#and yet he kelp going till the end

[movietimegirl]

It is a miracle Obi-wan hasn't gone to the dark side, considering what he's gone through.

#obi wan kenobi #qui gon jinn #Satine Kryze #obi wan star wars #anikin skywalker #Padmé Amidala #jedi order #ahoska tano #disney plus #disney+ #he's been through a lot #and yet he kelp going till the end

[mka1098]

I Ask For Your Hand In Marriage

Part 4 - I'm really tired guys I'm sorry

“You’re really annoying.” That was the first thing Percy heard when he woke up. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes; Annabeth had collapsed at the foot of his bed.

“Wow. You’re loving.” he said sarcastically. She groaned into his bedsheets. “No really. You suck.” Annabeth continued. Percy made an offended noise and reached for one of the pillows next to him to throw at her.

“I had to plan your meeting with the next princess and it was so freaking hard.” Annabeth said, swatting the pillow away. She sat up and sighed, looking back at him with an annoyed look. “Why didn’t you just pick Hazel. She was sweet and our kingdoms would have been so powerful together; you know that your dad was hoping for you to marry her right?” She said.

Percy frowned. “She was nice, I’ll say that’s for sure but it just wasn’t right.” He told her. Annabeth huffed.

“I guess that makes sense.” She said begrudgingly. “Plus-” Percy said with a grin. “-she likes one of the animal caretakers in her kingdom. I told her to go for it.” He added. Annabeth's expression softened.

“Did she?” She asked. “I hope.” Percy replied. A small soft and sweet smile made its way onto Annabeth's face. “That’s very sweet of you. Real love should never be thrown out for sake of power or kingdom politics.” She admitted.

Percy nodded but his mind began to wander. Hazel seemed so genuinely sure that he and Annabeth were something. They weren’t, that was for sure but would he rebel against the good of the kingdom just to marry her? Sure, Hazel wasn’t the first born royal so she didn’t have to worry about that part but say Percy did. Though his parents hadn’t ever explicitly told him, Percy knew that he had to produce the next heir to rule. If, if, he and Annabeth were to be something and his parents wanted him to marry a royal princess, would he rebel or would he listen? After all, he had a duty to the people and was the only son.

“If by the end of this you don’t find a wife, I’m going to end you myself.” Annabeth said, snapping Percy out of his thoughts.

“Huh? What?” He said with a playful smirk.

She rolled her eyes and shoved Percy over. “It’s so much work! And the ball, jesus christ I’m going to be buried in work by the time the ball planning comes. Pick a nice one.” She said, looking at him with an intense glare. “I’m not dealing with a bridezilla when the wedding comes around.” That made Percy sputter and his eyes go wide. Sure, wife meant marriage but he didn’t realize everyone was thinking so far ahead and to the wedding itself just yet!

“Wedding?” He cried out. Annabeth raised a brow at him as if to say, are you stupid?

“Yes. Wedding. What you do to legally have a wife.” She said, mocking him playfully. Percy rolled his eyes.

“Wow, thanks for telling me what a wedding is; I didn’t know what it was before.”

“Of course, how could we expect something else?”

Percy frowned at her deeply as she snickered to herself. “I’m tired; you’re annoying. I wanna sleep.” He said, leaning back into his pillows and covers. Annabeth scoffed and threw the pillow back at his face.

“Well me too but I have work to do.” She said.

Percy lifted his hand lazily. “Skip it all.” He told her. Annabeth gave a sharp laugh.

“No, because you are my work. And you’re putting more work on me because you’re an idiot who can’t choose a freaking queen.” She said.

Percy frowned at her. “I can choose a queen.” He defended himself. Annabeth rolled her eyes playfully.

“Tell that to my emails and schedules. DO you know how condescending all of the other royal advisors are? I mean, I know I’m young; you all can stop reminding me.” She complained.

Percy scowled, mentally noting to be extremely passive aggressive with the advisors in the future. “I can though.” Percy continued. “You can do all the queen stuff till I get a girlfriend. You already know what to do; it’s basically what you do now.” Percy said. Annabeth smacked him in the head.

“No. I already told you why we can do that.” She said strictly, still Percy pouted at her. “I think it’s a great idea!” He said.

She looked at him blankly. “Your subjects will beg to differ.” She said drily

With a roll of his eyes, Percy grabbed her arm and pulled her now next to him, only he was under the covers with a ratty old tee shirt and fleece PJ pants while Annabeth wore an olive green jumpsuit. “Nap time.” He announced like a child. She rolled her eyes but snuggled into the cover’s surface.

“But really, you need to think about your future queen or else all my hard work is for nothing.”

“Nap time!”

“Percy…”

“Nap.”

Annabeth looked at him with scolding eyes. Percy pouted. “Oh come on, you know the only person I’ve ever even thought about doing the queen and other stuff while I rule is you. Give me a break!” He cried out.

Annabeth scoffed and sat up, much to his dismay. “You’re not even listening to me.” She said, and tugged on his hair; Percy yelped and batted her hands away.

“Yes, I am!” Percy pouted. Annabeth shook her head. “No you aren’t.” SHe let out a long-suffering sigh.

“I am not allowed to be your queen even take over some of her roles. You have got to get that out of your kelp-filled head.” She tugged on Percy’s hair, shaking her own head of golden locks as Percy shireked.

In total honesty, her words made him feel, deflate, in fact. He didn’t really know why though, it wasn't he didn’t know that. Annabeth had practically beaten it over his head that she couldn’t help him with those duties; it didn’t stop him from relying on her for them and mildly preferring it. Really though, she was his best friend, it would make sense for them to work on ruling an entire kingdom together.

“You’re not listening to me again.” Annabeth’s laughing voice cut through his thoughts. She smiled at him softly.

“As much as I appreciate you thinking I can do all that stuff and as much as I know I’ll do well ruling. I can’t.” Percy nodded. He knew that.

“You need to get up though, for real. And changed.” Annabeth announced, getting off the bed and standing next to the foot of it, much to Percy’s displeasure. He tried reaching for her arms to pull her back into the comforter again but she stepped back and out of his arm’s span.

“Come back!” He whined. Annabeth reached forward with an arm, grabbed his outstretched one and pulled him to the ground in one smooth quick motion.

Percy cried out as he hit the ground, hard and fast. “Get ready for the day.” Annabeth snorted, turning around and walking away. Percy smiled from the ground, spotting her silently shaking shoulders and knew that she was trying hard not to burst out laughing. He apperaticed that she always pushed him to do things, even when he didn’t want to but did it out of love.

Perhaps that one of the reasons Hazel wasn’t right for him or as a queen of his kingdom. Percy liked to have fun, Annabeth could attest for that. He perhaps needed something that wasn’t so nice and would push him to do his best. After all, that was what Annabeth did. He needed a person like Annabeth as his queen. (In his personal opinion he needed Annabeth as queen or at least royal caretaker for the rest of his life). After all, she was one of the few people in his life that lamented that he wasn’t lazy, just unfocused.

“Get off the floor, seaweed brain.”

“Ooh harsh.”

“I mean it!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

#percabeth fanfiction #percabeth #annabeth chase x percy jackson #percy jackson fanfiction #percy jackson #fanfiction #annabeth chase

[robotlit]

“The Hole in the Sand”

Written with the NovelAI alpha. Human text in bold.

[PROMPT: It was the last day of a war, but Jeanie couldn't remember which one. Her passport said she'd come to California just six months ago, carrying a cheap fusion pistol and three tattered fashion magazines. Now the magazines were papered over her scummy motel window, setting coltish women in white satin between Jeanie and the dead.

Jeanie assumed she'd come to California to fight, because fighting was what Jeanie did well. She could amuse herself by imagining  that this wasn't true; maybe she'd told Customs she was here to learn surfing or become a venture capitalist, and maybe she'd really meant it — but then a fight had called and that Jeanie-who-could-have-been got snuffed back into nothing, leaving the Jeanie-who-was with her fusion pistol and a few new scars.

Just as well — it would be awfully rude if they gave a war and nobody came.

Jeanie slipped on her jacket and opened the motel door.] Her eyes followed the key fob up to the front desk. It's always the same old faces, she thought, except these days they're all naked.

The clerk eyed her through the clear plastic sheeting of his screen. His hair was combed so fine it looked like it was made of straw. "Are you going to be long? They don't open for another hour."

"No, I'm staying awhile."

The clerk studied her. "You must be French," he said finally.

"French is pretty close."

He wrote her a key tag. "Have a good evening." He walked out.

In the hallway, Jeanie saw a uniformed doorman talking to someone behind him. The guy didn't look happy. Probably the cops, she thought. No surprise there. She turned down the hall.

They can put us in prison for looking at the porno magazines, she thought. Why aren't they keeping an eye on us?

She walked past them, trying to look unconcerned. This was the last day of the war — why wasn't there a parade? There were no flags, no banners, no medals. Just two men with guns walking down a sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon. Jeanie tried not to think about the war.

It was a long walk back to her car. The sun hadn't moved much, which made it hard to keep track of time. The freeway was crawling with cars and trucks heading north; the sky above was a dirty smudge yellow. She had her phone on her seat next to her bag, but she never felt comfortable turning it on. She should have left it somewhere in her room, she thought.

Jeanie pulled off the freeway onto an exit ramp. In the distance, she saw a long line of cars standing at the entrance to the tunnel. Traffic was building up.

I'm getting out of town, she thought.

*

"If you're a soldier, then you might as well jump into the ocean." That's what a marine had said to her once.

"That's probably what they want you to do," she'd replied. "I don't think I could find my way home even if I jumped out of a plane."

And that's how she found herself here — where the sun hung low in the west and the ocean water gleamed like a mirror, and the air smelled of salt and kelp and the seaweed that grew along the shore. Jeanie checked her phone: it was 4:59. One minute until the war ended. Whichever war it happened to be.

She went down to the ocean edge and stretched out on the beach. This is the way we do things now, she thought. Here, everything looks different — or more important. This was an important war. And it will end. It just won't be the way it started. The people who died in the fighting will die for a reason. If they were right, then this war was good for something.

For one moment, Jeanie thought of her father. Then she thought about the battle.

They had attacked the Uhlans base, a heavily fortified facility on the coast, with a heavy anti-ship missile launcher. They had tried to take it by storm, but the machine guns and missiles had kept them pinned down. It was the longest siege in history, and the Uhlans had suffered severe damage.

The battle ended when, after a few days of bitter fighting, Uhlans forces surrendered. But they didn't surrender completely. A lot of the men who'd gone to fight still refused to withdraw. When the sun came up, they had thrown down their weapons and run.

Uhlans soldiers got all the way to the front door of the base, but there was nothing left inside except wreckage and the bodies of Uhlans. Their commander had been killed, and he'd been torn to pieces by his troops. Most of the civilians were dead, too. None of the Uhlans had taken prisoners.

The dead Uhlans were piled up in a large hole on the side of the base. At first, the surviving Uhlans thought they were all dead, too. But they weren't. They'd been put into the same hole, and some of them had lived.

Jeanie sat on the sand in the sunlight and watched. One of the soldiers climbed out of the hole and walked over to her.

"Did you like the war?" the man asked.

She nodded. "I liked it a lot."

"It was the first time I ever did anything other than defend my base."

"Was it hard?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't say that. There were just so many things to worry about."

Jeanie shook her head. There was no hole and no soldier. Just the ocean and one minute until armistice.

She turned away from the ocean and looked at the sand. The soldiers who had survived the war were waiting for her to join them.

Her father had fought in a similar war, long ago. He'd done it on his own terms, not with others' approval. Her grandfather had fought in a different war; her mother hadn't even been old enough to know what was going on. They'd both died in it.

The war she'd fought on her own — because she'd wanted to, because it was something to do, or because it seemed like fun — wasn't very important. But this one? She wondered if it would be more important than any of the others.

She picked up her bag and went down to the water's edge. She knelt down, looking across the beach. The bodies of Uhlans lay on the sand, half-buried in the white sand.

Jeanie closed her eyes. She was supposed to forget things that happened — not remember things that hadn't. That was how it was supposed to work.

But sometimes, things came back. And she couldn't forget the men who'd died in the war. Not yet.

She opened her eyes. It was dark now. She stretched out her arms and legs and felt the hot sand shift beneath her. She stood up and walked over to the hole. The air was cool against her skin.

"Where are we?" she said.

They laughed. "You're the first one to find us," one of them said.

She stepped into the hole. The walls were covered with moss and seaweed. "What are we doing here?" she asked.

One of them pulled her inside. "We're the lucky ones," he said. "The others tried to pull you down with them, but we got here first."

Jeanie looked around. "I don't feel very lucky," she said. She thought about the Uhlans who'd died in the fight. "There was something wrong with this war."

The other soldiers laughed. "Yeah, right," one of them said. "It wasn't as good as your dream, was it? You know, you're the only person alive who doesn't want to kill people anymore."

"That can't be right. The fighting's over."

"No, it's not. It never really stops. We'll have to keep doing it till there's nothing left."

"Like a game," another said. "Only everyone loses."

"Yes, exactly," the leader said. "A game." He stood up. "You'd better run. This isn't your fight."

Jeanie didn't move. She listened to their words. They sounded like they knew what she was going to do.

"You're going to fight in the war again," the leader said. "And then you'll die."

Jeanie stared at him. "Why?"

"Because that's the way it's always been. You've always fought the same way, and now it's your turn to fight. Your enemy is the future. That's why you're still alive."

"Where are we?" Jeanie said. "How did we get here?"

The leader shook his head. "I don't know, and I don't care." He walked over to her. "But if you ever go back, just remember this: you'll always be here. Whenever you come back, it'll be like the end of the world. Nobody will ever know where you came from. You'll never be found."

Jeanie stared at him. "Did you fight in the war?" she asked.

"No." He shrugged. "Maybe I did once. Maybe I was just a Uhlans soldier. I'm not sure."

"What happened to us?"

"Some of us got out. We'll probably never see each other again, but when the next war starts, we'll be waiting. Waiting for you. All of us."

The wind blew across the beach. It brought with it the scent of salt and kelp. The sun was setting, and darkness had fallen over the world.

"Will we die?" Jeanie asked.

"Of course," the leader said. "All of us. All of us in this ocean, and all of us in the sky, and all of us underground. If there's any room left to breathe, we'II keep breathing until we're all gone. In the end, we'II all be dead."

She stood up and looked at him. "I'm going back now." She started walking down the beach.

"Wait," he said. "We can make this easier for you."

Jeanie stopped. "What do you mean?"

"Look around you. This war is over. Now it's our turn. Come with me, and we'II take you back home."

#novelai #robotlit

[wasalwaysagreatpickle]

Monday 11 August 1828

5 1/4

9 10/60

Off in a chaise (or rather on the bar no dickey and very rough work over rough road) for Holy Island at 6 35/60 – drove along the narrow neck of land, but instead of being obliged to go to the end of it, to the small house called Old [Law] the water being down, turn off at some distance drove along the sands, and at 7 40/60 leave the chaise to wait for me, and in 2 or 3 minutes step into a little boat (4 men) which with a sail up and side wind landed me on the island in 5 minutes perhaps 100 yards from the old abbey on the hill – the ruins not large – several bits of new walling to keep up what remains now the property of H.C. Selby Esquire of Swansfield near Alnwick – ‘the Tower’ (vide Mackenzie 1 316/499 quoted from Hutchinson’s ‘View of Northumberland’) ‘has not formed a lantern, as in most cathedrals; but from the angles arches sprang, crossing each other diagonally, to form a canopy roof. One of those arches yet remains unloaded with any superior structure, supported by the south-east and north-west corner pillars, and ornamented with the dancette or zig-zag moulding….extending a fine bow over the chasm and heap of ruins occasioned by the falling in of the aisles’. ‘the whole structure of soft red freestone, which yields much to time’ – ‘in the north and south walls some pointed arches – length of building about 138 foot breadth of body 18 foot and that of the 2 side aisles about 9 foot each – It seems doubtful whether there ever was a transept. The Tower of the church stands in the centre, and was supported by 2 large arches standing diagonally’ – the one arch standing ornamented something similar to that of the Stranger’s hall at Canterbury’ – 

Niceish little village – ‘the island contains 100 houses (suppose they are all in the village see no others) and 7 little Inns.’ Mackenzie i 315/499 – the key stone of the tower-arch above [named] seems loose – the arch will down by and by if not repaired? – in passing the little Inn close to the abbey, the Crown and Anchor, Georgina Rankin, the landlady came out and very civilly asked me in to see some drawings of the abbey – very nice civil woman – ordered breakfast, and set off to the castle – 

1/4 hour walking there – barrelling herrings – the great square (3 or 4 yards square by 1/2 yard deep) pickling tubs standing empty along the shore – a stratum of salt then of herrings, till the tub is filled – thus left to pickle – 

No soldiers in the castle which looks like what it was a regular barrack – the guns taken away – only one family lives there to take care of the place – fine perpendicular rock accessible only by a path cut on the southern side – fine view along the sea and island – Bamborough castle and the Farne islands 2 groups of little islands and rocks to the number of 17. ‘319/499 – all let for £16 a year produce kelp so few feathers and a few seals which the tenant watches and shoots – Eider duck, there – 10 minutes at the castle, and back to the little Inn in 1/4 hour 8 50/60 – speltered (i.e. a little pepper and salt thrown on) herring broiled, and tea and good bread and butter – cannot charge 1/. [shilling] – the woman much pleased with 6 pence additional for the waiter (herself) – her 1st husband a lieutenant in the navy – had the fencibles at Blyth (near here) – her present husband a pilot – her father built her this house – he died about 30 years ago, was master of the Airdgow 74 Captain Knowles – her maiden name Lilburn, sister to that Captain Lilburn (commander) of the Goshawk who was killed in gallantly cutting vessels out of the Malaga – asked how she came to keep this little Inn and marry a pilot – in an Inn must have a husband and was not well left – had another brother a midshipman – nice small house enough – used to let it for 3 guineas a week – now nobody comes for bathing – for 1 person would charge 25/. [shillings] per week, and for a servant 15/. [shillings] if 3 or 4 persons a guinea each – finding their own tea and sugar – 

Off from the Inn at 9 25/60 – a little lake on the island covering 7 acres – the north part a sand bank as it were – the south tolerably green and fertile – sandy coast – the sand completely blown over the north part of the island now and then and covers everything – the distant appearance reminds one of the sand banks near Forres, or of Coll? –

On board the little boat again at 9 1/2, and over in 7 minutes without rowing – but with sail and side wind – changed 5/. [shillings] the woman prepared me for this – said she herself should have to pay 2/. [shillings]. Reseated on the chaise-bar at 9 3/4 – drove 3/4 hour on the sands, and alighted at the little Inn, Castle Inn, Bamborough, at 10 55/60 – 35 minutes there – 

Dressing my hair and having a little motion did a little too before setting off – 

Niceish, good little village – good, old church – the castle rock bold, high, quite perpendicular towards the village – the castle and its walls very imposing and towering on much ground – rock high towards the sea – 150 foot above low water mark - green, and steeply sloping vide Mackenzie i. 30 & 403/499 et seq. – built by Ida – Bibbanburgh in honour of his wife Bibba – 3 Roman denarii one of them a Vespasian found here – saw the great tower – the court-room, library very little of the old building remaining and that wants doing up – etc. [under] a very comfortable living house – entered the gate mounted 70 steps (went along the carriage road leaving the horses to bait) and then (at 11 38/60) came to the level of the great court, great square tower 4 storeys 16 or 20 yards square?) school-houses etc. – ascend 16 steps more (at the higher end of the court), and get upon the walls – can walk about 1/2 round – fine views – the little bay and port of Budle (pronounced Buddle) just below (south) much corn shipped from there – 30 girls in the school – live at the castle – great many more out in the village etc. – about 100 boys there (as I understand living in the castle) – no hospital, only a surgery kept for the good of the neighbourhood and a surgeon to attend twice a week – shops for groceries and meal – as vide yesterday – 

Back to the Inn, and off at 12 35/60 low country along the coast – cross a very little bit of the sands – low sand-hill coast all along – the midst of corn harvest – earlier than any part of Scotland by 10 days or a fortnight? – Belford nice little town, but so low cannot be seen till you are close upon it – the church 1/2 down – going to almost rebuild it –

Get back to the Bell Inn, a very comfortable Inn, Belford at 1 40/60 near an hour obliged to mend my things – 

my black petticoat bottom – 

Paid my bill etc. from 2 40/60 to 3 50/60 wrote out the above of today – [room] outside by the mail – to be off in 10 minutes – arrives here by this time at 3 20/60 dines and off in 1/2 hour – on the coachbox and off at 4 – changed horses 1/2 way in 2 minutes, and arrived, and in the house (the White Swan) Alnwick (15 miles) at 5 25/60 – view of the sea almost all the way – ditto of Bamborough castle and for some time of the Farne islands – Saw 1 of the Leith steamers passing from Leith – they said, but to me apparently to Leith – while at Bamborough saw a small steamer going Leithwards – both of them going very slowly – not very good land about Belford or along the road coming here – light, and cold, and wettish? – low flat all down to the sea – one road chiefly along the high ground at some distance from the sea – from the hill at the last turnpike about 2 1/2 miles from Alnwick, fine view of the town and its castle – at a distance (left) Howick, standing high out from among the trees, Lord Grey – on inquiring if it was too late to see Alnwick castle (the Aln (a good, dark brown) runs at its foot) – yes! the family there – not shew after 9 a.m. – 

Dinner at 6 to 6 50/60 – settle accounts – very fine day – go to my room at 8 20/60 -

#anne lister #1828 #anne lister code breaker #holy island

[opheliathedreamer-blog]

OKCryptid // Pt. 4 { Merrow }    

You scrolled through her profile for what seemed like the twentieth time that afternoon. Her name was Mara. She loved the ocean (of course) and lived with her brother, Murtagh, on the bay. She loved to sing and watch sunsets and kiss in the rain. Her profile also stated that she was extroverted and preferred a significant other “with which to share life’s excitement.” You were rather shy by nature; you preferred to listen rather than rant, and it was a bit hard for you to initiate relationships, romantic or otherwise. That was why you worked at an assistant living facility. Most of the elderly were eager to share their stories and, when they weren’t, they appreciated your companionable silence.

You were, however, so taken with Mara that you wanted to initiate a conversation. But how?

After a few moments of worrying your bottom lip, you typed a message and nervously tapped send.

        You: Hello! I saw that I matched with you

        You: Mara is a beautiful name

A minute or two passed before you received a reply.

        Mara: Thank you

        Mara: so is Y/N

        You: Thank you

        You: I saw that you like to sing

        You: What songs?

        Mara: Songs in Gaeilge mostly

        Mara: It reminds me and my brother of home

You weren’t exactly an expert on Merrows. You just knew that they were a bit different than the average mermaid and that they originated from the shores of Ireland. Living so far from home must have been difficult for them, you thought.

        You: I would love to hear you sing sometime

        You: Do you miss home?

        Mara: We miss it sorely, but we visit as often as we can

        Mara: And business is better out here

        Mara: We get more money for pearls and don’t have to compete with                       other Merrows

        You: There’s also a small community of mer-people here

        You: I hope they’ve been kind to you

        Mara: That they have ^^

        Mara: We’re mighty fond of our selkie cousins too

Despite your trepidations regarding your reserved nature, you two had quite a bit to talk about. You discussed your music preferences and shared with her links to songs from your own culture, which she seemed to thoroughly enjoy. You also revealed that you loved staring at the ocean but were always too fearful of swimming too far past the shallows. You hated not knowing what was beneath you— sharks, giant squid, less benevolent species of mer-people. You had read reports of factions that still ate humans.

        Mara: Lol small blame for that

        Mara: You were born and reared on land

        Mara: But the ocean is a right beautiful place

        Mara: No more dangerous than your forests or caves with the proper                     guide

        You: Perhaps you could show me

        Mara: Perhaps I could

Before you knew it, you had scheduled a meeting with her for the end of the week. And, although she seemed fairly easy-going and kind, you couldn’t help but run through scenarios in your head of possible things that could go wrong, especially since she’d invited you to join her in the water. You knew for an aquatic creature that was no small thing. It meant that they wanted to share their world with you. Not only did the show of trust humble you, but your childhood fears also reared their tentacled heads.

Finally, after days of mental gymnastics, and hours of pondering what swimsuit to wear, you finally left and made the drive to the docks. It took you a while to find the siblings’s store, Sea Gem Exchange. When you did, a selkie named Mackenzie pointed you to the footpath that led to the boat.

It was painted a striking emerald green. On board, nestled in between what you assumed were crab cages and fishing lines were buckets filled with oysters. You searched the languidly swaying waves for Mara.

“Ey, what’re ye doin’ here?”

The barked inquiry caused you to jump. A male Merrow stood glaring at you from the boat’s prow. His wild green hair, half-buried under a feathered red cap, ruffled in the light breeze, and you could see that his crooked nose was flushed in stark contrast to his scaled body. His eyes were large and dark, almost black in color, and when he spoke again you saw that his serrated teeth were long and a lighter shade of green than his scales.

“Ye gonna gawk all day, bodach? What are ye doin’ here?”

You swallowed thickly and adjusted the bag slung from your shoulder. “I, uh, wanted to see Mara. Are you Murtagh?”

He crossed his finned arms over his chest. “Oo wants t’know?”

You hesitantly padded closer to the docked vessel. “My name’s Y/N. I met Mara online. She invited me out to the bay today, said she wanted to show me something. I’m sorry if I’ve come at a bad time. If you want, I can—”

With a growl, he stalked towards the boat’s starboard side. “Mara! Cad faoi sa diabhal a bhfuil sé ag caint? Gabh anseo!” When he didn’t receive an immediate answer, he swung his legs over the railing and dived in.

You fidgeted in place for several moments. You didn’t want to cause a fuss, especially with her brother, but you had been looking forward to meeting her in person. Maybe she had forgotten today was the day? Or maybe you had gotten it wrong? You pulled out your phone, and you were about to check your calendar notifications before a series of splashes stole your attention.

Murtagh, still sputtering in his native tongue, had emerged along with a more delicate, yet just as stalwart, figure. The female Merrow’s face was heart-shaped and covered with delicate scales of light chartreuse, which glistened along with the water droplets that decorated her like jewels. Her hair, in contrast to her brother’s, was in an elaborate braid laced with bits of seashells, but her eyes were just as dark and her teeth just as sharp.

“Feck off wid ye!” she said. “Ye told me I could do what I pleased an’ ye wouldn’t bother me none.”

“Twas afore ye brought them.” He gestured to you, and you couldn’t help but wince. “Yer right thick in the head not ta have learned yer lesson. What’ll ye do? Wait till they have ye trapped, forced ta care fer hearth ‘n home widout a glimpse o’ the sea? The surface hasn’t nearly changed so much as ye think.”

“Deartháir, yer makin’ a holy show o’ yerself.”

“Obv’ously not enough.” He roughly exhaled. “We’ve been through this afore. I jus’ don’t want—”

Mara’s eyes narrowed. When she spoke, her dulcet tones, although cool, lashed with all the force of waves upon rock. “Not another word. Now, go ‘way from around us. We’ll talk later. I’ll not be havin’ ye scare ‘em off.”

Murtagh glanced at his sister, then at you, then his sister again. Finally, he waved his hands up in the air with a hiss. “If I be right, don’t come cryin’ ta me.”

You watched as he climbed back onto the boat, first by using his muscular arms and then his legs once they separated from a tail back into two limbs. Mara glared after him before glancing at you with a furrowed brow. You readjusted your bag’s strap as a means of distraction. You felt awful that you were the cause of so much trouble.  

“I’m mortified that ye had ta see tha’.”

You forced a smile in order to reassure her. “It’s all right. He just sounded concerned, and I know a lot of individuals like you are still trying to adjust to being out in the open like this.” You sheepishly rubbed the back of your neck. “I’ve also heard that humans and mer-creatures don’t exactly have the best history.”

“Yer right, but that doesn’t mean that both sides can’t work ta fix things.” She offered you a hesitant half-smile. “I understand if ye want ta leave. Murtagh can be a real arse… an’ I know how ye feel about the water.”

Your expression softened into one that was a bit more genuine. The hope in her eyes told you that she wanted this to work just as much as you did. “You said the ocean could be beautiful with the proper guide. I’d still love to have you show me, if you’re still offering.”

Her smile widened as she nodded. “That I am.”

You left your bag on the docks and gingerly slipped into the water. The briny waves were cold but, after the initial shock wore off, you found them to be a bit more comfortable than you expected. Mara beamed at you and offered her hand. Small claws decorated each lithe fingertip and between each finger was a thin, cream-colored webbing. You placed your hand within her own, noting how slick it was.

“Ye ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

You slid your diving mask into place. Giggling, Mara pulled you underneath the waves. The water enveloped both of your bodies like a silk cocoon, and what sunlight pierced through made her emerald tail and finned back shimmer.

She showed you forests of golden brown and sea green kelp, where fish of myriad sizes and shapes darted to and fro. She demonstrated where her favorite animals, red starfish, dwelled on barnacle-covered rocks and where the stingrays loved to burrow themselves in the silt. She showed you where she had grabbed that day’s catch of oysters and, after she warned you to take in a large breath of air, she wrapped an arm around your waist and led you through a hollowed rock, in which anemones waved as you both passed by.

You emerged for air, Mara by your side, and laughed lightly to yourself as you raked your hair out of your eyes. She had definitely won that bet. The ocean was beautiful with the proper guide, and you hadn’t thought about something charging from the depths and biting you the entire time she was with you.

“Savage, isn’t it?”

“It’s stunning. You see all of that every day?”

“I do.” She grinned, glancing downward. “But it’s better ta have someone ta share it with. Thanks a million fer stickin’ ‘round.”

“A sea tour with a beautiful woman. I can’t think of anything better.” You mustered up the courage to wrap your arms around her neck. “Thank you, Mara. I had a lot of fun today.”

You were relieved when you heard her tinkling laughter and felt her arms return the embrace. Her head nestled into the crook of your neck. “Maybe we can do this again?”

“I think that sounds wonderful.”

As you swam back towards the docked vessel, you asked Mara the question that had been on your mind ever since her altercation with her brother: Why had he seemed so upset upon seeing you? In response, Mara sighed. Her eyelids drooped, and her bottom lip quivered. You feared she was going to cry but, when she spoke, her voice was painfully level.

“I made a mistake a while ago, dated a man who wasn’t the full shilling.” Her fingertips toyed with strands of her hair. “He’d throw shapes if things weren’t jus’ right, if I didn’t act a certain way. An’ if bed was work, he’d sleep on the floor.” She chuckled bitterly. “He wanted me ta be his perfect little wife an’ wait on ‘im hand ’n foot. When I finally got wise wid me brother’s help, I told ‘im I was leavin’. He…” She trailed off, and her eyes clenched shut. Her fingertips trailed upward to rest against the brim of her red cap.

You frowned. “Mara, you don’t have to tell me. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that that happened to you.” If your sister had been in a relationship like that, you’d be a smidgen over-protective, too.

She was silent for several moments before continuing, “Do ye know how significant this hat is ta us?”

“I don’t know much about Merrows, but I can hazard a guess. Red signifies magic in many cultures. Does it have something to do with your shape-shifting?”

Mara nodded. “It’s a cohuleen druith. We’re like our cousins the selkies that way. If one were ta steal it from us, we could never return ta the sea. We’d be helpless.” Her lips pursed. “The man I was wid tried ta steal it from me. That’s why me brother’s so hostile. He’s scared… An’ small blame to ‘im. Here I am wid another human.”

“Mara,” you began quietly. You waited until she looked you in the eye before continuing, “What happened to you was terrible. You and your brother have every right to be angry, but why would I want to take you away from your home, especially after you’ve shown me how beautiful it is?” Her eyes welled with unshed tears when you placed a hand on her shoulder. “Real relationships are always based on equality. I want to be a part of your world, and I would never take you away from it. And if you’d like, I’d be happy to show you mine, but only on your terms. I want you to be happy, Mara.”

Sniffing, she released a shaky chuckle. “You’re so true blue it hurts me.”

“I meant every word,” you reassured. You briefly hesitated before adding, “And I just wanted to say, if you were ever interested in starting a relationship with me, we’ll go as slow as you’d like. I’m in no rush, and I certainly don’t expect you to meet any pre-determined standard. I just want to spend time with you.”

A smile bloomed on her features, hopeful and hesitant. “Ye promise?”

“Promise.”

When you returned to the boat, Murtagh was observing the two of you with a suspicious eye. You climbed back onto the dock, and Mara followed after grabbing a spare towel to cover herself.

You turned to face her brother. “Murtagh?”

“What?” He scowled.

“I think Mara’s very lucky to have a brother that cares as much as you do.” His glower fizzled out of existence, and he blinked, suspicious and confused. “When I come back, maybe we could all have dinner together? Mara told me you like crab, and I still have my mother’s recipe for crab cakes. I’d love for you to try some.”

He shared a brief glance with his sister before turning back to you with a curt nod. “So long as ye don’t burn ‘em. Ye have yerself a deal.” It was a start.

Before you walked back to your car, Mara granted you one last hug. “Ye’d better come back soon.”

“Hey, I made a promise, didn’t I?” You each parted with more than a little hesitation. “Until next time.”

“Until next time, a mhuirnín.”

Notes on Gaeilge Translations: 

bodach: clown 

Cad faoi sa diabhal a bhfuil sé ag caint? Gabh anseo: What the hell are they saying? Come here! 

deartháir: brother 

cohuleen druith: enchanted cap 

a mhuirnín: my darling 

@thetravelerwrites

#OKCryptid #OKCryptid collab #exophilia #female monster x gender neutral reader #merrow x reader #I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it! #I'm always down for a chance to explore my native culture #also would anyone be willing to see Murtagh have his own story? #I'm growing a bit attached to him already

[swyllh]

[chan] reYear

title: reYear

premise: you and Chan talk about the possibility of revisiting a year. 

pairing: reader x chan / reader x dino

genre: sci-fi (ish), fluff, romance

word count: 1398

"Joshua's staying on in the year," you say, working the till. 

Chan shrugs - he's been doing a lot of that lately. You wonder if it's because of school ending, or because the cold December air always tastes dry and lonesome. Especially this close to New Year's in a bitter little market.

"He's not really staying the year," Chan corrects you. "He'll come back to 2019 when the Sim is over."

An android unceremoniously dumps their groceries in front of you. You quirk a smile and start helping them.

"Well, not if he has enough money to repeat this year," you say. "For, like, a million years."

Chan shrugs. "He'll run out of money anyhow."

You shudder; rent is still unpaid. "Would you stay on in a year?"

The android starts beeping irritably. You rush to scan the barcode on its belly. Chan chuckles at your many terrified apologies. The android beams at you once you're done, and zooms out of the lane. So much for positive reinforcement.

"Nah," Chan says, "I don't have the money. 'Sides, everything's just prototypes right now."

"Like the Personal Help Android that was just approved?" you incline your head towards the exit, where the bumbling android had vanished.

"It's not the same," Chan says. "That's physical."

"The Simulation has machines, like, for the brain and little pods," you quip.

Chan waves your brain pods away. "But those are just prototypes. And -"

You lean over the divider. "So you would if it weren't a prototype?"

"It's like gaming for one year," He shrugs again. "Again, I don't have the money."

You roll your eyes and start tapping on the metal divider between your counters. "Like, practical stuff aside, would you? If you could."

Chan continues bagging the latest shipment of organic kelp and tagging them. You watch him struggle with the tangled mess. He's really grown into the tacky beige uniform - the folds of his shirt no longer droop around bony shoulders but rather stretch quite tautly around his figure. Strange how things change in just a year.

(And in the next, too.)

"Nah," he finally says, "it's not really worth it."

"Really?" you ask, even as another customer scoots over to your lane. "Good evening."

"Yeah, it's just a Sim," Chan says.

You smile at the lady before you and proceed to scan through their groceries. Cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, coffee powder on sale... lube? The last item is a bit fishy, but you pretend not to notice as you scan it. The final beep turns out a little softer than usual, and you wonder if the store's finally done some A.I. upgrading.

"Twenty five sixty, thank you, have a nice day," you say politely, and then turn to Chan. "But you could redo everything in the year."

"So you would?" Chan throws the question back at you.

You hesitate for a moment. The reYear Simulation's a big new invention on the horizon - 'new year, still me; master of your fate' - something like virtual reality, allowing people second chances. Word on the tweet is that they're looking at expanding into the future too. But just being able to manipulate one entire year's worth of memories, branching into every crook and cranny of the earth... It makes you a little dizzy.

"Maybe," you say, looking away. "It's always interesting to look at different possibilities."

Chan doesn't reply.

"Anyway, I'm still short on rent," you say cheerfully, meeting his gaze. "And -"

The look stops you short. There are times where Chan does this thing, like when he's dancing, or when he's rapping, and he's training all of his focus on it. It's the kind of look that multiplies; his determination narrows, sharpens to a needling point on your face.

There's something to be said about the concentration. It's beautiful, like raw power. You hold your breath, afraid that the moment will collapse into banal routine once more.

"What would you do again?" Chan says, so softly - you don't think you even saw his mouth move.

"Huh?"

"What would you do again?"

You falter. There are a lot of things. Like. Um. Paying rent on time. Or taking up that animation course as an elective. But you'd still be working here, of course. You don't think you'd go out of your way to change things that drastically.

"I don't know," you end up saying. "But it sounds..."

"Luxurious?" Chan snorts, leaning against the divider.

You move back a little. "Sorry for being middle-class."

"But you would stay back while everyone else moved on," he says. You wonder if it's rhetorical, or if the lights in the market are just naturally... sombre.

"Right, but maybe there are some things to relive. Because they'll be gone when the year ends."

"Like what?"

You scowl; Chan always makes it hard for you. "Like, people you've met."

"Friends?" Chan raises an eyebrow.

You shrug. "Sure."

"They're not friends if they leave," Chan says.

You laugh. "That's not... never mind."

"Is someone leaving you?" Chan asks, curiosity rearing its ugly head.

"Kind of," you say vaguely, and turn back to your register.

Chan doesn't read the atmosphere at all. "Well, that sucks. They suck."

"God," you sigh, "do you know how ironic you're being right now?"

"Ironic?"

You total up the bills from today at your counter, tapping irately at your till. The night's almost over anyway, and your shift anti-climatically only ends at 12:30am. 

"[Y/N], do you mean I'm leaving, or did I get the meaning of irony wrong?" Chan says over your shoulder.

You curse his height. "I have friends from... university who are graduating and moving... elsewhere."

Chan pauses. "Am I one of them?"

"Yes," you say, exhaling gently. "Look, you have to chase your dreams and get out of this sciency fort."

"I will."

You furrow your brows, and turn back to Chan. "That's right."

"But it doesn't mean I'm going to just cut myself out of your life," he says.

"I don't do long distance," you blurt out, before retracting, "I mean, in general. Like, friendships."

(Your face must be on fire right now.)

Chan gives you a look. It's kind of indecipherable.

"You have to admit," you say wryly, "we're kind of friends because of geographical proximity."

"Technically, we're coworkers," Chan says.

You nod furiously, "Yeah, see-"

"- but we became friends," Chan continues as though you haven't just interrupted. And then, steeling himself, he says, "And that's because I like you."

You still.

The appearance of another android saves you from answering. You turn back to serve it, if only to haphazardly store ice bags in its designated vegetable pouch. It seethes in that weirdly automated cutesy manner. You apologise again, but Chan doesn't laugh.

It's probably because you were having a heartfelt, platonic moment. Like, like as in friend-like. You fight the urge to slam your head against the counter in front of a disgruntled customer.

When the android zooms away, it's still waving a mechanical fist and beeping indignantly. All that for an ice bag.

Chan waits for you to turn back around. "I'm not going to leave you."

But it'll never end up as anything more. "You're going to make it big, I can tell."

"You too," Chan says sincerely, and it makes you want to melt out of the mall. "We'll keep in touch."

You take a deep breath. "Sure. I like you too."

You don't know what you expected, but it's definitely not Chan looking like he just got punched in the gut. You back away, and Chan startles back into reality.

"No," he says, and you think that maybe you should just call it a day. "Wait, give me a moment."

You do. He goes back to bagging kelp. The seconds tick by uneasily between your counters. You pretend to immerse yourself in unnecessary accounting and wiping at the credit card terminal.

"[Y/N]," Chan calls.

You turn round stiffly. "Yeah?"

Chan looks nervous, his hands full of black, wilting kelp. It's quite a sight. You stifle a laugh, but even he can tell he looks ridiculous. In the end, he breaks out into a smile and dumps the kelp on his counter.

"I like you," he says.

You're still giggling. Winded, you say, "I like you too. Happy New Year."

"It's not New Year yet-"

"Shh, it's New Year in, like, Australia."

#seventeen #seventeen imagines #dino imagines #chan imagines #lee chan #dino #happy new year!! #a bit of #scifi #but mostly just fluff #i wanted to explore like being able to revisit a year and stuff but like lmao im lazy

[ewh111]

Annual List of Favorite Film Experiences: The 2020 Pandemic Version

Happy new year! So happy to finally arrive at 2021! All the best for a much better new year!!

What a year it was. Since March 12, I've spent 98% of my time within the confines of my condo. The good thing is that as a natural introvert, I have not yet gone stir crazy. I get plenty of social interaction via Zoom. And as a type-2 diabetic, I have been especially careful, staying at home, going out only for essential work or errands, like groceries. I'm grateful that my extended family connected more through the pandemic via weekly 90 minute Zoom family check-ins.

After just two months of work from home, I surpassed the longest time I hadn't been on a plane in over 15 years. (In 2019, I took 42 flights--15 of them international; in 2020, just eight, all prior to the first week of Feb.) As someone who typically travels a lot for work, it's strange to be so stationary. But I'm not complaining. Without the daily commute, travel, and regular schedule of evening and weekend events, I've quietly appreciated the ability to get more sleep, find time to exercise, and even lose some weight. As I reflect upon the past year, I choose to look at the silver-lining and see this period as a positive, massive macro re-balancing of my life.

When things do get back to some semblance of normalcy, the ones who will have the most difficulty adjusting will be these two girls, Freddy and Maxie, who have been so spoiled with attention over the past 10 months.

Now onto this year's favorite film experiences.

What a strange year for film. The last time I experienced a communal movie-going experience was at the Sundance Film Festival back in January. Since 2020 will be remembered as the year of an uber-significant election and home confinement, it seems appropriate to begin this year's conversation with these two themes: democracy and geography, aka places we couldn't travel to.

LESSONS IN DEMOCRACY

Boys State

One of most riveting experiences is my favorite film from the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. This documentary follows four participants in the Texas edition of the week-long Boys State program. The filmmakers lucked out by selecting four boys whose journeys turned out to have fascinating dramatic arcs during the week. What unfolds is a totally engaging microcosm of the political dynamics in the rising generation of voters in America. Trailer: https://youtu.be/E1Kh_T5ZBIM

Hamilton

What a delightful escape from confinement and inability to see live theater by revisiting the stage musical phenomenon via the viewpoints of multi-cameras. It was a new way to appreciate the words, the music, the choreography, and staging of this remarkable work about Alexander Hamilton and his fellow founding fathers. Trailer: https://youtu.be/6s9sNvkjpI0

What the Constitution Means to Me

Missing live theater? Here's another gem to take in. Fast-paced, funny, deeply personal, and defiant, playwright Heidi Schreck plays herself in a mostly one-person show, revisiting her days as a teenager debating the meaning of the Constitution in dingy American Legion halls, linking her personal family history to our country's founding document. Trailer: https://youtu.be/P2zSRdVanDY

Crip Camp

Incredibly inspiring and engaging documentary about Camp Jened, a Catskills summer camp for teens with disabilities in the 1960s and 70s, which prepared many members to become leaders in the movement that eventually led to the passage of the ADA. An important piece of lesser known history and fight for social change and equity. Trailer: https://youtu.be/XRrIs22plz0

TRAVELING WITHOUT LEAVING THE COUCH

My Octopus Teacher (South Africa)

A truly meditative and surprisingly moving documentary. In a kelp forest off the coast of South Africa, a noted underwater photographer documents his, dare I say "friendship," with an octopus whom he visits every day over the course of a year. Trailer: https://youtu.be/b-lbIJHlmbE

76 Days (China)

New York-based filmmaker Hao Wu worked with two journalists in China who recorded harrowing, fly-on-the-wall footage inside four Wuhan hospitals at the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, a clearly risky endeavor unsanctioned by the Chinese government. While this may seem unappealing to watch as we still struggle with the crisis, this apolitical, humanizing, compassionate, and ultimately uplifting film documents and honors the courageous doctors and nurses and their relationships with patients and family members grappling with the unfolding crisis over the course of the full 76 day lock-down in Wuhan. Trailer: https://youtu.be/x_f6-jhbsR4

Your Name Engraved Herein (Taiwan)

The highest ever grossing LGBTQ film in Taiwan, as well as its most popular domestic film in 2020, this is a sensitive, poignant, slow-burn story of coming out and first love in an all-boys Catholic school in a still socially-repressive Taiwan immediately after the lifting of martial law in 1987. Trailer: https://youtu.be/mzfVBg54BGw

A Sun (Taiwan, again)

Driven driving instructor father + marginalized night-club hairstylist mother + high achieving, golden child # 1 son + disowned black sheep younger son serving time in juvenile prison = unhappy family. This multiple winner of Taiwan's version of the Oscar, A Sun is an intricate, engaging, character-driven family drama full of disappointment, redemption-seeking, and tragic setbacks, but uplifting in the end. Trailer: https://youtu.be/LBogLcE2wNQ

Gunda (Norway)

An unusual viewing experience, I did not expect to be so drawn in and highly moved by this intimate, up-close and personal barnyard portrait. A totally mesmerizing and beautifully filmed, black and white, wordless and scoreless documentary (only ambient farm sounds with no humans in sight)--just a sow named Gunda and her piglets with interludes by a one-legged rooster and herd of cows. And yes, there's a subtle message. Trailer: https://youtu.be/05Gc2lANyTQ

The Painter and the Thief (Norway, again)

An intriguing and fascinating documentary about the strange and complicated story of a female Czech artist, whose two most important paintings are stolen from an Oslo art gallery in broad daylight, and the thief who turns out to be an addiction-addled male nurse who she unexpectedly befriends during the trial. Trailer: https://youtu.be/LKBiKDZSf_c

Mucho Mucho Amor (Puerto Rico)

The story of the iconic fortune-teller with millions of followers in the Spanish-speaking world: the bedazzled and caped, effervescently flamboyant, gender non-confirming, Puerto Rican television astrologer Walter Mercado. Disappearing from the airwaves without a trace in 2007 after decades of daily uplifting telecasts, no one knew what happened or where he had gone. Until these filmmakers tracked him down. Here, they tell his story in this loving portrait of the legend, in time to participate in an exhibition dedicated to his 50 year career at a Miami museum before his death last year. Trailer: https://youtu.be/XEJqiucxyrs

Welcome to Chechnya (Russia)

A gut-wrenching and chilling documentary about courageous activists who help LGBTQ individuals flee the repressive regime of Chechnya where violent, homophobic beatings and executions play out regularly and whose leader denies the existence of gay people in his republic. The doc plays like a menacing thriller with the filmmaker going to great lengths to protect the identities using elaborate digital facial disguises. Trailer: https://youtu.be/GlKkj_aHMXk

Tenet (Russia, the Amalfi Coast, Oslo, the future, and the past, among other places)

This is not an easy film to like. One of the most anticipated on my list of "must sees," but the pandemic delayed my viewing till its recent VOD release. Was it worth the wait? Well, it was almost incomprehensible for the first third. But it is here because I'm still thinking about it long after watching and is high on my list to rewatch. To enjoy on first viewing, you should stop trying to figure it out and just let it wash over you and enjoy the ride--it will eventually make (some) sense. Despite all its complexities, Christopher Nolan's ambitious concept boils down to a simple plot: rich Russian bad guy (Kenneth Branagh) wants to end the world and an unnamed secret agent-type guy known only as the Protagonist (John David Washington) tries to stop him. Oh, and there's reverse entropy. And inverted time. And yeah, there are spectacular scenes with time moving forward and backwards at the same time. Like its title, the film is one giant palindrome. Trailer: https://youtu.be/AZGcmvrTX9M

Apollo 11 (Space)

Watching this documentary is like witnessing Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin's mission unfold before your eyes live, in real time. Put together from previously unreleased, stunningly crisp, and beautiful archival footage and communications audio from NASA, this is a breathtaking experience that captures the awe of the achievement without talking heads or commentary. Trailer: https://youtu.be/tpLrp0SW8yg

HOW TO DEAL WITH DEATH

Soul

This time out, Pixar tackles existential questions, like what it means to be alive and what is the "before life" in this metaphysically jazzy and terrifically "soulful" film featuring a predominantly Black cast. Trailer: https://youtu.be/xOsLIiBStEs

Dick Johnson is Dead

One would not expect a filmmaker's decision to document her father's descent into old age and dementia to be such an enjoyable and amusing ride. The result is a uniquely comic and bittersweet approach on how to handle his mortality, including envisioning and staging various ways he might accidentally hasten death. Her inspired choice to embrace the time left with her father in this way is endearing and touching without being sentimental. (And the director happens to be a college classmate: Kirsten Johnson, Brown '87.) Trailer: https://youtu.be/wfTmT6C5DnM

AND THREE MORE

Mank

David Fincher masterfully tells the tale of Herman Mankiewicz, the writer of Citizen Kane. Part social history, part examination of the underbelly of Hollywood's Golden Age, part homage to Orson Welles and Citizen Kane, the film is beautifully and evocatively shot in lush black and white with standout performances by Gary Oldman as Mank, Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies, and a screenplay by Fincher's late father, Jack. Trailer: https://youtu.be/aSfX-nrg-lI

David Byrne's American Utopia

An exhilarating and spirited concert film by Spike Lee who beautifully captures the exuberant grey-suited, bare-footed David Byrne and his similarly wardrobed bandmates on a minimalist stage--a perfect remedy for home-confined and connection-starved human beings during these unusual times. The Byrne-Lee pairing perfectly "makes sense" as you take in the penultimate number, a cover of Janelle Monáe’s "Hell You Talmbout." Trailer: https://youtu.be/lg4hcgtjDPc

Sound of Metal

A character study of self-discovery and emotional truths, Riz Ahmed gives a riveting performance as a heavy metal rock drummer who suddenly loses his hearing. The immersive experience is enhanced with the film's amazing sound design. Trailer: https://youtu.be/VFOrGkAvjAE

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (perhaps the film most representative of the craziness of 2020), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (great performances by Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman), The Personal History of David Copperfield, Da 5 Bloods, The Way I See It, The Invisible Man, Trial of the Chicago 7, I Lost My Body, The Life Ahead, Wolfwalkers, The Bee Gees: How Do You Mend A Broken Heart. 

In the Queue

Minari, Nomadland, Bacurau, Small Axe, Beanpole, The Forty Year Old Version. 

2020: THE YEAR OF NON-STOP STREAMING

Honestly, given the lack of traditional theatrical releases, I did spend an inordinate amount of time streaming shows than I normally would. It has made me wonder about the challenges of narrative storytelling in the 90-120 minute format vs. the longer episodic format which is so much more conducive to storytelling and character development.

MY TOP 30-SOME FAVORITE PANDEMIC STREAMING EXPERIENCES 

In descending order of bingey-ness--is that a word?--i.e., inability to stop watching episode after episode. (And occasional commentary...)

Dark (Netflix)--I gave this German series a special shout-out last year (Twin Peaks + Stranger Things + The Wire + time travel), and season 3 finally arrived this summer. So good, I devoured it twice in one week. Complex, mind-bending, and addictively dense storytelling with time travel that makes sense (Tenet, take note) and super satisfying series finish. Ultimately unraveling the intertwined family tree of all the time-traveling characters will make your head spin for days. 

Money Heist (Netflix)--I needed something to replace my addictive need after Dark, and four seasons of this Spanish heist/thriller fit the bill perfectly. Plus, I think the series is rich in lessons on organizational behavior and leadership development/dynamics. Dissertation, anyone?

The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)--Not a genre I typically find appealing (superheroes), but I loved the combination of family dysfunction, sibling rivalry, humor, and more time travel. After finishing the two seasons, I really missed the characters and can't wait for next season. And as a JFK assassination buff, I loved that season 2 took place in Dallas,1963.

The Queen's Gambit (Netflix)--Girl survives car crash in which mom dies, grows up to be charming woman who is addicted to alcohol and does chess.

The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)--Girl survives car crash in which dad dies, grows up to be charming woman who is addicted to alcohol and serves first class. But not anything like The Queen's Gambit.

The Great* (Hulu)--Wickedly dark comedic period piece (Catherine the Great's 18th century Russia) with colorblind casting where scheming powerful people plot to get out of loveless marriage.

Bridgerton (Netflix)--A light romantic period piece (Regent era England) with colorblind casting where scheming powerful people and debutantes try to get into marriage and maybe find love.

Tiger King (Netflix)

The Crown (Netflix)

Sex Education (Netflix)

The Last Dance (Netflix)

Better Call Saul (Netflix)

Never Have I Ever (Netflix)--Best narrator ever!

Ozark (Netflix)

Watchmen (HBO Max)

Ugly Delicious 2 (Netflix)--David Chang is back with interesting take on food and culture. The classism of steak-eating?

Flavorful Origins (Netflix)

The Great British Baking Show Season 11 (Netflix)

Pen15 (Hulu)

Mrs. America (Hulu)

The Good Place (Netflix)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV)

Alex Rider (Prime)

Love, Victor (Hulu)

Giri/Haji (Netflix)

Ratched (Netflix)

The Undoing (HBO Max)

Lovecraft Country (HBO Max)

Zerozerozero (Prime)

Industry (HBO Max)

The Boys (Prime)

What We Do In the Shadows (Hulu)

We Are Who We Are (HBO Max)

Pose (Netflix)

Normal People (Hulu)

Indian Matchmaking (Netflix)

Middleditch & Schwartz (Netflix)

Schitts Creek (Netflix)--Don't be put off by this comic treasure being so low on the binge scale. The series gets better with each season, and I'm slowly watching it because I know the end is coming, and I don't want it to end.

#bestmovies2020 #bestTV2020 #favoritefilms2020

[valeriakemble1-blog]

The best ways to Obtain Financial Liberty As well as Retire Youthful, Retire Rich.

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[nyklifsondiviiportfolio-blog]

A note from the editor:

I am the editor, not  a very good one at that. I purposely have changed certain letters to misspell words to hide a secret message for my long lost love. This is a lie, I just am quite horrendous at spelling. I use my dictionary as a pillow but my skills have not improved. Oh well. I was getting about the same amount of sleep either way. This is the story of Iphis as told by Iphis, for Iphis. I use it pronouns because I am a shape-shifting dragon which makes pronouns quite pointless. For me, at least. Everyone else makes quite a stink about it all. I think there is prime potential in just using a single pronoun for everyone but that is also an unpopular opinion. Anyways, enjoy the book and have a splendid day.

drink a cup of tea, and all that.

A forewarning; Iphis is not your typical hero or princess and this isn’t really a typical story. Or maybe is it extremely typical and you will laugh at me when it is all said and done. I’m not called Maktabe the Foolish for nothing. Well, i am not really called that...so it is for nothing. You can call me that if you like. It would give my weary skeleton a good rattle. Now it all started during an unexpected summer of flames…

Prologue:

Crochet lace drapes. Her grandmother had made them. Each stitch sewn in

candlelight before bed. The curtains framed the first floor window that always was flooded with sunlight from dawn till dusk. They had been dyed dark blue with the juice from zilchberries that had been deemed unfit for fermenting. Now, from swaying in the sun's rays all day, they had softened to a baby blue. Next to this window was the stairs to the cellar and bedroom.

The forest opened up to a field where the town of Dilchlam grew. Grasses and wildflowers ran amuck.

Zoom in, the scene awakens as a soon-to-be-mother comes back to from the depths of her nap. She is drenched in sweat. She is sitting in a tub of liquid. Not actually a tub, a rocker. The rocking chair had hollow that would fit to form, that was now filled with this. Colorless. Odorless. The baby kicked. She rocked back and forth a few times, droplets ker-plashing onto the floor and sprinkling onto the forgotten book about medicinal kelps. The book had walked to sleep for her afternoon nap to fight off morning sickness. The baby is coming. She takes another swig of reality when she looks out the back window. The sky is black, and the forest is orange. Trees aren’t

orange or red or yellow? Fire. Everywhere. She panics and jumps out of her seat only to fall to her knees.

Everything had to be hacked. That’s the noise axes make hak hak hak. Every day on the outskirts rang the song of the spitting and cursing of lumber laborers sweating under the sun. Building a town from scratch. Carving a community out of the endless woods. The ancients. Their history was sealed in the wood chip insulation and in between the cracks of the floor boards. In the grain of their homely furnishings.

She had made the cradle out of wood; a group of villagers had chopped some birches with the intention to create stools. Luece loved the feeling of her overworked muscles after sanding down the pieces for the crib. After it was puzzle-pieced together the couple had placed it lovingly by their own bed upstairs. So excited, so scared, so different. This piece of furniture was how she came to terms with the prospect of being called mom. She was prepared, the baby had a place to sleep. No more.

Luece is on the ground, coughing coughing cough. Her lungs are on fire. The world is on fire. Dilating. Pain. Not now. Not here. T his isn’t how the baby was meant to come into the world, b ut that is where Luece is wrong. The ancient pines can only grow once the seeds are put through immense heat. This child could only be born in these exact circumstances, and from the ashes will rise a magic that has been forgotten, but dearly needed. She crawls past the book shelves and banister to get to the cellar, her only salvation from the heat that threatens to collapse her walls.

The books they owned were mainly different herb identification books, anatomical reference, and Jeb’s joyous historical-fiction romance novels. He would tell

neighbors they were Luece’s because he was embarrassed for having such an odd guilty reading pleasure. Across the room behind the extendable table and left of the tiny tea-kettle of a stove stood the proud dish container, the ceramics cabinet. The cabinet was barely dry from the fresh stain painted on two mornings ago. The wood was leftover from Cercie, a kind neighbor’s, flooring. Jeb had used his whittling skills to carve two love birds into the center of the doors, the lock was hidden in one of the eggs in the roost. A small brass master key hung on the hooks next to the door, polished from continuous use every day. There were two other nails, one for Luece’s ring and one for Jeb’s.

Jeb, a farming man, had a key to the two town silos on his ring. Both had an mid-sized iron latchkey to get into the house. His nail had a bit of fuzz stuck on the end from catching on his sleeves. He would hang his keys up while taking off his jacket to put into the book shelves and coat peg collection next to the bits of metal budding from the wall. Thus, every damn one of his long sleeves was frayed at the ends. Lucinda and Jeb gave up on patching them after realizing they needed--at the minimum--daily repairs.

The basement has mud floors and rafters that serve them well as a cloth and herb drying rack. Without trying to outdo the community’s healer, Lucinda had acquired more natural cures to ailments than any other being within fifty miles. She was suspicious of anyone who practiced seithr-based healing and always aimed to be prepared for any circumstance. Albeit, except for natural disasters. But this firestorm is nothing close to what nature intended it to be. This is a ritual, the coming of a new age.

This fire is searching. Searching for the woman who lives in this cosy home. This house, you see, is burning down. By tomorrow there will be little left besides the stove, a hole in the ground, and quiet country dreams left in the ashes.

There hadn’t been a summer of flames in over a hundred years. Why now? Why? WHy? WHY? pangs pangs pangs pangs pangs pangs of pain. the baby was coming and we were destined to go up in flames. She felt the cool mud floor against her cheek. She grabbed a rag often used for holding vegetable shavings and wiped her brow. She inched her way over to the potatoe sacs, never having her face more than two feet from the ground. Her ears were filled with the roars above her, the fire was feasting on her and her husband’s hard work. W e are going to die...at least I will not burn alone. Her vision became as hazy as her brain, f rom the smoke? When did the room become this smokey? Her thoughts were replaced with overall nausea from inhaling toxins and at the horror that she was glad that her offspring was not meant to make it into this world. She hugged the potatoes needing an anchor and salt water leaked from her eyes. I would give anything to take his place. He? Her body convulsed. She vomited into the peel bucket. No mess yet. Easier clean up for later.

Ironically, their house is the perfect kindling, made of wood floors and wood walls. They, at it’s conclusion, called it their little slice of log-heaven. In this state, it more resembled hell. The home is a simple and sound design. A gopher lives under the one

stair that they labeled the porch. They had named him Samuel. Jeb, good-naturedly would talk about making samuel a hat “one of these days...” The step was actually just a large, smooth rock. The structure was painted evergreen in reference to the origins of the materials. It sat ten miles away from the ‘hustle & bustle’ of the town-center. That’s how they liked it. Alone with each other. But w here is Jeb? H erding cattle into the town hall, wishing for the fireproof enchantments hold. Praying lovely Leuce and the baby-to-be are safe.

Unheard sobs and ripping of fabric. Lucinda is chewing on stingers to numb her insides. She usually makes tea out of this fowl root for women in labor, but unfortunately she is nowhere near the probably-melted kettle. Her fingers twitch. Both eyelids are glued closed and lines have formed battalions on her brow. P lease don’t let us burn to death, she begs the powers at work. The fire hears her cries, but inches closer, hoping to meet an old friend. Screams under earth. Screams under a burning skyline. Screaming. Screaming. A head and two legs. A body of flesh.

Persiphis was born from the overwhelming heat that may be seen as a wall of destruction, but the resins of the past have melted away. The pine seed has awoken to a new world with a bit less decay and a hopefull future full of new growth on the horizon.

A pinecone when overrun by hellfire itself will trigger a mechanism, from within create the chance to bring about life.

Fire is the agent of rebirth. Fire is a magic that brings new paths and life. Luece flopped over and crawled to her baby, wearing bright pink new skin. They are red and radiant surrounded by flames. It must have been the vapors poisoning her brain but she thought she saw small lines of flames curling around her baby’s arms like a garden snake coiling in comfort. How did we survive? And then it all goes blurry.

Chapter 1 The first spark Iphis grew. The house was rebuilt, smaller, sturdier. In the aftermath of the fire, there was no wood left for log designs. So mud bricks and ash paste became the main construction method, except for old Macus’ place. He used straw and ash cakes. Said it would have better insulation. Dirt floors and moss rugs. Iphis grew. Among flames of chaos Leuce had managed to not explain Iphis’ odd birth and both their survival story. No one seemed to care, the villagers were just grateful that the medic did not die and was somehow well enough to tend to the many burn victims who had not been as lucky. Between making salves and draughts; not to mention how day and night Leuce was wrapping and unwrapping and rewrapping and boiling bandages. Jeb was in charge of helping make sure enough food had been safely stored for winter and shepherding the animals that had gotten loose. Both were so tired by the end of each day they would fall asleep in their clothes right after a lukewarm broth dinner. They were a quiet newborn. Always warm, not with fever thankfully. The baby was strapped to either parent’s back for half the day and then the bundle would be handed off. Breastfeeding was done on the move. Rush rush rush. How’s the baby? Still eating? Still pooping? Still breathing. Good. There was no panic. Every person fell into a job. And that was life. The burned wild began to heal with each water replenishment. The stream came back with a roar. The waterhole was usable again. Harsher crops were planted for the next foretold season. Iphis grew. The town had now restarted and order was returned. Daily lives had more structure. A grey season passed into a windy season. Many nights were spent in the cellar hoping the roof would hold. Please hold. Please. Mother would pray. Father would close his eyes and fall asleep listening to the winds howl in heartbreak, trying to infiltrate every home in search of a lost love. The pair would read to Iphis and tell them stories. They would coo and gurgle in the ways that infants do in appreciation of art. Then would slumber.

Iphis’ mother used fireweed to cook instead of fire. It grew in plenty replacing grasses and shrubs in places the flames had gone higher-than-roofs. It only needed a single spark and then would ember for hours. This intrigued the baby to no end. Their eyes would turn orange in the glow. Townspeople had all but converted to fireweed due to it’s abundance. Only Luece noticed the change. She added it to the list of unmentionable (why?/unexplainable) traits her child possessed.________________________________________

Iphis learned to crawl. And crawl they did. Anywhere and everywhere. For a small being who has no sense of direction, they managed to find more ways to get lost than found. Under cabinets, on shelves, behind desks, in buckets. “The child needs a leash or watcher, we are gonna lose her--if I do not lose my mind first...”Leuce began to scrub her child’s already soiled dress. Jeb let go of his pile of fabric when he heard the tears hiding behind her eyes, “With the amount of dirt that accrues on this kid I say we just make her clothes dark” a chuckle ends his sentences while maneuvering around their awkwardly placed stone table. He hugs her from behind. Leuce hiccups. She looks at the crib stained black with soot that will not wash away. She let out all the air in her chest. Turns around in his arms. Eyes closed. Face to shoulder, face to collar bone. They sway, like seaweed in an underwater forest.

Meanwhile, the topic of these first time parent’s, has awoken from their nap. Bright green eyes crumple and blink. The world is too bright. So much stimulation, big yawn. Lips widen to show teeth coming in. Bright red gums, raw from their efforts. Little white pearls poking out on all sides. One sharp incisor is fully in. A gum-filled smile. As if they broke their teeth into bits chewing on rocks. One fist shoots out from the blanket, a test. All clear. “A-chew” A small nose squeaks out after inhaling dust not quite cleaned up from the weekly sweeping. They fell asleep in a pile of fabric scraps that morning. What was a comfy spot then, became a prison of inter-knotted bits that tangled around them whilst dreaming. They squirm and twist and plunge their limbs in many directions. Until, they are freed from the final bits of flannel that held them. Iphis rolls onto their hands and knees. They wriggle like and eel zigzagging across and off the sewing corner’s carpet. The floor is dirt, a normalcy, comfort. Bits of grime dot their legs, feet, and hands as they scooch towards a smell. Familiar. Bump bump bump. They see a toy in their periphery, it’s their belt-bat. For teething. They can chew on the leather head and wings cut from old belts. And cuddle with the stuffed

body. Two button eyes-one bright orange glass. The other is iridescent, made from a barnus’ greyish shell. A mud-feeder found in the shallows of smaller bodies of water. But, they ignored this distraction and reached a large basket with a lid.

Iphis recently reached that in-between where they can not walk, but they can stand a while if holding onto something else for stability. They touch the intricately woven reeds shaped into a diamond pattern using the contrast between different stalk shades. They reach out and run their hands over the small ridges. The smell is coming from here. The babie’s curiosity is heightened with the fact that this basket has a lid on it. Most baskets in the house are open with a handle. Or they are clay urns. What is this? What is inside?

Iphis grabs handfuls of floor and spreads their legs real wide for balance. Similar to a drunkards sense of balance, they dip this way and that, landing again and again on their butt, trying in vain to stand up. A sleeved arm leans against the cold stove. Perfect prop. In a series of pushing each limb out to full length with all their might Iphis stands and with one hand on the side of the stove they grab at the lid with the other, bouncing to stay balanced. They are reach-reach-reaching. Their stubby fingers barely graze the lid enough to push it back. Victory. “EEE!” Their back dips back and they fall forward grabbing onto the lid. The basket rocks. A little bit towards the wall. A little bit backwards. Swaying, like the couple downstairs. This is a precarious position where Iphis stomps a foot for strength, but the socked toes slip. They impact with the basket. With one support beam gone wild Iphis tries to hold onto the edge more. The basket hesitates and seesaws, Iphis is knocked onto their back. “Wumpf.” The basket topples over with their combined weight. “Crash!”

The contents tumble out. ------------------------------------

“Pitter-patter-pitter-patter.” “pit pit pat” The couple look towards the ceiling. “Speaking of infuriating infants...”

The two lock hands and give each other tired smiles. “Bum-bamp!” Now worried looks are exchanged, “thu-thud thu-thud thu-thud thu-thud thu-thud” of taking the ten stairs two-at-a-time. The wash forgotten, left to soak. The scene unfolds as Luece’s eyes take in damage. First, Empty blankets, at least Iphis is not being strangled by them. Then, no baby choking on fabric. Different snippets of jackets and patches were thrown about, to the left of their mattress on the floor. A single bit from the hem of a yellow skirt has landed on her pillow. Next, chairs are all upright not crushing her child. With each discovery she feels relieved simultaneously while her anxiety heightens. Where? Where? “Persiphis? Sweeety?” She starts to move to see behind the table--“ack”--Leuce swings her head over to Jeb. Mid cringe--“I stepped on the bat.”

They both hear a giggle that echoes off the stove. Red bursts across the room, blinding the adults. Both stagger. Leuce’s eyes adjust, dotted with black spots. The room dulls to a calmer hue of red. She cautiously walks over to the stove. There lies Iphis, covered in fireweed, the waxy leaves have already been used up as a natural wick. Each little spiral burned up while the stem continues to burn at a low flame. The light changes and each small patch of stalks flicker. They are dotted in whispers of light blue.

Blue sparks. Blue blood. Blue fire dancing in the afternoon light.

The baby wasn’t crying. No smell of singed hair or flesh alight. “Is this a dream?” The color had drained out of Luece’s face. She began to shake. This woke Jeb from his shock. He has got to do something. Help. Get water. He began to put out the danger. Pouring water on the plants ring by ring. Circumambulating his child until he reaches a sleeping Iphis. Not a single burn on their soft skin.

With tears in his eyes he picked up the infant. “She’s breathing.” He looks at them as if holding a wild dozaerk and not his flesh and blood. Turns.

Leuce’s eyes are just as puffy. She opens her mouth, but no words come out.

Deep breath. “I think...I need to tell you about what happened…when Persiphis was born.”

[renlilysbjdblog-blog]

50Q BJD Meme

1. Have your tastes changed in sculpts over the years?

Definitely.  My taste in sculpts when I first discovered the BJD hobby was more towards the aesthetics of more adult-like/mature dolls, the ones that are taller in height and have a very cool flair to them.  At that time, I thought the taller the doll the better and I prefer sculpts with half-lidded eyes, e.g., Homme Ducan from DOD is the perfect example.  Actually, all DOD half-lidded doll sculpts are gorgeous still to me.  

Then as time went on (I took a really long time to get Koichi, not being able to afford yet at that time and also to test my endurance in the BJD hobby (I have to make sure it’s not like a one-time thing, I would be very disappointed in myself if my interest just kind of disappear once I got my own BJD ya know? Like I didn’t want a BJD just for the sake of owning one. There has to be some level of commitment to it), I no longer have a very strong preference for half-lidded eye doll sculpts.  Don’t get me wrong, these types of doll sculpts are very much beautiful, but it’s just not my taste anymore.  I no longer care much about the height as well.  

It’s kind of hard to explain, but I guess “my taste” now depends on the elements/emotion I have when I look at a particular doll sculpt.  For example, does the doll “gives off” like a feeling of happiness?  Does it make you feel happy when you look at it?  Do you feel inspired when you think of the possibilities of customizing the doll?  Does your inspiration extends out of the “box” (e.g., company concept design images) or does it just stop at the “surface”?  How can you build more backstory based on this sculpt when you look at it?  Or are you just being “pursued”/”visually influenced” by how the doll was presented in the image?  It’s really difficult for me to write out my thought processes lol.

I am not going to lie, these ideas are hard to grasp and they are very much vague.  It does change according to time and that may somehow contradict my previous comments.  To be completely honest, initially even after getting Koichi as my first BJD, I doubt myself many times if I should have got myself a DOD sculpt.  And these doubts extends also to my difficulty in getting Koichi’s personality / characteristics down, for example: kept changing his name, personality and backstory.   But eventually I learn to “grasp” his identity and slowly building up a solid backstory for him.

Is it a mistake? No, not at all.  I like LUTS Kelp, and although the doll sculpt gives me ideas / concepts that are very different from how I view DOD sculpts, I find them refreshing.  I realize in the end that no matter the doll sculpt, you, as a BJD owner /artist, have the ability to mold them to the image that you want / aspire to achieve.  Which also includes on how you decide to look at them, whether ideally or non-ideally.

2. Do you have pre-made characters for the dolls that you get home which must fit a certain description, or, do you get them home and let inspiration hit?

I do not have any pre-made characters in mind, so I will first see whichever doll is suitable (really gives me inspiration) and then build up the characteristics from there.  I would try different types of clothes or wigs or try to imagine different face-up on the doll sculpt to finally grasp the “right” characteristic lol (getting like “aha” moments).  It doesn’t quite make sense when I put it like that but that’s what I do.

3. What do you do when you get hooked on a particular sculpt and want it home right here, right now but can’t as you have to save or some other reason?

I just bear with it (for years) and see if I still want it bad enough.  Well, that’s pretty much what happened until I got Koichi and the same old cycle again.

4. How many dolls are too many to you personally?

More than 10 perhaps, I personally do not think I can maintain BJDs in good condition if I can’t pay proper attention to each and every one of them (obligations and schedules and all), especially when there are too many of them.

5. What are your thoughts on dolls with already pre-existing characters from movies/books/cartoons/etc.?

I think a lot of people will like dolls that are based on already pre-existing characters from movies/books/cartoons/etc.  Personally though, I am quite neutral on that, but not particularly fond of them?

6. Acrylic, glass or urethane? And why?

I am just going to say Glass.  It has nice depth and it’s just my personal preference for aesthetics.

7. How much does yellowing bother you? What is acceptable before you want something done to liven up that old yellow resin skin?

Can’t really say, I do not have YET the experience of my BJD yellowing.  Koichi’s head might look like yellowing, but it’s not.  I just happened to put too much brown pastel on his face, hence the unfortunate appearance of a yellowing head.  So I can say it bothers me even so, but I have yet to find time to redo his face-up so he looks more natural.  I would be very anxious on doing something to liven up the yellowed resin skin though if it does happen in the future.

8. What are your thoughts on anthro BJDs vs actual animal BJDs?

I think anthro BJDs are beautiful and I love the fantasy flair. I always wanted a centaur / mermaid / fairy BJD, but I never really get one as I couldn’t find one yet that really inspires me.  I find it hard to build a character based on fantasy theme BJDs, perhaps because I prefer not to have a “solid form” for my characters, seeing how the backstories of my characters often change over time (so I am going to stick to human forms for now, and just leave the rest to imagination). Actual animal BJDs are cute, for example cats and horses, though I don’t think I would get one.

9. How small is too small? How tall is too tall? Or does height even matter to you?

Not really, height doesn’t matter to me.  If the doll sculpt inspires me then it’s all good no matter the size.

10. Do you talk with your resin buddies while painting them, dressing them, just because?

Nope, I don’t talk to them.  I do imagine what it would be like if they can talk though.

11. Do you have a doll you love but will probably never have because finances or impossible to get?  

If we are talking about now, not at the moment.  I am happy with just Koichi now, though I see a lot of doll sculpts that are appealing to me (but have yet to come across that really inspire me to purchase).

12. Do you have a favourite clothing company where you go and buy clothing and/or shoes from?  

Nope, not that I know of.  I prefer to make the clothes myself, DIY till the end I guess.

13. Your favourite pair of shoes you ever got home? Picture please!  

I only got one pair for Koichi haha but they are very nice!

14. Favourite accessory and, again, picture!  

Huh….don’t really have as of now though.  

15. How many times have you had to redo a face-up in a day?  

I am just an amateur, so I can’t really answer that. Plus, it took me more than a day to do a face-up.  On a different note though, for Koichi’s current face-up, I messed up the very first time but I got it fine on the second try.

16. Ever sat screaming and cursing at your sewing machine? Or even if you’ve sown something by hand? Tell us a bit about one of those silly outbursts!  

Oh, I don’t have outbursts like that before though.  Now if we are talking about self-pitying on own lack of ability to sew properly, check!

17. In the past year have you had to find homes for some of your resin buddies?  

I only have Koichi so nope.  I would be very sad though if I had to find homes for my BJDs.

18. Have you ever made any miniature furniture of any kind or do you prefer to buy it?  

I buy them from Japanese stores mostly (e.g., DAISO), like little tables, chairs or drawers.

19. What would you do if one of your dolls went green or banana yellow? Would you try and salvage the damage somehow by mods and the like, or would you reinvent their character?  

I would do the first and then the latter if it doesn’t work out.

20. Ever got two dolls or more home in a year?  

Never.

21. Are there a certain theme going style/face-up/accessory/other wise? Or are they all fairly different from one another?  

If I were to have more BJDs, I would give each of them different face-up/accessory/style and with different resin skin types.  Variety is good.

22. How much is too much to pay for a doll/how little is too little? And why?  

Depends on what comes with the doll (e.g., does it have a good wig/good eye type/joint type/resin skin type/uniqueness features). Can’t really put a general price range though, I mean, each company has its own unique doll sculpt qualities so I can’t really say.

23. Do you do mods? Show us some of your work! Would you do them on rare/limited sculpts?

I have never tried doing mods.  I am very concerned with the risk of damaging the doll sculpt.

24. Do you prefer getting dolls home blank so that you can do your own face-up, or, do you prefer to have the company paint them for you?  

For now, I can say I prefer to have the face blank so I can do face-up for my doll.  I mean, who better to give the ideal image you want for your doll than yourself? That’s my personal opinion though.

25. Do you keep up with the various companies releases, events and the like?  

Not really, I only visit LUTS website every now and then.  

26. Ever hated having to cover up a body with clothing because the sculpting was absolutely divine and you’d rather just be able to watch all that naked glory for all time?  

No.

27. What is your favourite wig brand?  

Never really bought wigs though, I make wigs for Koichi most of the time.  Well, once when I was in Hong Kong and I bought one wig, the quality was okay but I don’t know the brand.  

28. How many pairs of shoes do you own for your dolls?  

Only one pair.

29. How many wigs do you have for your dolls?  

Koichi has five wigs now, one default wig from LUTS, one wig bought from my overseas trip and three I made myself.

30. Do you have a favourite set of clothing? Do you own it? And if, picture please!  

The jacket and beanie I made for Koichi lol.  Not trying to sound arrogant, but it just gives me satisfaction knowing I made the outfit, that I made something for my BJD.

31. Do you have a favourite outfit you’ve made yourself?  

Oops I answered that already in previous question haha.

32. Ever commissioned someone? And what for?  

Nope.  I am considering commissioning someone though to give Koichi a better natural face-up if I still can’t find time to do it myself.

33. How many pair of eyes do you have, spare and in use combined?  

Only one pair, the ones he’s using now.  

34. Ever called in sick because of an incoming package?  

Would never.

35. What have been you longest wait? And the shortest?  

Unicorn BJD owner, so I can’t really answer that lol.

36. Do you prefer shooting single shots or group pictures?  

I only have experience with single shots, but I would like to try taking group pictures during doll meets in the future.

37. Do you prefer male or female dolls?  

I will know it if I see it.

38. Ever had that one piece of accessory you could never quite find and are still searching for years later?  

Nope, not really.

39. Ever had trouble settling for a sculpt for a given character and had to buy multiple sculpts home before finding that perfect one?  

No, I will make sure that a doll sculpt really inspires me before purchasing it.  However if I somehow find the doll sculpt to not be what I expected after the doll was delivered to me, I will try my best still to make it work.

40. Do you keep a journal in where you write all of your doll related ideas and plans even if they wont always come to fruition?  

No, I keep all the ideas in my head.

41. Ever shot some naughty naked/nude pictures? If not, why?  

No.  

42. What are the longest time you’ve had a layaway running? If you’ve never done one, why are you refraining from making use of this service?  

Good question.  I guess I just want really want to make sure I really have the resources before getting another one BJD.

43. Do you mind not being able finding a whole lot of pictures of a given sculpt you want home or do you like it’s exclusivity?  

I do like the idea of exclusivity.

44. Are you more of a share all the pictures type of person or more of a keeping them all to yourself and only share a select few?  

Hmm, I guess I only share a few since my photography skills aren’t that great. But again, I am sure as you do more you will get better at it.

45. How good are you at sticking to your plans if, say, you told yourself you only were to bring home one more this year and then go on a break?  

I am quite strict on myself, so I believe that I can control my buying impulses quite well.

46. What doll body is your favourite?

No preference really.

47. Who in your resin crew has gone through the biggest transformation since arrival?  

I can’t answer this lol.

48. Do you pamper some more than others?  

I only have Koichi so of course he’s pampered pfft.  Did I mention he’s like a guinea pig BJD?  Neh I am just joking :D

49. Ever bought something (dolls, clothing, accessories)  that looked amazing in the pictures but turned out to be nothing like it upon arrival?  

Well, when I first ordered Koichi, I really liked the company’s default face-up on him in the photos and so I did order for the face-up to be done on him.   However, after some time, I did not like how the face-up was on him anymore.  There was also a small chip-off on his left eye.  So I made the decision to redo his face-up myself and though it’s not perfect, I like it.

50. What are your continued plans for this year?

Continue improving skills to making better wigs and clothes.  I also want to redo his face-up.

-

These meme questions are by MorbidDelusions.  Many thanks!!

#50q bjd memes #bjd memes #renlilysbjd

[ningyoumonogatari]

50Q BJD Meme (RenLily’s response)

1. Have your tastes changed in sculpts over the years?

Definitely.  My taste in sculpts when I first discovered the BJD hobby was more towards the aesthetics of more adult-like/mature dolls, the ones that are taller in height and have a very cool flair to them.  At that time, I thought the taller the doll the better and I prefer sculpts with half-lidded eyes, e.g., Homme Ducan from DOD is the perfect example.  Actually, all DOD half-lidded doll sculpts are gorgeous still to me.  

Then as time went on (I took a really long time to get Koichi, not being able to afford yet at that time and also to test my endurance in the BJD hobby (I have to make sure it’s not like a one-time thing, I would be very disappointed in myself if my interest just kind of disappear once I got my own BJD ya know? Like I didn’t want a BJD just for the sake of owning one. There has to be some level of commitment to it), I no longer have a very strong preference for half-lidded eye doll sculpts.  Don’t get me wrong, these types of doll sculpts are very much beautiful, but it’s just not my taste anymore.  I no longer care much about the height as well.  

It’s kind of hard to explain, but I guess “my taste” now depends on the elements/emotion I have when I look at a particular doll sculpt.  For example, does the doll “gives off” like a feeling of happiness?  Does it make you feel happy when you look at it?  Do you feel inspired when you think of the possibilities of customizing the doll?  Does your inspiration extends out of the “box” (e.g., company concept design images) or does it just stop at the “surface”?  How can you build more backstory based on this sculpt when you look at it?  Or are you just being “pursued”/”visually influenced” by how the doll was presented in the image?  It’s really difficult for me to write out my thought processes lol.

I am not going to lie, these ideas are hard to grasp and they are very much vague.  It does change according to time and that may somehow contradict my previous comments.  To be completely honest, initially even after getting Koichi as my first BJD, I doubt myself many times if I should have got myself a DOD sculpt.  And these doubts extends also to my difficulty in getting Koichi’s personality / characteristics down, for example: kept changing his name, personality and backstory.  But eventually I learn to "grasp” his identity and slowly building up a solid backstory for him.

Is it a mistake? No, not at all.  I like LUTS Kelp, and although the doll sculpt gives me ideas / concepts that are very different from how I view DOD sculpts, I find them refreshing.  I realize in the end that no matter the doll sculpt, you, as a BJD owner /artist, have the ability to mold them to the image that you want / aspire to achieve.  Which also includes on how you decide to look at them, whether ideally or non-ideally.

2. Do you have pre-made characters for the dolls that you get home which must fit a certain description, or, do you get them home and let inspiration hit?

I do not have any pre-made characters in mind, so I will first see whichever doll is suitable (really gives me inspiration) and then build up the characteristics from there.  I would try different types of clothes or wigs or try to imagine different face-up on the doll sculpt to finally grasp the “right” characteristic lol (getting like “aha” moments).  It doesn’t quite make sense when I put it like that but that’s what I do.

3. What do you do when you get hooked on a particular sculpt and want it home right here, right now but can’t as you have to save or some other reason?

I just bear with it (for years) and see if I still want it bad enough.  Well, that’s pretty much what happened until I got Koichi and the same old cycle again.

4. How many dolls are too many to you personally?

More than 10 perhaps, I personally do not think I can maintain BJDs in good condition if I can’t pay proper attention to each and every one of them (obligations and schedules and all), especially when there are too many of them.

5. What are your thoughts on dolls with already pre-existing characters from movies/books/cartoons/etc.?

I think a lot of people will like dolls that are based on already pre-existing characters from movies/books/cartoons/etc.  Personally though, I am quite neutral on that, but not particularly fond of them?

6. Acrylic, glass or urethane? And why?

I am just going to say Glass.  It has nice depth and it’s just my personal preference for aesthetics.

7. How much does yellowing bother you? What is acceptable before you want something done to liven up that old yellow resin skin?

Can’t really say, I do not have YET the experience of my BJD yellowing.  Koichi’s head might look like yellowing, but it’s not.  I just happened to put too much brown pastel on his face, hence the unfortunate appearance of a yellowing head.  So I can say it bothers me even so, but I have yet to find time to redo his face-up so he looks more natural.  I would be very anxious on doing something to liven up the yellowed resin skin though if it does happen in the future.

8. What are your thoughts on anthro BJDs vs actual animal BJDs?

I think anthro BJDs are beautiful and I love the fantasy flair. I always wanted a centaur / mermaid / fairy BJD, but I never really get one as I couldn’t find one yet that really inspires me.  I find it hard to build a character based on fantasy theme BJDs, perhaps because I prefer not to have a “solid form” for my characters, seeing how the backstories of my characters often change over time (so I am going to stick to human forms for now, and just leave the rest to imagination). Actual animal BJDs are cute, for example cats and horses, though I don’t think I would get one.

9. How small is too small? How tall is too tall? Or does height even matter to you?

Not really, height doesn’t matter to me.  If the doll sculpt inspires me then it’s all good no matter the size.

10. Do you talk with your resin buddies while painting them, dressing them, just because?

Nope, I don’t talk to them.  I do imagine what it would be like if they can talk though.

11. Do you have a doll you love but will probably never have because finances or impossible to get?  

If we are talking about now, not at the moment.  I am happy with just Koichi now, though I see a lot of doll sculpts that are appealing to me (but have yet to come across that really inspire me to purchase).

12. Do you have a favourite clothing company where you go and buy clothing and/or shoes from?  

Nope, not that I know of.  I prefer to make the clothes myself, DIY till the end I guess.

13. Your favourite pair of shoes you ever got home? Picture please!  

I only got one pair for Koichi haha but they are very nice!

14. Favourite accessory and, again, picture!  

Huh….don’t really have as of now though. 

15. How many times have you had to redo a face-up in a day?  

I am just an amateur, so I can’t really answer that. Plus, it took me more than a day to do a face-up.  On a different note though, for Koichi’s current face-up, I messed up the very first time but I got it fine on the second try.

16. Ever sat screaming and cursing at your sewing machine? Or even if you’ve sown something by hand? Tell us a bit about one of those silly outbursts!  

Oh, I don’t have outbursts like that before though.  Now if we are talking about self-pitying on own lack of ability to sew properly, check!

17. In the past year have you had to find homes for some of your resin buddies?  

I only have Koichi so nope.  I would be very sad though if I had to find homes for my BJDs.

18. Have you ever made any miniature furniture of any kind or do you prefer to buy it?  

I buy them from Japanese stores mostly (e.g., DAISO), like little tables, chairs or drawers.

19. What would you do if one of your dolls went green or banana yellow? Would you try and salvage the damage somehow by mods and the like, or would you reinvent their character?  

I would do the first and then the latter if it doesn’t work out.

20. Ever got two dolls or more home in a year?  

Never.

21. Are there a certain theme going style/face-up/accessory/other wise? Or are they all fairly different from one another?  

If I were to have more BJDs, I would give each of them different face-up/accessory/style and with different resin skin types.  Variety is good.

22. How much is too much to pay for a doll/how little is too little? And why?  

Depends on what comes with the doll (e.g., does it have a good wig/good eye type/joint type/resin skin type/uniqueness features). Can’t really put a general price range though, I mean, each company has its own unique doll sculpt qualities so I can’t really say.

23. Do you do mods? Show us some of your work! Would you do them on rare/limited sculpts?

I have never tried doing mods.  I am very concerned with the risk of damaging the doll sculpt.

24. Do you prefer getting dolls home blank so that you can do your own face-up, or, do you prefer to have the company paint them for you?  

For now, I can say I prefer to have the face blank so I can do face-up for my doll.  I mean, who better to give the ideal image you want for your doll than yourself? That’s my personal opinion though.

25. Do you keep up with the various companies releases, events and the like?  

Not really, I only visit LUTS website every now and then. 

26. Ever hated having to cover up a body with clothing because the sculpting was absolutely divine and you’d rather just be able to watch all that naked glory for all time?  

No.

27. What is your favourite wig brand?  

Never really bought wigs though, I make wigs for Koichi most of the time.  Well, once when I was in Hong Kong and I bought one wig, the quality was okay but I don’t know the brand. 

28. How many pairs of shoes do you own for your dolls?  

Only one pair.

29. How many wigs do you have for your dolls?  

Koichi has five wigs now, one default wig from LUTS, one wig bought from my overseas trip and three I made myself.

30. Do you have a favourite set of clothing? Do you own it? And if, picture please! 

The jacket and beanie I made for Koichi lol.  Not trying to sound arrogant, but it just gives me satisfaction knowing I made the outfit, that I made something for my BJD.

31. Do you have a favourite outfit you’ve made yourself?  

Oops I answered that already in previous question haha.

32. Ever commissioned someone? And what for?  

Nope.  I am considering commissioning someone though to give Koichi a better natural face-up if I still can’t find time to do it myself.

33. How many pair of eyes do you have, spare and in use combined?  

Only one pair, the ones he’s using now.  

34. Ever called in sick because of an incoming package?  

Would never.

35. What have been you longest wait? And the shortest?  

Unicorn BJD owner, so I can’t really answer that lol.

36. Do you prefer shooting single shots or group pictures?  

I only have experience with single shots, but I would like to try taking group pictures during doll meets in the future.

37. Do you prefer male or female dolls?  

I will know it if I see it.

38. Ever had that one piece of accessory you could never quite find and are still searching for years later?  

Nope, not really.

39. Ever had trouble settling for a sculpt for a given character and had to buy multiple sculpts home before finding that perfect one?  

No, I will make sure that a doll sculpt really inspires me before purchasing it.  I am just serious like that.  However if I somehow find the doll sculpt to not be what I expected, I will try my best still to make it work.

40. Do you keep a journal in where you write all of your doll related ideas and plans even if they wont always come to fruition? 

No, I keep all the ideas in my head.

41. Ever shot some naughty naked/nude pictures? If not, why?  

No. 

42. What are the longest time you’ve had a layaway running? If you’ve never done one, why are you refraining from making use of this service?  

Good question.  I guess I just want really want to make sure I really have the resources before getting another one BJD.

43. Do you mind not being able finding a whole lot of pictures of a given sculpt you want home or do you like it’s exclusivity?  

 I do like the idea of exclusivity.

44. Are you more of a share all the pictures type of person or more of a keeping them all to yourself and only share a select few?  

Hmm, I guess I only share a few since my photography skills aren’t that great.  But again, I am sure as you do more you will get better at it.

45. How good are you at sticking to your plans if, say, you told yourself you only were to bring home one more this year and then go on a break?  

I am quite strict on myself, so I believe that I can control my buying impulses quite well.

46. What doll body is your favourite?

No preference really.

47. Who in your resin crew has gone through the biggest transformation since arrival? 

I can’t answer this lol.

48. Do you pamper some more than others?  

I only have Koichi so of course he’s pampered pfft.  Did I mention he’s like a guinea pig BJD?  Neh I am just joking :D

49. Ever bought something (dolls, clothing, accessories)  that looked amazing in the pictures but turned out to be nothing like it upon arrival?  

Well, when I first ordered Koichi, I really liked the company’s default face-up on him in the photos and so I did order for the face-up to be done on him.  However, after some time, I did not like how the face-up was on him anymore.  There was also a small chip-off on his left eye.  So I made the decision to redo his face-up myself and though it’s not perfect, I like it.

50. What are your continued plans for this year?

Continue improving skills to making better wigs and clothes.  I also want to redo his face-up.

-

These meme questions are by MorbidDelusions.  Many thanks!!

#50q bjd meme #bjd memes #renlily's response #this was fun