#if you can afford to do so or ask for a free trial!!!! do it

[sirfrogsworth]

Frogman's Camera Buying Guide

A few weeks ago someone asked if I could recommend an interchangeable lens camera (ILC) to supplement their smartphone photos and hopefully get better pictures of important things like vacations and pets.

I decided to go very extra with my response and due to that... I'm still not finished with it.

I'm worried I am letting this person down because they did not ask for a giant post explaining every detail about cameras in the history of forever.

So I am going to do a camera recommendation post without as much explanation and hopefully I can finish the giant post at some point in the near future.

If you want to take better pictures you are probably going to need a camera with a decent sized sensor, a fast lens, a tripod, and a flash.

The bigger sensor gives you more dynamic range so you can capture brighter and darker things in the photo.

A fast lens has a giant hole in the front that lets in a ton of light. That hole is called the aperture and the bigger it is, the better your photos in dark environments will be. So you will want something that does f/1.8 or f/1.4 (lower f-stop number = bigger hole = more light). This can also help you get a lot of cool background blur.

A tripod will help get you longer exposures without any blur from camera shake. Especially good for landscape photos.

And a flash is for taking photos of pets and other moving subjects when you are indoors and don't have a lot of light. A flash is an absolute game changer for indoor photos.

HOWEVER, never point it directly at your subject.

Point it at a large white ceiling or wall. The flash happens so fast that it freezes motion. It is how I got all of my indoor photos of Otis.

Here he was playing and being rambunctious and he is not blurry.

I used no special settings. I just stuck on a flash and pointed it at the ceiling and suddenly sheep are sticking to things.

Oh, and one other huge benefit of using a flash... you can take much better photos of pets with dark fur. So if you have a cute little void in your home, a flash can help you capture detail in their fur.

Just lift the shadow slider in your image editor and that beautiful fur will reveal itself.

If you get an ETTL or TTL flash, it will output the correct amount of light automatically. You can literally just put your camera in automatic mode, aim the flash at the ceiling, and press the shutter button.

Before I talk about recommendations I want to make one thing very clear.

GETTING A GIANT CAMERA WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY GIVE YOU BETTER PHOTOS.

Aside from my flash aimed at the ceiling trick, a big boy camera is not a magic solution for better photos. In some cases, you might actually get *worse* photos than your smartphone. You need to learn the basic fundamentals of photography and you also need to learn some basic photo editing skills.

Smartphones employ powerful algorithms and computational processes to make every photo you take look as good as possible.

ILCs say, "Here is your RAW data, you figure out the rest."

You don't have to become an expert, but if you watch this free 6 hour photography course, that will ensure you have the knowledge needed to improve your photos.

Okay, let's get into the nitty gritty of buying a nice new old ILC.

If you are on a tight budget and cannot afford a fancy mirrorless camera, I would highly suggest a used DSLR. You can get them for very reasonable prices. And unlike just about every other modern technological gadget, cameras and lenses are built to last for decades. So I have no qualms about recommending used photography gear.

However, I do highly recommend using either KEH or MPB, as they have a long trial period and decent customer service. If something goes awry with your used gear, KEH has a 180 day warranty and MPB has a 6 month warranty. So there is much less of a risk than eBay or Facebook Marketplace. You pay a bit of overhead, but the piece of mind is worth it.

Before I start my recommendations I want to quickly explain the difference between APS-C and Full Frame camera bodies. (For brevity's sake I am going to omit Micro Four Thirds bodies as they are not typically geared toward beginner photography.)

APS-C has a "crop" sensor. It is a bit smaller than full frame and does not perform as well in low light (more noise). However these bodies are cheaper and can still produce great photos. You can see above the sensor is still significantly larger than a smartphone. APS-C adds a 1.5x zoom to all lenses. This can be annoying in small spaces but advantageous for outdoor photography like wildlife and sports. You can use full frame lenses on a crop sensor body (within the same brand). APS-C lenses are usually cheaper but of lower quality.

Full frame has a larger sensor that will give you less noise in low light. It is also much easier to get background blur. Full frame also allows you to work in more cramped spaces. You *cannot* use APS-C lenses on a full frame body. However, the lenses meant for full frame cameras tend to be better quality in general.

If you can save up a little more and get a full frame body, I would recommend it. These bodies used to be geared more toward professional use, but since mirrorless cameras became popular, used full frame DSLRs have become much more accessible to those on a budget. Full frame cameras make it easier to get better results in challenging circumstances. And challenging conditions are really the main area where ILCs still kick a smartphone's ass.

For tight budgets I would recommend the following...

Canon or Nikon APS-C DSLR camera body

50mm f/1.8 lens (Nifty Fifty)

18-55mm APS-C lens (good for landscapes and portraits)

Yongnuo ETTL Flash

There are lenses called "superzooms" which can go from (as an example) 18-200mm or 70-300mm and other crazy focal lengths. That sounds fantastic and very versatile... but these are usually utter shite. You may be tempted to get one of these lenses hoping it can do everything you need, but there are no free lunches in lens land. Unless you are spending many thousands of dollars, the wider the focal range, the worse the lens will be.

When you stick to the 18-55mm range, you can be assured the images will be decent. And if you find yourself really needing a telephoto lens, you can save up and add it to your collection later on. The 18-55 will give you wide angle for landscapes all the way to slightly telephoto for portraits and moderately close wildlife. This lens cannot be used indoors or at night without a flash. Which is why I recommend the Nifty Fifty for that purpose. $100 for a moderately sharp low light lens is a no brainer.

Also, stick to Canon, Nikon, Sigma, or Tamron lenses. You can try exotic 3rd party lens brands when you know more what you are doing. And always make sure the lens has autofocus before buying.

It's hard to give you exact recommendations as used items are not reliably in stock. So I'm going to show you an example of the above, but I am not necessarily saying you should buy this *exact* combination. You might be able to get something similar with Nikon as well.

Canon 60D APS-C DSLR

50mm f/1.8 lens

Canon 18-55mm APS-C lens (EF-S mount)

Yongnuo TTL Flash

(I wouldn't recommend getting a used flash, as the Yongnuo is already a great price and you can't know if someone used the flash 100,000 times or 20 times.)

Altogether that is about $500. You can start with the 60D and the 50mm Nifty Fifty for $330 and add on the other two items later on.

My recommended full frame setup...

Full frame Canon or Nikon DSLR body

50mm f/1.8 lens (same as before)

24-70mm full frame zoom lens (full frame equivalent to 18-55mm)

ETTL Yongnuo flash (same as before)

And an example from KEH might be...

Canon 6D Full Frame DSLR

Canon 50mm f/1.8 Lens

Sigma 24-70mm Full Frame Zoom lens (EF mount)

Yonguo ETTL Flash

And that would be about $800 total.

Again, you can start with just the camera and 50mm lens and add the other items later. So invest $500 initially and go from there.

And just to give a Nikon example as well...

Nikon D600 Full Frame DSLR

Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Lens

Tamron 24-70mm

Yonguo ETTL Flash (Nikon version)

I highly recommend researching any camera body and lens before purchase. I can vouch for the items above, but you should definitely check out some YouTube videos before buying.

All of the stuff on KEH and MBP is marked down in price for aesthetic reasons. They do test everything to make sure it is functional. If you care if the camera or lens looks pristine, it will cost a little extra. But if you don't mind if it is beat to hell, you can save some money. Ugly or not, you will get the same photos out of the gear. As I said, photography stuff is built to last for a long time. Almost all repairs are due to user damage and not defects. And usually defects manifest when the product is brand new.

Oh, I forgot about the tripod!

Amazon's $35 tripod is surprisingly decent. It even got a good review on a very picky tripod review site. I recommend starting with this and then upgrading when you know more what you need out of a tripod.

Amazon 60 inch Tripod

I worry I'm leaving out a lot of important information, but hopefully I can expand in the other post I am working on.

That said, if anyone is thinking of buying a camera and you are not sure about the items you selected, please feel free to message me and I will help you assess your choices. Please make sure you include a budget range when asking for buying advice.

I hope that helps. I will try to finish the more in depth post soon. And it will include tips for how to get better photos from your smartphone if you cannot afford an ILC at the moment.

Further resources...

Recipe for Landscape Photos Froggie's Encyclopedia of Lens Terms

#photography #long post

[writingquestionsanswered]

I'm a teen aspiring author. I live in a house with three children and my walls and door are not very soundproof. Do you have any tips to get focused not by reducing distractions but getting focused while still being in the middle of chaos?

Focusing Despite the Chaos

Even if you can't eliminate distractions, it's still worth trying to minimize them, so I want to start there... then I'll get to what to do if you can't. Here are some things you might be able to try...

1 - Minimizing Noise - In a perfect world we could all afford a nice pair of noise cancelling headphones, but there are other ways to minimize the noise that reaches your ears. For example, many convenience stores and stores with pharmacy areas sell packets of disposable ear plugs for just a few dollars. These can reduce noise enough to make it less distracting, so definitely worth a try.

2 - Utilize Continuous Sound/"Noise Colors" - Continuous sound, like the deep rumble of a waterfall or the gentle roar of heavy rain, falls on a spectrum called noise colors. White Noise covers all frequencies equally, so it provides a soothing background hum that can help to minimize other sounds. You can find white noise generators via different apps and places like YouTube or web sites like A Soft Murmur. Or, you can put on a loud fan, air purifier, air conditioner, etc. Pink Noise is a little softer, like the fall of gentle rain, so this might be something like a fan on a lower setting. Brown noise is a step lower than that, like the ambient noise you get from having the window open on a quiet but breezy day. White, pink, or brown noise can be a great way to reduce the impact of chaos coming from the rest of the house.

3 - Put on a YouTube Ambience Room - YouTube is absolutely bursting with "ambience rooms" and channels dedicated to study music, sleep music, relaxation music, etc. These can be a fantastic way to promote focus, not only because they give you something steady to listen to, you can often find things that gel thematically with whatever you're writing, which can help you block out other distractions.

4 - Try a ZenWare Writing Program - OmmWriter, ZenWriter, Focus Writer, and others provide features that help you focus on your writing, such as simple interfaces, special typing sounds, white noise and sound generators, and word counters. These are not typically free but are usually reasonably priced.

5 - Shift Your Writing Time - Even a chaotic house has its quiet times. It could be early in the morning before everyone else is awake, late at night after everyone else is in bed, during mealtime, or when everyone is away. Pay attention to when the chaos is at its lowest each day and try to utilize those times for writing if you can.

When you can't minimize the chaos...

Any combination of the above tactics can still be great ways to help you focus a little more, even if it doesn't really reduce the noise or chaos. Just having things like a special screen or special audio to focus on can help you mentally block out distractions. To some degree, it's something that takes some trial and error--to see which tactics work for you--and practice. I know writers who can write on plans, trains, buses, car rides, in the middle of busy places... it's just something they did out of necessity and got good at with time. You will, too. ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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#writing tips #writing help #writing advice #wqaadvice

[kisskiss-slashslash]

Bubba’s S/O starting a vegetable garden

Unless you somehow also came from a family of cannibalistic butchers, you were probably used to a more varied diet than the one the Sawyers adhered to. While you obviously loved that crazy bunch, and your darling Bubba especially, you soon missed the taste of veggies, and salad, basically anything that isn't meat. But the truth is that after the Sawyers' job at the slaughterhouse was made obsolete, they simply couldn't afford anything like that. Hell, they couldn't even afford normal meat and had to resort to cannibalism! But for the sake of the whole family's health, you decided to do something about it. Furthermore, there wasn't a lot to do out here in the sticks, so in the time between you being done with your daily chores and Bubba being done with his, you often found yourself bored out of your mind. So during supper one night, you carefully brought up the idea of creating a small vegetable patch in the back yard of the house, and maybe planting some fruit trees, too. "What for?", Drayton asked. "My cookin' not good enough for ya?" You knew that you had to choose your next words with extreme care. "Not at all. I just... want to give you some more stuff to work and experiment with." And make sure this family doesn't die of scurvy, though you didn't say that out loud. "Besides, it gives me something productive to spend my free time on once the chores are done." The eldest brother chewed on his fork for a few moments, obviously in deep thought. Then he shrugged. "Aw hell. Why not. But!" He waved his index finger in front of your face. "No slacking off on chores just so you can play in the dirt! And you gotta buy the seeds yourself. You can come to the city with me tomorrow to get them." "Understood. Thanks, Drayton."

So the next day, you returned from your little trip to town with small packets of seeds for carrots, lettuce and tomatoes. Those seemed to be good choices for a start. A trial run of sorts; plus they were currently in-season. So once you finished your chores, you rummaged through the nearby shed, finding garden tools that probably hadn't seen any use in a generation or three, and got to work.

You completely forgot the time while you worked. You were busy prepping the soil, planting the seeds, and watering them, when a huge shadow fell over you. You turned and saw Bubba stand behind you. He was watching what you were doing with great interest. You stepped back and looked at your work. "What do you think? It doesn't look like much yet, but soon it will be all nice, big veggies for the whole family to enjoy!" You got downright giddy at the thought. Bubba put his arm around your shoulders and nuzzled your cheek affectionately. He didn’t quite get why you made such a fuss about plants (....yet) but if they made you happy then he loved them.

A few months later, it was finally time for your first harvest! The tomatoes would still need a bit, but you had your first meatloaf with self-grown carrots and a simple salad as a side dish. You had expected some complaints about "rabbit food", and Chop Top and Nubbins indeed made some teasing remarks about it, but all four of the brothers gobbled up the fruits of your labor like they were starving nonetheless. Even Drayton, who hardly ever had anything nice to say to anyone, muttered a begrudging "Ya did good." in your general direction, which you put down as a victory.

#slasher x reader #Bubba Sawyer x reader #the sawyers strike me as the type who says that all veggies are just rabbit food

[archivalofsins]

Let's talk about Amane's trailer~

Updated this because new information was brought to my attention and to fix some errors.

“we in turn, will forevermore mark YOU as the GUILTY one.”

They didn't capitalize the "W" in "We" so is this the middle of a sentence from her voice drama or just an error? Guess we'll know on the thirtieth, but I think it's the first thing. Amane is still the same as usual and as such Yamanaka has asked the audience to,

"Please, take care of her."

X

So, please be kind to Amane.

Futa and Amane's Possible Team Up

We know how the Milgram fandom claims to feel about picking on children from trial one right?

It'd be rather hard to take being lectured for picking on minors from people who continually harass minors. It's no wonder that Futa and Amane have gotten close. Her treatment is a direct example of Milgram's continued hypocrisy. I too would go what about you in this case.

Saying that bad things are bad, acting on the idea that something you believe is wrong has taken place, and that leading to others getting hurt- what you're saying is all that's okay when you do it...Right?

Well, it's none of Futa's business anyhow.

He said he can't afford to be worrying about other people during his second written interrogation,

Q.02 What do you think of Haruka?

Futa: I can’t afford to be worrying about other people at the moment. Anyway, he’s not a little kid.

Mu: We get on well, he’s always really kind to me.

Well, to be frank what he says is that he can't afford to worry about others currently, then states that Haruka isn't a little kid. So, he's not really worried about him, at the moment, because Haruka has shown that he is capable of taking care of himself.

I think the focus here should be on Futa specifying that, "He's not a little kid".

Amane is and she's someone that Futa has been shown to be concerning himself with during trial two.

2023/04/19 (Futa's birthday)

Futa: …! Oi, it was you. You scared me. Don't just stand there like that. Ha, what is it? Did you come to laugh at me for being weak? Brat.

Amane: No. I'm just observing; what people are thinking, who is tainted... What about you, Kajiyama Futa?

Futa: You're talking even more nonsense than before. Brat, you're guilty too, aren't you? …How can you even still stand? You probably heard it. That voice that kept blaming us. …..I ain't got the guts to do anything.

Amane: It goes without saying. Because we have something more important than incomprehensible and irrational voices. Humans can stand up if they have guidance. Kajiyama Futa, it's a coincidence, but today is your birthday, isn't it? It may be a good day to be reborn. If you can break free from the temptation of corruption around, you and change your ways-

Then guess who we have not heard about receiving help from Shidou after this interaction?

The focus and treatment suddenly became heavily focused on Mahiru. We see this in regards to Amane's birthday when Yuno is discussing giving care to Mahiru and on Kazui's when Shidou takes a short break from taking care of Mahiru.

In both cases there is no mention of continuing to give Futa treatment.

Shidou Lying about the Severity of the Prisoner's Injuries

Even though Futa needs care just as much if not more so considering the severity of his injuries. As he is stated to have,

An orbital fracture and traumatic retinal detachment. Along with bruising, lacerations (where is unspecified). Partial fracture of the thorax.

In this case, all the stated injuries involving his eye(s) and thorax could require surgery to be properly treated based on the severity of the injury.

X

X

X

In contrast Mahiru, despite all the care she's been receiving and the more visibly injured she is got off more lightly between the two. At least when taking into consideration none of her injuries require any sort of surgical treatment to heal. Despite Shidou hamming it up and saying,

"Shiina's injuries are even worse."

Looking into her injuries in comparison to Futa's easily proves this is not the case as she has,

Lacerations (Head)- Something that sounds bad but basically amounts to cuts on her head.

X

Bruising (All over her body)- It is literally just bruising. I don't know how to make this any simpler.

X

Sprain (Neck)- Does not require surgery to heal gradually heals over time with the right treatment.

X

Fracture (Ribs)- Again sounds bad but it's not.

X

Fracture (Left arm)- He says fracture, but this is literally just a broken arm. This is something that has happened to many people in the world and does not require invasive surgery to heal most of the time. Just a lot of rest.

X

"And furthermore this may be outside of my profession but her mental health is deteriorating as well."

Edit: @doctorbunny brought to my attention I missed one for Mahiru.

Compression Fracture (left anterior)

X

NOT SO FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT THE PRISONERS CAN LIE IN THEIR VOICE DRAMAS AND SHIDOU DID ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF MAHIRU'S INJURIES!

All of Mahiru's injuries in comparison to Futa's are light shit. However, Shidou knew that no one without his expertise would know that. Along with possibly rightfully deduced from the voices he does not mention hearing that there may not or were not enough people with his particular skills to correct him or call him out on his lies. That or he believed most wouldn't care to look past the surface anyhow considering what Es has deduced so far.

So, he lied highlighting Mahiru the more visibly injured of the two because he rightfully believed that the audience wouldn't realize that Futa was the more injured out of the two of them. Because it's easier for people to believe someone who looks like this,

Is more injured than someone who looks like this,

Not even touching on the fact that how injured someone believes another person is heavily dependent on external factors such as gender, ethnicity, and the communication skills of the individual in question.

So, Shidou just picked the person that needed the most consistent care, who could play the role of being injured properly, and would garner the most sympathy to latch onto in order to better his chances of being voted innocent. Then he expressly lied not only about their physical state but brought up that person's mental health as well. Something he states is not his area of expertise.

Despite people literally coming across Futa talking to himself in the fucking halls!

22/04/19 (Futa’s Birthday)

Futa: Ahh…… I’m not wrong…… I wasn’t doing anything wrong…… Shut up, why are you going on and on about something so minor…… It has nothing to do with you…… Aaahhh……

Amane: Oh, were you talking to yourself, Futa-san? Or maybe there’s something there you’re able to see?

Futa: ……! O-oh, it’s just you. It’s nothing. ……but well, on that note. Hey. Don’t you have anything happening too? Since being in here, just suddenly getting anxious. Feeling as though loads of people are all there condemning you, telling you you were wrong.

Amane: ……I’m fine. I don’t know what you’ve done or what it is you’re worried about, but I think if there’s something you believe in, you should stay true to it. It’s not something that should waver just because other people said something. I personally don’t plan on changing my own beliefs even if I’m told I’m wrong either…… ……today is your birthday, correct? I’ll pray for God to keep you under his care.

Making Futa's statement in his second written interrogation make far more sense given the fact that like Shidou said he would do from the beginning he,

"Choose between superiority or inferiority"

Prioritizing Mahiru's care for the benefit of himself and to an extent her as well while neglecting Futa's.

"I can’t afford to be worrying about other people at the moment."

He literally cannot afford to worry about other people in the prison because none of them have bothered to concern themselves with him outside of Kazui and Amane. Who once again comes up to him when he's freaking out on his birthday and is like,

"Kajiyama Futa, it's a coincidence, but today is your birthday, isn't it? It may be a good day to be reborn. If you can break free from the temptation of corruption around you and change your ways-"

Amane: Disavow the false god preaching to a choir of heathens and reject his medicinal ways and be reborn into a true deity of strength through your own will alone and my guidance. Do it- don't disappoint me like the others.

Futa: Ya, know what fuck it he's not really helping me anyhow...sure why not.

We haven't been shown or heard anything regarding Futa being checked over by Shidou or having his injuries cared for in a while now. I find it kind of odd how the only one receiving consistent treatment is Mahiru given everything here. I also wonder how Futa's friendship with Amane is going.

Amane has shown disdain towards Yuno, Shidou, and Mahiru yet...we haven't seen how she is with Futa after that interaction yet. I wonder if they'll have a timeline conversation again soon.

Honestly, I too would team up with the kid that's been consistently checking in on me. Can't even fault him.

Next the lyric.

“I disavow you, eyes corrupted.”

It seems like they’ll be continuing to update and tweak the English translation of the lyrics from what we were given in the song trailers. Though the snippet of Amane’s is much shorter than what we got previously. The MILGRAM/2nd Trial 8th EP Amane (CV: Minami Tanaka) “The Purge March” Trailer in my opinion more so highlights Amane’s message to the guard(s) than be a trailer of The Purge March proper.

So, it seems they’re really keeping the mv’s song under wraps up until release. Something that only makes me more interested in. I like the use of disavow it really fits Amane.

X

While giving her words that very smart-alecky know-it-all kid emphasis.

(Star here; I'd also say the usage of disavow works, given the likelihood of her victim being part of the cult. Whether that's an ongoing member or someone who decided fuck this is up for debate though)

The Cover Snippet

Her cover of Animal keeps up with the pattern of the Guilty prisoner’s songs so far. Unlike within their second trial songs when they are singing their cover songs, they are incredibly happy. This contrasts with the Innocent prisoners, who’ve been a bit of a mix bag when it comes to their covers but erring on the melancholy introspective side in tone. In contrast the guilty prisoners within their covers have sounded as though they’re having the time of their lives.

The staff even going as far as changing the entire tone of Parasite in Mahiru’s case to fit her mood. Something that I just thought was specific to Mahiru but upon further inspection all three of the guilty prisoners covers have had upbeat tones this trial and I’m curious as to why.

In Futa and Mahiru’s cases their main songs make their stress apparent seem, but their covers show they’re brimming with confidence and are incredibly pumped up. Futa’s cover is literally about wanting to go again, how he doesn’t want to stop, wants to escape, and unable to. Something we’ve been shown Futa pondering attempting to do from Milgram since it started and asking people for help with doing. Mahiru’s while about ending a bad relationship in contrast to Mu’s MKDR cover something dealing with a similar theme is very upbeat and seemingly ready to move forward or on from whatever is being left. Something that she’s also made clear she’s ready to do over the course of Milgram and continues to reiterate.

Having a relatively relaxed beach energy to it the most serious the song gets is when she’s asking why over and over again. Neither really touching on the tone that covers before theirs have had. It’s incredibly confusing considering it wouldn’t be surprising for the Guilty prisoners cover songs to be more downtrodden or melancholy, but it seems to be the exact opposite which I find interesting. The only cover outside of the guilty prisoners that gets remotely close to capturing this hype feeling in my opinion is Vampire but even then, Yuno sounds rather reserved.

So, like the heck are all of them so happy about; will Reversible Campaign have a similar tone? All that to say Amane’s cover of Animal sounds really good and upbeat. Her voice is so peppy.

#milgram #amane momose

[set-wingedwarrior]

Why you should watch RWBY legally

Before I even begin, I want to clarify that it's not my intent to start a fight, guilt-trip, nor force anyone to do anything they don't wanna do. I am merely here to state the facts, as far as I know, and share with you all the reasonings that brought me to my decision. The goal here is to give you all the pieces of information for you to make yours as well.

That said, let's begin.

RT has been awful, employees deserve better, you're angry on their behalf, and I get that because I am too. But I still want and will support the RWBY through Crunchyroll, and here's why:

Pirating is going to hurt CRWBY much more than it will hurt RT. That's the simple truth, in this cases it's always the bottom line that gets the worst of it, so if your goal is to help the employees pirating this isn't the way to go.

Strictly tied to the first one, if a boycott was needed and useful, then they would have told us so. We're not there, we don't know specifically how this stuff works, so deciding to go on a mass protest in their behalf withouth their consent would probably just backfire and put them in even worse conditions. If they'll ever ask that out of us, I will, but for now that's not the case.

All CRWBY, former or not, has been nothing but excited to share their work with us. They want the show to succeed, to keep going and grow, and they're working so hard to achieve that; it just doesn't feel fair to deny them because of someone else's bad actions.

Crunchyroll is the best half-way if you want to support the show without supporting directly RT. Even if I don’t know how the deal works, I’m pretty sure that considering CR doesn’t care about anything else RT might have to offer, any money sent to them would be specifically for the show to continue (and possibly improve)

CRWBY litterally asked us to support them. We can see that on Geoff Yetter's post,

on A.G. Nonsuch's tweet that Kerry liked (and that even if he didn't I would still trust, because since she did work with RT and met CRWBY, I'm pretty sure she knows better than us)

and Arryn's (animator) explicit answer when someone litterally asked how to support RWBY withouth supporting RT (also, if you check their twitter page you'll find multiple likes and retweets or posts sharing the same sentiment)

Again, this isn't to force anyone to do anything they don't want to. I just want you to have all the information, think about what you goal is and act accordingly. Sadly, we can either support CRWBY or hurt RT, with Crunchyroll being the closest thing to get both.

Now, I know that a lot of people might want to support but can’t afford Crunchyroll (or simply don't see it worth it because they don’t watch any other anime). That’s completely fair and understandable but, if you want, I might have a couple of solutions to offer:

Share the account with someone else. It will cut costs, and for just a couple of months it should be bearable.

See if you know someone who already has one and is willing to let you temporarely use it.

Wait until all episodes are released and then make an account; CR offers a 14 days free trial for their premium subscription, and you could use it to binge the volume and still give it views (you don’t have to abstain yourself from watching the episodes as they air, you just need to give CR these views in the end, and if you don’t want to rewatch you could just let them autoplay).

In case someone is wondering, CRUNCHYROLL DOESN’T COUNT THE VIEWS BASED ON THE ACCOUNTS ALONE.

What I mean is that they count rewatches as views of their own, so if you share an account with multiple people and you’re all watching the show, all the views from each of them will be counted, and it will still support it (if you’re wondering how I know, I maild their Support and asked them directly).

That’s all about Crunchyroll. Technically, no one stops you from waiting a year and watch it on RT's platform; they'll be accessible with FIRST accounts only at first, then become free with ads later as usual. I doubt any of you would want to do that, but a lot of people seemed not to get that it won't stay behind a paywall forever so I thought it was worth sharing. I did say I wanted you to have all of the information after all.

And that’d be all, I guess. As I mentioned, this isn’t meant to guilt trip anyone: everyone is entitled to their feelings and what they feel is right. You do you. But as for me, I’d rather accidentally benefit some assholes in the process of helping someone who deserve it than having innocents get hurt because of the actions of some assholes higher ups.

RWBY is a unique show that deserves to live, and CRWBY (and I mean all the people, past and new) has been working so hard, for so long, to get to tell their story and make their dream come true. I don't want all of their work and struggle to be in vain as much as I don't want to lose my favorite show. So, I will listen to them and help them the way they ask me to. That's my goal.

Find what your goal is, and act accordingly.

#rwby #rwby volume 9 #crwby #Rwby9 #crunchyroll #If you love rwby and care for crwby please #Support them

[prettyflyshyguy]

What are you gonna do, monster boy?

Amazing what I can achieve when I put a song on repeat. Smashed this one out as something fun, refreshing and stress free. Still working on the big final chapter of the C Virus AU, but I'm recovering my confidence as a writer by letting myself work on some sillier things. Good practice too.

This is a mini story based on this phenomenal post and an overly complicated idea I had from it.

Enjoy the garbage here, or on AO3.

“You look nice.” Leon smiled wryly.

Chris rolled his eyes as he pushed the elevator doors back for Leon, who was wasting all the time in the world as he made his way down the corridor. The sharp cut business attire didn’t suit him as much as it barely fit him. A necessary evil, Leon had assured him. It’ll go down better.

To aid in Rebecca’s continued research, and for ease of access to monitoring the effects of the trial viral inhibitors she’d prescribed him, Leon was temporarily assigned to assisting in BSAA operations. The guise was of course that his knowledge post-Lanshiang was critical in containing and mitigating the impact of smaller scale and localised outbreaks of the C-Virus. A half truth, no one seemed to question it so far and a number of months had already passed. The global crisis raged on, the work never ended, his temporary partnership was easily justified to nosy journalists and more discerning governmental bodies.

Chris perpetually winged to him the whole elevator ride about how much he found the bureaucratic nature of these meetings tiresome. Paper pushers, out-of-touch management. Stakeholders who never set foot on ground zero yet felt qualified to call the shots. 

“If it weren't for people like that, we wouldn't be here.” Leon retorted, “You saying you’d want to be out of a job?”

He smiled as he watched Chris fiddle for the umpteenth time with his collar and tie.

“If people like that weren't around, there’d be no BOW based warfare. I’ll be glad the day I’m made redundant.” Chris huffed as he loosened his tie slightly.

Leon conceded that the man had a point.

The meeting was routine. The BSAA was called in to clean up a minor incident, it was successful, and so various representatives and stakeholders for the client would be meeting with the BSAA to discuss the outcome and debrief. Chris had insisted on arriving early, saying that this meeting was critical given the circumstance of the client, and it needed to go smoothly. 

Although it wasn’t mentioned, Leon could tell he appreciated the emotional support.

-

Chris was, for all intents and purposes, an exemplary operator within the BSAA. Most notable about him was his considerable empathy, fierce determination to do what's right, and how much he believed they had the power to change the world for the better. Quality traits, Leon respected him highly for them all, however, the latter might be considered a tad naive. Chris was an exemplary operator, trapped in a room, surrounded by stakeholders and board members. Politicians, in the figurative sense, and arguably the worst kind. Leon’s eyes darted around the seated figures, noting the sheen of luxurious silk clothes, tailored suits and wrist watches that were never used for any practical purpose. If you had to ask, you couldn’t afford it. 

There were a handful of friendlies on the south end of the oval table where Leon and Chris sat opposite. Leon knew them all as subordinates within the teams Chris oversaw, all good men and women, people you could trust. They had kindness in their eyes despite the worn and torn faces they wore, they shared the optimism of their Captain. They existed in stark contrast to the other two thirds of the table where the client cartel sat in horseshoe formation, their backs positioned to the entrance to the room, psychologically forming a barrier between the BSAA staff and the exit. 

“-pride ourselves in swiftly responding to an incident, and I am very pleased with the outcome and the performance of my team.”

Leon watched Chris fidget slightly in his seat as he spoke. He was clearly uncomfortable, but he was handling it well. Still, Chris was out of his depth. 

Politicians were hard enough to hold a work related conversation with. They were always playing games. A simple discussion became a contract with fine print, never in your favor or your benefit. More was always demanded of you, because good was never good enough for them. He wondered who had more power anyway, in these strange times. Was it the politicians he was used to handling, or the people sitting a few meters away from him. 

“-the use of B.O.W units by the BSAA?”

Leon’s attention violently snapped back to the woman seated at the head of the table. She shuffled through a document folder, licking a finger to flick through the pages effortlessly. Peering down through a set of reading glasses with a fine gold chain draped around her neck, a frown crinkled the skin on her forehead. She looked to be at least fifty years of age, with the telltale signs that she’d had work done to maintain a youthful presentation. Despite mankind mastering the molding of biology, they were still unable to tame the passage of time. The cracks in her mask formed when she frowned, and her voice gave away her years. Her dark eyes shifted upwards, piercing out from behind a sunken brow.

“I-Wh-Excuse me?” Chris stammered, shocked at whatever she had just implied.

Leon looked around the room hoping to find some context. The BSAA members appeared just as confused and shocked as he was. 

“Mr. Redfield, as the lead operator of this…” the woman paused, a chill beginning to settle on the room, “... Successful operation…”

Chris stiffened in his chair. Leon squinted from across the table and could barely make out the tiny printed details on her visitors identification badge.

Ms. Harker, CTO, Valhanian Pharmaceuticals. 

This is bad, he thought.

“... Do you condone the use of Bio-Organic-Weapons by the BSAA?” 

Harker’s speech had a sharp whistle to it that pierced the air of the room and the stunned silence of the attendees. This was a regular Tuesday lunch for Leon, for Chris this may as well be judgment day at the pearly gates. 

Don’t.

As if willing it so hard might psychically influence Chris into responding the right way.

Chris, don’t.

“What the hell are you trying to say?”

Fuck.

He couldn’t fault Chris for being defensive, but god, if there ever was a worse time for it.

“It’s a simple question, Mr Redfield.”

Chris rolled back his shoulders and leaned into his chair, hands clasped tightly on the tabletop, trying to calm himself as he regulated the tone of his response.  

“Of course we don’t condone the use of B.O.W’s, the BSAA was formed specifically to combat their use and propagation.” he responded calmly and confidently. 

“Thank you Mr Redfield, you’ve alleviated my concerns regarding your intelligence.”

Leon flinched at the insult. Glancing at Chris, he could see his friend's quick fuse burning at an alarming rate. 

“However your conviction is something I fear I must question.” 

Chris swallowed. The colour had drained ever so slightly from his face.

“I only think it’s right that the BSAA is transparent with regards to how it operates. We came to you on the good faith you would have the professionalism to help us clean up a horrific accident…” she gently placed the manilla folder back on the desk in front of her, and started to lay out items from inside it in an organised fashion.

“... and what are we without safety protocols and rigidity? Our products keep people alive and healthy all over the world, as I’m sure you’re all well aware.”

The venom in her tone caused a shiver to roll across Leon’s skin. 

“So to sit here in front of myself and my associates, and represent the BSAA, I find this conviction quite concerning with regards to what I’m going to show you.”

With a twist of her wrist she selected and slid a photograph down the length of the table, as if to twist the knife deeper.

“Care to explain this to me, Mr Redfield?”

Chris gently reached for the photograph, his hand trembled ever so slightly. The sight of Chris of all people, this nervous unsettled Leon like nothing else, despite everything he’d been through and seen before. Somehow a room full of big-pharma sharks was scarier than a giant monster covered in teeth and claws. He felt his heart beat a little faster as Chris eyed the photograph.

“I’m sorry, what exactly am I looking at?”

Good, good. Leon thought. Don’t give it to them easy. 

“What you are looking at, Mr Redfield, is an image pulled from our security system. It’s the clearest shot our team recovered, as either the camera’s were tampered with, or their blind spots were carefully utilised by this….” she paused, tapping the table with an acrylic nail as she pondered what word would be most appropriate.

“... individual.”

She paused to let the phrase sink in before continuing.

“It failed to hide entirely from us however, and in that image you can clearly see it is wearing a uniform that matches those of your team, yet it is not a human.”

Fuck. He’d been so careful, so cautious.

Something had felt off about the job from the minute Leon set boots on the ground outside the factory. Chris had assured him that it’d be smooth, he’d done it a hundred times before, there shouldn’t be any issues. It was a C-Virus outbreak for sure, but not the normal kind. Valhanian was working on vaccines and preventative medication, blockers for the immune system that could quickly and effectively obliterate the virus or prevent it from even gaining a hold on the system. The most common form was the standard strains that had a very similar effect on humans as the T-Virus did, which they were led to believe was the main focus of the factory - manufacturing and R&D for the ‘zombie’ strains. 

What they found waiting for them was most certainly not the standard C-Virus infected humans. 

Chris had brushed it off at the time, claiming that with how volatile the virus was, he wasn’t surprised that something had gone wrong and there were chrysalid variants in the facility.

Nothing’s without risk, something must have gone wrong, it’s not like we haven’t handled this sort of thing before.

Leon knew that there was no way in hell that a company with that much money in the game of vaccines would fuck around and find out - risking everything in the process. But it wasn’t worth arguing with Chris, he insisted that it wasn’t his job to worry about the science team’s side of things and that ‘Rebecca will figure it out.’ 

Chris was ever the optimist on his good days. Leon had seen too much to trust any corporation that invested in the field of medicine. You don’t get fission without fusion, and anyone who claimed that advancements in bio-organic warfare had no links to advancements in medicine, was a fool or a liar. Most likely both. 

Naturally, something went wrong on the job, sure he’d had a little ‘mutation’ incident, but Rebecca’s drugs worked a treat, they just took a while to fully kick in. 

.

“I don’t know what this is or what you’re trying to do, we don’t employ B.O.W’s as part of our operations, whatever you’re trying to claim with this is unfounded.” Chris responded in anger.

No no no you dumbass, don’t give it to them Chris!

“Mr. Redfield, I'm just being thorough.” Harker’s voice took the tone of a teacher reprimanding a student, “You’re no stranger to the industry, and I’m sure you understand we are very conscious and concerned about protecting our business. Incidents like this are of a high concern to us as the entire reason we brought the BSAA in to assist us was to stop a B.O.W incident.”

Chris glanced briefly at the BSAA staff seated around him, and Leon. Fear and panic reflected in his eyes, a silent cry for help. Leon could tell that Chris knew who was in the photograph and could only lie about it for so long before the game was given away.

Leon cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the sharks.

“Ms Harker I can assure you that Chris is just as shocked as you are, and that the BSAA operates at the highest level of-”

“Thank you for your assurance, Mr Kennedy,” Harker interrupted, her full attention snapping to Leon “but I believe you are not a member of the BSAA is that correct?”

There was a predatory look to her gaze. Leon’s heart skipped a beat.

“Yes, I’m temporarily assigned to assist them in operations regarding the C-Virus as I have first hand experience with it that has proven invaluable in us combatting further outbreaks.”

“I don’t doubt that Mr. Kennedy. I’m aware of your reputation and high standing. Our country has a lot to thank you for.” 

He shivered again. There was no genuinity to her tone.

“I just wish to express my concerns, as I feel we deserve an explanation to the security footage.”

Leon dug his fingers into his thigh, scrunching the fabric of his chinos, hands hidden under the table. Showing any public sign of fear or nerves would be his downfall.

“Trust is critical to any operation, but you all know this of course. How can we trust the BSAA after seeing this? How can you even trust yourselves?” 

Seeing a hint of a smile form at the edges of her mouth, Leon’s temper began to rise.

Chris began to speak, only to be cut off by Harker’s shrill tone.

“Have you considered that there may be individuals lying dormantly infected, unbeknownst to the world, the BSAA, even themselves?

Leon bit down on his tongue. 

“Perhaps there’s an infected individual sitting in this room with us right now.”

Chris went white and gripped the photograph tighter, holding himself back from instinctively looking away from Harker, he could see the bait now but it was too late.

“Perhaps it's someone not within the BSAA.” she trailed off softly as she shifted her sights from Chris to Leon. 

He felt the eyes of every member of the meeting shift to look at him in horror. 

#c virus au #Leon Kennedy #Chris Redfield #Resident Evil 6 #Resident Evil #infected leon #POSTS THIS AND RUNS #peace offering tumblr #for being absent so much #this was a lot of fun and refreshing for me #and i hope you all get a kick from it #more to come when I can write more #hopefully soon #and hopefully sooner too on the final chapter

[wilcze-kudly]

I watched Korra again for the Weilin but I still Don’t Get It even though I want to!!! Can you give me the rundown/pitch/Weilin 101??

Oh boy I am so sorry I made such a fuss to over weilin you felt like you needed to rewatch the show for it.

So basically, Wei and Bolin don't have many interactions in canon. In fact I would say that there are only two scenes that properly count as one on one interactions. Its also important to note that the only Beifong twin Bolin ever interacts with as a singular person rarher than a pair is Wei. He never interacts with Wing unless he is addressing both twins.

The first interaction between Bolin and Wei is during B3 when Bolin is trying and failing miserably to learn metalbending. Wei seems annoyed to be stuck with someone who doesn't know metalbending and decides to sandwich Bo between two metal plates. As you do.

He then claims that 'trial by fire' is the best way to learn metalbending. Since Wei is such a minor character, we don't know enough about him to be able to fully pinpoint where this action came from. Does Wei genuinely think that bodily harm is the best way to learn a martial art? Was he trying to distract Bolin from his constant failure to bend metal? Was this the equivalent of a puppy biting someone as an attempt to initiate playtime? Is he just a douche?

We will probably never know. Thanks nickelodeon.

Bolin does eventually return the gesture in kind, getting his own petty revenge. And hitting Wei in the head with a pebble.

I like this scene, because it showcases Bolin's pettier side. One that rarely, if ever comes out with his canon romantic interests. Bolin is a character that has a habit of reigning in his less palatable traits, in order to appeal more to the people around him. His petty and more sarcastic nature is reserved mainly for Mako, probably the person he feels most comfortable with.

I think it's a very fun thing to see this side of him flare up with this random guy and it gave me thought about how their relationship could incorporate this. Wei enjoying pressing Bolin's buttons, causing Bolin to showcase more of his more authentic self.

They so seem to both have a passion for sports and earthbending which is cute. They're both competitive which adds some nice flavour and potential spicy sparring scenes.

The next scene is the famed catch n' pat.

Youre gonna tell me this wasn't at least a bit fruity?

The prolonged eye contact? The damsel in distress imagery? Bolin's lil smirk that is soon replaced with bisexual confusiom?

Imo they have a lot of chemisrty in both these scenes and make me want more of their relationship.

I also think it would be very interesting to see Bolin develop feelings for a guy. We see that he puts his female love interests on a certain pedestal. Id assume this is due to a rather naive and innocent view of love, most likely due to the fact that he didn't get to emotionally mature enough to acknowledge that romance isn't like what the fairytales say it is.

It would be interesting to see Bolin not get to 'court' said male romantic interest like he usually does. Bolin wouldn't be as 'showmany' with a guy friend than with a girl he'd like to seduce. This causes an interesting dynamic to the relationship if Bolin were to want to seduce said guy, who has seen him with his guard down.

Also seeing comphet boy Bolin going through a crisis of sexuality because his (ex?) girlfriend's brother patted his face is very appealing to me

I think what entices me in weilin is being able to have a dynamic no other ship could fully offer Bolin. And the potential of character growth it could afford Bolin, a character whose complexity is often overlooked, much to my upset. Personally, I dislike all of Bolin's canon relationships, so when Weilin came chemistry guns a blazing I was very intrigued. And then I fell down the rabbit hole and now im here.

If you have any more questions on Weilin please feel free to ask! I'm over the moon to ramble about them to whoever will listen. Hope this was enough to start you off with.

Also, if you're interested, I have a concerningly long essay on the subject because I am very sane and normal about them:

Rest assured my feelings have since evolved and i now have more reasons to ship them.

I guess there's so much fun to have with this ship and the dynamics and stories they could have.

#more weilin propaganda #weilin #wei x bolin #bolin x wei #wei beifong #wei #bolin #legend of korra #tlok #the legend of korra #avatar #avatar the legend of korra #atlok

[oboetemasuka]

Order of Attack, part 12

One of these parts had been written even before Mahiru's VD. It was inspired by Nott, and by that, as usual, I mean "Nott was there".

My trial is over, but I had so much fun holding this over Nott's head. "I'd show this to you, but I'm a stickler for chronology, so I'll have to finish Mahiru's VD first."

And then I turned around and held Mahiru's VD over Beans's head. "I was going to cause emotional devastation to Nott, but I have to write Mahiru's VD and inflict it on you first instead. *sigh*"

(cw cults, implied suicidal thoughts)

-

"I've been in my share of fights, but going up against her was different. She really isn't someone to mess with. I could defeat her in a fair fight, but… she does not fight fair."

"Is that so?"

"I could tell by the way she fought Mikoto. As much as I wish I could have broken up the fight sooner, I couldn't afford to just jump in. If they had ganged up on me, that would've been the end of it. I suppose it was fortunate that they were already worn down." 

"Speaking of Mikoto, what is up with him?"

"I don't know. Nobody does. But at the very least, he doesn't seem to be going out of his way to pick fights. It says something that he was the first at the scene." Kazui lowered his gaze regretfully. "I have to hand that to him. Amane's injuries could have been fatal if not for him." He sighed. "I wish I wasn't so late…"

"Better late than never," Es said, but Kazui did not seem to appreciate that.

"Still, I shouldn't have been so far away from the scene. I take a single moment of rest, and this happens. Two people… and one of them is a child."

"It isn't your fault. If anything, I…" Es trailed off.

"The weight of responsibility is a heavy one, isn't it? Well, if you would forgive me for adding to it… could you try to keep everyone safe?"

"Are- are you asking me to make my judgments according to safety?"

Kazui nodded.

That was the opposite of what Mahiru asked for. Es wasn't sure what they would do.

—

Amane walked across the panopticon towards Fuuta's cell. She was concerned that he was getting worse than last time. Wait, last time? What was going on last time? He was probably arguing with the voices in his head. That sounds about right. It was so bad that she could practically hear them from the way he argued with them. He was probably also hitting things to drown them out. Kicking the walls, ramming his shoulders into the furniture… anything that would be louder. But nothing was louder than those voices.

As she stood in front of the cell door, she went over her speech again. Fuuta-san, I- Wait, how did it go again? She'd rehearsed it many times. Why was she drawing a blank now?

"Stop it… Stop it… I… I haven't killed anyone…"

That sounded awfully familiar.

And then she could see inside. Fuuta was backed up against the back wall, with Kotoko standing over him.

She needed to get inside now.

She didn't remember how she got in, but whatever was covering her hands seemed to dematerialize in that moment.

"Fuuta-san-"

Kotoko looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Amane.

The rest was a blur.

...

Amane stood in front of Fuuta's cell door. She sensed something different from within the cell.

"Stop it… Stop it…"

Fuuta was being attacked by Kotoko. Amane didn't know why it was Kotoko specifically, but she could feel it.

Should she call for help? No, she shouldn't run from her trials. Besides, all the free adults were so far away. She couldn't just leave Fuuta like this.

Amane barged into the cell. The sound of the opening door immediately drew Kotoko's attention.

"Amane Momose. I didn't expect you to come to me. We can start this early."

Amane was on the ground. She didn't know how. But she had to stand up. She had to get up and face Kotoko. Tell her that… what was she supposed to tell her? Everything was jumbled up.

Everything was dark.

...

Amane sat in her cell, examining the items she had accrued before the first trial judgments went into effect. Scissors, wooden skewers, some rods from an easy-to-assemble chair… She picked up the rods. She had to be crafty this time.

Amane stood in front of Fuuta's cell door. She had no speech in mind this time. Just a plan to punish a persecutor. She just had to sneak into the cell and catch Kotoko unaware. She had gotten the jump on a person once before. She could do it again.

But when she moved to turn the door knob, she realized she didn't have a rod in her hands. She didn't even have free hands. She was wrapped up in the straitjacket. Oh well, she could probably find something in the room to use despite this.

Amane carefully pushed the door knob with her elbow, propped the door with her foot, and leaned in to open the door as quietly as possible.

She caught Kotoko in the act. What a horrific sight to see. Kotoko didn't notice her in turn.

Amane guided the door to close as quietly as possible, and then she surveyed the room. Was there anything at all that she could use? No, the room was completely devoid of anything, including furniture.

There was nothing she could do but watch.

Even when she looked away, she could still see them.

What other options remained?

Before she knew it, Kotoko was hovering over her, staring her down.

"Amane Momose. I didn't expect you to-"

"You're wrong," Amane told Kotoko as firmly as she could muster. "Milgram's judgment is wrong. You have no right to take part in it. You don't get to interfere with other people's destiny. You are not the warden's fang."

…

"You are nothing but a persecutor!"

It hurt. Everything hurt. Her eye socket screamed at her. Her ribs jabbed her angrily as she yelled.

Then she saw Mahiru on her left side and tried to quickly compose herself. She wasn't fast enough.

"Oh, Amane-chan… was it another nightmare?"

"There are… no… nightmares…… only trials."

—

What were the things she said in that dream? Maybe she could use them in her next conversation.

… There was no point trying to remember words said in dreams.

"Fuuta Kajiyama, how have you-"

"It hurts..." Fuuta groaned, drawing out his words.

"Pain is merely a trial form God. If you endure it, your reward will be great."

"It had better be worth it."

"Of course it will be."

Little did Amane know that Fuuta had a very different outcome in mind.

"…I've felt more alive," Fuuta said after a brief silence. "Ever since I reduced the dose."

"I am glad to hear that."

"But it still hurts…"

"I know. I also know you can tough it out. I believe in you."

If only Amane had listened and observed Fuuta's mannerisms more carefully.

#milgram #es milgram #milgram es #kazui mukuhara #amane momose #kotoko yuzuriha #mahiru shiina #fuuta kajiyama #cw cults #cw suicidal thoughts #bad things happen to amane

[ihavemadequestionablechoices]

Yan!C!Awesamedude x GN!Reader

Summary: Living in a kingdom with someone in charge who you see as a tyrant, you weren't afraid to take your shot and attempt to murder him. Unfortunately, he survived, though barely, and you'd been arrested. Now, you're one of the very few prisoners of Pandora's Prison: the dungeons for those who are, to put it mildly, fucked.

Genre: angst, horror

Warnings: swearing,

Pronouns: I/me

Request: [YES]/[NO]

AU: Medieval-inspired

Note: because I'm on vacation and thusly can't update my fics, I decided to make use of the free WiFi in this hotel ((: Note that they're written on phone, and so likely have mistakes.

Pandora's Pen

Day 1

Welp, guess what? I failed. I didn't think I'd end up here, but I did. Pandora's Prison. The moment that spoiled prince sent me here, I knew I was fucked. I hoped I'd be given a fair trial, but of course, a "royal" can't deal with criticism.

So, now I'm just living a death sentence, basically. Everything in this place (including a bed) has to be bought by my money. You believe that? I'm lucky to have Niki make sure I remain alive as long as I can afford (I trust her with my life, so also with my money), but I said I only want her to give the money to stuff like food and drink. I'll just pee and shit and whatnot in the bucket the Prison did provide, and she'll pay with my money for the meals. But I refuse any other luxuries. The only other thing I asked for was this notebook, to be returned to her, so all know the true cruelty of this nation.

I'll start out by describing what happened when I was brought here. While I stayed in the dungeons of the Royal Palace, a bunch of soldiers came in and forced me into handcuffs. They blinded me with a blindfold and told me to remain silent once I started (naturally so) asking questions. They didn't say where they were taking me: I assumed to court. However, I was eventually forced upon a wagon and brought to somewhere easily recognizable.

The Prison is darker for one who knows it'll become their home. They stripped me of any belongings I had left, and forced me into this weird uniform, which admittedly isn't that bad, it's just hard for when I have to piss. It's like a dress with trousers, if you get what I mean. I don't know, man, never been big on clothing.

Anyway, the main Warden hadn't spoken at all during this, until he explained the money part. Ugh, I already hated this voice. He said I wouldn't see anyone except the other wardens, so I should get used to it. Well, he said it more formal, but it was clear to me he wasn't going to treat me like a normal fucking human being.

I was one of the few criminals there too. The other one was Dream, who's infamous for his "war crimes" or whatever they're called. However, I'm never going to see him. He's stuck in the big lava cell, while I'm just stuck in a dark-ass chamber with only the light of outside through railed windows to prevent me from going blind. While he's stuck in a poisonous warmth, I have to do with a bone-chilling cold.

My cell is pretty small. I think a guy of two feet would have to constantly keep his head down, and the cell itself is like 3 by 3 metres. I already mentioned the bucket (fucket) and there are carvings in the walls that have probably been made by a former prisoner. There's only a little light: that of outside and of the small window in the door, whenever someone with a torch comes by. It stinks. Unsurprisingly so, but I expected more urine-smell and less... well, death.

Anyway, I'm writing this before I'm going to try and sleep on the cold floor. I want to make sure I sleep enough to prevent any health problems that come with this... life, if that's what you can call it, from escalating.

And well, I am tired. Extremely.

Day 3

So, today one of the wardens came to bring me food. He smelled like alcohol and I'm pretty sure he was drunk. When I spoke to him, he answered kindly, though I think that's because he wasn't really there. The guy was called Bad, he said. When I asked him why he was drunk, he said it was to block out the screams. At first I thought he was trying to scare me, until I heard them too.

The Warden (the green one) passed by my cell, so I asked him about it. He seemed... shocked. He stopped by my cell and looked at me through the small window. I could only see his eyes. They looked as exhausted as mine.

"You're not allowed to speak to me, 7."

Yeah, 7 is the number assigned to me, for some reason. I think it's because I'm in cell 7. Not sure, though.

"I'm going to die in here anyway. If you think I give a shit about your petty rules, you're mistaken. But who was that? What was that?"

Despite apparently not allowing me to talk to him, he still answered.

"That's none of your business, 7."

"Don't be sassy to me, Warden. You know I'm going nowhere, so why hold that information a secret?"

I'm pretty sure he doesn't know about the notebook (he might, but he didn't mention it). He just snarled at me and then left. Rather amateur behaviour, if you ask me. I'm sure he wouldn't have reacted that way had he had more energy.

The food sucks, by the way. I have no idea how expensive it is, but it's not worth my money.

Day 16

Guess what, something exciting happened, finally. After two weeks, I am already mentally derived of life, but today, I finally had someone visit me. The spoiled prince himself.

For some reason (that reason being privileges), the Warden came into my cell and cuffed me, blindfolded me and brought me to his office. Honestly, I will admit, he did not have as expensive things as I thought he would have. I was cuffed to a chair while he kept his eyes on me all the time, warning bitch hoe (that's what I name the Prince) that I would be provocative. Can't say he was wrong, but I decided to hold myself in, just to make his life a little more miserable.

The Prince, of course, started proudly talking about how his father lived and I was a failure and blah blah blah. I'm pretty sure I even heard the Warden sigh at some point, but I may have imagined it. Bad sleep + bad food + no social interaction -> hallucinations. Two weeks have passed and I'm already going insane. Every day is the same: I avoid writing those down because they're as predictable as you can imagine.

God I can feel myself going insane.

The Prince ended up leaving and I was brought back to my cell. I hadn't said a word to him, just smiling at him as he arrogantly spoke. The Warden returned me to the cell and immediately brought my food, which was less than yesterday. I know my money shouldn't be running out already so I expect some asshole (either he or the prince) took some.

Day 20

I've just realised I've either been in here for way too short, or I've not been keeping track of the days at all.

Anyway, I wouldn't write this down if it wasn't the same. Some guy passed by my cell today, and after that, the screaming started. The Warden passed by my cell as well, so I told him to, you know, explain to me what the hell was going on. Though he never answered my question, he just started to... talk.

His name is Sam I now know, and he's been the Warden of Pandora's Prison ever since the start. I must admit, his sudden decision to talk to me (despite me not being allowed to start conversation) felt kinda weird. Maybe it's normal for him, but I'm pretty sure it's not.

In any case, he ended up by saying "until next time", so I assume this will become a habit of his.

Day ???

I'm not kidding. He made it into a habit. But this time - I don't know how much time passed - he actually entered my cell. He went inside and just sat down and talked to me. When I asked why, he said I was right.

"You're not going to get out of here, so there's no reason to follow the rules. You'll die here. I can tell you anything, and nobody would ever know."

He didn't share any sensitive information, unfortunately, but it was still rather... terrifying. He refused to answer any questions, but threatened to seriously hurt me if I were to avoid any of his. I'm not kidding. This place is messed up, and the power is clearly rising to his head. I said this and he just shrugged.

He then notified me I was nearing my last coins. I knew this would happen and admittedly, I'm glad. Sam's presence has been nauseating. To a certain extent enticing and comforting, but also really scary.

Day WTF

I should be out of money right now. Why am I still getting food? The meals have increased in quality and I've gotten things Niki would know I don't enjoy, so why am I getting it?

Day uhhh

I've stopped eating the food Sam gave me. It smells weird. I think he's trying to poison me? I mean, I may also just be going insane, but him just sitting down in my cell each day (or twice a day - I wouldn't know) is really suspicious. He's insisting I eat, but I'm just waiting to die of starvation.

He also said that he could provide me with a luxurious cell??? It's fucking weird, man. I don't trust it. None of it.

Day FUCK

He got touchy. I'm not joking. He got touchy. Said it'd be a shame for a beautiful one like me to go to waste and he stroked my fucking cheek. I told him to fuck off, and he told me only if I ate. I don't trust it. None of it.

Day damn

I'm hungry. I'm so fucking hungry. The smell of food is enough to make me drool, and I think he knows that. He has to. In any case, I refuse to. I've told him that if he can provide me with a dagger, I'd do it.

His... weird behaviours have been starting to cross a line too. I think he likes being a Warden?? In the way one shouldn't?? He's started calling me pet names, talking about how much of a shame it is I'm a prisoner, though he clearly seem to enjoy that exact bit. It's really freaky. I'm scared to go to sleep.

Dagger day

He's given me it. I'm going to eat my last meal (he made one very tasty, and I'm pretty sure he poisoned it). When he gave me it, he held a whole speech of how much he loves me (fucking hell, I know) and I'm worried. But it also made me more determined. His touchiness and the memories of what I'm fighting for, have made me certain.

I'm eating my last meal. Then he'll regret ever giving me the dagger.

Farewell.

Sam, if you're reading this: haha L bozo

#dsmp #yandere #awesamdude #awesamdude x reader #fanfiction #reader #yanderecore #prison

[moonglowmagic]

Poppy swirled the straw around in the drink beef handing it over to the customer with a smile. Moving along to finishing wiping off the bar so there was a clean empty spot among the regular crowd of people, when she heard the door ring. Looking up to see a familiar face, she gave a slight wave to greet them. “Hey,” Finally greeting them once they sat down across from her and she placed a napkin in front of them. “What can I get you tonight?” 

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“You’re doing well.” Binna remarked as she skated next to the person who she’d been working with all afternoon. Thankfully her schedule was starting to book up which meant she could stop some of the free trial classes she’d been doing like this one. “Just put your arms out and steady yourself.” She coached, reaching for their arms as she moved behind them to try and steady them. “Just breathe, you’ve got this.” 

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“These bangs are stupid.” Dilan complained as she blew up at the hair to move it out of her eyes once more. Ever since Elizabeth had decided to cut her hair it had been Dilan’s problem that she was now forced to deal with. Picking up the shot that they’d ordered and she downed it quickly to hopefully take off the edge she was feeling. “I can’t believe you all let that bitch cut my hair.” She whined with annoyance, leaned against the bar with her back to the bartender. While nobody had been around when Elizabeth had hacked and dyed Dilan’s hair she wasn’t above blaming just about anyone. “Also I know I should probably apologize for the whole possession thing, but it’s not going to happen.” Informing them with a smirk before she reached for her now full martini and took a drink from it. “In fact you all should be apologizing to me for not getting her out of here sooner.” 

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Safiye stood in Blush Boutique browsing the different articles of clothing as she looked for some cute summer clothing to replace everything that she’d left behind. As she held up a pair of shorts she turned to the person closet to her. “What do you think of these?” She asked holding up the shorts. “Think they can make it through a full moon?” She was half joking, half serious. She couldn’t afford right now to ruin yet another pair of pants because of her stupid curse. “I mean they are rather stretchy.” 

#( threads || dilan selvi. ) #( threads || poppy reed. ) #( threads || safiye yildiz. ) #( threads || kim binna. ) #lunarcovestarter #have all these generic ass starters

[tippenfunkaport]

Inspired by a recent poll, could you tell us a bit more about the software you use for writing and the advantages with it?

Thanks so much!

Can I keep this short is the question...

So, for anyone who didn’t see the post this is referring to, I mentioned on another post that the writing software I use is...

4TheWords for drafting (brainstorming, first draft, etc)

Scrivener for all subsequent stages (editing, formatting, etc)

ProWritingAid for a final look before I submit / post

Longer version (and, like, I could talk about this all day so feel free to ask follow ups but I will try to contain myself)

4TheWords is a fantasy RPG-ish writing game where the words you write defeat monsters, earn loot, complete quests, etc. I have been playing it for five years ish and the game-ification just works really well for my brain. Earning silly little prizes and moving the game plot along keeps me motivated to keep writing when otherwise I would be a useless slug so I do most of my early stage writing on there like drafting, brainstorming, journaling, etc. It is silly but I love it and it basically saved my writing life when I was in a huge slump so they have my undying devotion. The company is also the kind you feel very good about supporting and they are HUGELY queer friendly with a big yearly Pride event with many of the main in-game characters being queer and/or trans. (The closest the game has to main characters are a lesbian couple that just got married as part of the Valentine's Day event last month!)

It costs money but a) there is a 30 day free trial of you want to check it out and b) there is a community pool if you cannot afford the fee as well as frequent sales/deals. (If anyone wants to try it out, feel free to use my referral code when you sign up because then you’ll get some extra crystals and I can send you a welcome present of some loot! If the image link above is annoying, dm me and I will give you it via text for copy and paste.)

Scrivener is very robust writing software that I use for fiction, non-fiction and scriptwriting. I only rarely use it for first drafts (bc I use 4TW for that) but I do almost all my editing / rewriting / formatting / publishing in it. I have been using it for probably about a decade and am still finding new tools and features I didn’t realize it had. I absolutely swear by it. The learning curve can be steep but luckily it’s one of the most popular writing programs in the world so there are a TON of great tutorials out there. (My advice? Just watch a video of something like the top 5-10 features and then play around and look up stuff as you have questions instead of trying to do the whole long tutorial it comes with.)

Disclaimer that I only own the desktop version. There are mobile versions that are a separate purchase from the desktop version but I don't use them.

Biggest selling points of Scrivener to me are:

while many writing services have a monthly fee, Scrivener is purchased exactly once and you can use it for life on your laptop and desktop AND you can get 50% off that one time price with a NaNoWriMo winner code (this alone is enough to buy my loyalty for life)

it’s incredibly versatile for both plotting and publishing and works really for my writing process (which is, admittedly, chaotic and weird) and has near infinite customization. It's esp great for making story bibles, organizing research, and plotting out larger works with lots of cross references and chapters you need to rearrange

as a script writer, Scrivener only cost me a one time fee of $35 and includes all updates and bug fixes until the next major version (which happens like once a decade). FinalDraft is $250 and that only includes the current version (which changes about once a year) to do the same thing. That’s a no brainer to me.

ProWritingAid is editing software. Like Grammarly but MUCH more robust with a lot more reports you can run. It’s not replacement for a human editor (AI editing can only do so much) but I like it as a second pair of eyes before I post or submit something because it does catch a lot of the basics and makes me feel a little better about sending something out. There is a limited free version and the full version can be pricey if you pay the monthly fee but I bided my time until the lifetime subscription went on sale for 50% off and paid once and now I have it to use for life.

There. That was almost short, right?

#writing #writer #scrivener #4thewords #prowritingaid #writerscommunity #writblr #writbr #writers on tumblr #nanowrimo #asks #writing software

[savage-rhi]

*inhales deeply*

LET'S GET DANGEROUS....

I know I don't owe anyone anything, but I want to be transparent about why I've not been as active lately.

My recent job loss and the discrimination that contributed to said loss had me severely depressed. After coming down a little from survivor/PTSD mode, I needed to take space from everyone and everything. I am starting to feel better, thankfully.

I have been performing odd jobs in my neighborhood so that I am good on cash for bills and housing this month and part of next month. Beyond that, I don't know what to expect.

I am still working on my Ko-Fi shop. This is one of those things I jumped right into thanks to survivor mode, and I didn't account for everything as thoroughly so I'm taking my time with it.

I did speak to a few legal advocates and a couple of lawyers during these past few weeks. Here's the good, bad, and ugly:

Good: Yes, there was illegal discrimination at play. My place of employment didn't handle things the way they should've regarding my excused absences related to disability, and they contributed to emotional duress and screwed over my education prospects.

Bad: I didn't have a paper trail for everything, but I had enough to prove that I did what I was supposed to do on my end when it came to adhering to my place of employments processes. There is sadly nothing that can be done about the third party health insurance company that played a role in screwing me over.

Ugly: Even with the pro-bono stuff that was offered, I'm looking between 20,000-35,000k out of pocket if I wanted to take this to the highest.

Folks...I do not have 20-35k lying around nor the emotional bandwidth to go through a trial/suit. Yes, GoFundMe is an option if I was dead serious on dragging these fuckers dicks through the dirt, but guys, honest to god, I'd rather that 20k-35k go to the following:

Keeping a roof over my head and food on the table until I have stable employment

Ensuring I can afford medical care for my disability, and afford new tests that I'm going to need for long-covid issues

Help me stay in my graduate courses/obtain my therapy licensure

Use it to help out other disabled folks in similar situations

I have closure that I was indeed wronged, that I did everything on my end to the best of my ability, and these dehumanizing assholes aren't going to rob anymore of my energy or time than they already have.

I have appointments to see if covid has fucked up or contributed to anything more serious that hasn't been addressed. I have a secondary PCP now cause of health concerns that have gotten worse. My fibromyalgia flares have been more chaotic since catching covid in January and I'm still figuring out what my new baseline is with that.

Spring Term of my graduate studies started last week, and I'm getting as much as I can done so I have more free time.

I am trying to find motivation to work my fanfics, drabbles, interacting, etc. It's been hard with everything.

My former employer is trying to get out of unemployment benefits and I've been battling that on top of the other stuff.

I need time to rest (like hibernate) and I haven't had the opportunity to do that.

Thank you again to everyone who has checked in on me, asked me how I've been, sent something positive, or donated. I'm sorry I haven't had the hit points to get to everyone individually, but I am trying and I am grateful for the compassion and appreciation.

If you still want to donate before my Ko-Fi shop is up, you can donate at these places:

PayPal: [email protected]

Kofi: KitchenRaptorJ

CashApp: $JayRex1463

If you don't have the means, that's a okay. Take care of yourself first.

If you want to send me comfort things (Ardyn Izunia, Higgs Monaghan, Karl Heisenberg, dinosaurs, dragons, etc.) like art, fanfic, etc. my way, that would be wonderful and I am open to that. I'm still open to a friendly hello or check in, just know I won't respond right away.

Now that all is said and done...

#magenta #magenta is my safe word for venting #i need a vacation at some point #like a quick trip to the coast for a few days in a run down motel or spending the night in my car on the beach with a thing of malibu rum #and a bar of dark sea salt caramel chocolate and the sickest pair of shades known to man with a cigar hanging out of my mouth #please do not ask me to elaborate more on the lawyer stuff it was already a clusterfuck to begin with and i don't have the spoons to comb #over all the little details of what was told to me just know i tried and was dead set on getting answers which i did earn in the end #seriously though i do love you guys that privately DM'd on here and off and asked if im alright even if i didn't say anything back #thank you for being kind #please extend that kindness to yourself as well

[r0gue-taxidermy]

PACKERS AND PACKING INFORMATION AND REVIEWS:

Cw: prosthetic male genitalia/penises for informational purposes only 

I’m going to start this by first introducing myself so hello I’m Jackson I’m a plus size ftm trans teenager and I’m going to go over the best and easiest way to pack as a trans dude

You may be asking what a packer is? Well a packer is a gender affirming tool that creates or mimics a bulge or a penis which may seem like it’s a thing meant for adults but actually it’s very useful for everyone it helps with dysphoria or even just helps if your wanting to appear more masculine

Another thing that will be mentioned are STPs; STP stands for stand to pee device which do make it possible to as said stand to pee which can go from looking realistic or just being a cup with a tube

so I will be ranking my favorite packers/STPs/packing alternatives and will include where to find and price ranges and packing ability’s. If you have any questions either message me or comment them down below! Starting off strong with number one my favorite packer is

1. STP FREELY:

This is my favorite STP packer it’s 3.5 inches long and is a SOFT packer with a wide brim cup with a lip so no worry about spills or anything made with a skin safe soft silicone , definitely more of an affordable packer + STP it ranges from 45-50$ and it comes in 5 different skin tones! there is a XL Version of this packer that is 5 inches that I have not tried that is 50$ (you can also buy the XL rod which turns this into a pack and play “toy” for around 16$) and both xl and regular come with the option of being circumcised or non circumcised which I think is a neat feature! This packer also requires a harness ! I recommend the cake bandit packing harness it’s comfortable and not too tight. you can find both of these on TransGuySupply.com

Packing ability:9/10 definitely my favorite packer I’ve owned packs very well

Looks:9/10 nice weight, decently realistic but there are definitely better packers on the market but overall a wonderful packer

Stp ability: 10/10 very easy to get used too, big cup with a lip and semi realistic urethra hole

Can’t stress how much I love this packer will buy again

2. EZ bulge:

Here’s a cheap simple packing option for people who want to try out packing as it’s a foam insert made of a thicker foam material that you put In your boxers, these usually range from 5-10$ which isn’t bad the only downside is that they are stiff and if your bigger like me it will rub against your thighs and become uncomfortable and there’s definitely pros and cons for this packer like it’s latex or silicone free but it is kind of stiff and hard to position you can get this packer from transguysupply.com or Etsy!

Packing ability: 7/10 it works but is kind of uncomfortable and if not positioned right can look funny

Looks: 6/10definitely a more discrete option if you don’t get one with a dick imprint

3.HOMEMADE SOCK PACKERS

Omg I can’t express how much these save my life if I’m dyphoric these are a simple, cheap and easy way to pack I can’t express how much I use these on a daily basis, there are plenty of videos on YouTube on how to make these (kade cooks has a good tutorial on YouTube btw)

Packing ability:5/10 definitely a easy packing tool but can look kinda wonky if not made right and may take some trial and error

Looks: 2/10 definitely not a good looking packer but gets the job done

4.FOAM INSERT PACKER

Similar to the EZ bulge this is another foam packer insert but definitely is more comfortable, it’s a thin foam works well with most of the packing jockstraps,briefs, or boxers it’s about 5$ usually. I had one for a couple months then it started falling apart as the first layer of thin fabric came off of back but was a cheap and easy packer and is way more discrete option you can find this packer on transguysupply.com

Packing ability: definitely a solid 6/10 it works well but can fold or bunch up easily if you have bigger thighs

Looks:5/10 decently discrete looks similar to a bra cup

5.PACKER GEAR STP

this was my first ever STP or packer in general and can I say how much I hate this packer very small cup with no lip so spills are a big problem, it is almost physically impossible to use this as a packer this is the stiffest packer I’ve ever had IT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR HARD, the urethra and hole of this packer is massive and it’s unrealistic you will piss a stream the size of a no.2 pencil. One of its cons though is that it is the cheapest stp packer I know it’s 15$ and comes in two different skin colors, it is around 4.5 inches and can be found on transguysupply.com

Packing ability: 0/10 it’s trash

Looks: 5/10 it definitely tried to look realistic

Stp ability: 5/10 definitely not the best on the market but for how affordable it is it’s not too bad minus the firm cheap silicone and small cup

6. ANY FEMALE CAMPING URINAL

Such a honorable mention this fuckin thing well these can be found in most camping places, Amazon or anywhere online really. I can’t say I hate them but I can’t say I like them either but definitely work, they look mad dumb honestly and make me dysphoric lowkey but they work as STPs but unlike the other two options on this list this can’t be used as at a urinal but they don’t spill and are easily found and can be used by people who aren’t FtM or transmasc and usually range about 5-20$ online

Packing ability:0/10

Looks:0/10 mad Fucking ugly

Stp ability:10/10 definitely does the job

And that’s the end of my review folks I hope this can help out other trans people

#trans pride #transgender #ftm #trans punk #trans masc #packers #packing #gender affirmation #ftm trans #transgender youth #ftm packer #stp packer #lgbt pride #lgbtqia #queer pride

[roo-bastmoon]

BTS Tutorial: Billboard Charts

So how does charting work when it comes to Billboard?

Hey, fam. Let’s get into it.

First off, this information mostly pertains to folks living in the United States or Puerto Rico. If you live elsewhere, you’ll want to pay attention to the rules for your own country and concentrate on helping the boys chart on Hanteo and GaOn (Circle) charts so they can win awards in Korea.

Second, did you know there’s more than one Billboard chart to focus on?

The first chart is Billboard Hot 100. This is the music industry standard.

This chart is focused on singles. They track how well the singles do for 1 week (from when it drops on Friday night until the following Thursday.) The chart usually updates by the following Tuesday morning.

Streaming is the most dominant factor, but sales and radio play also are important.

Jimin is releasing singles for FACE and we want them to chart well, so if you can afford it, it’s important that you pre-order the digital singles for “Set Me Free Pt.2” & “Like Crazy” at the official BTS store.

(The single CD for “Like Crazy” is also available for pre-order if you can swing that!) You can buy those things here and they will count for the charts:

If you have Amazon Prime, it’ll let you connect to your account and you can pay for it that way—super convenient.

Now hear me out: If you can’t afford it, that’s okay. Don't stress out.

Please save up to buy the album on iTunes and Amazon, if you can do that, and either way, just be prepared to work your butt off streaming the singles online. (I will be posting a mini-tutorial on streaming soon).

But don't neglect the singles. Hot 100 very much matters.

The second chart is Billboard 200. Getting BTS members on this chart at least is a matter of honor.

This chart is focused on albums and EPs.

Roo, what is an EP? I’m glad you asked!

EP stands for Extended Play. It’s for mini albums, like FACE, that typically have 6 or fewer tracks and run less than 30 minutes. For EPs, it’s great to stream the songs in the order of the original tracklist, so all songs have an equal chance to chart.

LP stands for Long Play. That refers to a traditional album with 6 or more songs (sometimes more than 12!) that run longer than half an hour.

Of note, we saw photos posted on social media in 2022 of Jimin working with a bunch of artists and producers who do not seem to be featured on the mini-album FACE. It is therefore possible (I am not making promises) that he might have plans to release an LP later. Let’s keep an eye out.

Anyway, back to Billboard 200.

This one is a big one and we simply must help Jimin to place well here. In order to make the chart, Billboard tracks pure sales, and something called SAS (streams and sales) which combines TEA, SEA, and SES.

What is up with the alphabet soup, Roo? Again, so glad you asked.

TEA stands for Track Equivalent Albums. In this case, 10 tracks = 1 album.

SEA stands for Stream Equivalent Albums. If you cannot buy the album, you need to stream your guts out. As far as I can tell, the following formula still holds true:

--1,250 streams from a premium stream (such as a Spotify Premium account) = 1 album/unit sale. --3,750 streams from an ad supported stream (such as a free Spotify account) = 1 album/unit sale.

So if you sign up for a free trial for Spotify before FACE comes out, your streams will count 3 TIMES AS MUCH as a free account’s efforts.

And you need to stream 1,250 times for it to count as an album sale. Please be ready to have a device devoted solely to FACE streaming nonstop for a week.

SES stands for Stream Equivalent songs. Here’s the formula for that:

--125 streams from a premium stream (such as a Spotify Premium account) = 1 song unit. --375 streams from an ad supported stream (such as a free Spotify account) = 1 song unit.

Like Hot 100, Billboard 200 tracks from Friday night through to Thursday night and posts results the following Tuesday.

Finally, there’s something called Billboard Global 200.

This includes world-wide songs counted in 200 different territories. The chart tracks both streams and downloaded sales.

A note about digital sales: it’s not enough to just buy. Once you buy, you gotta DOWNLOAD IT onto your device or it won’t count.

Also please note that streams only count from official sources (subscriptions and ad-supported platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music). Playing your digital copy on WeVerse does not count for Billboard.

By the way, did you know YouTube has a Music platform for charting, beyond just watching the official music video on regular YouTube? Check out YouTube Music and get familiar with it!

Now this is important so please pay attention.

Do not use a VPN when you are trying to chart something. VPN hides your IP address, which makes you look like a bot or a non-US/PR user, and that disqualifies your efforts. TURN OFF YOUR VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK WHEN YOU STREAM.

I found all these very helpful explanations around Billboard Charts from this source (all credit to them):

Please note, however, that much of their info came from 2021 so I’m not exactly sure it’s all still accurate. As I learn more, I will update. If you know of better info, please comment or DM me so I can update this post!

Feel free to reblog or share this post with others so we can spread the word and share the techniques.

Be on the lookout for mini-tutorials coming soon on how to stream on different platforms. We have a whole month to practice until FACE drops and you really do need time to get used to switching between accounts and figuring out the best playlist techniques.

Stay strong, Jimin stans! By March 24th we will be in good shape and as prepared as possible to help our IT BOY. He's worked hard for us, now it's our turn.

#BTS Tutorials #jimin #park jimin #face by jimin #jikook

[will-you-pick-me]

Hey guys.

So, this project may be taking a different turn in the future. Due to my disabilities, I'm 100% dependent on my projects and online shops to make money. Because of this, it's highly likely that I'll be converting this into a text game, to monetize.

I will try to keep the price as reasonable as possible, but due to my situation I can't afford for the price to be optional like itch.io allows. I'm sorry, I know many of us are struggling right now, but I do need to look after myself and my own situation. Since my Kofi and Redbubble are seeing little to no traction, I don't really have much choice but to monetize this.

Again, I'll try to keep it priced as reasonably as possible - it likely won't go over 5 dollars, but that estimate may change depending on how much time and effort this takes me.

In the meantime, I'll be learning Twine, and working on a winter event themed demo featuring Narrator as a trial game before starting on the true PickMe! text game. As always, you can send in asks regarding characters or any questions you might have about the new direction this project is taking. I hope to have the winter event demo out early next year, in the late winter, probably late January to mid February. Depending on my situation at that time, the demo may be free, but could have a price of 2 dollars. We'll have to see how it turns out, and how badly I need money by then.

To everyone who's stayed following this projects development, and especially to the members of the official Discord server (link in pinned post) for PickMe! who I've had a blast talking to and goofing off with, thank you. I've loved seeing the OC art, theories, and silly jokes you all come up with, and I encourage you to tag me in anything I may have missed.

You mean the world to me <3

#pick me! arg #mun talks #updates

[astrologanize]

have been in a massive funk (depressive episode?) that i haven’t experienced to this severity since 2016 and if anyone can relate then i figured i’d share what i have been doing to help with that

- invested in vitamins (magnesium glycinate, calcium, d3) since i’ve been having skin issues i have been avoiding the sun since i don’t want to go through the process of trialing sunscreens and seeing what does & doesn’t work, potentially worsening said issues smh. but i recently said fuck it and got some neutrogena  baby sunscreen that’s fragrance free and all that jazz because it’s supposed to be gentle and it is affordable and neutrogena has worked for me in the past so why not. i purchased another sunscreen months ago but i don’t think my skin was a fan of it because it was a lil burn-y and tingly after application, thankfully i tested it on my arms first and not my face. idk we’ll see. such is life

- also trying to take more notice in the foods that make me feel good and provide me with energy/mood boost! and mostly avoiding foods that aren’t worth the accompanying lethargy or upset stomach, but listen...your taste buds matter...so if a food is enjoyable for me and makes me happy then any *mild* discomfort in the aftermath is worth it in moderation from time to time 

- i’m doing a 30 day mindfulness challenge! and that’s lovely! you can look them up and pick whichever provides you with what you feel you’re most in need of. writing down what you are grateful for and focusing on the positives of what is happening in your life also never hurts

- i’ve been clearing out any spaces that need it. even on my annoying ass phone...i’ve been transferring anything i want to save onto a usb and it is a time consuming process that i’m trying to do in increments but i know it’s going to feel great once i have my phone as cleared out as possible so i can start saving new memories & momentos (: 

- choosing to shorten my work week by 1 day so that i am able to have a free day on the weekend to fill my personal cup of happiness!! because that is always worth it!!!!!! i shall budget accordingly but i am grateful to be doing so

- “look good feel good” except looking good to me is more about feeling comfortable in my own skin and clothing. i hate putting on a constricting outfit that may look good but makes me feel like i can’t move around freely and enjoy life. outfits that do make me feel good about the way i am presenting myself that also allow me to move freely are the goal! and hygiene is important. some days i feel lazy as hell and don’t want to do the stuff that i know makes me (feel) better but i do it because i know it makes me (feel) better...once in a while tho it’s like lol nah imma let myself be stagnant and not do that for a moment and the world will not end, i won’t feel as great but that’s okay...eventually i will resume maintaining what i need to and perk up. it’s okay to stop for a moment sometimes but ya gotta get back on it 

- really trying to keep in mind that every day is a new unlived day that is not meant to look exactly like the last and you cannot always expect your best to look the same. there’s always going to be emotions that come up, mishaps, life interference, and challenges that meet you along the way and that’s how it’s meant to be. we shall control what we can and adapt how we must. you just keep trying! some days we need to ask more of ourselves even when we don’t want to and other days we need to allow ourselves a true rest that offers nothing but peace; some days we make progress, some days are stagnant, some days we regress, and that’s all just...life

sometimes it’s nice to recognize that wow i’m sad today or today is hard for me and allowing yourself to simply have a sad, gentler day to yourself without feeling like things are shit forever - hell, sometimes it’s multiple days or weeks that are off but you gotta know your sun is going to shine again and maybe the off-ness is redirecting you for the best. follow your heart, breathe, take your time when you can and make time when you can, try to persevere without driving yourself up the wall, all the hard work you put in and progress needs to be enjoyed, your life is meant to be enjoyed, it’s okkkaaaayyyyyyyy. tend to your heart and express your heart and embolden yourself with an accepting & firm love - accept all that you are and are not but don’t let yourself believe that you are defined by what you think you lack and that there is no room for you to grow. stand strong in your heart and in your character 

#! #long post