People ask me what the worse thing about being a volunteer on Derpibooru is.
They ask what it takes to break someone who chooses to volunteer here. Is it being DOXed? Is it the hate mail? The phone calls at work trying to get me fired? People editing my art to make me look bad or make it look like I’m pro-Nazi or worse? The death threats from people who I thought were my friends? The IRL gore or child porn showing up in comments on my other art galleries? The random anon standing in my driveway at 2 AM because they ‘just want to talk’ about Twilight’s wings?
Sure - they’re massive pains in the ass, but they’re also a part of the gig. You get used to it.
But you know what fills me with so much utter regret that I almost nope out of here?
Seeing who everyone here is. Knowing that this profile is really that person, or this anon poster is also this anon artist. And then seeing some of my favorite artists going after each other in comments.
Some of you are why I joined this fandom. Some of you are why I left /b/ and came here to see if there was anything I could to help. Some of you make me wonder if I’m putting the right curve into a hip, or the right sparkle in an eye. Some of you are why I still draw at all, because I see what you do and I think; “Wow! Why didn’t I ever do that angle? Why didn’t I ever notice that bump of the hip? That curve of the spine? That twist of the ankle?”
Don’t get me wrong - I don’t expect any of you to agree with each other. You’re artists. You challenge expectations and break rules all the time - and you learn how to stand by your instincts, your inspiration, your muse. It’s what being an artist means. Normal (healthy) people will never understand.
So … please - whatever is under your skin today, go draw it out. Or scream at a wall. Or go have fun with friends. Or play a game. Or break a fucking table.
And if you can’t do any of those things (and I know for a FACT that some of you have no hope of doing anything fun in the near future) please do be kind to yourselves. Do what you need to be ok, and to have an ok day.
Because sometimes just having an ok day is pretty amazing.
Ok?
You don’t have to, and shouldn’t, stop this discussion. But please dial it back, ok?
Cause right now others on staff aren’t even sure what the fuck to do with all the plausibly Rule #0/6 stuff in here. And since I’m not on duty right now I figured … what the fuck? Maybe let’s just say; “Hey, chill, ok?” and that will be enough.
And if it’s not, well, <s> won’t that be fun. </s>