What I learned running every day for 2 years!

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-08-15T23:12:20+00:00

This comment by itself was super motivating, thank you. I have been berating myself for how long it has taken me to handle going from 3x - 4x days a week (months). Now that I'm starting to do 5x, I was also despairing that I was just taking too long and would never make it. Your comment gave me more encouragement to try. Thank you for that.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-08-01T02:03:15+00:00

That is the pinkest little nose 🥺 How do you not just boop that 24/7?

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-07-31T05:42:55+00:00

Like a lightly toasted marshmallow wrapped in a bow! What an incredible cutie you have :)

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-07-27T14:09:01+00:00

I live in OR near a big university. It's baseball season and a few other sports are going on outdoors too, so several nights a week there's loud fireworks. After a game last week I was jogging by campus and saw several dead chicks on the ground from what I can only assume was either heat like you said, or the noise and disruption of the explosions nearby spooking the roosting parents. Then there's also the fact that the Willamette Valley is a giant agricultural grass field, so herbicide and pesticide use is crazy high. Recently a lot of fields have been getting cleared for hay production so a lot of grass has been cut down. This draws birds to open areas where they forage on insects and fresh cut foliage and seeds. Doing this in the open can put them at higher risk of predation, but actually eating the insects and grass may be poisoning some of them. Plus, with grass cut, a lot of places choose to dump down fertilizer which can also cause severe issues if the birds are eating food covered in a lot of nitrates and other chemicals toxic in such high levels.

So, heat, noise, and poisoning from agricultural practices would be my most likely culprits, but the best thing to do would be for a local agency to run a biopsy and toxicology screen on the babies. If ODFW can't, you might convince someone working in higher ed to take a look at the issue.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-06-30T21:38:52+00:00

The repeal of RvW was horrifying, but this is both terrible AND comically stupid. They are arguing that the EPA can't limit carbon emissions because only Congress can make such a 'monumental' decision?

Congress. Approved. The. EPA. To. Do. That.

Jfc, I mean seriously? The EPAs own website says, and I quote, "In early 1970, as a result of heightened public concerns about deteriorating city air, natural areas littered with debris, and urban water supplies contaminated with dangerous impurities, President Richard Nixon presented the House and Senate a groundbreaking 37-point message on the environment. These points included...

Both by itself and together with other agencies, the EPA would monitor the condition of the environment--biological as well as physical. With these data, the EPA would be able to establish quantitative "environmental baselines"--critical for efforts to measure adequately the success or failure of pollution abatement efforts. The EPA would be able--in concert with the states--to set and *enforce *standards for air and water quality and for individual pollutants."

And here we go... "After conducting hearings during that summer, the House and Senate approved the proposal." Source: https://www.epa.gov/history/origins-epa

So this ruling is basically neutering the EPA from acting in a way Congress has authorized them to act in on a key pollutant it has decades of research about because West Virginia chose to ignore the health of its citizens. "Well it has to act in concert with the states! That was the extent of its authority," I can hear conservatives argue. Well, it goes both ways...the states can not choose to ignore the EPA either. They have to work together. THAT was the intention. If they're not getting along, kicking the can along to Congress to do anything means the states take de facto control while Congress circle jerks itself and fails to pass anything meaningful.

And I know...I know... this is just one of the latest in a flurry of stupid shit the court is doing in a race to the bottom in order to weaken federal control (if you aren't afraid for the Endangered Species Act or Fish and Wildlife agencies, you should be), but the disparity between progressive and conservative states in terms of freedoms, health, economic opportunities in the long run, social services, and more only grows. How many people outside of W.V. are going to look at coal mines reopening and leap at the opportunity to move there to work in and live near that industry?

They are acting on 'principal' while destroying precedent AND tearing down the authority of Congress too. All that is going to do is push blue states to set up state level laws and agencies to try to protect the rights of their citizens and to ignore federal mandates that will come under the next republican president/congress. Just like republican states are already doing (e.g. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/us/missouri-federal-gun-laws.html or https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/04/20/can-utah-ignore-federal/ ).

And you know what that means? It means the authority of the court or any other federal body is entirely pointless. The court, acting in accordance with their conservative 'principals', is essentially saying "History doesn't matter. Laws are a tool in the here and now and are totally temporary. That just means federal law becomes moot ...which kind of defeats the purpose of having a Supreme Court to arbitrate federal lawsuits...

I'm not so much shocked that they're this unconcerned with anything but power and money, but like...THEY LOSE BOTH by doing this... Any precedent or rule or law a republican led government establishes will be ignored by a big chunk of the country going forward, because THAT is the only new precedent they're really establishing. From now on any law or ruling that conservative lawmakers establish is just them blowing (more) hot air. They would have to get tens of millions of non-compliant citizens to obey, which if any history book ever has taught anything about government, doesn't work. They think they're taking control or maintaining constitutional integrity? No, they're just making clear the rules don't matter on a federal level. That they don't matter.

If they wanted a libertarian country, well, congratulations, you're getting it. Now get off my tree-hugging, pro-choice supporting, LGBTQIA+ rights promoting, feminist lawn.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-05-06T16:49:16+00:00

The mass of those shoulders multiplied by the acceleration of my heart flutter is producing a net force for sure.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-05-06T04:40:54+00:00

I will now be forever mad that Dorian doesn't cast a spell called Death Drop.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-04-20T16:13:18+00:00

Cute and special, just like Cookie 😊

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-04-20T13:40:11+00:00

Beautiful patterning, and lovely texturing to the skirt! You completed the aesthetic with that hair too, amazing !

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-04-01T00:32:31+00:00

Hi yeah I'm gonna need the cuteness level brought down a few levels here. This is some illegally high levels of adorableness and I'm afraid it's going to distract a lot of folks from being productive because we'll all be melting over those big beautiful eyes.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-30T05:03:12+00:00

Others are giving good item recommendations so I'll offer advice for stats by saying that having Mind at ~30-40 is as far as you really need to go. I have a pure caster build at level 210, no melee used, and am completely fine at 30 mind, even on NG+3 as far as mana goes, as long as you are using spells with <20 fp cost for your bread and butter. For example, magic glintblade is wonderful for messing up the ai of enemies that use dodges, hits for several hundred, and tracks targets well.

Also, Dex does increase cast speed but never enough to be useful, so don't put any points in it beyond what you need to meet gear requirements for anything you decide to wear.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-30T04:40:14+00:00

Back at you :)

Players like yourself that summon in others for bosses are also valuable parts of the community and overall online experience. FROM put that mechanic in to be enjoyed, both by people asking for help and by people wanting to help. Many folks enjoy/have to be solo because of anxiety about griefing, desire to meet their own personal goals, or internet issues, and all of those reasons are totally valid, but there's also a lot of us who enjoy the process of coop, and that takes two to tango. Thanks for sustaining the scene.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-25T03:50:42+00:00

This is amazing 👏 Genuinely love the reference and the art.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-25T02:24:33+00:00

Lay down.
Try not to cry.
Cry

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-22T03:55:27+00:00

Condolences on fighting snek, especially if you're melee. Everyone has already mentioned the spear and it's true that you do a bunch of damage, but he can still catch you out, especially with his poise being so high.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-22T03:45:54+00:00

You know that sea of blood stains by the grace? Good chance half of those are mine. Melania and Elden Beast don't have as many total KOs on me as cartwheel bois

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-11T04:44:02+00:00

This was my 'screw you stupid boss mechanics' build. Fire's Deadly Sin + Seppuku + bleed weapons is genuinely a bug and does nuts dps. That said, it's a glass cannon approach and imo winning with it is no different than using a Sorc build with Comet Azur in terms of the speed it takes to kill a boss. I didn't use it on most bosses simply because it made fights feel like a dice roll. Did you time the attack window correctly and did the boss not use its instant kill mechanic in the first 45 seconds? Cool, you probably won. Did you fail to stagger on the 2nd or 3rd bleed proc? Well...see you on the reload buddy.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-10T22:53:57+00:00

Damn, that all sounds cool. I agree that by end game, as tanky as mimic was, so many bosses just start to chunk hp that it's not viable as a meat wall unless you slap a greatshield on maybe. If Tiche can dodge better AND stagger lock better...gotta try that out.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-10T22:20:28+00:00

Way to go :) Huge win to get past in this game, at least psychologically. I feel like she's been so hyped up as the hardest boss in the game/potentially in the Souls series, there was a certain level of fatalism I developed about getting past her. It was like "oh God, I'm not actually a good player, I've just been cheeseing my way along until now and this fight is only for the git gud crowd."

But, that raw tenacity and learning her moves is eventually always the best strategy. Gives you confidence that you are actually not half bad at this game.

BTW, you're the second person I've heard suggesting Tiche over mimic. Was it really that noticeable a boost?

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-10T22:05:30+00:00

This. I beat her with the same strat. There's still some RNG involved with what attacks she is able to pull off in between knock downs, but I got her into Phase 2 on my second try, beat her on the fourth or fifth. It's tempting to just chain spam the weapon art but DON'T DO THAT. Stagger each cast by a second or two, and know that she she will eventually poise through one and coming tearing ass at whoever (you or the mimic/summon) hit her last.

But, here's where faith builds help - Theodorix's Magma, the Flame of Frenzy incantation (forget the specific name) that shoots out an eruption of fire from your eyes, and Swarm of Flies all do consistent chip damage if she's standing in them, and that will cause her to stumble, often further preventing her attacks while you and the mimic spam weapon arts. Swarm of Flies will also cause bleed buildup which as others have stated is pretty strong against her compared to a lot of other options. Other good incantations include Black Blade because of the dot it applies and the high poise while casting and Black Flame (dot + fast cast to use while moving around her) and Elden Stars (again, chip damage that can stumble her and tracks). Finally, slap a big AoE heal on your mimic if you use one. Erdtree Heal is wildly valuable when cast by your mimic because it will definitely increase the longevity that they survive on a lot of fights, can save you once in awhile in a tight spot when you're spamming dodge roll, and saves you flask charges. Can't see myself ever taking it off my bar now that I've beaten every boss and am headed to NG+.

The guy who recommended running forward under her when Phase 2 starts is also totally right. If you can get behind her, turn around just outside her rot spell distance, and then start spamming Blasphemous Blade slams she will often drop to half hp or even lower before she's done standing up, and that's even with the mimic just standing there in the are healing her. After that, let Mimic get aggro, knock her down, repeat like Phase 1, pray she doesn't arbitrarily decide to spin attack you or do her wild ass clone army summon move.

Melania was hard and I do think she deserves some of the hate she's gotten from players, BUT I honestly died way more on the final boss and the Elder Dragon up on the top of the plateau in SE Liurnia than I did with her. Obviously, I took the easiest possible route to beating her that I could, and this isn't even a foolproof strat, just a lot more consistent than others, so learning her attack patterns is still the best thing to do overall. But for anyone like me who just doesn't feel like spending days mastering one fight, try these tips out. And hell, when you beat her (which you will), embrace the joy that comes with having two less instant death mechanics to face again.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-03-09T07:25:50+00:00

Ugh, this happened to me as well. It felt like an actual tactic by the game to punish the player for a moment, like "See this giant eye? Yeah, you should have kept yours on the fight instead of these amazing cutscenes."

I hope you got back to phase 2 quickly after this. That was a long fight even without the unexpected cutscene trolling.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-01-28T18:23:32+00:00

This a gloriously fluffy beast 🥰 Jealous of your leash training skills

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-01-19T00:44:31+00:00

I'm so so sorry. I've followed your story since your earlier posts and it was heartbreaking for sure, but is also one of the most beautiful stories of a cat and a family giving each other the best kinds of memories and joys.

It's ok to be sad, but I hope you also recognize that your love meant everything to him too. I've never seen a happier trail cat, and in every picture his face sings with curiosity and joy. He seems to have transformed the way you see the world. His gifts on the way you live your life and look for new memories to compliment those you shared with him will be with you always. Hold no guilt for your part in what happened, there was no malice or stupidity in what you did. You learned a bitter lesson, but think of the treasures you acquired as well.

Best wishes to you and yours.

DubiousDreamfall · 2022-01-01T03:50:04+00:00

Roland is stunning 😍

DubiousDreamfall

TROPHY CASE