embv

[embv]

Trying to figure out if you’re ace or aro can be so much harder than other sexualities because it’s like, trying to find the absence of something. Imagine you’re at a pond and you want to know if there are any turtles, or fish. Say you find a turtle and you’re like “great! Now I know there are turtles.” Or a fish, now you know for sure there are fish. Or you find both, and now you know for a fact there are both turtles and fish in the pond.

But like, if you don’t find any turtles it might be that there are no turtles or maybe you’re just really shitty at looking for turtles and maybe you THINK you saw a turtle over there or maybe it was just a stick. Maybe there are only a few turtles. Maybe you need to do something special to find the turtles. Maybe a bunch of these rocks are actually turtles but you couldn’t tell them apart. Maybe there are no turtles. You have no idea. Meanwhile some people are saying “Oh there have to be turtles! You’ll find them eventually ;)” or “How many turtles have you found in your pond?” or “Try planting some vegetables at the shore to attract the turtles.” Or “Oh no! What disaster happened to your pond that there are no turtles?” And you’re just standing there wet with an empty net and a tired expression.

But whatever because whether there are turtles or fish or not your pond’s ecology works just fine without them because that’s what eco-communities do they form a system around what they have. You aren’t missing anything if you don’t have turtles you just have a pond system without turtles. If someone tried to change you by pouring a bunch of turtles into your pond it would probably fuck something up.

So you don’t have to be entirely sure. You don’t have to search every inch of the damn pond before you can decide there are probably no turtles. If you want to take the aro or ace label because you think it fits go for it. And if you do find your turtles you can rename the pond. That’s fine.

[embv]

About the AO3 "No Guest Comments for a while" warning

If you're not following any of AO3's social media accounts you might be in the dark as to what kind of "spam comments" have engendered this banner at the top of the site:

These spam comments have been posted about a great deal on the AO3 subreddit for the past couple of days. Initially they comprised a bunch of guest (logged out users) bot comments that insulted authors by suggesting they were using AI and not writing their own fics. Some examples, from the subreddit:

But it then escalated to outright graphic porn images and gifs being posted in comments, again by logged out 'Guest' accounts. Obviously, I'm not going to give examples of those, but between these two bot infestations, AO3 has clearly decided to act and has temporarily closed the ability to post comments for users who are not logged in with an AO3 account.

Unfortunately, this means that genuine readers who don't have an AO3 account won't be able to leave comments on fics that they enjoy.

If you are a genuine reader who doesn't yet have an AO3 account, I strongly suggest getting yourself on the waiting list for one. More and more AO3 authors are now locking their fics down to registered users only - either due to these bot comments or concerns about AI scraping their work - which means you're probably missing out on a lot of great stuff.

Hopefully guest commenting will be enabled again at some point soon, but I suggest not waiting until then. Get yourself on that list.

Wait times are going to be longer than usual at the moment, due to the current Wattpad purge [info on Fanlore | Wattpad subreddit thread], but if you're in line, then your invite will come through eventually.

Update: There's now a Megathread about this on the AO3 subreddit.

[embv]

me after my cat stepped into my arms the moment after i laid down: “you love me, don’t you? you love me. i love you, too—”

my cat, deciding, at this exact moment, that she was thirsty: sayonara, bitch

#my post #i said the words out loud and she hopped over my body to lap at her water bowl. wtf

[embv]

my rational mind goes “i should not be drinking tea at 12:29 am” but my lack of self-restraint goes “yeah but i really want tea” and, well, really, the debate is over at that point

#my post #suffice to say that i am going to make the tea

[embv]

i feel like in an effort to make one side of c!discduo seem more sympathetic than the other, the two of them are often framed as mortal enemies who have always stood on opposite sides and are functionally incapable of reconciling because of their differences. the damage between them runs too deep, c!tommy has ruined c!dream's peace from the very beginning or c!dream has been obsessed with ruining c!tommy's life from the start of the server yadayadayada. the issue with the two of them is boiled down to an issue with one of them, and the issue is that one of them is functionally too immature/evil/annoying/jealous/bad to ever treat the other one in a fair or equitable way, and so c!discduo Are Enemies And Always Have Been, and so one of them is "right" and the other is "wrong," and so on and so forth

and this is wrong. not only is it wrong, it is a lie--the lie, even, that started this whole damn mess in the first place.

yes, c!discduo has had conflict that predates lmanburg. said conflicts were also RESOLVED. the initial disc saga lasted, what, three days--if that? c!dream and c!tommy are characters with traits that lead to them repeatedly running into conflict with each other and the way they handle things, yes! they're also characters who have REPEATEDLY been able to compromise for the sake of the other. who have been able to talk things out, and make agreements with each other, and generally have the bare fucking minimum maturity to be able to deal with conflict in a decent manner???? yes, c!discduo argue. yes, it's often over those stupid ass discs. they also fuck around with each other, and have truces when it matters, and talk shit out, and help each other, like you'd normally expect from a relationship between human beings ????

no, the conflicts weren't always handled optimally. and no, they're far from perfect characters. but to act like they're characters who have been irreconcilable from the very beginning is just nakedly untrue, if you look at the start of the server. if it WAS true, then the finale wouldn't be beating them over the head with the fact that they can, in fact, have a conversation like other people do ????? their conflict has always been two-sided, but the other crucial side of it all is that their conflict hasn't been as bad as it turns out being from the very beginning. they weren't resentful pricks with a chip on their shoulder who decided to hate a guy that mildly wronged them from the very beginning. neither character would be remotely as sympathetic as they are if they were actually completely incapable of talking through their problems from day one! the whole tragedy of c!discduo involves the way that they fractured, and to erase the fact that they were actually quite amiable with each other for a pretty damn long time there also just ,,, removes a lot of the complexity involved with these two . you know ????

#cprime

[embv]

I got a laptop with Windows 11 for an IT course so I can get certified, and doing the first time device set-up for it made me want to commit unspeakable violence

Windows 11 should not exist, no one should use it for any reason, it puts ads in the file explorer and has made it so file searches are also web searches and this cannot be turned off except through registry editing. Whoever is responsible for those decisions should be killed, full stop.

Switch to linux, it's free and it's good.

[embv]

@Fanfic writers:

My friend send me this link, is a series on a profile on Ao3 (tumblr) that has different tutorials to insert things to fanfics via html code, I thought I would share bc it’s really cool

Lists of tutorials:

How to make images fit in mobile browsers

This is a tutorial/live example on how to make large images fit on mobile browsers but remain normal size on desktop browsers.

How to mimic letters, fliers, and stationery without using images

This is a tutorial/live example on how to mimic the look of letters, fliers, and stationery (as well as other forms of written media) without using images. For all your epistolary fic needs.

How to make a “choose your own adventure” Fic

This is a tutorial/live example on how to create a "Choose Your Own Adventure" fic. While this has been explained before (see here), this particular tutorial shows you how to use a work skin to hide the next parts from the reader until they click through to get to them.

How to make linked footnotes on Ao3

This is a live example of how an author can create linked footnotes in their work with only a little bit of HTML and no workskins required. This is best viewed by clicking "Entire Work". While I've included the actual coding in bold and italic once you click "Hide Creator's Style", there's a more detailed explanation here.

How to change text on Ao3 when the cursor is hovering over it (or clicked on mobile)

This a tutorial/live example on how to have text change or appear once a cursor is hovering over it. Helpful for pop-up spoilers, language translations, quick author's notes, etc.

How to mimic author’s notes and Kudos/Comment buttons

Anonymous on tumblr: do you have a skin that would mimic the author’s notes and review/kudos buttons section from the end of a fic? the desired effect being that the fic could go on after the “end” of the fic, so after the author’s notes and review/kudos buttons

Here's a tutorial/live example to do just that, with some of the buttons actually functioning. I'll explain more inside!

How to wrap text around images

This is a tutorial/live example on how to align images to the left or right of the screen and have text wrap around them.

How to mimic email windows

This is a tutorial/live example on how to mimic email windows on AO3 without the need to use images.

How to make ios text messages on Ao3

This is a tutorial/live example on how to mimic iOS text messages on AO3 without the need to use images. There's also a chapter on how to have emojis displayed on AO3 as well.

How to make Customized page deviders

Bored with the default page dividers? This is a tutorial/live example on how customize your page dividers with no images needed (though I do show you how you could use images if you wanted to do such a thing).

How to make invisible text (That can be highlighted)

This is a live example how to make invisible text that can only be seen by highlighting the text. Tutorial is included in text, and you can always leave comments about questions you may have.

MOBILE USERS: Sadly, this probably won't work for you, since highlighting in a mobile browser is different than web. I've tried correcting this, but have yet to find a solution.

How to make a rounded playlist

Original coding and design is from layouttest. I make no claims for it, just tweaked it so it will work on AO3.

How to create notebook lined paper on Ao3

This is a live example of my AO3 skin that allows the author to recreate the look of lined notebook paper in their work. To learn more about it, you can find the tutorial here.

Sticky notes on Ao3 without using images

This is a live example of my AO3 skin that allows the author to recreate the look of sticky notes (aka Post-Its) in their fic. To learn more about it, you can find the tutorial here.

How to make deadpool’s thinking thinking boxes on Ao3

This is a live example of my AO3 skin that allows the author to recreate the look of Deadpool's thinking boxes in their fic. To learn more about it, you can find the tutorial here.

How to make newspaper articles on Ao3

This is a live example of my AO3 skin that allows the author to recreate the look of a newspaper article in their work. To learn more about it, you can find the tutorial here.

[embv]

anyway no one cares but i’ve been cruising along in the fandom department. gotten a little into a new fandom, been enjoying my time and my ship there. still Somehow tethered to cprime, in a way, where it’s actually quite lowkey and i don’t particularly care for consuming fanworks of them, but i still want to create for them and they’re the first thing on my mind when i listen to a song

#my post #thinking about cprimeboys cubed… #honestly tho it’s a lot more like cprime squared with how much of a presence one of the aus has #<- cprime cubed/squared is where i shove the cprime of a couple of my aus into a room and just have them. idk do something #it’s self-indulgent and fun; think old undertale tumblr ask blogs #again no one cares but uh here. for the void my beloved 🫴💐

[embv]

bro what is Up with the mcyt fandom these days. i feel like every, every Rare, once every two or three months, time i decide to peek my head into the blinds to see what’s going on, its always discourse and just. another youtuber being exposed as a bad person. like is it always like this nowadays?? or do i just Happen to peek in at the worst times??? how do you find joy amongst all this, how are you still here

#my post #i still also have no idea what’s going on #don’t take this post as me being informed and in the know 😭 #this post has just been inspired by the two times i decided ‘hey i’m gonna look at some of the blogs and twitter accounts i followed #‘and see how things are shaking up in the mcyt/ex-dsmp sphere’ #expecting things to have mellowed out over a bit of time #only to find out that?? literally less than a day ago there was horrible stuff coming out?? #twice now. TWO TIMES this happened #this post doesn’t mean anything; i’m just. astounded #how is there Always something going to shit. in 2024??

[embv]

not to be controversial bc I know this is like…not in line with shifting opinions on fanfic comment culture but if there’s a glaring typo in my work I will NOT be offended by pointing it out. if ao3 fucks up the formatting…I will also not be offended by having this pointed out…

‘looking forward to the next update’ and ‘I hope you update soon!’ are different vibes than a demand, and should be read in good faith because a reader is finding their way to tell you how much they love it. I will not be mad at this.

‘I don’t usually like this ship but this fic made me feel something’ is also incredibly high praise. I’m not going to get mad at this.

even ‘I love this fic but I’m curious about why you made [x] choice’ is just another way a reader is engaging in and putting thought into your work.

I just feel like a lot of authors take any comment that’s not perfectly articulated glowing praise in the exact manner they’re hoping to receive it in bad faith.

fic engagement has been dropping across the board over the last several years, and yes it’s frustrating but it isn’t as though I can’t see how it happens. comment anxiety can be a real thing. the last thing anyone wants to do is offend an author they love, and that means sometimes people default to silence.

idk where I’m going with this I guess aside from saying unless a comment is outright attacking me I’m never going to get mad at it, and I think a lot of authors should feel the same way. ESPECIALLY TYPOS PLZ GOD POINT OUT MY TYPOS.

[embv]

the nature of my “possible cprime animatics” spotify playlist is that i come back to it every couple of months, listen to a random song, and have no recollection of what i was imagining or why i put it on there

#my post

[embv]

it’s been more than 3 years since i’ve been stuck in dsmp hell 🎉🎉🎉🎉

writing dialogue for any character besides cdream, ctommy, or ctubbo is so difficult

#self reblog #actually the Longest hyperfixation i’ve ever had

[embv]

writing dialogue for any character besides cdream, ctommy, or ctubbo is so difficult

#my post #and even then i still struggle with ctubbo 😭

[embv]

my day be so fine then BOOM

#supplementary essay. #my post

[embv]

sometimes ill just check in on finnster because of how interesting the whole. situation n shit around him and discussion etc became and heard his new stance on gender is ‘im not a man. im not a woman. im just based”

and someone said “so nonbinary?” and he went “nope. just fucking hot. my gender is based entirely on how cute my outfit is that day” and god it is so fucking sick as hell i love that

#fuck labels !!

[embv]

ever since i was a little girl i knew i wanted to sadomasochistically torture fictional characters

[embv]

if i put the cprimes of my three main-ish aus into one room together and forced them to coexist for a couple months or so, all that would mean is that superhero/vigilante/supervillain au cdream has gained four more children

#my post #two of said children are fifty+ years older than him but well #we bowl #being the most mentally stable person in the room sometimes is not a good thing !