Dec. 2nd, 2019
via https://ift.tt/35XKlHJ
kylorenvevo:
verysharpteeth:
finndamerons:
knights-of-kylo-ren:
Kylo’s fighting style is remarkable
#i love this bc he’s swinging it around like it’s super heavy#lightsabers are made of kyber crystals which give out a beam that is weightless#bur because kylo’s kyber crystal is cracked#it may be causing disturbances in the force#pulling the beam in every direction possible#which makes it harder to wield and much harder to swing around#it’s like he’s swinging an actual sword (via![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kylorage)
And I like pointing out that he’s a REALLY reckless fighter. Maybe it was just this moment because he was falling all to pieces, but I think it’s more than likely a common thing with him considering his tantrums. It’s ridiculous to turn your back on an opponent in a sword fight, yet even wounded he’s doing it here. And on a side note even wounded he decides to use a double hand strike with the momentum of the spin for extra power. In other words, that move is going to HURT. He’s already been gut shot and is visibly bleeding everywhere and he decides to use moves that are really going to linger.
I’m going to back up this already excellent post with some lore for anyone who might be interested.
Yes, lightsaber blades are weightless, but resistant to changes in motion, so the 90-degree angle of Ren’s two beams actively make them work against each other, as opposed to the only other known crossguard user Roblio Darte, whose secondary blade emitter was 45 degrees from the first, enabling him to wield it perfectly.
Double-handed strikes are the most common movement among lightsaber users because of the inertia needed to counteract the blade’s initial repelling force. Ren uses a two-handed slash despite being heavily wounded because that will make the blade cut faster and easier than a one-handed grip. That’s why Jar’Kai users (dual-wielders) have to rely on speed and agility to compensate for the lack of power in their strikes.
The combat form that Ren is using here could be Ataru, which is noted for its acrobatic twirls, but it could also be Djem So, due to the switch in grips while spinning and the finishing uppercut slash (theoretically, this move conceals your strikes and does not leave you open to attack, even though your back is turned for a moment). I favor the Djem So headcanon, because this was Anakin Skywalker’s preferred form (and we all know how much Ren idolizes his grandpa).
Alternatively, this scene (and the whole fight in general) could also reinforce my personal headcanon that Ren is a Niman user. He uses Niman stance on Takodana, and it is entirely feasible that he could be adopting it in this scene too, as Niman is a combination of the other forms, and it is also perceived by a lot of lightsaber users to be very undisciplined, since it relies heavily on improvisation. Count Dooku once criticized a Niman adherent for his sloppy form and nonexistent footwork. I believe this ties in very well with how reckless Ren is in combat.
kylorenvevo:
verysharpteeth:
finndamerons:
knights-of-kylo-ren:
Kylo’s fighting style is remarkable
#i love this bc he’s swinging it around like it’s super heavy#lightsabers are made of kyber crystals which give out a beam that is weightless#bur because kylo’s kyber crystal is cracked#it may be causing disturbances in the force#pulling the beam in every direction possible#which makes it harder to wield and much harder to swing around#it’s like he’s swinging an actual sword (via
kylorage)And I like pointing out that he’s a REALLY reckless fighter. Maybe it was just this moment because he was falling all to pieces, but I think it’s more than likely a common thing with him considering his tantrums. It’s ridiculous to turn your back on an opponent in a sword fight, yet even wounded he’s doing it here. And on a side note even wounded he decides to use a double hand strike with the momentum of the spin for extra power. In other words, that move is going to HURT. He’s already been gut shot and is visibly bleeding everywhere and he decides to use moves that are really going to linger.
I’m going to back up this already excellent post with some lore for anyone who might be interested.
Yes, lightsaber blades are weightless, but resistant to changes in motion, so the 90-degree angle of Ren’s two beams actively make them work against each other, as opposed to the only other known crossguard user Roblio Darte, whose secondary blade emitter was 45 degrees from the first, enabling him to wield it perfectly.
Double-handed strikes are the most common movement among lightsaber users because of the inertia needed to counteract the blade’s initial repelling force. Ren uses a two-handed slash despite being heavily wounded because that will make the blade cut faster and easier than a one-handed grip. That’s why Jar’Kai users (dual-wielders) have to rely on speed and agility to compensate for the lack of power in their strikes.
The combat form that Ren is using here could be Ataru, which is noted for its acrobatic twirls, but it could also be Djem So, due to the switch in grips while spinning and the finishing uppercut slash (theoretically, this move conceals your strikes and does not leave you open to attack, even though your back is turned for a moment). I favor the Djem So headcanon, because this was Anakin Skywalker’s preferred form (and we all know how much Ren idolizes his grandpa).
Alternatively, this scene (and the whole fight in general) could also reinforce my personal headcanon that Ren is a Niman user. He uses Niman stance on Takodana, and it is entirely feasible that he could be adopting it in this scene too, as Niman is a combination of the other forms, and it is also perceived by a lot of lightsaber users to be very undisciplined, since it relies heavily on improvisation. Count Dooku once criticized a Niman adherent for his sloppy form and nonexistent footwork. I believe this ties in very well with how reckless Ren is in combat.
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verineart:
lawfulgoodness:
a-wandering-minstrel:
yo bro is it safe down there in the woods? yeah man it’s cool by Tomislav Jagnjic
I thought this was just a joke but nope, that’s literally what the artist named this piece.
Some other gems by Tomislac Jagnjic:
And I worried myself sick over naming my art. This is so liberating.
verineart:
lawfulgoodness:
a-wandering-minstrel:
yo bro is it safe down there in the woods? yeah man it’s cool by Tomislav Jagnjic
I thought this was just a joke but nope, that’s literally what the artist named this piece.
Some other gems by Tomislac Jagnjic:
And I worried myself sick over naming my art. This is so liberating.
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mizgnomer:
We are on opposite sides!
Crowley and Aziraphale: Crossing that divide
mizgnomer:
We are on opposite sides!
Crowley and Aziraphale: Crossing that divide
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wisteria-lodge:
... because I’m pretty sure people skip this one. Because it IS called “The Yellow Face.” And it was written by a British dude in 1893. So there are a couple of… very reasonable assumptions you could make about the content. But I’m telling you that humanity can be wholesome and pure, so hang around, it’s story time.
We open with Holmes and Watson, who are just sort of wandering around London in silence, “as befits two men who know each other intimately.” (awww). And when they get back to 221B, they’ve got a new client waiting.
Mr. Grant Munro is one of those mid-thirties guys who looks a lot younger. It turns out he’s recently married an American widow from Georgia, and she’s started acting really REALLY weird.
Like, she’s sneaking out in the middle of the night without saying where she’s going. Withdrawing a lot of money from the joint bank account, not saying why. Pretending *not* to know a strange Scottish woman who’s new in town. One day this guy gives into temptation and follows her. She goes to a random cottage that she’s secretly renting, in a town called Norbury. He has no idea what is going on, but he comes back to visit this cottage a few times, and every time he walks past it, he sees a strange expressionless yellow-white face at the window. It ducks out of sight whenever he looks too long.
Anyway, Holmes glances over at Watson, says thank you and that he’ll look into it. When the client leaves, he shakes his head, “There’s blackmail in it, or I am much mistaken.”
Holmes’ theory is that the American widow’s first husband is still alive, and he’s blackmailing her. Or (second option) the first husband like, went insane or something, the mysterious Scottish woman has worked out the situation, and she’s the one doing the blackmailing.
Homes & Watson and Grant Munro “solve” the case by basically just sneaking into the cottage when they’re not expected. And they find -
A little, four-year-old African-American girl. In a mask and long white evening gloves.
Holmes goes and takes off the mask first thing, but the little girl is fine, just laughing and smiling at all the confused people. Watson “burst[s] out laughing, out of sympathy for her merriment.”
But Grant Munro looks at his wife, who’s just run into the room, and says, “My God! What can be the meaning of this!”
His wife’s backstory comes out. See, her first husband was African-American (she’s got his picture in her locket, Watson calls him “strikingly handsome and intelligent looking”) and the little girl is their daughter. (”Dark or fair, she is my own dear girlie and her mother’s pet!”) She didn’t think that a second husband would sign off on a multiracial daughter, so she’s been letting the Scottish nurse raise her - until she just cracked, missed her little girl too much, and had to have her near, even if it meant doing dumb things like giving her a mask and evening gloves so they wouldn’t accidentally start a rumor about an African-American girl living in the neighborhood.
And then - actually, I’m just going to let Arthur Conan Doyle (and Watson) do this last part:
It was a long two minutes before Grant Munro broke the silence, and when his answer came it was one of which I love to think. He lifted the little child, kissed her, and then, still carrying her, he held his other hand out to his wife and turned towards the door.
“We can talk it over more comfortably at home,” said he. “I am not a very good man, Effie, but I think that I am a better one than you have given me credit for being.”
Holmes and I followed them down the lane, and my friend plucked at my sleeve as we came out.
“I think,” said he, “that we shall be of more use in London than in Norbury.”
Not another word did he say of the case until late into the night, when he was turning away, with his lighted candle, for his bedroom.
“Watson,” says he. “If it should ever strike you that I am getting a little over-confident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper ‘Norbury’ in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you.”
wisteria-lodge:
... because I’m pretty sure people skip this one. Because it IS called “The Yellow Face.” And it was written by a British dude in 1893. So there are a couple of… very reasonable assumptions you could make about the content. But I’m telling you that humanity can be wholesome and pure, so hang around, it’s story time.
We open with Holmes and Watson, who are just sort of wandering around London in silence, “as befits two men who know each other intimately.” (awww). And when they get back to 221B, they’ve got a new client waiting.
Mr. Grant Munro is one of those mid-thirties guys who looks a lot younger. It turns out he’s recently married an American widow from Georgia, and she’s started acting really REALLY weird.
Like, she’s sneaking out in the middle of the night without saying where she’s going. Withdrawing a lot of money from the joint bank account, not saying why. Pretending *not* to know a strange Scottish woman who’s new in town. One day this guy gives into temptation and follows her. She goes to a random cottage that she’s secretly renting, in a town called Norbury. He has no idea what is going on, but he comes back to visit this cottage a few times, and every time he walks past it, he sees a strange expressionless yellow-white face at the window. It ducks out of sight whenever he looks too long.
Anyway, Holmes glances over at Watson, says thank you and that he’ll look into it. When the client leaves, he shakes his head, “There’s blackmail in it, or I am much mistaken.”
Holmes’ theory is that the American widow’s first husband is still alive, and he’s blackmailing her. Or (second option) the first husband like, went insane or something, the mysterious Scottish woman has worked out the situation, and she’s the one doing the blackmailing.
Homes & Watson and Grant Munro “solve” the case by basically just sneaking into the cottage when they’re not expected. And they find -
A little, four-year-old African-American girl. In a mask and long white evening gloves.
Holmes goes and takes off the mask first thing, but the little girl is fine, just laughing and smiling at all the confused people. Watson “burst[s] out laughing, out of sympathy for her merriment.”
But Grant Munro looks at his wife, who’s just run into the room, and says, “My God! What can be the meaning of this!”
His wife’s backstory comes out. See, her first husband was African-American (she’s got his picture in her locket, Watson calls him “strikingly handsome and intelligent looking”) and the little girl is their daughter. (”Dark or fair, she is my own dear girlie and her mother’s pet!”) She didn’t think that a second husband would sign off on a multiracial daughter, so she’s been letting the Scottish nurse raise her - until she just cracked, missed her little girl too much, and had to have her near, even if it meant doing dumb things like giving her a mask and evening gloves so they wouldn’t accidentally start a rumor about an African-American girl living in the neighborhood.
And then - actually, I’m just going to let Arthur Conan Doyle (and Watson) do this last part:
It was a long two minutes before Grant Munro broke the silence, and when his answer came it was one of which I love to think. He lifted the little child, kissed her, and then, still carrying her, he held his other hand out to his wife and turned towards the door.
“We can talk it over more comfortably at home,” said he. “I am not a very good man, Effie, but I think that I am a better one than you have given me credit for being.”
Holmes and I followed them down the lane, and my friend plucked at my sleeve as we came out.
“I think,” said he, “that we shall be of more use in London than in Norbury.”
Not another word did he say of the case until late into the night, when he was turning away, with his lighted candle, for his bedroom.
“Watson,” says he. “If it should ever strike you that I am getting a little over-confident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper ‘Norbury’ in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you.”
via https://ift.tt/2P2Monm
Researchers explore how citizens can become agents of environmental change: A blueprint for how to educate people to maximize their impact:
realcleverscience:
To get at that question, the researchers analyzed reviews of more than 100 environmental education programs that addressed topics such as habitat protection and restoration, water quality, energy conservation, climate change and recycling. From this, the researchers gleaned four keys to maximizing the chance that programs will help citizens make meaningful environmental impacts: focus on locally relevant issues; collaborate with experts; incorporate action-oriented learning strategies and approaches, such as hands-on experiments and policy recommendations; and measure outcomes.
Researchers explore how citizens can become agents of environmental change: A blueprint for how to educate people to maximize their impact:
realcleverscience:
To get at that question, the researchers analyzed reviews of more than 100 environmental education programs that addressed topics such as habitat protection and restoration, water quality, energy conservation, climate change and recycling. From this, the researchers gleaned four keys to maximizing the chance that programs will help citizens make meaningful environmental impacts: focus on locally relevant issues; collaborate with experts; incorporate action-oriented learning strategies and approaches, such as hands-on experiments and policy recommendations; and measure outcomes.
via https://ift.tt/34FzIJr
frenchfrysplash:
dragon-in-a-fez:
cispiciousblk:
slimy:
it shouldn’t surprise people that respecting a cat’s boundaries (i.e. ceasing to pet them after they paw at you) helps them trust you more
Bathbomb was dropped off at my apartment very abused and scared he hid in the bathtub for an entire 24hrs. he barely/if ever ate for about a week and didnt begin exploring the apartment until 3 weeks in
it was a month before he came up to me and it was hard but i sat kinda near him every day i would treat him like he was a new cat and let him smell me before trying to pet him and if he even looked uncomfortable id gently stop and just sing or talk to him
now he climbs on my back and jumps on my shoulder if i dont pay attention to him so it takes work and time
cats are like ppl and have triggers and quirks and trauma and we have to be respectful and gentle its not that hard of a concept
this is an Important Post but my favorite part is that your cat’s name is Bathbomb
this post singlehandedly helped me bond with my cat who hates everyone, and now I’m his favourite person
frenchfrysplash:
dragon-in-a-fez:
cispiciousblk:
slimy:
it shouldn’t surprise people that respecting a cat’s boundaries (i.e. ceasing to pet them after they paw at you) helps them trust you more
Bathbomb was dropped off at my apartment very abused and scared he hid in the bathtub for an entire 24hrs. he barely/if ever ate for about a week and didnt begin exploring the apartment until 3 weeks in
it was a month before he came up to me and it was hard but i sat kinda near him every day i would treat him like he was a new cat and let him smell me before trying to pet him and if he even looked uncomfortable id gently stop and just sing or talk to him
now he climbs on my back and jumps on my shoulder if i dont pay attention to him so it takes work and time
cats are like ppl and have triggers and quirks and trauma and we have to be respectful and gentle its not that hard of a concept
this is an Important Post but my favorite part is that your cat’s name is Bathbomb
this post singlehandedly helped me bond with my cat who hates everyone, and now I’m his favourite person
via https://ift.tt/2Y8acdq
princesssarisa:
I’m tired of hearing people say “Disney’s Cinderella is sanitized. In the original tale, the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to make the slipper fit and get their eyes pecked out by birds in the end.”
I understand this mistake. I’m sure a lot of people buy copies of the complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales, see their tale of Aschenputtel translated as “Cinderella”, and assume what they’re reading is the “original” version of the tale. Or else they see Into the Woods and make the same assumption, because Sondheim and Lapine chose to base their Cinderella plot line on the Grimms’ Aschenputtel instead of on the more familiar version. It’s an understandable mistake. But I’m still tired of seeing it.
The Brothers Grimm didn’t originate the story of Cinderella. Their version, where there is no fairy godmother, the heroine gets her elegant clothes from a tree on her mother’s grave, and where yes, the stepsisters do cut off parts of their feet and get their eyes pecked out in the end, is not the “original.” Nor did Disney create the familiar version with the fairy godmother, the pumpkin coach, and the lack of any foot-cutting or eye-pecking.
If you really want the “original” version of the story, you’d have to go back to the 1st century Greco-Egyptian legend of Rhodopis. That tale is just this: “A Greek courtesan is bathing one day, when an eagle snatches up her sandal and carries it to the Pharaoh of Egypt. The Pharaoh searches for the owner of the sandal, finds her and makes her his queen.”
Or, if you want the first version of the entire plot, with a stepdaughter reduced to servitude by her stepmother, a special event that she’s forbidden to attend, fine clothes and shoes given to her by magic so she can attend, and her royal future husband finding her shoe after she loses it while running away, then it’s the Chinese tale of Ye Xian you’re looking for. In that version, she gets her clothes from the bones of a fish that was her only friend until her stepmother caught it and ate it.
But if you want the Cinderella story that Disney’s film was directly based on, then the version you want is the version by the French author Charles Perrault. His Cendrillon is the Cinderella story that became the best known in the Western world. His version features the fairy godmother, the pumpkin turned into a coach, mice into horses, etc, and no blood or grisly punishments for anyone. It was published in 1697. The Brothers Grimm’s Aschenputtel, with the tree on the grave, the foot-cutting, etc. was first published in 1812.
The Grimms’ grisly-edged version might feel older and more primitive while Perrault’s pretty version feels like a sanitized retelling, but such isn’t the case. They’re just two different countries’ variations on the tale, French and German, and Perrault’s is older. Nor is the Disney film sanitized. It’s based on Perrault.
princesssarisa:
I’m tired of hearing people say “Disney’s Cinderella is sanitized. In the original tale, the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to make the slipper fit and get their eyes pecked out by birds in the end.”
I understand this mistake. I’m sure a lot of people buy copies of the complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales, see their tale of Aschenputtel translated as “Cinderella”, and assume what they’re reading is the “original” version of the tale. Or else they see Into the Woods and make the same assumption, because Sondheim and Lapine chose to base their Cinderella plot line on the Grimms’ Aschenputtel instead of on the more familiar version. It’s an understandable mistake. But I’m still tired of seeing it.
The Brothers Grimm didn’t originate the story of Cinderella. Their version, where there is no fairy godmother, the heroine gets her elegant clothes from a tree on her mother’s grave, and where yes, the stepsisters do cut off parts of their feet and get their eyes pecked out in the end, is not the “original.” Nor did Disney create the familiar version with the fairy godmother, the pumpkin coach, and the lack of any foot-cutting or eye-pecking.
If you really want the “original” version of the story, you’d have to go back to the 1st century Greco-Egyptian legend of Rhodopis. That tale is just this: “A Greek courtesan is bathing one day, when an eagle snatches up her sandal and carries it to the Pharaoh of Egypt. The Pharaoh searches for the owner of the sandal, finds her and makes her his queen.”
Or, if you want the first version of the entire plot, with a stepdaughter reduced to servitude by her stepmother, a special event that she’s forbidden to attend, fine clothes and shoes given to her by magic so she can attend, and her royal future husband finding her shoe after she loses it while running away, then it’s the Chinese tale of Ye Xian you’re looking for. In that version, she gets her clothes from the bones of a fish that was her only friend until her stepmother caught it and ate it.
But if you want the Cinderella story that Disney’s film was directly based on, then the version you want is the version by the French author Charles Perrault. His Cendrillon is the Cinderella story that became the best known in the Western world. His version features the fairy godmother, the pumpkin turned into a coach, mice into horses, etc, and no blood or grisly punishments for anyone. It was published in 1697. The Brothers Grimm’s Aschenputtel, with the tree on the grave, the foot-cutting, etc. was first published in 1812.
The Grimms’ grisly-edged version might feel older and more primitive while Perrault’s pretty version feels like a sanitized retelling, but such isn’t the case. They’re just two different countries’ variations on the tale, French and German, and Perrault’s is older. Nor is the Disney film sanitized. It’s based on Perrault.
via https://ift.tt/37Yeicy
therothwoman:
circular-time:
doctor-oho:
apollostowel:
corrinelovett:
My edit
What in the holy hell is going on? I like it.
you know
you know sometimes
therothwoman:
circular-time:
doctor-oho:
apollostowel:
corrinelovett:
My edit
What in the holy hell is going on? I like it.
you know
you know sometimes
via https://ift.tt/380x570
existentialspacecowboy:
Basically what having a Tumblr blog feels like:
Hi, yes, this is my trash wall. Feel free to have a look around.
existentialspacecowboy:
Basically what having a Tumblr blog feels like:
Hi, yes, this is my trash wall. Feel free to have a look around.
via https://ift.tt/2DIZ5OB
eliosu:
First Order propaganda posters for my Dark Side comrades. I tried to create the kind of posters you may see in the First Order base and starship, with the new touches from The Last Jedi new content. Maybe the credit budget for operating the Order has been cut down sharply to rebuild the new base, but that doesn’t mean you can’t receive 5 stars brainwashing experience!
Prints now available at my online (Society6 & Redbubble ) shop ( so you can get propagandized in your bedroom!
eliosu:
First Order propaganda posters for my Dark Side comrades. I tried to create the kind of posters you may see in the First Order base and starship, with the new touches from The Last Jedi new content. Maybe the credit budget for operating the Order has been cut down sharply to rebuild the new base, but that doesn’t mean you can’t receive 5 stars brainwashing experience!
Prints now available at my online (Society6 & Redbubble ) shop ( so you can get propagandized in your bedroom!
arthistoryfeed: Earflare with Condor, Peru
Dec. 2nd, 2019 04:19 pmvia https://ift.tt/2P3NLCa
arthistoryfeed:
Earflare with Condor, Peru 6th–7th century.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5kGK7dlvWJ/?igshid=wxm523hchudf
arthistoryfeed:
Earflare with Condor, Peru 6th–7th century.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5kGK7dlvWJ/?igshid=wxm523hchudf
via https://ift.tt/35S5kMe
ladytemeraire:
euclase:
sorceressofwildwood:
bloodandthunderp:
twintrolldevon:
brokenponycutiemark:
celticdreamz:
Icelandic descendants of Vikings singing a hymn in a German train station. They totally need to be on the next Thor soundtrack.
Oh man oh man oh man. 6 guys, and it FILLS THE SPACE. Luck of the architecture - and they know how to pull it off. Nothing is easy making vocal music in a space not built for it. I want to do this kind of thing - randomly perform multipart harmony in public spaces.
And it reminds me of Bjork: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiN_YTyaNtI
My god this is beautiful.
Oh my god, the bass voice is superb.
This makes me feel so many things. Gods, it’s gorgeous and so evocative and wow. I need to find out what hymn this is.
It’s Hear, Heavenly Creator (I don’t know how that’s spelled in Icelandic, and I don’t have the characters on my keyboard for the letters anyway haha).
It’s… old as balls. Like 11th century old.
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this video and it never fails to give me chills. There’s just something about knowing how old it is, that they’re singing the same words and notes their ancestors did, unchanged over almost a thousand years, that makes my heart and soul ache in the best way.
Also the harmonization is gorgeous, I’m so weak for men’s chorale.
Translated lyrics for the curious (transcribed from this video, I do not speak Icelandic so I can’t judge the accuracy):
Listen, smith of the heavens,
[to] what the poet asks.
May softly come unto me
Your mercy.
So I call on Thee,
for You have created me.
I am Thy slave,
you are my Lord.
God, I call on Thee
to heal me.
Remember me, mild one,
most we need Thee.
Drive out, oh King of Suns,
generous and great,
every human sorrow
from the city of the heart.
Watch over me, mild one,
most we need Thee,
truly every moment
in the world of men.
Send us, Son of the Virgin,
good causes;
all aid is from Thee
in my heart.
I suspect this is a more literal translation, but there’s something incredibly poetic and lovely about “smith of the heavens” as a synonym for “heavenly creator”.
ladytemeraire:
euclase:
sorceressofwildwood:
bloodandthunderp:
twintrolldevon:
brokenponycutiemark:
celticdreamz:
Icelandic descendants of Vikings singing a hymn in a German train station. They totally need to be on the next Thor soundtrack.
Oh man oh man oh man. 6 guys, and it FILLS THE SPACE. Luck of the architecture - and they know how to pull it off. Nothing is easy making vocal music in a space not built for it. I want to do this kind of thing - randomly perform multipart harmony in public spaces.
And it reminds me of Bjork: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiN_YTyaNtI
My god this is beautiful.
Oh my god, the bass voice is superb.
This makes me feel so many things. Gods, it’s gorgeous and so evocative and wow. I need to find out what hymn this is.
It’s Hear, Heavenly Creator (I don’t know how that’s spelled in Icelandic, and I don’t have the characters on my keyboard for the letters anyway haha).
It’s… old as balls. Like 11th century old.
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this video and it never fails to give me chills. There’s just something about knowing how old it is, that they’re singing the same words and notes their ancestors did, unchanged over almost a thousand years, that makes my heart and soul ache in the best way.
Also the harmonization is gorgeous, I’m so weak for men’s chorale.
Translated lyrics for the curious (transcribed from this video, I do not speak Icelandic so I can’t judge the accuracy):
Listen, smith of the heavens,
[to] what the poet asks.
May softly come unto me
Your mercy.
So I call on Thee,
for You have created me.
I am Thy slave,
you are my Lord.
God, I call on Thee
to heal me.
Remember me, mild one,
most we need Thee.
Drive out, oh King of Suns,
generous and great,
every human sorrow
from the city of the heart.
Watch over me, mild one,
most we need Thee,
truly every moment
in the world of men.
Send us, Son of the Virgin,
good causes;
all aid is from Thee
in my heart.
I suspect this is a more literal translation, but there’s something incredibly poetic and lovely about “smith of the heavens” as a synonym for “heavenly creator”.
via https://ift.tt/2RattJS
ebimanami:
neophyte-redglare:
one good thing about december on this hellsite is that this gif will be making its rounds again
oh my god why have i never seen this gif
ebimanami:
neophyte-redglare:
one good thing about december on this hellsite is that this gif will be making its rounds again
oh my god why have i never seen this gif
via https://ift.tt/2DFpAVn
eclecticpredilection:
mister-abstract:
sixpenceee:
Halitrephes maasi is a species of deep sea jellyfish. The look like fireworks deep in the ocean.
What the mother fuck
this is so beautiful
eclecticpredilection:
mister-abstract:
sixpenceee:
Halitrephes maasi is a species of deep sea jellyfish. The look like fireworks deep in the ocean.
What the mother fuck
this is so beautiful
via https://ift.tt/2r8BXq9
landofquestsandtales:
Beautiful.
ice-block:
Ok first of all I applaud your dedication to this and second of all I read every source and I encourage all my followers to do so as well thanks science side of tumblr
satanshagger:
there are reasons for this, actually!
tumblr is set up as what is scientifically referred to as a “factual state” - meaning, in short, that our brains perceive the majority of what we read on it as factual. (source) this is why there are so little colour schemes on it and why dark mode/low colour mode took so long to be implemented, as tumblr didn’t want to mess this up. here’s a list of colours which help to enhance that mindset and manipulate people into thinking that what they are reading is true - you’ll see that almost all of the previous shades of blue used on tumblr are there.
but why is this a thing? studies have actually shown that tumblr aims to push information on us that will, actually, assist governments.
yeah. it’s scary. that’s also why tumblr was sold for such a low amount - because if it fit these specifications, it would have to be listed here; a site, for those of you that don’t want to click the link, that lists all well known social medias that cannot legally be used to spread propaganda. which is also why facebook is up in arms about that whole political advertising shitstorm.
tumblr is generally advertised as the “shitty blogging website with bad staff” because they want to cover this with incompetence, or an impression of it - studies show that our brains are not able to link sinister means with a feeling of utter uselessness.
tumblr’s users are often also struggling with mental health issues - it is thought that up to 68% of users may be depressed and therefore, easier to target with this information.
tl;dr is that you absolutely should not trust half the shit you see on tumblr, because unfortunately, up to 13% of blogs are only created to spread false information for a larger purpose.
additional sources:
a list of blogs confirmed to be spreading false and possibly harmful information
a list of topics that are usually filled with false information in posts
extra information on what governments are the worse for this and why
and, finally, what you can do to keep yourself safe from this
ice-block:
Remember when someone on tumblr would post a rhetorical question like “I wonder why all us neurodivergent people love the rain so much” and someone would make up some garbage like “well you see rain carries negative particles (which is why you get depressed if you drink rainwater) and since neurodivergent people are depressed the negative particles feel natural to them uwu” and everyone would be like “thanks science side of tumblr”
landofquestsandtales:
Beautiful.
ice-block:
Ok first of all I applaud your dedication to this and second of all I read every source and I encourage all my followers to do so as well thanks science side of tumblr
satanshagger:
there are reasons for this, actually!
tumblr is set up as what is scientifically referred to as a “factual state” - meaning, in short, that our brains perceive the majority of what we read on it as factual. (source) this is why there are so little colour schemes on it and why dark mode/low colour mode took so long to be implemented, as tumblr didn’t want to mess this up. here’s a list of colours which help to enhance that mindset and manipulate people into thinking that what they are reading is true - you’ll see that almost all of the previous shades of blue used on tumblr are there.
but why is this a thing? studies have actually shown that tumblr aims to push information on us that will, actually, assist governments.
yeah. it’s scary. that’s also why tumblr was sold for such a low amount - because if it fit these specifications, it would have to be listed here; a site, for those of you that don’t want to click the link, that lists all well known social medias that cannot legally be used to spread propaganda. which is also why facebook is up in arms about that whole political advertising shitstorm.
tumblr is generally advertised as the “shitty blogging website with bad staff” because they want to cover this with incompetence, or an impression of it - studies show that our brains are not able to link sinister means with a feeling of utter uselessness.
tumblr’s users are often also struggling with mental health issues - it is thought that up to 68% of users may be depressed and therefore, easier to target with this information.
tl;dr is that you absolutely should not trust half the shit you see on tumblr, because unfortunately, up to 13% of blogs are only created to spread false information for a larger purpose.
additional sources:
a list of blogs confirmed to be spreading false and possibly harmful information
a list of topics that are usually filled with false information in posts
extra information on what governments are the worse for this and why
and, finally, what you can do to keep yourself safe from this
ice-block:
Remember when someone on tumblr would post a rhetorical question like “I wonder why all us neurodivergent people love the rain so much” and someone would make up some garbage like “well you see rain carries negative particles (which is why you get depressed if you drink rainwater) and since neurodivergent people are depressed the negative particles feel natural to them uwu” and everyone would be like “thanks science side of tumblr”
via https://ift.tt/37Xmc67
afonhafren:
Just imagining Clutzy!Rey is now my favorite.
lucidlucy:
It’s not about style, but practicality, though lol no one’s denying it’s very Fashion Baby, but I keel worrying one of these days she’s gonna trip/snag and fall on her face 😂
afonhafren:
Rey has style; she might be a wage slave on a desert planet but she likes to wear things she finds fashionable?
lucidlucy:
You know… I’ve always loved Rey’s outfits but 18 days out from her story being done I’m looking at the promo pictures and this question from 2016 comes back to mind:
Wtf kinda purpose do the drapey bits serve?? Especially in this last iteration where the ends are so long they come to her shins and all I can imagine is her tripping on them mid-fight and accidentally slicing her arm off because WHO IN COSTUME DESIGN DECIDED IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO GIVE HER SWISHY FABRIC?!
Like how did she not get caught on metal bits jumping around inside dead destroyers and end up hanging like:
And it doesn’t actually cover anything? How’s a girl supposed to keep warm? Especially in cold space? Everyone else has like at least 2-3 layers in SW and then there’s Rey with her arms out and a thin cotton shirt and all that’s keeping her tiddies protected is an outside-underwear style wrap of thin gauzy fabric? Her nips are going to freeze off.
I just—
afonhafren:
Just imagining Clutzy!Rey is now my favorite.
lucidlucy:
It’s not about style, but practicality, though lol no one’s denying it’s very Fashion Baby, but I keel worrying one of these days she’s gonna trip/snag and fall on her face 😂
afonhafren:
Rey has style; she might be a wage slave on a desert planet but she likes to wear things she finds fashionable?
lucidlucy:
You know… I’ve always loved Rey’s outfits but 18 days out from her story being done I’m looking at the promo pictures and this question from 2016 comes back to mind:
Wtf kinda purpose do the drapey bits serve?? Especially in this last iteration where the ends are so long they come to her shins and all I can imagine is her tripping on them mid-fight and accidentally slicing her arm off because WHO IN COSTUME DESIGN DECIDED IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO GIVE HER SWISHY FABRIC?!
Like how did she not get caught on metal bits jumping around inside dead destroyers and end up hanging like:
And it doesn’t actually cover anything? How’s a girl supposed to keep warm? Especially in cold space? Everyone else has like at least 2-3 layers in SW and then there’s Rey with her arms out and a thin cotton shirt and all that’s keeping her tiddies protected is an outside-underwear style wrap of thin gauzy fabric? Her nips are going to freeze off.
I just—
via https://ift.tt/2PbMx86
laughterkey:
micdotcom:
Not all women got the right to vote in 1920 (x)
If your feminism isn’t intersectional, it ain’t shit.
laughterkey:
micdotcom:
Not all women got the right to vote in 1920 (x)
If your feminism isn’t intersectional, it ain’t shit.
via https://ift.tt/35RPiC7
theinfiknight:
lesbian-moira:
brunhiddensmusings:
greatfulldedd:
pizzaismylifepizzaisking:
legend-of-sora:
kazu-kuns-corner:
ultrafacts:
Source If you want more facts, follow Ultrafacts
I’m buying a castle.
https://www.moulin.nl/en/realestate/castle-for-sale-france-midi-pyrenees-gers-32_102909/
Update: The castle as of April 2015 is actually only around $1,300,000 USD now due to the currency exchange rates! :D
this goes even further, some European countries will give you a castle for free if you submit a plan stating how you intend to restore or preserve it. Italy alone for example has somewhere between 100 and 300 castles they intend to give away to anyone with intent to be a caretaker, they literally cant keep track of how many discount castles are up for grabs
it doesn’t even have to be an ambitious plan, even if it says you just intend to keep it from becoming more shitty and will occasionally add a few bricks when you can afford it. given that most of them come with land you could convert the grounds to actually produce enough income to pay for the repairs- like setting up apple trees and brewing cider you sell with your castle name on the bottle, or raising some goats for cheese, a hobby farm could turn this into an actual income opportunity. hell, throwing parties at the castle could make it an income opportunity
they will literally -GIVE- you a castle to make sure someone is taking care of it rather then let them all sit empty
Animal crossing: Castle cove
theinfiknight:
lesbian-moira:
brunhiddensmusings:
greatfulldedd:
pizzaismylifepizzaisking:
legend-of-sora:
kazu-kuns-corner:
ultrafacts:
Source If you want more facts, follow Ultrafacts
I’m buying a castle.
https://www.moulin.nl/en/realestate/castle-for-sale-france-midi-pyrenees-gers-32_102909/
Update: The castle as of April 2015 is actually only around $1,300,000 USD now due to the currency exchange rates! :D
this goes even further, some European countries will give you a castle for free if you submit a plan stating how you intend to restore or preserve it. Italy alone for example has somewhere between 100 and 300 castles they intend to give away to anyone with intent to be a caretaker, they literally cant keep track of how many discount castles are up for grabs
it doesn’t even have to be an ambitious plan, even if it says you just intend to keep it from becoming more shitty and will occasionally add a few bricks when you can afford it. given that most of them come with land you could convert the grounds to actually produce enough income to pay for the repairs- like setting up apple trees and brewing cider you sell with your castle name on the bottle, or raising some goats for cheese, a hobby farm could turn this into an actual income opportunity. hell, throwing parties at the castle could make it an income opportunity
they will literally -GIVE- you a castle to make sure someone is taking care of it rather then let them all sit empty
Animal crossing: Castle cove
via https://ift.tt/2DFA1Z3
Yes, I have. ♡ I absolutely love it.
I didn’t think of sketching them, but here we go..
Thank you for the ask!
Yes, I have. ♡ I absolutely love it.
I didn’t think of sketching them, but here we go..
Thank you for the ask!
antinoan:why do some people call pagans
Dec. 2nd, 2019 06:49 pmvia https://ift.tt/2DF6MFK
antinoan:
why do some people call pagans ‘godless’. pagans have tons of gods. that’s like the opposite of godless. it’s godful. over capacitated with gods
antinoan:
why do some people call pagans ‘godless’. pagans have tons of gods. that’s like the opposite of godless. it’s godful. over capacitated with gods
via https://ift.tt/382D5MW
Look.
Depression brain lies to people. Depression brain tells you that nobody cares about your problems and they don’t want to help and you’re just a burden if you say anything.
Turns out it does that regardless of gender.
I could probably point you to a dozen posts without even stretching that talk about people losing male friends to depression and being devastated because they didn’t even know their friend was hurting and would have done whatever they could to help.
The negativity in that reddit post is a lie.
There’s a post I saw on here today that was talking about male vulnerability that broke down to “you don’t want to be vulnerable in a real, ugly way, you just want men to share emotionally appropriate secrets” and that’s bullshit. It’s a lie. It’s a lie in two ways.
First off people as a whole aren’t really comfortable with *anybody* shedding messy feelings. Weeping at your desk at work makes people uncomfortable with you, period, end. People don’t find that attractive or compelling or nobly vulnerable, they just get screamingly uncomfortable and avoid you. Paula from Accounting and Matt from Engineering aren’t paid to deal with your shit and if they can’t handle it that’s not their fault. Sharing your feelings and being vulnerable isn’t the same as feelings-bombing your unsuspecting co-workers or the PTA.
And secondly just because someone is uncomfortable or unequipped doesn’t mean they don’t care. Paula from Accounting is probably really, really worried if she sees you crying at your desk but that doesn’t mean she has the kind of relationship with you where she can actually talk to you about it.
*Trigger warnings, self harm*
I used to cut myself. Big surprise, right? I mostly did it privately but one time I was so achingly fucked-up and in need of any kind of help that I used an eraser and scrubbed away at the skin of my hand until I was bleeding all over Mr. Constantine’s World History class.
And I sat there in history class, cutting myself, completely convinced that nobody saw me, that I was invisible, that if they did see me they didn’t care because nobody said anything.
Now, spoilers, fifteen-year-olds are selfish and emotionally immature. It was completely unfair of me to put that kind of burden on the kids around me and I do regret it.
But an interesting thing happened.
A few years after high school I was sitting in the parking lot of a local Albertson’s chainsmoking and reading at 3am because I am a healthy and normal person. And as I sat there I recognized some voices - it was three boys who had been in high school with me all grown up!
One of them, Michael, had always been kind of friendly with me in a standoffish “I’m an honors student and you’re an honors student but you’re really fucking weird so I’ll nod to you in the hallways and won’t shit-talk you if we have an assignment together but we’ll never eat lunch together or anything” kind of way. And Michael came over to talk to me!
It’s been kind of a theme with people from high school that when they talk to me they either end up saying “Oh, I thought you’d be dead by know” or “you married a guy? are you fucking with me?” at some point in our conversation so I was kind of expecting it. I wasn’t expecting Michael Salutatorian-I-Just-Finished-Med-School to give me a hug and start crying when he said he thought I’d be dead by now.
Because, see, Michael sat next to me in Mr. Constantine’s World History class. And he told me he’d seen me cutting myself in class and he’d been so worried about me that he made more of an effort to be nice to me at school but he had no idea what to do about it. He had no idea if he should tell someone or say something to me.
I still feel bad about putting that on Michael and the other kids in our class (though I was ten pounds of crazy in a five pound sack so I can at least recognize that I didn’t intend to hurt anyone and with updated information wouldn’t do the same thing) but in hindsight I’m really glad that things happened the way they happened because it actually really means a lot to me that people could see that I was hurting and just didn’t know how to help.
Now that I am a much more emotionally mature adult with seventeen years of therapy under my belt and I can recognize suicidal ideation as the lying depression brain bullshit that it is I’ve also gotten to be much, much better at asking appropriate people for help.
That reddit comment mentions that women have networks to support their depression and those don’t just come from nothing, they are built. You have to build them. And I’m lucky enough that I know plenty of guys who have built similar networks so I’m really happy to tell you that you can do it too, buddy. And even if you don’t have one ready-made I know there are whole internet communities dedicated to helping out people in tough situations. I know literally dozens of people personally who have been able to ask for help from friends they made on tumblr or twitter or through video games or fucking CalGuns.
Also the solution to feeling like you’re unsupported isn’t to say “well, I guess nobody cares, better just hold onto this feeling until it kills me” it’s to keep asking for support. And yeah, maybe that support *only* comes from a paid therapist at first but a really, really big component of a lot of therapy is working on interpersonal relationships so that you can have a healthy support network.
Anyway.
I do recognize that it is not, currently, easy for men to reach out for help with mental illness. I recognize that there are social barriers for men that frequently do not exist for women.
However.
Looking at the way things are now versus the way things were ten years ago I really feel like that’s changing. I believe that our society now is more knowledgeable about mental illness and how destructive social isolation can be and how to help than we were ten years ago.
And if there is absolutely no one else you can ask for help at the very, very least you can get started with this gigantic list of crisis hotlines.
So.
Yeah. The world sucks and it’s hard to get help. But the first step is to ask. I’m so, so, so pleased with the fact that we’re educating people about building healthy support networks and giving them the terminology to discuss their problems and opening up about the issues that we have so that other people know they aren’t alone in their feelings or pain, but if none of that is enough, if none of that helps you, you still have to ask for help. And you might not get it right away, but you aren’t going to get help at all if you don’t ask.
Also in case you didn’t know it Movember is funding mental health research and resources for men in addition to prostate cancer research; one of their supported group is Heads Up Guys, which has some helpful information for men dealing with depression and good resources for supporting you depressed friends.
Look.
Depression brain lies to people. Depression brain tells you that nobody cares about your problems and they don’t want to help and you’re just a burden if you say anything.
Turns out it does that regardless of gender.
I could probably point you to a dozen posts without even stretching that talk about people losing male friends to depression and being devastated because they didn’t even know their friend was hurting and would have done whatever they could to help.
The negativity in that reddit post is a lie.
There’s a post I saw on here today that was talking about male vulnerability that broke down to “you don’t want to be vulnerable in a real, ugly way, you just want men to share emotionally appropriate secrets” and that’s bullshit. It’s a lie. It’s a lie in two ways.
First off people as a whole aren’t really comfortable with *anybody* shedding messy feelings. Weeping at your desk at work makes people uncomfortable with you, period, end. People don’t find that attractive or compelling or nobly vulnerable, they just get screamingly uncomfortable and avoid you. Paula from Accounting and Matt from Engineering aren’t paid to deal with your shit and if they can’t handle it that’s not their fault. Sharing your feelings and being vulnerable isn’t the same as feelings-bombing your unsuspecting co-workers or the PTA.
And secondly just because someone is uncomfortable or unequipped doesn’t mean they don’t care. Paula from Accounting is probably really, really worried if she sees you crying at your desk but that doesn’t mean she has the kind of relationship with you where she can actually talk to you about it.
*Trigger warnings, self harm*
I used to cut myself. Big surprise, right? I mostly did it privately but one time I was so achingly fucked-up and in need of any kind of help that I used an eraser and scrubbed away at the skin of my hand until I was bleeding all over Mr. Constantine’s World History class.
And I sat there in history class, cutting myself, completely convinced that nobody saw me, that I was invisible, that if they did see me they didn’t care because nobody said anything.
Now, spoilers, fifteen-year-olds are selfish and emotionally immature. It was completely unfair of me to put that kind of burden on the kids around me and I do regret it.
But an interesting thing happened.
A few years after high school I was sitting in the parking lot of a local Albertson’s chainsmoking and reading at 3am because I am a healthy and normal person. And as I sat there I recognized some voices - it was three boys who had been in high school with me all grown up!
One of them, Michael, had always been kind of friendly with me in a standoffish “I’m an honors student and you’re an honors student but you’re really fucking weird so I’ll nod to you in the hallways and won’t shit-talk you if we have an assignment together but we’ll never eat lunch together or anything” kind of way. And Michael came over to talk to me!
It’s been kind of a theme with people from high school that when they talk to me they either end up saying “Oh, I thought you’d be dead by know” or “you married a guy? are you fucking with me?” at some point in our conversation so I was kind of expecting it. I wasn’t expecting Michael Salutatorian-I-Just-Finished-Med-School to give me a hug and start crying when he said he thought I’d be dead by now.
Because, see, Michael sat next to me in Mr. Constantine’s World History class. And he told me he’d seen me cutting myself in class and he’d been so worried about me that he made more of an effort to be nice to me at school but he had no idea what to do about it. He had no idea if he should tell someone or say something to me.
I still feel bad about putting that on Michael and the other kids in our class (though I was ten pounds of crazy in a five pound sack so I can at least recognize that I didn’t intend to hurt anyone and with updated information wouldn’t do the same thing) but in hindsight I’m really glad that things happened the way they happened because it actually really means a lot to me that people could see that I was hurting and just didn’t know how to help.
Now that I am a much more emotionally mature adult with seventeen years of therapy under my belt and I can recognize suicidal ideation as the lying depression brain bullshit that it is I’ve also gotten to be much, much better at asking appropriate people for help.
That reddit comment mentions that women have networks to support their depression and those don’t just come from nothing, they are built. You have to build them. And I’m lucky enough that I know plenty of guys who have built similar networks so I’m really happy to tell you that you can do it too, buddy. And even if you don’t have one ready-made I know there are whole internet communities dedicated to helping out people in tough situations. I know literally dozens of people personally who have been able to ask for help from friends they made on tumblr or twitter or through video games or fucking CalGuns.
Also the solution to feeling like you’re unsupported isn’t to say “well, I guess nobody cares, better just hold onto this feeling until it kills me” it’s to keep asking for support. And yeah, maybe that support *only* comes from a paid therapist at first but a really, really big component of a lot of therapy is working on interpersonal relationships so that you can have a healthy support network.
Anyway.
I do recognize that it is not, currently, easy for men to reach out for help with mental illness. I recognize that there are social barriers for men that frequently do not exist for women.
However.
Looking at the way things are now versus the way things were ten years ago I really feel like that’s changing. I believe that our society now is more knowledgeable about mental illness and how destructive social isolation can be and how to help than we were ten years ago.
And if there is absolutely no one else you can ask for help at the very, very least you can get started with this gigantic list of crisis hotlines.
So.
Yeah. The world sucks and it’s hard to get help. But the first step is to ask. I’m so, so, so pleased with the fact that we’re educating people about building healthy support networks and giving them the terminology to discuss their problems and opening up about the issues that we have so that other people know they aren’t alone in their feelings or pain, but if none of that is enough, if none of that helps you, you still have to ask for help. And you might not get it right away, but you aren’t going to get help at all if you don’t ask.
Also in case you didn’t know it Movember is funding mental health research and resources for men in addition to prostate cancer research; one of their supported group is Heads Up Guys, which has some helpful information for men dealing with depression and good resources for supporting you depressed friends.
via https://ift.tt/380JA2I
dreamworksshera:
The real meaning of Cyber Monday is celebrating Emily all day. #SheRa
dreamworksshera:
The real meaning of Cyber Monday is celebrating Emily all day. #SheRa
via https://ift.tt/2LuPUpF
millicentthecat:
RISE OF SKYWALKER BINGO
I was super bored so I made a predictions Bingo Card. I tried for a mix of pretty obvious predictions and really esoteric/unlikely ones.
Rey Vs. Parents - Rey fights her parents or fought them in the past
Finn & Kylo - Finn will determine Kylo Ren’s fate, either by fighting him or weighing in on his redemption.
Aro Rey - No romance for Rey. Maybe something is subtly implied for the future, but nothing solid.
Hero Finn - Finn will make a big gambit.
Phasma Survived - You better believe it. But she might not survive this one!
Rey/Poe - Just in case they decide Poe still isn’t heteronormative enough.
Hux Face Turn - Hux will team up with a “good guy” for a heel face turn.
Force Ghost Skywalkr - Luke and/or Anakin Force Ghost
Magic Palpatine - Palpatine was preserved/resurrected via sith wizard magic
Jakku - Is mentioned or visited
Death of C3PO - but not like, a complete death, because he’s a robot
Hux Survives? - No onscreen Hux death
No Bendemption - Kylo is given the opportunity to change and he chooses not to
Artifacts - Jedi or Sith artifacts will play an important role
No Gays - No confirmed gay characters except C3PO and R2 who are obviously canonically in a relationship. But there will be GAY SUBTEXT!
Kylo Masked - Kylo wears the mask
Dead Knights - Knights of Ren will die
New Jedi - Rey or other characters id as Jedi
Happy Ending - For the Light Siders; not for us. The First Order will be defeated.
Cliffhanger - Threads will be left unresolved.
Lando & Falcon - Lando won’t be in many scenes, but he will end up with the Falcon.
4 planets - Action on at least 4 different planets is featured or mentioned.
Tentacles - Its not Star Wars without them.
Leia Lives - Leia survives the end of the film
Lone Porg - One singular porg will appear in the film.
millicentthecat:
RISE OF SKYWALKER BINGO
I was super bored so I made a predictions Bingo Card. I tried for a mix of pretty obvious predictions and really esoteric/unlikely ones.
Rey Vs. Parents - Rey fights her parents or fought them in the past
Finn & Kylo - Finn will determine Kylo Ren’s fate, either by fighting him or weighing in on his redemption.
Aro Rey - No romance for Rey. Maybe something is subtly implied for the future, but nothing solid.
Hero Finn - Finn will make a big gambit.
Phasma Survived - You better believe it. But she might not survive this one!
Rey/Poe - Just in case they decide Poe still isn’t heteronormative enough.
Hux Face Turn - Hux will team up with a “good guy” for a heel face turn.
Force Ghost Skywalkr - Luke and/or Anakin Force Ghost
Magic Palpatine - Palpatine was preserved/resurrected via sith wizard magic
Jakku - Is mentioned or visited
Death of C3PO - but not like, a complete death, because he’s a robot
Hux Survives? - No onscreen Hux death
No Bendemption - Kylo is given the opportunity to change and he chooses not to
Artifacts - Jedi or Sith artifacts will play an important role
No Gays - No confirmed gay characters except C3PO and R2 who are obviously canonically in a relationship. But there will be GAY SUBTEXT!
Kylo Masked - Kylo wears the mask
Dead Knights - Knights of Ren will die
New Jedi - Rey or other characters id as Jedi
Happy Ending - For the Light Siders; not for us. The First Order will be defeated.
Cliffhanger - Threads will be left unresolved.
Lando & Falcon - Lando won’t be in many scenes, but he will end up with the Falcon.
4 planets - Action on at least 4 different planets is featured or mentioned.
Tentacles - Its not Star Wars without them.
Leia Lives - Leia survives the end of the film
Lone Porg - One singular porg will appear in the film.
via https://ift.tt/2LhiBGa
iguanamouth:
fuckyeah-nerdery:
c0ttonsocks:
the King 👑
What pokemon is this?
yeah
iguanamouth:
fuckyeah-nerdery:
c0ttonsocks:
the King 👑
What pokemon is this?
yeah
via https://ift.tt/2OHY8ws
telnaga:
living has always been a large part of my life. I was born at an incredibly young age, and ever since then, I have been alive
telnaga:
living has always been a large part of my life. I was born at an incredibly young age, and ever since then, I have been alive
via https://ift.tt/35WfStL
urcadelimabean:
This makes me so happy. It’s never too late to come out or express your identity.
urcadelimabean:
This makes me so happy. It’s never too late to come out or express your identity.
If you see something, leak something
Dec. 2nd, 2019 08:49 pmvia https://ift.tt/35WM944
thefloatingstone:
tekknoir:
pseudonode:
Several news sites have set up ways for whistleblowers to contact them securely. Some have very good instructions and guidance on which method you might want to use. Spread it around.
How to leak information to the New York Times
How to leak information to the Washington Post
How to leak information to ProPublica
How to leak information to the Intercept
please actually use the encryption software listed! do not assume your correspondence cannot be traced!
you should also highly consider secure communication if you’re planning to protest/demonstrate
do not organize on facebook!
do not organize on facebook!
thefloatingstone:
tekknoir:
pseudonode:
Several news sites have set up ways for whistleblowers to contact them securely. Some have very good instructions and guidance on which method you might want to use. Spread it around.
How to leak information to the New York Times
How to leak information to the Washington Post
How to leak information to ProPublica
How to leak information to the Intercept
please actually use the encryption software listed! do not assume your correspondence cannot be traced!
you should also highly consider secure communication if you’re planning to protest/demonstrate
do not organize on facebook!
do not organize on facebook!
via https://ift.tt/37WJ2e4
mmango-magic:
we have some absolutely gorgeous gold and silver sparkling birds and what not right next to a red pipe cleaner and a carrot
turing-tested:
very sorry to inform you but color coordinated christmas trees suck and if your christmas tree doesn’t look like multicolored sparkling garbage you’re doing it wrong
mmango-magic:
we have some absolutely gorgeous gold and silver sparkling birds and what not right next to a red pipe cleaner and a carrot
turing-tested:
very sorry to inform you but color coordinated christmas trees suck and if your christmas tree doesn’t look like multicolored sparkling garbage you’re doing it wrong
via https://ift.tt/37ZbDQ1
auntlucys:
everybody shut the fuck up i don’t want to see any posts that aren’t about baby gromit
auntlucys:
everybody shut the fuck up i don’t want to see any posts that aren’t about baby gromit
via https://ift.tt/33BboHu
ellalba:
The Knights of Ren partaking in the time-honored tradition of bi-monthly sleepovers. Gushing about their leader’s adorable crush.
What can I say, I saw thissolohux dabble and I just couldn’t resist. It was so adorable I used it as inspiration for this. Always loved the idea that when they’re not bloodthirsty warriors, the Knights of Ren are a pack of excitable puppies that love following Kylo around.
ellalba:
The Knights of Ren partaking in the time-honored tradition of bi-monthly sleepovers. Gushing about their leader’s adorable crush.
What can I say, I saw this
solohux dabble and I just couldn’t resist. It was so adorable I used it as inspiration for this. Always loved the idea that when they’re not bloodthirsty warriors, the Knights of Ren are a pack of excitable puppies that love following Kylo around.via https://ift.tt/2szeGhr
ninlhil:
roach-works:
so as an american jew it’s come to my attention that, instead of suffering in complete ignorance for another joyless year, i could instead just ask some questions about this mysterious phenomenon called ‘christmas’ that the rest of you guys keep getting excited over. as someone who’s lived in this country all my life but managed never to interface with any christian traditions ever, i would like to know:
-what’s with that big tree thing you guys drag into your homes
-is it edible
-because it sure looks like you put edible things on it and also some stuff that looks not so kosher. do you have a list of which bits are kosher from your christmas rabbi?
-how much fire is allowed in what parts of your home and when
-can we set the tree on fire? there’s candles. when do the candles get lit? can you put the candles just anywhere or do they have to go on the tree only
-do you have to get your own reindeer or can you rent them somewhere? i see a lot of christmas tree lots but honestly i’ve never seen anyone renting out reindeer. do you have to catch them yourself or what
-do you guys have to call the whole thing off if it doesn’t snow
-a big old guy in a red suit has been eating my cookies every christmas for going on thirty years now and i want him to stop. is there a particular exorcism you can do for that? i know you christians love exorcisms, please feel free to come do one for this asshole
-are you sure the elves are a necessary part of things because that seems like slavery and maybe you should not do slavery, just saying, i know christians are traditionally really keen on slavery too but at least some of you guys decided it was not a great thing awhile back so maybe keep the elves in mind here about that
-do the balls on the tree hatch, is that what’s up with easter
-penguins are a south pole thing and polar bears are a north pole thing. why are they both all over the place. that seems unreasonable. also the donkeys and camels and stuff? did you steal some of this from noah’s ark?
-why don’t we have a holiday for noah anyway, that would slap
-who is this baby jesus guy and how many times can he get born anyway
FELLOW JEWS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REBLOG THIS POST AND ADD YOUR OWN QUESTIONS. MAYBE WE CAN FINALLY GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS CHRISTMAS STUFF ONCE AND FOR ALL.
Dear American Jew,
1- The Big Tree thing is a fanciful tradition that started in Germany before they became total assholes for a few years. I think it has something to do with playing soccer and NOT shooting each other. Americans stole the idea while we were over in Europe fighting in holes in the ground like gophers.
2- Technically, yes. Not recommended though, despite what the Cat might tell you.
3- Very few things on the Not-for-Eating Tree are edible. Most would probably cause gastrointestinal distress. There have been no new Christmas Rabbis for many years, so unfortunately one has to learn which items are safe by experience.
4- Again, technically yes but STRONGLY discouraged. It is, in fact, preferable to keep the candles away from the tree. The little lights you see on Christmas trees these days are usually tiny fairies in little plastic bulbs. It’s safer than the candles but we have to make sure we feed them all year or they get irate and manage to tangle the strings they’re attached to.
5- Reindeer are actually extraordinarily rare in most parts of the world, so we usually have to make our own by tying antlers onto our dog’s heads. See “The Grinch” for a good example of this in action.
6- Actually, No. Natural snow isn’t required, store bought is fine.
7- Let the big Red Guy eat the cookies. It’s a necessary sacrifice to keep the children and small dogs safe on that night.
8- We cannot affect the employment policies of the Big Red Guy regarding his elves. They know what they did.
9- They used to, but we generally use plastic replicas these days. It’s safer that way. And we’re still working the science on how that rabbit lays eggs.
10- The Big Red Guy doesn’t conform to Euclidean Geometry, so North and South don’t hold much meaning for him. He takes what pleases him.
Not sure about the Camel and Donkey, though I think it has to do with this time back in 1906 when all the hotels in town turned a pregnant couple away and they ended up giving birth in the back of a Farming supply store.
11- I think Noah doesn’t get a party anymore because at the first celebration of God not killing us he got really drunk and danced on the table naked. All his kids saw him and it was really awkward. Kinda killed the mood.
12- His name was actually probably Joshua and he can be born as many times as he needs because I think he’s a Buddhist.
Hope that clears up some of the holiday mystery for you.
ninlhil:
roach-works:
so as an american jew it’s come to my attention that, instead of suffering in complete ignorance for another joyless year, i could instead just ask some questions about this mysterious phenomenon called ‘christmas’ that the rest of you guys keep getting excited over. as someone who’s lived in this country all my life but managed never to interface with any christian traditions ever, i would like to know:
-what’s with that big tree thing you guys drag into your homes
-is it edible
-because it sure looks like you put edible things on it and also some stuff that looks not so kosher. do you have a list of which bits are kosher from your christmas rabbi?
-how much fire is allowed in what parts of your home and when
-can we set the tree on fire? there’s candles. when do the candles get lit? can you put the candles just anywhere or do they have to go on the tree only
-do you have to get your own reindeer or can you rent them somewhere? i see a lot of christmas tree lots but honestly i’ve never seen anyone renting out reindeer. do you have to catch them yourself or what
-do you guys have to call the whole thing off if it doesn’t snow
-a big old guy in a red suit has been eating my cookies every christmas for going on thirty years now and i want him to stop. is there a particular exorcism you can do for that? i know you christians love exorcisms, please feel free to come do one for this asshole
-are you sure the elves are a necessary part of things because that seems like slavery and maybe you should not do slavery, just saying, i know christians are traditionally really keen on slavery too but at least some of you guys decided it was not a great thing awhile back so maybe keep the elves in mind here about that
-do the balls on the tree hatch, is that what’s up with easter
-penguins are a south pole thing and polar bears are a north pole thing. why are they both all over the place. that seems unreasonable. also the donkeys and camels and stuff? did you steal some of this from noah’s ark?
-why don’t we have a holiday for noah anyway, that would slap
-who is this baby jesus guy and how many times can he get born anyway
FELLOW JEWS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REBLOG THIS POST AND ADD YOUR OWN QUESTIONS. MAYBE WE CAN FINALLY GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS CHRISTMAS STUFF ONCE AND FOR ALL.
Dear American Jew,
1- The Big Tree thing is a fanciful tradition that started in Germany before they became total assholes for a few years. I think it has something to do with playing soccer and NOT shooting each other. Americans stole the idea while we were over in Europe fighting in holes in the ground like gophers.
2- Technically, yes. Not recommended though, despite what the Cat might tell you.
3- Very few things on the Not-for-Eating Tree are edible. Most would probably cause gastrointestinal distress. There have been no new Christmas Rabbis for many years, so unfortunately one has to learn which items are safe by experience.
4- Again, technically yes but STRONGLY discouraged. It is, in fact, preferable to keep the candles away from the tree. The little lights you see on Christmas trees these days are usually tiny fairies in little plastic bulbs. It’s safer than the candles but we have to make sure we feed them all year or they get irate and manage to tangle the strings they’re attached to.
5- Reindeer are actually extraordinarily rare in most parts of the world, so we usually have to make our own by tying antlers onto our dog’s heads. See “The Grinch” for a good example of this in action.
6- Actually, No. Natural snow isn’t required, store bought is fine.
7- Let the big Red Guy eat the cookies. It’s a necessary sacrifice to keep the children and small dogs safe on that night.
8- We cannot affect the employment policies of the Big Red Guy regarding his elves. They know what they did.
9- They used to, but we generally use plastic replicas these days. It’s safer that way. And we’re still working the science on how that rabbit lays eggs.
10- The Big Red Guy doesn’t conform to Euclidean Geometry, so North and South don’t hold much meaning for him. He takes what pleases him.
Not sure about the Camel and Donkey, though I think it has to do with this time back in 1906 when all the hotels in town turned a pregnant couple away and they ended up giving birth in the back of a Farming supply store.
11- I think Noah doesn’t get a party anymore because at the first celebration of God not killing us he got really drunk and danced on the table naked. All his kids saw him and it was really awkward. Kinda killed the mood.
12- His name was actually probably Joshua and he can be born as many times as he needs because I think he’s a Buddhist.
Hope that clears up some of the holiday mystery for you.
generalelectionmusings:“…in the NHS,
Dec. 2nd, 2019 10:19 pmvia https://ift.tt/2Le08dE
generalelectionmusings:
“…in the NHS, it’s always winter now”
GET THE TORIES OUT.
generalelectionmusings:
“…in the NHS, it’s always winter now”
GET THE TORIES OUT.
via https://ift.tt/33N6pDP
glumshoe:
lilyvonpseudonym:
glumshoe:
cobaltsage:
glumshoe:
haltraveler:
worldhammerer:
i think its good that ‘savannah’ is a popular name but i think that we should also name babies after other biomes
Rainforest: Rain and Forrest are names, but together it doesn’t really work. 4/10
Taiga: Good name, unisex. 9/10
Prairie: Not terrible, but not great either. 5/10
Desert: Nah. 2/10
Marsh: I could see it working as a male name. 7/10
Swamp: Depending on how confident you are, this could be the best or worst name ever. 1/10 or 10/10
Reef: A good name for a surfer, for anyone else it just sounds like their named Reese but have a lisp. 5/10
Shrubland: An ok surname, not a good first name. 3/10
Deciduous Forest: No. 1/10.
Tundra: Pretty neat. 7/10.
Alpine: Not the best, but not awful. 5/10
Grassland: Only good if you’re a stoner. 4/10
Veld: Pretty meh. 4/10
Benthic: I can think of several problems w/ this one. 3/10
Abyssal: Metal as fuck. 9/10
Chaparral: Good as a fantasy character, not so good for a real child. 5/10
Bog: 11/10, I don’t think I need to explain
I disagree, I think “Veld” is a great name. You can always combine biome subtypes in chaotic ways, like “Broadleaf Veld” or “Coastal Steppe”.
I hate to tell you this Glumshoe but these are names being considerred for people and not places. Most of this is already blasphemy but If you name your child Broadleaf Veld LastName, I will literally throw hands with you, no matter who you are.
my name is Desert Scrubland Bogboddy the Third and I accept your invitation to a duel
Okay but when you say your name that way, I’m expecting you to follow it up by describing your hair (that’s how you got your name) and saying you’re not related to Gerard Way.
Hi my name is Desert Scrubland Bogboddy the Third and I have fast-draining sandy soils (that’s how I got my name) with low rainfall and sparse shrublike vegetation adapted for arid conditions with long taproots to reach groundwater and a lot of people tell me I look like Chaparrel (AN: if u don’t know what that is then get da hell out of here!). I’m not related to European peat bogs but I wish I was because they’re majorly fucking cool. My mother is a mountain and my father is the wind but I am a rain shadow effect.
glumshoe:
lilyvonpseudonym:
glumshoe:
cobaltsage:
glumshoe:
haltraveler:
worldhammerer:
i think its good that ‘savannah’ is a popular name but i think that we should also name babies after other biomes
Rainforest: Rain and Forrest are names, but together it doesn’t really work. 4/10
Taiga: Good name, unisex. 9/10
Prairie: Not terrible, but not great either. 5/10
Desert: Nah. 2/10
Marsh: I could see it working as a male name. 7/10
Swamp: Depending on how confident you are, this could be the best or worst name ever. 1/10 or 10/10
Reef: A good name for a surfer, for anyone else it just sounds like their named Reese but have a lisp. 5/10
Shrubland: An ok surname, not a good first name. 3/10
Deciduous Forest: No. 1/10.
Tundra: Pretty neat. 7/10.
Alpine: Not the best, but not awful. 5/10
Grassland: Only good if you’re a stoner. 4/10
Veld: Pretty meh. 4/10
Benthic: I can think of several problems w/ this one. 3/10
Abyssal: Metal as fuck. 9/10
Chaparral: Good as a fantasy character, not so good for a real child. 5/10
Bog: 11/10, I don’t think I need to explain
I disagree, I think “Veld” is a great name. You can always combine biome subtypes in chaotic ways, like “Broadleaf Veld” or “Coastal Steppe”.
I hate to tell you this Glumshoe but these are names being considerred for people and not places. Most of this is already blasphemy but If you name your child Broadleaf Veld LastName, I will literally throw hands with you, no matter who you are.
my name is Desert Scrubland Bogboddy the Third and I accept your invitation to a duel
Okay but when you say your name that way, I’m expecting you to follow it up by describing your hair (that’s how you got your name) and saying you’re not related to Gerard Way.
Hi my name is Desert Scrubland Bogboddy the Third and I have fast-draining sandy soils (that’s how I got my name) with low rainfall and sparse shrublike vegetation adapted for arid conditions with long taproots to reach groundwater and a lot of people tell me I look like Chaparrel (AN: if u don’t know what that is then get da hell out of here!). I’m not related to European peat bogs but I wish I was because they’re majorly fucking cool. My mother is a mountain and my father is the wind but I am a rain shadow effect.
via https://ift.tt/2Lh4zV9
doodles-of-a-bethel:
Of course I had to draw the first “live action” loth cat
too bad he was so grumpy!
doodles-of-a-bethel:
Of course I had to draw the first “live action” loth cat
too bad he was so grumpy!
On solving writing motivation problems
Dec. 2nd, 2019 11:24 pmvia https://ift.tt/2qXDNud
dduane:
sherlockedcarmilla:
lakoda0518:
shelleysprometheus:
jbaillier:
As is with all advice on artistic pursuits, not all of this is applicable to all writers. These are just some personal pointers, most of which have occurred to me through trial and error. After twenty years of writing fanfic in three different fandoms I dare to claim I know a little something about overcoming motivation problems.
Accept that writing isn’t supposed to be fun all the time
I wish it were fun even half of the time. It’s slow, stress-inducing, terrifying, distracting from real life, difficult and contains a risk of feeling like I failed in my own eyes. You’re going to have chapters you hate writing, plot problems that drive you crazy, characters who won’t behave. It’s all part of the game. Like ballet dancers willing to endure constricting diets, pain, injuries and physical exhaustion beyond reasonable and sane, we toil for those tiny moments of clarity, elation and the feeling that we control an entire microcosmos through which we can connect with our fellow human beings. Many of us don’t do it because we can, we do it because we feel we must - because nobody else can wrench that scene out of your head onto a piece of paper or a laptop screen but you.
I have a friend who’s a professional author and she has taught me an important lesson: motivation isn’t everything. Sometimes you just need to put your nose to the grindstone and work. When it feels like wading through quicksand: write 100 words. If you don’t feel like throwing your laptop out of the window, write 100 more. If it feels bearable still, write another 100. Continue until you have met your writing goal for that day.
Don’t judge a text while writing it
Let it pour out without too much self-censorship. You can weed out the problems later. It’s easier to edit a text with too much stuff in it than it is to add new things. The first draft rarely is the final one - don’t let yourself get too stressed about how good or bad it is. Focus on getting that story out of your head so that others can enjoy it, too (once it’s been polished during the editing phase).
Find a beta
A good beta will point out your blind spots, tell you what works and what doesn’t, and encourage you when you need it. Sometimes all that’s required to stop a writer’s block is someone confirming that the story is, still, worth the effort. A very pertinent question from a beta has often lead me to really start thinking, and that may lead to a lovely spark of motivation to elaborate on an interesting bit in the story.
Don’t mystify writer’s block
It’s not the Black Plague. It’s not something that requires therapy or is largely treatment-resistant. There are many kinds of it - from a complete loss of interest in the story to a slight technical snag. Stop calling it a writer’s block and take it simply as a symptom of ‘writing is not always fun nor is it even supposed to be’.
Make a time and a place for writing
Put it in your calendar. Tell about it to other people you live with. Close the door. Give the dog a new chewtoy. Sit the kids in front of a good quality children’s film. Make writing at least a moderate priority. And when that big-time inspiration hits, make use of it - that laundry and that half-read novel you have on the table can wait a few days so that you can get that diamond of a text out of your head. A creative flow state is a rare thing - cherish it.
As for where to write, it’s a matter of personal preference. Sometimes a change of scenery helps with motivation, too! Peace and quiet can actually be a hindrance - I’ve done some of my best work in cafes where the ambient sounds work a bit like white noise.
Wait for an inspiring enough idea
This might be the most subjective bit of advice on this list, but it’s what works for me. People who don’t write things often seem to assume that writing starts with the question ‘what if’. What if Spock bought a caravan? What if Fox Mulder went on a farm holiday? Fun ideas, but for me they’re not enough for a story to be born out of. I need a scene, a vision, an irresistible flash of emotion in my head - just a tiny but very concrete glimpse. Instead of ‘what if’ these things sort of playing out in my head, and I need to transcribe what’s going on. I can’t decide to simply start writing a story about a certain subject matter - I need that hook, line and sinker feeling. Some of those flashes of inspiration lead to stories, some of them remain forever in limbo on my hard drive but all in all, without them, no stories of mine would ever see the light of day.
Wait for the idea that properly lights that spark. The rest will sort itself out.
Communicate with your readers and fellow authors
As much as I’ve banged on about that sparkling vision that starts it all, sometimes the motivation boost I’ve needed has come from readers. I was repeatedly asked if I could please possibly do a sequel to “Grey Matters”. As happy as I was that so many people loved that story so much they wanted more, it was sort of grueling, because I had no idea what a sequel could be about. Reader comments somehow managed to lodge that thought into my brain, because the cogs kept whirring and after a while there suddenly was a scene in my head that kickstarted the sequel.
Talking to fellow authors can give you valuable advice on solving motivation problems, spotting personal blind spots in technique and most of all, keeping alive the love for the fandom itself. You’ll be exposed to new ideas and perhaps you’ll even end up betaing the works of others which can be very educational and inspiring.
Talk to your readers. Write Author’s notes, reply to comments, ask questions. It’ll make you feel like a part of something bigger, remind you that there are people out there who love what you’re doing. It won’t fix a bad case of motivation gone fishing, but it’ll help you stiff up that lip when writing doesn’t feel like much fun.
Don’t pay too much attention to idiots (as Sherlock would probably love to tell you)
Don’t think about potential reader reactions too much - tell the story you need to tell. In a big fandom there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like what you’ve done. Sometimes they even show up to tell you this, not grasping the concept of “don’t like, don’t read”. I am talking about those who have nothing useful to say, and whose negative opinions come from personal preferences instead of valid points about canon or characterization: “I just don’t like stories where there’s no case going on/John doesn’t wear red pants/Mycroft isn’t ridiculously poncy/Sherlock doesn’t play the violin/Mary isn’t completely evil.” Ignore them. I know it’s hard and discouraging to be told by someone that what you’ve done is unworthy in their eyes, but it’s your story, and literature is not a democracy.
Same goes for letting or not letting feedback affect the content of unpublished chapters in the editing phase. Don’t let readers decide where you’re taking your story. Prompts and request ficlets are tons of fun, but for bigger pieces you are the one who ultimately decides what happens. I once wrote a story the ending of which I knew was going to divide readers. Despite protests I didn’t change it, and I’m proud of that. It was a ballsy move, and it was my move.
I want to iterate that I’m not talking about actual constructive criticism here - that’s a form of love for your story. Take it as such. Praise is nice, but it’s the concrit that will teach you to be a better writer. There have been countless of occasions where reader comments have lead me to realize there’s a plothole to be fixed, or a subject matter to be elaborated on in a later chapter. Those who give you constructive criticism are helping you make your story even better and thus more enjoyable for all readers. It’s a win-win situation, really.
Try not to get discouraged by the talents of others
This is a tough one, especially for beginners. There’s always going to be someone better than you, someone cleverer, someone with what you feel has a more original voice. That doesn’t mean that you should pack up and leave. There are stories inside us that nobody else can tell than their inventors. Tolstoy couldn’t write my johnlock fics, nor could Maya Angelou pen your Sherlock stories. This fandom is such a big one that every story will surely find an audience, and they are willing to overlook small blunders you may have made, if the love you poured into those stories shines through.
It’s also possible to get better at it and make that gap between your skills and those of others smaller, even non-existant. Find a beta, read a couple of writing guides (Jeff Vandermeer’s “Wonderbook” is very inspirational), take heart reader comments and other constructive criticism. Most of all: keep at it. Write, write, write. That’s how you learn. Two years ago, I could never have taken on the sorts of writing projects I am capable now. How’d I get there? By writing, of course.
When you’re in the middle of a writing project, it may not be the best idea to read a lot of brilliant stuff during that period. I can’t write for days after a new chapter of one of my favourite WIPs comes out. They might affect my style without me realizing it, and they make me want to never write another word because they’re so good. Luckily that feeling of discouragement always passes with time.
It doesn’t matter if it’s been done before
….Because it hasn’t been done by you. I’ve lost count how many Reichenbach aftermath stories I’ve read, and it still doesn’t feel like a dead horse. Not by far. And there’s plenty of room on my rec list for more brilliant vampire stories. Many, many more.
Read at least twice as much as you write. And watch stuff, too.
I’m not just talking about reading Sherlock fic and watching the episodes. I’m talking about reading and watching all kinds of things. You might find inspiration in surprising places. One of the flashes of inspiration of mine that lead to a major story came to me after rewatching an episode of Dexter. Writing a horror novel that combines Sherlock with ACD canon and the works of H. P. Lovecraft couldn’t naturally have happened if I’d not read a lot of Lovecraft.
Find out what’s happening in the fandom. Read prompts, setlock speculation, fan theories - such fandom meta is a wonderful source of out-of-the-box ideas.
Resist the temptation of instant gratification
Also known as “the curse of chapter 5/?”. Many authors start posting what will probably be a long story right after they’ve penned just a few chapters. The positive, enthusiastic readers comments feel wonderful, but they might actually lead a writer to sit on their laurels since they’ve already gained a satisfactory boost from the fandom. To counter this, at least plan a rough outline for the story - how many chapters, what are the pivotal points, how does it end? This will help with both the writing, and keeping the motivation up. Having a long story in the works with no end in sight can be daunting. An extreme form of trying to avoid this problem is the way I write: I never post even chapter 1 of a story I’ve not finished writing the entire draft for. Why? Because as a reader I’ve been burned so many times, falling in love with a series that gets abandoned at some point - “chapter 11/?, last updated 3 years ago…”.
Never completely lose hope in a story
I once had a ghost story with some jokes I really liked, but it never felt as though it was working. I let it simmer on my hard drive for a couple of years, and in the end the bits that I did like found a home in a completely different story. Another time I started writing a story, only to realize two chapters later that the reason it didn’t feel as though it had been working was that I hadn’t realized it was a sequel to one of my preceding stories. An unfinished short story of mine found a home as a chapter in a novel-lenght piece. Whatever you do, don’t delete those unfinished things! You never know where they might end up!
Accept it when the Muse has moved on
All lives end, all hearts are broken, and sometimes the love for a fandom has simply run its course. Grieve, accept and move on - don’t force yourself to write, if the spark just isn’t there anymore. You’ll know it when it happens - it feels different to just running out of ideas or hitting a particularly nasty plot problem.
All of this ❤
Yesssss ❤️
All writers, please read this!
Much useful stuff here. Adding this: It’s okay not to wait for inspiration, but to just jump in there and write anyway. True enough, it’s been said by some that the fire from Heaven won’t descend until you’ve built the altar… but I find that it’s as likely to fall on your head without warning while you’re still standing there with a pile of bricks and a trowelful of cement, wondering how high to build.
Fear nothing. Start making the dream real. No one else on the planet can see it the way you do, or tell it the way you’ll tell it.
And this is heretical, I know, but… don’t fear the WIP. You are one.
dduane:
sherlockedcarmilla:
lakoda0518:
shelleysprometheus:
jbaillier:
As is with all advice on artistic pursuits, not all of this is applicable to all writers. These are just some personal pointers, most of which have occurred to me through trial and error. After twenty years of writing fanfic in three different fandoms I dare to claim I know a little something about overcoming motivation problems.
Accept that writing isn’t supposed to be fun all the time
I wish it were fun even half of the time. It’s slow, stress-inducing, terrifying, distracting from real life, difficult and contains a risk of feeling like I failed in my own eyes. You’re going to have chapters you hate writing, plot problems that drive you crazy, characters who won’t behave. It’s all part of the game. Like ballet dancers willing to endure constricting diets, pain, injuries and physical exhaustion beyond reasonable and sane, we toil for those tiny moments of clarity, elation and the feeling that we control an entire microcosmos through which we can connect with our fellow human beings. Many of us don’t do it because we can, we do it because we feel we must - because nobody else can wrench that scene out of your head onto a piece of paper or a laptop screen but you.
I have a friend who’s a professional author and she has taught me an important lesson: motivation isn’t everything. Sometimes you just need to put your nose to the grindstone and work. When it feels like wading through quicksand: write 100 words. If you don’t feel like throwing your laptop out of the window, write 100 more. If it feels bearable still, write another 100. Continue until you have met your writing goal for that day.
Don’t judge a text while writing it
Let it pour out without too much self-censorship. You can weed out the problems later. It’s easier to edit a text with too much stuff in it than it is to add new things. The first draft rarely is the final one - don’t let yourself get too stressed about how good or bad it is. Focus on getting that story out of your head so that others can enjoy it, too (once it’s been polished during the editing phase).
Find a beta
A good beta will point out your blind spots, tell you what works and what doesn’t, and encourage you when you need it. Sometimes all that’s required to stop a writer’s block is someone confirming that the story is, still, worth the effort. A very pertinent question from a beta has often lead me to really start thinking, and that may lead to a lovely spark of motivation to elaborate on an interesting bit in the story.
Don’t mystify writer’s block
It’s not the Black Plague. It’s not something that requires therapy or is largely treatment-resistant. There are many kinds of it - from a complete loss of interest in the story to a slight technical snag. Stop calling it a writer’s block and take it simply as a symptom of ‘writing is not always fun nor is it even supposed to be’.
Make a time and a place for writing
Put it in your calendar. Tell about it to other people you live with. Close the door. Give the dog a new chewtoy. Sit the kids in front of a good quality children’s film. Make writing at least a moderate priority. And when that big-time inspiration hits, make use of it - that laundry and that half-read novel you have on the table can wait a few days so that you can get that diamond of a text out of your head. A creative flow state is a rare thing - cherish it.
As for where to write, it’s a matter of personal preference. Sometimes a change of scenery helps with motivation, too! Peace and quiet can actually be a hindrance - I’ve done some of my best work in cafes where the ambient sounds work a bit like white noise.
Wait for an inspiring enough idea
This might be the most subjective bit of advice on this list, but it’s what works for me. People who don’t write things often seem to assume that writing starts with the question ‘what if’. What if Spock bought a caravan? What if Fox Mulder went on a farm holiday? Fun ideas, but for me they’re not enough for a story to be born out of. I need a scene, a vision, an irresistible flash of emotion in my head - just a tiny but very concrete glimpse. Instead of ‘what if’ these things sort of playing out in my head, and I need to transcribe what’s going on. I can’t decide to simply start writing a story about a certain subject matter - I need that hook, line and sinker feeling. Some of those flashes of inspiration lead to stories, some of them remain forever in limbo on my hard drive but all in all, without them, no stories of mine would ever see the light of day.
Wait for the idea that properly lights that spark. The rest will sort itself out.
Communicate with your readers and fellow authors
As much as I’ve banged on about that sparkling vision that starts it all, sometimes the motivation boost I’ve needed has come from readers. I was repeatedly asked if I could please possibly do a sequel to “Grey Matters”. As happy as I was that so many people loved that story so much they wanted more, it was sort of grueling, because I had no idea what a sequel could be about. Reader comments somehow managed to lodge that thought into my brain, because the cogs kept whirring and after a while there suddenly was a scene in my head that kickstarted the sequel.
Talking to fellow authors can give you valuable advice on solving motivation problems, spotting personal blind spots in technique and most of all, keeping alive the love for the fandom itself. You’ll be exposed to new ideas and perhaps you’ll even end up betaing the works of others which can be very educational and inspiring.
Talk to your readers. Write Author’s notes, reply to comments, ask questions. It’ll make you feel like a part of something bigger, remind you that there are people out there who love what you’re doing. It won’t fix a bad case of motivation gone fishing, but it’ll help you stiff up that lip when writing doesn’t feel like much fun.
Don’t pay too much attention to idiots (as Sherlock would probably love to tell you)
Don’t think about potential reader reactions too much - tell the story you need to tell. In a big fandom there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like what you’ve done. Sometimes they even show up to tell you this, not grasping the concept of “don’t like, don’t read”. I am talking about those who have nothing useful to say, and whose negative opinions come from personal preferences instead of valid points about canon or characterization: “I just don’t like stories where there’s no case going on/John doesn’t wear red pants/Mycroft isn’t ridiculously poncy/Sherlock doesn’t play the violin/Mary isn’t completely evil.” Ignore them. I know it’s hard and discouraging to be told by someone that what you’ve done is unworthy in their eyes, but it’s your story, and literature is not a democracy.
Same goes for letting or not letting feedback affect the content of unpublished chapters in the editing phase. Don’t let readers decide where you’re taking your story. Prompts and request ficlets are tons of fun, but for bigger pieces you are the one who ultimately decides what happens. I once wrote a story the ending of which I knew was going to divide readers. Despite protests I didn’t change it, and I’m proud of that. It was a ballsy move, and it was my move.
I want to iterate that I’m not talking about actual constructive criticism here - that’s a form of love for your story. Take it as such. Praise is nice, but it’s the concrit that will teach you to be a better writer. There have been countless of occasions where reader comments have lead me to realize there’s a plothole to be fixed, or a subject matter to be elaborated on in a later chapter. Those who give you constructive criticism are helping you make your story even better and thus more enjoyable for all readers. It’s a win-win situation, really.
Try not to get discouraged by the talents of others
This is a tough one, especially for beginners. There’s always going to be someone better than you, someone cleverer, someone with what you feel has a more original voice. That doesn’t mean that you should pack up and leave. There are stories inside us that nobody else can tell than their inventors. Tolstoy couldn’t write my johnlock fics, nor could Maya Angelou pen your Sherlock stories. This fandom is such a big one that every story will surely find an audience, and they are willing to overlook small blunders you may have made, if the love you poured into those stories shines through.
It’s also possible to get better at it and make that gap between your skills and those of others smaller, even non-existant. Find a beta, read a couple of writing guides (Jeff Vandermeer’s “Wonderbook” is very inspirational), take heart reader comments and other constructive criticism. Most of all: keep at it. Write, write, write. That’s how you learn. Two years ago, I could never have taken on the sorts of writing projects I am capable now. How’d I get there? By writing, of course.
When you’re in the middle of a writing project, it may not be the best idea to read a lot of brilliant stuff during that period. I can’t write for days after a new chapter of one of my favourite WIPs comes out. They might affect my style without me realizing it, and they make me want to never write another word because they’re so good. Luckily that feeling of discouragement always passes with time.
It doesn’t matter if it’s been done before
….Because it hasn’t been done by you. I’ve lost count how many Reichenbach aftermath stories I’ve read, and it still doesn’t feel like a dead horse. Not by far. And there’s plenty of room on my rec list for more brilliant vampire stories. Many, many more.
Read at least twice as much as you write. And watch stuff, too.
I’m not just talking about reading Sherlock fic and watching the episodes. I’m talking about reading and watching all kinds of things. You might find inspiration in surprising places. One of the flashes of inspiration of mine that lead to a major story came to me after rewatching an episode of Dexter. Writing a horror novel that combines Sherlock with ACD canon and the works of H. P. Lovecraft couldn’t naturally have happened if I’d not read a lot of Lovecraft.
Find out what’s happening in the fandom. Read prompts, setlock speculation, fan theories - such fandom meta is a wonderful source of out-of-the-box ideas.
Resist the temptation of instant gratification
Also known as “the curse of chapter 5/?”. Many authors start posting what will probably be a long story right after they’ve penned just a few chapters. The positive, enthusiastic readers comments feel wonderful, but they might actually lead a writer to sit on their laurels since they’ve already gained a satisfactory boost from the fandom. To counter this, at least plan a rough outline for the story - how many chapters, what are the pivotal points, how does it end? This will help with both the writing, and keeping the motivation up. Having a long story in the works with no end in sight can be daunting. An extreme form of trying to avoid this problem is the way I write: I never post even chapter 1 of a story I’ve not finished writing the entire draft for. Why? Because as a reader I’ve been burned so many times, falling in love with a series that gets abandoned at some point - “chapter 11/?, last updated 3 years ago…”.
Never completely lose hope in a story
I once had a ghost story with some jokes I really liked, but it never felt as though it was working. I let it simmer on my hard drive for a couple of years, and in the end the bits that I did like found a home in a completely different story. Another time I started writing a story, only to realize two chapters later that the reason it didn’t feel as though it had been working was that I hadn’t realized it was a sequel to one of my preceding stories. An unfinished short story of mine found a home as a chapter in a novel-lenght piece. Whatever you do, don’t delete those unfinished things! You never know where they might end up!
Accept it when the Muse has moved on
All lives end, all hearts are broken, and sometimes the love for a fandom has simply run its course. Grieve, accept and move on - don’t force yourself to write, if the spark just isn’t there anymore. You’ll know it when it happens - it feels different to just running out of ideas or hitting a particularly nasty plot problem.
All of this ❤
Yesssss ❤️
All writers, please read this!
Much useful stuff here. Adding this: It’s okay not to wait for inspiration, but to just jump in there and write anyway. True enough, it’s been said by some that the fire from Heaven won’t descend until you’ve built the altar… but I find that it’s as likely to fall on your head without warning while you’re still standing there with a pile of bricks and a trowelful of cement, wondering how high to build.
Fear nothing. Start making the dream real. No one else on the planet can see it the way you do, or tell it the way you’ll tell it.
And this is heretical, I know, but… don’t fear the WIP. You are one.
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otherwindow:
otherwindow:
otherwindow:
Consider: A fantasy series where the court wizard is treated and portrayed just like an IT guy.
Court Wizard, fixing the Queen’s magic mirror: has’t thee attempted cleansing and reapplying the runes anew?
Court Wizard sees like 17 hexes in the magic mirror and finds out the Flamebarrier blessing was turned off.
Court Wizard finally fixes the magic mirror and sees a reflection of the Queen reciting: Show me beautiful forest nymphs. Show me where to find beautiful forest nymphs. Show me local witches willing to summon beautiful forest nymphs to my kingdom. Show me beautiful witches. Show m
otherwindow:
otherwindow:
otherwindow:
Consider: A fantasy series where the court wizard is treated and portrayed just like an IT guy.
Court Wizard, fixing the Queen’s magic mirror: has’t thee attempted cleansing and reapplying the runes anew?
Court Wizard sees like 17 hexes in the magic mirror and finds out the Flamebarrier blessing was turned off.
Court Wizard finally fixes the magic mirror and sees a reflection of the Queen reciting: Show me beautiful forest nymphs. Show me where to find beautiful forest nymphs. Show me local witches willing to summon beautiful forest nymphs to my kingdom. Show me beautiful witches. Show m