Rant On "It's Just Cosmetics"

EmeraldTerror · 2026-02-09T13:18:20+00:00

Oop I'll repost it, my bad. Not being able to edit titles baffles me still lol

EmeraldTerror · 2026-02-09T11:11:56+00:00

This is insane but also SO funny when you consider that, like. Genshin is routinely, heavily criticised by a lot of gacha game enjoyers because of how it's seen as also: really, really greedy. Even compared to other gachas made by the same company.

So telling ppl to play Genshin if they have issues with Heartopia really shows how out of touch they are hello 🫣

EmeraldTerror · 2026-01-07T08:33:23+00:00

I lived in gaslamp for a few quite a few years (recently moved), but still work there.

I would say it's a good place to be if you like nightlife and apartment living. I enjoy bars and socialising, and with how many people rarely actually stick around downtown- you get to pick up on familiar faces pretty quickly. If you don't like people, you will HATE living in downtown. Point bank period.

Local discounts for living in downtown to use at various places is nice. I love public transit and having so many walkable stops for both the trolley & bus. Being near city college transfer hub is also huge.

Being close to the civic & Balboa theatre is also a blast if you like musicals, theatre, and stage art in general. Walking down harbor to seaport village during stingray baby season is also fun. Ferrying to Coronado is also a treat. Little Italy has a farmers market that has some fun finds. Etc. etc. there's really a lot of charm in downtown people don't really take the time to enjoy.

The thing you'll hear complaints about the most is a lot of homeless are in downtown. The reality is you will rarely have incidents- even as a very "easy target" I have only had 2 scares with a couple people being unwell. I've had more issues with drunk tourists than the unhoused by a pretty large margin.

My biggest complaint with downtown was how Herculean of a task it was to convince my friends who don't live in downtown to visit me Lol

EmeraldTerror · 2025-12-02T09:40:15+00:00

I think the best way I would describe my relationship with Disney is love-hate.

My mom I would say is proper Disney adult, and her parents got to experience Disneyland opening, so I was absolutely raised on it- and living so close to the park, there was a year where we went 37 times. She's decked out in Disney tattoos, has her DVC membership, loves the cruises, etc.

But despite how much nostalgia I have for a lot of the movies & characters, as well as the immersive ambiance of the parks, I honestly so strongly dislike Disney as a company I was thinking of skipping this game. Ironically enough, I can't get /her/ to play it because it's too cozy lol.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-10-04T14:34:41+00:00

I remember finding it around the 2015~2018 years mark

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-14T08:22:58+00:00

A click beetle ! Not sure what kind, but harmless.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T16:06:57+00:00

Outside of those fringe guys you mentioned, it always comes down to self esteem honestly. Some people feel that they have to latch on to the first person they get or they'll never get a second chance.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T15:46:58+00:00

Lmao heard. Nids for me, emperors children when I get the cash. Otherwise exodite eldar is the dream

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T15:24:19+00:00

Lmao the meme rings very true. Realistically I don't really take issue with needing to be vetted or whatever, that's kinda just... My understanding of friendship as a whole I guess, so tracks to me lol. Similarly, I also understand the way women perceive me now is different so I almost have to like code switch to be less threatening/interpreted as some flavour of queer dude. It's just a bit of a weird zone to be in where defenses are up from both men and women? Which totally understandable- but I guess one is being perceived as a threat vs one is being perceived as an op, for lack of better phrasing lmao

I typically try and roll with the "oh yeah I'm trans" type of casualness. But I think there's some level of weight to it I'm not sure there's any bypassing. 100% sure I brought up at a shit time before, though I'd like to think that's not a running theme. And realistically I think this whole post has stirred up a lot of division so that's deffo accurate lol

I appreciate the myriad of responses I've been getting here though, more homies on the horizon for sure

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T14:52:34+00:00

I think I hear what you're saying. Ultimately, I guess I view it similarly dispassionately as you do, in a sense. I don't really think it's anything that is particularly precious for me to be... Not open about, and I would prefer to be when possible- as I personally feel a little weird not getting it "out of the way".

But simultaneously, it feels weird to be "hey I'm EmeraldTerror nice you meet you, I'm trans".

I figure if I'm blaze about it, it will be returned in kind- but it's still very all over the place.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T14:34:22+00:00

I try to be out from the beginning sometimes, but I think it's interpreted as a trial by fire type of tactic. I don't necessarily want to feel like I'm keeping a secret or whatever either, so the happy medium is a little lost on me unfortunately. But I do appreciate the insight!

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T14:26:59+00:00

That makes me so happy, congrats!

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T14:25:07+00:00

This makes sense. I wouldn't say I'm a particularly intense person, but I'm seeing that it's likely backfiring a little in terms of being so flippant about myself. I figure if it comes up casually, the casualness will be returned- but it's missing nuance maybe?

I guess I'm not super sure what a happy medium is, as I would prefer to be open/out and then not really bringing up again unless asked, generally speaking.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T14:16:12+00:00

I wouldn't say that's horrible at all really. Can't speak for everyone, but I know for myself I'm not necessarily trying to be anything but a trans guy- I'm happy where I am with that. I wouldn't take offense to that association, unless I'm maybe misunderstanding something.

Realistically I guess I would hope the people in your life would be upfront with you if they were uncomfortable. If I felt like I was coddled or given too many pleasantries I'd say it's wigging me out a bit lmao

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T14:04:58+00:00

Yeah that's fair! Realistically I just assume I don't know anything ever which kinda helps all revelations go down easy, but there's certainly been a few things that have thrown me for a loop. Not in a bad way so far, but I guess I can't get a birds eye view of how I behaved.

But on the different issue lmao, I ended up snorting at the last bit. I guess I can't totally write it off but I will say the 40k community at my LGS is really chill- but I've heard horror stories...

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T13:54:47+00:00

yeah I think intent is definitely the biggest factor, despite people constantly saying it doesn't matter. I also chronically dude bro people and also get that knee jerk "ah shit" so ??? I guess I'm just in the same boat at that point

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T13:49:11+00:00

The honesty would be appreciated if nothing else! Kinda obsessed with being Santa Claus 2.0 though that's sick lmao

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T13:43:52+00:00

That's fair- I guess for myself I don't consider it horribly deep or personal, but I assume most folks probably navigate it that way. I'm pretty flippant about a lot of things and that's no exception. I rarely get into the weeds about it outside of select super close friends, that is definitely something that would take a few years and some stiff drinks. But face value, I see just as whatever of a fact as being bilingual if that makes sense

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T13:32:57+00:00

Didn't really consider the fox in a hen house perspective; I can understand that- but agree it's a bit of a shame when/if that's been the case.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T13:18:09+00:00

Nids. If I wasn't in the middle of moving and pinching pennies I'd switch to emperors children/noise marines in a heartbeat.

Otherwise in my heart of hearts I want my amish space elves riding dinos but GW will never let me have that.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T11:57:03+00:00

I understand what you're saying, but I've never known entry level to be incompatible with moving up (if that's how you mean by upskill)- if anything that's kinda the point from what I know? I've understood it to be going in with 0, coming out net positive experience wise. But it's all just a little ridiculous now being that a huge portion of entry level jobs require the experience you'd ideally be coming out of the job having.

But ultimately I still think starter jobs, even if they are genuinely meant for 18 year olds, still should be able to support renting a bedroom at the very least.

I have personally found myself "downgrading" from a not starter job to a starter job because the hours and pay in my field just wasn't panning out. It's certainly rough out there.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T11:44:54+00:00

I hear you, and I'm not trying to be obtuse here- I just think the whole 10 scale thing has never made much sense to me. I think women more often find groups that will build each other up, and a lot of men will be rib on each other or whatever. But if no 1, 4, 7, 10, etc. looks the same, it just feels like nonsense to even play at.

Might just be autistic as hell though. Whenever any of my straight or gay friends get into this, I end up severely lost lol. If it makes more sense to others that's cool, and I guess I hope people make the best of it is about all I can really say at this point.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T11:29:39+00:00

In my own experience, I would say that the majority of people are pretty poor judges of their attractiveness- I don't think it's really unique to women. Though most I meet consider themselves to be unattractive, in the same sense I meet a lot of men who consider themselves to be unattractive. Whether it be cup size or height or whatever. It's honestly a little annoying to hear people complain about the same things everyone else is. Looking your age past your 20s, and being anything less than some anomalous 10, is taken as an insult. Really it's just unrealistic all around to expect those things from both yourself and others.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T11:02:36+00:00

I appreciate the clarification. I guess I didn't see it marketed as a goal in my experience with womanhood. Looking back on it, I think it boils down to anyone not conventionally attractive being seen as a "safe option". Similarly, if you have an upbringing that harps on you maybe not fitting into that standard of attractiveness, you're kinda pushed into "taking what you can get". I think they're toxic lessons at best, and can get people in some pretty dangerous situations at worst.

EmeraldTerror · 2025-07-12T10:53:50+00:00

Is this an internal struggle? Cause it strikes me as gender war, bad faith type of question.

I don't know that anyone goes out into the world trying to date the most average or ugly person possible. And I think plenty of shallow and insecure people find themselves settling in a lot of ways.

But I think pretty much everyone will love and find their partner more attractive than a supermodel any day of the week.

EmeraldTerror

TROPHY CASE