nympheline

me in a nutshell: i fake-swooned on the couch like a victorian heroine, hoping that my cries would inspire james mcavoy to bring me a cuppa tea and a jammie dodger. they didn’t. so i yelled, “james, bring me a cuppa tea and a jammie dodger.” and he didn’t. so i got up and cooked ALL THE BACON IN THE HOUSE. then i ate it.

[thesundrinker]

the fact that they finally addressed this is so so important to me!!!! this is a massive elephant in every single scene, and in fandom discussions about armand, his sexuality, and the ways in which other characters interact with him. i really hope the show has the care to portray how asian men were perceived both when armand was trafficked and when he lived in venice with marius. his status as “exotic” would’ve made him even more vulnerable to the men and women seeking to “loan” him from marius.

armand’s entire view of himself and his sexuality has been warped by this exact stereotype. we keep seeing it over and over again in how he makes himself small and as unobtrusive and passive as possible.

oh, i just hope we get to see an exploration of it!!!!

check out the complete interview! it’s so insightful all around

Assad Zaman on playing a multi-faceted, centuries-old vampire

As the manipulative Armand in "The Vampire Lestat," his character may not be easy to like, but he has still stolen many fans' hearts.

[mannequinswithkillappeal]

okay so i need to see his full answers

[mayjla]

I finally framed this beautiful print that @againwithpurpose submitted for our Assad birthday project this year.

I find this piece of art absolutely mesmerising!

[reticent-vampire]

Assad Zaman | Shakespeare's Sonnet 19

[ltwilliammowett]

Ship's cat Chiclet watches the harbour during her watch on the museum tanker Mary A. Whalen (1938)

[mansons-horror-queen]

The Addams Family // New Neighbors Meet the Addams Family

[the-gayest-dovah]

IS SHE VAPING WITH HER PUSSY?!?!

[bitronic]

(via @they-bite)

[enslavedbyfaeries]

Unfortunately this piece became unusable because of the rip in the paper, however it's one of my personal favourites because I painted it from a memory of my childhood in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. I keep in a frame by my bed.

Paper: Fabriano Artistico/ 100% cotton/ cold press

Brushes: Da Vinci Petit Gris Pur mop, Escoda Optimo liner/ Silver Black Velvet rounds

Paint: A. Gallo

[mbari-blog]

Serving some major squeeee 😱🥹🥰⁠

This adorable baby is the eryoneicus larval stage of a deep-sea lobster. These fuzzy globs of cute float and feed in the water column until they're ready to change into juvenile lobsters and settle on the seafloor. During this stage, they are covered with thousands of tiny hairs, which they eventually lose as they develop into adults. This larva is about five centimeters (two inches) long. You're welcome. 😍

[mbari-blog]

Serving some major squeeee 😱🥹🥰⁠

This adorable baby is the eryoneicus larval stage of a deep-sea lobster. These fuzzy globs of cute float and feed in the water column until they're ready to change into juvenile lobsters and settle on the seafloor. During this stage, they are covered with thousands of tiny hairs, which they eventually lose as they develop into adults. This larva is about five centimeters (two inches) long. You're welcome. 😍

[kellyroman]

Picked some magnolia petals and discovered as they started to wilt at creases they turned a beautiful warm brown color. Then got the idea to use a silverpoint stylus to scratch a magnolia drawing into the petal~ smells divine

[tirragen]

@chthonic-cassandra

[universeleads]

Wait I can't believe I haven't talked about my holiday bits on here before. So I work in grocery and I always work holidays and big events that mean we get a ton of tourists in our town and a ton of customers non stop all day. When you work retail on holidays you end up having the same conversations over and over again, so this year I made it a point to choose a bit or a lie for each holiday to keep up for my entire shift that serves solely to mess with customers without them realizing what I'm doing, and ensure I have fun and make myself laugh. Here are the 2026 holiday bits so far:

Memorial day: I pretended I didn't know what it was, and I wanted to see how many customers would correct me if I kept referring to it as "America's birthday". Some people wanted to kill me with hammers for this I wont lie

Easter: I pretended to be catholic and would tell people at the register while making small talk that I gave up lying for lent and couldn't lie again until the new year because it's something I've been meaning to work on (not how lent works) (not catholic) (actively lying about lying)

Valentine's day: I invented a fake boyfriend at the beginning of my shift and wanted to see how developed of a character I could create by the time my shift ended with the rule that I could only add to his lore by telling customers things about him out loud (I have a boyfriend named Jake who surfs and is a photography major at UC Santa Barbara who I was going to celebrate Valentine's day with the following weekend because he's on a camping trip in Big Sur with his surf buddies and I also managed to sneak in that hes lived in 2 houses that burned down and that's where his passion for photography comes from, he wants to preserve his memories)

New years: I decided to tell every customer a different new years resolution but I could only make them up on the spot and couldn't say the same thing twice

Superbowl Sunday: every time someone asked me what team I was rooting for, I would confidently and excitedly say any team I could think of except for the two in the actual Superbowl and whenever someone told me that they weren't in the Superbowl I would look super crushed and disappointed

[deadbeatmaker]

it’s kinda fucked up that you’re only an age for a year. I didn’t know how to be 23 yet, let me try again

[deadbeatmaker]

I’m going to think about this forever…

[shipscookandhedgehog]

Behold: Catzier!

Jopson is pretty much on 24/7 lint roller duty in this AU.

[shipscookandhedgehog]

HAIR EVERYWHERE

[wordpress-blaze-130473868]

The Island of Scotland The Brave

Hello fellow searchers for quietude, for a slower pace, for a peaceful world full of nice things. Perhaps you would like to turn off the noise and turmoil of a befuddled world for a while. Welcome into Mawson's cosy world. But wait! Is all as untroubled as it seems?

In Mawson Bear's new book, No Bear Is An Island, each bear sits all alone. They don't talk to each other, they don't share their thoughts. It's as if they are each sitting on their own island, apart from the others.

Scotland the Brave's island is a castle. He built it himself and is very proud of it. He can propel it by sails and by oars.

But sometimes he finds himself feeling sad, and even the walls of his castle don't protect him from those feelings. Mawson's new little book with lots of heart looks at what happens to Scotland and his fellow bears. Will they ever find each other and make friends?

The book will look like this. Just look for all the handsome bear on the cover. You can find out more about what's up on 1 August when Mawson's new opus, 'No Bear Is An Island' is published on Amazon, Kobo, Ex Libris and all over the place.

YOU TUBE: You can have a glimpse on Yoo-Hoo-Tube about it. Just plonk your paws on this link.

About When A Brave Bear Fights Cancer: A Get Well Soon Gift

Mawson's Guardian, Mark (and all the bears) helped with the pictures. Carola Schmidt wore it. She is an award-winning author of books about children's cancer. You can find it at:

Amazon everywhere, including Amazon UK and Amazon Australia and Brazil and Canada and India and Japan and Mexico and Sweden. Also Barnes and Noble and more.

Things Grownups said about Mawson's picture books:

 Review by Joey Madia: 'It is profoundly beautiful and so very needed in our troubled, complex world. after you read it, hopefully with a group of family and friends, give yourself the gift of a good nap and mythic dreams.'

Review by Dash Fan: I adored Mason Bear, he has a big heart and children and adults will fall in love with him. I certainly did and I can't wait to go on more adventures with him!

‘This little story made me well up. A lovely, poignant story with delightful illustrations.’ Jackie Law, Amazon Top 500 reviewer, about It's A Bright World To Feel Lost in.

The book brings back such nostalagic memories that it made it comforting, like a  old security blanket.'  FNM Book reviews about Bright World.

Source: The Island of Scotland The Brave

[wordpress-blaze-32719779]

There's a Ladybug in My Bed

The following poem is about a ladybug who takes a little girl on a dream filled journey to a magical town of ladybugs. One, who is charmingly eccentric, dazzles you with her exceptionally fashionable clothes while one owns a bakery and can make the most exquisite pastries …still another has a house with so many stairs that you lose count. With coordination and grace, one can be seen riding a unicycle while another one rides a tricolored tricycle. There's a ladybug who scoots around in a sporty car…why there's even an opera star, yet another who claims he's been to Alpha Centauri and Mars! But no town would be complete without a Mayor who loves to orate in the town square about new plans for Ladybugville which make all the ladybugs ever so happy!

There's A Ladybug In My Bed There's a ladybug in my bed, painted on a pillow case beside my head. I see her black spotted and red with a little mischievous grin, and a tiny dimple on her chin. When I fall fast asleep, I could swear she comes alive and holding onto my hand, together, we fly to a wondrous place far away where ladybugs live and play.

There's a ladybug who has a house with so many stairs that I lose count.

Another whose taken such care in the selection of her fashionable clothes that I've ever seen anyone wear

Then there's one who owns a bakery who makes strawberry tarts with the most delicate puff pastry; they can only be described as scrumptiously tasty.

Why, there's even a town square with a banner hanging over the rostrum; to a crowd still gathering… a microphone squeaks, suddenly, the Mayor begins to speak.

One can see his distinguished figure with his stove top hat towering above the rest- in tuxedo he is dressed. As he speaks about the plans for the new year there is a slight pause… before the ladybugs breakout with thunderous applause. There's a ladybug who drives a sporty car. One who even chauffeurs, with Rolls Royce, an opera star.

With coordination and grace, another ladybug rides a unicycle while a very little one can be seen riding a tricolored tricycle. But the one that captures my imagination by far… is the one who insists he's been to Mars and Proxima Centauri, the sun's closest star!

The next morning I wake to find myself back in my cozy bed with the little ladybug painted on a pillowcase beside my head. Lying perfectly still, just as the ladybug prints on my quilt, I say to my little friend, "why… I think I see a twinkle in your eye."

~ Lora Hollings

Key Takeaways

Source: There's a Ladybug in My Bed

[dogpuppy]

[romessence]

[mementomauri]

I do have a fondness for how gothic and erotic lit had a certain barrier to entry. Like I do love more ppl getting into the vampire chronicles and I'll always be happy to have more Loustat fans but those books are weird and melancholic and erotic and philosophical and constantly testing boundaries and asking questions. And it feels like ppl are expecting or wanting "the vampire diaries but gay". The books have uncomfortable moments and the characters will do and say and believe things that make you double take but so much of the books are just "how moral can I be when nothing matters and I'm immortal?"

This isn't just a tale of gay vampires. It's a haunting philosophical treatise about life, mortality, morality, death, depression, incest, rape, love, regret, and the Pain Of Time. It can be fun and it can be gross and it can be wonderful but it's not for the timid.