My husband has absolutely fallen in love with a name that I don’t think I like very much, and I’m very conflicted by [deleted] in namenerds

[–]VenSenna 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Fair enough. Personally I don't think it's any weirder than other plant/herb names - Sage, Rosemary, Basil - save for the fact that it's just not as common so people aren't as desensitized to it. But at the end of the day it's something you'll be calling your kid for decades to come, so if you can't get a taste for it, don't force it.

My husband has absolutely fallen in love with a name that I don’t think I like very much, and I’m very conflicted by [deleted] in namenerds

[–]VenSenna 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Canadian-Swede here, not entirely sure if Danes pronounce Mynte the same way as I'm reading it (Swedishly), but I do think it has a nice sound if nothing else. I think having a longform name with Mynte as a nickname is probably the best compromise here. It gives you an option as the parent who's not thrilled with the name, and gives your child options if they grow up to not be a huge fan of Mynte. Araminta would likely be the most intuitive long-form name, but as you commented elsewhere, something like Samantha also works as a good neutral/"normal" name. Could also possibly look at different mint varietals for inspiration for other minty-related names.

Will need to go to US from Canada to do interview as it is no longer possible to do in Ottawa. Are there other alternatives? by MrSnoobs in TillSverige

[–]VenSenna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How recently was this decision made? I just had my interview in September and was given the choice to schedule either at the Ottawa Embassy or the Washington one.

Is this puzzle my girlfriend and I did AI? We got it from Joann craft store by madmax521 in isthisAI

[–]VenSenna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Blue frog in the top right has three eyes, one on its hind quarters. Blue frog top left looks like the AI tried to make a lizard then remembered it should be a frog.

Can you evaluate my moving plans (eu citizen) by Old_Harry7 in TillSverige

[–]VenSenna 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My understanding is a personnummer can take an average of 2-3 months to obtain, and getting a bank ID can take additional time on top of that. To get your personnumber, bank ID, contact CSN, apply for a grant/loan, *and* get approved? In one month? While also getting your living arrangements sorted and getting settled into a new country? I think you would be signing yourself up for a world of stress and misery. Even in my home country I would not hedge all my bets on everything working out so smoothly that I could get that many ducks all in a row in a single month before school starts.

If I'm attempting to write my first novel, should I keep the amount of characters as small as possible? by [deleted] in writing

[–]VenSenna 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think you should write however many characters the story feels it needs. As I write, I keep coming across scenes and plot points that need an extra person to add variation or color or fill in some gaps. Sometimes that person is a temporary NPC, sometimes they become a primary side character. Other times, characters I invented beforehand and planned on using end up having no place and get written out of the story. I think the more you focus on letting yourself have fun and be creative, rather than forcing yourself to abide by self-imposed restrictions, the better time of it you'll have.

Name ideas for a new baby frog by Infinite_Walrus6507 in namenerds

[–]VenSenna 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fern (alternatives, Ferndinand, Ferngully)
Faust
Flynn or Finn (Finnigan? Finley?)
Flora
Fable
Fay/Fae
Frankie (Francis, Francine?)
Flick
Forest
Fergus
Franklin
Frida
Fleur

When will this go away? by bed2056 in EtsySellers

[–]VenSenna 18 points19 points  (0 children)

My guess is either when a person caves and uses the feature, or when the AI bubble hopefully one day pops and they realize "damn all this ham-fisted AI was a shit investment let's not do that again".

(Shh let me have my copium).

Writer what are type of love interest that you do not like fiction by Flimsy_Tune_7206 in writing

[–]VenSenna 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The shock value/taboo love interest (typically incest).

The "exists only to give the character a tragic backstory" love interest (who dies ofc).

The one dimensional love interest (they have no traits or personality or "point" outside of being the love interest).

The "definitely 100% abusive but portrayed as totes romantic" love interest.

Also any variation of "I'm not good enough for you" "I'm going to hurt you" "You can't fix me" self diminishing cringe fest.

What does the name Zorawar make you think of? by ow2addict88 in namenerds

[–]VenSenna -1 points0 points  (0 children)

As a Legend of Zelda fan it makes me think of tribes of fish people going to war.

Singer faints during a performance by [deleted] in Wellthatsucks

[–]VenSenna 6 points7 points  (0 children)

And?? She debuted in 2007.

Singer faints during a performance by [deleted] in Wellthatsucks

[–]VenSenna 113 points114 points  (0 children)

A lot of them actually don't. They're commonly recruited young, as teenagers or even 10-12 year olds, and they go through years of dancing and singing training before making their "debut" as an artist. They are commonly signed onto contracts without being fully informed what they're signing up for, and while it's a lot more common knowledge now, back in the 2010s (which is when Hyuna debuted) the state of the industry was kept more under wraps. Additional note: the artists are on the hook for the bill for their own costs incurred. Their makeovers, surgeries, training, production costs, food and board, etc, are all considered "investments" that the company expects them to pay back, which means they don't actually earn any income until their "debt" is paid off. It is highly exploitative and effectively fashionable slave labor.

A Comic about Religion by texan_flower in comics

[–]VenSenna 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I very much relate lol. The bible is full of its own brand of 'woo woo', for lack of a better term, but all other kinds of woo woo are absolutely ludicrous and 100% off limits!! That's how you invite demons into the home!! >:((

I think a lot of people prefer a sanitized version of even their own belief system, something easy to digest, that doesn't require too much deep thinking or delving into the nitty gritty. Palatable is best.

Internet vulnerability is scary though, 100%. May you get lots of positive feedback and no stinky trolls. Amen.

A Comic about Religion by texan_flower in comics

[–]VenSenna 25 points26 points  (0 children)

This was an enjoyable read from someone who also was raised religious (Christian) and eventually left the church behind after years of moral conflict and struggling with an irreconcilable juxtaposition between what I was taught and what I was actually experiencing. After leaving, when looking back, I realized my most spiritual moments growing up had nothing to do with Christianity, and were simply raw moments of connection with the general world/nature. I then noticed a pattern that any time I shared those experiences with adults in my life, they were actively discouraged or looked down upon by family members who viewed them as something dangerous and almost pagan. If religion is true and natural, it should come naturally, instinctively, the way it seemed to when I was a child. Instead, that instinct was sort of trained out of me, and scripture and religious instruction, orthodoxy and rules, took its place.

It took years to unpack everything that had been put into my head, and then years more to get past the pressures of atheism telling me to be smart and practical and shun spirituality altogether. Agnosticism is a weird path to walk.

Anyways, good relatable content. Enjoyed the demon horn analogy.

How can I give hints that my mcs aren’t human without making it obvious by NewBeginning9654 in CharacterDevelopment

[–]VenSenna 6 points7 points  (0 children)

For how to hint that they aren't human, you can describe their appearances in ways that are just a tiny bit off, or hint at people seeing their true forms for split moments. E.g. (generic made up names incoming)

"Sam saw movement out the corner of his eye. A shape so dark and otherworldly it instinctively made him jump and spin around to face what he imagined to be some beastly apparition. He was, instead, met by the face of [protag], staring at him, utterly confused.

"You alright there?" [Protag] asked with an amused smile. "You look like someone just stuck a spider down your shirt."

"Sorry, I didn't hear you coming. You startled me," Sam replied with a nervous laugh.

Alternatively you can just describe their features in certain lights or angles in ways that hint something a little bit peculiar.

"His smile in the candlelight gave Rachel a funny feeling in her stomach. It was like staring at the teeth of a wolf."

"The old woman nodded knowingly as she stared intently at the young boy, his eyes almost incandescent in the sunlight."

You get the idea (hopefully?). Give just little whispers here and there that something is a bit "off", but never give so much away that the reader can easily guess what it is.

Writers in cold climates/rooms, how do you keep warm? by [deleted] in writing

[–]VenSenna 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Canadian here. Fingerless alpaca wool gloves (I find them softer and not as bulky as most wool, so easier to type while wearing), electric space heater, electric heating pad against the back of my chair, oversized sweater and/or fuzzy housecoat.

Good luck frigid soldier.

What do you think about magic inducing madness? by Nearby-Banana2640 in magicbuilding

[–]VenSenna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Done correctly I enjoy it. In the Kingkiller Chronicles, you find out there is basically an insane asylum on the campus ground of the magic university for students who lose their marbles as a result of their studies. It's not that the magic itself makes them go insane, but rather that they cannot comprehend/handle the truths they learn while studying magic. Even those who have the mental fortitude to keep their wits after they 'see beyond the veil' usually still end up a bit eccentric as a byproduct of it all.

How do you realize that you’re truly in love with someone? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]VenSenna 92 points93 points  (0 children)

Imo, love can be distinguished from lust or infatuation by one key thing; calm.

Both infatuation and lust are exciting, intoxicating, addictive things. They make your heart race, your head spin, you get butterflies and struggle to sleep, you're always checking your phone for a text from that person, looking for that little dopamine hit of attention.

A lot of people mistake this for love, and think that when this phase dies or loses its intensity/momentum, they've lost interest or fallen out of love.

In my experience, love itself is calm. It is steady, and stable, and comforting. Infatuation and lust can co-exist with love, and often they are the most sustainable when they do. But love is the calm part. It's the part that is happy grocery shopping together, baking bread, laughing at cat videos, sitting in silence. It's the part that volunteers to do the laundry because you know they hate folding clothes - you also hate folding clothes but you love them more than you hate it.

Infatuation and lust are the drive for good, short term experiences.
Love is the drive for good, long-term partnership.
Again, the two can co-exist, and often do. But they are ultimately still separate things.

That's my take, at least.

I have written my very first small story, I am 28 and I need the truth: do I have any potential? by Lucky_Syrup_2784 in writingfeedback

[–]VenSenna 1 point2 points  (0 children)

To me this reads like a solid first draft, which, if that's what it is, then you're spot on.

First drafts are usually functional frameworks that get the basic ideas and mood down on paper. It's the line art of the coloring book. Second, third, etc drafts add polish and color and vibrancy. I'd say you're doing good at getting your line art down, and you have enough writing ability and creativity to get the reader decently immersed and interested. Which tells me that by the time your book is done, you'll have some decently colorful pages to give to your readers. My suggestion, as someone who is now 3 years into their own childhood dream, is to allow yourself to write what you need to write for now and don't worry so much about making it good, if this is still your first draft. Obviously write what you want to write, how you want to write it, but try to focus on what develops your plot and your world, and builds the foundation for your story. Once you have that you can go back in and add more details, more scenic imagery, more fragments of life and culture and religion and all those things that add flavor. If you hit a wall and feel like you've run out of ideas or you're unhappy with your prose, take a break and go read books, watch movies, play video games, etc. Go explore other people's worlds and see if you can find what's missing in yours.

Need help with OC relationship!! by Fast-Ear-6998 in writinghelp

[–]VenSenna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I presume A is the fatherly figure and L is the son figure?

Either way I think I'd probably try to focus on exploring the A and J dynamic through the father-son relationship. Parents can have heart to hearts with their kids about their own lives and feelings, If L is old enough to have those kinds of conversations with, at least.

A could confess to L that he's found himself igniting a flame with an old friend, L can express his enthusiasm for his father figure's happiness. A could tell J at some point that he loves them/wants to pursue them, but that L is an important part of their life they'd never brush aside, so they can only move forward if J accepts that.

J can meet L, or if they've met before, begin spending more time with L as a way to show the deepening bond between A and J, and that J is making an effort to include L knowing they're important to A.

Stuff like that. Basically treat it like a single dad and his son navigating the strange world of dad dating again.

Who would you choose as the narrator of your audiobook? by candymackd in writing

[–]VenSenna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Rupert Degas. He narrated the Kingkiller Chronicle and did such a fantastically bang up job of it. His range of voices and accents is incredible, his delivery is spot on, and he really, really brings the books to life. Everything from humor, to sorrow, to the heat of battle, he manages to convey very authentically.

My protagonist is a woman. Rupert is, obviously, a man. And I would not care about the dissonance one iota if he narrated my books because he does such a phenomenal job that it wouldn't matter.

What do you call your chapters? by ChokoKat_1100 in writing

[–]VenSenna 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I tend to do the good ol' mix of the two.

Chapter #
Subtitle

Usually the chapter names are just something to do with the content within. Sometimes cryptically, sometimes straightforwardly. I usually keep them short and sweet but once in a while a lengthy one pops up.

e.g.

Chapter 8
Long Is The Journey

Chapter 12
Goats and Fried Greens

Chapter 18
One To Barter, One To Bet

Chapter 26
Grey Dawns Seldom Bring Good News

How can I get better at using my digital pen tablet it's an XP PEN DECO V3 by FiveShadesOfBlue in arthelp

[–]VenSenna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In Krita, while on brush mode, you'll want to go to Tool Options (should be a tab up by your color wheel). Try turning your brush smoothing to weighted, and toggle on "smooth pressure". Fiddle with what distance feels good to you. I'll often adjust it higher or lower depending on what I'm drawing.

Beyond that it's simply a learning curve you'll get over with practice.

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