The thing about AI art is, the skill ceiling is just as high as with any other art form - that is to say, infinitely high. It's a different skill set than other art forms, but there is skill involved. Someone can very easily spend just as much time and effort AI-generating a picture as an equally skilled conventional artist might take to paint it. What gets abused is the fact that the skill floor is lower - you can make something pretty to look at and/or get a general idea across with just a few words and a minimal amount of luck.

Now, I genuinely believe that lowering the skill floor to make visually appealing art, in its own right, is always going to be a good thing. No internal caveats whatsoever. We've seen people say otherwise with EVERYTHING that has lowered the skill floor of art in the past, from digital painting to photography to premixed paints; art survived all those developments, and...most of those people turned out to be remembered as anything from your standard obnoxious, self-centered "WELL IF I HAD TO WORK AT IT THEN SO SHOULD YOU, RAAHFKS KIDS THESE DAYS" stolen valor types, to outright fascists who WANT the world of art to remain closed off and inaccessible to anyone they deem ~undesirable~...

The latter of which makes it absolutely terrifying to me how the easily exploitable "respect for labor" argument...can come from a very real place right now, even more than usual, because we've BEEN AT a tipping point with late-stage capitalism since 2008 and the rich are STILL propping it up with sticks to keep it working for them and them alone while they laugh about likely soon being able to use automation of many types TO KILL PEOPLE THROUGH POVERTY, WITH THE CRUELTY BEING HALF OF THE POINT.

We already saw a bunch of trads try to recruit from young center-left types by pointing out how minimalism is often more of a corporate cost-saving method than it is an actual aesthetic choice (which it is, but also sometimes it is a legit choice for reasons other than being inoffensive-even-if-not-enjoyable; having things nice and open and airy and clean has its appeal - failure to acknowledge this can be part of that pathway to trad bullshit), and now we have this area as a vulnerability with "automation will steal your job just like immigrants and deny you your G-d-given place toiling away for the rich until your body falls apart and destroy the very concept of art and western civilization itself and flood the market with lesser work and let the unworthy have a voice just as loud as yours, we must destroy it at all costs!"

So. This post is a checkpoint. Stop. Evaluate your criticisms of AI art. I HOPE that you have them - as a mixed media artist with AIs in my toolbox, I CERTAINLY do. This is a call to "clean" those criticisms a bit. Look for any bullshit leaking in at the corners.

Yes, there is a huge problem with the cultural value of art being cruelly decoupled from the value of the work that made it. Yes, there is a Problem of creatively bankrupt AI artists who use this lower skill floor to, recklessly or even deliberately, harm conventional artists. This is true. It is important to criticize. It is a problem with the environment, NOT with AI art itself. Are you letting this fact convince you that gatekeeping self-expression will prevent it from getting worse? Are you letting this fact convince you that people who can't hold a paintbrush or tablet pen for extended periods, let alone those who can't hold one at all, SHOULD be barred from visual arts? Do you think that's just a made-up "gotcha" theoretical and not a description of actual living humans you're likely to meet several of if you poke your head into any space that gives a damn about ML ethics?

Hello there! Just wondering if its okay for you to check the post i pinned and reblog/boost it? Im in desperate need of help im really sorry for coming across your inbox (pls answer this privately) only if its ok 😞 thank you and stay safe

Normally I delete scam asks like this, but I want to take a moment to give everyone a heads up.

PSA: This scam is becoming more and more common on here, and it can be hard to tell them apart from people genuinely asking for help. But if you know what to look for, there are a ton of red flags here:

There are only a handful of posts on this blog. The oldest post was made only a day or two ago.

If you copy and paste the ask into a tumblr search, you’ll find other blogs sending the exact same ask word for word. Usually these blogs are also only a few days old, and have entirely different names and ages in the bios (that is, if they still exist. Many of the senders have already been deactivated).

The vet bill in the pinned post is addressed to a different name than the blog owner and the PayPal account. Sometimes the names are redacted entirely.

Lastly, asking to answer this privately is pretty fishy, especially if the goal is to reach a large audience. Perhaps a way to prevent people from picking up on the scam?

tl;dr - Please take a moment to make sure a donation ask/post is legit before boosting! This one may only be trying to take your money, but other scams can be even more malicious and steal your personal information as well.

thinkin about the shitty character archetypes im always making for my characters, ramble under cut

It always comes back to familial grief and loss i think

Sparrow of course ends up hurt and betrayed by everyone she loves until Daeran. Evaethi's upbringing makes her fundamentally incapable of seeing Sparrow as a real person and not just, like, a beloved pet/companion. Crow's worldview means that, even though Sparrow is the closest he has ever come to loving another individual, he will never truly understand why his presence is needed/wanted in her life and will ultimately always choose his work/vision over her just like their parents did

Vonzi is THE BURDEN on her family, she is literally why they ran away from their childhood home (as shitty as it was) and why they never had any stability or safety while growing up, and her mother always makes sure she knows it. No matter the timeline or circumstances Vonzi will always eventually choose to leave her family one way or another because even if the only person you can rely on is another Voness, Vonzi comes to the conclusion that her family cannot move on until or unless she's gone--either dead saving their lives or just walking away. Her sister tried to walk away and couldn't; maybe none of them can while she's there. And it is, bar none, the worst thing she will ever do to her sisters, and in some ways they will never forgive her for it and the family never recovers even if Vonzi comes back to them.

Ophenia has deliberately removed herself from life's narrative--she sets herself up as the writer, the storyteller, the speaker of other's ideas, shamelessly stealing stories from the real life people around her in an effort not to engage with any of it on a personal level because real connections die and rot while she lives on, but books make people live forever. The first story she ever wrote cast her dying wife as the protagonist and it's the only way she knows how to cope with the fact that she will outlive basically everyone she ever knows by Quite Some Time!

Even like my DA OCs....Dannia Tabris methodically destroys any chance for personal happiness ostensibly out of duty and a need to create the Optimal Outcome according to her visions, but really it's because she will always consider herself responsible for her mother's death and the misery her family lives in because her powers mean she should have prevented it all and didn't.

Phaedre Lavellan is just Sparrow in a different font, literally--she has an older brother she idolized and adored, who dies when she is young and utterly destroys her. It's very explicitly her fault that he dies--she was trying to prove she was adult enough to go on the hunt to get her vallaslin, bites off more than she can chew, and Ghandriel dies saving her life--and it leaves her calcified as a child, terrified of making decisions or striking out because what if it happens again? What if her carelessness hurts someone else?

Idk idk idk. I don't even want to go into original story OCs and how they fuck up their narratives but like. Dead parents, dead siblings, the need to live up to memories left behind or reject what came before, slowly destroying themselves because they can't process what they lost. It's like in every single one of them, I am legit trying to find a SINGLE oc I've made in my entire life who wasn't horribly changed by their family....

Ahhh im excited to get a reading! Will you be adding more options for the fs section before this next batch of readings? Also did you put your real name on your paypal? Or can we enter a nickname or something. I'm creating an account later just for this but I'm super anal about privacy and don't want to put my real name iykwim lol

"Will you be adding more options for the fs section"

I have! Below are the new additions:

What will you tolerate + dislike about them

What will you love about them

Who do you think they are VS who they actually are

The gossip about you two as a pair (what will people talk about)

First argument between you two

I'm not sure if I will add more, but if you have any suggestion, do let me know, I'll consider it but no promise that it will be added.

"Can we enter a nickname on paypal"

For personal accounts, technically you can, but just know that it goes against their user agreement, i.e. doing it comes with risks. According to this website, it probably won't cause much problem if you only use paypal as an intermediary; meaning that you just want to transfer money from your bank using paypal to the seller. But if you want to use the money in your paypal account (not your bank), or if you want to withdraw money from paypal into your bank, they will ask for identifications. This is to prevent fraudulent activities.

I haven't tried it, so I can't confirm it will be smooth sailing. Most people I've seen use their real names, or I assume so since they look legit. The only people who will see your name are the people you send your money to (me, for example). Most businesses and sellers don't really care much about who you are, unless you cause problems or steal their money.

If you want to take the risk and use a nickname, please avoid using the obvious ones like BiscuitLover. Also apparently you can change your account name only once, so be careful.

@crowssoul2

Tumblr was bitching about the formatting of this, so new post!

Behold: the plot of the prologue and Ch1 of my fanganronpa.

Our protagonist is the SHSL Seer. Like Hiro, but legit. Nobody knows where her powers come from in-universe, and half of the cast actively suspects her of either being some kind of supergenius or causing the shit she foresees. She doesn't really see the point of coming to HPA, since there's no way to train her powers and someone else could use the spot more. But her mom wanted her to, so… Also, she's punk and has piercings and short hair.

The gimmick is that all of the SHSLs come from different parts of the world, and get flown in. The planes are sabotaged and explode as soon as everyone gets off.

She meets a boy that knows nothing about himself. When asked if she has any idea of who he is, the only thing that comes to her is that he's fatally allergic to peanuts. Helpful, but not exactly informative. (similar to Sora, but he isn't an AI I promise!) In case she sees more information, he decides to follow her around.

The other Ults they meet: Two SHSL figure skaters (they are pairs skaters!), a SHSL camp counselor, a SHSL conductor (the musical kind!), a SHSL Art Forger, a SHSL conspiracy theorist, a SHSL competitive eater, a SHSL wedding planner, and more!

Our support and antagonist kind of switch places, its complicated. But in the prologue, as follows are the SHSL Valedictorian and the SHSL Stalker. The two of them are childhood friends and shared a plane. Everyone has heard of Val, and gets compared to her. Meanwhile, Stalker's alias is kind of infamous for exposing corruption and working for the highest bidder. However, it wasn't known that Stalker comes from two generations of Ults before her. (Stalker also uses he/she pronouns. One of them had to have my gender.)

Nothing happens, so counselor decides to have a campfire while waiting for help. There's a nice moment of everyone getting along. Then, Monokuma appears! Monokuma says that help won't be coming unless you kill each other, and that suitcases are delivered to their rooms. He also says that if nobody kills to escape, everyone will starve. Did I steal this motive from another, maybe! :) But its fun, so!

Val says they should spend the day searching. Its clear that she and Counselor have good leadership potential, while Stalker shows he doesn't take orders from the group, but is also very proficient with technology. (Its how he gets most of his information!)

Counselor decides to take a risk and climb over the electric fence that surrounds the airport. He doesn't make it, and gets bad burns on his hands in the process. (Counselor got his position because he managed to save a bunch of lives in a bear attack, and has a hero complex as a result.) He's injured throughout the rest of the game.

The group plans to keep all of the food in one place, but Stalker will not have it and demands her share upfront. She points out that if someone steals the food, or destroys it, she'd have nothing. Emboldened by her choice, several others including Val and Theorist follow her.

Others are annoyed that he prevented the group from working together, and didn't take a room to search while people divided them up. (instead, he gave information that Monokuma was likely controlled from a nearby location and about small blind spots the cameras have.)

In addition to what the group finds in the wing of the airport (there's a security with a statistically improbable amount of confiscated weapons), the class has whatever they brought in their suitcases, so long as it isn't a computer or other banned item. Amnesiac has nothing. (bitchy Stalker noises.)

Val wants to bury all of the weapons the group was given, but Stalker points out that would be pointless since almost everyone has something that could be used as a weapon anyways. He also admits to carrying a knife, which stresses the group out.

After a couple of days of nothing, the group food stash goes missing!

People blame Stalker, since she called it might happen while demanding food. She points out that if she planned on stealing food, she wouldn't have pointed out the possibility. Nobody believes her, since she's fatally blunt and does shit like that. (one of the major things that everyone hates her for is that she is actively trying to get along with Monokuma, and asking if this killing game was inspired by [X horror movie]?) So everyone (including Stalker) look for the food, but with no luck.

The group then demands those who hid their food to share it, with Val giving some, Theorist giving half, and Stalker flat out refusing.

A few more days pass, and the situation is getting dire.

People are complaining, while Stalker rolls his eyes and tells them they aren't starving yet. Wedding planner has had enough, and is chewing Stalker out about this. Valedictorian stays silent throughout this whole thing, but clearly feels conflicted. (Stalker is the people pleaser of the century, and is channeling Togami hard early game.)

Eventually, the body of the SHSL competitive eater is found slumped over airport security. He has bruises, but the fatal blow was a head injury. Stalker is,,, creepily calm about this, and immediately starts examining the body.

Everyone comes when the BDA rings except one of the NPCs. Eventually, they find them dead in their room of strangulation.

When the Monokuma files are given out, it is revealed that Competitive Eater died during the big argument everyone had, so everyone in it has an alibi. NPC died ~an hour earlier.

Then there's all of the intricate shit a murder case requires, but the important character driven details are: - Theorist actively hinders the group by coming up with off the wall theories like the victims not actually being dead, or the murder weapon being the missing food. - Missing food never turns up, despite them suspecting the food thief for most of the trial. - Val goes batshit insane when delivered a challenge, and single handedly wants to carry the trial. She's also incredibly smart. - Conductor (who is mute, and communicates via the monopad) is spoken over during trials due to tts being slow, which is a shame because he has good points. - Stalker is the other MVP of the trial, but has a tendency to overthink things. (At one point, he suspects the body was moved solely due to a lack of blood, instead of the killer attempting to clean up.) - The Male Pairs Skater is talked over by the Female one, and the two of them tend to disagree. (Not exactly like the twins, when its more introvert and extrovert dynamic rather than abuser and victim. He's just not as confident.) - Everyone listens to Seer due to her talent. Seer lowkey hates this, since she feels like she doesn't have as good of an idea of the case. - It is revealed that Stalker, who seemed like a very "only in it for himself" kind of person, gave half of her food to Val without Val knowing. When asked, says its because she doesn't like people owing her shit, and that it'd take a lot longer than this to die of starvation. - Eventually, it is revealed that the Competitive Eater killed the NPC, and then attacked someone who stumbled in on the cleanup. I imagine this'd be easy for players to metagame from Sayaka and Leon, but it stumps the players.

Due to the method of cleanup on Eater's body, the Art Forger comes under suspicion. This is a surprise, since everyone thought she was a bit of an airhead up to this point. (its revealed in her FTEs that the reason she knows nothing about real life is that she had a shitty father that never let her out of the house. Also, she doesn't know thats not normal.)

It was revealed to be an accident, she just meant to throw him away from her, but his head hit the security bench and he died.

She didn't even know about the other murder, she thought it was a random attack.

(another tangent, in my version Monokuma says its possible to survive every execution, and that blackeneds should try. It never happens.)

The whole group is giving her advice on how she could survive, and hoping for the best.

Then Stalker opens his fucking mouth, and gives a

"I don't blame for for the murder. That was a complete accident. But, the moment you tried to clean up that body, you put your life before the rest of ours. As a result, I hate you. Live or die on your own terms, it has nothing to do with me"

to EVERYONES DISBELIEF.

The execution is Monokuma tying the Art Forger down and slowly forcing paint down her throat until she throws up her stomach explodes. She's crying, its gruesome.

You might think this doesn't have a lot to do with her talent, and that'll actually become relevant to the plot later!

Interesting tweet by @photomatt. I am thinking that @Tumblr could replace Twitter if they actually embraced Matrix & the Fediverse.

But then there is this:

Note: I am providing screenshots here just in case Twitter disappears!

Okay, so Automattic is trying to make Tumblr self sustaining by offering premium features that people would be willing to pay for.

Premium features that Tumblr currently offers are:

Vanity blue check marks

Premium custom themes

Tumblr Blaze (basically paying to promote your post to other Tumblrs)

Pay for ad free browsing

Apparently this is not enough, so what other features could Tumblr offer that users would be willing to pay for‽ Here are a few a few suggestions:

Actual verification (yes, seriously)

As people flee Twitter, they will look at alternatives & Tumblr will receive a massive amount of traffic (which will drive up the cost of the site). This includes celebrities, businesses, politicians, other government officials, etcetera.

Offer a real verification service that is open to everyone—celebrities, businesses & normal people—but would require:

A real world ID (passport, government ID, drivers license, etcetera).

An annual fee (between $100-$300 depending on the person or organization, government official, etcetera) in order to combat spam impersonation

A video phone call from Tumblr / WordPress staff (Facetime, Telegram, WhatsApp, etcetera) to confirm the person/organization is legit

Forget the checkmark (twitter ruined that) & use something else (maybe dancing emoji’s around the profile picture‽ Make it unique to Tumblr).

Federation with ActivityPub

I honestly would prefer that this would be a free feature, however the sad fact remains that people could easily be overwhelmed with spammers, trolls, scams, etcetera, outside of Tumblr & not know how to deal with it.

I solo host on Darnell.one & I have encountered spammers, trolls & scammers on Matrix & Mastodon (latter uses ActivityPub).

While I have the patience to deal with the unfettered interwebs attempting to harass me, most people will feel overwhelmed with [email protected] sending them unsolicited messages on the daily.

Making it a premium feature would reduce the chance of spammers using Tumblr to harass the world (resulting in Federation blocks), as well as preventing people from being harassed by the world.

Price should be between $5-$10/month

Into The Matrix

I am already on Matrix (I am @darnell:shh.darnell.ooo for those interested) & I think integration would be key with one caveat: make it a replacement for messages on Tumblr.

So I could then use @darnell:tumblr.com to securely communicate to other people on Tumblr as well as Matrix users for free.

However, those who pay Tumblr could also use their Matrix/Tumblr messenger to communicate with other people on Facebook Messenger, Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, etcetera, via bridging, which would appeal to power users.

Another bonus is that paying folks could also create their own mini zoom like video calls, without having to use Zoom (which would appeal to people on Tumblr). I would make it so that paying folks can initiate a call, but anyone else on Tumblr can join for free (in order to increase appeal).

Price range would be between $10-$20/month (as this tech is not cheap!).

LiveStreaming

Instead of relying on YouTube, Tumblr should offer this feature for free—with a catch.

People should be able to live broadcast in standard definition for free, but if they want the broadcast in high definition as well as saved then they will have to pay for storage (otherwise the streamed video is deleted after 24 hours).

Premium users could also have the “broadcasted on Tumblr” watermark/label removed, as well as the ability to automatically upload their video elsewhere (VideoPress, Vimeo, YouTube, etcetera).

Price range should be $10/month

Tumblr Prime‽

Tumblr should also offer a combination package on all of the above except verification (for obvious reasons).

Call it Tumblr Prime or Tumblr Pattycakes for all I care, but for around $20/month they should offer:

ActivityPub federation

Matrix Integration for messages (including bridging, video conference calls, etcetera)

Live-streaming services

Of course Auttomattic should look at the economics of these features to see if they are feasible, but I think they can come up with a workable solution that is deemed valuable.

That is all folks!

Those are my suggestions, & if you made it this far after reading this post, congratulations! If you have any suggestions, refutations, or questions feel free to comment below or message me via Tumblr.

Staying Safe Online: Protecting Businesses From Phishing Attacks  

Cybercrime is a big threat to businesses today. One of the most common cybercrimes is phishing.

Phishing is an online scam where criminals try to trick you into giving away sensitive information like passwords and other important financial details using various methods.  With billions of phishing emails sent out every day, it is still one of the main ways cybercriminals attack individuals and companies.

If a phishing attack is successful, it can lead to identity theft, financial losses, data breaches, and damage to a company's/ individual's reputation. As these scams get trickier to spot, to not get scammed businesses need to be on guard at all times. Companies can start from training all their employees on how to recognise and avoid phishing attempts.

This guide will show you how to protect your business from phishing scams.

First, we'll explain exactly what phishing is and how it works. Then we'll look at some common tricks used by scammers. After that, we'll outline proven ways to prevent successful phishing attacks against your organisation.

Keeping your digital assets safe has never been more crucial – let's get started.

What are Phishing Attacks? 

Phishing attacks are a type of online scam where cybercriminals attempt to trick you into revealing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or bank account details.

They do this by disguising themselves as a trustworthy source in an email, text message, or fake website.

Commonly, a phishing attack begins with a fraudulent message intended to seem as though it's from a genuine organisation you know or have worked with before.

The message might guarantee there's an issue with your account or payment and that you should most certainly verify or update your data.

It will contain a link sending you to a fake website that mimics the real one.

Assuming you enter your login credentials, credit card number, or other personal information on this false website, cybercriminals can steal that data and use it for identity fraud, unauthorised purchases, or selling on the dark web.

Even if you realise it's a scam, the damage is done once you've handed over your data.

Phishing remains one of the biggest cyber security dangers since it straightforwardly targets individuals rather than technology.

Using social engineering tactics, phishing scams trick people into making poor security choices. Learning to spot the telltale signs is crucial for protecting yourself and your organisation.

Related Read: 

-A Definitive Guide to Accelerate Identity Verification without Compromising Security

-Securing the Modern World: The Indispensable Role of Digital Identity Verification 

-KYC 101: Navigating the Digital Realm with Know Your Customer Precision 

-Cybersecurity Challenges in the Information Age: What You Need to Know

Who are the Main Targets of Phishing Attacks? 

Phishing attacks can target anyone who uses the internet.

Cybercriminals cast a wide net, trying to trick as many people as possible into giving away sensitive information.

However, some groups tend to be targeted more frequently: 

Businesses and Employees

Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency to pressure employees into acting quickly without thinking critically.The email might demand immediate payment for a fake invoice or threaten account suspension for non-compliance, representing themselves as a legit source They exploit trust within the organisation to trick employees into giving away sensitive information or clicking on malicious links. If an employee is successfully phished, it can lead to data breaches, financial theft, or ransomware. Scammers pretend to be high-level executives (CEO, CFO), IT support staff, or even well-known vendors.

Wealthy Individuals

Phishers might send emails that appear to be from the victim's bank or financial advisor, urging them to update account details or download malicious software to steal login credentials. They lure wealthy individuals with promises of high returns on investments in fake stocks, cryptocurrencies, or other schemes.

    Senior Citizens

Scammers often target seniors with emails or calls claiming problems with their Medicare or Social Security benefits.They might threaten to suspend benefits and in return will request personal information to "verify" the account. Phishers might pose as tech support representatives offering to fix non-existent computer problems. Once they gain remote access to the individual's computer, they can steal financial information or install malware.

       Young People

Scammers can hijack social media accounts or create fake profiles to lure teens into sharing personal information or clicking on malicious links disguised as games, quizzes, or free downloads.Phishing emails may impersonate financial aid agencies or educational institutions, requesting personal details or bank account information under the guise of verifying eligibility for scholarships or grants.

Essentially, if you use online technology and services at all - personally or professionally - you possess some data that cybercriminals want to steal.

Raising awareness is key for everyone to spot and avoid phishing attempts.

Common Phishing Attack Examples 

Phishing attacks come in many disguises, but their goal is always the same: to trick you into giving up personal information or infecting your devices with malware.

Here are some of the most common phishing attack examples: 

Email Phishing: One of the oldest and most widespread, email phishing involves messages pretending to be from authorised companies or contacts.

The emails look genuine but contain malicious links or attachments. Once you click on the link, they may download malware or send you to fake websites designed to steal your login credentials.

SMS Phishing: Similar to email phishing, SMS phishing or smishing occurs via text messages claiming you need to update info, have won a prize, etc. The malicious links provided aim to compromise your mobile device.

Voice Phishing: Voice Phishing or vishing scams operate through phone calls, often using robotic voices claiming to be from legitimate organisations like banks or cable providers. The goal is to trick you into revealing personal and financial information.

Spear Phishing:  More targeted than general phishing, spear phishing aims at specific individuals or companies. Cybercriminals research their targets to increase the credibility and effectiveness of their phishing attempts.

Whaling: Whaling is a form of spear phishing explicitly targeting high-profile executives and leaders within businesses and organisations.

Clone Phishing: With clone phishing, scammers copy legitimate emails from real companies and make small edits before resending the emails with malicious links and payloads attached.

How Does Phishing Scam Work? 

Scammers do this by sending fake emails, texts, or messages that look real and trustworthy. These often create a sense of urgency, asking you to quickly log into a website, open an attachment, or provide personal data.

The messages may claim there's a problem with your account that needs immediate attention or they offer an exciting deal to lure you into taking the risky action.

Scammers also use phone calls pretending to be customer service reps from companies you know. Once they get hold of your login or financial information, they can access your real accounts and steal your money or identity.

Phishing is so dangerous because it plays on human trust and pressures you to act quickly without thinking it through. If you fall for it, the criminal gets easy access to your sensitive data.

The best defence is staying alert for any unsolicited message asking for private information, no matter how legitimate it looks. Verify everything before clicking any links or giving out personal details.

How to Protect Against Phishing Attacks: 7 Best Practices 

1. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication Ensure double protection by requiring two or more credentials for logging into business accounts. This extra layer of security can prevent unauthorised access, even if login information is compromised.

2. Regular Backups and Updates  Test your backup and recovery plan regularly to ensure data recoverability during emergencies.Regularly backing up data simplifies the process of recovering information in critical situations.

3. Security Software Install security software like firewalls, spam filters, and antivirus programs to guard against phishing attacks. Web filters can also prevent employees from accessing malicious websites.

4. Educate Employees & Customers  Knowledge is a powerful defence against phishing. Keep open communication with your audience, staff, and customers about the risks of phishing attacks and ways to stay safe.

5. Develop Robust IP (intellectual property) Portfolio  Protect your business identity by ensuring comprehensive coverage of intellectual property. Safeguard your domain name, copyrights, and social media presence to prevent online criminals from impersonating your company.  

6. Notify Malicious Behaviour Immediately report any malicious behaviour or phishing attacks to the relevant platform. Taking quick action is essential to prevent damage to your brand from any issues.

7 Leverage Comprehensive Digital Security Solution  Stay ahead of growing phishing tactics by investing in a comprehensive digital security solution. It will protect your business from scammers, alert you to phishing websites, and monitor financial and personal accounts for signs of fraud.

For peace of mind, consider adopting this solution to enhance your overall cybersecurity.

Essential Steps to Protect Yourself from Phishing Threats

Even for cautious users, detecting a phishing attack can be challenging, as these schemes become increasingly sophisticated over time, with hackers tailoring their move to appear highly convincing, making it easy for people to fall victim.

To fortify your online security, consider implementing the following proactive measures:

Access websites directly by entering the URL in your browser, rather than clicking on links embedded in messages.

Enhance your email security by utilising robust spam filters and enabling two-factor authentication whenever possible.

Block unwanted spam numbers to prevent unsolicited calls and messages.

Refrain from responding to unsolicited emails, text messages, or phone calls, as they may be potential phishing attempts.

Review and adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms to limit the exposure of personal information.

Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks whenever possible, as they can be susceptible to eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.

Regularly update your applications and software to ensure that you benefit from the latest security patches and vulnerability fixes. 

The Bottom Line: Adopt a Proactive Approach to Combat Phishing Threats

Phishing scams pose a significant threat to businesses and individuals alike, jeopardising and financial assets at risk.

To battle these digital attacks, embracing a proactive approach is critical.

Implement robust security measures, educate employees and customers, remain watchful for dubious exercises, and leverage comprehensive digital security solutions like Instantpay's comprehensive identity verification solutions.

By taking proactive measures and bracing your business with the right tools, you can stay away from the dangers related to phishing dangers, protecting important information and reputation.

Why Your Inventory Sucked Part 4

Sorry this is a bit late, my current job is kicking my butt this week.

It's weird how much my current job is like the old inventory job. Both are done when they're done, both have me driving to various places, both involve going to Dollar General, a lot. But there are some differences, like I can move jobs around, and choose when I start them, and in what order. I have a lot more freedom. And I get a lot more sleep.

Anyway, this is less a part 4 and more a continuation of the last part. Sorry, it was just getting very, very long and this one will be longer.

Here's the thing: Everything I wrote in the previous parts, all the issues that can make an inventory go bad, they can be accounted for. There are solutions, ways to reduce the the effect. It varies, of course, and the inventory won't become GOOD by any stretch, but it can be prevented from being worse.

But there is one thing, one solitary thing, that I can't do anything about. I can't fix it, I can't mitigate it. If it happens, everything gets worse. Minor issues become magnified. Stress goes up, crews get mad, it takes longer, it gets messier, everyone is unhappy. It's all about. . .

PART 4: Bad Prep

Inventory prep is a many nebulous thing. On the surface, it's really just about lining product up on the shelves, but there is more to it. Inventory takes over the store for a day, or two in some cases, and there's a lot more to be ready for, and a lot more that can be failed.

Let's start with the knowledge part. The store staff needs to know what to expect when we come in. Because eventually they will hear the mating call of the inventory counter

"SKU CHECK!"

Sku's (pronounced skew) are basically the identification number for a product. Usually it's the UPC, but not always. The scanners read the UPC, find a match in the master file the scanner has in memory, and then prompts for a quantity. However, if the UPC doesn't have a match in the master file, it complains, "NOT ON FILE." Thus, "Sku check," is called. "This isn't on our master file, come tell us what to do with this."

It's also the catch all for when we need help with, well, anything. No barcode to scan? Sku Check! Need help moving something big and heavy? Sku Check! Oh dog the shelf is falling, help me! SKU CHECK! This is all fine and good, but it requires the store staff to KNOW why we're calling Sku Check.

Which bring us to Lowes. Yeah, the blue hardware store. They are notorious for not responding to sku checks. I even developed a special "Lowes voice" for them. It was loud, and got louder every time I had to say it. Once it got so loud that I, in one corner of the store, could be heard in the OPPOSITE corner of the store. No one responded to that either.

Why? Because Lowes has a special inventory crew that goes in, and NONE of them tells the regular store staff what's going on. They have no idea that Sku Check means to come as soon as possible. The Lowes inventory crew can't be with us because they have their own tasks, so we have to hope someone responds. Eventually I tried to learn enough about how their item system worked so *I* could respond to Sku Checks.

Which is better than what one counter told me he did. He was a legit bad counter, not just slow (which he was) but also inaccurate and just didn't care. Anyway, he said he would call Sku Check twice, and if no one came, drop the item on the floor and kick it under the shelf. He lost his job not long after.

Lowes also had an annoying habit of opening multiple boxes of the same thing and throwing them on the shelf. STOP THAT! You do not need 6 boxes of outlet covers open on the shelf. For one, it makes loss prevention easier because, guess what, it's easier to steal one item than entire box of items. Two: Sometimes people want to buy a whole box of those things. Three, now I have to count them because a sealed box has a set number of items in it, an open box does NOT. Don't open them until you have to, PLEASE!

Inventories are inherently destructive. We WILL destroy your store. We try not to, and the better prepped for inventory the less destruction we will cause. I used to tell my counters to try not to wreck the store any more than a customer would, and if you know what a customer can do to a store, that should scare you.

When you don't prep the store, the gloves come off. We have work to do, and we aren't going to make your store look nice, we don't get paid for that.

I was in a JC Penny. I had already done a morning job and was asked to help (and deliver some extra tablets, we were always short of them). So there was this table of stacked, long sleeved, Nike shirts. Probably 20 piles of shirts, maybe more. Now in a well prepped store, the store staff will pull the tags out so they're easy to access. I mean, I will still turn the piles over to make sure I got them all, but the pile will stay more or less sorted, you know, how a customer might leave it.

No tags were pulled. I can still do it, just pull the tag out. It's either in the collar or at the end of the sleeve (usually, there are cases). Well, they weren't in the collar, so at the end of the sleeve. So I reach in and, I can't find it. What I mean is I can FEEL it, through the clothing, but I can't get my fingers on the tag itself.

Turns out they were folded so that the tag was IN the sleeve, and that was folded up inside the shirt. In other words, the only way I can get to it, is to undo the fold. On ALL of the shirts (clothing is AQ-1, gotta scan them all). Now I kept the piles together, but that neat table I started on was a wreck when I left, and I apologized to a nearby worker, but I don't get paid to fold, I get paid to count.

Another factor is basically hiding stuff from the inventory crew. Franchise stores are often like this, especially the gas stations. As I said before, whatever they're short, they have to pay the parent company, in cash. So they have a "trick" to minimize that. They bury product, look at the numbers and then go "oh did you count this?" and pull of box of bullshit out of a shed.

This is a bad idea, they shouldn't do that. The parent company tells them not to do it. It can only lead to issues further down the line. But sometimes, they don't do it on purpose. I had one store that was coming up short. The franchisee (or was a store manager for a franchisee, I forget which, doesn't matter) looks at the numbers and we start walking through the store making sure we didn't miss anything.

Now the office area in this store is quite large, big enough to contain the cigarette cage (locked box for cigs and tobacco) and both freezers for their hot wings or whatever. I have a tag just for this room and separate tags for the freezers and cage, so to my knowledge we have counted everything in this room.

Then he opens a drawer in his desk.

Disposable razors. Half a dozen at least. Opens another drawer, more razors, another, more razors. Must have been 20 or 30 of the damn things, and it's a good chunk of money. We counted this room together, and he didn't think to mention these were in the drawers, in fact, he didn't seem to REMEMBER they were there. Now maybe he was hiding them, maybe not, but it made me paranoid at every store from then on, I would pull open drawers looking for more product.

And sometimes, things happen. Dollar Tree is a store that respects our time as counters: It knows it's full of junk and lets us treat it as such. Those giant bins at the bottom of the shelf are scan one, count them all. There were a few exceptions, namely Bibles, and flowers which were to be counted AQ-1.

This store was packed. It was in a shopping center with a K-Mart as an anchor (yeah, this was a while ago now) and so if people went to K-Mart and couldn't find what they wanted at the price they wanted, they'd swing over to the Dollar Tree. Which was fine, until the K-Mart closed. Now fewer people came to the shopping center at all, yet they kept sending the same amount of stuff to the store. So it was packed.

I was set to count the over stuffed stock room, which took a while. They did the best they could, so I don't blame them for bad prep here. Anyway, as I get near the end, the store manager comes up to me. He apologizes and tells me that he only recently took over and has just found something his predecessor had left behind.

The previous manager would get in seasonal flowers that needed to get put out. But the current flowers had packed the sections so what to do? Well they grabbed a box, dumped the old flowers in and threw that box in a closet. And did this SEVERAL times. Something like 20 times.

These are not small boxes, these are big moving boxes. So instead of me finishing the stock room and joining the sales floor crew, the sales floor crew had to come back to help me count the boxes of freaking flowers. Hidden in a closet, GAH!

Now I must rant about Dollar General.

DGs are the quintessential inventory. They have a bit of everything and represent just about everything we do. It's also where I came to loath bad prep, and understand the difference good prep can have on an inventory.

Their stock rooms are usually made of rolltainers. They're cages on wheels. Full boxes of product are placed on it and when prepped right, the specials labels are facing outward so I can scan them. Of course the distribution center doesn't do that, so the store has to. If they don't, I have to remove everything from the rolltainer. Worse, there are certain labels that I cannot scan, which we called "Pack Ones" which had to be opened and counted. Or sometimes they would miss a single box and either put the label somewhere unreachable, like inside of the stack, or behind one of the bars of the cage.

That said often the stock rooms were just full of rolltainers, to the point that we would have to stage some out on the salesfloor just to be able to get the next one out to scan. Pray to dog you sequence it right so the salesfloor crew doesn't run into them while you're working or they'll skip the 2 or 3 tags those rolltainers are blocking.

Then there's the top stock, or as some corpo dipshit called them "sky shelves." The idea is good, instead of keeping stuff in your stock room, you'd stack excess on the top most shelf of the area and restock from there, except DG doesn't stop sending shit to the store so the stock room is still, to this day, full to the brim with crap. Worse, the top stocks are now full of crap too, including bins full of candy (otherwise it falls on the floor). So it takes that much longer to count and, and. . .

Totes.

Dollar General wants many things AQ-1'd. Some of them are silly, at one point they wanted toothbrushes counted this way, for example. Packs of underwear, pillows, towels, nicknacks in their "home" section, picture frames, all books, and of course flowers. It makes SOME sense, so I won't completely knock it, but then there are totes.

Totes are technically gray, plastic shipping boxes with folding tops that the distribution center uses to send items that can't easily be stored on a rolltainer. You've probably seen them sitting on the salesfloor as the staff empties them out onto the shelves. But they can also be any bin, box or container in the store. Everything in them MUST be AQ-1'd. Yes, even that full box of candy bars someone put in there, every bar is supposed to be scanned (this never happens because we have better things to do with our lives).

DG had a problem with them for a log time, still does in some places. I've heard tell of 300 totes in one store, but I don't think I've ever seen more than a couple hundred, and that was enough honestly. One store I did had random boxes of all shapes and sizes in their stock room. One had a label as to what was supposed to be in it, and it simply said "bunch of shit" and it wasn't wrong. It was so bad that at one point the entire crew would descend on these boxes and try to knock them out early, only to be there for a couple hours before even starting the proper salesfloor.

And then there was that one store. The worst store I have ever seen and counted. I shouldn't have counted it, I should have forced a cancellation, but I was a fool, and had a fool for a boss.

Would you like to see pictures of it? Oh yeah, I still have them, it was that legendary. Keep in mind these are small due to me having to use our scanners to take them to send them to corporate, but they're clear enough. Let's start simple shall we?

There's some totes for you. This is down the hallway leading to the bathrooms. The registers are behind me as I take this picture, easily viable by anyone at the registers. That's 23 totes just here, not even in the stock room.

Those boxes are held together with hopes and dreams and stuffed to brim with toys. Random boxes like this were all over store.

Remember how I said full boxes were supposed to be on rolltainers? Well they took them off and put them on the salesfloor, without opening them.

But really, this isn't the true madness. THIS is.

The front door is at the far end of this picture. Look at the boxes. Those aren't just boxes, those are boxes whose flaps have been taped up so they could get more shit into them.

Reverse angle. See that shape in the back? That's a rounder of clothing, there's another box UNDER that we wouldn't find until the end of the count. I look at these pictures and I keep tell myself this was at about 6 am that morning, while my memory is of much later when my counters got through with them and dumped PILES of items that were to be disposed of (penny items) on the floor because where the hell else was it supposed to go?

The worst part is that those gray totes from earlier, there was an entire WALL of them in the stock room which I didn't picture because it was UNREMARKABLE!

But this pile of Christmas stuff is. BTW, if you need Christmas wrapping paper or lights in the middle of summer, ask the local Dollar General. The manager especially, odds are good they've got some in their stock room they'd love to get rid of. But this was just stupid.

The point of all this? We remember the bad stores. We will TALK about the bad stores. We will tell other stores in the same company about the bad stores. It doesn't just effect YOUR inventory, but every inventory. The affected crews will be tired and cranky. We will dread returning to your store, and pass warnings to other offices. It will hang around your next like a stone for a long time.

I think it took them another year after this to put a hard cap on tote count. If it was crossed, the inventory would be canceled, no questions asked. To their credit, most stores managed to cut down on this mess and near the end there were maybe 50 totes in a store, if that.

Good prep, though, is the greatest thing. A very different Dollar General, with the same layout as this one, had what I call "perfect" prep. The stock room was empty, like straight up empty, no totes, no rolltainers. The shelves were heavy but organized. The crew ripped through the store so fast we had to wait for the audits to catch up at the end. A 4 hour day for a store that should take at least 6. Prep the store right, and the inventory goes smooth as butter and fast as lighting. We don't forget those stores either.

There, I think I spent all my ranting energy finally. It's out of my head now. I feel better.

Wait.

No, there's something else. One last thing. See, there is one client, one company, one chain of stores that I hate for all the right, and all the inventory reasons. One store that is basically a living nightmare, and one that I must talk about specially. So next time, that story.

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OKAY SO. slb lore. cracks my knuckles lets go:

this lil blue bitch right here? their name is strive. their planet (moebius, yes named after the famous artist) is dying because these crazy triangle ship things stole all the starlight from them and now everything’s dying. the thieves are named The Void.

^^ seen here. they’re being bastards, killing planets, stealing stars, and fighting wars. that’s The Void.

anyway strive’s all sad about the stars and shit but THEN. A STAR APPEARS. AND THEY RUN AFTER IT WITH AN ANGSTY GLANCE BACK AT THEIR ELDER.

(again if you compare them to my grian design i’ll kill you that’s bullying you’re bullying me)

strive goes to investigate the fallen star and finds Holy Shit! That’s Not A Star! it’s a whole ass void ship that’s crashed down into their front yard! they touch it and BOOM they get sucked inside of it by some Magic and it shapes itself into a custom ship for them and blasts the fuck off. bye moebius rest in fuck i guess.

strive goes through a GOD DAMN SHIP GRAVEYARD that surrounds moebius when they get a message from a smiling mustache guy! it’s the intergalactic band members of twrp and the brigadiers who are fighting the void together!

lookit them all at this table. isn’t that nice. the robot one is havve hogan, the orange traffic cone man is doctor sung, the ninja one is ninja brian (he’s not in twrp but it’s complicated), the furry is commander meouch, and the red one is lord phobos! they all have lore too but it’s insane and not related to the mv SO we’re moving past it. (the lady in the helmet is an unnamed oc for the video; in the fandom we called her captain elle, after the animator who designed her— elle power!)

oh SHIT The Void is attacking. that’s not good! the brigade assumes attack position! everyone fights The Void fleet with everything they have to prevent more stars from being stolen. interestingly, strive’s ship is the only one without weapons (the rest of the brigade has weapons and controls tied to their instruments, i believe), and so they have to resort to making the voidships fight each other. the brigade tries to find their way to destroy the Main Dorito, but there’s a shield! oh no! strive is shot down and legit fucking dies.

like legit fucking dies. but it’s an anime death and they’re fine and they wake up all glowy and cool with Sick Anime Hair and enough power to ram the FUCK out of that Dorito Shield.

they get in! and then they’re all sucked INTO the Ultimate Dorito and have to fly through so that’s pretty crazy.

look at how crazy that fucking shot is. they’re going through what i like to call “the black and gray” because it’s a line in the song :^)

anyway the Ultimate Dorito is no match for the POWER OF FRIENDSHIP. that shit explodes and all the stars are returned to the galaxy! strive is accepted as part of the now intergalactic hero band: THE STARLIGHT BRIGADE.

and that’s the BASIC plot. i have like a billion hcs but that’s the gist of it! some details from the patreon posts:

strive is meant to be somewhere around 16-21 but they could be any younger or older depending on the viewer’s interpretation!

the void is controlled by a huge hivemind that commands all the ships. there aren’t any void pilots for this reason, though some people do suspect that there is a queen.

moebians are based on starlings, and have little feather-styled ears! (NO GRIAN. NONE WHATSOEVER. I AM BEATING MYSELF W A STICK.) they can have different facial markings and skin tones. the crystals in their chests are suspected to be tied to their hope or starlight intake; either way, strive is the only one whose light is still intact at the time of their departure.

THERE’S MORE BUT I GET HCS AND CANON MIXED UP A LOT. WHEN I TELL YOU THAT WE MADE OUR OWN CANON WE REALLY REALLY DID.

Reiner - NSFW Alphabet

Reiner x F!reader

A/N: I really wanted to write something for Reiner and this happened! I hope you enjoy it. I might have added way too much drama for a simple nsfw alphabet but I have so many strong feelings for Reiner that I CAN'T. I'm just a simp... Okay, so keep in mind I made this thinking of post-timeskip Reiner.

Warnings: NSFW, obviously. Smut, fluff, angst. Some kinks discussed.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

First things first, he’ll help you get cleaned up. He will either get a clean rug or you’ll share a shower. He won’t leave you alone, asking if you’re okay, if you need help, leaving several kisses on your shoulders and lips.

He’s rather emotional afterwards too. When you are lying on your bed in the dead of the night, he doesn’t understand how you are able to love him after all he’s done. He embraces your body and buries his face right in the crook of your neck. Reiner inhales your scent as you trace random patterns in the broad expanse of his back. He trembles in the slightest of manners, and you hear a faint sob, but you don’t say anything. You let him stay like that for as long as he likes. Sometimes it takes five minutes for him to calm down, while other times, it takes hours. But you don’t mind, and let his warmth surround you. He’s ever grateful of your love and carefulness. It’s not easy to forget all he’s done, and it’s even more difficult to accept he must live with the weight of his sins, so these moments of some kind of normality crush him. But you’re there, ready to help him.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

He might be biased because of his training as the Armoured Titan, but he loves his arms and back. Reiner is strong and he uses it to his advantage. It makes him feel powerful and in control, more so when he has an opportunity in bed to show off his strength. He’s always elated when you absentmindedly caress his shoulders, arms and back.

Risking being vulgar, Reiner adores your ass. He takes a handful whenever he can – yes, even in public. If you wear something that accentuates your rear, the blond completely loses it, and it takes all his willpower not to kiss you and take you right there and then. During sex, it turns him on to see it, so he’s all into fucking in front of a mirror, or any position that lets him stare at your bum.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Reiner’s favourite place to cum is inside of you. He’s always a little scared, even with all the preventive measures, because the last thing he wants is getting you pregnant. Still, as a forbidden fruit, Reiner will enjoy every moment he’s releasing his seed inside of you, filling you to the brim. Unless you’ve gone a few rounds, Reiner’s cum is usually thick and abundant, always leaving a mess behind.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Reiner legit steals your underwear. He will regret it afterwards. But he does it anyways and more than once, he’s masturbated to your smell. To be fair, he would also steal other items that smell like you for those times you’re not around. Your scent helps him fall asleep and comforts him a lot.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He wasn’t that experience, although he had done the deed before. You live in a world where you could die in any moment, so he hasn’t held his urges that much. However, until he met you, he hadn’t let any of his previous partners see his most vulnerable side. Reiner always had that façade of confidence and assurance, that he always knew what he was doing, when in reality he was just faking it and hoping no one would notice. With you, that came to an end and he finally admitted he wasn’t as sure as he was supposed to be. Of course, it led you to a journey of exploration and you’d confidently say he’s now an expert. Reiner knows your body like the back of his hands, and he know exactly what to do to make you moan the way he likes. And of course, he’s an expert in making you cum whenever he wants, and for him, that’s enough experience.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

His favourite position is the one where you ride him with your ass facing him. He loves the view of your rear, that you can use him as you like for your own pleasure and that he can touch wherever he wants. He just sees advantages this way. Reiner would start eating you out while you were on all fours, getting you wet and ready for his cock. He’ll take his time as he savours your essence. Then, with his strong arms, he’d help you slide into his dick and grope your waist and your butt.

Since you often complain of him getting the best views, he’s committed to try as many positions as humanly possible. So, every other day, it’s an adventure.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

It really depends on Reiner’s humour. Sometimes, when sadness hits him, he just wants the solace of your body. During those times, he barely talks, and you answer to his silent pleas with actions rather than words. On the other hand, when he’s in a good mood, he loves teasing you. He’ll banter until you get slightly offended, all heated and cute, and then kiss you everywhere.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Reiner doesn’t have that much time to shave, so he just does labours of maintenance from time to time. And yes, the carpet matches the drapes. He’s got a dirty blond mop of hair down there.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

The blond gets too into it. He looks at you in the eye and smiles adoringly. He whispers sweet nothings in your ear when he’s embracing you, your skin on his. He repeats all the time how much he loves you, how amazing you are. Reiner’s the whole romantic package. It may backfire, though, because if it becomes too emotional, he might cry. He doesn’t believe he deserve any happiness, much less with you involved, so an uncontrollable, deep horror takes his heart until he can’t take it anymore. Thankfully, your reassuring words help him forget all those intrusive thoughts. You’re quite used to Reiner’s ups and downs, so it won’t ruin the mood that much, and you will continue your activities at some point during the night – or right away if Reiner insists.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

When he steals your underwear, it’s inside his coat’s pocket. Reiner takes them with one big hand, while the other goes to his girthy cock. He’s working on paperwork, most likely, and alone in his room or an office. He starts slowly pumping his dick up and down, turned on by your smell. Then, he thinks of the last time you were with him and his pace increases until he can’t take it anymore.

His favourite place to masturbate is the shower, though. His muscles relax under the hot water and he can let go all the tension that’s been accumulating there all day. Reiner can spend hours there. And he’s so kicked back, that his hands slowly roam his body and find his dick. He will lean against the wall, supporting himself with this free arm. His quiet moans get drowned by the noise of the shower, and he can take as long as he wants. So he strokes himself slowly, lazily into completion. One of the best parts is that he doesn’t have to clean all the mess he leaves, since he’s already under the running water. One of the worst parts is that he’s alone and, even though he enjoys it, but it’s not the same as being with a partner.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Is dry humping a kink? Because he adores it. Reiner loved watching your body rub against his with clothes on. This way, he can see how your face becomes more and more desperate for him to take you, and he loved the feel of being needed. So, yeah, he’s all into you both wherever you are – the chair, the sofa, the bed – making out, his tongue exploring your mouth, while you are riding his thigh, or your crotches rub together.

Reiner is into spanking, too. Not as a punishment. He’s just so turned on that he forgets all his manners and morals and spanks you sporadically. However, when the skin he’s hit turns red, he regrets it deeply. He feels bad, because it reminds him of all the harm he’s done, and you are always so loving… You like it anyways, so when you see the shadow of doubt grace his face, you reassure him that you enjoy it just as much as him. He still feels like a brute, but a happy one.

Finally, edging. Reiner has never had the reins of his own fate. Never. He became a warrior to please his mom and basically, his life has been determined by the decisions of other people. Most of the time, he feels helpless. Therefore, his love for edging roots in the control it grants him. He can decide when you are going to cum, when he’s going to give you your reward, and he loves that. It’s weird, because he’s not usually attracted by the idea of dominance over you, but this does it for him.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Truth be told, he’d make love to you anywhere. He likes the risk of both of you being caught, so I’d say an unfrequented yet public place. And he’ll never lock the doors, because there’s something appealing at someone seeing with their own two eyes that you love him, that he’s a great lover and that you chose him. He might be into exhibitionism a bit, but at the same time, he’s too shy to be open about it. In the end, he’ll try; Reiner kisses you deeply in the secluded but risky space, like the cleaning supplies closet, but just when things get heavy and sexy and you slide your hands to grab his dick, the blond proposes moving to somewhere more private. You’ll tease him a lot, and you’ll convince him to have sex in a place where you’ll get caught. On those rare occasions, you notice Reiner is hornier than usual. Actually, whenever you are in bed, just the fleeting mention of those episodes makes him lose his mind.

Other locations he enjoys, or rather pieces of furniture, are armchairs and sofas. The close contact it gives you, because you can’t lie down, makes him be able to reach any part of your body and cage you, so he’s all into it. Besides, it’s quite refreshing from always doing it on the bed. And it’s a plus if it’s not his or yours, for tainting an space that’s not yours adds to the spice and the fantasy.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Your whole self gets him going. You ass, mainly, but also your cute and gorgeous face, your voice, your body… When you dress up for him, it’s a treat. There’s no better gift. He can’t believe how lucky he is that someone like you loved him. Apart from those things, what gets him going is dirty talking. Mention his kinks and he’ll be up and ready to fulfil his duty. He’s filled with energy, love and anxiousness, so Reiner is nearly always up for sex.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Reiner is a bit possessive, so I think a threesome would be kind of a turn off, even though he might enjoy it if he tries it with someone he trusts. He’ll be reluctant to try toys, simply because the idea makes him all shy and uneasy.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Our favourite blond gives oral like a starved man. Your taste enticed him, and he can never get enough of you. He laps and laps all over your clit time after time, then lets his tongue roam inside your hole. At some point, he uses his fingers as well, because he doesn’t have the heart to tease you and wants to make you come. He’s going to give you more orgasms afterwards, so he won’t skimp on the pleasure he gives you.

There are few times in which you give him a blowjob and he’s not eating you out. During those rare occasions, he treats you as if you were made out of glass. His fingers caress your face and your hair delicately, and he tries staying as still as he can. Even when you scratch his thighs lightly, or play with his balls, he’ll behave, as disciplined as the soldier he is.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Reiner always starts slow and sensual, but it doesn’t last long. Not in the least. He gets impatient and once his mind is set and he sees you like it, his rhythm becomes relentless. It’s quite the experience, to be ravished in that way, but he can’t help it. Yet, in the rounds following the first one of the day, he’ll relax and control himself better. That’s when your most tender moments during sex are shared. He’s no longer chasing your high, but enjoying the moment, and you share loving words. This can last a lot, until you are oversensitive and cum because you’ve been at it for so long, you can’t take it anymore. Reiner, on the other hand, just comes at the same time because he can’t contain himself when you’re contracting around his cock.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He doesn’t like quickies. If there’s no other option, he’ll take it. Sometimes you can’t see each other as frequently, and you’ll have a mere hour together, so those are the occasions where he might accept a quickie, but it’s not his style. He needs his time to properly adore you. Otherwise, it leaves him cold a confused. Reiner considers quickies a bit soulless and he gets a bit paranoid that you’re distant or angry. Because of this, he prefers avoiding quickies altogether, because even though he knows those thoughts aren’t real, they make his heart ache even more in your absence.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Reiner likes to experiment different positions. He will try every position at least once – or almost any position. And he takes mental notes of the ones you enjoy the most, for real. Yet the only real risk he takes is having sex in semi public places, and it happens really far in between and at your constant begging. Reiner loves the idea of exhibitionism but can’t handle his shyness.

When it’s late at night, and you are in an office where anyone can enter, you kiss his lips with passion. He knows where this is going, and he’s torn. But your lips are so soft, and your hands roam across the muscles of his shoulders and arms… and he’s forgotten almost everything already. He’s sat on an armchair, so you climb onto his lap, straddling him with your legs. Your fingers begin to undo the buttons of his shirt, and his dick is already hard and pressed against your sex.

“What are you doing?”, he murmurs.

“Nothing”, you answer. You slowly sway your hips back and forth and Reinter lets out a moan. You let your tongue roam his mouth as you pull on the blond locks of his hair, then his hands find your waist. He’s squeezing you, and he answers to your movements with his own.

There are voices outside, but you don’t care. You undo his pants, and his dick breaks free. You discard your underwear, grunting at the lost of contact, but quickly come back to him.

“So?”, you tease.

“Let me have you already”, he sighs. You’ve caught him unarmed, and he’s ready to surrender. During the hour you are there, nobody interrupts you, but the noise outside is constant. You know he notices because his cock twitches every time. But you can see, at the same time, that he’s having way too much fun.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Reiner’s first round is usually the shortest, because he’s dying to have sex with you. Still, compared to other guys, it’s a long period of time. But once he’s come and breathe a bit, he wants more rounds. And this time, he’ll last much longer because he will be focused on enjoying all you have to offer instead of being overwhelmed with your presence. Reiner, all in all, is a guy with a lot of stamina, and being a warrior only enhances that aspect.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

He doesn’t own toys and he’s reluctant to use them. You might be able to convince him little by little. First, you could introduce him with toys he can use with you… but it will take long and a lot of patience.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

You tease him way more that he does tease you. Instead, he loves to spoil you, and even when he’s edging you, if you plead way too much, he’ll let you come. He’s got a heart of gold deep inside, and he can’t avoid not giving you something you want. Reiner’s just like that, attentive and helpful.

He enjoys teasing you with words, though. And he’ll tease you about every little thing you can think of. Until he finds a certain aspect that particularly irritates you, which he will use to his own benefit. He loves when you seem angry, but can’t resist his advances.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

He’s usually silent, releasing a moan here or there. But he will dirty talk a lot, so be ready. He starts with obscene sentences, but he softens and ends up being a flustered mess saying loving words. But the things he says, corny or not, do turn you on.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Modern AU! Reiner is not the kind of guy to send dick pics. However, the first time you were sexting, he sent a video without a warning. You hadn’t even sent each other a picture, so it caught you by surprise. It was incredibly sexy, as he was caressing his dick through his underwear, then taking it out and pumping it up and down. However, it took a few minutes to reach, which were enough to make Reiner paranoid. He started apologizing, until you phoned him and told him to come to your place right away.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Reiner is not the longest, but he’s thick. And when I mean thick, I mean that he has to make an effort to make you wet and ready for him. You love it, because it fills you completely and you can feel every little movement, so the stimulation washes over your whole body. He’s very confident in the way he makes you feel, so he likes his size. It’s also slightly curved upwards and a bit to the right, and his head is bright pink. He has foreskin and there’s a big vein gracing the left side. He’s never really thought about his dick at any level – he hasn’t done that thing of comparing his prick to his friends’ – but he can feel his heart swell with pride when you compliment him and praise him, and when you worship him with your mouth.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

This man always wants sex. Unless he’s really, really sad, in which case he needs a good hug… and it sometimes leads to sex because your body pressed against his own and he can’t control his urges. Fortunately, you’re almost always as needy as him.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Reiner has a lot of troubles falling asleep. You’re more likely to drift off first. He’s always dwelling on something, but he won’t be anxious. Instead, when your asleep right next to him, even if he’s awake, he feels calm and a sense of peace.

Ok so actually my biggest problem with the whole “Daenerys will burn KL” theory—not even the Mad Queen Dany theory, which is of course very sexist for obvious reasons, but just like, the idea that Dany will ~accidentally~ ignite the wildfire in the city, burning it all to the ground. That, at first, doesn’t sound that bad, but the longer I think about it the more I hate it because tbh it doesn’t do anything for her character? And also… that fate for her is just down right cruel.

Like, the most frequent argument I see on why this would be at all satisfactory for Dany’s arc is basically that it would be a sort of lesson for her about the dangers of unchecked power and the real threat the Dragons can pose on humans and that she shouldn’t use them to fight against other people. And that’s all well and good, excellent message… except that’s not something Dany’s ever really needed to learn? Not anymore that her fellow rulers, which I will touch on more detail later, but in general Dany has seen what the abuse of power can do. Starting with her conflicting feelings regarding Viserys and how she recognizes that even though he was her brother and she loved him, he also abused his power over her as her older brother, her only family and her king; she feels guilt about the atrocities Drogo committed to the lhazarene and tries to help them; she feels so much guilt about not handling things correctly in Astapor that she decides to throw away all her plans to go to Westeros and instead stays in Meereen.

And about not knowing the true danger that her dragons can pose? I mean, this is the same girl that literally agonizes across several of her ADWD chapters because Drogon killed a child, and then takes the extreme measure of caging Rhaegal and Viserion to prevent that from ever happening again. I think she’s at least a little bit aware that the dragons can be dangerous, thank you very much.

Ok so this got long...

Anyways, the only time Dany legit uses Drogon to harm someone and not just as bluff was at the house of the Undying, where she was being attacked, and in Astapor… and like, lmao, that asshole Kraznys mo Nakloz and the rest of his slaver buddies deserved it. Don’t at me. Also, Dany’s hardly the only one with a big magical and deadly beast at her disposal, why didn’t Robb had to go through some horrifying traumatic incident to learn he shouldn’t use Grey Wind in battle to tear his enemies’ throats. Bran will be learning about the dangers of abusing power, but that’s linked to his magic powers and an actual reprehensible thing he’s doing, not the use of his glorified prehistoric dog to kill, which he’s done, just like Robb. By all means let the narrative hold Dany accountable for her mistakes… but her actual mistakes and not shit she has no control over, because she doesn’t have much control over Drogon or the other dragons even though she’s trying to, and that’s very obvious in her last ADWD chapter where she’s delirious and Drogon could kill her at any moment, and she knows that.

The other big argument people make for Dany burning KL (even if it’s by accident!) is that it will teach her about the price of war, that someone as young as her shouldn’t be leading armies and conquering kingdoms, and that fighting for the Iron Throne is not a worthy cause, and I feel like that misses the actual point of her story by a mile. First of all because a) Dany is hardly the only teenage ruler in the story and b) this is a fantasy medieval story, a lot of the characters shouldn’t be doing the things they do, aaaand yet. Also speaking of other teenage rulers with far more power that they should have—Robb and Jon, being the biggest examples.

Granted, Robb and Jon aren’t exactly successful during their time as rulers, they’re literally betrayed and killed by their own men (even if Jon will technically come back for round 2 of bullshit he’s too tired for). But the moral of their stories is not that they lost because theirs was an unworthy cause and they were stupid kids wholly unprepared for their roles. And I actually partially agree! They are just kids, including Dany, and they shouldn’t be responsible for looking after so many others and going to battle, but their cause is still just and worthy, even with all the mistakes they make along the way. Robb didn’t loose because he was wrong in demanding justice for his family or trying to protect the riverlands from the Lannisters and their minions, he lost because Tywin Lannister was a giant coward who couldn’t take him out in a fair fight.

Likewise, it isn’t wrong of Jon to try to incorporate refugees from beyond the Wall into Westeros. He’s not too stupid and honorable to do politics like his father (how I hate when people insult Jon and Ned like that), and while he did some very obvious mistakes that inevitably ended in a coup and in him dying, this is more connected to his inability to let go of his ties with his family (mainly Arya or who he believes to be her), and in isolating himself from his friends and the people he could actually trust.

I’ve always thought that Dany and Jon share a parallel narrative within the story, so while Jon is struggling with that Dany is faced with similar problems. She cages her dragons, that to her represent the only family she has left, and she tries to compromise with the slavers, marry a man she doesn’t love, pretend she’s ok with reopening the fighting pit. While she tries her best to rule wisely in Meereen, it all comes at the cost of betraying herself and her beliefs, so it’s no surprise when it all crashes around her and she’s betrayed and nearly killed. Ironically, it is Drogon who comes to rescue her.

If they are monsters, so am I.—Daenerys II, ADWD.

This is hands down one of my favorite Dany quotes from the whole series, and I hate that it’s been given such a negative connotation in the fandom, when for me it represents Dany’s humanity and compassion at the fullest.

GRRM has a knack for humanizing the ‘monsters’ of his story, for showing the good in the outcasts and the ugly and the scary. He embraces their ‘otherness’ and makes them the heroes of his stories; Arya, Bran, Brienne, Dany, Tyrion, Jon, Theon and many others are all compared to monsters or beasts at one point or another in the books.

Dany sees herself in her dragons, literal monsters in every sense of the word. Later on she faces Drogon inside the pit, and in that moment you could say that she accepts that ‘monstrous’ part of her, and in doing so she’s saved from her fate of dying at the hands of the men who would crucify innocent children and gleefully profit off of the suffering of their fellow human beings while watching them fight each other to the death for their own amusement. Now tell me who’s the real monster in this situation.

But shortly before that happens, Dany is able to see the humanity in Tyrion, an outcast who has been branded as monstrous and unlovable due to his disability all his life, a man who has come to believe in his abusers’ rhetoric about him so strongly that he’s started to act cruel and detached. She saves his life. She sees value in his life when few others would, because she cares.

I’ve always find it funny that the “dragons plant no trees” is—another—example fans use to argue in favor of Dany’s descent into Darkness™ because the actual scene goes like this:

You are a queen, her bear said. In Westeros.

"It is such a long way," she complained. "I was tired, Jorah. I was weary of war. I wanted to rest, to laugh, to plant trees and see them grow. I am only a young girl."

No. You are the blood of the dragon. The whispering was growing fainter, as if Ser Jorah were falling farther behind. Dragons plant no trees. Remember that. Remember who you are, what you were made to be. Remember your words.—Daenerys X, ADWD.

Now am I the only one who finds it at least a bit relevant that it’s freaking Jorah Mormont aka Jorah the Enslaver whom Dany’s subconscious, at her literal lowest moment, utilizes to represent this particular thought, which btw I’ve always interpreted as Dany’s own self-loathing manifesting in her, and this is something she’s actually always struggled with—the idea that she’s not enough and she’s failing. Because above all things, even Westeros or the Iron Throne, what Dany wants is peace, she wants to plant trees.

When Dany made her descent, Reznak and Skahaz dropped to their knees. "Your Worship shines so brightly, you will blind every man who dares to look upon you," said Reznak. […] This match will save our city, you will see."

"So we pray. I want to plant my olive trees and see them fruit." Does it matter that Hizdahr's kisses do not please me? Peace will please me. Am I a queen or just a woman?—Daenerys VII, ADWD.

But of course the world doesn’t work like that, and so long as there’s Jorahs and Tywins and Eurons out there, men who would take the freedom of humans and submit them to their will, Dany can’t have the luxury of peace, just like Jon can’t have the luxury of belonging and family so long as there’s people still beyond the Wall who need his protection.

And I think that’s fine. It’s fine that Dany failed, it will help her develop as a character and realize that there’s no room to compromise with slavers, the metaphorical monsters of the story who do far more harm than the other more literal ‘monsters’ of the story. So that when she has to face down Euron Greyjoy—who btw, there’s a high chance he will end up stealing one of Dany’s dragons via Victarion using Dragonbinder… y’know, as in enslaving one of her children and using said dragon to inflict god knows what horrors, yet not many people ever consider this for some reason?—she will know. When she has to face down the Others, the magical ice fairies with no regard for human life, she will know.

That’s why I believe that it would make absolutely no sense for Dany to have to go through such a tragic and traumatic experience like burning a whole city even by pure accident, over something that’s either never been a problem with her character or she’s well into her way of learning anyways, so it would just feel repetitive. As I have pointed out, she’s already reached one of the lowest moments of her arc. Not saying there will be no other blows for her, and probably the destruction of KL will be one of them, and knowing Dany she will feel responsibility over it no matter what, but that doesn’t mean she has to be the culprit, intentional or otherwise.

YEEAAAH REQUESTS OPEN do you have any hcs of ak Eddie and year one Jon with an artistic s/o? Bonus if they do graffiti 😎

Arkham Knight!Eddie with an artist hcs:

when he was younger, Edward kind of enjoyed art. but independent art. art with a hidden meaning. art that made you think when you looked at it, that entranced you and made you wonder what was the reason for making this piece, what's the message that the artist wanted to convey. he knew a lot of classical art and the greatest artists of all time but that doesn't mean he enjoyed their art. finding out about all the things the "greatest painters to ever live" did really prevented him from enjoying their works. there's not many people that know about the shit Picasso has done, but he's one of them and it always makes him research the artists he stumbles upon. only Van Gogh was legit. and he's not fond of most modern art either. even if it has no meaning, it'd be great if the art depicted at least something. he doesn't really like people painting a few dots and lines and calling it spiritual art, he thinks it's lazy and clashes with his logic

he's on the fence when it comes to graffiti. if it's for sending a message and making a difference, he's able to appreciate it, but if it's just mindless spray-painting, he isn't the biggest fan. sometimes, it doesn't look half-bad, but there are buildings ruined by bad graffiti and he hates looking at it. however, he's kind of an graffit artist himself, even if he doesn't realise it/doesn't wanna admit it. i mean, c'mon, he painted half the city with green paint and most of it was question marks or insults towards Batman. but your spray-painting skills really came in handy when it comes to that. you've offered to help him with painting his locations and at first, he was neutral towards it, just letting you do whatever you want, but soon enough, it turned out ot be the most fun he had in years. he would've never thought that running around and spraying walls with his partner would be so enjoyable. you were so creative too! it was amazing. and he loved when you climbed up onto his shoulders to spray paint higher points because you refused to use a ladder when he was right there. he genuinely hasn't laughed this hard with anyone ever, it's honestly one of his favourite memories with you

he doesn't mind going to art galleries with you if you like it, but just so you know, he's doing it just to shit on most artists. not because of their art, but because of the kind of person they were. no, he's definitely not doing this to make you happy and spend some quality time with you while showing off his knowledge. no, why would you think that

he fucking loves sculpting though. he loved it since he was a kid and laid his hands on plasticine for the first time. if you like to play around with clay, he's fucking got you. there's so many possibilities! he could do anything! shaping clay or making pots or whatever with you makes him so incredibly happy it's ricidulous. he enjoys it way too much. no one should be this happy about having their arms in clay up to the elbows, and yet here he is

he's honestly willing to try a lot of things with you. despite being very critical, he does enjoy art now and then. he enjoys spending time with you while doing something creative. it allows him to let his mind loose and just create shit. his hands are really skilled and steady, so he's not half-bad at it either! and maybe he won't admit that out loud, but he wouldn't mind you teaching him more things or new techniques. every time you two make art together, it's like he turns into a child again. he can't explain it, but it makes him so happy. he lacked such entertainment and encouragement as a child, and now you're making up for it and he couldn't've been happier

Year One!Jon with an artist hcs:

Jon's relationship with art is complicated. as a kid, the only paintings he's seen were the ones in Granny's house, and he hated them. they either depicted biblical scenes or Granny and her ancestors, and he had to learn all about them. Granny had a lot of morbid art hung in the corridor leading to his room and it always reminded him how sinners go to hell. he wasn't allowed to make art himself outside of school either. he kind of enjoyed it, but other kids often ruined his works and that's where his distaste started. when he grew up and was finally free of the horrible woman, Jon wanted to try a lot of new things and one of them was visiting an art gallery, but it all felt... pompous. the people there were vain and shallow, and he didn't quite see the art for it's meaning but for it's worth. he saw art galleries as places people went to to show off their wealth, and that art was an entertainment only for the upper class. that made his distaste grow

you made him realised that he didn't really hate art, he just had bad experiences with it. it's not about the art but the way it's showcased and the way people treat it. and that's when he started truly appreciating it. when he watched you work, he didn't see all the pompous people. when you explained your works to him, he didn't feel the same dread and disgust he felt at the paintings in his childhood home. when you encouraged him to paint, you let him go wild, didn't give him strict instructions like his school's art teacher and didn't criticise what he did like his classmates. you made him realise that he didn't need experience and skill because art isn't supposed to look nice, it's supposed to mean something, make you feel something. he still doesn't indulge too often, but you made him see why people made art and even showed him how therapeutic it can be

he enjoys listening to you talk about art, and is amazed when you specifically look for things that'd suit his own tastes and introduce him to new artists. he likes sculptures and paintings that fuck with your mind, sometimes even straight out gore and horror, and you always go out of your way to make sure he has a chance to interact with such art, be it an art show or a book about a certain artist. you acknowledge what he likes and you don't criticize him for it, instead encouraging him to pursue it

when it comes to graffiti, he always associated it with the bad kids. the ones that steal lunch money and fuck shit up. as he grew, he realised it was actually more of social rejects, the rebels, the people he always wanted to hang out with because he thought they'd understand him. he's on the fence, because on one hand, it's just kids letting loose, but on the other, it sometimes ruins the architecture and he hates how some buildings look. but he understands the need to disrespect your surroundings when you're constantly disrespected by your environment too. so he certainly won't stop you from doing it. and he maybe kinda sorta dreamed of spray painting an abandoned building as a kid. and you maybe kinda sorta can make those childish dreams come true. he won't ask though. you gotta offer that yourself

he may not be an art conessieur, but you taught him how to appreciate art, you taught him how to make art. he doesn't indulge you often, he'd prefer it if you just worked on your thing while he worked on his/read a book in the same room, but sometimes he gets the weird urge to just... paint with you. one time you made him paint with his hands and maybe he didn't enjoy it as much as his younger self would have, but he did feel his inner child come to life at that moment. he honestly got more paint on himself and you than the canvas, but he had fun. he genuinely had fun. he was allowed to have fun now. he could let loose. nobody held him back. you only encouraged him, and it made him fall in love with you more every day

Legit do you have any shoplifting tips bc shit is expensive & I'm unable to find employment rn bc no one wants to hire a nutter w a long gap in their history

First, hugeee YMMV. im a white disabled butch in a fairly liberal place so the waspy social norms have people ignoring me cuz its rude to stare at disabled people and im too butch for men to pay attention to. also being disabled and white makes me seem v v innocent and incapable of such wrong doing. if you are a poc or someone already with a lot of attention on you when you go in a shop, maybe have a less noticeable friend shoplift for you instead

so like most of loss prevention security is the taboo against stealing, there are absolutely places w actuall loss prevention people who will attempt to hold you until police come so keep an eye for plainclothes workers tailing and staring at you, but they have to be able to see you putting a product in your bag/pockets to assume youve stolen. if they see smth in your hand and then lose sight of you and its gone, they have to assume youve put the product down. so generally my main advice is:

-walk with confidence (esp out of the store, if the alarm goes off and you look around perplexed but confident cashiers will often assume the system is glithcing again, esp if you time it so you walk out with a group, or while someones coming in)

-a lot of stores have policies about not following customers into the parking lot. if someone yells after you judt keep calmly walking out. do not go back to tht place to steal

-if possible always park with your license plate obscured or generally away from cameras in the parking lot

-be mindful of cameras bc again you dont want any visual proof of you putting smth in your bag, use tall aisles to block line of sight. theres rarely someone actually watching the cameras and they cant store the video for more than a few days to be reviewed mostly if theres an inccident, accident or some other liability issue

-when putting smth in your bag or pocket, move slowly and naturally, if you can, palm the object and make it look like your just grabbing your phone from your bag. if its too big to palm, finding a blind spot where people and cameras cant see your hands and do it swiftly

-an empty bag with like a scarf in it is perfect for filling up and keeping stuff from rattling and so you dont walk in w an empty bag and leave w a full one

-dont steal from target, they will wait until you steal enough over the years to be a large felony, then they come after you. their loss prevention detectives are crazy

-take time looking at products as if your pondering buying them, dont be jumpy and nervous if a worker asks you if you need help. seriously the only training my job gave me for catching shoplifters was look for people grabbing stuff without consideration for price and being nervous and shifty

-you can look up on reddit what a stores shoplifting code is for over the radio some will be an actual code others will be smth like "roger youre needed in [x department theft is happening in]"

-seriously its mostly confidence tho like ive watched both a passing and nonpassing white trans women walk out of a store with like an expensive board game under their arm not hidden at all and no one even blinked

-grocerries become a bit more complex but some stores are set up in a way where if you park with your car not on camera, you can just like walk out the front door with a full cart of grocerries, throw it in your trunk and get the hell outta there, this one requires a lookout to make sure no employees are like right there. bonus if you bring reusable bags and start putting stuff in those bags, bc a cart of loose grocceries in the parking lot does draw attention. also do Not go back to the same store for awhile, never go back if someone seems supsiscious of you

-start small to build up confidence before going for anything big

but yeah use your best judgement and stay calm. also its not stealing until you leave the store w it so if its in your bag/clothes and you get too nervous, you can always remove them, place them down and leave, no harm done

oh also be mindful of rfid chips tht set the alarm off, if its a sticker you can peel it off and cut it to deaticvate it. if it like those plastic clunky dude for clothes id reccommend youtubing how to remove them cuz theyre tricky

Modern Fantasy stuff you can feel free to steal from me

Had a cool dream last night so it’s time to blog about it!

Since nobody owns fantasy, and perhaps you are liable to stumble upon these concepts on your own, feel free to steal these or riff on them for your own writing/settings/etc. They’re fresh from my subconscious so arguably I didn’t even come up with them.

Bulk of the blog is under the cut! Includes: Elevators, universities, and pool cues...?

So there was a FATE(?)/Unknown Armies-esque setup to my modern-fantasy dream, the details of which are lost. But I will run down the more setting-specific quirks I felt were interesting things to re-use in roughly the order they occurred.

Elevators make good dimensional conduits! Elevators are absolutely liminal spaces; weird, self-contained, in-transit spaces you can only exit when you have reached a destination, and stereotypically can get stuck in the in-between rather easily. People are used to standing around on long elevator rides, unable to see where they came from or where they are going, lost to time and space until they arrive. As such, they are the perfect cover for teleportation/dimensional travel.

You can’t see out of them, nor into them (usually), so you don’t have to witness the whirling distortion of the cosmos as you pass by. They’re sturdy and secure. And if you are a repair-savvy modern mage, or are on good terms with the maintenance crew of your building, they can be slapped with runes or circles on the outside easily enough, where nobody else will see the markings!

(In my dream we took a very long elevator ride down from the basement level of a building and exited on the upper gallery of an airy university atrium. Very surreal...)

(Architectural) Thaumaturgic Reinforcement, part simplified Sacred Geometry, part basic architectural engineering. Simply put, this appeared to be the principle that magic circles/geometry drawn with the correct orientation and intent can form short-term utility spells, especially when aligned with particular architectural features. In this case, a simple circle and two tangents were used to reinforce the structure of a room prior to a battle to ensure we didn’t collapse the place or blow out the windows.

This one is a little vague/intuitive, so I’ll throw in a quick diagram to explain it. Basically, in my dream, the room and the Reinforcement etching looked like this:

The circle was meant to contain the bulk of the action (the incoming fight), while the tangents directed energy between the columns and the door (columns for strength, the door to control the flow of energy), and away from the windows (to prevent damage). It was drawn hastily in chalk on the floor before the fight.

This one is a bit weird but consider the broader applications. What do (or can) parts of buildings represent? An etching centered on a window could be used for divination or communication, etching focusing on doors could be used to invite or ward against certain people/energies, an etching tying a bunch of beams or columns together could make a space nigh-indestructible, etc. Like most Chaos Magic, this one is about the intent invested in the action.

Universities will always be weird! While this one seems like a no-brainer, I just want to reiterate that any post-secondary institution will have a large proportion of passionate and deeply weird individuals. In addition to the high concentration of esoteric knowledge available in people and texts, any legit magic going on is likely to be overlooked as run-of-the-mill weirdness because a campus will always have people that are just Like That. 

Couple that with the likelihood of historical buildings on campus, which we all now have a kind of magic about them. You may even end up at one of the universities where the professors are hoarding all the good chalk (seriously, read that article and tell me that isn’t exactly what a wizard would do). 

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Afterthoughts - So that’s it for the relevant parts I remember from my dream. However, I have a few more thoughts on modern magic and things modern mages can do to disguise or facilitate their magic.

A Pool Hall has a lot of potential! Pool/Billiards cues could make excellent casting catalysts. All the heft of a staff (back end), with all the accuracy of a wand (tapered end)! Can be made-to-order from specified woods, can be elaborately inlaid or decorated, and can even be made to unscrew for easy transport! 

Pool can also be used as a method of divination! The “break” (the first shot of a game that scatters the balls out of formation) is semi-random, and like any semi-to-random action, the resulting scatter can be used as a divining tool. Tell me you’re not intrigued by the idea of a pool hall gutter-mage.

Stickers are stylish and practical! Everybody loves cool stickers and pins. But, have you considered the ease of casting spells when you can print out your magic circles and adhere them to things? I bet you hadn’t! Unless you’ve watched Fullmetal Alchemist, that is, or maybe any anime where ofuda are commonly used. If we’re going by FMA rules, you just need a circle on your person or vaguely near the material you’re working on for a spell to function. 

Consider a modern mage sticker-graffiti-ing their neighbourhood for a security/scrying system, or tagging their belongings with simple yet stylish tracking spells. Slapping a rival’s car with a sticker-borne curse, or even printing a sheet of delayed-blast fireballs to sow some chaos on the go.

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Anyway, that’s all for today. Like I said, feel free to steal, iterate on, etc these ideas. Someone would have hit on them eventually I’m sure, and I’m always happy to spread some inspiration around.

Until next time!

So, Word of Honor Ep 23, and LISTEN. This is going to be another long one. We are in it, now.

(Clearly, spoilers, so if you’re thinking you might want to start watching and don’t want to know everything up front, scroll away and come back after you watch the ep.)

Look, I’m just gonna talk about this first because I can’t even process anything else, or function, until I get this out of the way: I came for the bl and the pretty boys, but at this point, I have to reiterate what I said after Ep 22, that I am so grateful Zhou Ye got her fingers into Gu Xiang and absolutely refused to let go of this role, through everything. She’s going on my actors-to-follow list, and I’ll also be following scriptwriter Xiao Chu into whatever she writes from now on. A little bit, I’ve come out of Ep 23 thinking, did anything else even happen, other than That Scene with A-Xiang and Wen Kexing? (Oh, yeah, That Other Scene with Wen Kexing and Cao Weining about Gu Xiang.) The show is going to have to work to top That Scene for me. The first time watching, I couldn’t even really focus on how the Gu Xiang/Cao Weining and Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu relationships continue to reflect each other and how everything A-Xiang expresses during this conversation is exactly what Wen Kexing feels/fears about himself but cannot say out loud. All of that was there, and I mentally picked through it and unpacked it some more on a re-watch of the scene, but the first time through, I was too busy being legit distressed about Gu Xiang’s fear and pain and how desperately she wants this new thing and how afraid she is, not only of fucking it up or having it fucked up for her, but of getting it. Last night at dinner I compared this storyline to a kind of reverse Persephone story, where she’s being pulled by her lover OUT of the land of death, but is nevertheless having to leave behind everything and everyone she knows and is familiar with, including her beloved brother/parent figure. And all this after being told for essentially her whole life that what she’s doing is forbidden and unworkable, that the human world and the world of Ghost Valley do not mix. (We just saw Wen Kexing have his own little mental stall over this, just so the show can make sure we don’t forget.) And Gu Xiang is so unprepared for all of this and so terrified by it, despite the fact she wants it so badly, that she literally cannot do anything - this shining, clever, fierce girl who will stab you if you look at her the wrong way because she’s been taught to survive above all else - she can’t do anything other than sit down with her arms wrapped around her knees pulled to her chest so that she’s the smallest target possible, protecting all the tenderest, most vulnerable places, and weep. Y’all, it is killing me even thinking about it. I might have to take a minute.

So, then they come at me with the second hit of the one-two punch, which is the scene between Wen Kexing and Cao Weining, where Wen Kexing talks about how this little girl not only saved him, but he calls her meimei, and at that point, I’m done. I’m just. There’s nothing else I need right now from this show. I realize this is supposed to be a story about Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu, and up until now, my ride-or-die has been Zhou Zishu, but whatever. Fine. I WANT TO LIVE HERE AT LI MANOR FOREVER, SHOW, WHY MUST A-XIANG AND CAO-XIONG GO BACK TO HIS SECT? Listen, I think it is a far, far better idea if Cao Weining marries in to Four Seasons Manor, and Gu Xiang’s paternal figure is the ... lol, I almost just called him the Ghost General ... he is who he is, so frankly, I don’t know why he should be so concerned about following social conventions, like having daughters of the house marry out. (I know you think you’re protecting her, Lao Wen, but YOU ARE BREAKING UP THE FAMILY. I need them to stay with the rest of you forever. I need Zhou Zishu to continue to call A-Xiang a “good girl,” because I suspect that hasn’t happened very often in her life, and she needs more of it.) Then, as a last kick in the ribs, once I’m down, the show has WKX tell A-Xiang that she’s not a wild girl because she’s his girl. Thanks, show, I didn’t need my heart for anything like pumping blood to oxygenate my brain or any of my body parts. It’s OK. I can do without it.

Anyway, going back and looking at multiple story-telling levels of all this, there’s the additional issue that during That Scene, A-Xiang is also a proxy for Wen Kexing, saying things that he can’t. (For emotional and psychological reasons within the show, and for practical reasons because they probably wouldn’t pass censorship.) Maybe some things that he can’t even let himself think, at this point. So every time, from here on out, when Zhou Zishu asks Wen Kexing about his past and Wen Kexing momentarily freezes with that trapped look on his face, we can think back to this conversation with A-Xiang and realize that Wen Kexing is terrified by his relationship with Zhou Zishu, despite how desperately he wants this new thing. He is so afraid of fucking it up, but he’s also so afraid of getting it, and he’s so unprepared for it that he literally cannot do anything - this fierce survivor, this ghost king, who will crawl over corpses and skin a guy alive and kill you if you look at him the wrong way because almost (almost) all he’s known is to survive above all else - he cannot do anything except mentally and emotionally curl up so that he’s the smallest target possible, protecting all the tenderest, most vulnerable places. So thanks, show, for what promises to be a repeated exercise of stabbing me in the heart.

Just a little bit more about these scenes: I also think we’re getting at least one, maybe two other foils in the story-telling, which are more about the Wen Kexing-Gu Xiang relationship. Maybe less supported but nevertheless intriguing, I have to wonder if, when he took on that little girl despite (or maybe because of) still being essentially a child himself, Wen Kexing was trying to re-create - even subconsciously - something of the shixiong-shidi relationship he experienced for that brief time with Zhou Zishu as a child. Yes, she saved him by making him keep his heart, because he had this actual nurturing relationship to at least try to model their relationship on. I also think that we’re maybe supposed to be seeing them as a foil to Xie Wang and his AWFUL yifu, who appears to have taken on a kid and turned him into a murder weapon not in any effort to help him survive, but to use him as a tool in his quest for power. Both Wen Kexing and Zhao Jing have produced Poorly Socialized Murder Babies Who Love Them Very Much, but I think Wen Kexing actually had his kid’s best interests at heart, as he understood them, and tried to do the best he could with the extremely broken tool box he had to hand. Also, he loves her back. All that doesn’t mean she’s not fucked up or necessarily any better prepared for the “human” world than Xie Wang, but it may have made the difference between an amoral murder baby who can learn better and an actual sociopath.

In other comparisons, that first convo of the ep between Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing - when ZZS says that he doesn’t want to see more sins on WKX’s hands - is essentially the same convo that Cao Weining had with Gu Xiang in the previous ep, when he tells her that he wants her to be more careful because he knows she actually will feel bad for killing innocent people. This is the same conversation because these two relationships are the same relationship. (Note, I don’t think they started out like this, or that their beginnings were all that similar. Cao Weining was much more of a pursuer and initiator than Zhou Zishu was, in the beginning. But I think the courses of the two relationships have converged, at this point, with Cao Weining and Zhou Zishu knowing what they want and being all in, while Gu Xiang and Wen Kexing also want it but are too fucking scared of it for practically the same reasons.)

Meanwhile, speaking of Xie Wang - what are you up to Xie’er? Do you want the Water of Lethe so you can drink it and get over your awful yifu? Are you finally at the point that you’re doing some critical thinking about this relationship? Or do you want the Water of Lethe so you can slip it to your awful yifu, so that he’ll forget about his obsessions with power that prevent him from focusing on YOU? You call Beauty Ghost an idiot, but I think you may be empathizing (though not sympathizing) a bit much with the women of the Department of the Unfaithful.

Finally, that brief little moment of Zhou Zishu’s face when Wen Kexing spits out his wine after stealing it from him ... Oh, god. You didn’t realize how bad it tasted, did you? Your sense of taste is going.