#hope it’s enjoyable but mostly it’s for me to practice and have some fun

[crystal-lillies]

Okay okay okay first thoughts on the Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie, with my best effort to avoid spoilers this time.

I had a blast watching it. I loved seeing the practical costumes and makeup for the creatures and I loved seeing the different ways spells were interpreted. And I did tear up a few times! Nearly full cried, but definitely got emotional on several points which is almost always a good sign for me.

I did not expect how the story played out the way it did. It was marketed definitely as a GOTG-style movie but Fantasy(tm) which both is and isn't what we got.

The whole thing felt like a campaign, or maybe the first arc of a campaign, but squeezed into a 2 hour and 15 minute movie. That being, it felt like a fast pace mostly because they sped-run the traveling bits with some gorgeous montage shots. Mostly fine by me, but at some points, it definitely felt like the scale of the world and time was off. It's by no means unique to this movie, and definitely not unique to the movies this film is emulating in spirit.

It's got somewhat of an Indiana Jones/Goonies/The Mummy/even OG trilogy Star Wars vibe in that certain logics are hand waved in order to get to the good stuff (tm), but it isn't unforgivable nor a detriment to the enjoyment of the film.

The characters are all very enjoyable, each in their own ways. I wish we spent just a bit more time on each of them, but there's the rub with ensemble films. And truth be told, to no one's surprise, Chris Pine's character Edgin gets the most prominent focus. I was surprised, however, at the focus Hugh Grant's character Forge had, especially compared to Rege Jean Page's Xenk.

Forge is a very charismatic antagonist, who has a lot more to do in the story than I anticipated, and definitely is a delight to watch onscreen. Hugh Grant dips a bit hammy into his performance but it's in a fun way that reminds of a Saturday morning cartoon. Smarmy, not entirely serious, but occasionally shows a hint of the person beneath, good and bad.

I found myself a little disappointed that Xenk got a really interesting focus, with an emotional and engaging background, and then seemed to not get a satisfying conclusion to that focus. He felt like a guest player character, rather than a full time player character, like the others in the group. While it does still tie up in a self-contained story, I'm hoping this movie does well enough to maybe explore into his journeys beyond this one. They did say that he is the Archetypal Hero that doesn't really fit with the rest of the group, so I suppose that was their way of saying he isn't permanent, which is fair. And while watching I definitely felt it, and wondered how he would be past his point and if he would have dragged the story in a different direction than it needed. (Or maybe if he was too much of a higher level than they were to justify keeping him around.) But that still didn't keep me from wanting to see more of his character later down the line.

Justice Smith's Simon has a nice self-esteem arc, and I enjoyed watching his growth through the movie. He also has an interesting backstory that sort of gets played with, but has plenty more room to grow, and I also want to see more of him and his character.

Sophia Lillis' Doric is a lot of fun and strikes me as a Circle of the Moon druid. She gets a small, engaging focus of her own, but in keeping with the pacing and the ensemble directed at Edgin, I find myself wanting more of her as well.

Doric and Simon are paired up, sort of, and I'm not entirely sure if it works since they don't get too much time, but such is the curse of a fast-paced ensemble film. Hell, Casino Royale was barely an ensemble film, if you count the sidekicks and villains, and Bond got a life-and-sequel-movie-altering romance that was built through the whole thing and I didn't feel like the relationship had enough there by the time she was killed at the end of it, so mileage may vary I suppose.

Michelle Rodriguez's character Holga was also a delight to watch. She's not the lowest of Intelligence but she for sure rolled a nat20 on heart. (Yes I'm keeping that.) It may be since I've been watching a lot of the Mighty Nein campaign, but she reminds me a lot of Yasha. And given that this movie was filmed during the pandemic, and the people behind it are huge nerds themselves, it may be very likely they were in part inspired by Yasha when writing Holga. Who could say?

But Holga holds up the party with Chris' Edgin, and they have a great dynamic with each other. Edgin is the bard, and while he doesn't have his own colorful Bigby's Hand, he certainly and deftly weaves the story as his class is wont to do. And I worry for his lute because he swings it around like it's a sword sometimes and every time I think it's going to break.

The writing is fairly tight, fast pacing aside, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt moments. I want to see deleted scenes for this movie because I just want more of this story and these characters. And I feel like some things may have been trimmed that might have bloated a scene or two, but also would have been good to see. Hard to say at this point, but that's the vibe I get.

Overall, this movie is so much fun and worth going to see in theaters, more than once if you can. There is so much love in this story and it is absolutely felt when watching. You can definitely have fun with it if you have no experience with Dungeons and Dragons, if you're only familiar with separate properties like Critical Role or Dimension 20 and not so much the Classic Stuff(tm), or if you're a hardcore fan. There's good content in here for everyone, and it's treated well, and it treats its audience well.

If I were to give it a score as a movie, I would err on the side of 8.5/10. It's far from perfect, but it's a hell of a lot of fun and really well put together. Seeing it with friends/family in an engaged theater I would bump it up to a 9 or a 9.5.

I will be seeing it again, so I am going to reserve any Spoiler/Context-Specific Thoughts for after that time comes, and I will be interested to see how my experience with the movie changes depending on the theater and who I see it with, as I went alone this first time. But I'm very glad I saw it and look forward to seeing it again, and I hope they do get more opportunities to tell more stories in this world and other of the D&D worlds.

Both this cast, and John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein as writer/directors, and all the people who worked on this movie, hit one out of the park and I would be very excited to see what more they could bring.

#flowerspeak #long post #dungeons and dragons honor among thieves #dungeons and dragons #dnd #d&d #movie review #reviews #dungeons and dragons movie #dungeons and dragons: honor among thieves

[simplyreveries]

Congrats for the milestone! I hope your account keep receiving a lot of love and support from fellow twst enjoyers 🫶

This would be my first time ever asking for a matchup >_< I'll keep it concise: I'm an introvert and the type of person that is shy at first but gradually opens up and can be talkative under the correct circumstances. I've been told many times by other people that I have a rbf (?) but then they discover I'm nice ig. I'm unfortunately on the shorter side...(5'1) so I can imagine a couple of characters that would poke fun at me for it 😭 I consider myself to be pretty patient and honest.

That would be it. Thanks for the fun activity 🫶

I match you with ace trappola!!!!

ace isn't completely extroverted like someone like kalim is but he is very bold and continuously goes out of his way to hang out around you. especially before the two of you started dating, he would still talk to you even if it was mostly him at first, probably drops by ramshackle to show you some card trick he's trying to learn or hiding from riddle. but you'll find him more and more often coming over spontaneously.

he just likes to make you crack up, the first time he was eventually able to bring you out of that shell he was so proud of himself. actively went out of his way to do something that'll make you even smile at him-- even if its him doing something dumb or when you're shaking your head trying not to laugh at the chaotic situations, he finds himself in. your demeanor didn't set him off really. sometimes he would tease you about it, but it never made him feel that intimidated by you.

yes... yes you will have to deal with his relentless teasing about your height. he gets so cocky and annoying about it sometimes. like if you ask him to reach and grab something up high for you, he'll be like "yeah sure" and then proceed to place the object even higher. (he does get it for you, he just thinks it's so funny.). he definitely is the type of guy to do the: "lets compare hand sizes" (its the 50th time his asked you) so he can feel the difference of yours to his. its cute.

he's not necessarily overly affectionate but he is affectionate. whenever he's tired and drained he'll come find you and practically cling himself to you, groaning that basketball practice made him beat. oftenly, he plays with your hair when he's next to you or takes your your hand and draws on it when he's bored in class.

#thank you! #twst #twst x reader #matchups #ace trappola #ace x reader

[finniestoncrane]

Hi this is my first time requesting,

Could I request no. 9 from the event?

I'm a really short nonbinary artist from the northeast coast of the US, I like the cold and my favorite holiday is Halloween, my favorite season is Autumn and I like crows.

I have pretty bad anxiety and gender dysphoria, I stay in my house most of the time, and my favorite color is green, but I also like purple and orange. I can be chaotic at points but recently I've had to chill out because of some stuff I went through, and I like swimming.

I like technology and science, and I'm impulsive at points, most of the time I rely on my instincts and knowledge, I act like a dumbass but I have moments of genius.

One of my favorite things to do on Halloween is to pretend I'm a decoration and scare Trick-or-Treaters, it's some of the most fun I tend to have.

Bright lights tend to annoy me, and I bring an umbrella with me whenever I go outside when the sun is out because I burn easily. I also collect pins and bells, mostly pins though.

I can play piano and I've been trying to learn the violin, music is something that I've always loved ever since I was a little kid. At this point it helps me get up in the mornings and has become a requirement to my routines.

My art tends to lean in a sort of cute-yet-terrifying direction, but I do like drawing monsters. My creativity is what drives me for the most part, the other being spite towards my horrible mother to be successful when she didn't believe I could be.

🎀 No.9: Ever Fallen In Love With Someone 🎀

tell me a little bit about yourself and i'll give you a rogue pairing a/n: mmm i am giving you one of my top picks for myself, i hope he's right for you!! 1k milestone info! 🔞minors dni🔞 • kofi • tag: finnie1k

ok yeah halloween, autumn and crows. i was definitely giving you a scarecrow, but this one is perfect for you

he's a homebody, except for when he's teaching or he's out committing crimes. he'd like nothing more than to relax at home with you

any issues you have, past or present, he's so happy to talk through them with you. his degree makes him super helpful with that kind of thing. a chance to put it into practice for someone who deserves it and can utilise it would be wonderful

he relies heavily on his knowledge for most things, especially his crimes. instinct plays a part in that he supposes, but someone who is willing to learn and retain would be after his own heart

an opportunity to do some scaring without it needing to be related to crime would be so relaxing for him, terror for pure enjoyment is something he would cherish, so terrorising the neighbourhood with you? absolutely perfect bonding activity

he's a bit of a shadow, preferring darkness to the light. he'd rather read with a dim overhead or by candlelight for the aesthetics (and also to save on the electric bill)

ah, someone with creative talents would bring so much joy to his life. some haunting, but beautiful music to score his days? he'd treasure that so much, and it would add wonderfully to the ambience he's trying to cultivate for himself. you can play while he reads and offer him some peaceful background noise. he'd encourage you to pursue your talents also, enthusiastically! he'd watch you practice, provide you some feedback, and he'd be in the front row if you ever played somewhere

he'd cover the walls in your art, truly. and he'd probably encourage you to help him design his costumes or his scares. an artistic rendition of what he's trying to achieve would make it easier to explain it to his strawmen, who are a bit less intellectual than he is

and he would understand the spite very well. everything he does is in the name of spite against his childhood bullies, his colleagues at the university. although he does also do things for money to buy books and to spoil you. but he would believe wholeheartedly that you were brilliant and wonderful and deserving of someone to tell you that every day

#finnie1k #finnie writes

[lalaurelia]

2022 Fic in Review

So I do this every year, and it’s kinda fun? So I’m doing this again for the stories I’ve written this year. I won’t be counting a collab though, since I never do, and my stats are a mess because I’ve transferred my Russian-language works to AO3 this year, but I will be counting them. I think. We’ll see if it takes xD

total number of completed stories: 9 total, +1 collab. It wasn’t a good year for writing, I’m afraid. Hopefully I’ll be able to make 2023 a better one.

total word count: 16266 words. I’ve added a lot of words to WIPs though, I think about 17K extra. The focus this year was what game designers call MVP, minimum viable product. I just wanted to get the stories finished - so they were mostly uncomplicated and short. Wow. I haven’t been writing short things for a very long time.

fandoms written in: Gotham and Gobblepot, baby, these things don’t change XD

looking back, did you expect to write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected? I always, always expect to write more. But considering all the shit that’s been happening this year, I think I wrote more than I expected to do. I feared I wouldn’t be able to write a single fic.

what’s your own favorite story of the year? This is unexpectedly hard? I like practically all of them this year? I guess I’ll choose the one I finished the year with, In the dark. It was a lot of experiments, and it was really exciting to try all those things.

did you take any writing risks this year? Yeah, I’ve been trying to get used to experimenting with my writing styles and options more, because I desperately wanted to see progress somewhere. And this was my progress. The first experiment was The Crown and the Shield, my first-ever second person story, and the other one was In the dark, mentioned above. I feel that trying to write in the way that’s unfamiliar to me helps me get rid of a number of my usual hangups I stumble over when writing.

do you have any fanfic or profit goals for the new year? Finish at least one WIP. Write a fic for each month. I hope I’ll manage at least some of that XD

best story of the year? In the dark XD Okay, okay. I do think it’s Mango Daiquiri this time around. It’s both subtle and not, which I find enjoyable.

most popular story of the year? AO3 stats to the rescue! Apparently, it’s Drunk on You, which is cool, I loved writing it. It also helps that it was written in the beginning of the year.

story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: The Crown and the Shield could use a little more love, but I know that readers will always read what they want to read. If it’s not a story I’ve written, or not the one I want them to love, well. It’s okay. I love my fics regardless XD

most fun story to write: You know, I’ll name Trick, or... because I didn’t really expect to whip up a Halloween-themed story on short notice, but then I hit a stride and it turned out pretty fun.

story with the single sexiest moment: In the dark, hands down. I haven’t been writing many explicit stories this year though. But I still think it’s the sexiest one for all the stuff that’s going on in Jim’s head and then out of it~

sweetest story: I have trouble writing fluff, so I just want to give Sweet Morning an honourable mention.

“holy crap, thats wrong, even for you!” story: I just don’t think this way when it comes to stories. In fiction, anything goes. The only thing I got hang up on this year is ‘maybe there are too many kinks per paragraph in this one’, but then again, why the hell not have as many kinks as you want XD

story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters & most unintentionally telling story: Can’t go into details, it’s a WIP. Yes, there are still depths to find out about my fave boys. Sometimes they’re not quite what you expect them to be.

hardest story to write: Another WIP. I struggled with it a lot, some parts of it flowed, some were set on stalling. I’ve hit yet another snag in it recently. Ugh. I’ll get through it, but I have the urge to whine about it too lol

biggest disappointment: I don’t think I have disappointments this year when it comes to my stories. That’s a nice thought. Writing was a solace for me this year, so... yeah. The disappointments are all external.

biggest surprise: How deeply satisfying the writing experiments are. It’s like opening a window that’s been closed for months and getting some more light and air into your space. That’s why I want to try doing more experiments from time to time.

Tagging, if you want to do a fic review of your own: @birdwatching-goesbothways, @killerrabbitofcaerbannog, @whatwould-misha-do, @stardustloki and anyone else who wants to try this~

#writing #gotham #gobblepot #jimwald #oswald cobblepot #jim gordon #otp #dc #fanfic #milestones #fic year in review #lalaurelia writing #genmitsu writing

[thedeathwitchescats]

hello! i hope this message won't bother you and mostly won't make you feel uncomfortable! if it makes you feel any kind of discomfort don't feel the need/obligation to answer this <3

I read your recent post about being a Hades devotee and I'm just a beginner that never had the chance to start praying, doing offers and anything else to a deity due to a lot of things around me. I'm recently finding the courage to try and start my worshipping for Hades, I'm still reserching everything about him to be sure of not disrespect. do you have any tips to start with? like, what to do, how to do it, how to start and finish, etc.

I also had a question about the part where you say "he will ask you to jump of a cliff just to see if you believe he will catch you." could you explain it a little?

thank you if you read all of this if you did and I wish a wonderful day/night for you <3

Thank you for asking!!

Personally, dont pray daily. I did for some time at the beginning of my practice but it became more of a chore and less enjoyable. I dont light his candle every day either, but that is more of a time constraint thing. I *do* however take some time every day to talk to Hades, and spend a little time with him.

Also, just a little reminder for you, as long as you are taking the time to get to know the deities your working with, especially Hades, they are going to be forgiving. Have fun with researching, dedicate the time you spend doing so to him, whatever works for you.

Now, what I mean when I say "Hades will ask you to jump off a cliff just to see if you trust him to catch you" I mean that in a figurative sense. He is obviously not going to ask you to literally jump off a cliff. However, he will ask you to take leaps of faith, do things outside your comfort zone, things that scare you a little, things like that. He asks you to do these things because he knows they will help you with the goals you wish to achieve.

My best piece of advice for working with Hades is that he is going to let you fail if you chose to fail, but he is going to be there to help you pick yourself back up. He will never tell you to do something that will hurt you, and he will never expect you to hurt yourself to continue your practice.

#hades devotee #witchy shit #🪓

[suhnshinehaos]

Hi 👋🏼 i’ve been following and reading your work for a while now and i was wondering if you have any tips you would be willing to share (if you’re comfortable enough) for anyone who would also like to start writing smau and fanfics in general? 😸

hi !! thank you for reading my work and sticking around, it means a lot to me that you trust me enough to ask for advice :) in terms of practicality, my biggest advice for writing smaus and fanfics is to outline ! it doesn't have to be super detailed, it could be just a general direction of where you want the story to go. it's also important that the story and characters could have some room to grow beyond what you initially intended them to be (which is what happened for me with crush culture / treacherous). outlines been a huge saving grace for me whenever i feel stuck or i feel the brainrot dying down a bit.

and as cliche as this sounds, have fun with it !! keep in mind that this is something that you mostly do yourself for your enjoyment. the last thing you want is for writing and updating to feel like a job / a chore. write when you feel like it instead of out of obligation.

hope this helps :) let me know if you need anything else, and good luck !

#— from the inbox! #sent by : anon <3

[ill-be-istj-if-no-one-else-is]

Hey! I’ve been struggling with self-typing for a while, but now I’m mostly torn between the IFP types. Am I in the right path? Thanks!

I like to learn “useless” things for fun. You never know when some random knowledge is going to prove itself useful, right?

I don’t like being a leader. People usually think that I’m good at it because I get my work done/take my responsibilities seriously, but I hate telling people what to do and feeling all the pressure that comes with higher positions.

I enjoy entertaining myself with daydreams. I do hope they come true someday, but the idea itself feels “enough” for that moment. If I really want something, though, l may go “too far” to get it because I tend to ignore the consequences to my actions sometimes.

I’m very practical in my decisions and usually don’t spend too much time overthinking. I simply follow the paths I like more.

Even though I enjoy my “dreamland”, I’m very realistic when it comes to real life issues. I’m the first one to say: “I don’t think this is going to work” if certain idea seems truly impossible.

I like finishing plans/reaching goals if they’re truly important to me. If they aren’t, I don’t mind leaving them unfinished.

I enjoy peaceful environments. If I have some “controversial” opinion to share, I might hold it back to avoid arguments (if it’s something that I strongly believe, though, it might be harder to do it).

I hate to bottle up my emotions (especially negative ones) because it’s really difficult to deal with too much on my own.

My personal tastes are very important to me because they make me who I am. They don’t change much over time, I just switch my current obsessions.

I also tend to get lost in my hobbies. My sister usually says: “I wish I could simply do what I want to do without feeling guilty about it, just like you do!”.

I’m not really future oriented. I like to entertain my ideas (like I mentioned in the daydreaming part), but that’s all I do when it comes to future thinking. I don’t waste much time doing lifelong plans (a 10 years plan seems crazy to me because so much can change in that time period! Your thoughts, opinions, interests… To be honest, thinking so far ahead like that triggers my anxiety. The unknown may be scary if you think too much about it).

I would say an SFP, and not necessarily an introvert:

Knowing random facts isn't really relevant to typing; that's just a hobby/enjoyment of knowledge that anyone can develop.

Disliking being a leader usually rules out Te (and many Fe) doms, and some enneatypes, but a lot of perceivers don't particularly like leadership (ExTPs being the biggest exception to that).

Daydreaming is similarly something everyone does, but trying to bring them into reality does point to decent sensing. This, coupled with the multiple examples of pragmatism but not much pre-planning/need for closure, and the fact that you were already looking at IxFP, made me lean towards high Se.

Avoiding controversy on its own won't rule out ESTP (6s and 9s of that type do exist) but identifying so strongly with your personal tastes as well as being more emotionally expressive (and again, the fact that you were already considering high Fi) indicates, well, high Fi.

The part about getting lost in your hobbies sounds like Se "flow state" to me, and not liking to think ahead because of the uncertainty of the future underscores that.

There's nothing that really rules out extroversion here, or makes it obvious that you're an ISFP, so I'd say ESFP or ISFP are both possibilities; honestly I see more Te than Ni in your answers here and think that ESFP would be seriously worth looking into, particularly with a 6 or 9 enneatype to sort of mellow it out (compared to say, a 7 enneatype, which is what a lot of ESFP descriptions assume).

#mbti #esfp #isfp

[minetteskvareninova]

Minette Watched King Of The Narrow Sea: Assorted Thoughts

- Pretty Thing Of The Episode: Alicent’s nightgown. Truly wasted for nights with old Viserys. *sad emoji*

- Poor Alicent needs a hug in general. Like, just when her relationship with Rhaenyra was starting to get better, this all happens, and on top of that, Rhaenyra will now have to go to Driftmark, to find a much cooler family and friends, leaving Alicent alone in King’s Landing, with no friends and only her old, ugly husband for company. I would also say that her father is leaving... But let’s face it, from Alicent’s perspective, that’s probably for the best. It’s not like he provided any kind of emotional support for her anyway.

- Speaking of, after the Handmaid’s Tale-esque sex scene, a rat appears on top of Viserys’ bed. Because it was a rotten lay, geddit. *finger guns*

- I don’t really vibe with Daemon as much as I thought I would. I mean, he’s not a terrible character, but he’s not as enjoyable as I thought he would be. He does have some of that fun chaotic energy, but mostly he’s just an asshole. I mean, I still prefer him over fucking Otto, but that’s not a high bar to climb. I think bad boys just aren’t my thing, and Daemon is really, really bad.

- Also, I ship Rhaenyra with Criston Cole (at least for now, we all know this bullshit is not going to end well), sue me. Their trip was hella cute and the sex scene super hot. And I mean, I kinda liked Daemon’s flirtation with Rhaenyra, but ultimately, I just think she works better with Criston, at least in theory. Again, I know in practice, they were doomed from the start, but still.

- Honestly? I don’t blame Mysaria for stabbing Daemon in the back. She’s right, she ultimately doesn’t owe him anything, especially since he seems to have found another girl anyway. She’s still great and I love her. I did find their relationship fascinating and I do hope they will continue to associate, whatever form that might take.

- I am a bit confused about Daemon’s motivations for courting Rhaenyra. I think he does have at least some feelings for her, and it’s pretty likely he’s in love with her. Getting a rise out of Viserys is less likely, especially since their relationship is finally on the right track, although it’s possible that’s why he ultimately couldn’t go trough with having sex with Rhaenyra. Does he want the throne? No, but more power, possibly. He has probably already reconciled his ambitions with his feelings for Rhaenyra, and he could be imagining their marriage as a sort of anti-Hightower alliance... Except that sounds way more calculated than I think the brothel trip was. Ultimately, whatever his other motivations are, the most obvious one is to fuck and marry Rhaenyra, the order doesn’t matter, and other factors that might motivate him don’t either.

- At any rate, Rhaenyra isn’t nearly as much into him as he is into her, which is fucking hilarious. Daemon Targaryen as the lovesick schoolboy, pining after a girl half is age, who likes him, but really not as much, is an image to behold.

- I like that this show is able to make the audience sympathize with both Rhaenyra’s perspective and Alicent’s perspective. Like, she does have it very good, all things considered, but one can imagine it might not seem that way if they were in her place.

- RHAENYRA GOT RID OF OTTO HIGHTOWER. SHE TURNED TABLES ON THE RAT MAN AND EXCHANGED HER COMPLIANCE FOR HIS FIRING. HER FIRST POLITICAL MOVE WAS DESTROYING THE CAREER OF THE WORST CHARACTER. I AM... YOUR HONOR, I LOVE HER.

- I still think Rhaenyra should’ve married the Blackwood kid. Like, c’mon, people! Yeah, she would have to wait a little, but we could’ve had a Bloodraven several generations before his time!

- It’s a little thing, but people honouring the memory of Alyssa Targaryen gives me life.

- I missed Velaryons. :( I can’t wait for the next episode, because there’s probably going to be A Lot of them.

#house of the dragon #minette watches hot d

[kitawolf12]

So I decided to talk with one of my friends about building an exercise program and he suggested I calculate my BMR as a guide for figuring out roughly the nutritional requirements I'd need to meet while expending more calories. I told him that I'd had some issues with restrictive eating in the past that made me wary of weighing myself but that I'd get a scale and just call myself out if I was falling into old habits.

I had not weighed myself in probably about a year and it seems I have gained 40 pounds since last checking. Almost all of my clothes still fit (with the exclusion of some bras that were already kind of small and one pair of pants) so I had no idea that there had been much change at all. I don't like knowing I've gained weight because it reminds me of stressors but I am trying to make sure I'm not sitting in those feelings and instead moving onto positive ones.

This is, overall, a good thing, because in college I was so anxious about gaining weight that I actually ended up losing about 10 pounds my freshman year and I definitely wasn't eating enough sophomore year, either. I had such low energy that I barely felt like a person and honestly covid was terrible but it forced me to be in plain view of people who can tell how much I've eaten in a day and will hold me accountable for meeting my own needs.

But. Gaining weight is also showing me that a remote job and then unemployment plus not having the motivation to work out does, in fact, lead to an increase in weight gained. I know BMI is fake and that having a good amount body fat is healthy, but I am still dealing with the internalized fatphobia that was ingrained into me by my grandparents (who have both since apologized for their part in influencing my eating habits) and society (fuck society). I am more upset about not knowing it was happening until I had gained 40 pounds.

Seeing as I was already planning to work out, this shouldn't change my plans to any significant degree, except maybe adding extra motivation. I want to enjoy working out, but that will take both a change in mindset and a structured plan. I'm working on the second part of that now and I'm hoping with practice I can convince myself that exercise is fun and that building strength and flexibility are worth the effort I'll put in. And I should probably adjust my diet so I'm eating things that are both diverse, tasty, and nutritious. This will likely be paired with cooking with my roommates or with my best friend who doesn't usually have energy to cook. My best friend and I are also intending to start biking more, maybe going out multiple times a week. Cooking and exercise are more enjoyable with friends.

This is mostly a big ramble. If you're reading all of this hi.

#discussing food and wellness and body image #don't click if that's bad for you

[solarmagickstar]

Hello sunny babes it's another shining day (for some, weather and all) and today I'm not sure what I'll find, I think it's best if I don't share much of what I'm reading until I'm sure it's accurate, it's the internet and I've been burned before lol I'm ganna take my time and truly soak it in.

What I will share here are probably poems art and probably pictures of the tools I use and how I made there or where I got them (although for privacy reasons anything local I might not be able to share, I will however show how I searched for these places and where they are typically located.)

I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I'm really really really trying not to be, it's taking quite a toll but learning about Chaos Magick has made me feel a little better about myself already. Not 100% obviously but at least I'm getting positive aspects out of it.

The only negative I'd say is explaining myself to others on why I do this? It's difficult cause the only way to describe it is in ways they already make fun of. I have been able to explain it to some, it was difficult only because my own past hangups kept interrupting the present. I kept seeing myself and how I would talk about this subject. I wasn't a hater so to speak, I was mostly like "not my thing" ya know? But still in a bit of an obnoxious kinda way tbh, in a way that wasn't very fair to anyone who practiced or even to myself.

I spent a lot of time suppressing my own sense of wonder. I began writing to put it somewhere but even that consumed me. I was so expressive no one could stop me. I would draw and decorate everything I owned. I was depressed, disoriented and hate no idea what I wanted to do or how to say how I feel. Everything I wrote began to be about how I perceived my environment. Sure it was childish and a little silly at times, but when I look back and read it I can see myself really trying to express something. Some of which I was beginning to understand.

When I had my first kid I noticed they would regularly hum and sing to themselves, they made up stories about their OCs. I would listen to them and talk to them about them and ask questions, I wanted to understand their expressions, their joys, sadness, indifference, and playfulness.

I don't know what to call it other than Magick, after reading it over and over again through a lot of systems of Magick, it almost always comes back to the belief and validation of your feelings and expressions. Rituals help tap into that, in many many many different ways. That's what I like to look for at least. I am open to finding literally anything I could never imagine, I suppose that's part of the enjoyment I get out of this process, I'll always be wrong about something which means there will always be something new!

Anyway I hope you all have a bright sunny day! (if you're supposed it lol) 🧡☀️🧡☀️

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (10/09/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli (5/10)

If you enjoy the currently very popular genre of stories about girls in historical settings getting a second chance at life with knowledge from their previous one, this has that sort of premise. It’s what initially drew me to the book. However, unless you like the genre, this book is pretty mediocre. The plot is very simple and easy to predict, and the main character, Mingshin, is pretty bland and perfect; she knows how to solve every problem. As such there’s not really that much tension since there are few challenges she doesn’t immediately overcome. The love interest and honestly most of the side characters are pretty one-note, and the writing fluctuates between the flowery words you’d expect from the setting and jarringly modern phrases. Overall, I was really looking forward to this book, but I don’t think I’d like it at all if it wasn’t a plot I know I enjoy.

Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 1 (9/10) & 2 (8/10) by Hatori Bisco

These are rereads, and it’s just so much fun to read this series. OHSHC is definitely a dated manga with some jokes that aged badly and a style that has fallen out of practice, but it’s so enjoyable, especially for someone like me who read it a while ago. It has one of my favorite openings, the chaos of the Host Club gradually discovering Haruhi is a girl, and the chapters, while mostly individual shorts, do a great job of establishing the characters and through lines for once the story becomes more serious. These volumes are honestly so funny, and Haruhi’s one of my favorite manga protagonists (and a genderfluid icon).

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill (9/10)

Despite being a very quick read, a graphic novel less than 100 pages long, this was adorably sweet and actually made me tear up. The art is lovely, and characters are very well developed for such a short book with a lot of casual representation in terms of race, sexuality, and ability. The art is beautiful and really enhances the ethereal vibe of the whole story. Also, I absolutely loved the little academic accounts of the different kinds of tea dragons and how to care for them in the back! This is a book that feels like a passion project and is a great cozy fantasy read!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (CR, 73%)

Cassie Clare was so close to figuring out that polyamory is an option in this book. She got it eventually, but the amount of times Tessa says she loves Will and Jem or one of them says they wouldn't be whole without the other...you have two hands for a reason! Otherwise, I think the pacing in this book is better than in the first one. I think a large part of that is Will's side of things with his curse and whatnot. Tessa's a lovely person but there's only so many times we can rehash her internal turmoil before it starts to bore.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon (CR, 33%)

This book stresses me out, which is part of why I'm making such slow progress. I turn in page in fear of what horrible things will befall the characters. I'm particularly attached to Dumai, and I just find her storyline so interesting.

Lodestar by Shannon Messenger (CR, 24%)

If there's one thing Messenger can do, it's make you empathize with the characters because ugh I just want some answers! I really hope some major leaps are made in this book; I feel like it's been a while since a big reveal (the brother doesn't count we barely know him). Also, it seems this series is really pushing Fitz and Sophie lately, which makes me suspicious. When it comes to the romance aspect, they just seem so bland to me, and I don't quite trust that the story is so adamant about them getting closer.

#books #reading update #a bright heart #kate chenli #ouran high school host club #ohshc #the tea dragon society #k o’neill #clockwork prince #the infernal devices #cassandra clare #a day of fallen night #samantha shannon #lodestar #kotlc #shannon messenger

[more-than-a-princess]

Continued from here for @electricea!

Hopefully, Sonia thought, that would take some of the pressure off: if he could enjoy each date for what it was, and not expect an immediate relationship right after, surely that would make them more enjoyable. But the expectations of various Japanese holidays: Christmas Eve, Valentine's Day, and now White Day, rather ignored that way of thinking. You were confessed to or confessed and coupled up, or you weren't.

Hopefully, this White Day would incur no such expectations: just two friends enjoying each other's company, no matter how much the thought tugged at her heart. Tearing off a piece of the melon pan and savoring the subtle sweetness of the sugared crust top on her tongue seemed to be a good enough distraction for that, though Sonia's face lit up at the mention of Ryuji's favorite vending machine. "A ramen vending machine?" She repeated, both excited and puzzled by the prospect. "But how would such a thing work, Ryuji-san? I suppose if it is instant, then only water must be added. But imagine if a machine was able to dispense the likes of the sliced pork, and chopped onions, and mushrooms, and the hard-boiled egg? It would be quite revolutionary for vending machines. Still, I should like to see your favorite machines! Will you take me to them? I do have some coins we can use to purchase snacks or prizes."

She wasn't the biggest fan of snacking: the practice was dissuaded in the Royal Family. Meals were to be taken at mealtimes and mealtimes only, but with a close friend who managed a convenience store, it was difficult to resist. This, in turn, made it much less like work for him and more enjoyable for them both. Besides: they had the day to spend, though it was curious to her that out of all the Valentine's Day chocolate he must have received, he chose to spend White Day in her company. Perhaps the other gift-givers had presented less than satisfactory chocolate?

Something she chose not to mull over as they began to walk, the melon pan slowly being devoured as they received several dirty looks their way. Eating and walking wasn't exactly culturally acceptable, even more so that it was White Day. Much of the glares were in Ryuji's direction: couldn't that man reciprocate his Valentine's chocolates with even a café visit, much less a planned outing?

Sonia smiled at him. Hopefully he wouldn't notice, or be too preoccupied with their conversation to care. "Well, there were not much in the way of formal classes. That was very unique to Hope's Peak Academy," She explained. It was important, to Sonia at least, that he understood just how rare it was that her class became as close as they were. "Each class had a homeroom period, but much of our study was done individually. Some of us had tutors or coaches, but for many it was a self-study course, assessed by demonstration examinations only and if we were to fail them, we would have not been able to advance with our classmates. But our teacher truly believed in the importance of spending time together as a unified class: that was the exception, not the norm. Thus, she suggested my best friend be named class representative and she helped organize events that would bring us and all of our various skills together. Class parties, sports days, cultural days, days to view cherry blossoms and other important holidays."

"I believe my high school experience would have been quite lonely otherwise, though as I have come to understand it is a rather atypical education. But all of us were admitted to the school to cultivate a specific talent, and outside of our class that was often all we were known for. Unsurprisingly, I was known as the 'Ultimate Princess,' though I mostly wished to be known as 'Sonia.' I imagine your time in high school was far more fun!"

#electricea #Non-Despair AU: The Princess of Novoselic #(For White Day Sonia got melon pan) #(For White Day Ryuji got Sonia talking his ear off but I don't think he minds)

[gogtopia]

yeah (same anon) i would spend so much time doing stats, strategies and predictions on everything. I would have like 3 povs up while live, I would know every mcc almost all the teams and know who would do well where, scrolling through the mcc reddit everyday but i just have no passion for it at all now.

im kinda hoping the break will either make me very either excited or not care at all about it at all so i may see after it :( it just stopped feeling fun and instead more frustrating and less unique - fewer interesting new teams, games got a bit old, too much drama

and personally, for someone who loves the competitive side a lot more, it felt like there was much less competitive passion for it - everyone playing for fun (absolutely fine, just not for me!)

anyway, sorry for my essay :) have a nice day

yeah i miss the competitive part of it tbh like there are certainly still people who do practice streams but i miss when everyone was on the practice server every day for the two weeks leading up to the event. it made for a lot of enjoyable content and introduced me to a bunch of creators that i ended up watching more of. like it got me into a bunch of hermits, jojo, cpk, mefs back when he was active, and surely more people that i’m forgetting. and i’m sure the teams are still exciting for some people but they’re not so exciting for me when the handful of creators that i’m most excited for aren’t in it. it’s a damn shame that hannah finally got into the event right around when the ppl i mostly watched are making their exit. i guess s3 is far enough away where maybe george, sap, quackity, and karl will come back for all we know.

i think with the new season i’ll be able to go either way too on whether or not im invested. i think if any of those four are in it i’ll probably get super into it again and if they’re not i’ll probably let it go. the break is probably good for everyone tbh. i think it lost a lot of it’s competitive energy because the people who were competitive got burnt out. i feel like ant and punz are both typically super competitive when it comes to mcc and they’ve both seemed kind of tired. i like mcc for the fun of it and the competitive side tbh but i think the excitement has kind of dwindled in general. i think a break to revamp their games and rebuild hype will be good for it.

#dont apologize i love peepoTalking #answered #anonymous