#kind of encouragement

[zytes]

this manatee looks like it’s in a skyrim loading screen

#misc #I encourage anyone dyslexic to try rotating him in your mind. I can’t do that; which is why I’m asking you to. #also: a bunch of tags are surprised this isn’t ‘shopped #it’s the lighting. backlit by the sun (which is diffused through the water) but also forelit artificially #the artificial light - a flash pack or something - casts a hard shadow under the creatures arm #which normally wouldn’t be possible if backlit by the SUN; you’d see a less-hard/more-fragmented shadow above water #as light sources ‘compete’ in a sense - and since there aren’t any light sources which can outshine the literal sun #it looks a bit weird when the darkest shadow is being cast from any other origin point - which is what’s essentially happening here #I don’t know the mechanics of how light travels through water; but I know the effect is substantial even with relatively short distances #also: it’s been balanced and color corrected by the author of the photo - who made deliberate choices to bring out the full potential #so it’s not like it’s a fresh and untouched export #but the kind of ‘tacked on’ appearance of the creature is a result of the lighting conditions within the image

[visualnovelboyfriend]

why should palestinians have to leave behind their land because israel wont stop killing them. why should anyone have to leave behind their life and memories and sentimental value just because an aggressor is left unchallenged. please think this sentiment through and delete it from your thoughts. instead of blaming an oppressed people for living in a hostile land, ask who is making that land hostile to live in.

#this is vaguely worded except the first part because ive seen thsi sentiment time and time again #when the trans genocide began everyoen started blaming trans peopel for living in florida isntead of the people making it unlivable #every timw a cop kills a person of color everyones told to just move somewehre w better cops (doesnt exist) > #< rather rhan examine who gave the cops such pwoer and what use the cops are anyways #i know its rasier to blame the victims of this kind of thing. the oppressors deisgn it taht way and encourage that sentiment #but oleeeeeease im begging u. navajo peopel should not just give up their reservation bc it sucks. whyd the us put them there?

[slfcare]

ten years ago you were so scared of such different things, but you survived them anyway. the same goes for five years ago and two years ago. everything that has ever felt like a hurdle, you’ve passed through. so be afraid, identify your fears, and then allow yourself to remember that in just a little while, this will be another thing that you have overcome.

#fear is okay! #and so are you #i have two interviews next week for a 6month grad internship </3 #free encouragement #self care #self love #positivity #positive #positive suggestions #positive thinking #suggestions #suggestion #comfort kindness family #self validation

[14dayswithyou]

💖 Day 3.5 is now available! 💖

For the last couple of months, only Server Boosters had access to the 3.5 update... Buuuuut now it's available for everyone to play in the 14DWY Discord — and soon itch.io once I'm happy with the QA and state of the game — so please don't feel pressured to join unless you want to!!

The full devlog + even more screenshots are under the cut ^^

What's been added to the 3.5 version?

📺 Streamer Mode!

I've been told that it's difficult to stream and monetise age-restricted videos on YouTube and Twitch, so I added an option to remove the sexual content and strong language used in the demo.

Now y'all can invite Ren into your bed for cuddles without putting your streamer career on the line /silly /lh

This won't affect the 18+ rating or dark themes/elements of the game, however! Although Streamer Mode will prevent you from seeing any "gruesome" CGs in the future, most of the core elements of the game will still be tied to the choices and decisions you make. So you won't miss out on the overall experience by using streamer mode!!

⚙️ Custom Pronouns!

It only took me one entire year to get around to it, but you can finally choose your own preferred pronouns (or use a set of pronouns instead)... At the cost of being able to change them mid-game ^^;

Since the original pronoun screen wouldn't update until a new scene was displayed, I temporarily disabled the feature. But once I find a workaround, I'll bring it back!

💗 Choose how others perceive you!

You can now choose how the cast and narration perceive you! Originally, the narration was kept strictly gender-neutral (outside of pronouns and genitalia picked by the player), but this will soon change in future updates.

For more clarity: you don't get to choose the words specifically, but you can choose between masculine, feminine, and androgynous terms!

📋 Separate top and bottom genitalia!

You can now choose your tatas and pps separately! >:3

Alongside that, you can also choose your preferred body type!

I removed the "both" genitalia option because a few players still assumed it was an obscure version of "intersex". That wasn't my intention and I don't want to mislead anyone, so I took it out for now ^^;

I also didn't want to include a screenshot of the new genitalia choices in action (because it's NSFW), so y'all get the same character menu screen for the nth time instead lmao

📱 Relationship Screen Overhaul!

You can now change your own status for more immersion, and long-term Server Boosters will eventually be able to submit and use their own icon within the game as well!

Stalking finding your friends has now become easier by using "Buddy Maps"; a new app that allows you to see the location of all the cast members!

I want to offer players more incentive to check the relationship screen since they tend to miss the status updates, so hopefully this might help ;v;

It also says it "updates every few hours" so folks don't go overboard and check every 5 seconds to see where Ren is gdsghf (also keep in mind that he's a hacker lol)

🖤 Additional Scenes Update!

Day 2 received a brand new CG!!!!! Originally, I planned on only adding a few CGs sporadically throughout the game, but it didn't feel right to leave Day 2 so... empty... so I added a brand new CG to (hopefully) make things feel more balanced and natural!

If you decline Teo's offer on Day 3, Leon will now call and try to convince you to reconsider. However, players are still allowed to decline, and if they do, they'll reach a dead end.

After listening to feedback on itch, I changed some of the dialogue during Days 1-3 to make it seem more consistent! They're only small changes though, so it's honestly not worth looking for sdgjssga

🎶 Updated BGM and SFX!

I wanted to try out a different style of music to see if it fits the vibe of 14DWY more! The BGM features more acoustics to suit the "beachy" theme of Corland Bay, though I made a conscious effort to include piano elements as well to stay true to the original!!

I figured it'd be better to give players a live example before I make a poll (to see if they prefer the change or not) and publish it to Itch.

Some new SFX have also been added, though it's very minimal and honestly not that noticeable.

How to download and play the update?

(warning: clicking on the following links will open Discord!!) To download the Day 3.5 update, simply join the 14DWY Discord server, verify your age, and visit the "14dwy-updates" channel!

Alternatively, you can also wait until the update is publicly released on Itch to play it as well!! (It normally gets released shortly after a round of QA testing/getting feedback from the server, though I may release it earlier if I feel like it hehe ^^)

Enjoy!!

#14 days with you #14dwy #💖 — 14 days with queue. #🖤 — updates. #🖤 — spoilers. #I'm not gonna say much about my current doxxing situation because I've got it under control now + it's being handled privately #Plus I don't wanna give it/the people involved any unnecessary attention. I just wanna announce the update and Get Back To It™️ #(''it'' bein the grind 💪 It never stops lmao /silly) #OG followers will also know that these topics aren't the vibe I normally have on this blog (or any of my accounts); so I don't think I'll— #—make ANOTHER public post about the situation and bring more attention to it (when I just want everything to be over and put to rest ^^;) #However I also don't want people to think that I'm... ignoring?? the situation entirely (because gettin doxxed is a very endangering thing) #So I DO want to quickly acknowledge it here and say that it's all currently handled + I'm safe and okay + this won't stop me from— #—continuing to work on 14DWY (and other future projects). I also don't want to give these awful people more power and incentive to continue #—this kind of pathetic behaviour; so the less attention and encouragement being shown will ultimately be better in the long run :3 #Aaaaaanways!! 😮‍💨 #My other accounts will be restored shortly and my askbox will be opened once I feel comfortable. I'll get around to following folks— #—again in my own time; so please don't feel offended if I unfollowed you during a moment of vulnerability and anxiety!! #This is all EXTREMELY overwhelming and scary for someone with SAD/AvPD; and I /gen can't handle seeing it all over my timeline ;v; #Sorry this got ranty and personal again hjdsgjsdh T_T I said I wouldn't say much; so I'll shut up now hehe #🖤 — shut up sai.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

christ sometimes I just wanna. steal a time machine & go back & sit down next to my 9-year-old self and just like. let them pull out their pokemon card binder & gush about their holographic gyarados or whatever. I'd just smile & ask questions about motherfukcing bulbasaur & tell my kid self that I thought they were a neat person, & someday they'd find other people who thought so too.

like i'm a grown adult who honestly finds most kids stuff boring, but. damn if i could go back & hang out with my baby self & listen to them ramble...just so they knew someone was listening. i would in a heartbeat. thinking about u kid

#wouldn't roll my eyes or check my phone or get bored or nothing #I'd just listen to that little dork & smile & encourage them & let them explain how their favorite gameboy games worked #i was the kind of kid my adult self would find annoying & uninteresting but like #most of the actual adults in my childhood felt that way too. including my dang parents. #and ya know sometimes they showed it. a lot of times without realizing it. and that messes a kid up #if you don't make an effort kids WILL recognize your disinterest and lack of attention. #kids deserve to have caregivers who show interest and engagement #even when it's over stuff that adults find boring. especially then maybe #your kid doesn't have to be fun or interesting or easy or well behaved to deserve positive attention #they deserve positive attention because they are YOUR KID #if love is unconditional then DISPLAYS of LOVE and AFFECTION must also be unconditional #not something that must be earned #telling your kid that you love them is not enough. that is step one out of like a thousand #if you just tell your kid you love them but you don't demonstrate affection and interest and patience and warmth and etcetera #your kid isn't gonna feel loved! I Love You will just become a trite phrase that they regard with mistrust! #bitch you gotta FOLLOW THROUGH

[jajanvm-imbi]

My two favorite anarchists 🥰🥰

#everyones been saying it so ill say it too #they would TOTALLY be besties and you KNOW IT #encouraging one of the protagonists to question authority and challenge the misguided and corrupt system? #helping one of the protagonists break out of jail? #being the ONLY ONE to stand by one of the protagonists in the face of oppression and questionable practices? #but also being kind to their friends and genuinely caring about them? #they would ABSOLUTELY be besties #i love them for it #nimona #spider punk #hobie brown #nimona movie #nimona spoilers #nimona film #nimona netflix #across the spiderverse #spiderman across the spiderverse #hobie spiderverse #atsv

[healing-is-cool]

I hope it gets easier for you to live in the now. To remember that you're here, in the present moment, that you're safe, even if your mind is thinking of the worst case scenario. You will overcome every obstacle when they arrive, but right now, you can rest.

#mental health #self love #recovery #self care #positivity #kindness #positive thoughts #healing #intrusive thoughts #encouragement #queue💌

[agirlwithglam]

unique compliments to give people <3

because ordinary compliments are just.. ordinary. have some fun with these <3

i love your personality

you give off main character vibes

you're literally an inspiration

being around you makes me feel happy

you have such amazing manners

you're the type of person my mother/ father/ family member would like.

i love how you're so independent

you're like such a girlboss

i love you're style

you remind me of: [favourite actor/ person/ celebrity + tell them why]

You make me feel safe and loved

I love your energy

You have a pretty smile

#agirlwithglam🎀✨ #it girl energy #self improvement #becoming that girl #it girl #self love #girlboss #girlblog #girlblogging #vanilla girl #lovely things #being kind #kindness #positivity #compliments #compliment ideas #praising others #celebrating others #words of affirmation #kind things to say #kind words #positive words #encouraging words

[reasonsforhope]

Humans are so cute. They think they can outsmart birds. They place nasty metal spikes on rooftops and ledges to prevent birds from nesting there.

It’s a classic human trick known in urban design as “evil architecture”: designing a place in a way that’s meant to deter others. Think of the city benches you see segmented by bars to stop homeless people sleeping there.

But birds are genius rebels. Not only are they undeterred by evil architecture, they actually use it to their advantage, according to a new Dutch study published in the journal Deinsea.

Crows and magpies, it turns out, are learning to rip strips of anti-bird spikes off of buildings and use them to build their nests. It’s an incredible addition to the growing body of evidence about the intelligence of birds, so wrongly maligned as stupid that “bird-brained” is still commonly used as an insult...

Magpies also use anti-bird spikes for their nests. In 2021, a hospital patient in Antwerp, Belgium, looked out the window and noticed a huge magpie’s nest in a tree in the courtyard. Biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra of Leiden-based Naturalis Biodiversity Center, one of the study’s authors, went to collect the nest and found that it was made out of 50 meters of anti-bird strips, containing no fewer than 1,500 metal spikes.

Hiemstra describes the magpie nest as “an impregnable fortress.”

Pictured: A huge magpie nest made out of 1,500 metal spikes.

Magpies are known to build roofs over their nests to prevent other birds from stealing their eggs and young. Usually, they scrounge around in nature for thorny plants or spiky branches to form the roof. But city birds don’t need to search for the perfect branch — they can just use the anti-bird spikes that humans have so kindly put at their disposal.

“The magpies appear to be using the pins exactly the same way we do: to keep other birds away from their nest,” Hiemstra said.

Another urban magpie nest, this one from Scotland, really shows off the roof-building tactic:

Pictured: A nest from Scotland shows how urban magpies are using anti-bird spikes to construct a roof meant to protect their young and eggs from predators.

Birds had already been spotted using upward-pointing anti-bird spikes as foundations for nests. In 2016, the so-called Parkdale Pigeon became Twitter-famous for refusing to give up when humans removed her first nest and installed spikes on her chosen nesting site, the top of an LCD monitor on a subway platform in Melbourne. The avian architect rebelled and built an even better home there, using the spikes as a foundation to hold her nest more securely in place.

...Hiemstra’s study is the first to show that birds, adapting to city life, are learning to seek out and use our anti-bird spikes as their nesting material. Pretty badass, right?

The genius of birds — and other animals we underestimate

It’s a well-established fact that many bird species are highly intelligent. Members of the corvid family, which includes crows and magpies, are especially renowned for their smarts. Crows can solve complex puzzles, while magpies can pass the “mirror test” — the classic test that scientists use to determine if a species is self-aware.

Studies show that some birds have evolved cognitive skills similar to our own: They have amazing memories, remembering for months the thousands of different hiding places where they’ve stashed seeds, and they use their own experiences to predict the behavior of other birds, suggesting they’ve got some theory of mind.

And, as author Jennifer Ackerman details in The Genius of Birds, birds are brilliant at using tools. Black palm cockatoos use twigs as drumsticks, tapping out a beat on a tree trunk to get a female’s attention. Jays use sticks as spears to attack other birds...

Birds have also been known to use human tools to their advantage. When carrion crows want to crack a walnut, for example, they position the nut on a busy road, wait for a passing car to crush the shell, then swoop down to collect the nut and eat it. This behavior has been recorded several times in Japanese crows.

But what’s unique about Hiemstra’s study is that it shows birds using human tools, specifically designed to thwart birds’ plans, in order to thwart our plans instead. We humans try to keep birds away with spikes, and the birds — ingenious rebels that they are — retort: Thanks, humans!

-via Vox, July 26, 2023

#birds are literally learning how to better live/survive alongside us #this is like. actually kind of remarkable. and the technique is spreading including to other species. #is this hopepunk? it kinda feels like hopepunk to me. #animals are literally learning how to use our attempts to get rid of them against us #that's kind of amazing #and also VERY encouraging re: life's innate resilience #crows #magpie #corvid #crow #bird #bird nest #bird nerd #bird news #adaptation #urban animals #ornithology #climate adaptation #kinda #good news #hope #hope posting #hopepunk #animal intelligence #wildlife #animals are awesome

[saltpepperbeard]

is this anything

#OFMD #OFMD Season 2 #OFMD S2 Spoilers #Gentlebeard #Blackbonnet #Edward Teach #Stede Bonnet #Edit #okay stay with me here lol STAY WITH ME HERE #ed's face really has me feeling some kind of way #((i mean that's a given lol but his EXPRESSION there more like)) #i keep staring at it and going back and forth between thinking it's awe/reluctant intrigue #as though he's furrowing his brow because he WANTS to not get butterflies for stede but stede is making that Very Difficult HSDJKLS #OR #and hence me making this set- #he's feeling some sort of complicated emotion in seeing stede step away from the person he met him as #the colorful bitchy poised fine thing he fell in love with #because i am ALSO sitting here wondering if stede is doing this all entirely on his own volition #or if he was ENCOURAGED to do so by izzy or someone else as like a #'it'll win you more respect and win you back ed's heart if you act and dress this way' type deal #like something something another ongoing commentary on masculinity something something #but it could ALSO be stede really wanting that world/respect/look for HIMSELF #something something stede and ed wanting to be each other and delving into each other's realms something #but just as it soured a bit for ed #i have to wonder if it'll also sour a bit for stede #and they'll consequently find 'the other home' they're looking for in EACH OTHER #and settle into a mixture of swashbuckling ruggedness/finery and subsequently complete/compliment each other #IDK i'm not being very coherent about it HA but i have many many thoughts of course #stede changing up his entire aesthetic just has me very very intrigued on how he's going to move forward #and how others are going to perceive him

[caffichai]

Thank you all so much for over 2750 followers!!

#2773 as of posting. Wow!! #I initially drew this for 2500 followers but ended up not having time to finish and then just delayed posting it for weeks lol #But seriously I appreciate everyone being so encouraging and kind! #pixel #digital art #pixel art #oc #artists on tumblr #sunset #post apocalyptic #Fantasy #Had a lot of fun designing this crane-girl but started running out of steam when I was coloring her. Glad I finished though! #She got the news late from the rabbit girl. That's why I was late posting :P

[ryllen]

well yuu said watch, not hear

#sorry i really just like u more than malleus that's it; well correct that i like malleus but not when u describe him no #i know general public encourage to go straight into listening and supporting whatever ur partner's hobby or like is #but sometimes u have partner that's into sport or kind of game or film genre u have no interest in at all and i guess it's okay #it's more fun if u both r but yeah not everybody perfectly came from one pod like that; we should be more accepting of the difference #twst #twisted wonderland #sebek zigvolt #twst yuu #twst mc #fanart #beside this is when friends with same type of interest come to play #go make friends boy

[sketchesinstillness]

#gentle #reminders #encouragement kindness friends fireflies #small kindnesses #you are loved #self care #selflove #self growth #self healing #self development #self worth #self help #mindfulness #meditation #yoga #zen #inspiration #peace #spirituality #comics #love #cartoon

[toytle]

kissing superheroes w/ flying powers yields mixed results

exhibit A: barry’s grounding technique for hal 💗

(see exhibit B)

#halbarry #hal jordan #green lantern #barry allen #the flash #detective comics #dc #dc comics #dc fanart #valentine’s day #lovecore #danart #thank you for all the encouragement during this process 🙏 #my vision is blurry my sleep is deprived but honestly? #so worth it i feel like i’ve outdone myself #hal’s squiggle highlights in contrast to barry’s jagged lightning lines?? #this kind of genius can only happen at 4 AM #i cannot wait to see what i end up doing with the superbat counterpart to this #(<- improvises every step of the drawing process) #alt text #described #<- transcribing this was literally like writing fanfic btw #why am i blushing

[ellstronaut]

not to be that person but fuck

n don’t get me wrong I love smut as much as the next person but I cannot stand meaningless smut. With no substance just mindless sex with no passion or any ounce of affection attached to it. No buildup, no pining, no tension so thick it’s palpable no “fuck why are these jeans glued on” no “clumsiness or characters being awkward because sex is awkward sometimes and intimidating” no characterisation, character development or poking fun in a lighthearted way because

“dino boxers really?”

the way they’d be so unapologetic about it too maybe not even vocal but the look that fucking look that screams “yeah? n what you’re gonna do about it?” or maybe they’re flustered but that’s hot either way because it’s them, it’s their quirk

It’s the little details

The vulnerability? The insecurities—trying something new but being afraid to cross or plunge into unknown territories

but it’s their touch—guidance—that unspoken “you’re safe with me”

Subtle hotness/intimacy man

But yeah sex sells. Let’s be real. It’s a cheap way to get views especially when not mindful of how characters would react in such situations

#ellie williams x reader #ellie x reader #ellie williams imagine #tlou ellie #that girl smokes an expired old joint ONCE and y’all think she’s some kind of sex God😭 #no but she would in fact wear dino boxers #I don’t think Ellie would engage in random hook up culture either bro she’s a LOSER LESBIAN #shes the queen of self deprecation needs encouragement or social cues before making the first move aka weed scene #only then does all HELL break lose #no but the way Dina pulled away for a split sec…mid making out bc she just ignited a beast

[rawhoneybliss]

But you're still here, you're still trying, and that's enough.

#encouraging words #encouragement #positive thinking #positive quotes #positive thoughts #positivity #recovery #self kindness #self care #gentle reminder #gentle reminders #reminder #reminders