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Thuja

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  1. Thuja

    Random grumblings

    By Thuja,

    So sometimes I like to look at houseplans from the same place my mom went through for her house.  My mom and I may not be on speaking terms anymore but I still hope to build my own house like she finally has(or at least from when I last saw her, she was getting the ground ready for the foundation.  I'm sure it's built by now, been a few years).  I know I can't even afford a car, much less a house but still, if I were to win the lottery tomorrow, I would definitely keep my dream house in mind for some of the money I potentially win...  It's kinda an odd thing to look at for someone who can barely afford to survive but one of these days, I hope that I can live more comfortably and have a place to call my own.  With the world going to shit right now, it's been a comforting yet bittersweet practice to indulge in, looking at homes you know you could never afford, the thought of having even $2K in the bank seems like a dizzying sum.  Regardless, I like looking at houses from this site.  I could imagine myself living in a few of the ones that I like looking at the most.  Not too big, not too small either, cozy, with a separate bedroom that I could use as a gaming room or for sewing!!  One of these days, I hope I can enter one of these dream homes and know that it's mine...  I think it would be cool to have at least most of this home off the grid and have my own solar panels since where I want to live gets a fair amount of sun, the amount for electricity in rural areas is ridiculously overpriced and the power gets knocked out a lot by heavy winds or storms.  Anyways, here's some of the plans I really like, if you want to look at them!  Hope you're all having a great day~!!!!
    https://beaverhomesandcottages.ca/Model/Tidewater
    https://beaverhomesandcottages.ca/Model/Lindhill-I
    https://beaverhomesandcottages.ca/Model/Beauwater
  2. Thuja

    My Fursona!!

    By Thuja,

    It's taken me a while to really think of what type of fursona I want and here's what I have so far!!!  Along with some world-building, hope you enjoy!!
    Name: Sage Briar-Leaf
    Age: 28
    Species: Predatory Elk
    Career: Baker, has his own bagel shop
    Current Home-City: London, Ontario
    Physical Appearance:
    Tall, around 7’2” and an extra foot for his large antlers, he constantly gets his antlers stuck in doorways, he’s usually grateful when he sheds his antlers, even if it were just for a season or two. He has normal human-like hands but his “nails” are more like claws, he normally files them down to as much as he can to make kneading dough easier. He has hooves for feet that are black in colour. His fur colouring is mostly brown, with a few brighter brown splotches, mostly on his shoulders and upper arms, along with two stripes of dark green the start from his tear ducts to the tip of his nose that come to a sharp point.
    His shop normally makes bagels so he sometimes has a bagel around one of the points of his antlers, he usually forgets it’s there until he gets home and sees it, he usually just eats it depending on how fresh it looks and what flavour of bagel it is, he sometimes just gives it to his son if he notices it first. He has sharp teeth which he inherited from his grandmother on his mother’s side. He has black sclera.
    Personality:
    Very intimidating but when you get to know him, he’s rather gentle. He just wants to make bagels and feed people good food. He’s creative and quiet, which most people mistake for brooding. He likes to play video games in his off-hours or take walks with his son. At his core, he’s a mama’s boy and believes family is one of the most important things. He’s often involved with local activism or he donates some of his money to causes. He’s the type to always stop to listen to people who’re trying to get a petition signed on the street, sometimes he ends up being scammed and has had his identity stolen twice. He makes “insta-worthy” bagel sandwiches and coffee so he has a small following in town and online even though he’s camera shy sometimes, but he’s been going to therapy for a few years so he’s gotten over it, the vloggers that visit his bakery have helped him get over his fears too. He has shown up on local news outlets a few times over the years. He’s had the bakery for only around three years.
    He likes baking, playing video games, volunteering at a local homeless shelter. He sometimes buys presents for the kids in the shelter. A humble person, he never feels the need to spread word of what he’s done, he feels the actions he takes are rewarding enough. A soft-spoken person but his voice reminds people of distant thunder.
    Likes: Family, friends, helping people, coffee, baking, playing video games, crochet, gardening
    Dislikes: homophobia, transphobia, people being general jerks towards others, jello, Places that are too dark, small spaces
    Family:
    Mother: Willow Briar-Leaf
    Species: Elk
    Age: 50
    Career: Head-Nurse for a local retirement home
    A spicy woman in a little package, it’s safe to keep your distance and listen to what she has to say, she’s a force of nature on her own. Loves her family and will protect them at all costs. A small woman at around 5’3”, she’s a dwarf compared to her son, wife and even her grandson who’s only 13. If anyone’s laughing in a room, she’s the one who laughs the loudest, feels the strongest and will openly express her emotions. Compared to Sarah, she’s the emotional heart of the family while Sarah’s the cool logic. Originally from Philadelphia, she moved with her wife to live closer to her in-laws. Willow and Sarah met in community college when she was working weekends at a local butcher’s shop. She mostly made fish cheesesteaks. Sarah would often come to the shop just to flirt with her even though they were already dating.
    Mother #2: Sarah Briar-Leaf
    Species: Elk
    Age: 50
    Career: Child Psychologist
    A trans woman, she came out 10 years ago and started transitioning soon after that, she’s the sire of Sage. Sarah and Willow have stuck through with each other through the years and have been married for 31 years, they were high school sweethearts and married shortly after high school, Sarah moved the family from Philadelphia to live with her parents in London, Ontario around 29 years ago since her mother had an Alzheimer diagnosis and Sarah wanted to help her father handle her. After her mother passed, she stayed in London to take care of her aging father. Sarah is 7 feet tall without her antlers, she never felt like she would truly “pass” as a woman even though her wife, Willow, insists she’s simply an Amazonian. Willow has been supportive of Sarah’s transition and is defensive of her. Sarah is often the calm one in any situation, she cares in her own way but tries to keep up with trends to properly take care of her patients and her patients appreciate her for it even if she sometimes mixes up slang every-so-often. She normally helps kids who were hospitalized in the local mental ward and helps them shift to out-patient.
    Son: Andrew Briar-Leaf
    Species: Predatory Elk
    Age: 13
    Andrew was born when Sage was only 15 but Sage doesn’t regret it. Sage’s Girlfriend, Denise, at the time unfortunately died of cancer when Andrew was 3. Andrew is a good kid but he can get into fights a lot with other kids. Currently, he’s 6’5” and still has a lot of growing to do, sometimes, he needs a wheelchair because it hurts too much to walk around sometimes and his body hasn’t quite caught up with his bones. Andrew was named after his Maternal Uncle Andrew since he was the first person to really support Denise through her pregnancy as a teenager. Andrew also inherited heterochromia from his mother and has one eye gold and the other green. He does also have black sclera like his father. A lanky kid but Sage believes he’ll grow into himself once he really starts puberty. His fur is a light red, similar to his mother and he’s rather fuzzy for an elk and takes a few hours to brush it all out when he starts shedding.
    Girlfriend(deceased): Denise Thistle
    Species: Highland Cow
    Age(upon Death): 18
    A kind individual, she often saw the good in people over the bad, she was never intimidated by Sage and was a very relaxed girl. She was very excited over having Andrew and couldn’t wait for him to be born, she was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, Andrew’s conception is due to a broken condom and it was also the second time they slept together. Her family mostly disowned her besides her older brother, Andrew. He gave her both love and monetary support to help her get baby supplies. Sage’s parents also welcomed her with open arms and they all lived together in a small home in London. She encouraged Sage’s love for baking and was ever supportive. Her whole philosophy was that a home needs love and love she shall give. Sage loved her and her death broke his heart. She died shortly after graduating high school and many of her fellow classmates and even teachers and other staff showed up to offer condolences at her Wake. As per her wishes, she was cremated and buried in an eco-urn in the backyard of one of her greatest friends, Tiffany, a Great Dane living on the other side of town.
     
    Background:
    Sage was born in London and has always loved baking, he’d sometimes be allowed to knead his own dough when he was little and always hovered around whoever was cooking in the kitchen as soon as he could walk. He was often made fun of for his teeth and strange eyes when he was little but over time, he began sticking up for himself. Getting stronger physically and much larger also helped stop bullies. After Denise died, he went onto a baker’s apprenticeship as she wanted him to do and once he moved back to town three years ago, he opened his own bagel shop downtown.
    Known for his different lattes and soft bagels, his shop often has a line waiting for the place to open in the morning. He often has local vloggers or even ones from as far as Toronto taking pictures of their food and drink, he ended up having a small but devote following of fans due to his humble and simple nature. They sometimes buy things off of his personal wishlist and has a HoofBook(his universe’s version of Facebook but for herbivores) account that covers his going-ons in his community. He supports environmental activism and will sometimes bail out protesters if he can afford it.
     
    Some random in world names for things:
     
    HoofBook, ClawBook, FeatherBook and Scaly are all Facebook-like websites but for Herbivores, Predators, birds and lizards respectively.
    Grumblr is like Tumblr
    Tweeter = twitter
    Grape = similar to Apple
    Most places of business are custom made to handle antlers and larger animals, there are some places that are smaller, more “human” sized but, for example, Sage needed to get the place he got for his bakery up to code to handle his antlers. The size difference for most animals isn’t as severe as Zootopia or something but more human-like with some animals being larger than humans ever could. Most animals range from 4’3”-8’0” with some species either growing bigger than that due to long necks or they’re just naturally smaller than their typical species.
    Sage’s Bakery is currently across from a local stadium downtown, his next door neighbours for his business are a mouse-run clothing shop and the other side is occupied by a restaurant run by a goat refugee from a different country, they all get along and the employees of the next door shops sometimes get discounts for their lunchbreaks at the bagel shop. Some businesses are meant for smaller animals while some are meant for bigger animals but most are meant to handle any size or weight.
    There are apes and monkeys in this world too but they’re rare and often stick to smaller communities. There are some humans but they’re even rarer than apes or monkeys. Most animals live their whole lives without seeing humans, most humans live in small communities in Northern countries with polar bears and other colder climate loving animals. Out of the 4 billion animals, there are only 10K humans in existence. Only 2 million various Ape and Monkey species’, they typically like to live near the equator and are indigenous to countries like Taiwan, Ethiopia, Ecuador and various indigenous tribes in the Amazon Rain Forest. They often protect and ensure the safety of the Environment they live in.
    This world is healthier than the one we live in, they never had to worry about climate change and are always environmentally conscious of the world they live in. Most people are vegetarians but some eat domesticated animals or bugs for protein. Some of the herbivores don’t appreciate that much but they’ve made strides in making meat-like supplements that act like meat but are grown in laboratories, this alternative is very popular and in very high demand from those that eat meat.
    While a small percent of people eat meat, more carnivorous people like eating bugs since it’s a good and cheaper alternative to lab-grown meats. Along with a type of large grub that has a lot of different breeds that taste like different things, one breed of grub can taste like cheesecake but has the nutritional value of 10g of protein per serving(typically 6 grubs) and very low in carbs. Another breed of grub can taste like beef. These grubs prefer cold climates so they’re kept in basements and cold storage.
    When these bugs breed, they die, they only breed in boiling water. Most people scoop out the eggs while cooking the adults. These grubs have a hard shell, almost like glass so it isn’t safe to eat them whole and raw. Once the shell of the grub easily can slip off with little resistance, it’s ready to eat. People have gotten sick eating un-properly cooked grubs. The shells are recycled into material such as stained glass hobbyists or for fashion accents or are ground up for other purposes, such as a special plastic-like alternative normally used in traditional animation slides.
    Thanks for reading this far, if you have any questions or want to help me brainstorm, you're welcome to comment!!!
    Just another thing, I'm calling him a predatory Elk because of his sharp teeth and claws.  I'm making headcanon that these things are traits that can be passed down through "normal" family lines, some carnivores can be "passive" while some Herbivores can be "predatory" and be able to eat meat without getting sick.
  3. Thuja
    Lately, I've been in a Skyrim state of mind...  I mean, come on, even right now I'm looking for some good mods to try out for Skyrim...  I loved Skyrim and we've waited too long for a successor to the game.  We got that teaser for the next game way too early, especially if they expect us to not hope for anything until after Starfield or whatever it's called comes out.  Some of the Bethesda people are getting mad that people keep asking for TES 6 info instead of Starfield.  Can't blame people for wanting news on a game they've been looking forward to for almost a decade over a new IP, right?  Anyways, here's some stuff I've been thinking about for TES 6.
    A settlement system
    I'm not really thinking of the same system that Fallout 4 had, I'm thinking of one big hold for our character to potentially have and if our character refuses the rights for the hold, it moves on and becomes it's own city over time.  For choosing where this hold is located, it could potentially be near the sea or inland, one or the other not both.  The hold can grow with our character's progress, maybe more things become available to build with whether it be modular homes or floors, walls and roofs to build homes out of but instead of the basic stuff that we get in fallout 4, I'd like more stuff.  More options!!  For base game in F4, there's only wood or steel structures(and I think concrete too but I think that was added with a dlc???) and the game's settlement system has since been improved with mods and later released items.  For TES 6, I think it would be cool to have different styles of walls and stuff.  Better interactable furniture and décor, better options.  Things that can make settlers happy, being able to assign townies to certain jobs like blacksmith, tanner, merchant, etc. even having a say in who joins the local guard and what sort of equipment they carry, I just think it would be dope to see guards carrying daedra gear, wouldn't that just be terrifying for some rowdy group of bandits???
    I think plot wise, this settlement can become it's own hold with the potential of appointing you as the jarl or whatever the hold's leader will be called in TES 6.  However, you can also appoint someone else as the leader instead, if you want to play as an advisor or just want to stay more unknown to be the wandering hero.  You could still build things if you appoint someone else as the leader of the Hold and there might even be some radiant quests to help the locals in making things they need for their businesses or maybe shore up defenses in the area, help maintain patrols in the area, something that keeps you going there and you can even assign a home as yours so you don't find other people sleeping in your bed after a long night of patrolling for bandits or someone using your kitchen even though you know for damn sure they have their own baking supplies in their OWN HOME.
    Personally, I enjoyed the settlement system in F4 but it just felt like too much for me and I think having one large hold will be more than enough instead of losing crops to raiders because you were in the middle of a dungeon crawl and couldn't get there fast enough to defend the settlement EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW that the settlement has more than enough guards and turrets to protect it, why must I, the player, be stuck with babysitting all of my settlements?  Without mods, the settlements are full of capable(and possibly well-armed depending on how you play) adults who can defend themselves, why must I or anyone else be stuck with babysitting EVERY settlement?  Why do I have to play the hero of the day when there's a whole settlement full of capable adults?  I hope with TES 6's potential settlement system this is not an issue anymore and even with missing out on helping the settlement, the settlers can defend themselves perfectly fine, I'm just a strawberry on top of an already frosted cake, not necessary but a nice topping.
    Improved Companions and a Better Marriage system
    One thing that bothers me about most games is that when I'm in the middle of a battle, an NPC runs between me and the enemy and depending on the game, if I hit them they start attacking me or I get a bounty for hitting them.  I'd like for once not to have to worry about an npc running between me and the fight, especially a companion or some random villager(seriously why are you running into a fight when all you have is your fists and not very good stats?).  I'd like a better AI system that makes certain people STAY OUT of the fighting or maybe not run in front of the player when they're fighting.
    Anyways, I'd really like more interesting companions.  Even though We'll probably get only a certain amount of VAs for the game, I'd still like better dialogue for companions, more variety, look at what some modders are doing with their companions.  Lucien Flavius?  Kaidan?  Great mods with lots of dialogue and even the potential to train the companion in certain things.  I really wish more companies looked at what modders were doing to get an idea for what people want instead of saying "WE know what players want *adds 20 different things players didn't want*"..  Moving on, I think it would be cool to have better companions, yep...  Also being able to send companions back to their own homes, why didn't you have this feature F4?  Mods really do make the game better.
    For things like marriage, I'd like more options to do things like, go out for dates at the local tavern or something, MORE INTERRACTION with our spouse.  For some people I think having more courtship would be cool instead of "hey you just got me this thing, I'll totally marry you"  Nothing like bioware romances but something with at least some more substance, give me something, even if it were one or two separate conversations or dialogue options????  I think it would be nice to take your spouse out for dinner or have a romantic picnic right outside the gates yet within safe distance of the city so you won't be bothered.  Something like that?  I think it would be better to have a few of those instead of "here I made this pie for you" and "oh hey, here's some money I made from my store" and lover's embrace perk for a few hours if you sleep in the same bed as them.  Just want some more content on that end.  Can't help a guy for hoping?
    Improved Children
    I would love it if there were more children in the game, not just nord children but argonians, Kahjiit with the merchants, orcs at strongholds, bretons, maybe some studious Altmer has his grandson with him??????????  There's no excuse these days to just have one race of same-faced children and even F4 should've done better but there isn't many studios out there who do kids properly if they aren't a main character.  Even Braith or whatever her name was was a nord child even though her parents were both Redguard?  I think it would be nice to have more variety in children.
    I mean, even with your own kids in Skyrim, you couldn't even train them in sword play or fighting or whatever, why not?  Why even give them a wooden sword if you, a possibly very experienced player who clearly knows how to fight, can't even train them????  I would've loved to train my kid that my dovahkiin adopted in smithing or something.  I think the domestic stuff needs more attention for TES 6 and with a studio as large as Bethesda, "not enough resources" shouldn't be an issue for them imo and I think they could spare some time in giving the kids some proper attention so they aren't all same-faced and nords.  Especially when they make the models for adults of the same species, they could easily spend some time in making children of those species, even if they were unique characters I'd be happy with more variety.
    Better Factions
    I think something that Skyrim was lacking was more factions.  At the end of the day for the main quest, it turned into being only empire vs stormcloaks or dragon vs blades for the dragon aspect of the main quest line with a peppering of the Thalmor.  What about the Falmer?  Forsworn???  Hell, what about joining the Thalmor?
    For the falmer, it didn't make much sense to me to go into the Dwemer ruins just to slaughter the falmer, especially when they haven't done anything wrong?  Why did we even kill them when they did nothing wrong?  They clearly weren't insentient, they had structures, a leadership system, shamans, an understanding of magic, possibly also an understanding for healing, they kept pets.  imo, They weren't stupid, we just couldn't understand their language, doesn't really help that Bethesda just made them growl.  I mean, wouldn't you defend your home when some rando adventurer starts killing your people?  I'd be mad.  I think it would've added more depth if they weren't just one-dimensional enemies, why couldn't we help them?  We could've joined them at some point, maybe one of them from learning our language from Gelebor, could've served as an emissary for their people?  I felt bad going through dungeons killing them for no other reason besides "they were in the way of point B".  Maybe we could've worked to ensure their sovereignty?  Something...?  No?  Ok, I'll crawl back in my hole.
    For the forsworn, they seemed like a cool people, who were just trying to defend their homes.  Yet again turned into one-dimensional enemies.  Where's my cool quest line with talking to the Hagravens?  How about some plot to get the stormcloaks out?  I bet if the falmer and the forswron joined forces, they could've probably given the Stormcloaks a run for their money.  We even had the possibility of joining them during that one quest in Cidhna Mine or whatever it was called, why weren't we allowed to?  I just think the hagravens are cool and wanted more interactions with them.  I mean, why couldn't we marry Moira?  That could've been a way to join the Forsworn too??????  I wanted to see more hagraven content!!!  Like, maybe if we were joined to one of these factions, we wouldn't have to worry about them attacking the dovahkiin anymore?  That would've been cool to see more of that.  I still think we need more or at least better factions!!
    We're definitely getting the Thalmor and Empire again in the next one but I would love to see more political intrigue in the game.  Maybe have the quest take longer instead of popping from one quest to another?  How about having to go off and do some adventuring for a while and then come back to the city where one of the representatives of the faction you're a part of comes up to you like a courier in Skyrim like, "hey there, finally found you!  So-and-So wanted to speak to you at your convenience, I suggest heading over there to see what they needed" or heck, some courier finds you and passes on the note?  Also would be nice to find a way for all factions to work together properly without resorting to killing all of the rest like what F4 did if you joined anyone but the Minutemen but even then you had to kill the institute, killing the whole institute would probably be a different post if anyone's interested in my opinion on the matter but anyways...
    Better Character Creator Options
    One thing I love about RPGs is the character creator, doesn't have a good cc?  Not as interested in it as I probably should be.  I liked the push-pull system that F4 had for their game even with a slider for body type?  Great!  improve it!  I think it would be great to have a limited height slider for each race, like, maybe make a shorter orc or a taller bosmer?  Within reason, of course, not going to make a giant sized argonian but something limited like maybe make them around a foot taller/shorter than the standard size?  With ever-improving technology, I think excuses of "not having the proper tech for it" especially from a AAA company doesn't fly anymore and I don't get why people keep falling for it, I get things like that from indie companies but one that can easily make the tech for it?  Doesn't make sense to me but probably because I'm not a developer and don't get the Ins and Outs of the industry.  I just think they can do better...
    Better hair and facial hair!!!  Having a wider selection of hairs would be great, I normally ever use the same 4 for my characters because there isn't much in terms of options in Skyrim without mods.  Facial hair could use some help too, this one mod in F4 did a great job with adding more lore-friendly facial hair while using the same facial hairs in the game, just by rearranging them and putting a few together to make something totally different.  If a modder who mods for free can do it, I don't see why Bethesda can't do any better.
    I just want to create absolutely unique characters while still being lore-friendly.
    Bugs
    Seriously Bethesda, why?  Ship out games with actually playable features instead of depending on some modder for release a bug patch for something that you'll probably ignore and never fix.  You're a AAA company, act like it.  It just doesn't work.  Being more Consumer friendly in general would really help your current public image.  Take the time you need to fix the bugs instead of shipping a broken game.
    Just my opinion on the thing while I'm thinking about it but we probably won't be getting anymore news for TES 6 until Starfield is released and that's a few years away?  At least I think?  Would love to hear your opinions on what I spoke of.  Thanks for reading this far and have a good one!!!
  4. Thuja
    So lately, I've been playing more sims 3 and earlier this week, I figured I'd make another attempt at making a legacy family(I've only gotten to the third generation before getting bored but I'm determined this time).  I made my sims, a single mom and her kid and started the game.  The kid was really good friends with Bella Bachelor throughout his childhood and she was the first friend he made in the neighbourhood.  Fast forward to him growing up into a teenager, he asked Bella out.  I don't know if this was a bug but on the first date, they were really hitting it off and absolutely into each other and then, my sim had the most random want, he wanted to marry her.  Literally the first date as a TEENAGER he wanted to marry her????  I was so confused but I thought it was adorable so I went with it.  They were dating for pretty much all of their teenage lives and as soon as they graduated, my boy popped the question.  They ended up having a small family wedding in his mom's backyard along with his younger sisters that his mom had from a different relationship during the playthrough.  A few days after getting married, they were awarded with the Eternally Faithful reputation and they're currently expecting their first child(or children idk).  I'd like to see Bella's reaction to hearing her now husband saying he knew they'd get married on their first date as teens, such high school sweethearts.  I'm kinda mad that he never asked her out to prom, would've liked to see their prom picture together instead of him motioning to nothing.  He was just really busy with his sisters at the time so never really left home while his half-sisters were toddlers.
    If anyone's willing to listen to me ramble about the family I made, read on, otherwise, you can stop reading now but thanks for getting this far!!!!!
    Mira Tree-Bark
    She's the mother, she's also working towards being a sports star and has gotten as muscular as a woman in the game can get.  She's a simple woman and has had a hard life, she lost her previous husband due to a terrible accident.  She had to raise their son Alfonso by herself.  She isn't proud of what she's done in the past but it's kept her and her son alive. 
    I have a hc within the sims lore that elves were the most hated for some reason.  They had a temporary resurgence in sims 3 timeline but have disappeared in sims 4.  There still are vampires, mermaids and magicians but the werewolves and elves have been missing from sims 4 which I think is due to some sort of war or other incident idk.  Like some sort of race war?  I don't know, just making a huge stretch with that.
    Anyways, when Mira and her son Alfonso moved to Sunset Valley they were the only elves in town, Mira had finally saved up for a small home and joined the local sports team where she still works.  Thankfully, the locals have been kind to them and it made her feel much more safe than when she was in a bigger city.  She ended up meeting a local man but when she was pregnant, she found out that he was already married.  She had twin girls.  She's chosen to stay single since then and focuses on protecting her girls and making sure her son turns out well.  She's a kind woman but will gladly cut someone if it meant protecting family.
    Alfonso Tree-Bark
    Named after his paternal grandfather's human friend who helped his grandfather escape a hairy situation in the form of an abusive girlfriend who happened to also be a werewolf.  Alfonso tries to help people how he can but he's too gentle to really actually harm anyone to protect others.  Most people tend to think he's too weak to fight but he'd rather be in his garden.  He graduated high school as the Valedictorian and was voted as the most likely person to save the world but he'd rather spend his days growing things in his garden and raising his and Bella's children, no matter how many they have.  For now, Bella's the only world that matters to him, he carries himself with a quiet strength and still helps others when he can  The three ways he spends his time:  Gardening, working out and with his wife.  I think he would prefer being a house husband and Bella wants to become a sculptor, maybe with a side job but not much
    I have this hc that Bella's family, The Bachelors, were slightly prejudiced to learn their daughter was marrying an elf.  Since The Bachelors were usually hostile to Alfonso whenever he visited their house in game, none of them even sent any wedding gifts when they married in-game.  Which is why I thought it was best to have a small wedding instead.
    The twins Marian and Isabelle Tree-Bark
    Not much to say about them, they both aspire to be writers.  One of them dislikes children while the other is all puppies and sunshine.  When they had their birthday growing from children to teens, it was obvious that Isabelle was the favoured one between the two.  Isabelle had her mother wrapped around her finger since she was a toddler and I think Marian became bitter over that.  Marian's more feisty and easier to get moodswings.  Since Alfonso married Bella, the twins and their mother moved out to another home in Sunset Valley to give their older brother room to expand as a family.
    I kinda find it funny how the twins turned out since I named Marian after my FemHawke from DA2 and Isabelle obviously from Animal Crossing.  Marian Hawke was confrontational and eternally grumpy while Isabelle from ac is all puppies and sunshine and I find it hilarious that the twins ended up so much the same as those two characters from series that have no influence in the sims series...
  5. Thuja
    I've been thinking about things I want to do with this new decade and here's a list of some major things that I want to do for this decade:
    Get all of my surgeries done that I want to do for my transition(I mean, even if I just do my top surgery I'll be happy but bottom surgery would be DOPE)
    Go to Anthrocon(It's something I've wanted to do for a long time but never had any way of getting to...)
    Go to a ren faire or some other LARP event
    Sign up for some sort of Martial Art course...
    There're a few other things I'd like to do like finally get my driver's license and go back to school or sign up for fashion school.  There's this one school in Toronto that I'd love to go to but Toronto is a very expensive city to live in compared to the one I live in currently.  Maybe my luck will change one of these days idk.  I think I'll go back to this post and cross stuff off as I do them over the years if I remember.
  6. Thuja

    My birthday

    By Thuja,

    So today’s my birthday, my 28th birthday!  At one point in my life, I didn’t think I’d make it to be 25, crazy huh?  I’m 3 years past my expectations.  I still have a ways to go though...  I don’t really have any directions or ideas where I should go now.  I thought I’d’ve had it down by now but I guess I spent most of my life thinking about dying that I never really thought I’d get this far...  Part of me panics over that and I know I don’t want to be in my current situation forever, I really hate being in this never-ending cycle of poverty, I want to do something with however much time I have left but Another part of me is like! “Why do anything when we’re all going to die anyways?”  I still have a lot of problems with dealing with suicidal ideation, sometimes when I try to go to sleep, this thick dark cloud hangs over me, screaming that I should kill myself.  It’ll be a long road to recovery but I know I have to walk it, maybe someone will let me ride their car for a bit, dropping me off somewhere where I feel is best.  There might even be other people walking the same road and we can share how best to walk it.  As a way to celebrate, I made pie and spanakopita, don’t have any pics of the spanakopita but I made sure to take one of the pie!  It’s cherry btw! 

  7. Thuja
    Just to put this into a bit of context, when I came out as transgender, my mom didn't want to have anything to do with me.  I still try to contact her and talk to her but she won't let me.  When she turned her back on me, I felt like I wasn't deserving of my indigenous heritage, so for a long time(and sometimes still) whenever I so much as think about going to a pow-wow or learning the culture/language of my people more, I feel like I'm not worthy of those things.  Like those things don't belong to me anymore, like I'm a separate entity from those things, I'm not supposed to be a part of them anymore.  Now I know I shouldn't feel that way, what my mom did to me was separate and not even related.  I can still and should still pursue what I want to or take up learning Ojibway language because I want to or take a moment and appreciate the music that my culture creates because I like it.  Part of me still feels hurt when I do those things though and that's what stops me from doing those things.
    Anyways, I just wanted to get this out there...  I'm part of a mental health group that likes to make lunch when we get together, the woman that is leading the group figured we should all bring in recipes to make and a girl in the group is also from the same reservation as my family is(I'm guessing that she's actually a distant cousin because she was talking about her family today once I'm thinking about it) and she brought in a recipe for how her family makes indian tacos, which is pretty much like a taco except you make fry bread and lay all of your delicious ingredients on top of it it's pretty good and there's many ways to make it!  It all made me feel sad because I still feel like what happened between my mom is unresolved but at the same time it reminded me about all the things we did with fry bread.  Whether it be driving around the rez during the summer, going to people's indian taco sales and driving to the graveyard to have them with my grandparents or to one of the parks and just watch the river or the ferry.  Or watching my mom make the fry bread recipe that's been in the family since her great grandmother, like the times she would add garlic to the recipe and the whole house would smell of garlic.
    From my understanding, making fry bread could be a very tiny form of resistance.  Allow me to explain.  From what I've been told, fry bread hasn't always been a "traditional" recipe.  It comes from the time when indigenous folks were forced onto reserves and the government were trying to beat the native out of the indigenous by controlling what they eat.  The indigenous were limited in what they received: flour, lard, powered milk, you know, very basic things.  The government were trying to starve the indigenous people so they began to make fry bread as an "F U" to the government and they were too stubborn to die of starvation.
    It made me sad thinking about all that while making my own indian taco but thankfully, the lady leading the group knew that I felt that way and was there to let me ramble on about my emotions at the time, it was helpful for me.  I probably looked and sounded like a mess but I got through it.  Unfortunately, my mom never shared her recipe for fry bread with me but now that I have a different fry bread recipe to use, maybe things aren't so bad.  Maybe this is the universe's way of telling me that I need to move on with my life, my mom is her own person, whether I agree with what she does or not that's her decision to make.  A part of me wants her to be a part of my life but if she feels I'm not up to par with what she expects of me, it's better that she isn't here for me.  Maybe it's better that way, maybe it's better that we're apart so that I can finally be the person that I want to be, be someone that I can wake up knowing is doing the right thing for his own future.  So yeah, my rant on fry bread, there you go...

  8. Thuja
    Since I've been on T for a while(or for those of you that don't know, I'm taking testosterone, just calling it T for short) and my voice has FINALLY started changing, I've also noticed that my laughing has changed as well.  Sometimes, I think of it as my "Wookie laugh" because it can be slightly painful to laugh sometimes due to my lowering voice(though right now you can say that I'm in a perpetual state of that voice when you have a cold).  Since I do like to laugh and will take any chance to do so...  I kinda have to hear that laugh, often...  It used to bug me but sad to say that when I hear my laugh I just want to laugh more at it, which makes my throat hurt even more.  Sometimes, I also have a laugh that I like to call my "Trans Witch Cackle".  It's kinda like my wookie laugh but it sounds more like an old lady, it doesn't hurt as much when I laugh with this one, thankfully...  Unfortunately, I can't really control which laugh I use, sometimes it's one, sometimes it's a blend of the two or other times it's neither.  I've never really noticed any of the trans men I either read up on or watch on youtube mention the change in laughter.  Just something silly that I've noticed in myself and thought I'd share, even if no one will read this.  Thanks for reading though, in any case~!

  9. Thuja
    Thane stood at the door of Shepard's bedroom, it was early in the morning. He stood in the hallway, wondering if this was the best choice of action.
     
    "Jan...?" He gingerly knocked on the door as he slowly opened it, "I'm sorry to disturb you two but Kolyat and I woke up early and we were wondering...?"
     
    He found Risu opening the curtains while Shepard was still sleeping, light spilling all over the room.
     
    "Ah good, you're up," Risu softly spoke motioning towards the door, "I'll whip up some breakfast. How did you sleep? The guest bedrooms typically aren't occupied so I was worrying that the beds weren't broken in yet." Thane stepped aside as Risu exited, closing the door behind him, "It takes him a while to get up, don't worry about it.. Shall we?"
     
    They walked down the hallway, passing various paintings, some more questionable than others. "Your home is lovely, Risu."
     
    "Isn't it? We designed and built it ourselves. I find that the arid air around here agrees with me. Have you... Had any problems here? Any pain?"
     
    "I'd be lying if I said no, I have had some but my Kepral's is advanced so pain is pretty much a given by now but thank you for asking. How long will Jan take to wake up? He was typically pretty alert on the Normandy...?"
     
    "He's not on the Normandy though, he's home. He typically runs on a different schedule here, he'll be up soon."
     
    They both made it to the spacious kitchen, there was an eclectic sense to the room. There was a vast island in the center where Kolyat was sitting, he still seemed tired. Risu began to move about the kitchen, opening cabinets and the fridge in a habitual state. He turned on the coffee maker and the island oven, "Hun, there's coffee when you need it!" he shouted as he was taking out a slab of salmon meat from the fridge. Thane could hear someone grumbling down the hallway and doors opening and closing. All he could do was try and stay out of Risu's way, he sat with Kolyat at the other side of the island.
     
    "I've never had a human breakfast before, what're we having?" Kolyat asked, watching Risu.
     
    "I was planning on searing some fish, have some left over rice from yesterday, make miso soup along with some seaweed salad."
     
    "Ah yes, seaweed salad, Shepard seemed to swear by the stuff back on the Normandy." Thane chuckled at the memory, "I remember he tried to make others on the crew try it, much to his failure."
     
    "Well in this household--" Risu was just getting ready to explain, a sudden thunk grabbed his attention.
     
    Shepard stood at the entryway of the hallway, arm out to support him from falling over, wearing nothing but his N7 boxers. He made his way slowly to the kitchen. Risu poured him a mug of coffee as he sat down besides Kolyat, he began to rub his green eyes as he grumbled to himself. He yawned and began sipping his drink.
     
    "I'm sure by the time the fish is done, he'll be ready for the day. It's almost ready anyways." Risu pressed down on the slab of meat with his spatula.
     
    "Is he always like this here?" Kolyat motioned to the tired looking Shepard.
     
    "Pretty much," Risu unapologetically stated as he began grabbing plates and bowls out of the cabinets, he paused, placing a hand on his hip, "Ready for the day, soldier?"
     
    Rrrrready for the day, my precious frog prince!" Jan lifted his mug, he still sounded a bit sleepy.
  10. Thuja
    1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname?
    ​My full name is Darius Hawk Ryder, my sister calls me "Dairy"
     
    2. How old are you? When is your birthday?
    ​I am 24 years old, my birthday is on September 27.
     
    3. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Are you patriotic?
    ​On the Citadel, I'm currently Stationed on the Arcturus station. I'm a soldier, so I guess?
     
    4. Who are/were your parents? (Names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
    ​My father is Alec Ryder, an N7 soldier... As for my mum... Well... She doesn't like it when I talk about her too much.
     
    5. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
    ​My twin Sister, Selene Ryder. She's always talking about how she's the older sister because she was born before me. Beyond that, she's pretty ok.
     
    6. What is your occupation?
    ​I'm part of the Alliance, a soldier. I do have some biotics but I've never really had the need to use them.
     
    7. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?
    ​I'm 6'5" and I weigh 200 lbs...
     
    8. What color is your hair? What color are your eyes?
    ​My hair is red and my eyes are green.
     
    9. What is your race?
    ​Human, I'm mixed.
     
    10. To which social class do you belong?
    ​Military?
     
    11. Do you consider yourself to be attractive? Do others?
    ​I'm sexy and I know it... Others... I guess to some?
     
    12. What is your style of dress?
    ​I like gothic the most, it's a "phase" that never really left me! Unfortunately, I can't get really ornate with my clothing and makeup choices while on duty. I wonder if they'll let me bring my closet with me on the trip...? Would my clothing even last that long? They did say that the trip was going to be 600 years so it might be worse for wear... Guess I gotta get rid of it...
     
    13. Do you have any scars? Tattoos? Birthmarks? Other unique physical features?
    ​I have a scar on my right arm from a mountain lion, as for any tats? I've been considering it...
     
    14. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
    ​I've been lucky, health-wise.
     
    15. Are you right- or left-handed?
    ​Ambidextrous!
     
    16. What does your voice sound like?
    ​Average, I guess? Sounds like a guy voice?
     
    17. What kind of vocabulary do you use?
    ​I use simple language, I guess?
     
    18. List three quirks or other defining characteristics.
    ​Loyal, determined, willing to help friends.
     
    19. How often do you bathe? Do you wear perfumes?
    ​I try to have a shower every three days, or maybe after every mission, whichever comes first.
     
    20. What kind of facial expression do you commonly wear (dour glare, wry smile, etc)?
    ​I smile, tends to unnerve some.
     
    21. Do you use body language? How?
    ​I talk with my hands, I'm always moving them.
     
    22. Do you have a commonly used saying?
    ​Not really, no.
     
    Childhood
     
    23. What is your earliest memory?
    ​Playing with the other kids on the Citadel.
     
    24. How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy it?
    ​It was fine, I guess, pretty average.
     
    25. Where did you learn most of your knowledge and skill?
    ​The Alliance, actually. I joined when I was able to.
     
    26. How would you describe your childhood in general?
    ​Pretty nice, we didn't lack anything.
     
    27. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    ​A teacher, funny enough. My dad talked me out of it...
     
    28. When and with whom was your first kiss?
    ​This one time at camp- NO, NOT LIKE THAT! There was this boy I thought was cute and I talked him into kissing me during bed time, we were both 9. He didn't like it but from that moment, I knew I liked boys more than girls.
     
    29. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
    ​Virginity? Are you serious? Does that even matter anymore?*sigh* Fine... It was with my first boyfriend, I was 16 and it was at his house when his parents left for some dinner date or something. To put it lightly, it wasn't what I was expecting but it was ok.
     
    30. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? Does that affect you?
    ​None that I can remember, no. I'm sure my dad would know more about that.
     
    Influences
     
    31. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
    Well, I'm going to be joining the Andromeda Initiative soon(it was my dad's idea) and leaving the galaxy is​ a pretty big deal for me.
     
    32. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
    ​I guess it was saving my cat, Bear, she was freezing to death outside when I found her but was able to help her out and take her in, that was when I was 12.
     
    33. What is your greatest regret?
    ​Ugh, my last boyfriend... Don't. Even. Ask...
     
    34. What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing ever to happen to you?
    ​I guess I've been fortunate, I've never really had any problems.
     
    35. Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they?
    ​Well, the family does have some secrets but I can't talk about them right now.
     
    36. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
    ​I stole some food for my cat when I first got her, went into a store, got food, left without paying.
     
    37. When was the time you were the most frightened?
    ​When I was hiking, a mountain lion jumped on me.
     
    38. Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If so, to where?
    ​"Out of the country"? I've traveled around different planets in-between duty, no where lavish, just to some colonies.
     
    Beliefs
     
    39. What is your alignment?
    ​Lawful good, but that can always change.
     
    40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
    ​I try to stay optimistic.
     
    41. Do you believe in a god? If so, which one and why?
    ​I'm a pagan, I believe in gods. I guess you could say, I'm in between faiths. Funny enough, I used to have an altar dedicated to Loki, I've always had a soft-spot for tricksters.
     
    42. Do you believe in an afterlife?
    ​I don't know what wil happen when I die, maybe I go somewhere? Maybe I'm reincarnated? Doesn't matter that much.
     
    43. What is your greatest fear?
    ​Breaking a ship and being lost in space....
     
    44. What makes you angry? Sad? Happy? Why?
    ​Anger: Ignorance, Willful ignorance.
    Sad: Pain. I hate seeing people in pain.
    ​Happy: Spending time with loved ones, it's always so relaxing.
     
    45. Do you think people are basically good or basically evil?
    ​​I think everyone's capable of doing both good and bad, a mix of grey, as it were.
     
    46. What are your views on politics? Religion? Sex?
    ​Politics: I'm open to anything, I really don't agree with anything like Cerberus but I guess they're here for a reason of some sort and most other species have groups that are looking for the progress of their own race, right? My dad agrees with some of the things that Cerberus does but there's always a line that shouldn't be crossed and hearing what happened to some people, Cerberus doesn't care if they cross that line or not. Anyways, I'm willing to learn different points of views, just so I get more of an idea with what to go with.
     
    ​Religion: Not really a big deal, I consider myself to be a Pagan. Let people worship what they want, "If it harm none, do what you will."
     
    ​Sex: My mum made sure me and my sister got "the talk" early on, she made sure we were comfortable to bring up topics surrounding sex with either her or dad. Well... Maybe not dad so much but he's pretty cool with it. I have some stories about that but I'll share them another time.
     
    47. What are your views on gambling, lying, theft, and killing?
    ​Gambling is fine, so long as you're not gambling people away or something ridiculous. Always get help if you feel you're becoming addicted to gambling!
     
    ​I don't like liars but there tends to be somethings that you might need to withhold at certain times, so maybe not all lying is bad...? I don't like stealing either but some people have their reasons. I hope I don't have to resort to stealing in the Andromeda Galaxy.
     
    ​Killing only if necessary, you don't need to blast a hole in everything that gets in your way. Be reasonable, not trigger-happy.
     
    48. How far will you go to defend your beliefs?
    ​I've never had to defend my beliefs so I don't know?
     
    49. How much do you value money?
    Money isn't the most important thing in life, it helps sometimes but it isn't that important. At least, I don't think.
     
    50. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
    ​There's plenty of things but I'll try to keep this PG. Don't exploit children and don't assault people, that's just wrong.
     
    51. Do you believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good?
    ​Yes, I would gladly throw away my life if it meant the people I care about will have a good life, the only thing I'd regret is not being able to enjoy that life with them.
     
    52. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
    ​Not really, no. I don't think "true love" happens with everyone, some people live their entire lives without meeting their "soul mate" or "true love".
     
    53. Are you superstitious?
    ​A little bit, my dad is more superstitious than me though.
     
    54. How much do you respect the beliefs and opinions of others?
    ​Imagine a puzzle, there are many pieces that create the picture or whatever. I figure that everyone fits together on that puzzle. It's good to be different.
     
    55. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings?
    ​I try to be open but fair as well, sometimes withholding your opinion is the best route to take.
     
    56. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
    ​I try to be open-minded but not to the extent that my brain falls out, I enjoy learning about other cultures but for some odd reason, I'm a bit bias against batarians. Something just irks me about them, I don't know what... I wonder if they'll be going to the Andromeda galaxy too, I somehow doubt it.
     
    Dealing With Others
     
    57. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
    ​I guess my dad is the most important person in my life and my sister. My sister has always been there for me and even helped me snag my first boyfriend. My dad was pretty supportive when I came out to him, he pretty much laughed at me and said it was about time I said something...
     
    58. Who is the person you respect the most? Despise the most? Why?
    ​I can't really say, there's so many people that one can respect. I guess it would depend. Also, despise is a pretty strong word. Why should I waste my energy on hating someone?
     
    59. Do you have a significant other? Who?
    ​I did have a boyfriend... His name was Marcus but he broke up with me... Well, to be honest, he cheated on me a lot​ and I'd finally gotten sick of it. I think I'll wait until I grow a bit more as a person before really entering another relationship.
     
    60. Do you have a lot of friends? Who is your best friend?
    ​I tend to stick with myself, I start feeling pretty worn out if I'm with too many loud people for a certain amount of time.
     
    61. How do you relate to members of the same race? Class? Sex?
    ​I'm pretty fine with guys my age in the military, we've got a lot to learn and some of us need to take our heads out of our butts but I'm fine with other guys most of the time.
     
    62. How do you relate to members of a different race? Class? Sex?
    ​Depends?
    ​Asari- I respect them for their intelligence but I don't find them to be very attractive.
    ​Turians- I like the Turians but I've never had any experience dealing with them, I'm mostly stationed somewhere with mostly humans.
    Salarians- No experience with them either but they seem pretty cool.
    ​Krogan- I want a krogan buddy so bad, they seem pretty awesome.
    ​Hanar- Never seen a Hanar in person before, they seem pretty slow on the ground but I'm sure they're deadly in the water.
    ​Drell- they look so pretty! Commander Shepard's even married to one! The male voices are... Attractive, to say the least.
    ​Elcor- they seem cool, I want to see them carry around a big gun!
    ​Volus- I... Don't think I like the volus, I'm sure they're fine though.
    ​Quarians- I wonder if they'll be coming along with the AI? Their suits are so pretty but I can't see how they can stand being in them all the time. I feel a bit sorry for them, they seem like wonderful people just trying to survive. Not to mention, their experience with engineering must be invaluable, I don't see why people hate them so much. Sure, they made the Geth but that doesn't mean they haven't learned from their mistakes. They only have their ships, give them a break people!
    ​Batarians- I kinda don't like them, something about them seems... Off to me in some way. I don't know...
     
    63. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
    ​My first boyfriend's name was Paul, he was my "first", if you know what I mean. Unfortunately, he and his older brother got into a shuttle accident and his brother was the only one to survive. Apparently, Paul used himself to shield his brother. Paul was a great guy and I'm sure if he was still alive, we would still be together. My second boyfriend was named Marcus, we met in Basic, he seemed like a nice guy when we first met but he got worse as time went on and after we left the Academy, he apparently had many affairs with others while we were dating. What really broke it for me was when I gave him a surprise visit and he was in his cot with some other guy... Yeah, that sucked...
     
    64. What do you look for in a potential lover?
    ​It would have to depend on the person, I'm not too picky. Just as long as I enjoy their company and want to be with them, I guess?
     
    65. How close are you to your family?
    ​Pretty close, we look out for each other.
     
    66. Do you want a marriage, family, and/or children?
    I would​ like to get married someday but I don't envision any children in my life. Maybe adopt one but not have any myself.
     
    67. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
    ​I try to be reasonable.
     
    68. Are you a listener or a talker?
    ​I'm a listener.
     
    69. How long does it usually take for you to trust others?
    ​It would really have to depend on the person, some people are easier to trust than others.
     
    70. Do you hold grudges?
    I hold grudges for a long​ time.
     
    71. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
    ​Yeah, I guess it's just my training?
     
    72. Do you like interacting with large groups of people?
    ​When I need to but I won't force myself into a crowd of people just for the sake of it. I mostly prefer to stick at home, in my boxers, practicing bellydancing, if I have the time to.
     
    73. How well do you express yourself?
    ​It's pretty easy to do, I have no difficulty with it.
     
    74. How quickly do you judge others?
    ​Can't judge a book by it's cover, you gotta read some pages first...
     
    75. Do you care what others think of you?
    ​That just seems like a waste of energy to me.
     
    76. Do you have any enemies? How or why are they your enemy?
    ​I try not to have any enemies.
     
    Personal Taste and Opinions
     
    77. What is your favorite pastime? Color? Food? Possession?
    ​Pastime- Belly dancing is so much fun!
    Colour- Purple, obviously!
    ​Food- I love ramen so much!
    Possession- this one doll my mum gave me when I was a kid.
     
    78. What are your preferences in arts and/or entertainment?
    ​I like fanart the most, could be any type of fandom.
     
    79. Do you smoke, drink, go whoring, or use drugs? Why or why not?.
    ​No, sometimes I drink but not that much. I remember my dad taking me out for some drinks on my 21st birthday, I drank so much, I don't remember that night very well.
     
    80. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
    ​At home, maybe watch a movies and exercise a little.
     
    81. What is your most cherished fantasy?
    ​Going to a Drag show, having a great time.
     
    82. How long is your attention span?
    ​I need to stay focused for as long as I can, it simply can't be helped.
     
    83. Do you laugh a lot? What do you find funny?
    ​Yeah, I do.
     
    84. Is there anything that shocks or offends you? If so, what?
    ​Rape jokes, can't stand those.
     
    85. How do you deal with stress?
    ​My dad thought it was silly but belly dancing has been a life saver, I've been able to meet a lot of great people through that and it's also great to vent with. I guess just dancing in general. I'm terrible at "normal" dancing but I love belly dancing!
     
    86. How much athletic ability do you have? Artistic?
    ​I'm a soldier, so I guess I'd say that I have some great athletic abilities. Artistically though... I'm a bit of a DIYer and I enjoy making my own clothes. I hope I don't have to wear a uniform all the time... That would suck.
     
    87. Do you like animals? Do you like children?
    ​I like animals and children, not much to say beyond that.
     
    88. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
    ​I'd rather plan something out but I do have my moments of spontaneity.
     
    89. What are your pet peeves?
    ​Obnoxious people...
     
    Self-Image
     
    90. What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness?
    ​I think my loyalty is my greatest strength.
     
    91. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
    ​I guess my laugh, it bothers me.
     
    92. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
    ​Introverted, with a dash of extrovert.
     
    93. Do you like yourself?
    ​For the most part, yeah.
     
    94. Do you have a daily routine? How do you feel if your day is interrupted?
    ​I don't have any daily routine since what I need to do changes from day to day but I mostly work and study.
     
    95. What goal do you most want to accomplish in the next six months? Your lifetime?
    ​I want to go to Palaven before leaving the galaxy. In my lifetime, I would like to settle down at some point. I know, I know, sounds corny but I would really like to.
     
    96. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
    ​Probably still travelling towards the Andromeda Galaxy, hopefully I'll be in cryo by then.
     
    97. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
    ​I want to die with my boots on, maybe when I die I can have my ashes buried with some tree seeds or something.
     
    98. What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for after your death?
    ​Making the galaxy a better place to live in for everybody.
     
    99. What three words would you use to best describe your personality?
    ​Boring. Dull. Trash.
     
    100. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
    ​Loyal. Reasonable. Boring.
     
    101. Why are you risking your life to adventure?
    Again, I want to make the galaxy a better place to live in and if that means I have to jump ship to another galaxy, totally worth it in my books.
  11. Thuja
    ​So with ME:A coming in a few months(march), I decided to work on my Ryder for the game :3... Since I don't really know how to edit tumblr, I'll be posting this here... I'm trying to answer questions with my Ryder in mind, the purple text is his answer. I tried writing it as if he was being interviewed.
     
    ​Name: Darius Ryder
    ​Gender: Male
    Age: 24
     
    1.) Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?
     
    ​I have a twin sister named Selene Ryder(my mum picked my name while my dad picked my sister's). My mum is a doctor and my dad is in the N7 program! I love my sister, for sure, but I'm pretty close to my dad. Sometimes I think he's disappointed in me but I think I'm slowly growing on him!
     
    2.) What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like?
     
    ​I love my mum! She's such a smart and beautiful person!
     
    3.) What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like?
     
    ​It can be a bit hard at times but I've always had a strong bond with my father, I respect him. We get into arguments sometimes but mum just days we're too alike sometimes to agree with each other.
     
    4.) Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?
     
    ​I think being stationed at the Arcturus station really made me want to find my own path. I honestly didn't like my posting there and I think I would have preferred switching places with my sister. It was so boring! I don't know if that answer covers that?
     
    5.) On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?
     
    ​Don't laugh at me... I just... Really like carrying around hard candy with me... I know, I know, it makes me sound like an old lady but I can't help myself! My favourites are those fruit flavoured candies(cherry flavor is the best!) with yogurt in them.
     
    6.) Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?
     
    ​I have a lot of... Gay dreams, if that makes sense? It probably doesn't... Anyways! Ever since I attended my first Pride fest on Earth and seeing all the wonderful people... I felt at home, you know? So I have a lot of dreams about that and seeing Drag Queens at bars. A pity I won't be seeing that in the Andromeda Galaxy... At least... Do you think other galaxies have pride parades?
     
    ​I also dream a lot about cats, I hope the AI will let me bring my cat with me. I highly doubt they'll let me.
     
    7.) Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?
     
    ​It's very rare for me to have nightmares, if I do, they typically fade from memory in an hour or two? If I do have a nightmare, they typically jolt me awake but it's very easy to get back to sleep after that.
     
    8.) Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?
     
    ​My dad would take me and my sister hunting whenever we visited Earth. He taught us the importance of life, gun responsibility... That sort of stuff. My first target was a duck. I'm also a part of the military, so yeah... Guns are everywhere.
     
    9.) Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?
     
    ​We've been fortunate. My sister and I never lacked for anything but we weren't spoiled or anything like that.
     
    10.) Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?
     
    ​You may not believe this about me but a couple of years ago, I took up bellydancing! I love it so much! And the costumes! Some of the costumes can be pretty intricate. But anyways, I'm comfortable with just wearing some sweat pants around the house. I wish I could go more places with just pants...
     
    11.) In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?
     
    ​This one time, I was hiking on Earth, in the Rockies, when this mountain lion jumped out at me! I have a scar on my right side from that, thankfully, I was able to get away in time! Sure, I can heal the scar completely but I keep it as a reminder.
     
    12.) In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?
     
    ​I was visiting my mum's lab one day when I was a kid. At first I was bored but after a while, watching my mum work, it was strangely calming. I don't know if that counts as an answer, sorry...?
     
    13.) Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?
     
    ​As I mentioned before, my dad used to take me and my sister hunting. Maybe the first time I hunted I was scared of blood? But cleaning my kill made that feeling go away pretty quickly...
     
    14.) Does your character remember names or faces easier?
     
    ​Faces are SOOOO much easier to remember than names! Ask me what someone looks like, I can tell you easily but names... I'm lost on names, isn't that terrible?
     
    15.) Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?
     
    ​Money doesn't matter much to me, so long as I can get what I need, I'm fine. I think I'm going to give most of my things away when I have the chance to before leaving for the Andromeda Galaxy, you know, make sure my cat, Bear, is taken in by a good family. She's a good cat, I'll miss her.
     
    16.) Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?
     
    ​Happiness, of course! I think as long as you're happy, success is sure to follow.
     
    17.) What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?
     
    ​I had this one doll that I loved, it was a custom made doll that my mum ordered for me when I was 7. It had this "gothic" type of style to it, I still have it actually.
     
    18.) Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?
     
    ​I admire wisdom, my mum always said to "admire the wisdom of your Elders". To me, wisdom is closely tied with power... I don't know how to explain it, really...
     
    19.) What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?
     
    ​I'm a bit of a pushover, I'm trying not to be, really, but my last boyfriend used to walk all over me because of it. As it became a surprise to no one, he cheated on me. I really need to work on myself before going into another relationship...
     
    20.) In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?
     
    ​... Why should I compare myself to others? Why should I spare the energy for such a thing?
     
    21.) If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?
     
    ​Well I tend to blame myself when something goes wrong but I don't feel the need to blame myself for it if it was something that was out of my control, you know? Not everything happens for a reason, you know? Some things are just out of our control, we just need to be prepared for when they strike.
     
    22.) What does your character like in other people?
     
    ​I like it when people are creative, thinking outside the box, as it were. Sometimes, it's nice to watch children play games with each other, how they make this other world to play in and they just run with that idea, I wish more people didn't lose that.
     
    23.) What does your character dislike in other people?
     
    I don't like it when people are ignorant, I know that sometimes they just can't help it but I hate it when people are willfully​ ignorant... Broaden your horizons a bit, people!
     
    24.) How quick is your character to trust someone else?
     
    ​I trust too easily but sometimes I can't help but not trust people, I don't know, I'm still a work in progress.
     
    25.) How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?
     
    ​Can't trust a book by it's cover, at least make the effort to read some pages first. But if someone gives me a reason to be suspicious, I'll be careful around them.
     
    26.) How does your character behave around children?
     
    ​I like watching kids play... Did you know that at one point, I considered becoming a teacher? I think kids are great, I just don't imagine me having any.
     
    27.) How does your character normally deal with confrontation?
     
    ​I try my best to reason with people, surely we can find an understanding with one another? But I will use my gun if necessary(I am a soldier after all).
     
    28.) How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?
     
    ​I try to be reasonable but if force is necessary, I will resort to it.
     
    29.) What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?
     
    ​I actually wanted to be a teacher when I was younger but my dad talked me out of it. I think it might have been for the best anyways.
     
    30.) What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?
     
    ​I find gore to be repulsive, maybe it was from cleaning carcasses when I was younger but I can't stand it(sometimes).
     
    31.) Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.
     
    ​Being with the people I care about, maybe playing a tabletop game or something. Having a beer or two, just realxing.
     
    32.) Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.
     
    I think most​ people can agree that doing taxes can be pretty uncomfortable. I hate doing taxes...
     
    33.) In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?
     
    ​Everyone's a work in progress, I'm pretty open to criticism. Tell me when I'm wrong and why, I'm willing to improve!
     
    34.) Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?
     
    ​Why would I redo something the wrong way again? I think this ties in nicely with the previous question, you have to be willing to learn from your mistakes and improving yourself. Again, we are all works in progress, nobody's perfect.
     
    35.) How does your character behave around people they like?
     
    ​I think it would really have to depend on the person, like, I'm not going to act the same way with my sister as I would a lover. Also, it would have to depend on how much I like them. Are we talking about Love? Or just someone I respect...?
     
    36.) How does your character behave around people they dislike?
     
    I've dealt with plenty​ of people I didn't like, especially during my time at the Arcturus station. There were just... Loads of people that needed some sense slapped into them... Let's just say...
     
    37.) Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?
     
    ​I think I'd rather defend my honour than my status. Honour is something that sticks with you but your status can always be changed, I don't know.
     
    38.) Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?
     
    ​I'd rather deal with the problem and/or threat upfront than run and have to deal with it some other time anyways.
     
    39.) Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?
     
    ​Mountain Lion, remember...? It didn't really change me that much... Still have the scar though.
     
    40.) How does your character treat people in service jobs?
     
    ​With respect. Everyone has their part to play, regardless of how small it may seem. Just because someone isn't some big-shot doesn't mean they're somehow less important. We're all pieces of an even grander machine, you know?
     
    41.) Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?
     
    ​Gotta earn it. What's the saying? "Nothing comes for free"?
     
    42.) Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?
     
    ​Nope, just my dad...
     
    43.) Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?
     
    ​Does my cat count? She's an old thing, I found her on the street one winter. She was freezing to death when I found her. I think I was... 12...? I don't know what breed she is(if any) but she's really big and fluffy, I have to brush her everyday, I swear I could make another cat with all that fur. I hope to find her a good home before leaving. I'm going to miss her...
     
    44.) How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?
     
    ​I think it would have to depend on the person... I mean... Sure, I can say it pretty easily to my family but when it comes to somebody else... I don't know... It's pretty difficult, it was difficult to say to my boyfriend but maybe I wasn't meant to be with him, you know? Wasn't meant to be. I was in a different place and thought when I knew him and I hope that he's found someone that tells him they love him everyday. I don't know, it's just something that didn't feel right to say to him... So I never said it to him(ok, maybe rarely).
     
    45.) What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?
     
    ​I'm not so sure... Maybe nothing happens, maybe we go to heaven? I'm not so sure about what will happen but it ​does​ happen to everyone. Death, I mean. But I do hold the belief that everyone is connected somehow, in someway. Whatever happens in death is a mystery but I'm not really scared of it, but I'm not going to readily embrace it at every turn either...
  12. Thuja

    Possible Cosplay ideas...?

    By Thuja,

    ​So I've been constantly telling myself that I would learn how to make my own clothing(currently saving up to buy a sewing machine) so I wanted to make a list of possible cosplays that I would be interested in at some point when my sewing skills improve and I'm at a weight that I'm comfortable at(it seems to take me forever to lose weight but that's for a different post/blog entirely). Anyways, here we go...
     
    ​Solas, Dragon Age: Inquisition(preferably the Trespasser DLC costume)
    ​
     
     
    ​Krem, Dragon Age: Inquisition

     
     
    ​Julian, The Arcana(the one in black, there aren't enough ref pics for him yet since the game is rather new and not completed but I like him already! I'm definitely going to get the art book since it'll supposedly have some refs for the characters.)

     
     
    ​Croe, Ultimate Muscle

     
     
    ​Now I just need to work on losing weight and learn how to make costumes and the like... Great... I think 2017 is the year of starting things for me, just in general. Even if I don't get around to any of these this year, or heck, next year just the fact that I'm learning how to sew will be great. I did have a sewing machine before but that was years ago and I stopped using it because it was broken and we never got around to getting it fixed. Long story short, I'm never getting that sewing machine back, I need to get a new one. So yeah... I'm going to stop rambling now, thanks for reading! I'm going to update this as I go and find out more characters that I'd be interested in cosplaying.
     
    ​Now that I'm thinking about it, I think I'd like to cosplay as my ponysona, Enola. Maybe the next time the local con happens, I'll cosplay as them, that'll be interesting, I just need to get a green wig for them and maybe some other things! I'll definitely need to think about it some more.
  13. Thuja

    Chronicles of Elyria

    By Thuja,

    I was wondering whether or not I should create a topic about this or a blog. Went with a blog.
     
    Anyways, there's this really cool MMORPG that's going to come out in december 2017(at least, I hope, it's when they plan on releasing). Your PC ages over a certain amount of real life time and can even die from old age. It's starts off in a medieval time and the progress of this world heavily depends on the players of the game and what they research. You can pretty much be anything in this game from a scullion to a king, it really depends on what direction the player wants to go in.
     
    I'm pretty excited for this game because there's a lot of possibilities in this game. There's a Kickstarter going on for this game right now, so if you want to help Soulbound Studios create this game, by all means~. There's also going to be a paypal options after the ks is done with(There's still a couple of days left to back it on ks). Here's a link to their website:
     
    https://chroniclesofelyria.com/
     
    And the ks:
     
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soulboundstudios/chronicles-of-elyria-epic-story-mmorpg-with-aging/description
     
    I can't wait for this game!
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