Latest Posts by rampanttheories - Page 2

This goes for very many things - AO3 mails, notifications on Tumblr, messages on any chatting service, even potentially real life. Wherever you feel rewarded by something, this phenomenon is a danger.

I don’t know if anybody needs to read this, but just in case:

Take care of yourself.

You and what you wish to share of your thoughts and creativity is precious. Completely independent of anybody’s reaction. 

And it is a gift. You are never obligated to create content.

Your health and well-being comes first.

So if you want to take time off, cut down on how much you publish, change your topics, anything, that is your right and you absolutely do not have to feel guilty about it.

Not about putting your health first. Never that.

One reason I think it’s important that tumblr understands that AO3 emails spark dopamine and not serotonin other than the fact that I’m a neuroscientist who is very tired is because dopamine is part of the reward system.

I honestly think that emails from AO3 affect the reward system very similarly to gambling. When you get a sudden, random reward (AKA a comment on your fic), it feels great, and you want that again. But as the gambler writer, you have very little control over when the rewards come in or how many. There are games fandoms where you might have a higher chance of getting a response, or tropes, pairings, etc, but in the end, the reward is up to fickle fate (or possibly fantastic marketing on your part if you know how).

Randomly received rewards are incredibly addicting.

Similarly, not receiving a reward when you think you should get one feels very, very bad.

People who are more satisfied in their lives are less susceptible to the highs and lows of gambling and other addictive behaviors. If you are finding your relationship with you AO3 stats page or AO3 emails is unhealthy, it might be worth it to 1. turn off email notifications (so the randomness of the reward is removed) 2. Pick a time each week to check for comments (now it’s on a schedule) and 3. See if there are ways to improve your life elsewhere so that your mental health does not fluctuate with the whims of strangers sending you comments.

It’s not a moral failing to like attention. I have no judgment for people who get into a negative cycle with these things. This is for your mental health. Writing can be so rewarding for so many reasons, and I really just want to see other people find the joy in it.

Bruce Wayne, sitting in a cute eco-friendly cafe while on a video call with Tim: Oh Noooo, are you sure there’s no way the board of directors will let us get rid of this old decrepit Wayne Factory building that is unsafe for our workers and also for the surrounding environment?

CEO Tim, with equal gravitas: No, I’m afraid they just won’t budge. It technically meets legal requirements on paper, and we can’t prove that the chemicals affecting the local ecosystem that have no other possible source are from the out-of-date drainage system… they’re saying it would cost too much to fix the place up too, which is ridiculous, because we’re us, but our hands are tied…

Bruce, full Brucie himbo mode: Oh I just feel so SAD for all the sweet fluffy animals and the pretty flowers and especially our hard workers dealing with such unsafe conditions… I think I’ll give them all a nice short vacation this weekend, so the ENTIRE PLACE will be EMPTY and SHUT DOWN from FRIDAY TO TUESDAY, the SECURITY SYSTEM WILL BE DOWN because it’s just so GLITCHY, I’m sure no one will do anything about the ENVIRONMENTAL STAIN ON OUR COMPANIES NAME THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY ABANDONED FROM FRIDAY TO TUESDAY- Timmy do you think I’m being too subtle?

Tim, snickering: no no you’re doing great Bruce I’m sure they’ve got it

Poison Ivy, on a date the next table over: ( ‘-‘)-☕️

Harley, through tears of repressed laughter: so… we doing anythin’ this weekend?

Ok everyone time for the big question:

me: *writes fic*

me: great! time to post to ao3-

ao3 summary box: *exists*

me: 

ao3 summary box:

me:

ao3 summary box: 

me:

Good point! And on the topic of Azkaban:

No dementors are stationed at Hogwarts in Prisoner of Azkaban. They evidently did not hinder Sirius Black before and how about we do not endanger students? Especially not when a corporeal patronus is considered practically impossibly advanced for 5th year students? Which effectively means nearly three quarters of the student population has ZERO defence against them.

Potentially noticing that the Barty Crouch Jr. who died in Azkaban was rather Mrs Crouch with polyjuice. Cause of death should always be established, even for incarcerated people.

What would change if the DMLE was in any way competent?

A likely incomplete and ever expanding list.

Hagrid would not be considered a criminal. He might still be expelled for keeping a dangerous illegal pet in his dorm. But Myrtle clearly did not die from an acromantula bite

the obvious: Sirius doesn’t get framed for long. Priori Incantatem on his wand and at least the murder charge is gone

in Goblet of Fire, even if the ministry didn’t believe Voldemort was back, two students have been kidnapped and one returned dead. That should garner a more detailed investigation, which leads to Death Eaters arrested left and right

students being petrified?????? investigation please????

Quirrell’s death and possession lead to an early discovery of Voldemort’s continued existence

tbc

While you rest at the fire may I encourage you to check your provisions and gear?

Maximum coziness in cloth and meal is highly recommended for the sights ahead.

This is a neutral post

Feel free to stop here and rest before journeying to the posts below.

best thing about uncle iroh is that if you pay attention he is actually just as much of an idiot as zuko but has just mastered the art of coming across as a wise old man. the even better thing is that zuko is the only one on the planet who somewhat realizes this and no one would ever believe him because he's zuko

I don’t know why but as soon as I read “Elizabeth” as an option my mind went to “Beth”. And the more I think of it, the more I actually like the sound of Beth Potter.

The simplicity of a single syllable matches the anybody quality OP pointed out. It also sounds less playful than Lizzy/Lizzie does which could work well thematically with a child pushed into devastating duties way too young while still being a nickname and familiar.

And then there’s the near rhyme with death. I will shut up now.

Anyway. If we follow the canon naming pattern Harry’s middle name would be “Lily”, right?

I’ve seen a lot of really bad genderbent Harry Potter names, but “Hariah” is by far the worst of the bunch.

I think the reason so many LOTR ripoffs fail is because they make their Aragorn analogue the main character, when the entire point of Aragorn is that he’s “the person the villains think is the main character, but is Not.”

Aragorn seems like a traditional King Arthur style hero— he has huge Main Character Energy because he’s supported by destiny, by bloodline, by all these magic artifacts and prophecies, and etc etc. Frodo and Sam are Just Some Guys. Aragorn recognizes that Sauron understandably thinks he’s the main hero of this story ….and he pretends to believe it too, spending the entire series using himself as a diversion to prevent Sauron from seeing Frodo and Sam.

Aragorn’s whole thing is that knows he seems like the Main Hero of this legend to people who don’t know better —- but he also knows that he isn’t, and that his role is just to keep Sauron’s eye on him in order to protect the people around him.

And it works! Sauron is so fixated on defeating his Legendary Destined Archenemy with Extreme Main Character Energy that he completely overlooks the two ordinary little guys who were the real threat to him all along.

*builds your soap box into an entire stage with spotlights, a GOOD sound system and what have you*

That is such an excellent point on how inconsistent attitudes in the Harry Potter verse are. Talking diary? EVIL. Literally screaming books in the library? Yeah sure. Sentient surveillance map? Awesome.

The regularity of sentient portraits in strategic places also throws me off. Portraits can wander around into any and every frame or another painting of themselves AND hold a level of awareness that allows them to meaningfully interact with their real-life environment. You cannot tell me they are incapable of forming their own agendas and intentions.

The issue of spying portraits is raised in Deathly Hallows with Hermione having to blindfold and deafen the portrait of that one Black headmaster (Phineas Nigellus or something?). So it REALLY should be an issue. Why then are portraits so widely spread and allowed outside their frames? Limiting them to their own canvas seems to be possible if you look at Walburga Black’s screaming portrait.

On the point of Ginny having been done dirty. YES. REPEATEDLY. and then there are the movies, but let’s not even go there

But what truly irks me is how quickly her having been possessed and used to harm others is so quickly forgotten. By how caring the Weasleys (especially Arthur, but also Ron) are portrayed, it’s incredible to me that we don’t see explicit check-ins. Or Ron drawing Ginny into the trio’s shenanigans. All the Hogwarts age Weasleys would have to deal with the guilt of “one of us got regularly possessed and kidnapped for hours and we did. not. notice”.

That should leave serious traces on everybody involved. And it is a disservice to all of them, but especially Ginny, that the impact and repercussions of what happened to her were ignored that easily.

Saw a post on Reddit, and now I have feelings. Allow me to stand on this here soap box for a minute.

JKR has stated that Fred and George figured out the passphrase for the Maurader's Map by being coached through it by the map itself. This makes me all the more irritated with the line "Never trust anything if you can't tell where it keeps its brain" and I absolutely hate that she made Arthur Weasley say it. It's a moment completely out of character for him, a man who offers soft comfort and encouragement to his children every day. A man who only ever raised his voice once in 7 books when his sons took a prank too far and intentionally caused harm. There's no way he would berate his daughter, who is clearly torn up about what happened, for getting manipulated, especially not as the first words he speaks to her after she was minutes away from death.

Inconsistent world building leads to inconsistent characters. It's literally never addressed that the map is sentient, just like the fucking diary. Nope, we're just told talking diary = evil, and dumb Ginny should have known better; meanwhile, talking map = funny and brilliant piece of magic.

Fred and George fucked around with a parchment that coached them how to reveal enchantments on it and nothing happened to them. How the hell was an 11yo girl supposed to assume her talking diary was nefarious??? She lives in a literal world of magic where letters scream at you and mirrors offer encouragement and grooming tips. Why the fuck *wouldn't* a magical diary offer sympathy and soothing words, friendship and camaraderie??

I have to step off this soap box, I could ramble on forever, so I'll part with these words - JKR did Ginny dirty

#also regardless of the above explanation the temperature of your breath is somewhere between snow storm and hot soup #so ofc it can be warm in one circumstance and cold in another #aesop's fables

“your breath is somewhere between snow storm and hot soup”

don’t hide this. it had no business cracking me up this much, but it also ties in nicely with the “satyrs are FUCKING STUPID” and also apparently are impervious to temperature. Benefits of being high on mushrooms? Benefits of mushrooms? Who knows, not satyrs apparently

With the regularity rogues are poisoning everything under the sun in Gotham, do you think Gotham has “Do NOT buy local” campaigns?

Link

An Alternative to Blood Based Protection

...because Lily’s Sacrifice-Protection relying on biological relation in a story about escaping to a magical world and finding a home there is narratively WRONG.

Let’s instead posit that it is based a) on Harry’s assignment of the term “home” and b) how well loved and protected he is there. But how would that impact how the story works? For a good chunk of the books, surprisingly little actually. It could also explain some phenomena we see in regards to the Protection (i.e. burning Quirrelmort, but not the Diary).

pre-Hogwarts:

Harry calls Privet Drive home out of a lack of alternatives

Petunia has complicated feelings for her sister and her nephew. They do contain a touch of love, but just not enough to outweigh everything else

ergo: Protection present and surviving but so very veeeeery weak

that’s why it can’t do anything against the part of Tom Riddle hotglued to Harry’s soul despite Vault-of-mould being the designated ENEMY#1 for the Protection

First Year:

Harry latches onto Hogwarts fast and hard, but it’s not really his because it belongs to every child in the magical world

so “home” is split between Hogwarts and Privet Drive

Ron and Hermione’s selfless friendship weighs in and in combination with Hogwarts’ semi-status, the Protection can burn Quirrel

not without damage to Harry though (the attempt to burn the hurcrux

Second Year:

Hogwarts’ student population turns against Harry and Hermione in particular is threatened

so Hogwarts is essentially catapulted out of the “home” category

the Protection can’t do anything against the Diary (despite it taking Harry’s consciousness to an old memory, which BLOODY HELL)

Third and fourth Year:

nothing much changes

Harry has five glorious minutes of hope for a new home, but then Sirius’ innocence gets denied again and there goes that escape

the Protection is powerless against Pettigrew taking blood from Harry and has to abandon those precious drops. It can either stick to the drops OR Harry and that’s just not a choice

but that’s semi-alright, the twin wand cores come through for Harry

So up to the summer before fifth year, most everything stays the same. The Protection is extremely weak at this point and that’s part of why the dementors can so easily locate and attack Harry.

Harry gets picked up from Privet Drive and brought to Grimmauld Place. And there he finally gets to hug Sirius. And maybe, just maybe, in the moment Sirius hugs him back does he think “So this is what coming home feels like”.

Because home doesn’t have to be a place. Home can just as well be a person. And Sirius had expressed his desire to give Harry both a place to stay in which he is wanted and a person to do the wanting. Not only Harry close, but also safe and healthy and happy. And he had followed that up for over a year of letters and firecalls and a willing ear and good advice despite the mortal danger he faced to do so.

So in that moment Sirius irrefutably becomes Harry’s home. AND BOY HOWDY DOES HE LOVE AND CARE FOR HIM.

Lily’s Protection goes from barely warm ashes to raging fiendfyre in a heartbeat. Which is atrocious news for the horcrux nestled next to Harry’s soul. It is ENEMY#1 and Right There.

Harry feels a short twinge and then like he just dropped a Quaffle he’d been lugging around behind his eyes.

Batdad on emotional constipation solving

Bruce is awkward as can be and hardly ever says the right thing on an emotional level immediately. So what if he is aware enough of himself to notice he needs time to process his emotions and their impact on others before he can say anything and not have it come it out wrong? And comes up with an idea to work around that?

He is a preteen and Alfred just suggested something Bruce doesn’t like in his very Alfred manner, still up to his elbows in soapy water to scrub at a plate. When Bruce doesn’t answer, Alfred places the last few dishes to the side and dries his hands. But before he can leave for another task, there are slim fingers curling into his waistcoat. And five minutes of standing together later Bruce opens his mouth.

It becomes a ritual. When Bruce recognizes an emotional dimension to the discussion, they stand with fingers on the seam of a waistcoat and sometimes a forehead pressed to Alfred’s shoulder blade. Even when Bruce has to lean down.

The Graysons fall, Bruce takes his first child in. He spends the first night sitting in the kitchen with his head on Alfred’s shoulder. And bit by bit he works through the whirlwind of feeling.

Dick wants to become Robin and stands in front of him and yells his case. And Bruce cannot for the life of him express the fear and terror and understanding that press on his lungs. So he sinks to his knees and opens his arms to his brave and fearless and righteous child. And he holds him close until he can.

Robin only flies a few times a year. But his chitters fill the Bat’s ears.

Jason swings a tire iron and steals three wheels and Bruce’s heart within five minutes of one another. He is suspicious and clever and a bookworm and Bruce learns to ask before physical contact. Well, somewhat. But his first reaction to most conversations started by his children becomes “I would like to hold you”. And that, more than anything, tells them he loves them even before he manages to reconfigure his brain enough to answer.

Jason is nowhere near Felipe Garzonas. He does find out about Sheila Haywood. And when Jason expresses his desire to find her, Bruce holds him for near 50 minutes before he can say how terrified he is of his child not wanting to live with him anymore. Jason doesn’t mind, he came armed with “Murder Must Advertise” for this exact reason and of course he doesn’t want to leave, Dad, but having another parent would be awesome.

It is not awesome.

Bruce holds onto Alfred and Dick for days.

Tim comes in and freezes when Bruce asks to hold him. Which only adds another layer to all the red flags and indignation and protectiveness and grief Bruce has to work through. How dare the Drakes not give their child affection and love and protection when he is right there and alive and breathing and much too brilliant and observant for his own good? Tim melts once actually drawn in and his nose burrows into Bruce’s throat after five minutes.

Jason comes back to Gotham and the moment he reveals his face he is engulfed in his father’s arms. He can’t even reach his weapons.

Nightwing finds the two of them 15 minutes into the desperate hug and mercifully offers his spare comm to Jason. Tim in the cave starts playing a reading of Pride&Prejudice on that specific channel.

Three hours later, Bruce has all his children home and gets his words together enough to declare a sleepover in the den.

Cass comes in and Bruce does not even need words with her. She can parse through his emotions faster than he can. He holds his daughter anyway.

Damian arrives in Gotham and once the DNA test confirms his identity, he is caught in the world’s most ineffective grapple. But it is his father constraining him, so maybe there is a trap somewhere? He’ll wait it out. And it actually feels nice.

Bruce holds his newest child and eventually manages to verbally welcome him home and to the family. He feels Damian stiffen when he introduces the other’s as his siblings, so he talks about choosing family and unconditional love and a heart big enough for all his children. He ends his impromptu speech with that so very important sentence he learned over the years.

“I love you, my child. I am happy you’re home”

Self Care Tips From Tumblr: When you feel like everyone hates you, sleep. When you feel like you hate everyone, eat. When you feel like you hate yourself, shower. Someone out there feels better because you exist. 

instagram / patreon / portfolio / etsy / my book / redbubble

I love the random haiku bot in there.

And wouldn’t it be gkmpnipples? What should decide the order of the silent letters but the alphabet?

Every word that starts with an N should have a silent G in front. Gnorway. Gnuclear. Gnervous system. Gnipples.

So THAT’S what’s been bugging me about these pairings. Thank you so much for putting it into words

Today I realised a thing about Harry and Hermione's dynamic and Ron and Hermione's dynamic.

Harry, because of his abusive upbringing, hates confrontation, conflicts and arguments. He hates going through interrogation or debates. So either he just ignores Hermione when she lectures him, or he just listens to her. When he has had enough he explodes driving Hermione to tears and even fear. Its said Hermione looks petrified and terrified in Harry's presence a few times in OOTP and even thinks Harry is gonna curse her with her own wand in DH. Hermione also approaches Harry with a guarded manner because she knows he is abused and she coddles him.

while Ron and Hermione are opposite. Ron and Hermione both are argumentative. Ron openly tells on her face when he thinks she is wrong and Hermione also doesn't hold back when she think he is being a git. They bicker, argue, scream heck even insult at times. But that's all. Neither of them keep the anger inside for long like Harry. That's why Hermione never looks fearful of Ron. She knows his anger is giving people cold shoulder and arguments. It's not destructive like Harry's and he doesn't bottle up his emotions like Harry either. She is truly herself in Ron's presence and she doesn't coddle him.

At a shallow glance you may think Ron/Hermione is so toxic. They always argue. But their bickering is mostly harmless. While you look at Harry/Hermione at a glance you may think wow they don't argue at all that's so healthy, but its much much worse because Hermione literally fears Harry's anger and Harry doesn't let his emotions out until he is so full with them that he explodes.

Tagged by @i-ve-been-to-hell thank you so much!

10 characters in 10 fandoms in no particular order:

Honoria Lucasta Dowager Duchess of Denver - Lord Peter Wimsey Series

Samwise Gamgee - The Lord of the Rings

James Herriot - If Only They Could Talk

Elizabeth “Mac” Macmillan - Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

Harry Potter - Harry Potter

Cinder - The Lunar Chronicles

Donna Noble - Doctor Who

Viktor - Arcane

Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock Holmes

Sally Jackson - Percy Jackson Series

If you see this and you like it you are tagged

If you see this and you like it you are tagged

If you see this and you like it and you kinda wanna try it

If you see this and you like it you are tagged

*tag-tag*

We’re so lucky they filmed Lord of the Rings when they did. Twenty years later, they would’ve had Viggo Mortensen riding a green bike that they CGI into a horse because that’s better for some reason.

This simple feeling… is beyond Disney’s comprehension.

The benign ghost might get lonely while I’m out gallivanting through the woods...

I propose three benign ghosts

daily reminder that ron deserting harry because he was “jealous” was hermione’s interpretation of what had happened. harry himself was shocked and didn’t believe it when she first brought it up, but of course we as readers are supposed to believe her, because has dear hermione ever been wrong?

‘Oh, hello,’ said Ron. He was grinning, but it looked like a very odd, strained sort of grin.

‘Oh, right,’ said Ron. ‘I thought you might’ve told me if it was the Cloak… because it would’ve covered both of us, wouldn’t it? But you found another way, did you?’

Ron’s eyebrows rose so high that they were in danger of disappearing into his hair. ‘It’s OK, you know, you can tell me the truth,’ he said. ‘If you don’t want everyone else to know, fine, but I don’t know why you’re bothering to lie, you didn’t get into trouble for it, did you? […]’ ‘I didn’t put my name in that Goblet! said Harry, starting to feel angry. ‘Yeah, OK,’ said Ron, in exactly the same sceptical tone as Cedric. ‘Only you said this morning you’d have done it last night, and no one would’ve seen you… I’m not stupid, you know.’

ron was not jealous of harry for being the centre of attention, ron was mad at harry because he thought harry was lying to him. he didn’t care that harry was the champion, he cared that harry didn’t tell him about entering, and after the fight started things got admittedly out of hand because gee fourteen-year-olds feelings. they had talked about entering the tournament together before and yeah, he was still wrong for not believing harry but that lasted a total of, like, twenty days, give or take. ron was never a bad friend.

According to DH book Ron Weasley is supposed to have long hair. He also kinda looks like Ginny. And Ginny is described very pretty in books. Long hair tall pretty boy Ron confirmed!（Imma starting this Ron Weasley hot agenda just wait）

Practice Makes Perfect

“You musn’t write too much to him.”

Ron closed the shed door with the same finality Dumbledore had forbidden writing to Harry with. At least, any writing with genuine news.

“George? Fred? I’m worried about Harry.”

As if that made any sense. Long arms reach to collect tools and absentmindedly shove them into random boxes only to pick them up again on the next turn. It wasn’t like he knew anything specific about the Order. What did they expect him to write? Not like they had something like the diary on the loose. Or a Death Eater in disguise. They were supposed to move to a safehouse in a few weeks though and Hermione had written about looking forward to seeing him there. So why not Harry? Letter security wasn’t it obviously.

“Why’s that, Ronniekins? Has he discovered girls?”

There was an angle he wasn’t seeing. A move, a threat of checkmate, a parallel. Harry must be doing horribly. His last letter had included an offhand mention of another awfulness the Dursleys came up with. And then there was the entire cannister of worms that was coming face to face with Voldemort. Again.

“Wouldn’t know. He hasn’t responded to any of my letters.”

And watching somebody die. Again.

“That… doesn’t sound right. You two are thick as thieves. Has Hermione heard something?”

With the added complication that Diggory was a better bloke than Quirrel by worlds. And that the murderer was bloody Scabbers-grew.

“Nothing. She’s taken to writing daily letters.”

Merlin’s receeding hairline, this was summer after first year all over again. Down to the letter block. And he didn’t even have the bloody car anymore. The shed was empty of anything useful. Tools all in their places, but no car, no motorcycle, no broom with room for luggage, only empty surfaces and the odd screw and two brothers slinking in and dirtied rags and-

“How can we help?”

“What do you need?”

He did not have a flying car. What he did have was two older brothers who could  apparate. Two wonderful, mischievous adult brothers with an apparition licence, a major soft spot for Harry and a familiarity with that specific part of Surrey.

“Fred, George, I am worried about Harry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry nearly fell off his swing when he spotted three very familiar figures scramble their way out of the little grove of trees in the park. He did fall off after his best friend barreled into him. Not that he minded, squished into the ground as he was.

Ron had come for him.

Again.

It’s so important to remember that tumblr is bad. Has been bad. And will likely remain bad for the foreseeable future. And that is vital to our survival. If Tumblr was a good website that worked, it would get turned into a corporate hellscape like every other site. It’s so important that Tumblr is broken and poorly run and impossible to effectively navigate. It’s all that’s keeping us safe.

Hands up if you were the child that read thousands of books and as an adult you hit burn out and now only read stories about the same 2 idiots falling in love over and over as you don't have the brain power to get emotionally attached to new characters.

so i have a mildly popular “reblog and put in in the tags” post going around and its. very clear how many people don’t know how to interact with a tumblr post

so, first of all, tumblr’s culture has changed a lot in the past couple years. there’s a genuine community effort to not start any drama, and ironically a lot of the current hostility is an effort to keep things calm. there’s also a change in how people interact with posts, so if you haven’t been here in a while please skip down to the tags/replies/reblog with text section.

for newcomers: you should be reblogging posts about as liberally as you would like something on twitter. if you only like stuff, people will think you are rude/a bot. you’ve probably heard people talk about “cultivating your dash,” and thats because this platform is 100% centered around your dashboard. trending matters less, unfollowing and blocking in order to shape your dash into it’s best form is widely accepted, the majority of the content you’ll find and interact with will be because of your dash, and the only way to put things on your dash is to reblog them. tumblr users are deeply distrustful of algorithms and have largely turned off the “see posts your friends have liked” function (i recommend you also turn of the various algorithms in settings → general settings → dashboard preferences).

so, once you’ve reblogged a post, there’s three ways to add content to it. the tags, replies, and reblogging with text. all of them have different connotations

the tags: an inside voice. originally they were meant for organizing your blog (and they’re still used for this), but they’ve also morphed into a way to share thoughts that aren’t funny/insightful enough for non-followers to be interested in. when in doubt, put your comment in the tags

replies: basically talking to your friends in class. your followers have no way of finding your replies (they don’t pop up on the dash, nobody gets notified except for the original poster) so chances are, only the person who made the post is gonna see your comment. it’s for quick one-offs that you’re okay with other people overhearing, but really is only made for one person. they’re like a public dm

reblog with text: an outside voice. you’re getting up on a stage in town square and entertaining people. make sure it’s funny or insightful— bottom line, add something new to the conversation. you should use this the least

general rules of thumb: 

when in doubt, reblog. people will judge you if your blog is only personal posts and you only interact with other content by liking it.  

the only things people will judge you for reblogging are personal vent posts. leave a like to give a little virtual hug

if a post is asking about your personality/opinions (i.e: tell me what’s the last tv show you watched, that kind of thing) put it in the tags 

also if you see a nice edit, gifset, or art, reblog and say something nice in the tags! it’s that nice sweet spot of common enough that no one will notice but uncommon enough to make the artist’s day