#i want to make one of those youtube study music playlists with this as a background…

[corpsepng]

Pls make a list of books you recommend to aspiring writers<3

Ok. Aspiring/burgeoning writer starter kit:

In writing anything you officially become a writer so that’s step one haha, no need to aspire too much. BUT. I’m going to soapbox for a bit using this ask as an excuse love u kissing u etc. So. This will barely be about books, but sort of the recipe of what I (personally and subjectively) think will help anyone who wants to grow their craft. (I know because I've been writing seriously for 14 years)

The act of writing is the best practice you can get but having a well from which to draw on creatively and skill wise in order to DO that practice is the trickier part. And sometimes we can be found lacking because we’re either NOT refilling that well enough, consciously enough, or only with the same sorts of things so it gets stagnant. This is a long one so I’ll shove it under the cut haha.

The recipe:

Study craft

Broaden horizons 

Diversify consumption

Consume with intention

Apply with reference

1) Study craft: this is the easiest to make sense of, right? I want to get good at writing so I read books about writing yada yada. Whatever you’re writing, it’s made up of a lot of moving parts, and you can dedicate time studying EACH PART, but figure out what you have the least experience with, or the most difficulty with, and start there. Also, before I go on to preach about why you shouldn’t solely stake your growth on some dusty old books, here’s some dusty old books I recommend:

The Elements of Style (strunk/white/kalman) (really quick and abbreviated advice, read every bit of this but remember: rules are important to know so you can decide which are worth following and which are in need of breaking for the pursuit of your goals. And nobodies perfect, or editors wouldn’t have a job)

Bird by Bird (Anne Lamott) (excellent work about fostering a process, important for everyone who finds themselves a little lost on how to just. Start)

Wonderbook (Jeff Vandermeer) (I haven’t read this one but knowing Vandermeers work this is on my TBR and I KNOW it’s going to be enlightening)

How to Read Literature like a Professor (Thomas C. Foster) (perfect for those who can see others stories working but unsure how to make their own work, I personally didn’t read much of this one but this will help people to more critically engage with what they’re consuming)

Save the Cat Writes a Novel/Joseph Campbells Hero’s Journey/On Writing and Worldbuilding/etc (all of these are on structure and craft in a concrete sense), I would recommend either choose one OR getting the abbreviated/digestible versions through YouTube because a lot of these can repeat themselves. I’m working on a playlist of writing craft/structure videos that I found helpful, so keep an eye out for that)

So. Studying craft should be a multidisciplinary process. Articles online, videos on niche media, books on craft or copying things from your favorites, looking for yourself in the movies you watch or fiction you read. Punctuation, prose, structure, rhetoric, character, world building, pacing, etc. Unfortunately, no matter how seasoned you become as a writer, you will always be learning new things about the craft itself.

It should be fun and I honestly feel like an enlightened little scientist when I see something that really cracks the open the magic for me (ex: scenes that serve more than one purpose are OF COURSE going to be more engaging that scenes with only one purpose- duh) (of COURSE magic systems should have a cost) (of COURSE the characters cant always win OR always lose)

2) Broaden horizons: consuming fiction and studying it is key to knowing how to reproduce it. We start with the training wheels of imitation before we ride away full speed into truly unique original storytelling. But the most impactful and thought-provoking stories are more than just fiction, so you need to know more than stories. Science, history, art, craft, math, music, cooking, psychology, religion, whatever!

Everyone always parrots “write what you know”, but what you KNOW can expand to influence what you write- so keep learning new things all the time and for fun, because you never know what could help your story. Your knowledge is not limited to experience alone, and research is your best friend. ASOIAF was so loved because George RR Martin loved not only fantasy, but British history. The Folk of the Air series is so loved because Holly Blacks special interest is faeries.

Note: this does not mean the study of OTHER PEOPLES trauma and experiences in an appropriative way, rather, become worldly. Because sure, knowing what a gunshot feels like adds realism, but I don’t care about realism if I don’t care about your characters or world. Science fiction is the best example of this: so many of those stories stick with us generationally because they’re pointing a lens back at humanity, asking big philosophical questions with science, which is something that touches us all.

But it doesn’t even need to be Big and Thematic like that. My dear friend @chaylattes has a project where she’s applied her love of plants to the world building AND plot, and has INVENTED whole plant species that enriched their work with something so exclusively Chay. No one else could write Andromeda Rogue because Chay, with specific interests and knowledge, put that specificity into the story.

3) Diversify consumption: surrounding yourself with more of the same means you’re going to regurgitate the same, derivatively. To be a hater for a moment: I can tell within the first chapter if someone only reads/watches one kind of media (m*rvel, fairy smut, grim dark nonsense, etc), and it’s distracting. When I read that derivative work, I’m not thinking about THEIR story. All I can think of is the people who did it first, and better.

Alternatively, the best work draws on the unexpected. Fantasy work taking notes from horror, science fiction including humanistic romance, romance with elements of mystery. RF Kuangs work feels so smart because she’s literally a PHD candidate who’s reading of academic writing. Cassandra Clares work is so interpersonally messy and hard to look away from because she watches a lot of reality television. 

Genre is less a set of cages to lock yourself inside of and more so the sections of a great big fictional playground- and you need to start playing. Rules, again, are guidelines that can be bent for the sake of your stories. I predominantly write scifi/fantasy/horror but some of my favorite stuff is literary fiction, historical nonfiction, thrillers, and poetry.

And if you can’t bring yourself to read different genres, it takes significantly less effort to WATCH different genres. Television and film are stories too, and can absolutely be learned from. 

4) Consume with intention: this is easier said than done. I, embarrassingly, admit that I did not have any reading comprehension skills until I was at least 19. I was consuming, but I wasn’t thinking a damn critical thought, just spitting it back out in a way that sounded smart.

Critical thinking skills (I say, on the website that historically lacks such a thing) are a muscle that needs to be exercised just as often as your writing muscle. Reading new work, studying craft, learning new shit- none of it matters if you can’t APPLY it all to a story. One can take a clock apart to learn how exactly it ticks, but it won't tell time like a watch until you put it back together.

The key is asking questions, all of the time about everything. That whole “why the curtains were blue” nonsense comes to mind, but if you want to be a good writer, (edit: a writer that cares about whether or not their work is vapid imitation of better work) learning to ask WHY the curtains are blue really does matters.

Ask why in ALL stories you consume, including your own. Why do Ghibli films make me feel calm? (Motifs of undisturbed nature, low stakes plots and quiet scenes of reprieve between action, characters that care about one another and aren’t afraid to show it) Why do I fly through a Gillian Flynn novel but take 8,000 years to read other books? (Concise descriptions, realistic but evocative premise, witty voice, contained and fast paced plot, an abundance of questions driving the mystery leading up to a satisfying crash of answers at the end) Why were the curtains blue, the coffee cup chipped, and the lipstick stain on the rim red instead of purple or pink? And why did the colors matter at all when the scene is about a father at a kitchen table? (You tell me!) Answers may vary.

You can put the work into learning the answer at the source (ie: listening to authors talk about their own work), or through the external interpretations of a critic (proceed with caution here), sure. These are even good when learning HOW to think critically if you don’t even know where to start. But your growth as a writer depends on your ability to answer your OWN questions. 

(Why do I feel tense in this scene? Is it because the character says they’re sweating and struggling to breathe? Is it because I’ve been told the monsters close? Is it because the sentences are getting shorter and the author keeps repeating descriptions of that monsters massive bloody teeth coming closer? Or is it because I know the gun in her hands has no bullets because another character already tried what she’s about to try?)

(Why do I feel sad in this scene? Is it because the characters mom just died? Is it because the character can’t even verbalize that sadness to others? Is it because none of the other characters seem to care enough to ask? Is it because of the wilted flowers in the corner? Or is it because there are daisies in the bouquet, and those were the moms favorite?)

I can nod and smile at 1000 opinions about “why X did Y and the end of Z” or “why X is Y and not Z” but how I felt when I consume something, how I was affected and how it made ME PERSONALLY answer my critical questions, that’s what’s important. That’s how we manufacture gay subtext in everything, because sometimes gay is a feeling as opposed to a fact.

Also, if those subjective answers are inconsistent among readers/viewers, the writer likely had their own intentions a little muddled. So, and I know I’m getting tangential but stay with me: romance. You know how you’re supposed to feel happy or convinced that the people falling in love are like, in love? And want to put yourself in that position or whatever? I CANNOT consume most romance media because it all comes off as categorically terrifying to me. I ask myself why the characters are doing what they do, reacting the way they react, saying way they say, and none of it feels romantic. I want to file a restraining order, and that’s the failing of the author, who did not make enough conscious choices in their work and accidentally created horror while writing their color by numbers trope slop of a “romance” novel. 

5) Apply with reference: is like taking all your ingredients and finally cooking. You want people to notice and respect when you add certain literary devices, descriptions, character choices, but not to the detriment of your work. Shows like stranger things are popular but divisive because their intertextuality and reliance on nostalgia bolster an otherwise unoriginal idea. They weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, they were writing a love letter to Stephen Spielberg, and are riding that wave into the ground. But the fairy dick renaissance doesn’t feel nearly as palatable as season one of stranger things did because a lot of times they aren’t using the ingredients in their own way, rather, following the recipe to a T and selling it as new. Food really is the perfect metaphor and sorry in advance because I’m really going to run with it here lol. 

When I eat a meal, first of all I know I'm eating food, so don't try and trick me into thinking otherwise or I'll only get annoyed. I want to be able to taste all of what’s in front of me, spice, salt, sweet, bitter, etc and know what what you said you've fed me is really actually truly what I've eaten. One ingredient, or writing choice, shouldn’t overpower another, or surprise me so much I can’t take another bite. I shouldn’t try something you call “sauced and baked yeast patty garnished with fermented milk and smoked meat” and think “this shits pizza” because you didn’t even try to jazz it up more than what the instructions on the digiorno box said. I also shouldn’t bite into something you call a pizza and only taste bread because you really like bread and forgot that a pizza is more than just bread. 

But inversely, avoiding all ingredients gets you weird, nary inedible shit like charred milk reduction with lamb mist or whatever. Show me you have knowledge in your genre by referencing it AND remixing it, show me that you studied craft by foreshadowing properly or pacing well, show me you’re more than an AI writerbot by deepening your work with your unique and human influence, show me you read broadly by adding surprising ingredients, and show me that you mean every word you write because you made the curtains blue instead of yellow, and topped your pizza with pepperoni instead of pineapple.

Congrats on making it all the way through my rambling, hope I made sense and that this helped!

#mail.txt #writeblr #writerblr #writing advice #writing resources #writing tips #writing help #anon

[vipernoir]

Here's some random headcannons I've thought about Luka for a while

♡ He's not that well liked in his own class and only gets along with a select few at school, and the people he gets along with are the sorts friends you have at school but you don't hang out outside of school if that makes sense?

♡ He's a bisexual king cough cough lukadrien

♡ Also I remember reading a fanfic in a different fandom where they found out their crush was their dad fuck I truly hope Luka didn't have a thing for Jagged yikes

♡ He and Juleka just hang out, paint each others toe nails, dye each others hair, Juleka just uses Luka as a lab rat doing his hair, makeup, maybe even drawing sharpie tattoos on him, but Luka just likes seeing her doing something creative and encouraging her so is more than happy to be said lab rat

♡ Luka respects everybody's music taste, and truly tries to understand every kind of music someone creates/likes even if he isn't partial to it

♡ Anarka raised her twins on the classics; Nirvana, the sex pistols, the cure, the who, Metallica, motley crüe

♡ Both Ju and Luka went through that BVB emo phase, I'm talking full on Andy Sixx makeup, unironically rarw xDing, wearing the billion band wristbands Luka totally still wears some of his

♡ Anarka raised both the twins to live your own life, love who you love, play what's in your heart

♡ Luka has a lot of strong opinions on certain things, and whilst he will always respect and validate someone's different opinion as much as be can he always sticks to his own morals

♡ Luka occasionally does graffiti to promote these morals

♡ He's ran from the cops before for getting caught spray painting ACAB under a bridge

♡ His forgiving nature means he automatically trusts everyone and wants to give them a fair chance, so all of the built up frustration and sadness from being neglected by his own father all of those years is buried under a layer of fake happiness, he hides how he truly feels to give his dad a chance but a strong part of him wants to not forgive him as easy but it just isn't Luka's nature

♡ He's fascinated with bugs, he used to collect them as a child and study them, draw them, watch them, eat them

♡ He has a small following on YouTube for posting covers of popular songs, he isn't that big as he isn't regular with uploading as he just does it when he feels like it

♡ Luka's music taste varies it can go from political pop punk like Mindless Self Indulgence, to more hard-core sounding music like Rob Zombie or Slipknot, only to switch to sadboy sound cloud like lil peep, to then soft pop punk like Paramore, then one minute he's sat listening to old Disney playlists, his music taste is so versatile

♡ Luka definitely obsessed with the camp rock movies as a kid, like him and Ju would sing and dance out all the songs together, always on repeat

♡ I like to think Luka is vegetarian just because either he felt kinda bad eating meat, or Mylenne converted him somewhere down the line

♡ Luka always keeps a spare pair of headphones, a spare guitar pic, and a notebook and pen for lyrics, with him at all times

♡ After his break-up with Mari he started writing sad, heartbreak songs, he wasn't trying to be that cringey but it's all that would come out.

♡ He refuses to play them though, because they're that sad that probably even Chloe would shed a tear hearing them, and he would never want Mari to feel guilty for hurting him in such a bad way

It's 3 am now so ima stop but I have so many Luka crack hc's it's crazy so ill post some more later

#luka couffaine #lukanette #luka miraculous #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #miraculous ladybug #mlb #tales of ladybug and cat noir #luka headcannons #mlb headcanon #miraculous #miraculous headcanon

[rickie-the-storyteller]

Meet the Writer Tag!

(Thank you so much to @mysticstarlightduck for tagging me! Sorry I took so long lol)

This is me!

(I don't normally wear this many accessories/jewellery lol. But I wish I did! I love it sm)

Three Fun Facts About Me:

I have never been in a relationship before. Ever. The only experience I have in that department is through other people's stories, not really my own. And by that, I mean that I'm used to watching my friends/people around me getting in and out of relationships, and listening to songs about romance and love and heartbreak... but not really relating to them due to not having any of those experiences myself (but it's alright, tho. It'll happen when it happens! In the meantime, I always have my made-up ships from my writing lol).

My favourite book growing up was "Matilda" by Roald Dahl. I thought Matilda was such a cool girl growing up lol. And lowkey relatable in a lot of ways. No, I wasn't a child genius. But she kind of fits into the archetype that I always found comfort in due to being that kind of person myself. Smart/intellectually curious, bookworm, introverted/independent, genuinely kind and has a heart in spite of being seen as cold by others (another example of this is Huey from Boondocks. Been rewatching some episodes of that show recently and wow... forgot how crazy it was lol. It's good, tho).

Christmas is my favourite holiday! 🎅❄️🎄I do get why some people may dislike it, I guess (like, my younger sister isn't a fan, and she's explained why... I get it. The over-commercialisation of it takes a lot of the "specialness" out of it, you know? Distracts from the actual meaning behind it and all. Plus, it can suck if you're just feeling sad and lonely during a time of celebration for everyone else. Aside from that, technically Easter is more significant if you look at it from the lens of which Christian holiday is most important). But I love the joyfulness and festiveness. Makes me feel all jolly and cosy inside. Plus, I love singing Christmas carols. And presents. And Christmas movies. I just love Christmas lol.

Favorite season:

Autumn. Or fall, as some others prefer to call it. That's when my birthday is!!

(Second place is summer because that's holiday season. Plus, that's when my sister's birthday is.)

Continent where I live:

I live in the UK, so Europe.

How I spend my (free) time:

Writing (duh)

Writeblr stuff (tag games, making OC playlists, answering questions, communicating with followers and having discussions with them about writing, etc)

YouTube (mainly watching videos... but I do want to start making videos myself at some point. Stay tuned for that, I guess)

Studying/school assignments (I'm in university)

Listening to music

Singing

Watching movies/TV shows

Reading

Eating lol

Are you published?

No. It'd be cool to be, though. Pretty sure I've mentioned this at least once before, but I want to self-publish the Stephanie Smith saga once I'm done with it.

Introvert or extrovert?

Introvert. 100% introvert lol. I feel most comfortable within myself when I'm by myself. As a kid, I was so painfully shy that the thought of going up to someone and asking a simple question would terrify me lol. As I got older, though, I was super duper lonely, and I realised that I had no real friends because I was keeping myself all closed off in a tight shell, so I'd literally force myself to open up and become more social and make friends with other kids. I practised it, like how you do with any skill. Now it's not so bad. I'd say I can carry a conversation with someone fairly well, even if I don't know them so well.

Favorite meal:

Ooooh.... this is hard. I love most foods lol.

I think I'll go with something a little bit more traditional. I'm Kenyan, and one of my favourite meals that I've grown up eating is chapatti and stew (any kind of stew, or soup. But my mum would usually make this stew with kidney beans. That was a big hit growing up). Haven't had it in almost a year, tho.

Aside from that, I love pizza. And Nandos.

Tagging: @clairelsonao3, @exquisitecrow, @mister-writes, @winterandwords, @mjparkerwriting, @e-everlasting-g, @erieautumnskies, @annethewittywriter, @writingwithfolklore, @ashwithapen

#writeblr #writers #not writing #tag games! #meet the writer

[jmflowers]

Ok I got a little carried away so you can choose all of these or just like one or two. For the Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game

🍓 🔪 🏜️ 🦴

Thank you!!

You absolutely did not get carried away! Thank you, this was fun. I don’t usually do this on my phone, but I’m too tired to get up so please bear with me. (Is it bear or bare? I argued with my grade 11 English teacher about this and I still don’t actually know the right answer…)

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

I started writing fan fiction when I was probably about 12 or 13? I literally did not have any reference point to the concept - I just loved TV and creating things and writing was an important hobby. I think I was frustrated with a topic not being given the attention I wanted in the show Ghost Whisperer (I was obsessed) so I just wrote it myself. The only way I knew to connect with fandom was through YouTube, as I’d been making fan montages for a while. I edited my story, chapter by chapter, into videos and posted it there. I didn’t end up finding fandom spaces for writing and community until I was about 18, when I joined tumblr and started reading on livejournal and fanfiction.net. I discovered screenwriting around that time, too, and fell in love with the idea of combining these things to make a career. (Only took me another decade to finally bite the bullet and dive in.) I’ve been writing and telling stories literally my entire life, and have studied the art form profusely throughout my education, but I definitely think I’ve seen the most growth in my work through the act of writing fan fiction - it fuels so much discipline while still giving you the space to experiment.

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

I looooove to research. I spend a lot of my time looking up words in other languages and reading articles about child development. For Vofreude I read a lot about the history surrounding the clitoris and its accurate portrayal in diagrams. I think the weirdest thing I dove deep into was how to hotwire a car, for Epithet.

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

Anything. I get really overwhelmed by long comments and freak out on how to respond, even though they mean so much. (I worry that people think that means I don’t care about those ones.) I love when people make jokes or compliment in a way that’s silly. Also a huge fan of bookmark notes - I go and read those a lot. I die when someone mentions that they loved something else I wrote for a different fandom and that they’re happy to find me again in a new fandom - that feels pretty life changing. In real life, anytime I can create something that makes my mom cry is an absolute win in my books - she doesn’t cry often, but I’ve gotten her with a few specific things through the years.

I will say, I find it easier to respond to comments in the first few days after a piece is posted. I adore getting comments later - that email notification is one hell of a dopamine boost - but I get anxious about answering. And then I get anxious about there being a comment I haven’t responded to. And then I get anxious about how much time has passed since the comment was posted and I’m not sure if it’s too late to answer. Vicious game.

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing? 

Music. Everything I create always leads back to music. It’s how I yank myself out of blocks, usually. When I listen to music, I start to visualize how things might look or feel and then I try to emulate that in whatever I’m working on. It’s easiest for editing videos, as I picture the scenes that will match up to things. For writing, I just go with the vibes. Most of my stories have an accompanying playlist that I listen to when I’m writing in that universe.

#writers ask game #ask game #Janelle’s asks #thank you!!!! #iamthelegman #I feel like I’ve told the story of my start in fic sooooo many times are y’all bored of it yet? #I was such a little brat back then and I’m pretty sure I put threatening messages in the video descriptions 🤦🏼‍♀️ #karma got me back with those classic death threats and calls for my suicide on FFnet

[bokutosmochi]

general iwaizumi headcannons

what's it? general sugar level? 0.7k allergen warning/s? brief mentions of harassment regulars? @hanayanetwork​

♧ one of those people who dress well without putting any effort at all. it's either that or he just looks good in everything, it doesn't really matter as both of those options are totally unfair.

♧ always smells good. this man could spent the last two hours exercising, have sweat pouring from his pores and still smell nice.

♧ has tried to learn the guitar at one point, but volleyball took up too much of his time, and now university's taking it up. still, he's learned a few songs and he has a guitar hanging in his room

♧ doesn't like carrying bags if it's not sport/athletics-related. if he needs to bring other things that aren't his keys, wallet, and cellphone, he'll just stuff it inside his pockets. it absolutely looks bad and bulky - is that a notepad in your pants or are you just happy to see me? - but he literally cannot give a single shit.

♧ the sweetest guy ever. will stand up for someone he sees that's getting harassed in the streets even if he doesn't know them, would cross the street if there's a woman he might be making uncomfortable, would pretend to be a stranger's boyfriend if some douchebag's not taking no for an answer.

♧ gossip is his guilty pleasure, mostly because of oikawa marites amp. one minute he's scoffing at people gossiping to themselves, the next, he's attentively listening to oikawa spill the tea.

♧ has a very asmr voice. it's deep and raspy and absolutely perfect!! sometimes he'll talk to someone and they'll shiver -- not because of intimidation or attraction, but simply because his voice triggering their asmr. especially if he's whispering to someone. or if it's his sleepy voice!!

♧ he doesn't really have a playlist. all the songs he likes are blended into one playlist and whenever wants to listen to something while studying, he just clicks on one of those 24/7 copyright free lo-fi music on youtube. the one and only playlist he has is the one he listens to when he's in the gym. that's literally it.

♧ ... really missed oikawa when he first went to california. he missed his sarcastic-sounding compliments directed to the people around them, he missed having to fish him from a group of fangirls, he missed his best friend. the person who's been by his side since they were children. iwaizumi was usually the one to initiate the facetimes and texts, hiding it under some lame excuse like wanting to make sure he wasn't dead yet.

♧ during his college days, he attracted so many girls from his university and even other nearby campuses (is anyone surprised?). they'd all invite him to house parties, only for him to politely decline their offer. though he did not pursue volleyball as a professional career, leaving his days as an ace behind, he still had a burning desire to be the best and that isn't going to happen if he spends his days partying and getting drunk.

♧ has his own signature scent that he's had since high school, maybe even middle school. he hasn't changed it because he's too lazy to do so - why would he fix something that's not broken? - and also because he likes how people associate him with a certain scent. he kind of finds it cute.

♧ absolutely not one of those maniacs that lets their phone battery hit single digits -- not if he could help it. he always charges his phone once it hits the thirties and always brings a spare charger with him if he's going somewhere.

♧ he's always ready for anything. and by that i mean he always has ballpens in his pocket, bandaids, a protein bar, anything that he may need through the day, really.

♧ his usual way of unwinding after a hard day's work is really just laying in bed, watching godzilla. obviously, if someone were to run him a bubble bath or something of the likes, he's not going to complain, but sometimes just he just thinks it's too much effort. he'd rather have a short, thorough shower than hear straight to bed.

♧ honestly has a hard time making friends. he's so focused on his studies, cooped up in his stuffy dorm room that he didn't really get the time to do so, then people who did want to befriend him were a tad bit too intimidated by his strong stature to actually come up to him and strike up a conversation. we all know he wouldn't hurt a fly though.

i get: reblog

you get: green curtains

do we have a deal?

#order of the day! #order up for iwaizumi! #one kona coffee mochi #with a side of peach italian ice #iwaizumi #iwaizumi x reader #iwaizumi x you #iwaizumi one shot #iwaizumi headcannons #iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi hajime x reader #iwaizumi hajime x you #iwaizumi hajime one shot #iwaizumi hajime headcannons #hajime iwaizumi #hajime iwaizumi x reader #hajime iwaizumi x you #hajime iwaizumi one shot #hajime iwaizumi headcannons #tahonet #hanayanetwork #tokyometronetwork

[humblegoat]

Artist wrapped ask game!

5, 10, 24, 28, 30

YES!

5. What work are you most proud of (regardless of likes/reblogs)? Oooh that's a tough one! I'm proud of a lot of the things I drew this year, but I think this piece of Juniper with the tigers is my personal favorite. The depth of field and color scheme came out EXACTLY the way I envisioned it.

(con't under the cut)

10. What inspired/motivated you this year? I struggled with motivation at some points, but really worked on paying attention to what my heart wanted to draw in those stagnant moments. Looking at the work of others was a big inspiration this year - I really want to try more techniques and mediums come 2024, I see so many short form vids of paintings that make me go awooga. I'm also deeply inspired by animation right now, would love to get back into that more seriously as well.

24. What did you listen to while creating this year? Ohhh ok let's see. Depending on what creative mode I was in... a) In the early stages of a piece, I usually have on something without words, like lo-fi VGM remixes or movie soundtracks. That provides me background noise (v. important for me, bc my hearing is super sensitive and ambient noises like the fridge humming can really impede my concentration) but still allows me to focus for all the heavy lifting that gets done at the start of a piece (posing, composition, value studies, etc) b) Once the stuff I really need to Think About is done, I usually move on to listening to podcasts or youtube videos. My big podcasts were Friends at the Table, You're Wrong About, and Shelved by Genre. My big video essayists were Swoop, Hbomberguy, Hannah Alonzo, Izzzyzzz, and Jarvis Johnson. Honorary mention to Dimension 20 which isn't really a podcast or a youtube video but a secret third thing (actual play narrative video series) c) When I'm just doodling in my sketchbook, I'm usually listening to my OC playlists OR trying to find new music. (Everyone should introduce me to their fav musicians, I wanna broaden my listening!)

30. Share a fun quick little sketch because why not! Fellow Strixhaven players DNI, but here's a concept for my Sorlock's pact familiar (base form of a tressym) taking on a new form come the fourth year of magic school:

#ask game #@stir-fried-kilometers #about me #art ask #artist wrapped

[mushibashiraas]

i rlly need to change my theme. it's too sunny for this man and tokyorev; i dont write for twst as much anyway. aaa anyway,,,,,,,

@softbajis gave me ideas for another rindou headcanon post. him being tokyorev's 2nd best bf and all. aaaa writing this while listening to this playlist (on musi but for yall it's youtube 💕). it was her birthday the other day, anyway. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY HALLE BERRY!! ilyyy! sorry it's late! aaaaa 🥺

gender neutral. 18+: a little nudity, nothing sexual though. tokyo revengers spoilers?? maybe? bonten!haitani rindou. (i, personally, have had nothing but bonten rin brainrot on the mind.) though, on occasion, this will be specifically tailored to @softbajis 's tastes.

— rindou and (name) going on a shopping spree for new furniture for their new place.

— it was weird moving out from ran's place and several nights rindou couldn't sleep. even though he woke up to his partner laying peaceful beside him, the apartment still felt empty without his brother sleeping in the next room over.

— so after the 5th night of (name) waking up at three in the morning to rindou lounging on the balcony, a cigarette in hand, rindou took a day off and the two went shopping for little household items to make their small, one bedroom apartment seem more like home.

— they spend the whole day going from store to store. rindou follows behind his lover shyly smiling down at her as they happily coo over and daydream about where to place a decoration or a light fixture.

— definitely carries the bags. he isn't the tallest but he is definitely one of the strongest in (name)'s life. he enjoys it too! gives him a chance to flex his strength; carrying their shopping bags feeds his ego and gives him a sense of pride.

— knowing their favorite color is purple, rindou finds a pair of cute key hooks that pop open revealing white kitten/ inside when a key is hung from the bottom of the cats' boxes.

— rindou knows how much his roommate and lover likes their games. while the two were out, he sneaks off to an electronic store and orders a full, state of the art gaming set-up complete with a purple pair of cat-ear headphones and a purple gaming microphone.

— may have asked his brother to come over one day when mikey sent everyone home early to help set everything up while (name) was out at work. definitely shooed him out the door, though, once they were done. this was his surprise to (name), after all!! he wanted to see their face when he proudly lied and said it was all him!

— probably also got those tiktok room string lights but in purple for (name)'s and his home study. for their room his got the same lights but in white.

— both are usually pretty good when it comes to going to bed on time. but sometimes, rindou would stay up late mixing music one headphone on while (name) sits beside him on their computer farming a domain or playing through a quest.

— when they have a free moment/a free hand, they definitely, slowly entwine their fingers together.

— occasionally distracts (name) when their favorite character appears or when they're wishing on a character banner: "one kiss for every wish." gets a little jealous when they talk about how pretty their favorite characters are, hence the kisses, gentle touches, and affectionate nicknames (i.e. princess, my sweet girl, baby girl, doll, my queen, etc.) whenever a certain character appears on the screen.

— he still adores them though and loves to see them happy and smiling. bonten is well-known, wealthy organization, after all, and gladly replenishes (name)'s crystal top-up for them. also got into their favorite games and will co-op with them and give them assistance and advice with certain domains or bosses or character builds.

— one of the most patient men in tokyo, regardless of what other rival gangs and coworkers say. and that definitely shows when the the couple spend quality time relaxing in (name)'s favorite region simply exploring together after a long day.

— lets (name) sit on his lap while they play and rewarding and teasing them with surprises kisses and nose bumps.

— rindou isn't too big into skincare and haircare, unlike his brother ran. but he does the bare minimum, at least. will settle in together in the tub or shower and wash each other's backs and hair massaging their scalps and shoulders for each other. after they're all clean, (name) will do rindou's skincare routine.

— the soft, admiring, loving look rindou gets in his eyes as (name) rubs the moisturizer into his face and across the bridge of his nose. he cannot resist pecking their face with kisses. loves to hear his giggles as he does so.

— lots of "i love you, princess" and "how did i get so lucky?" will immediately get shut down, though, the second he says "i don't deserve you."

— once their skincare routines are done, he snuggles up to (name) pulling them close to his chest. loves it when (name) traces the huge, matching tattoo he got with his brother. definitely groans and hums as their fingers brush against his collarbone and his ribcage.

— lots of kisses!!!

— definitely gets a good night's rest for the first time since he moved in with them.

#tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers headcanons #headcanons #haitani rindou #haitani rindou headcanons

[forlorn-crows]

hey! i'm really not a writer but i have to take a class on it next year and i'm really scared by it, so i'm trying to get opinions and whatnot from people who do write. (that's why you might see this ask in a lot of authors' inboxes heh) i'm wondering if there's anything that helps you get in the mood to write, if there's anything that causes/makes worse a writer's block, if you find it easier to write when given a prompt or if you prefer to make things up completely, if you prefer writing a story or more of an essay, how long does it take you to finish something and how do you know it's finished? and i know a lot of these could be answered with "it depends" but please avoid saying that if you can! thank you for helping me!

there's two perspectives i have here: one is writing in the context of college courses, and two is writing for pleasure.

when i wrote essays in college, i would always need a quiet place to go, or a place where conversations wouldn't be distracting. the 3rd floor of the library. a study cubby. starbucks at 4pm. but i would ALWAYS have instrumental music in my headphones. lofi. writing music playlists on youtube. classical. whatever made me feel 'scholarly' and didn't have words. that was my go to. and i think doing that same routine, getting my little drinks and always AFTER i had eaten was key to at least having some semblance of motivation to get my shit done. cause i had to write a LOT. all the time. different lengths of things too; 500 words to full length papers.

with school, the motivation was "i have to get it done by x date". and im a perfectionist, so it took me a looooong time to write the hard stuff. especially since i had to research as well. loooong time to gather sources before i actually did any writing, loooong time sorting and culling those sources, looooong time stringing them together to make them 'perfect'. i self inflict a lot of struggle, but thats how my brain functions to get the outcomes i did (and the grades I did).

I did do some creative writing in college, mostly poetry. for that, there were certainly deadlines motivating me, but the projects got my creative side flowing a bit more. often times, i would have to stop to jot something down while i was going about my day, because i knew i would forget it later. but, a lot of the same things can be said about my college creative writing; i slaved over the things until they were perfect, until they finally looked 'right' to me. and that takes a lot of time, personally. i hated procrastinating but sometimes you really do write better under pressure.

in school, i needed clear cut prompts/requirements for my long form work. i couldn't function without them, because i always outlined like crazy. it helped organize and cull my crazy thoughts.

now, with personal writing (which i 99% fanfiction currently), it can be hit or miss. sometimes, i need someone else's ideas to get me going. other times, im plagued by horny visions during work and i have to jot them down in my phone until i can write them out later. and sometimes i lose motivation by then, which sucks.

sometimes, it takes me a long time to finish stories. whether that be due to length, or simply because i took my time writing it little by little. I can crank out a full length fic in 2 days if im really feeling it, or it make take an entire week to write 1k words. it just depends on how into writing and into the idea i am.

lately, i have to go with whatever sparks my interest in order to write. i find its no fun to try and force yourself to write for pleasure, bc it just becomes a chore then. writing as a hobby is supposed to be fun, it is not supposed to consume you (wise words that crow does not follow a lot of times).

my advice for school is to keep track of your deadlines. start earlier than you need to for big projects, especially if you have an idea you really want to role with. dont be afraid to brainstorm with your teachers, they're your resource for stuff like that. they can help steer you in the right direction if you're stuck. carve out time to write and double down on it. take breaks when you need to, of course, but try to stay on task whenever possible.

my advice for personal writing is DO NOT FORCE IT. if you get inspired by something, and feel the need to write, and you can write at that moment, do it. those words will come like no other. second best thing is to write it down to visit later. i also think its important to remember you do not have to write every idea you ever think of, even if its a really good idea! its okay to have ideas that you dont do anything with.

overall advice, dont feel like you have to edit as you go. if you're unsure of your skills as a writer, just get down the ideas onto paper. thats the first step. write it how you might tell a story to a friend. all the fancy word choice and formatting can be done later. and know that you dont have to be the most seasoned writer to be a good writer. skills take time to develop. and the class may be boring at times. but its to help you learn, so dont fret! its okay to be scared at first.

let me know if you have any other questions, i have a lot under my belt, believe me!

#ask #anon #writing advice

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

what's body back about 👀

okay this is coming at the perfect time because tomorrow’s video may or may not be all about BB!! 👀 also reminds me that I want to make a WIP intro for it! basic info is that it’s adult litfic!

The short answer is that BB is the bridge novella between Moth Work and Feeding Habits (which was a duology I wrote a couple years ago). If you don’t know, those book follow two men in a verrrryyy complicated relationship (Lonan & Harrison). MW is all about Harrison wanting to help Lonan & realizing he has to let that go in order to progress in his own life, and FH is about Harrison needing to see him again (for closure reasons, he says. Sure).

BB is the bridge between that gap, and when we see Harrison at his worst—his “I never want to see you again” era. I wrote THIS ask about it which is rambly but still super accurate.

And here’s the logline:

It’s 2005 in Las Vegas and 21-year-old Harrison is tired of routines, of gods, of men. On a mission to move past a complicated breakup, he’s about to get recklessly indulgent--and he’s come to the right place.

I’m hoping it’ll be around 20k! At nearly 7k now, which is absolutely bonkers. I’m thinking maybe 5 chapters?

Most of it so far has been deep Catholic contemplations, lol, which has been a bit unexpected because it implies Harrison would’ve gone out of his way to study the Bible at some point before BB starts, which I actually hadn’t planned for him to do, but clearly is what he did because there’s no way his voice would know all the allusions he makes otherwise (he’s an atheist who didn’t grow up Christian).

I JUST finished chapter 2 which was about 4k and called Immaculate Mary. This chapter was mostly about Harrison’s mother, Suzanna, who he now lives with post Lonan breakup. I didn’t think she’d get a chapter tbh but I see now that I needed that chapter to trigger Harrison into his glittery downfall lol.

I’ve been sharing a lot of it on here because idk I love this app for long and complicated musings lmao but probably won’t talk much about it on YouTube in comparison to SV since it’s sooo personal.

In a lot of ways, this book is just about being 21. I had such a hilariously bad intro to 21, and it’s only seemed to get worse, HAHA, and while I don’t often get sooo close to my writing to the point where I’m exploring my own life, I wanted to capture this very real moment of 21 year old Rachel’s life. I am not nearly as much of a disaster (affectionate) as Harrison, but some of those feelings are 100% mine. It’s why this project has been so cathartic for me lmao. I’ve never felt so personal about a project before. I want to hold this one forever. Me in 10 years is going to be like wow… all good?

Music has been… the most important thing in my life for this book and I could go on and on about the playlist which I’ll eventually make on Spotify (I am ancient and still buy my music LMAO).

Thanks for asking, always down to answer more q’s!

#asks #bodyback

[citychicken-prod]

Album Thoughts : Pawprint Panic

I wanna start listening to more music without lyrics to try and think/learn more about how music is constructed. So I'm gonna document my thoughts in posts! It's kind of like an art study except I've never been taught how to properly study music like I have illustrations

I recently found this cool album by Napcast on YouTube, you can listen here or you can go buy it off their Bandcamp here. I have full intentions of buying this eventually, I want to get more music off bandcamp and make a playlist that ISN'T on YouTube for plane rides.

ANYWAYS, into the music! This album has 9 tracks, is that long or short for an album? I've never really listened to a lot of them, but I like this one a lot.

Me talking about this may not be the most in-depth since i'm not super knowledgeable! That's the point, is to learn!

Track 1: Pawprint Panic!

The titular title track! It feels simply constructed, but all of these tracks are styled after SNES era game music so that's not entirely suprising, those are meant to be catchy and communicate feel right? It's got these two tracks that establish a nice sense of rhythm for most of the song and it uses everything else around it to add variation! I think this track is very fun.

Track 2: Record Scratch

Builds up similarly to the first track, with the instruments establishing the beat coming in before everything else. I think this track pulls a way from that a bit more than the other one, though. I like the synth piano very much, it's fun hearing where the song adds to and pulls away layers to give depth.

Track 3: CD Collecting

Oh man these horns and the guitar are really fun! I hadn't thought about harmonizing with instruments but I think I'm hearing that with some parts of the piano? I think I want to try that! It sounds really cool!!

Track 4: Signals

This was done in some of the other tracks I think, but I like hearing where a beat is established and it then switches to a difficult instrument to recontextualize it! Also I have no idea what the main instruments is, but I like it a lot! That's such a dreamy sound! I can't tell if it's some sort of horn or piano, it's edited pretty heavily so I don't know what the original sample may have been (if there was one to begin with).

Track 5: Red Sky at Morning

Oh I love the way the piano and the bass line work together, that's very,,,ear catching? It got my attention really quick! Listening to this, I feel like I can draw a clear shape in my mind to represent how the song progresses, sort of like those plot line graphs you'd see in school. I think I like that a lot! Listening to a song and it being easy to imagine in a more visual way helps me learn a lot, I want to try putting that into practice now that it's started to click.

Track 6: Snowcap Myriads

I think the opening on this one is very striking too! The pacing on this song feels different compared to the others towards the end? I like it! Playing with length and timing and less drawn-out endings sounds very fun!

Track 7: Seaside Summer

A lot more of the instruments come in at once in this track compared to some others on the album! I think I like the sound of this, but I think having them come in slowly feels easier to comprehend as a beginner trying to make stuff? Handling those layers one at a time feels much more manageable. Though, with that said I still struggle knowing how to build up layers that sound nice together!

Track 8: Lead Me to Paradise

I think the melodies on this one are interesting, it really does feel like a video game character singing an emotional ballad. I also really like what I think is some kind of drum beat? The way it pulls back to simple piano notes in the end with little to no accompaniment feels very memorable.

Track 9: Aftercircus

Oh I LOVE these horns! The way the songs speeds up gradually to build tension and slows back down to release it feels clever, I wonder if that portion is in a different BPM or if it's all the same and slower moments just have notes spread further out? I don't know how to have a track with a different BPM in certain sections in the app I use but I think I want to try and figure out how to recreate something like that eventually

#music #napcast #album review #well more like a ramble than a review but thats alright

[howdytherepardner]

The Conundrum of Change

is not a phrase that describes the change taking place. It instead articulates a conundrum - not a puzzle, but the puzzling. How one engages with a particular shifting of tides, whether embracing the erosion or building faulted levies, will probably follow their efforts to solve that puzzle - come to some understanding that gives them an operating theory aligned with their ethics. Occasionally, it may transform that feeling of ethics. But I’ve found myself trying to broach more on whether those are just feelings of transformation, self-satisfaction of anesthetic sort. How to disentangle personal temporal disillusionment from more urgent material truths...

~

Briefly, it may be relevant to note that Jens Lekman’s Night Falls Over Kortedala is no longer available for “legitimate” consumption. Despite my frequent consumption of his work and my reasonably longstanding enjoyment of that record in particular, I did not strive to purchase it before it was taken off of streaming services in March of 2022.

It took me off guard, but didn’t surprise me. His first LP release, 2004′s When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog, had some limited sampling (permission granted for “A Higher Power”), but Lekman took strong inspiration from groups like The Avalanches. Oh You’re So Silent Jens, a compilation album of 3 EPs from 2003-2004, had tracks a lot more liberal with existing works and a little more conservative with getting permissions released. It’s been commercially unavailable since 2011, 6 years before I became acquainted with Lekman via Life Will See You Now.

But this post? Blog? Tangent? Thought? isn’t a comprehensive history of the work of Jens Lekman. For some decent dives, I’d recommend This, This, or as always, Wikipedia.

~

(X) Hazy windows have impacted NJ Transit's newest trains, which were built between 2006 and 2012. The opaque windows aboard the multilevel rail cars make it difficult for riders to locate their stops, especially if they have trouble hearing the train's announcer. Ali Maher, the director of Rutgers CAIT and a professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, said the New Jersey Department of Transportation contracted his research team to study the issue. While window haze may not pose significant dangers, Maher said it does impact the riders' commuting experience."It's just not pleasant when you are sitting in the train, and you cannot see outside. Part of riding a train, and the experience you want to have, is to be able to sit, relax and observe the view," he said.

I was like many (most?) for a while, under an impression that the obscured views of the NJ take on the NEC was something that could simply be cleaned or cleared. My bad! Still, what a silly thing that the newest models have the windows degrading fastest. A lot of rides back in college felt like an annoyance, but one in July 2023 on the upper level was a blur akin to cataracts. There was a window across the aisle had an okay right eye, but it was too late to move - I could only stare longingly through for a glimpse of the garden state swimming by.

~

I have not sought to listen to the many YouTube uploads of the original Kortedala. I do enjoy the remastered and not illegal versions of the tracks on The Linden Trees Are Still In Blossom, also the newly added like the eponymous single. But it is peculiar, the tracks especially changed by the loss of samples. “Sipping On The Sweet Nectar” is a skeleton slightly askew, but with an instrumental break that feels so lacking from the original’s intensity. “Kanske Är Jag Kär i Dig” has to rebuild a hook from scratch, which makes the new track a bit more dynamic, intentional than maybe more of the standard pop in the original. I feel that some of the changes are for the musical better and worse, but that is only how I’m experiencing them. 

My conundrum to manage. For a long time I pushed off listening to Linden Trees, to add those songs to playlists while their unplayable, slightly transparent ghosts hung around on older ones. At a time that was based on a belief that they would someday be restored. But I never tried to find the versions elsewhere, and only pursued one recommendation of a fan animation. It is an arbitrary fervency I feel in sticking with the new release, something that feels almost kin to a religious commitment. What within myself would I be indulging, to try and revive that which is dead?

~

Glasses landed in the package room early January, 2021. Later in my life than the rest of the family, but necessary regardless. It was a peculiar thing, to go back to places known with a vision clearer, but more focused. I feel my gaze could not capture things with the same broadness that I once had.

But that summer brought me to a new place and new spaces. Something that I couldn’t focus in on until I understood it more wholly (perhaps a false framework). But that wholeness came with some kind of detail in a new way. The glasses accounted for a near-sightedness that I believe was intensely exacerbated by screen-based nature of 2020, and a restored-farness was perfect for experiencing the desert, etc for the first time. Vast expanses between places, that defined space.

I love the (US)American southwest. Pinus ponderosa is so brilliant to me, as are other things. While a hint of blurriness is an inherent part of my truth to certain lecture halls and dimly-lit spaces of my early college years, every crevice in a plateau is such a vital component of its enormity.

~

The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom does not hold a conundrum for me. Despite the changes that those songs have seen over years, the versions present there are the only versions I know. And they move me like how Lekman always can - with a clear voice, sincere words, and strong dedication to craft.

The first time I ever wrote anything about any music, after all, was writing about “How Can I Tell Him” for an assignment long ago (discussion on musical depictions of non-traditional masculinity, juxtaposed with “Predatory Wasp of the Palisades”). 

You’ll never be moved by the same thing for the first time, but you can forget how minute the context can be to make any repeated experience feel just as strong.

~

I guess you’ll have a lot of time without change. Look inward - see how that confounds you.

[lunar-roses-blog]

⚘☽☽☽ 𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔 𝕄𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟛 ☾☾☾⚘

⚘☽ Divination ☾⚘

One of the things that you can do with music is divination. The most commonly known form involving music is known as shufflemancy. Shufflemancy in this context is divination by use of songs, melodies, etc., in the form of a playlist. It is not a widely used form of divination, and it is also not an ancient form either, as it uses technology. So how do you do shufflemancy? Well first, you will need a playlist - keep in mind that you control this playlist, it is yours and you control what goes in and out of it. Once you get your playlist, you will want to choose a question (best to stay away from yes/no questions). Then you will want to pick a number. This can be a number between 1 and 10, 1 and 100, really any number between 1 and x number. For this scenario let's go with the number 6. Keeping in mind the question you want answered, you shuffle the number of times you picked, in this case I chose 6, so I would shuffle the playlist 6 times. Whatever song it lands on in the last shuffle will be the song that you will need to interpret for your question. Keep in mind that you will most likely want to listen to the entire song for the answer to your question - the title of the song might not be the whole message. Sometimes it’s not the entire song, but certain parts of the lyrics, like the main chorus of a song. It’s not just the song that needs to be interpreted, but also the feelings that the song invokes as well - if it makes you happy, upset, frustrated, etc.

⚘☽ Cleansing & Banishing ☾⚘

Music can be used to cleanse and banish anything unwanted from your space. This can be done in a number of ways, keeping in mind that banishing is a more aggressive side of cleansing. For either one you can use just about any music you wish, the goal is to annoy the unwanted so much it drives them nuts and out of your house. For example, playing a 10 hour long youtube video of baby shark at top volume with your phone hooked to some speakers, or better yet your tv if you're able. You want to play something that the entity won’t like, so if the entity happens to like baby sharks then I guess you’ll want to consider something else. Another thing to maybe try here is bells. Bells are an amazing way of banishing an entity, whether you are just ringing the bell back and forth with no rhyme or reason, or you are playing a song on the bells. No matter the method you use, you want to make it as loud and as obnoxious as possible.

⚘☽ Meditation ☾⚘

Meditation helps with the lowering of blood pressure, heart rate, etc. In order to peacefully meditate, you have to be able to lower your blood pressure and heart rate, and even out your breathing, along with easing your muscles. Music has been proven in studies to help with this! Well, what kind of music is best for mediation? It really depends on the person, but usually you would want something on the calmer side - maybe something instrumental, or with a slower tune in the background to help calm the mind. Keep in mind that your idea of what music is calming is NOT going to be the same as another person's idea of what is calming music. A side note here: When you type in youtube for relaxation music, most of those videos claiming to help sleep, and relax, and meditate are a load of crap - but not all of them are, and there are some really good ones out there! You have to find what is right for you.

⚘☽ Offerings ☾⚘

Music can be used as an offering to Gods or other beings. You can make the music yourself, or pick a song that you feel fits the situation. There are a few popular examples of music as offerings. Priests in Catholic churches often sing their prayers when they can. Anytime a congregation sings a hymn, it can be seen as a form of prayer. In reference to the intro to music, The Hurrian Hymns were made as an offering to the Goddess Nikkal-wa-lb. You can offer music to any God or other being.

⚘☽ Manifestation ☾⚘

This was a particularly fun wormhole to fall down, but according to what I have read so far, music can help with manifesting. This is because music amplifies our feelings and moods, and strengthens our vibrations and energies. This higher energies help to attract things you are wanting to attract. Certain songs can attract different things. For example, affirming songs can manifest positivity, luck, etc.

⚘☽ Mood & Motivation ☾⚘

Many people use music to boost or lower their mood, or motivate themselves. This applies to the youngest children still in the womb to grown adults to elderly people on their deathbed. We see little kids in daycare, singing the “clean up” song to motivate them to clean up the room they are in. We see people using music to motivate themselves out of bad moods, whether it helps them to be more productive at work, or drag themselves out of a depressive episode. We see people playing their loved one’s favorite music before they pass away, as the sense of hearing is many times the last one to go, and it makes the ill patient happy to hear their songs. Music calms the nervous system and lower cortisol levels which helps reduce stress and calm the mind. Listening to music that gives you chills or that you really, really enjoy releases dopamine. Listening to music that is sad can help to elevate mood, but some say it can be counteractive because it can also trigger depressive episodes.

#music #magic #music magic #home ec

[constant-merlin-torture]

Activities at Midnight

so I’m up and it’s technically not even 11 PM here but I know I’m going to up for a while today bored and overthinking and maybe crying at one point who knows, so here are some things to do if you’re wanting to feel productive and cool for staying up past ✨bedtime✨ instead of what you and I are which is ✨chronic overthinkers✨

Finish homework and listen to vinyl (midnights!)

finish homework and just listen to music

Write some poetry to one of those pretentious ass playlists on YouTube with the “ghosts in the library” titles

for the more intense of us —drink tea and watch a movie rant

bake brownies and watch Chats and Reacts

Rewatch Merlin

Write overly intelligent essays/rants on your fav character/ship/show or something that makes you mad

journal

online shop

make moodboards

read a fav book

analyze midnights

Study—history, language, something obscure, or something for school

keep up on current news

sleep

#midnights #merlin bbc #staying up all night #staying up late #staying up too late #vinyl #dark academism #dark academia #dark acadamia aesthetic

[nerdyprocrastinator]

Music Playlists to Listen to While Studying

One big thing that most people who know me IRL know about me is that I constantly have a headphone in to listen to music. Because of what is basically my addiction to music, I have a few playlists that I enjoy listening to while studying, depending on my mood. In my experience, it is a lot easier to convince myself to study if I know I have the perfect playlist for my studying mood. This is because I know that I have specific playlists that I will only listen to while I am studying, doing work for school, or completing tasks that require me to actually pay attention to the task at hand. If I want to listen to the music on these playlists, I must do some type of studying or work, and vice versa. 

Here are some of the playlists that I have saved to listen to while working. Most of these playlists will be from Spotify and show their Spotify code and the creator of the playlist.

Moody Studying

This playlist is one of the playlists I created by myself. It has the entire discographies of artists like Alec Benjamin, ZZ Ward, and Alessia Cara. There are also a lot of songs from other artists, but they all have the same kind of cynical/quiet sound and tone. I mainly use this song when I want quieter music in the background and kind of just want to feel like I'm living in a dark academia aesthetic. This has been the playlist I have been listening to most often since I created it a couple months ago and also the one I update more often as I find more songs that match the general vibe of the playlist. 

Chaotic Studying

I also created this playlist, but it is about a year old and I don't really update the music on this one as much. I created this when I had a music appreciation class and decided that I wanted a playlist to listen to the more “classical” music that was being shown in the class. So there is a lot of music that you would probably listen to if you went to a school orchestra or band concert. However, it took a turn when the class started discussing soundtracks. This led to me putting some instrumental music from random shows and movies whose soundtracks I like. This caused me to then add songs that seemed like they could be in a movie soundtrack. I liked using this playlist because it gave me a variety of music that would interest me in the background while I worked. However, I understand that this may not be for everyone as most people want non-distracting music to listen to when they actually need to focus on a specific topic.

bisexual gifted kid burnout

This playlist by Emma on Spotify has a very similar vibe as the moody studying playlist. It has more mellow music, with a few faster songs (though those songs have dark undertones). I found this playlist a few years ago, and it is constantly updating with new music. There is a lot of music from people like Hozier, The Neighborhood, and Harry Styles. Currently, the playlist lasts close to 8 hours, so there’s plenty of music to listen to while studying, no matter if you just hit shuffle, play the entire playlist in order, or just pick and choose which songs you want to listen to. It is very soothing to listen to while working, especially if you want something that makes it very easy to actually focus on your work. 

Though I am not a big fan of Lofi music, that is always an option. One thing that I like about lofi is that you can always find a lofi live stream anywhere on YouTube or regular playlists on Spotify and other music streaming services. I can also appreciate the fact that you can find different lofi streams to match a specific aesthetic or mood you’re in.

There is a lot of music out there that can actually cause you to want to study and do work. It’s just important that you find the right playlist, live stream, or song to get you in the mood to be productive. 

Please comment down below and let me know what music you’re currently listening to or the music you use to get in the zone.

#procrastinator #procrastinating #i procrastinate a lot #productivity #studyblr #studyblr community #studystudystudy #music #playlist #spotify #study music #audiophile #background noise

[coughball8]

When it concerns online converters for video, I trust these three brands and they have never failed to deliver.

Hello! My name is Joanne and I teach English in Lisette which is a tiny French town in France. It's located in South America, and we only have one class during the school year. Sometimes we even mix classes from different levels. But this isn't about the hardships we experience and our school is one of the least frequented in the district, they are trying to downsize it to just parking lots, and make all the kids take buses to the central district of the school. I'm not worried, it will improve my situation as they promise to keep me employed with better pay if school shuts down. While we are at it, we are continuing our studies. The best way to do this is to select the most popular videos available on Youtube and then attempt to translate them into our own language. It's not always easy and at times it could cause language that is slurred, slang or even worse languages. We don't employ those words and we try other alternatives. Sometimes it's reports about stars, or actors, TV shows or celebrities, and other times , it's rap starts and hip hop, country music, stars.. We have conversations a lot about famous people because they're always visible out in the open. We'd often run into garbage talk so I began making videos at home and censor them in a certain way. Additionally, I select the best ones with more interesting talk, less insinuations, and not just curse words. Due to our position far from the towers, wifi is not always available in school. Plans to view Youtube videos often fail because of this. youtube to mp4 downloader So, I started downloading videos from Youtube ahead of each lesson. This helped me easily prescreen and increase the information and value of the whole piece. I can remove the unnecessary material and then keep it. I sometimes download 10-15 videos to help me learn. It removes the ads from the video. I don't want my kids seeing my advertisements when they are at home. It violates my privacy. With just half of the content in mind, I made up about 1.5 to two hours of videos. Children can be cruel. Certain videos they dislike while others are a pleasure to watch.

My method of making playlists is simple. The procedure is easy. I search for videos that I wish to download, and then put them in a playlist I keep secret. Next, I copy the URL of the video playlist and go to one of the three websites I believe will help. Converto, Y2mate, or 2conv are the two first. Because it can sometimes work with German videos, the third one is often the one I'm not trying. However it isn't fond of playlists so it's strictly for me. Converto works well with playlists of video. It allows you to view every video within it and then it'll suggest that you download the original videos one at a time or convert them in mp3/mp4 format. Converto is secure, it has no ads, at most - for now and comes in like 2 dozen languages, making it beneficial to many people across the world. My second preference is Y2mate. Sometimes it's the first. youtube playlist downloader I know it won't help so it's not that important. I'm not happy that Y2mate has many redirects as well as full-screen banners. It's extremely commercialized, difficult to use and you are always distracted with popups. Like 2conv. However, they appear more like static banners. So, more tasteful. Translations are available to other languages, however they are less frequent than the initial choice. While they might be more secure, they can still pose dangers and malware to your computer if they advertise. If you choose to agree to their terms but are not sure, be careful. Also they offer lesser number of sites to download video from and convert it to MP3 or MP4 Beware, it is not because they cannot do it. In the end I would rather work with well-known names than with newbie sites. People who have demonstrated their endurance are around despite constant attention from labels and the authorities. I love it that the site I love is online. My Youtube converter performed well. I would recommend giving it a shot.

#download youtube video #y2mate

[sann3e-blog]

Makari, Deserves as much Fandom as Atari

There's a sea of amazing guitarists, drummers, bassists, vocalists etc. Makari sticks out in the wave’s of hardworking, talented musicians that we all play throughout our day's via Pandora, Spotify or YouTube, to create that extra dopamine we need in today's tricky times. Eric, Matt, Kevin, John and Andy wrote some incredibly moving few songs as of recent for their upcoming album. I want to dig more into how much I encourage Makari's new album, Wave Machine, to be at the top of your 2024 playlists.

I highlight Makari because of their pure talent. I'll start with that. Listening and analyzing music over the past decade for one of my careers, I have been craving the subtle/not so subtle intricacies musicians create. The wind fortuitously blew me the name of a band I hadn't heard of yet and this band, Makari, was like an intravenous B12 shot that gave me the nostalgia of those sparking intricacies I could remember feeling when I first started to really study music.

Makari's tsunami of notes throughout their albums and drum sequencing illuminate my soul, truly. Faith I had in music was restored with my first listen to their album, "Hyperreal."

From Better to Fractals, straight through ending the 'Hyperreal' album with songs, Dashboard and Control, I was in awe. I was in awe at the connection the band members in Makari are able to communicate with their fans through guitar riffs, drum beats that'll steal your soul and vocals that range to the farthest black hole in space and back. That, is the definition of a band worth listening to.

What I find intriguing about all these apps we use daily, is the positive side of how we're all able to connect on a global level. How what we enjoy can be enhanced by suggested artists based on who's station you chose that day. Listening to Makari on Pandora, I have come across other artists that inspire the heck out of me. Strawberry Girls, Body Thief, Tillian and Hail the Sun are just to name a few.

Instagram can feel supportive in finding individual's with mutual interests. I remember this one person, vocalist, music producer Mitchel Madak, and I commented on one of Makari's post's. By him resonating with whatever I said on the photo, curiosity called and I checked Mitchel's ig because it seemed like he may be making some music too.

Listening to Mitchel Madak, reminded me of weekends with Owl City dream pop vibes on the way to the beach. With more punch and soul in the vocals, though. I might rename him as an archangel, you’ve brought me peace and ease when listening, Mitchel, thank you. Mixing in some rap to beat, you got your bases covered for a mood booster with Madak in your earbuds. Check him out on all music platforms. Links for Apple Music & Spotify here.

I asked Mitchel how Makari has influenced his own work. This is what he had to say, "Being a vocalist and even a music producer is all about getting out of one's own way and letting raw emotion come through. When listening to Hyperreal or really any Makari project, I can feel this sense of an unleashed outpouring of emotion. Especially for me as a vocalist, I admire Andy's voice and how there is really nothing he can't sing. His belting is just this blast of energy. I always feel inspired and even challenged by Makari to push myself to another level."

'Hyperreal, 'Elegies,' 'Continuum,' including the acoustic album 'Alternate EP,' are some of their discography worth many listens. These mentioned albums are medicine that help me stay sober. I found throughout my struggle with drinking (in particular, last year) that when I felt a craving, I could get in my car or sit in my room...and air guitar, then air drumming along, while sing out the notes...relating to every lyric, my craving would pass. These albums have been on my music listening platforms playing in circles. I have a lot to credit for being successfully sober...but Makari healed more than I knew I needed. Acceptance for me was found in how important it is to remain on the path of light and Makari helped me stay there.

Interestingly enough, someone I knew in high school (mind you, that's over 15 years ago for me) and I still see each other's thing's on ig. I knew her on an aquaintice basis more than me being able to say that I knew Payton well. I do know that she exudes from the inside out that she's a beautiful person. Strong, funny and caring. She now lives in Colorado with her husband. I posted "Breakers," one of Makari's tracks off their new album, so pumped to share. Payton said she really appreciated the post. Little did I know at the time how much the song helped her through. An ICU trip to the hospital with her husband, who as I do, struggles with alcoholism.

When I asked Payton generally, what her first impression was of Makari, what she had to say hit so close to home. "this song came into my life during another one of my husband's alcoholic relapses (he was in the ICU) the song just really got me through my day." I don't think she knew my struggle with alcohol, but I'm sure she saw it over the years. This article was not supposed to end up mentioning anything about being sober. When I asked Payton about Makari, she didn't know I had written of my own experience with addiction to alcohol. I generally asked, "what was the first thing Makari reminded you of when you listened to the "Breakers" song?" I didn't expect her to have experienced the same relief I felt listening through their albums, Makari's music was a perfect prescription for making productivity out of pain. I'm not a Doctor but if I was, I'd prescribe daily listen's to all things Makari.

“We’ve worked so hard on this album over the past 2 years,” Makari says. “We’re lucky to have amazing fans supporting our art, thank you.”

These interactions drive me to want to let as many people as I can know about this band. They know we’re here as fans to support them. Do all you can to support their music. Buy albums, go to shows and sing along. Raise the bar in your subscribe button pushing and “likes” because these actions can give back to the band members of Makari who gave Wave Machine their all.

2024, Wave Machine is about to drop in March and I couldn’t be more excited to listen. Everyone meditates in a different way. I meditate while I dive into music. Makari’s music center’s me. I’d like to walk into a meditation practice with a song like, "Soul Stealer" from Makari's new album. “Soul Stealer’s” intro will give you chills. And set you free.

On March 8, 2024, Makari’s album, Wave Machine will be released. The album will be my favorite new outlet. Makari continues to be my way to expel that excess of happy realizations in life. I love dancing in the car with them on my car stereo. Life hit's softer with Makari playing in my 2012 Honda Civic. Feel the energy yourselves when the album comes out in MARCH 2024!

#waves #new music #2024 #sobriety #apple music #spotify #youtube #artists on tumblr #concert #new album #march #orlando #florida #Spotify #glow #owl city #vocalist #producer #courage #mental health #healing