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veebs-hates-video-games · 6 months

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Let's see if I can sort out what to say about Fire Emblem Engage yet, which might end up with a bit of commentary on other games in the series, which I guess is appropriate since it's basically an anniversary game. The short version is that I feel like a lot of the hate for it from The Gamers is extremely exaggerated, and even though it's not perfect it's probably my favorite Fire Emblem game at this point.

Like most people old enough to have been around at the time my main introduction to Fire Emblem was through SSBM, although in my case I didn't really care about the characters in that so much. Specifically it was the inclusion of Together We Ride in the soundtrack that got my attention. I still have an mp3 somewhere that I recorded from the game by hooking up the line out of my GameCube to the line in on my laptop.

I didn't actually play the GBA games because I never had a GBA of my own, so I started with Path of Radiance instead and have played a decent number of the games since then at least part way through. Still need to get around to Shadows of Valentia one of these days, but it'll probably be my next FE/3DS game when I do.

Up until now I'd say Awakening was my favorite of them. It was pretty satisfying mechanically without being overly complex like Fates (which was great if you really like planning everything out and min-maxing stuff, but it's all a bit much the first time through playing casually), it had a bunch of fun characters and supports, the music is frequently excellent, and the story is completely ridiculous in a fun way.

In a lot of ways Engage felt very similar to Awakening to me, which was great for me. I don't think I could convincingly argue that any other game in the series is anywhere near as fun for me in terms of gameplay. It's incredibly flexible in terms of what you can do with your units and what kinds of team compositions will work, especially on lower difficulties, but it manages to achieve that flexibility without being overly complex in an intimidating way, and a lot of the map design is excellent too.

It does a great job of encouraging you to try different things out by the way the maps are structured and enemies are placed and various different gimmicks on them and is full of moments early on that demonstrate the value of different units and abilities without directly telling you what to do. There's a lot of stuff set up in ways that don't just hand you a victory and have multiple ways to approach them, usually more than one of which makes you feel very clever for pulling something fancy off.

And the Emblem abilities that are restricted in use by being situational and on long cooldowns let them give you some truly ridiculous stuff that would be broken in any other game but feels perfect here, and it lets you do some absolutely bonkers stuff once-ish per map as a result. A lot of it gets balanced out by giving bosses multiple health bars though, which solves so many design problems and stops you from just warping a single unit there to burst them down instantly. That and sometimes having multiple bosses on the same map really forces you to use the ridiculous emblem abilities and take advantage of your whole team you've deployed a lot more often.

I know there are some people who don't love it aesthetically, and that's fine, but just on a technical level it's easily one of the best-looking games on the Switch. Seeing clips of Three Houses again after playing Engage for a while is rough. It feels like looking at a PS2 game running in an emulator, and Engage feels easily at least two full console generations ahead in terms of the tech it uses and the results they get out of it. Plus I actually love the art style too, with all the bright colors and overdesigned characters and stuff, and the combat animations are probably the best the series has ever had.

And I suppose the big thing that the most people complain about is the writing and story. You know what? They're fine. As far as I'm concerned the series has never had top tier writing (sometimes it's pretty decent like the Tellius games or Three Houses, but even those have some issues), and if that's really what I'm in the mood for I have plenty of other options for that. Just from stuff I've played this year there's been Future Redeemed, 13 Sentinels, The House in Fata Morgana, and probably some others I'm not immediately thinking of.

It's not like a story or its characters have to be super deep to be fun or interesting or serve their purpose in a piece of media either, and for me Engage managed to do that for me in the same way Awakening did. I genuinely enjoyed spending several dozen hours with a lot of the characters, and the story's a bit silly sometimes but did what it needed to to bring a bunch of random characters together and through an adventure together.

And something unprecedented for me for a Fire Emblem game (and pretty uncommon for games in general) is that I immediately wanted to play it again right after finishing. Usually I want to see more of the supports and any optional stuff I might've missed (e.g. optional recruits and stuff), but that's not enough of a motivation to play through the whole game again, especially not right away. This time though in addition to that the game mechanics are so satisfying that I wanted more of that too, especially with all the units I never really used and all the new silly build ideas I started coming up with toward the end of the game as I understood how everything worked better. I've been holding back from actually doing it yet because there's so much other stuff I'm trying to get through or finish up, but there's a pretty good chance I'll start over again at some point in the next few months, maybe after SoV and/or going back and finishing my replay of PoR I started earlier this year before getting distracted by this game.

Engage is almost definitely my favorite Fire Emblem game at this point and easily in my top five games I've played this year, probably in the top three. I think it's probably number one for gameplay, with 13 Sentinels for story and Future Redeemed for all aspects combined overall, and Unpacking is an honorable mention for general vibes.

#fire emblem engage

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inventors-fair · 5 months

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Vehicle Commentary: Tinkering Around

Wow, I didn't expect almost thirty entries to this one. I probably should've gotten more commentary done while I was breaking down my week, but hey, no time like the present to get into writing about these vehicles. And vehicles are a weird bunch! They're more recent than a lot of things in Magic comparatively, but not so recent that they haven't been established as powerful cards. A little weirdness can go a long way; we've seen weird things done before, and the variety of ways that people interpreted that are much appreciated.

If there's any lesson this week, it's to keep in mind the power level of vehicles and how they function compared to other cards. I think some of these cards were a little more resource-intensive than were perhaps intended, and some that just didn't function in the way that vehicles WANT to function. What makes a good vehicle? Versatility and interaction with the board. The repeatable power level that can be slightly higher than a normal creature, but that comes with its own complexities. What are they? Well, why don't we find out.

JUDGE PICKS are cards that have a special aspect I'd like to showcase, or that just touched me in some manner I thought was worth pointing out. Let's get down to the showroom floor!

@bread-into-toast — Enigma Engine

I love the aspect where investigating wakes up the engine. It being a clue itself is also relevant, or at least it would be fine mechanically. As a common, it's reasonable that the power level of this card offensively would be not the absolute greatest, although if you can investigate consistently it would be more powerful. Ish. But again, having the clues lead the vehicle along makes sense here.

The question is, what is this a clue towards? The mystery of this machine and the ghosts is a pretty obvious reference, and like, I'm okay with that callback. It's not striking a particular sense of affinity but I know that it would matter for other people and that's all well and good. Beyond the reference, I question what the relevance to the world is. Spirits on Innistrad have evaded me a little bit in terms of, like, goals beyond being spooky, but that's on me. There's an inherent discrepancy between what it means to be scoobying and doobying around the town and what the flavor of this card is working towards.

@coolcoolcooltighttightight — Riveteers Bulldozer

New Capenna is the name of the city and not the plane, if I recall. Right? Ravnica being a plane-wide city is one thing, but I suppose it makes sense to have more "development" in other areas. I'm not sure that I jive with the dark comedy presented here. Displacement is a rough subject, and this feels almost...toony. Sometimes Magic can get away with that; here, I don't think the flavor and subject are hitting my funny bone.

Mechanically, though, it's fine. Razing the land and getting counters calls back to Gitrog archetypes, and with trample, this card is a rare that can get out of hand pretty quickly. I appreciate the commitment to the two-color combination, because I don't recall there being too many enemy-color specifics on Capenna, and they would've allowed for slightly more flexible deckbuilding, or perhaps new decks to emerge. One of my students managed a black/white deck when we drafted it, and that was awesome to see. What else could've been possible? Yeah, no, sturdy and powerful. Just missing the mark with flavor, IMO.

@corporalotherbear — Soulskipper

This is what I was talking about with the activations and abilities. This card could be a pretty awesome finisher, and even though there's no way to crew it, its requirements are easier to activate by jamming creatures in the late game and having an ability that's fairly easy to turn on. I feel that it would be easier to get yourself in a rough position than to get your opponents in that same jam unless you're a VERY aggressive deck. Still, hey, it's a cheap card, aggression can be its bread and butter.

It could be, anyway. I really don't know if I would ever play this card because of the chances that it would be just a weak topdeck, or that the activation would be bad in the late-game unless you can get a board presence. I guess getting a board presence wouldn't be too hard, though. Nontoken death is one of those things that we just have to have these days too. As an uncommon, it's reasonable that this card would fill some role in a vehicle deck. I still don't know if/when I'd pick it just because getting it high enough to be a powerful creature means a lot of things will have to have died. Y'know? How big does the Soulskipper get reasonable? Great name, by the way, love what you've done with that.

@dabudder — Omenpath Luggage

I feel that there's an intersection of "weird" and "silly" that people crossed wires with here, and sometimes, it ended up working out. The jury in my brain is deliberating on this one. I'm baffled by the implication that omenpaths are commonplace enough to have a thriving tourist market for them, because it makes sense in a pseudo-parodic capitalist critique way, but is that something that I'm actually down for? I really don't know if the concept and the content are meeting me halfway. Plus, motorized suitcases as a vehicle are already funny. That honestly could've carried the card.

As a card, though, I like this as a little aggro-treasure anywhere-in-the-game card. You can always use a few treasures, right? Souveniers turning into treasures are a funny enough image, and I do like the concept of the battlefield being its own kind of omenpath. There's nothing wrong with the stats or abilities here, and this is a fine red vehicle that's strong enough for its place in the pack. I like how you can sacrifice it through some XYZ ability even when it's not a creature, too, even though it's most likely gonna get combat'd.

@demimonde-semigoddess — Oversize Loader (JUDGE PICK)

Forklift certification indeed. Yes, here we are, and this card is...one of the few that makes me chuckle with its flavor text. The card itself carries the joke, and that's honestly fine—it goes for one thing and does it well. Whether or not this would be something they'd put in a pack, I honestly doubt it, but the joke itself is worth it. If it had some different kind of reference, would the mechanics stand up? It's a good question, because those stats are nothing to laugh at.

What is the prevalence of pilots on New Capenna, world-wise or set-wise, or at least what could they be in a world where this kind of card would be printed? ... Sorry, I got distracted because the aspect of this card losing vigilance after being crewed by an uncertified creature made me laugh again. Look, folks: if you're gonna do a funny card, this is the way to commit. That's why I had to make this a last-minute judge pick. Sounds good? Alright, moving on. This card's a little too silly to be serious but it wants to be nothing else so who am I to tell it what to do. Making me actually laugh with these things ain't easy.

@dimestoretajic — Well-Waxed Plank (JUDGE PICK)

Making me sorta nostalgic for the era of EA putting out good sports games isn't easy either. The fact that this can be a snowboard or surfboard brings to mind the equipment vs. vehicle debates that unicycles had, except almost more so. Let's back up for a second. While I like this card a lot, this probably shouldn't be common except in a Horizonsesque set (and even then). What kind of world would want this card, y'know? Snow lands would have to be relevant, and it's a slightly aggressive card that's looking for Islands as a possibility. It's got a lot of text comparatively, and vehicles are already on the higher end of complexity because of a natural activated ability.

And yet I think this falls into the "weird" category of vehicles as a perfect little reference. Am I still nostalgic? Yes, and this one plays to the judge a little bit. Can anyone deny that the idea is still cool? Magic has never ventured into that kind of territory before, not really. Tony Hawk's Pro Tour, y'know? I think I'm losing the plot a little bit. It's not impossible to have this be somewhere in a Magic world; surfboards are just one of those things, maybe snowboards less so, and vehicles are still part of the game in an inherently modern sense, so. I think I just feel compelled to defend a non-engine uniquely cool card.

@hanavesinauttija — Darksteel Dragster

Which plane, out of the planes that we currently know, would have something akin to a DMV? My vote is actually for Ravnica and the Azorius. Crumple zones... Alright, look. I would love to spend the next half an hour in another tab looking up the history of crumple zones and crash testing for vehicles, but I don't have that kind of time and I'm already behind on commentary. Curse you! I'll figure it later, but regardless, the flavor text is almost pithy but funny enough to make me wave it away. Funny that this is the second card so far that I've noticed that has omenpaths as a major factor.

This is actually a pretty dark card, yeesh. Blood on the windshield is... Yeah, maybe there could be another way to show this without depicting a fatal car accident, but the vibe is there. Having it be able to be crewed by an indestructible creature would be fun, too, wouldn't it? I digress, though. Darksteel is a strange material. Would inhabitants of Mirrodin not keep things like that in mind? Let's back up, AGAIN-again. Mechanically, this is a heck of a rare, and I do like it, because of how it could take over games if you have the creatures to make it happen and are willing to let it go. Being chump-blocked would be fun for you too. Perhaps I'd have made it a 5/2, just for that little extra kick of possible toughness to keep your creatures around. The reference makes sense, though, so I feel that.

@helloijustreadyourpost — Pedal-Powered Assault Copter

Ah, but it's always gonna stop. This is a silly card and I appreciate it immensely. The world for it would possibly be... I actually would like to take a few guesses from other folks. It would have to be a world that's got somewhat of a silly bend, or at least a place for that levity. Is this possibly powered by goblins? Or maybe kids with a knack for invention? How advanced technologically would it have to be? I have the feeling that this card eschews these questions in favor of the joke that comes with the card, and you know what, it's not a laugh-out-loud humor, but it's well-constructed. Unlike this vehicle's propulsion system.

The manner in which this card brings the idea into the physical world of exerting creatures is both funny and thoughtful. You have a powerful flying creature, but you have to more seriously think about your resources in order to use it. Totally fair! You have this cobbled vehicle that an inventor of sorts made that tires people out because of its inefficient system. Also very fair! And the flavor text is the kind of concise, well-written aside that I want to say is just where it should be. Really, if there's any major critique, it's that this card's self-awareness makes it hard to gel for me in Magic's multiverse. The elements are almost there but not quite in a way that makes me able to place it.

@horsecrash — Skaberen Skiff

This card is one that I'm certain could have been an uncommon and without the kicker keyword. Is it good? Well, yeah, absolutely. In the early game you have a decently strong vehicle, and in the later game you have a cheap powerful creature for blue that uses blue's strengths. I'm comparing this to something like Meldweb Strider, though, and while that's a case of needing to have those environmental resources, this card isn't as far off from that power level.

Flavorfully, though, this is the SECOND seafaring vessel in this contest that happens to be partially made of corpses, which is... Well, two nickels is two nickels, put those over someone's eyes and move on. It's delightfully Innistradian, because of course someone is going to make a zombie boat. This card really is fine conceptually, and the living metal counter is one we'll see later that's a delightful case of me remembering a mechanic I'd forgotten about that people have used in awesome ways. Downing the rarity to uncommon and having this just be an ETB trigger would've made this one a wee bit more focused, I think. Interesting that you also used the Phyrexian callback; it makes sense to have the "living" and "metal" parts come together. Good choice.

@i-am-the-one-who-wololoes — Possessed Carriage

The choice to make this a common is interesting. Could it be? I honestly wonder... You know what, I can see the argument. Sometimes you just need an anti-human card and this one fits the bill. It's not so powerful as to be unbeatable, and it's a specific situation where you're probably going to have a couple in the sideboard in a draft deck. Innistrad is full of non-humans as well, right? Maybe in too many numbers it would be too powerful, and spirit tokens would make this easier than not, but U/W Spirits with ground blockers could use this for annoying big humans. Hm. It's a heck of a question.

The other heck of the question is how aware you are that there was a Runaway Carriage in Shadows Over Innistrad, heh. There have been more than a few carriages in that world over time, and this one feels like we're almost kinda treading old ground but with a different mechanical bend. And the uniqueness of this is fine! I don't think we needed the flavor text with this much text on it, though, and the art direction is specific enough that you can fit everything into one frame and it would be fine. This card's not bad, y'know? It's a bit hindered by its predecessors and is beholden to Innistrad's past possessed carriages, though—plus the human-density of Innistrad. There are a lot of things to hit!

@izzet-always-r-versus-u — Roaring Motor-Hunter (JUDGE PICK)

What the heck is going on here. Is this a world of living vehicles vaguely shaped like animals that hunt and eat each other in a grotesque bastardization of the natural order? Where cars hunt motorcycles? Unless there is a whole other world in which this happens, I'm baffled, impressed, humored, and totally lost. This is such a wholly weird take on this prompt and while I would never imagine this being a viable place for Magic to go, I'm down for the concept from just an imagination perspective. You've kinda won this contest in that right.

The card itself is standard enough that it's simply Really Good in every sense. There was a similarly-costed card earlier that had a similar feeling of goodness, yeah? Well! With this card, the text broth (as opposed to the denser keyword soup) is easily grokable, the power level is on point, and there we have it. This card's still weird, don't get me wrong, I want to emphasize that you've situated this card in a way that it's absolutely weird—but damn if it ain't done right. Fantastic flavor text as well, top-notch. Makes me want to do another flavor-text-kinda contest now.

@phyrexiandreadthot — The Pan-District Express

Any official guild could agree on it, anyway. I kept my eyes on this card and I have to say, it's honestly really neat and one of those cards that would be close to print. They've printed some cards in this vein, but this ability is unique enough that either it's a surprise they haven't printed it OR there's a card with a similar-ish ability that I just can't remember for some reason. Brago's the closest my brain can conjure and that's not remotely the same.

The fun part is how you can return things untapped after they've crewed this creature, and that incentivises a different kind of blocking for this card as an attacker, but also you can just get value from random ETBs which is totally fine as well. I believe the "Crew 1" would go underneath the trigger, and that the trigger should say "up to one target creature that crewed it this turn," but that's about all I got. One has to wonder, though, if the Gruul or even Selesnya would be okay with this sort of thing. Gruul is obvious, but would the Selesnyans allow trains out of their secret places? Hm...

Azorius would be enforcing some strict timetables and make sure everyone gets there on time. Dimir would use the trains as places to vanish, probably, for a quick getaway. The Rakdos would be causing some nasty explosions, but train stations make good places for show adverts. Gruul is opposed to these things coming near their wild places. Selesnya, like I said, are cool with the transport but easy come, easy go. Orzhov fares are going to be wildly hiked. The Golgari will be excellent at an under-city transport system. Simic mages will mostly complain that they can't bring their pets (an Indrik-ostrich acid-blooded dinosaur) on board. The Izzet build trains faster than the speed of Anything. The Boros... Well, they have Skyknights.

@railway-covidae — Mizzium Weirdwagon

I do like the twist you used for the Nivmagus effect, and that changes this card into one that almost makes Izzet vehicles into something; the ones from War of the Spark left a lot to be disappointed about. I think, unfortunately, that the Treasure creation as you've intended is a little harder to make happen. Because, like, you'd have wanted it to look at the wagon before it got the counters, right? And that's...just not viable, I don't think, not in a way that groks well. Or if you meant that that spell would make Treasures if it had greater power AFTER the counters, I get that, but the wording is weird.

Weird, weird indeed. I do like this card and I think I grok it! It might have been easier to consolidate the kind of variables that would've made it read better. Also, I'm curious what this card is depicting precisely. Is this just a wagon full of weirds? A wagon shaped like weirds? A wagon that happens to be propelled or created by weirds? I love weirds, and, well, I just kinda realized that I named this contest in the tags in that manner, so that's fun. But regardless. Great concept, but I'm not sure what that middle part is doing, and would have loved to know what you visualized.

@reaperfromtheabyss — Saddled Boulder (JUDGE PICK)

This card, on the other hand, is remarkably easy to visualize for a number of reasons. As a vehicle, it's on the defining side where it's almost like belief that it IS a vehicle blocks out any semantic arguments against it. This is the kind of in-Magic humor that's both expected and welcome, and I'm all for it, honestly. Goblins are my favorite little guys, not just when they're there and they look funny, but when they're actively trying. We'll slip back into the comfortable shoes of little gremlins because look, it's a rock! I grok the rock.

The question then becomes what this does for Goblins that changes the formula. Goblins are usually expendable go-wide cards, but this is a single big trampler. Honestly, in the mirror match this would be a pretty funny card, and additionally, it forces the biggest-butt blockers to have to deal with this before it gets out of hand, and then next turn it opens up the swinging path. You do have to tap all your goblins, but weren't you going to do that anyway? I actually really like how this card plays with expectations of play style. Having a trampling-haster ain't so bad in any archetype, but Goblins make it that much more interesting. I really like this one the more I think about it.

@sparkyyoungupstart — Floodburst Rescuer

This one's a curious one. Fire rescue in New Capenna is something I hadn't really thought about, but we'll get back to that after the mechanics. The question is why an artifact is being a color-hoser effect, and it's an interesting case where this card could've been blue or white, but isn't. Why is that? Having vigilance and reach are both very cool (rescue + ladder), so that groks. Saving one of your creatures from a red effect and/or allowing it to bring through an attacker into the red zone (anti-red zone?) is fair. Why NOT make it colored, though? I don't know if contemporary sensibilities would want that to happen.

They would appreciate the flavor and ability combinations, though. It brings together the realities of how these city operations would be represented on cards in a way that's not just big smashy tank-like things. You've lost me with the flavor text, though. It's supposed to be funny, and the visual is still funny if you don't think about the reality that the card's built, but it's lacking in the verisimilitude that the rest of the card is trying to emulate—and it's kinda obviously a joke, which is fine in some spheres, but it's not even trying to hide. Maybe it's worth a guffaw, but we take ourselves deadly seriously here at the Fair. No humor allowed. No laughter. ... I'd say that that's a joke, but now I don't know if I'm allowed to.

@spooky-bard — Ramshackle Junk-Bike (JUDGE PICK)

This is a card that does its best to revel in verisimilitude, on the other hand. Would you believe that I was just reading up on rickshaws? This is only tangential, but you have this quick-and-easy transport system, and then hey, the bike comes through. I think that this card is asking for a lot to make itself happen mechanically. It's big, though, and I gotta wonder how much size matters. What kind of situation would allow for you to sacrifice a lot of artifacts? With Oni-Cult Anvil, this card becomes such a pain in the butt. I'm obviously limiting myself to Neon Dynasty cards. Maybe that's the wrong mindset, but this fits the bill.

You gotta let things fall apart sometimes, or you can continuously build onto the bike in order to keep it running. Greasefang knows this, yeah? She's seen the streets of Kamigawa, she's a biker rat, she's down and dirty and a rat of the people, as it were. This card is oddly poignant and I'm not sure what to make of that! Sheesh. In Magic, the downtrodden masses aren't represented in the same way as the powerful warriors. There are the mechs, and then there are the junk-bikes. And that representation is... I dunno, I'm not sure what to feel, but I feel something. Isn't that worth it in the end? How many cards can do this? Would it be okay to have a set where every single card has some implication of struggle, triumph, vulnerability, humanity? ... Maybe I've been writing too long. We're in the brain-mushy philosophy stage.

@squeezyboi — Snowplow

This card is SILLY and makes me MAD. Mad as in crazy. Crazy about snowplowing, that is! But yeah I don't think this card would ever see the light of day and that's alright because it's, again, genuinely funny. You push the snow over to an opponent, and now you can plow your way to victory. As they say. Hm. Look, I won't wax too much flavorfully, but again, I wonder where on earth you'd see this card, and by Earth I mean the multiverse. Ravnica in the winter? Kaladesh's mountainous region? I can't imagine it, and sometimes that's still fun. Compared to the cards that strike the balance of reality, it makes me cross my arms and go "pffft," but it's not trying to be a world-based card.

Instead, it's trying to push snow somewhere. If you're running snow lands, then all the more power to you. This card being unblockable at the expense of a one-turn land-drawback means you're giving up resources for resources and I don't think it's entirely worth it. Drawing two cards, maybe, but even then. Pushing things around is fun! Giving up your lands is such a drawback in any format except for the most focused tryhard combo decks that lose to other tryharder combo decks, as well as everything else. It's a one-turn fun-turn card but does it do anything? If you've ever been mana-screwed in limited, you already know the answer to that.

@stupidstupidratcreatures — Containment Caboose

Every time you want to make this card powerful, you have to give up a three-power creature to do so. After a certain point, that just becomes untenable, right? How many of those creatures do you have in your deck? What kind of construction means that you have the ability to give those up? Relying on them to power the caboose means that in the end you'll probably run out of creatures to fuel it; eventually you'll be stuck with a very powerful blocker that gets rid of all your other blockers. However, I can see the argument for this card eventually being so big that it HAS to be blocked; if it just doesn't get blocked, though, your opponents can swing in, because you'll have to spend your blocking resources on cards that'll crew the Caboose.

Is this card cool conceptually? Yes, absolutely, and there's a back-and-forth to be argued where this card could play alright. I currently don't see a way forward for that and it's hard to really find a middle ground as it is. But, there are options for getting your own creatures back, perhaps, or making the power of the Caboose's other effects make that exile worthwhile. I dunno, however you do that is up to you, but I wouldn't have this in a mythic slot. A risky rare, perhaps, but not a mythic. I love having a beefy train. This execution is complex and ultimately hard to balance. Props for making me think, though, because I want this KIND of effect to work and play well.

@tavi-en-astra — Marching Market

I'm glad I caught the little "R" in the corner, because I was gonna say, that's a heck of a complex common you got there. Anyway! There's the situation where you have to have some kind of discard to make it animate, and you get extra discard through combat damage, but that discard doesn't re-animate the market, so how do you get it going in the first place? It's an odd card that feels like it should have you do something for the discard, and then the discard allows for optional animation, but the effects are reversed, kind of, and I don't grok how to get this card going.

As a flavorful card, and as a land, you have quite an interesting combination. Nobody else did a land, and the way that you've made it flavored makes sense! It could've been just an artifact, and yet, here we are—the markets can go either way. What does that do mechanically? That's another question I'm not sure the card answers: why a land besides the flavor? Maybe in the right environment, I can see how the discarding would be a little better. Without that context, you can see how we're a little bit lost here. The heart is in the right place—how can the gameplay lead to a more intuitive conclusion for how this card works overall?

@wifeswarmacademy — Goblin War Balloon

I kinda already imagined this card looking like a toad even without the art description, not gonna lie. So everything already makes sense! I think that the throwback cards are appreciated, and even though this contest could've wanted a future-adjacent idea, I do appreciate the way this card flies into our hearts. Goblins finally finagled something that could be used in warfare that honors their ancestors. I wonder what a patchwork toad would look like, if the goblins have any sense of aesthetics in that sense.

I also wonder if this card's a little too powerful, actually. You can sacrifice some pretty big stuff and then swing in for four, and with big enough creatures you can just have a flier that takes out other fliers or offers trades with immense flexibility. Perhaps this could be a 3/3 rare, genuinely. Plus, it's a blocking death as well—so many ways to deal massive amounts of damage. Am I being too paranoid about this? "Any target" is nastier than it may seem, genuinely. Toning down the power level in some ways on a flying body would be a safer bet.

@wildcardgamez — Nazukai, Enigma Engine

And we're bookending this contest with cards that have "Enigma Engine." Why can't I hold all these nickles?! It's such a good name chunk, though. Where did it come from? I actually designed an example with "Enigma" in the name, too, but we didn't post examples this week, so there you go. Anyway—this card. I feel this is another case where "Until end of turn, Nazukai gains your choice of..." would be more intuitive than what we've got right now.

That said, it's pretty darn powerful. It's a shame that the pilots are required. I get it, though, flavorfully, kind of. Does it really make the gameplay better if it's a more-or-less useless card without a pilot? Vehicles are already borderline useless without other creatures on board; what's the ratio of vehicles to other cards that you'd want in a deck, really? I'm still not sure. We're not quite there, though, or at least I don't believe so—I mean not at the point where this card is fully viable/polished. There's gotta be a way to ensure that it can DO something, because what good is the slot? However that would happen is up to you. If you wanna keep the pilot restriction, ask what this card could do to have a presence on the battlefield when pilots are in short supply.

We're all out of gas for this week. Tune in soon! @abelzumi

#mtg #magic the gathering #custom magic card #inventor's fair #commentary #weird vehicle contest

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tsukuyomii45 · 7 months

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Obito ask! Modern AU. We know what happened in canon. What kind of life would Modern Obito have? Would he have any family left? Who raised him? What about his job? I'm really interested. I have this image of him, and I'm curious if yours is similar!

I try my very best to not let things deviate from the canon characterization and certain events regardless of the AU, even if there are a LOT of differences in terms of what the character goes through. The nice thing about Modern AUs is that it's a very flexible type of alternate universe, everything in a way can make sense as long as nothing breaks that character and makes them OOC. xD

So my version of Obito is a bit complex, but it's like this:

Obito is orphaned - parents died when he was young; and ended up getting raised by Madara. He's this cute, sweet, warm, bubbly and excited boy that we all know but tries his very best to work hard in school and impress others and had to endure a lot of criticism from Madara who wants him to realize his potential. Obito has always been the type to pave his own path and wants to achieve his own ambitions, so his relationship with Madara was sometimes tense and rocky because of how much they quarreled as Obito grew up and became rebellious.

Or maybe he'd grow up with his grandmother and she'd raise him and he ends up taking care of her as she gets older. Filial piety is a prominent and traditional norm in Eastern culture, and I tend to incorporate the Japanese culture into this AU because I think it's beautiful and respectful.

i'd say he had a pretty humble life, he's very selfless and determined until the day where he gets into an accident which leads to him having facial scars, and because that was a traumatic event in his life, his personality shifts into someone more reserved and stern and somewhat of a sexy cunt. Sometimes I envision him as someone who smokes when he's stressed, or someone who copes by going to the gym (mostly going for the latter). He's the type that hits the classy, quiet bars; before the accident he was sort of a party guy but that's out the window later.

The type of job he'd have would either be something corporate in which he owns his own company, or he'd be a cop? I have trouble deciding because it just depends on the setting and the pairing, lol. Maybe he'd be a martial artist and own a dojo? xD Either way, I'd say Obito is a total workaholic, where he projects this need to prove himself through his job because he had to endure growing up with a lot of criticisms and feeling like he's never good enough.

I mentioned he's a gym junkie...well, yeah, he is. xD He can't be a smoker and a gym junkie, so if I had to choose, I'd choose the gym. xDD

That's all I have for now. xD

#naruto shippuden #obito uchiha #uchiha obito #modern au #obito supremacy

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maskedemerald · 8 months

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Pre-Order The Last Straw Novella

So the Kickstarter didn't work out but that isn't going to stop me! The book still comes out on the 25th of November! I'm still planning to do a smaller print run so if you want Paperback its going to exist! Follow the link to my website to pre-order in either E-Book or Paperback format!

A Curiosity Piqued – The Last Straw Novella – Masked Emerald

Also If you are interested I have some thoughts about the Kickstarter experience below the cut! Just my thoughts going forward and not words from any kind of expert on the matter. In fact they are rather rambly, sorry about that.

The Numbers

Costs

Indie printing is definitely not cheap, the costs have gone up for pretty much everything. However the worst thing was the increased cost of postage. Everything I read said make 20% of the goal postage costs. The way things are now I found it was more like 35% which is not good. My original printing costs were £3000 but by the time I'd added on fees, postage for the physical books and taxes it was £7000!

The Problem with Social Media

One of the biggest adversaries I faced was the algorithm and social media. Discoverability is shit on pretty much all social media at the moment. Getting seen beyond my existing followers was a big challenge. The only place I found growth was Tumblr and specifically in the Writeblr side of it (Hi new writer friends! I appreciate you! I'm still catching up on the tag games from when I was ill!)

The Experience

Preparations

Definitely next time starting preparations earlier. There is a lot of preparations involved so I'm definitely going to give myself more time so I'm not trying to do it all at the same time.

The video was harder than I thought it would be, give me unscripted streams any day over trying to get that perfect take.

Shy Bens Get Nout

Is a useful phrase however my anxiety sometimes makes it hard to actually do but seriously if you don't ask then you don't get. While it wasn't me that asked, someone asked on my behalf and as a result I got to do a talk about the book on the radio. Pick up the courage and ask, it might just make a difference. The worst they can do is say no. Which yeah can be intimidating but I need to get better at it!

Stress

I've been describing the Kickstarter as a mad dash. That's what it felt like. I had to constantly be pushing it and then things got worse, I got ill. I was in bed with no capacity to do anything for a week. It tanked my ability to push the Kickstarter. I seriously think its a good idea to have a bunch of posts already written and scheduled to go out. That way anything I post is extra. I really didn't like the stress of it personally so if I try again in future I'll be working to keep the stress low.

Future Plans

Longer Term Funding Pool

I'm going to be tracking the money made by The Last Straw and any merch designs to count towards the next print run of either The Last Straw or the next book. I'm also thinking about the people subbing on Twitch and the people considering becoming a Patreon. These people by the time a book comes out have put money into the printing pool and I think it would be more fair if they can also get the physicals without needing to pay full price. Also without them feeling they need to participate in a Kickstarter to make the thing they want happen. So I'm planning to change my rewards! Subs and Patreons will get virtual stamps towards physical items. This lets me keep entry low and even based on how much I get across the Twitch subs and Patreons. I'll be posting a proper breakdown soon.

Plans for Trying Kickstarter Again

I plan to try crowd funding again if the long term pool doesn't get enough for the next book but I am also considering trying out other sites like Indiegogo. The flexible funding is interesting if I could work out the costs the right way. We'll see what happens in March/April when I need to start thinking about printing the next A Curiosity Piqued.

#writing #writeblr community #creative writing #writeblr #amwriting #writer #A Curiosity Piqued Series #The Last Straw Novella

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justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms · 9 months

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Hello! I’ve never done a matchup before, so I’m sorry if it’s too much! Could I get romantic Star Rail, Demon Slayer, and Genshin matchups? ^^

Pronouns/Sexuality: I use she/her pronouns! My sexuality is a bit complex right now, but I know I fall somewhere under the asexual umbrella. I'm not quick to catch feelings, but when I do, I’m whipped. In terms of romance, I'm attracted to masculine presenting people (ex. cis men, trans men, and non-binaries!)

Zodiac/MBTI: Gemini / INFP

Appearance: Brown eyes. Slightly below shoulder-length denim blue hair with blonde ends - my hair is typically swept to the side, covering my right eye. I stand at 5'1" and am slender for my height. I have pale skin with a few beauty marks on my neck and the side of my face. My fashion style leans toward goth/emo, and I have a few ear piercings, along with a septum piercing!

Personality: On a first impression, I come off as intimidating and aloof. I’ve had friends tell me that I looked like I wanted to kill them when we met and was surprised as I'm really just unsure about how to socialize and unintentionally appear unfriendly. Beyond that, I'm a laidback and open-minded individual. I tend to reflect too much, unconsciously psychoanalyzing myself/others. I'd describe myself as a pessimist, and my thoughts can sometimes dwell in dark places that I get stuck in sometimes. Isound monotonous, which I find hilarious because I tend to deliver the darkest jokes with a straight face, leaving people confused. I often playfully pretend to have a god/superiority complex; I'm known for my biting sarcasm, snarkiness, stubbornness, and occasional sassiness. However, I'm also logical and prioritize thinking with my head before my heart. My demeanor can switch between being playfully sarcastic and being timid and awkward, depending on how well I know someone. I have a tendency to be a people pleaser, even going so far as to sacrifice my own well-being for people I don't even know well. I’m a good listener, but I severely lack charisma.

Likes: Drawing, sword collecting, history, playing/watching video games, writing, TTRPGs, rain/thunderstorms, my five cats, metal/rock music, the colors blue/purple/red, the moon, and star-gazing.

Dislikes: People who can’t maintain an open mind, the color green, being in the sun, doctors, heights, and people who are immature, blindly optimistic, or excessively loud.

Extra Information: I'm scatterbrained and forgetful with doing certain things (ex. Taking medicine, eating breakfast, etc.) I also tend to do better with people similar to me, personality, interest, or backstory wise! But also maybe someone who would push me to leave my comfort zone or pull me out of my pessimism.

Thank you! ��

Hi! Oh my goodness! It's so exciting being someone's first matchup request! Thank you for your request! Sorry it took a while. I hope you like your matchups!

In Honkai Star Rail, I match you with...

Caelus matches your sarcastic nature well. However, while you’re more open about saying those things out loud, Caelus is more the type to keep them to himself, until you’re alone.

Then the sass comes out in full force as you both talk about your days.

Caelus is reasonably mature and open minded, so arguments will rarely happen. He also strikes me as a bit of a people pleaser. But don’t think that will stop him from expressing his opinion.

Video game dates! Caelus loves video games and is pretty flexible about what you play. Whether it’s a multiplayer where you’re on a team or facing off, or a single player where you take turns with the controller, Caelus just enjoys sharing one of his main hobbies with you.

Will take you stargazing. The Star Rail is great for that since there’s stars everywhere you look. But Caelus also enjoys finding good stargazing spots when you get to a new planet.

There’s always a whole new sky to look at and you can learn about it together.

In Demon Slayer, I match you with...

Giyu’s another one who loves your sarcastic nature. He thinks it’s a nice change from the overly optimistic people he’s surrounded by on a daily basis.

Your stubborn streak is something he’s more familiar with. Between Inosuke and Tanjiro, as well as the other hashira, there are a lot of stubborn people in his life.

He can be a bit close minded sometimes but, as shown when he accepted Nezuko, Giyu can open up to ideas that he’s initially sceptical of.

Not a loud person and appreciates that you’re not overly loud either. He enjoys being able to spend quiet time with you reading or watching you draw.

His favourite moments are when you’re relaxing together and there’s gentle rain outside. He can very easily fall asleep like that.

I see Giyu as someone who doesn’t mind cats. He resonates with them. They remind him a lot of himself. So needless to say, he will get along well with your cats; he doesn’t pester them but he’ll give them affection when they approach him.

In Genshin Impact, I match you with...

Diluc enjoys being able to spend time with you. He appreciates the peace and quiet after time spent in the Angel’s Share. Whether that involves watching you draw, reading something you’ve written, or relaxing in silence, he loves every moment of it.

He’s also glad you’re a good listener because after a shift at the tavern, Diluc enjoys talking about all the patrons he encountered. It’s a good method of decompensating.

He likes your cats but he’s not sure whether he genuinely likes them or because you like them. Either way, they remind him a lot of Diona which leads to some interesting interactions.

Like Caelus, Diluc enjoys stargazing with you. He’ll take you into the vineyards where no one will disturb the two of you and lay out a blanket to rest on.

In a house as old as Dawn Winery, there’s sure to be a decent collection of swords. Diluc is more than happy to let you add to it as you see fit. He’s happy with his claymor but it can’t hurt to have a selection at hand.

#writing #fanfic #matchup #matchup request #request #honkai star rail #caelus #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #giyu tomioka #genshin impact #diluc

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fizzingwizard · 10 months

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call with dad complete

we were supposed to do it last week but he didn't see my message, then told me to pick a "specific" meeting time. When we talked today, I pointed out that it's night for him, but early in the morning for me, and coming off the work week so I'm tired and often oversleep on Sat mornings. So if there's a specific time he prefers, he should pick it so I can set an alarm. "Oh, I'm flexible, I'm trying to adjust to your busy schedule" he said x'D so what was the problem?? lol

"You know how in most couples, there's the high maintenance one, and it's usually the woman? Well, I was the high maintenance one," my dad says, to me, a woman. -___- I'd be offended if this weren't like par for the course. There are many things where my dad will express an eye roll-worthy opinion, then admit by himself all the ways it's different in his own experience, and see no disconnect there. Women are high maintenance, men aren't. But he is, and he can admit it. But women are still more high maintenance than men, because that's what you're supposed to believe. Hahahahahahaha kill me

"Disney is foolish for forcing this woke business into the movies. I don't care what people do, if woke people want to enjoy things, they should, but keep it away from the rest of us!" "But Dad, how can they enjoy it if there's no way they can enjoy it? Like in movies?" "I didn't say they can't have movies!" "You just said they 'force this woke business into the movies'." "... Well, maybe 'force' isn't the right word... But they lost a lot of money!" We did agree that some companies engage in pro-LGBT projects to make money rather than to be supportive. And I just let him have the Bud Light win, I don't even drink beer so I was at too much of a disadvantage :P

He's fighting with his sister and they're not on speaking terms, as usual. So he told me, "It's not a real loss, because to be honest, she's a real bore." And not as joke. Well, people's opinions of each other are their business. It's just that my aunt could be saying the same thing about my dad. His whole family deals with depression and anxiety and social issues. I don't see how it's useful to describe someone going through the same sort of stuff you do as "boring." A lot of us are boring at least some of the time. Relationships fall apart when, instead of literally trying anything else, people just go "I'm bored" and skip out because commitment is for wimps. In my opinion, so many interpersonal problems boil down to "I need to be constantly entertained because I can't make my own happiness, and I'd rather blame you than take a hard look at myself."

He also still thinks he's lost friends because they want to talk about their politics, but don't want to hear him talking about his. I don't know how true that is. From what I've seen, he's not been given an "ultimatum" as he says, rather people have tried to come to an agreement to just not discuss politics at all with him in order to stay friends. However, people as far right as my dad do tend to consider things "political" that the rest of us don't. And in his defense, people on the far left tend to have expectations of how sensitive everyone needs to be which don't account for educational or cultural barriers. But my dad also chronically underestimates how much he talks about politics. He thinks he's successfully kept the no politics talk agreement, but then admitted that he "sometimes said things, you know, as a test." And I can speak from my own experience over decades: with my dad in certain moods, there isn't an off switch. So I just don't think his estimation of his friends is 100% correct, although I won't say it's a total lie either. But it really did fall more on him to hold himself back, because he was the instigator and also the most aggressive one (calling people idiots and libtards).

My dad's tolerance for me is pretty high, and my tolerance for him is pretty high too. So although we avoid talking politics too, something of the sort tends to come up at least once per call. And I also have decades of living with him behind me. So I know that, with my dad, he'll express an opinion, and then when you point out or fact check anything about, "That's not what I'm saying," or "I totally agree with that," etc. He'll rant about wokeness but then say he supports gay and trans people, "but I just don't want it shoved in my face" when is it being shoved in your face? you don't have to see the disney movie "Oh, Disney is allowed to make those movies! I have no problem with that!" ok so they're allowed, and you don't even dislike them, so what are you upset about? "They lost a lot of money" Disney can afford it "yeah, but they look foolish." It's like he just parrots things he hears on Fox News, then bends over backwards to prove he doesn't actually agree with it, but then continues to parrot the same things the next time we talk.

That's the issue with him and my brother. My brother is deeply offended by those kinds of opinions. Last i heard, he identified as queer, and he's had trans friends and lover. He and his loved ones are part of that community and it is really hard for him to hear such scathing stuff. I'm straight, but definitely an ally, both of him as my brother and of the queer community. So it's not really possible for me to say to my brother "Dad doesn't mean what he says, he also talks about how much he loves and supports you and wants you to be yourself all the time. He just can't stop the things that come out of his mouth." To my brother, Dad wouldn't say those things if he didn't mean them. Which I get, because it's logical. But Dad isn't logical. He's emotional. He gets angry, he remembers the thing that made him angry, he repeats it, but he doesn't want to actually hurt anyone by it, he just wants to express the anger. And then he'll turn out to support all the things under the umbrella of the thing he's angry at, so how is he angry at the umbrella?? Idk, but he is, but he's not angry at what's under it...

Like I can't explain that to my brother, or to any queer individual, because they've suffered a lot from people who are malicious and anyone in that position would be wary of people who say the sort of things my dad does. But it's also true about my dad. His issue is about him and not about the world. But that's also not my brother's problem. And my brother has experienced a lot more of my dad's actual anger than I have. I don't get angry easily, but my dad and brother both do, and I know about a few things that have happened that both of them did, and I'm sure there's more that I don't know. So whether to reconcile or not is my brother's choice. It is really hard as a close family member, but an outsider, because of course I want them to be able to tolerate each other, and in my head it's possible if my brother can understand why my dad is the way he is and how he's really trying to be loving toward the world and just going about it in a paradoxical way. But my brother isn't wrong for making his own choice, for safety and for peace of mind.

I just encourage my dad to keep things simple and not overly sentimental when he reaches out to my brother, and absolutely do not talk about politics. "I miss you, I want you to be happy and be who you are," that should be the one and only message if my dad really wants to earn my brother's trust back. But my dad doesn't really think he should have lost that trust in the first place... so that's another hurdle. I can't explain to my dad how much what he says hurts my brother, because my dad knows what his own intentions are and since they're not malicious, he doesn't think anyone should interpret them that way. It doesn't work like that. People see what you do and hear what you say. If you say, "I love you and want you to be yourself," but also, "[Group that you are a member of] is destroying modern society," then even if you've got this mixed up paradoxical way of thinking, it's still going to hurt others.

On the bright side, my dad did manage to stop himself when he started to go on about Disney and Bud Light and all that. He did wax sentimental about the divorce, but not as badly as before. No tears this time. And he'd seen my uncle recently, and said he's going to get a part time job. So he seemed mostly doing good, which was a relief. He doesn't seem depressed. I know you can't always tell just based on someone's behavior. He seems the same as ever, I guess is what I mean, so that's somewhat reassuring.

#personal

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heyidkyay · 1 year

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15 Questions, 15 Mutuals

Thank you @thousandfourhundreddays for the tag<3

1) Are you named after anyone? My middle name- after my nana, which isn't too interesting but she very much is, so

2) When was the last time you cried? Um yesterday? Watched Beethoven and sobbed like an actual baby lmao, someone else PLS tell me they cried too, that poor doggo:'((

3) Do you have kids? Currently none that I know of, babies are proper cute though I guess

4) Do you use sarcasm a lot? Never.

5) What's the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes I think, smiles are pretty too, or how welcoming they seem?

6) What's your eye colour? Green:))

7) Scary movies or happy endings? Idm scary films, have to be in the mood though, but a happy ending is always preferred

8) Any special talents? Uhhh, oddly flexible? and I play a few instruments too, can also touch nose with tongue if that's impressive at all

9) Where were you born? Uk << why does that look strange to me??

10) What are your hobbies? Hobbieeeess umm I sing, very much into music, I like to bake and sketch sometimes too, also yoga atm

11) Have you any pets? I do, want a farm though. Chickens, cows, goats, the whole lot. Currently, I just a have a couple kittens and a pug

12) What sports do you play / have you played? Wow, none really😅 I mean, I played netball in primary but then spent the majority of secondary skipping pe so.. I like to workout now though, running is something I do every so often too

13) How tall are you? 5'8 always been tall for a girl and it's something that took me a lonngg time to come to terms with, but I'm at peace with it now

14) Favourite subject in school? Art and Music mostly, liked English too but only ever when we were writing, HATED analysing things it always got me so stressed😭

15) Dream job? I'd honestly love to be a performer, struggled a lot with anxiety and being relatively shy all my life though, think I'm at a point now where I want to step out of my comfort zone and try new things so hopefully...

Tags: Fairly new to Tumblr tbh so haven't got any mutuals, (feel free to say hi ig😅) but if you see this and want to do it go ahead and use me as a tag, or just ignore:)!

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megan-bopo-journey · 8 months

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Coeliac chronicles part 2

-"oh this is the GF chicken" like WTF would you not say "hey this is NOT the GF chicken when you brought the first one out". I'm so fucking sick of it being a mother fucking facade every time.

Plus my hair is falling out in CLUMPS and I'm so scared it's because I've glutened myself in the past few weeks because my life has literally been chaos. Not reassuring when I'm TTC which OF COURSE is impacted by fucking coeliac which is simply the worst intersection of issues possible. This has to be my saturn return because sometimes I wonder how the fuck I'm meant to deal with managing coeliac as well as hormonal issues (and not to mention my shit body image).

I need to focus on what I can control - I can't really control the retreat thing and I'm hoping it won't be too bad - I can just prepare for the worst, do what I can to still be able to enjoy food with people (like maybe making brownies) but if I don't have the energy for that just bring my own food and get through it with answers ready for the questions and dumb comments. I can control not going to Emma's thing because I know that'll just be too much and the costs don't outweigh the benefits. I do want to be social but I just know I will likely leave the event pissed off and triggered in some way. I'll be seeing Fiona on Monday and she is one of the most healing people to be around because she's so accepting of doing what I need in terms of food -we will be doing the river walk so minimal food will be involved anyway. I'd rather go out to eat with Josh who is such a good protector in case the staff aren't understanding or be a little cunty with it. I'd rather go out with Navin because again she's so understanding and flexible with food. Or with Fiona Hayley and Grace for the same reason and it's not always a restaurant (asian restaurants nonetheless with language barriers and it being common place to share food). I think I'm just accepting that I can CHOOSE who I surround myself with and if I don't want to go out with people that are obsessed with doing things that just don't work with my disease I literally don't have to. It sucks my disease stops me from this but also..would I want to be going to Burwood anyway after working all day? No! I had to make this choice back when there was beef with the crossfit ~girlies~ so I can make the same choice again. I'm so so so grateful I have people in my life that I can actually rely on to accommodate me that it's enough for me.

I don't have anything planned next Sunday and then on Monday getting my hair done and I'm so excited. I hope it will be the end of constant battles and challenges with having coeliac and I can get a break. Before I then go to bloody Cairns and Lady Elliot Island....

Which I'm excited for but I learnt yesterday that there's no shops on the island, just an included buffet and cafe. Fucking hell.. it's going to be HARD and I really have to look after my body in preparation for inevitable cross contamination but I do hope it'll be worth it. There were GF options on the cafe menu and the FAQ said they cater for dietary requirements so hopefully I will be ok but I know I will be so exhausted from constantly advocating for myself. I might get those bloody coeliac cards to try and lessen the load even though that's pretty dorky but I'll do what I have to do. I have a few days I think once we're home to recover from it and most of the time will be in Cairns where we have an Airbnb so can make salads for the day pretty easily. I think if I bring some peanut butter, vegemite and rice cakes hopefully that'll get me out of a pinch. The biggest challenge and Josh's family going on about how ~sad~ it is but I'll just tell them it lessens my anxiety.

I just have to realise that just because people notice doesn't mean they continue to care about it, or that they are judging me for having dietary requirements and a restrictive diet but not being skinny. And if they are it means they would be kinda a cunt and that's a them problem...

Not to mention work got really busy there-but seems to have settled down again and work is very much a safe haven for me at the moment. And then of course dad but he seems on the mend but ugh last week when I thought I finally had a day to myself with no food planning required but its ok-family always comes first and I made do. Same with Navin's wedding, I felt shit those entire 3 days (and tbh I still feel kinda shit afterwards which makes me think I got glutened..) but I feel like it meant a lot that I was there for all 3 days. This will probably be the only Indian wedding I'll go to so I think it was worth the risk.

It will be ok, this has been a very tough few weeks and I've realised that it's ok to put in boundaries and be picky of what events I go to.

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foxymoxynoona · 3 years

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Can you tell us more about your decision making process behind choosing which member to be taken and which member to be single? 😊 And would you ever consider a Hobi story? I'm seriously thirsting over white haired Hobi and his aura screams certified dom™ IRL to me 🤭 or at least someone who is adventurous behind closed doors.

I've been wanting to write some Hobi fluff recently, I don't know, I feel like he's my comfort teddy and while I'm so stressed, I'd really like to just chill with him. His duality also fascinates me (tri-ality? the sunshine, the strict dancer, and the quiet chill way he says he is at home) so I'd love to explore that in writing, yes!

Below the cut about where everyone is romantically in Flux right now and why.

My answer about decision making is going to sound so mushy to you but: it felt right to me at the point in time for the story. You'll learn more about the other members' relationships in time but the little summary for where I see all of them at this place in the story:

- Jin, prefers long and stable relationships, only dates someone he's serious with, has been with Hana a long time and known her even longer, would be happy to marry her someday and because he's content here, he's just comfy and content. He's also the best of the bunch at balancing career and personal life, and prioritizing a relationship.

-Yoongi, prefers clarity and stability. Would love a long term relationship but doesn't have the energy and attention for that right now with his career, so he's decently happy with his arrangement with Min-suh. He likes having someone who understands him and doesn't expect too much and he can just be himself with, though he does sometimes long for a more whole and fully-known relationship, but just doesn't have the headspace for it right now. Is also not totally convinced a whole real thing is even possible.

-Hoseok, thinks he can do casual but then winds up only being able to prioritize a relationship if it's really important to him. and once it is, it's really important! But because he's crazy busy with his career, it also puts a lot of pressure on his relationships, so the ones that last tend to be with someone who can be the right amount of flexible, leading, and leaving him alone as needed. Basically, he can be both incredibly giving and incredibly need when his batteries are out, so his relationship needs strength and stamina.

-Namjoon, at a crossroads in his life and not sure what he actually wants. In the story he'd had a year long relationship that ended right before the story starts but it was sort of on and off again. I think he had to grew up fast as the leader in a lot of ways, which left some of hte personal "Growing up" ways behind a little. Now he's starting to catch up, focus more on himself, but he's got some time before he's really in the headspace for a real relationship and he jsut doens't have the time or energy for a casual hook up, so the niche of what he'd be looking for is pretty narrow.

-Jimin, I see him as really focused on self growth and his own journey right now in the story. He's open and honest and presents this sense of being down for anything, but in reality his insecurities and introspection are at the forefront of his energies right now. It would be easy to turn to someone externally to help him figure out "who am I other than Jimin from BTS?" but he's trying to do that internally and appreciate the platonic relationships he's surrounded by.

-Taehyung, open and interested in dating. He's come through the sort of self-actualization that Namjoon and Jimin are working on. he has a better sense than ever of who he is and what he wants, and it's allowing him to be a little steadier than some of the other guys in the story right now. But that oppenness is probably one reason JK feels a little more jealous around him... he has confidence and experience right now that JK is still building.

-JK, he loves love the way he sees it in poems and movies, total romantic, but frequently finds the reality of relationships and women disappointing, as seen with his previous relationships. But when the woman matches his hopes, he falls fast and swings from "kind of standoffish" to "cares very very much and may be inclined to move too fast."

One other thing I'll add though is that I don't view romance or romantic love as actually the driving purpose of this series or any of the characters in it. I think society really romanticizes romance but it's also awesome to be happy and single. The guys in the story have a range of needs and desires, and those are not always ideally served by some big romantic relationship. Sometimes it's steady as-needed sex with space the rest of the time. Some of them are actually pretty content to own their own space and time, especially when they have so many close friends and family members. I know I write romance but I really think the most important romantic arc for a character is them learning to love and adore their own life, with or without a co-pilot. I know you didn't ask this, but it's just been on my mind lately!

#flux #littlebean #asks #mywriting

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oneboxofmatches · 3 years

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I hope it's okay to ask for a HP romantic and friend matchup from the golden trio era and possibly romantic for marauders (please don't feel like you have to do the marauders one too if it's too much. I definitely don't want to stress you).

My pronouns are she/her and my romantic preference would be for a guy. I'm 5'4 and my style usually lingers somewhere between feminine, preppy, and "basic". I do think it's important to put at least some level of effort into my appearance.

My HP house is Ravenclaw (second highest Slytherin) and my enneagram is 1w2 (with 3 as a very close second top number)

I'm a super hardworking and ambitious person (sometimes at the expense of my own mental health and wellness). It's important to me to be able to work towards my goals and be with someone who has goals of their own. I'd get frustrated by someone who never knows when to take things seriously. I have a tendency to stress myself out sometimes and often let my stress bottle up. Cleaning/organizing and baking always help me feel centered and reduce my stress when I feel like I'm freaking out a bit. I tend to also be a little bit of a control freak on occasion in everyday life.

I can be a bit reserved when it comes to meeting new people, but when I'm around my close friends and family, I'm more open and talkative. I don't feel the need to force conversation though and can enjoy time around people just by doing our own thing next to each other and relaxing in each other's company. My friends and family are really important to me and I always try to be reliable and there for them whenever they need support.

When it comes to hobbies, I enjoy reading, watching tv/movies, cross stitch, and shopping. I used to be on a dance drill team and have continued doing yoga to keep up my flexibility because it helps me feel healthy. My favorite genres in books, movies, tv shows, etc. are romance and mystery, but I especially love when something has a big plot twist or is really thought provoking so that I can discuss it with someone I know. I also tend to be a romantic. I'm not really an outdoorsy person though and don't enjoy things like camping and hiking a ton.

When it comes to my idea of a perfect date it would probably be something pretty classic like going out to a nice dinner. I do enjoy getting dressed up and doing something fancy. Though, I'd also enjoy something like going to a carnival or festival together and just enjoying each other's company for a day. The most important thing is just spending time and connecting with the person I care about. My love languages are quality time and physical touch. It's simple, but I think it's super sweet just walking down the street and holding hands with someone. I also think it's nice when someone is taller than me so I can lean my head on their arm or shoulder while we stand next to each other (this sounds cheesy haha).

Goodness this came out so long, but I hope it's okay. Thanks so much for doing this!

This was amazing and no problem at all, thank you for requesting and I hope you enjoy!!

In the Golden Trio era, I romantically pair you with…

CEDRIC DIGGORY

You value hard work. Cedric is by no means a stranger to hard work. Getting paired together for a project is the most likely way you two realized just how much you can accomplish together.

While Cedric realizes the importance of his schooling and the high piles of work that come with it, he also recognizes that maintaining a balance between “work” and “play” is the secret to a healthy, manageable life. He admires your work ethic (and supports your goals 100%), but he’s also the first to advise taking a step back when the world starts asking too much of you.

It’s because Cedric has the utmost respect for you that he doesn’t just outright dismiss your outbursts that occur whenever he’s attempting to get you to relax for a moment. He makes sure you know that he finds both the work you’re doing as well as your mental health important, and all he wants to do is help you find that middle ground where you don’t have to sacrifice either one.

Learning that you already have ways to cope with stress (cleaning, organizing, baking) eases his mind, and he even uses this information to his benefit. He knows that suggesting one of these activities as an alternative to partaking in any stressful work environment you’ve found yourself in betters the chances of you taking a well-deserved break.

Aside from actual dates, it’s these little breaks where the two of you spend the most quality time together. In terms of conversation, things can range from talking lightly about your days, taking on a vulnerable tone for more personal topics, or even just a silence that sits comfortably between you while you work.

Also, it’s almost surprising how much Cedric loves watching mystery TV shows and movies with you. It’s not necessarily something he would’ve found himself doing otherwise, but he loves having someone to share the massive surprise that comes with a major plot twist. After the screen goes dark, you two can find yourselves discussing what you just watched for hours without growing bored.

As for the traditional dates, you can bet that Cedric is up for both dressing up for a nice restaurant or taking the more casual route by going to a carnival. The variety not only keeps your relationship interesting, but it proves that the location really doesn’t matter -- you enjoy yourselves and feel just as strongly for each other no matter what.

Overall, the mutual respect and dedication between you and Cedric create the ultimate power couple dynamic. Alone you can accomplish many things, but together the possibilities are endless. But at the end of a long day, it becomes clear that having each other is all that really matters.

As a friend, I think you’d best be matched with…

DRACO MALFOY

Don’t be fooled. Before this friendship was anywhere near friendly, you and Draco made up one of the most competitive duos Hogwarts has ever seen. Your high work ethic and his constant need to be recognized as a great wizard clashed, and Draco was found applying himself to his work like he never had before.

It probably took you two being forced to work together to realize you (surprise!!!) actually make a pretty good team.

The sudden burst of motivation Draco found while competing against you stays after you become friends, and you’re the one who teaches him how to use this newfound ethic more efficiently. He recognizes that you taking a break from your own work to give him these helpful pointers is a big deal, and though he doesn’t say it, he’s grateful.

Whenever he isn’t off trying to impress someone or make sure his name remains respected, he’s often in the library with you, working away. You don’t talk much, though the question “How are things?” serves as a solid conversation started for the times when the work you’re doing doesn’t need to be rushed.

You both come to find that you value the other’s opinion on many things. Both schoolwork and social matters are things you bring up with the other, and advice-giving (yes, Draco can give advice when he feels like it) becomes a common theme.

Support becomes a key part of your friendship. Draco makes sure you take care of yourself and you make sure he knows he’s more than just his last name. Rumors of his family’s involvement in certain affairs aren’t exactly rare, and while you don’t force him to open up, you make a point to remind him time after time that he has the power to choose his own destiny.

And when he does finally open up to you in private, your opinion of him doesn’t change in the slightest. You reassure him of this, explaining that whatever he needs, you’re there for him. You realize you can’t do much to change his situation, but you know that simply being a loyal friend through all this might be just what he needs.

Overall, you and Draco hold each other in very high regard, and though you bring different perspectives to the table, you realize you’re willing to help each other in any way you can.

In the Marauders era, I romantically pair you with…

REMUS LUPIN

Remus understands you find his friends annoying. He finds them annoying. But seeing you sit through one of their worst hyperactive, downright ridiculous episodes just so you could spend time with him while knowing you can get fed up with people who have a hard time taking anything seriously demonstrated that you were committed to your relationship and were willing to accommodate whoever he hung out with.

As someone who outworks over ¾ the school, Remus is a master at recognizing the early stages of burnout. Whenever he sees it in you, he’ll take on a softer tone and gently ask if you’d like to direct your attention elsewhere for a while and return to work at a later time.

You often work in the same room as each other, taking solace in the gentle quiet you two can find if you get lucky enough to find such a spot. While you both enjoy the peaceful, intimate conversations that usually come at the end of a long day, you are also content with saving that for later and using the time at hand to focus on schooling.

The complexity of your conversations (whether it be about the latest book you both read, a recent assignment from a shared class, or one of life’s mysteries) is much higher than that of the average couple. With the level of thought you two are already capable of, you challenge each other by exploring new ways of thinking together.

Remus can be quite the romantic when he wants to be. Respectful, yet simple gestures (such as opening a door for you) are a given, but he also loves little signs of affection such as holding your hand as you walk through Hogsmeade. He revels in the feeling of being close to you, and don’t be surprised if he gives your hand a gentle squeeze once in a while.

Overall, not only do you and Remus unlock new levels of thought and productivity, but you also have a pure, sweet love for each other that is timeless.

#matchups #fandom matchups #harry potter matchup #harry potter #cedric diggory #draco malfoy #remus lupin

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fisherfurbearer · 5 years

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With vivariums, how often do you add new enrichment, if at all? When my corn snake was in her old 40g, I'd add/circulate stuff every week or two, but I'm not sure if I should in her viv. Would just adjusting the climbing branches or leaf litter be enough, or should I go for a more ambitious moving of her hides and stuff?

This...is actually a really good question!!!

(Bear with me here as I’ve been very sick the past few days and Very Jumbled, so my words are even worse than they usually are, but here we go...!)

To be honest, I haven’t really thought about this before, as weird as that sounds...I’ve been thinking about your question for a few days and it gives me a lot of ideas. My only two “proper” vivariums are for the Eurydactylodes, and the way their hardscape is set up, it’s pretty set in stone, not much can be adjusted. Right now they’re honestly kinda ugly too, not nearly as handsome/filled out as they were before since a lot of the plants tanked and I’m still growing out a couple new plants and getting back into a good routine, so I’m not sure how helpful my answer can be right now.

But thinking back to when the vivs were At Their Peak and when my routine was really good...hmm! I never really circulated their environmental enrichment, but it was always a process of slowly adding new plants and filling in gaps, and “training” vines to grow where I wanted. Over time I added some pieces of cork to the ground, more leaf litter, seed pods, stuff like that, but I never REALLY shook things up. I WILL note though that as their plants grew, especially the quick growing Peperomia scandens vine, the geckos both change their behaviors accordingly! As the vines fill in, get trimmed, and grow back again, Gogo in particular really changes up the paths he takes to get to his favorite basking or resting spots, and as the light penetration changes they both choose new places to sit. It’s kinda neat, and I’m going to try to add some new plants soon and try to get the vivs back to where they were before. I got really...overly ambitious...when I was younger, and that coupled with Life just really tanked over time, but I’ve learned so much and I think this time around the vivs can still be just as nice, if not better.

But I digress! Even though I haven’t/don’t change up much Intentionally (plants growing out don’t really count) I actually think I might try to come up with new ideas for how I CAN do that for the geckos. Their enclosures are pretty small (12″x12″x18″, but remember that Didi is just 3.75″ from tip to tail and Gogo is only 4.25″!!) and the hardscape is permanent so I’m not sure exactly how much I could do, but maybe there ARE options...?

It’s a tricky balance between “familiarity” (‘ah yes this is MY home, where I feel safe and know where my favorite places are and how to get there!’) and “novelty” (switching up environments, trying out new decor, hides, tactile surfaces, etc.), if that makes sense.

It REALLY depends on the individual...like the mice/rats? Oh yeah, switch that shit UP!! Turn the whole enclosure upside down every week, switch up EVERYTHING and cycle through hides and bring back old favorites and try out new ones!! These guys LOVE it!! Quail...? Oh goodness, even though they’re getting braver, if I switch Too many things at once they get VERY STRESSED and pace for at least a few days before going back to normal...it’s a real balancing act with them and they really do well with a lot of familiarity, but Also novel changes and gradual improvements over time.

And with a living vivarium of course, you’re looking at a more “permanent” set up. The substrate is Alive, the environment more natural, and in most cases it’s probably harder to move everything around due to practicality (Dirt is Messy! Leaves are Messy! Reworking the vivs is always a disaster!! And I can definitely imagine a larger vivarium being heavy and difficult to shift around frequently, too) and it may not be preferred to do so, either! I would still have to test my theories in practice when I eventually get into larger reptiles, but I believe there can definitely be a happy medium between building a “familiar”, safe, enriching environment that will always be enjoyable for the inhabitant, AND providing novel enrichment.

The tricky part is knowing HOW MUCH to change, and HOW FREQUENT...

For example, once again, consider practicality. How big is the enclosure, how difficult is it to remove decor and move objects around? Are there living plants? If so, will moving decor around disturb them? And consider the individual. What is their temperament like? How do they respond to changes? Are they very active, curious, always on the move and rushing snoot-first to check out anything new? Or are they the type to hide or display signs of stress when anything familiar is changed? What’s the balance there, between desensitizing to Changes and building up Confidence and Encouraging natural behaviors and mental stimulation, vs. Distressing and Disturbing their sense of Safety/Familiarity?

Once again I notice this a lot with the difference between the mice and the quail. The quail are verrrrry timid about changes and even though I will add foliage in the same places as before, and clean everything up and add features I know they enjoy, it takes them time to readjust if I change too much at once (which I HAVE to do sometimes, during deep cleans, but I’m hoping over time they will grow more accustomed to it and won’t be as stressed in the future. Yet another reason in defense of why changing up environments CAN be a good thing...! It’s just a balancing act, is all) but compared to the mice or rats, they’re ALL OVER anything new!! Doesn’t matter if they’ve never seen it in their life, they want to sniff, jump on, run through, run on, explore, explore, EXPLORE!!!!! They THRIVE on new things and changes, but they also like a sense of familiarity (ex. they love tunnels, and use them to run from place to place...so each time I redo their enclosure, I might switch out what KINDS of tunnels we have [shape, material, size] to keep it Interesting. I also try to keep at least a few of the same hides as the last time, so it smells/feels familiar) and seem to enjoy that too.

BUT BACK TO VIVARIUMS and how this all fits together!!!!

As I’ve said, I haven’t actually considered changing up my boys vivs, but I think this is something REALLY COOL to think about, not just for future vivs, but now as well!! I might actually try adding even more hardscape for them, like switch up the wood features on the ground, add some thin branches that can be moved around later. And this time I’ll plan for the plants as they grow and are trimmed back, as that’s a pretty cool “natural” environmental shift over time...even just letting some plants overgrow really changes up their environment, and encouraging that might be a good thing. I’ll have to experiment and I would definitely make future vivariums a bit more Flexible with their design so I could experiment more with this, as my options are somewhat limited with the geckos vivs, but still!!

And regarding your viv...!!! I have some ideas for that too!! These are some General Ideas, but here’s what I think:

- I know corn snakes in general are pretty active noodles, and although it depends on your individual corn, you may be in a good place to test out this Theory that switching up pieces of a vivarium could be beneficial enrichment. Corns in general seem like the kind of snake to adapt well and benefit from occasional changes, so here are some ideas to consider...

- Vivs naturally change over time. Plants grow, plants get trimmed, leaf litter decays, stuff like that. Adjusting plants (for example, adding new plants over time. Doesn’t really follow any rhyme or reason for me, it’s more of a natural “ooh but what if I put THIS here, or filled this space with THAT, and what if I grew something in this shady spot here, or this colorful one in the bright place here...” and that on it’s own can Improve a viv over time, and be a form of enrichment) and adding fresh leaf litter (try different types!! A couple different kinds of leaves looks better, decays at a varied rate, and is better for microfauna. They’ll eat the faster decaying ones first while the slower ones stick around longer.) can help keep things Fresh and Good

- I REALLY like to design things with Zones. I tend to think of enclosures/vivariums in terms of Choices and Factors. Factors like light/dark, warm/cool, humid/dry, open/hidden, high/low/below, hard/soft, etc., which all give the animal a Choice if they want to be one thing or the other... “Right now it’s daytime and I’m nocturnal and want to be in the shade, where it’s cooler and more secure.” “Right now it’s daytime and it’s time to Bask and Bake My Focking Eyeballs even though I have the CHOICE to be in the shade and NOT Bake My Forkking Eyespheres.” or, “I am a mouse and my instincts say I must DIG.” Stuff like that!! 1000% of the time, no matter what, the animal should ALWAYS be able to make these kinds of decisions, and enclosure/vivarium design DIRECTLY IMPACTS THIS!! No matter what changes, these basic factors should always be considered. (Of course, it changes based on the species, like for tarantulas I always think in terms of humid/dry, arboreal/terrestrial/fossorial, open/hidden, but the Ratios of these Zones changes greatly based on the species...like Kitty [bold semi-arboreal desert webbing tarantula] vs. Flaveri [terrestrial/heavy burrowing not-very-webby tarantula] are VERY different even though they’re both tarantulas. Does that make sense?

- Within these “zones” and with the idea of Choices in mind...it’s still possible and can be a good thing to mix up their options!! Some ideas for a corn snake might be...have a hide or two at different levels. One or two underground/half buried, at least one at ground level, maybe one thats elevated slightly, or visual barriers (think loose foliage that can be moved through but blocks them from view) above ground level. That gives them so many options right there, and you could always think about maybe switching one or two of those hides out (while keeping the rest same, for Familiarity) and testing different kinds of hides, maybe!! Wood vs. rocks vs. faux material vs. whatever!!! Test things out, see what they like, and remember it for later so you can incorporate that more often. It doesn’t even have to follow a rhyme or reason, maybe just mix up a piece of decor or a hide or two once every week or two, or:

- Mess with tactile enrichment!!!! This is a big one, I bet!! Try out different types of substrate, like a Big pile of leaves maybe with a Good Smell inside to encourage Sniffin’ and Searchin’, try out sand or small pebbles or different textures of wood/branches!! Cork bark is way different from ghost wood or driftwood, you feel? And maybe come up with “Permanent” parts of the hardscape that you never/rarely change, and a few easy to move parts that you could shift around or switch out sometimes...

- Also just Personal Opinion Time, which is probably going to change more over time as I gain more Knowledge and Experience, I feel like...no matter what, an animals enclosure should be Extra Enriching All The Time, and Always offer them choices WITHOUT the need to have it all turned upside down on a regular basis just to be interesting. It’s like...making your bedroom/house Yours. I wouldn’t want to totally redo my entire house every month let alone every week or two...it’s nice to live somewhere that feels like Home, but it’s also nice to change things to fit Me as time goes on. That’s something that some animals are very good at doing, themselves. Tarantulas and rodents especially, they take what you give them and run away with it...they make their own tunnels, their own hides, their own comfort and enjoyment. They take the Template we give them and say “okay now what about THIS?” One of the MOST IMPORTANT components of Great Environmental Enrichment/Design is that, I feel. Giving them an area where they can express natural behaviors of all kinds, and make Choices for themselves, and utilize/alter their environment in a safe, positive manner that allows them to Thrive in their own enclosure.

That isn’t to say that changing things up is bad either...in a lot of animals cases I think this is a good thing, and a Great Vivarium Designer/Animal Caretaker is always striving to improve, so it’s a natural trend over time to see improvements and changes made to enclosures and husbandry no matter what. Even if it doesn’t follow a regimen, as my vivs don’t seem to, they still evolve and get better over time, and that in a way is also enrichment. Just comparing pictures of my first attempts at the gecko vivs to where they were at their peak, or how my tarantula enclosures have evolved, that’s a great way to visualize what I mean by that. It doesn’t follow a pattern, but that’s not to say that I DON’T switch things up or try to provide Different things. It’s less of novelty and more of “general improvement” for the geckos and inverts though, I think.

Uhhh I’m kinda spent now with my words...I feel like I went in circles and didn’t actually say anything?? I’m still very jumbled and sniffly and sick and I’m not sure if this helped or answered your question at all but uhhhh yes! Thank you very much for the very good question, it gave me a lot to think about. c:

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beauticate · 5 years

Text

Magdalena Roze, Journalist

If you’re anything like us, one look at Magdalena Roze’s radiant complexion, and you’ll be desperate for her to spill the secrets to her signature glow. And good news: the journalist, podcast host, and mother-of-two has turned her talented hand to cookbook writing, with her new release detailing recipes to help get some of that very glow. We chatted to Magdalena about her wholesome (but delicious) day on a plate, her go-to beauty addresses in Byron Bay and Sydney, and why she won’t say no to some old-fashioned, homemade cake.

“I always knew that I wanted to work in the media, so when I left high school I was at a bit of a crossroads where it was a choice between acting or journalism.

I'd been acting and doing theatre since I was a kid and had a lot of friends that went to NIDA, so that path seemed obvious in many ways. But I was also drawn to writing and storytelling in a more journalistic capacity, and the opportunity to travel, experience amazing things and interview interesting people. So I chose the latter and was awarded a scholarship to study Media and Communications at the University of Sydney. In my final year, I did an internship at Channel Nine and at the end of it they offered me a job. The rest is history!

With my job, I love that no day is the same and that I'm constantly learning, meeting interesting (and often extraordinary) people and experiencing new things.

It’s changed a lot since I’ve transitioned from exclusively working in television towards a more digital and project based career, but while it wasn’t something I planned, it’s been a blessing to have more flexibility, autonomy and creativity - especially with a young family. One day I’m testing recipes for my cookbooks and another I could be recording my food podcast The Pass, hosting Nigella Lawson or doing a shoot for a brand I love. It keeps me very inspired and fulfilled, but most importantly, it still affords me the opportunity to live in Byron Bay and be with my kids, and for that I'm extremely grateful.

My personal style has changed a lot since moving to Byron Bay and becoming a mum.

It’s definitely more relaxed, but I still love glamming up for a red carpet. I tend to adapt to my surroundings, so when I’m at home in Byron, I pretty much live in linen, flowy, dresses, swimsuits and sandals. There’s a lot of white and neutrals, which is crazy with two messy babies! My staple designers are My General Store, Estilo Emporio, and Spell when I want to go a bit more boho. St Agni are my go-to for leather sandals. My favourites for basic pieces like t-shirts are Jac and Jack and Bassike, and pretty much all my knitwear is from First Born which is all handmade and fairtrade. When we travel I switch it up and tend to wear more black and tailored pieces, and my red carpet style can be really varied depending on my mood and the event. I actually really love putting the whole outfit together, from heels to makeup and accessories. Some of my favourite Aussie designers are Zimmermann, Scanlan Theodore and Toni Maticevski, and I love Christie Nicolaides earrings. They're real statement pieces and always make the outfit.

My beauty routine is way more low maintenance in Byron - which is convenient being a mum of two as I’m lucky if I have 5 minutes to get myself ready!

Unless I'm doing a shoot or hosting an event, most of my days involve little or no makeup at all and like to stick to the more natural based products, especially when it comes to skincare. This actually came out of necessity a few years ago when I was working long hours and wearing heavy makeup on TV every day. My skin really suffered and I started breaking out in rashes that wouldn't go away. I couldn’t control the makeup part but I realised that I could use much more lowtox products on my skin, so I made my own completely natural toner, moisturiser and eye cream and my skin literally cleared up in a day. I'm sure it wasn’t just the products - things like stress and hormones have a lot to do with it too - but I've been using simple and natural based skincare ever since. Becoming pregnant with Archie four years ago was another incentive to use cleaner products, plus for some reason I became really sensitive to the smell of certain fragrances and chemicals. I'm definitely not a total purist, especially when it comes to makeup, but there are so many great natural products out there now that it’s easy to do.

I very much believe in a gentle, non-abrasive approach as well as the powerful role of wholefoods in attaining glowing and strong skin, hair and nails. I swear by good fats like bone broth for this as it’s literally packed with collagen, as well as adding ghee, coconut oil and hemp oil to my meals. It’s boring but drinking lots of filtered water probably makes the biggest difference to plump, hydrated skin.

I cleanse my skin with Sodashi Clay Cleanser with lime which is gentle and nourishing, followed by a spritz of Oil Garden Rose Floral Water.

I moisturise with Sodashi Rejuvenating Face and Neck Moisturiser or sometimes just a few drops of Oil Garden Rose Hip Oil. Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream is also a favourite during the cooler months as it’s quite rich. Then I fill in my brows with Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil and dab some NARS Radiant Cream Concealer under my eyes to hide the mumbags! I usually leave it at that but if I have a meeting or want an extra lift, I love LUMA Just A Touch Lip and Cheek Tint in Signorita for a dewy natural flush on my apples and it really is the perfect natural lip colour. I'll also dab a bit of the LUMA Illuminating Highlighter in Golden Glow on my cheekbones. I like to have really clean skin before I go to bed, especially if I've been working and have makeup on, so I use some sort of oil like coconut oil or African Botanics Pure Marula Cleansing Oil to remove the first layer of makeup, sunscreen and impurities. It smells so good! Then I cleanse with something foaming like Chantecaille Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser (which is 80% natural) as the gentle exfoliating beads of rice bran give a thorough clean and I can use it to remove eye makeup too. I follow this with my Oil Garden spritz and Sodashi moisturiser. I really like trying new products and I’m always on the lookout for something natural and amazing, so I tend to mix it up every few months.

I use natural essential oil based soaps handmade by my friends Church Farm General Store in Byron Bay and they're gentle enough to use on the kids too. Because I spend a lot of time at the beach with sunscreen, I like to give my body a good scrub regularly with Mukti Organics Bioactive Body Polish. It leaves my skin feeing so smooth and nourished, and smells heavenly. For both of my pregnancies and in the months after, I massaged Weleda Stretch Mark Oil on my belly which has worked wonders. I like to treat myself to a hot bath now again with epsom salts and a few drops of Oil Garden Relax & Unwind Silk Bath Oil which feels and smells divine.

In the day and most of the time, my beauty look is natural, fresh and feminine. But if I'm going out to an event, I love to glam it up.

In terms of celebs, I like Gwyneth Paltrow's pared back beauty and Blake Lively’s red carpet glam. For nights out, I use Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. I’ve been using it since the TV days as it’s light enough for a daytime look and yet you can build on it in the evening. When I want glowy skin, l use LUMA Liquid Light Illuminating Primer underneath. I swear by NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna for contouring and that sun-kissed look, and NARS Blush in Orgasm. If I’m getting my makeup professionally done, I find that adding a few individual lashes to the eyes make a huge difference. And I think that having a good quality set of makeup brushes is essential.

I have long, thick, coloured hair so my hair needs plenty of moisture.

I'm yet to find a great natural shampoo so if anyone has any tips, let me know! I’ve always used Kérastase but my hairdresser recently put me on to Iles Formula shampoo, conditioner and Finishing Serum and love it. It’s super light and makes my hair feel super soft and silky. It actually does what it says on the bottle and the packaging is really nice and sleek too. When my hair is particularly dry, I’ll often add a heap of coconut oil in it and slick it back in a bun all day before washing it at night, and I always add serum to the ends after a blowdry or tonging. Speak of which, a thick tong is the best tool for achieving a beachy wave in minutes.

My top tip for healthy hair is to do as little as possible to it. When I worked in TV, I used to have to wear hairpieces to make up for all the breakage from constant teasing and hairspray. Since moving to Byron, my hair is thicker than all the pieces put together! I credit this to leaving it alone and eating a lot of good fats.

My mum has amazing skin and she’s always taken good care of it.

She encouraged my sister and I to do the same using quality products. While she’s far from high maintenance, she’s always told us to make an effort when we leave the house. I’ve always been interested in makeup and beauty, most probably influenced by my older sister and mum so I was quite diligent about cleansing, moisturising and wearing sunscreen from an early age. This seemed to be more of a priority than makeup.

But the main thing both of my parents constantly told us is not to stress and stand up straight, because no amount of makeup can fix that.

When I'm in Sydney I see Jocelyn Petroni at The Facial Room.

I've been going to her for years and everything about her treatments - her beautiful, calming salon, the massages, and reiki - is on another level. She was the first to introduce me to Omnilux, a 20 minute non-invasive light treatment that gives skin a radiance. She’s all about bringing out one’s inner glow and I feel like that’s the key to true beauty. Her facials are heavenly!

I’ve been getting my brows done with Kristin Fisher in Sydney since back in the day when she had a tiny room at a Paddington gym , while my makeup artist Ashlea Penfold does the most gorgeous glowy, beachy, goddess makeup. In Byron Bay, I get my facials at A Little Company which is a gorgeous serene space like something out of Kinfolk magazine, and Aleshia Marie in Bangalow. For haircuts, colours and blowdries I go to Edwards and Co in Surry Hills and Byron Bay. The stylists are always amazing and I relish the time to myself to read the latest fashion and creative magazines and drink coffee without kids pulling me in every direction. Gaia Retreat & Spa in Byron Bay is a special, peaceful retreat that I like to go to with my mama friends to unwind and get a massage.

I've never had a regime when it comes to exercise, and it’s only now a few months after my second baby that I feel ready to be active again.

So I’ve started with some gentle, restorative yoga which I do a couple of times a week at home with my teacher, Brooklyn, and we build the intensity as I get stronger. It’s impossible for me to drive to a class while still breastfeeding so having her come to me is a godsend and the highlight of the week. If I can grab 30 minutes at the end of the day, I love a jog on the beach or quick standup paddle on the river. Other than that, most of my training is carrying Charlie and running after Archie.

While supplements definitely have their place, like magnesium to help with sleep and muscle tension, day to day I try and get the bulk of my nutrients from eating real wholefoods as I feel that their much more bioavailable. So for skin, hair and nails, there’s nothing better for me than bone broth, ghee, coconut and hemp oil. There’s a locally made honey here called Vallentine’s which is twice as strong as manuka and great for wound healing.

For relaxation, yoga is my go-to as it ticks all the boxes in terms of nourishing the mind, body and soul.

When we had our second baby, Charlie, Darren (Ed’s note: Magdalena’s partner) and I negotiated two mornings every week where we get to do whatever makes us happy while the other takes the kids, to maintain some sanity amongst the chaos. So mine is yoga. It’s gentle yet strengthening, and so good for my energy and emotional state. We live between the river and the ocean, so I also love standup paddle. There are few things more peaceful and relaxing than gliding along the water in my straw hat with my own thoughts - such a luxury. Sometimes I don’t see a soul for half an hour, just fish and stingrays.

I’ve fallen in love with reading again while breastfeeding Charlie and if the kids are asleep or with my mum, and I really enjoy cooking and coming up with recipes in my own time. When the kids a bit bigger, I look forward to doing the Byron Bay lighthouse walk early in the morning again. It’s such a beautiful way to start the day, followed by a beach, swim and coffee. And I love my Oil Garden essential oils. I use them everyday as a mood lifting fragrance and in the diffuser.

When we made the sea change to Byron Bay to open Three Blue Ducks on The Farm, I started a blog sharing my favourite wholefood recipes and tips for living a more natural life.

It started off as a bit of a hobby as I was really inspired by the lifestyle and approaches to food and wellness here - there is such a strong connection to food. We’re surrounded by lush farms and passionate producers, and shopping at the farmer's markets and eating with the seasons is a way of life. I was learning so much from a lot of really amazing people so I wanted to share it with others. It really took off so I was approached by a publisher to turn it into a book, which became Happy & Whole.

Cook, eat and enjoy real food.

We absolutely love it, it’s our life and livelihood at Three Blue Ducks. There are so many different diets and lifestyles all claiming to be the best or the healthiest, that it can be very difficult working out what to eat - so for me it’s about keeping it simple and getting back to basics. By this, I mean eating wholefoods that are unprocessed, grown without the use of sprays and chemicals and areas close to their natural source as possible. And cooking the way our grandmothers or great-grandmothers used too - things like pickling, fermenting and slow cooking to bring out the maximum flavour and nutritional value of an ingredient (and it’s much cheaper than superfoods!).

I also don’t see any particular food as good or bad. Sure, cakes and marshmallows aren't as nutrient-rich as a bowl of chicken broth, but they are sometimes foods and, for me, perfectly fine on occasion, especially if they’re made with real, whole ingredients. Sometimes, a lovely piece of cake is the only thing that hits the spot on a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. Same as morning coffee and a glass of red wine - mother’s tonic! It’s about listening to your body and eating foods that work for you.

My days on a plate can be quite different depending on what work commitments I have on.

But when but when I’m not travelling or doing something like a photo shoot or podcast recording, I wake up when the kids wake which is usually about 6am. I make a cup of peppermint tea and then breakfast which is usually porridge with almond butter, a little cinnamon and apple or banana. Darren, the kids and I then go to one of our local cafes for a flat white and do the crossword. It’s super nerdy but it’s our morning ritual before work begins at 9am.

If I'm at home, lunch depends on what we've picked up at the farmer's market or what's in season, but I cook for myself and Archie so it might be something like spelt pasta with pesto, feta and greens like broccoli and zucchini. Sometimes I might cook the pasta or veggies in bone broth and then we drink the rest.

In the afternoon, I'll often bake something with Archie, which doubles up as entertainment and an afternoon treat. Most of what I make is wholesome but I don’t mind an old-fashioned homemade cake now and then, especially if it’s made with beautiful butter and eggs. It’s good for the soul and I really crave something sweet when I’m breastfeeding so I don’t fight it. I use this as a chance to test recipes too, and put on a slow cooked dinner like a wild rice and chicken pilaf or stew. It’s super easy to prepare and I just let it go for a few hours and then it’s ready. Once the kids are asleep, I love a glass of red wine or chamomile tea while Darren and I unwind and catch up on the day.

Throughout the day, I’ll snack on everything from cheese to blueberries to homemade chocolate (which is actually super easy, the recipe is in my book). Sometimes it’s a smoothie, other times it’s fresh sourdough and butter, and both feel just as nourishing.

Embrace ageing.

It’s a beautiful thing and something I’m surprisingly at peace with. As long as I’m healthy and happy, I really don’t have a problem with a few laugh lines. And I hope that ‘filters’ and heavily doctored images of unattainable ‘beauty’ that many young people are being bombarded with on social media are a passing phase, and society will once again embrace the raw and real - because there is nothing more beautiful.”

Story by Tess Schlink. Photography by Rob Palmer. Images from Happy & Whole, supplied courtesy of Plum

#Magdalena Roze

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