Well, hello there

Started because of my Miss Fisher obsession, but who knows where I'll go from here?

[unremarkablegirl-deactivated202]

17 questions, 17 people!

thank you to @b-bellarke & @skainatblida for tagging me :D

i am only a little late 

1. Nickname: Mars

2. Zodiac: Aries

3. Height - 5′2 :/

4. Hogwarts House - Slytherin 

5. Last Thing I Googled - linguistic alterity 

6. Song Stuck in My Head - Way Less Sad by AJR

7. Number of Followers - 340?? Amazing, ily

8. Amount of Sleep - oof I got maybe 4 hours last night

9. Lucky Number - 13, my jersey number!!

10. Dream Job - neurolinguist, let me do weird research

11. Wearing - hoodie and sweatpants 

12. Favorite Author - ahh it depends on genre?? 

13. Favorite Instrument - I can’t play for shit but I like drums

14. Aesthetic - in terms of style? it depends. in general, i do enjoy pictures of wild animals in the city and the vibes of a full face of glam while wearing pyjamas 

15. Favorite Song - i mean, again, it depends on genre?? currently, i can say that it is Medusa by Kailee Morgue

16. Favorite Animal Noise - when cats go purr 

17. Random - i’ve been told i have witch vibes 

uhhh I’ll tag: @moonysourenza @astral-almighty @weirdfishy @eya-trying-to-function @acemoppet @alyssablogsss @catinsink @sleepy-enigma @heademptynothoughts @indelibleposies @luminouswriter @haniawritesthings @needsmustleap @dannyrand & @unbottledchaos if you guys want :)

[heademptynothoughts]

thanks for the tag! 💕

1. Nickname: Lee (at least on here, irl the only real nickname i have is from my sister and i refuse to let anyone else call me it lol)

2. Zodiac: Leo

3. Height: 5’3

4. Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

5. Last Thing I Googled: art history citation style

6. Song Stuck In My Head: Degenerates by A Day To Remember

7. Number of Followers: 49

8. Amount of Sleep: uhhhh i wanna say 6 hours? maybe? probably less

9. Lucky Number: 3

10. Dream Job: editor at a publishing house

11. Wearing: long sleeve shirt and sweatpants

12. Favourite Author: ahhh i think i’ve gotta go with Margaret Atwood

13. Favourite Instrument: drums or electric guitar idk

14. Aesthetic: that’s vague, um in terms of actual style i’m comfort over everything all the way but if i had the confidence to pull it off then it would def be the whole leather jacket rocker chick vibes (or just straight up goth tbh)

15. Favourite Song: oof i’m extremely indecisive and it really depends on the artist… i guess rn i’ll say Freak Like Me by Halestorm

16. Favourite Animal Noise: cats purring 100%

17. Random: i actually really like romcoms and other movies/shows in the same vein (they’re kind of a guilty pleasure but also not cuz they’re just so fun in a cringe sorta way)

tagging: @quietduckpond @sunset-sweeerve @thedeathdeelers @maizsnex no pressure as always :) + anyone else who wants to do this

shhhhh ik i didn’t tag 17 people, i don’t interact with enough people to do that

[artiesjam]

tysm for the tag!!

1. nickname: mags

2. zodiac: pisces

3. height: also 5’3

4. hogwarts house: ravenpuff

5. last thing i googled: “persisted”

6. song stuck in my head: “https://youtu.be/-CbcrMAOVcU” this one

7. number of followers: 31

8. amount of sleep: eh maybe nine ive been getting into a better sleep schedule

9. lucky number: seven

10. dream job: straight up just working in a quiet coffee shop that’s all i want

11. wearing: oversized blue and green tie dye hoodie with cuffed jean shorts

12. favorite author: rick riordan by far

13. favorite instrument: trumpet go brrr

14. aesthetic: julie molina in edge of great. i just have that butterfly aesthetic. there are literal butterflies hanging off my f’ing fairy lights for gods sake

15. favorite song: hmm time machine by willow smith or take me to church by hozier

16. favorite animal noise: sloths just going “aeeee” please look it up it’s so adorable

17. random: i have a really bad nail biting addiction that ive had since maybe when i was five

tags: @nickalicious @willex-n-waffles @willexx @julie-n-phantoms @phoenixwwitch @bonobos-candy-bar @lukesperfectharmonyhair @emeraldphantoms @jukephantoms @willexs @willexandthephantoms @sapphicflynn @floating-in-the-blue @flowerbritts @willex-joyner @edgeofgillespie @rvvnclawy @randomjatpthoughts

tagged some mutuals and some cool people who id like to be mutuals with 💕

[floating-in-the-blue]

OMG thank you so much for tagging me @maizsnex!! I’m really not that cool though??

1. nickname: call me Yeo

2. zodiac: Gemini

3. height: 1,7 m (too lazy to convert that)

4. hogwarts house: Huffleclaw

5. last thing i googled: not sure but it might have been the opening hours of my doctor

6. song stuck in my head: weirdly, none right now

7. number of followers: 495 (I estimate at least 400 of those are probably dead accounts though … I mean, I’ve been around here since 2012!)

8. amount of sleep: never enough but I aim for 8 hours

9. lucky number: 3 (and most multiples of three)

10. dream job: this sounds probably very boring but that would be a half-time job, 4 mornings a week, low stress but with just enough challenges to give me a feeling of accomplishment every now and then and nice colleagues. And, obviously, making enough money so I can live comfortably off it

11. wearing: sweatpants and a tshirt

12. favorite author: oh God don’t ask me that?! I have too many, but since I just finished her latest novel and physically HUGGED that at the end, grinning and weeping, I’m going with Becky Chambers right now

13. favorite instrument: cello and piano

14. aesthetic: white and green with accents of wood and gold, somewhere between clean and comfy

15. favorite song: honestly, how can people answer these questions? There are soooooo many great songs out there?

16. favorite animal noise: cats purring (god, I miss cats!!)

17. random: I have an oil painting hanging above my bed that was painted by my great-great-aunt

low-key, no pressure tagging: @merihn, @chanihobbit, @madamecristal, @hot-elf, @thinkmanythingsofit, @bethanyactually, @tacohead13, @tardis-stowaway, @kawaiibooker, @higharollakockamamie, @insaneboingo, @omgimsarahtoo, @bluecityrose, @artyacedia, @where-you-go, @fighttoshine, @lizardsnake

[omgimsarahtoo]

Oh wow, thanks for the tag @floating-in-the-blue! I’m feeling kind of disconnected these days, so thanks for pulling me back in!

1. nickname: none

2. zodiac: Gemini

3. height: 5′5.5″ (5′6″ on a good day)

4. hogwarts house: Hufflepuff

5. last thing i googled: cost of a local community college

6. song stuck in my head: The Specials, “You’re Wondering Now”

7. number of followers: 507 (whoa, how is that possible? When I was active here, it was never higher than 300, to my knowledge!)

8. amount of sleep: 6-7 hours is about right

9. lucky number: I don’t have one!

10. dream job: part-time user experience content work. Editorial would also be OK, but a 5-day work week sucks and I’d rather not, thanks XD

11. wearing: yoga pants and a t-shirt

12. favorite author: um. Maybe top 5? In no particular order, and including their pseudonyms: Nora Roberts (JD Robb), Seanan McGuire (Mira Grant), Talia Hibbert, Patricia Briggs, Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook

13. favorite instrument: I don’t know! Does voice count? I am a HUGE a cappella fan.

14. aesthetic: warm chocolate brown with blue or red accents, squashy cushions, and comfy corners to curl up into. And bookshelves. LOTS of bookshelves.

15. favorite song: wow. ask me my favorite child, why don’t you?? Fave artist, maybe - Sara Bareilles, right now, though that’s likely to change over time!

16. favorite animal noise: I have to agree with @floating-in-the-blue: Cats purring. I wish I could have a cat, but alas, my hubby is allergic.

17. random: I’ve only ever broken one bone in my body - a small bone in my right foot, when I was 2. 

I tag @geenee27 @firesign23 @bluecityrose (I know, you were already tagged, but peer pressure?) @whopooh and anyone who feels like doing this!

[adventuressclubamericas]

Miss Fisher March Madness

We have a winner for Round 1: Daywear!! And in an upset– well, upsetting to some of us– it was the not the gorgeous red sari dress, but the fabulous floral duster with white pant suit and chunky necklace from Murder in the Dark!!! Okay, I am honestly thrilled either way. Were you happy with the result? Members come talk to us about it on Slack! Otherwise, chat with us here.

Meanwhile, BRING ON THE GLAMOUR!! Round 1: Glamorous March ¾ - Black diagonal cut asymmetrical dress with nude inserts (S1Ep 6 Ruddy Gore) vs. Silver sequined birthday gown with long chiffon scarf edged with feathers.

Cast your vote for your favourite of Phryne’s outfits in today’s epic match-up. vote here https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSdtkuwtqFqhaS…/viewform Make your case in the comments! Don’t see your favourite look? Tell us what we’ve missed! #missfishersmarchmadness #mfmm #missfishersmurdermysteries #marchmadness #sweetsixteen #costumedesign #1920s #1930s #fashion #flapper #brackets #favoritecostume #phrynefisher #fandom #bestfandom #adventuressesclubofamericas #acota #everycloud #marionboyce 

[omgimsarahtoo]

Yaaassss @adventuressclubamericas! Murder in the Dark won - love that sari outfit (Phryne looks amazing in red) but I love the coat more.

This second round is a no-brainer - @firesign23 and I had many discussions about how it was truly a shame that Phryne hadn’t worn that black dress for Jack. I love the birthday dancing dress, but that black dress has a special place in my heart!

[adventuressclubamericas]

Miss Fisher March Madness

It’s Miss Fisher March Madness! Phryne’s most iconic looks are going head-to-head in a winner takes all elimination round competition! Starting with a roster of “sweet 16” outfits in four categories - Daywear, Glamorous, Misdemeanors, and Boudoir - your votes will decide the winner, bracket by bracket. Today’s category is Daywear: Queen of the Flowers Vs. Murder in the Dark. Both ensembles feature exquisite embroidery and fabulous accessories. Voting is done via a unique Google form and tallied in 24 hours. Everyone is welcome to play but please only vote once per match-up. Use the link 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZd0qc0qnizMPQIml6CIvUCo72soibT0osASgCjFBrOeFilA/viewform

Members of ACotA can follow along on our website: https://missfishercon.com/March-Madness-2021 Not a member? Join us at missfishercon.com #missfishersmarchmadness #mfmm #missfishersmurdermysteries #marchmadness #sweetsixteen #costumedesign #1920s #1930s #fashion #flapper #brackets #daywear #favoritecostume #phrynefisher #fandom #bestfandom #adventuressesclubofamericas #acota #everycloud #marionboyce

[omgimsarahtoo]

Oooooooo

This round was (relatively) easy for me, but I went to the website and the upcoming brackets are HARD! Still gonna vote, though. Now if I can just get folks to agree with me...

[tendermiasma]

for fellow austins and the rest of texas

fuck ERCOT

[fisherobinson]

MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES

2x03 : Dead Man's Chest

[legsdemandias]

Commenting fanfiction is the easiest thing in the world once you start doing it. 

[legsdemandias]

I leave a comment on every single fic I read. Sometimes when I read published books I go and leave a comment somewhere the author can find it. Granted, I literally majored in ‘leaving comments on fics’ (English Education), but once you start doing it it just becomes second nature. Now you’re gonna go to the Ozymandias school of leaving comments: 

Problem: I can’t leave kudos again.

Beginner: This is a second/third/fourth Kudos

Advanced: This is my second/third/fortieth time reading this, I still love it so much. Here are a few new things I noticed. I like the way you personally do x, y, z compared to other authors I’ve read (in this ship/genre/fandom).

Problem: I don’t know what to say :(

Beginner: Just list what you did to read this fic. “I stayed up late reading this”, “I read this on a crowded train”, “this kept me company while sick”. 

Advanced: X,Y,Z parts made me get butterflies, and I had a physical reaction to this part of the story, I squealed outloud when characters did x,y,z. I blushed at this part. I laughed out loud here. Whatever. 

Problem: I’m embarrassed to leave a comment (what if I annoy the author?)

Beginner: Short answer: you won’t EVER annoy the author (unless you’re needlessly mean) But to start, be generic, you don’t have to spill your soul in the comments section. “I liked this” “I enjoyed reading this” “nice fic”.

Advanced: This really meant a lot to me that you wrote this. This is something I feel like I’ve always wanted to read. This fic hit me in all the right places. Etc. 

Problem: I don’t know how to express myself/my experience 

Beginner: My beginners go to is to highlight a line, put that in your comment and say “i liked this” or to identify basic emotions you had while reading and comment those “this made me happy” “this part made me sad” “i almost cried” “you made me laugh”  Advanced: “Highlighted line” This line made me smile because it has to do with character development/it’s really romantic/it’s so unique/it’s moving. Sometimes I don’t highlight a line at all, I just talk about the stuff I’ve noticed were unique to the fic. “I love the way you did this particular thing with this character”. 

[toybeluga]

This? This is an amazing post. This is the Captain Awkward of commenting posts—it addresses all your fears directly and gives you actionable scripts for each one.

[hieronymus-bush]

Hey, I just want everyone to know that what the world is going through is a legitimate trauma. Full on. It fits the “official” definition and everything. This is a traumatic event.

That means that it’s normal and expected to find yourself using coping mechanisms that you thought you were done with, to find yourself numbed out, to be on the verge of constant panic attacks, to be acting impulsively and compulsively, to engage in very old patterns, to have wide swings of every behaviour especially regarding sleep, food, and sex.

The research shows that people in a traumatic situation who most often develop PTSD (which I would say we are all at risk of) or have their existing PTSD/C-PTSD intensified are folks who cannot or believe they cannot do anything about it the trauma event.

So, if you are able, look for a place in all of this where you can feel that you can do something. Harass a company not doing enough for its employees, sign a petition, check in on a neighbour, set alarms to remind yourself to eat (it’s on my own to do list for today), intentionally spend time every day doing straw breathing to shift your sympathetic nervous system response. You don’t have to become some social media hero, or spend all your time improving yourself. But if you can find something that makes you feel like you can do something for yourself that decreases the trauma load on you, it will greatly benefit you going forward.

If anyone has any questions about this, my asks are open, or you can message me. (I cannot do any online therapy, I am happy to share information about trauma itself and any tools that I know)

It is okay to reblog this.

- Registered Clinical Counsellor, with 10+ years specifically working with trauma

[hieronymus-bush]

As we are coming up soon to the one year anniversary of all of this (today is the first day of Wuhan’s lockdown), I just want to encourage you all to remember that anything you’re struggling with may become heightened in the next few weeks/two months. I know the exact day my household went into isolation/lockdown, and essentially still is, and I am preparing myself for the potential of a very bad week or so then. Your experiences may vary but be aware of the possibility of:

- increased irritability - poorer sleep - heightened startle response - increased vigilance - inability to concentrate - nightmares - muscle tension/overall pain - dissociation - increase of any mental health symptoms you may struggle with The best advice I have for when the time comes is to: remind yourself that it’s a normal response around anniversaries of difficult things; give yourself as much slack as you can around things that aren’t necessities; give yourself as much soothing as possible (blankets, heat, gentle movies/music, whatever helps); keep yourself grounded in the present; remind yourself that it will pass because no feeling lasts forever.

I wanted to make this post so that if some of these responses do happen to you, you’ll know why and thus decrease any panic/worry/spiral you may have about what is happening.

[oh-wow-lovlies]

#GrowingUpUgly When guys in middle school would get dared by their friends to ask you out and see if you say yes as a joke

[vorchagirl]

How about growingupugly and then turning out sort of okay looking but you don’t know for sure because your self esteem is shot and you’re convinced you look awful?

[drtanner]

#GrowingUpUgly Being so wholly convinced of your hideousness that as an adult you now literally cannot even imagine that someone would pay you a compliment and mean it; the only conceivable thing that could be happening is that they’re either a) taking the piss like the boys in school used to or b) so repulsed by you that they feel sorry for you and are telling you you’re pretty because they think you need to hear it.

Hurts how true this is though

[terminalpolitics]

I don’t know if this helps, but I’d like to say it anyway just in case it does.

None of you were ugly.

The other day I found a class picture from fourth grade and I looked everyone in it, and then I saw the “ugly girl” – the one people constantly harassed, whose desk kids would pretend was contaminated, the one kids would invent complex songs about just to voice their disgust toward her.

And she looked like a normal little girl.

She looked no different than the rest of the class.

She was never ugly. And I know that you may be thinking to yourself “but I WAS ugly” – I just want you to consider for a moment that maybe you weren’t.

Maybe you were tormented by your peers for no reason except that they were experimenting with and learning the rules of callous human cruelty that would define the rest of their lives – and recognizing this, the adults who should have protected you, let it happen. Cruelty and social shaming – the foundations of how human beings police their society is learned and it is practiced.

Since I’ve become an adult, I don’t recall ever seeing an “ugly” kid. Kids are all just strange-looking works in progress that the artist seems to have abandoned intending to finish them later.

I want you to think about our racist and unhealthy “standards of beauty”. Are any of the things that society fixates on as “ugly” truly ugly? No. We take things that are beautiful and we associate them with ugliness and badness and coarseness – to control them – to batter the will of the already oppressed down to the point where they think the abuse they receive is justified.

The children who demeaned you were learning to crush the human spirit to the point where the target internalizes all that hate and keeps hating themselves even when the bullies are no longer there. Those children were learning the sadism that defines our social hierarchy – we live in a culture where success is achieved through exploiting others.

No one deserves to be treated that way. LGBT children shouldn’t grow up ashamed of themselves. Black children shouldn’t grow up thinking white children are inherently prettier.

You were not ugly. You were told you were ugly so that people could have an “excuse” to target you, to ostracize you, to other you, and to abuse you.

An “ugly child” wouldn’t know they were ugly until someone TOLD them they were. They don’t grow up ugly, they grow up emotionally abused.

And still if you feel that you were the exception and you were objectively and unquestionably so ugly as a child that everyone noticed – even if you feel you are still that ugly now…

That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love. It doesn’t mean you won’t find love, and trust and happiness.

You are worthy of respect. You have worth. You have value.

And if the rest of the world doesn’t seem to notice your worth – look at the evil and vile things the world does value and count yourself lucky not to be among that number.

There are people who will see your worth. There are people who will look at you and not see “ugliness” – they will see a friend, a mentor, a hero and even, yes, a lover.

If no one else says it today, and even if you can’t say it yourself, I would like to tell you that you are not ugly. That you were not ugly. That you did nothing wrong. That you did not deserve to be treated the way that you have been and that you deserve happiness and love and respect. And you will find it.

[terminalpolitics]

You deserve happiness and love and respect. And you will find it.

I promise.

[dan-mcneely-deactivated20210328]

going thru phone pics and found this thing that was tacked up next to the toaster at my old job, if anyone needs some light toast eating reading material

[selfcarepropaganda]

Would anyone be kind enough to transcribe this or link to a text version?

[anxiety-depression-recovery]

Everything Is AWFUL and I’m Not Okay: Questions to Ask Before Giving Up on Yourself

Are you hydrated? 

If not, have a glass of water. Dehydration can mimic or increase feelings associated with anxiety and a well hydrated brain functions optimally. Avoid excess caffeine. 

Have you eaten in the past three hours? 

Don’t be a victim of hanger! Get some food–something with protein, not just simple carbs or high-fat. Nuts, hummus, and veggies are great options to feed your studying brain. Keep healthy snacks within reach to avoid mindlessly chowing down on sweets. 

Have you stretched your legs in the past day? 

If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the energy or time for a run or a trip to the gym, just walk around the block or building. Even minimal exercise preps the mind for learning so that you can focus better and recall things easier, plus it’s good to get a change of scenery. 

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? 

Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine! We bet your study partner would appreciate a compliment. 

Have you moved your body to music in the past day?

If not, jog for the length of a song at your favorite tempo, or just dance around your bedroom for the length of an upbeat song (singing along is a bonus) 

Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days?

If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends of friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing. 

Have you started or changed any medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand? 

That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down. 

If daytime: are you dressed? 

If no, put on clean clothes that aren’t PJs. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress. 

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep? 

Put on PJs, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes while focusing on breathing deeper with every breath- no electronic screens allowed! Adequate sleep is a necessity for stress management. 

Do you feel ineffective? 

Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an email, loading the dishwasher, or tidying up your room. Good job!

Do you feel unattractive? 

Take a darn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look. You are always insta-worthy. 

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision?

Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial. 

Have you over-exerted yourself lately–physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually? 

That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking some time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment for a little. Time spent refreshing yourself is never time “wasted!” 

Have you waited a week? 

Sometimes or perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then. 

You’ve made it this far; and you will make it through. You are stronger than you think.

[ain-t-bovvered]

Because someone might need this today

[strengthins0lidarity]

You have survived 100% of your worst days.

This too shall pass.

[adhd-community]

Wildly helpful.

[inzannatea-arts]

This Tumblr is mostly about my Miss Fisher fan art and stuff, but I just wanted to celebrate for a minute because I’m actually proud of myself. For someone who errs far too frequently on the side of the self deprecating, I feel like that’s kind of a big deal.  I’ve been (technically) a writer for many years. That joke started stale in the Technical Writing world, but it’s one of the few we have. I hadn’t done any creative writing since I was a kid and didn’t think I had any stories to tell. Occasionally, I’d get a flash of an idea for a story, but it would flit away out of my grasp before I could make it real.  Roughly five years ago, I discovered Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries after coming off a particularly long and intense Pride and Prejudice Bender. I watched the series and then I watched it again, and then again. I needed to find more about it. I needed to talk to someone about my obsession, or read about. Something. You in the Miss Fisher fandom might relate, yes?

First I found @jeneenp‘s amazing episode analysis blogs which was a gateway drug into fanfiction. I read tons of it for about a year without the bravery to interact with the authors at all. It was all so wonderful, who was I to put my paltry musings on such amazing writing. I didn’t want to bother them. I had nothing deep or meaningful to say. Or–it was erotica and embarrassment kept me silent.

When the call came out that the first fan-led Miss Fisher Con was happening in Las Vegas in May 2017, I knew I had to be there. I hadn’t interacted with anyone at all, but I knew deep in my bones that I needed to be there. @omgimsarahtoo tells me I was the first one registered. 

At that con, @omgimsarahtoo and @jeneenp led a session on writing fanfiction. I’d read their works, of course. They’re both brilliant writers. Several other brilliant writers were there that weekend, and I’m not ashamed to say I completely fangirled at them. But they also lit a flame in me, and shortly after I returned home, I started writing. 

And for a time, I loved it! I wrote with my whole heart and loved every moment. I believed in myself and that I could write anything. Writing challenge? Bring it on! I’ll not only write it, but I’ll do it in X amount of time. You want me to write porn, but don’t use any erotic words? Challenge accepted! 

But something happened over the year or so that I was writing. I started to doubt myself. I doubted that my voice mattered. I doubted that I could ever be ‘as good as’– ‘As good as what or who?’ you may wonder.  Yes. That’s a great question. As good as I expect myself to be. 

I forgot why I was doing it. I forgot it wasn’t for the audience, but for the joy of writing. I burned out and then I stopped. 

Just before burning out, I had this idea for an original murder mystery story set in the rural deep southeast USA in 1955. It was the time and location my Dad was a senior in high school, so I drew a lot of characterizations on stories from his past. I let the idea lie fallow for several years while I decided I was no longer a writer.

About a month before National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 2020, I had an epiphany about the climax of the the story and thought, “You should try it. You don’t have to write the whole 50,000 words, just see how it goes.”

So, I did that. I started pretty strong on Nov 1 with 2,800 words and then days 3-5 I had nothing. I rallied on the first weekend, and caught back up, never dropping below the recommended daily goal again.

Is the novel any good? At this point? Probably not. But it’s not quite done yet, and it’s been really fun writing it. I’ve learned that I really, really need a deadline, even an arbitrary one. I’ve learned that I need a schedule. But I’ve also learned to just let the characters tell me what they’re doing and enjoy it. 

Will I go back to fic writing? Maybe, if I have fun with it. But writing should absolutely bring joy. Just like any other art, let it out and create because you want to create and don’t worry about what the rest of the world thinks of it. 

TL:DR I used to like to write, burned out. did nanowrimo and won and now writing is fun again.

[omgimsarahtoo]

Congratulations on winning NaNo @inzannatea-arts!! That is no mean feat - and if it helped kick-start your writing again, that’s absolutely worth celebrating! I look forward to more stories from you! <3 <3 <3

[emmathompsonsmartini]

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries + Text Posts 1/?

[agikafanart]

[sethdrawsgood]

Ruth Bader Ginsberg portrait drawn on an aged dictionary page containing the term “justice.”  8.5x11-ish inches. black ink.

[tinsnip]

Okay, so I'm /actually/ about to write a porn fic to AO3, and I'm interested in knowing what the difference is between the M rating and E rating. Able to enlighten me?

Mature is ‘and then they made love.’ Explicit is ‘and here’s how they did it exactly.’

To wit: mature.

He looked at the envelope, spread out before him.

God, he’d never been this hungry.

Could he be gentle enough? Slow enough? He didn’t want to damage it, didn’t want to do anything he’d regret… but no, no, it seemed the envelope wanted this as much as he did. It slipped into his hands, it folded as he asked. When it was time for more, the card was waiting, and he somehow knew exactly what to do. He moved with his correspondence in a dance as old as the mail system, and when it was over, he was smiling and the envelope was completely, thoroughly sealed.

Explicit:

The envelope waved its flap in the air slowly, gently, and he could see the faint shimmer of the adhesive traced along its fold. It was like a taunt, a dare: won’t you? And he would, oh, God, he would, lifting the envelope firmly to his lips, licking slowly at first, then faster, more firmly, tasting the envelope’s essence, the faint bitterness, the sweetness to follow–

Oh, he couldn’t help but smile at how it felt in his hands. It was so perfectly folded. Its paper was rough against his fingers, and its crossed folds shifted slightly as it opened for his eager tongue. Yes, yes…

Now the card, and his hand trembled as he lifted it, as he held the envelope, stretching it wide. Would it fit? Oh… oh, yes, it would fit, it slid in smooth and quick and filled the envelope to bursting, oh, made for each other, and he smiled in delight at how perfect it was.

He was ready. Now, now, now: with one swift movement he folded the flap over and he pressed, yes, he pressed the flap down and it stuck, God, it stuck perfectly, and he closed his eyes in bliss.

Afterwards, he stroked the envelope, and thought about addresses.

[belladynamica]

These examples are both genius AND hilarious. I never thought mail could be so… stimulating. LMAO

[portraitoftheoddity]

Sex stuff you probably won’t learn from fanfiction and/or porn:

Erotic fic and porn can be a lot of fun! But if you aren’t being provided with adequate sex ed through other channels (comprehensive sexual education, frank and open discussions with trusted adults, etc.), turning to fanfic and porn for your understanding of sex is gonna leave some major blindspots and may leave you with some unrealistic expectations. While there’s nothing wrong with these kinds of erotica, they are fictional and tend to leave out a lot of the more realistic, human parts of sex - they serve a great purpose, but that purpose isn’t primarily educational. The following is an incomplete list of some things you should probably know about sex that a lot of fic and porn tends to leave out:

It isn’t always super hot or super sweet. Sometimes it’s super silly. Or sometimes it’s sort of mundane and you’re both simply scratching an itch. That’s fine too. (Hell, sometimes you’re talking about comic books while boning and your partner is laughing that you’re getting REALLY ANGRY about spider-man while they’re going to town on you.)

You will probably not climax at the same moment. It’s a sweet idea, but extremely hard to coordinate, and if all your concentration is going into coming at the exact same moment, you’re probably not enjoying yourselves as much as you might. 

Sometimes bodies make weird, goofy noises. Squelching, slapping, air-escaping, un-sexy noises. It’s okay to laugh at this. 

Hell, it’s okay to laugh during sex in general.

Sometimes you fart. Sometimes you fart while someone is going down on you and it is embarrassing as hell. This isn’t the end of the world. Embarrassing body things happen. Heck, sometimes, with anal, there’s a little poo. You get over it.

Sometimes sex is… kinda bad? This doesn’t mean it’s assault, or something traumatic – sometimes it’s consensual but just kinda bleh and not what you hoped for. The best thing to do (if you’re talking about sex with a partner and not just a hook up who you can not call back) is talk to them about it. Figure out what went wrong, what you enjoy and what you don’t, and communicate what techniques you do and don’t like. Also don’t be afraid to stop someone in the middle of the sex act you’re not enjoying and offer guidance on how to help make it good for you too. (Side tip: masturbation makes great research into what you personally do and don’t enjoy sexually)

You won’t enjoy every sex act. Not every body is wired to find every thing pleasurable. You might find anal does nothing for you. You may find g-spot stimulation just makes you really anxious that you’re about to pee. You may not enjoy giving or receiving oral. You’re not broken if you don’t like something that every pornstar or smutty fanfic protagonist seems to have earth-shattering orgasms from. Everyone’s got nerve endings in a range of places – it’s quite literally, different strokes for different folks.

On that note, not all orgasms are earth-shattering. Sometimes it just feels warm and nice. That’s fine too. 

Sometimes, if you’re neutral on a sex act and your partner loves it, you can suck it up for them, and they’ll suck up something they’re not crazy about for your pleasure in return. But communicate preferences with each other! Know that when a partner does that thing you love that they don’t get much from, that it’s an act of care, and vice versa. 

Falling asleep in each other’s arms right after wild passionate sex seems really romantic, but dried and crusty fluids are gonna be a bitch in the morning. Also, after sex, you should both (regardless of your equipment) go pee to clear out the urethra of any gunk or bacteria to reduce risk of a UTI. 

Putting a towel down on the bed before sex means you don’t have to sleep on wet funky sheets. (it’s also verrrrrry useful for period sex if you or your partner menstruate.)

A lot of people don’t like dirty talk, or rough sex. Always ask first. (Fanfic on the whole does a better job than porn at showing communication, but a lot of it is still highly fictive on this point)

PROTECTION PROTECTION PROTECTION. Use condoms, dental dams, etc. not just to prevent pregnancy, but to reduce risk of STIs. (Yes, even couples with the same genitals who don’t need to worry about pregnancy).

Lube is great and very important, but random goopy things around you are not good lube. Random oils especially, since oil doesn’t flush out well and can trap bacteria inside the body – oil-based lubricant also degrades condoms. Use lube specifically designed for intimate purposes. Water-based and silicone-based lubes help sex feel really good!

Bigger isn’t necessarily better. A lot of people with vaginas don’t enjoy the feeling of being repeatedly punched in the cervix by a monster cock. Some people enjoy a larger size when being penetrated by an appendage or toy and some don’t.

Bodies are hairy. Genitals are hairy. You may get a pube stuck in your teeth at some point. If your partner is WAY fuzzier than porn ever led you to believe they’d be, well, that’s normal. 

Not everyone loves the taste of ejaculate. Sometimes it’s nasty (flavor tends to vary from person to person depending on their diet, but sometimes you just really don’t like it no matter what. Some of us hate the taste of peanut butter. People don’t always like things). It’s okay not to swallow, or to request a penis-having partner warn you so they don’t ejaculate in your mouth (in fact, it’s polite for them to do the latter). 

If you’re gonna have shower sex, get one of those rubbery mats for the shower floor that gives you traction, because otherwise it’s super embarrassing to call for an ambulance while dripping wet and naked because you slipped and accidentally broke something and your partner got a concussion while you were trying to bang in the shower. 

Moaning and screaming wildly during sex is fun but it will make the neighbors in the apartments adjacent to you hate you. Make choices accordingly. 

[marithlizard]

This is all excellent advice. I could throw in a couple more:

Keep reading

[mierac]

Good advice. Also:

Muscle cramps happen. If you’re in a weird position, your body may decide to object. Pillows for support can be wonderful things. 

Anyone who finds towels aren’t enough, they make waterproof pillowcases you can get for like $10. Fold a bath sheet in half, slide the pillowcase in between the layers. 

Related, there is no such thing as too much lube. (I wish fanfic writers would depict using lube more often, and I am looking at myself in the mirror on this one.)

[dirtythingsthatturnmeonposts]

An absolute must read, ladies and gents!

[spidey-reids-2003-deactivated20]

Useful NSFW talk 👀👀

[captainbigdy-deactivated2021032]

NEEDED for everyone to read eh and maybe even useful things to add to our fics as well, giving a shot to realism

[singasaranade]

Phryne & Jack | Drives Me Crazy

I’ve been doing more serious vids of late, so I thought this would be a fun departure. Enjoy!

[tonightweredrinkingfromthebong]

[lanawhatever-deactivated2018050]

nakedsasquatch it’s ya man

[nakedsasquatch]

Okay but seriously folks - as often as I joke about this movie stirs my loins and as weirdly popular as this text post got a while back, I wanna rap with you all about why the George of the Jungle remake is a pretty important piece of cinema.

It’s literally the only movie I can think of that is based completely around the unheard of “FEMALE gaze.” Granted, while I’m a huge movie buff I’ve not seen every movie ever made. But even so, even if there’s another example of the “female gaze” in cinema that has escaped me it’s still damn impressive that a kids movie from 1997 based on a Jay Ward cartoon from the 60’s managed to turn gender representation in media on it’s fucking ass!

First things first, let’s look at our leading lady and love interest - Ursula, played by Leslie Mann.

Let me just say that while Leslie Mann is adorable and a talented actress, she does look a little less conventional and a little more plain compared to the bombshells that Hollywood likes to churn out. Leslie, in comparison, looks much more like a real women you’d meet on the street. She dresses pretty conservatively and plain throughout the film ; Wearing outfits that are more functional than fashionable for trekking through the jungle, pulling her hair back and so forth. Not that if she was dolled up and more scantily clad it would give her character any less integrity, but can we appreciate how RARE that is in the male dominated industry of film? Just think about all the roads a film about a woman in the jungle COULD have taken but didn’t - no scenes with her clothes strategically ripped or anything! You can say this is a kids movie, intended for children and that’s why the sensuality of the female lead is so downplayed but there are PLENTY of kids movies that handle women in a very objectifying and sexualized manner despite the target audience is pre-pubescent. Like, a disgusting amount. So I don’t think “it’s a kids movie” is why the film doesn’t take ANY, let alone EVERY, opportunity to showcase the main female character’s sex appeal…

…especially considering the sex appeal of the film rests squarely on the well defined shoulders of our male lead, George of the Jungle played by Brendan Fraser in the best god damn shape of his life!

*Homer Simpson Drooling Noises*

Whenever members of the reddit community try to compare the sexualization of women in fiction to the design of characters such as Batman and Superman, I always want to just sit them down and show them this movie. Because THIS is what the female sexual fantasy looks like, and Batman and Superman are male power-fantasies. Look at him - his big blue eyes, his soft hair, his lean, chiseled physique built for dexterity rather than power. He’s wild and free, but gentle. It’s like he fell right out of that steamy romance novel your mom tried to hide from you growing up.

Hell, the whole plot seems to be designed around how damn hot he is! First, for the majority of the film, he wears only a small strip of cloth to cover the dick balls and ass. Everything else is FAIR GAME to drool over for 40 minutes. Then, after he meets Ursula she takes him with her to San Francisco just so we can enjoy him in a well-tailored suit (as seen in the gif set), running around in an open and billowy shirt along side horses while Ursula and all of her friends literally crowd around and make sexual comments about him, and my personal favorite, ditch the loincloth entirely and have him walk around naked while covering his man-bits with various objects while one of Ursula’s very lucky friends oogles him and makes a joke along the lines of “So THAT’S why they call him the ‘KING of the Jungle’…”

And yes, it’s also a very cute and funny little movie. Out of all the movies based on Jay Ward cartoons, it was the most faithful to the fast-paced humor and wit of the original source material (yes even the new Peabody and Sherman movie which honestly I thought was too cutesy-poo.) But that’s not why this movie is popular with the gay community or why we all became women in 1997. It’s just really cool that there’s a film out there where the sensuality of the female form takes a back seat for the oiled up, chiseled, physique of Brendan Fraser (in his prime that is)

[justplainsomething]

One thing to add: in the scene mentioned above where the ladies are watching him in the billowy shirt running with the horses, it pans back to about 50 feet away to two guys in suits at this party looking at the women and one of the guys says, “Man, what is it with women and horses?” So not only does this movie highlight the female gaze, but it blatantly points out that western male sensibilities don’t have a clue what actually appeals to women.

[bifca]

ALSO

he’s non threatening

as mentioned above, he looks built for dexterity rather than power, but he’s still a 6+ foot tall extremely muscular man, and not once are you worried for Ursula when he’s with her

[ms-demeanor]

ALSO

let’s take a look at his rival - Lyle is a cravat-wearing trust-fund kid (who, interestingly, is into Ursula’s fortune more than her, which kind of makes this a gender-swapped gold-digger thing too). He’s blonde and Ursula’s mom LOVES him. He’s more uncomfortable and less prepared to cope with the jungle than Ursula is, in his pastels and shiny shoes.

But he talks over Ursula, insists he knows what’s best for her, ignores her autonomy. In spite of the fact that Lyle Van de Groot is a rich, educated, social climber who cares deeply about his clothing and appearances he is a point-by-point checklist of unhealthy masculinity in a way that beefy, inarticulate, uneducated George could never be. Ursula is off on her own doing her own thing and Lyle hires two FUCKING POACHERS to track her down in the middle of the jungle while she’s working (or on vacation? It’s never made clear because he interrupts her before she can explain why she went on the expedition). Lyle ignores the local guides, claiming his experience with a bridge in Maui means the bridge they’re on is safe - which leads to a significant injury for one of the guides. He then tells Ursula the guides are conspiring against him, trying to make himself and his poachers seem safe and the Africans who make up the rest of their party seem dangerous.

Check that body language! A post above points out that we’re never worried about Ursula when she’s around George. That’s because Lyle talks to her like this. Look at his aggressive lean! Look at him literally looking down at her! She’s tilted away from him in the least threatening position possible and he’s so aggressive about whatever point he’s making. When he finds her after he pushed her toward a damned lion he kisses her and she pushes him away. Want a textbook example of gaslighting? Here you go: she says “don’t get all smoochy with me! I remember what happened with that lion” and he responds “What are you talking about? I was fighting that lion the whole time - you were just so terrified you don’t remember.”  Then he shoots George! And then he kidnaps Ursula and attempts to force her into marriage!

Now look at how George and Ursula interact (slightly NSFW):

Even though he’s a big strong dude and he thinks he’s doing what’s okay he lets her set the tone for their interactions. He accepts that he’s out of his wheelhouse and even if he doesn’t understand it he does what she says is culturally appropriate. He learns from her! He listens to her! Compare Lyle leaning into Ursula above to this image of George and Ursula talking:

He’s listening to her, all of his attention is on on her, but he’s totally nonthreatening. His torso is turned toward her but he’s not invading her space, his hands are clasped, he’s smiling, and she’s the one leaning into him. Look at that smile she has, look how happy she is to be listened to. Her posture in both images is vulnerable but in this one with George she’s vulnerable because she has chosen to share with him instead of because she feels threatened.

When George rescues Ursula from Lyle at the end of the film it isn’t a typical damsel situation - George doesn’t have a knock-down-drag-out fight with Lyle, he swings into a tree and offers Ursula a hand so she can reach up and save herself (and before he does it he acknowledges how much it’s going to hurt and *whimpers* and looks human and scared). And you’ve gotta remember that George rescues everybody. It’s not just Ursula - he also rescues a parasailer and gets shot rescuing Shep and Ape. He just likes helping, dammit!

AND this movie offers a perfect counter to the “nice guy” thing - Ursula starts engaged to a jerk who her mom thinks is a “nice guy” the moves on to actual nice man George who isn’t *just* nice - he’s also patient, listens to her, has his own skills and talents, is okay with being goofy, has his own social circle and isn’t totally dependent on Ursula, and looks amazing. Ursula doesn’t go with George just because he’s a *nice* guy who rescued her from an asshole, Ursula goes with George because he’s an interesting, fun person who is supportive of her different way of being an interesting, fun person. AND he’s emotionally available. Google image search George of the jungle and see how many smiles you can find, see how many open looks of confusion there are, see how much sadness you can see in George’s face. Now look for images of Lyle. His two expressions are a smirk and cartoonish fear. I know this is a cartoonish kid’s movie, but it is SO powerful that the hero shares his emotions while the villain masks every emotion but fear. Lyle doesn’t want to open up, he doesn’t want to be vulnerable, he wants CONTROL. George wants to learn, to protect people he cares about, to explore new places, to laugh when he’s happy and to be sad when he’s sad, and that he does that while being a broad-shouldered, physically powerful dude who is NOT totally self-involved is just…

Like, look, I didn’t sign on to tumblr dot com for George of the Jungle discourse, but I’m just now realizing that this movie may have done the most for destroying my conception of stoic masculinity and gender roles as a child.

Like

Damn.

[starline]

2nd reblog because this is even better. 

[obaewankenope]

George of the Jungle discourse is definitely what I signed up to this hellsite for me thinks