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singular-braincells · 2 years

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genshin characters (diluc, thoma, albedo) + gender neutral convenience shop owner reader

or my funnier alternative title: when i agreed to temporarily take over my grandparents’ shop i did not agree to meet hot men

tw: some swearing and not proof read

uh six month hiatus? nah i wouldn’t know her even if i tried.

anyways, if anyone wants a continuation of this or has a brain rot of this too do shoot it in my ask. i’d love to brain rot together <333 have a good day y’all. if anything in this is weird or doesn’t make sense sorry brain juice isn’t flowing

ALSO IF I MESSED UP WITH THE GENDERS DM OR SHOOT ME AN ASK BRAIN HURT AT 2AM AND IS PRONE TO MISTAKES ;-;

background:

your grandparents have been running their small cosy convenience shop for as long as you and your parents know

you’ve decided that for a year you would run the shop while they went out on a well needed vacation (to visit your parents, go sight seeing, etc.)

they’ve left instructions in a big 4 inch binder for handling shipment, closing shop, opening shop, dealing with problematic customers, stocking shelves, taking inventory, etc.

anyways, the locals who always see your grandparents are very surprised to find a new face running the store. they’re understanding when it takes you a just a tad bit longer to bag their belongings or giving back their change

after that week, there is a buzz around the neighborhood (or shop plaza if you will) about a new face running the small family grocery mart run by your grandparents. now people are going to the shop at least once to sneak a peak at you, after all it’s not very often that they see new faces

diluc

you first met when he saw you struggling to lift two large boxes of snacks and juice at six in the morning

it didn’t help that you happened to be in bed by one am and actually went to sleep at two am

you just received a several notifications at 5 am of your delivery of chips, granola bars, and orange juice. how wonderful

cue you having to wake up even earlier than normal to move a bunch of heavy boxes in the middle of the dark

a tall figure approaches you. they come closer. you recognize the uniform as the ones the coffee bar, next to the shop, that the employees wear. “do you need help?” the person asks. you look at the other nine large boxes and then glance at the granola bars you just dropped earlier. “if you wouldn’t mind. help would be greatly appreciated.”

you were able to move half of the boxes before you arms start to burn from all that lifting. you weren’t sure how your grandparents were able to carry all these heavy boxes when they were running the store

carrying the 8th box of granola bars, you hasn’t noticed the box started to slip from your hands and they make a very loud “thud” on the ground. you let out a stream of curse words before trying to pick the box back up

you hope only a couple of the bars would be broken and not the entire box of granola. you hear someone calling out to you, but with the wind being as harsh and loud you couldn’t really hear them

the guy gets close to you and effortlessly carries the box that you had dropped. “be careful. wouldn’t want you getting hurt.” he carries the box of granola away and leaves you low key flustered

you notice that the man looks really buff. like not to be creepy (you definitely weren’t staring 👀 but like you kinda were), but he made moving 4 boxes of orange juice look like it was nothing. absolutely weightless??

wait... now that you’re looking at him, he looks super hot??? his bright red hair tied into an effortless high pony tail?? the way his dress shirt is rolled up that show his forearms?? you can see some of his biceps when he lifts another big ass box of juice?? dude, this man looks like a male lead straight out of a Korean romance drama?? you on the other hand had rolled out in your crusty pajamas with bright pink slides that your grandma gifted you

talk about unfortunate. anyways, you tried to assist with carrying the smaller boxes to the inside of your shop. you two work on moving the boxes with only the buzzing of the bright white fluorescent lights coming from inside the store

you thank him vigorously for the help. you try to straighten out any bed head hair strands, but not gonna lie you look like ass at this point

“you work next door right? are you sure the owner won’t get mad at you for being late for your shift or something? i would hate for you to get in trouble for helping me out.”

“no? what makes you say that?”

“well if they fire you for being late, you’re more than welcome work here. I’m sure your boss is ass anyways.”

“i’m the owner?”

“oh.”

you ended up giving him a cold bottle of grape juice and a milk bread bun as a “sorry I mistook you as an employee and not the owner” and for being delicious eye candy at six am helping you out so early in the morning

every now and then he occasionally stops by the store with a warm cup of tea for you whenever he’s there to pick up dairy products for his coffee bar. in return, you give him a bottle of grape juice (at first he tried to pay for it but now he’s learned to just take it)

you and diluc are pretty good friends? well you can’t really tell... he’s not very good at sharing things about himself but that’s okay! you can understand and respect it

in general, i think the two of you enjoy each other’s company? i would hope so because you don’t really see him hang around anyone else...

thoma

he's a regular to your grandparents shop. in fact, your grandparents like him so much that they said specifically in their guide to give him a discount. always

he was there on your first day running the shop. you weren’t quite used to waking up at 6am and opening the store at 7am so naturally, you overslept

you wake up at 7:05 am and you’re shitting bricks. you hastily change out of your pajamas and into normal clothes. you go to the bathroom and quickly brush your teeth while washing your face. by 7:15, you’re out the door with your work apron and with the keys to the store.

you arrive at the store five minutes later and see a tall man with blond hair tied into a low pony tail. he has a red jacket on and he turns to see you.

you greet him as nice as possible considering you just woke up and you were sure that the grogginess in your voice didn’t help. he waves back at you with a bright smile on his face

“good morning! i’m not sure where the owners are, but i’m sure they’ll be here soon. they’re a lovely old couple so i’m sure there’s a reason to why they’re late.” you cough as you fish out the keys from your apron pocket

“ah, they are my grandparents.” you move towards the locked door and unlock it with ease. “i’m their grandchild, (y/n). i offered to run the shop while they take a long and overdue vacation.” you explain as you open the door for the tall man

you flick the lights on and allow the blond to gather whatever things he needed

while waiting at the cash register, you notice how handsome the guy looks while opening the fridges to access the whole milk. the white fluorescent lights highlight how soft his features are, the way his green eyes are focused when they’re glued to the different price labels, how he has a confident stride with the way he’s walking towards you

wait he’s walking towards you

oh shit and he has definitely noticed the way your eyes were glued to him

quick look at something else! it can literally be anything else... cat food?

you cough into your sleeve. “you find everything okay, sir?” he places his basket of goods onto the counter and nods. “oh, i didn’t even realize i hadn’t introduced myself.” he extends his hand out to yours. “my name is thoma, nice to meet you.” you extend your hands as well and take his hand. thoma has a very firm handshake and not to mention how incredibly warm his hands are

“again, i’d like to apologize for being late this morning. my grandparents would kill me knowing that i made their favorite customer wait outside. that and being tardy on my first day.” you quickly scan the goods trying to get him out of the store as soon as possible so you could go into the janitors closet to cry

“oh no it’s quite alright! i think you’re doing a fantastic job for your first day. don’t worry i won’t tell a soul.” he registers what you said for a moment. “wait, i’m their favorite customer?” you laugh at the blond

“yes you are. they describe you as the perfect grandchild.” they’ve also said that you and him should go out on a date but do you really need that kind of complication in your life? absolutely not

“anyways, this is yours.” you hastily hand thoma his receipt. “have a good day! do come again.” you wave goodbye as thoma leaves the store. he waves back as the bells on top of the door jingle to signal his leave

thoma is a frequent customer of the shop and so far you can see why your grandparents want to set you up with him

he is single handedly saving the cat food industry with the amount he buys every time he visits

you ask him once if he has lots of cats with all the cat food he’s buying. “i don’t have any pets unfortunately, but i do use all the cat food to feed all the stray cats i see just outside of town.”

so he’s nice, polite, hot, and he’s caring towards animals??? how is he still single???

you and thoma are pretty good friends. small talk with him is not like the small talk you have with customers just to be polite. he shares things about him and in return you feel comfortable enough sharing some things from your old town with him

overall, a 10/10 friend. you enjoy his company and vice versa. now, if only if you had the time to hang out with him outside the store :/

albedo

albedo works at the flower shop right across from your grandparents shop and every now and then you see him with a sketch book out

he looks ethereal. heavenly. delicately created from the gods themselves with the perfect hot to cute ratio

you always see him with a sketchbook out and he’s always sketching flowers or the different types of birds that perch on the flowers right above the entrance to the shop

honestly, you could watch albedo for hours. the way he cuts the thorns off of roses and places them with the bunches of brightly colored lavenders and how he arranges each basket and bouquet very thoughtfully

your grandfather on more than one occasion he’s bought flowers from albedo for your grandmother for her birthday or on their anniversary

your grandmother always sends pictures of said flowers in the family group chat and they look lovely every single time

when the first holiday comes around you see the shop swamped with people and you feel kinda bad for albedo

so when the crowds of people died down at the flower shop, you grabbed a bottle of water and a bag of fruit snacks and headed out of your store. surely it couldn’t hurt to leave it for 5 minutes to give him water and a small snack... right?

you quickly rush over to the store while trying to keep an eye on the store. albedo is working at the counter and greets you as you walk in.

“good afternoon. I’ve never seen you around town before. are you new here?” You explain that you are temporarily running the convenience store across from his shop.

“it looked like hell from where i was. that rush of people looked really stressful not gonna lie.” you hand him the fruit snack and water bottle in your hands. “anyways, my name is (y/n) and if you ever need a break you’re more than welcome to crash at my store.”

“um, good luck with the rest of the holiday. see you ‘round” you wave good bye to him. you see some elementary kids enter the store and you make your way back to the shop.

later that evening you find a pot of the brightest yellow lilies right on the porch of the shop with a note attached to the terra-cotta pot

i think that you and albedo are friends but the amount of times that you stare at him makes you feel like a stalker than a friend. YOU FEEL REALLY BAD ABOUT IT but how could the gods make someone so pretty and how could you not just stare at them for hours on end ;-;

#genshin impact imagines #genshin x reader #diluc ragnivindr x reader #genshin diluc x reader #albedo x reader #genshin albedo x reader #thoma x reader #genshin thoma x reader

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thedumbguywithaheart43 · 2 months

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Spark of hope

story one chapter 18 Zune and the Rough Morning.

1. Once sparks had arrived home with spike he decided to excuse himself claiming he wasnt hungry. Technically he was telling the truth his appetite was gone but it was because he was nervous. Last 10 years this voice has been with him.

2. It only spoke a few times but it never truly made itself known. The first time was years ago as he recalled it when he first awoke from his fall. Back then it sounded more like a mad screaming in his mind. Yelling for him to let the storm rage. A sense of anger that added to his pain.

3." Guess im lucky im not insane...not fully anyway" He gruted as he closed his door locking it shut. He turned. "Ok im alone speak spirit......" he waited a few moments. For a second he belived that perhaps he finally has gone insane.

4. "Good guess rammy." He nearly jumped as he turned to face his bed. There a young mare sat looking at him with a smirk. She was jet black with bone white hair. Her cutie mark the same. It was like looking at a freaky mirrior image of himself. Only two things were different besides the gender.

5. Her eyes were a stormy grey an seemed much older then the mare herself. Also she was transparent like a ghost. " Holy shit."

6. The mare laughed at him for a moment. "Good to finally be able to talk. Names zune." Sparks went quiet he looked into her eyes to try an read her but he couldn't. All he saw was the storm. His heart rate started to increase his hair on edge. "I don't have long to speak ram so listen closely. Ive chosen you to hold my power. A power much older then even the elements themselves. But first you need to accept it."

7. He was afraid. He backed away as he felt the wall around him starting to crumble. "Stay away! I don't want your power! I don't want this!" His breath became heavier as visons of clouds surrounded him.

8. Zune sighed as she approached her form seemingly shifting as the clouds surrounded them. Her form was now at a hight that rivaled celestia herself. If she had a horn one could've mistaken her for a alicorn. " Im afraid that choice isnt up to us anymore.... you must conquer this fear or be consumed. An for that little dragon sake I hope its soon."

9. The winds blew harder with every word. The tempest swirls like a huricane. Yet dispite his fear once she mentioned spike he swallowed a bit of fear. " what do you mean?!"

10. she now stood infront of him her wings extended. " A Dragon kight shall rise when his time comes for goodbyes. The dead will return. When the titians come equestria WILL BURN. Poison will save as four guardians unite as they prepare for final fight! Dragon poison dead an storm great hero they must form. Love an pain in everfree might you all will be OUR LAST LIGHT!"

11. He heard the mares voice echo in his mind as her form faded into the storms. Once again he felt weightless. A sickly feeling came as he felt himself fall. He tryed to scream his fear unable to be contained yet when he screamed nothing came out except the sound of thunder.

12. He closed his eyes waiting for the pain. The crunching of bone. The taste of blood to fill his mouth. But it never came. Soon the sound of winds past an he flet something. Something was holding his hoof. It was hard an smooth. The edges were sharp but grip was gental.

13. Then he felt something soft on his forehead. It felt like fur both soft an fuzzy. The smell of lavander filled his noise. The feeling an smells caused him to feel more relaxed an calmed. Before he opened his eyes he could his feathers apon his wings twitch.

14. He became aware of his room. He felt a breeze from an opened window. He felt the crystals of the castle give off vibrations. He could feel the engery of harmony stir. It sensed him as he sensed it. The flow began to calm an the vibrations started to stop. Then he felt his body. He was currently laying flat but someone had lifted his head. No some drake was lifting him. He could sense the panic the worry. He used his own strength to now sit up witch calmed the dragon.

15. He was now senseing the one in front of him. It was a pony. He sensed the magic in her a unicorn perhaps. But then he heard the Suttle movement of her wing in sync with her breath. An alicorn. A freind. His eyes shot open an he saw directly into her eyes.

16. He saw her worry. She was panicked. Twlights eyes to him were an opened book. He read her emotions with ease. Panic worry fear and....guilt? Unlike spike she hasn't calmed she still was breathing hard. Her eyes showed confusion she couldn't tell what was wrong with him.

17." S-sparks?" Her voice to sparks was lovely yet held all the panic she was feeling. He now rises as spike backs away to give him room. He caught a glace at him an his emerald colored eyes. They were confused but hopefull. Seeing sparks had gave him a feeling of reinsurance.

18. It then when sparks spoke. His voice now raspy. "I am ok." He stretched himself out moving his body but felt his wings now free. He gave out a small grunt unhappy with his exposed wings.

19. They continue to stare examing him. Her hoof now retracted. She was still confused an concerned for him. " Are you sure do you remember anything?" Sparks raised an eye brow. "Its just after you went to your room a...storm blew in and it shook the castle then...."

18. She looked away from him her gaze looking to the floor. Spike place a claw on her shoulder. He looked at sparks an spoke for his care taker. " Twilight went to check on you and found you yelling. Were not sure but we thought you were sleep walking she tried wake you but you collapsed then the storm stopped."

19. Sparks sighed knowing now what had happened. He turned away from them walking over to a drawer.from it he pull out two large bands. (Wich he had bought with a few bits from rainbow.) He carefully placed them onto his wings.

20. He then turned to face them. " I apologize for the storm I had a......particularly bad nightmare." Twilight still didn't speak she still looked ashamed. Spark walked over to the princess. "Twilight you didn't do anything wrong you tryed to help. You were not the cause of my sudden collapse. " Twilight quickly turned to face him suprised. "How did you kno-" her question was caught off by the awnser.

21. "My mum taught me how to read Ponys when I was young. Now why dont we head down stairs it is morning now right?" He asked as he looked at the window noticing celestias sun rising into the air.

22. Twilight nodded and lead the trio down stairs. Before they entered sparks could sense what was in the kitchen. The smell of apples an grim filled his senses. Applejack had just entered the kitchen recently and he could practically taste the ingredients she had out for pie.

23. When twilight opened the door Aj turned to her giving her a soft smile. Her eyes shifted to each of them but paused when her eyes met sparks. It was but a moment before turning her gaze back to her freind . "Heya suger cube I'm putting together a little treat for everyone why dont you and spike go take a seat id like to meet our guest." While he only had a moment to read her eyes it was more then enough. She was strong a strength more then just physically. Her heart carried the same strength. She held a arua of honesty around her. Her heart was just as honest. Yet when she looked at him he saw threw the kindness she put on. There was distrust.

24. She was weary of his presence an was on guard. There was tinge of something in her not quite fear but perhaps concern or a sense of caution. This went noticed by twilight an spike who simply smiled an left the room. Then it was just the two ponys alone. She turned an began to cut away at some more apples.

25. Sparks slowly walked over keeping abit of distance. "So Sparks huh a pretty peculiar name aint it? Not judging but tell me that really whatcha called?" Something in her voice told him she was testing him. She wanted to see if he would lie. Now he wondered should he.

26. He let out a small breath before. "It not the name I was born with but its the name I choose." Applejack said nothing but the flick of her ear told him she was curious. Still she continued to cut away. "So you wouldn't happen to know about my missing apples would ya partner."

27. He looked away slightly ashamed of himself. Its not that he regretted what he did. He knew that at least at the time it was an effective method of getting food. But her tone reminded him of the way his mother would bring up his actions.

28. He swallowed a small bit of air. "Yes it was... me I do apologize an I am willing to work off or pay back any debt I owe you an your family. Although I would need some time to earn the bits."

29. He didn't look at her but he could feel as her gaze landed on him. "Huh." it was her only response as he made the last touches on the pie before placing it into the oven.

30. She set the timer to the oven then waited in silence. The two stood there for what felt like forever it wasnt untill the Pie was nearly done did she speak. "Are you dangerous?"

31. Her question did catch him off guard to say the least. When he didn't awnser right away she clarified. "Are you a danger ta my freinds?" He looked right at her into her eyes. She seemed to be reading him as much as he read her.

32." No I would never purposely endanger any of you nor would I ever attempt to bring misfortune to any of you... Especially not after the kindness twilight has shown me."

33. Apple jack stone faced turned into a slight smirk. He passed her test but he also said more then he met. His cheeks redden as he realized what he said. " I-i mean the kindness you have all shown me heh n-not just twilight. " The smirk remained as he quietly chuckled. " Oh I know what you met suger cube heh im sure twilight would appreciate your comment."

34. He growled abit to himself as he turned away. " Rainbow dash put you up to this didn't she." Applejack let out a laugh as the timer went off. "Well only partially hun but I did wanna see what kind of pony you are. At least I know your honest. "

35. She reached into the oven carefully pulling out a pie with a mitten covered hoof. Sparks just continued to grumble as she walked into the dining room. Soon he followed an was greeted by the rest of twilights freinds.

36. Twilight was sitting at a round table to her right was spike while rairty was to her left. Apple jack sat next to spike an rainbow across from her was pinkie who sat next to a pony he didn't recognize.

37. She was a purple unicorn although a much lighter shade then twilight. She also had blueish swirls in her hair. Her eyes a light purple. Her eyes carried an intelligence similar to twilight yet also held something older most likely past regret. The kind someone never really lets go.

38. Currently her eyes also held suprised having not expected him. Yet she seemed also unbothered likely because it wasnt the first she randomly met a new freind of the main 6. Last he noticed a free space between rainbow an fluttershy assumingly met for him.

39. Even though the spot was met for him he hesitated. His instincts yelling at him not to approach. He had developed instincts over the years to avoid gatherings an to never leave himself without an exscape plan.

40. His eyes scanned every detail of the room eyein three escapes points. The door behind him the door on the other side of the group of freinds and a single window just large enough to jump out of.

41. The easiest would be to back away from were he came from. And he was about to do so when spike called his same. "Sparks don't be shy come on!" He looked to the excited dragon and felt his instincts quiet down. He may not be comfortable but he trusted the drake.

42. He sat down at his chair an remind quiet giving out a small smile although it was pretty fake. Still most of them didn't notice to busy catching up with there freind. He did notice fluttershy giving him a concerned look but he wasn't able to focus for long.

43. "Sparks id like you to meet starlight glimmer she hasn't really been around much since you been here but im sure you'll get along swimmingly." It was twilight who spoke . Her voice instantly caught his attention as he listened. He then turned to glmmer and simply said. "Hello." She interned replied "hi"

44. The two gave each other a look that held a silent message. Glimmer giving a look of. "Welcome to the group and yes we are all weirdos." This gained a smile an a silent message of."Glad to be in such good company. "

45. While twilight was less then thrilled about the very little they said she was happy to at least have em meet. They continued to eat an talk yet at the back sparks mind he couldn't help but feel something was off. But for now he would listen to his freinds. At least untill someone asked him.

46." So how did ya get your cutie mark." He froze thinking to himself 'ah shit'

#mlp fandom #writing #fanfic #ocs #twilight sparkle #drama #spike the dragon #applejack #main 6 mlp #starlight glimmer

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tiffanylamps · 2 years

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just realised (or connected the dots) that when han juwon says that those who’re connected to the case shouldn’t handle it, dongsik agrees becuz the reason why the killer isn’t suspected is cuz he’s part of the close-knit village.

and dongsik understands this. and later on juwon understands that dongsik did understand that. which is why later on, juwon’s reflecting everything dongsik has taught juwon back to him, telling him “you’re too connected to this case. you’re too connected to the people connected to this case. you’re not suspecting the right ppl”

and mf gives him a list of ppl to suspect.

i love their dynamic so much

OKAY!! Tell me to shut up now because this is one of my favourite parts of Joo Won's character!!

Despite how rigid Joo Won is - spine-wise and in terms of his moral compass - he still manages to be a very adaptable person. I think it's one of the things that many of the other characters in the show don't expect from him, which causes them to underestimate his intentions and misinterpret his actions. Some of these characters are Han Ki Hwan, Lee Chang Jin, Chief Jung Cheol-Mun, Oh Ji Hwa and Kwon Hyuk to a certain extent.

Episodes 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, and 16 (there might be more) follow the theme of one being too emotionally connected to the case at hand. Whether that be Dong Sik with Min Jeong and Yu Yeon or Joo Won with his father. But the topic is first probably introduced in Episode 3. Episode 3: Joo Won and Dong Sik have been asked to give a statement after they found Min Jeong's fingertips, so Dong Sik can be dismissed as a suspect (which Joo Won realises straight away and states out loud for the audience). DS: Your office is big enough. Why are we here? JW: She's doing this for you. A cop is only human. She knows how people will think of you with the recent case. The first thing Ji Hwa asks in this scene is are you okay? She hasn't entered this situation as a police officer, which is something she struggles with throughout the entire show. [Side note: Joo Won and Ji Hwa oftentimes share the exact same beliefs about how to approach their jobs. They believe a cop is a cop and no one is above the law BUT the law sucks. They both express these opinions in different ways throughout the show, Joo Won with action and Ji Hwa with opinion. But obviously, they express themselves differently and we are meant to perceive them differently because of their age, gender, and their role within the narrative.] So, because of the traumatic thing that has happened, which she now has to investigate, she approaches the situation as a friend. Which, given the informal nature of the summons, I get BUTTTTT the issue with that is... They're police officers and this is an active missing person/murder investigation, of which, Dong Sik was the lead suspect in a similar cold case... So, the two of them sharing information willy-nilly in the investigation room is actually kind of unprofessional (in my opinion). When I first watched it, I agreed with Joo Won: Ji Hwa is too emotionally involved to be non-bias and Dong Sik shouldn't be given information (inside the interrogation room), it doesn't do well for the investigation... AND to give Joo Won credit, he did live with Prosecutor (Kwon Hyuk), so he probably knows the ways a lawyer can tear apart a case. This then poses a very interesting line of questioning. Joo Won states all the logical reasons why Ji Hwa and Dong Sik shouldn't be a part of the case: they were like family to Min Jeong, Dong Sik was once a suspect 20 years ago, and the formality of the questioning of a witness does not allow for the briefing of that witness. But then Dong Sik counters his argument with: What's wrong with that? Why can't detectives get their feelings involved? What's wrong with being like family to the victim? We want to lock up the bastard who did this to our family. What's wrong with that?

It's the whole reason he became a police officer. It's what he's spent 20 years doing!! HOWEVER, 3 years prior to the canon timeline, Dong Sik berated Lee Sang Yeob for having the exact line of thinking... and it influenced his actions, which lead to his murder.... (and considering how borderline suicidal Dong Sik is, are we stepping too far to assume that he doesn't care to come out of this whole experience intact/ alive??? Maybe, maybe not)

But Dong Sik knows where Joo Won is coming from because he's been in his shoes but he also knows that sometimes, you need emotions to get involved. Lee Yu Yeon and Kang Min Jeong don't have anyone to help them now... there's only Dong Sik left. So, when it's your family that is killing your family, you need those emotions to stop them/bring them to justice.

"To catch these monsters, we must become monsters." Dong Sik, episode 3

So, Joo Won thinks the police shouldn't investigate with their emotions. Dong Sik thinks they should. Out of the two of them, Joo Won is the hypocrite here. He approached his investigation of Dong Sik with nothing BUT emotion (despite how much he likes to pretend he didn't). Joo Won is responsible for Lee Geum Hwa's murder. She's a sex worker with no family in Korea, with no one to claim her body. So, incensed with folly and guilt, Joo Won investigates with emotion.

In episode 4, Dong Sik asks one of the most important (throwaway) questions of the whole series: “It’s a dangerous thing to become attached to someone. Don’t you think?”

The series shows us throughout that the answer is yes and no. It is dangerous but it is worth it.

Episode 10 Joo Won is one of my favourite versions of him. He took the time to digest his relationship with Dong Sik, he highlighted all the parts he didn't like and all the parts he did, he realised Dong Sik's language and decided to reapproach him speaking it. I don't care what anyone says, he's adaptable! It only took him a week to realise Dong Sik isn't the killer, it took a month for them to bring a 20-year-old serial killer to justice (although, you can't really give Joo Won credit for that), and it only took him 3 months to process whatever the fuck was going on between him and Dong Sik. Joo Won learned to speak Dong Sik's language by copying his actions. He planted the evidence (so the police would investigate Kang Jin Mook's suspicious death), he smiled at the camera so Dong Sik would know it was him, he made them dinner so Dong Sik would stay, he said the list of names to prove to Dong Sik 1) look I've been paying attention 2) I know you and I see you (he's a lil creepy) and 3) you've been blindsided by your trust. He doesn't want Dong Sik to make the same mistakes.

Plus... everyone should be a suspect. (that's the way i see it anyway)

Throughout the show, Dong Sik proves time and time again that there isn't much he'll do for those he loves. Plant evidence? Sure. Get himself arrested? Duh! Be a part of a plot to take down the Commissioner of the police? Piece of cake.

But Joo Won is just as willing and twice as reckless as Dong Sik.

So, if Dong Sik investigates with his emotions, Joo Won investigates with his whole heart. Because as soon as Dong Sik gains Joo Won's loyalty, there's not much Joo Won wouldn't do for him. Plant evidence? Sure. Voluntarily get arrested on live national TV? Duh! Promise to go to hell? Piece of cake. Go into a house with the knowledge that you could be murdered? Let's go!! Arrest your dad and your partner? (that one is a little harder)

(gosh he needs to chill)

So, Dong Sik asked: What's wrong with that? Why can't detectives get their feelings involved? What's wrong with being like family to the victim? We want to lock up the bastard who did this to our family. What's wrong with that?

He investigates with his emotions dictating his actions BUT like he says in episode 11:

Inspector Han, it's my job to go berserk without thinking about the consequences. You can stick to just being you. Be calm and composed. That is your job.

Dong Sik knows, as does Joo Won and us, the audience, that Joo Won is not a calm and composed man. Out of the two of them, that's Dong Sik. He is the one that can compartmentalize his emotions and think these through before acting but he is very trusting, far too trusting for his own good. Whereas Joo Won is very analytical but he's impulsive and his emotions can make him sloppy and presumptuous.

But when they work together, they are able to keep each other in check and follow through.

So, to answer Dong Sik's question Why can't detectives get their feelings involved? The answer the show gives is that Joo Won is right: A cop is only human. So, yes, they can but they need their partner to keep them in check.

Thank you for sending this ask! I absolutely adore this aspect of their dynamic as well. So I decided to agree with you by writing way too many words and include beautiful gifs. I went a little off-topic but I hope what I'm trying to say correlates with your point and furthermore, makes sense. I hope you have a great day!

#(thank you to everyone who makes gifs. love you <3)#(this is sloppy but we get what i'm trying to say)#i'm ignoring the institutional corruption storyline for the sake of my point #the babies work best when they're working together #you could say they're two sides of the same coin....#beyond evil analysis #jtbc beyond evil #jwds #han juwon #han joo won #lee dongsik #beyond evil meta commentary #answered

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bottlecaprabbitgames · 2 years

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Ashwick (Secondary Project, WIP)

You guys know what time it is... Cy has a new story and it’s time to introduce you all to it. (This story will be written in Twine, so bare with me if all the things offered are not immediately available, given it’s a new coding language I’m still learning!)

Welcome... to Ashwick.

The Blurb:

10 years ago, my grandmother passed away and left me her home in my home town of Ashwick. I finally decided to move back after living so many years away, needing something new in my stagnating life. And, Ashwick has delivered… but maybe not in the way I imagined.

Within a month of my return, strange disappearances began in the ash wood forest surrounding the town, from the normal humans who live here to some of the older supernaturals. The strangest part: they eventually reappear, for the most part, but… different. Most of the lost come out confused with torn clothing and little else on them. Others act similarly, but lash out when approached. In the three months I've been back home, it's steadily worsened until even my friend Madeleine ended up as one of the missing… and returned.

I've decided to try to figure out what's going on, and why it all seems coincidental to me returning, strange newcomers in town… and finding some strange relics left in my grandmother's home.

--~~--

In Ashwick, you’ll be playing the heir to the Nash family, one of the original families to settle the town. After being away most of your life and only visiting in the summers up until your grandmother passed, it’s taking some getting used to... restarting your life, the strangeness of the Ashwick Forest, and the happenings of the town itself.

There will be many different options as far as who your Nash is (from your pronouns to your gender, sexuality, race, and even down to how you decorate your home), which secondary plotline(s) you’ll chase after when your investigation into the forest hits road blocks, and maybe you’ll even pull in someone other than your friend Ariel to face the strange occurrences in Ashwick with...

Demo: In progress

A few things to look forward to in Ashwick:

- Pronoun options (Will figure out how to do the options to input your pronouns as well!)

- Gender options

- Sexuality options (Including being on the asexual scale, and sex scenes never need to be taken nor do you have to read them, there will be a fade-to-black option always available)

- 5 races to play as: Wix/Witch/Warlock; part Mer Siren; Human, with magical proficiencies or Human, no magical talent; Shapeshifter; turning Vampire

- 6 Romance options, though two have dependencies (one is hidden, one needs a specific path to be chosen, will post full guides!)

- Choices for your first name, mother’s name, house decoration/color/material, four jobs to have (for now), and many, many others!

- The town of Ashwick has a heavy mixing of supernaturals and humans, and thus you may run into some very interesting characters around town

- A world mixed with modern technology and magic, plus the use of magic in some instances over technology

- Each race will have at least one skill you can hone, plus at least 1-2 other optional skills to use instead (these will change how some scenes can be played out)

- More to come and be added!

Let me introduce you guys to the romances (though one I cannot, as that is a most definitely hidden romance):

Luciana/Lucien Soto: Soto showed up in Ashwick around a month ago, and has mostly kept to themself... probably for the best, as your few interactions with them have not been the most pleasant, given Soto tends to give off a certain air of ‘fuck around and find out’ and a little ‘I’ll beat you with your own spine’.

- Tall, hot, goth. luciana can absolutely be your big tibby hot goth gf

- Many piercings and tattoos. Like, many

- Half-shadow demon, and it really shows

- Appears to be in their early thirties. Raven black hair that’s long on top with a V in the back, shaved on all sides. Light brown eyes with golden flecks and hooded lids. Golden olive skin. 6′4/193 cm. Their tattoos cover from hands, arms, neck, upper chest, back, and hips to upper thighs. Piercings: Bridge, septum, both sides of nose, 3 cartilage on both sides, left brow.

- Base gender is Lucien, both are gender non-conforming and do not feel they are of any particular gender, they just use the pronouns they were raised with.

- Puts the ‘sexual’ in bisexual

Junior Detective Hazel/Hayden Knightly: Junior Detective Knightly came to Ashwick about a year before you did, as they transferred from another city to Ashwick for the Junior Detective opening. They tend to be very logical in thinking, allowing them to easily flourish in when conducting investigations, however they struggle with emotions and understanding other’s emotions and social cues.

- Was a guardsman for three years before transferring to Ashwick. Spent another year there doing police academy, training, and finally getting to the position they’re in now.

- the Ashwick Forest disappearances is their first major case

- They’re a Justice Siren, and unfortunately, that also really shows

- They have no family other than a cousin who’s pretty much like a sibling to them.

- Looks their age, so around mid twenties. Incredibly curly, smokey-rose colored hair. Hazel keeps hers in a fluffy bob while Hayden’s is in an asym bob, both styles leave their long, angular ears out for seeing. Blue-green eyes with very little sclera. Fair-skinned with lots of freckles and little moles. 5′10/178cm. Has earlobes pierced, usually with dangly earrings or just studs, if working.

- Base gender is Hazel, both are cis... probably. Might be bordering demi-girl/demi-boy as they prefer to just exist.

- Demisexual and confused, always

Ariel Cavill: Your friend from all those summers with your grandmother, and you two quickly fell into a fast friendship again when you moved back to Ashwick. Ariel is a very bubbly, sweet person with a playful streak, and she likes to drag you along for the ride... even if you may want to do anything but get into her sometimes borderline hazardous plans.

- Sees Nash as either friend-shaped or heart-shaped, no questions asked.

- She has an ongoing battle to figure out how to do a seashell bikini and make it work... still has not figured it out.

- Ariel is a Merling, and has some issues living mostly on land because of that.

- She’s 24 and looks her age. She has long, straight, black hair that’s usually kept in a braid. Her eyes are dark green and the amount of sclera visible changes depending on if she’s in water or on land. Has dark blue-purple skin, and when in water, her fingers and toes become longer and webbed like makeshift fins, and her dorsal fin is visible. This is also when her scales become visible, and they are dark blue and iridescent, and will cover her hands, feet, most of her legs and arms, around her gills, and in sparse patches around her body. Her ears are fin-like and have a small flap that seals them when in water. 5′8/172cm

- Is a trans woman, and has opted to get gender-affirming magic and surgery done.

- Nash-sexual

Moth: Moth is, well, Moth. They’re incredibly hyper, spontaneous, and, well, you never know what’s going to happen once they’re involved. Just hope you aren’t on the receiving end to anything they and Ariel get up to.

- You know how people say kids bounce off the wall from sugar? Yeah, well, Moth will literally do that after about their third or fourth energy drink of the day.

- Moth works at the Ashwick Fliks, and takes their job of keeping films, including older ones, cared for and safe.

- They are an air elemental with some shapeshifting capabilities. As such, they were not quite “born” and will lack a belly button.

- They look to be in their early twenties. They have silvery hair that’s kept in a very messy, wavy bob. Their eyes are purplish-red and upturned and with a large pupil. You’ll often find them trying out new makeup looks, some of which are... a little more eccentric. Sandy, tan skin. 4′11/150cm.

- Moth is known for saying they have ‘all the genders, every single one’. At a push, they identify as queer. Usually prefer they/them, but will sometimes switch it up depending on their mood/look.

- See the above to see how they also feel about sexuality.

(Dependent) Esmerelda (Esme)/Etienne Beausoleil: The backgrounds for Esme and Etienne are a little different, but they both end up the same: they both have a lame leg, and because of that, they became more of a nurse or medic, trying to help those suffering during the TB crisis... until they eventually caught it themselves, and passed in their favorite home in Ashwick. Now, in their... unlife? New life? E is trying to understand the modern world from an 18th century southern Frenchman’s point of view... though it’s a rather slow-going process.

- E’s family at one point owned many different homes in many places, and the one in Ashwick was always their favorite... may have something to do with the fact only a few families lived there, including the early Nash’s.

- E was entirely human before, and did not know anything of the supernatural world until their rebirth. Now, they are a wraith, and one with no real idea of their abilities, at that.

- E still has their limp, though it’s less bothersome now.

- E looks to be in their late thirties. They have dark olive skin with a large birthmark on their right jaw. They have dark brown hair with large curls. Esme’s is nearly to her waist, while Etienne’s is just a mop of curls going to nearly his shoulders. Their eyes are gray-green and almond shaped, though they tend to have a faraway look. They have a few scars from attempted treatments, and a strange arcanic symbol on the back of their neck. 5′9/175cm

The sixth RO’s information will be added to this... eventually.

Thank you for reading!!!

#ashwick #game development #interactive fiction #new game #demo #bottlecaprabbitgames

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solarwindswriting · 1 year

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SolarWindsWriting Holiday Event!

It’s the Holidays and the end of No Content November. That means it is time! The first ever holiday writing event for this blog is here! Listed below are previews of the five main one-shots I will be posting and when. There will be a few shorter drabbles mixed in there as well. I will also be doing holiday related ships for the first 5 people who send in the required info mentioned below the cut!

Rules of Entry:

Look at who I write for

You must be following me

You must send your ask off of anon.

Reblog this post (optional)

Slots Filled: 0/5

Here’s what to send in for the holiday ships:

What Fandom(s) you’d like (2 max)

Your pronouns

What specific holiday/winter activity is your favortie?

Your preferred gender of partner

What’s your personality like?

What are your hobbies?

Scheduled Holiday One-Shots

12/4 - Thanksgiving with the Detective - Connor x HumanMale!Reader - Detroit: Become Human It’s been a couple of years since the android uprising, and life has started to feel normal again. Y/n and Connor have convinced Hank to let them host Thanksgiving at his house since he has the biggest kitchen of them. Hank relishes the feelings that Connor and Y/n bring to him in what are usually his lowest moments.

12/11 - Snowed into a Cabin - Izuku Midoriya x Male!Reader - My Hero Academia Izuku and Y/n are packed and ready to leave from the little secluded cabin vacation they took together, but as they open the door to pack the car, three feet of snow stands blocking the door.

12/18 - Sufganiyot Mishap - Adrian Chase x Male!Reader - Peacemaker (Subject to change) Y/n’s mother insists they bring their new boyfriend, Adrian to the final night of Hanukkah. He offers to help Y/n’s mom with cooking after the final candle is lit despite never making such a dish.

12/25 - Christmas on a Starship - William T. Riker x BetazoidGN!Reader - Star Trek: The Next Generation Y/n has lived on the USS Enterprise for about 8 months now after marrying William T. Riker. The couple’s first Christmas as a married couple was fast approaching and come Christmas Eve, Y/n thinks everything is in place for tomorrow. Internally, Will is freaking out, forgetting to get Y/n a gift during last leave.

12/31 - A Punch Bowl Waltz - Colin Bridgerton x Female!Reader - Bridgerton The Duke and Duchess have invited the rest of the Bridgerton family to their home for their annual new years ball, one that starts later and goes into the wee hours of the morning. While there, Colin quite literally runs into Y/n whilst she turns away from the punch bowl, ruining her dress in the process.

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

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thebluemallet · 2 years

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Season 3 Predictions

Since Polin has been announced as the main couple for season 3, my previous list of "Things I'd Like to See in Season 3" is now better for season 4.

So here's some predictions now that it's confirmed that Polin will be taking center stage! (And I bet most if not all will be disproven).

This got long, so I'm putting it under the cut!

1- Penelope Cold Shoulder

The first time we see Colin approach Penelope at a party or a ball, he's going to be in for quite the shock of his life when his "Pen" addresses him as "Mr. Bridgerton" instead of Colin. Eloise isn't talking to Penelope, so she'll be of no help and Colin will try to visit the Featherington residence to call on Penelope and get answers.

2- Featherington Matchmaking (?)

There is a Featherington sister from the books who is absent from the show: Felicity Featherington. And in the book Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, Portia gets it into her head that if 33-year-old Colin Bridgerton decides to marry that year, he should marry early-20s Felicity Featherington. Since Felicity doesn't exist in the show, it's possible that Portia might take Colin coming to the Featherington residence the wrong way and try to push him towards Prudence.

3- Eloise Will Tell Colin About Penelope

From some comments Colin made in season 2 toward Eloise, I'm inclined to think that he suspects his sister of being Lady Whistledown. He confronts her in the book about this, too. But at this time, nobody knows about Penelope's alter ego.

I think in the show, Colin will confront Eloise about being Lady Whistledown. She'll deny it vehemently, they'll argue back and forth, and then she'll exclaim in a fit of anger: "I'm not Lady Whistledown! It's Penelope!"

Or he could find out on his own like he does in the book.

4- Another Baby Gender Swap

This is based entirely on Portia's reveal in the final episode of season 2 that the first of her girls to bear a son will automatically inherit the title of "Lord Featherington" instead of Cousin Jack. I think that season 3 could end with Penelope and Colin and a baby. In the books, their first child is a girl named Agatha in honor of Lady Danbury. While I sincerely hope they keep baby Agatha, it's not outside the realm of possibility that they'll have a son first instead. They've already done this with Daphne having a son named Augie instead of a girl named Amelia like in the books.

So instead of Agatha being the firstborn (again, I hope they don't change this, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did), maybe their son Thomas would be.

5- Masquerade (?)

So far Bridgerton has done a build up to/foreshadowing of the next season's couple alongside the main couple's storyline with both of their seasons. If they continue with this trend, it's entirely possible that the masquerade ball where Benedict meets Sophie could be in this season. Maybe in the final episode? That could allow for a time cut in season 4 and maybe some flashbacks to Sophie's childhood and how she got to the ball.

This one honestly seems the least likely to me and they'll probably hold off until season 4 for the masquerade. But who knows?

6- Introducing John Stirling (and maybe Michael)

I was not surprised by the Francesca recasting news. The actress seems in high demand. I believe they intended for her to be in more episodes in season 2, but conflicts with other projects meant she was only in 3 episodes. And since she landed the lead role in a different show and Francesca's storyline won't come around until much later, it's understandable that she'd want to take the opportunity instead of being a background character for the next couple of years.

With Francesca being recast with an older actress, I think we'll see more of her in the show. Season 3 will be the perfect opportunity for Francesca to debut and be presented to Queen Charlotte. Then her subplot, while the Polin drama is going on, can be her relatively tame romance and engagement to John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin. And if John is introduced this season, maybe a later entry into the season will be Michael Stirling.

I can't wait for 2023, where all of my predictions will be proven wrong.

#bridgerton #bridgerton netflix #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington #benedict bridgerton #sophie beckett #eloise bridgerton #francesca bridgerton #john stirling #michael stirling #colin x penelope #penelope x colin #benedict x sophie #sophie x benedict #benophie

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thegendercocktail · 1 year

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8/5/2023 - A panic attack at the cinema

Yesterday was Monday, it was a quiet day following a work weekend and it was nice and relaxed. As part of the day, my folks made plans to go to the cinema to watch Guardians of the Galaxy 3. We got food, we sat down and watched the film. 2-3 hours later and the film is rolling credits. I started pulling out my phone and searching for if there were any post credit scenes to keep an eye out for.

As I did so, my mind wandered to my gender identity as a background thought but it was then, and I don’t know why, but I started feeling dizzy, struggling to breathe and on the verge of tears.

You see, yesterday I was thinking about coming out to my mum as transfemme, wanting to socially transition and medically transition to a primarily feminine idenitty as my doubts, while still occuring from time to time, had grown smaller in size. I wasn’t sure how to approach it from a conversation standpoint since me and my mum had discussed about my gender multiple times in previous failed attempts to come out when my tongue would start to feel like lead when I tried to get the words out. My mum would always take it as me trying to rush through trying to figure things out or if I’m looking at it because I don’t love myself. I love my mum, but her way of supporting me through this has not been the most prudent.

So I thought I wouldn’t tell her, I would just make myself look as feminine as I can with a she/they pronoun badge on my bag handle and my hair in a cute ponytail.

Part of me wonders if maybe I had started feeling panicked during the cinema cause I finally figured out or what if I was because I was so nervous about what would happen when the words are finally out. I don’t know...

Next thing I know, I grab my stuff and dash out the cinema, ignoring my mum as she calls my name. I exit the cinema and sit on the floor next to the door as I try to regain my breathing.

As I tried so, my mum exited the cinema and joined me in the corridor, with a look of concern on her face. She brought me round the corner and asked what brought it on, asking if it was something I read on my phone or maybe if I was even on some form of gender drug which was not a question I expected from her in that moment. All I knew in that moment was that I was struggling to breathe and trying to bring myself back to the present while my mum keeps asking me the same questions I don’t know the answer to and critiquing my response as over dramatic.

As a result, since, I’ve not said anything to my mum regarding my gender, which sucks because I was really hoping to finally get things out. But if I do it now, she’ll ask about it being related to my panic attack from yesterday and probably have a go at me for going on about the subject for so long when there are so much more important things to focus on like second hand cars and spots to visit while we’re on holiday.

I honestly just don’t know what to do anymore and it terrifies me. 4-5 years of questioning my own identity and that I finally have a form of confidence to come out with it, I’ve worked the subject to death with my mum over the years. I honestly don’t know how she’ll react or how I’ll come out to her now.,,

#genderfluid #transgender #trans #transgirl #transfemme #comingout #panic attack #mental health

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daisywords · 2 years

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5 things you never get tired of writing

rules - list five things you never get tired of writing. It can be tropes, themes, characters, phrases, whatever brings you joy. then tag five people!

Thanks @cactusmotif for tagging me in this!

gonna try to call myself out here so time to get specific ig:

1. Brother/sister duos

for example, the arguable four main characters of starlight-verse are 2 brother/sister duos: Alya & Eli + Kirsta & Kor. DaDBaB doesn't have any notable brother/sister duos, but that's an outlier among my wips. Other notable ones are Craisl & Isl, Asa & Hope, and Elinaya & Milo from wips that I like never talk about on here.

Why do I do this? idk exactly but it's probably something to do with having pretty even gender balance on most of my wips but not a huge amount of romance? Also I have 4 siblings myself so that's naturally something I write about, I guess. (I also have a couple important sister duos now that I think about it.)

also maybe leftover Fablehaven brainrot from my childhood?

2. Short protagonists

Alya from Starlight and Trip from DaDBaB are both short. I think it's bc I'm tall? idk

3. Memory loss trope

a central premise of DaDBaB and also my wip Memoratorium, albeit approached quite differently. Also another wip which I've basically scrapped bc the premise is pretty close to DaDBaB

I will say this though: I hate hate hate when characters lose memories after the story like ok I guess it didn't matter then? All that growth for nothing? But I like when the characters don't remember the past at the beginning of the story and have to discover it and confront it. yes good

4. Ridiculously large buildings

I just think they're neat! also full of narrative potential. *slaps architectural impossibility* you can fit so many characters in this bad boy

As an example of how far I take this, the entire country of Ciar from Starlight (granted, it's a fairly small island) is technically one interconnected building. (listen. it makes more sense than you think. It's dug down into the ground for the most part rather than built up, and also the island is made of a mineral(?) that they can control with their mind powers. And also there's twice a year there's "bad stormy season" and they don't want to go outside.)

But! Other noteable larger-than-life buildings are the Highking's seat/palace/capital building/monstrosity from DaDBaB and uhhh the Corporation HQ from Memoratorium.

5. Friends to lovers

So like I said I don't write a Ton of romance but I do enjoy it when it fits. DaDBaB is very friends-to-lovers, although there's a lot of...other complicated dynamics in there. The main romance in Starlight-verse is pretty much straight friends to lovers (we don't even get romantic until book 2 bc they're too busy being friends). The romance storyline in Glory (which is not so much a wip as a universe of possibilities that lives in the background of my brain and pays zero rent [read: word count]) is more of what the kids these days call "enemies to lovers" except that they...become friends first, so...

idk actually I think the only other romance storyline I even have is in The Good King, which you could argue also has friends-to-lovers elements, so I guess I'm just predictable like that.

I think it's something about falling in love with someone you already know well? It's just more compelling to me than the more whirlwind-style stuff. Also I've never actually been in love with anyone but I do, you know, have friends, so I think it's just easier for me to imagine? idk I'll stop psychoanalyzing myself now

anyway! tagging @muddshadow @baroquesse @pinespittinink @wri-tten and @hyba to play if you want!

#tag game #sprinkling in random lore about my secret back burner wips

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haven-gum-rockrose · 1 year

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11 & 29 !

tumblr ate the fucking shit i was typing for this- lets see if i can replicate.

okay! thanks so much also first of all- really appreciate it

so 11(describe your ideal day) and 29 (three songs you connect with right now)

okay so 11 is difficult cuz im not a very- planning and future oriented bitchbut id probably have to say its a day where i do things? or have an idea or something?

so maybe like- i wake up and do the shit people normally do when they wake up, yall know the deal- the ideal. actually eat breakfast lol. id go on a walk because even hell knows i need the sunlight, maybe pet a dog in the process. Theres a park by the house so id probably go there for a bit. if its an ideal day im not spending it at home. itd be sunny but not too hot- enough to sunburn tho. wouldnt do much at the park, im not a park person, but maybe id make a temporary friend? like the kind youre never gonna see again but while you were talking you made eachother's day just a bit brighter. i probably would have brought my sketchbook or art tablet and maybe i was able to do a really nice drawing or something. Then i remember theres bugs and that- oh also a nice patch of grass is very important for it to be ideal. kidding i dont really mind dirt. but anyways i start heading back because its noon or approaching noon or something. i have absolutely no endurance tho so at some point i stop and just sit on the curb and watch the road for a bit? idk i think it sounds nice.

[obligatory paragraph break] OH! and its one of those days where you're able to consciously recognize the beauty of everything, fucking love those. come back and clean and do laundry and shit because i fucking need to. and then sleep for six fucking hours straight uninterrupted. wake up, see what yall have been up to cuz cuz thats always a highlight, and by then its like 6 or 8? oh also not talking to any family lol- except maybe my sister. yeah, ideal day i talk to my sister for a bit. also i think in order for it to be the ideal day i would have had to help at least like one person, and maybe they said thanks but its not really necessary. its a bit hard to plan for people needing help tho- and seems a bit iffy regardless so - ykno.

anyways its a bit basic for something so long but- idk i dont really think about that stuff much so - take it or leave it.

AND 29 CUZ YOU KNOW IM A FUCKING PLAYLIST BITCH

Girl Anachronism by The Dresden Dolls: probably not great how much i relate to this song on a personal level but it also gives me gender and mentally ill swag ig so its cool. yall i could pull fucking any line from this song and essay on how i relate to it (theres just a couple i couldnt actually)

Toxic Thoughts by Faith Marie: Yall this has been- one of those "my song"s since for the past like 4-5 years or something- 100% played a role in shaping who i try to be and how i view the world. like yeah its a wee bit cheesy the lyrics but like- yall dont know how much this shit impacted me. go as far as to say it mightve played a part in me being here still? idk tho i think i still would be regardless but like- yeah W song for me

EP. 4: Important by Ian McConnell: i need everyone with anxiety to listen to this actually. it goes so fucking hard and its so goofy. absolute god tier exhanple of positive nihilistic philosophy. actually for ease of access lemme do this cuz im not overexaggerating this shits iconic: (maybe not it may just be my philosphy brain likeing the change of perspective on typically negative thoughts and the comedic delivery of it)

youtube

#ask game #personal post #for 11 i figured if a put enough lil insignificant things itll count as somethign that makes sense? it doesnt tho but idk what else i dont #really have one i think? but thatd be nice

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irispublisherspsychology · 2 years

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Open Access Journal of Addiction and Psychology (OAJAP)

Addiction and Psychology

Authored by Robert F Kronick*

Introduction: What is the Problem?

I have lived and worked in the Appalachian south for fifty years. In the 1960s I worked with rural mountain folk in the mountains of western North Carolina. During this time, I took a master’s degree in social psychology at Appalachian State University. This was a blended degree of Sociology and Psychology. This interdisciplinary degree paired with applied experience in communities with cultures different from my own over fifty years. I learned the importance of culture in counseling as well as psychology. Years later, I met Paul Pedersen [1]. who averred that culture was a fourth force in these fights? During the 1960s and 1970s, I learned the influence of John C. Campbell’s declaration that hillbillies don’t like being told what to do by outsiders. I certainly was an outsider currently as I was a Floridan living in Appalachia for the first time. In 2019, I started to build a university assisted community school in a hill town of 500 people. This community is much different than the one in the 1960s. One of the biggest differences is addiction to opioids.

Addiction is rampant in these rural communities. Psychology must adjust these dynamic changes. Community psychology Lorion [2], may be the best option for psychology and addictions. Appalachian southerners have never been well received by urban/suburban America. Psychologically I felt the most adept Appalachians got up and out and left for cities such as Detroit where they were called urban hillbillies, a pejorative term at best. They were rowdy drunkards. Addition was rampant in this time and place. Once again, addiction and psychology met at the crossroads.

Once the population to be served has been determined, then psychological theories can be selected and implemented. I have found that reality therapy Glasser [3], and behaviorism Skinner [4], to be most effective with client groups I work with, especially vulnerable children. I believe these two approaches are more than suited to addiction. Culture as a fourth force is also a necessary ingredient.

Discussion

In this decade of 2020, it is now past time for psychology and the social sciences in general to become relevant to the problems of humankind, and addiction, especially to opioids, is the zenith of these problems in living. Psychology will be best served if we think of people having problems in living, not as problem people. This inhibits victim blaming Ryan [5] and leads to a systemic Bronfenbrenner [6] approach to societal issues such as addiction.

Conclusion

There is nothing so useful as a good theory Lewin [7] when it comes to the complex issues surrounding addiction. Socioeconomic status, race, gender, and location can be used as theoretical concepts to comprehend addiction and develop interventions that will eventually obliterate addiction, penultimately addiction to opioids. This special addiction to opioids is not limited to any geographical areas but runs from New Hampshire to California.

In the words of James and Willie Chambers, the Chambers brothers, the time has come today.

To read more about this article:https://irispublishers.com/oajap/fulltext/addiction-and-psychology.ID.000566.php

Indexing List of Iris Publishers:https://medium.com/@irispublishers/what-is-the-indexing-list-of-iris-publishers-4ace353e4eee

Iris publishers google scholar citations:

https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=irispublishers&btnG=

#AutismaddictedPsychologyiris publishers indexingiris publishers journalsiris publishers review

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quicksandblock · 3 years

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MCYT Demographic Survey Part 2 RESULTS

IT’S TIME!!!

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who participated! 1,654 people total responded to this - about four and a half times as many respondents as the first survey. It’s honestly incredible. I’m so happy the rest of you are as interested as I am in this stuff :D

The increased turnout is also why these results are being posted two days later than I’d intended. I want to give a HUGE thank you to my friend @quincepastey and my sibling @orestes-swimming for helping me out, and by helping I do mean they did basically all of the technical stuff for me, because my knowledge of spreadsheets was not up to the task. So thank you to Cupid for organizing all the data from questions 3 and 4 into something comprehensible for me, and thank you to Kal for making the charts! They are absolutely the MVPs and everyone reading this should go check them out. Thank you guys so much <3

Reblogs of this post are very appreciated. It would be awesome if the info about the results could reach everyone who submitted a response, so if you reblogged my first post about this survey, please consider reblogging this one as well!

For your convenience, here’s a link to the results of the first survey I did six months ago. Now - on to the results!

Question 1: What is your age range?

Compared to the results of the first survey, we can see that things have changed a bit! Specifically, the fandom has shifted just a little bit older. The solid majority of the fandom is still in the 15-17 year old range, but it’s gone down from almost half to closer to 40%. Almost a third of the fandom are ages 18-20, up from close to a fifth six months ago. 21-25 year olds have increased from about 10% to about 14%. And the youngest segment, 13-14 year olds, have gone from almost 20% of the fandom down to 12% - the sharpest change of all.

Finally, nearest and dearest to my own heart, there are now 26 whole people in the fandom aged 26-30 and 9 people aged 30+. Old Squad is growing, folks. We are... the 2% 😎 Special shoutout to the person who said their 15 year old kid got them into the fandom. I hope you know just how cool you are.

These results are interesting, but it’s also impossible to say how accurate the data is. This survey and the previous one were only posted on my blog, and they only reached a wider audience through the reblogs of my followers. So do these changes reflect actual changes in the demographics of the fandom as a whole, or is it just that my followers (and the people who follow them) have shifted older? To try to avoid this bias in the future, I may reach out to some well-known younger bloggers and ask them to reblog the next survey I do so that I can reach a more even audience.

Question 2: What is your gender?

Apologies for the small text, but there were so many unique write-in answers that I wanted to include them all. You may want to open the image in a separate tab for better quality.

In contrast to the age question, the gender spread of the fandom has remained pretty much the same. About half the fandom is still female, the nonbinary crowd has increased from 20% to 25%, 7% of us are male, almost 7% are genderfluid, and about 5% are agender. Just like last time, most of the write-in responses fell into the vague categories of either genderqueer or questioning.

No surprises on this one! The fandom continues to be overwhelmingly female and queer. Next time I think I’ll include genderqueer and questioning as options to try to catch some of those people into a formal category. All y’all are so valid, especially the person who wrote in their gender as “soup” <3

The results for questions 3 and 4 will be under a cut, because I don’t want to completely destroy people’s dashes.

Before I get into the last two questions, a couple notes. First, I want to explain how I came up with the list of creators, since a lot of people were either excited or disappointed by the fact that a few different people were on there.

On the last survey, this question was a write-in, and I had to transcribe and collate all the answers by hand to come up with the actual number of people who followed each creator. For this survey, I simply took the list that came out of the previous one and pasted it in! I also added a few people who no one wrote in six months ago but who are much more prominent now (Ranboo being the biggest example). So if you were excited to see your favorite small creator listed as an option, they were there because someone wrote them in last time! And if you wrote in your favorite small creator here, they’ll be an option on the next survey. The list is entirely crowdsourced and it will expand with each survey.

That said, the same also applies for more controversial creators. Specifically, I’m talking about CallMeCarson. Several people questioned my decision to keep him on the list - and to be honest, I considered taking him out. But in the end I decided to leave him in as an option for the sake of completeness and consistency with the previous survey. I want to emphasize that this is not me condoning his actions. But for the sake of the data, I felt that it was best to leave him in.

That said, let’s move on to questions 3 and 4!

Question 3: What creator(s) do you primarily follow?

So, it’s harder to compare with the previous survey on this one, and that’s purely because on the previous survey I didn’t have the help I did here. The chart I was able to make for the results back in October was frankly trash. Also, the fact that I split “followed creators” into two questions - primarily and casually followed - definitely throws things off. However, we can still do a certain amount of comparison!

The most obvious change is Ranboo. He straight up was not on the previous survey at all - I think he’d been streaming for less than a month at the time. Now, about 55% of respondents listed him as someone they primarily follow. The Dream SMP itself has also jumped dramatically. Previously, about 5% of people wrote in Dream SMP. That has increased to over half. Quackity has gone from less than 2% to about 30%. Karl has gone from 4% to 30%. Phil has gone from about 8% to a little under 50%. The SBI have jumped from 11% to over 40%.

Techno has gone from about 50% to over 60%. Tommy has gone from 45% to over 55%. Wilbur has jumped from 43% to 55%. Tubbo has remained steady at about 38%.

Dream has apparently dropped some of his following percentage-wise, falling from 50% to about 35%. However, George, Sapnap, and the Dream Team itself have all jumped from 10-12% to almost 30%.

I’m not going to go over the rest of the list, because that would just get way too long. However, I will drop a link to the spreadsheets of data for this survey and the previous one, so anyone who wants to can do some comparison of their own!

Question 4: What creators do you casually follow?

I won’t do as detailed of a comparison on this question, because there’s nothing to compare it to - this question wasn’t on the previous survey. However, it’s interesting to see how many more people follow Fundy, Nihachu, BadBoyHalo, Captain Puffy, Eret, Awesamdude, and Jack Manifold casually rather than as a primary favorite. Out of the top twelve, Karl, Quackity, Phil, and Tubbo are the only ones who don’t have a major discrepancy between the amount of people who follow them casually versus primarily.

I would be curious to hear people’s thoughts on why that’s the case! Personally, I would guess it’s a combination of each of their approaches to lore on the Dream SMP, the frequency and times of day that they stream, and the people they tend to make content with and be associated with by the fandom. I may go into that more later, but this post is already very long, so I’ll hold off for now. Here’s a link to this question’s spreadsheet for anyone who wants to take a closer look!

...And that’s a wrap! Good grief, this got long. Kudos to anyone who actually read the whole thing because I know my attention span would be challenged. I’m already thinking about the next survey - a couple people suggested that I add in questions about orientation and nationality, and while I want to keep the survey pretty tight in its scope, I am considering it. It would be even more data to process but it would be interesting to know!

I would love to hear people’s thoughts on these results! I’m only one person, so I know there’s interesting stuff I must have missed. Please, please feel free to reblog with your thoughts and observations! A lot of work went into this (both from me and from Cupid and Kal! Thank you guys again!), so I’m really hoping to hear what people think about it :D

I plan to reblog this and reply to some of the things people wrote in at the end, so stay tuned for that. And once again: thank you all for your interest in this project of mine <3 See you with another one in six months!

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jackmfvegas777 · 3 years

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Trans Guy Tips #4; Socially Transitioning

Now this one is a tricky one, and it's a situation almost every trans person has to go through at some point in their life, unless they stay in the closet for life, but if you're planning to come out, and you don't know how to approach the situation and don't know how to judge if it's safe, I hope I can be a reliable guide for you on this journey.

This is usually the first step in any trans person's journey, before they physically transition, (which some don't as well). However here we're talking specifically about trans men.

So while some of the things I say could apply to trans women, always remember I'm writing about trans men from a trans man's point of view, so that's the targeted demographic here.

Once I learn more about trans women's struggles and things they go through, since I don't have the personal experience of it, I will definitely write trans women articles as well, and as well non-binary people.

So let's begin, with a list of important things to keep in mind whilst coming out to the world or at least to your family and close friends.

1. Safety is everything.

Always no matter what.

A good way to test if someone is going to be safe to come out to, is to casually bring it up in in a conversation topic, something like "What are your thoughts on lgbtq people, or specifically what are your thoughts on trans people?"

If they become aggressive and violent about it, and start being transphobic or defensive or any of the signs of bigotry, do not and I mean do not come out to them yet.

If it's a parent, I'd suggest at least wait until you're of age to move out, or have moved out, to come out to them. Sometimes people will get verbally and physically violent towards you if you come out to them and they're not accepting of it, so the most important thing is to always judge the reactions of people, and if they react well, then you can come out to them.

2. Always choose trustworthy people to keep your secret whilst you're in the closet.

There's been a lot of people who trusted idiots who they thought were their friends and they ended up outing them to the whole school they were in, etc. etc. But there was a lot of stories about this happening multiple times.

Make sure the people you tell would take the secret to their grave, especially if you're in an abusive household and can't come out for fear of violence.

3. If you're in a very abusive household, especially one that's openly homophobic and transphobic, as hard it is, please wait to come out as long as you possibly can until you have a place of your own and you're safe for sure.

A lot of people have been known to kick out their own children on to the streets because of them being LGBT, or do much worse...

Now of course these are some of the worst case scenarios, but being LGBT you always have to think about every bad thing that could occur so that you can prevent it.

4. When it comes to actually coming out, I would always recommend bringing a good friend or close family member who supports you, so that you have backup, not only for them to chime in and tell their piece and defend you, but just them being there makes the other person not want to be as violent towards you, because they fear what others will think of them.

If you're coming out to an extended family member or anyone, don't trust to do it alone, always bring a good friend.

5. One of the best ways to come out that I've seen are ways that are jokey and hilarious!

It seems to smooth over and make it a much more pleasant transition for everyone, and usually even homophobic people won't get too mad, they might even laugh!

I've seen people bake cakes with the words "Surprise I'm gay!" on it, things like that.

Just little cute things that are nice to do for your parents or people you're coming out to, but make it a surprise and that you're actually lgbt!

Now remember though, always follow the first rule and make sure safety is priority, but if you know you're safe, but you're just not sure they understand, starting out with jokes helps a lot.

6. The second step you should do after coming out is always try to explain your side of the story.

If there are people who don't let you get a word in, let them know that you have important things to say and that they need to listen to you and then they can say whatever they need.

Explain how it feels to be trans, explain why you know you're trans, of course you shouldn't have to ideally, but unfortunately a lot of people won't understand unless they're given more information, as the subject is completely foreign to them.

I know my grandma specifically reacted so well, all she did was ask me questions about it, and once I answered all her questions, she hummed in satisfaction and she never questioned it again and completely accepted me.

And a lot of times you'll get people who are pretty neutral, people who will call you by your chosen name and gender but don't really totally care as much as you want them to, but they still go along with it and just kind of assume you know what's best for you, which is a really kind thing really.

I've had a few people react neutrally and it's actually relaxing, there's no pressure put on for being gay, either over positive or over negative. but I have to say as a trans person and gay person, and grey-ace person, I love the people who ask questions the most.

I don't mind answering, and it means they're trying to learn more about something they don't understand, which means they have a huge heart and huge open mind.

Some people may get annoyed at the constant questions, but I absolutely adore them.

To me, every time someone asks about me, they're showing interest in my life and my feelings.

7. Next the scientific method.

Look up on any scientific article anywhere, and you'll find studies done on trans men and women's brains.

It was shown factually multiple times, over and over, whenever they repeated it it did it again, that trans men have the same brain structure as cis men, and trans women have the same brain structure as cis women, and non-binary people have somewhere in the middle. This was factually proven, you can look it up, so if they try to use science to defend against you, educate that that science is actually for LGBT rights and has explained how it works even.

8. Try to be gentle when it comes to pronouns.

For a lot of people, especially people of foreign languages where some languages don't have genders, or will have different genders, or other things like that, or even just English speakers that aren't used to saying 'they', or your family not being used to your pronouns yet.

It can take a while, and I know it's frustrating, it could take even a few years for them to finally get it right every time.

It's not supposed to be an attack towards you, it's genuinely hard to reprogram yourself when you think someone is one thing your whole life and then it turns out they're the other thing! So be sure to be gentle with them while they're practising, remind them every time they make a mistake, but remind them gently, as they are trying to do the right thing, they're just slipping up due to habit.

In general, be patient with non-lgbt folks, if we're mad at them, it just drives them away, rather than driving them toward us to help and assist us.

We should be grateful for our allies.

9. Once you've come out and your parents probably still have questions, I would recommend sitting down and having family night where you read together some good articles about transgenderism, and LGBT+ in general.

If they're not familiar with it, this type of education can help them a lot to understand the terminology and how to address you, and basic respect for trans & lgbtq+ people.

Overall it's a learning experience for both of you, and it would be amazing to do if they're willing to learn.

Remember that it's a journey for all of us, and everyone has a lot to learn.

10. When selecting your name, I have one piece of advice/a question for you; "Does it spark joy?"

The most important thing, it doesn't matter how odd sounding it is, or differently spelled it is, or whatever your name is, if you enjoy your name, that's what matters.

Always pick the one that calls out to you.

And it's okay to change it from time to time, people need time to figure out who they are!

And with that, I conclude my fourth part!

I hope you were helped by this in any way, and thanks for reading.

#trans man #transguy #trans boy #transgender #trans ftm #ftm trans #trans male #ftm #ftm tips #transgender tips #transgender guide #ftm guide #lgbtqa #lgbtq #lgbt #trans guy tips #social transition #trans guy guide #coming out

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mostlymovieswithmax · 3 years

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Movies I watched in July

Once again I’m doing my monthly round-up of movies I’ve watched. This was a good month for the cinema getting back on track and seeing new releases including the new M. Night movie, Old and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. Pretty sure Marvel put out a new movie also. I’m hoping that this list can help in guiding a decision about what to watch (or what to avoid) and introduce people to movies they may otherwise not have heard of or bothered to see. These short reviews are my own subjective opinions on each individual movie and maybe a more informal approach to movie criticism can help include others who are just passing through. Here is every film I watched from the 1st to the 31st of July.

Bridesmaids (2011) - 4/10

Off to a good start. I won’t say Bridesmaids is a terrible movie but I don’t think I’m exactly the target audience. As far as I know, this is a beloved comedy but I just can’t get on board with all the boring, juvenile humour; with Maya Rudolph shitting in the street, with Rose Byrne and Kristen Wiig trying to one-up each other at a toast that went on forever, with Melissa McCarthy shitting in a sink… the conflict is so done to death and makes the movie feel unspecial. I do understand the appeal of the film, especially for women in that before this movie the likelihood of seeing something like this, where women play up the more crass and gross side of comedy, was probably few and far between. But the story is very tired and while I did appreciate some moments, namely a couple of decent jokes and some of the more intimate scenes, for the most part it felt like they wanted to corner a more quiet type of line delivery in a way that was supposed to be understated but very funny so as to not rely on over the top body language or musical cues, and it ended up being super dull.

Spectre (2015) - 7/10

As far as I can tell, a lot of people don’t like this instalment of the James Bond franchise… but I really enjoyed it! I’ve really taken a shine to these Daniel Craig-era Bond movies and while I can’t say any of them are the most amazing thing, I have a lot of fun with them. The biggest problem I have with Spectre is the villain being utterly pointless and uninteresting in basically every way. The idea of every villain Bond has fought before being tied to this one organisation controlled by this one guy is ridiculous, and what makes it worse is that the villain is barely in it! There’s so much that doesn’t come together in this but as it goes, I still had a really good time. Daniel Craig holds the whole thing together; he is excellent as 007 and the main reason I’m up for each of these movies is because of him. Sam Mendes directs again after the previous instalment and for what it’s worth I do think he does a good job with some of the action set pieces and the locations. I’m so ready for No Time To Die.

Shazam (2019) - 7/10

Shazam is a genuinely fun superhero movie that doesn’t take itself seriously at all. I was having a great time throughout and while it could conform to some of the same tropes we’re used to with these kinds of movies, it still remained playful and used the character of Shazam to his fullest potential in a way that showed an understanding of just how silly the idea of a kid who can turn into an adult and shoot lightning out of his hands is.

High School Musical (2006) - 6/10

So as you may or may not know, I co-host a podcast: The Sunday Movie Marathon. It’s a film podcast and every week I get together with my other co-hosts and watch movies. For episode 38, we watched the High School Musical trilogy. This first movie blew me away. I was really surprised with just how much fun I had, and if you want to hear more of my thoughts on the film, please listen to episode 38 of the podcast.

High School Musical 2 (2007) - 4/10

We then jumped into the second and while it’s certainly not as good as its predecessor, there are still some brilliant songs that manage to top the last movie. Again, more of what I have to say can be heard on episode 38 of the podcast.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) - 3/10

Senior Year was pretty hard to get through. I don’t remember it being as bad as it was, but then I didn’t really remember it anyway. It did however have one redeeming quality, which you can discover on episode 38 of the podcast.

The Piano Teacher (2001) - 9/10

What the fuuuckkkk. The Piano Teacher is horrendously affecting and I was so upset when it ended, maybe not because it’s not what I wanted but because it’s just so fucking dour and unrelenting. This is the second Haneke movie I’ve seen (after the original Funny Games) and I’m so impressed with how well executed it is. Following a woman who teaches piano, we get a glimpse into the life she lives, how sheltered she is from living with her mother at an age where you’d reasonably expect a person to be living alone or with a partner or friends (even going so far as to be sleeping in the same bed as her), and how repressed she is sexually. It’s clear she’s never experienced any kind of sexual interaction or romantic love with another person, so she goes out of her way to take control and make that happen. The upsetting nature of it comes from just what she does in pursuit of it or as a result of her repression, and what is done to her. It is by no means a movie to recommend to your parents but The Piano Teacher offers so much in terms of the ideas it presents (and I’ll admit there seems to be a lot more going on than I think I picked up on a first go round) about women in modern society, and about the portrayal of sex and expectations of people when it comes to how that is represented in a person’s character depending on their gender. I really enjoyed this movie but it is not for the faint of heart.

Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure (2011) - 1/10

My podcast co-hosts decided it’d be a right laugh to add Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure to this episode and that might have been a fun idea for them because they got to watch it together, but I was just watching it alone. Just a 24-year-old man watching Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure alone and having a miserable time, I might add. But for a short and sweet ramble on what we all thought, please listen to episode 38 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

Dr. No (1962) - 6/10

A lot of very iffy parts of this movie. A lot of discomfort arising from how black people are portrayed that really didn’t sit right with me. As far as a Bond movie goes, this first instalment in the series is one I’ve seen before and it’s not wholly engaging but it plants the seeds for the rest, with Sean Connery breathing life into the role and making an otherwise lacklustre plot bearable.

Black Widow (2021) - 6/10

I think probably the best part about Black Widow is the experience I had while watching it. It was great being back in the cinema with a couple of friends in a packed theatre. The energy was high and I’m sure for a lot of people, this is the first time they’d been to the cinema since Endgame. For what it’s worth, I did have a lot of fun with Black Widow and I’ve explained more of what I thought about the movie in episode 39 of the podcast.

The Climb (2020) - 10/10

The Climb was added to Now TV recently and I already knew I loved it, having seen it in an empty cinema theatre last year, which I had an absolute blast with. The Climb details the years of a rocky friendship told over scenes filmed as one-shots. Not only is the presentation something to gawk at, but the performances by the two leads playing these friends with a terrifically dysfunctional dynamic is truly captivating. They’re both trying to figure out their own lives and where one can come across as being rather selfish, the opposite is true in his counterpart, whom everyone loves. This is a truly funny and heartwarming movie with a lot to say about how we choose to live our lives and who we choose to be with. It’s a shame the distributors of The Climb didn’t do a very good job because if not for it being available on Now TV, it would be near impossible to watch without forking out more money than is necessary to purchase a film.

From Russia With Love (1963) - 5/10

The second Bond movie. I thought perhaps I’d change my mind on it with another watch, having seen it for the first time maybe a year ago. But no, it’s still largely boring and it treats women like absolute garbage. From Russia With Love is one of those movies I forget as I watch it, and I was trying very hard (in the middle of the day!) not to fall asleep.

The Good, The Bart, and The Loki (2021) - 1/10

I don't usually talk about the short films I watch but for this I'll make an exception. As we all should know, Disney owns The Simpsons now, through their acquisition of Fox, so, coupled with another of their properties, that being Marvel, they decided to make a six-minute animated film wherein Marvel’s Loki is stranded in Springfield. This felt as though it was a minute long due to the horrendously jarring pacing; it is a movie that feels adamant that it needs to exist, while trying as hard as it can to be over as soon as possible. It serves only to stare the audience directly in the face and say “look, characters from The Simpsons are dressed as Avengers”, shit out three credit scenes, then end before you’ve even processed the atrocity you just bore witness to.

Russian Ark (2002) - 8/10

For this next episode of the podcast, we watched a few Russian movies, starting with Russian Ark, a film shot completely in one take as the camera moves about a luxurious museum in a first-person perspective as this main character watches what is happening around him, seeing people moving about the place but unable to interact with them, guided only by another man who seems to be just slightly out of his own perception of reality. This is a tremendous feat in filmmaking and more can be heard about what I have to say in episode 39 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

Ivan’s Childhood (1962) - 7/10

For my own pick of Russian movies to discuss on the podcast, I chose the debut feature from one of my favourite directors, Andrei Tarkovsky. It’s amazing that while this is not his best film by far, Ivan’s Childhood is still such a stellar debut, jumping around in its timeline as it details a child’s experience in the second world war. Again, I do go into more depth in episode 39 of the podcast, so be sure to check that out.

Outlaw (2019) - 1/10

The third movie chosen for this marathon is apparently the fourth Russian LGBTQ+ movie ever made. I’m unsure of the ultimate goal of this movie but what seems to be clear is that it hates the LGBTQ+ community. This is perhaps the worst film we’ve discussed on the podcast to date, so listen to episode 39 to understand exactly why it’s such trash.

Almost Famous (2000) - 7/10

I too love heavy music and also studied journalism so it stands to reason that a movie about a teenager who makes his way onto a band tour, following them through America and interviewing them as they hang out and play shows is going to be a premise that resonates with me. This certainly did. I enjoyed Almost Famous a lot; this kid is living the dream and I was so along for the ride, seeing a lot of myself in what was being portrayed. That said, the story itself is at times a bit by the numbers and I really would’ve been more on board if the visual component was more interesting. For what it is, technically it’s fine enough but nothing in that department ever jumped out at me.

Minari (2021) - 8/10

It’s crazy that this didn’t get a theatrical run where I live in the UK. It feels as though I complain about film distribution all the time but I really don’t understand the process by which a movie gets no cinematic release and yet, months later will pop up on the front shelf of hmv, taking pride of place. But of course I got the blu-ray straight away. Minari has a lot to say about the immigrant experience, specifically in America as a family comes over from Korea and tries to start a business and make something of themselves. You get to see a lot of what you might not think twice about when you think about immigration: the hardship of coming from a place where you know everyone to somewhere rural and sparsely populated, having to make friends with locals and integrate within the community; the strain it can put on a family and on a marriage where this idea is presented about the importance of making it on your own in order to live and not just survive, while also taking into account why you’re doing it in the first place and the value you place on being part of a family that you decided to make because that was more important than money, than economy, than proving you were good enough to make it in a place that gave you very little advantage from the offset. This concept of the promised land, of the American dream is a construct. There are times when it’s not pretty, when you have no running water, or you’re in debt, or a family member is dying and it just feels like you’ve been dealt as bad a hand as you can get. But it is better to know you’re not facing all that alone.

Roma (2018) - 10/10

This was my recommendation for the podcast episode on Alfonso Cuarón movies. Roma is as beautiful as it is heart-wrenching and I would recommend listening to episode 40 of the podcast to find out more about my thoughts.

An American Werewolf In London (1981) - 8/10

In all fairness, London is enough to make anyone a little crazy at the best of times. An American Werewolf in London showcases some fantastically grotesque effects, akin to something like Carpenter’s The Thing, in showing the dead brought back to life and a horrifically gory transformation scene. Although the film is from the perspective of an American protagonist, directed also by an American, the depiction of British culture and climate is something I’ve not seen many films pull off quite so well, and I was pleasantly surprised at the more comedic tone the film has overall, which is something that works more in its favour than straight horror would.

The Party’s Just Beginning (2018) - 6/10

Karen Gillan’s directorial debut is… pretty good! There are a lot of ideas I like in this movie: a woman living life and through convenient circumstances, is confronted with death in many ways. Gillan obviously knows her homeland as well as she can, imbuing the whole thing with an intensely Scottish vibe (though maybe not in the same vein as something like Trainspotting) that makes it a bit more unique than a more run of the mill movie of this ilk, backed up in no small part by her own main performance. The plot itself is no great diversion from the kind of story I’m used to with these smaller movies and for something that’s trying to include messaging about transgender issues and suicide, it probably could have been handled better or done in a different way.

Solaris (1972) - 9/10

Another Tarkovsky joint, one I thought I’d revisit to see if there was indeed more to get out of it a second time. Well, it’s no surprise that yes, there was certainly more to get out of it. Solaris is a crazy trip of a movie and I would liken it to Kubrick’s 2001 in terms of how grand the scale of it feels. Yet this is a film that comes across as deeply personal, choosing to focus on a specific character as he goes to a space station to help those on board who are experiencing some kind of emotional crises, only to feel the effects of the planet, Solaris invading his own mind as it has the crew. To many, I can see this lengthy Russian sci-fi being a tad slow but my personal experience is one of deep engagement. Solaris pulls its viewer in a lot of different directions and it is always doing something unexpected in terms of where its narrative goes. There’s a lot to think about with the movie and thankfully it’s no chore to watch again.

Y Tu Mamá También (2001) - 9/10

Another recommendation for the podcast episode on Alfonso Cuarón movies. This is a very relaxed experience, following three young people as they go on a road trip, visit different places and have sex. Listen to episode 40 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast for more of my thoughts.

Children of Men (2006) - 10/10

My favourite Cuarón movie, one that never stops being tense as its characters are constantly moving towards the end goal. Set in a future where humans are infertile, the oldest living person is 18, and London is the last city in the world that’s still keeping it together, somewhat. This is masterclass filmmaking. Listen to episode 40 of the podcast for more insights.

Minority Report (2002) - 5/10

I’m really not the biggest fan of Spielberg… Minority Report is an interesting movie in terms of its concept of stopping crimes before they happen by way of prediction, but I just didn’t connect with the heart of it. The colouring is way too overexposed in a way that’s supposed to be eliciting a futuristic vibe but instead feels so early-2000’s in the worst way. My biggest problem with Minority Report is just how long it is, clocking in at two hours and twenty-five minutes which allows for a lot of meandering, all while never quite developing characters enough for you to care about.

Caché (2005) - 9/10

Oh god! Another Michael Haneke movie! Here we see a couple periodically sent video tapes featuring hours of footage of the outside of their house. The anxiety ratchets up and the mystery gets deeper with every minute. There’s always at least one moment in any of his films that have so far made me realise just how out of my depth I am. Caché is no exception, and I won’t spoil anything here because I think it’s better just to watch the movie and see for yourself. He is a director that wants the audience to know something and that something is never what is explicitly shown at face value; it is pressed into the fabric of the film - plainly evident, yet hidden. Caché is so stupidly clever in displaying its themes and messaging - making reference to the Siene Massacre of 1961 as well as a deeper study of colonialism - and there’s no way to change a single detail of it without risking the Jenga tower crumbling to the ground. It all works in tandem. It is passion and fury and haunting.

Coco (2017) - 7/10

Pixar had a string of around seven forgettable movies before this point so thankfully Coco emerged to show the company still had something good in them. Coco deals a lot with themes of death and legacy, remembering those who are gone in order to preserve them and while its plotting is quite basic and there are certainly moments that either drag or cannot escape the same Pixar formula, most of what the movie has to offer is a lot of fun, with creative, colourful animation and emotional beats that resonate the way they’re supposed to.

Incredibles 2 (2018) - 5/10

Oh, they almost had it! There's a lot here that could have been explored in far more interesting ways. Setting Incredibles 2 directly after the events of the first movie was not a good idea. If it had taken place five or ten years after, the characters could have been in different places in life and it would feel as though they'd actually changed and developed. But instead of trying to be a film that actually cares about its characters and the journeys they go on, a lot of the film is wrestling with the idea that Bob isn't supportive of his wife and Jack-Jack has to fight a raccoon… They have to shoehorn in a villain that in no way compares to the genius of the original. The ending of the original introduces another antagonist that gets wrapped up within this film's first ten minutes, except they don't catch him and he's never mentioned again. It's a real shame because the animation is fantastic and the acting is superb and there are great ideas sprinkled throughout. It just doesn't come together.

Toy Story 4 (2019) - 6/10

I was rather reluctant to watch Toy Story 4 because from the get-go I’m not really here for sequels being made just for the sake of it. Everyone loves Toy Story and making another one is a sure fire way to make money. This is the first time I’ve seen Toy Story 4 and for what it’s worth, I did enjoy it. The animation is immaculate and that alone feels like a huge flex from Pixar who tend to step up the game when it comes to animation in film, despite not having the best track record for films generally at this point. While it was nice to see these characters again, I found a lot of them to be side-lined (namely Buzz) in favour of a story that focuses mainly or entirely on Woody, who I just don’t like as much as in the previous movies. Generally the movie is good and decent enough but there’s no real antagonist and the plot is quite loose… it doesn’t feel as though it needed to be made from a story point of view.

Onward (2020) - 6/10

And with that I have seen every Pixar movie. And Onward is a fine one to go out on. While I don’t think it compares to the likes of earlier Pixar it’s still pretty fun. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for a medieval setting filled with bright colours and magic! Speaking of which, the animation was super and the medieval quest element is something that hooked me with the film. Again, plot-wise it does feel very familiar and I don’t know, maybe I’m past the point now of expecting Pixar to mix it up where their formula for story-telling is concerned but the movie is quite predictable. Nonetheless, while I’m not rushing back to see Onward I would hardly turn it off or refuse if someone wanted to watch it.

Old (2021) - 3/10

Oh boy! New M. Night movie dropped and my word, was it fun! For more of my thoughts on this… masterpiece (?) of a movie, please direct your attention to episode 41 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

T2 Trainspotting (2017) - 5/10

Trainspotting is perhaps one of my favourite movies and I had never bothered with the sequel, 20 years on, because the ending of that first movie is so conclusive. T2 felt more an excuse for these guys to get together again and in that, I probably would have preferred a couple of pictures on Twitter of the main cast and director, Danny Boyle having dinner or something. This is a fine movie - very arty in its presentation but meandering and dull in its story that doesn’t offer much in the way of proof that it had to exist.

Taste of Cherry (1997) - 9/10

What makes life worth living? This is a central question and theme of Taste of Cherry, and one that leaves such interpretation not only up to its central character but to the viewer as well. This film got me thinking about times in my life when I truly have had no answer to hard questions. Because it’s hard to convince people of things they are so adamantly against and harder still to rationalise what you believe if you’re not even entirely sure why you believe it in the first place. We are all of us alive and in recognising that, does that make it precious? And if indeed living is not a happy thing, why then should we fight so hard to preserve it? I felt upset as I watched this movie because I’ve been asked these kinds of questions before and it makes me feel stupid when I’m unable to answer. But the only real answer I can give is, everything. And if you can’t see the point then you’re not looking hard enough. Taste of Cherry is beautiful in its exploration of these topics and in its overall presentation, offering some of the best visuals in any movie I’ve seen - fitting for a feature with so much to say about the beauty of life - and an ending that as much pulls the rug out from under you as it does pull you out of the dark and make you realise just how lonely you’ve felt.

Bones (2001) - 2/10

Snoop Dogg is Jimmy Bones! This film is super funny but I’m not sure it’s trying to be and I really didn’t love it overall. But I do talk more in depth about it in episode 41 of the podcast.

The Duchess (2008) - 5/10

Another recommendation for the podcast. The Duchess was pretty much exactly what I thought it was going to be and there’s a lot to like about it but generally it’s a bit sparse. For more chat on the movie, listen to episode 41 of the podcast.

The Man With One Red Shoe (1985) - 1/10

This was another one for the podcast and man, was it awful. We had to watch it at 1.5x speed towards the end because it just wasn’t getting finished otherwise. To find out more, make sure to listen to episode 41 of the podcast.

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) - 7/10

Pull the lever, Kronk! Haha! Slays me. I do quite miss this era of Disney, where the animation was hand-drawn and the stories were actually compelling and funny. The Emperor’s New Groove is vibrant, it’s got great characters and memorable moments that will forever be ingrained in the memory of culture. All in all, it’s just a solid flick that doesn’t waste time, developing the standard fall from glory type of arc but smoothly and in an entertaining way.

The Suicide Squad (2021) - 8/10

Oh, bloody hell! They actually made a good one! The Suicide Squad is not only better than the ‘Suicide Squad’ of 2016 in every way, it’s a genuinely great film! This time, James Gunn (director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies) is at the helm and it seems clear that Warner Bros. basically let him do what he wanted with the movie, as it doesn’t seem to bog itself down with the restrictions of a more family-friendly rating. The result of this is a far cleaner, colourful film with a clearer vision that takes from early Vietnam movies and uses that style to craft a superhero/villain movie that differentiates itself among the copious amount of existing films of the genre. The Suicide Squad wastes very little time, introducing fun, crazy characters we’ve not seen on the big screen before and isn’t worried about killing a whole bunch of them, with standouts being Elba’s Bloodsport, Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2, Stallone’s King Shark (expertly rendered with fantastic visual effects), and Robbie’s returning interpretation of Harley Quinn. A lot of Gunn’s trademark sense of humour is laced throughout and more often than not, it hits. The audience at the cinema were truly loving this movie and I’ll admit, I was right there with them. This mix of the gritty, gory and absurd is not something that should work as well as it does but the basic premise of the film is already so silly (and boy, do they know it) that it just works! Certainly one of the best DC movies since The Dark Knight and one I’d be more than happy to watch again. This is what the modern comic book movie should be: just balls to the wall fun!

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myimaginarywonderland · 3 years

Text

So, for anyone wondering what is happening with Germany, here's a quick summary.

Yesterday we had to elect a new chancellor since Angela Merkel has been in that position for 16 years.

Now, the German parliament might be different than some other countries. We basically have 6 big parties there but from those 2 or three always form a Koalition. Koalitionen are formed so that a chancellor can be elected since we only vote for a party who chooses someone of them as that person. Since a party never has a big enough majority to elect them, multiple parties go together to make that majority.

However, there were basically only three parties who were likely to form a Koalition like this. One party was the CDU, a Christian conservative party that has basically been in a Koalition for as long as I can remember. They were also the party Angela Merkel is from. To replace her they choose Armin Lachet. Now, he is one of the worst choices they could have done because he a.) failed to fold his ballot correctly so that everyone could see who he has voted for which technically is seen as voting fraud since he might influence others with his choice but we just looked over that. B.) He literally can't form a sentence that makes sense or not contradict himself. There have been multiple talks or interviews where he downright was rude and interrupted others and denied statements that he had mad prior to this year.

Another party was the SPD, a social democratic union who wanted to elect Olaf Scholz. Now, he was involved in a financial scandal but other than that, he also just seemed a bit disrespectful or lacking in manners.

The third one was the Green Party with Annalena Baerbock. This party is mainly focused on climate change, making a green future and making it digital. She has been the best choice out of these three since she had clear ambition and was always able to answer questions.

Now, we have three other main parties who are in our parliament.

We have the AfD which has been questioned many times for being extremely right but they somehow always passed. They are homophobic, racist, anti maskers who basically were formed a few years ago and got popular because a lot of people where unhappy with Merkel during the immigrant crisis and voted this party out of protest.

We also have the FDP which claims to be liberal, yet is the textbook example of rich capitalist who just don't really do anything? Sure, they have never really been in power but they also just make empty promises.

And lastly we have Die Linke which is basically the party that is always seen as extremely left because they talk about topics like Gender etc. Many people don't vote for them as they see them as "too progressive."

Now, we have many other smaller parties but sadly none of them have really been able to reach 5% so they don't get a seat in our parliament. However there's great options here and much more fleshed out ones then the people 6 ones but since the main 6 are so established, especially with elder people, we won't see them change anytime soon.

So, yesterday's results showed that the SPD had the most votes overall, very closely followed by the CDU.

Now, both parties wouldn't have enough votes for a majority so they would need to get 1 or two other parties for a Koalition.

The SPD has made it quiet clear that their ideals are too different from the CDU to form one with them, so that leaves them out of the equation.

The AfD is disliked by every party and all have refused to cooperate with them which also means they aren't an option.

Die Linke sadly didn't reach the 5% mark. However they still got in since you need 3 Direktmandate or 5%. For anyone wondering what a Direktmandat is, this basically means that a Candidate of that party won in a certain region (they got the most votes and would be elected as a representative of that region.) Since they scored so low and barely got in, they also aren't an option which you guessed it only leaves the FDP and the Green party.

Now, before I continue I want to explain a bit more and what I touched upon in the last paragraph. When we have a federal election, you get two votes. The first is directly for a representative of a party from your region and doesn't influence the general vote as much. However this vote can secure certain people of parties a place in the parliament. The second vote is the important one since with that you vote for a party which will then elect the chancellor. So, there will be different vote results because there's two votes.

Going back to the original point, we know now that only 4 parties could form a Koalition. And it needs three of those to form a majority.

The options for that Koalition would be the SPD, the Green Party and the FDP (which is also known as Ampel Koalition which basically means traffic light Koalition since the SPD is red, the Green Party green and the FDP yellow.) This would not be ideal however it would be what the majority of votes represent and would want (this is more left than the last Koalition and would mean that the people who voted based on climate change would hopefully be listened to.) When forming a Koalition it is important to note that certain goals of the parties will be compromised since they all tend to aim for different things which means you should form a Koalition with the parties that least make you compromise your goals. This coalition would mean that Olaf Scholz becomes chancellor which would not be ideal but the Green and SPD would mean that climate politics might actually become serious and they also have more similarities. We would still have the FDP which sucks but at least two other better/good parties.

The second option would be the CDU, the Green Party and the FDP, also known as Jamaica Koalition because the CDU is black. Now, this is what a lot of us don't want because a.) We dislike the CDU and know they won't do shit and b.) We know the FDP also won't do shit. Furthermore this would mean that Armin Lachet becomes chancellor which is bad. Additionally, the Green Party would completely lose credibility since they only gained so many votes because of their climate ideals which would all not be meet should this happen (the CDU doesn't care and the FDP is capitalist, so they wouldn't do some of the major changes the Green Party wants to do.)

For now, we don't know who will be chancellor or which of these options will happen since the FDP and the Green Party want to talk with each other first and then approach the SPD/CDU. Since they are smaller but still know that there decision is the decided, they want to first look which party most likely fits them. However, Christian Lindner, who is the head of the FDP had already said that they think the SPD is too far left which is why a lot of us are worried. (I would also like to point out that that statement is complete bullshit but you probably already got that from my tone. The SPD is left but in reality probably more centre than anything else. The only actual left parties of the big 6 are Die Linke and Die Grünen in my eyes and even the last one is more leaning for me. Might also be because I am very heavily left but yeah.)

We are currently just waiting for the decision and disaster to happen.

#bundestagswahl #german politics

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