#THE MOVIE IS 10/10 AMAZING SO IF YOU LIKE MOVIE READ THE BOOK I PROMISE YOU ITS EVEN BETTER

[weallpartyatybcpatricksfuneral]

my full time job is encouraging people to read the jurassic park books

#GUYS PLEASE THE STORY IS BETTER THE THEMES ARE BETTER THE HORROR IS REALLY GOOD #THE MOVIE IS 10/10 AMAZING SO IF YOU LIKE MOVIE READ THE BOOK I PROMISE YOU ITS EVEN BETTER #my ONLY peeve with the movie is how they turned hammonds character from a greedy exec to a nice grandpa character #he went from someone who only cared about himself/money to someone who cared about children and making people happy #he VERBATIM in the movie says jurassic park isnt for the ultra rich when in the book he is ABSOLUTELY looking to make big bucks off the park #and also he dies a terrible death LMAOOO he had it coming #my favorite bit from Camp Cretaceous is when Yaz makes a 'ghost story' about hammond dying and its just his death scene from the book #this is also my propaganda to get people to watch camp cretacepus #*cretaceous #jurassic world #jurassic park #me posts

[zerobaseonefics]

cuddles and movie ㅡ park hanbin

park hanbin x reader

requested : you give the silent treatment to park hanbin, and he becomes clingy. dear anon, i hope it will turn out the way you wanted <3

warnings : none, just fluff!!

1359 words

the scent of sweat was finally going through park hanbin nostrils when he sat on the floor of the dance practice room. checking the hour, he realized he had spent more time than he was supposed to do here, torturing his dance mates for hours. you know how hardworking he is, and how he won't let his teammates go home until everything's finally perfect. and there was this show his dance crew would be giving next thursday, and as a leader, it was his mission to make sure they do well.

it's only when he realized that his crewmate, kamden, looked more sleepy than usual and was dancing with his eyes closed like some type of zombie, that hanbin decided to wrap it for today.

yes, he realized he did a lot today.

yes, he questionned himself about how yedam's little body still had energy.

he realized it was maybe too much, but there is something that hasn't crossed his mind yet : it was 8pm, and he promised you, his s/o, that he will be home at 5pm, so you guys could go on a date.

in fact, hanbin was so stressed about that show he absolutely forgot about the date. and it was not the first time. after the practice, because he kinda felt bad for his tired friends, he offered them to have food. they all said yes, even the sleepy kamden, who could just not pass on food.... he'd go, eat the dish that feels tastier because he didn't pay for it, and sleep on the table when he's done or something.

anyways, all of those events made hanbin go home around 10 o'clock. he took off his shoes, throwing them somewhere in the corridor. the most important thing for him right now was to shower. and so, he went straight to the bathroom.

it's only when he accidently let cold water hit his body that he got back to his senses. he picked up the pieces of the puzzle, one by one. how was it so dark outside and you didn't seem to be home ? i mean, he hasn't see you when he got there, when you're usually waiting for him in the living room... he thought you might have gotten to sleep, but it was way too early and you weren't the type to sleep at that time of the night. and then, it hit him. opening his mouth in disbelief, he realized he had missed you date. a-fucking-gain.

he hurried to finish his shower, asking himself repeatedly what the hell was wrong with him, and yeah i agree, what the hell is wrong with you park hanbin. how could you forget about your amazing s/o, like?? give it to me.

he got out of the bathroom after he was done and dressed, and went straight up to look for you in your shared apartment, calling your name with hesitation. you never replied once, and he found you in your room, reading some book. he felt even more bad when your eyes ended up on him and he felt how disappointed you were. your eyes went back to your book, ignoring him, as he went closer to the bed your were lying on.

"hey y/n...." no answer.

"you...you had a nice day?" still nothing.

"listen... i'm so sorry i forgot our date, again. i know it's no excuse but i was just so focused into practice that i haven't see the time pass and then i felt bad for my teammates and..."

he was discouraged in talking more, as you wouldn't answer. he saw the light when you decided to get up, closing your book. he opened his arms too greet you, but you just passed by him, going straight to the living room. he called your name one more time, to which you responded by showing him your palm, like someway of saying "talk to the hand". he asked himself if maybe you needed some more space...

you know, it's just that before you, the poor boy never felt the warmth of another person. like, yeah, that loser was focusing on dance and didn't realized he could fall in love or something with anyone. like, please get him out of that practice room. and so, he was not a bad boyfriend, far from this, but sometimes, shit happens, and he has no idea how to fix it.

and if hanbin couldn't fix his own problems, another hanbin would do it for him.

"oh that's very bad...", said sung hanbin on the other side of the phone after park hanbin told him everything.

"hyung, do you think they are going to break up with me ?", whined your boyfriend.

"nooo !! i mean, i don't think so. but it's only logical that they are that mad..."

"what should i do ?"

"make it up to them. they wanted some of your love and attention, nothing more, but you cancelled so many of your dates. last times, at least, you warned them that you couldn't make it, but this time you just said nothing about it. if they want your love and attention, give it to them now, show them you're really sorry and maybe they will open up about it more easily."

after, that call, park hanbin went straight to join you in the living room, sitting next to you on the couch. you didn't spare him a single look, and he was almost discouraged before he remembered what his friend told him. plus, he just missed you so much, he couldn't stand the silent treatment you were giving him.

slowly, he went to take your hand into his, holding it gently, looking at you to see if he got some reactions out of you. nothing. taking your hand to his lips, he kissed the back of it, as you looked away so he won't see how affected you were by the gesture.

"y/n, i missed you so much. could we talk about this ?"

even if he got no answer out of it, he knew it was starting to work when you got up. let's be real, you were kinda enjoying it, so you couldn't just give in that easily. keep going boss!! make him regret!! don't let him get into your mind!!

however, when you decided to get up to avoid him once again, he just pulled you onto his laps, making you seat on them. an arm sneaking around your waist looking at you with eyes full of hope. gently, he put one strand of you hair behind your ear.

"you look good today, it's a shame i couldn't take you anywhere or see you enough..."

"well, i wonder whose fault it is, right ?" you finally answered.

"all mine. i'm so sorry."

"it's not the first time you doing it, hanbin. i get all the stress you might feel because of your incoming show, and i get that you have responsabilities as a leader... but you could've at least call me. so i won't wait for you, or worry about the fact that you're not home at 10pm."

"i know love... i did wrong, but i promise next time i won't skip any of our dates. okay ? you're way more important than some dance competition. would you let me make it up to you ?"

bro BYE you are weak as hell for that boy. you knew you couldn't ignore him more, you felt bad for him and you just missed him so much. you still tried to put on your best act, to making him unsure about your answer.

"hm... how will you make it up to me ?"

"how about some cuddles and your favorite movie ?"

"okay i'm down."

yeah once again you're weak. and that's how you spent the 15 next minutes laying on the couch, hanbin on top of you, his head hidden in the crook of your neck as he whispered some sweet nothing, telling each other about your day, placing some kisses in between all of that.

"hanbin."

"hm ?"

"i think we forgot the movie part in the "cuddle and movie" thing."

"...oh yeah right."

#boys planet imagines #boys planet fics #b0ysplanetfics #boys planet reactions #boys planet #park hanbin imagines #park hanbin reactions #park hanbin #hanbin #kpop scenarios #kpop #park hanbin x reader #boys planet trainees #boys planet trainees x reader

[rachreads]

y’all remember that adult job i said i was getting? well, i got it so the bruhl shrine has received a massive upgrade. >:)

more pics and artist links below ;)))

The shelf itself is an IKEA Milsbow with four Mittled LED cabinet lights on the underside of every shelf to give it some light. I did have to drill a hole in the bottom self to feed some cords though, but other than that it was pretty simple to put together! :D

The framed The King's Man (2021) poster on the left was a freebie that I got for attending the opening night showing of the movie! I was the only person in the theater with my friend, so we nabbed about seven of 'em and handed them out to fellow Bruhl and Kingsman appreciators in our friend grounp.

The All the King's Men poster underneath isn't Bruhl related, but it was a gift from another friend who knows how much I like the Kingsman movie series. I also have a Kingsman shrine in my living room (and a Talking Heads shrine, and a Re-Animator shrine, and a Vladmir Nobokov shrine.... i am so completely normal).

Everything below reads left to right, I'll try to include links to artists where I can!

Comic books in the back are issues 2-4 of Thunderbolts presents Zemo: Born Better (which isn't canon to the MCU, and honestly is not my favorite, but the cover art looks cool lol) and the first collected volume of the original Thunderbolts run.

The black picture frames on the left are a sticker set from @injureddreams on their Etsy store and can be found here! The keychain in the golden frame on the right is also from their store, and is sadly sold out :(, but the store page is here.

Speaking of keychains, I have two on order from Noble Demons that are currently getting bounced around in my campus mail system that will go in those empty spots in the frame. Those two can be found here and here.

The funko pop on the left is the limited edition dancing Zemo from the Collector Corps subscription box (although you can find them resold on Amazon and the like for ~20 bucks), and the funko pop on the right is the regular Zemo pop from the FATWS line from 2021. These are also on sale for around ~10 bucks on Amazon.

The figpin in the very middle is the MCU Zemo pin from the FATWS line that was released in 2021.

The plush in the very middle was actually made by me :D. You can find the pattern on Etsy here, but if you're curious about the specific yarns used, you can check out my ravelry posts about it here.

And finally, the enamel pins in the golden frame on the right are from ChingonPinz on Etsy, but unfortunately are not sold anymore.

The DVD/Bluray collection on the left has German imports of Schule (2000) and Lessons of a Dream (2011), as well as American DVDs/Blurays of Deeply, The Edukators, Lila Lila, Inglourious Basterds, and The Cloverfield Paradox. Civil War bluray on the right is also a US release.

Special attention called to the Good Bye Lenin DVD on the left, which is the US Special Edition that has director's and actor's commentary tracks, including one with Daniel on it! Geez, if only someone were to rip those tracks and upload them to the internet. Maybe in a masterlist on a pinned post. Maybe at the top of their blog. That would be crazy hahahahahaha.

The magazine in the back is the European version of Issue 46 of The Rake, which contains the amazing and wonderful photoshoot that can be seen in this post here. (pinkie promise i did not spend $200 on that, I got it on eBay for like 20$)

The art board print in the middle is from rindelamater on Redbubble and can be found here.

The Good Bye Lenin Blu-Ray that is laying on the bottom of the shelf is an import from South Korea, and is actually the only region A blu-ray of GBL in existence since there has been no re-release in the US. I imported mine from eBay, although I think I have seen a few floating around on other sites.

Good Bye Lenin and Inglourious Basterds CD scores are pretty common, I don't think I need to explain those.

The plushie of Zeems on the right is from RedCapStore on etsy and can be found here. This was actually a gift from a friend and I hold it very dear to my heart. :)

The Laszlo Brainrot begins.

Angel of Darkness and Surrender, New York on the left are US mass market paperbacks. Super easy to find. :)

The framed art print in the very middle is my very favorite drawing from @pannypunkpanda's 365 day art challenge from last year! You can find this specific one on their RedBubble shop here.

The rest of the items on this shelf (including the custom Leuchtturm1917 Journal on the left *drool*) are from a PR box that was released for TNT's version of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness in 2020. In anticipation for the season, an online murder mystery party was held and journalists recieved a box of props that acted as clues for the mystery. There's an article covering the online event linked here for those curious. I managed to snag a box from a reseller on eBay for around 60 bucks, although that was the first and only time I have ever seen it available. :(

The box on the very bottom right is the mailing box that the murder mystery props from the shelf above all came in.

The board game on the left is a custom box and game that was only given out to the cast and crew of the first or second season of the Alienist iirc and is not easily available on the market. I, again, picked mine up from a reseller on eBay, but it's pretty hard to find.

The book in the middle is the tie-in edition of The Alienist by Caleb Carr, which is completely annotated and highlighted to shit by your's truly. :)

The picture frame on the right again has stickers from @pannypunkpanda's RedBubble shop linked here, and another sticker in the very middle from Elizabeth Ryan Shepard's RedBubble shop linked here.

And that's it! I may make another list with my holy grail items that I'm still on the lookout for but honestly I might just like to gatekeep those. It might make my chances of finding them better oops.

#rach speaks! #is this too much? i think that this may be too much. I cannot be sure. #daniel bruhl #daniel brühl #zemo #helmut zemo #good bye lenin #alex kerner #the alienist #laszlo kriezler #laszlo kreizler #the ~shrine~

[angphyel]

HIHIHI OKAY UHH

COULD I GET A DRAXUM X BAT YOKAI READER?

Like the same kind as the librarian from the library episode but,, not her

Okay bye tyy

A/N: HEHEHHEHHE! I PROMISE I DID(N'T) PROCRASTINATE! I got this idea from the Extremely goofy movie.

Paring: baron draxum x yokai!reader (Yokai type: Nobusuma)

Gender: G/N

Yokai Info: https://yokai.com/nobusuma/

Summary: Yall meet at a FREAKING LIBRARY LETS GO

=========================================

Baron Draxum isn't the type for reading, But when he first saw you he was amazed. He didn't know anything so beautiful. You were tall and Fluffy-ish, and you had this bubbly personality that most Librarians didn't have. That's probably why he strayed away from libraries the librarians were mean.

He walked up to your desk, You were in a suit. Which was something new, You were in a H/L (Hair length) Was hanging down, and you were stamping some things. You look up at him with a raised eyebrow. He smiles a bit.

"Hello, I'm l-looking for a book, about- uh-" Baron started to studder then looked at you again. "Actually, I'm not looking for a book."

"What are you here for?" You smile slightly and He sighs.

"I was wondering if you Would want to go on a date?" He muttered, You blinked and smiled a bit.

"I mean, I get off at 10 pm I don't think you would want to wait up for me." You have a slight blush. You had noticed him hanging out around the library when you worked. So you figured that he was plotting murder or stalking someone when you were there.

"I wouldn't mind waiting for you!" Baron said. You smile and nod. He started to jump up and walk off. "See you tonight."

"See you tonight." You repeated. Your heart was going half an hour a mile. You couldn't wait for that date.

================================================

Thank you for reading. If you want a Pt. 2 let me know in the comments!

Like, repost, and follow, pretty please.

#rottmnt x reader #baron draxum x yokai!reader #rise tmnt

[fyodorloveclub]

ive been in a soft / self-care mood today so heres some soft dazai stuff <3

dazai being convinced to wear a facemask because of you. in the 10 minutes or so he needs to wear it before washing it off he goes crazy complaining about the stinging. after he takes it off his skin is super fucking soft. you peck kisses all over his face, and pay a little more attention to the scars, not that he minds of course.

next dazai sees you working on your nails. youre pushing back your cuticles and trimming them so you can paint them. naturally, dazai wants you to do this to him, so he starts indirectly talking about how amazing it would be for his nails to be painted. naturally, when painting his nails, you picked out a color. he would likely enjoy black or red the most, but i wanna see his face with pink nails, i think it would be adorable.

taking a bath! lighting candles that are either marketed to men (man wood coffee musk) or incredibly flowery and romantic, like roses. theres a bath bomb that turns the water pink, rose petals, wine, and classical music playing. ignoring the sexy direction this could turn since i promised soft stuff in this writing, it would be so relaxing laying on his stomach, with him playing with your hair after massaging it with shampoo. he would actually take off his bandages and let you change them after. naturally, you leave many hickeys over his scars that would normally be covered, its not like anyone would see them anyways ;)

and finally, cuddling. maybe youre both reading books while laying on the couch, limbs entangled. you both gasp and make small comments on what youre reading, including an incredulous "WHAT THE FUCK" after a particular plot twist. or, maybe youre watching a movie together. sharing popcorn, a blanket covering your legs, and osamu's hands wandering around a bit too much for whats supposed to be a relaxing movie (show restraint or youll NEVER finish it). if youre watching a horror movie or a mystery, he will know exactly whats going on, and he will comfort you if youre scared. mf will tease you to hell in back if you jump while being in his lap. if a spicy scene comes on youre screwed (literally). any sort of emotional scene, happy or sad, he deserves an oscar for how well he is portraying the socially acceptable reaction unless of course youre around. the only time he'll ever cry during movies is when theres a scene where a mentor dies (think dumbledore or gandalf). he wont cry loudly, but youll notice a single tear rolling down his cheek. and of course, rom-coms, romance movies, and comedys all give him ideas on how to mess with you and the rest of his friends.

-☕️ anon

PLSSSSSSSSSSS he'd so want to be a part of every single step of your self care but then complain about every one kalfskljflsd like you said he wouldn't like how the face mask felt, he would HATE getting his eyebrows tweezed, he would honestly complain abt even washing his face and how water got everywhere he's so annoying.

and he'd so be sooooo dramatic about you pushing back his cuticles and act like it hurt so fucking bad kdaljfklasdjflk but he'd literally be so adorable with painted nails he'd be like omg babe im pretty just like you :")

god taking a bath with him would be so fucking sweet akldffsljsjfk like you'd basically just be laying on top of him surrounded by pink water and bubbles and he'd have his arms around you, pressing kisses to your forehead and combing his fingers through your wet hair. he'd hum in your ear as he massaged your scalp with shampoo, mumbling about how much he loves you. he's just soooo soft with you always there's tears in my eyes TEARS IN ME EYES

dazai is SO the guy to talk through an entire movie (me too dlkafjaskl) like literally nothing can happen without this mf making a comment

I JUST WANT TO HAVE A SELF CARE NIGHT WITH THIS MAN SO BADLY I JUST WANT THIS MAN SO BADLY

#{ musings; dazai } #you are much stronger than me with your abilities to not make eveyrthing dirty #voices in my head #☕️ demon

[jovenshires]

🦚 for the queer ask game!

🦚 - Are there any queer books/shows/etc. that you would suggest?

oh my god YEAH absolutely. i used to be a queer media connoisseur (im no longer a romance girlie when i consume media bc i write so much of it but i still have love for the genre). i'll do one rec for each category up here but ill put some more under the cut!!

book: aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe. it's my favorite book i've gotta put it out there. literally changed my life when i was like 16 i love it so much

show: there's so many popular ones that i feel like if you're gay you've already seen them by now, so im gonna throw a curveball and go with crazy ex-girlfriend. they talk a LOT about lgbtq+ identities and explore dynamics with different couples, and if you love musicals, you absolutely must go watch it rn i fear

movie: moonlight. oh my god if you haven't seen moonlight go watch moonlight it's so so incredible 10/10. a drama that follows a black gay man from childhood to adulthood, explores the themes of masculinity, family, and friendship as well as romantic love. it's just an incredible movie it deserves all the hype tbh

music: once again there's so many popular queer musicians nowadays that i Do Not HAVE to rec (you know the ones they go hard), so im gonna rec chrissy chlapecka!! she just makes such incredible, sugary-sweet pop music about such amazing fucked up shit i love her

send me some gay asks!

okie doke as promised here's some more recs from yours truly bc i really, really love media and have a collection to rec atp NDNKFNKND ill try to order them by genre from least to most obscure LMAO

BE WARNED: i do read some graphic stuff - im an adult and my media taste reflects that. before you read anything i rec, look it up for trigger warnings!! i don't want anybody to be hurt by something i recommend. <3

books:

of course like. simon vs the homosapien agenda by becky albertalli is out there. this is one of those classics i was talking about KDNKFNFK it's very ya-gay-romance-romcom you can eat up ya know. the movie's also not too bad (people think it's 'cringey' nowadays but that was HUGE for me when i was like 19 and had my first girlfriend). anyway it's feel-good fluff if you like that kind of thing!!

red white and royal blue is obviously another classic and one i can't rec enough. i love the way its written, i love the characters, i love the plot. like it's everything, if you're into the romcom vibe this is a great one to check out. (and as a bonus this one also has a movie and it Slaps)

it's not like it's a secret by misa sigura is a pretty solid wlw coming-of-age novel that i highly rec if you're into the rom-com type book. it's also got some EXCELLENT poc representation!!

bloom by kevin panetta is a graphic novel and i love it. so so so much. truly i think i read this in a day and i am NOT a huge graphic novel reader. feel-good romcom, poc rep, body diversity, AND pretty pictures. what is there not to love. everyone should read bloom tbh

lies we tell ourselves by robin talley is Probably my favorite wlw book ever. it's historical fiction and it is Everything to me. and im actually a known historical fiction hater so take it from me - its Good.

carry on by rainbow rowell is i think a classic at this point and i love it. so so so much. you ever identify with a character a little too hard. yeah thats me and this book. i gave my best friend a copy for her graduation. it is an Excellent take on 'remember all the heroes you wanted to be gay when you were a kid. imagine if they were.' it's my beloved

a hero at the end of the world by erin claiborne is another great one in the same vein, with a punchy, dry humor twist. basically if you were a harry potter kid but you hate jkr. you'll love this one and carry on KSNDKDNFK

nimona by nd stevenson is another graphic novel!! it's another fantasy, so if that's your cup of tea, i highly recommend it. it's got an amazing queer love story, a genderfluid protag, and most importantly, found family. literally everything. (it also has a movie but i haven't seen it yet

the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater is HUGEEEE i love that series it reshaped me. it's. mystery/supernatural i would say? it has multiple of my fave queer characters of all time and honestly. everyone there is a little gay. one of my absolute faves <3

we are the ants by shaun david hutchinson is a sci-fi horror adventure story and this one. it stuck with me. the main character hit me so hard and his internal struggle is so SO interesting. if you're into this kind of shit. give it a shot!

every day by david levithan is not one of MY all-time faves, but i can still say it's super interesting and has great rep!! it has a genderfluid/agender main character (depending on how you look at it). i will say i think there are multiple books in the series (?) but i stopped at one bc. it made me too sad anyway. <3

the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky is not queer bc it's explicitly about a queer character or a queer love story, BUT. it still has one of my favorite lgbt characters of all time. patrick you will always be famous to me. as a bisexual girl in a catholic high school, saw a Lot of myself in patrick. (i do also have a special place in my heart for the movie bc it was my depression movie as a teen but patrick is played by ezra miller so be warned)

one of us is lying by karen mcmanus is another one that's not just. About a Gay Couple BUT it is one of my fave books (a murder mystery retelling of the breakfast club) and it has a gay main character!! his struggle with his sexuality is something he really struggles with and he has a boyfriend and i adore him.

shows:

i mean obviously like. heartstopper is incredible. like i said im not super into the romcom/young adult genre anymore but that show is just so beautiful and amazing and really healed my inner gay teen. it has a really diverse cast and representation for all kinds. i really recommend it!!!

everything sucks was gone before its time, but it is SUCH an amazing show. it has one of my fave on-screen wlw couples of all time. it's a feel-good, coming of age classic and i miss it deeply. (what did you just say??? 'katie rewatch it' oh my god you're onto something)

now if yall know me. glee is absolutely gonna be on this list. is it good? technically no. is it one of the greatest pieces of satire ever created? up until season three yes. i realized i was gay via santana lopez. THE gay character of all time. and all the love in my heart for all the other lgbt characters (kurt hummel you will always be famous to me......) some of it's a little dated (don't get me STARTED on unique) but it does genuinely have some great lgbt rep and if you watch it with a grain of salt it's a great comedy

julie and the phantoms made by kenny ortega (of THE high school musical and descendants fame) and it has a gay character i love!! (actually technically it has a few <3)

i'm a huge consumer of kids' media (i think phineas and ferb is a literal masterpiece and im not even kidding) so if you're like me and enjoy the disney/kid show beat i cannot rec andi mack enough. it's dramatic it's campy it's fun it's silly it's got a FANTASTIC gay character and a gay couple i deeply adore and not to mention!! so much representation!! it's like junior fosters tbh

we're gonna get into a little pocket here of like. normal romance but slightly niche - animes! sasaki to miyano is like my top lgbt anime rec. it is so, SO good. just absolute feel-good romcom goodness pls give it a shot

depending on interpretation, ouran high school host club arguably has a nonbinary character, some bi/gay characters, and a trans character! now. it IS hella dated do not get me wrong. BUT for the time? incredibly progressive and a wonderful watch. just brace yourself for some out of pocket shit

stars align has one of my favorite lgbt characters EVER, a nonbinary icon <3 and it's like. a PLOT. truly so rare to see something like that done on tv, let alone in anime. this is a sports anime - soft tennis my beloved - but it has So Much More To It than that.

another gay sports anime is run with the wind, a recent fave of mine. and i don't mean gay in the way that most sports animes are kinda gay. i mean he literally says 'im in love with this guy.' it's an amazing watch if you like that kinda thing!!

if you want an aroace genderfluid protag. the disastrous life of saiki k is up there as one of my fave animes ever AND saiki (the main character) is my fave protag of all time. this silly lil show is supernatural (ish?) and comedy all wrapped into one fantastic show i highly recommend!!

segueing back into live action shows, buffy the vampire slayer is an AMAZING, iconic, female-led supernatural dramedy with some early and, for its time, incredible lesbian rep.

yellowjackets because i LOVE unhinged lesbians. i didn't even know there was gay people in this - i started watching because i love horror and girls' soccer DLNKFNFLN and it's amazing!! if you like tragic gay women i HIGHLY endorse yellowjackets.

in the flesh. look. here's my pitch for itf. do you love being sad. do you love catharsis. do you love zombies. you will LOVE in the flesh. please. i miss it so bad i've seen this show 4 times (and you're right i should also watch this one again!!!) and i never tire of it.

sense8 is a sci-fi show and IT IS EVERYTHING TO ME. truly the diversity is unparalleled. so many lgbt characters of so many different identities. polyamory, trans people, a neuro-link that's destroying peoples' lives. it literally has everything.

the get down is not just an lgbt show, BUT it has an incredible lgbt character/storyline that i adore. a musical show, a historical fiction piece (which means a lot coming from me), and almost every character is a poc. pls give it a shot it's everything

bodies is another one that isn't just about lgbt+ rep BUT. it's incredibly diverse, examining people facing discrimination throughout history (you've got a gay mc, a jewish mc, a muslim mc, AND a disabled mc) and it just has such amazing plot lines and representation. it's a murder mystery/sci-fi double whammy, so give it a shot if you're interested!!

movies:

alex strangelove is a good, underrated, coming of age classic. it follows a guy who struggles with his sexuality. very teen rom-com-dramedy core!!

i adored boy meets girl when i watched it. a very romcom-y movie about a trans woman from a small town dreaming of getting out....... friends to lovers.......... i adore it

happiest season is a christmas movie and it's very sweet. its been panned (there are some just criticisms on the plot tbf) BUT i do think it's really cute

to wong fu thanks for everything julie newmar is just. so so good. it's an underrated classic imo. three drag queens go on road trip, end up in a small town, and change it for the better. it's literally so amazing it's just feel good found family PLEASE give this one a shot

the birdcage is another classic i so genuinely enjoy. who doesn't want robin williams and nathan lane as their gay dads. at the end of the day it's all about found family, love, and old gay men.

handsome devil is a foreign film - irish to be exact! - and i love it so much. once again as a catholic school kid.......... yeah. YEAH. anyway go watch the og gay nicholas galitzine movie LKNDKFNKNLFNKLF

pride is a historical piece and an excellent movie. it's got its ups and downs but god it's just an overall good movie. another irish film, coincidentally!

the way he looks is also a foreign film, this time in spanish, BUTTTTT it's one of my faves i love it so much. it's very feel-good, sweet, romcom so if you feel like you could be into that - give it a shot!!

rent, if you're into musicals, has some of my fave musical characters ever. angel dumott schunard you will ALWAYS be the love of my life. it is deeply sad but. other than that. i live in denial.

the prom is a much more light-hearted and silly lgbt musical. people shat on that movie but i think it's SWEET and cute and has some bangers!!

i mean like. we can joke ab how hyped it is all we want but brokeback mountain is basically required gay watching. it is EXACTLY as amazing as everyone says it is. the chemistry..... oh my god we could never make that movie again it was like catching lightning in a bottle.

bodies, bodies, bodies is a fun and campy lgbt horror if you're into that kind of thing!! the ending was a bit not my fave but otherwise it's an incredible cast and got some great silly scares

on the topic of gay horror, jennifer's body is gay and again, exactly as good as everyone hypes it up to be. you want gay women who are terrible to each other? oh boy do i have the movie for you

and i promise ill wrap on gay horror with it chapters 1 & 2. reddie will unfortunately always be famous.

everything, everywhere, all at once is not Just a gay movie BUT. it has an incredible gay character and it factors so interestingly into the mother/daughter relationship. i love that movie i will always talk about it

music (these are all just people i personally listen to but there are SO many more. im not gonna expand on these ones too much just go check em out you'll get it):

lil nas x

troye sivan

kim petras

kesha

tegan and sara

brandi carlile

hayley kiyoko

rina sawayama

peach prc

renee rapp

adam lambert

scene queen

willow

halsey

clairo

cavetown

janelle monae

#ask #asks #anon #anonymous

[unknooooow]

BTTF Year-End Tag Game!

@alex-a-fans thanks for tagging me :DD and yes I wanted to wait until very close to new year's eve to post this

This year:

-How many times would you guess you watched the first back to the future movie?

... good question. Idk too :)) maybe 10 or 15 times around

-Did you get any sweet bttf merch? If so, what!

this year I only got one thing: the bttf making of book (I got it for my bday :DD)

-How many cans of Pepsi Free did you chug this year?

well... 1 or 2? pepsi is not something that is easy to find around here ;-;

-What was a favorite bttf fanfic you read this year?

I could name several... but Im gonna name one with several chapters and a oneshot

fic with more than one chapter: Most People Were Silent by @daryfromthefuture. DOC FROM THE 40S :DD this topic is just soo interesting. and Dary worked really well on this topic :))

oneshot: Merry Christmas from the Browns by @alex-a-fans. this was one of the best. Its funny and it caught me by surprise. doc as Santa Claus :))

-A favorite bttf fanart you saw this year? (please give us a link, not a screencap/repost!)

calm down. here I go looking for the fanarts :)

this fanart is so amazing and deep (@autoraton)

I love analyzing Citizen Brown reality. and this here represents my fascination with this :)) (@tobytost)

the Brown family is my fictional family ok? I love them and they look beautiful in this fanart 🥺🥺 (@maxintime)

I LOVE BABY DOC YOUR HONOR!! he looks so cute in this fanart I CANT STAND IT 🥺🥺 (@cheriboms)

-Did you create any bttf fanart or fanfic? If you did, what one(s) are you proudest of?

OOOOOOH GREAT QUESTION :DD

In terms of fic I think the best was the first chapter of June of Doom. At first I thought the idea might backfire but it ended up making a great fic :)) I loved working on the topic

In terms of fanart I choose this beauty here. this was one of the drawings that required the most work but it was worth it :) I ended up liking the result and the text and the other characters I made

-How many times were you late for school this year?

none :) I am a very exemplary student ;))

-Did you watch any other movies/tv shows with BTTF actors in them?

well, I watched My Favorite Martian (courtesy of @alex-a-fans :)) that features Christopher Lloyd. the old Addams movie that also features Christopher Lloyd. and... Who framed Roger Rabbit... that also features... Christopher Lloyd...

-Was there a memorable moment you heard a Huey Lewis song this year?

in the car. started playing The Power of Love on the radio. and my parents started singing along with me. it was really fun :)

-How many times did you fall down this year?

1 or maybe 2 times. I really try not to fall down

-Did you get to see BTTF: The Musical? What was your experience like!

unfortunately not (yet) ;-; but I hope to go next year (if I can convince my parents to buy tickets for me)

-How many times did your mom retell the story of how she and your father met?

she only told me this story 3 times. and I still remember. Its not that big of a story but its interesting. And if I went back in time maybe I could end up interfering with that too :,)

-If you could describe your year in a BTTF quote, which one would it be?

“Why do we have to cut these things so damn close?”

yep. definitely

⚡️LIGHTNING ROUND⚡️ Did you get to: go on any trains, skate on a skateboard, ride a horse, drive a Delorean, run in the rain, go to a dance, hang up a clock, play the guitar, pull an all-nighter, read science fiction, or drive thru Burger King this year?

-Your future is whatever you make it! So what are you going to make of this coming year?

try to be more active. and write more. ill try :)) I dont promise much

but anyway. HAPPY NEW YEAR PEOPLE :DD

Tagging: @autoraton @maxintime @tobytost feel free to do it :))

#back to the future #bttf #bttf tag game #tag game #tag #tag tag #tag tag tag #new year #happy new year #consider this my review for a new year/renewal of the blog for 2024 #no more tags #:)

[thelightfluxtastic]

Trusting an adaptation

There's a specific problem creators run into when adapting a long-running series (comics, multiple books, etc.). Adaptation naturally necessitates some changes. Then when the time comes to adapt the next part (second book, sequel, etc.) you have to choose whether to continue the changes made in the first part (making the adaptation continuous, but increasingly divergent from its source) or to ignore them (making a more accurate adaption of the material, but making the adaptation self-contradictory).

And I've found that seeing evidence that creators have planned ahead and made efforts to minimize this disruption is one of the strongest ways to make me lower my hackles and trust that an ongoing adaptation knows what it's doing. I can think of two examples prominent to me:

I've been a fan of a Series of Unfortunate Events since childhood, and was very excited when the 2004 movie came out. In hindsight, any movie that was adapting three books at once clearly has little interest in being faithful. But the thing that stood out to little-kid me was Olaf's eye tattoo, which looked like a regular eye. In the books, one would have to read as far as book 9 to learn the eye tattoo's design specifically resembled the initialism VFD. It has no real effect on the movie. But I remember it made me think "How will they ever explain/fix that in later movies, when they get to book 9?". The answer, of course, being that they never intended to get that far.

So when the Netflix series came out in 2017, I was hesitantly hopeful. The author was involved, which is a huge plus. But the moment I breathed a huge sigh of relief was when I saw the tattoo on Olaf's ankle, and it fit. Now, Netflix got to finish adapting the series. There was a possibility they wouldn't. That the accuracy of the design would be wasted. But the fact they started from episode one, setting up the payoff they'd need 16-17 episodes later, was a sign the writers and designers and crew were committed to doing it right if they could.

Netflix's Sandman adaptation is the other example for me. Yes, the trailer looked amazing and Neil Gaiman's involvement was a huge green flag, given how careful he'd been with adaptations before. But realizing that things I thought were small show adaptations (Lucienne's presentiment, Dream's confrontation with the Corinthian) were actually word-for-word accurate for Overture, really hammered home the amount of planning they were doing. The series has currently adapted the first 2.5 volumes out of ten, and Overture comes after all 10 (and also before. It's like that). The first season was massively popular, so I really hope Netflix gets their act together and doesn't let this go to waste. But the fact that the writers are planting properly, leaving room for themselves to make sure they haven't painted themselves into a corner down the line, is really promising as a fan.

#adaptation #sandman #the sandman #a series of unfortunate events #asoue #netflix sandman #netflix asoue #asoue movie #essay #mine

[aevyk-ing]

Rambling about the Ghibli movies I’ve seen

1. Howl’s Moving Castle

This was my first ever Ghibli movie! And I loved it and I still love it. It was like this amazing discovery and I was hooked on the animation, the character design and the story. There were funny moments, thoughtful moments and even scary ones. I remember thinking Calcifer was hilarious and I watched it dubbed in Spanish and Howl’s voice is the same as Castle/Nathan Fillion, but the VA does a great job. It’s one of my favorites, probably the most.

2. From up on Poppy Hill

Watched it in English and I’ll probably rewatch it that way just for Anton Yelchin. It was yet another surprise. Has a good tone and music and the story is okay until the weird SPOILER “are they siblings?” part END SPOILER. Yep, I get it was because of the war and all that. Anyway, it’s on my top list. Also, I ended up expecting a kiss or hug or something but then I read Ghibli doesn’t portray relationships that way... and I’m okay with that. 

3. The Secret World of Arriety

This movie was so pretty! Well, all of them are pretty, but I really liked the production design in this one. And my first time watching a Ghibli movie in Japanese (Your Name was my first movie in Japanese and I had rewatched Howl’s... with subs before, but you know). It feels like a fairytale and it has great music. 

4. Spirited Away

I guess this is some sort of Alice in Wonderland Ghibli version. And, oh, my, is it bonkers. Lots of creativity here with the character designs, the story is great but it had a lot of WTH moments and I really wanted them to reunite after all that.

5. Kiki’s Delivery Service

This one was a little boring. It looked promising, I love witches and the premise is interesting, but it dragged a little, the boy is so annoying and my favorite character is the cat, so... 

6. Ponyo

The Little Mermaid, Ghibli version (btw, I got nothing against retelling fairytales, because they do it in such a creative way). This was the opposite: weird start, got me hooked. Ponyo is a delightful character. Between my favorites.

7. Princess Mononoke

Loved the idea and the beginning, got weirder and weirder. I get it could be a product of its time, but the story would benefit from a little more work. Although I liked the spirits design and it obviously inspired the creators of ATLA, especially in the creature design for Korra.

8. Castle in the Sky

Another product of its time in terms of pacing and the strange obsession of grown men towards a little girl. It was... nice. Reminded me a lot of Atlantis, so I guess Disney took some notes. The design of the city was good and the lore interesting. And the boy got me chuckling in the action scenes, doing all that barefoot. 

9. My Neighbor Totoro

Talking about cute. This movie is so simple and yet so good. The tiny Totoro has to be my favorite Ghibli creature and it has a lot of charm. 

10. Whisper of the Heart

While I usually hate those kind of endings (love has had me waiting enough), it made me feel hopeful instead of sad. Another movie with a slow pace but a really long scene is just following a cat, so of course it was going to get on the top of my list. Is quite relatable as a writer and I sure hoped I’ve had (or had now) that support from my parents. The scenes of the book look great and even though I already knew what was going to happen from 5 minutes in, I didn’t even care. 

#me #personal #ghibli #studio ghibli #ramblings #howls moving castle #from up on poppy hill #the secret world of arrietty #spirited away #kiki's delivery service #ponyo on the cliff by the sea #princess mononoke #castle in the sky #my neighbor totoro #whisper of the heart

[thistle-and-thorn]

Hi! Thank you @queen0fthenorth I am breathing deep breaths.

1. Are you named after anyone?

My first name is after a book; my middle name is after my mother’s grandmother, and my initials are a pun because my parents are extra.

2. When was the last time you cried?

I finished Maps of our Spectacular Bodies by Maddie Mortimer today and it just absolutely floored me and I cried as much from the emotional impact of the narrative as I did from how brilliant it was. Wow. Just wow. Like, human genius is an amazing thing?!?! and this book is like…a reason that stories exist? I don’t know. Just still crying about it.

3. Do you use sarcasm?

Ummm. Technically yes, I guess? I don’t love the implication of sarcasm which is…being derisive or being really overly ironic or making someone feel stupid. I think I’m quite dry though.

4. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Hands (and if I’m being honest, boobs. I’m sorry. It’s respectful I promise.)

5. What's your eye color?

BROWN

6. Scary movie or happy ending?

Happy ending?! I guess?! Honestly, I want the horror to come from human folly and the happiness to be undercut by some inevitable tragedy. 🤷🏻‍♀️

7. Any special talents?

I can play Fur Elise with my toes on the piano.

8. Where were you born?

In the same hospital as my mother! Which is cute, I think!

9. What are your hobbies?

Reading, painting, biking, hiking, wandering into places I definitely shouldn’t go, and burning stuff in my oven cooking

10. Do you have any pets?

I had a goldfish named vanilla ice cream who ominously died on New Years Eve and I think it was an omen 😂😂😂 the fish was super old so like good for her but her timing was dramatic. I would expect nothing less from a pet of mine. At the same time…I wish it had happened 24 hrs earlier or later.

11. What sports do you play/have played?

I was in marching band?! Does that count?!

12. How tall are you?

Tall enough that I have to get stuff for my mom on the top shelf and short enough that I feel compelled to wear heels to work most days

13. What was your favorite subject in school?

History and English!

14. Dream job?

I’ve said this before but I just want to be Fran Leibowitz. It’s all I want. Truly. Get paid to be a writer who doesn’t write.

or dramaturgy.

But mostly Fran.

#tag game #I am maybe seeing Fran in March #And like is it bad that one of my biggest crushes is an 80 yr old woman #Thats not for me to say 😂

[runnning-outof-time]

Fics and books, please!

— your friendly neighborhood spideyman

Hello again friendly neighborhood spideyman!! I’m so happy to see that you’re back!! ☺️☺️

As far as fics go….I tag all of the stories I’ve read under #10/10 would recommend - you should be able to find a multitude of amazing stories from a bunch of amazing writers there.

I keep a personal reading list in my ‘likes’, which I call my ‘to-reads’ … and I’ll usually bump the story from my likes to my 10/10 tag once I’ve read it. It would take me eons to list all of the fics in my likes on this post, so I’ll share some of the authors that I know are in there (as well as my fav history books) under the cut so this doesn’t get too long.

Before I get into it, I just want to say that messages like these absolutely MAKE. MY. DAY. I have so much fun talking to y’all about everything and anything, so please don’t hesitate in jumping into my ask box at any hour of the day!

Ok so for my ‘to-read’ list: I’ve got a good number of fics by @padfootdaredmetoo , @look-at-the-soul , @zablife (particularly her corrupt a wish fics that I liked ages ago but still haven’t read, and I really need to get on it) , @shelbydelrey , and @acewritesfics (who was previously ‘sunsetbeachesandwriting’) that I need to get into reading…also @cillmequick ‘s latest Lockdown installment too…I just know that they’re all going to be amazing, so I suggest you check their blogs out.

Now onto the second part of your ask (if you’re still reading this, thank you!!!) …. I’ll preface this by saying all of the books that I read are nonfiction and centered around history. They’re also mostly focused on US history (as I’m from the US).

The Smell of Battle, The Taste of Siege by Mark M. Smith (American Civil War) - it focuses on one of the most interesting ways to study/analyze conflict: through the five senses.

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (The Dust Bowl/The Great Depression) - the narratives that this author provides of people who lived through this incredibly trying time are so gripping…I believe it’d be an interesting read even for someone who doesn’t like history.

The Dalton Boys by David Allin (American West/Outlaws) - a super, super interesting book about a gang of brothers who were lawmen turned outlaws. It’s written in the style of a story, so it’s super easy to follow and very exciting at times.

Stampede by Brian Castner (Gold Rush in the Klondike) - another super interesting book that details the stories of those who went to Alaska during its gold rush. There’s a lot of struggle and strife, and Jack London’s (the author of Call of the Wild) in it too.

Never In Finer Company by Edward G. Lengel (WWI) - I’ve not finished this book, but what I read of it was super, super interesting. It focuses on the ‘lost battalion’ of American soldiers that were stranded in the Argonne Forest during the war. I watched a movie based off of it in a high school history class way back when, so it was pretty cool to find this book on it.

I’m currently reading a book called This Republic of Suffering by Drew Gilpin Faust. It’s about death and the American Civil War and it has been super interesting so far. If you’re ever interested, feel free to check back on me some time from now to see if I got anywhere on the book and if my thoughts have changed.

This got long, didn’t it?? 😅😅 if you made it this far, thanks so much for reading my babbles on my history books…I think I can go all night honestly haha….but I won’t, I promise. Thanks so much again for sending this in, spideyman anon…I really appreciate you dropping into my ask box!! ☺️❤️

#asks answered #k’s fic recs #k’s book recs

[phoenixkaptain]

Thanks for answering my ask....If you don't mind me asking (again), what are your top 10 (or top 5) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Feel free to answer whenever you want to (or not). Thank you so much....

(You asked this a little bit ago and I put it in my drafts as a “I’ll finish this later” sort of thing then forgot until this morning, sorry)

1. Hyouka. It’s a mystery anime. There’s a manga as well, but I never got very far into it. The animation is really pretty, but the main draw for me was the mc Houtarou Oreki. The way he just doesn’t want to be there and also would like nobody to talk to him. Despite this, he’s friends with the exact opposite? And good friends. What a guy. Also, the mysteries are very fun to piece together.

2. Natsume Yuujinchou. I’ve always really liked this anime, and the manga. I like Natsume Takashi, the main character, and I also really like his grandmother, Natsume Reiko, who kind of acts as a secondary main character? She caused the whole plot to happen. I like how many people and yokai mistake Natsume for his grandmother, and the running theme of Natsume finally finding friends. It was also the first manga that ever made me cry, so it holds a special place in my heart.

3. MXTX’s novels. All three of them. I love the characters and I love the romances and I love the plots. I love the side characters! I can’t think of an author who has ever made me so invested in side characters before! I read them all for different reasons, so I don’t really have a favourite among them, but if I was held at gunpoint, I’d say Scum Villain is my favourite. Because I associate it with the colour green, and I like the colour green.

4. Moomins. I just… everything is so soft. And warm. And kind. Even when the characters are beinng objectively terrible, I just want to pat their heads and sigh wistfully. It’s definitely my comfort show. I occasionally watch clips from the nineties show just to cheer myself up again. I love Snufkin because his lines are amazing and I, too, would like to wander the world as a lone vagabond. (The whole conversation of “I made those footprints.” “What? How?” “With these big ol boots I found.” “Why are you wearing them?” “To see what life is like in someone else’s shoes.” “What’s it like?” “Uncomfortable.” I love every moment, I quote “uncomfortable” all the time)

5. Detective Conan (and Magic Kaitou) I love this series. I love the comedy of the most intelligent teenager alive being shrunk into a miniature. I love the drama. I love the characters, all twelve billion of them. I love that the twists are always so weird. I absolutey, positively adore the Kaitou Kid episodes! Something about little itty bitty Conan facing an international jewel thief… I also love the movies! I haven’t seen all of them (my attention span…) but my favourites are the Lupin III crossovers! And, of course, the best movie is the Lost Ship in the Sky, because it has the funniest scenes of anything ever. When Kaitou Kid (disguised as Shinichi) and Conan just leap out of a helicopter? I love them so much…

6. Encanto. I’ve watched this movie about 3-5 times (an impressive feat for me I promise) and every time the Abuela says “the miracle is not some magic that you’ve got, the miracle is you, not some gift just you” I cry actual tears. And I get major siblings feelings from all of it. It’s so good

7. Star Wars, specifically prequel-era and Original Trilogy-era. I love Anakin Skywalker. The most dramatic man to ever. And I love Luke Skywalker. And I love Leia. And Han, and Chewie, and Lando, and Obi-Wan (Obi-Waaaaannn 🫠) and just the majority of characters. I really enjoyed reading the Thrawn Trilogy because I found Mara Jade to be the funniest comedic foil to Luke. Luke is just vibing. Mara is like “You were stabbed fifteen seconds ago, what-“ Love the chaos duo Luke and Leia, who can’t go anywhere together because they attract misfortune but also can’t go anywhere apart because they attract misfortune. I love longsuffering Han who didn’t really realize that marrying Leia meant marrying Luke too. I have never watched the sequels, and I don’t really want to. I just wanna live in my lil bubble 👍

8. Resident Evil series. I’m counting the games here because I own exavctly zero consoles that run Resident Evil games and so I mostly just watch longplays, but I love the series. (One day I’ll be the Master of Unlocking… one day… when I have… more money…) I really like Ethan Winters because he reminds me of a kicked dog. I like Jill Valentine the mostest because I really like that her responses to all the weird comments Barry makes are just her laughing and agreeing. I like Chris Redfield because Wesker reveals his huge evil plan and Chris immediately starts laughing and Wesker gets actually upset that he isn’t taking him seriously. I like Ada Wong. She rocked in to Raccoon City to “find her boyfriend” (code for: do spy shit) in a dress and, like, tights? They could be leather pants, the graphics aren’t that clear, but I’m not sure? Her whole outfit in RE2 is amazing. Oh, and I like the horror elements too, the monster designs are so gross! 10/10!

9. Various DC comics. Namely, Batman, Robin, Young Justice, Swamp Thing, etc. I talk about Batman and Robin and all them a lot, but I really enjoy Swamp Thing! I never knew that it was a horror comic until I read it (I suppose it would have been logical to assume it was, but still) and I like him! He’s very cute. Squishy. I want to lay on him and tell him he’s doing a great job. I like the little mini Swamp Thing that grew after he was “killed” it’s so little!!!

10. Fire Emblem. I’m including another game series because I love Fire Emblem a lot. I have played so many hours of so many games (Tokyo Mirage Sessions crossover is underrated and everyone should play it and gush about it with me because Mamori runs a cooking show when she has no idea ow to cook!!! I love her!!!) I have wasted so much money on the mobile game (stop looking at me) I absolutely love this series! My favourites are Marth and Henry (FE:A) I love Marth, he is so… himself :) and I love Henry! He was raised by wolves! He converses with crows! He proposes with a cursed ring! He carries around monster parts just for funsies! He is the cutest little murder bean in the world! Fire Emblem Awakening got me into the series as a whole, and I have never been the same (side note: I also love Corrin, because they are a himbo whether male or female. I also love Robin, because they appear very reasonable and are tacticians and are very intelligent and they are also completely feral in weird ways and I like it a lot. I love Byleth, the best teacher who does not have a heartbeat and didn’t cry when they were born and doesn’t know how to emote)

This turned out longer than I expected, but I hope it’s what you were looking for.

#long post #ask #elaine2895 #the inane ramblings of a madman #i love my hyperfixations #but i also forget about them #if they are not right in front of my face #my object permanence is bad #but once i am reminded #i fall in love all over again

[redd956]

Things I do to help me focus on my writing, get into the atmosphere, and keep writing!

I often times see fellow writers lamenting over not being able to keep to writing, start a page, or fully become enveloped into their atmospheres

I don't have that problem very often, so I decided to watch my actions when going to write my personal pieces for school and mad self indulgence to see if I have anything that could be of use for my fellows. Here's some ideas to play around with~

Atmospheric Playlist

Atmospheric playlist on YouTube, or self made ones have become a lifesaver when it comes to getting engrossed into the atmospheres I'm writing about. No matter what it is, there's always a playlist or set of video game OST set on loop that can easily help one get engaged with the atmosphere they're writing.

This can go for characters too. Make character playlist, put them on in the background, and write. It's done wonders for me.

Apocalyptic wintery wasteland -> Winter Storm Ambience for 10 Hours

Meeting up in a café during a rainstorm -> Rainy café ambience with jazz playing from a jukebox

Creepy haunted spooky -> horror video game spooky ambience

(P.S. The real world can be just as inspiring)

Distracting Myself Properly

Let's admit it, sometimes we need to be distracted. Whether it be taking breaks, letting the mind wander and breath, or when you just can't help yourself. I find myself usually opening YouTube about three to four paragraphs in, and before I know it I'm now invested in a 4 hour long Minecraft stream despite not even going on to follow on whatever SMP I stumbled across then.

So one day while writing my wintery storm ambience ran out of time, and I was getting frustrated with how to write the threat of the cold, despite knowing it personally myself. So it was distraction time! Then I remembered an old video essay that thoroughly discussed the fear and dangers of the cold.

Instead I watched that, felt renewed with ideas on how to write the threat of the cold, and was able to go right back to writing after I finished it (really even started writing while it played in the background)

So that's what I mean-

Distract yourself properly, and watch things related to the topic and conversation that you happen to be writing about. Pick things that get your inspiration flowing, and the creativity sparking. No one when to stop though. Sometimes and often times real genuine breaks are needed.

Input to Output

In order to output, there needs to be an input. By that means in the fields of creativity, we need to consume content in order to create content.

I had to learn that the hard way. The brain becomes burnt out on creating, and can get burnt out so very quickly. It wants content that isn't made by it sometimes y'know?

So what to do? Consume. Watch a movie, a TV series. Read a new book. Play a new game. Scroll through that web comic you've been wanting to finish. Flip those pages to the manga you promised yourself you would finish.

Go get that input so that you can output

Follow that damned itch

You're sitting in the living room, mindlessly watching a TV show you don't even like, when suddenly it hits you. The itch! Oh the cursed itch to write, and to write a lot. You now suddenly want to write as much as possible. But maybe you should finish this episode that you don't even like-

Wrong! Follow that damned itch when the perfect chance arises. You're not trapped in class, or at work, or anything similar (although the itch doesn't wait for perfect timing always). It's struck you at an amazing time, go get it!

What are you waiting for!? The motivation has hit you! No one knows when it will again. I promise you some very amazing syntax could be waiting you right now as that itch radiates in your palms.

#writing #writing tips and tricks #writing advice #writing advise

[merouses]

Books Mero read, 2022 edition

As promised (to myself?) here’s a small review for all books and book series I read this year!

The Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling - This series. This FUCKING series. Its so fucking good. Its sooooo good!!! It’s 7 books in all (plus 1 collection of short stories) and they’re all at least very good. It can be intimidating since it’s a pretty long series BUT they’re all  pretty standalone still. My favourite turned out to be the 3rd book, as it best meshed the adventure and intrigue styles, which the other books tend to stick mostly to one of. My only critiques really are that some parts are really.... unpleasant to read, given the situation the characters find themselves in, and sometimes these parts reeeeally overstay their welcome. Book 4 Im looking at you(....I skimmed over like half of this book for this reason). Regardless of that though, these books are still great, the characters are amazing, and the many many times and ways Seregil and Alec were tastefully described as fucking was 100/10.

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens - From great to bad. Ok maybe thats a bit harsh but this book is just uninspired and uninspiring, probanbly the most “young adult” of the books I read this year? Like, yeah its cute and all, and the romance is... fine? But nothing happens in this book. There’s one actual good moment that’s when the MC is kidnapped (not a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis) and that chunk of pages was actually engaging, but then... nothing. Or essentially nothing. The ‘mystery’ the book proposes is the barest of bones of one, and the ending absolutely sucked: a sudden problem solved by an even more sudden solution, all in less than 20 pages. Idk maybe this one really was just too juvenile for me, I imagine if I read it at like 12 or 13 I’d have liked it, or at least enjoyed it more.

The Fire’s Stone by Tanya Huff - This is another one that felt ‘young adult’, it’s very much a fantasy adventure book, if that makes sense. An unlikely band of heroes set out to defeat the bad guy, get the thing and save the land, yadda yadda. But... it’s pretty good! The unlikely heroes are all pretty likeable and their dynamic fun, the pacing’s pretty good, the setting interesting... Everything just clicked, really, this was a fun time.

The Last Sun, The Hanged Man & The Hourglass Throne (or, The Tarot Sequence 1,2&3) by K.D. Edwards - The harshest thing I can say about these books is that the author plans 9 of em and only 3 are out. I just. Really really loved these ones, the characters are great, the plots are fun, even if they get pretty dark sometimes (mostly on book 2)... They’re contemporary fantasy and, I’ll be honest, when I first picked up The Last Sun I thought I’d hate it. A lot of swearing, a lot of action-movie action, the mc loves his quips... honestly if I hadn’t known it was gay It’s not a book I’d pick up. But I was wrong! And everything works. The world created (where atlantis had revealed itself to the world and is now a modern day city with it’s own intricacies and conspiracies) is so engaging, it really shows its own culture and how it intertwined with today’s world. And very much today’s world, the 3rd book even brings up COVID. Really... I just can’t wait for the next books.

White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton - I’m talking about this one right after the Tarot Sequence cause they feel very similar. Not really in terms of plot, but they feel both like offshoots of the same base idea of magic in the real current world, there’s probably overlapping inspiration there. And... it’s fine! I can’t really say why, but even though I liked this book well enough it just didn’t grab me like the other books I enoyed on this list did. Maybe it’s the pacing, maybe it’s my growing familiarity with gay fantasy (this is the last book I finished out of these) but it just... fell short I guess. Or maybe it’s the fact that really this book feels very.... “american”, in the sense that it’s really about some specific american things or experiences, I guess, and I’m not american. I can try and imagine everyone’s accent as described, sure, but it’s not bringing along the baggage that’s there if you know these places first or second hand. Can’t say I enoyed the very brief but unnecessary cliffhanger though ...but I’ll still read the rest of the series, and hope they get better.

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner - This book is all intrigue, essentially, and I... liked it? I think? It has similar problems to In Deeper Waters, where nothing reeeally happens till it does all at once, but it managed that pacing much better than Waters did, first by having the nothing happenning actually feel like a buildup, slow as it was, and second by having the story be actually about politics and schemes and intrigue, so it warrants its own slowness. Most of these characters are assholes though.

The Watchtower by Elizabeth A. Lynn - Another slow one, but this time a proper slow adventure, rather than intrigue drama, I guess. I.... don’t really wanna talk to much about this one. It’s gay and it isn’t, it flows nicely, and everythings well painted but... it made me feel a lot of conflicting feelings which left me very down for several days, but I think that was because of personal feelings as to what happens here. So yeah. Idk. Can’t really say I disliked it but it doesn’t feel right to say I did, either. The title doesn’t really make a lot of sense though, that’s for certain.

Silver in the Wood & The Drowned Country by Emily Tesh - A duology of short books that can best be described as squandered potential. Man, I liked the first book. It’s short, its sweet, sure the pacings not that great and this  is definetly a fanfic that was repurposed into a book, but it’s good! It has a feel, the way the magic things, the wood itself is decribed is good, its intriguing, it made me think “oh thats a cool way to describe these things that are happenning!”. And then the second book just. Has the same characters, has the same magic things but. Does absolutely nothing with it. The interesting descriptions? Maybe a couple of passages but they don’t make up for the bad plot and pacing this time. There was the opportunity for a great ending, one which would actually made you feel things, but it dropped the ball so hard. Bleh.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Markse - This is the first book I read this year! And really, a great way to start. Its an edwardian fantasy with a veeery interesting magic system, a cool plot, good characters, if a tad tropey. I had a lot of fun reading this one! Part of that may be the posh englishmen suddenly talking about cock, and me getting sucker punched by eplicit sex scenes which I did exxpect. Either way, the sequel just came out and I’m excited to see if it can keep up with the first one. It’s apparently about lesbians, which is fun.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison - I think this is the only properly not gay book I read this year. That aside, I loved this book!!!! Like, a lot!!!!! The worldbuilding is really good, leaving a lot of space open for exploration, but it does lean heavily into fantasy mumbo jumbo, as in, boy does this book have a looot of hard names to remember. There’s a glossary of sorts at the end but most of the times I went to it for help, it didn’t have the word. That aside, it was enjoyable the whole way through. It’s another story of political intrigue and schemig, not a lot of action, but the pacing somehow still feels so fast!! It’s about the youngest son of the emperor, who had no training and no expectations of becoming emperor himself and surprise! The crown lands on his head, essentially, and then about how isolated he feels due to his new position and how he navigates his relations when there are so many epectations of him. Its really good. It almost seemed like unearthing treasure when I later found out that there are sequels and the sequels actually do have a gay main character. Read this book.

Small epilogue: I just got back into reading this year, after not really picking up a new book since around 2019? And man. Reading is great. Ive sincerely started feeling so much better, so much more creative since I got back into reading!! Im surprised I jumped right back into reading a book a week (almost) and honestly? Im surprised at how comfy it feels. Ah, reading. I’m sicerely glad that I did so.

And so the year ends! On to more gay stuff! If you read this, thanks!!

#year in review #merosays

[amewinterswriting]

15 Mutuals, 15 (+ bonus) Questions

Tagged by @space-cadead. I'm woefully out of the loop with how active most of my mutuals are, so if you see this, it's an open invitation to participate yourself!

Questions after read more for the sake of everyone's dashboard:

1. Are you named after anyone?

Both my given and middle name are for my maternal great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. However, the name I find more interesting is what I wasn't named. See, my grandad loved the name Vincent. Even had it tattooed on him, and would have named his first-born son Vincent. Except he had two daughters. So he made my mum promise that if she had a son, she would name him Vincent...and I didn't come with a bio penis so I got a more feminine name instead. Given that I'm determined the family line dies with me, I don't think my grandad will be getting his 'descendant called Vincent' wish fulfilled, unless he doesn't mind a fictional Vincent in a future writing project? A book is kinda like a baby, right?

2. When was the last time you cried?

Probably December? Working retail at Christmas is really rough anywhere, but at a toy shop, it's very high pressure.

3. Do you have kids?

One very beloved tuxedo cat who is very happy to be an only child with no human siblings.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

No, absolutely never. Not one single time in my whole life have I ever been sarcastic and sassy and I certainly don't have an entire t-shirt that claims that sarcasm is my second language. /s

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Any major difference that they have that's 'unusual' compared to most people. I'm very faceblind so I tend to use things like hairstyle, clothing choices or voice to reliably recognise people...though most people can and will change those things on a regular basis. Personally, I love more outlandish styles and hair colours - it makes life much easier for me!

6. What’s your eye color?

Green/brown

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings, but make them work for it.

8. Any special talents?

I don't really feel like I have a particular talent for anything. I have plenty of creative hobbies, but I feel like anything I can make is the result of lots of mistakes and practice and research. But I'm willing to try my hand at lots of things: resin craft, pixel art, photography, lampwork (glass), papercraft, sound mixing, video editing...I'm very much the jack of all trades. The difficulty is staying with something long enough to finish a larger project.

9. Where were you born?

Rural Wales. If you point out any castles, standing stones or ruined abbeys within a hundred miles or so, I've probably been there!

10. What are your hobbies?

Naturally writing, and all the aforementioned creative hobbies, but also gaming. Big fan of interesting narratives and puzzle-based games.

11. Have you any pets?

My problem child, Blackadder the cat, who is both very smart and very silly, so I think he lives up to his name well.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

I am very much not a sportsperson. In school, we were forced to play hockey and netball, but that was more years ago than I really want to admit...

13. How tall are you?

Somewhere a little taller than 150cm but not by that much.

14. Favorite subject in school?

I had an amazing Sociology teacher who loved challenging our expectations and showing us new cultures as best he could in a very rural Welsh school. His passion was truly infectious and I sincerely hope he's having an amazing life, wherever he is now.

15. Dream job?

Independently published (and moderately to wildly successful) author who is somehow entirely anonymous outside of their body of work.

16. Do you prefer owls, capybaras, or flamingos? 

There are so many different species of owls that I'm going to go owls. There are tiny little Burrowing owls, huge European owls, or the silent graceful Barn owls we're more likely to see in the wild near me.

17. What is your favorite soup?

Maybe not technically a soup, but I make a damn good chilli chicken ramen if I do say so myself!

18. What is your favorite…rock (idfk)?

Blue John is a very particular mineral found close to some of my family members and when it's cut and polished it's got a very beautiful blue/purple crystal structure. I've been down a lot of the different mines where it has been found, so I have a bit of an appreciation of the history and how the discovery and sale of it has influenced the local area for the better.

19. Choose a familiar: 1) very dumb, very loving disobedient dog. He loves you but will never listen to you ever 2) a raven that speaks but it only ever shrieks the name of various fast food restaurants 3) a toad that screams like a teenage boy instead of croaks

Raven. I can never decide on what to eat, and I feel like this would be a lot easier if someone just shouted the answer at me.

20. Which planet do you feel like would be kind of an asshole if you met them? 

Jupiter. Why have you got so many moons, huh? Why do we only get the one? Ours is lonely, I think she needs a girlfriend. I think at least one of Jupiter's moons would be happier over here.

21. if you were a worm would you love me? this worm question courtesy of ✨ @/legiomiam✨

No, but only because I think I would be beyond the capacity for emotions more complex than 'this dirt is so moist and delicious, this is amazing'.

22. Least favorite type of clothing?

High heels. I never learnt to walk in them, and I care about my comfort too much to want to learn now!

23. You are now in a horror movie—so sorry. Chance of survival?

On the one hand, I'm an anxious mess who can't handle watching many horror movies. On the other hand, I do cope with IRL crises well at the time and then panic later. And I am handy with power tools. So I think I'll just manage to survive the worst, manage to hunker down with any other survivors and just when I think we're safe and I'm distracted, that's when the horrors will get me.

24. Would you rather: the ability to instantly grow a perfect mustache, or ability to talk to vegetables?

Moustache. Take my 'what is gender?' vibes to the next level. And I'm tired of shaving my pathetic little wispy one away. I don't mind the facial hair, I mind that it's patchy and inconsistent!

25. What do you think of whales?

They're just chilling out in the ocean in their family groups and singing long-distance conversations with each other and I think we could learn a lot from that.

#ame talks #ask game #tag game #open to anyone

[you-go-kaboom-i-go-kaboom]

Writer asks for a Tuesday night! How about: 10, 19, 35

it is wednesday morning where i am at! thank you for sending these, and sorry if the answers are a little long haha

10. has a piece of writing ever “haunted” you? has your own writing haunted you? what does that mean to you?

Everything I’ve promised to write a sequel/follow up to and then never did haunts me lmao. I feel bad about saying I’d write stuff and then never did it, but like, I just have a lot of stuff I wanna write and I prioritize based on inspiration.

But if you mean, like, stuck with me in some powerful way that has a slightly negative connotation. Uh, no nothing really comes to mind tbh

19. tell me a story about your writing journey. when did you start? why did you start? were there bumps along the way? where are you now and where are you going?

Reading was a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom claims I was reading full-length chapter books by kindergarten, and my school records/teacher comments on report cards definitely support her claims that I was ahead for my age. I could definitely read proficiently by kindergarten, but I’m pretty sure the full-length chapter books thing is more likely a proud mom bragging.

I loved reading as a kid. Novels, poetry, fanfiction (the first fandom I can remember reading for is the early 2000s Teen Titans series), picture books, the Bible, graphic novels/comics, a bird watching encyclopedia my sister owned, literally everything I could get my hands on, I would read. Definitely didn’t understand a lot of what I read, and I’m sure there are plenty of things I shouldn’t have been reading haha.

In sixth grade, I remember having an English teacher that absolutely hated me. I read ahead in the required readings and she threatened to give me extra work if I kept doing that. When I asked her if I could have the extra work, she thought I was being a little shit by calling out her bluff for work she definitely didn’t have prepared to give me and threatened to fail me instead if I kept reading ahead. We had several incidents like this throughout her year teaching me.

Needless to say, I fell a little out of love with reading for a while and honed a passion for science/math instead because of some really good experiences I had with those teachers.

So throughout middle school, I was just pretty much not interested in reading/writing at all anymore, and it wasn’t until freshman year of high school that I re-discovered my love for fanfiction. It was some horror movie that I can’t even recall the name of anymore, but I burnt through all the fanfic available for it in no time flat. It inspired me to write and I worked on original fiction for a little while.

Got about 10k into the first draft of some horror something or other, gave up, rewrote it, got about 20k in that time, and then kinda abandoned the thing. By then it had been a year and that was the only thing I had worked on.

I went back to fanfics after that, reading a lot instead of writing, falling in love with whump, and bouncing around quite a few different fandoms before I finally settled in with MacGyver, which I’ve always found weird since it’s so out of my usual genre. But between the copious amounts of whump fic, the appeal to my science loving heart, and the amazing people in this fandom, I’m very happy that this is where I’m at right now.

2020, senior year of high school, was when I honestly got back into writing, wanting to participate in whumptober that year. I put out a handful of fics and have been writing MacGyver fics since. They’re not all amazing, and a lot of what I write I keep for myself because I’m still learning. Even though I wrote some stuff back in high school, I feel like I’m very new to writing and that a lot of what I create doesn’t need to be put out there, you know? That it can just be something that exists and that I’m proud of and that I was able to finish just for myself.

Right now, I don’t have any plans for original fiction to be honest, I’m not at a point where I care about writing enough to put that much energy into something I doubt I’ll finish. So for now, I’m just planning on enjoying writing fanfic as a hobby.

Maybe eventually I’ll reignite that love I had for reading and create something of my own, but honestly, I won’t be heartbroken if I never do.

35. what’s your favorite writing rule to smash into smithereens?

“Write every day”

I think that this advice as a blanket statement is nnnnnnot great. It always comes off New Years resolution-y to me.

You know how people will go ‘I’m gonna work out more this year!’ they go to the gym like twice, and then give up because ‘work out more’ is not a clear goal? Yeah, that. Someone who sets out to work out 3 days a week is more likely to succeed than someone who sets out to ‘work out more’ you know?

I just think ‘write every day’ is vague and unhelpful. Write X amount of words each week seems like something that is more doable, and allows for those inevitable slip-ups that get in the way of writing since it’s not X words every day. It’s a larger goal that has a deadline you can get to however works best with your schedule.

#thank you for sending :D! #ask game