Destiny's Designs @destinysdesigns - Tumblr Blog

This is Bunat and I’m trying to start her DoL/DoH classes. (Also would you like to see more of her? I’m going to post her crafter progress)

Which should I start first?

Botanist

Miner

Vanilla extract

Voting ended onDec 27, 2023

destinysdesigns

Results are in! Starting with Botanist. ^_^ going to get her a cute glam to go with.

#bunat #Ffxiv bunatsunderway #Ffxiv #bunatsunderway #videogames #bunatomnicrafterjourney

This is Bunat and I’m trying to start her DoL/DoH classes. (Also would you like to see more of her? I’m going to post her crafter progress)

Which should I start first?

Botanist

Miner

Vanilla extract

Voting ended onDec 27, 2023

#Ffxiv

am-i-the-asshole-official

AITA for this disagreement with some of my friends/colleagues?

So I(40s F) used to work in local level government. I quit to pursue other career opportunities because of burnout, but they asked me to stay on in an official-unofficial advisory capacity, and I'm still pretty close with the current office holders, particularly the current occupant of my former office (A, 30s X). Their boyfriend (H, 30s M), who also works there, isn't fond of me but more or less tolerates me when they're around, which is okay enough. Both their job and my current one necessitate a lot of travel, so it's not often an issue.

Things run pretty smoothly, overall, and I do think the entire city council has the people's best interests at heart. However, recently a natural disaster devastated our area and caused a lot of disagreement over how best to deal with it, and frankly the proposal that was eventually put forward was an awful one that would return a privileged few (about 25% of the population, after estimating numbers) to a semblance of normalcy while neglecting the other 75%. Neither A nor I are willing to back the group's play on this one, for what I feel are obvious reasons. A has gone completely no contact with all of us and I don't even know where they are right now, which aside from worrying me a lot, also hurt my position in the discussion since I officially hold no office anymore.

So I took pretty decisive action to stop them, and now three of our original council (H, plus other members E and L) are extremely pissed off at me and are trying to rally the rest to oppose me, while making some extremely shortsighted and harmful moves in the process that will hurt a lot of people. They don't seem to care, however. It's like they consider the majority lesser human beings and only care about that privileged 25%. I don't think I did everything right, but I did my best. We have to let go of the past and make the best of what we have now, for everyone's sake. No more shall man have wings to bear him to paradise. Henceforth, he shall walk.

AITA for sundering reality into fourteen reflections to stop my coworkers? Or should they have accepted that their paradise is gone, and ceded the reflections to their new fragmented, imperfect inhabitants?

AITA?

YTA

NTA

JAH

NAH

ESH

INFO

"Have you heard about the critically acclaimed MMORPG..."

Voting ended onAug 31, 2023

What are these acronyms?

neil-gaiman

I'm sorry Neil, although I love your writing and agree with your opinions on most subjects I have to disagree with you on the writers' strike. No-one should have a more privileged life as a result of being clever and creative. I worked from the age of 15 to the age of 65 in low-paid jobs, taking 1 year off to go to drama school and 3 years off to get a fine art degree. I worked in terrible but necessary jobs, labouring, stacking boxes, unloading trucks, running errands, filing, going to work on a bicycle at all hours of the day and night on shift work in all kinds of weather. Even when I was a student I was still working in part-time cleani8ng jobs and even during periods of unemployment I worked in volunteer jobs for charities and social services.

According to Mensa I have an IQ of 160 and according to Plymouth University I have a BA hons in Fine Art but I cannot accept the idea that writers and other creative people should avoid normal jobs like driving an "Uber" or working in an office/shop/factory/construction site. To accept that idea would be to create a new aristocratic class when we should abolishing the old princes and aristocrats.

What we need, I feel sure, is a redistribution of labour so that everybody who can do so would spend some time each year in blue collar work and everybody who can would get higher education and a chance to make art of one sort or another.

The idea of doing other jobs to supplement writing or drawing shouldn't be seen as a terrible thing, a punishment or a suffering. Sharing the jobs around should be seen as normal.

I mean, I've done my half century of sweat labour and it didn't hurt me too much. I'm retired now and still making art of various kinds and I've never asked anyone to pay me for any art piece I've made. making art, writing, drawing etc. is the fun stuff which we get to do in exchange for the blue collar stuff which puts food on the table.

The worst pop song ever written was Sting/Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing" which ridicules the working class from a position of educational privilege.

So what's my question? My question is: What's wrong with a writer doing other jobs to make ends meet? Sounds perfectly fine to me.

Nothing's wrong with a writer doing other jobs to make ends meet. Writers and artists have been doing that since the dawn of time. Actors too.

But by the same token, there's nothing right about assuming that writing isn't a blue-collar job, or that writers and other people who make art can only make it for love and that thus they need other jobs to subsidise their craft.

I like living in a world in which the people who make the things that make the world worth living in get paid for their work. For me, that includes the people who make films and TV, books, art and music and comics.

Having spent a lot of time on film and TV sets, it's a blue-collar world on set, and everyone is working long and hard to make the shows you love. I'm never going to suggest that the riggers or the gaffers or the make-up team or the focus-pullers should drive ubers in order to have the privilege of being on the set and working there.

Or to put it another way, from the most blue-collar writer I ever knew...

dduane

The issue about the strike isn't about having a more privileged life than blue-collar people. It's about having sort of, please gods, as privileged a life as blue-collar people... while doing both that work (to support ourselves) and another kind of work from which those who do it never get a day off, from the moment we start it until the day we die.

Not one.

Because Story will wake you up for attention on your days off, on your weekends, on your holidays (as if 95% of writers ever have any!). And as for the waking hours, they're already toast. Story will interrupt you over your coffee while you're hardly even conscious, in the middle of your normal day's paperwork, at lunch (if you can afford or are allowed time for any), in the throes of orgasm with your spouse. It will haunt you while you're changing out people's catheter bags, and come up to surprise you in the middle of an average workday (per a discussion about the Battle of Salamis that I had with a specialist while resecting someone's colon). It will leave you in tears, once again, while wrapping yet another patient's dead body.

Plainly the side of the arts in which you've been working isn't Story. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation.

If you haven't been paying attention to the increasing levels of crap that US-based writers (and, also, others elsewhere) have been dealing with... you need to seek out some education at best speed.

Most of us are lower-paid and (to judge by our income) lower- or middle-class. For the last half-century or so, thousands of writers whose labors you've enjoyed have worked in a storytelling ecology that's supported the vast majority of independent/freelance screen storytellers in making a modest or supplemental living. (For example: my only Star Trek: The Next Generation script earned me about $14,000 [my split of $28K with my co-writer]. After that, low-and-dwindling yearly residuals in the low 4 figures continued for some years after. That's long done, now... but it bought a lot of groceries and cat food while it lasted, while I was also working other jobs.)

That ecology, though, has steadily had the blood sucked out of it with the shift to streaming—when the streamers told us, at the last Guild negotiations, "Nobody knows if this'll work. We'll make it up to you later if it does...!").

...Guess what? It worked. And now they don't want to make it up to us. (And somehow it's hard to be surprised.)

The old writer-payment ecology, as a result, is gone. It's not as if our stories are worth less than they were. (Indeed, evidence suggests far otherwise.) It's not as if the Earth's orbit's changed, or something's occurred that's had nothing to do with human actions. It's because rich people at the top of rich studios and streaming companies have decided they've got better use for the companies' billions of [insert favorite currency, it doesn't matter which one] than fairly paying their writers.

Some of us actually remember how things were before a workable system was broken, and can compare them to how they are now... bearing in mind what we were promised. As a result, better-known storytellers like Neil (and others: it's too late in the evening for me to do your homework for you...) are on strike now to assist those of us who're not so well known. People like me, for whom $14,000, spread over a whole year (or two, or three, or five...) made a big difference in our lives... not like the few hundred dollars now being offered to writers who've done a whole lot more work over a far shorter term.

In the larger sense: it'd be just lovely if the world were so arranged that all of us who prefer to mostly do creative work—because it's what we know best, and do best—were easily able to share (perceived) middle-class labor time around with those who don't do it (like something out of Le Guin's The Dispossessed). …Though most of us have also been doing second or third jobs as well. I don't know any writer who's grudged that if it meant also being able to do the work we love best.

It'd also be lovely if those whose privilege (as per your description) allows them access to higher education could understand the challenges of those whose situation didn't allow them anything of the kind. For example: I was lucky enough to pull down a Science and Nursing scholarship at the end of high school... otherwise my lower-middle-class family's finances couldn't have afforded me any other higher education at all. I happily worked to support myself all during my nursing training, and special-duty nursing kept me alive until my first few novels sold and made enough to kept me afloat.

That was just fine...for me. But I don't see why writers more talented than I (and who can tell who they are?), who've got more than I have to give to the world, should have to work two or three jobs to support their writing.

And I don't see why, having lived through the multiple-job bullshit, your vision should supersede other, less onerous ones. I mean, I’m sorry for the stuff you went through… but don’t see any reason why others should need to go through the same. (“I suffered for my art. Now it’s your turn…” is so 1970s.)

Anyway. For the time being, everyday working writers are fighting that corner right now, the only way we can: by withdrawing our middle-class [by definition of middle-or-low-five-figure-USD$] labor from the people making themselves rich off it. And isn't it funny that the people from whom we've withdrawn it are so desperately trying—via AI, etc.—to find a way to do without our labor entirely? (As if what would pass for daily donut money for most series is somehow too expensive...?) It kinda indicates that (color-of-collar) class isn't at all the issue here.

Understandable, then, that you might be glad you're retired... and not down in the trenches with the rest of us. Those of us still working hard to survive (including me, still writing at 71 despite theoretical "retirement ages"—impossible for us to consider in this "new world" economy…) hope to survive long enough, if we're as lucky as you, to eventually, have something similar.

Meanwhile, those of us who weave stories for the entertainment of those around us would just like to make enough from this work to buy groceries and pay our electric bills and feed our spouses (for those of us who have spouses), or kids (those of us who have kids). ...Or cats. (etc) You know: the kind of things that ordinary blue-collar people have.

And for their sake: just as the writers before us (in the 1960s) fought for the right to the then-revolutionary concept of residuals, we fight. Not just for ourselves, but for the writers to come after us, who also have spouses and kids*... and tales worth telling.

*And cats.

phobos-voidwalker

Pandaemonium Art Party!!

I had so much fun, the house was decorated beautifully and the shenanigans to be had were so entertaining!

Thank you so much @blucifer08 for hosting!! It was fun to finally see Naru in person (I was shooketh by how TALL she was by Aoii! Just LOOK at them!!)

phobos-voidwalker

Oh Emet, we're really in it this time.

catchymemes

eemamminy-art

That text post I reblogged just now got me thinking and I want to post something with all my current (big) Varshahn art today and talk a bit about my headcanon for him.

I know if you want to get technical he's not transmasc in the traditional sense since the body was created as a vessel for him and not the body he was born with, but I like to think of it as a way he could express himself. As a dragon Vrtra is genderless, but for whatever reason chose masculine pronouns to use. (I like to think dragons aren't really sexually dimorphic in ffxiv since they seem to be capable of asexual reproduction and have just picked up on human concepts of gender roles after coming to Etheirys) In all his interactions with the people he watches over and cares about, he tries so much to appeal to them and match what he thinks they want, but the people of Radz-at-Han just accept him for who he is and I think that is really meaningful to him.

So when the alchemists craft his second body (or third I suppose, technically), yes it needs to be strong and sturdy, so he's tall and masculine. But he is this alien creature that is not bound by human concepts of gender so I want to think he plays into that too. He can have broad shoulders but equally wide hips, and a full chest to decorate with Thavnairian fashion or to simply feel more like himself since his dragon body has a strong chest and arms that taper into a small waist. He makes it thoroughly his own in a way that is totally androgynous, a body that matches his dragon form as closely as possible while fitting into auri standards for basic body design.

It's a headcanon that I really really care about, but I've been sort of nervous to talk about it even when posting art of him depicted this way! So here I am doing it now :3 And below are all the arts of him I've drawn up until now:

risingoflights

what’s the point of being the Warrior of Light if you can’t throw your weight around once in a while

destinysdesigns

Was playing around with procreate while vibing to the loporrit music. This brush is the result. Going to put it on our ko-fi for free. Probably going to make a few more. I’d love to see what people make with it. ^_^

Become a supporter of Moon Family Studios today! ❤️ Ko-fi lets you support the creators you love with no fees on donations.

Was playing around with procreate while vibing to the loporrit music. This brush is the result. Going to put it on our ko-fi for free. Probably going to make a few more. I’d love to see what people make with it. ^_^

Become a supporter of Moon Family Studios today! ❤️ Ko-fi lets you support the creators you love with no fees on donations.

#destinysdesigns #moonfamilystudios #ff14 #ff14 ffxiv #Ffxiv #ffxiv loporrit #loporrit #ffxiv endwalker #ffxiv art #procreate #procreate stamp

woltourney

ROUND 1 / SIDE B / POLL 15

Vastha Mhakaracca (@incense-and-iron) v. Rolanberry "Kira" Cheesecake (@phobos-voidwalker)

Vastha Mhakaracca:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Vastha Mhakaracca [He/They]

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Miqote - Keeper of the Moon

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. Main classes: Dragoon, Dark Knight, Monk, Reaper, Dancer

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. N/A

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. I'm a happy guy! Like to entertain my friends and put a smile on other people's faces. I ended up becoming a hero after following (partly) in my mother's footsteps-- she was a lancer and gave me her old lance when I wanted to leave home to adventure. It kind of broke ages ago… but I still have it! So she shouldn't be too mad about it. Hopefully, heh. Uh, anyway, I enjoy dancing and have tons of experience in managing and entertaining people since my family runs a small inn on the side of some nameless road. As for liking being a hero… it's complicated; as much as I really wish it wasn't that way. It use to be so easy and fun. Simple, even. There was still danger of course, but… I dunno. Fighting five giant ladybugs doesn't really match up in danger levels as the types of things I've been up too as of late [[<-- post EW content]]. Not to mention all the worst parts of having so much on your shoulders, things I really don't want to get into for such a fun event. B-But, don't take it as if I don't want to be a hero!! I can do it, so I want to do it. And it's not a 'If I don't do it, no one will', either. I think there are people who definitely could and would. People who have pulled way more weight through all this than I have. Even so, with all the pain and trouble I've been though, it's worth it at the end of the day. Knowing that I've helped so many people, that I have the power to keep the worst at bay, that I can make a change in the world and have that change try and be something good and positive and kind: that's what makes me like such a dangerous and oftentimes thankless job. Free time? Well, there's: dancing, cooking [[Culinarian is at level 90]], tending to my new island hangout, I've been doing LOTS of sightseeing-- Oh! I LOVE taking pictures and doing photography. Mostly of landscapes, they're just easier for me to work with than people; not to say I don't snap pictures of my friends now and again. What else… Oh! I've been taking up other crafting jobs as well since I have the spare time. It gives me something to keep my hands busy and lets me go out and collect more plants and rocks. I always liked going out to collect random stuff, but some of my older sisters, who I ended up bullied into hiring on as retainers so they could keep tabs on me away from home, got tired of me dumping popotos and iron ingots onto them to figure out how to sell en mass every week. I saw nothing wrong with it, but it really just must be me. Hmm… A lot more stuff about me is kind of personal. While I'm a rather open guy and like to chat, there's even some stuff I don't like talking about too casually or with strangers, sorry! Maybe we can be friends? I'm always open to new friends! Let's talk more sometime, okay?

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. Why should I win? Oh man, I just think it'd be neat! "Vastha Mhakaracca, winner of the…" uh, what was this called again? Oh, right! "winner of the WoLTourney 2023!" Could even put that on my little adventure card thingy just for fun.

q. Anything else you wanna add? a. Some other facts about Vastha he didn't get to cover himself: Transmasc [he/they] and gay (despite all the handsome bachelors in game, he hasn't fallen for more past a short lived crush or two.) He has 4 older sisters, making him the youngest in the family He use to be more meek and shy, which turned to 'all talk no bite', which turned out to now where he's more mellow and friendly but will not hesitate to throw hands if someone starts something He actually likes to do fetch quests because it lets him explore local areas to take more pictures Vastha comes off as a bit of a dunce and a ~stoopid widdle catboi~ to people because he likes to have fun and goof around like he use too (before all the horrors (tm) of being an adventurer). He notices, but doesn't comment on it. He'd rather people keep thinking it and underestimate him so he can prove them wrong through action. And with so much life experience now, he really doesn't care what others think of him anymore; he knows himself and that's all he can control in life. Despite being so giddy and friendly, the man does have some things he dislikes a normal degree, and other things (and people) he hates with the rage of a thousand suns-- which upon mention of will immediately switch his mood to more sour and serious. It's rare to stumble across such topics, thankfully.

Rolanberry "Kira" Cheesecake:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Rolanberry "Kira" Cheesecake, he/they

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Rava Viera

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. "Evoker" a special blend between SMN/RPR/DRK that focuses on summoning beings using his body as a vessel, similar to Enshroud.

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. Brynhildr!

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. Kira is a reluctant hero, originating from Sharlayan and settling down in the Black Shroud after the Calamity. He worked for Carline Canopy for those few years before being called to action (with the persuasion of a LOT of Gil) by another reluctant hero. He travels Eorzea with the hopes of trying every type of coffee and cake he can get his hands on, as well as hearing as much gossip as his oversized ears allow. He's an informant by trade and a hero by necessity, often coming across as abrasive and cold at first glance, but has a soft spot for animals and children seeing as he is the eldest of 6 siblings. In his spare time he enjoys music from local bards and tips very well.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. A heavy sigh. "Because if I do NOT win, that smug little shite is going to lord it over my head like the last time something blew up in my face. I might not be all too interested in popularity contests, but if it lets me rub it in that spoiled little brats face then by the Twelve I'm all in, SHOW ME YOUR AFFECTION EORZEA!!!" Oh, there he goes, off on another power trip, aaaaaand there's the maniacal laughter… Oh boy.

Who should win?

Vastha Mhakaracca

Rolanberry "Kira" Cheesecake

Voting ended onMay 2, 2023

destinysdesigns

Yeah, salt would vote for him, but be smug about it at the same time

hersheyfont

Known nazi threatens to bring guns and plant bombs at NA Fanfest in Las Vegas

This is a PSA and informative post regarding Holy Terror/Covington Smirk/Eazy Eee/Goth Brooks of Lamia and his threats. It contains all info I currently have. IF YOU HAVE INFO ON HIS PLANS, IDENTITY, OR OTHER RELEVANT TOPICS, PLEASE REPORT THIS TO THE FBI AND SQUARE ENIX. Contact details will be at the bottom.

WARNING TO EVERYONE GOING TO NA FANFEST: A known nazi has stated he plans to bring guns to NA Fanfest, and has made bomb threats in Discord with specific details.