My partner @itsmewahoo and her family lost their home and all their possessions, including their vehicle, in the Lahaina Wildfires. I'm sharing their gfm in hopes they can replace the things they lost. Any and all help is super appreciated!!

For the people who are donating or even sharing the link, thank you so much! My family appreciates all the support you guys have given us ❤️

God I really wish carrying stuffed animals around with you was socially acceptable

I don’t mean to take over a post, but I actually did a project on this for my sociology of deviance class in college!

I carried a large stuffed rabbit whenever I went in public for about a week to observe the reaction of others. The point of the project was to do something harmless yet unusual to see if the action would be considered deviant, in which case someone had to try to correct or shame the behavior.

Long story short, nobody tried to correct my behavior. I was asked about it casually, had a few lingering stares thrown my way and when I was with my boyfriend, shop employees would direct questions to him instead of me. However, nobody refused to assist me when I was alone in a store, nobody said anything about the rabbit besides “oh, thats a cute bunny!” and I attended college classes without even a teacher questioning it.

In conclusion, it is socially acceptable to carry a stuffed animal, its just not a societal norm. ^^

#for followers with a big anxiety or self hate problem #bring a friend with you (via @kingdom-for-muses)

DOING IT

My friend gave me a stuffed monkey plushy when I was struggling with uni, and I took him everywhere for like four years, usually velcrod to my backpack. No one said a damn thing, except my renaissance professor who saw it one day in the hallway and cracked the fuck up because I had a literal monkey on my back and he just looked at me like, “oh god, me too”. I used to leave him on desks during classes and exams (the monkey, not my prof). It was my reminder that someone cared if I was coping. But more than that it was soothing to have something to fidget with that wasn’t a pen. I used to ping those fucking things across the room I was so agitated. Harder to hurt people with a projectile stuffed monkey.

I got what I thought was a normal screen cleaning kit for my computer while I was in college. Much to my delight, instead of a little washcloth or whatever, the kit came with a tiny stuffed pig. 

So I carried this pig in my backpack all through college, periodically taking it out, spraying my screen, and using the pig to wipe it off. 

Now, I kept the pig in the side pocket of my bag where he was completely visible.

Then one day in screenwriting class I pulled him out to wipe my screen. 

One of the guys sitting next to me looked appalled. “You’re wiping it off with your little stuffed animal??” 

I explained what the pig was. 

Turns out, the guy had noticed it and just thought it was adorable I carried a stuffed animal with me every day. He’d never mentioned it before. 

Honestly, people do not care, and will not say anything. No matter the reason for your little stuffed animal friend. 

And if you’re still really nervous about it keep a stuffed animal keychain on your bag. I have a cute little frog that stays on my backpack so when work gets stressful I can squeeze it.

For my anxious followers.

Confirmed. I take my Venom tsum tsum to uni when I need a little mental boost. The little goo always brings me good luck and overall makes my day just a tiny bit better. I haven’t received a single comment about them so far.

Bring your stuffed buddies to class/work/whatever, guys. People don’t care.

I have a couple of Ikea sharks* and have had cause to periodically carry them around in public - one of which I bought with the last $15 I had at the time, after making a series of big life changes. “This is frivolous and I don’t have to care about that because I’m getting paid shortly—I’m going to do it!”

The reactions I get range from amusement through delight and “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT” but so far, never disapproval.

The moral of the story is Carry Your Emotional Support Plushie With Pride, You Deserve It.

*pictured: not my shark

true story: I once had an appallingly awful day at the hell job and it coincided with my giant squishy Baymax being delivered from China, and no lie I hugged on that Baymax to keep from crying until it was time to leave

I travel with DC (”Don’t Care”) the Emotional Support Honey Badger.  I go through TSA with him attached to my backpack, I hug him when I sleep in transit, I prop him next to me in cafes in cities, towns, and rural areas.  The only time anyone’s ever so much as raised an eyebrow at me was the TSA agent who recognized what he was, and asked it he could get his picture taken with him.

People don’t judge.  Kids think you’re awesome. You get a companion who never judges you.  It’s all win.

I know probably everyone has seen this post already, but its too good not to reblog.

Don’t be afraid to carry your comfort items around with you! :D I take some of my stuffed friends to work sometimes, and no one ever bats an eye at them!

*looks at my pink teddy bear I named Ruby* you’re coming to college with me and that’s not a choice

This post made me cry bcuz sometimes i feel bad for having stuffed animals/plushies

i needed this a lot

When I worked night shifts, when I would leave the house alone in the dark and return in the early morning when no one was awake yet, I would always bring a stuffed animal and have him seat belted into the passenger seat. It provided me with so much comfort just to have a buddy riding along with me. I felt so much less alone.

give it up for another 70 years of goo

I’m dying with laughter rn

So I’m playing sdve and I LOVE Shane. I LOVE HIM. I’m just his bestie this playthrough but I do love him always. So I just went through his six heart event again and I just realized…

Shane tells the farmer to take him to the hospital. He doesn’t tell them to go get someone to help or to get Harvey. He tells the farmer to take him there. And that shows how much he’s grown since you moved there, bc Shane was always standoffish and rude but he’s like bro I appreciate you so much thank you…ummm but also carry me bc I trust you to take me to the hospital and I trust you to help me. Very sweet.

BUT

All I can imagine now is my seemingly dainty farmer girl hoisting Shane up into her arms bridal style, this beer gut having, mad pizza eating, high school athlete burnout, just carrying him across the entirety of cindersnap forest and into the hospital like bruh

My bitch built okay. Because while Shane isn’t fat per se, he’s definitely got some weight thanks to all that beer and pizza. It happens. He’s a heavier guy and I won’t accept anything else. So just seeing my bitty farmer in my head carrying him bridal style to the hospital has me dead ☠️

He served cunt. Nasty, descrepit, rotten, fetid cunt but he did serve it

me: wish games had choices that actually mattered

me when games have choices that actually matter:

[ID: Kermit biting his nails apprehensively. End ID]

so those boiled peanuts right

Fuck it, Urbanism hot take night, none of you bitches actually know what gentrification is

Those dilapidated warehouses being demolished and turned into a restaurant or an apartment complex is not gentrification

No, that man with a metrosexual haircut wearing airpods on the bus is not gentrifying your neighborhood, he is a person, not the American socio-economic landscape

@clearancecreedwatersurvival You'd be surprised how many people fail to grasp this

Like people will see affordable housing being built and say "Gentrification" because it's a 5 over 1 and has modern architecture

@timelineman-of-titors-edge A 5 over 1 is this bitch, the most hated architecture in the nation:

They are incredibly cheap to build apartment buildings with the current building codes. They are called 5 over 1's because they are 5 floors with wooden frames over a concrete base

Shout out to someone finally getting the point of this post

ursula k le guin was right

all of it, more or less

[EN] Video Game Writing Resources!

Hello! My name is Andrea--I have been writing for games since 2018, and even worked as a writer at Firaxis Games from 2022 until April of 2023. So, I knew a few things about narrative design--but what the fuck is it? Recently, I gave a talk about the fundamentals and history of the field of narrative design. In Spanish. So, let's talk about it in English--the "what," "why," "how," "when," and "who," of narrative design! What is narrative design? Narrative design is not just writing--it's a huge part of it, but designing a narrative system involves implementing narrative content into the build of the game. So there is a technical learning curve to it. Personally, I watched and obtained certifications in Unreal Engine 5 and Unity in order to be aware of the limitations of each engine. I used the free trial of LinkedIn Learning, but courses about this engine are available in these websites: - https://platzi.com/ - https://www.arkde.com/ - https://www.domestika.org/?query=unity - https://www.coursera.org/ Why do we need narrative design? In order to create an interactive story that the player feels a part of, narrative designers are mandatory. It's not a responsibility that can be placed on other designers (then we would be entering crunch territory) rather someone who specifically specializes in both creative writing and game design is needed to explain within the context of the game's story why the mechanics work in a certain way. Imagine if a Telltale game did not have dialogue, for example--what would we be left with? Or if The Last Of Us did not convey a narrative through its environments.

Narrative designers are needed so that all of the departments are in sync and understand the story that they are trying to tell. For example, if a game takes place in a haunted house that was abandoned, we need all hands on deck. The narrative designer can explain to the environment artists why there are so many holes in the living room--perhaps the last tenants of the house were a rowdy bunch. Or, they can tell the sound designers which planks of wood are the most rotten and need a loud sound effect to highlight how it has been abandoned. How do I become a narrative designer? There is no one way to become a narrative designer. Some people start in QA and transition into the field, I have also witnessed engineers and doctors wanting to get into narrative design. I do recommend having the following (at least): - A passion for storytelling. - Deep understanding of the mechanics of the game and the player experience. - Communication skills are incredibly important--can you describe your story in a concise way to your peers in a Confluence page?

Additionally, I highly recommend the following resources: First, the free resources! ~It's free real estate~

Now, for resources that may not be free--but I highly recommend, as someone who used them first hand. - The Narrative Department. This post is not sponsored by them at all, however it is rare to find an instructor as kind and hard-working as Susan O'Connor who has been a narrative designer in historic AAA, AA and independent titles. Known for her contributions in Tomb Raider, Batman: The Enemy Within, and BioShock to name a few (imdb is: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1897248/) her Game Writing Masterclass offers a certification in everything related to game writing. A few subjects she touches on are: -- Characters and how to make them compelling. -- Barks and ambience writing. -- Dialogue, backstories and scripts. -- How to work with other departments. And more! Additionally, you would obtain access to a huge alumni network full of game writing professionals working in independent, AA and AAA studios! Not to mention that all of the assignments completed in the class will look amazing in a portfolio as game writing samples. - GDC Vault. Though I have an opinion on the price tag of GDC tickets and the vault, I would definitely include it as it has resources from several studios, writers, narrative designers and more! When was narrative design formed? When can I become a narrative designer?

That's a wonderful question. Narrative design, as a term, was first used around the 90s but became more established between the 2000s and 2010s. So, although the field is relatively new, and there are not a lot educational resources available, consider yourself part of an innovative field that is exponentially growing! Recently, a game developer asked when was the best time to keep an eye out for job openings. And a harsh truth about the gaming industry is that it is extremely volatile--layoffs, downsizings and startups rise and fall. This is not meant to deter anyone from pursuing a career in narrative design, but rather I am including it for the sake of transparency. We cannot predict when a studio is going to layoff their employees, or when they cancel unannounced projects. Unlike most industries where we know for a fact that recruiters keep a sharp eye for candidates in Q1 and Q3, a piece of advice I received from a mentor of mine was to try to predict when projects are going to need more stories. There's the release of a game, and then there is the addition of additional narrative content--and for this, they will more than likely need associate/entry/junior level narrative designers, writers and quest designers. But--this is related to searching for a job as a narrative designer, and I can write a novel about that (and will edit this article to redirect folx into it.) So, keep an eye out for huge game announcements. Then, cater your resume to what the studio is looking for in a narrative designer. Now, to finish off this article: Who is a narrative designer? If you have a passion for storytelling and games, and have participated in game jams, congratulations you are a wonderful narrative designer! Make sure you always include that you are a narrative designer, and not an aspiring narrative designer--it makes you stand out amongst applicants. That's all I have for now--feel free to interact, comment and share! Let me know if I missed something and I will be sure to add it.

Because I'm only seeing other Jews posting about this, non-Jews I need you to be aware that for the past month or two there has been a wave of bomb threats and swattings at synagogues all across the US. They usually do it when services are being livestreamed. I haven't seen a single non-Jew talking about this. High holidays are coming up in a few weeks, which is when most attacks happen against our communities. We're worried, and we need people to know what's happening to us.

(this article was published August 15 2023)

message to cis allies: buying your trans friend lunch will do much more good for the trans community than debating transphobes who will not change their minds publicaly on social media and making all your trans followers see how much people hate them over and over again

Alternative readings are good, I say, while grinding my teeth because I don’t like this particular one

me double checking i drew shane fat in my art

Commission List!

Thanks for checking out my blog- if you wanna support me or , heck of you want me to draw you something dumb/cool/creepy check out my card below!.

Here are Current Prices!

You can also just message me here if you prefer but rates are there for the staring at. Examples of my work are here:

There's also my ko-fi if that is more your speed

Sharing this again as i just got smacked with some bills I hadn’t expected, and im not sure I’ll be able to pay my rent this month.

If you can commission that would be rad, but sharing it around is also a big help!

If you’re interested you can message me here, through ko-fi or at: stephwritesome@gmail.com

If you've ever wondered why people in Hawai'i hate tourists, try to wrap your mind around the fact that there are CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, tourists sipping martinis and looking at fish within swimming range of the fresh corpses of local people who couldn't escape the overnight destruction of their entire town.

Try to comprehend that there are fully functional, high capacity boats passing through the waters in front of an area full of survivors who are stranded and in need of supplies, refusing to help. They are hosting snorkeling tours.

Really think about, try your best to actually picture over two thousand people unhoused and in need of shelter, with nothing but the clothes on their backs and nothing to return to. Understand that the island, stolen land, is littered with hotels full of air conditioned of rooms with beds and showers and toilets, each fully equipped to host hundreds of families for weeks, turning these people away because they're booked up with tourists who refuse to leave.

And understand that these tourists were offered free transport to return home or be hosted on other islands. Free. Courtesy of local tax dollars. 4,000 wealthy tourists were offered free flights shelter on Oahu and begged to leave the island, BEFORE the survivors were given shelter.

And enough still insisted on remaining and carrying out their vacations that people are left without shelter and resources while they enjoy "their stay in paradise".

In case this gains any traction, I NEED people to understand that this is not an invitation for mainlanders to get on a soapbox and start telling each other whether or not or how to visit Hawai'i. The tourism situation is complex and difficult and you don't get it if you haven't lived through it at minimum wage. You don't fully understand the complexities and you will not. And you are liable to do more harm by trying to dictate rules and ethics of visiting the islands to each other.

If you want to help, listen to local people. Seek out and boost what they're saying. Send each other local sources of information. Research from local sources. DO NOT take this crisis as an opportunity to insert your views and speak for us.

Professional historians have been saying that for decades. Try studying history at the university level. You'll be amazed.