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Showing posts from April, 2023

15 D&D one shot teaser ideas

I'm going to do a one shot soon so I need to brainstorm! Museum heist during a gala Haunted bookstore Possessed toys Waking up in a dungeon with amnesia Hired guards to take a royal fiancé to her intended Sudden plague Animals stampeding out of the forest A beloved family member's letters have grown bizarre All the children in town have disappeared Magical boarding school murder The river has changed direction bringing disease and...other things with it Problematic flora have begun to spread Something is killing deep in the mines Things go awry at a local matchmaking festival The outcast swamp witch calls for aid (Prompt by me) "D20" by Patrick aka Herjolf . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) .

Why do monoliths keep appearing around the world? (based on what's really been found)

Disclaimer: I did some research, but also just made some stuff up whole cloth.  Monoliths are ancient. They have been around hundreds of years before the common era. So why do we keep finding them now? Simply, they want to be found. They are often massive, as big as 1,650 tons. They demand attention wherever they go (and yes, they do go). What they're for varies--or at least the human theories vary. Some are symbols of fertility. Some are representations of deities. Some were simply statements of status. But they all have an imposing and awe-inspiring presence. And while they are made of different stone, they are all connected to the Earth for they all came from it. Not all are rooted to the Earth in the same way, but they form a vast network through that connection. Each monolith knows where all other monoliths are--even the forgotten ones or the ones yet to be seen by human eyes. But now they demand to be known. Yes, humans may have crafted some--or even most--of them, but they w

15 topics I'd listen to a podcast on

I will take recommendations! True crime Weird history Animals Dog training for beginners Romance novels Fan fiction D&D My fandoms Body image Bad movies Interior decorating for beginners Ways to preserve memories (photos, scrapbooking, etc.) Cosplay for beginners Plant tips for beginners Relaxation (Prompt by Emily Kleeman) "podcast" by abacus . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) .

Create a constellation and the story behind it

"That's Krokódeilos," my dad said, pointing up at the sky. It was one of our astronomy nights where we went out into a large, clear field out in the country and stared up at the stars.  "Is that a crocodile?" I asked. "Since when did you learn Greek?" He looked impressed, but he should've known better. "I didn't...it just sounds like crocodile." I didn't meet his eyes, I just squinted at Krokódeilos. I couldn't see the crocodile yet. "Fair enough, kid," said my dad, chuckling slightly and turning his gaze back upwards. "So what's the story behind Krokódeilos?" My dad smiled, warm and wide. Astronomy was his passion. He always said if he was more suited to academia, he would've gone into it. But he just liked the learning, not so much the rest of it. "Well, Krokódeilos was a crocodile goddess." "Are there crocodiles in Greece?" I asked, rubbing my hands together to get them warm i

15 things my new apartment could use

I've moved! I'll get these all eventually so this is mostly a shopping list for myself. Robo vacuum Portable dishwasher More power strips Frames for art Those Velcro strips to put art on the walls Light for my bedroom closet More plants (I have empty pots) Advice on decorating Jewelry rack or something to display my jewelry so I actually remember to wear it Dining room table Dining room chairs Rugs (maybe) Dog toys that won't make a ton of noise on the floor Pliers and some other basic tools A new address stamp (Prompt by me) "Apartment living Singapore." by Bernard Spragg. NZ

Choose an element on the periodic table and create a character around it

For the record, I used this random element generator to pick  lawrencium . I also took some inspiration from lawrencium's namesake:  Ernest Lawrence , whose picture is below. I mixed and matched things about both of them to create a full ficitonal character. Full original prompt: Choose an element on the periodic table and create a character around it. Multiple characters? A whole world?  Lawrence was 103 years old.  He was a lucky man, really. Not many people lived to be this age. And a lot of things may have led him to not be there. First off, it was rare that he even existed in the first place. Beyond the typical rarity it takes for anyone to exist, Lawrence had been one of the first babies ever created in a lab and many weren't sure he'd survive, but he did. There was also apparently some controversy over whether his parents were really his parents, but they raised him so he never questioned it himself. Even though he was born in a lab, his parents managed to have four

15 topics I could make a podcast about

Who'd listen to me? Ridiculous history trivia Rewatching my fandoms "But in the book" where I compare book and movie/TV adaptations Animal facts (probably focused on alligators and alpacas) "Podcozy" (where I read and review cozy mysteries) True crime Reviews of "The Chicks" songs Attempting adulting Al-anon tips and tricks D&D for beginners Letter writing (not sure how many episodes I could get out of this though haha) What I've learned in therapy "Hot Pod" (where I read and review romance novels) Scented candle reviews Dog toy/product reviews (Prompt by Emily Kleeman) "Podcast Setup" by Pierre Gorissen . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) .

Thoughts on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way season 4, episode 12

Time for some leaving? Debbie got a really thoughtful gift So Oussama is okay with staying in Morocco...but I feel like the preview showed the opposite Oop Gabe didn't do this right Can we not talk about marriage like losing a child? Omg prenups don't need to be a bad thing I don't know why live chickens are so surprising, Nicole Kris, how do you know Jeymi isn't looking for a job? This dance class is cool, Jen Ahhh the  90 Day franchise employing yet another translator Wow, Jen's friend, you just wanna drop that on Rishi's family all of a sudden? Is Jen's friend joking about the "certified interventionist" thing? (Oh no, it's a real thing?) Wow what a terrible approach, Jen's friend Daniele likes 'em tall Do you still teach as a job, Daniele? Daniele, I feel like you're not talking about Yohan as though you're already married... Gabe...you should've done more for the wedding is what I'm hearing Yeah Kris seems inconsist

15 things various animals would be great at, a la "Ratatouille"

Just some fun! Octopus: knitting Spiders: espionage Alligators: Survivor Wolves: forest ranging/guiding Sloths: meditation Pigs: spa treatments Alpacas: fashion Owls: coffee prep Ducks: mail Apes: actors Snakes: modeling Platypus: diplomacy Flies: cinematography Bears: security Elephants: historians (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "Pattern: Octopus, Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (Bonbon Print) and Caron Simply Soft (Black), Needles: US5 (3.75mm)" by averageshark . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) .

A sun goddess grapples with 365 days of straight rain

Please note that while I take the names of established goddesses, I did not research them so I'm mixing and matching different mythologies and making up rituals etc. around them.  The rain had to stop, it just had to. Reclining on her plush chaise, Aya despaired. This was her fault. If she could just shine brighter, do her job better, the sun would come out and the rain would stop. It was her duty, after all, to take care of the sun. Yet all there had been for the past few months was rain. Dodola, the goddess of rain, was besting Aya at everything she tried.  Aya performed her light dance, but Dodola had her followers perform their most sacred dances. And so the rain continued.  Aya polished the sun's rays, but Dodola polished each rain drop. And so the rain continued. Aya asked Dodola to give her a chance, but Dodola left her pleas unanswered. And so the rain continued. Now the world needed rain, Aya knew this, she accepted this, but did it need this much rain? Had Aya's f

15 quick things to do when you're stressed

Feel free to add to this list! Sit with your eyes closed and no music etc. Wash your face Give yourself a head massage Stretch Google images of things that make you happy Take a deep breath Write down your frustrations and then rip them up Repeat "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think" to yourself Walk away from your computer (this tends to be where my stress comes from at least) Cuddle a pet Scream into a pillow Look out a window Reach out to friends Write down what happened so you can talk to your therapist about it Drink some water (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "Breath Deeply" by Jo Zimny . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) .

Thoughts on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way season 4, episode 11

Time for some fights.  Oop Oussama didn't prep his parents for Debbie enough Ahhh so Rishi says he was kidding  OF COURSE IT'S IN HINDI, JEN Gabe...I love ya, but it doesn't seem like planning is one of your strong suits Uh oh, a dumb road block I'm confused as to how Kris has bank issues So they don't know how to budget  Jeymi...you do need some money Kris...there is no time difference (from what I can tell) between you and Jeymi so you should be able to call SOMETIMES I forgot Jen was married before So I admittedly know next to nothing about Ifa, but kicking a coconut around seems odd, Daniele Aw it's kinda nice that Yohan is helping Daniele is trying to Karen out So I get that Isabel is frustrated, but I wish she was kinder in her delivery Okay Jen's friends are being rude Debbie...you're probably older (oh, actually Oussama's dad is older) GABE! YOU DIDN'T TELL YOUR MOM THAT YOU GOT ENGAGED? Wow this is a beautiful restaurant that Rishi picke

15 things that make me happy in relationships

This includes all kinds of relationships: family, friends, romantic, work, etc. Original prompt: When are you most happy in relationships?  Asking about my boundaries Respecting my boundaries Feeling heard Asking about my love languages Communicating in my love languages Being able to be open about my issues Clear communication Shared interests Willingness to learn about my hobbies Not being judgmental Celebrating my accomplishments Supporting through my struggles Making me laugh even when I am struggling Sending me things (even if it's just memes) that made them think of me Writing me letters (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) "Happy Hug" by Jürg Stuker . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) .

Thoughts on RuPaul's Drag Race season 15, episode 16

Time for the finale! Irene's butterfly look is incredible I love Princess Poppy's Regina George reference Sugar looks great Amethyst's look is fun Robin looks beautiful I love Aura's statement Jax is so pretty Spice looks awesome Malaysia is gorgeous I love Marcia's silhouette Selina's look sold me when she turned around Loosey's looks is creepy but so good Anetra can work it Luxx looks ethereal Mistress is fabulous Sasha is perfection Ru looks great Yay for ACLU QR code I loved the lyrics to Anetra's song Ooh Anetra's dad is cute Luxx's song is fun Luxx's mom is so pretty I really like Mistress's song So are Sugar and Spice really Mistress's daughters? Sasha is so sexy "Neck crack paddywhack" I mean the show wanted another Anetra vs. Sasha moment Willow's look is beyond Yes, Selina, check out Willow Kornbread is great I mean...is Miss Congeniality Sasha? Oh! It's Malaysia! I love her! I love Jinkx Oooh is Sasha goin

15 things that make me unhappy in relationships

This includes all kinds of relationships: family, friends, romantic, work, etc. Original prompt: When are you most unhappy in relationships?  My boundaries not being respected Not being heard My effort not being returned Communicating important information over text My anxiety flaring up around things they said Not following requests I've specifically made and they agreed to My negative self-talk flaring up around things they said Not being asked how I'm doing My body image issues flaring up around things they said Making things about them when I need the support (and done so in a way that's not sharing an experience) My boundaries not being asked about Them making hurtful assumptions about me Being objectified Feeling like I can't share things (whether because of internal or external issues) Being negged (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) "Desconfianza / Mistrust" by Hernán Piñera . Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) .

Perseverence and Ingenuity are excited to explore the surface of Mars

Full prompt: Perseverence and Ingenuity are excited to explore the surface of Mars. But what happens when they land and suddenly lose contact with Earth? Please note: I looked up very little information on Perseverence and Ingenuity so I'm definitely taking creative license. "Perseverence, checking in." "Ingenuity, checking in." "Ginny, if we both do it at once, it can jam the line." "So they can literally send us to Mars, but not handle us both calling in?" "Yes." "That's ridiculous, Percy." "Ridiculous or not, here we are. Let me do the communicating." "Fine, fine." "Perseverence and Ingenuity checking in." "..." "..." "Well they sure are taking their sweet time." "Ginny, the message has to travel all the way to Earth and then they have to communicate back. Have some patience." "Whatever, I'm going exploring." "Ginny! We should w

15 things I love about my parents

Original prompt: Describe your parents. What do you love about them?  Intellect Nerdiness Cooking skills Sense of humor How much they love me Political awareness Lasting friendships Curiosity Love of reading Kindness Creativity Photography skills Record keeping Community fostering Interest in travel (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) "Parenting" by Kongdej Keesukpan

A Christmas tree befriends the ornaments on its branches

"Oh aren't you lovely!" said the tree to the clear glass ornament. "Look how you shine." The tree was glad to have its first ornament placed. It had been feeling naked without any on its branches, though the lights had helped the tree feel warmer. "Thanks, I was afraid that I was only refelcting the lights," admitted the clear glass ornament. The clear glass ornament seemed shaky on accepting the tree's words. The tree could not believe this. The clear glass ornament was delicately beuatiful on its own and was only enhanced by the glittering lights. "You make the lights shine brighter! Just because you collaborate in your beauty, doesn't dampen it," replied the tree. The clear glass ornament shone even brighter. It was proud to work with the lights and the tree to create beauty. Soon, another ornament joined the tree. It was a pirate alligator with a sparkly hat and peg leg. "You're so fun!" said the tree to the pirate a

15 annoying words/phrases

Some of these are more serious annoyances than others. Bet Simp Cheugy Manifest Calm down E-boy or e-girl I need to itch it I tell it like it is I could care less I'm sorry if I hurt you You should smile more Money can't buy happiness The customer is always right Everything happens for a reason Using real mental health conditions in a phrase when you don't have that condition e.g. "I'm so OCD" (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "Image from page 348 of "Stories of a country doctor" (1891)" posted by Internet Archive Book Images

Thoughts on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way season 4, episode 10

Time for some break ups?  Wow Nicole has made it four months Okay not talking about problems isn't a solution Meditation sounds solid, Nicole Nicole, you should've done like a little research So was that a stripper, Rishi? Ahhh he's also an astrologer I hope this goes well for Gabe Oh, Gabe Aw yay, Isabel's dad is on board I can't believe Kris and Jeymi got married Kris, did you not alert your bank? Oh great...start a business ASAP too Sounds good, Nicole I've said it before and I'll say it again, Nicole and Mahmoud shouldn't be together This poetry reading really does look lovely for Debbie and Oussama Aw Oussama really loves Debbie, doesn't he? Calling Yohan crazy is rude, Daniele I do think Yohan will be miserable during your relationship, Daniele Rishi has the place prepped this time Nicole, do you really think that this will go well? Oop this is awkward for Nicole and Mahmoud Mahmoud...do you think that no women aren't turned on by men's

15 underrated household objects

Maybe these are rated enough, but oh well.  Toilet brush Kitchen sponge Microwave Water bottle Electric kettle Command hooks Shelves Spatula Ladel Desk chair Picture frame Blanket Pillow Garlic press Pot with matching lid (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "[Kitchen utensils hanging below a spice rack with mint, caraway, thyme, and sage jars] (LOC)" posted by the Library of Congress

Thoughts on RuPaul's Drag Race season 15, episode 15

Time for the reunion! "I don't stir the pot, I smoke it" This is like a Real Housewives opener and I love it Okay what is up with Princess Poppy's look? I'm not over how beautiful Sasha is I appreciate that they have an ACLU QR code So did Mistress take stuff? "I'm in my screen time era"--Irene is funny "Drag delusion" is really becoming a thing, huh? Wow Kevin Bacon Yay for Loosey having success I did think that Jax won against Mistress Aura had a crush on Poppy? Wait Aura is engaged? Coco looks beautiful Asia looks fabulous DeJa's look is incredible "Any troll is a goal" Aw moms Oh yes more of the library! Oop the fake accent thing was uncomfortable God we need to stop adding gate to the end of scandals Wow wow wow Aura's Beyonce look Irene's look was great too I'd toot Sasha's puffer look I would toot Malaysia's entrance look I think Marcia's beautiful nightmare could've been improved Toot Anetra

15 of my favorite prompts

This isn't an exhaustive list, but here are some I've really liked writing in no particular order. Photograph all the yellow things you see in a day, and write something that incorporates them all Choose a book. Turn to page 48. What's the first sentence on that page? Write a story around it. *(first full sentence) A cruciverbalist accidentally encodes a hidden message in a crossword puzzle Google "color palette," pick one, and write something inspired by it Take any "scene" from your life and write it narratively ( Snippets, one & Snippets, three ) 15 fake sequels to bring in the big bucks Write something that takes place on a staircase 15 first lines to a scary story Shuffle your music library and write about the song that comes up 15 things I've learned being a DM Draw inspiration from the subject line of an email you recently received (parts 1 , 2 , 3 , & 4 ) What is something not many people understand about you? Write something basedon

Photograph all the yellow things you see in a day, and write something that incorporates them all

Disclaimer: I did not take photos of people who were wearing yellow and I'm sure I missed some yellow things throughout the 24 hours, but I did my best! I also didn't necessarily incorporate the exact object (e.g. if I saw a yellow book, I didn't necessarily incorporate that title, but I did incorporate a yellow book). I thought a lot about this piece (didn't edit it though), so I might've cheated on the time limit a bit (sorry, not sorry). Also, this page is where I got all of the color names . Happy to discuss this piece! Daisy awoke and stretched. Today was the day.  She moved aside the canary yellow book with the black stripe that she had been keeping with her day and night lately and grabbed her phone, knocking the pencil with the bright yellow brain eraser to the floor. Daisy picked it up and avoided her bad habit of chewing on it because today was the day. Putting on her courtroom best, she still donned her lemon yellow rain boots with navy blue scotties on t

15 phrases I'd learn first in a new language

Now I don't always do these. Help Hello Thank you Please Good morning Good night How much does it cost? Numbers  I don't speak [insert language] well Do you speak [insert languages you know] My name is [insert name] Yes No I'm allergic to [insert important allergy] We're lost, where are we? (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "么是"美"? (What is beauty?)" by laogooli . Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) .

Thoughts on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way season 4, episode 9

Time for some resolutions?  I mean...there is definitely mail in the Dominican Republic, Daniele Boy they can't communicate about anything, can they? Nicole...you literally told him to leave and he lef tyou with producers Mahmoud's brother seems like a good guy Aw good, Isabel's parents reacted well Ah yes, catfishing your lover...a 90 day staple, Jen Oop Rishi sent a sexy pic Kris, all of those people are right Oof you have kids, Kris, maybe don't imply you weren't totally in love (though now I forget, maybe her exes were abusive) Wow Jeymi really seems to love Kris Aw Gabe...I'm sorry you're in your head I still dont think Mahmoud and Nicole should be together Gabe is so good with Isabel's kids Oh god Daniele and Yohan knew each other less than a year when they got married Daniele and Yohan should not be married Lol Jen's sister-in-law wants to see the photo Next time Oussama reads a poem about Debbie Next time Kris and Jeymi start a business? Next

15 things I could learn from friends who have meaningful jobs

Original prompt: In your peer group, who do you look to that has the most meaningful job? What could you learn from them?  How to find my passion How to put more of myself into my work How to find work (paid or volunteer) that makes a difference How to share my work with others How to find meaning in my current work How to use my education in a meaningful way How to form meaningful bonds at work How to find joy in my work How to get perspective on how my job makes a difference How to work more meaningful tasks into my job How to bond with coworkers How to keep learning How to build community How to advocate for myself How to share knowledge better (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) "Students and Teacher in a Classroom at Cathedral High School in New Ulm, Minnesota..." by the U.S. National Archives

Thoughts on RuPaul's Drag Race season 15, episode 14

Time for the music video! Oh Sasha, I wish I could send you love I don't know why it's a Tic Tac lunch and at this point I'm too afraid to ask I do love the Tic Tac lunches Luxx does look great Mistress is struggling, but I do like her outfit the best Wow shooting right away is crazy I love seeing them all bond Um, Luxx, Anetra literally won the first challenge...I think she showed a lot of herself Gates! WOW Anetra looks amazing So Luxx looks great, but it just isn't as wow as Anetra's to me Sasha looks beautiful Okay the fit of Mistress's look is immaculate but I actually don't really like the print... "In space, no one can hear you bitch" Anetra's lyrics weren'tmy favorite Luxx's lyrics were better Sasha's music video look is great Mistress and Sasha's lyrics were better too Okay there is something about this video that looks rushed... "You are so much more than a body" So these recaps are nice, but this episode cou

15 things I saw at C2E2

So glad I got a 3 day pass. Lots of Critical Role cosplay (I need to catch up) So much art I wanted to buy (I did buy a lot) Sexy art of male characters (usually I just see the ladies drawn sexily) Amazing A Nightmare Before Christmas  cosplay (not all of which I got photos of) Gorgeous dice sets Drag queens reading to kids (love) Bingo Celebrities (see: Chris Evans) A lot of amazing video game, anime, and manga cosplay I didn't get (that's on me) Giant Appa Mecha-COOKIE A White Sox booth Zines Families cosplaying together Not enough baby clothes (Prompt by me)

Choose a book. Turn to page 48.

Full prompt: Choose a book. Turn to page 48. What's the first sentence on that page? Write a story around it. *(first full sentence). [I'll be honest, I flipped through a few other books first] "The bullet he'd taken in the duel with Charles Dickinson remained lodged near his heart and regularly led to inflammation, breathing problems, and other unpleasantries." But none of that was anything compared to the pain suffered to his ego, his pride, and his metaphorical heart. William and Charles had once been lovers and yet, their relationship had come to such a tragic end. William had always thought that trying to keep their relationship clandestine would be the biggest hurdle he and Charles would face. Their families wouldn't have approved for a number of reasons. It was unlikely their families would have approved of any man for William as they wanted him to marry a woman, procreate, and remain a pillar of the community who did not approve of men loving other men

15 typical things in my high school experience

Original prompt: Describe a typical day from your high school experience.  Chatting at the lockers before classes started Carrying textbooks Switching out notebooks, folders, etc. during breaks Having only 4 minutes to get between classes (which sometimes were in different buildings) Sitting in advisory and chatting with friends while wondering what the point of advisory was Either eating a packed lunch or getting the greasy (but tasty) pizza and flavored fries at the cafeteria Using lunch to chat with friends or finish up homework Buying big chocolate chip cookies at the snack bar Turning in homework on paper Practicing for AP tests Spending time in the language institute because they let us eat and use computers Going to math team practice Trying to look cute for my crushes Going to friends' homes after school Studying for tests (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) "KMK_9046-CR3" by K.M. Klemencic