#this is like. a baking show. or sports. critical role is my sports.
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Confronting the fact that I'm partway through episode 93 of critical role campaign 2 and theres only ("only") 140 ish episodes
I very realistically could end up watching the entirety of the second campaign of critical role. Holy shit lmfao
#speculation nation#ive been neglecting the 3rd campaign bc it hasnt been holding my interest like the 2nd one lol#and at some point i do plan on watching Calamity. but i have heard how utterly heart crushing that is#so i gotta b in the right mindstate for it lol. ready to have my entire soul crushed.#i do wanna watch it someday. but not today.#BUT yea i remember when i was like 'wow im on episode 50 of cr2! thats wild!' and now a few months later im on 93#not doing my episode a day i was doing for a few weeks there lol but still#93 episodes is a lot of episodes even for a 20 mins episode series. but here i am on episode 93 for a show whose avg eps r like. 4 hrs each#i still uphold that critical role fans r kinda insane. myself included. bc why ELSE would we be able to watch so much fucking content?????#it's just... so good... i love dnd & it's nice to just chill & watch smth i dont have to pay complete attention to all the time#structured shows require more attention bc every second is planned#this is like. a baking show. or sports. critical role is my sports.#obviously it's story-oriented but i can also b idly scrolling thru tumblr while listening. bc i dont have to b 100% watching it!!!#so yes it's insane to watch this much of smth BUT it's actually not as insane as it might seem#(i say desperately as if it can change the fact that i have still watched hundreds and hundreds of hours of liveplay dnd lmao)
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Nancy Drew and Education
So apparently the Clue Crew is full of teachers? Who knew. Well, as a former homeschooled student, current teacher, and (hopefully) future homeschooling parent/teacher I have been planning on integrating the games into lessons for a long time. Below the cut I have just a few of my many ideas (some more fleshed out than others). Feel free to use, adapt, or add your own!
SCK:
- Braille
o How blind/vision impaired people navigate the world
§ How we can make it more accessible for them
o How do braille books and printers work
- ASL
o Memorizing the alphabet and basic signs
§ Build up fluency
o How HOH/deaf people navigate the world
§ How we can make it more accessible for them
o Connections of ASL to other signed languages
§ French Sign Language versus British Sign Language
- Dangers of gas leaks
o What to do if you smell or hear gas
- Inequalities between mens and womens sporting opportunities
o See Women’s Soccer
- What are performance enhancing drugs
o What is the difference between #steroids and the steroids your doctor might prescribe
- How drug running is a gateway crime
- Why blackmailing people isn’t good
- More reasons to never move to Florida
- Why you shouldn’t go to an actual high school part one
STFD:
- Television in NYC
o Soap Operas
o How television sets work
o Role of director
o Teleprompters
o Props
o Agents
- Theatre in NY
o Broadway
§ Learn a show
o Carnegie Hall
- Dangers in the ways we obsess over celebrities
o Paparazzi
o Stalkers
o Respecting privacy
- NY taxi system
- NY regional accents
- NY as a center for immigration – salad bowl
o Ellis Island
- History of NYC
o Geography of NYC
- Typewriters
- Towers of Hanoi
- Encoding
- How to make chocolates (with or without poison)
- Read along:
o New York the Novel (Edward Rutherford)
o The Power Broker
o All of a Kind Family
MHM:
- San Francisco Gold Rush
- Earthquake and Fires in San Fran
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Angel Island
o Asian (Chinese) Immigration to the USA
- Chinese Zodiac
- Fortune telling (and why it’s not okay)
- Bed and Breakfasts
- San Francisco today
o Technology boom
o Overpriced everything
§ How this hurts established residents
§ Homelessness in San Fran
- Bandits in the American West
- Hauntings in American buildings
- How to remove and install tile
- Renovations – refurbish something
- Antiques
o Visit an antique shop
- Importance of fire safety
- How to install lighting fixtures properly
- How to fix a dumbwaiter
o How not to be a dumb waiter
- Tangrams
- What is the Victorian period
o Significance of Queen Victoria
- Read Along:
o Little Brother
o Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America
o Angel Island Gateway to Golden Mountain
TRT:
- The French Revolution
o Marie Antoinette
o Women and the French Revolution
o Worldwide effects of the Revolution
o Historians of the French Revolution
- Writing history
o How we can focus on different events in history, how we can be sympathetic to certain people, how we can fulfill different spaces in the historical narrative, criticism of history as a field, entering history as a field
- Wisconsin Dairy industry
- Alarm systems and how they work
- Fingerprinting
- Elevator safety
- Ski lifts
o Skiing
- Vandalism
- Taking care of libraries
- Latitude and longitude
- Keeping records of good events and bad events
o Nothing you do will ever stop me from loving you
- Some people keep different sleep schedules
- Journalism
- Making translations
- Why France has different holidays – to keep the ski lodges from getting too full
FIN:
- History of theatre spaces
- Use of film at theatres
- Magicians
o Houdini
o Learn a ‘magic’ trick
- Library of Congress
- Demolition – wrecking balls
o What’s involved
- Plaster casts
- Historic register of buildings
o Visit a local historic building
- Price of concessions and movie tickets today
- Nickelodeons
- Celebrity stunts for attention from press
o Celebrity endorsements
- Jazz music
o Dancing
- Kidnapping stories
o What to do if someone tries to grab you
- Rubber vs. electricity
- Art/artists of the 20s
SSH:
- Numbering systems (particularly ones not based on 10)
- Cultures of South America
o Maya
§ Cultural understandings
§ Connections to what appears at Beech Hill
o Aztec
o Inca
- Myths of lesser civilizations because of European preconceptions
- Why do countries have consulates/embassies in other countries
- What is amnesia and other medical memory issues
- Provenance and why its important part one
- Roles and responsibilities within a museum
o Visit a museum
o How to be critical of a museum and how knowledge is presented to you
- Modern art
o Make your own
o Visit a modern art museum
- Periodic Table of Elements
- Positive and negative molds for casting
DOG:
- Prohibition
o Speakeasys
o Amendments to constitution
o Drinking age restrictions
§ Comparison of USA to European countries
o Connections to modern drug policies
- Recognizing and photographing local birds
- Dangers in the forest – ticks and other pests
- Why water sources are important
o Flint water crisis
- Visit a state park
o Importance of maintaining public land
- Alcatraz
- How to care for dogs
- Noise pollution
o Light pollution
CAR:
- History of carousels
o Visit a carousel
- Lathes
- Harmonicas
- Band organs
- Writing messages with lemon juice and other hidden inks
- How to iron
o How not to iron
- How to make a sundae
- How amusement park rides are designed
- Soldering
- What is parole
o Welcoming those who have been in prison back to society
o Problems with the American prison system
§ How it disproportionately affects minority groups
o What can be done in prison reform
o Abuses in prison
o Making mental and spiritual help and guidance more available
o Making sanitary products available
o Prison for profit hurts everybody except the prison owner
o Educational opportunities for those in prison
o More half-way help
o Juvenile sentencing reform – more out of system help
o Respecting humanity of prisoners
o Ending the death penalty
- Depression
o How to get help
o How to help others
o Dealing with loss
DDI:
- Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest
- Orcas and other whales
o Whaling industry in Northwest and Northeast
o Things whale products were used for
o Visit natural history museum with whale exhibition
- Visit an aquarium with a good reputation
o Problems with places that do not take care of their sea life – particularly large sea life like whales
- What is a chowder and how is it made
o Try or make chowder
- Crabs
o Restrictions on different types of crabs – what type is local
o Try a crab dish
- Importance of different knots
o Get some rope and learn how to tie different knots
- Know the NATO alphabet and letter flags
- Boating knowledge
o Go on a boating trip – know the port and starboard sides
- Learn how to kayak
- Try to learn how to skip rocks
- Visit a lighthouse
o Importance and histories of lighthouses
- Smuggling – what is it and why does it happen
- Shanghaiing
- Chess
SHA:
- The continuous oppression and mistreatment of Native Americans
o From Mayflower to Pocahontas to Trail of Tears to Dakota to DAPL to Reservations to food deserts to voting rights to much much more
§ How to support current Native voices and concerns
o Why Native Americans are not a costume
o “Possession” of Native American objects and land
§ Arrowheads and native jewelry
o Broad overview of regional Native American groups – using their own voices
§ Special focus on local Native American groups
· Is there a local museum/educational resource that is either Native created or known for respecting Native voices
o Current Native Americans of note (ex: politicians, activists, artists)
o While the previous focuses on Native Americans in the modern day USA – also discuss First Nations from Canada and Native Groups from more southern areas
- Why temperature and pan matters when baking (show what happens in the oven when it goes wrong)
- Magnets and how different metals react differently to magnets
- How to take care of a horse and other farm animals
o Visit a local farm
o Try horse-riding
- Dangers of rattle snakes and scorpions
- Lassos and how to use them
- Legends of outlaws in the American West
- Ghost towns
- Flower stitches when knitting/crocheting
- Petrified wood
- How to make a campfire
- Picking fruits and veggies when they are ready
- Flower language
- Read Along:
o Native American folk tales
o Motorcycles and Sweetgrass
o Gone Away Lake
o Black Beauty?
CUR:
- Where are the moors
- Different regional accents within the United Kingdom
- British foods
- Latin
o Learn fun phrases and prayers
- Ancestry and genealogy
o Map your own family tree and recognize family crests
o How adoption has historically been a binding and irrefutable concept for lineage
o Find places your family lived
o Leaving a history for your descendants
§ Write a story book for them
o British Royal Family
§ Why incest is bad
- Parrots and their intelligence
- Secret passages in old buildings
- Alchemy
o Connections to modern understandings of science
o Historical understandings of elements
- Astrological signs
- Witch trials
- Legends of lycanthropy and other monsters
- Importance of not taking other peoples medicines
- Runic alphabet
- Feeding your pets a healthy diet
- Typing practice
- How to embrace the idea that home taught students are evil geniuses
- Forges and melting points of different metals
- Carnivorous plants
- Succulents
- Constellations in different places
- Read Along:
o The Secret Garden
o The London Eye Mystery
o Beastly
CLK:
- Great Depression
o Causes and effects
o Who was hurt
o Who was not hurt
o Areas of America
§ Dust bowl
o Famous people and literature
o Homelessness and poverty
§ Bread lines
§ Soup kitchens
§ Anti-homelessness architecture
§ Connections to mental illness and veterans
§ How we can help those who do not have homes today
- Early Telephones
- Shakespeare
- History of Nancy Drew
o Mildred Wirt Benson
o Edward Stratemeyer
- Fishing – why different fish respond to different bait
- Orphanages in the early 20th century
- Gas prices and accessibility of cars through time
- How to make pie
- What is jurisdiction and what is significant about crossing state lines
- How do banks work
o Safety deposit boxes
- Identify theft
- How to use a sewing machine
o Sew an item of clothing
- Mini golf – why and what
- Mirrors and their usefulness
- Stamp collections
-
- Radios and call signs
o Comparison to modern internet forms
- Telegrams
- Read along:
o Shakespeare
§ Midsummer Night’s Dream
§ Others
o Pollyanna
o Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
o The Grapes of Wrath
TRN:
- Trains
o Steam trains
o Visit a train museum
o Take a train ride (if not a normal event)
o Importance of transcontinental railway
o Trains around the USA today
o Trains around the world (TGV, bullet train)
- Abraham Lincoln
- Mark Twain
- How to make a good burger (you leave off the PB&J)
- Slugs
- Periodic Table of Elements – abbreviations
- Gemstones
- History of Mining
o England (Newcastle upon Tyne)
o American West
o Appalachia
o Company Store
o Health issues for miners
o Danger of mines
o Current issues for mining
- Dancing the Hurley Burley
- People who collect creepy dolls
o History of porcelain dolls
- Embroidery
o How to
o Patterns/symbols
- General Stores in the American West
o Sears
- How to make taffy
- Find a well maintained and beautiful tomb and research who is entombed
- Focusing light through a magnifying glass can start a fire
- Read Along:
o Murder on the Orient Express
o Mark Twain books
DAN:
- All lessons in French
- How using different ingredients and different amounts of ingredients can affect the outcome of your cookies
- Paris métro
o History
o How to read/follow a métro map
o RER
- Montmartre and other Parisian neighbourhoods
- History of Île de la France and Square de Vert Galant Parc and Pont Neuf
- �� WWII and the French Resistance
o Cross of Lorraine
o Vichy France
o Abuses of the French gov’t in this period
- Paris and the fashion world
- Beauty standards and the rejection of natural beauty by society
o Dangers of weight and figure standards
o You are beautiful as you are
- Catacombs of Paris
- Famous French Dishes (from this region)
o Or Bretagne since I know and like them better
- The French Café
- Moulin in France
- Tea and how hot leaf water can taste so bad but still be good for you
- Buildings of Baron Haussmann
- Paris History
- Decoders
- Importance of vitraux historically, culturally, and religiously
- Read Along:
o Little Kids
§ Madeline
§ Babar
§ Petit Ours
§ Plume
o High School
§ Hunchback of Notre Dame
§ Les Mis
§ Dale Van Kley
CRE:
- History of Hawai’i and her native people
o How the USA screwed them over and continues to do so
§ Land colonizing today
o Listen to voices from Native Peoples
- Pearl Harbor
o USS Arizona
- Native myths and legends
- Local flora and fauna
- Surfing
- How to make bead necklaces
- Snorkeling
- Entomology
o Find some local bugs and identify and observe them
- Horticulture
o See if you can graft something
o Watch a carnation placed in water with food dye
o Regrow a fruit or veggie from the leftovers
- Go looking for seashells – see how many complete shells you can find
- Be aware of pesticides and the dangers they offer
o Dangers of organic food too
- Make something with pineapple in it
- Fishing – different kinds of native fish
- Volcanos
- Hula
ICE:
- Wolf sanctuaries – respecting wildlife and their place in the wild and not the domestic
o What to do if you see a wolf in the real world
- Fur trapping in Canada history
- Regions and Capitols of Canada
o Visit Canada?
- How the Canadian government works
- Use of French language in Canada
o Unique features of Canadian French
- Ice fishing
- How to cook omelets, salmon, etc.
o How to not add paprika cause like ew
- Fossils
- Radiation
o Marie Curie
- How to be a good maid
- Snowballs/ice balls
- Ice skating
- Winter weather safety
- Avalanches
- Saunas
- Birthmarks
- Fax machines
- How to not lie about bird watching
- Frozen water safety
- Modern offenses against First Nations by Canadian Government
CRY:
- Culture of the Arawak and Caraïbe
o Voodoo
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans
- Hurricane Katrina and aftermath
- French Influence
- Eyes and their parts and functions
- Teeth and their parts and functions
- Alligators in the Southern USA and how they are dangerous pests
- Graveyards/cemeteries and how to be comfortable in them
o Modern burial practices
o Why are they above ground in Louisiana?
o Places where they are running out of space for the dead
o Historic violations of final resting places
- Ventriloquism
- Lizards and how to care for them
- Rube Goldberg machines
- Curio shops
- Crystal Skulls
VEN:
- International crime
- Organized crime
- Scopa
- Italian basics
o Learn an Italian aria
- Italian food
o Not just spaghetti
- History of Venice
o Current issues in Venice
- Carrier pigeons
- Micro-dots
- “Observing the architecture”
- Try to make gelato (or just get gelato, either way you get gelato)
- Disguising yourself – put on an outfit and try to get me to not recognize you
- Picking locks
- Secret codes
- Solfege
o With hand signs
o Learn a song in solfege
- Carnivale
- Learn how the sausage gets made
o How to deal with food poisoning
- How to secure your living space against burglars
o Glass breaks, motion sensors, keypads, magnets, and more
- Read Along:
o Heist Society
o The Prince
o Merchant of Venice
HAU:
- Irish lessons (as much of this in Irish as possible)
o Why the Irish language is important
- Geography of Ireland
o Provinces and counties
- Irish names
- Why Ireland has disliked and should dislike the UK
o Historically
o Famine
§ Emmigration
o Easter Rising
o Troubles
o Present-Day
- Importance of alcohol in Ireland
o Uisce beatha
o Guinness
§ Guinness world records
- Irish music
o Irish instruments
o Learn some Rebel songs
- Ogham runes
- Irish foods
o Something with lamb, who cares what
- Don’t use friends for land development
- Bogs
- Chemical Reactions
- Rockets
- Inventions and secrecy during WWII
- Religion in Ireland
o Pagan traditions
o Christianity
o Catholic/Protestant tensions
- Irish wedding traditions
- How printing presses work
- Irish castles
- Sheep sheering/raising sheep
- Irish legends
o Fae
o Leprechauns
- Don’t drive and talk on the phone
RAN:
- Why blackface is problematic? (the fact that this needs to be said is problematic in and of itself)
- Scuba diving
- Sailing
- Bermuda Triangle
- Bats
- Primates and their intelligence
o Problems with animal research
o Koko
o Jane Goodall
- Island resort culture
- Metal detectors
- Pirates
o And the Caribbean
o Their abuses
o Different kinds
o Modern day pirates
- How do walkie-talkies work
- US mistreatment of island territories
- Read Along:
o Bloody Jack (Meyer)
WAC:
- Edgar Allan Poe
o Stories
o Baltimore
- Piano
- Victorian Dining traditions
o How to set a place for fancy dining
o How to fold napkins
o Table manners
o How to serve someone at a fancy dinner
o How courses might work
o How to use your silverware
- Why you shouldn’t go to an actual high school part two
o Just fyi – that’s not how uniforms work
§ Have a school inspired dress code for a week
- Bullying and why you absolutely will not be a bully
o How to respond to bullying
o Importance of talking to adults and counseling
- Logic puzzles
- Research the founding of a local school
- Stringed Instruments
- Plagiarism
o Turnitin
- Making sandwiches – like a good deli style sandwich
- Photography scavenger hunt – make a digital (or physical) yearbook
- Squirrels
- Orthographic projection
- DNA/RNA
- Saving every major project on three different thumb drives
- Getting along with roommates
- States and Capitals
o Countries and capitals of the world
TOT:
- Tornados
o Technology used to observe tornados
- Meteorology
- Prairie dogs
- Life on the great plains
- Great Plains Native Americans
- Small towns in the Midwest honestly be like that
- Defensive driving
- Make a disaster kit
- Know what to do in various natural emergency situations
o What is the local alert protocol
o What do local authorities recommend
- How to maintain and fix a car
- How to fix a broken device
- What is tenure
- How to budget
o Go to the grocery store on a strict budget (however much you come in under budget is your candy budget)
- Read Along:
o Little House
SAW:
- Basic Japanese phrases
o Learn to count
o Writing in Japanese
- Sudoku, nonograms, renograms
- Japanese ghost legends
- Japanese culture
o Tourism
§ Ryokans
o Space – everything small
o Politeness/formalities
o Hot springs/baths
o Tatami and paper walls
- Japanese cultural dress
o Kimonos
o Lolita? Fashion
- Japanese names
o Last name first
o How to address others in Japan
- Martial Arts
o Ninjutsu
§ Traditional tools
- Japanese tea ceremony
- Schools in Japan
- Teaching English as a foreign language
- Japanese subway/train system
- Pachinko and Japanese gaming
- Japanese vending machines
- Robotic animals
- Bento
- Japanese foods
- Origami
- How to fake a haunting
CAP:
- Basic German phrases
o How to make a German word
o Connections of German to English
- German food favourites
o Especially cakes
- Storytelling as a cultural entity
o How memory has worked differently in different times
- Glass blowing
- How castles provided for the local community
- Bavaria in Germany
o Cultural dress
- Glockenspiel
- How to make board games
- Monster stories of central Europe
- How to monitor security camera remotely
- Read Along:
o Heidi
ASH:
- Arson
o Watching how different accelerants burn a piece of paper
- All politicians are at least somewhat self-serving
o But write a letter to a local politician anyway
§ Different ways to contact elected officials, and why some don’t work
- How to make ice cream
- How a police investigation works
o Problems with police departments around the world – specifically USA
o Ways that police work unfairly targets minorities
§ If Nancy is innocent how many others are
- How to use matches and lighters safely
- Why you should not return to the scene of a crime – particularly a fire
- Making sure smoke detectors work properly and the system is connected
o We might not go to school but fire drills are still important
- What is a mass spectrometer
- Who to call if you’ve been arrested
- What to do if you get pulled over
- How the media can skew the truth and make their own narratives
- Sound mixing
- Be careful with what you say/post/record
o Keep receipts and clarify when possible
TMB:
- What not to do at an archaeological site
- Ancient Egyptian History
o Pantheon, notable figures, relevant events
o Pyramids, sphinx
o Pharaohs
- Modern Egypt
o Arabic alphabet
- History of archaeological digs in Egypt
o Why they’ve been problematic
- Dangers of the tombs
- Mummys
o How they are put together
- Tomb raiders
- Importance of water in the desert
- How to piece together a broken artifact
- How to gently brush off an artifact
- There is no such thing as a dictionary for ancient Egyptian
- Aliens did not build the pyramids
- Senet
- Desert life safety
- How mirrors can be used to light a room
- Read Along
o Rick Riordan
DED:
- Nikola Tesla
o All his fun stuff
o Tesla Coils
- 3-D printing
- Gummy fingerprints
- Faraday Cage
- Basic electric concepts
o How to build a circuit board
- Chemical safety
- How a lab might work
- Valuing different skills within academia
- Ultraviolet light
- How motorcycles work
- Freelance photography
- How to use academic databases
GTH:
- Slavery in the United States
o Origins
o ‘End’
o Civil War
o The connection to “southern culture”
o Continued abuses of Black people in America
§ Importance of recognizing Black voices and what they are saying
§ Listening even when it’s uncomfortable
§ Checking privilege when you have it
o Jim Crow Laws
- Plantations
- Gone With the Wind
o The good and the bad
- Civil War spies – female
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Burned out houses are not a safe space
- Do not go digging through people’s coffins – rest in PEACE
- Understanding that your family can be flawed
- If you don’t want to get married, if you’re not happy in a relationship, end it
- When a member of your family is sick you take care of them
- Make a will, just in case your cousin kills you
- Bachelor and bachelorette parties should feature activities that everyone is comfortable with
- Read Along:
o My Last Skirt: The Story of Jennie Hodgers, Union Soldier
SPY:
- Scotland and their identity
o Celtic Nations
o Independent Scotland
o Call a Scottish person
- Unicorns and other mythical creatures in Scotland
- Scottish food
o The appetizing parts
- History of spies
- Biowarfare
o Code Orange
o Other teenage stories dealing with anthrax
o Current events and concerns
o Historical biowarfare (smallpox blankets)
- Ziplining
- Archery
- How to bug someone
- Tartans and plaids
o Kilts
- Augmented Reality Glasses
- Record players
- How to reset a circuit breaker
- Read Along:
o Gallagher Girls
o Code Orange
o Little House (Martha)
o Little Brother (Doctorow)
MED:
- Don’t meet your heroes
- New Zealand
o Maori culture
- Survivor style game shows and realism
- I’m not saying Aliens can’t exist, I’m saying they def aren’t involved here
- Kayaking
- Submarines and what they can do
- Turtles
- Earthquakes
- Be careful with rope bridges
LIE:
- Provenance and why it’s important part two
- Greek art and how it was originally painted vibrantly
o Abuses of Greek art through the ages
- The British Museum and the issues with that
- Greek pantheon
o Legends and notable figures
o Religious traditions
- Iliad and Odyssey
- Art forgery
- How to fire clay pots and pottery
- Memorizing lines for a play
o Staging for a play
o Role of a director
- Theatre
o Lights
o Curtains
o Fly system
o Sound
- Greek alphabet
- Historical importance of the Greek language and culture
o Alexander the Great and Hellenization
- Olympics
o Historic and modern
- Greece and the European Union
- Make something with pomegranates
- Read Along:
o Iliad
o Odyssey
o The Thief
o Percy Jackson
SEA:
- Iceland
o Culture
§ Naming traditions
o Language
o Music
o Food
- Shipbuilding
o Historic and modern ships
- Ice caving
- Northern Lights
- Tides
- Snowmobiling
- Poetry
- What is xenophobia
MID:
- Some games just shouldn’t be made
- American witch trials
o What actually went down
o Misconceptions
- Treating people with albinism as real people
- Arson is bad
- Herbal remedies and how they can interfere with modern medicine
- Witchcraft and how not to
- Salem MA
- Ignorance promotes fear and hatred so we do our best to learn about others
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okay so. im watching a little bit of doctor who these days, and its honestly a bit surprising to remember how much joy this show brought (brings) me? it shouldn’t be surprising of course, it makes complete and utter logical sense. But I was still a bit taken aback anyway
and u know what, fuck it – its past 9pm, time for some soul-searching . what is it about Me that makes me think this show slap so severely?
Well obviously, part of it is the nostalgia, the reminder of a ~simpler time~ (or however simple grade 8, 9, 10 could be), the familiarity and the comfort of knowing what happens in every episode, and Liking what happens in every episode
And of course, another part is its just. A fucking good show. Like objectively. Its good
But I think there’s a third part as well, which is less about my history, less about the show, and more about me as a person?
Hypothesises: I adore Doctor Who (now and when I first watched it) because I’m fundamentally Built to be a fangirl. Which is fucking embarrassing but here me out.
I have a lot of hobbies, right. I’ve learnt a bunch of random skills (usually creative – see knitting, sewing, crochet, origami, how wax seals work, etc.), I’ve played a bunch of sports (see volleyball, touch, netball, soccer, badminton, etc.), I’ve done a couple of musical things (all badly, but see violin, piano, choir, musical, irish dancing), I’ve picked up a couple of activities I would love to do more often (see iceskating, baking, cooking, camping, hiking, etc.). and they’re all great! Except maybe touch. But also, all these different activities either don’t last very long, or are revisited very rarely. Lets blame that on potential adhd <3 basically, theyre fleeting interests
So im thinking right. Whats a more Permanent Interest? Do I even have one? And you know! I think I do. I think I even have two.
The first, very simple one is music – more so listening to music than like, writing it lol, but the point still stands. And that interest is obviously because a) music fucking slaps, and b) its an excellent way to manage sensory overloads and all the noise in my head lol.
The second more permanent interest tho, is creative writing. Again, more so listening to other people’s stories than writing my own, but still. Because listen right, it makes Sense – first it was reading (harry potter, percy jackson, throne of glass), then I added movies and tv shows (superwholock, marvel, the witcher, OFMD), fanfiction (bruh) , then I added video games/watching gameplay (dan and phil’s undertale playthrough, hermitcraft, dream smp), then fictional podcasts (welcome to nightvale, magnus archives, ec.), anime (yuri!!! on ICE, haikyuu, demon slayer), dnd (just roll with it, critical role, my irl group). Im studying English at uni.
Its fucking built into my dna to seek out, enjoy, and obsess over storytelling bro. (im Built to be a fangirl help). that’s my fucking hobby. Experiencing stories. Of course im gonna like doctor who! The entire thing is layers and layers of Well Written, Interesting, Captivating stories! Yeah it slaps!
Anyway, I have no clue Why I fundamentally like storytelling so much, but I thought that was just an interesting fact about myself. Fun :D
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The Flavours Of Life - A Sims 4 Legacy Challenge
Sims tend to have a lack of personality. A lack of flavour. But I'm here to fix it. Are you tired of sims challenges either being too short or having wayyy too many goals to incorporate your own creative freedom? Then read ahead!
General rules;
1 - No cheats and cheaty mods. Sims tends to get boring if you cheat money, careers and skills. 2 - This challenge is about having freedom and being flexible. So feel free to edit some of the generation rules for your liking in your playthrough. 3 - Stick to a normal or long lifespan. 4 - Design your sims with the general colours/styles of the generations. 5 - The whole point of this challenge is to have fun so if you don't think you're going to enjoy a gen, skip it!
Generation One, Vanilla;
New town, new life and new opportunities. You grew up with privilege and have never had to work for yourself. Until one day, your parents pass away suddenly and you find they left nothing to you in your will. In a rags to riches style, you have to build yourself up from nothing. Eventually, you gain back your white picket fence lifestyle and marry, then have kids. You care for and love your kids - you want the best for them. But one day you make a grave mistake...
Traits: Materialistic, Snob and Perfectionist.
Aspiration: Succesful Lineage.
Career: Your choice, excluding high intensity jobs.
-Max out a career of your choice.
-Have at least two kids.
-Master parenting and whatever skill(s) correspond with your job.
- Complete at least half of your aspiration
- Have a one night stand with an evil sim, get pregnant and lie to your partner that it's their child.
Generation two, Strawberry;
You've always seemed so sweet and... charming. So charming you can practically manipulate anyone into liking and trusting you. Okay let's face it - you're evil. (I wonder who you got that from). You've been married so many times it's hard to count. It's a shame your relationships never work out. Although you'd prefer to commit crimes all day, you have a reputation to uphold. So you buy a bakery! Some say the special ingredient is love. You know it's much more sinister.
Traits: Evil, Romantic and Foodie.
Aspiration: Serial Romantic.
Career: Baking Business.
-Have a pristine reputation.
-Have multiple of your wives/husbands die under "suspicious circumstances" and take their money
-Have at least a three star business.
-Master the Baking, Charisma and Mischief skills.
Generation three, Bitter;
Growing up your parental figures came and went. Nothing was permanent. Which is why you guess stability never come easy to you. The only thing that remained consistent throughout your life was your hatred of your parents. As a teen or young adult you run away from home at the dead of night and start a new life. With no set goals or plans in your life you jump quickly from one thing from another. You live all over the globe during your life but you finally settle down in the tropical Sulani. Oh, did I forgot to mention you hate children?
Traits; Non-Committal, Hates children and Self-Absorbed.
Aspiration: Beach Life
Career: Any four careers + a term or so of uni.
-Reach level 2 of four careers.
-Go to uni for a degree but drop out sometime during the first term.
- Max two skills and reach level five in another.
-Get pregnant by accident and have twins. (You may cheat)
-Have maxed out hate for at least one parent.
-Get a Nanny for your children.
Generation 4, Salt OR Pepper;
(During this generation you get a choice as who you will play as)
Option 1 - Pepper,
You and your twin sibling have always been polar opposites but that doesn't mean you can't be close! You were always the rebellious one. Sneaking out to parties, underage drinking and hiding your soulmate in your room. Whatever you were doing it certainly wasn't something good. At school you never tried and got an F Grade at high school. But when P.E came around... you were the star of the show. Sports was your natural calling. And after a long day of exercising, you liked to help yourself to a drink.
Traits: Loves Outdoors, Active, Hot-Headed.
Aspiration: Soulmate.
Career: Bodybuilder Branch of the Athlete Career
-Max the fitness and mixology skill
-Complete the Soulmate aspiration.
-Reach level ten of the athlete Bodybuilder Branch
-Have an alternative style for the majority of your life.
-Have max friendship with your twin.
-Meet your soulmate as a child and stay together forever.
Option 2- Salt,
You and your twin have always been close friends but that didn't stop you from feeling jealous of their perfect relationship. During school you always had your head in a book and at the library one day you meet someone to love. But it didn't work out. For a lot of your life you were stuck in a loveless relationship that ended in divorce and kids to look after. You wrote romance novels in hopes that one day the stories would come true and you'd find that special someone to call your "soulmate". And eventually, you do! In the last years of your life you meet your special someone...
Traits: Romantic, Gloomy and Bookworm.
Aspiration: Bestselling Author.
Career: None. You can only get money by self-publishing books.
-Max out the writing skill and logic skill
-Complete the Bestselling Author aspiration
-Meet your first love at the library during "Book Club"
-Have a divorce as an adult.
-Have max friendship with your twin
-Marry "the one" as an elder
Generation 5, Spicy:
Growing up you always wanted to be the centre of attention. You always had a fiery and unpredictable personality. Sometimes you'd fabricate stories just so your parents would feel bad for you. As you got older, nothing changed. You became a famous actor. People around the globe loved you and the roles you'd play. One night you spot a paparazzi and the flirtations began. At first you thought it'd be nothing; you were used to pretending to like someone. As the night progressed, you and the paparazzi hooked up and a child was conceived. Terrified of what the public would say you quit acting, become a stay at home parent and marry the paparazzi.
Traits: Self-Assured, Ambitious and Erratic.
Aspiration: Master Actor.
Career: Actor, Stay at Home Parent.
-Master the acting and cooking skill.
-Reach at least level 5 in the acting career.
-Complete at least half of the acting aspiration.
-Marry a paparazzo.
-Become a three star celebrity.
Generation 6, Orange:
You always knew your parent loved you but you could tell they'd rather be famous and living a life of luxury. They signed you up for drama club in the hopes you'd fulfil their dreams but you'd rather be playing with your doll family at home. Babies. Something about them was so cute to you. You grew up and had a large family. You managed to balance work and family perfectly. You gave your children full unconditional love and they returned it. Despite being unwanted as a child, you made sure your children felt belonging. One day it all changed. One of your children passed away in a fire and you were distraught. But you wouldn't let them be forgotten; every week you made at least one painting dedicated to them.
Traits; Creative, Family Oriented and Paranoid.
Aspiration; Big Happy Family.
Career; Painter.
-Master the painting skill.
-Complete the Big Happy Family aspiration.
-Make at least one painting a week after your child passes.
-Have 5 or more children.
-Attend drama club as a child.
Generation 7, Sour:
Your childhood was fairly uneventful. Except from the fire incident... But you don't talk about it. You prefer life to have a kick to it. You spend your life seeking danger. Some days you'll be climbing the treacherous Mt.Komorebi, others you'll be exploring the ancient tombs of Selvadorada. Whatever you're doing it's sure to be fun. For a while you settle down and have a child but as soon as the child is old enough to journey with you - it's back to the thrill. Life doesn't wait. Neither do you.
Traits; Adventurous, Loves Outdoors and Slob.
Aspiration; Jungle Explorer
Career; None. You sell fossils and artifacts.
-Max the Seladoradian culture and archaeology skill.
-Complete the Jungle Explorer aspiration.
-Reach the top of Mt.Komorebi.
-Have a child with a Seladoradian Native.
Generation 8, Sweet:
You grew up in a wild family. You often went on wild journeys with your parent but you didn't really want to live that life. Music was your passion. Anything musical was perfect to you. Through joy, sorrow and hope you played music. You became an entertainer and married your co-worker. You sang soft lullabies to your children when they cried and serenaded your partner when things were getting romantic. After a long days work, you come home and see your partner in bed... with the maid! Do you forgive and forget? Or do you divorce?
Traits; Music-Lover, Good and Jealous
Aspiration; Musical Genius
Career; Entertainer
-Max out two instrument skills and singing.
-Max out the entertainer career
-Donate to charity once a week.
-Adopt two children from less fortunate homes.
-Catch your partner cheating on you
FYI;
This challenge is my first one so please don't hate. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Also this challenge is loosely based off of the not so berry challenge by lilsimsie. Go subscribe to her :)
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Here’s a fifteen-questions meme I stole from my splat-blog!
I’m not tagging fifteen people, but if you’re a mutual of mine that wants to take part, consider yourself tagged.
1. Are you named after anyone?
Pansy: A flower, if that counts! It’s a family tradition for the firstborn.
Ivan: Not exactly. I share a name with some video game character Alice liked the sound of.
Queenie: Sadly not. While I appreciate that my name stands out, sharing a name with one of my ancestors would’ve been a mark of pride.
Taylor: Mmmnope. I like ‘Taylor’ enough because it starts with a T like Tomiichi, but I wasn’t named after anybody—though you know, as a point of interest, it was meant to rhyme with my brother’s name!
Neo: I was named after my grandmother.
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2. When was the last time you cried?
Pansy: Aw, man… I try to stay positive around Prim, but I do cry about silly stuff sometimes. Maybe a week ago? Sometimes the past just catches up to you.
Ivan: Longer than I can remember.
Queenie: What an invasive question! I don’t think that’s any of your business. I do not cry frequently.
Taylor: Now why’d you want to know a thing like that? I think I’ll keep it to myself!
Neo: Mind your own business.
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3. Do you have kids?
Pansy: Have you met Primrose? That’s my daughter. She’s really sweet, but she’s also quite shy, so please keep that in mind.
Ivan: This is a difficult question to answer. I’d say no. I don’t think granting someone’s wish makes me a father.
Queenie: Not yet. I intend to.
Taylor: Woah, no! Do I look responsible enough to be a dad? Ahah…
Neo: No. I would rather not.
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4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Pansy: I try not to, er, I’m not so great at it. And it’s kinda mean.
Ivan: I get reprimanded for being sarcastic. It happens regularly.
Queenie: What do you think?
Taylor: There’s always room for some well-placed sarcasm!
Neo: Any time I make a joke.
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5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?
Pansy: I try to get a good read on folks—so, I guess their whole profile? That’s before I start looking at their individual features. If something sticks out to me from there, I’ll focus on that—but not in a mean way! Like, seeing someone’s smile, or if they’re carrying something, or their size, or claws. That’s what I mean.
Ivan: Their aura. It’s not difficult for me to discern a person’s moral alignment, and that’s important for my role.
Queenie: Their posture, how they walk, how they talk. It’s important for a first impression and can often be an indication of status. Or, perhaps more importantly, an indication of their intent…
Taylor: Their mood! I don’t want to step on the toes of anyone that’s angry, and happier people are more likely to give you the time of day, you know? Improving someone’s low mood is great too, but I have to gauge my limits.
Neo: I’m not known for noticing people. How social they are, I suppose.
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6. What’s your eye colour?
Pansy: Psychic pink! They do that thing where they get more vivid when I use my powers—just the psychic ones, though. And I don’t use those too much ‘cause I risk a headache… still, I like my eyes.
Ivan: Brown, orange.
Queenie: Smoky Quartz.
Taylor: Brown. You know, like coffee? If I were a coffee, I think I’d be a Caffe Latte. … But, yeah they’re darker than that.
Neo: …I don’t mind my eyes being green as much as my hair.
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7. Scary movie or happy ending?
Pansy: Don’t mind either one, but I’d prefer a happy ending, even in a scary movie. That said, there are scary movies I just won’t watch, so I guess happy endings win out.
Ivan: I don’t waste much time watching films unless I’m asked to, but I prefer a happy ending. A good story is the most important, though.
Queenie: Happy endings are far too sappy and saccharine, but I can’t say I receive much thrill from horror either. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy watching them … my favourite part of a movie is criticizing it.
Taylor: Happy endings, please! I can’t understand why anyone would want to scare themselves – unless it’s silly fun, but that’s different. Y’know, not that I scare easy or anything…
Neo: Scary movies tend to be more interesting, but… I don’t have anything against happy endings. Horror isn’t my genre, either, unless it’s psychological.
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8. Any special talents?
Pansy: I have a bit of a green thumb!
Ivan: That all depends on your perspective.
Queenie: I’m an excellent piano player.
Taylor: People tell me I’ve got a lot of charisma, and I consider that a talent!
Neo: I suppose converting myself into digital matter could be considered a talent.
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9. Where were you born?
Pansy: A town not so different from Erryton, actually! It’s not far.
Ivan: Great question.
Queenie: Enigma Island, not far from Thorn’s Peak.
Taylor: Would you believe me if I told you I couldn’t remember? Aha. I know we moved when I was really young.
Neo: Doesn’t matter.
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10. What are your hobbies?
Pansy: Well, like I mentioned, I quite like doing plant stuff. I used to sketch ‘em and make notes about ‘em too, but I stick more to the practical side these days. I also like to bake! Mainly pies, cakes and cookies.
Ivan: I play the flute and cithara. Next question.
Queenie: I have a wide array of hobbies. I enjoy painting, reading, and playing the piano—as I have already mentioned. While I’m not … particularly adept at sewing, I practice cross-stitch on occasion. I also like to write poetry, and take a bit of interest in botany…
Taylor: Most of my hobbies have some aspect of music tied to them—I like playing the guitar, mixing tracks, and just listening to albums. But I also like playing videogames and taking apart machinery for fun. I can even help people fix things! Er, sometimes.
Neo: I read comics and watch movies, like most people. You wouldn’t be interested.
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11. Do you have any pets?
Pansy: Not anymore, but I’ve had two cats – Mr Ravioli in my childhood home, and then Kiki later on. I’ve considered getting another, but I think I should wait until Primmy is a little older…
Ivan: No.
Queenie: Estelle! She’s a darling little kitty-cat and I love her so. <3
Taylor: One dog, a shibe—my father bred his, and I got a puppy. Tadashi!
Neo: My brother makes robots, and we have one of those roving floor cleaners. I would consider that a pet. We call him V.I.N.CENT.
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12. What sports do you/have you played?
Pansy: I’m not really big on sports – I like magic fights? But I don’t do that a lot now.
Ivan: I may have taken part in some sport or another, but if I did, I did not commit it to memory.
Queenie: I like to swim, though I have not played any sports as such. I have also been horse riding—oh, and I’ve played badminton once or twice.
Taylor: Alice likes table tennis, and we play together sometimes. Apart from that, um… I’ve been asked to play football and baseball before?
Neo: I like to run. Parkour is fun too.
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13. How tall are you?
Pansy: Five foot seven, and I’m the shortest in my family…
Ivan: Depends.
Queenie: A reasonable five feet and ten inches without heels.
Taylor: Ahaha … let’s just skip this one, shall we? You don’t need to know that.
Neo: Taller than you.
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14. Dream job?
Pansy: I’ve pretty much got my dream job, all things considered! I guess I’d like it if I could get paid to do plant study, but I never really had the grades to do that as a job.
Ivan: I’m working on my rank.
Queenie: I have entertained the possibility of having a career before. Hotel management seems like an interesting prospect … or a jeweller, perhaps? Oho, I don’t know if I could be trusted to sell anything. Either way, I’m comfortable enough managing my home and finances.
Taylor: I’ve always wanted to be a big-name tv presenter—hell, even a small-name gameshow host! I’ve not given up on my dream yet, but being a radio show host is close enough. I can use it as a stepping stone. Yeah, a music quiz show would be great…
Neo: I don’t know. Even when it comes to things I like doing, I’m not sure I’d want to make a job out of it. Coding is just convenient.
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15. Favourite subject in school?
Pansy: Science! I also liked geography, ‘cause I was pretty decent at it.
Ivan: I have never attended school.
Queenie: I’ve both been to school and had private tutors, but my favourite subjects were history and literature. They rely on eachother, so were easy to write papers on.
Taylor: Apart from the obvious ‘music’, it was mathematics—and yes, I’m serious! I also liked science and IT.
Neo: From what I remember of school, I liked science and computing classes. The rest of what I learned was from online courses.
That’s… that’s it? It just ends? Alright then.
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𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕌𝕡♡
Hey! First of all I love your blog and I am so excited to see who will you match me up with! I would request a matchup for Haikyuu and Demon Slayer.
-I am South-European straight girl. I have medium lenght dark brown thick wavy hair and light brown eyes. I have straight thick eyebrows. I am tall and I have a slim but muscular build. I like dressing masculine.
-At first look, I seem very serious and unfriendly but that's just my rbf. I have an easy laugh and I like joking and I'm very loyal and nice. I am a great student but I loathe school system. I am mostly quiet in school cause I see no point in trying to anger teachers :/ i dont like them either but they can worsen your life more than you can worsen theirs. I have a few friends that I really care about and sadly the others are just using me 😗 I have a hard time saying no and often end up doing others homework cause I don't want them to think I'm mean.
-My family was toxic as well. I was raised by my grandma and she was incredibly sexist🤢. Luckily,her brainwashing never got me. My parents and older sister were always strict and rigid and pushed me to be a perfect child, so now I hate people who are so uptight and controlling like that. I got punished for every mistake, often physically. Because of all that, I am very sensitive to insults and criticism, I get scared by people yelling and raising hands. I try to cover it up and don't show it, so no one really knows about my abuse.
-I care way too much what others think of me, I still think i have a reputation to hold. I cover up weakness or fear and never admit that I am hurt by something that happened. I don't like talking about my problems, it's not like i ignore them I just don't wanna verbally express that.
-I show love and affection to my friends without a problem however. I care about them truly and would do anything for them. Others get suprised when they see my soft side but actually I'm 100% soft😅.
-I have problems with trusting men, i was many times the subject of their teasing and pranks and bullying, so I am very cautious around them. Although I'm straight, I just can't imagine a man truly loving me and my biggest fear is marrying a man who was abusive and toxic as my father.
-I have trouble concentrating and i like daydreaming.
-I love music ! I love every genre, as long as it catchy. I love singing and dancing,and I am pretty good at dancing. I also like horror games and movies.(i basically scream 80% the time but i am still a good gamer😅).
I love sports ! I played volleyball and football before but I had medical problems and had to stop. I still like working out and I stayed in shape. However, i have no trouble lazing around the whole day.
I love baking as well,my desserts never look good but they are very tasty 😂.
And i think that's about it! Also, congrats on 1000 followers!
Edit: im so sorry for taking too long in resending this matchup !
»»————- ♡ ————-««
Hello hello~! Thank you so much for resending in your match-up! I’m so sorry that tumblr ate it! I didn’t think it would do that ;; u g h Other then that, thank you as always for supporting our blog~! It absolutely means the world to us~! Other then that, I hope you enjoy who I’ve paired you up with~! ^^
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𝕀 𝕊𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘...
ᴀᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴀɴᴏʙᴜ
Quiet and initially intimidating, one would think Aone isn’t the best with relationships. Especially due to his awkward social skills and lack of verbal communication. Despite this, I feel as though he’d be the perfect match for you. Similar to you, he looks intimidating and unfriendly, though he’s truly just socially awkward and wishes for trustworthy friends. He finds your kindness angelic, and wants nothing more than to treat you like the princess you are.
In a sense, he takes on the role of your knight-- perhaps even a guardian. Because of his quiet and observant role, he’s one who is very open minded. He’s upset and saddened by the fact that your family had not only enforced their ideals onto you, but seemed to not really care about you as an individual. With that knowledge, he makes sure he treats you exactly how you should be treated. An equal who deserves absolute respect and to be heard and not used.
Despite his large frame, Aone is a gentle giant outside of the court. When in private, he likes to cuddle up to you and lay in your presence. With PDA he can be quite easily flustered, especially if it’s something he’s never done with confidence before.
He’s understanding in your lack of trust, and goes to great lengths in order to prove and show you that he’s not like the ones from your past.
This large polar bear absolutely loves your desserts, and will always quietly ask or signal you for seconds if possible. If you mention your past with volleyball, it’s without a doubt that he’d want to play with you. Though he does fear that his presence he holds on the court may frighten you.
Overall, Aone truly loves you for you, and will do whatever is possible to ensure your happiness.
ᴋᴀᴍᴀᴅᴏ ᴛᴀɴᴊɪʀᴏ
A gentlemen at heart and a family oriented man, Tanjiro is absolutely stunned into silence at your family and past. He wishes for nothing more than to go back and help not only you, but your family. He values family to a fault, but finds that the toxicity they hold is nothing short but mentally and physically wearing on the soul.
Whenever he’s with you, he’ll do whatever he can to not only ease your mind from those thoughts, but will most likely treat you like an absolute princess. If you have wounds or bruises he’ll treat them. He loves to gently brush your hair in hopes of brushing the negative thoughts away.
It’s without a doubt that he’ll feed you as much as he can. Extra servings from the kitchen-- hell even his own plate in hopes of making sure that you’re having your fill along with a proper diet. Besides that, he’s blown away by your kindness. After all, it’s something he relates to completely.
To Tanjiro, he finds it absolutely devastating that there are men who tease, prank, and bully you. He completely understands the lack of trust you initially give him. Though as you both grow together and he proves his loyalty and heart to you, he can’t help but feel his heart swell with love and adoration at the growth of your smile and good memories he’s able to provide for you.
Other then that, he’s slow with affection. The elder of the Kamado twins always taking consent into accountability and waiting patiently until you’re absolutely ready. Once you are, he will undoubtedly shower you with love and affection. Besides that, he’s an absolute sucker for your desserts.
#match-ups#matchup#submissions#anime matchup#submission#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu matchups#kny x reader#kny match up#demon slayer x reader#demon slayer match up#takanobu aone#takanobu aone x reader#tanjirou x reader#tanjiro kamado x reader#tanjiro kamado
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Traditions
Pairing: Seth Levine x MC (Jessica Parker)
Book: Red Carpet Diaries (about one year after Book 3)
Word Count: ~1100
Rating: PG-13 (some adult language)
Summary: Seth gets to experience “holiday” Jessica when Hanukkah rolls around.
Author’s Note: Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate! Thought I’d write a little fic about my favorite Jewish character in Choices in honor of the first night of Hanukkah. This piece is for Day 22 of both the Choices December Challenge (Hanukkah) and 41 Days of Cheer (Holiday).
“Here, taste these,” Jessica said, shoving a plate of latkes across the kitchen island.
Seth glanced up from the script he was flipping through. Ethan Blake had been sending him a lot of scripts lately, but honestly, none of them had resonated with Seth. He knew he should have capitalized on his increased name recognition after Ninradell, but he just wasn’t sure what he’d wanted to focus on for his career. Should he be trying for more big-franchise blockbuster type roles, even though that wasn’t really his passion? Should he be looking at the comedic parts, even though those tended to be more supporting roles? Should he stick to movies, or would television be a better fit? Or should he return to his roots, focusing on his standup now that more people might be interested in him?
Unsure of what he truly wanted, he’d only taken a couple of recurring guest spots in some TV shows and a highly billed supporting role in an action comedy over the past year. Instead of acting, he’d spent more time focused on his writing, much to Ethan’s chagrin. Oh well, that had meant that he’d been able to travel with Jessica when she’d been filming on location in Australia, which had been much nicer than when they were both frantically busy throughout their entire engagement, barely seeing each other when they lived in the same city. Plus, he’d gotten to host SNL, so as far as he was concerned, that alone made the year since the release of Ninradell a professional success.
However, if Jessica kept feeding him fried food, his career options might be a moot point, as he was going to put on so much weight and would only get hired as the fat funny friend. Growing up, his mom had only made special foods for the first night of Hanakkuh, the rest of the nights often consisting of lighting the menorah and him and Caleb quickly opening their gifts between homework and clubs and sports. But Jessica had been frying and baking for five nights straight at this point, and that was in addition to the dozens of Christmas cookies she’d been baking and stocking the freezer with over the past few weeks. If he only gained 10 pounds over December, it would be a miracle.
Sighing, he grabbed the fork off the plate and started in on yet another batch of latkes. They were tasty - Jessica’s cooking always was - but he was getting a little tired of having to serve as her Jewish food critic. He felt like an ass for even having thoughts like that, but after four nights of latkes and sufganiyot and fritters and donuts, Seth just wanted a damn salad. But he couldn’t complain about his wife’s cooking, particularly when it was all for his holiday, so he dug in dutifully.
After a couple of bites, he looked over at Jessica, standing behind the stove top, staring at him expectantly.
“They’re good, Iowa,” he said between bites.
“Are they better than yesterday’s? I’m trying to get them crispier.”
“They were both good. They’ve all been good.”
Jessica sighed heavily at that. Apparently, that was the wrong answer.
“Jessica, I don’t know what to tell you. You know you’re a great cook. Literally everything you’ve made for Hanukkah has been amazing.”
“But these are the foods you grew up with, and I’ve never made them before.”
“And I’m telling you, you did an awesome job. What else do you want me to say?”
“I just want to be sure I’m replicating your childhood Hanukkahs.”
“Jessica, I love you, but that is an insane goal.”
She scowled at him, so he pressed on, trying to explain himself before things devolved into a fight.
“First, I was raised in a very liberal Reform home. My parents essentially transformed Hanukkah into Jewish Christmas, so you could serve me eggnog and some of those cookies you’ve been baking and it would feel normal to me. Second, unless you want to fly my brother out so he and I can get in a fight before he leaves for a shift at Jungle Jims and you drive me to the Y for swim class, you won’t be able to truly capture the essence of my childhood Decembers. Third, and most importantly, the day I compare any aspect of you to my mother is the day you should file for divorce. So please, Jessica, do not make me compare your latkes to my mother’s.”
Jessica bit her lip and smiled at that, pausing for a few moments before she spoke up.
“I know how important holiday traditions are, and I just… I just want our kids to look back on my holiday meals with fond memories.”
Ah, well that explained a lot. They had been talking about trying to get pregnant starting sometime in the new year. And while the thought both simultaneously excited and scared the shit out of Seth, Jessica was clearly viewing this holiday season as a trial run for the future. A future where she obviously envisioned herself as some Hallmark movie version of a mother.
“Jessica, they will love your holiday meals because you’ll be the one making them. You could serve them frozen pizza and they would love it. Whatever you want to serve, that will be our tradition, okay? Or if you want me to handle the Jewish crap, that’s fair too. We’ll figure it out year by year, alright?”
“No way are you allowed to cook any holiday meals, Jewish or otherwise.”
“I’m a decent cook!” Seth retorted, but Jessica just cocked an eyebrow at him. “Fine, I’m an adequate cook,” he amended.
“The Valentine’s dinner debacle of 2018 says otherwise.”
“The steaks were just a little overly charred.”
“And the rolls were not cooked through and the vegetables were beyond rubbery and you forgot about dessert in the oven so the sprinklers went off-”
“Alright, alright, I concede that meal did not turn out well. Are you ever gonna let me live that down?”
“Nope,” she said, shaking her head as she flipped the rest of the latkes onto another plate, walked around the island, and joined Seth on the stool next to his. And while he knew that it was just in Jessica’s nature to go a little nuts about this sort of thing, that she would always be the type to go all out for the holidays, well sitting here, enjoying a home-cooked meal with her was more than festive enough for him. Whatever the future held for them and their family, spending it together would always matter more than what was on the menu.
Tags: @mfackenthal @octobereighth @choicesbyjade @jlpplays1-41daysofcheerchallenge @choicesdecemberchallenge
#seth levine#seth x mc#choicesdecemberchallenge#41daysofcheer#rcd fanfiction#rcd#choices fanfiction#choices#playchoices#choices stories you play
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Meet the Committee 2019/20
We have 16 committee members who work together to run the society:
1. President: Maddy, She/her, [email protected]
Hi, my name's Maddy, I use she/her pronouns, and I'm the current president of gulgbtq+!
I'm a third year medical student and I was the previous welfare officer. I spend most of my time hanging out with my rat, hiding in the library, and doing things with gulgbtq+. I'm a chatty gal and I love meeting new people, so feel free to scream with me about Troye Sivan/Hayley Kiyoko/Charli XCX anytime.
If you have any questions or ideas, hit me up! I'm very excited to be a part of the society this year and engage with all our members ❤
2. VP Secretary: Quinn, He/Him, [email protected]
Hi I'm Quinn and I am your secretary this year for GULGBTQ+. I am an economic and social history student who has been going to GULGBTQ+ events since my first moment in Glasgow. I enjoy poetry, comedy and films, and dogs, dogs are good. Can't wait to see you at events! If you ever want to message myself or the committee with any questions, suggestions or comments I can be reached at [email protected], see you soon!
3. Treasurer: Emily B, She/Her, [email protected]
Hi! I’m Emily, the new VP Treasurer! I’m 21, use she/her pronouns, and am proudly bisexual. I’m currently in 4th year, studying history (dissertation time, yikes!) I’ve been part of the society over the last year, and it’s been one of the best parts of my university experience. I’ve made new friends, increased my self-confidence, and had tons of good gay times! Outside of the society, I enjoy going to gigs, caring for my many houseplants, and taking too many naps. I’m excited for my role on committee this year, although you know what they say about gays and maths! I’m constantly on social media, so feel free to drop me a bell if you have any questions or queries! I’m on twitter @_emilybarton. Hope to see you at an event soon :-)
4. Welfare: Bianca, She/he, [email protected]
Hello! My name is Bianca and I'm the Welfare Officer of GULGBTQ+. I'm a small twenty-year-old Italian and I am a third year English Language & Linguistics and Theatre Studies student. I spend most of my free time reading, crying over Shakespeare, or bingeing the latest gay shows on Netflix, and the rare times I decide to go outside and try sports I enjoy horse riding and ice skating. I'm a gryffindor and I'm very excited to be back on committee this year, so feel free to drop me an e-mail for anything you might need!
5. Events: Emily T, She/Her, [email protected]
Hi everyone! My name's Emily (Tunstall) and this year I'm really excited to be the Events Coordinator for GULGBTQ+! I'm a second year Psychology Student and in my free time I like drawing, painting, making new friends, and spending time with this society. ❤
Please feel free to say hi to me online or in person, I will almost always be wearing my Docs and at least one badge, be it on my bag or my denim jacket, if you need help recognising me. I'm always open for a good chat, to offer some advice, or if you just need some directions around Uni! I would really love to see you at our events on a Wednesday, or at one of our coffees during the week. 🌈🌈🌈
6. Women’s: Claire, She/Her, [email protected]
Hi, I'm Claire, and I'm your women's officer! I'm a third year in Microbiology. Ask me about worms. Sometimes I think I'm not a stereotype but then I remember I have two cats, a Hozier-centric Spotify, and build furniture for a hobby.
I'm so excited for another great year! One of the things I love about this society is that it's an inclusive space for all women, and I want to make everyone feel welcome. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns (or just want to chat) feel free to shoot me a message!
8. Trans: Cassidy, They/Them, [email protected]
Hey, I'm Cassidy (they/them) the new Trans officer! I'm 20 and a third year studying Classics and History. I'm a nonbinary trans woman and I'm here to represent trans people and help people with gender related things generally 🙂
Aside from being gender, I am a roller skating gamer who makes stuffed toys and loves history more than life itself. I'm looking forward to running coffee and having a great year with everyone 🙂
9. Postgraduate and Mature Students: Kyle, He/Him, [email protected]
Hey, hi, hello! I’m Kyle, a postgraduate Astrophysics student who’ll be your first PostMat Officer for this year! Avid Karaoke Fan and Polo R&B Room Resident, I’ll usually be found out and about when I’m not studying (procrastinating). My aim for the time that I’m here is to try and get more LGBTQ+ Postgraduate and Mature students involved with GULGBTQ+.
I haven’t been in Glasgow for very long, so I’m excited to share the experience of things like Glasgow Pride with you all! I’m also hoping to run some smaller gatherings (like the current PostMat Coffees) over the summer for those of us who will need a break from our dissertations. If any PostMat students have ideas to share or any concerns to raise, please don’t be afraid to email.
10. Campaigns: Jo, They/He, [email protected]
Hi, I’m Jo and I’m your Campaigns Officer! I’m a postgraduate research student in English Language & Linguistics with a particular love for all things to do with LGBTQ+ linguistics. I’m a big fan of knitting, baking, indoor bouldering and playing D&D, and I’m also involved with the English Language & Linguistics Society. I was Campaigns Officer the year before last in 2017/2018, but I just couldn’t stay away, and now I’m back for some more campaigning!
As Campaigns Officer, my role is to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in the society, on campus, and in the wider world. In the past, I’ve helped run campaigns to increase awareness of trans people on campus and to encourage local hairdressers and barbers to be inclusive of their LGBTQ+ customers. This year, I hope to revitalise these campaigns and work with our other officers and members of the society to create some exciting new ones!
Please feel free to contact me if you’d like to get involved in campaigning or have any ideas that you’d like to share with me!
11. Communications and Technology: Summer, They/Them, [email protected]
Hi, I’m Summer and I’m the Communications and Technology Officer for the year! I’m a 5th year computing science student (yes, that kind of transfem!) so you’ll frequently find me programming, tinkering with Linux or providing tech support for someone. When I’m not doing that I’ll probably be knitting, playing video games, running tabletop rpgs or watching martial arts movies (or talking about how I don't have time for any of the above)!
As the recently renamed Communications and Technology officer (formerly Publicity) I'm mostly here for you to tell me why the website or mailing list doesn't work, so feel free to get in touch with any complaints and/or constructive criticisms. I hope to have a great year with you all, hopefully with a better website!
12: First Year Ordinary Member: Jenny, She/Her, [email protected]
Hiya! I’m Jenny and I’m the interim first year representative on the GULGBTQ+ committee. I’m going into second year studying biomedical engineering and in my free time I enjoy drawing, making soup, and loving my gf. I met wonderful friends and made loads of good gay memories through the society in my first year and am excited to help as many freshers as possible join in on the fun this year! I’m passionate about creating a loving and accepting community for all LGBTQ+ students, especially new ones, since I know how hard it can be to settle in. If you’re a fresher and have any ideas, questions, or just want to make a new friend, please don’t hesitate to send me an email!
13: Bi/Pan: Valentine, They/ve, [email protected]
Hi I'm Niamh, you may recognise me as last year's nonbinary officer! I use they/them pronouns, I'm 20 and a 3rd year psychology student. This'll be my 3rd year in the society and I love it with my whole heart. If you have any issues feel free to email me or message me on Facebook (Niamh Conlan). My first and foremost want is for those coming to the society and bi events to feel comfortable and welcomed!
When I'm not being a disaster bisexual I'm dying my hair, applying clown makeup, dancing to new wave or doing kendo. I'm excited to meet you all and hope to have a great year with everyone!
14. International Students: Judith, She/they, [email protected]
Hi! I’m Judith, I’ve been described as “the lesbianest person I know” by my flatmate and if you ask me where I’m from, I’m likely to name three countries, so I guess it makes sense that I’d be your international officer. I’m a third year psychology and statistics student who likes to avoid studying by going swordfighting (yes, I own an actual sword, but don’t worry, I only use it against transphobes) or putting on facepaint before a metal gig. But don’t get the wrong impression, I’m actually a very quiet person who’s always there to listen or give you advice. Feel free to message me on Facebook (Judith AN), send me an email or just come talk to me during the international coffees I’ll be running!
15. Aromantic and Asexual: Lo, They/Them, [email protected]
Hello! I’m Leilo (they/them), 20, and happy to be the ace/aro officer! My job is to represent people who are (or are questioning if they are) on the spectrums of being aromantic or asexual, so feel free to email me! As ace/aro officer I host biweekly coffees so aros, aces, and those who are questioning, can come together.
I’m a second year Maths student but will probably add philosophy as my second main subject. Aside from sitting over Math problems for way longer than seems necessary, you will find me writing, working out, or philosophising about bdsm.
16: Non-binary: Robyn, They/Them, [email protected]
Salut! I’m Robyn and I’m the Non-Binary Officer. I’m a 2nd Year French/History student and I was born in Glasgow - I’m like a rare pokemon. I only resurrect during Eurovision season and have a hoard of sunglasses. And I’m a massive comic book nerd (yes I am Batman’s sidekick on the side).
I’m always down for a chat and feel free to DM me with anything from issues, to memes! I’m very excited to be your Non-Binary boi this year!!
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Hi, when you say that you understand completely the reasons why people don't like the better binder project you're being very presumptuous. It's not the same as well-meaning but ignorant abled people attempting to solve highly complex and expensive problems of access for disabled people. And furthermore, the way you talk about this is really condescending and frankly just...you make assumptions that you understand the intimacies of how people think and feel that are just not true or analogous.
Like I mean this in the nicest possible way, but cisgender people’s relation to trans people is just not the same, and it would be a lot less patronizing and transphobic of you to *not* characterize every possible negative and/or critical reaction to this blog as being a reflexive anger and automatic rejection instead of being a justified and/or reasonable wariness. Like I absolutely hope this project succeeds, but there’s no reason to think that you’re qualified to make it succeed.
I’m going to use this also as a way to respond to your post, which didn’t show up on my Acitivity, so I’m glad someone pointed me to it.
1. My ability to listen to criticism
For the last couple weeks, I’ve been monitoring the activity of my posts, especially looking for people saying things like, “This will never work”, “this is a bad idea”, “won’t work for me” and so forth. Then a lot of the time I’ve messaged them to say, “Hi, I want to hear about your thoughts and experiences, do you have time to talk?”. I’m in a little bit of a backlog with this because some really smart and informed people have been commenting on it but I’ve been busy. For example, if I got the chance to listen to @the-scottish-costume-guy at greater length and in greater detail in the next couple days, I’d be really happy.
So while some criticisms have been reflexive rage or despair, others have been completely on point and I’ve already integrated them into my design (for example, recommendations to slope the boning diagonally down and to the outside). And others have been logical on the surface, but don’t apply to the specific thing I am trying to do (eg. “corsets are expensive”)
2. My credentials
I’ve been sewing seriously for the last 20 years. In some of that time, I’ve been paid for my work. For much of it, I’ve both been reading academic sources on the topic, and sewing in the workshops of vastly more experienced sewists. Over and above all my other sewing experience, I’ve made and worn numerous corsets. There is no set certification for a “professional tailor” but yes, if I wanted to do that as a job, I do have the resume and portfolio for it.
Tailoring isn’t actually the field you want here, though. Since beginning this project, I’ve located and contacted several researchers in the fields of human ecology, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering, who have relevant expertise. None have yet gotten back to me, probably partly because it’s summer. If someone more qualified than me wants to work on this project, I am 100% willing to collaborate with them, or hand the project off to them.
3. My profiting from this project
I’ve already made some very particular and pointed decisions about this. If I wanted to significantly profit from this project, I would:
Keep my R&D process secret
Patent and license the design
Sell patterns of the design I made for individuals wanting to make their own, individual, copy
Sell binders I myself made, or possibly outsource their production and then sell the result
Send cease&desist letters threatening to sue anyone selling copies of my binder, or any other binder on similar design principles, or any pattern for such a binder
Demand that anyone wanting to profit from the use of my design principles pay me a licensing fee.
Meanwhile, my plan right now includes:
Publicizing my concepts and progress in a way freely accessible to anyone with an Internet connection
Maintaining a record of my progress to keep anyone else from claiming to be its inventor and licensing it in exploitative ways
Encouraging feedback from as many people as possible and seeking out trans, nb, and genderqueer perspectives
Coming soon: Creating a survey about wearer experiences and health outcomes, asking anyone involved in this project to report back so the data can be disseminated and analyzed. If this project and my design are a failure, I will say so.
Making design concepts, and in the future, patterns and tutorials, freely available to anyone with an internet connection, and agreeing to their republication to reach other audiences
Only receiving donations from people who understand that this is an experimental venture, posed as the question, “What if I tried this thing,” and only profiting from items that I have ensured people could get for themselves some other way. (eg “Here’s a free tutorial on making this binder using items from the dollar store. However, if you want to buy a $20 kit of high-quality items pre-cut for your convenience, here’s my Etsy”)
Providing prototypes to their intended wearers for free in return for feedback about the wearers’ experiences, instead of selling half-baked designs for a profit
Openly encouraging other sewists to suggest design improvements, make their own versions, or make binders for other people without paying me
In the future, I’m very open to stepping back in my own role in this project, and handing it off to trans people who have taken the idea and run with it.
From a legal perspective, I have probably already ruined my chances of making big bucks from this project, and I did that on purpose. From the beginning, I realized that it is very possible for me to be exploitative in how I handle this project.
I honestly asked for money because I can’t pay for medications, groceries and utilities right now. I got about $300, which was enough to cover most of my monthly medical expenses. Most of the clients I see as a psychotherapist are disabled, living on extremely limited incomes, and cannot pay me much more than the cost I pay to rent the room we meet in. I’m trying to survive and find a better job. If I had a full-time job and made a decent income, I would be funding this project out of my own pocket. I know how to market and monetize a project like this, and have, from the first, deliberately chosen not to, in large part because I’m cis and this isn’t my issue.
4. Binders over top surgery
This project has largely been inspired by a trans person with whom I have worked, whose parents were involved in a custody dispute beginning when they were 14. At 14 they realized they were trans, but they required the consent of both parents for medical procedures until the age of 18. One parent was extremely transphobic and would not consent to top surgery, although they didn’t see their child on a regular basis and didn’t know how they dressed and presented. During those 4 years, they used a binder as a way of dealing with the dysphoria that made them suicidal. Despite its negative physical health effects (pain, trouble breathing, rashes, etc) the binder was an essential aid to their mental health.
Yes, binding is a “stopgap” method compared to top surgery. However, one of my major areas of work is as a mental health therapist with LGBTQ people, especially teenagers. Not everyone can get top surgery, and not always as quickly as it is needed. Sometimes there is a gap you need to stop.
5. Why do we need better binders at all?
I didn’t go into this because I, frankly, had considered the need for improvements in binder technology so well-documented as to be completely obvious. Just today someone tagged this blog talking about how much they want it to work because “binding gives me rashes, makes my already shitty lungs hurt, makes my back hurt, and doesn’t actually work for me“ Would you like me to curate the research and accounts of people who have problems with the current models of binder available? Is that proof you in fact need?
7. Corsets are unsuitable/super gendered
Yep! That’s why I’m not making corsets. I’m trying to use the engineering elements from corsetry that would make the binder better, and make everything else as un-corset-like as possible.
How possible this is is an open question right now. For example, corsets need to be fitted so precisely because they go from the bust to the hips, and therefore need the correct bust, waist, and hip measurement, and the correct height, and the correct ratio of all things to each other, and to have the correct vertical profile. My current hypothesis is that by making a binder that covers only the bust, I can eliminate many of these complexities. However, many informed observers of the project have told me that they think I’m wrong, and that the binder will need to extend to the waist to more evenly distribute the load of compression, and a garment that only goes around the chest will cause too much back pain over the long term. This is a question I think can honestly only be answered when I ship my prototypes to my genderqueer friend in Georgia, who shares my measurements and is eager to try each model out for hours/days/weeks and report back.
At present, I am experimenting with adaptations to sports bras, which I also know can be too gendered and induce dysphoria. I’m using them because my current project is aimed at people who have very little experience sewing, and therefore would benefit from only having to add a few elements to an already-constructed garment. After this, I want to see if I can transition those adaptations to something less gendered, like a tank top. After that, I can begin work on drafting a binder entirely from scratch, which, one hopes, I can make as ungendered as possible.
My askbox is open!
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85 Statements Tag Game
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ rules: answer these 85 statements about yourself, then tag 20 people
tagged by @hey-there-ghouls
last
1. drink - Orange juice
2. phone call - My sister
3. text message - Tide Pod Deflection Squad groupchat
4. song you listened to - Whatever played at work on Saturday
5. time you cried - Oh like five minutes ago. I watched a funny video and I cry from laughter more than I cry from anything else.
ever
6. dated someone twice - No
7. kissed someone and regretted it - No
8. been cheated on - No
9. lost someone special - No
10. been depressed - No
11. gotten drunk and thrown up - Definitely not - I don’t drink and I’m emetophobic.
favorite colors
12. Grey
13. Black
14. Burgundy/dark red
in the last year have you
15. made new friends - Yep
16. fallen out of love - Nope
17. laughed until you cried - LITERALLY EVERY DAY
18. found out someone was talking about you - Nah
19. met someone who changed your life - I don’t know yet
20. found out who your friends are - Eh
21. kissed someone on your facebook friends list - Nope
general
22. how many of your facebook friends do you know irl - All but three
23. do you have any pets - Two ferrets!
24. do you want to change your name - I mean I’m trans but I’m changing one name out of my four and it’s not even my first name so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
25. what did you do for your last birthday - I honestly can’t remember. I don’t do much for birthdays though.
26. what time did you wake up today - 8:30am
27. what were you doing at midnight last night - Writing fic I think
28. what is something you can’t wait for - Exams to be over
29. I have no idea what’s happening but there’s no number 29.
30. what are you listening to right now - The podcast No Such Thing As A Fish
31. have you ever talked to a person named tom - Yep
32. something that’s getting on your nerves - My flatmates apparent inability to do ANY OF THEIR CHORES AT ALL
33. most visited website - At this point probably Google Drive tbh. I rely on it for 90% of my uni work.
34. hair color - Brown
35. long or short hair - Good and short.
36. do you have a crush on someone - Nah
37. what do you like about yourself - I am very good at throwing punches. I got described as ‘terrifying fast’ and it was the best compliment I’ve ever received.
38. want any piercings - My ears are pierced and I’m happy enough with that.
39. blood type - I think O+?
40. nickname - Crunchy
41. relationship status - Single
42. zodiac - Aries
43. pronouns - He/him
44. favorite tv shows - Critical Role and Black Sails.
45. tattoos - I don’t have any and don’t plan to get any currently, but we’ll see what happens.
46. right or left handed - Right.
47. ever had surgery - Yep. I had an extra canine growing out of the roof of my mouth that had to be removed.
48. piercings - Just my ears.
49. sport - I go boxing every week.
50. vacation - Iceland.
51. trainers - Idk I just have shoes.
more general
52. eating - Tuna pasta bake
53. drinking - Water
54. i’m about to watch - Critical Role WHEN THE EPISODE GOES UP ON YOUTUBE
55. waiting for - The boy to message me back
56. want - EXAMS TO BE OVER
57. get married - Maybe one day
58. career - HCI/front-end developer/researcher.
which is better
59. hugs or kisses - Hugs
60. lips or eyes - Eyes
61. shorter or taller - Doesn’t matter
62. older or younger - My age?
63. nice arms or stomach - Arms
64. hookup or relationship - Relationship
65. troublemaker or hesitant - Hesitant.
have you ever
66. kissed a stranger - No
67. drank hard liquor - No
68. lost glasses - Don’t wear ‘em
69. turned someone down - No
70. sex on the first date - I’m asexual as all hell buddy
71. broken someone’s heart - Not that I know of
72. had your heart broken - No
73. been arrested - No
74. cried when someone died - Not that I can remember
75. fallen for a friend - No
do you believe in
76. yourself - Occasionally
77. miracles - No
78. love at first sight - No
79. santa claus - No
80. kiss on a first date - Ehhhh
81. angels - No
other
82. best friend’s name - Kerry
83. eye color - Hazel
84. favorite movie - Pride and Prejudice (2005)
85. favorite actor - Don’t have one
Tagging: @beaniegara + anyone else who wants to do this
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I was tagged by: @wearebarbarian
LAST:
Last drink: Water
Last phone call: My dad
Last text message: I sent a link about spells not safe for wizards to my two cousins. One of which is playing a bard in our campaign. I have no regrets about that.
Last song you listened to: The Taken King Soundtrack
Last time I cried: Wednesday, I was stressed and sick (I still am sick unfortunately).
HAVE YOU EVER:
Dated someone twice: No
Been cheated on: No
Kissed someone and regretted it: No
Lost someone special: One of my labs died last winter break
Been depressed: Every now and again
Been drunk and thrown up: No, I am lame and law abiding
IN THE PAST YEAR HAVE YOU:
Made a new friend: Yes, most of them in the collective.
Fallen out of love: That would require me to have fallen in love.
Laughed until you cried: Multiple times, a lot of them at really terrible jokes.
Met someone who changed you: I do not know.
Found out who your true friends are: I do not think so.
Found out someone was talking about you: I mean, people talk about people all the time
GENERAL:
How many people on tumblr do you know in real life: My cousin, who I do not even follow due to critical role spoilers.
Do you have any pets: I used to have two yellow labradors *sob* Their names are Huey and Molly. Huey died last winter break the day I got back to school. I’m glad I got the chance to see him one last time. Molly is still alive and well.
Do you want to change your name: No, my name has become a family tradition and I would like to continue the tradition.
What time did you wake up this morning: 7 am.
What were you doing last night: Packing bags for water polo tournament and sleeping.
Name something you cannot wait for: For this bought of sickness, I have been plagued with, to end.
Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Yes?
What’s getting on your nerves right now: People who believe the earth is flat and other general idiocy.
Blood type: Unknown
Nickname: Rob-dog is the most prominent one; however the one I have enjoyed the most was Robespierre.
Relationship status: single
Zodiac sign: scorpio
Pronouns: he/him
Favorite tv show: RWBY and RvB
College: Bachelors in Biology
Hair colour: Brown
Do you have a crush on someone: Maybe.
What do you like about yourself: I like to consider myself intelligent. I am INTP. That I am the youngest of my parents three children (other two are sisters). My work ethic. That I am able to play a sport in college, even if it is only D2.
FIRSTS:
First surgery: I got sinus surgery when I was 12.
First piercing: I have nothing pierced.
First sport you joined: AYSO Soccer.
First vacation: Camping in Sequoia
First pair of sneakers: I have no idea
Eating: I had chicken and a baked potato
Drinking: I was allowed to try a teaspoon of expensive champagne my dad got as a gift when he was promoted to Captain.
I’m about to: Take a Shower
Listening to: Critical Role (not the latest episode, I don’t have twitch)
Want kids: Eventually.
Get married: That requires me to be dating someone.
Career: Writing.
WHICH IS BETTER:
Lips or eyes: No opinion.
Hugs or kisses: Hugs
Shorter or taller: I’m 6′1. So tall, but I wish I was taller.
Older or younger: Depends on who you are comparing me to.
Romantic or spontaneous: What.
Sensitive or loud: No idea
Hook up or relationship: Relationship.
Troublemaker or hesitant: Hesitant.
HAVE YOU EVER:
Kissed a stranger: No
Drank hard liquor: I tried scotch once, at a family gathering
Lost glasses/contacts: No, I am lucky enough to not need glasses.
Sex on first date: Noooooo.
Broken someone’s heart: No
Been arrested: No, I am a good boy.
Turned someone down: For what? Relationship? No. Other things? Probably.
Fallen for a friend: Maybe.
DO YOU BELIEVE:
In yourself: I try to.
Miracles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gur8ccqrQ9c
Love at first sight: No. Love will grow as two people’s relationship grows.
Heaven: I am christian, therefore I do believe in Heaven.
Santa Claus: The patron saint of prostitutes is real and you can learn more about him here: http://www.badassoftheweek.com/index.cgi?id=32109327065
Also I am tagging: @weareduskknight @weareinquisitor @we-aredancer @wearepaladin @wearewarpriest @wearewarlord @weareadventurers
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Pay For Play: On The College Admissions Scam and Hidden Value
A reader asked what I thought of the recent college admissions scandal. The story came up in a few conversations with other people last week as well, so I'll share my thoughts on it.
Q: Do you have a problem with the practice of buying your way into a college?
In the abstract, no, I do not.
Let me be clear: I'm not talking about cheating on entrances exams or underhanded tactics that run counter to fair play. Paying go-betweens to sneak your kid into a school is out of bounds. Fraudulent classification about why the rich kids in those stories were admitted is the big sin in this tale.
Parents helping their kids score [college admission/internships/jobs] is as old as time; It's the negligent parent that doesn't do all they can to help their kid excel. SAT classes and tutors are part of that, with a groundswell of critics arguing that even that much assistance creates a slanted playing field that impoverished families cannot compete with.
If the schools want to sell spots to the highest bidder, they should be free to do so. They should just be forthright about it.
One caveat: Selling seats shouldn't be allowed in public colleges that are state schools. At least, not in a fashion that jeopardizes entrance for in-state applicants.
Private universities should be free to do what they want; It's their "house" and can invite whomever they like.
Before you recoil in horror, understand that non-merit based admissions have been on the scene for centuries. It already happens to some extent with kids of captains of industry/celebs. Legacies---children of alumni---get special consideration because schools wants to look out for their own. Affirmative action is a factor as well.
If you take the emotion out of the discussion, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything inherently-evil with a parent "buying" a better chance of admission for their kid.
Q: Is there any value to wealth-based admissions?
One of the more intriguing discussions, besides how Lori Loughlin might handle a transition from "Full House" to the big house, is who benefits when college seats are "sold".
The families who can now brag about junior's acceptance to a big-name school; the university, who's happy to collect full-price tuition---and then some---from another deep pocket; these are obvious winners.
But there's more to the story.
My alma mater is a perennial power in Ice Hockey, so I'll use a fitting analogy:
Good hockey teams are comprised of a few different pieces. A squad usually has a couple of enforcers, guys who may not have made the cut on their stick-handling and scoring prowess alone. You need players who can rough up the opposition's stars, protect your own players from being targeted, and soak up penalty minutes whenever the coach wants to "send a message".
NHL 98: One of the better sports games of all time.
Enforcers are unheralded contributors whose value doesn't always show up in the box score, but good front offices understand their role in building a winning culture.
Similar to the way a good offensive line keeps your star quarterback upright and ignites your running game in football, teams need players who create room for everyone to operate. Enforcers may not make the grade on stand-alone examination, but their presence serves a purpose---even if it offends certain high-minded sensibilities.
Admitting a contingent of students from well-to-do families benefits the campus at large. As long as they don't embarrass the university, their enrollment is almost-certainly a win for the school.
Beyond full-price admission, these families are good for donations when you need a new academic building or state-of-the-art residential hall. They can be counted on to support fund-raising efforts long after their children have graduated and boast professional connections that can be useful to the school when problems need to be handled discreetly. The students themselves often go on to high-paying jobs---in part, because of their backgrounds---and become big contributors down the line.
Benefactors make many of the scholarships for students of modest means possible. They are a resource for attracting the best professors. Collegiate sports are important sources of revenue and big-shot donors bankroll stadiums that draw crowds that, in turn, lure some of the nation's best and brightest year in and year out.
You can't run a college program on bake sales.
Never forget that colleges are business. As much as they tout their missions of higher-learning for the masses, rising tuition bills should make clear their primary agenda.
All that said, there's little long-term concern about the impact of wealth-based admissions on your child's acceptance odds.
Most good schools will not and do not "sell" seats on a large scale because it would tarnish the school's academic reputation. The best schools want a student body with A-students, great artists, intellectually-curious minds in a range of fields; that's not something you get if anything larger than a tiny percent of your student body is a result of evaluation by affluence.
Admissions departments select students from a cross-section of society, independent of familial wealth. Money makes the world go round, but there are some prizes that cannot be bought.
American Idol ratings have been in the tank since his departure.
You cannot buy personality, creativity, discipline, and ambition; those traits are developed independent of wealth and may actually be numbed by having it too easy growing up; struggle is a common backdrop for personal development.
With every big story, there are always special interests ready to hijack narratives and push an agenda. The admissions scandal is already raising more "rich-is-evil" chants, which obscures a good teaching lesson and, ironically, leads to more despondency and excuse-making among the people who can least afford to do so.
Let me know what you think of this story and school reform as well.
#College Admissions#Education#Cornell University#Business#Controversy#CollegeCheatingScandal#Felicity Huffman#Lori Loughlin#Money#Hockey#NHL
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I got tagged by @justmeandmytechs!
1. Last drink: Iced tea
2. Last phone call: I called a job I applied for to have a phone interview
3. Last text message: Birb man goes chuuu
4. Last song you listened to: If I Had A Heart by Fever Ray
5. Time you Cried: About a week ago or so
6. Dated someone twice?: Haven’t dated someone once so no
7. Kissed someone and regretted it? Haven’t kissed anyone
8. Been cheated on? I don’t date so no
9. Lost someone special? My grandfather about 3 years ago now
10. Been depressed? No which is kind of a miracle considering my mom/grandma/aunts depression and the interesting mental health history my grandma’s family had
11. gotten drunk and thrown up? No
favorite colors
12. Green
13. Red
14. Purple
in the last year have you…
15. Made new friends? No
16. Fallen out of love? No
17. Laughed until you cried? Probably on the beach trip @justmeandmytechs and friends went on
18. Found out someone was talking about you? No
19. Met someone who changed you? No
20. Found out who your friends are? No
21. Kissed someone on your facebook friends list?: Never kissed anyone so no
general
22. How many of your facebook friends do you know irl? Most of then I think?
23. Do you have any pets?: Yes! Her name is Angel and she’s a dog and I love her
24. Do you want to change your name? I’ve entertained changing my last name
25. What did you do for your last birthday? Worked
26. What time did you wake up today? 8:30
27. What were you doing at midnight last night? In bed on my phone
28. What is something you cant wait for? Hanging out with @justmeandmytechs this Saturday. Long term, get a full time job and move into an apartment with @justmeandmytechs
30. What are you listening to right now? The sound of my computer fans
31. Have you ever talked to a person named tom? I don’t think so
32. Something thats getting on your nerves? My job
33. Most visited website: Tumblr and YouTube
34. Hair color: Naturally brown, dyed light auburn
35. Long or short hair: Long
36. Do you have a crush on someone: No
37. What do you like about yourself: I’m nice I guess?????
38. Want any piercings? No
39. Blood type: I have no idea
40. Nicknames: MoonMoon is an old one from college
41. Relationship status: Single forever
42. Zodiac: Sagittarius
43. Pronouns: She/her
44. fave tv shows: BNHA, Great British Bake-Off, Critical Role
45. Tattoos: One on the inside of my left wrist but I want more
46. Right or left handed: Right
47. Ever had surgery: Nope
48. Piercings: One in each ear but I never wear earrings
49. Sport: I “played” soccer as a kid and by “played” I mean stood and picked at the grass
50. Vacation: Cabins or beach houses
51. Trainers: I’ve got 3 pairs
more general
52. Eating: I aspire to eat healthy and fail every day. I think I’m low-key addicted to sugar
54. Im about to watch: Jenna Marbles and her boyfriend reviewing bad apps
55. Waiting for: Bed time
56. Want: To start my life
57. Get married: No but if I ever did it would be solely for the tax advantages
58. Career: Administrative
which is better?
59. Hugs or kisses: Hugs
60. Lips or eyes: Don’t care
61. Shorter or taller: Don’t care
62. Older or younger: I don’t date
63. Nice arms or stomach: Nice arms
64. Hookup or relationship: Neither
65. Hesitant or troublemaker: Neither
66. Kissed a stranger: No
67. Drank hard liquor: No
68. Lost glasses: No
69. Turned someone down: Once in high school because he asked me to a dance and I thought he was joking
70. Sex on first date: Never had sex or a first date
71. Broken someones heart: No
72. Had your heart broken: No
73.Been arrested: No
74. Cried when someone died: Yes
75. Fallen for a friend: No
76. Yourself: Eeehhhh
77. Miracles: Not sure
78. Love at first sight: I think it’s kind of unhealthy
79. Santa claus:
80. Kiss on a first date: Don’t date or kiss
81. Angels: Dogs
82. Best friend’s name: @justmeandmytechs
83. Eye colour: Brown
84. Fave movies (right now): I don’t think I have one
85. Fave actor: Robert Downey Jr is all I can think of
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I gained exposure to real deal Greek life
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How Brands Can Avoid the Dreaded Fauxthenticity Pitfall
Let’s be real for a second here. Today’s marketers and brands are collectively recognizing the need to strike a note of authenticity with their audiences. That’s excellent. But in the quest to get real, it’s all too easy to wind up making the exact opposite impression by trying too hard, especially on social media channels. When I think about this subject I’m always reminded of Steve Buscemi’s attempt to conform with school kids on the TV show 30 Rock: via GIPHY So, we should ask ourselves: How can we, as businesses, avoid this “fauxthenticity” pitfall? How can we overcome the inherent barriers that inhibit genuine connections between brand and customer? How can we speak the language of our audience without looking like we’re trying really hard to speak their language? It might be helpful to start out by looking at a few examples of authenticity gone awry, and dissect where things misfired with an eye on getting it right.
Can a Brand Be Your Friend?
Ian Bogost wrote a piece for the newest issue of The Atlantic entitled Brands Are Not Our Friends. Referencing an experience where the telecommunications giant sent Bogost delivery pies in response to a Twitter quip, the subhead reads: “Comcast sent me 10 pizzas. This isn’t nice; it’s manipulative.” There’s a fine line to walk here, isn’t there? Comcast was executing a “surprise and delight” strategy, which isn’t a bad idea. But when the action rings hollow and transparent, the desired impact won’t be there. In his story, Bogost cites another example where the social media team for Steak-umms, a seller of frozen beef, reached out to him via DM to sign a petition as part of the company’s tongue-in-cheek campaign to become verified on Twitter. When he learned that he’d been selected for inclusion by sophisticated software that analyzed his location, interests, and social media usage habits, it made him a bit uncomfortable. The bottom line here? If you’re seeking to surprise and delight, you certainly don’t want to surprise in the wrong way. The ultimate point of Bogost’s article is, I think, a good one. No, brands cannot be your friends. They can be friendly, but even with a real human being behind the account, they’re still intangible entities driven by commercial motivations. But you know what? That’s OK, because there’s still a space to play. What brands CAN strive to be is trustworthy, likable advocates with empathetic connections to their customers and prospects. And that is what our aim should be. When it comes to achieving this distinction, I believe there are four fundamentals that must be front-and-center, which I get into below.
Fleeing Fauxthenticity: 4 Ways for Brands to Keep it Real
#1 – Know Your Audience
More or less the prime directive for content marketing in general, but in this conversation it becomes further magnified. It’s not simply about understanding general demographics, or keeping up with segmented trends, or regurgitating the terminologies and buzzwords they like to use (our Josh Nite had a great post earlier this year that opened with an ill-fated brand attempts to ride the wave of popular user hashtags). It’s about understanding what really matters to them, and knowing them well enough to anticipate what’s going to resonate or fall flat. Dig deeper in your research. Study past campaigns by other brands or agencies with similar audiences, to see what’s worked and what’s totally missed. Have actual conversations with the people you serve or wish to serve. At TopRank Marketing, our content team focuses extensively on gathering and analyzing audience insights before we start trying to connect or engage. Authenticity efforts guided by incomplete information or algorithm-based assumptions (like the aforementioned Steak-umms case) can instill negative feelings rather than positive ones, which is certainly not what we want. Internet users are getting smarter these days. They see through half-baked stunts.
#2 – Don’t Be Overly Rosy
From my view, this is the absolute most pivotal element, and also the toughest to nail. No company wants to go around trashing itself, or sending off negative vibes all the time. But, then again, the world can be a difficult and upsetting place. Things don’t always go right. The most transparently fauxthentic brands to me are those bubbly, peppy, happy-go-lucky ones that speak solely in optimism and exclamation points. People by and large cannot relate to that. As an example, check out this recent Listerine-sponsored Instagram post from internet celeb Scarlett London, which drew massive backlash: On his blog, Scott Guthrie wrote of this cloying attempt at influencer marketing:
“Yes, it was staged, yes it was trite. Yes it appears to feature tortillas propped on her bed masquerading as pancakes. Yes the influencer was sitting on a bedspread that sported a huge photo of herself on it.”
Suffice to say this post left a bad taste in people’s mouths. “Instagram is a ridiculous lie factory made to make us all feel inadequate,” ranted one tweet that’s been liked 111,000 times. Yikes. I think brands should not necessarily skew more negative, but more realistic. Acknowledge the struggles so many of us share. Mix in failures with your success stories. Confront the flaws or drawbacks of your solution head-on instead of pretending they don’t exist. And also: Don’t be afraid to repel people who aren’t really in your wheelhouse. If your content can filter out users that aren’t fits for your business, and avoid wasting their time, that’s almost as valuable as pulling in the right people.
#3 – Infuse Influencers in Their Natural Element
The Listerine example above shows how influencer marketing can backfire when mishandled. During her session on dispelling influencer marketing lies at CMWorld 2018, TopRank Marketing’s Digital Strategy Director Ashley Zeckman cited a couple examples of similar Instagram flops, wherein the “influencer” accidentally pasted the brand’s instructions into their post captions: The ultimate of fauxthenticity fails. Integrating relevant influencers into marketing campaigns is a terrific way to add credibility, but only if those participants can become a genuine part of the narrative. Paying for promotion from online celebrities with no real tie to your brand isn’t the way to establish authenticity. Lee Odden’s CMWorld presentation on the Confluence Equation offered a framework for effective influencer-powered content, which you should check out.
#4 – Leverage User Generated Content
I wrote here recently about UGC as a method to build authentic awareness and trust. There really is nothing better for that purpose than amplifying the voices of actual everyday people discussing your product, service, company, or industry as a whole in a natural setting. Much like with influencers, this approach will sputter if you miss on the “natural” part, so it’s critical to eschew transparently disingenuous setups (e.g., contests or prompts that simply incentivize people to say nice things). You can find plenty of useful pointers in the blog post linked above.
Upping the Ante for Authenticity
In this frenzied environment, with low consumer trust and competition forever increasing, authenticity is set to become one of the biggest differentiators for brands. “Almost everyone I speak to in marketing, who is serious about their brand, thinks that trust and authenticity” have become a big deal, noted HubSpot’s Scott Brinker in a recent interview. Fostering a truly authentic reputation in this faceless digital world, while combating the instinctive consumer tendency to distrust corporate messaging, presents a very real challenge. Those brands that are ready to meet it with gusto will become champions of the new era. The path to fending off fauxthenticity lies in knowing your audience, avoiding phony zeal, getting it right with influencers, and incorporating user generated content. Want to be real with your customers? Then the No. 1 rule, fellow kids, is this: Don’t fake it. For further guidance on finding your brand’s authenticity sweet spot, check out some other past posts from the TopRank Blog:
Evolve or Die: The Role of Purpose & Authenticity in Marketing
How Dell Approaches Integrated & Authentic Influencer Marketing
8 Ways to Build Credibility & Trust with Content Marketing
The post How Brands Can Avoid the Dreaded Fauxthenticity Pitfall appeared first on Online Marketing Blog – TopRank®.
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How Brands Can Avoid the Dreaded Fauxthenticity Pitfall
Let’s be real for a second here. Today’s marketers and brands are collectively recognizing the need to strike a note of authenticity with their audiences. That’s excellent. But in the quest to get real, it’s all too easy to wind up making the exact opposite impression by trying too hard, especially on social media channels. When I think about this subject I’m always reminded of Steve Buscemi’s attempt to conform with school kids on the TV show 30 Rock:
via GIPHY So, we should ask ourselves: How can we, as businesses, avoid this “fauxthenticity” pitfall? How can we overcome the inherent barriers that inhibit genuine connections between brand and customer? How can we speak the language of our audience without looking like we’re trying really hard to speak their language? It might be helpful to start out by looking at a few examples of authenticity gone awry, and dissect where things misfired with an eye on getting it right.
Can a Brand Be Your Friend?
Ian Bogost wrote a piece for the newest issue of The Atlantic entitled Brands Are Not Our Friends. Referencing an experience where the telecommunications giant sent Bogost delivery pies in response to a Twitter quip, the subhead reads: “Comcast sent me 10 pizzas. This isn’t nice; it’s manipulative.” There’s a fine line to walk here, isn’t there? Comcast was executing a “surprise and delight” strategy, which isn’t a bad idea. But when the action rings hollow and transparent, the desired impact won’t be there. In his story, Bogost cites another example where the social media team for Steak-umms, a seller of frozen beef, reached out to him via DM to sign a petition as part of the company’s tongue-in-cheek campaign to become verified on Twitter. When he learned that he’d been selected for inclusion by sophisticated software that analyzed his location, interests, and social media usage habits, it made him a bit uncomfortable. The bottom line here? If you’re seeking to surprise and delight, you certainly don’t want to surprise in the wrong way. The ultimate point of Bogost’s article is, I think, a good one. No, brands cannot be your friends. They can be friendly, but even with a real human being behind the account, they’re still intangible entities driven by commercial motivations. But you know what? That’s OK, because there’s still a space to play. What brands CAN strive to be is trustworthy, likable advocates with empathetic connections to their customers and prospects. And that is what our aim should be. When it comes to achieving this distinction, I believe there are four fundamentals that must be front-and-center, which I get into below.
Fleeing Fauxthenticity: 4 Ways for Brands to Keep it Real
#1 - Know Your Audience
More or less the prime directive for content marketing in general, but in this conversation it becomes further magnified. It’s not simply about understanding general demographics, or keeping up with segmented trends, or regurgitating the terminologies and buzzwords they like to use (our Josh Nite had a great post earlier this year that opened with an ill-fated brand attempts to ride the wave of popular user hashtags). It’s about understanding what really matters to them, and knowing them well enough to anticipate what’s going to resonate or fall flat. Dig deeper in your research. Study past campaigns by other brands or agencies with similar audiences, to see what’s worked and what’s totally missed. Have actual conversations with the people you serve or wish to serve. At TopRank Marketing, our content team focuses extensively on gathering and analyzing audience insights before we start trying to connect or engage. Authenticity efforts guided by incomplete information or algorithm-based assumptions (like the aforementioned Steak-umms case) can instill negative feelings rather than positive ones, which is certainly not what we want. Internet users are getting smarter these days. They see through half-baked stunts.
#2 - Don’t Be Overly Rosy
From my view, this is the absolute most pivotal element, and also the toughest to nail. No company wants to go around trashing itself, or sending off negative vibes all the time. But, then again, the world can be a difficult and upsetting place. Things don’t always go right. The most transparently fauxthentic brands to me are those bubbly, peppy, happy-go-lucky ones that speak solely in optimism and exclamation points. People by and large cannot relate to that. As an example, check out this recent Listerine-sponsored Instagram post from internet celeb Scarlett London, which drew massive backlash: On his blog, Scott Guthrie wrote of this cloying attempt at influencer marketing:
“Yes, it was staged, yes it was trite. Yes it appears to feature tortillas propped on her bed masquerading as pancakes. Yes the influencer was sitting on a bedspread that sported a huge photo of herself on it.”
Suffice to say this post left a bad taste in people’s mouths. “Instagram is a ridiculous lie factory made to make us all feel inadequate,” ranted one tweet that’s been liked 111,000 times. Yikes. I think brands should not necessarily skew more negative, but more realistic. Acknowledge the struggles so many of us share. Mix in failures with your success stories. Confront the flaws or drawbacks of your solution head-on instead of pretending they don’t exist. And also: Don’t be afraid to repel people who aren’t really in your wheelhouse. If your content can filter out users that aren’t fits for your business, and avoid wasting their time, that’s almost as valuable as pulling in the right people.
#3 - Infuse Influencers in Their Natural Element
The Listerine example above shows how influencer marketing can backfire when mishandled. During her session on dispelling influencer marketing lies at CMWorld 2018, TopRank Marketing’s Digital Strategy Director Ashley Zeckman cited a couple examples of similar Instagram flops, wherein the “influencer” accidentally pasted the brand’s instructions into their post captions: The ultimate of fauxthenticity fails. Integrating relevant influencers into marketing campaigns is a terrific way to add credibility, but only if those participants can become a genuine part of the narrative. Paying for promotion from online celebrities with no real tie to your brand isn’t the way to establish authenticity. Lee Odden’s CMWorld presentation on the Confluence Equation offered a framework for effective influencer-powered content, which you should check out.
#4 - Leverage User Generated Content
I wrote here recently about UGC as a method to build authentic awareness and trust. There really is nothing better for that purpose than amplifying the voices of actual everyday people discussing your product, service, company, or industry as a whole in a natural setting. Much like with influencers, this approach will sputter if you miss on the “natural” part, so it’s critical to eschew transparently disingenuous setups (e.g., contests or prompts that simply incentivize people to say nice things). You can find plenty of useful pointers in the blog post linked above.
Upping the Ante for Authenticity
In this frenzied environment, with low consumer trust and competition forever increasing, authenticity is set to become one of the biggest differentiators for brands. “Almost everyone I speak to in marketing, who is serious about their brand, thinks that trust and authenticity” have become a big deal, noted HubSpot’s Scott Brinker in a recent interview. Fostering a truly authentic reputation in this faceless digital world, while combating the instinctive consumer tendency to distrust corporate messaging, presents a very real challenge. Those brands that are ready to meet it with gusto will become champions of the new era. The path to fending off fauxthenticity lies in knowing your audience, avoiding phony zeal, getting it right with influencers, and incorporating user generated content. Want to be real with your customers? Then the No. 1 rule, fellow kids, is this: Don’t fake it. For further guidance on finding your brand’s authenticity sweet spot, check out some other past posts from the TopRank Blog:
Evolve or Die: The Role of Purpose & Authenticity in Marketing
How Dell Approaches Integrated & Authentic Influencer Marketing
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The post How Brands Can Avoid the Dreaded Fauxthenticity Pitfall appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.
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