If The Right Way Is Too Hard, Fuck It. Do It The Wrong Way.

If the right way is too hard, fuck it. Do it the wrong way.

Folding clothes keeps you from getting the laundry done? Stop folding clothes. Put a basket in your room and throw your unfolded clean stuff into it right out of the dryer, it's fine.

Rinsing dishes off keeps you from loading the dishwasher? Load them dirty and run it twice.

Chopping onions keeps you from making yourself dinner? Buy the freezer bags of chopped onions.

You forget to take your meds and don't want to get out of bed to get them? Start putting them next to the bed.

Can't keep up with the dishes? Get paper plates. Worried about environment impact? Order biodegradable ones online if your local store doesn't have one.

Make the task easier. Put things where you use them instead of where they "go." Eliminate the steps that keep you from finishing the task. Eliminate the task that is stressing you out.

Do it the "wrong" way. It's literally fine.

Portals to Hell by hrmphfft

reblog if your url represents who you really are 

The World-Ending Threats Are Easier in Fantasy

I talked with a friend about this last night and I thought I could share this with you. We talked about Baldur's Gate and DnD campaigns, as well as fantasy in general and the tendency of a lot of fantasy to deal with world ending threats. And I thought I would share, because it is an interesting topic.

Spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3

In a lot of fantasy stories there are potential world ending threats. Sure, often enough the world is not literally gonna end, but it would cease to be the same world we know it to be. In Baldur's Gate 3 the villains basically plan for world domination. Or at least Sword Coast domination. But it is bad enough I would argue. Which is why in a good playthrough you got to stop them at all costs. So, in the end you defeat them, one by one. And then you go up to the big evil netherbrain and you kill that thing, too, after which the world is gonna be saved once more.

And themes like this are fairly common in fantasy. How many fantasy stories do you know in which the bad guy wants to rule over the world or reshape it entirely. Sure, it is fairly rare that the villain outright wants to destroy it - that is usually only something that "force of nature" villains want to do - but the fate of the world is kinda always on the line and of course the world tends to be saved by our fearless heroes.

For the longest time this went so far into that power fantasy aspect of it, that we never actually did consider how it would feal for those fearless heroes to have the fate of the world on their shoulders. Only fairly recently fantasy has turned more to dealing with the trauma our heroes would face during their quest to save the world, while having to kill and seeing their friends killed. In fact we are so used to heroes being impervious to trauma, that there are still a lot of people who will get very cranky when presented with a fantasy world where trauma does actually affect the heroes. (I just will remind you of how angry the nerds became to see traumatized Luke in The Last Jedi.)

But even so... the fantasy apocalypse is a lot nicer than the real world apocalypse, isn't it?

I mean that seriously. Because especially our younger generations do not know a world before the apocalypse. I am a millenial and I fairly well remember that moment when I was just 16 and realized how fucked the world was. Like, literally, I remember the exact day and time at which I realized that climate change was real and was going to fuck us all over. But at least I do remember a time before that. I do remember having normal winters and mild summers. Gen Z often doesn't.

And here is the thing: The real world apocalypse is not as easy to stop as the fantasy apocalypse. In the fantasy apocalypse it is fairly easy to stop it. Sure, the questline might be convoluted, but in the end it is "destroy magical item in vulcano" or "blow this one bad guy up". Once the main baddy has been defeated usually their troops will just give up - or remember they had better things to do.

But this doesn't really work in the real world. I cannot just go, assassinate Netanjahu and stop the genocide of Palestinians. And I cannot just take some magical item, throw it into mount Etna and stop climate change. And I also cannot throw Elon Musk into a portal and stop capitalism like that.

And sure, I do not have to deal with goblins, dragons, orks at the same time. Great. But... Like... We are all still getting traumatized, right? Like, we all get traumatized and especially between marginalized left-wing folks I do not know a lot of people who did not witness at least one violent encounter with evil goons (police).

And we are all traumatized. Losing a house in a wildfire is traumatizing. Seeing loved ones die of a pandemic the politicians are not taking seriously is traumatizing. Being in constant survival mode because you are too poor for anything else, is traumatizing as well. Most current workplaces are also traumatizing in their own little ways. School is traumatizing for so many of us. We are all getting traumatized by the world being fucked up.

To be perfectly honest with you: I would rather pick up a fight with a dragon, a netherbrain or whatever. Because a dragon or a netherbrain at least gives me something concrete to do. Because a dragon I can slay. Capitalism I can't. No matter how much I protest, I cannot kill capitalism - and I cannot stop climate change. And even if we did a revolution... It might work, yes, but really... slaying a dragon would be so much easier.

This is of course the entire function of fantasy as escapism. Because fantasy allows us a world where the end might be stopped fairly easy. When I DM a DnD campaign and let my players stop the end of the world, it is so we all can have the catharthis of this ending.

I just... wished that the real world would make it a bit easier.

Sorry for rambling. But yeah, it was something we talked about yesterday and I thought I might share.

How to write an OC with an big ego!

Ever wondered how to write a character with an ego the size of Mount Everest? Well, look no further! here is how I would do it. ( With examples)

Example person : Alex

Motivations Matter: Behind every egoistic persona lies a set of motivations that drive their actions. Unpack their backstory and understand what fuels their need for validation, power, or attention. Dig deep into their past experiences to unveil the root of their ego.

Example: Alex's ego was a result of childhood struggles, growing up in the shadow of a successful parent. The relentless pursuit of success became a way to prove worthiness, and the glossy exterior was the armor against past insecurities.

Flaws Galore: No one's perfect, and egoistic characters are no exception. Give your character flaws that stem directly from their inflated ego. Maybe they struggle with forming genuine connections or have a tendency to dismiss others' opinions. Flaws make characters relatable and grounded.

Example: Despite the impressive exterior, Alex's ego came with a flaw – an inability to acknowledge the contributions of others. The team's victories were claimed as personal conquests, and any failures were promptly blamed on external factors.

Voice and Dialogue: The way your character speaks is crucial. Egoistic individuals often have a distinct way of expressing themselves. They might be boastful, use grandiose language, or constantly seek attention. Pay attention to their tone, vocabulary, and speech patterns to make their ego shine through.

Example: "I don't build companies; I create empires," Alex declared, the tone commanding attention. Conversations were peppered with grandiose phrases, each sentence meticulously crafted to reinforce superiority.

Internal Conflicts: Explore the internal struggles your character faces due to their ego. Do they ever doubt themselves beneath the façade? Are there moments of vulnerability? Internal conflicts add depth and dimension to your character, making them more than just a one-dimensional ego machine.

Example: Behind closed doors, doubts crept in. Alex wrestled with the fear of inadequacy, wondering if the empire built was as impenetrable as it seemed. Vulnerability lingered, hidden beneath the layers of arrogance.

Show, Don't Tell: Instead of explicitly stating that your character is egoistic, demonstrate it through their actions. Showcase their need for admiration, their competitive nature, or their unwillingness to admit fault. Actions speak louder than words, especially in character development.

Examples: Rather than outright stating achievements, Alex casually dropped impressive anecdotes into conversations, leaving others in awe. The need for constant validation manifested in the subtle but unmistakable bragging woven into everyday dialogue.

Relationship Dynamics: Consider how your egoistic character interacts with others. How do they treat people they perceive as beneath them? How do they handle competition? Explore the dynamics they create in relationships to reveal facets of their ego.

Examples: Subordinates were either loyal subjects or inconsequential pawns in Alex's eyes. Competitors were met with thinly veiled disdain, each encounter a battle for supremacy. The wake of shattered professional relationships told tales of a cutthroat ambition.

Redeemable Qualities: Even the most egoistic characters can have redeemable qualities. It's essential to humanize them by showcasing moments of kindness or vulnerability. This complexity makes your character more interesting and adds layers to their personality.

Example: In rare moments, Alex's guard slipped, revealing a philanthropic side. A secret fund for employees facing hardships, a gesture that contradicted the public image. These glimpses hinted at a person beneath the towering ego