The day had finally arrived to wrap up our project, and Rutger and I found ourselves in the university library, huddled over our laptops and notes. The tension in the room was undenible, not just from the looming deadline, but also from the lingering awkwardness between us.

As we worked on the final touches, I noticed Rutger's eyes drifting from his laptop to me more than a few times. Each time our eyes met, he quickly looked away, but I couldn't help but feel his gaze on me.

"Is everything okay, Rutger?" I finally asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us.

Rutger looked up, seeming caught off guard by my question. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that," he stammered, running a hand through his hair. "I was just thinking about the project, that's all."

I raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced by his explanation. "You seem distracted. Are you sure there's nothing else on your mind?"

Rutger hesitated, his gaze meeting mine once again. This time, he didn't look away immediately, and I could see a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "Honestly, Y/N," he began, his voice softer than usual, "I've been meaning to say something."

I felt my heart skip a beat, curious and slightly apprehensive about what he was about to say. "Go on," I urged, setting aside my work to give him my full attention.

Rutger took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine. "I just wanted to say thank you," he said, his tone sincere. "Despite our differences and the challenges we've faced, you've stuck by me and put in the effort to make this project a success. I really appreciate it."

I was taken aback by his honesty, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. "You're welcome, Rutger," I replied, smiling genuinely at him. "Despite our disagreements, I think we made a pretty good team in the end."

Rutger grinned, his eyes lighting up. "Yeah, we did," he agreed, his gaze lingering on me a moment longer than necessary. "And for the record," he added, his tone teasing, "I wasn't just staring at you because you're distracting. I was also trying to figure out how to ask you out after we finish this project."

I chuckled, caught off guard by his candidness but also intrigued by his confession. "Oh, really?" I responded, raising an eyebrow playfully. "And here I thought you were just lost in thought about the project."

Rutger laughed, his grin widening as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, the project was definitely on my mind, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also thinking about what comes next."

I felt a warmth spread through me, a mix of surprise and excitement at his bold admission. "Well, now that the project is done," I replied, my voice tinged with amusement, "I guess you have your answer, don't you?"

His eyes met mine, the playful glint replaced by something softer, more genuine. "I do," he said, his voice low and sincere. "So, what do you say, Y/N? Would you like to go out with me?"

I smiled, feeling a sense of anticipation and curiosity about where this unexpected connection might lead. "I'd like that, Rutger," I answered, my own voice softening.

Rutger's smile was infectious, his eyes shining with happiness as he stood up, extending a hand towards me. "Great," he said, his tone light but sincere. "How about dinner tomorrow night? We can celebrate our successful project and whatever this is."

I accepted his hand, standing up to meet his gaze. "Dinner sounds perfect," I replied, feeling a flutter of excitement at the prospect of getting to know Rutger beyond the confines of our project.

*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*

I sat across from Rutger at a quaint French bistro nestled in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. The restaurant had a warm and intimate atmosphere, with soft lighting, rustic wooden tables, and a hint of romantic charm in the air. It was our first official date since wrapping up our project, and I was both nervous and excited.

Rutger was in the middle of sharing a funny anecdote from one of his hockey games when the door to the bistro opened, and in walked Ethan and Mark. My heart sank as I saw them, and I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Of all the restaurants in Ann Arbor, they had to walk into the one where Rutger and I were having our date?

Ethan and Mark spotted us almost immediately and made their way over, their grins widening as they approached our table. Rutger looked up, clearly surprised to see his teammates, but his expression quickly turned amused as he saw Ethan and Mark's cheeky smiles.

"Hey, Rutger," Ethan began with a teasing tone, leaning against the back of an empty chair at our table. "Fancy seeing you here."

Mark chimed in, winking at me, "And with Y/N, no less. Who would've thought?"

Rutger chuckled, clearly unfazed by his teammates' interruption. "What are you guys doing here?"

Ethan shrugged, still grinning. "We knew you two would finally get together. Just wanted to see it with our own eyes."

I felt my cheeks grow even hotter, wishing the floor would swallow me up. Rutger, however, seemed to find the situation amusing.

"Alright, alright," Rutger said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "You've had your fun. Now, give us some space, will you?"

Mark chuckled, raising his hands in mock defense. "Alright, alright. We'll leave you two lovebirds alone. But remember, Rutger, you owe us for this."

Ethan nodded in agreement, pointing a finger at Rutger. "Yeah, don't forget it."

With one last round of playful teasing and laughter, Ethan and Mark finally retreated, leaving Rutger and me at our table, slightly flustered but also laughing at the unexpected turn of events.

Rutger shook his head, grinning at me. "I'm sorry about that, Y/N. My teammates can be a bit... overbearing."

I chuckled, feeling more at ease now that the awkward encounter was behind us. "It's okay, Rutger. It was bound to happen eventually, right?"

He smiled, reaching across the table to take my hand. "Absolutely. And who knows, maybe we should thank them. Their little interruption broke the ice, so to speak."

I laughed, feeling grateful for Rutger's easygoing nature and his ability to turn a potentially awkward situation into a moment of shared laughter.

"Maybe you're right," I agreed, squeezing his hand in return. "After all, it wouldn't be a true Michigan experience without a little interference from your teammates."

Rutger grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Exactly. So, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me as I remembered the conversation we had been having before Ethan and Mark's unexpected arrival. "You were about to tell me about that overtime goal you scored last week."

Rutger's face lit up, and as he launched back into his story, I found myself once again captivated by his passion for hockey and his infectious enthusiasm. Despite the awkward interruption, our date was turning out to be more enjoyable than I had anticipated, and I was grateful for the unexpected twist that had made our evening even more memorable.

#rutger mcgroarty #rutger mcgroarty x reader #rutger mcgroarty imagine #michigan #umich hockey #hockey

[exeggcute]

for the sake of consistency I feel compelled to point this out: I feel like I'm seeing a warped false dichotomy-ish thing spring up where people are responding to the "tiktok is a national security threat to america" hysteria with a counter that american software companies collect data about users, largely for advertising purposes, which is true!

but some of this seems to wrap around to an assumption that tiktok doesn't engage in garden-variety data collection for any reason at all... except they very much do lol. because tiktok is also an advertising platform at its core, to the tune of $11B of revenue in 2022. which I'm not trying to offer as a gotcha, just that I wouldn't be all "well you gotta hand it to them" about data collection practices in the same breath that you lampoon american companies' practices because tiktok's functionally not much different from any other advertising-supported platform in that regard.

WHICH, IMPORTANT CAVEAT, is a completely neutral statement on my part. not only am I famously pretty lukewarm on the privacy threat posed by advertising data, but also what I'm trying to get at here is that tiktok's data collection serves the exact same purpose as any other big platform's data collection, which is Making Money. it's all the same. you could even argue that the big monolithic publishers like tiktok/reddit/facebook/google who source their own buyers are less leaky (and therefore less problematic in general) because their supply chains don't include a million third-party ad platforms per auction, and those third-party middlemen are often the ones who sell shit to data brokers, so tiktok's closed advertising ecosystem is actually better than some of these publishers with miles-long ads.txt files who'll do business with anybody.

but like, for example: pixel tracking is a common way to track ad conversions by measuring how many users click on ads and do stuff on the website that the ad leads to. facebook has the facebook meta pixel, reddit has the reddit pixel, tiktok has the tiktok pixel... exact same tech. exact same reason. no espionage, just ads for those mobile games where you're trying to solve a weird maze thing before some guy drowns in lava

#the reddit pixel documentation is ass btw #when I interviewed with them (before they ghosted me lol) one of my assessments was to rewrite it #and this clearly wasn't a 'we're just using this for free labor' situation because that doc is still as bad as I remembered 🫡

[daemonhxckergrrl]

Firefox Quick-setup (5 steps !)

for everyone considering the switch to Firefox: here's your 101. we're going for 'sweet spot' privacy/convenience* here. minimal steps, maximal result.

the steps:

download Firefox, install and run

disable data collection, verify Total Cookie Protection is on

(optional) import settings from your old browser

switch from Google to DuckDuckGo

install uBlock Origin and Privacy Possum

*aka "i hate targeted ads but i'm not Snowden"

details below the cut !! also, optional steps for more privacy d:

step 1: download Firefox, install and run

windows and mac: click the link to the download page linux: use your distribution's software manager/app store (or package manager) to install firefox if it doesn't already come with your installation

it should look something like this when you open it

step 2: disable data collection, verify Total Cookie Protection is on

type about:preferences into the address bar and press enter. there's a ton of settings here to explore at your leisure, but we want to head to the Privacy & Security tab and scroll down to Firefox Data Collection and Use

here we want to untick all the highlighted options - this stops Mozilla from collecting data about how you use your browser and from running studies (aka trying out new features on you if you "meet the criteria")

step 3 (optional): import settings from old browser

the exact method varies based on firefox version, but you can look here or use this general method: open the bookmark manager/library with the shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+O, click Import and Backup, then choose Import Data from Another Browser to grab your browsing history and bookmarks.

step 4: switch from Google to DuckDuckGo

there's little point avoiding Google's browser if they can still track you via your searches. go back to about:preferences, but this time choose the Search tab. change your Default Search Engine to DuckDuckGo

step 5: install uBlock Origin and Privacy Possum

it's extension time !! c: there's tons to choose from, but we're just focused on the basics. uBlock Origin will block ads and trackers, and works well with Firefox's TCP feature. Privacy Possum sends false data back to trackers (great for any that fall through the cracks).

just click on the links above, then click Add to Firefox and to the prompts that come up

that's it !! there's tons of addons and themes to explore over at addons.mozilla.org, from VPN integrations to tab management and much more.

You're done

happy browsing !! i'll include a companion post w/ more advanced features/tweaks and a collection of my personal favourite addons and links to other people's addons lists !! i'll also try to keep this post updated (and include a patch note reblog) should things change.

for anyone serious about privacy, it's worth mentioning that the more tools directly included in Firefox, the less privacy addons you need to run. uBlock Origin and Privacy Possum should go a long way now.

#daemon.md #hxcker.js #REPO/SOFTWARE #REPO/SOFTWARE/FIREFOX #GUIDES #GUIDES/FIREFOX

[gwydionmisha]

Welcome!

Welcome to the folks who've joined in the last couple of weeks.  Please don't be offended if I don't friend you back.  I am already following way too many people to ever keep up and should logically weed about half instead of adding.

This blog follows my interests and obsessions.  It's mostly images and reblogs during the day, with more link spam, news, and original content at night.  Archeological and history posts happen when I have time. 

I am not a journalist, nor have I ever been a journalist.  My training was in History, though as I have interest and time to follow the news, I write about things going on in the world a lot.  I also sometimes post things I don't entirely agree with because they make interesting points or have ideas worth pondering.

I will happily comment on history stuff within my purview and express opinions on political stuff if folks ask.  As to trans things and more personal questions, I will answer most non-trollish questions.  All opinions are my own, and I do not represent all transfolk, let alone all queerdom.  Please do not take me for the final word as the community is diverse and complex.

I will not be offended if you unfollow me just generally.  While I keep an eye on total follow numbers so as to know when to toss up a welcome post, I don't track who unfollows.  People add and leave every day.  My blog is not everyone's up of tea.  People sample and leave.  That's perfectly reasonable.

People are very much encouraged to comment on my posts, and you don't need to hide in the tags.  It's fine, really.  I come from a debate culture.  I love your digressions and strange stories.  I particularly love when people tell their own experiences with the topics of news items.  It's okay.  I promise.

If people need content warnings on things I'm not already marking, PM me and I'll make an effort to add them.

I need to remind people that the US Government collects massive data on the internet.  No matter how angry you are, please do not post death threats online. 

We are all furious and frightened.  Trust me, I get it, but be careful out there.

#Welcome

[chaosandwolves]

Tell me about My Hollow Fortress please? 💕🦛

Hello lovely!

Ooohhh yes! I was actually so proud of that one but then - like so often- I lost the momentum and it's hard to get back into it. (one of the most annoying things about ADHD tbh)

So my document says it's inspired by this fic by @evcndiaz

I gotta be honest, I'm gonna have to reread that first so I can't tell you much about that fic rn.

This wip is basically about Eddie and how, throughout his life, he has built these walls around him and only ever done what people expected him to do.

And I went with this image of a fortress he's built that he keeps repairing whenever there is a dent.

And Chris and the 118 make it all crumbling down. And, of course, Buck

The fic is full of metaphors surrounding this fortress and programming.

I really tried to choose a small snippet but I couldn't quite decide so here is a bigger part of the WIP

Eddie does all these things for others, wants all these things for others, builds all these things...

For others.

But not for himself, never for himself. How could he? How could he? When the only time he allowed himself to build something for himself;

when the only time he dared to follow his heart without it having to pass all the checkpoints in his head;

when the only time he could taste the feeling of "home" on his tongue;

when the only time he dared to take and to live and to breathe;

when the only time "together" was a feeling and not just carefully carved out hollow scripts and instructions;

When the only time he allowed himself all that, it was not only ripped from him but he was also the reason for all the pain that followed.

So for Eddie the next steps were crystal clear.

He built himself up again, locked himself in a perfectly, rule following form he could shape and mold as needed. Built it like a responsive program, with clear instructions and predictable responses. He could rewrite the script every time it was needed. He learned how to smile in a way that wouldn't show how little it reached inside him.

Sometimes, sometimes Shannon put a dent or a little crack into his form. And sometimes he would allow himself to feel the warmth and light coming through, just for a few moments, before he took his bucket of clay to repair the damage.

It was good. He was doing well. Doing what he had calculated the world was expecting of him.

But then… Then the unforeseen variable hit him and his sculpture started to crumble and in his panic, he couldn't keep up the repair, couldn't find a solution. And everything was filling up with black smoke and he couldn't breathe and so he ran.

He ran far far away and sought out the only place he knew where he could still pretend to be in control, pretend to follow the caring love he was supposed to feel in his bones but that he had disposed of outside his fortress.

Where he didn't have to think about the programming anymore, could hand over the script to someone else to have time; time to rebuild and form and mold.

And it worked. Partially. Cause war is one big unpredictable variable.

But it was fine. Eddie learned how to mend the irreversible damages the war left him with. He couldn't close the cracks and the dents but he could put another layer of clay on top. It's fine.

And then.

Then Christopher was there and Eddie wanted to scream. This was not supposed to happen. There was suddenly this massive hole right above his heart and Christopher filled it with light and laughter that reached inside his shell and crept into his skin and reached for his heart.

It wasn't fair. Eddie had so carefully collected all the instructions and built them into his program, wrote the script.

It was the perfect plan.

But Christopher took his pen and broke it. He took the access to his coding and Eddie was left with only the data he had collected to this point and wasn't able to adjust everything accordingly.

So he kept adding layers of clay around the hole he couldn't close.

But slowly, slowly, slowly the warmth crept inside his bones and the memory of breath in his chest and laughter in his heart brushed the outer skirts of his existence.

And just as he was pushing it away he choked at the thought that his son would one day live like this and the next mission appeared in front of him like an order.

So he took Christopher, brought him to safety, away from everything that had helped Eddie to build his hollow castle.

That was probably the best decision he ever made and he decided that if his broken program doesn't provide him with a script, he will filter it through Chris, make it work for his son to make sure that he could keep laughing and breathing with his entire being.

That was his most important mission, standing above all else.

When he met the 118 it was easy to run his programs and do all the things. Following orders on a daily basis again made it all so much easier.

It gave him time to guard the hole and thicken his walls.

But he didn't notice that the clay was melting faster than he could keep reapplying it.

The walls of his bunker grew thin and started to crumble bit by bit.

And Christopher wasn't the only one any more who threatened his fortress.

The 118 is family.

Family like Eddie had always wished but never gotten an instruction for. So he couldn't stop them from appearing at his door steps and bringing light and peeking through the cracks.

And Eddie found himself minding it less and less.

The tension in his shoulders eased, the ache in his arms started to lighten as he didn't have to apply the clay anymore in every free second he had.

And then

Buck

...

And for a second, for a second he stands in the burning remains of his castle, stands in absolute darkness, knowing that the light is gone forever.

But then Chris is there, alive and breathing.

Chris tells him everything. How Buck saved him, how he saved even more people, how Chris fell into the water.

For a second he wants to be angry at Buck. Wants to to take this as a reason to reinforce his fortress.

But then he remembers Buck's face, hears his voice, feels his despair.

And he knows it in his bones that Buck saved Chris, that Buck would do everything for his son

And then then he was shot and everything crumbled down.

He was stripped of all the walls in an instance. They were torn down and ripped apart and there was nothing he could do about it.

He desperately scrambled for the burned pieces of his script, for the broken bits of his programs and he tried, he tried and tried to hastily rebuild and he stepped away from Buck who brought all this damage and ache and longing which was just too much too much too much too much.

#Buddie #Buddie wip #Wip game #Sry for the late reply #My spoons weren't present #Also sorry this is so long #And remember #This is an unedited wip so there are flaaaaws and repetitions #Chaos answers

[thessalian]

Thess vs the Chorus

Well. I mean. Eventually. After I was done with the Open World Faffabout.

Hrm. Must have already got that piece of green shiny. I probably ought to actually make a login for that interactive map so I can tick off where I've been. I just dislike more people having my information than already do.

Right. Ancient ruins. Let's see. What do we have here?

So we have to release a ladder ... but it doesn't go all the way down so we have to climb too. Thaaaaaaaanks for that.

So there's a key module ... but it's up there. How do we get up there? Let's patrol the building.

No handholds ... but a ... train car? Of some kind? And that blue says "pullcaster". Okay, lemme see.

It doesn't ram right through the wall. Damn. Oh well, gives me a spot to climb up anyway.

Huh. I can get onto this awning and I can get the green shiny ... but I cannot get to the roof or anything. Investigating.

...Rail switch. Riiiiiiiiiiight. Going to yank the train car some more.

And switch to straight track aaaaaaaaaaaand ... off we go.

Wait. That said "grab cart". So ... I could have just ... walked it over? And not used the pullcaster the whole time? SONUVA--

Anyway, now I have the key module. Aaaaaaand I need a code. Hunting for data points.

And there's one. And it says ... the year the place was built. Right. Time to go outside and hunt. Of course I had to do this around in-game sunset.

(Also the Ancient Ones who left those data points had plants so I automatically like them.)

Ah! Okay. Heh; over a hundred years old here in the real. That's old for American buildings.

(YES I have to say that; I live in the UK. The saying goes, "for a Brit, 100 miles is a long way; for an American, 100 years is a long time". London still has remnants of structures built in 200 AD.)

And ... I'm basically back where I started from. Except with access to that zipline. Theoretically.

Oh. Right. Sprint for the zipline. And now I'm in a room wiiiiiiiiiith ... FIREGLEAM.

And there's tracks. And a cart outside. And handholds too high for me to reach. I see logistics puzzle builders had some hand in this.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand BOOM. Now, back to the cart, which I will actually drag by hand this time.

Aaaaaaaaand UP we go. And this one gives off ... little moons. Ancient Ones were weird.

So that's done. I think I'll at least get that Grazer site and then check out that question mark.

I could shoot those things for cover spores. Or I could just sit here and pick everything off from a mile a-whoa those are Clawstriders AIMING FOR THE TAIL NOW.

And the Grazers have moved. Yes, Aloy, I could override the Grazer and if you're so insistent--

DAMNIT my automatic response is the mouse. So I did Silent Strike instead of pressing E and this other one wants my face. BYE!

Okay. Question mark. That's ... okay, the map tells me I am currently in a cave. I am not in a cave but there must be one nearby.

Hrm. Sunken cavern. Not without a rebreather. It can wait.

Oh, hey, hunting grounds! I should at least see what they have available.

Hi, Tenakth lady. Yes, I will check out your hunting grounds. Just-- Oop, sorry to cut this short, but some Utaru are getting eaten by Clawstriders and Tenakth rebels so I'mma go deal with that now.

So that's dealt with; what kinds of challenges do you have for me--? Oh.

Is ... is it weird that I'm actually kind of into the fact that this whole thing is stealth mission? I swear, it's only this game I'm into it, but here at least? I am into it.

Damn. Couldn't get three stripes in the Silent Strike one. Only because the damn Burrowers weren't cooperating. I much prefer waiting, not hopping around the high ground like a lunatic. But I did get three stripes on the "raid all caches without anything seeing you" one, so hey!

Wait ... are those Clawstriders and rebel Tenakth after the same damn Utaru group?!? Oh for fuck's sake - here we go again.

Okay. NOW Plainsong. And yeah, I'm getting a Commander Shepard feel right now because a Council is being, collectively, a bunch of assholes. I will go check stuff and stock up before I face the assholes because it feels like there's going to be a Big Thing once the Cutscene Jamboree is over.

I FIGURED OUT HOW THE DYEING WORKS! And this means I can also get armour just for its looks, dye it to my specifications, and swap that look for armour that has the stats I want! (Okay, sometimes the cosmetics are my jam; sue me. I didn't crawl all over the walls like Spider-Man in rehearsal for dye plants just to let them sit unused.)

Okay, now time for Asshole Chorus.

Fane, I VERY MUCH DISLIKE YOU. Hang on, who voices you? Aaron Phillips - Wrathion in WoW, a bunch of anime dubs, and a hidden object game that's going on the wishlist. Huh. Okay.

So what's going to happen to make this a moot point? Because these guys aren't giving in and I as Aloy want to shake these people and flag up that shit like this? Is how the Ancient Ones brought themselves to their own deaths!

Alarms. Lemme guess; shit's going down at their stupid sacred cave-- yup.

"The time for permission is over." ...Varl? Dude? You wanna marry Zo? You have my blessing; I love this woman.

"The Utaru can defend themselves; we have to--" Lady, the Utaru can't defend themselves worth shit and I can shoot on the fly. Tell you what; I won't even loot.

Okay, I'mma loot the apex scavenger that I did not have time to scan (I'm sure there'll be more around later) and the Clawstriders but that's it.

...Okay, maybe I'll just pry this cache open-- SPIFFY armour! In fact, the Uncommon version of the stuff I bought in Plainsong because it suits my style so well! Can't wait to upgrade this!

But I will wait to upgrade this, I promise, because Sacred Cave, I know, I know, I get it already. But your world is going to have to go on pause for a moment because I haven't eaten all that much today and I still hurt and I need a break.

But before I go and ponder food and rest etc? A thing I noticed when I was doing that stupid jumping puzzle for Widemaws in Riverhymn. The only one among them who could work metal - and thus build the good weapons and stuff - was named Kue. Pronounced Q. As in, "What Fictional MI5 and James Bond calls the Quartermaster" Q. (Not "The bane of Jean-Luc Picard's existence" Q.) The writers will have their little jokes and I love it.

Now I should do something that involves food. I hvae gluten-free chicken dippers and I'm going to make Japanese curry, so I'll have Lazy Person's Chicken Katsu Curry. It's a late lunch, but it be like that sometimes.

#Thess plays video games #Thess liveblogs Horizon Forbidden West

[from-ultra-space]

Nori’s First Mission

//This will be the second entry in Nori’s Stories, a collection of drabbles and short stories about the little blue dude or his little blue friends. This one is unrelated to the first but if you want to read it you can find it linked in my pinned post. Nori’s First Mission covers, well, Nori’s first mission out of the city. It happens many years before the current time and includes: blood, major injuries, mention of death (although no one dies), a little bit of found family, Nori imaging a sunrise, and is overall pretty long. I was hoping to show a bit more than what I have but that would take too long so just posting as it is. Hope you enjoy :)

-Mod Cucco //

     It was a little while after the team originally found Nori that he went on his first mission. He had been trained in common Ultra Beasts (specifically how to avoid them) and general procedures for how things worked. Still, just because you're trained in what to do if something goes wrong doesn't mean that's always what happens. It was supposed to be something simple, the mission that is. Nori was going to follow a few of the members in the Ultra Defense Force outside the city, collect some basic data to update their records, and maybe learn some stuff from more experienced people along the way. 

     The sky was always dark but Nori was noting it anyways, just like how he noted the sound the group made as they walked further from the light of the city. Osmund, the lady in charge of the expedition, marched confidently in front with something that could be considered a flashlight. As Nori was the only Recon Squad member there he also marched in the front, and even though it was just to gather the highest quality undisturbed data, it made Nori feel important.

     After a few minutes of quiet walking Osmund decided to be the first one to talk. "Your name is Nori, right? Sorry, I'm terrible with names."

"Yes, at least I think my name is Nori," he said back, "I'm not quite sure after all that's happened"

Osmund nodded, "I heard about that. I'm sorry Phyco couldn't find your family, not to mention losing your memories must have been a struggle. Still, I'm happy to have you working with us!" She smiled when she patted Nori on the back. "Just a tip but you don't need to be stiff to be professional. If you keep your posture relaxed while talking all fancy it helps your back and your confidence."

Nori hadn't even noticed he was tense until she said that. "Oh uh… thanks!"

"Hey It's my job. One of the reasons why Phyco sends all the new guys with me. That and the fact that I've walked this route so many times I'd notice if anything was off."

     They walked for a while longer after that. Nori noted (just as he was told) every rock and ancient building foundation. Each sample was one more weight added to his already sore legs until he eventually asked for a rest. Nori carefully went through his data and thanked his suit for being comfortable even if it was a little bulky. From the vantage point he was at there was still light emanating from Megalo Tower and for a moment Nori could imagine what a "Sunrise" might have looked like. Maybe there would be stars, tiny sparkles in the sky that would represent the people's dreams. Maybe there would be farms longer than buildings were tall. Maybe there would be "Trees", plants so big you could live in them. Just as Nori was about to write this down in his Personal Thoughts section of the notes he got interrupted by Osmund.

"We must have taken a wrong turn." She said, "I don't remember this place. Dalis, what's the distance to Megalo Tower?"

One of the members of the Defence Force, who must have been Dalis, looked down at an instrument with a confused look on his face. "That's strange, the number hasn't changed since I last checked it," He thought for a moment, "That must have been at least 20 turns ago. It's just… strange. I did a full diagnostic on it before we left, there should be no issue with it."

"Well nothing we can do about it now. Let's turn back before we get into any trouble… Nori, what's beeping?" Osmund asked.

Nori didn't notice anything though. It took him a bit to find what instrument was going off, his energy monitor. The small device was beeping like crazy, probably for so long that Nori had stopped noticing it. To put it simply, this was not good. "This is not good." Nori replied.

Dalis yelled, "Alright everyone get going. GO." Immediately everyone picked up the pace. Someone called the headquarters for a Lunala but it wouldn't arrive until well after the standard time simply because of how far out they went. Nori was so caught up in the group that for a little bit he didn't even notice that Osmund wasn't following them. 

"Osmund, come on!" Nori called out. She didn't move, just stared in the direction everyone was running.

"oh no. not good." Osmund murmured. "DON'T RUN THAT WAY" The entire group halted as Osmund finally ran to catch up with them. "TURN AROUND NOW!"

Nori was confused. Why wouldn't they head back? Why was it so bright all of a sudden? Nori's head hurt and he felt like he might fall over. Where had he felt this before? The world seemed to slow. Behind him the universe tore itself in two, and a monster entered the world. 

     Nori turned around In horror, his legs shaking as two hands emerged from the Wormhole, each larger than him. The hands forced the rift wider until the creature’s torso could fit through. Before Nori even had a chance to think, the Ultra Beast’s long needle of a mouth had focused its next target, him.

It was that moment that the Buzzwole came crashing down like a force of nature and everything went red. Somehow Nori wasn't dead. Somehow Nori was still conscious and as he lifted his hand to his head he felt something there aside from the blood. Don't panic, he thought, pleaded really, Osmund. Where is Osmund? 

     Nori crawled through the rubble spread by Buzzwole's entrance. He could see the destruction it had caused now,  people fell to its might, some fled but probably wouldn't get far. Finally, he saw Osmund. She was trapped beneath a rock that fell when she must have shoved Nori out of the way. He stumbled across the chaos until he fell next to her, both terrified and in pain. It was there that they waited for help. Osmund was nearly dead, barely breathing but still struggling to stay conscious even if it was only to warn Nori everytime the Beast returned to look for them. It felt like a long time before any help arrived.

     Sometime between rescue and being transported back to the city Nori must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he remembers is waking up to Phyco and Soliera looking down at him. He was told that the Buzzwole had been defeated and that everyone had survived, even if they did so with injuries. A large chunk of rock had to be removed from Nori’s head and it would leave a permanent scar just above his eye, but surprisingly he and Osmund sustained the most damage. Ms. Phoris (as Phyco had called her) would most likely not be able to go out on missions due to complications with her legs. Still, that certainly wouldn’t stop her from training others in the future. Nori would always be her favorite student though, enough that she even gave him her last name.

     While much has changed since this incident (mainly safety procedures) it’s content continues to affect those involved. Aside from the main physical injury Nori received, from this point forward he almost refused to get too close to any kind of Ultra Beast or pokemon. It also kickstarted Nori’s relationship with Osmund, one of the primary people who he considers his family, as he has none by blood. Like a few other of the accidents Nori continues to find himself in, it still bothers him a little, even if he won’t admit it.

#Nori’s Stories #pkmn irl #important #tw major injury #tw injury #tw blood #tw talk of death #This is longer than my usual drabbles and I still don’t like the pacing #Eh whatever #sadly not much of little lighthearted Nori but maybe I’ll write that later #Probably after I introduce [REDACTED] because she’s important for that

[primnroses]

The poll is void and it makes no sense because people aren't following the rules they just want sakura out of it and tell us we're cheating when everybody is cheating equally.

The poll is only being followed suit in Japan. Look at the Top 10 results:

Check the list yourself at the bottom of the page in the official poll website.

And now look at the third databook's poll collecting all the previous manga votes in one single result:

This is the real page of the poll to demonstrate I'm not making this up:

The Top 6 is very similar except that instead of Kakashi, the top character is now Itachi; Iruka has left the Top 10 and he's currently 17th, also he switched with Minato; and Sasuke is below Sakura right now.

Also, Kakashi is still the most voted character in Japan just as usual.

I find it normal that neither Rock Lee, Neji Hyūga and Iruka Umino are in the Top 10 anymore because they have gradually lost popularity from being dead or absent in the current line, but they're all in the Top 20 and overall popular.

Other than that, the pattern is the same. Japan has demonstrated to be the only country that is voting for their favorite characters and not for a character to win a spin-off.

Also, I've repeated this so many times but I'll do it again: A spin-off from Kishimoto is only to motivate fans to participate in the poll. It's a reward for the fans of the most voted character, just like the 20 illustrations will be a reward for the 20 most voted characters.

About the alleged cheating, I think everybody is using bots and they're using them for nothing. The official site posted the rules when the poll started.

*Votes are limited to one per person per day. Using multiple devices to vote more than once is prohibited.

*Any votes that are a result of fraudulent practices or that are deemed erroneous will become void.

*The user will be responsible for any data fees incurred.

And THEN after the first Midterm, they posted this again to clear any doubts:

The original tweet.

The Japanese profile also tweeted the same thing.

The original tweet.

So YES they are fully aware of the bots and fraudulent votes, that's why they created a system to fight them.

I may also add that the poll is tracking your IP and your cookies at all times. It tracks the IP of the device you use to vote and the IP of your internet connection which you can't hide.

They're aware of everything. A while ago some users, including me, couldn't share their votes on Twitter and the official page tweeted about it telling us to deactivate ad-blockers and that they'd fix the issue. This is the tweet.

Believe me, a bunch of anime fans won't troll a system with professionals checking every single vote.

Why is Sakura more popular than Sasuke? In Japan she's one place higher and tat surprised me. I might be wrong, but on Twitter, I always find that Sakura merch is always sold out the first so it might have something to do with that. In the West, they're not voting enough or they're switching their votes to other characters.

Sakura's fandom has many collaborations with artists and kpop fans, on top of being one of the most organized and devoted anime fandoms. We're voting every day and encouraging the fandom to vote every day if they forget. Sakura Haruno has always been popular.

The anime community will always fight Sakura Haruno like she's some kind of obscure and malign force that needs to be eradicated for the sake of mankind, or that she doesn't have any fans that could rise her position in the poll. It won't matter how many times the official page has to say that they filter all the bots, the anime community is illiterate and will continue saying we're cheating because they're trying to convince themselves and trying desperately to prove their own point.

If the west wants to stop voting for their real favorite character to vote for those character that will inevitably ensure Sakura Haruno doesn't peak, be my guest. That's the real cheating for me.

Just as always it's Anime Community vs Sakura Haruno.

I'm happy with Minato winning although he has never been a fan favorite in Japan (and I'm not sure how popular he was in the West before), it's the result of people thinking there will be a backstory for him despite never been said.

I'm happy with Kakashi because he is, and will always be, a fan favorite. He's been popular since day 1 and even if he got a complete story of his life and 2 novels, the poll says "vote for your favorite" and Kakashi is a favorite. Same with Itachi or Naruto.

People don't want to vote for Naruto because "you know the story is called Naruto right we're tired of him" and that's not the point AGAIN vote for the one you like the most. I find all that a bigger cheating problem because it's straight up ignoring the point of the poll and I'm sure they won't do it anymore. Vote for your favorite character ALWAYS.

To sum up: Bots are void. Every fandom is cheating and for nothing because those practices are nullified. Support your favorite character.

#NARUTOP99 #naruto #sakura haruno #kakashi hatake #sasuke uchiha #itachi uchiha #naruto uzumaki #minato namikaze #inbox #my naruto post

[drosselmeyerwrites]

SessKag Fandom Drama

I wasn't going to say anything about the absolute shit show that this fandom has been for the last week, but some - what I'm going to assume right now given what all has gone on today - petty behavior just now has made me change my mind. You know who you are. And if it wasn't intended to be petty, you're going to have to forgive me and understand that, given the happenings of today, why I would default to that assumption. You'll also have to understand why I will be deleting particular content as my time allows, as I did just now. So, thank you for that reminder.

But without saying names, there's been a lot of shit. There's been a lot of opinions about shit. And there's been a lot of opinions formed without fully and responsibly collecting the data/ evidence that should have been collected prior to certain assumptions being made.

It seems like that may still be the case now, which is unfortunate.

If you have questions or concerns for valid reasons (not just for shits and giggles curiosity), you are free to slide into my DMs and ask what you need to. I do not particularly believe in protecting those who baselessly slander people behind the scenes with conveniently curated screenies of partial bits of conversation to drive a particular narrative. If people responsible for moderating fandom spaces are unsure of the quality of the content they've been exposed to concerning these issues, I'm perfectly content with giving you mine - unedited. Be adults and come get what you need if you need it. For now, I really don't much care for the mean girl shit that has taken over SessKag. It's fucking exhausting, and I'm going to take a time out from writing for it. As of now, all my SessKag pieces are on pause, and I'll get back to them maybe someday. To those waiting for updates, I apologize. I just don't have the energy for the crap in this environment currently. Some people in this fandom are the bull in the china shop of what has been a comfort space for many and have made it feel like an unsafe space. It is really ridiculous that it has gotten to this point and that a lack of being able to not jump to conclusions without covering all bases and impetuous actions have brought things where it currently stands. It doesn't have to stay this way. I hope it doesn't. SessKag has a long history, and I'd like to see it flourish again. Last thing, for those still hanging out, keep your comfort space if SessKag is still that for you. Unfollow who you need to. Block who you need to block. Hell, unfollow and block me if that makes your fandom experience better. You should protect what you enjoy at all costs because you having a safe space or a place to run to for a well-deserved break has more value than can be quantified. Your tumblr feed, AO3 experience, Discord experience, etc. should be filled with what brings you joy and keeps fandom fun for you. There are only so many hours in a day, and none of those need to be wasted on adding stress to you life. I wish I had taken the above advice myself sooner. Peace.

[ultravioletfuture]

ULTRAVIOLET VISIONS: October Bandcamp Friday

Hello everybody and welcome back to another edition of ULTRAVIOLET VISIONS! It's been a couple weeks since our last edition so we have plenty to talk about in this week's blog!

First let's talk about our latest release on UVF, as well our newest addition to the artist roster, "Perfect Dawn" by Lunar Data Garden!

UVF-009: "Perfect Dawn" by Lunar Data Garden

Perfect Dawn is the debut release from the newest Vaporwave duo, Lunar Data Garden, which consists of UVF artists: portal.rwb and TRUMAN! This album has been in the works since late last December, and has been a huge passion project for the both of us.

In this world, the Lunar Data Garden is a sacred location in time and space, that's purpose is to receive data signals from the past, and bring new life by restoring, preserving, and transforming them into something new for the future. Data can be stored in Memory Cards.

Memory Cards are the physical embodiment of digital information, stored to be translated in the future. Each Memory Card is a unique token meant to capture a specific moment in time that can never be replicated again. Both the digital and natural worlds work together in the formation of Memory Cards to create a one of one snapshot of a moment in time. Both of these worlds are personified in the time and space as the two moons in orbit of the Lunar Data Garden; Moon Natura and Moon Digitura. Their orbits are usually independent of each other, but when in harmony, all living things in the Garden emit a bright white light as we encounter a sacred event, a Perfect Dawn.

Perfect Dawn is the final product of 9 months of hard work and dedication to an idea of commemorating both of our love for Vaporwave. The idea of of taking art that we love, and transforming them into something new, is a special act that I'm sure many other Vapor artists can relate to. Lunar Data Garden was our medium to come together and transform art we shared an appreciation for, and create something new to bring them new life.

"I still feel a disconnect with the idea of this album being out and available to the public tbh. A lot of these songs are so old at this point, but have gone through so much transformation to get to the finished product you here now. I relate heavily to an idea JPEGMAFIA has towards their albums, in that by the time I actually release an album, I've already felt everything I need to feel about each song and have become content enough to share it with the rest of the world. At that point, once one of my albums is available to the public, it's purpose is now for other people to enjoy. I've obsessed over this project for 9 months now, and releasing it out to the world is like transferring over that feeling I've been containing to the rest of the world. Thank you to anyone who has taken the time to listen. I hope you enjoy your stay in our Lunar Data Garden 🌙" -portal.rwb

The making of Perfect Dawn was one of the most immersive artistic journeys I’ve ever gone on. Me and portal starting sending eachother images to mood board on day 1 before we even had any idea what the project was gonna be about. Originally our project together was going to be a more classic vapor style album with 2000s R&B samples. Over weeks of brainstorming our concept got sculpted down until we started to end up with the more futuristic Lunar Data Garden we know today. Throughout the following months we would send tracks back and forth slowly adding stems and rearranging eachothers tracks until we finally made our first reveal at Skylive 2023. From this point on I would obsessively listen to the demos on repeat while collecting images to further flesh out the ldg universe. A lot of this work culminated in the release of the back to you pt 1 music video. During the week of production I really narrowed down what imagery wouldn’t only just be right for the song and overall aesthetic but what would be best for LDG’s first impression. The result was a bombastic, utopian, cyberpunk vibe and I couldn’t be happier with it. After this we finalized the albums final cover and after going through many different drafts we ended up using an image from an art book I was showing portal early in the albums development. From that point to the albums release everything became a blur as I spent most nights obsessing over the tiny details of the album. Now that the album is out it feels so surreal to be able to pick it up and listen and let the album speak instead of letting my critiques and brainstorming take over my listening. It’s been crazy to me listening to the album in different situations; the other night it rained while I was driving in the city and listening and I truly got to live out my cyberpunk dreams under the moon. It’s been a crazy ride, thank u to everyone who has checked out LDG💛 -TRUMAN!

BETWEEN SPIRITS by silence sky genesis was originally released back in August 20202, but has just recently gotten a cassette release under the Shatterfoil Industries label! I remember discovering this album months ago when digging around in the NUWRLD tag in Bandcamp and have kept it in the back of my head ever since. With its simple yet captivating album cover and VGM samples, this release carries out the title of NUWRLD perfectly. Similar to the cover, the album feels like staring into small little worlds in the palm of your hand while isolated from any sort of outside influences. Each track warps you into a world separate from the last while still feeling cohesive enough to keep you feeling connected throughout. Always love to see more NUWRLD releases that embody those 2014 DDS mixtapes perfectly 🤍 Favorite track: IDLE HANDS 「オープニングクレジット」

Mëmōry নীল Mįragë by Vįr+üål Åįrßñß and h º r ¡ z º n щ ¡ r e l e s s has been one of my favorite Vaporwave releases to drop this year and just recently got a cassette release! I don't typically gravitate towards a lot of classic style vaporwave releases, but this album in particular has been stuck in my head since my first listen. The sample choices throughout the album are extremely catchy and ear-wormy. This vaporwave duo has come through once again with a project that is extremely textured and effective at delivering that classic vaporwave sound with a more modern flair to it. Favorite track: ನೀ ವು ಏ ನು ಮಾ ಡ ಬೇ ಕು

Laced Liquid Lies by Mitch Porsche is a vaportrap masterpiece that was released back in June 2019. If you are a fan of albums like I'll Try Living Like This, 01-999-6363 拨号上网 sexxxline, or albums by Abaddon like Perfect Fake, this album is for you! From sensual K-pop samples, vaportrap percussion, infectious chops, and a hint of future funk at times, this album is incredibly catchy and refreshing to hear in the current vaporwave soundscape. Can't believe this album has fallen under my radar for so long but I highly recommend it to everyone! Favorite Track: Cherry Slush

softscars is the latest release from the glitch princess herself, yeule. This is actually the first full album i've checked out from yeule despite hearing a lot of buzz around her last release, "Glitch Princess", and I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I've enjoyed this release. softscars blends together elements of electronic, pop, and heavier sounds of rock that have been very popular recently in the pop scene. The album feels very soft and emotional at its core, but is wrapped in a blanket of glitch and distortion that gives a nice sonic contrast. A nice electronic take on pop music that has opened my eyes and put yeule on my radar for the future. Favorite Track: ghosts

Thank you all for checking out this week's UV Visions! There were a couple other releases I wanted to mention this week, but I still needed a bit of time to listen to them more and fully digest so I'll shout them out in the next post.

If you aren't already following UVF on our socials, go ahead and check us out at our Twitter and our Bluesky pages! Also join our Discord if you haven't already since that's where I'm most active and where I keep up to date on all the things happening with the label! I've got a couple giveaways planned soon for the discord members so stay tuned for that 👀! -portal.uvf

#Bandcamp #vaporwave #indie music #music blog #art

[creation-help]

the first two are clementine pre n post wither storm n the third is an oc ive just been calling [DATA EXPUNGED]

theyre both pokemon ocs, w clem specifically being a mash up of being a minecraft storymode oc and a pokemon oc

[DATA EXPUNGED] is the Champion of Arceus n is v ? theatrical ? fancy ? either way he speaks like its the early 1800s, i also dont have much of a backstory for him since i created him like, 4 days ago n im VERY slow at giving ocs backstories

clementine on the other hand ive been making a backstory for several months so i have a lot to say but i wont so to sum up her backstory (in a way thats prolly shit ngl) its:

clem n her (still unnamed n undeveloped) friends go to a con, they win, they go to a post con festival, clem meets some guy, the same guy clem meets makes the wither storm, she defeats it but is v traumatized from it, she becomes a mayor of a town at some point but she ends up running away from kalos to kanto

[Is not familiar with the Pokémon storylines you're talking about and thus has nothing to comment on it, so apologies if that is relevant to the review]

I'm assuming [DATA EXPUNGED] isn't, at least in the current state of things, related to Clementines story at all?

I'll tackle [DATA EXPUNGED] first!

Very solid color scheme, I think the dark skin tone fits perfectly with black white and gold, especially since the shirt (top?) is white. The accessories and face patterns really give off a fancy, perhaps priest like aesthetic and it makes the whole collective come across as very distinguished. Supernatural too, considering the one white eye and again, face patterns, although it leaves some ambiguity since this could also just be a very fancy cultural getup. I have to say though, I'd probably have made the roses some other color: though the black is strong and very cool, you can't really see them from the black hair and thus it sorta muddies the effect and makes it look more like the character is wearing some headgarment rather than a rose crown. Unfortunately, since this is a picrew, i can't say much for more core aspects of the design like the shape of the face, eyes and nose, which I consider very essential aspects of designing human characters. This is no fault of yours, as I said, picrews can be limiting in this aspect.

Judging by the art style though I'm going to guess this character is meant to have a strong angular face and jawline with a straight, square nose. Strong but elegant brows, I assume? The beauty mark on his jaw though is a very nice touch! Gives some uniqueness and personality to the otherwise very conformed, untouched image the character has.

The character strikes me as a very learned, wise personality who knows things beyond this world, and I can definitely see that he'd speak more theatrically, like a preacher or professor (the book and quill help this).

If the character ever ends up drawn by free hand, here's things I'd suggest adjusting or adding to [DATA EXPUNGED]: Facial traits. I think a strong nose with a bit of a greek shape would do wonders for a theatrical, regal looking character like him, and if the angular jawline is intended, keep that!! Depending on age (or how dramatic you want him to look), I'd also suggest more visible cheekbones perhaps? Strong brows and serious eyes would contribute to this vibe but depending on of course where you take this character, you can change things to suit that! For what I'm suggesting here, the character feels like a sort of apocalypse preacher person who is more interested in studies and has a tendency to push people away. However you could also easily go a softer route with him as well but I think, if you do, I'd still keep the angular dramatic facial features. The rest of my suggestions would just be to add maybe the smallest bit more decoration or jewelry, maybe something with a more personal touch? Earrings, rings, ect. I feel like he'd be the type to carry around some very sentimental piece of jewelry or other item, something he holds in great value. He doesn't seem like he'd pretty up just for appearance sake. Also I feel like sideburns or some stray hair whispies would add a fun little touch that could divert from the more serious groomed image the character gives, just something to create uniqueness in general. Doesn't have to be those exact things I suggested.

Then Clementine!

Design is simple but functional. Personally I think she could also use a bit more to make her less generic ykno? To be fair this could also be a fault of whatever you used to make these images (not sure if that's a picrew or some other dollmaker thing). I like the amount of change you have between the before and after states, especially liking the touch of her expression changing, even though its not related to design here lol. The first one with the simple, a bit girlish and old timey dress works well with the half up hairstyle and simplistic outfit to establish a younger character who's out to see the world. The two things diverting from this image are the sword and maybe(?) her being barefoot. The sword evokes imagery of either someone who seems more innocent or naive but turns out to also have sharp, honed skills. OR a strapping enthusiast who is looking for adventure and her place in the world, with only the clothes on her back and this sword she found (lighthearted tone). The barefoot aspect also gives a bit of a rural vibe, of being more in touch with nature. Which is something the After™ version contrasts, with a more modern feeling outfit, and the loss of the sword.

I really like her having a longer hairstyle in the latter one, with the braids/dreads. Hairstyle changes are a great way to communicate something in a character so it fits! It feels more subdued mature while still keeping a bit of that openness and freedom, with the dreads hanging freely, and hey, still being in a half up style! Good one!

I'd suggest maybe adding more signs of experience or wear on the latter version, just to communicate her having gone through something major, even traumatic. Scars or something like more visible eyebags, or something to show a more scuffed up appearance ykno? You could also make her more stocky and built, or maybe a bit chubbier in the latter, bc to me it feels like a slightly older version of the character and so, getting more built feels appropriate for that.

Overall just add more simple, small touches to communicate personality more. I think the latter one is good at that but the first one feels more generic. If it's meant to be simple though, I understand! But still. Doesn't have to be anything major, could just be things like small accessories or things she's personalized for herself. Maybe In the first version she could have a little patched up clothing to show her outdoorsy lifestyle? If not, you could add something else, just a suggestion.

From a purely visual standpoint, [DATA EXPUNGED]'s design is lots more interesting and distinct looking, and I'd only really adjust the person under the clothing and accessories. For Clementine, I feel that she could use to stand out just a tad more. However I hugely appreciate them both being poc and also having natural hairstyles (both having dreads at some point) to it! Definitely helps make them more diverse, which is always a design plus!

#Ask #Oc review #Character design review #Character design #To be fair to you this was submitted before I made the guideline post #I didn't expect people to jump on it so quickly #I decided not to have a number rank but overall decent functional character designs #You're free to take my words however you most see fit I'm only throwing ideas at you based on what I'd think fits

[magicalrocketships]

magicalrocketships, it's me, the pillow humping anon again. writing this missive to you from the floor because your writing has BOWLED me over. to misquote wuthering heights, whatever tender-nasty kinks are made of, yours and mine are the same.

in no particular order, things that made me have to look away from my phone and collect myself:

the details of dick positioning… is it pointing down is it pointing left? i love it so much. how do you make the admin of describing sex positions so hot??

disgruntled hamster noise… the humor amidst the hornines… help--

mismatched shoes and no socks. the desperation to see your teammate hump a pillow such that you cannot even dress yourself. oh bud.

max suddenly picturing himself humping daniel's thigh took!!! me! out! i'm delicately picking that flower and adding it to my bouqet of humping thoughts.

i actually can't continue with this list because literally every sentence is hitting me right in the heart! in the horny heart, do you understand!!

tbh the snippet format with stage direction interludes (daniel enters the hotel room) works for me. very much like when i used to watch pride and prejudice and just skip to the scenes that made me feel feral about love. this delicious little 2.5k snippet is already so perfect and warm and steamy that whenever you drop the full fic i might need to call in sick to work.

i love the ways you weave racing into the scenes! it feels so natural and relevant, even like, max watching daniel jerk off and it's "gathering data". oof! your characterization and the way you present information… i'm simply in awe. i'm a fake fan (affectionate) who is only aware of this sport for the fanfiction, so when racing terminology/metaphors/symbolism makes its way into the porn, i feel very legitimized. me: the wet spot on his boxers 🥵 . also me, an intellectual: it is his out lap, on which one exits the pit lane 🧐.

(about this fic snippet)

Anon! This was very lovely to hear/receive/read etc etc etc.

And YES how glorious to discover there are OTHER people out there who like the same tender-nasty* kinks (*not that nasty) out there. Mostly this is an entire fic about Max figuring out all of the tender-weird things he likes and finding someone who both LIKES THOSE THINGS TOO and also just lets him figure that shit out??? And is also like... maybe you could do something that you like for no other reason than you like it, rather than it makes a car go faster. A N Y W A Y.

Look, if you can't get excited about the organisation of dicks during sex admin, when CAN you, I've worked my entire life for this

Sound direction is important and hamsters do not make much noise but they DO make their feelings known

Daniel is pretty feral about how horny he gets about Max, not that Max understands that very much because he is ever so slightly lacking in the imagination department, but socks and shoelaces are a step too far when you have a boner to transport through a hotel in an emergency

I feel very honoured to be a flower in your bouquet of humping thoughts, what a floral arrangement that will turn out to be, HONOURED, I tell you

And yeah, we still have quite a bit to go plot-wise (maybe we're about 3/4 of the way through writing??) but I have some existential guilt about existing WIPs (that I WILL FINISH, I SWEAR), so this one isn't seeing the light of day until it is DONE. But it is coming along, complete with too many racing analogies because it's Max's POV and I can't believe he spends too much time thinking about stuff that isn't racing, tbh. Out laps all the way, baby.

#waffling on about writing #i wish i was in control of any of my tags right now #can't remember any of them #it's been too long since I wrote anything

[basbearship]

Can I ask about your rewrite of FNaF Security Breach? I remember you mentioning Freddy doesn't know Greggory? Does your Self Ship take place in some kind of AU where everything is fine?

Yeah Gregory hasn't shown up in my selfship au, though I haven't written everything to be fine, because I've been to deep in the tisms of the fnaf lore to be able to reasonably say the plex opened without some kind of fuckery afoot.

this is specifically my selfship au, my "i rewrote this because the game sucked but i wanted it to be lore consistent" is very different

Fazbear ent opened the mega pizzaplex on the scale it did, with all the references to the "bad press" it had as a means to 'ooh shiny' away the company's prior reputation, and the idea of making the animatronics preloaded with sentience was to attempt to avoid a 'haunting' rumor, they're already Just Like That.

The fuckery afoot isn't suddenly, Springtrap! because given SW had their game broken in half by their new manager, and that plot point was, as per the dated files, finished two days before release so i hardly acknowledge it as intended.

instead, it's functionally a data collection dump, barely above the law because its collecting customer data on 3 year olds, pretty consistently fighting lawsuits and pushing back against laws that would prevent them from doing it. they sell the data + devices preloaded with the customer's data on for targeted as hell ads, which is pretty insidious as is, but the extra rub here is they're not exactly vetting who buys the data, so kids are getting targeted ads for bs like scam sites, violent games way above their age bracket, etc. fazbear ent makes a mint exploiting the fact kids arent at all tech savvy, the glamor of the plex is to distract the parents.

i honestly thought security breach was going to be a reference to an informational breach that released a list of people that had gone missing in the pizzaplex due to extremely shitty budget cuts the plex had made to keep the place alive on what couldn't possibly be profitable if run safely, and the reveal was going to be glitchtrap was leaking the data specifically to try and infect law enforcement. that would actually have been scary.

my selfship au doesn't include that necessarily, but there's always some kind of run in with law enforcement because of injury occurring on the premises. vanessa in this does exist, but she's basically one of the on-premises human security guards the plex was forced to have so there'd be someone to make decisions where robots couldn't be trusted to.

Freddy only ever got the rights to actually enter a relationship because of the plex constantly fighting lawsuits based upon the morals of exploiting data, they wanted to put off the moral implications of sentient robots not being offered some shreds of personhood if they could.

It's how I ever got the yes-man that just lets (most) things fly on that front. the public wont ever hear about the data lawsuits because they're so contained, but they would start a public discourse about the senitence = rights for the animatronics, because its something everyones decently qualified to have an opinion on.

this au does have a loose plot arc, sort of? its something ive thought about scribble comics for, because it's relatively lowstakes, fluff and guff more than high impact, and tldr's into "two gay furries struggle to let the gay robot furry have rights".

it also incorporates my friend's selfship with Monty depending on the version you're looking at, since our sonas hang out as well its fun worldbuilding a version of this with her.

i didnt want to go into the mega ins and outs, so this is the spark notes differences.

if you wanna know more though by all means drop me a line, i'm always gonna want to talk about it-

#basbear #selfship #self ship #f/o #fictional other

[gwydionmisha]

Welcome!

Welcome to the folks who've joined in the last couple of weeks.  Please don't be offended if I don't friend you back.  I am already following way too many people to ever keep up and should logically weed about half instead of adding.

This blog follows my interests and obsessions.  It's mostly images and reblogs during the day, with more link spam, news, and original content at night.  Archeological and history posts happen when I have time. 

I am not a journalist, nor have I ever been a journalist.  My training was in History, though as I have interest and time to follow the news, I write about things going on in the world a lot.  I also sometimes post things I don't entirely agree with because they make interesting points or have ideas worth pondering.

I will happily comment on history stuff within my purview and express opinions on political stuff if folks ask.  As to trans things and more personal questions, I will answer most non-trollish questions.  All opinions are my own, and I do not represent all transfolk, let alone all queerdom.  Please do not take me for the final word as the community is diverse and complex.

I will not be offended if you unfollow me just generally.  While I keep an eye on total follow numbers so as to know when to toss up a welcome post, I don't track who unfollows.  People add and leave every day.  My blog is not everyone's up of tea.  People sample and leave.  That's perfectly reasonable.

People are very much encouraged to comment on my posts, and you don't need to hide in the tags.  It's fine, really.  I come from a debate culture.  I love your digressions and strange stories.  I particularly love when people tell their own experiences with the topics of news items.  It's okay.  I promise.

If people need content warnings on things I'm not already marking, PM me and I'll make an effort to add them.

I need to remind people that the US Government collects massive data on the internet.  No matter how angry you are, please do not post death threats online. 

We are all furious and frightened.  Trust me, I get it, but be careful out there.

#Welcome

[ahbou]

Ads have an impact on how your app is perceived

When I initially started Tamera I added Google Ads in the free version without giving it much thought.

I didn't make them intrusive, I used 3 small banners in 3 different screens making sure they didn't interfere with the user experience.

My thinking was: it's another incentive to upgrade to the Pro version, I didn't realize at the time the other negative impacts of ads.

Until a user emailed me saying: "Tamera isn't a privacy-oriented app since the Ads collect user data".

Talking about it with a friend, this statement popped in my mind:

Ads are not just about monetization they also impact how your app is perceived.

I know tech-savvy circles consider Ads a product smell and the only place where people tolerate them is inside Games.

Four months ago, I decided to experiment with removing all ads.

For context: my ad revenue from Tamera wasn't huge, I was averaging $3/day ($90/month) so it was easy to experiment with.

The first thing I noticed was obviously the drop in ad revenue but it correlated with another metric: Daily active users was growing.

And most of those users were using the free version. I realized that ads did bother a good portion of potential users.

3 months later I'm seeing unexpected benefits:

Downloads grew by almost 35%! I didn't run any campaigns or anything. This is just from people using the app and talking about it.

Subscriptions didn't grow as much but still they grew by almost 10% over the same period.

Conclusion

When you remove Apple's cut, I didn't recover the lost revenue from ads yet but I'm convinced this is the right way.

Actually, I went and removed ads from all my apps. Even the ones that don't have any other monetization mechanism.

People are judging your app based on the design and features but also from a privacy point of view.

If you're looking for a privacy-oriented minimalist camera app, Tamera is a 24-hour camera.

#ios #apple #startup #programming #ios 16