Tumgik
#i'm sorry i'm pretty awful at giving tips and advices but i hope that helps
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hi lovely! i have a serious question. so when i write sometimes the most i can squeak out is 10k and i’m not sure why. i feel like maybe i’m missing something that could allow my writing to be longer.
ik that you always write the juciest longest fics that i ADORE, and i would love to write a long fic to maybe post here or on ao3 (like around 40-50k words) and i have the idea of what it will be about.
do you have any tips on how to elongate my writing if that makes sense😭 like is there a certain amount of words you write in a day for a story? do i just need to sit down and write for a certain amount of time? will details help?
ANYTHING would be helpful, thank you 💕
hmm this is a good question!! it has taken me a lot of time to get myself to this point honestly which just is a lot of practice and working at it. and part of it is my style, i'm long-winded and like telling long stories (sometimes people call me boring, but i like to think i am just indulgent) so i end up writing a lot!! if it's not your style, that's totally okay - but also, if you want to write longer things, practice will always help!
also one thing i've noticed is that having an outline will help me in some ways, but being too detailed limits me, if that makes sense? i have a loose guideline to keep me moving, but i let myself indulge in moments and emotions and stuff like that, and i feel like that adds a lot more space than people realize! i also have ocd and a very obsessive/addictive relationship with writing most of the time, so i have a habit of wanting everything to be written out and wanting everything to be just right, so i will write a LOT in pursuit of that! whether that is good or bad i don't know - i think it might just be what it is!
oh also - i always write more if i put myself in my ideal like. writing situation. i've trained myself at this point to be able to write pretty much anywhere using anything, but if i have the right conditions, i can crank out thousands in a day. for me, it's listening to specific music, having no social distractions, and putting aside everything except what i'm writing. i really zone in on it and put myself in that place and then there's just SO much i want to get out about what i can see and feel and experience that so many words come with it
i do not know at all if this is helpful!! i feel like i'm awful at giving advice because most of what i do has boiled down to trial and error, but also maybe that's my advice?? don't be afraid to fail and make mistakes and try new things and find out what works for you!! if you are happy and passionate about what you're writing, i think you'll want to write more of it!! and remember - just get it out! it doesn't need to be good, it just needs to exist, and you can always edit later! don't be too worried about what you're writing while you're writing it; just write, and everything else can come later! judgment-free creativity also lets me write lots more because i just trust myself and move through what i want to be writing to refine later!
okay that's so many words i'm so sorry. but i guess that's also in the spirit of your question?? i love you so much!! i hope this helps!! i am always here to talk!! i'm sorry i'm insane!!
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tavs-kin-korner · 8 months
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Hello Tavros, thank you so much for the stimboard! If this doesn’t bother you, I kind of need some kin advice/help here.
For me, being fictionkin is really hard, bc when im from a smaller media, and it’s seen as childish it’s hard for me. Also, sometimes being fictionkin makes me miss stuff I’ve never had. I feel, a lot of the times, wishing I could be back on Starhenge or Celestial island, or being up in the sky, or being with the other celestials. Sometimes when I vent this in tumblr it doesn’t go well, because people tell me im “delusional”, “being a kid”, or stuff like that.
I tried stuff like making the arm pieces I wear or trying to style my hair. But it seems to look less like myself and more like a crappy cosplay.
And on social medias, It’s hard seeing such hate against me. I don’t like seeing people rank monsters and place galvana as the worst, or saying it ruins starhenge. It doesn’t make me angry or sad, but I don’t blow it off. And I saw a drawing on deviant art with most of the celestials, and it was gory. It wasn’t filtered, so I got super overwhelmed from it bc seeing yourself covered in bl00d is super crazy for a fictionkin.
Do you have any tips or advice? Also, thank you for running this page a ton and giving out lots of advice :]
hI, gALVANA! yOU'RE WELCOME FOR THE STIMBOARD! sO GLAD YOU LIKED IT! i'M SO SORRY YOUR EXPERIENCING THESE TROUBLES THOUGH! D:{
sO, fOR MISSING YOUR HOME, i HAD A GOOD IDEA! sTARHENGE AND cELESTIAL iSLAND ARE BOTH SPACE THEMED, rIGHT? sO, mAYBE YOU COULD TRY DECORATING YOUR ROOM WITH SPACE STUFF LIKE STARS, pLANETS, mOONS, eTC,! yOU COULD EVEN GET ONE OF THOSE STAR PROJECTORS SO YOU CAN TURN YOUR LIGHT OFF AND SEE THE STARS AROUND YOU! mAYBE EVEN SOME BLUE LED LIGHTS FOR AN EXTRA EFFECT? i THINK IT WOULD LOOK REALLY PRETTY AND HELP YOU FEEL AT HOME! }:)
fOR THE ARM PIECES, iF YOU MADE THEM OUT OF, lIKE, pAPER OR CARDBOARD, mAYBE YOU COULD TRY MAKING THEM OUT OF ARM WARMERS INSTEAD? iT MIGHT LOOK BETTER AND FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE! fOR YOUR HAIR, pERHAPS YOU COULD SAVE UP FOR A NICE WIG? i'VE GOTTEN ALL MY COSPLAY WIGS OFF AMAZON AND THEY'RE USUALLY REALLY GOOD QUALITY, (iF YOU FIND THE RIGHT ONES, rEAD REVIEWS! i RECOMMEND ONLY BUYING IF MOST OF IT'S REVIEWS ARE POSITIVE,) yOU COULD STYLE IT TO LOOK LIKE YOUR HAIR! (sORRY IF THESE AREN'T AS HELPFUL, i DIDN'T HAVE MANY IDEAS FOR THIS PART,)
aBOUT ALL THE HATE, i'M SO SORRY YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT! }:( iT'S ABSOLUTELY AWFUL, bUT THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH TO DO BUT IGNORE THOSE WHO WILL CALL YOU "DELUSIONAL" OR "CHILDISH," i WOULD JUST DELETE THOSE COMMENTS,, aS FOR THE RANKINGS AND GORE, i'M SO SO SORRY ABOUT THAT AS WELL, }:( sEEING THAT KIND OF STUFF WITH MY FICTKINS MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE TOO,, mAYBE YOU COULD SUGGEST TO THE ARTIST TO PROPERLY TAG IT SO IT'S FILTERED? i'M NOT SUPER SURE ABOUT THE RANKINGS, oTHER THAN MAKING YOUR OWN RANKING AND SAYING YOU'RE THE BEST? sO SORRY i DON'T HAVE ANY BETTER ADVICE! }:(
hOPE THIS HELPED AT LEAST A LITTLE, aND i HOPE YOU START FEELING BETTER SOON! sENDING LOTS OF LOVE AND SUPPORT! <3 /P
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Hello! I saw an old post of yours abt sex and chronic pain and I guess I wanted to see if you or anyone else would have any advice for me!
I'm unfortunately having a bad flare day- and I think a large amount of it is because my partner and I did stuff yesterday. My partner is very sweet and kind about my condition, and always asks me during if the things we're doing are okay. The thing is, I always want to try even if it hurts because I love doing it and I miss being able to do it without such awful pain.
I can't find a position that doesn't make me hurt a lot afterward. Him on top of me makes my legs and hips hurt (legs in air), me on top of him makes my hips and knees hurt, from behind makes my hips and knees hurt, and forget any of my weight being on my hands. My disability has taken over every aspect of my life and I'm so frustrated. I just want to enjoy myself for once.
If you or anyone else has some advice on positions or pain relief I would really appreciate it!!! Thank you so much 💜💜💜
SEX AND CHRONIC ILLNESS;
Hi, there love,
I swear I have a defective Tumblr and I never get any noti's from my inbox, so I'm sorry if you sent this months ago!
I'm gonna try to give my best advice and hope that my followers will also help with advice.
First of all, pretty much any physical activity can throw me into a flare so I can understand that sex can definitely have a real impact on flares. You are most definitely not alone. I can also empathise with the frustration of your disability taking a lot from you and your life. I am so happy you're partner is supportive too and I hope that you guys are great at communicating with each other about sex which is probably the MOST important thing in this. I am going to give my advice under the assumption that you guys have great, healthy communication.
Sex positions that could be worth a try, it seems as if any stretching of the hips and pressure on the knees and hands are out of the questions so here are not only some of my all-time favourites, but also should be friendly for these issues:
Lazy doggy (lying face down on your stomach with your legs together): that way you don't need any weight bearing on knees or hands, no stretching of the hips and you basically just lay face down, I like this position as it also takes little energy and it's quite easy for you or your partner to stimulate your clitoris at the same time. you can also try this position with a pillow or wedge under your hips for a different angle and extra support on your hips
Spooning sex: I find this a great position, you just lay on your side, your good side that day, and sometimes putting a pillow between your knees can help with that.
I personally don't fuck with this position but standing up sex facing a wall is also considered to be pretty easy on these joints.
This one is slightly harder to explain (its a modified missionary variant) but if you are laying on your back and you put your legs straight or bent vertically and lay them on your partner's chest (kind of like an L position with the legs up), and then he would be either standing or on his knees (so your partner would be the P and u the L; PL). This means your hips aren't stretched outward, your knees and hands don't have pressure on them, your partner does not have their body weight on you and your partner can hold onto your legs for extra support. You can add a pillow under your hips for extra support. I really hope this makes sense, and if someone knows if this has an actual name, please help!
You could also try a seated position and you could face away from him to keep the hip angle easier
other general tips;
Take MAD advantage of pillows and wedges; this could help with him on top of you if you bulk up on either side of your hips so you don't have to strain or stretch as much.
Rethink your idea of sex: some days there may be no position that is comfortable. Sex is whatever feels good for you. You don't need penetration to have sex. Have your partner go down on you or stimulate you with their hands. If you really like the penetrative feeling, buy some toys and your partner can use them on you in any position that's comfy for you. Buy lots of sex toys, to be honest, that can be super fun and accessible. You can get full pleasure and give full pleasure without vagina/penis penetration.
Something my therapist has taught me is to pace myself and practice patience with MYSELF! I can tell you probably push yourself because you always want to still try even if it hurts. For example, I don't exercise, but one day I decided to go to the trampoline park and do gymnastics (i used to do gymnastics) and then was fucked for a week. Another example, I tried to do gymnastics at home and broke my foot. Just keep throwing myself into the deep end and end up making it worse; 1 step forward, 12 steps back. So pace yourself, and practice patience, and don't be too hard on yourself. Treat yourself with kindness.
I know sex is often spontaneous, but honestly stretching and warming up could help, and maybe even during foreplay, you could get a massage to warm up and connect with your partner. Also if you know you're going to have sex, you could take some painkillers or weed (if you're into it) beforehand.
I really really really hope that a) everything made sense and b) that it would actually help! Please send me a message if you feel comfortable if this helped at all.
Please leave your most accessible sex positions in the comments or reblog with advice!
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Hey mom/dad, I had a stroke in April, I got denied SSI disability today and was wondering if you might have any advice on the appeals process. I’m feeling really disheartened. Shay
i'm so sorry, honey, that really sucks.
i haven't been through the ssi process myself, but my mother has; she was initially denied but won on appeal. it's really important to know that basically everyone is denied at first. they're pretty much hoping you'll give up and go away. most people have to appeal, and it's best if you have a lawyer for the process.
however, i can't give you much more specific advice than that, since i wasn't personally going through the appeal myself. i sent an ask to someone who i know is familiar with ssi, but i didn't want to wait to answer you until i hear back. since i have your url, i'll forward any reply i get.
in the meantime, if you put "how to appeal ssi denial" into google, lots of helpful pages will come up. there's official government pages telling you what to do, plus this and this are pages with tips from lawyers.
if reading lots of text is difficult for you (it sure is for me), put "ssi appeal" into youtube and you'll get some videos made to help you through this.
the only other tip i know of is that when you fill out your paperwork, describe your symptoms when they're at their worst, not anything less. don't exaggerate, but rate yourself at your genuine worst.
i really wish that i could give you more help than that, dear. the system truly sucks and doesn't want to give you the measly help they can, much less the help you deserve. i know it feels awful to be told you're not disabled enough when you're struggling so hard.
but if you have documentation of what you've gone through there's still a good chance that you can win on appeal, so please don't give up. they turn everyone down at first, so keep fighting.
i'm going to post this publicly in case any of my followers have been through this themselves and can offer any advice. take care of yourself, dear.
eta: the person i asked actually responded immediately! i’m going to copy and paste this answer from @thatdiabolicalfeminist​​​​:
I don't have a lot of specific info either, but here's a pamphlet from the SSA about the process: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10058.pdf
There's also info here your asker might find useful: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html?tl=0%2C2 
 And this is a guide from a disabled person with tips: https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/social-security-disability/
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anenbylittlepotato · 3 years
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I hope i'm not bothering you with this request, you're free to ignore if you want!
If that's okay could i request the brothers or the side characters comforting a teen MC who's scared about their future? As in they don't feel ready to become an adult despite them being almost 18 and that overwhelms them a lot. (I see all of my classmates already knowing and being ready to adulting and i feel like shit cause i'm literally sitting here worrying about how being an adult is scary and that i'll never find a job that makes me happy or that i'll never be happy with my life as an adult...)
This is all platonic ofc!!!
Oh no, it's alright, you're not bothering me at all 😁 I've actually been hoping for some more requests, so I'd be more than happy to do yours. I am also very close to graduating high school and becoming a full adult, so I know how you feel there.
The Bros Comforting a Teen MC who's Scared for Their Future
Lucifer
You're scared for your future?
Well, he supposes that makes sense. After all, it will make for a very large change in your life and you're going to be dropped into the real world with all these responsibilities with no sense of direction. You're bound to be a little afraid.
He'll sit down and listen quietly as you tell him your fears, rubbing your back soothingly.
He might offer to help you figure these things out by sitting with you as you do it and helping you get your foot up. I mean, hell (pun intended), he's been doing this stuff for him and his brothers for thousands of years. Adulting is kind of his forte.
He'll also offer advice to you, giving you tips and tricks he's learned over the centuries of doing it himself.
Seriously, this man will give you a full lecture on how to be an adult if you let him
Mammon
Huh what?
Haha, what makes you think he's any more prepared to be an adult?
This man didn't even know you had to pay rent to live in an apartment lmao
If he were tossed out on the streets right now, he'd be homeless. Especially with all his debt he has to pay.
So don't expect much advice from him there.
But he'll try his best to comfort you. Even if he sucks at it.
He'll smile that smile that could light up the dark side of the moon and pat your head, telling you not to worry about it.
I mean, he hasn't gotten it all figured out yet either, and look how great he is! After all, he's the GREAT Mammon!
So just take it easy! Not everyone has to work things out right away!
Leviathan
Bro same.
He's terrified of his future. He doesn't even know if his plan to be a pro gamer will even work.
But fuck if he's not gonna try.
And, hey, he may know what he wants to do, but he's had thousands of years to think about it. Don't rush yourself! I mean, some of his favorite idols didn't know what they wanted to do until after they'd finished college!
I mean, not everyone's gonna figure things out right away. He didn't know what he wanted to do for the longest time!
Honestly, though, he feels bad for humans. They all have such little time to figure things out.
He'll offer to sit and talk to you about it, or if you don't really want to talk about it, he'll offer to play video games or watch anime with him.
Satan
What's that? You're scared for your future?
Well, that's understandable. Humans are quite fragile, so it's not surprising that there's a lot of things that would scare you. And to make matters worse, you're plopped into all sorts of responsibilities straight out of high school. I mean, that would be pretty scary. Especially if you have no idea what you want to do.
He'll offer to lend you some books, to do some research and help further prepare yourself for what's to come.
He might even sit with you and help you work things out. He's read so many books about and from the human world that he knows plenty about how things work up there.
If you're still nervous, even after all the studying and reading, he'll recommend some books to you that he, personally, likes, to distract you for a while.
Asmodeus
Aw, you poor thing! You're afraid? Don't worry, come here, Asmo will make you feel better~!
He'll pull you into his bed and immediately start giving you a makeover.
Spa day! And the entire time, he'll be chatting your ear off, telling you all about tons of partners he's had in the past who also had no clue what they were doing with their lives.
He'll give you all the juicy details! Well... Maybe not all of them... Hehe~
He'll tell you all about their own fears, of which are quite similar to your own, and he'll tell you all their struggles and how they got past them.
All the while, he's painting your nails, and doing you hair, and applying your makeup.
Beelzebub
Oh no... Don't be afraid!
Um... He doesn't really know what to do here. He's never really thought much about what he'd do in his future. Do you want some food?
He'll sit down with you and offer you some food. He'll try to give comforting words, but he doesn't really have much experience with this sort of thing.
He'll mostly listen as you tell him about your fears, offering small words of comfort.
He's not very good at this and he doesn't know much about all of it, but he'll try his best to help you feel better.
I mean, he hasn't really thought out his future either. The most he's gotten is that he wants to do something involving food.
Belphegor
Lmao why tf are you coming to him for comfort about your future?
He doesn't know wtf he's doing either. And he doesn't really care all that much either. He'd rather sleep.
Why you just sleep? It would be nicer than thinking about all that.
Oh, you can't sleep? Fine. He'll use his power to ease you to sleep then. Now you won't bother him while he's trying to sleep.
He might consider helping you better later. When he's not trying to sleep, that is.
But even then, he can't promise he'll be any good. Being nice and comforting people aren't exactly his forte.
But, if you're still nervous by then, then he supposes he'll help you
==
I couldn't do the side dateables, sorry, but I might do them another time.
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Sorry if this is so insensitive to ask, but at this point I'm desperate.
How do you write so well?
I've been writing for over a decade. I enjoy writing sometimes, but I've been nonstop comparing myself to everyone else for a while now, and it's destroyed my motivation to write. And a part of me has always wanted to be an author.
Do you have any tips on ways to improve my writing?
I do a lot of research for both my stories and how to construct my writing. You're really good at hitting both quality and quantity in your writing, while I feel like it's incredibly difficult for me to even do one or the other most of the time. I don't want to half-ass my work, but it's very easy for me to get...burnt out, iykwim.
Sorry for the ramble, really. I just don't know what to do anymore :')
ah! -- well bless you - I hope you can find yourself to love the works you do and know that only you could ever write the stories that are in your head. Each authors experiences bring them to where they are right now and help tell, shape that story!
I feel I may slip into a lecture - this is my advice and thoughts / processes only! (here we go) -- got a bit long, below the cut
I write with emotion in mind -> sensations of the body, thoughts in the mind, feelings in the heart (living creatures are naturally empathetic - we relate to emotions pretty easily so it’s a great way to get readers to connect with the action / character / story) 
I avoid just saying what the character is doing over and over again - he did, then did, then followed with. -> So, if I notice i’m doing that a lot I’ll go back in and add flourishes to the sentence (descriptions, actions, emotions, thoughts of the character) 
Example: 
1. He sat on the bed, then reached for the lamp that sat on the nightstand. It turned off and made the room dark. He stood up to walk toward the window to gaze outside, but the rain made it hard to see (staccato, choppy)  
2. He sat on the bed, the blankets which should be neatly placed under him were a disheveled mess, much like his current state of mind. The lamp on the table made his eyes squint and, in an effort to shield his face from the light, he turned it off. With a heavy sigh, he lifted his worn body from the bed. It creaked and he wondered if it was from his bones or the ancient frame that held the mattress. His feet moved forward, his mind distracted, until he came to the window but as he looked out across the landscape it was shrouded in a murky grey and obscured by the rain that fell across the glass.
You may notice I also avoid repeating certain words in the same paragraph - if I used the word ‘window’ I don’t want to use that word again, so instead I describe the qualities or ingredients of a window (like an alchemist who puts everything out on the table and then points at what they want) 
I pick and choose the actions to focus on - and i try really hard to make sure that whatever I’m describing it accurate AND CONSISTENT -> if you are going to describe a hand placement, make sure that hand placement is considered with what else is going on (continuity is important) 
read articles - search things like: How to write a good *x* seen, how to describe facial expressions, ways to say said (lol) -- researching and looking at examples is how we learn more! If you aren’t doing this every once in a while, you’re missing out**
when I edit works -> I read it slowly top to bottom (some like to read it bottom to top, so whichever) and i’ll usually speak it out-loud to make sure the phrases sound good and clear - i read all my works (and if i’m exhausted, I put it off till later and come back with fresh eyes) 
I based my writing off my love for a specific author because i loved the way his sentences were designed (Edgar Rice Burroughs) -- so i’d say if you love an author, analyze how they write. break it down, see if you can recreate something similar as practice
----
i’d also say - practice practice - write something small EVERY DAY -- that’s why I created Teyvat Memories, it’s helped me continue to polish my works over and over again
Again, these are just thoughts that i have after analyzing my works. everyone may be different and every author is different - but these are the rules I follow 
(( OH OH - gosh, also get Grammarly on your phone/computer - like it’s my saving grace because even when I edit i’ll miss something awful lol ))
idk if this helps but here you go lol! don’t give up!! if you love to write, keep GOING - and on that day that you write something and it makes you cry, cheer, shot with excitement, I  hope you will share your joy with me <3 <3 
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the--descension · 3 years
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i would die for a "how to use html and css to format ao3" lesson from you 👀 no pressure but i'm genuinely in awe :)
Hello! So sorry it’s taken me ages to get to this. 
It's no pressure at all! I have tried to cover the basics of HTML/CSS on AO3 here, and instead of writing very extensively about the syntax which is very Google-able, I have tried to include little tips and tricks that have come in handy for me. 
This, by no means, is a complete guide but I hope it can get you started with HTML and CSS on AO3!
It got pretty long, so the answer’s below the cut.
Okay, so let’s start at the very beginning, shall we?
What is HTML and CSS?
Well, HTML is Hyper Text Markup Language and CSS is Cascading Style Sheets. 
But that is something that probably doesn’t help a lot, so to put it very simply, HTML provides the structure of a webpage while CSS does the styling, that is, fixing how and where the elements should exist, how to shape them, how to space them, all so that the webpage looks great.
Something to keep in mind is that all web pages can run only on HTML but the end result is not going to be something that’s nice to look at. In fact, without CSS, the page might not even make a lot of sense. Here, take a look at Tumblr itself with all CSS disabled (there’s a very useful extension called Web Developer that allows you to do this):
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Not very nice to look at, but all the elements of the page are here only with the help of HTML.
And look, this is what the above section looks like with CSS enabled:
Tumblr media
This was just a brief visual walkthrough to show what HTML and CSS really do, but let’s move on to HTML and CSS in the world of AO3.
Where does the HTML and CSS go on AO3?
The HTML part of the code is put into the text box when you post a new story/new chapter. You must have noticed the two options — Rich Text and HTML — and it’s important to have HTML selected for AO3 to identify the HTML tags that you’ll be using.
All your content goes into this textbox. Whatever text you may be writing, whatever images you may be hosting, whatever links you might want to add— everything goes here.
Now, for styling all the content that you’ve put into the textbox, you need CSS, and that happens through work skins. It’s super simple, and all you have to do is go to Skins on your AO3 panel and then to My Work Skins, and then create a new work skin where you can dump all of your CSS code.
Okay, so onward we go.
How to HTML and CSS?
I’m no expert in web design and my knowledge mostly comes from Coursera, one summer internship, one class in college, and extensive online searching. And, I’ll tell you this, the most I have learnt is from extensive online searching.
Because at the very heart of it, web design is not so much about understanding and applying concepts (as with other coding languages) but more about visualizing elements and testing them out. I must add that this is completely my opinion as a person who rather enjoys data structures and algorithms as compared to web dev, and I’m certain that seasoned web developers will disagree with my views here. 
Right, so the online searching. The best in the business when it comes to explaining HTML/CSS is www.w3schools.com. They have sample code, short and sweet explanations, and an online IDE to test your code. Really, it’s a win-win situation.
Alrighty, so now you know where to look for your HTML tags and CSS properties but how do you figure out which ones to use?
HTML Tags
I’ll talk about the HTML that’s required for coding on AO3 exclusively.
But before that— every HTML document has two main parts: the <head> and the <body>. But here on AO3, we only code the <body> which, as its name suggests, holds the content that’s going to appear on the browser. The <head> part is not required for AO3 work skins at all.
Okay, so how to code HTML on AO3? Well, your best friends are going to be the container tags such as <div> and <span>, and the paragraph tag <p>. What these tags do is they create areas on your browser — you can imagine them as small rectangles and squares — where you can put in your content via HTML, and then later style using CSS.
Tumblr media
See this? The entire shaded area belongs to a <div> which is styled by a CSS class called “tumblr” (to keep things simple, we’ll only focus on CSS classes, and not id’s. It won’t really hamper developing a workskin in any way.)
Tumblr media
This above belongs to a <p> that is styled by a CSS class “tumblrbody”. And, this <p> exists within the <div> mentioned above.
Tumblr media
Here’s a <span> styled using the CSS class “tumblrtags”, which comes within the <div> and <p> we just discussed.
Basically, the idea is that the entire page will have to be divided into all these subsections, nested within each other if required, so that they can then be styled using CSS.
Other HTML tags that come in handy are the <a> and <img> tags.
The <a> or anchor tag is used to embed links. Want your reader to be led to a separate page while they’re reading your story? This is it. (This one’s quite common, and authors use them quite frequently in their notes to link to their Twitter/Tumblr etc.)
The <img> tag is used to embed images as the name suggests.
Tumblr media
See how the picture is within an <img> tag styled by a CSS class “tumblrimg”?
Again, I’m not talking about the syntax of these tags or how they have to be written because that’s something which can very easily be found on w3schools or any other web dev tutorial website.
So, that’s pretty much about HTML. Now, CSS.
CSS Properties
So, when I talk about how most of my web dev happens through thorough internet searching, I’m mostly talking about CSS. Because HTML tags aren’t difficult to remember, they stay in memory when you keep designing web pages, but CSS properties... ugh.
But before we begin, a short note on CSS classes. To simplify matters you can look at them as labels given to your HTML container tags (<div> for example). Once you assign the label to your HTML element, you can then style that label in your CSS, and introduce properties to it which you want to see in your HTML. It basically forms the link between your HTML and CSS. 
Say, I have a <div> that I want to style, then I’ll give it a label like this: <div class=”mongoosesurprise”>Your code</div>. The class name is mongoosesurprise, and when I have to style that particular <div>, I’ll have CSS code that looks like this:
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Now, about CSS properties. 
You see all the words in white followed by a colon? max-width? border? background-image? That’s it— CSS properties. I can never remember if it is maxwidth or max-width, whether it’s margin-right or right-margin, whether it’s padding-right or right-padding, and that’s where the Googling comes in.
Again, like with HTML, I’ll only talk about CSS on AO3. Unlike regular CSS, CSS here always has to start with #workskin. And then, #workskin can be followed by our class name. (The class name must be preceded by a fullstop though, like in the picture above.)
My CSS design procedure is all over the place. I entirely work on the basis of trial and error. I keep adjusting properties like max-width and padding and margin to see how the elements fit best. (It doesn’t take me as long as it did four-five years ago to estimate these values and I’d attribute that to practice and inspecting a lot of web pages. On a related note, it’s great to learn web design by inspecting other pages.)
I realize this isn’t great advice but like I said, it’s always been about trial and error when it comes to CSS. What I can say conclusively is that with properties width, height, display, position, padding, and margin most of your HTML tags will be placed properly. But when it comes to styling, the list is really quite endless. From a number of font-related properties to border, there’s a lot— and, thus, Google.
And, finally, what you must know for HTML/CSS on AO3 is how to host images.
Hosting Images
If you want your work to contain images, it’s best to host them somewhere online. Imgur is a great option; it’s free and really simple to use. Once the image is uploaded, you can get the share links and put it in your HTML <img> tag (under the src attribute— again, very syntactical so I’m not getting into that), or if you want you can put it in your CSS as an attribute for the property “background-image” (like in the code above).
You’ll have to make minor changes to the share link though, that is, add the image extension (.png or .jpg) to the end of the link. Also, sometimes the image doesn’t render if there’s no ‘i’ preceding ‘imgur.com’. Here’s a sample link that works perfectly: http://i.imgur.com/aSMSztl.png.
And, I think that’s pretty much it.
This covers the absolute basics of how to code HTML/CSS on AO3. But I’d like to repeat that by no means is this everything. If there’s a particular area you’d want me to explain, please feel to drop in an ask!
Happy coding! 
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hazwqste · 2 years
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Hi!!
I'm trying to draw for the past two months and I've mostly just looked up at yt tutorials etc, I got a basic face and hair and it's pretty impressive. But atm I'm just drawing some manga panels and the same prototypes for faces. Somehow i don't seem to get any creativity in terms of expressions or not being able to draw my favs looking at a reference:') ik it's a long process to get there but if you could give some tips
....hope this doesn't sound annoying😅
Thank you for your time. I love your art sm💖
omg ok so i've been thinking about this question ever since you've sent me.. i'm sorry it took so long but i didn't really know how to reply ;---; i'm awful with advice bc my process has been so long and i struggle with analyzing it.... anyway luckily i've stumbled upon this live with loish specifically about stylization and gotten some great insight about this, if you're interested i recommend you check it out she's an awesome character artist and has precious tips!!!
but basically i think it heavily depends on what you feel comfortable with and what works for you! to develop your own way of drawing, instead of fitting your notion of drawing into what someone else draws like, you should do some self reflection, identify your strengths and the things you have fun with and expand on them; what you lack will come around naturally with practice. specifically about facial expressions (and also other things), the main tip would be to use references to first get familiar with what you want to portray and then move away from them in your own way, in order for it to be stylized - be it studies from other ppls work or from real life. and then also to think of the context your character is in, how they feel, their personality, and finally how they would emote. for me drawing from life was essential because i'm a very anatomy oriented person, so getting the foundation of how faces work straight from the source helped me immensely! as a child i used to copy things straight from manga/comics/cartoons but i couldn't absorb much knowledge because i was simply placing the lines without understanding them, i was doing what i thought i was supposed to. i think drawing from pictures of irl people gives you a better feel for muscles movements, therefore you know how to better mold your lines into certain facial expressions and you build a mental library to choose from. on top of that, if i was stumped on how to draw something, i would study my favorite artists' styles and intently analyze how they solved the problem i was facing, adapting their technique to my own way of solving it. for example: an expression i have trouble with big time is smiles. if i were to push myself to get better at it (i should lol) i would look at artists that i think express that characteristic well and think abt how they make it work and why it works, taking that and applying it to my drawing.
a good exercise loish recommended in the live (i'm gonna try to incorporate it into my study routine) is to draw the same thing a few times, first from reference, then again from memory to see what sticks to your brain and how you interpret that on your own! finally, don't rush it! your process and progress is your own :^)
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Love On-Set (Pt. 02 of 10)
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Pairing: Dacre Montgomery X Reader
Summary: You knew acting on Stranger Things season 3 would be a challenge, and you also knew, from the start, you'd have to work closely with Dacre Montgomery. But is wasn't a big deal for you, since this is your job and you're determined to act professionally. You had it all figured out, or so you thought, until the moment you were out face to face with Dacre. Then, this job became a lot harder than it was supposed to be, since you can't seem to focus whenever you're around Dacre. And you'll have to be around him a lot until the end of production.
Word count: 2.9K
<- Previous part (01)
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{Dacre Montgomery Masterlist}
{Stranger Things Masterlist}
×
Feelings
On the next morning, you make your way to the back of the hotel, where a van will come to pick you up. You're talking to Vicky through the phone, listening to her advice and tips for today. She won't be around as much this time, she wants you to build your own connections, but she will be aware of everything that's going on. The co-stars you'll be working with today are a few feet ahead, chatting, and they haven't noticed you yet. You don't mind though. They've been acting together for two years now, you wouldn't have anything to add to their conversations anyway.
“(Y/N).” The voice makes you turn around, seeing Dacre as he walks over you. “Morning.”
“Vicky, I gotta go. Talk to you later. Bye.” Quickly, maybe too quick, you hang up, focusing on Dacre. “Hi. Good morning.” Nervously, you gesture at the others. “You should go stay with them. The van is almost here.”
“I'll introduce you to them, c'mon.” With a hand on the small of your back, barely touching you though, he guides you to the small group of people. “Hey, guys. Good morning. This is (Y/N), our Amy.”
“Hi there,” Joe says, reaching out his hand which you shake. “I'm Joe.”
“Natalia.” One of the girls says. You already know their names, but decide to let them formally introduce themselves. “These are Charlie and Francesca. But you can call her Fran.”
“Hello.” You mutter, shaking their hands before stepping back to stand beside Dacre.
“Heard you two shot together yesterday,” Joe says, typing something on his phone before putting it on his pocket. “I was there earlier but I think I left before you got there.”
“Yes. And I must say (Y/N) was amazing.” Dacre speaks before you can, and you blush at his compliment. You didn't do much, you think, it was just a simple scene. More complicated things will come.
“Thanks, but you were great too. I'm just trying to keep up.”
“It's good to see you're modest,” Francesca remarks, giving you a small smile.
“Just saying the truth.” You're still speaking when the van arrives, and the guys gesture for the girls to get in first.
You move to the back of the van since it's always been your favorite seat, resting the script on your lap before buckling up.
“May I seat here?” Dacre gets your attention, and you look away from the window, meeting his eyes.
“Sure.” You don't want him to feel like he has to be around you just because he was the first person you met from the show. But you won't just push him away like that. “Did you sleep well?”
“I managed.” He answers. “You?”
“I did.” Once again, you fall into silence. There isn't much you can talk about other than work. “Excited about today? Amy and Billy will have another confrontation.”
“Poor Billy. Amy's going to steal his heart.” He puts a hand over his chest and you giggle.
“He kinda deserves it. After breaking so many hearts.” Shrugging your shoulders, your mind goes through the scenes of the day. You'll have another one with Dacre alone. “I–”
“Hey. Why are you guys seated all the way in the back?” Joe asks, turning his head to look at you and Dacre. “Come–”
“They're talking. Let them be.” Natalia pulls Joe back into his seat, giving you a stare and a smile.
Blushing a little, you exchange a glance with Dacre before looking down at your hands. “You can go be with them if you want.” You decide to let him know.
“I'm alright here,” Dacre affirms. “Is there anything you want to talk about our scene today? Any ideas for something we could do better?”
“The director wants tension, so we have to focus on that.” Opening the script, you easily find today's pages, since they were marked. “Like here. You could keep stepping closer and I'd keep pushing you away. They're both nervous since they're talking about the Mind Flayer, but it would break that tension with a different kind of tension.”
“I like that. It can work.” Dacre leans over a little to read, standing closer. “Amy could give Billy a push, what would make him a little mad, but not the usual kind of mad. James wants me to convince the audience Billy will have strong, true feelings towards Amy, so I think it will help. He won't be as aggressive with her as he is with everyone else.”
You only get half of what he says, suddenly distracted by his voice. “Yeah, I like that.” You watch as his fingers trace the paper, following the dialogue lines. “You have a nice accent by the way.”
“I'm Australian.”
“I noticed.” When you turn your head to look at him, and he does the same, you take in how close he is, quickly looking back down. He has nice eyes too. “I think it'll be fun.”
“I hope I won't make you uncomfortable. Basically, all of our scenes together involve some kind of proximity.”
“You won't.” Uncomfortable is not the word to describe it. Dacre does make you a little nervous, but any girl would be nervous acting with someone who looks like him. You realize he probably misunderstood your gesture from before, looking away from him so abruptly. “I don't feel uncomfortable. And I agree with you. We should get to know each other, I think it would help.”
“It would.” The van bounces suddenly, what gets a tiny exclamation from Joe. “So. What's your favorite color?”
The silly question makes you giggle, putting a lock of hair behind your ear. “Pink. Definitely. But I also love blue and lilac.” Taking a deep breath, you decide to look at him, just to make sure you'll kick away whatever he was thinking when you averted your eyes from him. “Yours?”
“Red.”
“Only one?”
“Yes. I'm a normal person, unlike you.” Despite the sassy comment, Dacre is smiling, sustaining your stare.
“So you're normal? That's a shame. I don't befriend normal people.” Closing the script, you take a look through the window, admiring how the sunlight gives everything a golden shine.
“It was good while it lasted then.” He says, and you bite your lip involuntary. “Who's your favorite character in the show?”
“Amy.” You're quick to answer, turning to look at him again. When the car takes a turn, the morning sun casts its light right on Dacre's face, illuminating it. His blue eyes get your attention, and you notice they remind you of LA's beach, near your house. Shaking your head lightly, you snap back into reality. “It's my character. I own her that much.”
“That's favoritism. You can't pick her.”
“Who would you pick then, Mr. Montgomery?” He giggles at the name.
“I like Maxine.” He answers. “She's badass and I admire her for enduring such an awful step-brother.”
“I like Dustin. His voice is funny.”
“Here I was thinking you had a deeper reason for liking Dustin.” Dacre fakes a disappointed tone, but a small chuckle escapes his lips.
“You're a deep person then.” You conclude, giving him a quick glance.
“You can say so. Aren't you?”
Guys don't usually like thoughtful girls, you know that. At least not the ones you went out with. People, in general, don't like that, so you learned to keep things for yourself. “We can say I think a lot. But I don't usually put it into words.”
“Why not?”
You get the feeling Dacre knows he hit something inside you. Something he doesn't understand, but he knows it's there, that it's delicate. You can tell that by the change in his voice, all the joking tones left behind, replaced by a much serious expression. Guess you can tell him, it's not a big deal. “My father once told me I feel too much. That, just like my mother, I suffocate people with all my... Feelings.” Breathing out, you can't help but remember the fight you had that day, many years ago. “It was ugly. Everyone was yelling, I was a teenager and just had my heart broken by this stupid guy so... It just kicked in. I pretty much closer some doors that day.”
“I'm sorry you had to go through that.”
“Don't be. It's not a big deal.” Isn't it? You're not sure, but you tell yourself it isn't. Going back there won't help, won't solve any problems, won't change anything.
“Of course it is. It clearly affected you.”
“How do you know it affected me?”
“Your voice changed, so did your posture.”
Gasping, you look at Dacre. People don't notice these things. They just say they're sorry and change the subject. “You're very... Perceptive.”
“Well, I don't think feelings are a problem. If he felt suffocated that was all on him. Not you or your mother.” Taken aback by his words, you can't help but smile at how kind he is. “Anytime you need to talk about anything, I'm willing to listen.”
“Thanks, you're–” The driver hits the breaks, and when you look through the window, you realize you're at the set. “We're here.”
“May the fun begin.”
An hour later, you're in a dark pink swimsuit, shooting a scene with Natalia for the third time. This is about Heather, already taken by the Mind Flayer, making her first appearance at the pool. The director, who now you know is named James, makes several changes for every take, but you and Natalia just have to repeat the lines.
“So. You were talking to Dacre.” She says in between takes, as you wait to see if there will be another one or if you can go on to the next scene. Natalia gives you a look that makes you blush. You didn't know she was paying attention to you and Dacre in the back of the van. “You two getting along?”
“Yeah. He is–”
“Alright, everyone. Heather's coming down and Billy is entering the pool. It's a quick one, so let's get it done in one take if possible.” James announces, and you lay back down in the chair, happy that this conversation was cut short. “Everybody ready? Action!”
Everything sets in motion, and Hawkins Community Pool comes to life once again. You engage in small talk with Natalia as Heather climbs down her chair, walking by.
“Is she alright?” Nancy asks Amy, eyes following Heather.
“She must be sick.” You tell her before the cameras leave you, all turning to the locker, from where Dacre is already coming from.
You know your part. Exchange a glance when he's close by and look away, annoyed.
But that's not what happens. When he comes close, you do give him the look, the cameras now focusing on you, but the whole thing vanishes. Your mind is blank as you just keep staring, a weird sensation building up when you realize you're watching Billy Hargrove right before your eyes. But when he walks by, you see he breaks character for a moment, as if wondering what you're doing. Of course he thinks you're improvising. So Billy's face comes up again, eyes lingering on you until he passes by, and you break out of your state, looking away.
“What was that?” Nancy asks, and you wonder if that's Nancy or just Natalia, because the line isn't on the script.
“Nothing.” Your answer.
“Cut!” James yells and you relax, taking a deep breath. “(Y/N), I liked what you did. Good job! Five minutes everyone.”
“What was that?” Natalia asks again, in a different tone this time, making it clear it's her who's asking. “Did you improvise?”
“Sure.” Getting up from the chair, you follow her to the resting area they set up for you. “Just thought it would give him the tension he wants too much.” Lying is not your thing, but what can you say? That your mind went blank? That you forgot the whole script for a moment and Dacre's reaction was what saved you so you wouldn't be looking like a total idiot?
“You did well then.” She takes a water bottle, taking a sip. She doesn't seem so convinced though. “Oh, we'll start gathering to go over the Starcourt scenes. They'll be heavy and everyone agreed on start working on them so it won't be so messy on set.”
“It's a great idea. When will it happen?” The Battle of Starcourt is the most complicated and longest scenes of the season, and you're glad they want to go over it.
“We have a group chat. I can add you so you'll know when we'll meet.”
“I can add her,” Dacre says and you turn on your heels, giving a step closer to Natalia. “I have her number.”
“Great.” She exclaims, drumming her fingers on the table. “I'll go find Charlie and Joe. We got a scene together later today.”
“Ok.” You mumble, waving at her as she leaves. “Nice tan.” The words come out of your mouth the moment your eyes involuntary fall from his face to his chest. “Now I know why Billy turns every head when he walks by.” Thinking fast, you manage to bring some sense into whatever you were talking about.
“You also look amazing in this–”
“Dacre, (Y/N). C'mon.” The director calls and Dacre rolls his eyes, making you giggle.
“Guess this is our cue.” He says, gesturing for you to walk before him. “Are you nervous? We're going to be face to face again.”
“No.” It comes out too fast, and you're sure he can tell you feel the exact opposite. You weren't thinking about it, but now you are. “I'm alright.” You're walking beside him, near the pool to where James is gathered with some people, getting things ready for the scene. “I think Amy–” The words get caught in your throat when your bare feet slips on a puddle, but instead of colliding to the ground, you're pulled up quickly, heart beating fast from the sudden motion.
“Are you alright?” Dacre asks, his hand still resting on the small of your back, and the other holding your arm, making sure you have your balance again.
“Yes.” Now you definitely look like an idiot. “Sorry.” When you raise your head to meet his eyes, you clear your throat and step back.
“Don't worry, I got you.”
“(Y/N), are you ok?” The director asks and you nod, walking fast over him. “Good. Let's get this going.”
This scene is the confrontation about what happened in the road. And you're supposed to be 100% focused, the lines at the tip of your tongue, but as you breathe in deeply to get into character, you can't help but feel restless. Maybe if you do manage to befriend Dacre it'll get easier. Hopefully.
“Ready, everyone.” The command comes and you prepare yourself, quickly replaying the lines in your head. “Action!”
In Amy's skin, you start walking back to your chair, carelessly running a hand through your hair when your arm is grabbed suddenly, and you stop, turning around to face the source of the attack. Anger takes over your expression the moment your eyes, or better saying, Amy's eyes, find Billy. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”
“We need to talk.” That said, he pulls you with him, away from the people.
“We have nothing to talk about.” Amy keeps fighting but still trying not to let anyone notice. Billy drags her behind the supply closet, away from curious eyes and ears. “Let go of me!” With a push, you set free from his grip.
“Well, did you tell anyone?”
“Tell what? That we saw a huge alien monster made of darkness?” You whisper-yell, looking into his eyes and giving a step back, just to figure out there's a wall trapping you. “Of course I didn't.”
Dacre steps closer, his chest pressing you further into the wall. “Then you saw it too. Right?”
It takes a while until you remember the line, and what you're supposed to do since the proximity clouded your mind. With both hands on his chest, you push Dacre away. “Yes, I did. It was after me.” You mutter as Dacre plays his part, surrendering into your push before coming closer again.
You take a deep breath, struggling to remain in character, annoyed and anxious, who can't wait for Billy to go away. “I...” He stutters. “I forgot it. Sorry, I got distracted.”
“Alright, let's roll it again from 'Did you tell anyone'. I want constant eye contact this time. Action!”
You get exactly two seconds to take in the command and set it into motion, but you do as you're told, raising your head slightly so you're staring at Dacre.
“Well, did you tell anyone?”
“Tell what? That we saw a huge alien monster made of darkness?” You've seen blue eyes before, but not that blue. It startles you a little when Dacre steps closer, and in an attempt to put some distance in between you two, you move back, hitting the wall. “Of course I didn't.” You manage to push out.
“Then you saw it too... Right?” Dacre changes his tone, and you get the idea. Billy is confused, not really convinced that what he saw was real.
“Yes. It was after me first in case you don't remember.” Keeping the annoyed tone in your voice, you have Amy push Billy away, now, slightly aware of your hand on Dacre's bare chest. Keep it professional, you tell yourself. This is a job. “And stay away from me.”
“That thing...” He steps closer again, ignoring Amy's requirement. “...What was it?”
“I really need you to stay away.” Another push, but this time Dacre grabs your arm, leaning even closer, putting a hand on the wall beside your head. You roll your eyes, breaking eye contact just for the sake of your character before she slips away again. Regaining your senses, you look up into his eyes.
“Sorry, if I'm making you nervous, princess, but I can't have anyone else listening to this crazy talk.” He gives you his wicked smile, the one that makes the girls melt.
That's it. That's the moment when Amy stands up to him, and you have to nail it because honestly, you don't think you can do this again. So you stand up straight, ending the tiny distance that was left between you and Dacre, between Amy and Billy, chests colliding and eyes burning with anger and indignation. “You think you can flash a smile and have all the girls of Hawkings at your feet but I won't fall for it.” You hiss, standing on your toes just a little bit, trying to match his height, but, of course, it doesn't happen. Dacre still towers over you. “So drop the bad boy act, jerk, and if you want to focus on the real problem here, the freaking thing coming from the sky hunting us, you're free to talk to me.” Then you leave, storming away, leaving the shooting area before turning around to get a glimpse of Dacre's acting. Billy keeps staring at the place where Amy went, which makes Dacre look straight at you. You see Billy's surprise face, filled with perplexion, not able to believe what just happened. Then, it softens, as he slowly goes back into Dacre.
“And cut! Jesus, it was amazing.” James exclaims, standing from his chair. “I don't think we should do another take, despite thinking a kiss would fit well in the scene.”
Your eyes go wide as you stare at James, who looks pleased with his work. You thought you'd have more time before kissing Dacre. To get to know him, so it won't be a mess like it was right now. You don't even know how it was possible for it to be so good as James says. You were all over the place.
“But no, it will be better on screen to build up the tension until it explodes. You did very well, you two.” James friendly touches your shoulder. “I can see you're still a little nervous, but it's normal since you basically just met Dacre.” He gestures at him, who comes to join you, and James puts an arm around his shoulder. “Perhaps you should get together and work on the kissing scene. See how you feel, how you could make it even better because every time you improvise, it gives me goosebumps and I like it. You two have chemistry.” His voice gets a little higher on the last word, and he let's go of you two. “So this is a little homework. Go over that scene and let me know if you think anything should be different.”
When James leaves, you're blushing, his words echoing in your brain. Homework? Does he really want you to do that? “Like a read-through?” You ask.
“You already did a read-through. Do the real thing. Or even better.” He turns around, walking backwards. “Get it on camera and send me so I can check how you two are doing. Amy and Billy are this season's power couple, I want it to be amazing. You're both doing great and that's why I want to take this to a whole new level.” And he sets in motion again, gesturing for someone to give him something. “Now get ready, I want to shot Heather's scene again.”
×
@baker151910 @shinydixon @dreamin-of-dacre @hanoi15 @lickmymelanin @skykittysstuff @foccus @multific @uncookspaget @kellysimagines
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ordinaryschmuck · 3 years
Text
What I Thought About the Climax of "Reunion" from Amphibia
Salutations, random people on the internet who are already scrolling right past this. I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.
So, Season Three of Amphibia is coming pretty soon. And I am...excited, but not as much as most people.
If you've seen my reviews, you'll know that while I do like Amphibia, I wouldn't go so far as to say it grabbed me as well as a series like The Owl House. With a show like that, it took me until Episode Five before I realized The Owl House was something special that was worth remembering. For Amphibia? It took me until the Season One finale before I had a similar reaction. But, to be fair, that's because this series is really good at making an ending. "Reunion," for example, takes a lot of the small things the first season has been building up, taking plots from episodes I considered filler and tying it all together in a pretty satisfying ending. I know people are still reeling over the epicness of "True Colors," and all for a good reason, but I want to start the new season on the right foot by discussing a moment that made me consider giving the series a chance.
But it also contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen Amphibia yet, now might be a good time to check it out. It may not have grabbed me and might not even grab you, but trust me when I say that it's worth it just to get to that final scene.
Now, let's review, shall we?
Grime Explaining Flipwart and Bogjump: One thing I will always defend about this series is its humor. More often than not, it succeeds in getting a chuckle out of me with perfect timing and solid comedic delivery. And stuff like this? Where Grime takes a break from his evilness to explain how two board games work to two teenagers? Only to then give up and stick with a simple answer? Yeah, I'm sorry, but that's funny to me. A good thing, too, given how this show relies more on humor than anything else. It may have an overarching plot and its fair share of grim moments (I give you Marcy's maybe death), but Amphibia knows when to keep things light amongst the darkness, which I always appreciate.
Anne Pleading with Sasha: Here, the scene showcases Anne's own personal struggle with Sasha. We know Sasha's a bad friend, primarily because we have eyes. But Anne still needs convincing. Because while she speaks up, she still doesn't assert herself. Anne doesn't yell at Sasha or tell her she's going too far. Instead, she just begs and pleads, hoping to seek the bit of humanity of this girl that Anne sees as a friend. Only for Grime to cut things short in demanding Hop Pop.
Anne Grabbing a Sword to Defend Hop Pop: This, on the other hand, was a defining moment for Anne. She spent so much time with the Plantars, risking life and limb for their own personal health and safety in multiple episodes before this one. So in desperation and due to being backed into a corner, she yanks out one of the guards' swords and orders people to back up, including her "best friend." This moment is when Anne is right on the edge of standing up against Sasha, ready to do all she can to help a person, er, frog that treats her right.
Sasha Talking Anne Down: But she isn't fully ready to fight back yet. Sasha sees the panic and desperation and uses that to her advantage and takes control. She speaks calmly, attracting Anne with talks of going home and pointing out the ridiculousness of standing up for Hop Pop. And my blood boils with how easily she does it. It was like a light switch, turning off her intensity just so Sasha appears to be empathetic. Even though she isn't. You can tell just how cold hearted she can be with the way she says the line "End of discussion." Does the way she say that really sound like a person who has Anne's best interests at heart. I wouldn't think so.
Sprig’s Reaction to Anne Lowering the Sword: And neither does Sprig. I mean, look at Sprig's expressions when he sees Anne lower the sword:
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First, there's shock and empathy in seeing Anne crumble to Sasha's will. And unlike the fake empathy Sasha offered, you can see that it's real.
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Almost as real as the look of pure disgust he gives Sasha afterward. Personally, I can't blame him. Sprig cares deeply for Anne, as the two of them have the most real friendship out of everyone else in the main cast, one built on mutual trust, respect, and willingness to have the other's best interests at heart.
Sprig Standing Up for Anne: This only proves my point. By slingshotting mud (was that mud?) into Sasha's face and praising how incredible Anne is, Sprig proved he really is the true friend that Sasha can only wish to be. And it's just the boost Anne needed to snap out of her stupor and do, in her words, "something that [she] should have done a long time ago."
Anne Standing Up to Sasha: If standing up for Hop Pop was a defining moment for Anne, defending Sprig from Sasha was a moment Anne could never go back on. It was one thing to fight for her found family against soldiers she's never met before. It's something else to do that against Sasha, Anne's best friend, who she pleaded with earlier and was so close to falling into submission for. But not anymore. At this moment, Anne decided to think for herself and do what needed to be done. Rather than let a bully tell her what to do instead.
Grime’s Words of Warning for Sasha: Grime’s little warning is similar to how a commander gives tips to a fellow commander in leading the troops. Because that's what Sasha really seems like. Not a friend, but someone who takes charge and orders what Anne and Marcy should do rather than listen to the opinions of the group. You see it more in "Battle of the Bands," and that's why I think she follows his advice to "stamp this out." Especially with how he finishes his warning: "Fail, and nothing will ever be the same."
There are two things to take away from that.
The fact that Grime was right. Sasha failed, and nothing was the same because of it. Anne now stood up to her and won't take her orders anymore. The thing is, that would have happened if Anne failed or not. Sasha winning may have stamped Anne's spirit a bit, but it still shows a dark side to her that wouldn't have been forgotten for long.
The fact that Sasha vocally admits that she won't let things change. It proves how twisted her mindset on friendship is that Sasha would willingly partake in a sword fight with her "best friend" because she refuses to have Anne standing up for herself. She likes being in charge and refuses to lose her power no matter what needs to be done to keep it.
If Anne defending Sprig is a moment where she crosses the line for the better, Sasha listening to Grime is a moment where she crosses the line for the worst.
“Anne, you don’t have to do this”: I love how Hop Pop tries to talk Anne out of the challenge. It's his life that's on the line, but he cares just as deeply for Anne as she does for him, that letting her duel Sasha, her supposed "best friend," is a choice he doesn't want her to make.
“Yes, I do.”: But Anne isn't about that. She now knows the type of person Sasha is, and letting her get away with more control is something no one should allow. And Anne won't. Not anymore.
The Fight: The fight isn't all that special compared to other action animation, and even to a certain fight scene we see in "True Colors." But as is, it is still pretty tense. I mean, for f**k's sake, it's two thirteen-year-olds fighting each other with swords! It's a miracle that only Sasha got a small scar at the end of it. Plus, while not the show's highest standard yet, there is a lot of effort and attention put into this battle. Anne is a lot more inexperienced and frantic with her attacks, where Sasha shows she was trained well in her time with the toads and is rotten given that she cheated by blinding Anne to force a victory. In a way, it illustrates the desperation the two of them have for winning, making Sasha's actions, in particular, easier to root for Anne.
Anne Wins: So when Anne is victorious, it's all the more satisfying. Primarily thanks to the look on Sasha's face. Look at it:
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That is the definition of shock and anger, mostly shock. Sure, Sasha might be ticked that she lost, but it's Anne's words that I think really hit a specific soft spot: "You're not going to push me around anymore." That's probably the first time that Anne called Sasha out on her awful behavior. Saying that she's standing up to her huts, but pointing out how Sasha basically controlled Anne and how that's something she won't allow anymore, could be an eye-opening moment that Sasha needed.
Grime Goes Against the Deal: Ok, full disclosure, while this post is meant to shine a light on how great a scene is, there is one complaint I've got to get out of the way. You see, Grime going against his deal to let Hop Pop go free if Anne wins was way too predictable. Because why the f**k would he?!
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I mean, does this seriously look like the face of a man you can trust? This scene may excel at everything else, but this one predictable moment is just a little off to forgive.
The Tower Blowing Up: This predictable moment, however, is done flawlessly. Because there's a difference between a twist and a payoff. Where a twist is meant to shock the audience, a payoff has to, well, pay off a setup brought up earlier in the story. And Wally's boom-shrooms going off at just the right time, transitioning to the most iconic moment of the series? Yeah, that's a payoff done right.
(Also, Wally cursing his one eye is hilarious)
“Lean On Me”: By the way, NOT joking when I say what follows is the most iconic moment of the series. All of which is aided by the inclusion of "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers. I'm not a music theory major and have no idea if the song itself is actually mildly appropriate to the scene, much like how "All Star" and "I Need a Hero" work perfectly for Shrek and Shrek 2, respectively. With that said, "Lean On Me" really does add an extra Umph! power to what follows. And as Matt Braley, series creator, describes, it is the coolest thing, but it will never happen again.
(Apparently, the song was too expensive).
Anne Goes to Save Sasha: Believe it or not, I actually do love this decision. Sasha may be a bad friend...Actually, no. Sasha is definitely a bad friend, but that doesn't mean Anne wants her to die. Not after all the good times that they had with each other. Anne might refuse to let Sasha push her around, but she's not ready to cut Sasha out of her life. Not yet.
Anne Holds Onto Sasha, the Plantars Hold Onto Anne: ...I mean...just f**king that! Through this moment, we get a perfect idea of how Anne's relationships work.
To put it simply, the Plantars raise Anne up and keep her safe, where Sasha just weighs her down and risks her safety. And the saddest part is that Sasha knows this.
“Anne. Maybe you’re better off without me…”: Some say that this could be Sasha trying to get in one last manipulation, using her own sacrifice to stick to Anne for choosing talking frogs over her. While I could see that perspective as a possibility, I personally take this moment as Sasha finally realizing the damage she causes for Anne and admits her faults. Sure, Sasha might have backpedaled in later episodes. What with refusing to change and even directing her anger towards Anne instead of towards herself. But that's because she had time to process these events and unfairly aim her negative feelings at Anne for wanting something better. So it doesn't seem implausible to me that Sasha admitting that Anne's better off without her is something she believed deep down and, for just a moment, allowed herself to accept this heavy truth. I won't deny the possibility that she's still trying to manipulate Anne, but to me, with the tone and expression Sasha has with her admission, you can't fake that. And you can't fake what she does next.
Sasha Lets Go: This...shocked me right down to my core.
I knew Grime would go back on his word, and I assumed the boom-shrooms would pay off somehow. But Sasha, willingly and unhesitantly, letting go of Anne's grip and falling to an expected demise? I...I couldn't have ever predicted that. Not with what we've seen from her before. When I hear how people see this as one last manipulation tactic, I just can't see it. Yes, there are monsters on this planet who would go this far, but I don't think Sasha is one of them. Later episodes like "Battle of the Bands" (despite a rough start) show signs of a person who could be better, and the Season Three trailer hints that she might actually learn from her mistakes. So her letting go, with no way of knowing her survival, could be the first sign that Sasha would one day make that first step. She might not be able to become Anne’s friend again, thanks to burning that bridge in "True Colors," but she'll at least try to become a better person. She just needs to do one good thing in her life first.
Plus, whenever I see this image:
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I’m reminded why I could never say that I didn’t like this show.
Grime Saving Sasha: A lesser viewer would say this cheapens Sasha's sacrifice, but not to me. She had no way of knowing Grime would save her, so to her, so this is still a bid decision to go through with, even if she couldn't have gone all the way. In no way does it take away from the sacrifice, just as much as it doesn't strike a chord deep in Anne's heart.
Anne Breaks Down: Because what else would she do?
It's true, Sasha isn't a good friend, and Anne would likely be better off without her. But that's not what Anne's thinking at this moment.
She's thinking about the good fun she had with her best friend.
She was thinking about the person she could lean on.
And she was thinking about how she almost lost this person forever.
So when it all comes crashing down on Anne at once, there's nothing left to do but cry. It is such a real moment that proves one thing: There was effort put into this finale.
IN CONCLUSION
Would I say Amphibia draws me in as much as The Owl House does? No. But it still has my respect. A finale like this proves how hard the writers try to give a good experience. Even if a Schmuck like me thinks that all the pieces don't come together, they still do all they can to make a beloved series.
Season Three is on the way, and while I'm not as hyped as others, I still can't wait to see how it ends. Because if "Reunion" taught me anything, this series really nails an ending.
(And if you want me to do a scene breakdown of the finale in "True Colors," I'll tell you now: I won't...alright, maybe I'll do something for the mid-season premiere. But no promises!)
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lucarioisinthevoid · 4 years
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I really love your writing. I'm sure I asked other people as well but could you give advice on how to write stories/fanfic and how you do yours. Also how to find someone who could help me edit it if it has mistakes I miss. well I don't know if the way I'm asking is confusing but I wanna try improving mine. - 🍪 (oh yeah btw the emoji is just a symbol I use at the end of what I'm saying. So mine is the cookie emoji)
Aw, man, this is the first Anon who ever gave me a calling card :0Hey there cookie, I’m glad you’re having fun here! Nothing is confusing about your ask, don’t worry!Believe it or not, nobody asked until now, probably because I openly broadcast how little of a clue I have. I’m pretty convinced that it’s pure, dumb luck that I happen to write in a style people enjoy- but if you want to have the little tips that I do have:Look at the writing you enjoy! For me it was Terry Pratchetts many works... I enjoyed his writing, I enjoyed his humor and generally read a lot of it- things got stuck eventually. I also found a fanfic I instantly fell in love with: “Above and Below” it’s CRAZY long but it made me laugh so often and so hard... I found it before dayshift and it motivated me to play around more with absurdist humor and lack of conventions within my writing. But those are just for me! If you write, I bet you love to read! So go back to your favorite books and see what made them so special to you!For the characters: Draw out of your own emotions. Talk about things you want to talk about. Loss, regret, feeling inadiquate... happiness, loyality, casual teasing between your friends, being strengthened by hopes and dreams and positive surprises... You don’t have to have experienced all of these to write about them, if you can feel them. Give the good characters flaws. Give the bad characters good traits, or at least make sure you yourself understand why they do the things they do. It’s okay to be able to relate to bad thoughts and urges, no matter how  little or much. It makes us able to work against it. For the story: Write what you want to read. Yes. Not everyone will love the poor fluff coffee shop AU. But there will be people CRAVING it and be so happy and so invested in it that you will actually improve their lives. Yes. Not everyone can stomach the angst fanfic that goes from bad to worse with seemingly no break, but there will people who NEED this bitterness, to be lead to that one ray of light. Don’t worry about what people want to see. It’s okay to ask them for inspiration, hell, challenges can be good! But in the end, you won’t believe how many people will love you simply for what you yourself created.I myself still can’t believe the people who told me that my fic got them through a tough time. It’s madness, but that’s just how people are. If you write honestly, you will meet people with a similar mindest to you also, which is a TOTAL plus. I’m so happy abotu everyone I got to talk to, thanks to my fanfic. And I myself can’t be more grateful for their presence in my life. Last but not least: You will make mistakes. You will look back over your story and think “NO, DAMMIT, I SHOULD HAVE SET THIS UP DIFFERENT, THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE HAPPENED, THIS CHARACTER IS SO EMBARASSING-” Stop that. It’s okay. Flaws are endearing, nothing is perfect. Put your heart into it and people will find themselves rooting for your characters even if they started out “silly”. You’ll improve! You’ll rework your story in your head, but will have to work with what you established already.And you know what?People will love you for it. This last advice is simple: Don’t hesitate. Start it. Let it flow onto the paper, and if you don’t like what you see, hell- you can rework it later! Being critical is good. Trying to be perfect isn’t.I’m sorry if these don’t help a lot. I’d LOVE to see some writing by you though! You seem to be writing nicely already if your ask is any clue ;3And to the beta reader issue, uh...... if only I knew. The people who beta read for me don’t really have the time anymore. You should just put it at the end of your fic that you’d like someone to help, you’d be surprised how willing people are!And I mean... I could help out, especially if it’s dayshift! If it’s anything else, I might not be able to help with the characters, but I’d totally be here to help anyways if you’d want that!>Almost forget to answer how I do mine. Not very structured, again, I have a lot of regrets about my stuff because I generally just throw in things that I think are neat, heh. Well, I usually plan specific moments for my work and then write around them. Those specific moments usually go first- then I decide on the theme of the chapter itself (more lighthearted, more serious, lots of plot or a bit of nonsense fun?) and then come up with what they go through based on that... after considering if I can fit it into the greater arc. That mostly isn’t to important though, since sole situation usually are only character development, not plot development. I write the characters... well, I just try to let them naturally talk, while gently nudging them into the direction I want them to go in. I know how Mike would react to anything, how Dave would react, how any of them would react. And then I mix and match situations and interactions!Sorry for rambling, I hope this was REMOTELY helpful Cookie! I hope to see you around sometimes again!
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nourgelitnius · 5 years
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It's so awesome you play d&d. My friends and I are collecting the books to play our first game. Any advice? What's your character if you don't mind sharing? I'm a nerd about other characters and how they fit within the party. I think one of us is going to be evil and no one really wants to be the classic fighter, but I'm hoping it will work out. Two may go in being in a relationship and it makes me nervous for some reason. Anyway, happy adventuring.
Nonny I am sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to this. The only excuse is my brain. 
I love playing DnD with the group I am playing with right now. There’s this post that I reblogged once that was along the lines of don’t play DnD with anyone you wouldn’t be willing to take a three-hour car ride with. This is the reason I stopped going to the game at the game store that used to be here in town. Starting out with friends is the best way to go. 
As far as advice, separate from the questions which I will get to, there are the most important tips I can think of:
Listen to your DM. Respect your DM. Make sure your DM knows your boundaries. If you want the game to be predominantly roleplay or fighting. If there are certain things like excessive gore that you cannot handle. If they don’t know your boundaries then they cannot respect them. Make sure they know your triggers if you have any. DnD is supposed to be fun and safe. That all goes out the window the moment you’re triggered.
Communicate with your DM. We play over Discord and I quickly learned my auditory issues were more of an issue than I realized. I couldn’t remember names very well because I couldn’t hear them very well. So I went to my DM in private, explained the situation, and asked if he would be willing to type the names out for me so it’d be easier to remember and understand what was going on. I still get lost sometimes and the DM doesn’t always remember, but if I really need it and they’ve forgotten, I’ll gently remind them. Communication is key or else people enjoy the game less and it becomes a bad experience for everyone. 
If your DM is new to the game and/or DM’ing, give them a break. Give them LOTS of breaks. You only need to know the rules for your character whereas they’ve got to know the rules for every PC and NPC. I’ve been playing my character off and on for about three years and I still have trouble with some of the rules of her class. 
It’s a game of give-and-take. Collaborative storytelling in the extreme. Be kind to each other as you all figure out how to work together. And sometimes your characters may clash, say things you would never say to your friends. Forgive each other for that. Check in if you feel you need to and make sure everyone is okay. 
It’s okay if your group doesn’t have a traditional anything. Our group started out with 8 people. Then we had a change in DM, scheduling became difficult, and now we have 5. In that process, we lost our tank. There isn’t one fighter among us. We are a heavily magic based group with a Bard, a Rogue, a Sorcerer, a Wizard, and a Druid. But our DM makes it work, but he’s also running a campaign of his own making, not running us on a pre-made campaign. There’s more leeway allowed. But I’m pretty sure that even on pre-made campaigns, your DM can make things easier if there’s an encounter that would be too much for the group to handle without a serious fighter. 
And I know some people are more worried about how balanced a party is than others. If your friends know about this worry and try to help out with creating a character that will help fill a void, that’s great. If they don’t, then put your trust in the DM. Breath and know that everyone is going to be trying their best to not let anyone die. A fighter helps, but they don’t solve every problem and you can survive without them. Stock up on potions (if you have a herbalism kit you can make them. Talk to your DM about this) and know who has healing spells. Clerics aren’t the only ones with healing spells even if they do have the most effective ones.
As for someone being evil, that is something I think needs to be heavily discussed within the group. I personally would never play in a game where a character aligns as evil. It would cause too much friction with any character I play because of their alignment. So make sure everyone is on the same page about alignments and whether anything on the evil spectrum is allowed. Take a vote if it becomes a point of contention. 
As for the relationship, I think that’s a little harder. I love relationships in DnD. Of course, I love Critical Role and ship characters there like crazy. But more than anything, I love relationships, romantic or platonic, that develop naturally and slowly within the game. I don’t like talking too much about these things outside of the game and would never pre-plan a relationship because then it doesn’t allow me to explore a character. Even if I’m excited about the idea of a relationship forming between my character and someone else’s, I would never pre-plan it or go into it planning on going after that character in a romantic way. But I also know that is my preference and I cannot push that on others. 
I would suggest looking inward at why it might make you nervous. Is it because it takes the spontaneity out of the game? Is it because you are worried it might overshadow the adventure? Or might you possibly be worried about how anything negative with the relationship might ruin the group? Let yourself think on it without judgment, and if you can’t find a way to be okay with it going forward, to the point of it making gameplay significantly less enjoyable, then talk to the players. Try to work things out or express your fears as far as you understand them, but be willing to listen to their POV.
We have two in the group whose characters are getting closer, have even kissed. It’s not a surprise to me with both how their characters entered the game and what I know of these players relationship in real life. Would I have done things the way they are? No. But they are not me and I cannot expect them to be. As long as the players are respectful of everyone else and the game itself, there shouldn’t be a problem. But if there is, talk about it. Always talk about it. They are your friends after all. Things will work out. 
As for my character, I don’t mind talking about her at all. I have several stored away on DnD Beyond, but I’ve only played one.  The character that I am playing right now is a human Druid name Yael Nessea. She has a criminal past and is part of the Circle of Spores. She’s not the average druid that most people think of when coming into a fantasy setting. She’s grouchy, defensive, and more than a little scared when it comes to emotions. And I’m pretty sure if someone started talking to her in awed wonder about nature she’d just snort, roll her eyes, and start talking about the wonder of death. She’s got some issues.
Nonny, I hope that this helped, but if it didn’t, then I hope you can find answers you are looking for. I wish you luck in your adventuring!
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deeeepsteep · 6 years
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I LOVE YOUR HUSKY, HE'S SO CUTE!! I'm thinking of getting one myself, do you have any tips?
Aw thanks anon, Milo appreciates your compliment
Huskies are beautiful dogs but they can be a handful if you don’t know what to expect tbh; I guess I’ll just run off whatever comes to mind lmao hopefully this all makes sense
I’m on mobile so I can’t do a read more soRRY FOR THE LONG BLOCK OF TEXT
- Huskies are very athletic, energetic dogs. I can’t stress this enough - this should be the number one point on every “Things You Should Know Before Getting A Siberian Husky” list. Most people give up their huskies because they don’t realize how much energy they have. They were bred to pull heavy sleds for extremely long distances, so they have a lot of pent-up energy that needs to be released. Huskies need A LOT, and I stress on A LOT, of exercise. My dad takes Milo out for a 45 minute walk in the morning and I take Milo for a 45 minute walk in the evening, and by the end of the day he still has enough energy to sprint laps around our backyard. If they don’t have a productive outlet for their energy, it will manifest in very destructive behaviours. If you don’t think you can keep up with that, I don’t recommend getting a husky - or any sort of dog that falls under the “working category”, to be honest. These kinds of dogs need something to do or else they’ll find their own way to release their energy, like destroying things around the house or barking excessively.
That being said, Milo is an AMAZING exercise companion. Power walking? He���s down. Jogging? He’s your guy. Hiking/long distance walking? He’s all for it. You even go sprinting if you want; he’ll be able to keep up with you. Sometimes I even hop on my cruiser and let him pull me down the street - it’s the closest he’ll ever get to sledding lol. Not only does he get his exercise, but I do too, so it’s a win-win for both of us. If you’re looking for a running buddy or a pal to go on adventures with, huskies are great for that.
- Huskies don’t bark, but they can be incredibly noisy. I somehow got the one husky that makes absolutely no noise (Milo’s so quiet that I often forget he’s there), but for the most part huskies are very vocal dogs. They howl, and they love to “talk” to you and other animals. If you prefer a social dog, huskies are the breed for you, but it can get exhausting, and your neighbours might not be so fond of it either.
- Huskies can be very difficult to train. A lot of people think huskies are stupid because they aren’t as responsive to commands as, say, a German Shepherd or a Lab. They’re not stupid at all - Siberian Huskies are very independent by nature and they don’t live to please their humans; they’ll do pretty much whatever they want whenever they want. They weren’t bred for obedience; they were bred for their athleticism. If you’re looking for a dog who’s willing to do everything and anything with you, a husky might not be the best breed.
Milo won’t do anything for me if he doesn’t see a benefit in doing it; if I want him to a trick, there has to be something in it for him, like a treat or a few minutes of playtime. Huskies respond best to positive reinforcement, and like most dogs they learn best when you start training them as early as possible. Puppy classes are extremely helpful for stubborn/independent dogs - though some huskies are so clever that they’re actually able to tell the difference between a class and just training at home. They know to behave when they’re in class, but if you try the same training methods at home it might be a completely different story lol. Huskies can be super manipulative - they really know how to get what they want, so the key is to maintain consistent, and to be firm. Huskies are very pack-oriented and if they don’t sense a clear/obvious leadership role within their pack, they’ll have no problem taking it for their own. 
If a husky allows you to pet and cuddle it for a little while, and then suddenly it’ll get annoyed and walk off, don’t be offended. Again, huskies can be incredibly independent and not a lot of them look for validation from humans. They’re kind of like cats in dogs’ bodies lmao sometimes they don’t mind being affectionate, and sometimes they’d rather have their own space. It’s completely up to them.
Of course, it’s a case-by-case basis. There are some Golden Retrievers out there who may not like to play fetch (Btw, a lot of huskies don’t play fetch. They weren’t bred to retrieve, so it’s not something that comes naturally to them like Labs or other breeds that fall under the Hunting category). No two dogs are alike, just like humans! They each have their own personality, so you might get the one-off super affectionate husky.
That being said, a lot of huskies HATE being alone, which is weird - this is another instance where they can be very cat-like. They don’t want your attention, but they don’t want you being away from them either. They can get very upset if they’re left alone - I think this stems from their instinctual desire to be in a pack, so they always feel the need to be part of a group or a family. There are various ways to train and condition your dog to adapting on being on its own - because realistically, you can’t be around your dog 24/7, it’s gonna have to be alone every once in awhile. Some dogs just need more time and effort to get used to it, that’s all! Just be patient, consistent, and firm - this goes for overall training your husky, not just in terms of being left alone. 
- Prepare to have fur EVERYWHERE. Siberian Huskies are from…well, Siberia, and Siberia can get super cold. To cope with this, huskies have two layers of fur to keep them warm - and when you have two layers of fur, there’s twice the amount of shedding. You will find hair everywhere, and I mean everywhere. My mom brushes Milo three times a week and there’s still an abundance of hair around the house. If you get a husky - or any breed from the Spitz family, really - be prepared to do a lot of sweeping and vacuuming.
Dogs with double-layered coats will go through a period of super heavy shedding during parts of the year when the seasons change, usually when summer turns into fall and when winter turns into spring. There’ll be even MORE fur than usual, and it can come out in clumps - like….you can legit grab fistfuls of a husky’s fur and it’ll come out just like that. Since my mom brushes Milo so frequently we’ve never gone through that, fortunately, so my advice is to brush them as often as you can. Two to three times a week minimum…and you’ll probably have to vacuum at least once or twice a week just to keep your house tidy.
But there are upsides to this as well!! Their coats aren’t as oily as other breeds, so they don’t have that “dog” smell to them. They’re also very clean breeds and only need baths a few times a year (Milo actually hates water; giving him a bath is a nightmare). Huskies also clean themselves like cats do; it’s so weird. They also don’t need to go to the groomer, since they shed all of their fur anyway. You’re not supposed to shave a husky’s fur, even when it’s super hot out, because their long fur protects their sensitive skin from the sun.
- They don’t eat often. Huskies adapted to living in the Siberian Arctic, where food can be scarce. They are incredibly energetic and can burn off a lot of energy, but surprisingly they only need a little bit of food each day to get by - especially for their size. Milo only eats one a day, and he only eats 2 cups of his food at most. Sometimes he’ll only eat one cup, sometimes he’ll eat a cup and a half. If you try to force him to eat any more than that, he’ll ignore you. 
I’m not sure if this is a general husky thing or if this is just a Milo thing, but Milo’s a super picky eater. He gets bored of his food fast so we always have to find new, creative ways to get him to eat. We’ll add shredded chicken on top, or crush his favourite treats into powder and sprinkle that over his food. 
- They’re shitty guard dogs. Most people think huskies would make good protectors because of their intimidating, wolf-like appearance - but in reality they’re nothing like their wolfy ancestors, even though they look a lot like them. Huskies are extremely friendly dogs and most of them are warm towards strangers. Milo LOVES people, and he’ll run up and kiss whoever allows him to, even if it’s just a random person who passes us by when we’re on a walk. I’m sure if a burglar ever broke into my house, Milo wouldn’t do anything except beg the guy to play with him.
- Huskies have a high prey drive. This means they’ll usually chase after anything that moves, especially if they’re smaller. If you have a cat or any other small animal in the house, you have to take a lot of precaution because huskies can end up accidentally killing or hurting them. Usually if the husky is a puppy, they’ll grow up with the other animals and so they learn how to behave around them, but if you’re adopting an older husky, it might be difficult. 
That’s all I can think of right now tbh, but I think I got a lot of the main parts down. This is all speaking from personal experience and from the research I did before I got Milo, so I hope it’s informative enough for you!!
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xoxoemynn · 6 years
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can i complain? im gonna complain. my mental health has been horrible lately, and as if i'm not struggling enough, my downstairs neighbor has decided to hate me. literally. she's like 60 years old, and calls in the middle of the night claiming that i'm throwing things into the floor and making noise, even though i'm literally doing nothing, and other neighbors think she's crazy too. also she smokes so that the tobacco scent travels up through my balcony door and when i asked her to stop (cont)
she claims she will continue to bother me with the smoke until "i have learned my lesson" (not making noise? i'm not making noise, she is literally waking me up complaining about how i just made a noise?? i'm asleep??? lol) and she's called authorities bc my dogs apparently never get to go outside?? they are outside four times a day on long walks but ok??? lol. and now she found out i have snakes so ofc she called the authorities bc "they're venomous, they're going to escape and crawl up my toilet!!" lmfao. i'm so tired. my snakes help me with my anxiety and i have locks on their enclosures and i walk my dogs and i am very careful not to make noise i literally want to die i'm dealing with enough shit. sorry i needed to go on an anon rant im sry love u em
omg oh no bb I’m so sorry this sounds awful, your neighbor sounds like a petty, spiteful beast and I know it sucks that there’s just no escape. Shitty neighbors are the worstttttt, and I’m sure hearing from the authorities isn’t helping your anxiety at all. :( Okay so idk if any of this will actually be applicable/helpful but just some things that came to mind when reading your messages:
Okay first just BREATHEEEEE. You did literally nothing wrong, you’re just living your life and being a responsible pet owner and you don’t deserve to be treated this way. I would just try to avoid her as much as possible, since I kind of doubt she’s going to change. But I would also just take some steps to protect yourself so she can’t make things any worse for you.
If you have a landlord who’s remotely useful, reach out to them about this neighbor’s behavior. If she’s violating any parts of her lease, that’s their job to deal with. Plus, it sounds like her behavior may even now be considered harassment at this point? 
Even if the landlord thing is a moot point, I would keep a paper trail and document everythingggggg. This may just be because I’ve been spending a lot of time reading stories at JustNoMIL, but once people reveal themselves to be this horrible, “little” things can escalate quickly...and honestly, if she’s already contact the authorities for completely unsubstantiated reasons, I’d say she’s already pretty far up there. Any time she calls, yells, or snaps at you, does anything to make you feel REMOTELY uncomfortable, write it down. PAPER TRAILS ARE EVERYTHING SERIOUSLY PROTECT YOURSELF. Pro-tip: get one of those black and white marble composition books , because it’s then really obvious if a page just “mysteriously” goes missing for whatever reason. I’m sorry if I sound paranoid and I don’t mean to alarm you, but I’m just a HUGE proponent of always having everything in writing because it protects YOU, so always better to be safe than sorry.
Okay, so it sounds like “the authorities” = animal control or the like, yes? And not the police? Because if it’s the police, I have a feeling they’re going to get fed up REAL fast with some asshole filing false complaints...especially since, ya know, that’s a crime. If it IS the police, and if you feel safe doing so, it may be worth calling their non-emergency line and say you have a neighbor harassing you and filing false complaints, detailing exactly what’s been happening. Honestly it’s doubtful they’ll do anything but it may serve as a pre-emptive action step so if she DOES go to them, they have a record of it. If it’s some sort of animal control, it may be worth doing something similar and perhaps inviting them to your home to do a wellness check? So that way if she calls again they can go “lady please fuck off you are wasting everyone’s time and oxygen.”
Okay but she’s CALLING you in the middle of the night, what the hell??? Two options here: 1) BLOCK HER ASS or 2) Set it up in your phone so calls from her are always set to silent/do not disturb mode -- that way she won’t wake you up but you’ll also have record of all the times she called you for your paper trail.
It’s occurred to me that I sound very Dramatic in all this so I hope nothing I say in here is frightening to you!!!! Chances are she’s just an obnoxious twatbox who’s miserable and bored and trying to make life difficult for everyone around her, but I just want to make sure you are SAFE bc she worries me. :( 
Okay so now that I’ve gotten all the safety precautions out of the way LOL just please take care of yourself!! If your mental health is already struggling, having to deal with this indomitable force of ... idk evil sounds dramatic but I’m gonna run with it anyway, can REALLY fuck you up. (Seriously, I’m shuddering imagining it, all the hugs to you.) So make sure you really prioritize things that do help with your anxiety. If that means more snake time, going on long walks, baking, writing, taking bubble baths, WHATEVER, do that and be entirely unapologetic about it. 
Maybe find some camaraderie with your neighbors? Misery loves company and all that, it may make you feel a little better to just be able to vent to someone who gets it. Plus it’s always good to have some allies on your side. (Also, honestly, I LOVE reading JustNoMIL, even though I don’t have a mother-in-law, lol, but they do give a lot of really good advice and inspiration on how to stand up to these kinds of people who are out on some mean-spirited, vengeful spite fest.)
Seriously go treat yourself to some ice cream or something because you deserve it. 
I’m so sorry, lovely, this sounds really terrible and it sucks that you feel uncomfortable in your own home. :( Please just take care of yourself and stay safe. Hopefully she’ll calm down or move or something and you won’t have to deal with her for much longer. Pop into my inbox anytime you need me. I hope you get a good rest tonight!!!! Sending you all the hugs and good vibes in the universe.
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hi ashley, i could really use some advice/tips right now
i have a friend who is bigger then me and has some body image issues that she typically expresses to me and i simply never know what to say to help. i feel like i’m constantly putting my foot in my mouth and never saying anything of actual help.
a typical conversation starts with her saying that she is disgusted with how she looks and all she does is eat badly and that she’s gross for eating what she does (even if it’s only just fries). i try to say things like “eating is not bad and you shouldn’t hate yourself for eating”, or just saying that times are really hard right now and that she should (probably bad wording) be kinder to herself. i try to have body neutrality, and on days when she’s hating her body i don’t try to flood her with positivity but just validate that it’s ok to not always love your body. i just feel like i keep getting it wrong, and it’s easy for me to say these things as someone with a thinner body, so i feel like it doesn’t hold a lot of weight.
i don’t want to fix her i just want to support her and be there for her, i just feel like i keep getting it wrong.
any advice or tips or resources you have would be greatly greatly appreciated!! you are always the best ashley and i hope you are well 🧡🧡
sweetie, i think you're saying a lot of right things and being a really great friend.
while it's possible that what you're saying doesn't carry the same impact as it would from another fat person, it still sounds to me like they're the best things you can say under these circumstances.
from what you've said, i think this is truly a "her" issue, and you really shouldn't beat yourself up for not saying anything 'good enough', as it were. it sounds like she has really deep, violent self-hatred that she's dealing with, and the sad fact is that there just isn't anything 'good enough' that you can say to fix that kind of mental state.
i know it feels awful to hear someone you care about talk like that, but it's extremely important to remember that there are no magic words you can say to save that person. you can help, give support, be really important in their life and, hopefully, recovery, but you can't eat yourself up trying to think up the right thing to say that will make her stop hating herself.
that said, sometimes you might try responding with nothing except active listening and compassionate statements. for example, if she says that she feels disgusting, try telling her, "i'm really sorry you feel like that. that must feel really awful."
while the things you say are objectively good things to say and believe, sometimes a person does just need their feelings validated, even if they're things that they "shouldn't" feel. i know that i "shouldn't" hate my fat stomach, but i still do, and sometimes being told that fat stomachs are good and beautiful just makes me feel worse because i still hate my fat stomach and i don't know how to stop. the positivity is good, but sometimes it also helps for someone to just sympathize with your negative feelings without trying to make you stop feeling them.
THAT said, i'm pretty concerned with the amount of self-hatred that your friend is displaying. this is not normal "being fat" talk, this is the kind of mental state that has a high possibility of leading to self harm and/or an eating disorder, if she isn't already at that point.
if you don't know, you can be anorexic, bulimic, etc, and still be fat. bodies try really hard to hold onto their fat, especially when they're not getting enough food. a body doesn't know the difference between real and artificial scarcity, so it reacts to restriction the same as it does to famine, by entering 'starvation mode' and clinging to fat calls to try and keep itself alive.
you may already know this, but i just wanted you to be aware that it's possible that your friend isn't eating enough despite her size.
so i think that where she's at may be past "trying to say the right thing to comfort her" and into "she needs professional help" territory. i would try gently expressing some concern over how negatively she speaks of eating and, if you can, gently nudge her in the direction of seeing a therapist, if that's a possibility for her. and perhaps try to find out or take note of whether she's eating very scarcely, or gets demonstrably upset over eating even small meals.
this is page that lists the warning signs of an eating disorder, and this page gives some advice for loved ones on how to talk to someone with an eating disorder. i hope all this isn't necessary, but i'm very worried that your friend needs some serious help.
but again, i have to return to my first point, which is that you have to keep it fixed in your head that you can't save someone else if they won't take your help. don't put her well-being on your own shoulders, okay? try to just be her friend, that's all. take care of yourself too.
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I'm so scared. I can feel myself drifting apart again. I've attempted suicide three times and i think I'm gonna do it again. Hope this time works. I have relapse on my self harm and its the season of anxiety (i have seasons for anger, depression, anxiety and happiness) the worst for me is anxiety. My parents are so disappointed in me and of what i have done with myself. Sometimes i wish i was never been born. Sometimes i wish my mom would have never had me so she would have never being abusive.
Hi there,
Thanks for sending in your ask to mental health advice. I amso happy that you came to us for advice. I hope to help you as much as I can. Iunderstand your pain with the world right now. It sounds like things are reallyhard to deal with. I know how awful you must feel but I am going to give yousome advice that will hopefully help you. Also, we’re sorry that we couldn’tget to your message sooner. We have a pretty full inbox and answer the oldestquestions first.
Since you are dealing with so much, have you ever consideredseeing a therapist or psychiatrist? If you already are, then that’s great. Ifyou haven’t yet, then that is something that might be worth looking into. Talkingto a therapist is not like talking to a friend or a family member. Talking to atherapist is like talking to someone who is unbiased and non-judgmental aboutyour issues. You can tell them anything and they will help you even more than Ican because they are professionals. A psychiatrist can help with prescribing prescriptionsif needed. If you are interested in seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, thenyou can ask your general practitioner about setting up a referral.
There are also things you can do to cope with this on yourown. If you take a look at our contents page, then you will see articles abouttips for coping with self-harm and reasons to live. I would also recommend thatyou journal. I don’t know if you ever have journaled, but it helps for when youwant to talk to someone and don’t have anybody to talk to. It also helps forwhen you don’t want to tell anybody but still want to rant about what is goingon. If you are comfortable with talking to a close friend or relative, thenthat is also an option. You don’t even have to talk about what is wrong.  It really helps to get your mind off of whatis going on sometimes.
If you feel like you are in danger, then going to thehospital might be a good option. I have been inpatient for mental health two timesand it helped me to regulate my mood. It also helped with getting mymedications normal. If going in patient is something that you can afford then Idefinitely would look into doing it.
I know that you can get through this! Did you know that wehave a live chat service that is available to anyone who needs it? To speakwith someone you can send in a request for someone to get online or see if anadmin has posted that they are currently online. If you feel like you are inimmediate danger, please call emergency services and/or go to the nearesthospital. I also recommend looking at our “I have an Emergency”page. Feel free to send in another ask if you feel that you have additionalquestions or need additional help.
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-Rachel
“All of the stars havea reason”
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