#(( but there are a few options with varying levels of interest that i could do so ))
Text
(( psst anyone got their thumb on the pulse of the nimona rpc who can tell me which characters are most played and which are most wanted? bc I'm in the mood to go a little crazy and set up a new muse perhaps ))
#(( a sideblog so i don't completely abandon cass like I've been known to do in the past when making new solos ))#(( but there are a few options with varying levels of interest that i could do so ))#(( figure best to know what people want to interact with more and that'll help my decision ))#(( or i could just do all of them but I'd rather focus on one at first ))#ooc.#(( and i will do drafts here i promise. the nimona brain worms haven't eaten all my tangled fandom yet ))
0 notes
Text
I do commissions!
It’s been a busy few months for me, but I’m finally feeling in a good place to start doing these again! Note that I only accept payment through PayPal at the moment, and my prices are in USD.
Full information below ⬇️
I offer characters illustrations in four styles and three sizes. The images above are not the only possibilities of how a commission could be inked or rendered, as I’m open to using different brushes or techniques on request. If there’s a particular piece of mine you like the style of, let me know and I can refer you to the pricing that applies.
OPTIONS AND RATES
Sketch: a rough sketch with a textured or untextured brush. Sketch commissions will include an under-sketch to determine pose and composition. Some of these prices are intended mostly for inclusion as part of a character sheet. I will add base colors to a sketch for double the original price.
Head/Bust: $5 ($10 with color)
Half Body: $10 ($20 with color)
Full Body: $15 ($30 with color)
Style A: Thick or medium lines with basic colors underneath. Includes simple details and gradients, but not full shading.
Head/Bust: $15
Half Body: $30
Full Body: $40
Style B: Thick or medium lines with soft shading or cell shading.
Head/Bust: $20
Half Body: $40
Full Body: $60
Style C: Medium or thin lines with full shading/render. +$10 for colored line art.
Head/Bust: $30
Half Body: $60
Full Body: $90
Chibis: I've finally found a style I like for drawing chibi characters, so I'll be including this as a new commission option! Chibis will all be done in the same style, with thick lines and basic coloring.
Head: $10
Full Body: $30
Character Sheet: A series of drawings of a single character, provided they are commissioned at the same time, will cost 10% less than the sum of all components. This includes characters dressed in different outfits, but normal rates apply to a commission of multiple distinct characters.
Complex Design: Since the level of the detail of a design will impact the time it takes me to draw, I am now including an additional charge of 5-10% of the original cost for especially complex designs (very detailed clothing, elaborate anatomy, complicated color/shading situations). As complexity may vary, the additional cost will vary as well (although it literally can't exceed $10 for a single drawing based on my current prices). I appreciate it if clients are understanding when I decide a drawing will cost extra, because this charge helps ensure I am earning a decent rate for my time.
PAYMENT PROCESS
As I mentioned above, I accept payment through PayPal in USD. You can send money directly to my account, @viciousmocked, or if it’s more convenient for you/you would like a more specific record of the transaction, I can also send an invoice directly to your PayPal account.
For commissions of $30 or more, I require at least 50% of the cost to be paid upfront (although clients are welcome to pay more than that, or pay in full upfront). The remaining cost can be paid upon completion, and may be paid in installments if necessary. Bear in mind that if you fail to fully pay for a commission, you cannot purchase another until you have done so, and I may be hesitant to accept a commission if you are unreliable with payment.
I always welcome tips! If you're able and willing to toss me a little extra on a comm, I greatly appreciate it (but no stress if you can't--I don't expect to be paid any more than the agreed upon price, anything extra is up to you).
DISCLAIMERS
I Can/Will Draw:
ocs/rpg characters
fanart
ship art (including fanart or ocs)
party/group drawings
furry/anthro/monsters
robots/cyborgs/phyrexians, ect.
prosthetics and other tech
armor and weapons
blood/gore/body horror
non-sexual nudity
specific art styles
I Can't/Won't Draw:
mechs (not for lack of trying)
explicitly sexual content (again, not for lack of trying. If there's some interest in this, I'll consider changing my policy or making a sideblog for spicier content and commissions)
harmful or offensive content of any kind
any material I have personal or ethical issues with drawing. Given the commissions I have had before, I don't see this being a problem, but if this or the above clause applies, I will make it clear with the client that I am unwilling to draw it immediately.
Understand that art commissioned from me is still my art, and I expect to be credited for it. Please don’t repost my art without credit to me (rude), use it for training ai (why), or use it for commercial purposes (again, why). Again, I don't see this being an issue, as you all have been lovely clients thus far!
If you have questions about my rates or policies, please don't hesitate to ask--my inbox and dms are always open, and I will try to respond promptly. Thank you all for the love and support!
68 notes
·
View notes
Text
About Meghan not being sporty vs Kate being sporty.
I was very surprised to find that Meghan isn’t sporty at all considering she attended private school.
In the UK, private schools practically force their their pupils to participate in sporting activities which means that Kate was always going to have some level of sporting skills or interest and the fact that she turned out to be so good at sports AND has an interest in it is a bonus.
Ditto interest in Art, Music and a whole host of activities that are not available to state educated pupils.
I suppose I don’t understand the American private system or the entire education system because in UK you can always tell someone who is privately educated because they’ll have rudimentary knowledge and or skill at all these things that are treated as exceptional in Kate.
Our state schools are hit and miss. The good ones try to ape private school education and the bad ones are just holding cells for children who will more than likely be failed by the school and spit them out uneducated in anything.
That said, when I first heard that Meghan was dating Harold, and learnt that she was friends with establishment people in Canada, I assumed that she’d acquired these skills because why would a person go to such great lengths to enter a world very different from yourself, and remain determinedly ignorant about it especially the ways that would make you comfortable in that world.
I honestly thought her private school education would be a great help in helping her assimilate into that world.
*******
So how education generally works here in the US is that we have core classes in math, history/social studies, English/literature, and science. The rest is all elective - art, drama, music, choir, band, computer class, physical education*, foreign languages. The number of electives vary per age/school year. They also depend on what your state/school district’s curriculum requirements are.
Most schools will have some kind of mandatory elective, usually PE and a foreign langauge. Others might require more, others less.
This is the same curriculum between state/public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Usually the difference between the type of schooling is in what electives are on offer or the material that’s within each subject or how much itme is spent on each subject. For instance, a religious private school (such as Immaculate Heart, which Meghan attended) might require a class on religion or have a daily chapel. And in my school district, my school schedule was seven classes on an A/B schedule but my cousins in another state had school schedules of 8 class periods every day.
Now PE. A few things about PE that might surprise non-Americans:
PE does not focus on one single sport or physical activity. Its primary focus is to teach physical fitness to children with a goal of helping them find a recreational activity that they like.
PE is also not just PE. For many schools, it’s where we get instruction on driver’s ed and health and nutrition. In my school district, PE was also where we were taught “family life” (aka sex ed and puberty. Yes, it was as weird as you think.)
Depending on your state or district requirements, PE can become an optional elective. In my school district, PE was mandatory through tenth grade/age 15. For eleventh and twelfth grades (ages 16-17), it was optional.
Up until about 2010ish, PE was based on military fitness requirements. There was a presidential mandate, called the Presidential Fitness Test, that basically groomed schoolchildren to perform to military fitness standards so we could be recruited for the military.
Now most schools do have sports programs and sports teams, but they’re extracurriculars, and predominantly after-school. It’s not mandatory and school sports typically begin around seventh grade/age 12. Until then, most kids are playing sports in recreation or youth leagues, which has caused school teams to be “professional”-like in that the only way to make it onto the school team is to have several years’ experience in rec league. If you’re new to the sport, just playing to have fun, or playing to learn it, you’re not going to make the team. That’s what rec league is for.
Which sounds different from how you’ve described what sports/athletics are like in the UK. It sounds like your schools not only give time for students to learn and practice sports, they also make some kind of specific athletics mandatory. Of course it makes sense that Kate would have some level of sport skill.
Whereas here in the US, we have a more generalized approach to education, including athletics and fitness. So to me, it makes perfect sense for Meghan to not have any athletic ability or any interest/skill in sport - she did the basic PE that a lot of us did and filled up her extracurriculars with theater. It’s pretty normal for us.
(Like I played softball, but I wasn’t good enough to be on the school team so after aging out of the rec league at age 14, I did band, a book club, and peer tutoring for extracurriculars.)
14 notes
·
View notes
Note
If we had a Danganronpa version of “A Christmas Carol”, which character do you think would be a good stand in for Scrooge? And which characters would fit the three ghosts?
Probably the best parallel I could make for Scrooge is Tokuichi Towa, but that's a lousy pick given that he's 99% an off-screen character that we only HEAR about. So I'm going to limit myself to the main casts (i.e., just characters who get focal "screen time" at some point in the series) instead.
Ebenezer Scrooge — I'd argue Byakuya Togami is our best option, though he's certainly not a perfect parallel. Sure, he's wealthy and regularly cruel, but he's definitely not greedy and miserly like Scrooge; Togami pays those under his direct employ *very* well, actually. Even so, it's easy to picture him dismissing Christmas as a stupid waste and narrowly focusing his life on the pursuit of ever-increasing power and renown. For that reason, I think he works well enough as our Scrooge. (You can also naturally expand this to suit the rest of the cast: The way he treats Naegi during his FTEs in DR1 makes Makoto a great Bob Crachit. Jacob Marley? Pennyworth! Fred the Barely Noteworthy Nephew? A cameo role for Shinobu! And so on.)
Ghost of Christmas Past — I had to look into the base description of these ghosts to really dig into this question, particularly in regards to this first ghost. They're definitely the most varied in how adaptions visually portray them. So let's take it back to the source: In the book, Christmas Past is said to look youthful yet simultaneously old; in a lot of adaptions, this is taken to mean their face looks young but their clothing ages them up. They also possess wisdom their youthful appearance would not initially suggest, and they're the smallest of the three — usually child-sized. Perhaps V3's Ryoma Hoshi is a good proxy? He's smaller than most DR characters, plus he can seem both younger than the rest yet simultaneously older in other ways. ... I could make a case for Yuto Kamishiro as a decent alternative. But seeing as he's relegated to a light novel and a DR3 cameo, he's probably not noteworthy enough.
Ghost of Christmas Present — Boisterous, friendly, large, surrounded by food — that's Chrismas Present. Their large size is most often interpreted as being a muscular figure, but some adaptions portray him as being more rotund. It's not hard to see his personality filled quite well by a number of DR characters, but I feel like Nekomaru Nidai is probably the closest and best choice. He's got that positive energy that can still carry a tone of warning/threat, he's big and imposing, he's kind, he's pretty damn hungry... you get the idea. After him, I'd say Akane Owari and possibly Ultimate Imposter are the nearest runners-up... and there's defintely something particularly delightful about the idea of Togami being "haunted" by the Imposter. :)
Ghost of Christmas Future/Yet to Come — This one is the most visually consistent in adaptions. It's basically "Death" — a shadowy, silent figure who just points at shit ominously. And if you want a visually threatening character who doesn't talk much? Isshiki Madarai is the obvious pick. But he's also a very obscure pick, so uh... how about we take a page from the few adaptions where this ghost is allowed to speak and instead find ourselves someone who can act threatening and/or haughty while still cutting a grim, imposing figure? I think if you put Gundham Tanaka, Kokichi Ouma, or Celestia Ludenberg into this cloak and let them turn their Attempted Menace level all the way up to 11, you'd have something REALLY entertaining and interesting. Or if you really want to torment Togami specifically? Make this ghost take the form of Syo/Jack. That might make it harder for the Ghost to coherently convey useful information, but it'd certainly be funny. :D
8 notes
·
View notes
Text
(Spoilers and this is mostly for fun)
Ok so random theory during Robin's intro we see traveler
So it could just be a random input from the Hoyocreators for the jokes but I decided to start my theory career and delved deeper so something that is likely to make sense in this is it takes place either before or after the events of Genshin seeing as the world isn't at that level to have technology so you put two and two together.Anyway I first wanna focus on the fact Teyvat doesn't have a stellaron but maybe it didn't even have one in the first place but if it did then I remembered that during a conversation with the Ludex Neuvillette (that I can't find for shit) He mentions that the dragons existed before the heavenly principles appeared and so on so we can speculate that they would have likely destroyed the hypothetical stellaron and said said hypothetical stellaron could have destroyed all other life on old Teyvat.Now pinning my focus on the heavenly principles they could be Aeons? Because like who tf can create half the things in this god damn world including but not limited to Humans,the sky,wildlife, Actual gods etc. and they have the power to take other people's powers away,not sure if it's permanent but Traveller does have the option to say their powers were slowly coming back after fight Childe so maybe not,That seems like Aeon material to me and also like Aeons The heavenly principles kinda just do their things then dip for 500+ years for a nap I may need more evidence on that theory so for now we'll stick that on the wall too.Aether and Lumine are most likely not Aeons though (as they easily got their asses handed to them by the unknown god) in their description
They mention that they are each others only kin meaning they are the last of their kind left so there's a few options with this one they're whole race got wiped out and they were the only two left or they are actually the only ones in all of existence so there is still the possibility of them being twin Aeons but I highly doubt it plus in space terms(stellar space species terms???) we can assume the twins are quite young so that could be another reason they lost a 2-1 you know the varying levels of experience but eh I feel like this is aso important but I'm not sure why
The keeper I'm sure who that is yet but the creator is most likely the heavenly principles and the last two lines might relate to the Khaenri'ah incident but I'm sure I just think this relates but we'll know due time.Back on topic the more I think about it the more I think the twins might be Aeons specifically this line
That could mean they're immortal and idk about you guys but I'm pretty sure no average space species just gets gifted immortality(at birth Khaenri'ahins don't count)unless they do, it's still an interesting point none the less.
Tbh I'm at the end of my ramble because I forgot half of the points I was gonna make so uh see you next time ig???
(This is the most incoherent thing ever and I'm so sorry about that)
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
Get to Know Me Tag
tagged by @dribs-and-drabbles. ❤️ thank you for thinking of me.
Do you make your bed?
usually, no. i'm chaotic energy like that. my mom has attempted to make me since i was a child, but i prefer not to. i tend to stay in my bed most days anyway (sensory-wise, pretty comfortable). though, i live in the nothern part of europe, so we get colder nights than the rest. i live in the warmest section of my country, however. but still, for the regular italian, they will be freezing over here.
What's your favourite number?
13 or 11. i used to be on a football team (soccer for americans out there) as a left field defense, and i always tried to grab one of those numbers. something extremely satisfying of the psychological effect of the "bad luck" number on the offensive players faces when you constantly make it impossible to attack on your side. hell, i even had five players on me once because the football trainer on the opposite team saw the danger i was.
it always brought me luck and others misfortune.
with 11, is because it relates to my birthday (11.11, no joke, its my birthday date).
What is your job?
i don't have any, at the moment. but people wants me to do many things. apparently because i'm a "natural" in whatever fancies my interest.
suggestions have been librarian, spokes-person for disability issues, professional writer, radio-speaker, professional football player, teacher, mathematician, graphic designer, artist, and more. take your pick, it probably has been suggested.
If you could go back to school, would you?
i would, yes. but not on university level. we've the option one below it with same results. i would pick subjects such as languages (general), maths, graphic design, marketing, leadership, psychology, sociology, politics, economics, coding, drawing, classic literature class, acting, maybe some law even.
Can you parallel park?
nope.
A job you had that would surprise people?
worked with kids a few times. also helped a friend out in high school to pass all her classes she struggled with. without payment on the latter. but i didn't mind, not the type to exploit people.
Do you think aliens are real?
most, likely yes. considering how vast and expansive space is, it would be more shocking if it wasn't. and our view of "life" is limited to our own scope. it's possible life exists but not under the circumstances we're used to believe it is.
Can you drive a manual car?
no.
What's your guilty pleasure?
reading fanfics, anything queer content (never do it or rarely with people irl around, though they're aware of my accounts. as i said earlier i be living the wild life). listening to artists i did as a kid (hannah montana specifically), anything too mature rated (grew up partly in catholic background since mom's family is mexican. shame for those things are common around those parts), and speaking my mind without filter. i'm a hot-head here, if you know me well.
Tattoos?
none, never plan on getting any though. people always say my skin is unbelievable young-looking for my age. not about to take that privilege away.
Favorite color?
green and blue. they remind me of the norwegian forest (they've an unique color because of our position on earth). and blue, because it reminds me of the seas in mexico and its calming. unlike most colors.
Favorite type of music?
too varied to place in a box (ask anyone). but currently, my male kpop music list is on repeat and has been for a few months.
Do you like puzzles?
i used to do them a lot when young but not much anymore. because my mind can't focus on it too long. i usually have to finish it in one go or i don't return to it.
Any phobias?
social phobia/anxiety. but i try to face it anyway, since i refuse to be blocked out of society for trauma that i'm not responsible for. rather want to live a happy one than miserable. already been on the worst possible end, not letting that chain me down.
Favorite childhood sport?
football, hiking, and swimming.
Do you talk to yourself?
i used to, a lot. but not much anymore. i can talk to my characters fluently without break in my head. i'm a writer after all, i've had enough experience to not need any mirror or loudly talk anymore. i can take up any character at will, and we will talk as we never left off.
which is why i sometimes blank out during conversations. because i'm in a conversation with character(s) and said person(s) irl lost my interest at some point or i simply can't focus on anything they're saying.
what movies do you adore?
i prefer movies that makes one question things like dune (dennis version), or like inception. true underrated gems that most of the public seems to be missing the point of. dune might be seem as mainstream but the author's point are flying over most people's heads.
Coffee or tea?
tea, always, without question. the only coffee i actually drink is moccha, and its more chocolate anyway. and i prefer a brand unique to mexico which is difficult to find. since its local.
First thing you wanted to be growing up?
prince, since i loved to watch the disney movies as a kid. always liked the idea of being a charmer and having the responsibility that came with it. also how the life of a prince never seemed to have a boring moment.
of course, i was disappointed when i realized you could only be born into it lmao.
casually tagging: @zeawesomebirdie @echoanimates @cedence @bastardcompany. and anyone else who wants to do it.
4 notes
·
View notes
Note
Gloria x Quinn (ft. Optional Harry) + Kinktober 23?
Just the girlies for this one.
Gloria was absolutely sure Quinn was doing it on purpose.
There was no way this was an accident at this point.
The first time she could have let herself believe it was an accident, a little slip. Even the second time, it happened. But now, this was the fourth time she found herself looking across the lab, able to see, perfectly, zero obstruction, Quinn's breast.
Quinn was leaning over the desk, her forearms resting on the surface as she read over notes, her loose blue top hanging down, nothing underneath. Gloria stared, watching as Quinn made no move to adjust her top or cover up. When she did finally stand up, the neckline fell in a way that left her left breast completely exposed.
The first couple of times she had covered it up pretty quickly. This time, however, she left it.
It wasn't supposed to be frustrating. Quinn had brought up the idea of sharing resources. Of a lab they could both use. They could share both ingredients and knowledge. Gloria was loath to admit there were some things out there she didn't know, but after getting a look at Quinn's notes she had to admit, the woman knew what she was talking about. So fine, they set up shop in an old run down building- they were all old run down buildings, but this one was picked for the proxemity to the local bazaar, as well as being close to the stupid headquarters Quinn shared with her friends.
It never occurred to Gloria that maybe Quinn would run around with her tits out. Distraction in the lab was not a good thing. Something she was reminded of as she scrambled to stop a potion from boiling over. A soft chuckle from across the room just solidified the fact that none of this was an accident.
"For fucks sake, Queen." Gloria snapped. "Might as well just take your top off at this point." Quinn glanced up, one eyebrow raised.
"That hardly seems safe." She pointed out. Gloria's jaw clenched. "But I suppose..." She drawled, She crossed her arms in front of her, gripping the hem of her top and pulling it over her head, tossing it to the side. Gloria stared unabashedly at the woman. She had smooth tan skin, a few scars marred the surface and she found the question on the tip of her tongue 'what's that' but that was too much interest. Showing Interest on the Isle was never a good idea.
Her breasts were full and round, not overly large, but a good handful each with dark nipples, peaked, hard, desperate for a mouth-
No. She had work to do. Gloria ripped her eyes away from the sight in front of her and snatched her own book of notes.
Quinn grinned as Gloria wrote out a few notes, she didn't really have a reason to be up here today. Everything she was working on was currently in a place where it needed to sit. She could have stayed home, or bothered Cedrick or Galston. She could have gone to The Tavern to bother Galston's brothers. She couldn't fucking stand Gaston, but his kids were all varying levels of okay.
However, as she sat in the loft, she saw Gloria going in and her instinct (her pussy) told her that was where she needed to be. So off she went.
It was hot as balls on the Isle at the moment, so she'd already been in a loose top and shorts. When she walked in the door of the building they'd chosen for the lab, she'd taken off the bra she had under the top. It would be so much easier to tease without that.
And it was working. She'd spent the better part of the last hour putting herself into positions to give Gloria little flashed of skin and based on the nearly ruined potion in the beaker on the table- it was working.
Quinn walked around to where Gloria was writing and she hopped up on the table, a satisfied smirk crossing her face as Gloria gripped the pen tighter in her hand.
"What?" She asked.
"What are you working on?" Quinn glanced down at the notes but not too closely. They had an understanding. Together but separate. Unless the information was offered up- they didn't poke their nose into each others personal potion books. Gloria, however, didn't snap the book closed.
"Anastasia Tremaine promised a substantial payment if I can come up with something to help with her hair loss."
"Talk to Anthony." Quinn advised.
"What?" Gloria frowned.
"Make a bullshit potion and talk to Anthony. He's stealing Dizzy's clippers and using them on his mother after she's knocked out from the sleeping potion she takes every night. Get him to stop- the hair grows back on it's own, she pays you." Quinn's legs slowly swung back and forth, the tip of her shoe brushing against Gloria's thigh with each swing.
"Seriously? How do you know that?"
"He asked me to make the potion I sell them stronger so he could get away with it. I thought it was funny sooooo." Quinn made a vague gesture with her hands.
"I'm going to do that... but I'm also close with this stupid potion. I want to do it anyway. I bet in a few years Gaston is breaking down my door for this." Gloria decided, turning and getting back to work.
"I don't think he's going to have hair loss. I mean, he's got pretty thick hair. I think he's going to have liver spots long before that- and STDs." Quinn wrinkled her nose. Gloria turned to glare at her.
"What do I need to do to shut you up?" She asked. "I don't need a peanut gallery." Quinn turned to face her, bringing her feet up onto the table.
"Give me something else to focus on." She shrugged. Gloria narrowed her eyes at the other woman again, her gaze sweeping over Quinn, then over the table in front of them.
"Fine." She dropped her pen and took the two steps over, closing the gap between them. "Take off your shorts." She ordered. Quinn, to her credit, didn't falter. She unbuttoned the black shorts, lifting her hips up so she could slide them off. Under the shorts she'd worn wide woven fishnet tights, those wouldn't be an issue. And that was it. No panties.
"Spread your legs." Gloria ordered, turning her back on Quinn and going to the cabinet where they kept extra equipment. When she turned back, Quinn had done as she was told, her legs spread wide. "Good girl." Gloria ripped the flimsy tights up the crotch and before Quinn could say anything or complain, she inserted a test tube into Quinn's soaked cunt. Quinn let out a gasp of surprise, but didn't try to get her to take it out.
"So wet for me already Quinn?" Gloria hummed. "makes me think-" She slowly began to fuck her with the test tube. It was a thick glass, she wasn't worried about it breaking, and she had played enough to know as long as she inserted the closed end- it was practically a glass dildo. "That maybe you came here with ulterior motives."
"Me?" Quinn groaned. "I would never." She let her head fall back, the test tube was a larger one, it was basically the perfect size.
"Good." Gloria flicked Quinn's clit. "Don't touch, Quinn, or else there will be repercussions." She warned, then stepped away, going back to her work.
"But-" Quinn pouted, the unmoving tube wasn't enough she needed more.
"Focus on what's buried in your cunt, Quinn. When i'm done- if you were good and didn't touch, I'll reward you." She promised. Quinn pouted but didn't argue, laying back on the table, staring up at the ceiling.
Gloria smirked, watching as Quinn squirmed. She tried to work more on the potion but between finding out she didn't really need it- and wanting to see Quinn come undone, she knew she wasn't going to get anything else done.
Instead, she cleaned up what she had set up, then undressed herself, pulling her long dark hair up into a thick ponytail to get it out of the way.
"Such a good girl Quinn." She crooned, walking up to the still squirming woman laid out on the table for her. She thrust the tube in and out a couple time and Quinn groaned, rolling her hips.
"Do I get my reward?" she asked, eager.
"You do." Gloria confirmed. Gloria climbed up onto the table, carefully moving Quinn's hair out of the way, then she crawled up, hovering her cunt over Quinn's face. Automatically, Quinn reached up, gripping Gloria's hips, trying to pull her down closer, desperate for a taste. "No." She slapped Quinn's clit roughly. "not yet." She scolded. Quinn whined as Gloria remained so close but just out of reach of her tongue.
Gloria leaned over, her hand returning to the tube, thrusting it in and out faster.
"Now, Quinn, if you can make me cum, you get to cum, but not before." She barely got the words out before Quinn was gripping her hips again, holding herself up, feasting on Gloria's cunt.
It shouldn't have surprised Gloria, that Quinn was good at this. Rumors were every where on the Isle and while there were very few chaste people on the Isle, Quinn's antics were known.
Gloria increased the pace of the tube, her thumb teasing Quinn's clit with every thrust, as Quinn sucked on Gloria's clit, desperate to make her cum.
Quinn didn't know what would happen if Gloria didn't cum before she did, but she wanted to hear the other woman cum, she wanted to taste her. It became a race to be the last to cum- but the first to get the other one to do it. Quinn held on for as long as she could, but when Gloria lowered her head, using her tongue as well as the tube- that was it. She came, hard, her nails digging into Gloria's hips, trying to hold her in place, but Gloria moved, not letting Quinn finish her off. She pulled the glass test tube out, admiring how coated it was.
"Bad girl, Quinn, you didn't make me cum quickly enough." She scolded with a smirk. Quinn sat up, pouting as Gloria turned, her legs dangling over the side of the table. "Now you have to watch me get myself off, and you don't get to touch. Come here." She gestured for Quinn to get off the table. "kneel between my legs, but do not touch."
Quinn hopped down from the table and did just that. She was just a few inches short of being face to- well not face- with Gloria's pussy. She could see every glistening inch. Gloria spread her legs and her hand trailed down between her legs, her clit still swollen and sensitive from what Quinn had already done. She moaned softly, pushing two fingers into her cunt.
Quinn licked her lips, watching as Gloria masturbated, as two fingers became three.
"Fuck- Oh fuck-" Gloria gasped, her fingers moving faster. She moaned, rolling her head back, putting on the full show for the woman sitting on the floor in front of her. The pings of pleasure started to build, working up- higher- so close
She let out a cry as she came, her hips rolling, riding the cock that wasn't there. She slowly withdrew her fingers, rubbing slow small circles on her clit.
"Gloria." Quinn huffed. Gloria smirked, lifting her hand up to her lips, sucking them clean, deepening Quinn's pout.
"Poor, Poor Quinn." Gloria sighed, leaning back. "Do you want a taste?" She asked. Quinn nodded vigorously. "Fine." She relented. Quinn got up, closing the distance and burying her face between Gloria's legs. She wrapped her arms around Gloria's thighs, holding her close as she ate, this time she was going to make the woman cum.
Gloria didn't stop her, instead she threaded her fingers through Quinn's dark, silky hair, tugging lightly as she let herself enjoy it, enjoy the fervor that Quinn ate her with.
"Fuck- Fuck!" she cried out as she came for the second time in less than ten minutes. Quinn kept it going for a bit longer, then sat up, a satisfied look on her face. Gloria swallowed hard, gathering her bearings.
"take your time." Quinn smirked.
"You didn't have any potions to work on did you?" Gloria accused. Quinn shook her head, the smug look turning innocent a little too quickly. Gloria scoffed and hopped off the table after Quinn moved out of the way, gently gripping Quinn's chin.
"Such a bad little slut."
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Realizing that one of the plus sides of BG1/BG2 being more simplistic in terms of visuals and audio is that it allowed for so many mods that can change/add to the story if you want them. Like want a new companion character? There are like 30+ to choose from. Want a romance with a character that wasn't originally romanceable? Chances are there's a romance mod for them. Want a new quest in the game, or one that was cut before release? There are mods for that.
(More rambling under the cut because this got long).
Sure, some mods are . . . weird or annoying by varying standards, or not the best written (a lot of modders didn't speak English as a first language, or were teenagers when they made them), but the love behind the writing can absolve some odd phrasing. A lot of people in the modding community also translated mods into their native, non-English languages. All of this for free, just because they loved the game. The level of content (dialogue, quests etc) in some romance mods puts any studio-made romance to shame, because a modder could just focus on romance rather than all the other aspects of game development.
(Also, IMO Bioware totally took the "kiss your love interest" option in DAO from "flirt pack" mods and other romance mods where your character could choose a lot of different flirtatious things to try on your love interest, from kissing, hugging, playing with their hair, etc. Or you could ask them more about their past, their family, or whatever the modder thought to add. The Bioware devs were definitely aware of the modding community and I honestly think that's one of the reasons you can kiss your LI on command in DAO and now BG3).
I think what I've felt kind of sad about, or like I'm "missing" with BG3 the past few days, is this . . . sense of almost infinite possibility with the game, and collaborative storytelling. Which is silly, because obviously BG3 is a great game as is, and Larian has been doing a great job of updating things, and there are a lot of talented writers, artists, and modders who make content centered around the game.
But I have to reconcile the fact that there are probably never going to be companion mods for BG3. There are never going to be new quest mods for BG3. Like for BG2, someone would totally make a mod to adventure in hell with Karlach or cure Astarion or romance Raphael (like a real romance, whatever that would look like, not the incubus thing). A mod to hug Gale, or ask Astarion about his family before he was turned, or braid Shadowheart's hair, or ask Wyll to tell you all the Baldur's Gate scandals he's heard. But with games being more advanced with graphics and voice acting these days, I seriously doubt any of these things will happen unless Larian does them. And Larian only has so much time and resources. (I also get that for many people, graphics and voice acting are more important than having more written content, but for me it's the opposite). Fanfiction helps a lot, but there's something really magical about seeing things happen in the game.
And if I'm somehow wrong about how these mods will never come to be, I'll be happy to see it (unless people try to do crap like add voice lines with AI, in which case I do NOT want to see it. Ever). But modern game modding has mostly just become cosmetic as far as I can tell. When there's such a focus on graphics, that's cool and all, but I sincerely doubt I'll remember a mod hairstyle after 20 years. Story and character mods I do remember.
#baldur's gate 3 spoilers#baldur's gate#my rambles#modding#i know nostalgia has something to do with my love for bg2 mods since i played a lot of them as a kid and it was a very formative time#but i've been replaying some now and i'm still impressed and grateful they were made#i was reading some of dynaheir's romance the other day and it made me cry in .02 seconds#and i've never even played her romance before#nothing to see here just getting older and mourning a time that has passed just as i'll mourn when the bg3 time has passed
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
Guest Post: How a Mortgage Broker in Wolverhampton Helped Me Secure a Specialist Mortgage by Burt
As someone who has been self-employed for many years, I knew that getting a mortgage was going to be a bit of a challenge. I had heard from friends and family that it could be difficult to get a mortgage as a self-employed individual, so I was prepared for a bit of a struggle.
I had been thinking about buying a new house for a while and had been saving up for a deposit. I knew that I was going to need a mortgage to make it happen, but I wasn't sure where to start. That's when I decided to speak to a mortgage broker in Wolverhampton.
I did a bit of research and found a highly recommended mortgage broker in the area. I was a bit nervous about the whole process, but I knew that I had to take the plunge and speak to someone who knew what they were doing.
When I first spoke to the mortgage broker, I was immediately put at ease. He was friendly, knowledgeable and took the time to explain everything to me in a way that I could understand. He asked me lots of questions about my financial situation and my plans for the future, which made me feel like he really cared about finding the right mortgage for me.
One of the things that I was worried about was that I didn't have a regular income. As a self-employed individual, my income can vary from month to month, which can make it difficult to get a mortgage. However, the mortgage broker was able to find a lender that specialised in mortgages for self-employed individuals like me.
He explained that this lender would look at my income over the past few years, rather than just my current income, which was a huge relief. He also explained that they would look at my business accounts to get a better understanding of my financial situation. I was impressed by how much the mortgage broker knew about the different lenders and their requirements.
Another concern of mine was that I didn't have a large deposit saved up. I had been saving for a while, but I knew that I was going to need a larger mortgage than I had initially anticipated. However, the mortgage broker was able to find a lender that offered a 95% mortgage, which meant that I only needed a 5% deposit. This was a huge relief, as I had been worried that I would never be able to save up enough for a large deposit.
The mortgage broker also took the time to explain the different types of mortgages that were available to me. He explained the pros and cons of fixed-rate mortgages, variable-rate mortgages and tracker mortgages.
After speaking with the mortgage broker in Wolverhampton, I was impressed with their level of expertise and their ability to find the right mortgage product for my unique circumstances.
They were able to secure me a specialist mortgage that I didn't even know existed, which saved me a lot of time and hassle in the long run.
One of the things that stood out to me about this broker was their willingness to take the time to really understand my financial situation and my goals for the future. They didn't just look at my credit score and income, they dug deeper to understand what I wanted to achieve with my mortgage and what my long-term financial goals were.
This allowed them to present me with a range of mortgage options that were tailored to my specific needs, rather than just offering me a standard package. They explained each option to me in detail, making sure that I understood the pros and cons of each before making a decision.
Throughout the process, I felt like I was in good hands. The broker was always available to answer my questions and provide guidance, and they kept me updated every step of the way. They made the whole process much less stressful than I thought it would be, and I felt like they had my best interests at heart.
In the end, I was able to secure a specialist mortgage that suited my needs perfectly. Without the help of the mortgage broker in Wolverhampton, I never would have known that this type of mortgage existed, let alone been able to secure it on my own.
Overall, I would highly recommend working with a mortgage broker if you have specialist mortgage needs. They have the expertise and connections to find the right mortgage product for your unique circumstances, and they can save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run. Just make sure to do your research and choose a reputable broker with a track record of success.
In the end, I was able to secure a mortgage that was perfect for my needs. I was able to buy the house that I had been dreaming of for years and I couldn't be happier.
I know that I couldn't have done it without the help of the mortgage broker.
If you're in a similar situation to me, I would highly recommend speaking to a mortgage broker in Wolverhampton.
3 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi! Sorry if this is a really dumb question or one you've answered before, but how do you know so much about politics? No one I know looks closer than Fox News or TikTok/Facebook and I legitimately don't know how to learn more. Are there certain websites or journalists that I should look into? Any books you'd recommend for a good overview of American politics? I'm sorry again if this is a dumb question and you don't have to answer if you don't want to!
It’s not a dumb question at all! For me personally, I know a lot because I have worked in politics or politics-adjacent fields for the majority of my adult life (although I also had really good history and government teachers in middle and high school that sparked an interest). I have a graduate degree in public policy and some of my course work was taught by people who at one time held very high offices. I’ve also worked on campaigns for ballot initiatives and similar measures at the state and local level, I’ve drafted legislation and met with legislators and staff to do direct advocacy and lobbying work, I’ve worked for stakeholders in in broad coalitions for different advocacy and activist communities so I’ve been exposed to the nuances of strategy development and coalition building through those types of efforts…basically I have a lot of personal experience and also connections that inform my general knowledge base and perspective on certain topics (like how government works in general but when it comes to a few specific policy areas I can get very in the weeds).
One important question to keep in mind is, what’s your goal? Because the level of investment (even if maybe not the approach) may vary depending on whether you just want to be generally informed or if you have specific policy issues that you’re really invested in and want to follow or if you’re interested in advocacy work or even running for office, etc.
But as far as staying current and informed, I think the first thing to say would be that you absolutely should not be getting your news from social media. I have a love-hate relationship with the beltway media for prioritizing clicks over honest journalism, but if you’re looking for general high-level information about “things happening at the federal level” and aren’t able to commit to a paid subscription, I would look at the AP, CNN, NPR, the Guardian. I have beef with Politico but it’s also an option. If you are willing to invest in a paid subscription to NYT and/or WaPo, I recommend it. (I’m slightly less helpful on this point because these days my initial daily news dump comes from various subscription-based legal news outlets that I have access to through my job). For state and local news, I’d look into newspapers for your region on top of the national outlets because national outlets are simply not going to cover absolutely everything going on in a specific state and especially a city. I would also say in general that it’s important to get your news from a number of different sources so you don’t end up in an echo chamber of, for example, just Fox News or MSNBC, and to be aware of the biases of a particular outlet. There are a lot of free “news” sites on both the far right and far left that exist basically just to further an agenda and spread lies about both Democrats and how government works (the Intercept, my most beloathed). On a similar note, when you do see people sharing articles on social media (or making random outlandish claims), pay attention to what they’re sharing or what sources they’re citing to back up their claims because it’s really easy to spread misinformation and even well-meaning people can do so. Also important to pay attention to the types of articles you’re reading, which may sound obvious but I’ve seen way too many people be like “well I read this in an opinion piece so it must be true” and…no. I have more that I could say that’s specific to candidate and election research but that’s a little bit different.
As far as books…everything I have ever read has just flown out of my head. But I would point you towards @mariacallous and @dhaaruni both of whom are brilliant and have excellent taste in reading materials and might have some recs.
16 notes
·
View notes
Text
The Institute: Dept. of Cursed Horticulture
Prompt from a friend of 'making friends with plants' because apparently one wasn't enough for my brain.
Trotting down the road to the castle came the scholar and her steed. The scholar was called Maribel. The steed, a gelded mule of patient temper and indeterminate brown, was unimaginatively and inaccurately called Jenny.
The castle in question was extremely famous. The whole former Royal family and all of their Court and servants were in there, or so it was said, fast asleep due to a fairy curse on the Princess.
That wasn't the bit Maribel was interested in.
What interested her - in fact what her latest research grant was for - was the briar hedge.
She could see it from a goodly distance away, gleaming darkly in the early afternoon sun, and clicked up Jenny to go faster in her excitement. The smell alone proclaimed its magical birthright, never mind its growth habits - deep and musky and somehow carrying both all the promise of summer roses and a hint of rot at the same time.
It was absolutely bally fascinating, if one could excuse Maribel's Thurnian.
She clapped her hands in glee when she got close enough to see the occasional bleached skeleton in the remains of expensive clothes and armour hanging from the thorns; given how far off the ground some of them were hanging the rumour that the hedge was sentient (well, malevolent was the word actually used) had to be true.
Then, because Maribel was no idiot, she carefully turned Jenny around and moved back to a very safe distance before setting up camp.
The next morning, well rested and with all her wits about her, Maribel rearranged the loading of Jenny so as to have all the tools of her trade handy: a theodolite and marking poles, plumb bobs and crystals for checking magical parameters, and most importantly her oil paints and easel. She led Jenny to a reasonable working distance, greeted the hedge with a cheery, "Good morning, don't mind me!" and got on with her measuring and cataloguing.
It's hard to tell the emotional state of a briar hedge, but Maribel was the veteran of her department for good reason and she was fairly sure she'd got its attention. Sure enough, some time after lunch while she was doing an oil study of part of the trunk system she noticed one vine carefully untuck itself from the tangle and wave at her.
"Yes?" she enquired politely, putting down her brush.
The vine coiled into a fairly good approximation of a question mark.
Inwardly Maribel cheered - evidence of genuine cogitation! - and outwardly she displayed a polite but warm professional smile. "My name is Maribel Jeffries, I'm from - well, everyone just calls it the Institute, if you've heard of it?"
The vine waggled from side to side.
"Didn't think so - I can't imagine you get much of a chat, between everyone inside being asleep and most everyone outside being knights and princes and such."
If the vine had had eyes, Maribel would have called the twitch a guilty look up at the tower.
"Ah," she said consolingly, "It's not your fault. But that's sort of why I'm here, you see - part of what we do at the Institute is investigate enchantments of all kinds and, if we can, make sure all those affected get a good quality of life ongoing. Not just the targets, but everyone else - the animated statues, the talking animals, and well, my specialism is plants like yourself."
The vine pointed back at itself then cocked the tip over, quite a lot like a curious head tilt.
"Oh yes," Maribel continued, warming to the subject, "There are quite a few plants like yourself of varying levels of intelligence that get roped into enchantments - especially curses - without so much as a by-your-leave and certainly with no thought as to what will happen to them if the enchantment ends. If we can leave them safely where they are then that's generally the best option for everyone of course, but where it's not possible we do what we can to move them or at the very least take seeds or cuttings so they can start again somewhere fresh if they want to."
The vine coiled up on itself, then zipped back into the safety of the tangle. Maribel sighed - roses did tend to be sensitive about their own possible mortality in a way that beans and peas weren't - and got on with her painting.
It took about a week before the briar started being comfortable with Maribel. She didn't flinch when it extended a vine close enough to 'peer' at her painting, nor when it tried to make sense of the theodolite by poking at it while she was working. It certainly appreciated the couple of deer carcasses she moved close enough to the base of some of its biggest trunks after she'd taken the cuts she could eat before they'd go bad; it looked like knights had been thin on the ground recently, and a bit of blood-and-bone is always good for roses.
In the meantime, she talked to it about the other cases she and her colleagues had looked into. She personally had managed to save beans from a Phaseolus Giganticus before either a giant or a Jack had happened to it and had found a nice temperate mountain for them to grow up instead, and had worked with a shape-cursed prince and the young woman who'd moved in with him to take cuttings of the rose that had equally been cursed to be a timekeeper. Roses, if she was honest, were her speciality.
"Of course, the really tricky bit is always working out who I need to talk to - apart from the plant itself, that's a given - about doing any care or propagation." Maribel waved the crystal onna stick that she used for measuring magic levels at the briar. "Some fairies get quite feisty about such things, even after their enchantment has played out, and the wizards aren't much better. One of my colleagues ended up with donkey ears for a month after we rescued several of the sons of the North Wind from a hoarding situation but honestly, a shed on turkey legs following a hut on chicken legs is no place to keep one magical horse let alone four."
It was at this point that the briar shook itself, a lot like a large dog gearing up to commit a shenanigan. Maribel took a smart step backwards, just in case. Not one but several vines worked their way free from the mass and assembled themselves just above the ground in front of Maribel; to her surprise, and with a noise somewhere between a 'shunk' and a 'slurp', all of the rather impressive thorns on those vines alone suddenly sucked back under the bark, leaving a flat platform just big enough to stand on. The briar made its intentions clear by extending one last vine that it used to point emphatically at Maribel then at the platform.
It felt like a one-time invitation - but, as previously mentioned, Maribel wasn't stupid. She quickly adjusted the hobble stopping Jenny from wandering off so if he really felt like it he could get himself free, tucked up the various straps on his tack so he wouldn't get caught on anything, and penned a very quick note explaining what she was doing that she tucked into Jenny's saddlebag.
Then, with an apology for taking so long, she stepped onto the platform.
The journey up the side of the wall and onwards to the top of the tallest tower was the most exhilarating moment in Maribel's life so far. The briar clearly wasn't taking any chances with her safety even as she was passed from one vine to the next, rolling her feet forwards on an endless wave; it even went as far as adding a few extra vines to form a loose waist-height cage around her in case she slipped. Equally, the briar was not wasting any time; Maribel practically flew, giving into the urge to cackle gleefully as she went.
Finally the briar platform stopped on the balcony of the tower, one vine gesturing to her to step down as another politely knocked on the Thurnian doors. Maribel was deeply surprised when the curtains behind twitched and opened; on the other side of the glass was a young man, perhaps a few years younger than her, looking equally stunned.
"Oh, I do beg your pardon," Maribel said on reflex to the unexpected human as he slowly opened the door, "I wasn't expecting…well either to be up here or for there someone else to also be up here." She paused, then asked suspiciously, "You're not also a researcher, are you?"
The nearest vine suddenly pouffed out several leaves, rather in the manner of an offended cat pouffing out its tail. The young man lifted his hand and covered a smile. "No, the briar isn't kidnapping researchers that I know of, although I admit it could be hiding them elsewhere in the castle and I'd not know. It's generally quite friendly if you're friendly to it first and don't try to go anywhere you shouldn't, or at least that's what I've found."
The wheels attempted to turn in Maribel's head. "So…if you're not a researcher, and you're here willingly, and you're awake…who are you?"
The young man's expression turned sombre. "Willingly might be a stretch…come inside, I'd rather be sitting down for this conversation. And yes," he said, turning to the briar vine, "I'll leave the window open so you can join in."
The tower room was not what Maribel expected. If anything, the aesthetic was solar turned junk room turned bedroom - now she was closer she could see the curtains were mostly dust sheets, and it looked like a rather worn out chaise longue had been pressed into service as a bed with more dust sheets serving as bedding. There was, as well as the chaise longue, a couple of mismatched chairs, one being used as a bedside table and one by the balcony doors; these were both hastily cleared and dragged to a comfortable talking distance of each other.
Maribel could see the young man getting more and more embarrassed. "Look," she said, dredging up some of her Talking To People skills, "let's start with an easy one. What would you like me to call you?"
"...Jacques," the young man muttered.
"Well, Jacques," Maribel replied, looking around, "You've made a very good nest up here from limited materials."
That was when Maribel spotted the remains of the spinning wheel tucked behind a box. It looked quite a lot like someone had taken their anger out on it with a chair.
Jacques took a deep breath. "It's a little bit complicated," he said. Maribel wasn't good at people - there was a reason she largely dealt with cursed horticulture - but even she could see how hard he was working to keep his composure. "But the short version," he continued, bitterness creeping in, "is that a curse that specifies that the princess will prick her finger on a spindle and sleep for a hundred years gets really confused when the princess isn't exactly sold on either being female or royal…"
It was the sort of conversation that really called out for a good cup of tea; unfortunately Maribel's supplies were some distance away at her camp, and any supplies in the castle were twenty-seven years old at this point. Jacques hadn't eaten anything in that long, sustained by the curse in the same way everyone else was, but at this point bored out of his skull - the briar did its best but wasn't the best conversationalist.
"And it can't let me out because that's part of the curse," Jacques said finally, "We did try that about…eighteen years ago, I think?" The nearest vine waggled up and down as an approximate nod. "It can't carry me out, and when I tried to go through the kitchen doors it actively blocked them."
Maribel was frantically taking notes. "That's fairly normal, sadly. And what did you say the exit conditions were?"
Jacques sighed in disgust. "True love's kiss to break the sleep and wake the castle."
"Mmhmm. There's a good chance that it will also kill the hedge, unfortunately, there's generally a hidden clean-up clause." Maribel snapped her notebook closed. "So, questions: do you have any plans for your future once the curse is over, do you object to me trying to save the hedge, and are you in any sort of rush to leave?"
Jacques looked poleaxed. "Honestly? I always assumed that if the curse was broken I'd have to go back to being Jacquelyn…and the briar has been my friend for about two thirds of my life now, so sure, if you can save it then go for it."
The briar vine reached out and gave Jacques a comforting pat.
"Good good, that will make things a lot easier." Maribel grinned hugely. "If there's one thing we know at the Institute it's that True Love means a lot more things than people think, and I'm in need of a new assistant. Don't worry, you're not stuck with me forever, but I feel that if you're willing to put the work in I can manage sufficient fondness to break this nonsense by the time we've worked out how to get this one," and she reached out and patted the vine herself, "safely away from here."
It took about four months in the end, two of which were trying to encourage the briar that taking a few cuttings would be the most efficient way to move it, especially as there were no guarantees that its personality would transfer into seeds.
There was a great deal of uproar in the castle when everyone woke up, between the dust and the veil of dying briar over the walls and the complete lack of a princess - but Maribel, Jacques, Jenny and three large pots of gently waving rose vines, down the road and moving as fast as they could after a kiss on the forehead by the kitchen door, didn't care.
Jacques chose to stay with the Institute after all - the fondness went both ways, and Maribel was more than happy to act as a mentor and pseudo-guardian until he achieved full researcher status. His original family were too busy being embroiled in the legal mess left behind by their kingdom transitioning through to a democracy during the twenty-seven years of downtime to come looking for him, but did unwittingly end up funding several of his expeditions later in life.
As for the rose? Without the curse it never grew anywhere near as large, but it happily colonised a corner of the Institute's rear courtyard where it could interact with people on a daily basis and be fed the occasional steak. The toy castle tucked in near its main trunks was a nice touch, and if on certain anniversaries a pair of scholars who should have known better decorated the branches with the toy knights that came with the toy castle well…it kept everyone happy, and that was all that mattered.
#short fic#fairy tale#prompt#I get the feeling the Institute may pop up again in future#writeblr#writblr
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
I tried to quit when you went to shit, when you proved to the world that you only cared about yourselves and not the people who needed you most. But here I am coming back for more like a god damn junkie. I kinda hate this, not gonna lie, but there's really nothing else like VRchat.
VRchat is a weird and amazing thing when you're queer. The aging 2019 Unity Engine LTS build it uses, although held together by duct tape and super glue, provides near infinite capabilities for self expression to those who have the time and patience to understand how to use it's SDK toolkit alongside other community tools like various Blender Plugins. It goes without saying, for those such as myself who have struggled with their own identity for a long time, this shit will crack eggs. And it shattered what remained of mine in the beginning of 2020. This is why this badly written and mismanaged clusterfuck of a Unity game holds a special place in my heart.
To make a very fucking long story short, I've been on VRchat since basically the beginning. My earliest memories of VRC were in late 2017, early 2018 where everything was far more raw, simple, and experimental. VRchat itself was a blank canvas, and on that canvas was a tight knit community that spawned an iconic culture all to its own. And yes, before anyone asks I do know de wae. But for those early years, mainly because of my lack of budget and stable income, I was tied down to just keyboard and mouse controls from a desktop PC. It's a sub ideal way to play VRC but you make do with what you have in that kind of situation and make the best of it. So when I had the means to get my own headset in the beginning of 2020, an Oculus Rift S, you can bet your ass the first thing I loaded into was VRchat.
Before we continue, I need to introduce the concept of phantom touch or phantom sense. Phantom touch is a term that was originally for amputees who could feel their missing limbs when given certain stimuli, typically some form of mirror therapy or sometimes via ones prosthetics. Phantom senses in VR are along the same lines. For all intents and purposes, your avatar in VR is the same as your body to your brain. Now, not everyone gets this, and those who do get it in varying amounts in just different ways. I'm admittedly on the more extreme end of this, as far as my brain gives a shit my avatar is my body and that ends up causing some interesting sensations. Most importantly, it pretty much drives my own choice of avatar since a lot of options out there just don't feel right. Yeah an avatar may be super cute or super funny but with that level of immersion for someone like myself it becomes very apparent that a lot of things will give full on dysphoria. This isn't really limited to anything either, I've noped off of cute looking avatars for a variety of reasons, sometimes even just small things like clothing, hair style, body proportions, height, etc. On the flip side of that, the right avatar can relieve a lot of dysphoria for someone like me who does experience gender dysphoria regularly in their day to day lives. So what were my options then?
Wade through a lot of public avatars until you find something anywhere between just right to perfect. The world of public avatars available is almost limitless, as games driven by user generated content tend to be so there's plenty of options.
Make your own avatar, either from scratch or a prefab base. This is again where the limitlessness of the engine comes into play, where the only limitation is your own technical abilities with Unity SDK, and tools like Blender or Maya.
I got lucky and took option one. I found one that felt just right, a Tda based red haired fox girl in a cute hoodie, crop top, and jeans, and only needed a few minor tweaks. While there was a bit of a language barrier, the creator of this avatar and I got something worked out and the image above is the result. This is me. This was when what remained of my egg, so to speak, was completely fucking shattered into oblivion. This was where I realized that "Nah yeah I'm not fucking cis," after years of going back and forth and being on the fence about my own sense of self. Ultimately, VRchat ended up a coping mechanism for my dysphoria. I was free. I was me. I ended up parting ways with the guy who made the model posted above for reasons I won't get into. I was never given the source files to update the model to SDK3 so where it is now is where it will be forever until SDK2 gets dropped entirely. So, in mid 2021 when I found a prefab base that was relatively well support and easy to work with on booth.pm called Imeris, I jumped on that. I re-made me.
Maybe to a bit of an extreme, but whatever. Bouncy squishy boobs on my chest makes girly gender euphoria go brrrr in a way I can't get over. But this is how I stayed for about a year without any major changes save for some new outfits every now and then.
In August, 2022, VRchat implemented EasyAntiCheat into the game. The reasoning for it is all over the place and while I have some insider information as to why it's not been stated publicly and I don't feel like getting sued into oblivion. But regardless of their reasoning, no matter how much public backlash they got, no matter how many members of the community who relied on third party client mods for accessibility for various disabilities and basic usability and quality of life functions not present in the base game, they pushed the patch out live anyways. They pushed out a patch knowing it broke compatibility with some Oculus headsets and software, this even was noted in the patch notes. They didn't care about us. That much was clear.
I swore off VRchat then and there, but the reality is the other options all sucked. NeosVR had NFT integration which is something I despise on principle. ChilloutVR, while promising, still lacks a lot of the functionality for their dev tools that makes a lot of my shit work. It was on par with early VRchat SDK1 and SDK2 tools, which compared to SDK3 with Udon were beyond archaic. I tried to give that some love, but it's so far from ready to take the place of VRchat that I couldn't switch over. Maybe some day, though, CVR will be in a position where it's a suitable place to call my home in the metaverse.
So after dealing with VRC being broken for months on my machine, I finally figured out a workaround. Turns out my main issue where VRchat was crashing to desktop was because of some sandboxing options I had enabled way back when I was still running Windows 10. Disabling these settings fixed the crashing to desktop, but Oculus overlay still crashes any time the virtual desktops are used. This, however and unfortunately, is a documented issue because of how EAC works, and there's no real fix for it. In any case though, I can be me again. And while unfortunately a lot of my friends have left VRC entirely post EAC update, there's still enough to justify sticking around.
At the time of writing this, I'm a month out from hopefully receiving hormone replacement treatment and beginning my transition proper. It's a bit overdue, admittedly, but I know some day soon I'll feel comfortable in my own shell. For now, this will continue to be my escapism from the dysphoria that's plagued me for years.
Stay floofy~ 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈❤️
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
Including link: https://www.quora.com/
"What are the least valuable skills?
There are probably as many answers to this question as there are people. So, let's give the question a bit of structure by framing the options within a structure of human needs. I have selected Abraham Maslow's theory. His hierarchy of needs, or stages of growth:
1. Physiological needs; skills will obtain
Water
Food
Sleep
Clothing
Shelter
Sex
2. Safety needs; skills will obtain
Personal security
Financial security
Health and well-being
3.Social belonging; skills will obtain
Friendships
Intimacy
Family
4. Esteem; skills will obtain
Recognition
Status
Importance
Respect from others
5. Self-actualization; skills will help you realize your full potential
6. Self-transcendence
"Transcendence refers to the very highest and most inclusive or holistic levels of human consciousness, behaving and relating, as ends rather than means, to oneself, to significant others, to human beings in general, to other species, to nature, and to the cosmos."
Maslow's theory suggests that the most basic level of needs must be met before the individual will strongly desire (or focus motivation upon) the secondary or higher level needs.
Naturally, there has been criticism of Maslow's theory. However, it does give you some idea of what skill sets are important for human existence. It is left to you to decide which are the "least valuable."
What are the best apps to search for people and their background?
If you ask me, it's Socialcatfish.com. Not just because it's something we built, but how it includes image, phone number, name, and email search. It's a comprehensive search and the best to find people and their background fast. Social Catfish also have an app, so you can just download it too if that is easier for you!
The least valuable skills are those which can be used for good if honestly and correctly applied. For example, driving a car is a good skills but if one is into rash driving then it is least valuable, rather loss oriented. Let me list few moral skills which are misused and causes more harm to the people :
Manipulating or deceiving: Yes it is a skill to cheat someone of his money or take into relation and exploit. Many people have been robbed of their valuables and modesty because of sweet talks. People show dreams and hope to others and make them handover them their money or heart happily only to discover few month later that they were flatters.
Chatting on useless topics in a very interesting manner : Millions of hours are wasted by people when they get involved into topics which have nothing to do with them. it is more of gossip which is served in a very delicious manner.
Debating smartly but not on beneficial topics: It is different than chatting. Debating is a skill indeed but if it fireballs into a dispute then it is bad. In this skill, a person or two persons are very smart when they discuss on a topic on two different views. It could be between a husband and a wife or two good friends. These discussion turns into debate and ends up into a bitter dispute thus winding up good relations for ever.
All the above three skills are not valued by people because if one gets involved into any us get stuck up in such skills we will lose our own value in society.
Daily Life: What is the most valuable skill a person can have for their entire life?
Resilience.
At one point or another of your life, you will fall. You will not get that job you so wanted, someone will break your heart, someone dear to you will die, you may be betrayed, see no way out...
The point is, you will feel like the ground has shaken under your feet. You may lose faith in everything and see everything black. No hope of pulling out.
Being able to rebound from that, to not let it sink you, to reinvent yourself and pull your life up and forward... That's the best skill you may ever learn. Failure is inevitable, a part of life. Defeat is optional.
The value of a skill can vary depending on the context and individual circumstances. However, some skills that may be considered less valuable in today's rapidly changing job market include outdated technical abilities, such as proficiency in obsolete software or programming languages, as well as skills that are not in demand in the current job market. Soft skills such as effective communication, problem-solving, and adaptability are generally considered highly valuable in most professional settings.
What is the least useful skill you possess?
What is the least valuable skill you've mastered?
What are the least valuable skills to put on a resume?
What is the least useful skill you possess?
I have had the ability to find four and five leaf clovers since I was young. It’s not completely useless because I give them to any kids that happen by and they are usually quite impressed with my (non) talent.
It’s never brought me good luck or bad, but I can usually occupy myself at any boring, outdoor function if there’s a patch of clover around. However, I would rate it as a frightfully useless skill.
What is the most useless talent/skill?
I can quack like a studly male duck so well that I can call a female duck over to me, but when she finds that I am not "the duck of her dreams", the look of stunned confusion on her ducky face is priceless - it's kind of a tilted, head shake, spasm-like thing, then a fast retreat.
Oddly enough, that's how human females respond to me when I call them over as well. : P
Is it possible to earn an extra $400 to $500 a month without getting a second job?
Ready to make an extra $500 a month without working a second job? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make money online, and I list a few below. None of these will double your monthly income or anything like that, but they're easy to do, and not time-intensive. All you need is access to the internet to get started with any of them. At the end of the month, you could have more money than you would have without them, and every little bit helps, right?
From The Money Manual team, here are 6 ways to make extra money online:
1. This Company Pays Up To $20 Per Survey
Earnings: $225
With an
You would really have to specify some context here to get a better answer. Such as the least important skill for a student in secondary school with aims to attend university? Without any context, I’d have to answer something arbitrary like the ability to hula hoop, or tie a cherry stem into a knot with only your tongue.
What is the most underrated but useful skill you know that I should learn?
I think it’s the ability to think before you do, say, or act.
Other answers say that you’ve got to smile and be patient and read faster or be charismatic. These are all super useful skills that can improve both your and other people’s day. Don’t forget to do these things.
Nonetheless, all of these things can be achieved by thinking first.
Stop for a moment to think about the good things in your life and smile about them
Take a second to collect your thoughts and you’ll find that communicating these ideas is so much easier
Take a second to put yourself in other people’s shoes and you’ll notice that
What is your highest-paying side hustle (and how do you do it)?
Over the last few years, I've actually dipped my toes into over 20 different side hustles, and I'm super pumped to tell you about the two that have really been bringing in the cash for me!
Yes, they're pretty straightforward and simple.
1. Playing solitaire on your phone (Earnings: up to $83/game, probably a max of like $3,400/week)
Solitaire Cash: It is a popular mobile game that combines the fun of playing solitaire with the added thrill of winning real cash rewards, providing players with an enjoyable gaming experience and the opportunity to earn money while playing.
With over millions of downl
Daily Life: What is the most valuable skill a person can have for their entire life?
Learn to be happy alone. If you master this skill, trust me, nobody can take away your happiness from you. Be your own best friend, enjoy your own company, and be happy. If you master this skill, eventually you will start appreciating people in your life!
Edit 1- Thank you for the warm support people :-D
What are the skills that everybody should know?
Basic computer skills. In today’s world, knowing basic computer skills is synonymous to being literate.
Basic first aid. Comes in handy and very useful in times of need.
Cooking. No dependency on anyone. Be self reliant and satisfy yourself with home cooked food whenever you want.
Driving. Even if you don’t need to drive daily, it is a good idea that one learns this.
Dressing aptly. No matter what job you are in, dressing does create an impression on others. There are only few for whom their other qualities over shadow their dressing sense but for most it doesn’t.
Karate/ Taekwondo. Being learned e
What is the most useless talent/skill?
Whenever someone insults me, I can come up with an amazing comeback 10 minutes after they have left. Beat that :)
What is the least useful skill you possess?
Very good at reading aloud.
Starting from the inaugural football World Cup in 1930, I know at the tip of my fingers all the winning countries and which year each won it. I also know the runners up from 1950 onwards. :)
I know every winning team in English football’s top division from 1981 onwards. I also know most of the runners up.
Very good at being a football commentator.
Good crosser of the ball.
Good at free-kicks and corner kicks.
What are ten important soft skills you must have?
There are 10 soft skills that will charge your life:
Adaptability - Being able to adapt to stress, problems and any other unforeseen events is a skill of huge benefit.
Listening - Allowing yourself to be totally attentive and listen fully to another person will increase all of your relationships.
Honesty - Being honest with yourself, more so than with others, will drastically decrease the problems you face and make your life generally easier.
Leadership - Everyone is a leader of their own life. Learn to lead yourself effectively, and others as well, and you will gain more out of life.
Communication
What is the most valuable skill I can master within a month?
If there is one skill you can master this month or week, let it be the listening skill.
All of us hear things around us, the noise, the cries but we are not listening to the actual cause. Effective listening is one of the most important skills a strong leader can have, and it's the one that most of us need to develop. Just because you're quiet and you let others do 75% of the talking, doesn't mean
What is the least useful skill you possess?
What is the least valuable skill you've mastered?
What are the least valuable skills to put on a resume?
What skills are valuable no matter who or where you are?
What is the most valuable skill a person could have for their entire life?
Which of your skills is the most unique, and which do you consider the most valuable?
What are some skills I could learn that would make me valuable?
What are some of the most valuable skills to learn?
What skill will make me incredibly valuable to anyone? How can I learn it?
What is the most valuable skill (or two) you bring to your job? What's an example of how that's paid off?"
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-least-valuable-skills#:~:text=What%20are%20the,that%27s%20paid%20off%3F
0 notes
Text
Creating samples/experimentation
First we established the materials which will be used for our clothing line, and now the next step is to make some final decisions regarding this. There's so much more to think about than just the material- even only one material can have varying types which each have different uses.
Bamboo
There are many different types of bamboo, including lyocell bamboo, bamboo viscose, and fine bamboo. They each have different uses and varying costs. Out of all the types, lyocell bamboo is widely considered to be the most sustainable. It is manufactured by dissolving raw bamboo fibre in a non-toxic solvent. This at first came across as being the superior option, however there were other considerations to be made; as an example, it's known that this type of bamboo is not as soft so perhaps when it comes to comfortability, there could be better options.
To create a breathable and comfortable bamboo garment with interesting texture and shape, I made the decision to use fine bamboo yarn, knitted loosely to create a bamboo fabric. This will be a cost effective option as knit is relatively economical and simple; machines can do it on a large scale which will decrease production costs.
Throughout this process, I experimented with various patterns and textures to see which would match the best. Below I have included images of a few of the bamboo fabric swatches which I created:
Initially, upon examining these two samples and comparing their physical properties, I immediately preferred the sample on the right. It has a certain level of neatness and symmetry to it which I like- this sample has very clean lines and edges and is quite a nice texture.
I did also like the left hand side sample; I felt its texture and tension made it more unique, which would make the garments more intriguing and special, however ultimately I decided that the right hand side sample matches better with the ethos of the brand. Also, the texture almost reminds me of chains and chainmail, which arguably play quite a significant role in streetwear fashion.
Chains first rose to prominence in the '80s Hip-Hop era, and were usually chunky and bedazzled to match with the current trends of the time.
Going into the '90s, the trend was to wear chains which were simple, dainty and minimalistic.
Below is an example of the inventive use of chains in harajuku streetwear style:
From researching the part that chains play, not just in fashion over the years, but also in specific fashion subcultures such as streetwear and harajuku fashion, this makes me think that some sort of chains or similar accessories could really be an asset to our clothing line and its streetwear roots.
Denim
Another material which will feature in our garments is denim; denim is particularly hardy and durable so will be ideal for certain garments which may need an extra sense of durability, such as trousers or outerwear. We will aim to use all repurposed denim, as the manufacturing process of denim is known to have negative environmental impact, which of course our business wants to prevent and reduce as much as possible.
Above is an example of me using repurposed denim and then adding to it by experimenting with a pattern I created earlier and combining the two together; this is possibly my favourite version of the pattern as it looks clean and sleek.
0 notes
Photo
Shoot Breakdown - Xanetia Sunset Shoot 2
My third shoot of the year and second with Xanetia. I returned to Brighton Beach which I'd used at the end of March 2022 on a shoot with Maddy but I had messed up the sunset time and got there just as the sun was hitting the water so it was all a bit rushed.
I really like the location though and wanted to return. As I mentioned in the previous breakdown most Adelaide jetties are very similar, it's just the seating designs that vary, Brighton has the best seating with benches which allow for the best seated posing options. Brighton jetty has a unique design with the rotunda at the halfway point and the tower at the end. Additionally, the landscaping along the pathway with rocks and boulders I can actually access makes it a far more versatile location for me.
I let Xanetia pick her own wardrobe, I just said something Summery and after my previous jetty shoot where the temperature plummeted soon as the sun set I suggested bringing something warmer we could use in shots if needed and a white thinner shirt we could use earlier in the shoot. I am a big fan of shirts as you can shoot with them on, with them off, and make some interesting shapes with them.
I often used Google Maps to scope locations and was keen to check out the ramp I spotted to the right of the jetty. I got there earlier to look around and indeed the ramp was excellent I just wished it was to the left of the jetty as that would put the setting sun behind the jetty, which would have been perfect. Sunset was at 8pm and the plan was to shoot from 6.45-8.45.
While looking around I identified 4 usable spots, which are indicated in the image below.
LOCATION A - 6.45pm - For this location, I had my wheelchair next to a bench seat with Xanetia on a rock just in front of me. The first few shots are always to calibrate to the available light. Once again, we had zero cloud cover, so the sun was a bit harsh and we'd need to wait a few minutes for the sun to drop lower and lose some intensity but we set up and started shooting anyway. The sun did provide a beautiful rim light perfect for a single light shoot. Once again we were shooting with a Godox AD300 with a gridded Godox 85CM AD-S85S Deep Parabolic Softbox.
7.00pm - We changed to some standing shots just as the light started to come to us more an hour before Sunset, It is called the Golden hour for a reason.
I haven't had a Sony for very long so I don't have the wide range of lenses as I do for my Canon so for Xmas I bought myself a Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS and this was my first time trying it on a shoot. I was worried that the f4 might not give enough depth of field but it wasn't an issue especially at the full 105mm. We didn't have the wind as we had on our first shoot but every now and then we'd get a bit of movement through the hair.
This wide-angle shot includes Leighlan with the AD300 and shows our 1-light setup.
Anyone who I've shot at a con knows I am a fan of an over-the-shoulder. I asked Xanetia to put the hair over the shoulder so we could see the shoulder blades and the lace at the back of the top and as she did the wind picked up and blew the hair in her face and I got the beautiful shot with her smiling. It's these natural smiles I'd love to capture more.
Next up we gave the legs a workout and changed to some squatting poses. These work well because you can get some nice angles and shapes with the legs.
While we started with one knee on the ground we changed to this stance instead which I like way more as it adds tension through the body creating a much better more dynamic pose.
LOCATION B - 7.20pm - I then basically pivoted from where I was and had Xanetia stand against the railing of the stairs that were behind me.
LOCATION C - 7.38pm - Our third location was probably my favourite. A concrete ramp that got me almost down to ground level with rocks lining it. Most beach ramps are covered in sand and impossible to traverse in a wheelchair.
Here is a shot showing just the ambient light we got without the flash. You can see the rim light the sun provided on our model. As mentioned in previous breakdowns Shutter Speed controls the background exposure and flash power controls the light on your model.
I did try some stretch shots but couldn't really get the shapes I wanted with the shirt but I do like the symmetry and balance in this shot with the tower in the background.
We had started sitting on top of the rock but moved to a lower position to have the rocks around Xanetia at a more relative height. I also like that we got the sail of the boat on the right side of this image I cropped to be more panoramic to extenuate the length of the jetty and horizon.
Another wide angle to show our surroundings and Leighlans position with the light. I was on the opposite side of the path so we were very aware to let beachgoers through. Something I'm very mindful of when shooting in shared spaces.
We then basically rotated Xanetia onto the rock opposite her and I got her to wrap the shirt around her and I really like these shots with the more hunched pose and the left shoulder out.
8.00pm - It wouldn't be a sunset shoot without a silhouette hair flip. I'll do another post of a video I made of all the hair flip frames but here is a couple. I wish I'd actually shot a video of it as well.
8.10pm - Just as the sun hit the water I got Xanetia to jump over the rocks and stand on the sand for this series of shots.
LOCATION D - 8.20pm - Finally we moved onto the middle part of the jetty to utilise the bench seats. At this point, you are constantly changing settings to deal with the rapidly dropping ambient light, which basically means lowering the Shutter Speed to make the background brighter and compensating by dropping the flash power to keep both in balance. We did get a nice breeze playing with the shirt and surprisingly the air temperature stayed quite warm.
With the sun falling below the horizon it kicked up an amazing orange sky that would have been just incredible if we had some clouds but we did get some beautiful silhouettes of people on the jetty.
8.37pm - Here is a shot just showing the ambient light I was getting at this point.
8.50pm - we wrap up shooting as the light is fading.
Overview
----------------------
Location: Brighton Jetty, South Australia
Date: Sunday 19th February 2023
Model: Xanetia
Assistant: Leighlan Doe
Shoot Time: 2 hours
Total Frames: 430
0 notes
Text
idrive synology
This feature is quite interesting for several reasons. For starters for market . work on more than one location, as an example at home and operate. You can work on consideration version for this document or file everywhere you look. The same thing if folks need start viewing the same file, for the.g. pictures, price lists etc. The online backup works like a hardcore drive of 5 Gb (500 Mb) and one may make a component protected, an area shared, and too a part lots.
I spent their youth In New Orleans therefore i know rather well the danger of Severe weather. I do not live on their own beach, it does not seem did not consider myself in danger from floods. My home was inundated with over six feet of water backing up from the inland bayous near my home. I had never even gotten water within home before during previous hurricanes.
Now that you know the not so great here could be the good. You most likely are thinking "I can just back my computer the decision of get greatly increase my chances of saving my hard the office." You are correct. It is that simple.
You can back up regularly on CDs or DVDs, any CD burning program. Are convinced have one of these on their computer. And this is certainly better than nothing. idrive Cracked have to keep remembering to accomplish. And how much time do you delay before doing this again? Something could happen a three days after your last backup, just when this is downloaded a necessary file, or written as few as 6 chapters of one's new unique. You would lose idrive considerable time. Most essential of all, ascertain have to discover a somewhere safe to take care of the backup disks, where they wouldn't get destroyed your market fire or flood that destroyed pc.
Apple is also in this game and give give you 5 gig of storage for price. Apple's cloud is very user friendly and might play your tunes completely your cloud account. They give you more free space a person are have an iTunes bank account.
Online Data backup. This is a newer method of protecting files. There are many online storage providers you can sign up with to backup data files. Some offer limited storage for free, although may offer unlimited on a small amount each few weeks. The best part about using the internet provider is you can establish their application to automatically backup records in the background when your files are changed.
The turning feel is truly smooth, more like an S-Class than a C-Class that at times you forget you are connected to your front wheels. There is almost no feedback and also the suspension very best suited for normal driving though when push in order to shove it responds with profound agility around tight corners in addition sudden directional changes.
Genie-Soft but another backup data provider that provide you quick affordable options for your targeted data backup needs. Data backups run are automated and run at certain times whether you are logged off or on system itc. All data files are encrypted with 128-bit SSL and require no capital outlay for expensive electronics. All you pay is really a monthly fee that is founded on on your membership rate. Fees vary from $24.95 per month to $249.00 per time. It all depends on how the level of data require to backed through. To entice you further, Genie-Soft has a free 30 day 1 GB trial grant. Won't you give them a spin? I think is actually always a safe bet whenever you try either fast online backup companies, both offer you exactly what you have to have save you time and ultimately .
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
kawaiiwombatmaker
KawaiiWombatMaker
rakiminsondamlasi-blog
Eren İnan
mrwillietussey
Willie B. Tussey Tumblr
level-up-au
⭐️
reddyannabook012365
Untitled