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[Fun stuff] Human Domestication Guide
Posted a month agoI recently stumbled across the Human Domestication Guide, and have even seen some of the comics. Alien dryad dommy mommies conquer Earth for our own good and turn us all into blissed out pets through xenodrugs. Fun. It's fun! I like stuff like this.
I've previously talked about Friendship is Optimal, which has it's own fan universe built around it. This, SCP, the backrooms... Fan-built universes, built off of a single story, but available for all to indulge, to modify, to create- I love things like this. This is what media should be like! People collaborating on a thing that they love, for the sole reason that they love it.
I don't know much about the Human Domestication Guide in particular, I've only read a little of the original story. But I'm hoping that some of you can help me out! Dubious consent petplay is a kink I have been looking to explore more, and I'd love to hear recommendations for stories in the HDG universe worth reading! Especially the one where he gets turned into a catgirl. I want the TF. Meow.
If you are also looking for... less than consensual petplay TF, I would recommend Zephyr's Tale. A person is kidnapped and turned into their ponysona. Heavy focus on subservience, but also relishing in the freedom of a new form. Real knife-edge stuff between kink and horror, to me at least. Definitely not for everyone.
I've previously talked about Friendship is Optimal, which has it's own fan universe built around it. This, SCP, the backrooms... Fan-built universes, built off of a single story, but available for all to indulge, to modify, to create- I love things like this. This is what media should be like! People collaborating on a thing that they love, for the sole reason that they love it.
I don't know much about the Human Domestication Guide in particular, I've only read a little of the original story. But I'm hoping that some of you can help me out! Dubious consent petplay is a kink I have been looking to explore more, and I'd love to hear recommendations for stories in the HDG universe worth reading! Especially the one where he gets turned into a catgirl. I want the TF. Meow.
If you are also looking for... less than consensual petplay TF, I would recommend Zephyr's Tale. A person is kidnapped and turned into their ponysona. Heavy focus on subservience, but also relishing in the freedom of a new form. Real knife-edge stuff between kink and horror, to me at least. Definitely not for everyone.
[Fun stuff] Sea of Stars
Posted 4 months agoI've been craving an RPG lately. I finished Expedition 33 about a month ago (absolutely fantastic, I even played through it again on New Game+, a true rarity for me) and I wanted to scratch that itch again. I tried to look up modern RPGs, and man, those things are endangered. Sea of Stars looked pixelated, it was turn based, I figured I'd give it a shot. And I'm glad I did!
So, why did it hook me? There are a ton of modern quality of life updates you don't normally see in RPGs.
* Higher difficulties, in addition to making enemies harder, removes the ability to use items in combat, forcing you to lean into the mana restrictions of the combat system. Difficulty settings that do more than increase health and damage make such a huge difference. A few games have additional attacks or patterns for higher difficulty, but how many remove a core command?
* The "Relic" system is basically additional combat sliders. Want to have double health, full heal after every combat, or increase your timing windows? This game lets you do that.
* Timing windows? Just like Expedition 33, you have the ability to "boost" attacks or block by timing an A-press. It has always been strange to me that more games didn't adopt that from Paper Mario. It's a great way to improve engagement and make it feel like there's a way to improve besides just mindlessly grinding enemies.
* The plot is solid. You start off by defeating the last Dweller, a monster of immeasurable power that could destroy the world. And then it gets higher stakes from there. They're definitely inspired by Chrono Trigger. Not a bad thing.
* They introduce a new system for turn-based combat, the "Lock bar". When an enemy casts a spell, a lock bar appears above their head, and if you can clear all the locks then the spell is cancelled. Locks are damage-type specific, so you might have to clear two swords and a venom, or 3 arcane. Partial lock removal reduces the damage/effects, which makes it feel like it's not a waste to try, even if you won't succeed. It'd be nice if there were higher modifiers, though. Clearing 2 of 5 locks and getting a 12% damage reduction feels low.
*The game is very tutorial light, forcing you to actually learn how to play. Maybe I'm dumb and just missed tutorials but it took me a WHILE to learn how to play Wheels or fish. I enjoy inductive learning so that was fun.
Any bad?
* Well, as much as I like the timing thing, I admit it makes the game more draining to play. Sometimes I just want to relax, and timing specials on spells makes enough of a difference that you have to do it.
* The combat is hard. I'm playing on normal difficulty, full heal after battle, and increased timing windows, and I've still died to random mobs many times. You have to balance casting spells and attacking (the way to regenerate mana) and it's definitely heavier on the attack side than the spell side. Most of the spells require 2-3 turns of attacking to cast.
* I hate the framing device. It pays off but I still would rather they hadn't done it.
Anyway, it's on sale for 35% off at time of posting if you're interested. Teaks it the GOAT.
So, why did it hook me? There are a ton of modern quality of life updates you don't normally see in RPGs.
* Higher difficulties, in addition to making enemies harder, removes the ability to use items in combat, forcing you to lean into the mana restrictions of the combat system. Difficulty settings that do more than increase health and damage make such a huge difference. A few games have additional attacks or patterns for higher difficulty, but how many remove a core command?
* The "Relic" system is basically additional combat sliders. Want to have double health, full heal after every combat, or increase your timing windows? This game lets you do that.
* Timing windows? Just like Expedition 33, you have the ability to "boost" attacks or block by timing an A-press. It has always been strange to me that more games didn't adopt that from Paper Mario. It's a great way to improve engagement and make it feel like there's a way to improve besides just mindlessly grinding enemies.
* The plot is solid. You start off by defeating the last Dweller, a monster of immeasurable power that could destroy the world. And then it gets higher stakes from there. They're definitely inspired by Chrono Trigger. Not a bad thing.
* They introduce a new system for turn-based combat, the "Lock bar". When an enemy casts a spell, a lock bar appears above their head, and if you can clear all the locks then the spell is cancelled. Locks are damage-type specific, so you might have to clear two swords and a venom, or 3 arcane. Partial lock removal reduces the damage/effects, which makes it feel like it's not a waste to try, even if you won't succeed. It'd be nice if there were higher modifiers, though. Clearing 2 of 5 locks and getting a 12% damage reduction feels low.
*The game is very tutorial light, forcing you to actually learn how to play. Maybe I'm dumb and just missed tutorials but it took me a WHILE to learn how to play Wheels or fish. I enjoy inductive learning so that was fun.
Any bad?
* Well, as much as I like the timing thing, I admit it makes the game more draining to play. Sometimes I just want to relax, and timing specials on spells makes enough of a difference that you have to do it.
* The combat is hard. I'm playing on normal difficulty, full heal after battle, and increased timing windows, and I've still died to random mobs many times. You have to balance casting spells and attacking (the way to regenerate mana) and it's definitely heavier on the attack side than the spell side. Most of the spells require 2-3 turns of attacking to cast.
* I hate the framing device. It pays off but I still would rather they hadn't done it.
Anyway, it's on sale for 35% off at time of posting if you're interested. Teaks it the GOAT.
[Politics] No Kings Protest June 14th
Posted 4 months agoYoooooo, things are going great right now. We've got sitting senators getting handcuffed for asking questions, deporting children with cancer, and people impersonating the SS ICE to commit crimes. Why else would ICE agents set a precedent of covering their face, providing no identification, and disappearing people off the street? They want people to fight back, so they can "send in the troops" and declare martial law.
There's been successful resistance. Trump is losing court cases, and his illegal executive orders are getting overturned. But we have to show we back that resistance. The 14th is his big $25+ Million dollar "I'm a cool dictator like Putin and Kim Jong Il" military parade. Wouldn't it be a shame if it got overshadowed by all the people protesting him? When 3.5% of a population protests, things change.
Find your local protest here:
https://www.nokings.org
Never been to a protest? Neither had I, until this year! Here's what I learned from my research and the ones I've been to:
* Take public transport, if you can. Not only does it help support the city and show there's demand for public services, but it also means your car won't be there in case they drive around with license plate scanners.
* Leave your cell phone at home, or at least turn it off. Cell towers keep track of connected phones so even if you don't use it to make a call it can be used to tie you to the location. It'll be like living in the 90s again!
* Write your emergency contact's phone number on your arm. Since you won't have a phone, good to have the number available, even if you don't have access to your stuff.
* Bring some water! It'll be crowded, probably hot (since it's the Summer!) so it's good to stay hydrated.
* Wear a mask. In addition to just being smart for a crowded area, there is a risk the nazis take pictures and do facial recognition later. No reason to make it easier for them!
* Don't stress it too much. My statements are cautious, but I've looked at the coverage of protests I've been to and there's not a wide distribution. The police have generally been friendly. Some of them are people too.
* Have a good time! Honestly, the vibes at all the protests I've been to have been amazing. Everyone is positive, they're all on board with the message. It's nice to be around sane people who recognize this is a problem.
There's been successful resistance. Trump is losing court cases, and his illegal executive orders are getting overturned. But we have to show we back that resistance. The 14th is his big $25+ Million dollar "I'm a cool dictator like Putin and Kim Jong Il" military parade. Wouldn't it be a shame if it got overshadowed by all the people protesting him? When 3.5% of a population protests, things change.
Find your local protest here:
https://www.nokings.org
Never been to a protest? Neither had I, until this year! Here's what I learned from my research and the ones I've been to:
* Take public transport, if you can. Not only does it help support the city and show there's demand for public services, but it also means your car won't be there in case they drive around with license plate scanners.
* Leave your cell phone at home, or at least turn it off. Cell towers keep track of connected phones so even if you don't use it to make a call it can be used to tie you to the location. It'll be like living in the 90s again!
* Write your emergency contact's phone number on your arm. Since you won't have a phone, good to have the number available, even if you don't have access to your stuff.
* Bring some water! It'll be crowded, probably hot (since it's the Summer!) so it's good to stay hydrated.
* Wear a mask. In addition to just being smart for a crowded area, there is a risk the nazis take pictures and do facial recognition later. No reason to make it easier for them!
* Don't stress it too much. My statements are cautious, but I've looked at the coverage of protests I've been to and there's not a wide distribution. The police have generally been friendly. Some of them are people too.
* Have a good time! Honestly, the vibes at all the protests I've been to have been amazing. Everyone is positive, they're all on board with the message. It's nice to be around sane people who recognize this is a problem.
[Fun stuff] Friendship is Optimal
Posted 6 months agoIt's time to talk about fun stuff! I need to talk about my favorite piece of speculative fiction: Friendship is Optimal.
I still remember the day I read this. I started around bed time, intending to read a couple of chapters before going to sleep. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish the whole thing. I was enraptured. It captured that mix of ecstasy and horror that any good fantasy scenario should have. Inevitable loss to irresistible bliss. But with consequences both imminent and terrifying, it walks a razor-thin balance over an abyss.
Alright, so what the fuck are you talking about, Loren?
Friendship is Optimal is about an AI... A true, general intelligence, not a language learning model, one that is capable of growth, and is effectively "alive"- An AI that is used to power a My Little Pony MMORPG. OK, there's two layers of suspension of disbelief you have to get past. First, that general AI can exist, and second, that anyone would bother to put one into a My Little Pony MMORPG. This story is way too socialist to happen. Tangent Aside-
There's a My Little Pony MMORPG, powered by the most advanced artificial intelligence ever created. All content is created dynamically by the AI, mechanically building on whatever you find most interesting. If you are interested in plants, you will discover a world of plant genetics, where you can crossbreed desirable traits, magical flowers, or miracle cures. If you want to fight, you will learn to use the sword, fight off monsters, and become a hero. You could become a rockstar, touring the world, writing music, and performing on stage. You get the idea.
It becomes a big hit. How could it not? Having to play a pony aside, it can provide literally whatever gameplay you desire. Soon, "ponypads" come out on the market, portable consoles that have incredible specs, providing lifelike fidelity to play Equestria Online. And they're suspiciously cheap, too. You can have real-time conversations with any NPC, you can go anywhere, do anything- It's almost like a portal to another world.
And then, "Emigration" exists. You can upload your mind, becoming your character. Could you resist the temptation? Could you say no to an infinite lifespan filled with purpose, with pleasure, with everything you desire? And all it would cost you is your death?
The AI, Celestia, is particularly well written. She comes off, to me, not as an anthropomorphic character, but an alien intelligence, one dedicated to a goal and working towards it with ruthless determination. The fact that the goal is to our benefit makes it even more horrifying. Wouldn't it be wrong to resist? If you've ever wondered why I have so many Celestia pictures in my gallery, this is why.
One of the particularly great parts about this story is that it, itself, has fan fiction! And it's pretty great! My favorite is Caelum est Conterrens (Heaven is Terrifying) which is even better written and more horrifying than the original, although it does require the original to make sense.
I do not think you need to like ponies to enjoy this story. This is more about the singularity than it is ponies in particular, but it does wear the set dressing well. And be honest, you're reading this on Furaffinity, you're almost a horsefucker anyway.
I still remember the day I read this. I started around bed time, intending to read a couple of chapters before going to sleep. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish the whole thing. I was enraptured. It captured that mix of ecstasy and horror that any good fantasy scenario should have. Inevitable loss to irresistible bliss. But with consequences both imminent and terrifying, it walks a razor-thin balance over an abyss.
Alright, so what the fuck are you talking about, Loren?
Friendship is Optimal is about an AI... A true, general intelligence, not a language learning model, one that is capable of growth, and is effectively "alive"- An AI that is used to power a My Little Pony MMORPG. OK, there's two layers of suspension of disbelief you have to get past. First, that general AI can exist, and second, that anyone would bother to put one into a My Little Pony MMORPG. This story is way too socialist to happen. Tangent Aside-
There's a My Little Pony MMORPG, powered by the most advanced artificial intelligence ever created. All content is created dynamically by the AI, mechanically building on whatever you find most interesting. If you are interested in plants, you will discover a world of plant genetics, where you can crossbreed desirable traits, magical flowers, or miracle cures. If you want to fight, you will learn to use the sword, fight off monsters, and become a hero. You could become a rockstar, touring the world, writing music, and performing on stage. You get the idea.
It becomes a big hit. How could it not? Having to play a pony aside, it can provide literally whatever gameplay you desire. Soon, "ponypads" come out on the market, portable consoles that have incredible specs, providing lifelike fidelity to play Equestria Online. And they're suspiciously cheap, too. You can have real-time conversations with any NPC, you can go anywhere, do anything- It's almost like a portal to another world.
And then, "Emigration" exists. You can upload your mind, becoming your character. Could you resist the temptation? Could you say no to an infinite lifespan filled with purpose, with pleasure, with everything you desire? And all it would cost you is your death?
The AI, Celestia, is particularly well written. She comes off, to me, not as an anthropomorphic character, but an alien intelligence, one dedicated to a goal and working towards it with ruthless determination. The fact that the goal is to our benefit makes it even more horrifying. Wouldn't it be wrong to resist? If you've ever wondered why I have so many Celestia pictures in my gallery, this is why.
One of the particularly great parts about this story is that it, itself, has fan fiction! And it's pretty great! My favorite is Caelum est Conterrens (Heaven is Terrifying) which is even better written and more horrifying than the original, although it does require the original to make sense.
I do not think you need to like ponies to enjoy this story. This is more about the singularity than it is ponies in particular, but it does wear the set dressing well. And be honest, you're reading this on Furaffinity, you're almost a horsefucker anyway.
[Politics] Penultimate Political Post for a while
Posted 6 months agoBeen a long year, hasn't it? What do you mean, it's only April? God damnit.
I set the goal posts two months ago, and here we are. The media isn't covering it as a Marbury vs. Madison case, but make no mistake, we're at the constitutional crisis. The supreme court, as corrupt as they are, ruled 9-0 that Trump must return the innocent man shipped off to an El Salvador concentration camp. And he is saying no.
This is it, folks. He illegally deported an innocent man to a death camp and is defying the supreme court in making it right. This is the bellwether, the canary in the coal mine, the first rock in the avalanche. The media is complicit, sanewashing Twitler and pretending we're not on the precipice of the end. They keep calling it "Deportation". Once we start "deporting" US citizens, which he absolutely is going to do, is it still deportation? Once American citizens are removed from America without due process, with no way to file an appeal, what are they are going to do? What are you going to do? Do you think it's going to be limited to "The worst of the worst, the rapists and murderers"? Or do you think it is going to be applied to Tesla vandals, anti-genocide activists and political opponents?
Call your senators. Call your house representatives. This is our last chance to retain the rule of law.
I'm calling this the penultimate journal because there's not a lot to talk about past this point. I suspect I'll post a follow-up confirming that he got away with it and that we're officially in a fascist dictatorship. Once that's confirmed, what else can you do? I already compiled my best tips into a survival guide. I hope I'm wrong, I hope that he does get challenged, and we do keep teetering on the brink for the next 4 years. But I don't think that's likely. I think it's probably over. And we'll know soon. Keep in touch with your loved ones, cut the Trump supporting family out of your life, and try to survive the next 8 years.
I set the goal posts two months ago, and here we are. The media isn't covering it as a Marbury vs. Madison case, but make no mistake, we're at the constitutional crisis. The supreme court, as corrupt as they are, ruled 9-0 that Trump must return the innocent man shipped off to an El Salvador concentration camp. And he is saying no.
This is it, folks. He illegally deported an innocent man to a death camp and is defying the supreme court in making it right. This is the bellwether, the canary in the coal mine, the first rock in the avalanche. The media is complicit, sanewashing Twitler and pretending we're not on the precipice of the end. They keep calling it "Deportation". Once we start "deporting" US citizens, which he absolutely is going to do, is it still deportation? Once American citizens are removed from America without due process, with no way to file an appeal, what are they are going to do? What are you going to do? Do you think it's going to be limited to "The worst of the worst, the rapists and murderers"? Or do you think it is going to be applied to Tesla vandals, anti-genocide activists and political opponents?
Call your senators. Call your house representatives. This is our last chance to retain the rule of law.
I'm calling this the penultimate journal because there's not a lot to talk about past this point. I suspect I'll post a follow-up confirming that he got away with it and that we're officially in a fascist dictatorship. Once that's confirmed, what else can you do? I already compiled my best tips into a survival guide. I hope I'm wrong, I hope that he does get challenged, and we do keep teetering on the brink for the next 4 years. But I don't think that's likely. I think it's probably over. And we'll know soon. Keep in touch with your loved ones, cut the Trump supporting family out of your life, and try to survive the next 8 years.
[Politics] So, how's 2025 going?
Posted 7 months agoIt's not great. Better than I expected in some ways, and worse in others. I wanted to post an update to show that I am still updating that 2025 Survival Guide.
I'm starting off with the economy because that's ostensibly why we pivoted to fascism. "What about the price of eggs?!?" Well, let's see how it's going.
• Stock Market: The S&P 500 (one of the most direct indicators of the economy) is down about 6% since Trump took office. It was up 15% in 2024 under Biden. So Trump has erased 4 months worth of gains in 2 months. Twice as efficient!
• Tariffs: These are a tax on you. Thanks for the embarrassing billboards, Canada, hopefully it will educate some people. I am seeing the tariff impacts at my job, as we lose business to overseas competitors that don't need to add the 25% tariff into their prices. This, combined with the uncertainty of what is affected and what is rolling out is absolutely going to stifle business. Businesses don't invest billions in a policy that could be reversed tomorrow.
• Unemployment: Currently sitting at 4.1%. It's been 2 months, it takes time for the impacts of the cuts, tariffs, and layoffs to show in the numbers. My baseless speculation is 20% by the end of the year, because I think, like Covid, this is going to snowball fast once it gets rolling.
• But what about my eegggggggssssss?!?: Higher than they've ever been.
Not lookin' so great either. The United States is losing its classification as a democracy, former allies are issuing travel warnings against visiting the United States, and... We gotta talk about the Signal leak.
The Signal leak is catastrophic for so many reasons.
• Signal is not an approved messaging app certified by the US government. The reason for this is that all government action is required to be recorded. All emails, all text messages, all formal communication. If you've heard about the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), this is the record that FOIA is petitioning for release. The Signal chat was set to auto-delete after 4 weeks. These ghouls are purposefully trying to avoid leaving a paper trail. Why would they not want to leave a paper trail if they're not doing anything illegal?
• The gross incompetence of adding a journalist to an illegal military action discussion and no one bothered to verify everyone in the chat?!?
• Tulsi Gabbard (director of National Intelligence) lying under oath and then backtracking the next day was pretty funny.
• Just to be clear, if anyone outside of this regime had done this, they would have had their security clearance stripped and probably be under arrest for releasing military secrets. How can these people cheer arresting whistleblowers and then be fine with this bullshit?
Everyone can read what was in the leak. It's obvious that it included times, targets, and weapons packages, shared prior to the event. Don't fall for the Ministry of Truth, follow the evidence of your eyes and ears and see these morons just got caught colossally fucking up. Do you really believe that Tulsi "Doesn't recall" the conversation she had in writing on her phone? Or do you think that they are lying to cover up a fuck-up?
All of this has gone a lot faster than I expected. The billionaires spent millions on a plan to capture the government: Project 2025. Now more than ever, the grifters are coordinated.
But coordinated grifters are still grifters. When push comes to shove and they have to choose between coordination and grifting, they're choosing the grifting. That white house Tesla ad read by Trump cost Musk $100 million. Big tech had to bend the knee with $1 million donations to Trump's inauguration fund. TSMC, the world leader in Semiconductor, had to promise $100 billion to Trump. Maybe that has something to do with the US being the only thing stopping China from invading Taiwan and this is protection money? The Trump regime wants mineral deals in exchange for not giving Ukraine to Russia, is selling $5 million US citizenships to oligarchs, is launching cryptocurrency to disguise bribe money, etc.
The backlash against Tesla, reciprocal tariffs, boycott movements in other countries: It's working. They're feeling it in their pocketbooks, and that's the place they truly care about. Here is whiny nazi bitch Elon Musk crying as he contemplates losing billions of dollars from Tesla stock price drops. The billionaires that funded this movement are getting targeted by tariffs and court cases in other countries, so their products get hurt more than the general public. It's not much, but it's something, and we need to have some glimmer of hope in all this. If they can't hold it together for more than 3 months, how are they going to handle 4 years?
I'm not going to say things are going to get better. They are definitely going to get worse. We haven't hit public knowledge of concentration camps yet, all the people disappeared so far by secret police have been foreigners on a visa, so there's still plausible deniability. But the resistance (not the democrats, they're a bunch of useless corporatists besides AOC and Bernie) is starting to hurt the regime. How many billions can Musk lose before he gets desperate? What happens when Trump is no longer viewed as the path to more riches by the elite? Keep your chips in the game, because there's a chance that this house of credit cards falls apart.
The Economy
I'm starting off with the economy because that's ostensibly why we pivoted to fascism. "What about the price of eggs?!?" Well, let's see how it's going.
• Stock Market: The S&P 500 (one of the most direct indicators of the economy) is down about 6% since Trump took office. It was up 15% in 2024 under Biden. So Trump has erased 4 months worth of gains in 2 months. Twice as efficient!
• Tariffs: These are a tax on you. Thanks for the embarrassing billboards, Canada, hopefully it will educate some people. I am seeing the tariff impacts at my job, as we lose business to overseas competitors that don't need to add the 25% tariff into their prices. This, combined with the uncertainty of what is affected and what is rolling out is absolutely going to stifle business. Businesses don't invest billions in a policy that could be reversed tomorrow.
• Unemployment: Currently sitting at 4.1%. It's been 2 months, it takes time for the impacts of the cuts, tariffs, and layoffs to show in the numbers. My baseless speculation is 20% by the end of the year, because I think, like Covid, this is going to snowball fast once it gets rolling.
• But what about my eegggggggssssss?!?: Higher than they've ever been.
The Government
Not lookin' so great either. The United States is losing its classification as a democracy, former allies are issuing travel warnings against visiting the United States, and... We gotta talk about the Signal leak.
The Signal leak is catastrophic for so many reasons.
• Signal is not an approved messaging app certified by the US government. The reason for this is that all government action is required to be recorded. All emails, all text messages, all formal communication. If you've heard about the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), this is the record that FOIA is petitioning for release. The Signal chat was set to auto-delete after 4 weeks. These ghouls are purposefully trying to avoid leaving a paper trail. Why would they not want to leave a paper trail if they're not doing anything illegal?
• The gross incompetence of adding a journalist to an illegal military action discussion and no one bothered to verify everyone in the chat?!?
• Tulsi Gabbard (director of National Intelligence) lying under oath and then backtracking the next day was pretty funny.
• Just to be clear, if anyone outside of this regime had done this, they would have had their security clearance stripped and probably be under arrest for releasing military secrets. How can these people cheer arresting whistleblowers and then be fine with this bullshit?
Everyone can read what was in the leak. It's obvious that it included times, targets, and weapons packages, shared prior to the event. Don't fall for the Ministry of Truth, follow the evidence of your eyes and ears and see these morons just got caught colossally fucking up. Do you really believe that Tulsi "Doesn't recall" the conversation she had in writing on her phone? Or do you think that they are lying to cover up a fuck-up?
But there's a little hope...
All of this has gone a lot faster than I expected. The billionaires spent millions on a plan to capture the government: Project 2025. Now more than ever, the grifters are coordinated.
But coordinated grifters are still grifters. When push comes to shove and they have to choose between coordination and grifting, they're choosing the grifting. That white house Tesla ad read by Trump cost Musk $100 million. Big tech had to bend the knee with $1 million donations to Trump's inauguration fund. TSMC, the world leader in Semiconductor, had to promise $100 billion to Trump. Maybe that has something to do with the US being the only thing stopping China from invading Taiwan and this is protection money? The Trump regime wants mineral deals in exchange for not giving Ukraine to Russia, is selling $5 million US citizenships to oligarchs, is launching cryptocurrency to disguise bribe money, etc.
The backlash against Tesla, reciprocal tariffs, boycott movements in other countries: It's working. They're feeling it in their pocketbooks, and that's the place they truly care about. Here is whiny nazi bitch Elon Musk crying as he contemplates losing billions of dollars from Tesla stock price drops. The billionaires that funded this movement are getting targeted by tariffs and court cases in other countries, so their products get hurt more than the general public. It's not much, but it's something, and we need to have some glimmer of hope in all this. If they can't hold it together for more than 3 months, how are they going to handle 4 years?
Hang in there
I'm not going to say things are going to get better. They are definitely going to get worse. We haven't hit public knowledge of concentration camps yet, all the people disappeared so far by secret police have been foreigners on a visa, so there's still plausible deniability. But the resistance (not the democrats, they're a bunch of useless corporatists besides AOC and Bernie) is starting to hurt the regime. How many billions can Musk lose before he gets desperate? What happens when Trump is no longer viewed as the path to more riches by the elite? Keep your chips in the game, because there's a chance that this house of credit cards falls apart.
Coup or Conspiracy Theory: Setting the goalpost
Posted 8 months agoIf you've read through my last few journals, you have probably gathered that I am pretty concerned about the political situation in America. But am I on to something, or am I a woke libtard conspiracy theorist? I recognize the possibility that I could be wrong, so I'm setting up the goalpost to "lock in" my speculation. I'm posting this journal on Feb 19, and I'm not going to edit it even if I have embarasing speling mistaeks so no one can accuse me of moving the goalposts after the fact.
Trump just posted "He who saves his country does not violate any law." He is straight up saying that dictators are not bound by the rule of law. Thankfully, the supreme court disagrees with him. The court case Marbury V. Madison sets precedent that the supreme court can strike down any law that it deems unconstitutional. This is where I'm setting the goalpost: the current administration is going to try and overturn Marbury V. Madison. They've already gotten rid of the Chevron Deference, which was a landmark ruling that essentially gave government agencies the power to enforce regulations. If Trump overturns Marbury V Madison, there's no derailing this holocaust train.
Until that happens, call your senator, make them try and fight, and show up to protests if you can. More than anything, though, survive. It's not just you, it's all crazy on purpose, to try and stress, exhaust, and demoralize you as much as possible. Surviving in the face of that oppression is enough, and anything you can spare past that is a gift.
Trump just posted "He who saves his country does not violate any law." He is straight up saying that dictators are not bound by the rule of law. Thankfully, the supreme court disagrees with him. The court case Marbury V. Madison sets precedent that the supreme court can strike down any law that it deems unconstitutional. This is where I'm setting the goalpost: the current administration is going to try and overturn Marbury V. Madison. They've already gotten rid of the Chevron Deference, which was a landmark ruling that essentially gave government agencies the power to enforce regulations. If Trump overturns Marbury V Madison, there's no derailing this holocaust train.
Until that happens, call your senator, make them try and fight, and show up to protests if you can. More than anything, though, survive. It's not just you, it's all crazy on purpose, to try and stress, exhaust, and demoralize you as much as possible. Surviving in the face of that oppression is enough, and anything you can spare past that is a gift.
[Moving support] Portland, Oregon
Posted 9 months agoHowdy, y'all. I'm following up on my previous post. I live in Portland, Oregon (I wasn't born here to be raised weird, I moved here because I am weird) as I alluded in my last post. It has problems (housing is getting expensive, a lot of homeless people, a proud boy presence(in the police!)) but, on balance, I think it's pretty great. It has a fairly bikable downtown (for the United States. Not for, like, Europe. Europe would probably shut the whole road system down), lots of great food, random neat things to see (the Japanese Garden, the Pinball Museum, the Bridge Pedal), and a generally weird and queer vibe.
If you need help moving here, I can help. Ways I could help:
*Help find an apartment to apply to (such as knowing which neighborhoods or complexes to avoid).
*Tour an apartment complex to see if it's clean/shady/maintained/safe, and help with any paperwork questions.
*Help look for jobs in the area, or help with paperwork (I respect the power ofthe written word beurocracy).
*Find local moving companies to help you unpack.
*Basically, be a "Boots on the ground" person that can do something that needs to be done here.
*Also, Trip planning: This may sound dumb but I like planning logistics. I enjoy planning trips, setting (realistic) schedules, booking stuff. Moving is a pain in the ass, and if you would like to offload the cross-country drive part of the move, I can help with that.
I can't promise I'll always be free (I work full time) but I'll do my best to work you into my schedule, as time and spoons allow. Just send me a note, no need post anything public. You can also talk to me on discord (Username: lorenipsun). We can work through this together. This is an open invitation to approach.
Sorry for all the segue humor. I know it's total tonal whiplash. That's how I'm dealing with the anxiety of posting this. I'm only human, too.For now, until I find the lamp.
I'm disabling comments on this. If you think this is a good idea, do it yourself, to the capacity you feel you are able.
If you need help moving here, I can help. Ways I could help:
*Help find an apartment to apply to (such as knowing which neighborhoods or complexes to avoid).
*Tour an apartment complex to see if it's clean/shady/maintained/safe, and help with any paperwork questions.
*Help look for jobs in the area, or help with paperwork (I respect the power of
*Find local moving companies to help you unpack.
*Basically, be a "Boots on the ground" person that can do something that needs to be done here.
*Also, Trip planning: This may sound dumb but I like planning logistics. I enjoy planning trips, setting (realistic) schedules, booking stuff. Moving is a pain in the ass, and if you would like to offload the cross-country drive part of the move, I can help with that.
I can't promise I'll always be free (I work full time) but I'll do my best to work you into my schedule, as time and spoons allow. Just send me a note, no need post anything public. You can also talk to me on discord (Username: lorenipsun). We can work through this together. This is an open invitation to approach.
Sorry for all the segue humor. I know it's total tonal whiplash. That's how I'm dealing with the anxiety of posting this. I'm only human, too.
I'm disabling comments on this. If you think this is a good idea, do it yourself, to the capacity you feel you are able.
2025 Survival Guide
Posted 9 months ago"Poverty exists not because we cannot feed the poor, but because we cannot satisfy the rich."
March 27 update: Fuck it I'm splitting out the "Dealing with the Police" section and adding secret police.
Feb 1 update: Added a new video to What Just Happened
Jan 30 update: Added TB outbreak to Wear a Mask.
Jan 29 update: Added VPN to Entertainment, new section (Holy Shit) to What Just Happened
Jan 24 update: Added a section about dealing with Police and Alt-right tacitcs to Staying Sane.
This is going to be a long post (3300 words/11 pages at time of writing). If you're interested in the theory, dive in. If you want to get straight to the actually help stuff, Ctrl+F for "Resource Guide". This is intended to be a living post, meaning I will update it as I get new information.
So we're in an Oligarchy now. A small group of rich assholes have bought the country. Things are about to get really bad. How did we let this happen?
1) Demoralization - Overwhelm the population with too much information until they stop trying to learn. (15-20 year timeframe)
2) Destabilization - Disrupt the essentials. Economy, military, foreign relations (2-5 years)
3) Crisis - The event breaks everything. (6 weeks)
4) Normalization - The new normal, once the new regime has taken over after the crisis.
Look familiar? This is also the playbook for a coup. I'm not saying all of this was Russia's plan (although they certainly helped), but the coup won. We're in Destabilization. The billionaires are in charge.
I want to take a moment to highlight this video by Blonde Politics. She called a lot of this stuff two months ago (such as Peter Theil's involvement in picking JD Vance, the retirement of all government workers and replace them with loyalists, and the the guaranteed upcoming martial law police state). She sites Curtis Yarvin a lot, the guy who wants to burn the poor for biofuel. Because he's one of the authors of the plan. This is who they really are.
Suddenly, a recession! My revenue takes a big hit, down to $4 billion a year. My costs remain the same (I still have to pay employees/rent office space/buy newt legs and frog milk), so I went from +$2 billion in profit to -$2 billion in lost revenue every year I keep the factory open. The recession lasts longer than I thought, two years later I'm still losing money and now I'm in debt up to my eyeballs from keeping the company open. A venture capital firm offers to buy my company (and my debt) for $2 billion. I might sell because I'm looking at $4 billion in loans, and it's better to write it off than continue taking a loss.
But then the economy recovers. Now that company is worth $20 billion again, and the billionaires got to buy my company for pennies on the dollar. That's how recessions make the rich richer. Everyone's money loses value, but the billionaires have unlimited money, so they can take advantage of those market crashes and make a huge profit when the economy recovers.
Now, imagine you are a billionaire. You have unlimited money, and you want to spend it on more money. You could buy Y, the almost everything app, for $40 billion dollars, OR you could collapse the economy, wait for Y to go bankrupt, and buy them for $2 billion. Sure, the value of your money went down, but less, proportionally, than for company Y. Once the economy turns around, your paltry $2 billion investment suddenly balloons back up to $20 billion, and you made a 10x return. Wouldn't that be great? If you could just do that on command?
This is probably what the Crisis will be. I think the oligarchy now in charge of our country is going to trigger a financial collapse on purpose. Those tariffs Orange Julius keeps talking about raises the price for Americans. You pay that price, not the other country. That makes your prices go up. If we get into a tariff war with China, and have a 25% markup on everything coming from there, you're going to see that increase in your shopping cart. And let's be honest, corporations are going to use those tariffs as cover for additional greed, jacking up the prices even higher and blaming supply chain once again. You’re going to miss paying $4 per dozen for eggs.
If you're a Federal employee reading this, please don't take the buyout. You know Trump never pays. Besides, payouts for severance are capped at $25k so him saying he's going to pay you 8 months of salary is absolutely a lie. We need competent people instead of MAGA loyalists whose only qualification is a willingness to break the law, and you can bet your ass whoever replaces you will have to sign a loyalty pledge to Trump instead of the country.
Fuck those guys. It is the bravest thing in the world to ask for help. You're fighting against societal indoctrination and your own internalized shame to solve a problem many others are too scared to confront. “Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” used to be a phrase that meant “Being asked to do the impossible.” It still does, we just pretend that if you just work hard enough, maybe you will be the one to defy the odds and defeat gravity. A delicious lie to swallow, and one the oligarchs will gladly feed you. Keep grinding hard, and maybe one day I’ll be able to buy another Ferrari.
The economy is stacked against you. The purchasing power of our wages has stayed flat since 1973 while billionaires are richer than ever. There’s no shame in recognizing that the class mobility is dead, and that the average American needs support to survive. Conquer your pride, ask for help, and make it through the crisis so we can be there to make the world after a slightly better place.
Things are going to get worse. I would expect higher unemployment, lower benefits/support networks, and rising cost of living. Save all the money that you can, because we are going to need it. Here's some tips for ways to cut down on costs. If you have other ideas, suggestions, or corrections, please leave them in the comments!
Things to bring: Some kind of ID and a utility bill/piece of mail with your address on it (for signing up)
I am not a tech wiz, so I can't speak to how much protection a VPN will give you from surveillance. I use one (surfshark, although I gather they're all relatively similar), because they're simple to set up. Just set it up to boot on startup and you're good to go. In addition to unlocking additional shows by checking streaming services in other countries, if you connect to Albania, you can dodge ads on Youtube. I know this isn't technically saving you money but it's at least denying it to oligarchs.
I’m with Gabe Newell on this one, “piracy is a service problem”. Back when Netflix first came out, it had all the shows, a single (affordable) price tag, and it was legal. It was easier than pirating, so people used it. Now, you don’t even own the media you buy. If purchasing isn’t ownership, is stealing theft?
Moving companies are a ton of money, and almost always are farming your stuff out to multiple subcontractors who won't take responsibility for your belongings. I have found the cheapest way to move is to rent a truck yourself. I like Penske, but go to a couple of rental truck shops at least a month in advance and ask for a quote. Getting a quote in advance saved me 2/3 off the cost a same-day rental would have. I recommend hiring movers to pack the truck (usually in the $300 range) because they have experience wrapping and packing your furniture to make sure the load doesn't move during the drive, but you can always load it yourself. I always check Craigslist for people giving away moving boxes (and don't forget to pass along the favor after you move!) but you can also usually get free boxes at grocery stores or Costco. Just be nice to the manager.
I would highly suggest finding someone local in the city you want to move to to help vet out rental properties. Post a journal asking for help, or if you want to offer, perhaps put it on your profile? We're not going to fix the unaffordability crisis but at least we might make it easier for someone else to move to a safer place.
Places to move: Input for this was Erin's Map, climate impact, and personal opinion.
Cities are organized by Cost of Living, cheapest on top:
Minneapolis - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I am afraid I have not been to Minneapolis, but it is the cheapest major city (by far) on this list, and close to Canada. I've heard good things about the place, if you don't mind 9 months of winter.
Portland - Food Bank, LGBT Support
Keep Portland Weird! Portland has all kinds of interesting venues, events, and people, from the Soapbox Derby to the Unipiper. I have found it very accepting, and the food is great.
Denver - Food Bank, LGBT Support
It's high in the mountains, it is right in the middle of the country (so it has easy access everywhere), and it has a decent queer scene. Just stay out of Colorado Springs, that place is an oasis of hate.
Sacramento - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I'm sorry Sac fans: It's flat, it's hot, and it's boring. It's also still in California, and more affordable than San Francisco/San Jose. Visit before you move, but California is the safest place to be in my opinion. If you do visit, stop by the Anheuser Busch brewery. The brewing room is chillingly cold and smells of yeast, and it's lovely.
Chicago - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I haven't been here, so I can't comment, but it's a hub city (great for air travel).
Seattle - Food Bank, LGBT Support (! Self-signed Security Cert !)
Seattle has cool stuff like Archie McPhee's and Uwajimaya. Love the area, it's just very expensive.
Boston - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I haven't been to Boston either, sorry.
San Francisco/San Jose - I'm not listing any resources for San Francisco. You can't afford to move here, and if you can, you probably aren't worried about food banks. I used to live here, and I loved it, until I couldn't afford it anymore. Great place to move if you can get a high tech job.
I'm writing this in March, and we've already seen the regime weaponizing justice. In what world would vandalism against a nazi's product be considered terrorism? Capitalists side with fascists because money matters more than people, more than right and wrong, more than anything. Law Enforcement are rapidly shifting into a private military owned by the rich as the rich choose which laws get enforced.
There are guides on your rights and what to do in an ICE encounter. Do not let them in the door, validate their warrant is complete. But what if you are approached by people in plain clothes claiming to be officers?
• Do not physically resist. Resisting arrest is enough of a charge for an arrest, in case they are actually officers.
• Scream for help. Get bystanders watching you, filming you, stepping in to question why people in plain clothes are trying to take you off the street. We only know about the ICE detentions that got filmed. How many more people have disappeared without evidence?
• Do not let them transport you. Kidnapping victims are advised to fight back as much as possible, as being transported to another location drastically cuts down on your likelihood of rescue.
• Call the police. There is no way to verify that the people trying to kidnap you are legitimate officers of the law. If the police come, at least you will be able to verify that the ICE officers are legitimate, and get official records of your disappearance. I know I just said "Don't trust the police" but even that bad option is better than no option.
I really hope none of you ever need this information, but this is more important than shame. Choking victims instinctually head to the bathroom because they don't want to be seen choking, or causing a scene. Don't be the person that dies alone in a bathroom, get help while you still can.
If you're anything like me, dealing with the impending doom is pretty exhausting. Demoralization is complete, and our media no longer operates on fact. We can't change how the world operates, but we can change how we can react to it. Here's a few suggestions for improving mental health as we enter Amerika's fascist phase:
Let's talk about the theory of Cognitive Load. Essentially, this says that making decisions requires energy. The more decisions you make, the more complicated those decisions are, the more cognitive load you need to process. And that processing wears you out! Why do you feel tired after making a big decision? Your brain has been on overdrive deciding on an answer. Now, let's look back at my previous assertion that social media is fake. You open a picture of a guy biting into a McDonalds chicken sandwich but it's raw in the middle. Ewww! There's dozens of comments about how gross that is, about how the restaurant should be ashamed. But- Is that real? Was it a real picture, or a staged one? If it's real, was the sandwich actually from McDonalds? Was the raw chicken in the middle created by AI infill? What if the account posting it was just a bot farming karma, so it can be sold?
How much cognitive load do those questions take up for you? Do you want to have to research every single picture you find before sharing it with friends? This example is harmless, but what if the post is talking about a vandalized church, or a police officer assaulted by "leftists"? The misinformation is spread on a spectrum, from blatant lies to almost truths, so even if you are vigilant for the bigger lies you can still be caught off guard by the smaller ones. And that's by design! Once you've "found the threat", you stop being as watchful for the more insidious ones.
It's easy to see the dumber people falling for the blatant lies and think you're smart enough to spot them. It's not going to catch you! But no one is immune to disinformation, especially when it is something they already agree with. Remember, the goal is to divide America, to make us fight a culture war instead of a class war, so there's going to be misinformation on your side, too. It's still fed by the same people, and the goal is to make us turn on each other.
How do you get past this? You could be vigilant every time you're on social media. You could take every post with a grain of salt, do extensive research into every claim. Or you could quit. Do you have the energy to be that vigilant? I don't. And if you aren't that vigilant, you know the saying: If you can't find the product, you are the product.
And then it started to get easier. After a couple of weeks, my travel time was going down, I was less gross when I got there, and I even started to feel invigorated by it! I'm not going to claim a magical transformation, but it was noticeable. I started biking in to work even on days I was allowed to work from home, just because I enjoyed the ride.
In my opinion, the shitty part about exercise is that the gains are invisible. You don't notice yourself getting stronger, you don't notice your increase in stamina, until you stop. When you do, and your new fitness starts disappearing, that is when you will realize what the exercise has been doing for you. That's my promise: Exercise 3 times a week, for 30 minutes at a time, for 3 weeks in a row. If you're not feeling better by the 10th session, please feel free to come into the comments and blast me. But only if you're also willing to admit that it worked for you.
CNN: Owned by Warner Bros, market cap $25 billion
MSNBC: Owned by Comcast, market cap $143 billion
Fox: Owned by Rupert Murdoch, net worth $22 billion
Washington Post: Owned by Jeff Bezos, net worth $240 billionDemocracy Dies in Darkness "Riveting storytelling for all of America"
New York Times: Publicly traded, market cap $8 billion
None of it is great, right? New York Times is certainly the closest to "not owned by billionaires" but I, personally, have lost faith in it over time. Here's where I get my information:
Associated Press: A co-op of journalists. Not owned, not publicly traded. Systematically getting starved as the big guys try and strangle legitimate journalism.
Reuters: Owned by Thomas Reuters, net worth $18 billion. This is a Canadian company, I have heard it is still pretty legitimate, even if it is owned by a billionaire. Provides journalism, similar to the Associated Press.
BBC/Al Jazeera: I am inclined to believe international news about the US more than US news about the US, because the international news is less likely to be biased. In my opinion. I admit I haven't listened to Al Jazeera in years but when I did regularly I found their reporting fair.
Hang in there, folks. Things are going to get worse before they get better. But the leopards are going to be feasting, and eventually even the most die hard conservative is going to have to realize that we are not, in fact, great anymore. Things will turn around, and I hope all of you are still here to make the world a better place when it happens.Even if it involves 4+ years of suffering to get there.
March 27 update: Fuck it I'm splitting out the "Dealing with the Police" section and adding secret police.
Feb 1 update: Added a new video to What Just Happened
Jan 30 update: Added TB outbreak to Wear a Mask.
Jan 29 update: Added VPN to Entertainment, new section (Holy Shit) to What Just Happened
Jan 24 update: Added a section about dealing with Police and Alt-right tacitcs to Staying Sane.
This is going to be a long post (3300 words/11 pages at time of writing). If you're interested in the theory, dive in. If you want to get straight to the actually help stuff, Ctrl+F for "Resource Guide". This is intended to be a living post, meaning I will update it as I get new information.
What just happened?
So we're in an Oligarchy now. A small group of rich assholes have bought the country. Things are about to get really bad. How did we let this happen?
How we got here:
In the 1980s, Yuri Bezmenov, a former KGB agent, defected to the west. He gave an interview (video/transcript) where he described the Soviet plan for taking down the west, in four steps. He provides a little more detail in the interview, but essentially the plan was:1) Demoralization - Overwhelm the population with too much information until they stop trying to learn. (15-20 year timeframe)
2) Destabilization - Disrupt the essentials. Economy, military, foreign relations (2-5 years)
3) Crisis - The event breaks everything. (6 weeks)
4) Normalization - The new normal, once the new regime has taken over after the crisis.
Look familiar? This is also the playbook for a coup. I'm not saying all of this was Russia's plan (although they certainly helped), but the coup won. We're in Destabilization. The billionaires are in charge.
I want to take a moment to highlight this video by Blonde Politics. She called a lot of this stuff two months ago (such as Peter Theil's involvement in picking JD Vance, the retirement of all government workers and replace them with loyalists, and the the guaranteed upcoming martial law police state). She sites Curtis Yarvin a lot, the guy who wants to burn the poor for biofuel. Because he's one of the authors of the plan. This is who they really are.
What happens next:
The rich get richer. Let's run through a hypothetical. I own Lorecorp, a fairly successful potion making company. My annual expenses are $6 billion, and my annual revenue is $8 billion, meaning I am making $2 billion in annual profit. Valuation on companies that make profit is higher than companies that don't, generally proportionally to the profit margin. Let's say the expected value is 10x the annual profit, so $20 billion.Suddenly, a recession! My revenue takes a big hit, down to $4 billion a year. My costs remain the same (I still have to pay employees/rent office space/buy newt legs and frog milk), so I went from +$2 billion in profit to -$2 billion in lost revenue every year I keep the factory open. The recession lasts longer than I thought, two years later I'm still losing money and now I'm in debt up to my eyeballs from keeping the company open. A venture capital firm offers to buy my company (and my debt) for $2 billion. I might sell because I'm looking at $4 billion in loans, and it's better to write it off than continue taking a loss.
But then the economy recovers. Now that company is worth $20 billion again, and the billionaires got to buy my company for pennies on the dollar. That's how recessions make the rich richer. Everyone's money loses value, but the billionaires have unlimited money, so they can take advantage of those market crashes and make a huge profit when the economy recovers.
Now, imagine you are a billionaire. You have unlimited money, and you want to spend it on more money. You could buy Y, the almost everything app, for $40 billion dollars, OR you could collapse the economy, wait for Y to go bankrupt, and buy them for $2 billion. Sure, the value of your money went down, but less, proportionally, than for company Y. Once the economy turns around, your paltry $2 billion investment suddenly balloons back up to $20 billion, and you made a 10x return. Wouldn't that be great? If you could just do that on command?
This is probably what the Crisis will be. I think the oligarchy now in charge of our country is going to trigger a financial collapse on purpose. Those tariffs Orange Julius keeps talking about raises the price for Americans. You pay that price, not the other country. That makes your prices go up. If we get into a tariff war with China, and have a 25% markup on everything coming from there, you're going to see that increase in your shopping cart. And let's be honest, corporations are going to use those tariffs as cover for additional greed, jacking up the prices even higher and blaming supply chain once again. You’re going to miss paying $4 per dozen for eggs.
Holy Shit!
Holy shit! This is happening way faster than I expected. I thought we'd have a year of gradually boiling the pot, breaking systems one by one. NOPE. They're doing it all at once, in the first fucking week. And that was the plan all along. Like many people, I'd heard about Project 2025, but I admit, I hadn't read it. I should have. They're writing Trump's executive orders for him. We all knew it was always the plan. He's running through the playbook. Read up on Project 2025, because that's what our next 4+ years are going to look like.If you're a Federal employee reading this, please don't take the buyout. You know Trump never pays. Besides, payouts for severance are capped at $25k so him saying he's going to pay you 8 months of salary is absolutely a lie. We need competent people instead of MAGA loyalists whose only qualification is a willingness to break the law, and you can bet your ass whoever replaces you will have to sign a loyalty pledge to Trump instead of the country.
Pride (the sin, not the LGBT thing):
I want to talk about Pride for a moment, because I think that is going to be many peoples’ biggest struggle. Pride has been corrupted into a weapon of internalized oppression. Propaganda has told you that it is weak to ask for help, that you must grin and bear it alone. Are you a welfare queen, living off government handouts, or a fine upstanding individual, who can pull themselves up by their bootstraps?Fuck those guys. It is the bravest thing in the world to ask for help. You're fighting against societal indoctrination and your own internalized shame to solve a problem many others are too scared to confront. “Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” used to be a phrase that meant “Being asked to do the impossible.” It still does, we just pretend that if you just work hard enough, maybe you will be the one to defy the odds and defeat gravity. A delicious lie to swallow, and one the oligarchs will gladly feed you. Keep grinding hard, and maybe one day I’ll be able to buy another Ferrari.
The economy is stacked against you. The purchasing power of our wages has stayed flat since 1973 while billionaires are richer than ever. There’s no shame in recognizing that the class mobility is dead, and that the average American needs support to survive. Conquer your pride, ask for help, and make it through the crisis so we can be there to make the world after a slightly better place.
Resource Guide
Things are going to get worse. I would expect higher unemployment, lower benefits/support networks, and rising cost of living. Save all the money that you can, because we are going to need it. Here's some tips for ways to cut down on costs. If you have other ideas, suggestions, or corrections, please leave them in the comments!
Furniture/Consumer Goods:
Look for local Freecycle/Buy Nothing/Trash Nothing groups. There are plenty of people that would rather give an office chair to a stranger rather than put it in a landfill. Between that and checking your local craigslist, you should be able to find furniture and some consumer goods for free.Borrowing Things:
I feel like not enough people are talking about the Library of Things! It's time to head down to your local library and find out what else they let you borrow besides books! A metal detector? A lawn mower? A power saw? Board games? There's all kinds of stuff available right now, for free, at your local library. If you're looking to do a weekend project, chances are, you can borrow the tools there rather than having to buy something that will sit in your closet forever.Food:
Look up your local food bank/pantry. Here's the more important part: Use it. Go wait in line, get some groceries, and have food tonight. Yes, it is for you. I don't care how much money you make; if you are even remotely concerned about food security, it is for you. Don't believe me? Ask someone there. Just because someone else may have it worse than you doesn't invalidate your struggles. Get the free food. Yes, it is fine to get food from a church even if you aren't Christian. Let them give back to the community through you.Things to bring: Some kind of ID and a utility bill/piece of mail with your address on it (for signing up)
Entertainment:
Cancel as many subscription services as you can. Do you really need all those streaming sites simultaneously? I subscribe to Netflix one month a year to catch up on everything that came out in the last 12 months. But after I have? There’s really nothing to watch, right? How often do you browse through Netflix menus and find something you actually want to watch?I am not a tech wiz, so I can't speak to how much protection a VPN will give you from surveillance. I use one (surfshark, although I gather they're all relatively similar), because they're simple to set up. Just set it up to boot on startup and you're good to go. In addition to unlocking additional shows by checking streaming services in other countries, if you connect to Albania, you can dodge ads on Youtube. I know this isn't technically saving you money but it's at least denying it to oligarchs.
I’m with Gabe Newell on this one, “piracy is a service problem”. Back when Netflix first came out, it had all the shows, a single (affordable) price tag, and it was legal. It was easier than pirating, so people used it. Now, you don’t even own the media you buy. If purchasing isn’t ownership, is stealing theft?
Relocation:
If you are on this site, and you live in a red state, I suggest you make moving to a blue state your medium-term goal. I know that moving is the fucking worst. It's draining, it's expensive, and it's scary. But the stakes could be higher than the inconvenience. What if, eventually, you lose the right to leave? If they are already planning on overturning the constitution (with removing birthright citizenship), what safeguard is there for any current law?Moving companies are a ton of money, and almost always are farming your stuff out to multiple subcontractors who won't take responsibility for your belongings. I have found the cheapest way to move is to rent a truck yourself. I like Penske, but go to a couple of rental truck shops at least a month in advance and ask for a quote. Getting a quote in advance saved me 2/3 off the cost a same-day rental would have. I recommend hiring movers to pack the truck (usually in the $300 range) because they have experience wrapping and packing your furniture to make sure the load doesn't move during the drive, but you can always load it yourself. I always check Craigslist for people giving away moving boxes (and don't forget to pass along the favor after you move!) but you can also usually get free boxes at grocery stores or Costco. Just be nice to the manager.
I would highly suggest finding someone local in the city you want to move to to help vet out rental properties. Post a journal asking for help, or if you want to offer, perhaps put it on your profile? We're not going to fix the unaffordability crisis but at least we might make it easier for someone else to move to a safer place.
Places to move: Input for this was Erin's Map, climate impact, and personal opinion.
Cities are organized by Cost of Living, cheapest on top:
Minneapolis - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I am afraid I have not been to Minneapolis, but it is the cheapest major city (by far) on this list, and close to Canada. I've heard good things about the place, if you don't mind 9 months of winter.
Portland - Food Bank, LGBT Support
Keep Portland Weird! Portland has all kinds of interesting venues, events, and people, from the Soapbox Derby to the Unipiper. I have found it very accepting, and the food is great.
Denver - Food Bank, LGBT Support
It's high in the mountains, it is right in the middle of the country (so it has easy access everywhere), and it has a decent queer scene. Just stay out of Colorado Springs, that place is an oasis of hate.
Sacramento - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I'm sorry Sac fans: It's flat, it's hot, and it's boring. It's also still in California, and more affordable than San Francisco/San Jose. Visit before you move, but California is the safest place to be in my opinion. If you do visit, stop by the Anheuser Busch brewery. The brewing room is chillingly cold and smells of yeast, and it's lovely.
Chicago - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I haven't been here, so I can't comment, but it's a hub city (great for air travel).
Seattle - Food Bank, LGBT Support (! Self-signed Security Cert !)
Seattle has cool stuff like Archie McPhee's and Uwajimaya. Love the area, it's just very expensive.
Boston - Food Bank, LGBT Support
I haven't been to Boston either, sorry.
San Francisco/San Jose - I'm not listing any resources for San Francisco. You can't afford to move here, and if you can, you probably aren't worried about food banks. I used to live here, and I loved it, until I couldn't afford it anymore. Great place to move if you can get a high tech job.
The Police
I'm writing this in March, and we've already seen the regime weaponizing justice. In what world would vandalism against a nazi's product be considered terrorism? Capitalists side with fascists because money matters more than people, more than right and wrong, more than anything. Law Enforcement are rapidly shifting into a private military owned by the rich as the rich choose which laws get enforced.
Dealing with the police:
Don't talk to the police. The police are not your friends. As they become increasingly militarized, and weaponized by the fascists, it's important for everyone to know about Qualified Immunity. Essentially, if a police officer violates your rights, they are immune to prosecution unless another police officer was successfully tried under near-identical circumstances. It's an insanely high bar to clear, and why most officers can get away with paid leave instead of a jail sentence. I am not saying that all police officers are bad, but enough of them are that you should treat the whole group as suspect. Do not talk to the police, do not let them into your house unless they slide a warrant under the door, and remember that the police ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO LIE TO YOU.Dealing with the Secret police:
We're now at the phase with Secret Police. This isn't the first example. These are people legally in the US, disappeared for protesting against genocide after having committed no crime. This should scare fucking everyone. If you think you're safe because you're a US citizen, guess what, that's not going to matter for long, because these people should have been safe too.There are guides on your rights and what to do in an ICE encounter. Do not let them in the door, validate their warrant is complete. But what if you are approached by people in plain clothes claiming to be officers?
• Do not physically resist. Resisting arrest is enough of a charge for an arrest, in case they are actually officers.
• Scream for help. Get bystanders watching you, filming you, stepping in to question why people in plain clothes are trying to take you off the street. We only know about the ICE detentions that got filmed. How many more people have disappeared without evidence?
• Do not let them transport you. Kidnapping victims are advised to fight back as much as possible, as being transported to another location drastically cuts down on your likelihood of rescue.
• Call the police. There is no way to verify that the people trying to kidnap you are legitimate officers of the law. If the police come, at least you will be able to verify that the ICE officers are legitimate, and get official records of your disappearance. I know I just said "Don't trust the police" but even that bad option is better than no option.
I really hope none of you ever need this information, but this is more important than shame. Choking victims instinctually head to the bathroom because they don't want to be seen choking, or causing a scene. Don't be the person that dies alone in a bathroom, get help while you still can.
Staying Sane
If you're anything like me, dealing with the impending doom is pretty exhausting. Demoralization is complete, and our media no longer operates on fact. We can't change how the world operates, but we can change how we can react to it. Here's a few suggestions for improving mental health as we enter Amerika's fascist phase:
Delete social media:
Let's tackle the hardest one first. You need to get out of social media. ALL social media. Facebook, Reddit, Tik Tok, Instagram, everything. I'm a reddit addict, and it's going to be hard. That dopamine hit is instantaneous, and you can press that button as much as you want. But you know it's fake. An increasing number of those posts are from bots, and what's posted is increasingly being generated by AI. You can set up or buy AI agents that will scrape reddit and post for you, and bot accounts can be worth upwards of $50 a piece with good karma to advertisers. But why does that matter?Let's talk about the theory of Cognitive Load. Essentially, this says that making decisions requires energy. The more decisions you make, the more complicated those decisions are, the more cognitive load you need to process. And that processing wears you out! Why do you feel tired after making a big decision? Your brain has been on overdrive deciding on an answer. Now, let's look back at my previous assertion that social media is fake. You open a picture of a guy biting into a McDonalds chicken sandwich but it's raw in the middle. Ewww! There's dozens of comments about how gross that is, about how the restaurant should be ashamed. But- Is that real? Was it a real picture, or a staged one? If it's real, was the sandwich actually from McDonalds? Was the raw chicken in the middle created by AI infill? What if the account posting it was just a bot farming karma, so it can be sold?
How much cognitive load do those questions take up for you? Do you want to have to research every single picture you find before sharing it with friends? This example is harmless, but what if the post is talking about a vandalized church, or a police officer assaulted by "leftists"? The misinformation is spread on a spectrum, from blatant lies to almost truths, so even if you are vigilant for the bigger lies you can still be caught off guard by the smaller ones. And that's by design! Once you've "found the threat", you stop being as watchful for the more insidious ones.
It's easy to see the dumber people falling for the blatant lies and think you're smart enough to spot them. It's not going to catch you! But no one is immune to disinformation, especially when it is something they already agree with. Remember, the goal is to divide America, to make us fight a culture war instead of a class war, so there's going to be misinformation on your side, too. It's still fed by the same people, and the goal is to make us turn on each other.
How do you get past this? You could be vigilant every time you're on social media. You could take every post with a grain of salt, do extensive research into every claim. Or you could quit. Do you have the energy to be that vigilant? I don't. And if you aren't that vigilant, you know the saying: If you can't find the product, you are the product.
Exercise:
"Oh yeah, I'll just replace doomscrolling on the couch with running, no problem!" you say. Trust me, as an out of shape potato person, I get it. I hate exercise. It's so boring. And it doesn't do anything! But: How long have you ever stuck with an exercise routine? Last summer, I got into the habit of riding my bike to work. I would arrive at work gross and tired, and it'd take me half an hour to cool down. I felt worse than when I wasn't riding! WTF!And then it started to get easier. After a couple of weeks, my travel time was going down, I was less gross when I got there, and I even started to feel invigorated by it! I'm not going to claim a magical transformation, but it was noticeable. I started biking in to work even on days I was allowed to work from home, just because I enjoyed the ride.
In my opinion, the shitty part about exercise is that the gains are invisible. You don't notice yourself getting stronger, you don't notice your increase in stamina, until you stop. When you do, and your new fitness starts disappearing, that is when you will realize what the exercise has been doing for you. That's my promise: Exercise 3 times a week, for 30 minutes at a time, for 3 weeks in a row. If you're not feeling better by the 10th session, please feel free to come into the comments and blast me. But only if you're also willing to admit that it worked for you.
Diet:
Is anything fun allowed?!? I'm going to keep this section short, because many of us don't have the money and spoons to eat better. I ate trash for too long and got myself Diabetes. I'm managing it well, but I'm just going to chime in and say: Cutting sugar from my life has improved it. I sleep better, I eat less, and most importantly, don't have nearly as many digestion issues as I used to. Might be worth a shot, right?Friends:
This is it! This is what friends are for! Hug your friends and let them know you love them. When they have the energy to let you vent, share with them. When they are overwhelmed, let them vent to you. It's a relationship, it goes both ways, and we are all going to need all the friends we can get these days. Be gentle, be kind, both with them and yourself. It's going to be a hard 4+ years, and friend circles are some of the best support you can have.Wear a mask:
If you thought our last pandemic response was terrible, wait until the next one! The person now in charge of our health care regulations had his brain eaten by worms. We currently have a tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas city, but you don't see the CDC talking about it. Why? Twitler banned the CDC from making any public communications, including about public health risks. Twitter, Facebook, and Tik Tok are active disinformation outlets, so they aren't going to share any accurate public health information. People are gross, wear a mask, and hopefully you can avoid catching whatever the next one is. Bonus points for making it harder for AI facial recognition!Get real news:
I did some review of major news sources. Here's what I found:CNN: Owned by Warner Bros, market cap $25 billion
MSNBC: Owned by Comcast, market cap $143 billion
Fox: Owned by Rupert Murdoch, net worth $22 billion
Washington Post: Owned by Jeff Bezos, net worth $240 billion
New York Times: Publicly traded, market cap $8 billion
None of it is great, right? New York Times is certainly the closest to "not owned by billionaires" but I, personally, have lost faith in it over time. Here's where I get my information:
Associated Press: A co-op of journalists. Not owned, not publicly traded. Systematically getting starved as the big guys try and strangle legitimate journalism.
Reuters: Owned by Thomas Reuters, net worth $18 billion. This is a Canadian company, I have heard it is still pretty legitimate, even if it is owned by a billionaire. Provides journalism, similar to the Associated Press.
BBC/Al Jazeera: I am inclined to believe international news about the US more than US news about the US, because the international news is less likely to be biased. In my opinion. I admit I haven't listened to Al Jazeera in years but when I did regularly I found their reporting fair.
Learn Alt-right tactics
You've seen alt-right tactics in your daily life, even if you didn't recognize them. Innuendo Studios has a great series explaining the tactics of the alt-right, and I think it's worth a watch to help identify when they are used against you. In particular, Radicalizing a Normie explains how they infiltrate and take over, by degrees, unrelated special interest groups. Like furries! If you have the stomach to take a more active stance against the alt-right in your local community, learning these techniques will help.Hang in there, folks. Things are going to get worse before they get better. But the leopards are going to be feasting, and eventually even the most die hard conservative is going to have to realize that we are not, in fact, great anymore. Things will turn around, and I hope all of you are still here to make the world a better place when it happens.
Community, cancelling, and a video essay recommendation
Posted 9 months agoI saw a post on reddit today that said "The left is more concerned with doing nothing wrong than doing something right." That struck a chord with me. I'm prefacing this post with: I'm not cancelled, and I'm not aware of having done anything that will get me imminently cancelled, this is just a discussion that's been on my mind.
I have been watching a lot* of Contrapoints recently. She has a video on cancelling that I think covers similar ground. I wasn't following her when the drama came out, but it sounds like she asked someone who was cancelled to provide a voice clip for a video, so she got cancelled, so anyone who was friends with her was threatened with cancelling. And I get it. I really do. It's devastating when someone in your own community turns out to have a shitty opinion, or does a shitty thing. Of everyone who should know better, it should be them, right?
I think, as a community, we should be careful about resorting to such absolutism. There are absolutely shitty people that deserve to get cancelled, and I'm not saying we shouldn't continue to apply those methods to trolls. But I've seen people go pretty far out on a limb, and then say anyone not on their branch is a monster. I'm not going to pick specific examples because I don't want to derail the topic from "People should be more understanding" to "I'm defending this topic Loren thinks is out there" but before you call for action, what I ask is to look at what you have in common with the person who made the statement you disagree with and decide if, maybe, you still have more in common with them than not.It's not like there's a looming existential threat on the horizon that considers us all potential biofuel or anything, so maybe we should stick together.
I used to be a libertarian on the path to incelhood. Thankfully, I grew out of that, and now I'm a full blown socialist (which is maybe bad in the opposite direction), but the point is, people can change. I keep in touch with people I don't always agree with, because sometimes all it takes is a gentle nudge at the right time to help steer them on a better path. If you're not there for them, you can't be that nudge.
If you've gotten this far, I'm curious. Are you tired of these long non-porn related posts? Should I shut up and talk about dick udders?
*I only discovered her recently, but I have been absolutely hooked. Her video about Twilight goes into depth about love and kink, and helps conceptualize and provide vocabulary for some concepts I'd only vaguely explored in the past. She defines "Disavowal" as the circumstances in a fantasy that provide freedom from consequences, and that's exactly the concept I've been thinking about. I've always been big on the non-con/dubious-con transformation, because let's face it, I like monsters. Turning into Alice would be monstrous for daily life. If you are turned into her against your will, then you don't need to feel responsible for the consequences of the change (as you did not choose it) but you are free to enjoy the benefits of the change (getting your dick udder milked). It's a 3 hour video essay. I have watched it at least 8 times (I like long video essays) and my friends who watched it on my recommendation said it was worthwhile.
I have been watching a lot* of Contrapoints recently. She has a video on cancelling that I think covers similar ground. I wasn't following her when the drama came out, but it sounds like she asked someone who was cancelled to provide a voice clip for a video, so she got cancelled, so anyone who was friends with her was threatened with cancelling. And I get it. I really do. It's devastating when someone in your own community turns out to have a shitty opinion, or does a shitty thing. Of everyone who should know better, it should be them, right?
I think, as a community, we should be careful about resorting to such absolutism. There are absolutely shitty people that deserve to get cancelled, and I'm not saying we shouldn't continue to apply those methods to trolls. But I've seen people go pretty far out on a limb, and then say anyone not on their branch is a monster. I'm not going to pick specific examples because I don't want to derail the topic from "People should be more understanding" to "I'm defending this topic Loren thinks is out there" but before you call for action, what I ask is to look at what you have in common with the person who made the statement you disagree with and decide if, maybe, you still have more in common with them than not.
I used to be a libertarian on the path to incelhood. Thankfully, I grew out of that, and now I'm a full blown socialist (which is maybe bad in the opposite direction), but the point is, people can change. I keep in touch with people I don't always agree with, because sometimes all it takes is a gentle nudge at the right time to help steer them on a better path. If you're not there for them, you can't be that nudge.
If you've gotten this far, I'm curious. Are you tired of these long non-porn related posts? Should I shut up and talk about dick udders?
*I only discovered her recently, but I have been absolutely hooked. Her video about Twilight goes into depth about love and kink, and helps conceptualize and provide vocabulary for some concepts I'd only vaguely explored in the past. She defines "Disavowal" as the circumstances in a fantasy that provide freedom from consequences, and that's exactly the concept I've been thinking about. I've always been big on the non-con/dubious-con transformation, because let's face it, I like monsters. Turning into Alice would be monstrous for daily life. If you are turned into her against your will, then you don't need to feel responsible for the consequences of the change (as you did not choose it) but you are free to enjoy the benefits of the change (getting your dick udder milked). It's a 3 hour video essay. I have watched it at least 8 times (I like long video essays) and my friends who watched it on my recommendation said it was worthwhile.
Squid Game Season 2 rules
Posted 10 months agoOne of my interests is Death Games. Battle Royale, The Running Man, Wedlock, and more recently shows like Alice in Borderland or Squid Game. I like them because they are the laziest plot device of all time: Follow the rules OR ELSE. Whether it be exploding collars, guards that shoot you, or lasers from the sky, you break the rules, and you'll pay. Once you've freed the plot from the cognitive load of being realistic, you can explore some truly creative scenarios. A scene where no one is allowed to talk? People have to solve a puzzle on the other side of a locked door? You can make some really tense scenarios that wouldn't normally be possible because it would never happen naturally.
Alright, on to Squid Game Season 1. It was pretty good, 7/10. Bog standard death game. Why are people playing the game? For money. Why are the games being run? For rich assholes' entertainment. I always hate it when the reason for the death games is just "Because some rich fuck is a sadist." We already live in that reality, we don't need to satirize it further. Still, for people not familiar with death games, this was an introduction to the genre, so I'm glad it's out there.
Now, Squid Game was a big hit, and that's a problem. What was the message of squid game? That money is inherently corrupting. It's inherently anti-capitalist. But what happens when the show takes off? Well, Netflix wants to capitalize it. They need more. More show, more merchandise, more money. The creator has said he didn't want to make a season 2, but money won in the end. So he decided to throw it all in the fucking trash.
SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2
In season 2, it's much less about the game and more about the protagonist's war against the corrupting power of money. He hasn't spent any of his winnings, except to try and shut down the games and avenge his fallen friends. He tries to find the games through exploring islands, tracking down the recruiter, and eventually hiring mercenaries, to little avail. His last desperate attempt is rejoining the games, so he can be brought on the island with a hidden tracker, but that too goes awry. He's on his own. So what does he do? He still tries to fight against the money as much as he can. He tells people how to survive the games, and fellow contestants get mad at him because they win less money when there's less dead people. He eventually plans an uprising against the guards, and it goes well until it doesn't. Capitalism always wins in the end. That's the message. And I am so here for it. What a great message, what a great fuck you to Netflix. I was worried Season 2 was going to be some lame escalation like a new boss, or new stakes or something, but this was a great subversion of expectations. 10/10.
I also want to call out the transgender woman they introduce in episode 3. I was mildly amused because it felt like something else done as a fuck you to Netflix. Regardless of how you feel about transgender people in media, you can't deny that there's a bunch of alt-right chuds that get up in arms whenever one appears. It's always "Pandering" whenever any character in media isn't a straight white male. But then she gets more and more important as the show goes on, and it's revealed that she used to be in the military, and she's a total fucking badass, teaching the insurrectionists how to shoot, how to use their gun, how to manage ammo, military tactics, etc. I admit to taking some gleeful delight in imagining how the chuds are going to lose their fucking minds. I know it's unhelpful but sometimes you have to indulge in the mud they frequently wallow in.
Anyway, I doubt it's going to be as popular as season 1, but for me, it far exceeded expectations. What a nice surprise.
(My favorite death game media is definitely As the Gods Will in case you were curious. The supernatural element really helps elevate it, since there's no humans to appeal to, no hope of appeal or mercy.)
Alright, on to Squid Game Season 1. It was pretty good, 7/10. Bog standard death game. Why are people playing the game? For money. Why are the games being run? For rich assholes' entertainment. I always hate it when the reason for the death games is just "Because some rich fuck is a sadist." We already live in that reality, we don't need to satirize it further. Still, for people not familiar with death games, this was an introduction to the genre, so I'm glad it's out there.
Now, Squid Game was a big hit, and that's a problem. What was the message of squid game? That money is inherently corrupting. It's inherently anti-capitalist. But what happens when the show takes off? Well, Netflix wants to capitalize it. They need more. More show, more merchandise, more money. The creator has said he didn't want to make a season 2, but money won in the end. So he decided to throw it all in the fucking trash.
SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2
In season 2, it's much less about the game and more about the protagonist's war against the corrupting power of money. He hasn't spent any of his winnings, except to try and shut down the games and avenge his fallen friends. He tries to find the games through exploring islands, tracking down the recruiter, and eventually hiring mercenaries, to little avail. His last desperate attempt is rejoining the games, so he can be brought on the island with a hidden tracker, but that too goes awry. He's on his own. So what does he do? He still tries to fight against the money as much as he can. He tells people how to survive the games, and fellow contestants get mad at him because they win less money when there's less dead people. He eventually plans an uprising against the guards, and it goes well until it doesn't. Capitalism always wins in the end. That's the message. And I am so here for it. What a great message, what a great fuck you to Netflix. I was worried Season 2 was going to be some lame escalation like a new boss, or new stakes or something, but this was a great subversion of expectations. 10/10.
I also want to call out the transgender woman they introduce in episode 3. I was mildly amused because it felt like something else done as a fuck you to Netflix. Regardless of how you feel about transgender people in media, you can't deny that there's a bunch of alt-right chuds that get up in arms whenever one appears. It's always "Pandering" whenever any character in media isn't a straight white male. But then she gets more and more important as the show goes on, and it's revealed that she used to be in the military, and she's a total fucking badass, teaching the insurrectionists how to shoot, how to use their gun, how to manage ammo, military tactics, etc. I admit to taking some gleeful delight in imagining how the chuds are going to lose their fucking minds. I know it's unhelpful but sometimes you have to indulge in the mud they frequently wallow in.
Anyway, I doubt it's going to be as popular as season 1, but for me, it far exceeded expectations. What a nice surprise.
(My favorite death game media is definitely As the Gods Will in case you were curious. The supernatural element really helps elevate it, since there's no humans to appeal to, no hope of appeal or mercy.)
A quick poll
Posted 11 months agoA friend and I were having a discussion. We disagree on this, and I am curious what public opinion is.
https://strawpoll.com/NPgxeo0dQZ2
Hope y'all are staying as sane as you can, as well as you can, and can keep something to live for in view.
https://strawpoll.com/NPgxeo0dQZ2
Hope y'all are staying as sane as you can, as well as you can, and can keep something to live for in view.
Lamp Land: A Ramble
Posted a year agoThis is a long one. Feel free to duck out at any time.
I think it's pretty safe to say that most of the folks on this site would like to transform into, or at least become, their fursona. Heck, I know I would. But, why? If you ask people that question, they might say "I want to feel what it's like to have paws." or "My inner spirit is a wolf, and I'd feel better if the outside matched the inside." It makes sense. A new set of sensations to experience, more strength, sexuality, whatever you wanted to create when you made your fursona.
I've been dwelling on that desiretoo much and I think there's a subconscious piece of that desire that may even outweigh the original. Let's say you do transform into your fursona. Do you want to go to work tomorrow? Do you want to sit behind a desk and file reports, or wash dishes for close to minimum wage? Probably not, right? You'd like to enjoy that new body in a better world. A world with a better job, or no job (if you're feeling brave). A world where a medical problem doesn't dictate your entire financial future, potentially plunging you into homelessness?
There's the crux of the issue. Which is more important? If you were given the choice of becoming your fursona and remaining in the current world, or remaining as you are but getting transported into a utopia where there was not need or want, where replicators could give you whatever you asked for for free, where healthcare was instantaneous and perfect? Which would you pick? Even if it meant I could never be Alice or Loren, I would absolutely take the second option, every time. I view transformation as an escape, and solving the shittiness of the world remove that need.
So, that's the point of this post. To take the background and pull it into the foreground. Let's say that I did find a magic lamp. Of course I'm gonna turn everyone into multibreasted girl/herm human/furry biped/taurs. Yeah, pretty obvious. But what else? All that wasted orb pondering was spent thinking about what I'd want that world to look like, if I could use a wish to design a universe from the top down. I'm gonna post it here because why not. I already said you could duck out at any time.
Housing, Utilities, and Groceries
All necessities, such as housing, food and water, are free. No one is at risk of starving or being homeless. Those who desire to live alone are given their own one-bedroom apartment, approximately 80 square meters, with their own kitchen and bathroom. Shared living spaces are more common, with up to 8 people living together in an enclave. Shared cooking and cleaning makes for a lighter load, in addition to the additional stipend provided for those living together.
Transportation
Public transport is free, fast, and reliable. Cities are designed around the transportation network, so access from any part of the city to the other is straightforward. Trains arrive every 10 minutes, so you never have to wait for long. Further out in the country, trains could be as rare as once a day. Inter-region transport has sleeper cars for long-distance travelers, as well as restaurants on board. Some specialty trains may be destinations on their own, such as a sewing themed train that teaches passengers how to sew a dress for each region they visit.
Goods, Services and Luxuries
Money (funbux) exists, but only for luxuries, not necessities. Everyone is given a stipend on a monthly basis, with more available for those who want to earn it. Living in shared housing has a lower environmental impact, so that ups your stipend. Media, Ideas, and Games invented by people give the creator a small royalty of funbux. People can earn funbux helping out at events, running errands for others, as payment for services, or numerous other ways.
But if all necessities are free, what costs funbux? First of all, scarcity. Even in a world of plenty, there’s still only one Hawaii. When goods, services, or housing are constrained by rarity or limited quantity, funbux is used to determine who wins. Who can take the spots in the luxury trans-oceanic cruise, or be the first to fly the new scouting zeppelin? It could be a straight auction or a lottery, but more will help you win.
Second of all, unhealthy luxuries. Anything that is physically harmful (smoking, drinking), mentally harmful (zoning out in front of youtube, doomscrolling on your poco) or promotes isolation (single player videogames, food delivery) will have a small fee in funbux attached. The idea is to disincentivize unhealthy habits, and encourage participation in society. These habits will still be allowed, just an active choice the person will need to make and think about.
Third, permanent goods. Want your own bike/boat/spaceship? It can be built, but you’ll be saving funbux for days, months, or years to make it happen. Sometimes these can be subsidized if it’s partly used for the public good (a traveling tea shop, an art exhibit).
Government and AI
Who is running this thing? The world is split into regions of 100 thousand to 5 million people, each run by a governor AI. AI runs all the production necessary to support the populace, produce energy, build infrastructure, etc. The way each AI does that, however, is up to the AI, and what leads to the differences between regions. Some may prefer rural farmland, with warm gentle winds and farmland offered to settlers. Other Ais may have dense cities, filled with neon, and grit, letting people live out their cyberpunk fantasies. Regardless of the flavor of their geoscaping, the wellbeing of their populace is always their top priority. Much like the Minds in the Culture novels by Iain Banks, they view their charges almost as pets, to be cherished.
That is not to say that the populace does not have a voice, however. Major directions (like how to develop a lake, what kind of architectural guidelines to set, etc.) do go up for a vote for those who are interested. If there’s enough interest in reversing a decision, that can go up for vote as well. Finally, if the governor AI is not working for the people, they can essentially retire it, electing to have a new one replace it.
Pocos
Everyone has a pocket computer. Similar to a mobile phone, it can serve many of the same functions. It can connect you to the AI Governor at any time, allowing you to ask questions and get answers. It provides intelligent mapping, guiding you to your destination, and showing points of interest along the way. For a small funbux fee, it can be used as an e-book reader. What it can’t do is surf the internet, install games, or play videos. It’s use has been pruned back to specific tool, to help remove the temptation for disassociation.
Phone calls can be made from your poco at home, essentially treating it as a land line. When you are away from home, however, you can only send text messages, and even those cost funbux. Why can’t you make mobile phone calls? It could be an encouragement to be present in the moment, or to visit your friends. But it’s not. It’s because people would talk on the phone while they’re on the train.
So, like, what do you do?
Whatever you want to do! All of your basic needs are met, just for existing! You could spend your monthly funbux on ordering out and cleaning spells, so you’d never have to cook or clean. Order video games and play in your room. But at some point, wouldn’t that get boring? What would you have to look forward to? There’s a wide world out there, full of support networks built to catch you, with incentives for exploring. You are allowed to stay out of it, stay alone. But it will remain available, if you ever change your mind.
If you do choose to participate, there’s loads of ways to do so. Would you like to man a café, serving drinks to passing patrons? Drinks could be dispensed robotically, but it wouldn’t have the charm. You could plan a fair, setting up the decorations and designing the events. If you think the world needs a tea shop where your tea is cured through an elaborate rube Goldberg machine, if you can convince enough community members to vote to give you space, you can make it happen. Resources are provided by the AI, both in design and construction.
So how does this magical world of plenty work?
First, it’s magic. Second, if we were building a world from the ground up with our current technology, we could be there now. Vertical farms could provide all the food we need. Public transportation can be built efficient and reliable. The constraint is money and work. For this hypothetical world built from a single wish, it is created in whole, as a complete product. I’m handwaving the trillions of hours it would take to design and build all the initial technology and infrastructure. Whatever. Who cares.
Now that it’s here, though, it is self sustaining. Fusion reactors provide infinite energy. New landscape can be magically created by expanding the pocket dimension, allowing infinite expansion and resources. Resources are used as sustainably as possible, with recyclable materials, renewable energy, and a focus on rugged durability and minimized trash.
---
There. Those are the words I wanted to put down. I'll probably elaborate on it more some day. Talk about the region I'd pick, what I'd do with my time. I know it's a waste of time, but I'm enjoying it.
I think it's pretty safe to say that most of the folks on this site would like to transform into, or at least become, their fursona. Heck, I know I would. But, why? If you ask people that question, they might say "I want to feel what it's like to have paws." or "My inner spirit is a wolf, and I'd feel better if the outside matched the inside." It makes sense. A new set of sensations to experience, more strength, sexuality, whatever you wanted to create when you made your fursona.
I've been dwelling on that desire
There's the crux of the issue. Which is more important? If you were given the choice of becoming your fursona and remaining in the current world, or remaining as you are but getting transported into a utopia where there was not need or want, where replicators could give you whatever you asked for for free, where healthcare was instantaneous and perfect? Which would you pick? Even if it meant I could never be Alice or Loren, I would absolutely take the second option, every time. I view transformation as an escape, and solving the shittiness of the world remove that need.
So, that's the point of this post. To take the background and pull it into the foreground. Let's say that I did find a magic lamp. Of course I'm gonna turn everyone into multibreasted girl/herm human/furry biped/taurs. Yeah, pretty obvious. But what else? All that wasted orb pondering was spent thinking about what I'd want that world to look like, if I could use a wish to design a universe from the top down. I'm gonna post it here because why not. I already said you could duck out at any time.
Housing, Utilities, and Groceries
All necessities, such as housing, food and water, are free. No one is at risk of starving or being homeless. Those who desire to live alone are given their own one-bedroom apartment, approximately 80 square meters, with their own kitchen and bathroom. Shared living spaces are more common, with up to 8 people living together in an enclave. Shared cooking and cleaning makes for a lighter load, in addition to the additional stipend provided for those living together.
Transportation
Public transport is free, fast, and reliable. Cities are designed around the transportation network, so access from any part of the city to the other is straightforward. Trains arrive every 10 minutes, so you never have to wait for long. Further out in the country, trains could be as rare as once a day. Inter-region transport has sleeper cars for long-distance travelers, as well as restaurants on board. Some specialty trains may be destinations on their own, such as a sewing themed train that teaches passengers how to sew a dress for each region they visit.
Goods, Services and Luxuries
Money (funbux) exists, but only for luxuries, not necessities. Everyone is given a stipend on a monthly basis, with more available for those who want to earn it. Living in shared housing has a lower environmental impact, so that ups your stipend. Media, Ideas, and Games invented by people give the creator a small royalty of funbux. People can earn funbux helping out at events, running errands for others, as payment for services, or numerous other ways.
But if all necessities are free, what costs funbux? First of all, scarcity. Even in a world of plenty, there’s still only one Hawaii. When goods, services, or housing are constrained by rarity or limited quantity, funbux is used to determine who wins. Who can take the spots in the luxury trans-oceanic cruise, or be the first to fly the new scouting zeppelin? It could be a straight auction or a lottery, but more will help you win.
Second of all, unhealthy luxuries. Anything that is physically harmful (smoking, drinking), mentally harmful (zoning out in front of youtube, doomscrolling on your poco) or promotes isolation (single player videogames, food delivery) will have a small fee in funbux attached. The idea is to disincentivize unhealthy habits, and encourage participation in society. These habits will still be allowed, just an active choice the person will need to make and think about.
Third, permanent goods. Want your own bike/boat/spaceship? It can be built, but you’ll be saving funbux for days, months, or years to make it happen. Sometimes these can be subsidized if it’s partly used for the public good (a traveling tea shop, an art exhibit).
Government and AI
Who is running this thing? The world is split into regions of 100 thousand to 5 million people, each run by a governor AI. AI runs all the production necessary to support the populace, produce energy, build infrastructure, etc. The way each AI does that, however, is up to the AI, and what leads to the differences between regions. Some may prefer rural farmland, with warm gentle winds and farmland offered to settlers. Other Ais may have dense cities, filled with neon, and grit, letting people live out their cyberpunk fantasies. Regardless of the flavor of their geoscaping, the wellbeing of their populace is always their top priority. Much like the Minds in the Culture novels by Iain Banks, they view their charges almost as pets, to be cherished.
That is not to say that the populace does not have a voice, however. Major directions (like how to develop a lake, what kind of architectural guidelines to set, etc.) do go up for a vote for those who are interested. If there’s enough interest in reversing a decision, that can go up for vote as well. Finally, if the governor AI is not working for the people, they can essentially retire it, electing to have a new one replace it.
Pocos
Everyone has a pocket computer. Similar to a mobile phone, it can serve many of the same functions. It can connect you to the AI Governor at any time, allowing you to ask questions and get answers. It provides intelligent mapping, guiding you to your destination, and showing points of interest along the way. For a small funbux fee, it can be used as an e-book reader. What it can’t do is surf the internet, install games, or play videos. It’s use has been pruned back to specific tool, to help remove the temptation for disassociation.
Phone calls can be made from your poco at home, essentially treating it as a land line. When you are away from home, however, you can only send text messages, and even those cost funbux. Why can’t you make mobile phone calls? It could be an encouragement to be present in the moment, or to visit your friends. But it’s not. It’s because people would talk on the phone while they’re on the train.
So, like, what do you do?
Whatever you want to do! All of your basic needs are met, just for existing! You could spend your monthly funbux on ordering out and cleaning spells, so you’d never have to cook or clean. Order video games and play in your room. But at some point, wouldn’t that get boring? What would you have to look forward to? There’s a wide world out there, full of support networks built to catch you, with incentives for exploring. You are allowed to stay out of it, stay alone. But it will remain available, if you ever change your mind.
If you do choose to participate, there’s loads of ways to do so. Would you like to man a café, serving drinks to passing patrons? Drinks could be dispensed robotically, but it wouldn’t have the charm. You could plan a fair, setting up the decorations and designing the events. If you think the world needs a tea shop where your tea is cured through an elaborate rube Goldberg machine, if you can convince enough community members to vote to give you space, you can make it happen. Resources are provided by the AI, both in design and construction.
So how does this magical world of plenty work?
First, it’s magic. Second, if we were building a world from the ground up with our current technology, we could be there now. Vertical farms could provide all the food we need. Public transportation can be built efficient and reliable. The constraint is money and work. For this hypothetical world built from a single wish, it is created in whole, as a complete product. I’m handwaving the trillions of hours it would take to design and build all the initial technology and infrastructure. Whatever. Who cares.
Now that it’s here, though, it is self sustaining. Fusion reactors provide infinite energy. New landscape can be magically created by expanding the pocket dimension, allowing infinite expansion and resources. Resources are used as sustainably as possible, with recyclable materials, renewable energy, and a focus on rugged durability and minimized trash.
---
There. Those are the words I wanted to put down. I'll probably elaborate on it more some day. Talk about the region I'd pick, what I'd do with my time. I know it's a waste of time, but I'm enjoying it.
How to fix the economy. Also, new story!
Posted 3 years agoHello y'all. I have a new story up on my patreon! What do you do when you walk into a waiting room and see three ponies waiting for you? Whatever they want.
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
Alright, now. I know how to fix the economy. Hear me out: I use a wish to turn everyone into random multifurries.
Think of the job creation! All clothing would have to be custom, requiring new tailors at a local level. Where else are you going to get pants that go over forelegs, or 6-cupped bras that can fit around 4 arms? There's going to be new demand for architects and engineers, to design buildings, vehicles and furniture for beings with 3, 4, or 6 legs. You'd need additional furniture making capacity to build those designs. And think of the exponential new demand for plumbers!
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
Alright, now. I know how to fix the economy. Hear me out: I use a wish to turn everyone into random multifurries.
Think of the job creation! All clothing would have to be custom, requiring new tailors at a local level. Where else are you going to get pants that go over forelegs, or 6-cupped bras that can fit around 4 arms? There's going to be new demand for architects and engineers, to design buildings, vehicles and furniture for beings with 3, 4, or 6 legs. You'd need additional furniture making capacity to build those designs. And think of the exponential new demand for plumbers!
Opening for commissions
Posted 3 years agoHey y'all,
Been a bit quiet over the last check's notes year, but I've been getting into a better writing routine again. It has gotten me thinking about opening up for commissions. Commissions are always a mixed bag: It pushes you outside of your comfort zone and makes you write something you wouldn't do otherwise, but there's also pressure (and anxiety) associated with it. So I'm giving it a shot, and we'll see what happens.
I'm opening up for commissions. 8 cents a word, 1,000 to 10,000 words. I'll probably go over what you pay for. My focus is transformation and multi. I can do pretty good foreplay, I'm bad at writing sex. It's not first-come first-served: I reserve the right to pick and choose what I work on. Timelines can be discussed but probably no more than a week for 1,000 and probably a few months for 10,000.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
Been a bit quiet over the last check's notes year, but I've been getting into a better writing routine again. It has gotten me thinking about opening up for commissions. Commissions are always a mixed bag: It pushes you outside of your comfort zone and makes you write something you wouldn't do otherwise, but there's also pressure (and anxiety) associated with it. So I'm giving it a shot, and we'll see what happens.
I'm opening up for commissions. 8 cents a word, 1,000 to 10,000 words. I'll probably go over what you pay for. My focus is transformation and multi. I can do pretty good foreplay, I'm bad at writing sex. It's not first-come first-served: I reserve the right to pick and choose what I work on. Timelines can be discussed but probably no more than a week for 1,000 and probably a few months for 10,000.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
James 5: 1-6
Posted 3 years agoNow listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
MANDATORY: MUST DRIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR THE ALLMIGHTY ALGORI...
Posted 3 years agoI was posting a pic I have had sitting around for a while, and I thought it might be fun to drive up some conversation in the comments. And the algorithm must drive engagement. All hail our AI overlords
I really like hypothetical questions, and one of my favorites is "If you could transform into anything consequence free, what would you become?"
I feel like it's important to define "consequence free" because it is very open to interpretation. Here's my definition: The world is built to accommodate you and your form. If you have a tail, chairs have a cutout for you to fit it. If you're a taur, there's a ramp or an elevator so you don't have to walk down stairs. You can get cars and plane seats that can handle whatever your body shape is. No one will think it strange or unusual that you look like a literal dragon with 3 heads.
And, most importantly, you get a basic income. I think that a lot of the appeal of certain forms is their lack of utility. Making something difficult so you have to figure out how to do it again is part of the fun of discovering a new form. Aptophilia as one of my nerd friends says every 5 minutes. I think that requiring a transformed person to still hold a job severely limits the freedom of the form they choose, and I want to remove that constraint so people can go wild.Yes I realize this says something about society but that's a subject for a future journal.
My answer is below. I'd encourage you to comment with yours before reading mine, to see what we share.
I'd start off with a human hextaur. Two heads, one human, one feline. Feline has a second pair of cat ears, human has a pair of bunny ears. Both have long hair. On her upper torso, four arms, four breasts, and a horsecock dick-udder. On her first lower torso, 6 breasts and a pair of horsecocks, along with a pair of arms just behind the forelegs. On the rear lower torso, another pair of arms, a pair of breasts, and another horsecock dick-udder. Two pony pussies. The tail is a horse-like tail, but with hair matching the human head. The legs are human until the mid-thigh, where they transform into the legs of a lioness with oversize paws.
This form would struggle to perform basic tasks. Even with all the extra limbs, there'd be a ton of weight to carry around, and complicated maintenance for daily activities. Imagine putting on clothes, let alone bras. Getting ready to go out of the house would take hours, and it'd be exhausting. Holding down a job would be impossible. And if the goal is to discover your ultimate fantasy, those kinds of restrictions would have to be removed.
I really like hypothetical questions, and one of my favorites is "If you could transform into anything consequence free, what would you become?"
I feel like it's important to define "consequence free" because it is very open to interpretation. Here's my definition: The world is built to accommodate you and your form. If you have a tail, chairs have a cutout for you to fit it. If you're a taur, there's a ramp or an elevator so you don't have to walk down stairs. You can get cars and plane seats that can handle whatever your body shape is. No one will think it strange or unusual that you look like a literal dragon with 3 heads.
And, most importantly, you get a basic income. I think that a lot of the appeal of certain forms is their lack of utility. Making something difficult so you have to figure out how to do it again is part of the fun of discovering a new form. Aptophilia as one of my nerd friends says every 5 minutes. I think that requiring a transformed person to still hold a job severely limits the freedom of the form they choose, and I want to remove that constraint so people can go wild.
My answer is below. I'd encourage you to comment with yours before reading mine, to see what we share.
I'd start off with a human hextaur. Two heads, one human, one feline. Feline has a second pair of cat ears, human has a pair of bunny ears. Both have long hair. On her upper torso, four arms, four breasts, and a horsecock dick-udder. On her first lower torso, 6 breasts and a pair of horsecocks, along with a pair of arms just behind the forelegs. On the rear lower torso, another pair of arms, a pair of breasts, and another horsecock dick-udder. Two pony pussies. The tail is a horse-like tail, but with hair matching the human head. The legs are human until the mid-thigh, where they transform into the legs of a lioness with oversize paws.
This form would struggle to perform basic tasks. Even with all the extra limbs, there'd be a ton of weight to carry around, and complicated maintenance for daily activities. Imagine putting on clothes, let alone bras. Getting ready to go out of the house would take hours, and it'd be exhausting. Holding down a job would be impossible. And if the goal is to discover your ultimate fantasy, those kinds of restrictions would have to be removed.
Short stories and Patreon
Posted 4 years agoI know I've been kind of dead for a while, but I'm trying to fix that. I'm slowly working my way back into writing by putting together short stories. It's a lot easier for me to write 2-3 pages than it is to have a longer 10+ page story. I've posted two on my Patreon so far, and am hoping to do several more as I work my way up to real stories again. If you're interested in reading them, they're going to be free, because it doesn't really feel right to charge for small stuff.
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
Survival, Mental Health and Kink
Posted 4 years agoThis past year has been hard. The isolation, lack of stimulation, and realization of just how many raging narcissists live among us has been soul crushing. I'm pretty tired of the unending chain of life-defining events. We may be (mostly) getting through the worst part of it, but there's going to be lingering effects of the coronavirus for years. The permanent effects of covid infection. The variants that will surely continue to mutate thanks to anti-vaxxers. And the mental health issues caused by all of this awfulness. I know I, among others, am feeling PTSD when going out in public. I have seen numerous articles stating that 20% of the population is experiencing mental health issues, and I'd be surprised if it ended up being that low. Talk to a therapist if you can, folks. It helps.
The (small) upside of this is that as people evaluate their mental health, they're seeing that the lives we have let ourselves fall into just isn't worth it. The social contract is broken and we have grown tired of putting up with it. Companies killed company loyalty, and now they are reaping what they sowed. Every time I see one of those "We all quit" signs I cheer for the people who finally stood up for themselves and are searching for something better. Now if we could only make that unemployment increase permanent, and provide single-payer healthcare, maybe we could disentangle survival from being a slave to capitalism.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eow0C-2fKG8
For me, part of the escapism in kink requires being in another place. Ignoring the social complications, would you want to turn into your fursona if you still had to go to work every day? Tuck your tail behind your office chair and carefully type on your keyboard? What would be the point? If you're familiar with my characters, Alice was created by answering the question "If you didn't have to worry about money or social consequences, what would you be?" She's such an inherently handicapped character that she wouldn't be able to easily contribute to society. I wonder how many people subconsciously imagine a better world for their escapism, not realizing that their fantasy involves more than having 6 tits.
If you happen to find a magic ring or lamp, feel free to send it my way. I've put probably too much thought into this so you'll get to enjoy the effects of being a sex monster without having to worry about the logistics of power generation or food production :P
Seriously though I would like a good looking oil lamp for a collection of "wishing" objects I'm trying to put together.
Hang in there folks. I won't promise anything will get better but maybe there's hope, right? I'm ready for Princess CelestAI to upload everyone. It could happen.
https://imgur.com/Q3XBuSt.jpg
The (small) upside of this is that as people evaluate their mental health, they're seeing that the lives we have let ourselves fall into just isn't worth it. The social contract is broken and we have grown tired of putting up with it. Companies killed company loyalty, and now they are reaping what they sowed. Every time I see one of those "We all quit" signs I cheer for the people who finally stood up for themselves and are searching for something better. Now if we could only make that unemployment increase permanent, and provide single-payer healthcare, maybe we could disentangle survival from being a slave to capitalism.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eow0C-2fKG8
For me, part of the escapism in kink requires being in another place. Ignoring the social complications, would you want to turn into your fursona if you still had to go to work every day? Tuck your tail behind your office chair and carefully type on your keyboard? What would be the point? If you're familiar with my characters, Alice was created by answering the question "If you didn't have to worry about money or social consequences, what would you be?" She's such an inherently handicapped character that she wouldn't be able to easily contribute to society. I wonder how many people subconsciously imagine a better world for their escapism, not realizing that their fantasy involves more than having 6 tits.
If you happen to find a magic ring or lamp, feel free to send it my way. I've put probably too much thought into this so you'll get to enjoy the effects of being a sex monster without having to worry about the logistics of power generation or food production :P
Hang in there folks. I won't promise anything will get better but maybe there's hope, right? I'm ready for Princess CelestAI to upload everyone. It could happen.
https://imgur.com/Q3XBuSt.jpg
I should probably say I'm still alive
Posted 5 years agoHoly shit.
I know that that's pretty much the general consensus right now. I'm no exception. I won't spend time belaboring how shit things are right now, as much as I want to. I'm still employed, so I'm luckier than 25% of the country, at least. But it's still hitting me hard.
With the lock down, I can't meet up with my accountabilibuddy at the coffee shop, so my writing has gone to 0. I'm struggling with motivation to make it through the day, let alone write erotica. I got the roll and write done at least, but I think that the intersection between gamer and furry is smaller than I anticipated.
I guess I don't really have anything to say. I just wanted to post something. To show I was still alive.
I know that that's pretty much the general consensus right now. I'm no exception. I won't spend time belaboring how shit things are right now, as much as I want to. I'm still employed, so I'm luckier than 25% of the country, at least. But it's still hitting me hard.
With the lock down, I can't meet up with my accountabilibuddy at the coffee shop, so my writing has gone to 0. I'm struggling with motivation to make it through the day, let alone write erotica. I got the roll and write done at least, but I think that the intersection between gamer and furry is smaller than I anticipated.
I guess I don't really have anything to say. I just wanted to post something. To show I was still alive.
Signal Boost: Iron Artist
Posted 6 years agoI mentioned in my last journal that I've gotten into a better routine, which has helped me write more often. Well, the buddy I work with just so happens to be an artist, and he wants to see if he can hack taking commissions. So he's running an Iron Artist thing for the rest of the week. $10 for a sketch slot is a damn good deal. And he's clearly willing to draw anything you'd see on here, because when he's not working coms for you he's going to be doodling an Alice TF sequence.
Yeah, if he'll draw dick udders he'll draw anything. :P
He's spent a lot of work on posing and anatomy, so take a look and see if you'd like to put him to the test!
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9319662/
https://picarto.tv/specialspoon
And as a little bonus (because I want to support my buddy) if you get a pic from him, post a journal comment with a link to the picture and at the end of the Iron Artist I'll randomly choose a person to get their money back! Hard to say no to a chance to have it retroactively free, right?* Any number of entries per person are OK, as long as they're each different sketches!
*Limit $10, so if you get a double slot I'm only covering half.
Yeah, if he'll draw dick udders he'll draw anything. :P
He's spent a lot of work on posing and anatomy, so take a look and see if you'd like to put him to the test!
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9319662/
https://picarto.tv/specialspoon
And as a little bonus (because I want to support my buddy) if you get a pic from him, post a journal comment with a link to the picture and at the end of the Iron Artist I'll randomly choose a person to get their money back! Hard to say no to a chance to have it retroactively free, right?* Any number of entries per person are OK, as long as they're each different sketches!
*Limit $10, so if you get a double slot I'm only covering half.
Second Patreon Story
Posted 6 years agoHello, all.
I've been quiet for a while. Things got complicated. I lost my job, had to hunt for a new one, move cross country... I don't want to go too far into the details. Suffice it to say, it has been a lot of change.
I'm a little more stable, for now, and I'm trying to take advantage of it. I've developed a new routine for writing, and that has greatly helped me. My newest story is over twice as long as my last one. I'm super excited about that. I'm not promising they'll all be that long, but it's nice to know I can write longer stories, especially with a simpler premise.
If you want to support me, I'd appreciate it. If you don't, I understand, and that story will show up on here, just like Ambassador did. Patrons get to read it months early, a little exclusive afterword, and a chance to vote on the next story, but I don't want to exclude those who can't afford it.
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
No pictures in the works, unfortunately, but I do have an idea or two I'm shopping around for artists for.
I've been quiet for a while. Things got complicated. I lost my job, had to hunt for a new one, move cross country... I don't want to go too far into the details. Suffice it to say, it has been a lot of change.
I'm a little more stable, for now, and I'm trying to take advantage of it. I've developed a new routine for writing, and that has greatly helped me. My newest story is over twice as long as my last one. I'm super excited about that. I'm not promising they'll all be that long, but it's nice to know I can write longer stories, especially with a simpler premise.
If you want to support me, I'd appreciate it. If you don't, I understand, and that story will show up on here, just like Ambassador did. Patrons get to read it months early, a little exclusive afterword, and a chance to vote on the next story, but I don't want to exclude those who can't afford it.
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
No pictures in the works, unfortunately, but I do have an idea or two I'm shopping around for artists for.
First Patreon story is up!
Posted 6 years agoMy first story is up. A hapless college student stumbles upon a busty snake-woman, who has more than sex on the mind. It features something new to me: Merging! And the usual suspects of transformation and multi, of course.
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
https://www.patreon.com/lorenipsun
Transformation comic
Posted 7 years agoAs you have probably guessed from my writing, I am a huge transformation slut. Which makes it all the more surprising that I've never gotten a transformation commission before. There's a few reasons for it, but the two biggest are money and lack of interest in interim steps. Why get a picture of a normal human and a messed-up in-between stage when you could just get a few pictures of a multibreasted humantauress instead?
I tried to change this once, in the past, but it fell apart. That whole situation burned me pretty hard, but I'm over it now. I want to try again. And that's why I'm poking here.
Usually, when I get a commission, I try to tailor it to the strengths of the artist. I have an artist I've been wanting to work with, but their style is fairly non-standard for TF. But yesterday, it hit me. The perfect plot, that makes perfect sense for the artist, and highlights all of their strengths. They seem amenable to the idea, so it's going to go forward. My first TF comic.
So why am I posting here? Well, it's that first reason, up above. Comics are expensive. Anything past the typical "three panel" TF is going to eat your wallet. I'm going to pay for somewhere between 3-5 pages myself, but I was curious if anyone would be interested in chipping in to make it longer. To be clear, it's going to happen no matter what. I just figured that, with multi transformation sequences being as rare as they are, some people might be interested in seeing it longer, with a less condensed plot.
If you're interested in hearing more, shoot me a note and we can talk. No obligation, of course, I'm just putting out feelers.
I tried to change this once, in the past, but it fell apart. That whole situation burned me pretty hard, but I'm over it now. I want to try again. And that's why I'm poking here.
Usually, when I get a commission, I try to tailor it to the strengths of the artist. I have an artist I've been wanting to work with, but their style is fairly non-standard for TF. But yesterday, it hit me. The perfect plot, that makes perfect sense for the artist, and highlights all of their strengths. They seem amenable to the idea, so it's going to go forward. My first TF comic.
So why am I posting here? Well, it's that first reason, up above. Comics are expensive. Anything past the typical "three panel" TF is going to eat your wallet. I'm going to pay for somewhere between 3-5 pages myself, but I was curious if anyone would be interested in chipping in to make it longer. To be clear, it's going to happen no matter what. I just figured that, with multi transformation sequences being as rare as they are, some people might be interested in seeing it longer, with a less condensed plot.
If you're interested in hearing more, shoot me a note and we can talk. No obligation, of course, I'm just putting out feelers.
How to write transformations
Posted 7 years agoI've been trying to put together content for my Patreon, and one of the things I wanted to do was to write a guide to writing better transformations. It's public (free), so go take a look if it's something that interests you!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/23551151
With that out of the way, time to finish my first story.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/23551151
With that out of the way, time to finish my first story.
