#plants but also robots challenge

[renewablenergon]

Day #2: Mugwort - rain, fog, thunder

#planttober2022 #plants but also robots challenge #thundercracker g1 #my art #transformers #maccadam

[stem-sister-scuffle]

STEM SISTER SCUFFLE: ROUND 3 MASHUP 4

Jade Harley (Homestuck) vs Entrapta Princess of Dryl (Netflix She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

Jade Harley is a Nuclear Physicist, Roboticist, Ectobiologist, and Cosmic Manipulator (warping space and planets)!

Entrapta Princess of Dryl is a Roboticist, Programmer and First Ones' Tech Historian/Archaeologist!

Why you should vote for each contestant:

Jade Harley:

"She's soo fun and silly and her symbol is literally an atom. she regularly irradiates steak to feed her weird dog"

"She and her nuclear powered dog creating a new universe. she's cool"

"Built a modded bass guitar that's only playable when she's in her robot form and has extra arms. Became a doggirl. She also plays the flute :)"

"i think you have enough ramblings about her already but i couldnt NOT submit her, she is so dear to me <3"

"bbg has THREE scientific specialties!! she genetically modifies plants and makes them grow beautifully high just because she can and loves science. in her alpha timeline she’s a tech mogul and creates technology that challenges the evil empress that brought earth to ruin. AND she’s a furry"

"Doggy"

"She plays a silly flute refrain. She's a furry. Literally, she's a doggirl. She's also a god and created the universe. JADE BEST GIRLIE!!!!"

Entrapta Princess of Dryl:

"She builds robots!!! She's curious and inquisitive!! She loves her robots!! She has the coolest hair and also I want to be her bestie. She's an absolute love"

"autism :)"

"Builds robots and computers for fun and companionship. Can take apart and understand almost any tech she is presented with. Autism lever set to max and I love her. Mandatory boob window in all her outfits and I've never related harder to a character."

"autistic icon, amazing inventor and app round excellent character"

"she has prehensile hair it’s literally the best thing i’ve ever seen in my life, it’s never once acknowledged by any of the characters as abnormal or explained in any way i’m literally obsessed with it. also autism queen"

"PIGTAILS!!!! autism"

"Entrapta is very bubbly and positive. She never lets anything like losing her friends or going to the bad side or getting put on a death-sentence island stop her from scientific pursuits! She actually drives a lot of the conflict in the story, as she explains the technological backstory of the world, and helps both sides be better at fighting. She loves data, doing experiments, and the scientific method. She's also in love with space. She is an autistic queen <3"

"phenomenal canon autism representation without being weird & shitty. also she’s so strange & wonderful & relatable in so so many ways. my computer is named Darla bc that’s what she named the AI for the spaceship in s5"

"She is THE science queen because she loves science so much and her love of it is INFECTIOUS. I don’t know anything about science but Entrapta makes it seem like the coolest thing in the universe. I love her"

"She ourple. I luv her"

"She's so passionate about her work. Takes through notes! Figured out how to hack her home planet!!! She's autistic as hell and I like her overalls."

"You won’t get autism like this anywhere else bestie"

"amoral mad scientist who flips between the good guys and bad guys, loves building so many inventions, ends up converting the head bad guy (for most of the series) to good through the power of love"

"She has outfitted her entire castle to be a maze, and installed electronic locks on some. Her staff seems to be mostly robots she has built herself. In good part reverse engineering or adapting ancient tech found on the planet. She's incredible at what she does and personally fixes, invents and builds a wide range of stuff from space ships to portals to a prosthetic exoskeleton to trackers to war machines. She can do it all. Autism win! Girlie has been criticised for being treated childlike or being unable to understand those around her to a ridiculous degree, but I'm honestly just glad she's not a Sheldon Cooper. Her favorite bots have personalities and therefore implied AI (but not the shitty kind), which means she's pretty fucking good at software too. She likes tiny foods."

"So very autistic about technology. Initially believes robots are way better than people, eventually makes human friends but also very much still has robot friends (I love Emily so much). Gets so excited about finding new First One's tech. Also her happy spinning around in a space suit in that one season 5 episode heals my heart every time I watch it"

"She's the planet's leading expert on ancient tech (sci-fi/fantasy universe) and develops most of the tech in the show and is very autistic about it. i love her"

"She is fun and funky. Chaotic neutral. Definitely some autism coding going on, which is very charming. She has a pet robot? It is cute"

"Bc she is ENTRAPTA!! No srsly she is such a well-written character. At times kinda morally grey but always lovable and great and she is truly amazing at what she does!! I'm pretty sure she's already been submitted but I wanted to make sure :)"

#stem sister scuffle #round 3 #homestuck #homestuck jade #hs jade #jade harley #netflix she ra #she ra #she ra and the princesses of power #spop #spop entrapta #entrapta

[thepettymachine]

Not So Berry Plus Challenge for the TS3

I just wanted more for the TS3 version of this challenge and honestly, who wouldn't. I didn't create this challenge, I simply added and modified somethings to fit more for what TS3 has to offer while trying to keep to the NSB playstyle and heart of the challenge. So if you like the NSB but want more to do in the TS3 version of it, this is a challenge for you.

Disclaimer: I didn't make this challenge, @lilsimsie did. I also incorporated ideas from @simlovinggirl from her TS3 version of this challenge. Also inspiration from @sweetlysimss from their updated version of the TS4 version. Also sim wikia page for all information i need in terms of gameplay.

Tag: the normal nsb tag or "nsb plus" or "nsb +" or "@" me

Do you like the rainbow? Do you like the idea of playing with berry Sims but hate berry Sims? Do you want to mess around with aspects of the game you’ve never used before? Boy, do I have the challenge for you!

Rules:

You can follow the orignal rules of the NSB but I'm not requiring it for this.

You can keep the color scheme for each generation or just stick to the objectives of each generation. It is up to you as the player

2-3 traits are required but you don't have to have all of them for the heir if you don't want to.

Have fun!

If you wish to keep track of the generation goals/your progress, @rcpunzel created this spreadsheet for the challenge

🔬 Generation 1: Mint

What a mischievous scientist you are! As a career-driven individual, you still try to hangout with your friends and family and want what’s best for them. But in your free time, you enjoy the misfortune you cause others and love the idea of luxury in your life. Minty fresh indeed.

Traits: Vegetarian, Ambitious, Friendly, Inappropriate, Green Thumb

Aspiration: Become a Creature-Robot Cross Breeder

Career: Science

Objectives:

Reach Level 9 of Science Career

Master the gardening, fishing, and science skills

Have 3 best friends that you hangout with once a week 

Make 3 enemies

Meet your match: Marry a sim with the inappropriate/mean-spirited trait whom you get into a fight with. 

Own a garden with excellent quality with rare fruit (life fruit, death flower, omni plant, etc)

Own expensive luxury items in your home

Spoil your children rotten (get them anything their wishes desire)

Complete the Gems & Metals collection

💋 Generation 2: Rose

You were spoiled rotten as a child and it made you into an irresponsible insatiable person who hungers for more. Whether it's in your career in politics or lovers you left in tears, you always get what you want and leave the mess for someone else to clean up. Even if one mess ended up with your beloved child.

Traits: Flirty, Workaholic, Charismatic, Irresistible, Schmoozer,

Lifetime Wish: Master Romancer

Career: Politician

Objectives:

Only have one child that resulted from a one night stand 

Gain the “Casanova/Natasha” reputation (for 7+ relationships/romantic interests at one time) or gain the “Player” reputation (for 9+ relationships/romantic interests but none at the same time)

Reach level 10 of Politician career

Throw campaign parties

Master the Charisma skill

Break off an engagement

Get married as an elder

Be distant with your child, provide for them but never be there for them. 

Become publicly disgraced for something

Become best friends with your boss

Live in a big house with maids + butler

🔭 Generation 3: Yellow

Growing up, you never had a great relationship with your parent but you did gain your grandparent’s interest in science, specifically space. As a child, you spent the majority of time enjoying your own company while obsessing over black holes, planets, and traveling to the stars. You spent your whole life dreaming of space, now it’s time to make it a reality. No matter the cost.

Traits: Loner, Handy, Socially Awkward, Brave, Computer Whiz

Lifetime Wish: High Tech Collector

Career: Astronomer 

Objectives:

Your best and only friend is your Grandparent. No close relationships or friendships until they die.

Find a star and name it

Master Logic and Advanced Technology skills

Own a Hoverboard, Dream Pod, Food Synthesizer, Holo Disc, and Jet Pack

Join the Astronomy career and go into the Space Explorer branch

Travel to Simulon V

Never marry because space is your one true love

Neglect your own children but still be friends with them. (no teaching of skills, not caring about hw, etc)

Get abducted by aliens and have an alien child

⚽ Generation 4: Grey

You always enjoyed playing sports and being in the great outdoors, contrary to what your family is interested in. You dream of becoming a professional athlete but you’ve always felt second place to your parent’s obsessions growing up and didn’t want the same for your children. You want to be there for your kiddos as much as possible. So while you’re hanging out with your family, you find music is something that brings you closer together.

Traits: Athletic, Virtuoso , Nurturing, Loves the Outdoors, Technophobe

Lifetime Wish: Superstar Athlete

Career: Professional Sports

Objectives:

Be in the Scouts as a child

Reach Level 10 of Sports career

Master the Athletic skill and a Musical Instrument

Teach all your children the xylophone

Be best friends with all your children

Have 3 failed relationships before finding the one. 

Do outdoor activities with your family (going to the park, beach, camping, etc)

Jam out with your family (once the kids get older) on your instrument of choice

Celebrate the seasons together:

Go to seasonal festivals, host seasonal parties, and decorate the home for family fun.

🎤 Generation 5: Plum

Everyone has always told you how talented you are. You’ve always been naturally good at everything to the point that nothing ever challenges you. This causes you to search for something that will. You tried different careers and learned some new skills, heck, you even tried being a Doctor. But one day at a karaoke bar, you sanged your heart out and realized that you love music and wish to become a singer. Is it too late to pursue your dream in your adulthood? Let’s find out!

Traits: Daredevil, Diva, Lucky, Commitment Issues, Natural Born Performer

Lifetime Wish: Jack of all Trades

Career: Multiple jobs, Medical, Singer 

Objectives:

Make straight A’s as a child and teen

Pick 3 different jobs before deciding on the Medical career

Quit the medical career as an adult to pursue your dream as a Singer

Master 3 skills, one of them has to be a musical instrument. 

Complete all of your midlife crisis wishes

Get divorced and then remarry the same sim

Move to 3 different worlds in your lifetime

Reach at least celebrity level 3 as a Singer

Perform at a big private venue

🖕 Generation 6: Orange

Growing up, homelife was competitive and hectic. You never had stability with your parent’s constant hedonistic whims affecting your life. You also didn’t reach academic success like your siblings who always outperformed you in everything, making you feel like a loser in your own family. But while your siblings were doing their thing, you were doing yours. Stealing. The joy of taking something without getting caught is like adrenaline in your veins and you want more. You also want to learn more about cooking as it calms you down. 

Traits: Loser, Natural Cook, Evil, Kleptomaniac, Hot-Headed

Lifetime Wish: Become a Master Thief

Career: Criminal (Thief branch)

Objectives:

Reach level 10 of the Criminal career in the Thief branch 

Master the Cooking skill

Steal from your neighbors and other townsfolk 

Marry a fellow criminal or someone with the Evil trait. 

Only have twins for children

Cook your favorite food + everybody in the household as well. 

Learn 28 recipes/Menu Maven challenge

Live in a fixer upper home/apartment in YA years

In Adult years, live in a house you can’t afford and purchase weird expensive items for aesthetic

Have at least 5 enemies

📖 Generation 7: Pink

You grew up watching your parents be irresponsible with their finances and let you have a little too much freedom in raising yourself. This causes you to become a very practical individual who believes in the steady 9-5 corporate hustle. Your twin on the other hand, dreams of becoming a big time Director in Bridgeport and you can’t help your envy as you also have a secret dream of becoming a best selling romance writer. As you see your twin succeed in their dream, maybe you too can try to pursue your dreams. Maybe you too can find the love you’ve always dreamed about.

Traits: Frugal, Unflirty, Bookworm, Hopeless Romantic, Neurotic 

Lifetime Wish: Professional Author

Career: Business, Self-employed Writer

Objectives:

Master the Writing skill

Live with your twin while they reach the Director branch of the Film career

Live in an urban city in your YA years, move to woodsy/rural town in your Adult years

Quit the business career  to pursue your dream of being a writer as an adult 

Own multiple bookshelves in your home

Write 5 Romance books in order to become a specialist in the genre 

Write 5 books outside of your genre

Find love as an adult through online dating 

Send love letters to your romantic interest

🕵️ Generation 8: Peach

As a child, you loved the stories your parents read to you about dashing knights, charming adventurers,and mysteries to be solved by the world’s greatest minds. You’ve always wanted to become a detective but you also have a thirst for adventure. Why not both?! You work primarily as a detective by solving cases and investigating clues but when you get that itch to explore, you catch a plane to your next destination and meet the locals who will tell you their stories.

Traits: Perspective, Good Sense of Humor, Genius, Adventurous, Photographer’s Eye

Lifetime Wish: Pervasive Private Eye

Career: Private Investigator

Objectives:

Reach level 10 of Detective profession

Move to a different world than the one you were born in

Visit explore different worlds (can be custom/WA destinations)

Master the Photography skill

Bring back souvenirs from your travels

Play chess in the local park and play against other townies for fun

Marry a local

Make all your friends through jokes & funny videos

Have a dog and be best friends with them

🎮 Generation 9: Green

So popular! You’ve always been the life of the party as you are an outgoing person who's always down to have a good time with friends. But no one would suspect that you’re really just a giant nerd that loves playing video games and painting in their spare time. That’s why it’s such a shock to some that you decided to major in Technology and become a Game Developer. You’re a hard worker who wants to develop amazing games but will party to the break of dawn with no regrets.

Traits: Party Animal, Social Butterfly, Excitable, Computer Whiz, Artistic

LTW: Reach Max Influence with All Social Groups

Career: Video Game Developer (Game Artist Branch)

Objectives:

Moonlight as a barista at bars for extra cash/side hustling 

Hacking is also another side hustle for extra cash (Computer Whiz trait exclusive)

Attend University as a Technology major

Unlock the Video Game Developer career by maxing out Nerd social group status

Master Mixology, Social Networking, and Painting skills

Accept every invitation to parties/outings with your friends

Own a comic book collection

Have a personal  blog

Have at least 5 good friends

Marry your best friend

🍼 Generation 10: Blue

Your dreams are a reality now that you have married the love of your life, had beautiful children, live in your dream home, and work your dream career. What could you possibly want more than this?! Actually… alot. You find yourself dissatisfied with your present circumstances and your eyes have begun to wander onto things you shouldn’t but want to have. As you begin to question and explore your new found cravings, a one time affair produces a bundle of joy and now everything you hold close to your heart is now in jeopardy of breaking apart at the seams.

Traits: Perfectionist, Good, Family-Oriented, Grumpy, Neat

Lifetime Wish: Surrounded by Family

Career: Teacher

Objectives:

Marry your high school sweetheart and stay with them until death do you part

Join the Education career

Host a big wedding

Move into your dream house

Adopt at least 1 child

Teach your children all of their skills

Toddlers - Teach, talk, poop, logic, music

Children - encourage their skills and help them with their homework

Teens - help them with homework and teach them to drive

Have a secret affair that results in a child

Confess to your spouse that you’ve cheated in order to rebuild your marriage

Purchase the “Clean Slate” lifetime reward to clean up your reputation

Gain the Eternally Faithful moodlet

Thank you for trying this challenge. Feedback is always welcomed!

#sims #sims 3 #ts3 challenge #sims 3 challenge #nsb plus challenge #nsb challenge #i keep saying to myself i wont make any more challenges #i made enough #i dont listen do i #nsb plus #hope you enjoy and i hope i kept it original yet not a copy #imma eat now

[glitteringcrab]

Morty Prime's personality regression

Some fans (and I'm among those fans) feel like it seems Morty Prime's character development has regressed after Unmortiricken (S7E5).

Like he's more docile... less challenging of Rick... more accepting of Rick's shit...

There are a few possible explanations for this:

1. Morty sub-consciously trying his hardest not to act like Evil Morty

2. Evil Morty planting in Morty Prime's head the poisonous idea that Rick C-137 might commit suicide if Morty Prime is not there to emotionally support him

3. Rick C-137 is not so much a jerk these days. He hasn't messed with Morty with any Vats of Acid, hasn't created a robot version of himself. The worse thing he did was the Valhalla thing.

4. Morty Prime being more understanding of Rick C-137's mental state and finding more patience to deal with him.

But... at the same time, some of Morty's behaviors seemed so out of character that we fans (and I was among those faaaaans) built a whole theory that Morty Prime had been replaced by Evil Morty post Unmortricken....! ("Freaky Mortys Theory", for anyone interested. There are tags with it)

I think if we look a bit deeper in this season's Morty Prime (and the previous seasons) we'll notice some... interesting things.

Let's compare Morty Prime's and Evil Morty's capabilities and personality characteristics across the seasons, shall we?

Charisma

Evil Morty got himself elected:

Morty Prime convincing (little pieces of himself) as Marta:

Morty Prime rallying the trapped Mortys:

Gosh, they even do the same gestures

A "healthy" Morty Prime, no longer burdened by his awkwardness can climb the social ladder really fast:

And of course, the attribute slider:

Intelligence (probably one of Evil Morty's defining characteristics - "you're like an evil Morty, a clever one" as Rick Prime put it)

I'd have to put screenshots of every single scene Evil Morty is in, so let's dig in straight to Morty Prime instead lol

See above attribute slider.

See above Morty managing to become a Stock Broker, totally something a moron could do

Morty Prime casually disarming neutrino bombs, totally something a moron could do

Morty Prime beating Rick at a board game (and Rick freaking mind blowing him over it, the giant 8-year-old)

Suddenly being able to do math, which meant that he always could do math, he just wasn't really motivated to try:

And mind you, this was in Season 7 post Unmorticken, during the time we felt that Morty Prime's personality had regressed, and it was one of the "clues" we fans used as "proof" that this was really Evil Morty.

Of course, Morty Prime has A LOT (like, A LOT) of dumb moments as well. But the capability of intelligence is definitely there.

Manipulation

All of Evil Morty, where to even start lol

Let's head for Morty Prime instead.

Morty Prime presenting himself as super ecologically sensitive to Planetina. I mean, he definitely was on board with ecological activism etc, but he also wouldn't visit random forest fires to help. The liar. Planetina somehow fell for that.

"I'm your little brother, you have to take care of me!" was Morty Prime trying his hand at manipulation with Summer. And this was in Season 7 post Unmortricken, during Morty Prime's "regressed" phase.

The "trickle down effect" with Tricia seeing him ripped by the attribute slider was pretty clever, and manipulative (not maliciously, but still). This was ALSO in Season 7 post Unmortricken, during Morty Prime's "regressed" phase.

"Why would I be friends with a witch" was very fast thinking on Morty's part:

Again, this was in Season 7 post Unmortricken, in Morty Prime's "regressed" phase.

Physical abilities

Lookit Evil Morty flying:

And now look at Mort Prime performing Evil Morty's flying kick, which he definitely couldn't do before Unmortricken:

This was one of the "clues" we fans interpreted as "proof" that this was really Evil Morty, but since that theory has been jossed, the next obvious conclusion is that Morty Prime has been training.

And this was in Season 7 post Unmortricken as well, where we fans have been complaining about Morty Prime's personality regressing.

Extreme self harm as a step to freedom

I'm a hundred percent sure Evil Morty orchestrated his own assassination attempt and willingly walked towards the person who'd shoot him:

And, as another fan pointed (check out the tags!), Morty Prime did this:

Even the other guy, who was trying to kill Morty in that scene, is disturbed lol

Murder

Evil Morty probably has the biggest body count out of anyone, along with Rick C-137... But Morty Prime can get... trigger happy as well.

Shooting Rick C-137 in a fit of rage:

Getting really happy in the "trigger-happy" part during the Purging episode:

(thankfully, it was not played as a joke)

The Death Crystals deserve a special mention. So many people dead, just so he could grow old with his crush ("and people call me Evil Morty") and somehow it's played as a joke:

All those poor dudes in the Narnia dimension:

Desensitization to murder

It seems that any amount of murder is small potatoes to Evil Morty:

In "Mort: Ragnarick" Morty Prime complains about being desensitized to murder, and then Rick makes him kill people repeatedly (which Morty does obediently), during an episode where he has one of the highest body counts:

Most of the people he keeps killing are immortal Viking ghosts who literally live to die (lol) but Morty still is the one committing the murder, and he even tells Rick not to kill the Vatican guards (who die for real) every time, which I think Rick actually agreed with, thankfully...

Needless cruelty

There was no need for this, Evil Morty!!!! It served zero rational purpose!

Oh, you're gonna think. Morty Prime is not like that. Sure, he kills people, but he never draws it out.

Think again:

"Careful, Ethan. Your s'more is burning."

Ethan simply dumped Morty's sister!! That's not good enough reason to turn him into a deformed monster, Ethan was just being an immature teenager!

...Not to mention Morty Prime literally tried to roofie Jessica (not exactly cruel, but... quite evil).

Okay, I'm gonna stop here and say that I don't mean to stretch things. We've known Morty Prime for 7 seasons and the amount of times he has been manipulative, trigger-happy or evil can each be counted on one hand, while those same characteristics are pretty much defining of Evil Morty. The potential exists in Morty Prime, but it becomes reality in its most extreme form in Evil Morty.

In addition, there are some differences between the two:

Evil Morty has patience, single-minded focus and the ability to come up with incredibly convoluted schemes (it's... almost like he spent unimaginable amounts of time trapped as a prisoner in his own body, unable to act, unable to do anything but wait and plan), while it also seems he is devoid of empathy (cough), forgiveness, or the desire for connection (I will probably make separate posts for the those two).

POINT 1: I suspect that their differences can be accounted for if the theory that they grew up differently is true; one in the safety of his home and family, the other in the uncertain and hostile environment of the Citadel.

Morty Prime never had to be manipulative, because he could always just ask to get what he needed. His more violent tendencies get suppressed by the humane examples his (non-Rick) family members set. He tries to do the right, moral thing 99% of the time because he grew up learning the virtues of kindness and compassion, and did not get brainwashed by a hundred different versions of his nihilistic grandpa into discarding universes and people like single-use coffee cups.

I suspect that Morty Prime and Evil Morty might be WAY too similar, and it's just that Evil Morty's brain is in constant overdrive survival mode, while Morty Prime is in normal kid mode.

I suspect that the parallel between Morty Prime and Evil Morty is meant to be a story of "nature vs nurture" and the effects of long-term abuse and neglect can have on a child.

POINT 2: I suspect that the series' climax might revolve around a revelation that Rick was wrong all along:

That Morty Prime (and any Morty) is just as clever as any Rick, and he doesn't get to show his brilliance because he's just a young child who can do stuff like waste time playing videogames and date girls and hung around with his family instead of honing every skill he has into a deadly weapon just so he can survive.

I feel like this is a revelation that has been building up for a while:

(and poor Morty doesn't react in this scene during Rick's admittance, because of course it doesn't concern him: he is just an idiot, he is not "intelligent in a different way" like Bigfoot is)

POINT 3: While it may be true that Morty Prime has been more... docile and patient and forgiving of Rick post Unmortricken, the way I see it, he's also physically training, is becoming more manipulative and we have more proof that he's actually really smart.

...So, I wouldn't call his personality change a "regression"...

...more like... a shift... towards higher forgiveness and tolerance and towards cultivating his capabilities.

Which, if Rick C-137 screws up and does something to betray Morty Prime's unconditional love, would bode really badly.

#evil morty #rick and morty #morty smith #morty prime

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Using only lyrics from music, convey the dreams of each of your oc’s

You said OC’s, so in addition to the Until I Found bois (which I’m not so sure count as original characters so much as re-envisioned versions of the characters) I’ll also be doing songs for my babies from The Future and a Robot

UIFY

Leon: "But I have a plan... and I will be remembered -- I will be great -- Just wait and see! You'd better wise up, 'cuz I'll rise up! BRING ON ANY CHALLENGE! And someday soon, I swear -- I don't know how or when -- but I promise you, I'll never be invisible again! Someone will notice... me."

‘Phael: "I can't be what you expect of me... and I'm not what I seem... but I would love to know you --! Is it dangerous... to dream??"

DvD: "I will make you proud! I will make you have faith in me. I will prove that the way I used to be is all in the past. I will save the day, and come back here triumphantly! 'Cause I long for that look of surprise when you see your son rising at last! The pride in your eyes when you see your son rising at last!!"

Michael: "Just let me give you the freedom to dream and it'll wake you up, cure your aching, take your walls and start 'em breaking -- now that's a deal that seems worth taking! ...But I guess, I'll leave that up to you."

April: "One normal night, that's all I want, that's all I need from you. One normal house without a mouse to feed a plant or two!”

Karai: "As a child you would wait and watch from far away, but you always knew that you'd be the one that worked while they all played. In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme of all the things that you would change, but it was just a dream... Here we are, don't turn away now - we are the warriors that built this town!"

Draxum: “The rule of the land, it's so crucial to obey… Believe in yourself, or you won't be appreciated -- Don’t you overthink it, JUST DO WHAT I SAY!! Lay the politics out before me, whatever it takes to get my glory!”

Big Mama: “Money, money matters most! Money, money I can boast -- Money, money, make a toast to -- Money! Money! Money!” OR "Come live with us in the garden… there’s a room waiting for you… come on, come on, come on! Just let us adore you…”

-----------------------------------------------

TFaaR

Lloyd: “So now I'll sing for you 'til I can't talk! I've been teaching myself to speak for when the music's not enough. I'm gonna be just like you and never stop, mm-mm. But since I'm made from you, do you think I could be someone like you?"

Julia: "And when I find my hope Imma bring it on home!”

Harris: "I don’t know when… I don’t know how… but I know something’s starting right now! Watch and you’ll see, someday I’ll be part of your world!”

Imogen Love: “What good’s a dreamer without a believer? We all just need someone to care! One who might listen and root for our wishes, someone to simply be glad that we’re there — what good’s a hand if nobody needs holding? When everything else falls away… if no one believes her, what good’s a dreamer, anyway?”

Ms. Delilah Emelyn: “One way, or another, I’m gonna find ya -- I’m gonna getchya, getchya, getchya!”

Dr. Alger J: “Can't wait to meet you! So join the animatronic family! We open real soon; try your best to hold onto sanity.”

If you can guess the songs the lyrics are from, you get 10 points

#rottmnt #tfaar #until i found you au #rottmnt until i found you #until i found you #rottmnt leo #rottmnt raph #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt mikey #rottmnt april #mutant april #rottmnt draxum #baron draxum #big mama #rottmnt big mama #rottmnt karai #lloyd the android #julia gonzales #harris smith #imogen love davies #ms delilah emelyn #dr alger j #ocs #my ocs <3 #my ocs my beloved #my original characters #original characters #music #lyrics #tumblr asks

[duckprintspress]

Meet Some of Duck Prints Press’s Transgender Authors!

Today, March 31st 2024, is Transgender Day of Visibility! We’re celebrating by shining the spotlight on 11 trans authors who’ve published with us, and three more who are contributing to projects that are in the pipeline. Duck Prints Press works with many trans creators, but we never disclose such information without explicit permission – there are way more than 11 trans folks working with us, but the people highlighted in this post all opted in to be included: they’re here, they’re trans, and they’re happy for y’all to know that about them!

Most of these authors have published more than one work with Duck Prints Press; we’re mostly highlighting one story each for this post, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to read!

Aether Beyond the Binary is our most recent anthology (Kickstarted in January, expected to go up for sale in late spring or early summer). About half the contributors are transgender or genderqueer, including four who volunteered to be included in this post!

S. J. Ralston, who contributed the story Razzmatazz, about a dystopian Hollywood where robots of long-dead stars are forced to make movies, and about the non-binary mechanic who services them.

Kelas Lloyd, who contributed the story True, about a non-binary teen going to a remedial camp to help them learn to channel aether.

Catherine E. Green, who contributed the story To Hold the World Close, about an established non-binary couple working together to try to take down a corporation that’s trying to control access to the world-wide aether network.

Zel Howland, who contributed the story Flower and Rot, about a world where channeling aether causes human bodies to sprout plants, and about the people who sprout fungi instead.

Meet the other contributors, too!

All of our anthologies have had trans contributors; highlighted here also is And Seek (Not) to Alter Me: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” contributed to by Adrian Harley (a character study of modern-day Benedick’s coming out as a trans man) and Nickel J. Keep (a wlw historical story about the characters returning home after serving in World War 2).

You can read about all the contributors to Aether Beyond the Binary here.

And other works by our trans authors…

Of Loops and Weaves by Catherine E. Green: a trans woman works on a knit for her crush.

Sarisa by N. C. Farrell: a bigender he/she mecha mechanic navigates the challenges of a new pilot arriving on the ship. (N. C. Farrell also contributed to our anthology She Wears the Midnight Crown.)

Whispers of Atlantis: A Tale of Discovery and Belonging by Neo Scarlett: a family subjected to bullying because of their mixed elvish/human heritage seek a new places to live.

Chrysopoeia by Zel Howland: what happens when a witch is trapped with her personal demon…

Many Drops Make a Stream by Adrian Harley: one of only four novels Duck Prints Press has released so far, Many Drops Make a Stream introduces the shapeshifter Droplet as she and carpenter Azera search for Azera’s kidnapped friend.

A Shield for the People by Puck Malamud: a trans Jewish man uses his powers to protect the common people from the creatures of the night. (Puck Malamud also contributed to our anthology Add Magic to Taste.)

This Treatment for Chronic Pain has an Unbelievable Side Effect! by Xianyu Zhou: a man gets more than he bargained for when he participates in an experimental treatment plan for his chronic pain… (spicy!) (Xianyu Zhou also contributed to our anthology Aim For The Heart: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Alexandre Dumas’s “The Three Musketeers.”)

LA Photographs Itself by YF Ollwell: a steamy erotica story set in 1970s LA, about an encounter between a photographer and a trans actor.

And we’ve got upcoming projects featuring even more trans authors!

Our next anthology, Many Hands: An Anthology of Polyamorous Erotica is slated to Kickstart in April or May and includes several trans authors, including YF Ollwell, Cedar McCafferty-Svec, and Alex Bauer! Cedar also has a story coming to the Duck Prints Press Patreon this coming week. Meet all the contributors to Many Hands.

The third installment in our Queer Fanworks Inspired By… series, A Truth Universally Acknowledged: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” also includes creators who chose to participate in this post: May Barros, who is an artist, and Xianyu Zhou!

So come check out Duck Prints Press, an indie press that works with fancreators to publish their original works, and support some awesome trans creators this Transgender Day of Visibility!

#duck prints press #transgender #transgender day of visibility #tdov #trans pride #transgender pride #transgender authors #transgender creators

[lets-try-some-writing]

Guilty Pleasures (Part 3)

I swear this is the last post of Guilty Pleasures! I just felt the need to spread the love around a bit! With that said please enjoy more wholesome robot hobbies.

Ultra Magnus

The Autobot's second in command has been widely regarded as stiff and by the book. His hobby unsurprisingly keeps to this standard.

Even before arriving to earth Ultra Magnus always enjoyed puzzles.

Anything that really put his mind to work could keep him occupied for hours at a time.

But once he got to earth he quickly became interested in the puzzles Raf brought to base.

It took a great deal of effort at first. Attempting to move the small pieces being a lot more effort than it was probably worth, but he persevered anyway.

However Ultra Magnus didn't really get into the whole puzzle thing until Wheeljack proclaimed he couldn't do it.

Suddenly doing puzzles wasn't a matter of interest, but one of pride.

He started with small puzzles in order to work on his dexterity, and then over the course of several weeks, worked his way up to thousand piece puzzles.

It only continued to escalate, with every completed puzzle not so subtly being shown to Wheeljack to prove that he most certainly CAN complete puzzles, thank you.

It became habit for him to set up the most complex puzzle he could find and try to complete it as fast as possible, a true challenge given the size of his servos.

The act soothes him and give him a well earned break from the stress of everyday life.

It also helps ease his anxiety when Optimus isn't around to calm him down on bad days.

Predaking

Predaking, the noble spark that he is, likes to read and listen to stories from ancient times.

Both Cybertronian and earth mythologies interest him greatly.

He has developed a deep respect for Primus, the Thirteen Primes, the previous Predaking, Arthur Pendragon, and the Norse Gods.

The deep set code of honor present in all the before listed entities keeps him positively enthralled.

He prefers to hear the stories from the most reliable sources, as such he goes to great lengths to find those with the appropriate qualifications.

He has listened to every reliable podcast on the subject of earth culture that he can get a hold of.

He has also in great secrecy, met up with Optimus just so he can listen to the older mech's stories.

No living mech knows Cybertronian history better than the Matrix bearer and former head Archivist.

And Optimus doesn't mind telling Predaking his stories, in fact, he finds it relaxing to speak to one who isn't tired of his tales.

Predaking likes to pretend that he is mightier than everyone else, but secretly he holds a great deal of respect for Optimus Prime, partially due to his excellent storytelling but also due to his prowess in battle.

When he isn't gathering stories from the Prime, Predaking goes to historical sights under the cover of darkness in order to see a glimpse of what earth might have been like during Arthur's age.

All in all it is a rather wholesome interest.

Wheeljack

Wheeljack doesn't have a hobby in the traditional sense.

Yes he likes explosives and building things, but he doesn't really do either of those things for his own benefit.

All of his skill and enthusiasm always end up being used to help some other bot enjoy their hobby to the fullest.

He prefers helping others ramp up their interests to amazing new heights, mainly to see if it is even possible.

His interference in Smokescreen's beetle battles being an excellent example of this.

But his meddling is also present in nearly every other Autobot's hobby as well, not just Smokescreen.

Wheeljack has experimented with Arcee's plants to see if it is possible make something like the pea shooter from plantsVSzombies.

Arcee was not pleased, but she also held a certain degree of morbid curiosity towards the bulbous abomination that came from Wheeljack's experiments.

Wheeljack also likes to assist Bulkhead in testing out his more wild conspiracy theories, building drones to sneak onto bases like area 51 to see if there really are other aliens in there.

Results on that front have been inconclusive as Agent Fowler and co have always managed to catch their drone before it could get far.

Ratchet has also found himself with Wheeljack's assistance as he has attempted to figure out human recipes.

Most of the time their combined brain cell ends up taking the instructions way to literally or to the utmost extreme.

What do you mean a pancake isn't supposed to be made of pans? It's in the name!

And the cookies aren't meant to lathered with fire? The recipe said to bake them at 350?! Why can't a blowtorch be used to speed up the process!?!

Their collective IQ decreases and increases simultaneously when they work together, leading to either ingenious creations or utter and complete chaos

As for Bumblebee, he sticks to simply competing with Wheeljack on game nights, he would rather not risk his PC blowing up.

And Optimus, well, Wheeljack quickly learned to never, EVER speak of the Prime's little hobby.

It is a secret he intends to take to the grave.

The Vehicons

The little goons are bored more often than not, as such they take great joy in pranks and recording the hilarious blunders that occur around them.

The Vehicons have developed an advanced communication system that links them all into a version of the internet reserved for them and them alone.

This communication wasn't devised for efficiency, no, it was created by Vehicon St3v30z, nicknamed Steve, for the sole purpose of sharing Starscreams many high pitched screams with the rest of the Vehicons.

It was immediately a hit among the troops and Starscream became a meme over night, not that he knew of course.

It just escalated from there, with different Vehicons assigned to different areas sharing their own recorded videos featuring the embarrassing actions of those in high command.

Soon of course, just waiting for funny things to happen wasn't enough for the Vehicons anymore. They needed more content, thus began the secret, and still ongoing, prank wars.

As a good chunk of the Vehicons are not in any position to record or play pranks they contribute to the cause by providing resources to the recorders.

Usually this just means they take their sweet time with assignments or vacate an area in order for a prank to take place.

This then is the perfect opportunity for the pranksters to get some good content.

A random pipe bursting and scaring the scrap out of Knockout? Hilarious, instant meme.

Arrows on the floor leading Breakdown to wander endlessly and in great confusion in a giant circle? Perfect, comedy gold.

Giant cardboard cutout of Megatron placed ominously around a corner to terrify Starscream? You know Steve was there to capture the marvelous shrieks.

Glitter bomb on Megatron? Pray that Soundwave doesn't rat the perpetrator out and enjoy the show.

Not even the Autobots are safe.

Poor Optimus has been left creepy notes from a supposed ghost, terrifying the rather religious mech and granting the Vehicons some satisfying pictures of the Prime's disturbed expression.

Ratchet has had glitter bombs thrown at him literally every single time he appears in fight. All Vehicons carry at least one so that should Ratchet turn up, they have the chance to hit him with it.

Vehicons who manage to get Optimus caught up in one of the glitter bombs are paraded as heroes privately.

As for the rest of the team? They get random troll messages often showing one of the Vehicons playing an kazoo or doing something equally irritating.

The Vehicons laugh at everyone else's expense.

Here it is! Done! No more! Time for new things and new headcannons! I couldn't think of anything for Arachnid and I don't know if I missed anyone else or not. Please let me know if there is any bot you want some headcannons for or that I missed.

#transformers shenanigans #transformers #transformers prime #tfp #ultra magnus #ratchet #optimus prime #predaking #wheeljack #the vehicons #gosh the vehicons have their own youtube channel going on #I once again pity Optimus #the poor mech is mentally traumatized by earth in general #goofy vehicons scaring the life out of him don't help much

[contest-winning-pest]

Okay, you have to tell me the full story here because WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR MAUVILLE GYM!!!

Mine was just, like, an electric maze and some robots I had to fight! Your is, like, a whole fucking castle!

-Mare (@aura-acolyte)

OKAY HISTORY LESSON

Mauville was originally built by the Mauve Corporation as an arcology-- a place to house workers in the biggest fever dream of a corpo's ideal. Give everyone just enough food and living space to sort of rest and devote literally everything else to electric power and making things for the Corporation.

When it turned out that people needed more than metal boxes to live, things got very hot for a while back there.

Enter Wattson. A union organizer and rabble rouser in his younger days, Wattson was also a solid Pokemon trainer. He helped people get what they needed to keep living and organized them into a troupe.

Which was necessary, because the power plant and transmission station that powered the Mauville arcology doubled as a fortress for the previous Gym Leader, who was perfectly fine with letting everyone rot so long as he got his cut from the corpos.

This, in essence, was always going to be the plan-- refuse to pay the union workers, suppress the riots with various means built into the arcology, and break the back of anyone living there with debt and horrors.

Unfortunately, this sort of cruelty is... Not well liked by Pokemon. They aided Wattson and his union in breaking the Mauville Fortress Arcology.

The suppression lines have been ripped out, the arcology remodeled from top to bottom, additions and electric power and goods as needed flow freely from the place--

but the Fortress remains. Solid, closed in, burning with Light Screen amplifiers and Shock Plates.

Normally it's a bit more like what you went through.

Wattson figured I was already a good enough trainer to pass his third badge team, so he offered me this alternate challenge:

Invade Fortress Arcology Mauville!

#pokeblogging #pokemon rp #pkmn irl #unreality #//I learned that Mauville was made by a corp that abandoned it and decided to go hard #Story Post

[chicky-sammich]

The Taco challenge aftermath

After only 2 hours, almost 27 tacos had been stuffed into my poor aching belly. No matter how full I got and how much my poor belly protested, I continued stuffing and stuffing. I pushed handful after handful into my bubbling gut like a robot, unable to make myself stop. I could feel my belly growing tighter, not just because of the mound of tortillas and “meat” in my stomach, but also the buildup of hot gas from all the beans. My belly constantly bubbled and gurgled, exhausted and unable to keep up with my constant feasting. Slowly, it got louder, and my belly continued to stretch onto my lap and get tighter until…..

BRAAAAPPPPTHPPPPPHTH

The longest and loudest fart of my entire life. This would creat a pattern of me ripping absolute ass every 20-30 seconds. Knowing just how much damage I was doing to my belly made me sooooo much hornier, so of course I ate even faster. The grease from the plant based chorizo I was eating was now dripping down my face. I could only imagine how insanely unhealthy this synthetic, factory made grease was, likely being a combination of seed oils and other additives.

UUUURRRRPP

Gas was now coming from both ends. Only a few tacos were now left, but I was struggling. My belly had no more give, as if I had swallowed a watermelon. Every bite made me moan in pain and pleasure. One hand was coated in grease and “meat”, grabbing the tacos without any care for manners, and the other hand was permanently glued to my midsection. The nausea began to build, and I knew if I didn’t finish soon it would end badly. My belly was so full now that I had to lean back in the seat, because sitting straight up pushed my ballooning belly between my ribs and pelvis. In a last ditch effort, I used both hands to cram as much of whatever food was left into my gullet. Painfully I chewed and swallowed until the plate was clean.

I laid in that chair for what seemed like an hour, sputtering and gurgling like a factory working on overdrive. I rubbed my poor tummy, thinking about nothing except how painfully full and mind numbingly horny I was. Finally, I fell asleep cradling my poor belly. I was sweaty, half nude, and covered in grease, but I didn’t care. When I finally woke up 14 hours later, my belly was still heavily bloated. I was so proud of myself, and thankful to all of you for your support.

Thank you all for supporting my content and everything you do. You guys are slowly making my dream come true!

#feedee belly #feederist #feeding kink #fat piggy #so stuffed #literotica #gaining weight on purpose #gaining kink #mutual gaining #gaining on purpose #fatty #fatass #fatty piggy #cute fatty #fat and gassy #get me fatter #gassy belly #gassy guy #stuffed fatty #fatboy #bhm wg #fat gut #bloated gut #dad bob #bloated belly #male bloating #bloatedtummy #bloated burps #stomach gurgling #gurgling belly

[rapid-artwork]

I'm fascinated with Fourth, she's so cute! I'd love to hear more about her.

Fourth is one of my favorite OCs, both because I feel I stumbled upon a really solid visual design, but also because of how personal her story is to me.

Quick summary:

Fourth is a lonely human girl who seeks to escape from the space station she spent her entire life aboard. She holds a lot of anger inside but she is a genuinely bubbly and sweet person. She really likes the concept of water, specifically lakes, oceans and rivers. (Even though she never seen any of these in person.)

She's the protagonist of my (currently in progress) Sci-Fi Horror Visual Novel: Mothers Favorite

Tw: Child Abuse, Body Horror and Trauma. (It is a horror story.)

The story takes place aboard the Mobile Quarantine Station 388-SR. A space station originally designed to carry thousands of sick patients off world should a plant-wide pandemic occur.

However, a series of unknown events caused the station to launch with only four living patients aboard. Figuring out why is part of the mystery in-game.

When the game starts, Fourth is the only remaining patient onboard, the other three patients all dead or unaccounted for.

Fourth is afflicted with something called the 'Omega Virus', which is a highly dangerous and has no known cure. Most of my stories all take place in the same overarching universe, and many of my Sci-Fi stories deal with the consequences tied to the spread of the Omega Virus.

I really like Fourth's story since I think it makes for a great starting point into many of my future works. I like that through Fourth we get to see the effects of the virus first hand, and get a little window into the galactic politics that arose in response.

The station was built to be a closed-off self sustaining system, with a fully automated treatment staff of robotic caretakers. Meaning all of Fourths daily needs are met, but that her only social interactions are with pre-programmed AI that see her strictly as a patient first, and a living feeling human a distant second (doesn't mean that they don't try, bedside manner is still a thing.)

Since Fourth has never met another living person before, and they have never seen the outside world through anything other than a computer screen, they can be a little naive. That doesn't mean she's foolish, far from it. Fourth is highly intelligent (not much to do all day other than read and do homework over and over.) and has a deep curiosity for the outside universe her space station.

Since Fourth has had to interact with the robots the way they expect her to act, she has learned to put on a mask around them, and only lets it slip when she is alone. She has a really funny sarcasm to the way she thinks internally and I like writing her deadpan responses to the sci-fi bullshit she has to endure.

She also has a wonderful sense of joy and love that makes a lot of the darker challenges she faces that much worse. She is the type to experience big emotions at all times. When she loves you, she lets you know, and when she hates you, she doesn't hold back. (At least she likes to think she does, in reality she has a to bottle a lot of her true feelings up in order to survive.)

Since she is the player character, I made sure to code a lot of flexibility to her personality depending on how you play. She will become more extroverted or introverted based on the dialogue choices you make, and big source of tension is how well you manage to hold onto her optimism throughout the game.

(there is also a funny bit I programmed a flag where Fourth will not know what swear word are unless you push for her to learn about them. After that point she will swear like a sailor for the rest of the game.)

This is the original concept sketch I made of the main characters all the way back in 2016. I had an idea for a 'sci-fi Alice in wonderland' Where there was only one human trapped with a bunch of malfunctioning robots who seemed to act like everything was totally fine.

I like that the main designs have remained pretty consistent since then.

Fourth's design was very calculated from the start. I wanted her to look like someone forced to wear a Disney princess outfit that was slightly too small for them. It was supposed to show that she is treated like a child since these specific robots were only ever programmed to care for very young children, and were not prepared to deal with a teenager or adult. (maybe because the people who programmed them didn't expect any afflicted children to survive that long.)

As for the influences and themes, a lot of it centers around the main idea behind the Omega Virus.

The Omega Virus has a lot of weird stuff associated with it, but the main thing to keep in mind is that the Omega Virus offers up incredible power in exchange for a terrible corruption of the physical and mental state of the subject.

I have always been a fan of drawing weird gross body horror stuff, and the Omega Virus provides a lot of opportunities for that don't get me wrong.

But the important thing is the effects the virus has on the mental state of those it infects. It slowly eats away at the memories of it's host, piece by piece taking away everything that makes someone who they are.

I lost family members to Alzheimers as a teenager, and I wrote a lot of the Omega Virus stories as a way to cope. I was deeply terrified by the concept of forgetting who you are and not even knowing it is happening.

What started as an edgy teenage avenue for grief turned into something more over time. Where I would make these really likable characters dealing with a sci-fi disease that gave them super powers in exchange for a creeping death following them for the rest of their lives. I really like writing characters who know that their sense of self is in danger, and living to constantly reaffirm who they are and their desire to live.

A huge factor in what I hope makes the game scary is that there is more than just 'death' as a threat, but the idea that if you choose wrong, you will have to watch Fourth slowly dissolve until all that she is is empty and gone.

But also because I am pure evil and really like hurting my audience as much as possible, there is another way worse horror that is much more personal and immediate.

Mothers Favorite deals with the physically and emotionally abusive relationship Fourth has with the stations main AI, a giant half organic creature called Mother.

I idea of what would happen to an AI afflicted by the Omega Virus was really interesting. I imagined that they would slowly lose the smaller nuances of what it meant to act 'human' and be reduced down to their core programming, even if that core was no longer logical.

Abuse between loved ones usually stems from a place of control and corrupted ideas of loves. The idea of 'doing this because I love you' is a very painful concept I have personally experienced, and could come about if the abuser had a fundamentally incorrect definition of what love is.

A robot follow its program so much to the letter that is loops back around to something indistinguishable from malice is something Fourth will have to deal with more than once. What I really like about writing her is the uncertainty she feels about her robot 'family' they can be loving and caring one moment and cold and abusive the next. They see nothing illogical about their actions and Fourth feels alone in her feelings. Which I hope gives the game a sense of terror even if there isn't more traditional jump-scares or managing survival mechanics.

I think the visual novel medium helps put players in the head of Fourth a lot better, since you will have to sit and weigh each dialogue option, not knowing which one will set the robots off, and which ones will earn you a few more minutes of safety. That was a fear I lived with growing up and it certainly didn't impact my art in anyway no sir!

I wanted Fourth to be a conduit for a story about love, family and the beauty of self, all of which are under slow attack from both outside and within. There is a lot of ways to unlock happy or at least 'happier' endings and I hope it makes for a good story, not just a non-stop misery fest.

Little bonus:

Mothers Favorite was always intended to be part 1 in a 4 part series. Each story would focus on one of the four original inhabitants of 388-SR. Each game would be an independent story, with all three crossing over in the final game. Your choices in the first three games would carry over and influence the plot of the fourth game.

The next game in the series is planned to be a murder mystery about a military spaceship that takes multiple play-throughs to solve and leads to some fun meta-timelines shenanigans.

Thank you for letting me rant about my OC for a bit. I really love Fourth even though I keep coming up with new ways to hurt her.

#Mothers Favorite #Fourth #OC Rant #sci fi horror #Rey Rapids #Rapids Artwork #Mother #Omegas #Omega Stories #Omega Virus #story ideas #horror visual novel #visual novel #video game #concept art #ranting #OC stuff #asks #tw: body horror #tw: abuse

[renewablenergon]

Day #24: Wild Thyme - courage, elegance, divinity

#planttober2022 #plants but also robots challenge #transformers #arcee #my art #maccadam

[stem-sister-scuffle]

STEM SISTER SCUFFLE: ROUND 1 MASHUP 14

Elisabet Sobeck (Horizon games) vs Jade Harley (Homestuck)

Elisabet Sobeck is a Roboticist!

Jade Harley is a Nuclear Physicist!

Why you should vote for each contestant:

Elisabet Sobeck:

"She used her exceptional skill and intelligence to combat the world's destruction by the hands of a greedy billionaire."

"Saved the world"

"She created world-saving technology."

"ohh my god where do I start. ok first of all she is (was) like the only sane one on her project. this bitch ass trillionaire accidentally caused the apocalypse bc he's a dumb bitch and she literally led a project in order to re-terraform the world and continue humanity, just to make sure they didn't literally go /extinct/. also, the main character aloy is a sorta clone of her, which is cool. OH SHE'S A HOMO!!! in the second game a character is revealed to be like ~1000 years old and was actually her gf for some time before that character left to go on a space expedition and they split up. the credits song for the second game reads like an angsty gay love(?) song from elisabet's pov. to me at least. she makes me so unwell"

"She's a genius roboticist and AI programmer whose heart is just as important as her brain. She creates (under IMMENSE time pressure) an AI that can not only design its own robots and crack codes and terraform, but has its own feelings and cares about the world as much as Elisabet does. She makes some hard, cruel choices but it really is always for the best. She's even gay"

Jade Harley:

"She's soo fun and silly and her symbol is literally an atom. she regularly irradiates steak to feed her weird dog"

"She and her nuclear powered dog creating a new universe. she's cool"

"Built a modded bass guitar that's only playable when she's in her robot form and has extra arms. Became a doggirl. She also plays the flute :)"

"i think you have enough ramblings about her already but i couldnt NOT submit her, she is so dear to me <3"

"bbg has THREE scientific specialties!! she genetically modifies plants and makes them grow beautifully high just because she can and loves science. in her alpha timeline she’s a tech mogul and creates technology that challenges the evil empress that brought earth to ruin. AND she’s a furry"

"Doggy"

"She plays a silly flute refrain. She's a furry. Literally, she's a doggirl. She's also a god and created the universe. JADE BEST GIRLIE!!!!"

#stem sister scuffle #round 1 #elisabet sobeck #horizon zero dawn #horizon forbidden west #horizon games #jade harley #homestuck #homestuck jade #hs jade

[macaroonsims]

Strawberry Shortcake Legacy challenge

rules are he same as my other challenges. Reach top of career, complete all goals plus aspiration for each gen to pass.

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 1: Strawberry Shortcake

traits: cheerful, foody, bookworm

aspiration: master chef

career: chef

live with your younger sister Apple Dumplin'

plant strawberries in back garden

master baking, gardening, cooking, acting, pet training skills

bake heart shape cookies, strawberry cakes, and strawberry pies.

have a cat called custard

have a dog called Pupcake

like colours pink and red

dislike the colour grey

never drink tea

have two kids (blueberry muffin and everything bagel)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 2: Blueberry Muffin

traits: neat, genius, proper

aspiration: renaissance sim

career: gardener, botanist branch

plant blueberries in garden

master logic and gardening skills

have a pet rat called cheesecake

have a husky called scouty

like the colour blue

have two children (orange blossom and cherry crisp)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 3: Orange Blossom

traits: loyal, creative, active

aspiration: painter extraordinaire

career: painter, any branch

like the colour orange

own a shop (any kind)

master painting, athletic, video gaming, embroidery, fizzing, and gardening skills

plant all types of fruits in your garden

go rollerskating often

have a butterfly (outdoor retreat)

have a dog called marmalade

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 4: Raspberry Torte

traits: active, self-assured, hot headed

aspiration: bodybuilder

career: athletic, any branch

like the colour pink

master athletic, baking, piano, guitar, and knitting skills

bake raspberry pies often

plant raspberries in garden

have a racoon called rhubarb

have a chihuahua called chiffon

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 5: Lemon Meringue

traits: genius, creative, good

aspiration: academic

career: mechanical engineer, later stylist

attend university to study engineering, get a job but you alter discover your true passion for fashion, quit and start your new career.

plant lemons and daisies in garden

like the colour yellow

complete frog collection

have a dog called henna

bake lemon bars and lemon meringue pies

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 6: Plum pudding

traits: genius, dance machine, clumsy

aspiration: chief of mischief

career: scientist

master dancing and logic skills

have a dog named pitterpatch

have an owl familiar called elderberry

plant elderberries in garden

like the colour purple

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 7: Ginger Snap

traits: genius, foody, bookworm

aspiration: nerd brain

career: engineer (any kind)

master crafting, robotics, and baking skills

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 8: Huckleberry Pie

traits: active, loves the outdoors, music lover

aspiration: musical genius

career: musician

like the colour blue

master athletic, guitar

also collect frogs (you have your great-grandparent's collection)

have a dog called tom tom

have a pet rat called red hot

have twins

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 9: Lime Chiffon

traits: foody, dance machine, bookworm

aspiration: master chef

career: chef

like the colour green

master cooking, baking, dancing skills

own a restaurant

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 9.5: Lime Light

traits: self-absorbed, jealous, mean

aspiration: world famous celebrity, master actor

career: acting

like the colour green

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BONUS GEN: Apple Dumplin'

traits: creative, loves the outdoors, adventurous

aspiration: mt komorebi tourist, beach life, city native, jungle explorer

career: writer, journalist branch

plant apples in garden

master selvadoradian culture and writing skills

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You have reached the end of the challenge!

#strawberry shortcake #lemon meringue #blueberry muffin #orange blossom #raspberry torte #the sims legacy #the sims 4 #sims 4 #the sims community #ts4 #simblr #the sims #the sims challenge #the sims 4 legacy #sims #the sims story #sims 4 challenge #sims 4 legacy #plum pudding #huckleberry pie #lime chiffon #lime light #apple dumplin

[imsparky2002]

Lil’ Monsters

Welcome to DuPont Daycare for Little Monsters, run by the zombie, Caline Bustier, and the headless horsewoman, Olga Mendeliev. Here’s a look at all the students that attend, and one naughty guest.

Maridoll: This little voodoo doll loves to make clothes and dolls for all her friends, even Lila! She's painfully shy, and doesn't do much talking, but is learning how to come out of her shell. Marinette is scared of getting booboos, because her friends will get them as well. Though she has a tendency to panic, she gets comforted by her friends, especially Alya and Reshma. She's also very very close with her best friends, Adrien, Kagami and Luka.

Average Adrien: The newest kid in the monster daycare, Adrien is the first and only human. A bright and happy little ray of sunshine who can stop hearts with his smile, he’s excited to learn about all his new monster friends and their families. He’s willing to try anything, but doesn’t always understand the limits he has as a human. His favorite people to play with are Luka, Kagami, Marinette, and of course, his best friend, Nino!

SpectrAlya: Alya is a friendly ghost girl, and her dream is to become a reporter when she's older. She's always carrying a little microphone, with her best friend Nino as her "camwaman". Her family helps her run a little blog about her daycare, and she's always looking for a scoop. Since she's just a toddler, it's easy for her to jump to conclusions without getting the full story. Still, she's a loyal pal and will do anything to help the other kids. She wishes that ghosts would be allowed to haunt, 'cause it seems so fun!

FrankenNino: A friendly and energetic little boy who just wants to help everybody get along, Nino can often be found settling arguments between his classmates…when he isn’t searching for his missing limbs. As Adrien’s best friend, he tells the young human everything he knows about monsters. He also loves to make music with his friends, scratching on his little toy turntables, when he’s not helping Alya by filming for her blog!

Max Steam: He may be a robot, but he's a real sweet kid. Max's got a passion for discovering new things, and to show them to his inventor Markov. He likes to use big words, though he doesn't always get the pronunciation right. Kim's his best buddy, and he loves reading books to the werepup. He's also got to be careful, since his hardware is brand new, and he doesn't like tripping over himself.

Alix Gorgon: A spirited little toddler who is always mouthing off to people, this little Gorgon is a world class smartalec! Only her best friend Nathaniel is able to reign her in. She loves to play with her Greek Monster friends Simon and Cosette, and frequently gets into trouble doing crazy challenges with Lacey and Kim. She adores her snakies, who she frequently talks and sneaks pieces of her snack to!

WereKim: The most energetic little puppy on the planet, Kim loves to play with all his monster tot friends. He can be more than a little rowdy, he loves to howl, wrestle and chase his tail. But he’s also a very sweet boy, who loves to give hugs and affection, especially to Ondine, who he has an adorable puppy love relationship. He’s the goodest baby boy in the world!

Ivan Bumble: A baby yeti who uses his strength and size to protect others from bullies. He loves to wrestle with his sasquatch cousin Denise, and his favorite kid is Mylene, his flower. If you mess with her, there'll be hell to pay. Also gives the best hugs, and has a tendency to throw boulders.

MyLeaf: A little girl with a green thumb, as well as green skin. She may only be a seedling, but she's already got a passion for saving the environment. Mess with plants around her, and you're in for a bad time. Still, she is a very timid child, constantly apologizing for other kids getting tripped up by her vines. Her powers also grow different flowers depending on her moods. Loves playing and snuggling with her yeti, Ivan.

Draculeka: A sweet little vampire who tries her best to be regal and mysterious like her piratey mama and rockstar papa, but who can’t help causing mischief with her brother Luka and her best friend Rosie. She loves to play music on her toy guitar, jamming out in a little band with some of her friends. She also has a tendency to get nervous and angsty at times, but her friends are able to put a fanged smile back on her face!

Luka Cullen: A mellow and relaxed little vampire who loves making mischief with his sister, Luka sometimes gets into trouble for hypnotizing the teachers for pranks! He loves rocking out on his toy guitar, especially in the little band he’s formed with his friends. He especially loves playing for his friends, Marinette, Kagami and Adrien! He’s a sweet boy, but very protective of those he loves!

SkeleRose: This little skeleton has both a heart and hair of gold, always livening up the room. She's the first to raise her hand in class, which is easy when your limbs are detachable, and always goes out of her way to help her teachers and friends. If only she could stop losing her bones. Her favorite pal is Juleka, a little vampire who she loves very much. She's the singer in their band "Monster Smash".

Chloepatra: A somewhat bossy little mummy who fancies herself the queen of the school, Chloe likes for things to go her way. She does have a nice side, which mostly shows when she plays with her friends, even if she argues with her sister frequently. She’s incredibly dramatic, utilizing her mummy powers to make a grand entrance. She’s also know to throw the occasional tantrum, and heaven help you if you wake her up from a nap!

Zombrina: This little zombie is quite the braniac! She shambles around helping kids with homework, assisting her best friend Chloe, as well as Miss Bustier, who's like a second zombie mama to her. She doesn't want to hurt her friends, and is content with just nomming on their heads, and chewing on little pieces of brain for snacks.

Nath Goyle: A quiet and artistic little gargoyle, Nathaniel loves to draw little pictures for his teachers and friends. He’s a bit of a stickler for the rules, always monitoring the daycare to make sure everyone is behaving. He loves to play with his best friend Marc, who often joins him for a fly around the playground.

MothMarc: A shy and timid little moth, Marc is easily startled and upset by loud noises and sudden movements. He spends a lot of time off on his own in a quiet corner. But he’s also a very kind little boy who loves to write poems and stories for his friends, especially his best friend Nathaniel!

NeferZoe: The nicer of the mummy duo, Zoe often has to keep her sister from getting in trouble with other kids. She's a sweet girl who loves her scarabs, helping her sister to take care of them. She's got a mischevious time, loving to shamble around and act scary, but she gives the best hugs. Her best friend is CosetTaur, who she often calms down when the minotaur is angry.

CosetTaur: This little minotaur will only ram you if you’re being bad. Cosette is usually a very sweet girl who loves playing with Zoe, and solving puzzles is her favorite thing to do. It feels a connection with Alix and Simon, since they’re all monsters who were villainized by the Greeks.

Ondine Blue: A cheerful, sweet and bubbly little girl, Ondine is always doing everything she can to make her friends happy. She loves to run around and play games with her friends, and encourage them to take care of the ocean! She also loves to play with her puppy, Kimmy, who she can often be seen snuggling with. Oh, and she actually LIKES bathtime!

DracoGami: This little eastern dragon is one of the most stoic of the group. However, she can be a rambunctious kid, as her strict mother can attest to. She loves playing in the water with her good friend Ondine. Kagami has a problem with sharing, at least when it comes to her treasure. Only her partners, Adrien, Luka, Marinette can grab any without fuss.

AstraRore: Sent to Earth from the planet Boreala, Aurore is here to meet all kinds of new monsters, and she couldn’t be happier! Cheerful and curious, Aurore loves to discover new things and solve mysteries in the daycare. She loves all the new friends she’s made, but her favorite friend is Mireille, the little slime.

SliMireille: A cautious little bundle of slime who loves to hang out with her alien friend, Aurore. She gets very anxious about leaving trails of herself on the floor, and doesn't like the sort of chaos that usually occurs in the daycare. That's why they have all sorts of hiding spaces. She and Aurore love all things science, and especially the weather. They have Nino as their cameraman, and give little weather reports.

Denisquatch: A lively and playful little Sasquatch, Denise is always full of energy. They love to run around and play outside with all their friends, dreading days when rain traps them indoors. They especially with their cousin Ivan and friend Kim, and scooping their cyclops friend, Simon, up for a big hug!

IsmaCat: A mischievous little stinker, Ismael loves to make minor trouble around the daycare. Though he’s often pulling small pranks and snarking at people, his friends love him anyway. At heart, he’s a good kitty and a loyal friend who stands up for people.

Flamecey: She's certainly got a fiery temper, that's for sure. Lacey is quick to anger, so it's not wise to try any funny business at her expense. She's already a little rebel, who hates being told what to do without a good reason. Still she's a cheerful and helpful kid. When it gets cold, most kids huddle around her for warmth. She loves doing dares with her friends, Kim and Alix, as well as causing mischief with Ismael.

OperJean: An enthusiastic and theatrical little phantom, Jean loves to put on performances for all his friends! He can be a little dramatic and emotional, but his friends are able to bring him back to earth. His adorable southern accent makes it a joy to listen the songs he performs with his ‘bandmates’. He especially loves singing for his ‘Grimmy’, the little reaper, Austin T.

Austin Grim: He doesn't want your soul, just a hug! This little reaper is incredibly shy, and worries about being seen as scary by humans. Funnily enough, he can't seem to be scary to other monsters! His favorite person in the world is Jean, and the two love to sing songs together, and go on little adventures. He has a passion for collecting little trinkets, and is said to have the cutest laugh.

SiClops: This little cyclops has an eye for technology. He's the first to ask to play on the tablet, and teaches his friends how to play video games. Him and Max help to fix anything that is broken, and he loves to snark with Nathaniel and Ismael. His bestest friend has to be Denise, who does puzzles with him, and gives the best furry hugs. He, Alix, and Cosette are great friends too, and love going on little adventures and making fun of those old Greeks who villainized them.

Harpy Lila: A cruel and malicious little bully, Lila gets more joy out of nothing than tormenting her fellow monster tots. She loves to spook and snatch up her classmates, particularly ones that are easy to scare, like Marc and Mylene. She also loves to start fights and cause trouble, and is something of a compulsive liar, though no one ever believes her.

Frightful Felix: A mean-spirited and hateful little boy who gets joy out of torturing and scaring others, particularly his cousin Adrien, and Adrien’s monster friends. He likes to dress up in his Jack-O-Lantern costume and cause mayhem. He wants to be like his uncle Gabriel, following his footsteps in hurting and hunting monsters.

This was an absolute delight to make with Weeby, and we came up with so many fun ideas. You’ll be seeing more of this spinoff that’s for sure. Make sure to check out their main Monstrous AU. Also make sure to reblog, reply, post and ask. @artzychic27 @msweebyness 

#monstrous au #monstrous #monster au #monster #school for monster #lil monsters au #lil monsters #baby au #babies #toddler au #toddler #daycare au #daycare #miraculous ladybug #miraculous

[thebibliomancer]

Earth X #0

On top of What If? I’ve also started Earth X.

Despite the name, it’s not necessarily an X-Men thing. Or… the Krakoa era has been slapping X on anything. Maybe the title has been reused.

But Earth X is what happens when Wizard magazine challenges Alex Ross to make up a dystopian future for Marvel since he’d done that for DC with Kingdom Come.

So Ross drew some concept art and came up with an idea of Bad Future where the entire population of Earth had gained superpowers.

This proved such a hit with fans that Marvel commissioned an actual Earth X comic from Ross.

And Earth X the comic made such an impact that its concepts keep finding their way into the 616.

My amazing powers of osmosis have only learned me some general ideas of the book. Usually the bits that get re-used in main Marvel continuity. So I’ve wanted to dig into it for a while.

And now I am.

This is an issue zero which usually means a prologue. Earth X is the possible Bad Future of the Marvel Universe. So a prologue for Earth X is the history of the whole dang Earth.

As narrated by the Watcher to Aaron Stack, Machine Man. After rapturing him through a Monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. And stealing his skin.

Uatu also insists on calling Aaron X-51 instead of Aaron.

So Uatu is kind of a dick in this. I mean, someone blinded him and he’s missing his stories on Earth. So that’s why he kidnapped Aaron. To be his seeing eye robot.

You’d think he’d ask in a nicer way.

But instead, he’s a dick.

He dehumanizes Aaron. He ignores his questions. He gets mad that Aaron isn’t reacting the “right way” to this big historical recap. He criticizes Aaron for applying his morals to cosmic entities.

Also, he appears on a giant screen, looking like a Zordon for some reason.

The thrust of Uatu’s big historical recap is that the Celestials came to Earth in several “hosts” to genetically nudge humanity and plant a “seed” in them that would one day grow them beyond the level of gods.

This seems relevant to the Earth X concept of a future where all humanity has gained superpowers.

So. That’s the prologue to Earth X. Aaron Stack will be observing Earth and narrating to a blind Uatu. An Earth X where humanity has apparently bloomed.

Why Earth X?

What does the X mean here? Issue 1 better explain that to me.

#Earth X #liveblog #uatu the watcher #Machine Man

[grandmaster-anne]

Waste not, want not

By HRH The Princess Royal | Published 29 July 2020

EVERY year, month and day, I realise how fortunate and privileged I am to have grown up and spent most of my life in the countryside. It’s not only the space, appreciating the seasons, the wildlife, the plant life, the arable crops and the livestock, but, most importantly, it’s the people who live and work there and understand the complexity of their environment. I was equally fortunate that both my parents had a love and understanding of the natural world through their own experiences. Perhaps even more so for my father when, during his rather disjointed young life, he ended up at school at Gordonstoun and was introduced to the wilds of Scotland, both land and sea. Scotland had its influence on my mother, too, as did the big skies of Norfolk, and the huge fields and marshes of the Sandringham Estate. Windsor’s Home Park and Great Park were a constant presence for her, as they were for all of us. They had horses, dairies, hens, pigs—you could never be bored as a child. Windsor was and is a haven of peace, although not so quiet since the growth of air travel—until the lockdown.

Superficially, not much has changed since I was young; the Jersey herd is still there, although the cows now enjoy a robotic parlour. There are Sussex cattle in the Great Park and the crops are a different mix, but the forest is still there, as are ponds and wet areas, the Savill Gardens and Frogmore House Gardens. Buildings and skills that the Prince Consort would have recognised.

Prince Albert’s influence is seen so often at the forefront of research and practical application, not least in agriculture and building design. His model farm at Windsor, for instance, and nearly all the buildings at Balmoral improved the use of space and integrated more efficient use and better distribution of water. My father was impressed by Prince Albert’s approach to forward-thinking and sustainable developments and has added his own understanding to encourage others to build on the knowledge of their predecessors. The Royal Commission of 1851 was set up by the Prince Consort after the Great Exhibition to build on its success of creativity, innovation and trade. When my father was its president, he oversaw an extraordinary investment in talent across the whole spectrum of research, including the science and practice of agriculture and sustainable land use. I now have the privilege of being its president, which also reminds me of the wealth of knowledge that I have been exposed to throughout my life and the part my family has played in growing that knowledge.

Prince Philip has added his own unique talents by being very well briefed, then engaging and bringing together all interests that are part of the countryside. He is a very hard act to follow, but I’m grateful for the time he gave us and the example he set us.

It is only later in life that you realise how much you have been exposed to and how much you have absorbed from your early years. We were taught to observe and question, to be open minded, to understand differences, to treat every person as an individual with their own skills and to remember there is very little that is completely new under the sun. We are where we are because our ancestors not only survived by living off the land, water and air, but also innovated ways of doing so more easily and successfully; so successfully that a shortage of food seems a distant threat for much of the western world. However, although we may be growing more, the access to and distribution of good-quality foods is still a challenge.

We are living through a real global pandemic that is affecting literally every person’s life in some way, even if they and their countries have barely suffered directly from Covid-19. The effect on global food supplies through the restrictions on transport and logistics (see page 124) should raise our awareness of the vulnerability of the modern—just in time—demand-and-supply approach and highlight the strengths of local production and markets. Change will require all land users to work even more closely together to understand the most appropriate and least damaging way to increase production of crops and livestock that best suit our ground conditions and weather. It also means finding the right space and access for those who wish to enjoy the non-producing areas.

The restrictions that Covid-19 has placed on the entire population have accentuated the pressure between town and country. However, it has also shown that, thanks to historic houses, caravan parks, national parks, forestry enterprises, riding and cycling trails, rambling routes and assorted types of accommodation, access was quite well catered for already as an important contributor to the rural economy. The pandemic has highlighted the number of people and jobs that are crucial to that economy, too, be it the hospitality sector, conservation projects or the farming sector, such as the harvesting of many crops, fruit and vegetables and the care of livestock, especially sheep-shearing. Those jobs are still hard physical work that also need skills to achieve the standards that the buying public expect.

Technology is already making an impact in these areas and will make a bigger impact as the innovators and practitioners work out what is adding value and efficiency, without doing any more damage to the environment. Education and training play a big part in the shared understanding, success and enjoyment of the countryside. Our knowledge is derived from experience, evaluation and development and we need that information to be readily available. The royal agricultural societies, the county agricultural shows and societies (see page 120) —which are often the gatekeepers to public enquiry and understanding—the further-education colleges and universities that still maintain links with the rural economy (see page 128) and the people who live and work in the countryside are more important than ever, especially as there is no such thing as an unskilled job.

Research has made progress, but single-issue research must never lose sight of the overall subject. I mean that, for instance, one type of crop, with very specific qualities, may not be the best crop for every environment. Nature’s ability to adapt is, on the whole, better than humans or, indeed, computer-model-driven versions. How do we combine the best of both, the single-issue expertise and the need for a holistic view? Hopefully, by recognising that practitioners, residents and consumers can all access accurate information, education and training so that they can contribute to the debate and the research on best practice for the countryside.

How do I define best practice? Understanding how to work better with local conditions and working with Nature, which could be by using very traditional methods. Yet also using technology to support farming and related jobs, as well as extending the employment opportunities to those who would rather stay in the countryside. Not everybody does, which is just as well, as there is already a shortage of affordable houses in most areas (see page 118).

One of my pleas for best practice is quality, appropriate housing of the right type and the right numbers in the right places. Housing for local families that are priced out of the market; for young, single people who would like to stay and work in their home village or area; young families; and retired people who were born in the village and would like to return home. All of them could make the difference to having a viable school, shop or pub in the village. Importantly, these housing developments should be small and remain in the control of the local parish council, either for rent or shared ownership—preferably small because of two other best-practice issues: waste and energy.

Waste—produced by humanity and the way it chooses to live—that is not dealt with appropriately is up there with not understanding the value of small housing developments built to last as a major irritation to me! If you want to help the planet, controlling our waste is something everyone can do and it will make a difference. We will always produce waste, however efficient we become, so we must get better at reducing it at every stage and dealing with it better at the end. That means making things such as clothes, furniture, vehicles and supermarket trolleys that can be recycled safely and economically and not dumped on someone else’s ground. Did I mention that fly-tipping is another major irritation to me?

There are some perfectly good waste and recycling systems out there already, including anaerobic digesters and waste-to-energy plants. I would hope we can be more innovative and local in the way we deal with our rubbish to encourage everybody that it is worth making the effort to put waste in the right places, recycle more and have the confidence that it will make a difference.

Everything about life today seems to be about convenience and waste is seen as inconvenient; we must help make it more convenient to deal with. Raising the profile of the country code might help, especially as the post-coronavirus getaway to the country seems to have resulted in an increase of littering and vandalism.

Reliable energy supplies are critical to everybody and renewable energy created by innovative and local solutions will be a crucial part of the networks. Rural areas could be even more self-sufficient, especially if much of the equipment is to be electric. Replacing fossil-fuel generators has not been easy, but covering the countryside in solar panels and windmills isn’t really the answer, either. Using water better, using waste from crops, using waste from woodlands and the ability to store energy, possibly as hydrogen, can all help, but will require a more flexible grid and, therefore, the technology to make that work. Small nuclear reactors could have their place, but perhaps there is not the space to pursue that now.

In order to make rural life less isolated, even 5G coverage will not solve the problem of transport for farmers, shops, schools, pubs and the people who want to live and work in or from the rural environment. You need logistics to travel, to distribute, to deliver and to collect. Many businesses, good ideas and ambitions have failed because there are too few of any of the above and they are too expensive.

The need for appropriate vehicles and qualified drivers has not made it any easier to service the rural areas. I gained my HGV licence in 1974 after, I think, a two-hour test, all driving, starting with the handling test, which meant that, if you touched a cone, you were unlikely to pass. Then you spent the rest of the time driving—in my case, mostly in Reading. There was no theory test and, in relative terms, it didn’t cost very much. Now, it is a serious commitment in terms of time and money, which has resulted in a real shortage of HGV drivers. This, and the requirement for qualifications for nearly every other sort of vehicle, has made it even more difficult to maintain services. The needs of the rural communities during the coronavirus lockdown has underlined the importance of those people and their roles. We would do well to build on that experience.

I have lived at Gatcombe for more than 42 years (see page 80). We were not looking for a farm, but it has been a real privilege to try to work with what we have. Ours is an organic, extensive grass enterprise, usually complicated by running the horse-trial championships in early August. The woodland is a real mix of trees—mostly beeches, but huge numbers of ash of all ages. Who knows how many will survive, but I feel the naturally selected mix could be an important part of the answer.

Perhaps mix is the key. I write as a classic ‘Jack of all trades’, who has the opportunity to listen and engage with the masters of their subjects. Does the little knowledge I pick up make me dangerous or well informed?

Well, some of my information comes from COUNTRY LIFE , a publication that continues to reflect and promote all aspects of rural existence. This week’s edition has generously reflected some of my interests and those of people I believe are making a real difference. I hope the edition will leave you positively optimistic about our country’s country life.

#princess anne #princess royal #country life #guest edit #article #anne's article