#LOTS OF HOT WATER

[dduane]

Diane, I am wondering something about writing and you are very wise and very kind.

For context, I've been seeing a therapist for a few months and just saw a psychiatrist Sunday night and they both used the phrase "dissociative daydreaming". It started when I was about 13 and I'm 28 now and it is getting in the way of my life. I'll be having a one-on-one conversation with someone alone in a quiet room and completely miss a few seconds of what they say, and I zone out a lot when eating at restaurants and it creeps people out. The psychiatrist says we are going to work on getting this under control in the next couple months.

The thing is, I like writing fiction and I do a lot of my imagining while I'm in this "zoned out" state. You know, that being a major part of dissociative daydreaming. So I'm wondering, sorry for assuming (assuming makes an ass out of you and me), but if you do not also dissociative daydream, or any other fiction writers here do, how do you think about your stories? Do you just sit down at your desk and say to yourself "I shall write a story now" without leaving your unoccupied body staring at a wall?

First of all: my apologies for having taken so long to get to this... my ask box is so piled up with overdue stuff right now. (sigh) And thanks for the nice words. I don't know about the "wise", and sometimes I screw up the "kind", but I do what I can with what I've got.

Anyway, re: "Do you just sit down at your desk and say to yourself 'I shall write a story now' without leaving your unoccupied body staring at a wall?"

...Yeah, pretty much. Here's how the story-building process usually goes for me.

First I outline. (As detailed here.) The outlining is for me the equivalent of drawing a blueprint, or doing the measure-twice work that comes before taking a saw to the materials you're going to use to build a bookshelf. For this part of the process, as I assemble the underlying framework of the story, I've found it vital to be as completely present, alert and aware as possible. This is where the order of physical action gets laid out, errors of reasoning get caught, blind alleys get erased from the blueprint, useless character transactions get identified and thrown away, and hunches / incomplete ideas get incorporated.

While assembling the outline, if I find my concentration drifting or somehow compromised, I stop work as quickly as possible and put it aside until I can find time to deal with it when I won't be distracted by other stuff. Much experience has taught me that if I get sloppy about this, I may well wind up being really annoyed about it later on... secondary to having missed something vital about character interactions, or screwed up some important sequence of physical action. The writing time lost in fixing careless errors of this kind infuriates me... so I take my time with the outlining.

It's after the framework of the story is in place that the vaguing-out stages of both writing and thinking about the writing come into play. Over many years I've found that the shower, in the morning, is one of the best places for this. Usually when I'm in active writing mode on a project, the first thing I'll do after waking up (while still in bed) will be to look over the writing done the previous day, and—if there's need—check the outline to see what I was planning to do next. Then I hit the showers.

That's where the ideas really start to flow while I'm unfocused: scene descriptions and action sequences in particular. I don't know what it is, but running water really seems to do it for me. (One time I was up at this place for a writing trip, and plotted about six novels one after the other, over a week. Those tubes in the picture dump a liter of hot water per second onto your head. Very, very effective for me.)

...I'm also absolutely horrified to have to admit that one of the very best places for me to be in order to have dialogue arrive is at the kitchen sink, doing dishes. Possibly because there are few other situations in my day to day life where I more desperately want to have my mind be somewhere else. Anywhere else. (But also: running water again...)

In between these two modes of composition lies a hybrid "full-spectrum" writing mode in which I can switch pretty much seamlessly from total immersion in the scene presently unfolding to a more analytical examination of what's going on: a constant realtime adjustment of format issues, timing, pacing, and a lot of other things. When in this mode I can vague out when necessary, inventing new stuff as needed or refining material that was already there, and then snap back into the mode where I'm keeping an eye on paragraph lengths or whether there are too many em-dashes popping up. :)

...Anyway, that''s how it goes for me. The usual caveat applies here: other people's (entirely successful!) processes will not necessarily look anything like this. ...Meanwhile, I absolutely wish you good results in your upcoming brainwork, and the better management of your own process.

#writing #writing process #also #hot water #LOTS OF HOT WATER

[aashwarr]

the rockefeller center in san myshuno. i was feeling nostalgic of my trip to nyc a few years ago and wanted to recreate some of those memories in the sims. one of my fave moments was enjoying hot cocoa in a rinkside chalet at the rockefeller center. original lot: rockefeller center by mrsphae

#aashwarr #ts4 #the sims 4 #sims 4 #sims 4 aesthetic #ts4 simblr #simblr #retail series #mel bennett also has a rockefeller center lot #the hot cocoa was watered-down as hell but #it was still a vibe

[phoenixcatch7]

Lmao I'd love to see a fic where batman like. Doesn't talk at all. He just 'hn' and 'hrm's his way through the story like a Minecraft villager. All the bat kids understand him perfectly.

I actually know people irl who can do this, and I've done it myself during bad migraines, it's practically a second language, so I know it's totally possible to have full conversations between two speakers XD!

It'd be another degree of separation between Brucie Wayne, the ditzy, breathy playboy and batman, who used up all his vocal spoons for the day and now communicates solely through unintelligible grunts and sharp hand gestures when he doesn't need to talk to strangers.

Unfortunately, the best way to learn grunt speak is the same way most languages are learned, and there's no written word (outside of emoji, of course): immersion. And the justice league are no longer considered strangers.

This leads to:

Hal: which way do we go, spooky? Where's the tracker pointing?

B: *grunt*

Hal: what?

B: *insistent grunt*

Hal:..... Can we point?

B: *dour look* *slowly raises arm to point left down the street* *sharp, insistent grunt*

Hal, dryly: don't strain yourself.

-

Damian: greyson. I am calling because father has had an injury and is bed bound for tonight, however Alfred is downstairs and the rest are still on patrol. I am still in the early stages of learning father's intonations. Please translate.

Nightwing, eldest, regularly called for exactly this reason by just about everyone Bruce has ever spoken with since he was a kid, ranging from arkham guards to jl members: *heavy sigh* put him on.

Bruce: hrng...

Nightwing: He's telling you to close the curtains and keep the noise down, he's got a headache.

Damian, over the sound of footsteps and fabric rustling: it truly is just like another language.

N: nah, it's a lot of probability. I've known b for years, I can guess pretty well. There's a lot we can say. For example, that grunt actually carried a lot more meaning, I just trimmed it down.

Damian: truly?

N: yup! If I had to be pedantic, it actually meant 'I am in quite a lot of discomfort, the cause of which is my head, and I am struggling to manage it on my own. Please aid in my cause, my darling sons whom I love dearly -'

Damian: *muffled noise through the phone*

N: that'll be him telling us to shut up. But you can see why I asked you to close the curtains.

Damian: fascinating. I shall take this under advisement.

-

B, exhausted after a long day of board meetings as Brucie: *moody silence*

Gordon: Batman, how's it going?

B: *glower* *drawn out grunt*

Gordon: that bad, huh?

-

Supes, during a briefing: I believe it would be best if we attacked from the north, we've enough flying members to crest the mountains and ambush then that way - Batman?

B: *quiet grumble, with pointer fingers moving in semicircles*

Supes: ah, I see. You're right, we'd be too visible if the sun rose behind them*turns to see the other members standing behind him* what?

Flash, bowing at the waist, palms together over his head: teach me your ways, oh mighty bat-speaker.

#I see a lot of 'haha b grunts and rarely speaks when distracted' but I never see people actually taking it further #There's a lot of unrealistic things that happen in dc but having conversations in grunts isn't one of them!! #It's not a secret fictional human hybrid language lmao it's perfectly understandable #Once my friend told me to get an ice cream and a flask of hot water without opening their mouth once lol #Bruce can be semi verbal. As a treat. #batman #dc comics #bruce wayne #Brucie Wayne #1k #2k #?!

[carlyraejepsans]

shut uppp i just noticed sans' sweater is just big enough on frisk that their fingers don't poke past the sleeves. i am inconsolable

#LOOK AT THEMMMMM #papyrus accidentally stretches theirs beyond recognition and sans is like ''you know what? you can keep it. it's free marketing anyway'' #it smells like hot dog water and old cheese powder and a whole lot like home #undertale #sans #frisk #utdr newsletter

[if-mirrormine]

i miss my brother so much it feels more like mourning.

#he's still alive #he's out there #i know where he is #but i dont get to see him every day like i used to #i cant walk into his room any time i feel like and annoy him #i cant share a glance with him every time my mom says something crazy #i cant ask him to make me scramble eggs on toast because he makes it the best #i cant watch stupid reality shows with him and laugh with him at all stupid things people say #i cant get mad at him for using all the hot water #i cant ask him to go with me to places just because im too scared to go on my own #i cant gossip with him about everything going on in our lives #i cant hug him after a really hard day #i just miss him having around all the time #and i know i can text him #and call him #any time i feel like #but its just not the same as having him right in front of me #all that to say #i understand how callie feels #and im going to add a lot sibling interactions into mm #or ill die #(figuratively) #alli talks

[dykedvonte]

Ulysses obsession with the Courier is a special type of sad to me cause the Courier’s part was so important but so unwitting. They had no idea what was in the package they delivered and neither did he. Neither had an idea of what it could’ve done and the Courier was only caring out their job (mind you the Courier could be killed via notes in the express contract if they don’t). To them it was just another regular delivery to the divide and one that they likely thought would help, just like all the ones before.

It’s so tragic for Ulysses to hold so much ire to the Courier when it really was the case of it could’ve been anyone. Anyone could have delivered that package but they did and so he focused the blame on them and it destroys what he is trying to instill in the courier on a fundamental level.

#like yeah the courier delivered the package but in the end that’s a job #any random courier could’ve delivered it especially since we know in the past the factions were farther apart and this travel was a smidge #safer but courier six got it and this Ulysses blamed them #like I don’t care much for Ulysses because I think lonesome road embodies don’t shoot the messenger at it core #and what people focus on doesn’t focus on the fact that in the bigger picture #everything went wrong because two factions were at war and at some point the codes would have been delivered #and the divide destroyed cause with how close it is to NCR territory it would of been found #like there is an inevitable and too many people treat Ulysses as if he knows more or is more aware of the idiosyncrasies of conflict #when he’s like fundamentally flawed just at the standard of being a legion apologist STILL and just how focused he is on one persons #involvement cause yeah choices matter even the small one but I think Veronica’s quest says it best with a line from the courier #you can’t control what they do #like the courier couldn’t and can’t control what they deliver and yet it’s got them in hot water multiple times #like do you think they enjoy being shot or knowing they are indirectly responsible for activating the annihilation of a community #to me it’s hypocrisy to be willing to end the world or one world to prove a point and whatever argument made that only military factions #suffer forget there are innocent civilians suffering that had no part and Ulysses is no better than the Courier #I don’t like devils advocate and a lot of the dlc just feels like that but idk I know people love it but the depth is just not there for mr #ulysses fnv #fallout #fallout new vegas #courier six #the courier #lonesome road #the courier has very little personality outside what we give them but some lines and delivery paint a picture #like uhhhh undertale deltarune rules ig

[deadwooddross]

Decided to pretty up some scribbles from awhile ago! Some baby Thavu stuff, kids are hard to draw Thavu has been a psyker since the day she was born, and the way her isolated little fringe community decided to deal with that problem was simply: Ignore it! Tis a deeply superstitious place and psykers are kind of terrifying, but also was not somewhere that could easily call in the witchseekers, so.... As you can imagine this worked really well and she came out super fine This is probably about where they entirely gave up on trying to be nice and instead began their track record of Mischief...do you Know how rare FRUIT is on a HIVE PLANET

#thavu #darktide #warhammer 40k #psyker #i imagine this place is situated near some boiling hot water systems that make things juuuuuust livable enough that with a lot of work #can get like #2 whole plants to grow #someone in hab dreko has a plant in their apartment so its not totally unthinkable!!

[captaindamianos]

I know most people think Damen would freeze and be uncomfortable in Vere during winter. But my personal headcanon is... not that.

There's always these people I see out during winter months in their shorts and t-shirts while everyone around them is freezing in their coats and appropriate winter wear. That's Damen to me. High metabolism, just always wearing less. Laurent wears properly insulated clothes, because he's known the harsh conditions his whole life. Damen wears less layers, or worse ones.

Laurent loves staying close for the warmth, but he can't believe this betrayal.

#captive prince #veretians hate this trick #this is just my personal headcanon!!! #i know there's lots and lots of disagreement on this and people love seeing him suffer in the cold #there's merit to that - i get that #but with so many people using him running hot for laurent to use as a personal water bottle #y'all are sleeping on this take 😌 #pls don't take this too seriously - i can't make amazing points #it's just vibes

[b4kuch1n]

frog documentation. frogcumentation

I think I mentioned a while back I'd post nibling frog momence after the gift's done given. which happened on the 2nd this month I just forgot lmao. anyways we can do it now. I used the boigameista pattern scaled up to four pieces of A4 print paper and decided to double deck it to a two layer thing, not unlike a pillow, for ease of washin. because it was gonna be gifted to a one year old child

took a long time and made a number of mistakes bc hand sewing makes me worse as a person but this guy was done in time for the birthday occasion and that's what matters. chose non-fuzzy fabrics for it because we live in a dense city in the tropics and from personal experience if I hug something made of fur I would explode. the original plan included felt patterns on its back for bonus textures for baby but that wouldn't stretch well along with the rest of the thing so had to hold that back. eventually we got this

zipper across its ass, the coat type of zipper bc I miscalculated when ordering. but it did have a shape and that's all that matters to me. will be a fun game for the baby to grow up and be severely misinformed about what a frog looks like

happy extremely late birthday to this thing also

#bakuspecial #uhhhh. whats my craft tag. I forgor. update this later #frog plush babeyyyy #I want this thing to last until the heat death of the universe so I felled all the seams down. dont recommend doing this by hand #Im so stubborn lmao I refuse to get a serger I will simply get better at hand sewing instead. damn its taking kinda long #there used to be a Lot more frogs around hanoi. but the lack of clean water ponds and lakes have driven down the population #I live like right at the edge of the city rn tho (will no longer be the case in five years) so there are still a lot of aminals #house robins. skinks. fireflies (!!!!). praying mantises. tree frogs #they love to hang out at the fountain inside the complex right across the street. had to pick em up to return to the fountain #from the hot brick tiled ground a few times #theyre so small. theyre so small.... #I miss house geckos they dont show up a lot in our apartment. I wish they would they would love the cockroaches around here #and of course. bc the kind of rice we eat is more short-grained and thus usually not all the way dried like the longer-grained type we have #so many rice weevils. do u know those little fucks do not drown for a Long time #do u know they lay eggs inside the rice grains and that's how u find out ur rice about to become the weevil beverly hill #by washing the rice and seeing hollowed out grains float up. I have become an expert at this. #but I get to see skinks in random bushes so who am I to be pissed about that. skinks rule #this has been baku talks about animals for a mile of tags. thank u for listening #well. its evening and the family wants to go out so that's what we're doin. hope u have a good time too wherever u are #see u this midnight when I reblog every new posts I've made in the last week or so lmao

[themoonking]

im all for making fun of and criticizing the way booktok (and booktube) aestheticize reading to an insane degree, making it more about being percieved as a reader more than like. actually reading. but some people on here lump the most normal things ever into the booktok consumerism pile?

like yes, booktok/tube places a lot of emphasis on the visuals of "reading", but then someone on here just went and said that simply "not wanting to damage your books" is a stupid booktok thing??? what? it's not vain or pretentious to care about your posessions, especially if they mean a lot to you. simply wanting your books to remain in good condition is not the same as having 100 unread books, or five editions of the same book, or books you hated, purely because they look nice.

and someone else said that having a yearly reading goal was also a stupid booktok/tube thing? since when? i've met people who set themselves yearly reading goals before youtube even existed. it's literally just a new years resolution, but tailored to a specific hobby?

#anti booktok #kinda went off in the tags lmao #like if you don't care about your books being a bit beat up and worn all power to you but its just insane to me #to say that NOT wanting your books to get worn means that you don't really care about reading?? what? #like for some people their most worn books are their most loved #but before i really got into reading if i had a beat up book its because i did not fucking care about it #and wouldn't bother if it got gnawed on by my dog or if it fell off the table into water #it's almost like we're all different and show our love and care for things in different ways? #'taking care of your things is stupid' is not the hot take you think it is bestie #and this person said in their post 'well i was always taught-' yea YOU were always taught #some people didn't grow up that way and weren't taught that idiot #similarly having special editions isn't the problem it's the overemphasis on having special editions #of books you didn't even enjoy #purely for the clout and the status that comes with owning a lot of special editions #wanting a pretty bookshelf isn't the problem you know some people just like it when their space is nice who knew #its when the bookshelf LOOKING nice supersedes literally anything else #like it doesn't matter if you enjoyed the book or if you read the book it just matters that it looks really nice on the shelf #something something nuance #vagueposting

[von-karmas-a-bitch]

pov you're franziska and you're 11 years old and you just started your first period and papa has NOT been helpful but your brother has conducted extensive research and is handling it surprisingly well

#i am never gonna finish this so have the wip lmao #do you have any idea how difficult it is for me a furry. to draw not only a human but a human with kinda yaoi proportions #by tracing him over eminem's lanky ass. of all people #im honestly amazed it didn't turn out a lot worse #i spent way longer on this than i thought i would #i didn't think it would even result in something i was comfortable posting lmao but here we are #also i thought abt looking up what people use in germany and/or finding the german packaging of products we have in the uk too #but with the god-awful-to-nonexist transparent png's online shops be uploading for their websites i can only assume are ran by boomers #i was like yknow what im just gonna use what im familiar with and consider high end and/or bougie #i would not be caught dead using nurofen and neither would most people i know on account of generic stuff is cheaper + works the same #but i imagine they must make their money somehow. probably from people who are well off enough to not really think abt that stuff #and being the perfectionists they are the von karma household are not gonna use the german equivalent of tesco's own version of anything #so. we've got what in my heavy period having opinion are The Only Acceptable Pads #then we've got expensive ice cream with a european-sounding name bc of course #then we've got the chocolate 11yo me was always craving but could rarely have bc ny dad was a cheapskate so. i assume it's expensive #the nurofen of course #and. i don't know much abt what paracetamol brands are considered bougie and was already soso tired #so i just. grabbed one that wasn't a generic tesco version and went with it #i was also gonna put a hot water bottle in a cute fluffy case but i forgor so just pretend it's there #fanart #shitpost #miles edgeworth #sibling brainrot #my art #my shitposts #im..... not putting this in the aa tag #not bc im embarrassed abt the art itself but bc im afraid that if the cis men catch a glimpse of it they'll clown on me and call me gross #bc cis men do not know how to be normal about periods #it's a fact of life grow up this isn't cursed it is incredibly wholesome and sweet to imagine miles reading several wikipedia articles #in order to better understand and assist his little sister through her first period. it's cute it's not gross fuck you

[dekarios]

birthday haul…! also my dad wrapped a baguette and hotdogs for me which was. hilarious

#fray.txt #30th birth tag :3 #i also got some alchohol free pear cider and lots of sweeties #and a miniature schnauzer themed hot water bottle cover and a special card from toos that made me cry ;-; #and some other bits hehe

[bitchfitch]

quick q because a conversation I had with a friend yesterday made me realize a hang up I have might be an OCD thing that's not an actual problem in the real world.

#tldr self rbs of commissioned works can be considered a form of advertising #using a product payed for by a third party to advertise yourself Normally requires specific permissions and agreements when its done #on a professional/industry level. and can get you in a Lot of hot water if you do not have the necessary copy permissions. #But Theres a big difference between corpo bullfuckery and a drawing of someones Homestuck oc posted by a small artist to tunglr #so whether or not its an Actual problem 9n the tunglr level is like. the question

[glitchingicarus]

An updated full reference for Quet!

The main changes are that I've both improved in drawing and specifically improved in drawing him, having refined and more or less gotten a vaguely consistent idea of how he looks and how I want to draw him. Also he bought some fingerless gloves to go over the wraps on his hands a couple sessions back.

Anyway, my little pact of the tome archfey warlock is still holding on to his secrets, though I think the facade might FINALLY be starting to crack.

#original characters #Quet #DnD #D&D #warlock #tiefling #dungeons and dragons #rae's doodles #currently in HOT WATER bc his patron #has just asked him to do something that she's never asked before #and that will DIRECTLY impact one of the other party members in a negative way #and he's currently panicking his way through trying to figure out how to avoid hurting them and still doing as he's told #anyway I've been drawing a lot and just forgetting to post so gonna try to be a little better about it but idk we'll see

[oatbugs]

today was ok good great bad 😭 rant in tags lets try to be normal abt this

#it's not tuscan leather， but they do smell like mint and cherries and a fireplace. they kissed me #all over my back， and my hand， and my shoulders. i only ever kissed them on the lips. i only ever kiss them #when i'm about to leave them at the station gates. some red-eyed bloodhound cancelled their own plans and i laughed with them like a friend #i asked if they want me to bring them a hot water bottle or painkillers or a pair of lungs for them to eat. #the person in front of me has 4 lungs and 2 hearts and a brown leather coat and those bright radiance-incarnate kind of eyes. #you know the kind i mean. their hands are diligent with the pen. they say that i'm an angel and i'm right and i decide #the truths-in-all-possible-worlds. they say they only perceive the parts of me that i'd like perceived. they say all the right things. #the dog doesn't mind at all. the next station is edgeware road again. the dog says don't come over baby. its all slurred and deep and #shallow. returns a falsum. i really like you， baby. let's just be nothing， baby. i can't comprehend that anyone was raised unhappy. #she has free gaza painted on the back of her designer jacket， and she says she can't believe people suffer. there's something wrong with me #baby， why else would i turn down two perfect girls? she broke my nose， baby. ye zendegie dige ashaghet misham azize delam. #she might be a rich bitch but i only lived in kensington， baby. sunshine says they can't have kids because they plan to be #an enemy of many states. i offered to meet them but i look up and i notice the blonde streaks in their hair moving in the light. #i tell sunshine i'll never sleep with them. they want me in such a kind way it almost hurts. #they say we have a lot to teach other. i put the dog down again. my friend is wrapped around me. my friend walks me to the station. #i kiss them goodbye at the gates.

[xpennytrickx]

it is legitimately shocking to me that you manage to get involved in every callout post for every fandom when you could not be more upfront about the content you post & your morals regarding it

it’s very very funny. you’d think that at some point they’d catch on but it’s just too much fun to perform outrage skits at the very fact that i exist and that i make things. i’ve been on the same shit for years and years and i’ve never once tried to save face or act inauthentic or run for the hills. i love having fun and having a good time with my friends and skipping and jumping and dancing in the street in between traffic the way i always have and i will never stop

#i really have gotten a callout post in every single fandom except for maybe g0tham ? they were a lot more chill #i probably had one in s0uth park too but there were so many ppl who were constantly in hot water that i was a little drowned out #bunnyaskz